[IC] Swords Beneath the Starlight

Out of the corner of his eye, Casey spots Mazelina breaking away from the crowd. A moment later, Sunny is following her. It takes him a moment to realize what they're doing, until he lays eyes on their fallen Captain. Something in his gut tightens at the sight of Brendan's bloody corpse, and before he knows it Casey's feet are carrying him over to the body, a few steps behind Sunny.



"This just ain't right," he mutters, shaking his head in frustration. He can't see Mazelina's face from where he's standing, but the way she's leaning on her staff is enough to cause him some concern. He wants to say more, to offer some sort of condolences, but his heart is too twisted up to be quite so stoic. The Captain was gruff, but he was one of the only people to ever show Casey genuine kindness. It isn't fair that within days of meeting fate saw fit to strip him away as well. Sunny mentions funeral rites, and so Casey kneels before the body, if only to join his companions in their grieving. His usual eloquence fails him, and he can only think of one thing to say.

"The Captain didn't deserve this."

Milo, who had arrived with Lien and her entourage, using the time to calm down and collect his thoughts.  Now that the danger of battle was gone and they had new tasks to focus on - plus the warm introduction from these strangers - he felt more at ease talking.

He watched as his companions quickly scattered to their different tasks.  His eyes follow Sunny, Casey, and Mazelina to Brenden's corpse.  The old him would choke up, had he not already seen more than enough dead friends to be slightly inundated to it.  Still though, Casey was right.  The captain did deserve better, he had taken them all in and made a group out of a bunch of ragtag outcasts.  Even people like him, when Milo was more than certain Brenden realized who he was early on.


"Thank you, Lien" he starts, almost asking as if he needed permission to use her name.  "I don't know for sure, exactly, about the other villagers, we only arrived too late as well.  Our casualties..." he glances back at Brenden.  "Captain Brenden.  He brought us all together, from all over.  I don't think any of us would have made it even half this far without him, and now..."

He begins walking, at first towards the body of Brenden and the congregation around him, but then rethinks it.  The captain had rushed ahead presumably to help people, and that swordsman was still unaccounted for.  Maybe, in his stead, Milo could do something about one of those, and instead begins heading into the ruined village.  "If you don't mind, I think I'm going to help join the search for survivors.  Hopefully there are still some left.  Oh, right, and who are your other companions?"  Milo motions towards Saya and Barnabas, waiting for an answer before continuing on to search for survivors and maybe, if he's lucky, some answers.

It hurts. It really, really does. This wasn't the first time Mazelina has lost an important, fatherly figure in her life. After all, her parents were gone too, taken in front of her. Funny, how all her healing couldn't do shit then, either.

Again, Dore offers no help. No, the goddess is surprisingly silent on the matter of all of this loss and destruction, and Mazelina bites hard on her lower lip to keep from laughing as much as it keeps her from crying. Her knuckles are even whiter than usual as she clutches her staff, fist balled and tensed so tightly it almost feels as though her muscles will snap.

Sunny's presence is nice, as well as Casey's. It does cut her mourning short, and though they do not know it, means that she has to put on a brave face and tuck this all away.

"You're right, Casey." It's the only thing she can think to say, and her voice almost cracks before she clears her throat to compose herself. "Sunny, we can go over proper funeral rights momentarily. Searching for remaining survivors sounds more immediately important. Once we clear the village out, we'll come back and sort all of this out."

Yes. She needed to focus on what she could change, Dore be damned. Rising to her feet, she mumbles a gentle thank you to Captain Brenden, brushing tears from her cheek before turning on her heel and making her way into the village.

Oh Baylee lets out a grunt and pulls her axe out of the tree and puts it back into her belt. She glances at the village. There's no way they got here on time. If the Commander retreated and left his mooks to deal with us, Well that means there's no one left in that village. She supposes she should start putting out the fire. But there were strange people about, and Laguz. She was always taught not to turn your back on the beasts.
The strangers didn't attack them during the scuffle, though, and in fact, helped them. So that earns them Baylee not having her axe out and at the ready. Brenden's dead on the ground. He ain't getting up. That's that. It's a shame but it's how the world works. She watches everyone fan out and sighs. These guys are way to trustin.

She turns to the new group and crosses her large arms.


"M' name is Baylee. Sorry ta 'ear about you're troubles as well. Were ya also hedgin' your hopes on Renault? If tha info you say is true... Tha means there's only more hardship an' fightin' ta come at that place. Are ya goin ta change ya course?"

