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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 14, 2013 13:44:42 GMT -5
"It was an honor and a pleasure. I hope I will be able to send you favorable news shortly. Now then, farewell."
"Ah, right... bye then."
When Alaric bowed, the messenger attempted a curtsy as best she could, though obviously there was some difficulty. When the games opened though and Alaric went in, she leaned to the side a bit, trying to see past him into the place. It would be a lie to say she wasn't at least a little curious about what the guards were so strict about. Assumedly when the gates were closed however, since there was nothing left to do, she wandered away from the castle to the town a ways off to look for the suggested inn to stay at.
That's right, don't offer some sort of accommodation or anything, not like I need somewhere to stay while waiting for a response...
---
Sable had to think quite a bit about what Snake said, long after he left and the dirty hobo followed after with stars in his eyes trying to get an autograph. People came and went, to and from this dark land. They were all quite polite though, and all very friendly, the customary greeting and farewells heard every so often through the inn.
"It was great to see you again, give my regards to your wife. Who is Ashfall?"
"Right right, who is Ashfall, till next time John!"
A hearty laugh , a warm hug and a firm handshake. Sable had some trouble understanding how they were all always so happy and friendly, despite the state their islands were in. She wondered if such a cataclysm befell her homeland, would the people of Ibaia be able to not only survive, but remain vibrant and happy? And that greeting, she still had no idea what it meant, and she found herself curious as to who Ashfall may be herself. Then again, she was fairly certain that most if not all of these people were not actual natives of this land, which was to be expected because of the hub of activity this place was. Not even the governor of the islands here was a native, whom she had come here to speak about on the matter of the war, letting him know of the dangers that may come given the situation of his islands in relation to crossing to the New World.
She could tell that none of these people were natives, because she knew what the natives looked like when she saw them. One had entered the inn to deliver something earlier, and they left an impression. Not just visually, as from a physical standpoint the young man looked like someone had pushed him inside a furnace. More than that though, it didn't even seem human, the way he carried himself. Like someone had torn out his soul in the process as well, and upon entering the inn, everything went quiet. Everyone was holding their breath, and just watched as he went about his business. The innkeeper answered the fellow's questions as quickly and completely as he could, clearly hopeful on getting the man out of there as soon as possible. Before he left he met eyes with Sable, but beyond looking at her armored suit with a visible degree of curiosity, he simply left just as he had come. Despite this absence though, a gloom hung over the place for quite some time after. It wasn't until at least about half of the people in here had left and been replaced by new arrivals whom had not been present for the delivery, that the place regained some of the liveliness it once had.
Perhaps the Prince thinks me a fool, or misinformed about the truth behind Arkady Industries. He seems to know many things, though I wonder how much he knows about... he did suggest approaching the King with these matters...
The problem was not the nature of Arkady Industries. If the decision were up to Sable she would keep Ibaia out of this war altogether, and as far as she was concerned, even Regala was a potential ally. But the decision was not up to her, she was not the King, and the King would never ally with someone who struck at him. Or, him, by extent. Ravunya was a noble and honorable nation, of proud and strong people. Arkady Industries was a collection of nightmares, and Victoria was a house of beasts.
But at the end of the day, Arkady Industries was the biggest influence around. Unlike Ravunya, Arkady's reach extended to Ibaia, it could effect the Metal Vale. This much was clear by the letters dropped from above, one of which Sable had brought with her. She held no letter from Ravunya, Snake had not climbed the Four Cities or crossed the Sea of Stars, and Ravunya's King had never met Leoric. It was her duty to look out for the wellbeing of her country, and she knew that allying with Rayunva far off in the New World, meant Akrady Industries right next door would be an enemy. She had not seen a column of Ravuyan troops marching onto the shores of Ibaia, but she had seen the planes of Arkady fly overhead. That was an invasion as far as she was concerned, and she had to face reality.
In the end though, ultimately her decision was not made from her own opinions or her devotion to her country. Instead, she choose whom Ibaia would ally with, out of her concern for the world. In a place like Victoria, where the outside world could not trespass, she felt it would be safe. Now, if only Slythe Arkady would consent to keeping it within his own world.
---
"Ding dong. Is this the Prancing Guild?"
After some time spent wandering and struggling for directions, the messenger found her way to what she believed to be the lodging which Alaric had described. Then again, it was not like she had been paying all that much attention to where she had ended up, so it could totally be the wrong place.
"I was told they offer special accommodations for foreigners? By a general or something?"
Unless the entrance was always left open, she'd be struggling with the door. Either banging against it with her head and calling out, or waiting till some passerby opened it for her out of the goodness of their heart.
