[IC] Swords Beneath the Starlight

Milo nods, even though the most he hopes for anymore is base survival and a chance at stopping his homeland.

Wordlessly, he continues on picking through the village.  He knows deep down that there isn't a point in finding anyone else, but maybe he can find some clue as to where the bandits went after, or whether there was a point to this besides base looting.  At the very least, he should be able to find a shovel.

With a gentle hand, Mazelina touches the woman's shoulder. Slowly, she squats, looking to her.

"I'm sorry for your loss. If it helps, I was quite fond of him. He helped take me in and provide me guidance when I was completely lost. He...meant quite a lot to me." Drawing in a breath, Mazelina finds it in her to smile. She was a woman who bore the robes of one who thought themselves a messenger. Beyond that, she was a healer. One folks looked to during times of strife and crisis like this. She needed to offer stability and softness wherever she could. "If you would like, we can have a small ceremony for him, and the others fallen here before we begin burying."

Casey is a bit taken off guard by this most recent outburst. If his suspicions about Lien are right, he should feel frustrated, angry even that she'd deign to ask him for help in restoring the League. What he actually feels is something more akin to confusion. What good could he do in a situation like this, anyway? More importantly, what reason does she have for keeping someone like him alive? He simply can't make sense of it, and Lien's inability to meet his eyes creates an unpleasant feeling in his gut. In his mind, he curses himself. On the outside, he rests a hand firmly on Lien's shoulder, flashing her a smile.



"Well, the way things are now I'm sure our situations aren't so different anymore," he tells her. "Though, a man like me might not be satisfied with things returning to the way they used to be, you know."

Barnabas hesitated, slightly torn between answering Philomel and eyeing Baylee and Logan. There was some tension maybe...



He took down his hood and rubbed his ears thoughtfully. "Well, I got these from my father. But I have my mother's eyes, and grandma's teeth." He said, turning to look at her and smiling widely for a moment, a toothy, slightly feral grin that vanished into a small tight-lipped half-smirk. Wonder why she was so nervous, guess the humans had their own traumatic ordeals, maybe that's why she was also jittery, hopefully he wasn't contributing too much to that, if at all.

Anyway, he continued in his soft, gruff voice, answering Logan.



"Yes, all running from something."

Mazelina:

The woman's face remains hard.



"...Don't know how you mercenaries do things. But. Hereabout, we have a priest do the rites. You want to do me a favor, girl? Don't chase stupid dreams. Don't be like him."

Casey:

Lien fidgets. Her demeanor has shifted over the past minute or so, going from a beacon of serenity to a nervous lass unable to maintain a straight face, let alone eye contact.



"I... I don't disagree. But. If things are going to ever get better, peace has to come first. That is all that I can bear to think of right now. I hope you can understand."

Carlyle is staring your group down from across the field, watching Casey like a hawk. It seems he's protective, even given all the frustrations he seems to harbor for his charge.

Lien's words have begun to stir something in young Casey. After spending years wandering aimlessly along the same busy streets, the thought of something more is tantalizing to say the least. Moreover, he's seen far too much blood in far too little time. His teachings are screaming for him to run, to create distance between himself and any of those he isn't sure he can trust, but the naivety of youth has begun to win out. He has no desire to return to a life of solitude, not when he has so much to repay. People have fought for him, died for him. He must do his part to protect the his companions, and Lien's ambitions seem to line up with that. For someone like Casey, it would be impossible. But her? She might actually have a chance at bringing some peace.



"Aye, I understand," Casey replies. He lifts his hand from Lien's shoulder, but leaves it outstretched. "Let us make peace then, shall we? If you want to 'fix' things, I'd imagine things are only going to get more difficult for you and your companions. With such lofty goals in mind, I can't very well ally myself with you if you're too afraid to even look at me, now can I?" His words are harsh, but chosen carefully. Hopefully a ribbing might ease the nerves so clearly overwhelming Lien. "I ain't the most useful in a fight, but I can help you in other ways."

Sunny sits and listens to Casey's conversation with her head cocked slightly, since she hadn't bothered to move away before they started talking further. Her perturbed expression gradually shifts into something more neutral. After a second, her smile returns, almost as though it never disappeared to begin with, and she throws in her thoughts as well.



"This sounds like fun. You may have my support in your lofty endeavors, but only if you'll accept it." She taps her finger against her chin, then laughs. "Though keeping your friend on a leash would be appreciated as well."

"Mercenary?" Mazelina echoes the sentiment, then shakes her head. "My apologies, miss. While I traveled with Captain Brenden, I am a healer and very little else. I devoted my life to the teachings of Dore, not to any sort of blade." For a moment the light leaves her eyes. "Though I will take your advice, and I thank you for it."

Airitech saunters away. The healer might not be a mercenary but he IS (was?) a mercenary. When the survivor manages to realize that, Airitech was not sure if he could handle being chewed out.