One skill Casey has gained over his years is a heightened sense of perception. Mazelina's behavior troubles him; she'd tensed up at his and Sunny's approach, and just a moment ago he could've sworn he'd seen tears running down her face. It's enough to remind him that he isn't the only one in mourning here, that  there are even bigger problems facing them than the loss of their Captain. Even so, being able to see something is wrong isn't the same as knowing what to do about it. All Casey can do is watch as the healer marches onward, powerless against the grief that's gripping the lot of them. He lets out a heavy sigh, turning his attention to the strangers who'd joined their battle. He's reasonably certain he has nothing to fear from his current travelling companions, but this new group brings unknown elements; warriors in fancy dress and a few of the laguz his old mentor used to warn him about. They seem to be allies, but Casey can't bring himself to let his guard down after a sudden battle like that. He can't let himself get any more shaken up. Remember your training, he tells himself. Keep calm, and watch your back. 



Finally he turns to Sunny. "A funeral is a good idea," he begins, "But I have to agree, we need to tend to the ones who are still alive first." He looks her up and down for a moment, before asking, "Are you alright? I thought I saw you take a few hits back there."

Sunny simply watches as Mazelina heads off. She cocks her head, eyes curious. Yes, she certainly seemed far more affected by this than she was letting on, that was for sure. But that was fine. They need not all work at the same pace, and she could conduct her own work and then be done. Sunny had no wish to drag things out with Brenden, at least for herself. But first... to address someone.



"One moment, my friend." Sunny says to Casey. "I wish to conduct a simple prayer for our dear Captain, give me just a minute. You are free to join in, though I know you do not believe in Progress. Either way, I shall be quick." Sunny then closes her eyes, bows her head, and presses her hands together.

"Oh, Captain. You cared for us when others might not have, and brought us together for safety. You accepted me despite my broken allegiances. I wish to thank you for your work. I hope only the best for you, and pray that you shall be rewarded for your kindness. May Nature accept you into Her loving embrace so that Progress may find you once more." Sunny remains silent for a few moments after, seemingly offering a bit more of her prayer in private. Then, her head raises and she turns to address Casey.

"There we go. As for your question..." Sunny's smile grows, ever so slightly. "Your concern is most appreciated. I am certainly still standing, which is good, no?" She laughs, the sound light. "But it was only natural that I took such a blow. There is a certain balance to the world that is inevitable." Sunny clasps her hands together, addressing her injury almost reverently. "In order to secure the well being of our group, I think that some blood is more than a fair trade. Besides, our time has not arrived yet. Progress sees fit to pull us ever closer to Him."

Casey isn't sure how to respond to that; he'd nearly forgotten in the heat of battle just which deity Sunny worships. The reminder is a bit confusing, given their current circumstances together. What does an invader stand to gain by fighting alongside Ilyun citizens? Regardless, Sunny had been a big part of their victory, so there isn't any reason to rock the boat.



"I'm glad you're feeling confident," he replies, electing to ignore the elephant in the room. "I'm not sure we would've gotten through that without you around. That shadowy stuff you're conjuring certainly seems useful." Terrifying, but useful. "I'm curious about those other fighters who turned up. Think you could come with me to get acquainted? I'd feel much better with a friend by my side."

Sunny seems to perk up somewhat at the mutual statement of friendship, visibly bouncing ever so slightly.



“Yes, these magics are very useful, and my studies are finally boring fruit, even though I am simply scratching the surface.” Sunny pauses for a moment, blinking. She then continues, moving on to the actual point at hand.

“But I would love to accompany you to converse more in depth with our new compatriots. I’m very interested in them, especially their... other allies.”

"Shall we then?"

With Sunny by his side, Casey heads towards their mysterious benefactors. Based on his observations, the fencer seems to be in charge, so she's who he'll focus his attention on first.



"Well met," he offers. "I hope it wasn't rude, my walking away like that. I was worried about our friend." He reaches one hand out, offering it to Lien. "My name is Casey, I hail from Achaim." He doesn't say anything else, for the moment at least. Best to tread lightly if there really are more enemy troops nearby.

Sunny makes her way to the new arrivals alongside Casey, her hands clasped in front of her.