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Post by Kyubey on Feb 15, 2013 16:38:42 GMT -5
In the small room where the top members of the Acis Kingdom first discussed war together, Claudia now read aloud the words written on the letter sent to her by Roderick. Sitting around the table once again were those closest to the Queen, except now both Oskar and Gotz Hallstatt were absent. Each of the royals reacted a little differently to the message. Bowdren stroked his beard in thought, like he always did when he was not immediately certain about something. Leberecht, who was sure about what action should be taken before the letter was even opened, looked anxious, worried about what the others might think. Alaric did not let his feelings on the matter show, if he had them, and Elvia merely seemed bored. As the final word was read, Claudia placed the letter down on the table, and slowly turned her eyes upwards, surveying these small little reactions from each of them.
"Thoughts, anyone?" she said, not wanting to be the first to express an opinion for a change.
"This Roderick fellow sounds like a decent man," said Leberecht, "I don't think there would be any harm in agreeing to an alliance."
"Just like that, Prince Leberecht? You are far too trusting. This is what would get you killed in a battle. You should trust no one so fast, and never one like the man whose letter we just read."
"But is it not also just as dangerous to reject all those who would help us?"
"Brother," said Elvia, "Do you intend for us to beg for help from the first person to offer it? I knew you were a coward, but..."
"From the letter," remarked Alaric, "It seemed that it was they who are asking us for help, Your Highness."
"Then we shouldn't give it to them. Let the peasants burn while we charge ahead and win! We'll show them the force of our nation!"
"On the contrary, this is the first time we would be extending ourselves to the outside. If we ignore Vengeance now, we'll be seen as brutish and coldhearted. And that is an impression I feel would stay forever. Are you not concerned of that?"
"That assessment would not be entirely untrue..." This caused Claudia to shoot a hateful stare at Alaric.
"And if we helped these cowards just because they asked, the world would see us as soft!" From Elvia's tone, she seemed confident that her mother would agree with her, but, unlike most of these disagreements with her brother, of which there were many, she seemed to get no enjoyment from it.
"From a military standpoint, suppose we expend our efforts towards assisting Vengeance. Our army would be needlessly pressed by that of our enemies, we would be seen as weak for it, and our soldiers would resent us for sending them to die for the troubles of another land. I am sure that the Laverna would use that to their advantage."
"I disagree, Your Majesty. I feel as though the Laverna would support a friendship with Vengeance. Many of their views are similar."
"All the reason to not agree to it, then."
"But we would not be only aiding Vengeance, Mother. They have weapons! They have soldiers! We would be joining together, as a collective force, like the letter states!"
Claudia chuckled grimly. "Do you and I speak of the same Vengeance, Leberecht? Theirs is not a proud land of warriors like ours is. They are nothing but a collection of peasants, gathered together in fear of the terrible world around them. There's not even a king to guide them in war. They would be crushed, and we are their single hope. They know this, which is why they've run to us. And they know of our resolution, which is why they phrased their letter in such a fashion. In reality, Roderick, upon being faced with the reality that is war, has realized the helplessness of his country, and has turned to a true kingdom to save them. They have shown weakness, and ask us to do the same. Conquest is the only outcome for them. Let them receive it. It is their time."
"A wise ruling," observed Bowdren, speaking slowly and thoughtfully. "But perhaps you have overlooked something. If I am not mistaken, Vengeance has been through a revolution just as we have, correct?"
"Yes, Your Grace. I recall hearing Roderick speak a little of it during the meeting."
"They've been through the same struggle our nation has! If we were to select any nation as an ally, should it not be them?"
"Do not speak of their uprising like it was the same as ours, boy. I have seen that man Roderick, with my own eyes. He is no warrior. His words might be stirring, but his fight was nothing like ours. Our revolution was the ending of a war fought for eight hundred years. We banded together and used power alone to defeat the wicked Cassias, who sat on a throne that was never theirs by right. Roderick was not a king claiming his true place. He was nothing more than a criminal, displacing his king out of some foolish belief. Despite what his words may claim, I am sure that his victory was won through trickery, not through battle and strength."
"I would be very much inclined to agree with you, my Queen, if it were a King Roderick who had penned that letter, rather than a Citizen. If he were a dishonest man with dishonest intent, the first thing he would have done upon the defeat of the old ruler would be to crown himself as the replacement. Instead, he granted rulership to the entirety of his country. It is foolish, yes, but it is the foolishness of one who is sure and honest of his beliefs. If nothing else, we can see that Roderick is one who has placed his faith in the combined strength of his people. If he extends an offer to join our powers together, that is what he intends to do."
"You agree with me, then?" Leberecht said excitedly, having lost confidence earlier, now renewed with a sense of justification.
"Not entirely, Prince. Your Majesty, might I see the letter?" Claudia slid the paper to Bowdren, and he picked it up with hands that had the faint traces of bloodstains still visible on them. He took a moment to absorb all of it, skimming some parts while paying close attention to others. "This speaks of revolution... overthrowing establishments... freedom." He put down the letter, having seen what he wanted. "A questionable choice of words, in a letter addressed to a Queen."
"I think so as well. Even if I were to join in an alliance, which is what I am considering with Regala, I am still not overeager to do it with one who speaks in such a manner to me. And furthermore, he seems to have forgotten one vital thing. This is not a grand struggle we are facing with the oppressors of the world. My involvement in this war is purely to fulfill my duel against Slythe Arkady. I do not care for anything else, not until that is complete."