He makes a considerable amount of distance away from the burning village, trying not to run as to look obvious, but not exactly walking. After he felt like there was enough space between himself and potential PTSD flashbacks, he sits on a nearby tree stump, sighing.

Unbeknownst to him, it was near Lien and her cohorts.

Baylee nods to Lien.

"Ain't foolish to have a plan to put ye 'hopes on sumin'. 'Side's they are still just men and women jus' like the likes of us, an we are all fallible. Yer heads in the right spot.  We still got a shot in this


Baylee wasn't sure what she said that seemed ungrateful or hostile. The confusion from her not getting this exchange frustrates her a little bit. Might just be how they work.


"'M pretty full of gratitude... Dunno where ya got tha. But aye, we are refugees... Are you ones too? If so then shit. It seems like there ain't a place Revotrian hasen' touched. It feels like every'un is gunna be a refugee soon.

Mazelina:



The woman seems... confused. Distressed? She closes her eyes, face scrunched, shakes her head.

"So you're... what, some sort of priest? What in the name of Avern are you doin' with ilk like my good for nothin' brother?"

Casey, Sunny, Baylee:



Lien nods to Baylee. "Yes. From Achaim. I'm a... merchant's daughter, and I have business with the knights of Renault. I just hope there's still some of them left..."

She turns to Casey.

"You're... offering to join us? I-- I wouldn't dare make such a request of you. And I'd be surprised if Carlyle would allow it... Though I suppose it's hardly his decision, in the end... Perhaps we should wait until the Colonel is back before we make any audacious decisions...?"

Milo:

You comb through the ruins. Not many have returned. A priest digs through the rubble to try and find a holy book; a few try to collect what valuables they can from the wreckage of their homes. Some try to bury their dead. Most seem to have run off, never to return.

Airitech:

You sit rather close to Carlyle, who is, himself, leaned up against a tree.

It takes a moment before he raises his voice, prodding at you with his words.



"...You branded?"

Milo takes some time to check on the returning villagers, offer whatever quick help they might need dealing with what little is left to return to, and then promises to come back to help them with the dead and further recovery efforts.  First he walks to Brenden's body with a shovel found by a ruined home.  He nods to Mazelina as he sees her, and then looks over at the woman at the late captain's side.


"Uh, miss?  I'm... I'm sorry for your loss.  Captain Brenden was a good man, and I don't know how many of us would have survived if he didn't take us in.  I can't ever repay that kindness now, but..."  He glances towards the shovel in his hand.  "I was wondering if you had a place you might want to say goodbye, give him his rites.  Mazelina is as good a priest as I've ever known, and I think I saw another coming back from the village."

Airitech gives the longbowman a bit of a stink-eye. He DID wanted to talk to this dude, but his current mood and the pointed question made him even grumpier.

"What gave't away? My beautiful blue eyes?"

Casey huffs, withdrawing his unshaken hand with an exaggerated rolling of his eyes. It seems his plan to break the tension had backfired, but there's little to be done about that now. 



"So formal...." he mutters, slipping his hand back behind his cloak. "Suppose it's for the best. I can't very well abandon my friends, much less sign them onto your cause without asking." He turns to Sunny and asks, "I know you're on board at least. Think we should rally our group up?"

"I think it's a good idea!" Sunny says, glancing at Casey. "Our little group doesn't seem to have much of a formal goal anymore, considering that our leader has been slain." She taps her chin. "I'm feel as though at least a few of them would rather move in some sort of direction, rather than milling around here mourning." Her smile is warm, despite her words. "We could always go and ask! It sounds fun enough, yeah?"

"Aye, that's one way to put it," Casey chuckles. Sunny's demeanor is downright infectious, and it's nice to have some support. "Excuse us, m'lady," he says to Lien. His eyes drift first to Mazelina and Milo, still standing over their fallen Captain, along with one of the locals. Turning once more to Sunny, his cheerful expression begins to fade.



"Even if we don't intend to linger, shall we say our goodbyes?"

"We shall return shortly. Hopefully your Colonel returns soon." Sunny says to Lien, bowing her head slightly before following after Casey. Her smiles becomes a bit solemn at the sight of their fallen Captain.

"I have said my prayer and made my peace. I have asked Nature to reclaim his soul, so that he may return to Progress in due time." She bows her head, the motion reverent. "But I will follow you regardless, if you feel the need to say your piece to him."

"I was but an acolyte, miss. My village was destroyed. While I was wandering, he helped offer me guidance, as well as the rest of my friends back there." Breathing out, Mazelina centers herself. "He cared for us. A man with slicked back hair in silver, red, and gold was what finally did him in. I've never seen him rush in quite like that..."

"Or someone who'd leave his men here so readily.  Regardless, if it weren't for him we never would have gotten here in time to stop the rest of these dastards from doing it again."