"My apologies as well. I wished to attend to our fallen Captain, but now is not the time, I suppose." She glances to the side, her expression slightly strained. Her lips press together, and the fingers of one hand drum against the other as she stands there. She shoots a glance at Casey before returning her gaze to Lien.

"As I mentioned earlier, my name is Sunny. I don't wish to hide secrets from you, so I will let you know upfront that I hail from the Revotrian Republic, though I hope you find solace in the fact that I have abandoned my homeland."

Mazelina, Logan, Airitech:

You begin your search. It is, unfortunately, rather gruesome, morbid, and ill-fated. You find nothing but corpses, charred and butchered in the wake of the attack. Something catches your attention, though: these individuals are all armed, and there's far less of them than the size of the village would suggest. You can be reasonably sure that this is the village's militia - people like you. They're poorly armed, all wielding some sort of polearm (and many of them using pitchforks in place of a proper lance) - but they fought, and they died, and in the end, you deduce, they won. They seem to have made room for the other villagers to escape.

As you re-emerge from your search, you find a woman weeping next to the body of your fallen captain.



"Oh, Brenden, you daft old fool..."

Baylee, Milo, Casey, Sunny:

Lien nods to Milo.

"I see... a great loss, then. I'm terribly sorry. I-- I lost my father when Achaim fell. I know no words can bring you easy peace. I can only express my sympathy and offer what little I have."

When she mentions her father, Carlyle shoots her a scowl. It doesn't deter her. She turns to Baylee.



"That's... a way of putting it. Perhaps rather foolishly, I had hoped that Renault would be able to push back against the forces of these Progress cultists. If even her knights have fallen... perhaps there is no hope left for Ilyun. But... I cannot believe that. I will not give up so long as there is breath still left in my lungs. I only hope it is not all for naught. May Saedore have mercy on her people..."

Carlyle's scowl deepens. When Sunny steps in along with Casey and announces she's Revotrian, he seems compelled to step in.



"Hold. You're wandering around with a Revotrian in tow? And how do you know she's not one of them? Another thrall to Progress, another zealot wishing to see us all enslaved to her ideals? Were it not for my oaths, I would strike her down where she--"



"Hold your tongue, Carlyle."



"I will hold my tongue when it does not interfere with my orders, Lien." He spits the name out with no small degree of venom. He turns his glare to Casey. "You say you're a son of Achaim - how can any of her children bear to stand beside one of the bastards who tore her to pieces? Is she not a worshiper of their false god? Whispering prayers to Avern and calling him by a different name? How can you not feel every blasphemy she utters echoing through your bones? How can you not see the blood of your city dripping from her fingers?!"

Lyander, horrified by the sudden death of Brenden, rattled at the ease in which he'd carried out his first kills, and generally overwhelmed by everything decided to disappear into the woods.

This was too damn much. Plus there were Laguz there and he felt uncomfortable around them.

Casey's brow furrows, his eyes narrowing with frustration. 



"Sunny fought valiantly, just like the rest of us," he insists. "I don't know about Progress or Avern or whatever you're on about, but Sunny helped us survive. She's made no secrets of what gods she worships, and she's shown no hesitation to stand up for our group and our Captain. Whether that makes her trustworthy, I can't say, but we are all strangers here. Why should I trust you any more than her? I spent my whole life in Achaim, and not a single of its people ever saw fit to fight for my survival!"

Sunny seems to take Carlyle's words on the chin, simply standing there and listening. She understands a lot of what he says is true. Perhaps her blood and her past lend her to be less trustworthy. She doesn't agree, but she understands. But then he continues. And for the first time, Sunny's face visibly contorts into a grimace. The feeling she radiates isn't anger, however.



"Sir." She begins simply. "You can refuse to listen to my words all you like. You can blame me for the death of a city I never visited, one I held no ill will for, nor knew existed until I joined this group. But I must make one thing clear to you: I am not the blasphemer here. I am not the one who spat upon my god's name for the sake of a translucent crusade. It was not by my hand that Progress was forsaken for the facade it has become now. So I will offer you some advice:"

"Either forsake your oaths, or listen to your friend and hold your tongue."

Anger flashes across his face as Casey speaks. It deepens as sunny opens her mouth.

The man's fist balls up.



"No one fought?! You little..."



"That's enough Carlyle. You're dismissed." Lien's voice carries a degree of force that seems foreign to her. Carlyle seems wise enough to take it seriously.

He stomps off angrily.