"But that duel is not all there is to this war. You have heard yourself how Arkady means to involve the other nations in this conflict. He does not see this as a duel. He sees this as a chance to create enough chaos for him to exploit as he pleases. Not to mention the nations of Ravunya and Coryphaeus. If there was one thing I learned from the task you gave me during the ball, it was that those two nations are every bit as proud as we are, and still more eager for battle. They intend to fight this war, and they will not stop until they are dead, or they have proved themselves superior to all others. And we still know nothing about what Ibaia will do. Our fight is not only one nation against another, Your Majesty."
"And what does this mean to us? If other armies fight us, we'll defeat them. If this is what we are afraid of, I'll destroy them all myself, and show you how worthy we are. We do not need Vengeance. We don't need anyone."
"You still say that while the world is against us? Is pride worth the risk? I do not know much about the world, but I know that our people and strong, just as I know that compared to other lands, we are few. There is no shame in fighting with those that would ride alongside us. Gathering allies is not showing weakness. Our strength won't be diminished when mixed with that of others, it will be bolstered. Is Vengeance the best choice of ally? I'm not sure. But right now, they are the only ones who will join us. What right do we have to deny them that?"
"There is always a risk, when placing faith in another. More so when the other is one such as Vengeance. I am not saying it is a risk not worth taking, but it is a risk we should not ignore."
"I stand by what I said earlier," Claudia said decisively, "We are not yet helpless enough to take help from peasants. We are royalty, while they are nothing. We defeated the Cassias alone, by the power of our bravery and honor, and we shall defeat Arkady and the rest in the same fashion. That is our way."
"That is not true, Your Majesty."
Claudia stood, and turned her whole body towards Alaric, glowering down at him. "What did you say, Alaric Cassia?"
Alaric, following his queen's example, stood up resolutely. "The Acis were not alone when you conquered Galatae. You and your forces had help. Your victory was not yours alone, it was aided by the support of others. Deny that to all your kingdom, and the rest of the world as well, I do not care, but you cannot look at me and claim that what you just said was true."
Claudia stayed glaring at Alaric, shaking with anger. All else in the room thought that the queen would attack her servant for saying such a thing, but Alaric did not cower or back down, keeping eye contact with his frightful ruler. After what seemed to be several minutes of silence, Claudia sat back down, still seething.
"I cannot make a decision," she said, half muttering, "Until I meet with that man myself. Someone, I don't care who, get me some parchment, and then leave me. I wish to write a message."
---
"Welcome, traveler. You must be weary. Might I show you a seat?"
Valdis Laverna, waitress of the Prenzie Guard, said those words whenever an unfamiliar face showed up to the inn. She said it often enough, in fact, that the regular patrons by that point were able to recite it by heart, mimicking it down to her every inflection. When the messenger came in, she had said it out of reflex more than anything else, as she approached the customer. She stopped, however, when she saw the unusual appearance of this newcomer. The many patrons already seated also turned their heads, briefly halting their normal merriment momentarily, as they realized just who was there. A look of excitement flashed across Valdis' face the moment she realized the identity of the woman who stepped in.
"You! You're the messenger of Vengeance, are you not?" By that point, news of Vengeance and the letter-carrier that had gone to the castle had spread far across the town. Though the messenger probably hadn't intended it, she had become the subject of many a conversation throughout the day. This was especially true amongst the Laverna and their friends. "Come come, sit down! There are so many who'd like to meet you! Good customers! We have a most important visitor today!" Valdis then led the messenger across the main room of the inn. Even if she refused or resisted, Valdis would have practically dragged her to a large table, where a group had already gathered, and sat her down. There were many others in the large, expansive inn, mostly drunken soldiers and those most loyal to the current rule, who showed no interest in the foreigner, but still roughly half the patrons had gathered around, shoving to get closest to her.
"I don't know if you were aware, but you've caused quite a stir here, miss. But do not worry. There are many who aren't too fond of outsiders nowadays, but that should not trouble you. As long as you are under this roof, you are among friends."
The group that gathered all raised their pints and cheered. The messenger would suddenly find several glasses at the table in front of her, offerings from the excited villagers. How she would go about drinking them in a mask and straightjacket they weren't entirely sure, but the gesture was what mattered more than anything else.
"It is good that you came here. We've heard so little of the outside since the war was declared. But we've heard of Vengeance, the land of revolution and freedom. If you will, tell us stories of your land. We've been so eager to hear of your people."
The crowd leaned forward and quieted down, listening carefully to whatever the messenger had to say.
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Post by Kuro on Feb 15, 2013 23:27:55 GMT -5
Slythe Arkady stood in silence, his back facing the Board and his eyes looking out the window of the room 200 stories above the ground. With his gaze fixed on Victoria, the Arkady symbol on the back of his jacket served to watch his Executives speak.