Barnabas:



"Your... Father...? Had them too...?"

This girl seems legitimately baffled by this notion. People came in many shapes and colors, but fuzzy-eared was not one she had been aware of.

"Oh... oh! You were-- the dog, yes? And your friend, the bird? I- I suppose I didn't put it together, but... I think that makes most sense."

--

Casey, Baylee, Sunny:



"V-Very well... good... luck???"

She seems completely uncertain as to how she should interpret this turn of events. A bunch of refugees offering to join her party certainly wasn't how she'd envisioned her day progressing.

--

Mazelina, Milo:

Milo's words seem to roll off the woman's back. She doesn't much care for his stiff military look, or his facial hair - so everything he says falls on deaf ears. When Mazelina explains her village was destroyed, though, it seems to recontextualize this whole conversation - both Milo and Mazelina's parts - and, in turn, her brother's life.



"...Yer village...? So you're- what? Refugees? And he..."

Her eyes well up once more with tears.

"...Spent all my days thinkin' he'd just. Gone off chasin' a foolhardy dream of wealth and money with no concern fer nothin' else. Got bitter, I think - that he'd go galavantin' around while ma and pa died of the plague, all fer nothin'. But... it sounds like. Maybe I knew 'im wrong. Like maybe I shoulda had a bit more faith. I..." She nods. "Aye. I'll meet up with our priest. Get 'im a local burial, when time allows. He wouldn't want you lot stickin' around an' riskin' yer necks just ta see his bones meet dust. Sounds like you've got a long way to go yet - you'd best keep walkin' the path. I'll see to his burial. I promise."

--
Airitech:

He laughs, shakes his head, smirks.



"Nah. It was your clothes. I could tell you were from Ossory. It's a safe guess from there. I knew a guy from there, once. Another one of you. Worked in the city guard along with him. One of the most decent fellows I had the honor of serving with."

With the woman leaving Milo breathes out.  He was definitely not comfortable dealing with Brenden's grieving... brother he supposed, based on her words.  He turns to Mazelina.


"Did you want to perform some rite for him?  Maybe it'd be more for us too."

He tries to think of his own, but there weren't any that came to mind that wouldn't be based around Progress.  Milo assumed that the captain wouldn't want anything to do with that.


"I... don't really have any of my own.  Not that'd be appropriate with these sorts of goodbyes."

"Tch, fair enuff."

Airitech took a minute to take in the silence.

"...what was he like? Where he be now?"

In Airitech's defense, Branded was not exactly commonplace outside of Ossory - that mindful self-awareness was the first lesson to be taught to him and everyone else he knew since childhood. When Branded traveled out from their homelands, it was a safe guess to assume they had a VERY good reason to do so.

Mazelina nods her head, wishing the other woman well. She also whispers out one more well-wish for her health, and for her to remember her brother well. As she walks away, Maz watches her, exhaling only once she was far enough to not hear the deflation.

"I would offer to help, but it seems this is something she would like to see to personally. I would rather not...step on whatever rite she would like to prepare herself." She pauses a moment, far more quiet and contemplative than most have seen her previously. "Dore would want at least a temporary grave made for him, but if it would help, we could gather the others and say a few words."

Like this, she seems weak and vulnerable, ready to blow away in a strong breeze. It's with both hands that she clutches to her staff now-- before she draws in a breath. Almost as the sun rises, Mazelina brightens, standing up straight. The smile finds its way back to her face.

"Fret not, Milo. Any goodbye or sentiments you can offer are welcome, at least to me. We carry Brenden's memory with us, and she's right when she says he wouldn't want us to linger long."

Milo nods.  He digs the shovel into the ground and leaves it behind, walking towards the body of Brenden.


"Captain, I know you weren't one for words, so I'll spare you too many of them.  You didn't ask for much and got us all here safe.  No matter how much more difficult it might have made it to let us tag along you gave us all a chance, even if you didn't like it.  Even if some of us didn't deserve it.

You were a good man.  Thank you, and... I'm sorry."

He steps back and pauses, looking down at Brenden's body for a few more moments.  If it wasn't done already, he leans forward to close the captain's eyes and make him look at least a bit more at peace.  Turning away, he looks back towards the rest of their scattered group.


"Thank you, Mazelina.  I suppose we should find out what's going on Lien and her group, seems like we might have new traveling companions by the looks of it."  He pauses for several seconds, looking unsure at the acolyte before continuing.  "You know, just because the Captain was always strong doesn't mean we all need to be.  You're as entitled to a moment as anyone else, if you need one."

"Yes, we're running too. Hmph. I'd have rather fought and died defending my home, but my mother didn't see it that way. I hope the rest of the refugees are all right..."

Saya looks over to Philomel and answers,


"Yes, I am the hawk. Thank you for healing me and my friend here."