"I apologize for his behavior. He's... dutiful. Perhaps too dutiful. He was assigned to protect me, on account of the... importance of my family's trade caravans." The last bit sounds like she's improvising. She's bad at it. "He always took his job very seriously. As such, has taken the fall of the city particularly badly. Rest assured that he and I will have a conversation once this is all over."

She eyes Sunny. "Your... 'god' disquiets me. I will not pretend he does not. Not just for what his followers do, but for the very tenets his religion is founded upon. But I will not tolerate ill treatment on those grounds from anyone in my employ."

Well. The result of their search in the village is about what Mazelina expected, but it's no less troubling to see. Mumbling wishes for peace and rest under her breath, she's careful to take a moment kneel, doing her best to somehow will the positivity back into the ground. It won't work, she knows. Nothing really seemed to anymore besides immediate treatments for minor wounds.

Ha.

As she trudges her way back to Captain Brenden, she slows upon seeing the new figure, stepping forward slower. Stopping a few feet away, she lowers her head, setting the end of her staff delicately into the dirt and ash.

"Did you know him well?" Sometimes remembering the fallen is the best thing that can be done.

Baylee just raises her eyebrow and steps aside as her conversation gets impeded on. She just lets out a low grunt and crosses her arms and watches the scene unfold. All this Progress talk is spooking her out and raising her hairs. It makes her quite a bit uncomfortable, that magic, but as long as it's not pointed at her, she can at least... Stand it.

She glances at the dark Laguz types just looming behind them and grits her teeth and approaches them.

"Ey. What are yer doing 'ere beasts? Ain't there usually more of ya around wit' each other?" Despite her harsh language her tone is calm.

Airitech remains silent because Brenden is probably her husband or her son. Either were good guesses, if his militia captain experiences told him.

He didn't murder him exactly. He knew he was complicit (as the opposing side) but he didn't feel anything. Well okay, he did feel bad - to be more specific, he felt bad about not feeling anything about a named man's death.

Mazelina was soft and Logan was green. There would be a lot of damn tears at the end of this day. Airitech mills awkwardly, crossing his arms as if it was defend him from the onslaught of negative emotions both from strangers and his peers.

Milo stands frozen in this conversation, Carlyle's words hitting him as deep as the axes of the bandits.  Then Sunny talks, and all he can think about is what not just he but countless others were drawn into, were promised, never mind what was done.  All in the name of Progress.  How could the vastness of Revotria be blaspheming on a god they rose to divinity?

He decides not to voice what comes to his mind - was it shame?  Fear?  He wasn't sure.


"This isn't what we're here for.  The bandits here are dead but their leader has vanished, and apparently Revotria and whatever you want to believe is behind them are just over the hill.  I don't think any of us need any more enemies.  Let's find any survivors and bury our dead."

He presses on into the village, eventually noticing the others and this new woman.  So some people did survive.  He would begin looking for others.  He glanced at Lien on his way with some slight concern at her awkward explanation, but his own disquiet more likely than not disguises hers.

Barnabas quickly pulled the hood of his grey cloak up and over his head as he stepped out of the woods, making sure his body was mostly covered, gloves, trousers on right, etc. With just the face visibile, the only animal like signs were his fangish teeth, and the eyes that were mostly pupils and iris. He watched the beorcs, his face implacable and hopefully his animal eyes incomprehensible, but he was worried. They'd torn through those bandits pretty well after all.

Barnabas pulled his worn, stolen gloves on and put a hand on Philomel shoulder, gently, once, then taking it back.



 "Thank you. Really." He said, putting as much sincerity and gratefulness as he could into it.

At Milo's motion towards him, Barnabas jerked a bit, he'd been distracted looking at the funeral and support this band was giving to the grieving town, tempted to help himself somehow, watching Sunny and Casey approach curiously, but with the attention on him for even that moment, he moved closer to Saya, defensively squinting at Milo from underneath his hood, with a chilly expression and remaining silent.

As the argument between the humans breaks out, he growled quietly at the mention of Progress. He couldn't help it, but he kept his mouth shut and didn't bare his fangs at it. No choice but to remain cool-headed, he couldn't afford rage like Caryle could in this situation.

His eyes flicked immediately to Baylee as she addressed them. Another stare, as inscrutable as the one he'd given Milo, as he slowly turned to face her, and shifted his position, still close to Saya. Beasts then? After a pause, he said very quietly.