The room was a flawless white with nothing but a long rectangular table in the center with one end facing the window that Slythe was facing, a window that was the entire outer wall of the room. The table was white with shining gold edges as were the chairs that each Executive sat in. While the room was beautiful for its perfect and absolutely clean condition, the ones who sat in the chairs were sights to behold. Each one had its own unique appearance, but there was a theme in how they manifested themselves in the world.
They all wore perfect white suits with gloves along with odd golden attachments and white masks. For one Executive, beams of gold wrapped around his chest and stretched out from behind his mask in a way reminiscient of wings. Another had the gold circling his arms and torso and stretching out from behind his back as two long beams of glory that extended far beyond his head. Another had the gold form a shining halo above his head and attach itself to the body as a collar with small beams sticking out.
The general style of these things made the Executives seem design, halos, wings and all. Each had a white mask that gave no indication of any eyes, nose, or lips behind it. On each mask was a black symbol unique to the wearer, much different from the horrid, disgusting things the Victorians wore. This was, of course, because the six beings at the table were far above such people in terms of rank, power, and glory. They were the Board of Executives and they were where they belonged most: Separate and high above the lower mortals of the earth.
"Who has allied with us?"
The voice echoed throughout the room and seemed to have another sound attached to it. When it spoke, and it spoke in a calm and serene voice, it was as if there was a choir singing at the same time, making the voice seem like a lovely harmony each time it sounded.
Slythe Arkady didn't turn his head as he answered in a dull voice, his eyes still staring at the hidden realm before him. "We have confirmation from spies at Ashfall that Ibaia has allied with us. Their technology and resources will be useful to us and most of their army will be of our number, ensuring complete control of their forces. A useful ally and the only one that we need be concerned with."
"We should have tried allying with Coryphaeus. They will be a foe sooner or later, so we should keep them by our side and destroy them from the inside out." This voice was slightly lower in pitch, just enough to make it recognizably different from the previous voice, but also had the most lovely sounds behind it like the first one. Slythe was unimpressed and still completely uninterested, responding as if his words were a passing thought. "Such a plan is flawed, we would have spent too many resources and effort into enacting it and countering their attempts at betrayal. Ibaia is all we should desire."
"Heh...Hee hee hee...Heh heh heh heh heh hee hee hee hoo hoo ah hah hah HAH HAH HAH-"
At this, Slythe spared a glance to the side without moving his head, but said nothing. One of the Executives had, unlike the others, tubes coming out of his mask and connecting to a golden container on his back. On it were two canisters of some sort of gas, with valves and gauges on the container for their manipulation. The Executive's cackle still had the choir behind it, making it seem as if a hundred different people were cackling all at once in some sort of horrible, distorted song, far from the melodious voices of the other members of the Board. He continued cackling for several moments before slowly relapsing into silence.
"I suppose that your division is doing well, then. In more important matters however, in my reports I explained that we are completely ready for the war. The alliance with Ibaia barely changed any plans of ours, so everything is in place."
"Likewise, the Research and Experimentaiton Division is primed for the incoming subjects. With the addition of our newest scientist, the division is ready and waiting."
"...Good, good..."
One of the Executives shuffled at this miniscule response and his voice took on the tone of irritation. "We are about to start a World War, and you would look out upon Victoria? Pay attention to relevant matters." Now Slythe turned around and fixed his silver gaze onto the insolent Executive. "Do you believe Victoria to be irrelevant? It is our capitol and primary target of the other nations, not to mention that it is the first step to our Divine World. Without it, our efforts are for naught but meaningless luxuries. You will learn to think before you speak, Pride."
CLANK. CLANK.
Slythe Arkady looked at the doors to the room as the latecomer walked in: Known as the Executive of Interest Protection to Arkady Industries, as Gluttony to Victoria and the rest of the Board, and as Vezenore to the C.E.O himself.
CLANK. CLANK.
His footsteps sounded like metal upon metal and seemed much heavier than his body would seem. Unlike the others, he was dressed in a relatively simple white coat with golden trim, epaulets and white gloves. His mask was completely white except for the black Arkady symbol on it. He walked to his seat, the one opposite the end of the window, and stood by it rather than sit. He said nothing at first, prompting a question from one of the Executives.
"How does the Interest Protecting Division fare, Gluttony?"
Gluttony said nothing for some moments more before responding. "The military," prompting some groans and scoffs from the Board, "is completely prepared for the war. More than enough machines have been created and distributed. Our capture mechanisms are primed. Just as your money is ready, so are our guns."
"Excellent, Gluttony. You will soon see the conflict you so hold dear." And with that, he turned back to the window with his back to the Board.
"Hee, hee, hee...Ahhhhh ah ha ha ha ha, HEE HEE HA HA -"
Not bothered enough to tell Lust to control himself, Slythe continued to look down upon his spires and palaces of white and gold. Such perfection in his eyes made him think of the state that the other nations would soon be in. Chaos. Flame. Death. Annihilation.
As the Board of Executives looked at their still leader in near-silence, the chairman thought of many things. The alliance with Ibaia, the machines that would spread across the world, the remnants of the Phantom Hawks. All steps towards something greater, something greater indeed. The Divine World. The only future for Slythe Arkady. The only future for the world. Soon they would know the beauty of his vision...yes, through the fire and suffering, they would see his glory.
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Post by Sprite on Feb 18, 2013 3:56:56 GMT -5
The letter had come abruptly and without warning. In the middle of breakfast too. Luis had hissed hungrily at the hawk, but having lain in the sun for so long the anaconda whip was lazy and merely coiled back upon itself and snoozed. Snake had found the letter and informed his parents, they were to depart immediately.
Vermillion of course was to go. Merely sticking his head out the window, the loud prince of Ravunya bellowed for the young general to quit his drills and get ready to leave. Their third ambassador for this trip was going to be one of the Generals. Whoever could be spared, though Snake cautioned his mother and father that someone reliable and strong would be needed.
---
Squinting against the wind as they flew through the Coryphaen airspace, Snake glanced down below to see the odd layout of the Coryphaen empire. Seeing the sorry states of the neighboring islands, he frowned slightly and sarcastically muttered, "Fun.."
Finding their way to a nice spot above the collection of mansions, the roc that the three Ravunyan ambassadors rode on began a slow descent. Spiraling down as it was, the Ravunyan banner it carried was spread out in the wind as to demonstrate it was the Ravunyans come to meet with the Coryphaen royalty, they didn't want to be shot out of the air and mistook for invaders.
Upon getting low enough, the three simply jumped from the back of the giant eagle and descended to the ground, their travel cloaks flaring out to allow them a slightly gentler landing. Glancing about as he stood up straight and dusted himself off, Snake read the signs of the various mansions, spotting the one that the letter had indicated.
To his left, Vermillion peered about with wide eyes, grinning slightly seeing the large mansion with the sign that read 'Velnius'. Accompanying the two young Ravunyans, was General Rusty Dusty of the Ravunyan military. Sporting his usual dark brown coat and shovel, he looked around slowly, already seeming rather bored and tired of the trip. Maybe the flight wasn't too fun.
"Pheeeew! They weren't joking when they talked about Coryphaen summers."
Vermillion grinned, he seemed to be dealing with the heat fine, though the laid-back Rusty Dusty was already wiping some sweat from his head, leaning on his shovel like a crutch.
"It's nice, almost like home."
Seeing that Snake had already begun walking towards the Cophinus mansion, the two strode after their prince. Despite seeming so focused on the matter at hand, he turned his head back towards his two escorts, grinning easily.
"If by home you mean the Crystalsands, sure I get what you mean."
The three shared a short laugh until they reached the gate. Clearing his throat, Snake announced their arrival to whoever might be in earshot or managing the gate.
"We're the Ravunyan ambassadors, here to see a Vaelaris?"
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Post by CJ on Feb 18, 2013 13:30:18 GMT -5
King Matthias sat in a common room, set aside for him in a small villa on an isle off of Regala. He sat on one of many chairs It had an incredible view of an ocean but that probably didn't mean much for the blind and mute child sitting there. Dressed in simple clothing, one might not think him royalty if not for the two guards attending to him.
He gripped onto a flute tightly and pressed it to his lips. There was a Den Den Mushi placed on a coffee table in front of him. It was blue with a cute little top hat on its shell.
"Water," it stated to Matthias.
The king blew into the flute in a series of short and long notes.
.-- .- - . .-.
"Home."
.... --- -- .
"Bird."
-... .. .-. -..
"Family."
Matthias paused and shivered slightly. He finally brought himself to answer.
..-. .- -- .. .-.. .---
The Den Den Mushi frowned and sighed.
"You messed up the "Y" there, Matty. That seems like enough for the hour but we can keep going if you're up for it. How about it? Yes or No?"
-.-- . ...
"Alright, let's get to it. War."
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Post by Mise™ on Feb 18, 2013 13:52:02 GMT -5
As the Ravuynans arrived to the gates of the Cophinus household they were greeted by a what appeared to be a slave. However this slave wore much nicer clothes than other slaves or even most of the locals. It would appear that he was the butler in charge of this mansion.