"Usually, aye." Was all he answered with. His posture was slightly tense, just maybe visibly ready to spring into some form of action but no warning signs of aggression or enmity of fear was clear.

Saya observes the chatter of the humans as they regroup from the battle. They watch carefully, not fully trusting the group to not turn around and assault them and Barnabas once they got their senses about them again. And then in front of them is a rather rude girl, approaching with harsh words.


"Hmph. Typical. We get involved in your fight, help you out, and this is the gratitude you show us?"

They cross their arms and frown, moving to back Barnabas up.



"You're refugees, or so I overheard?"

In typical form, Logan swoops in to interrupt the conversation on the back of a big fucking not-quite-dragon. Logan can't not make a dramatic entrance. They get a look at the fallen Captain, and mostly just... stare a while. They hadn't known him long, but it still hurt to see someone they knew, you know, Incredibly Dead.

And... there's someone mourning for him? Logan feels like they shouldn't get in the way of that, so they move back to give 'em some space. Meanwhile, there's some new folks, and also some... they suppose those are laguz? They seem alright. Logan hasn't really met any face to face, but... well, they helped out in battle, it'd be no good to be rude to friends like that.



"I, uh... evenin'?" Logan looks down from Morven's back. "Thanks fer the, uh... help and all that. Uh- the three o' ye, too!" they quickly call out to the other mysterious folk, because it seemed rude to not include them.

A pause. "We're, uh, aye, I guess we're all refugees. All on the run, at least, aye?"

Sunny watches Carlyle stomp away. Her grimace leaves, but her smile does not return at the moment. She simply turns as Lien addresses her.



"I understand the hesitation you feel towards Progress. I will make no attempt to assuage your concerns, as I doubt you care and I don't wish to waste either of our time. Just know that I am against the Republic."

Casey himself takes a certain measure of relief at Sunny's bold declaration of her allegiance. He would've felt a fool if she'd hung them out to dry after he'd gone and stuck his neck out like that. Meanwhile, it seems that Baylee is getting off on the wrong foot with Lien's laguz companions. Casey winces as caution begins to fill the air, but fortunately Logan is nearby to help break the tension. It might be best not to aggravate the situation for the time being. Besides, with the threat of interference from Carlyle gone, Casey has more important questions on his mind.



"Your name is Lien," he states, turning back to the mysterious fencer. "You said you lost your father in Achaim?" He gives her a knowing look, staring for a moment before shaking his head. "I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope I didn't offend with my outburst. Life in Achaim was complicated, and we've all been through a lot since the attack."

Mazelina, Airitech:



"...Aye. He was my little brother. You members of his little mercenary band? Well... look n' see. This is the village yer bold captain was born and raised in... old, stupid, stupid bastard..." She sighs, half choking back a sob. "When he turned a man, he left t'find fame an' fortune. Sent letters with fanciful stories about all the adventures he was havin', but... I never really believed 'im. Used to feel guilty for it. But. Suppose I was right not to. Look where it ended 'im."

--

Barnabas:

The young woman smiles up at you, teeth peeking out nervously between her lips. Everything about her seems utterly precarious - as if she's suspended in an eternal state between doing and not, hesitating with every move, acting, retreating, and then continuing the action; a schroedinger's box of a person.



"Thank you," Philomel replies. "I-- I'm not particularly blessed in my craft, but... if I can remain a conduit for the Goddess's will, then I'm. More than-- ah-- happy, to... to serve. I've never seen a man with... ears...? like yours? Before? They're nice. Where are they from?"

--

The Rest:



Lien nods at Casey, eyes averted. "That's... that's correct, yes, sir. I was never particularly privvy to the worst parts of city life, but... my father made a point of teaching me that there was a much broader world than the one I lived in. People whose lives I could never truly understand - people who I should try to help whenever I could. I suppose that's the true purpose behind my journey, to answer your question correctly, ma'am." She nods to Baylee. "Because I think I can make things better. Fix this, even. If only I can reach the Renault Knights..." Her gaze is distant, now, far off.

"But. That's all... maybe a bit too high-minded and in-the-clouds. A futile hope of a silly girl. You'll have to excuse me, I-- I have a tendency to dream out loud."

There's a pause. Her eyes close.

"Just... if you could, for me: hang on to hope for a little while longer. Because maybe I'm right, and if I am, I want you to live to see it. All of you."