"Oh, you must mean master. Please wait for a moment here in the garden and I go ask for him." The slave in the fancy clothing replied to Snake and then walked through the garden in to the mansion to look for his master. A couple of minutes passed and then someone opened the large main door of the mansion and walked out. It was a man. A huge man, he must have been almost three meters tall and not only that his muscles were massive as well. He certainly had been hitting the gym regularly. The man was a Coryphean, with the dark skin and brown eyes that was obvious. Like most of his countrymen his body was heavily scarred, even more so than most. As far as hair goes, the man had a buzz cut and his hair color was black, like most of the locals. And despite of being a man of great wealth he did not wear much in terms of clothes, just a pair of black sweatpants and an indigo sash that had a repeating pattern of black X-like symbols. There were three rings hanging from the sash, two silver ones, one near the top and one near the bottom and a golden one in the middle. Besides these two items the man didn't wear anything else, not even shoes. For a moment the man eyed at the three Ravunyans there, with a fierce and intimidating look on his face. Then suddenly one of those convenient little boxes that introduce characters to the readers appeared and it read: [General of Coryphaeus - Vaelaris Cophinus XX, 'the Silver Tongue', age 32] All of a sudden the expression on the huge general's face changed from scary to pleased and he spoke: "So you are from Ravunya. We really don't get many foreigners around here so welcome to Coryphaeus. You can call me Vaelaris." When Cophinus opened his mouth it would be obvious why he had the nickname 'the Silver Tongue', not because he was a great word smith, but instead because his tongue was made out of silver and on it was carved his initials: 'V. C. XX'. Despite the artificial tongue the general did not have any problems speaking. The silver tongue was not the only unusual thing in his mouth as all of his teeth were made out of gold. Then Cophinus walked towards the three Ravunyans to shake their hands. Of course they could refuse if they wanted to, but upsetting their host like that over something like this might not be the brightest idea. "We'll go to see Aclys and the others in the palace in a moment, but first... You must be hungry after such a long trip, so please accept this gift." Cophinus said as he handed over a gift basket that he had been hiding behind his back until now to the closest Ravunyan who was closest to him. "I usually don't cook myself, but when I heard such special guests we're coming I just had to. I used my special recipe to cook these goat testicles." The general explained. Somehow Cophinus had known that the Ravunyans were coming soon as the testicles were clearly recently cooked and still warm. "Now please dine." "Oh and I guess I should warn you. Never stand close behind me or something horrible will happen." The general seemed to be very serious about this. If someone were to look at his back, from a safe distance of course, would they notice that there were no scars there, which was very odd considering how many scars there were in his front side.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 19, 2013 11:37:50 GMT -5
Suddenly the messenger changed her text color.
"Welcome, traveler. You must be weary. Might I show you a seat?"
"You could show me to a room..."
"You! You're the messenger of Vengeance, are you not?"
"That's right, I don't have a name. I'm just, 'the messenger'."
That bastard Alaric, he probably knew. What was she going to do, fight to resist them or run away? She was intentionally confined, the waitress could do with her as she pleased. There was little option other than to be led to the table and sat down. It was only more insulting that they placed drinks in front of her, like the expected her to join in the revelry. Perhaps it was good that she was wearing that mask, lest they see the utter contempt she viewed the waitress with.
"It is good that you came here. We've heard so little of the outside since the war was declared. But we've heard of Vengeance, the land of revolution and freedom. If you will, tell us stories of your land. We've been so eager to hear of your people."
"You think Vengeance is a land of revolution and freedom?!" Again, it was impossible to read her, but the messenger had a hard time actually speaking at first, laughing to herself when she heard the perceptions of the people here. One thing was certain, the foreign relations back home had done a good job of getting the propaganda out and influencing people. Despite whether they were correct or not, as much as she traveled around, everyone she met had at the very least heard of Vengeance.
"Do you want me to tell you what you want to hear, or do you want the truth? Because I'm not from Vengeance myself, or even Myrysaea for that matter, so I'm not beholden to either. I just follow the leader, not his ideals."
In truth she distinctly did not want to ramble off on some approved message as dictated by the political personages back home. Partly because she had to say them more times than she cared to in several lifetimes, but mostly because she didn't believe a lick of it. She knew Roderick from prison, and she had helped him to escape. At best they were simply friends, and she'd lent a hand when he needed it, like during the revolution. She never really bought into any of it though, and it was more like his pet project that she watched from a distance. She was much too concerned about other things, to worry about what happened in Myrysaea.
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Post by Kyubey on Feb 19, 2013 13:15:22 GMT -5
"Do you want me to tell you what you want to hear, or do you want the truth? Because I'm not from Vengeance myself, or even Myrysaea for that matter, so I'm not beholden to either. I just follow the leader, not his ideals."
Valdis smiled, and leaned across the table, staring intently at the messenger. The patrons who had gathered did not notice how uncomfortable the messenger was at all, and simply listened with as much excitement as they had before, wondering just when they would get to hear the newcomer tell glorious tales of how the downtrodden people of Vengeance rose up against the tyrants. It was their favorite sort of story to hear, and the possibility of talking to one who went through it in reality overwhelmed all else. Valdis, on the other hand, did seem to understand, but she simply did not choose to care about or acknowledge it. Even if Vengeance was not the free utopia that others claimed it to be, she did not care. It was the act of rebellion itself that she wanted to hear more about, and it was that aspect that interested those she was closest to.
"If Vengeance is anything other than what little we know so far you'll have to tell us of that as well," she said, gesturing to the far wall of the inn, where the propaganda poster from Vengeance, the one that Antal Laverna had picked up during the meeting, was prominently displayed. "But first, tell us stories. We are so isolated here, and we've been in want of fresh tales to tell. Whether it's the truth or what we want, simply speak what you desire to say. They'll all hear the same thing regardless."
If the messenger wished to reply, however, she would be interrupted by the sound of the door swinging open with great speed.
"How goes it, my brethren?" exclaimed the voice of Sindri Laverna as he grandly stepped in, arms outstretched as if he meant to embrace the entire inn with one motion. Upon his arrival, the attention of the group shifted, and they, along with some of the other patrons who had previously neglected to take part in the excitement, raised their glasses and cheered, a wild wordless shout replacing the much more meaningful salute hidden in their voices. It was like a celebrity greeting his adoring fans, or, more accurately, a king addressing a legion of loyal subjects.
"You've come early, cousin," said Valdis casually, not nearly as excited as her customers were. "Already neglecting your work for drink?"
"Work was light and the Gods were kind today. Or, I happened to hear liquor calling to me especially loud. Whichever you prefer."
"You should care much more for your job, Sindri."
"Tomorrow." It was only then that he seemed to notice the crowd centered around one table. He paused curiously, and raised his hat to the point where he almost exposed his eyes. "Wait. What's this? What'd I almost miss?"
"The Vengeance messenger. She's our guest for today."
Sindri grinned excitedly. "Seriously? She's here? Let me see! Step aside!"
He pushed through the group, and came right up to the table. His face lit up upon seeing the messenger sitting there. From what Antal had told him of Vengeance, he expected something exotic and fascinating, and a letter-bringer in a straightjacket and mask was that, if nothing else. "Welcome! I heard you had come to speak with the Acis and their nobles. So sorry about them. Trust me, those sort are not truly of Galatae. We are." This inspired another hearty cheer and a raising of glasses from the onlookers. "If you wish to find friends on this island to fight alongside your nation in the war, then we are the ones you should talk to. Call me Sindri. I am a most loyal warrior for this land, and ally of any who desire camaraderie in freedom. If there's anything you should need while you're here, speak. Our people are to be fighting together soon, after all. I will do anything I can to help you feel at ease until then. So, what is your name, good traveler?"
"She was just about to tell us of her land."
"Really? You were? Then I'm glad I came here." He pulled up a chair and sat down next to the messenger, grinning eagerly. "Go on then! I've been wanting this chance for a long time!"
"We might not learn much, though. She says she's not from there herself, she just follows the leader."
"Well, everyone has their own story. Whatever she says, we can learn from. One question I have, though, and it's bothered me since I first heard of Vengeance not long ago. For a land that has supposedly torn off the chains of oppression, why go through so much to restrain yourselves? I've been told that your man Roderick does the same thing, with the chains and all. I thought a place without a king, such as yours, would have wanted to get rid of any symbols of tyranny. Was I wrong?"
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Post by Sprite on Feb 21, 2013 4:51:44 GMT -5
As the three were led to the door of the mansion, Snake glanced about at the splendor of the courtyard. It seemed their host was quite an active man, he caught Vermillion staring longingly at the basketball court. Rusty Dusty merely gazed at the swimming pool with a bemused expression, like he would want to take a bath in it or something of the like.
As the door swung open, Snake found himself actually craning his head back to actually get a good look at the Coryphaen's face. Did they grow them all this big?
"Wow...can we get some of those too, Prince?" exclaimed Vermillion, going bug-eyed seeing the introduction box pop up in front of the giant Coryphaen. He could see it now, General Vermillion, Genius Prodigy, The Autumn Lance, Predaxa Apexa Scio-
The dry chuckle from Rusty Dusty stirred the younger soldier out of his reverie.
"Been a long time since I seen of those."
The old travel-worn general and tactician was always boasting and crowing about his many world travels. Whether or not if even half of his tales were true was always in question. Clearing his throat to get their attention, Snake took the hand of Vaelaris, returning the handshake with a firm grip.
Vermillion and Rusty both complied, introducing themselves as General Vermillion and General Rusty Dusty.
Unfortunately, it was Rusty that happened to be the closest to Vaelaris when the gift basket came out. Opening the basket to peek inside, one of the old general's eyebrows shot way up, but he wisely stayed silent.
"Goat testicles...Coryphaens have an exotic diet."
Snake managed to keep a straight face, but looking at their silver-tongued host, he could only wonder if this was a test. Regardless, he would handle it in his own fashion. Taking the basket from Rusty, Snake pulled one of the goat testicles out, eyeing it with some apprehensiveness, opening his mouth to take a bite, he was thankfully interrupted.
The snakeskin whip tied around his waist flared to life as it grew into Luis the anaconda zoan whip. The giant snake sniffed at the basket, and to Snake's hidden relief the zoan promptly snatched the testicle from Snake's hand and proceeded to consume the basket and its contents in one go.
Raising his hands in a helpless gesture, Snake could only give his apologies.
"I must say Vaelaris, you must be a chef of great skill. Luis is often quite picky with what he eats, perhaps if there is time later we could trouble you for more of your fine Coryphaen cuisine."
Taking note of the giant general's warnings, Snake nodded gravely. Vermillion, ever curious, piped up at the General's cryptic warning.
"Scars on a warrior's back are marks of great shame in our country, would you say it is the same here in Coryphaeus, Sir Vaelaris?"
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Post by Mise™ on Feb 21, 2013 10:10:51 GMT -5
Cophinus watched as the Ravunyans were dealing with his testicles. Everything seemed to be going just right and soon he could have a great laugh at that his guests who seemed to have fallen a victim of his prank. "These foreigners don't appear to be very bright." But just when Snake was about to consume one of these testicles something very unexpected happened as the Ravunyan's whip turned into a snake which ate all of the testicles along with the gift basket that had them. "..." The general didn't know what to say and just stared at Luis for a moment. Then all of a sudden he started laughing. "Jehehehehehhehehehehehehehe..." "Good!" Cophinus said very over dramatically "It seems like you are not that dumb after all. Goats aren't even native to Coryphaeus and I haven't been able to taste anything after I lost my tongue seventeen years ago. There's no way I could cook well." Besides just doing a prank to his guests it would appear that Cophinus was also testing them with the disgusting food he had made. Luis did seem to like his cooking though so maybe the general was a bit better chef than he gave himself credit for. "Nice devil fruit weapon you got there. Here in Coryphaeus people who have eaten one of those fruits will get looked down and thus everyone who has them just feeds them to their weapons instead. Not me though, I don't need a weapon." "No. Scars show experience, the more you have them then more you have fought, no matter where they are located. If you are wondering why my back isn't scarred it's simply because no one has ever succeeded in scarring my back." Cophinus replied to Vermillion. The fact that the young Ravunyan referred to him as 'sir' bothered the huge general quite a bit. Despite stating his rank to be a general, the same as Cophinus himself, Vermillion used such a term. The general did not like to see such submissive behavior from one of his guests. "Well then. We should head out to Aclys' place so we can talk business. That's why you are here after all." Cophinus spoke and then turned towards his butler, who could been seen bit further away ordering around the other slaves there. "We're leaving soon so we need the wagon." "Right away, sir." It didn't take very long and the wagon was already ready to go. It was quite a fancy looking wagon and it was colored very dark, mostly black. It had windows and a door on both sides.. Instead of horses or dinosaurs the wagon was pulled by slaves, kind of like Liene's golden throne she had with her in Victoria. "Let's hop in." Cophinus said and started walking towards his wagon. "The trip isn't going to be long, it won't take us more than a few minutes, but if you have anything you want to ask now is good time for that."
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Post by Kuro on Feb 22, 2013 20:51:15 GMT -5
An hour ago, all life had suddenly stopped in the court, its walls a gleaming white, a huge version of the black Arkady logo taking up most of the shining floor. Near the center circle of the logo stood the only two beings in it, side-by-side: Slythe Arkady and Vezenore. Both were calm and quiet in their clean, white clothes and secretive masks. Unlike the chairman, Vezenore's mask did not have any holes for the eyes, nose, or mouth. In fact, it seemed as if the face behind it was just a smooth, curved surface, no indentations of eye sockets or ridges for noses whatsoever. Just the Arkady crosshairs for a face.
The court had been bustling with trade not too long ago. Buyers and sellers alike had been yelling at each other, gold in both their hands and minds. Of course, this was not the building where simple food and other supplies were sold in this town. No, the chairman wouldn't lower himself to walk into such a lowly place. This was the most elegant room in the town, the one in which the most things were spent and the most profits made. All around them, hung up on the walls that stretched up quite some distance were swords, guns, daggers, even some armor. Somewhere on each item was the black Arkady logo, laying claim to any deaths and ruined lives each killer or soldier caused with the blades and rifles. They were of what could only be described as Arkadian quality; the number one mass-producer of weaponry didn't settle for simple quantity in its work.
Rifles that could go straight through stone with a single Arkadian bullet, daggers that could appear in your hands with just a flick of the fingers, blades with precisely distributed weight for a perfect balance of light handling and powerful swinging. And who could ever forget the newest product that had become a hit sensation in a single day: the machine pistol. Capable of firing its entire 12-bullet clip in under two seconds with just one pull of the trigger; no more of that rapid and tiring pulling of the trigger for each and every bullet and added with the quick-and-easy clip-reloading system instead of reloading each bullet, it made guns more consumer-friendly than ever. Yes, only an hour ago in this room, death of the highest quality had been sold at amazing prices.
Slythe despised standing in what was, compared to Victoria, a run-down dump of a town, never mind the millions of beli it raked in by itself each and every day. It was one of the few Arkady islands outside of the Calm Belt, meaning that any ship, Ibaian or otherwise, could sail into the port without any worry of sea beasts or lack of wind. Sector 10, it was called. A simple number to describe the thousands of people living and working there. At the moment though, none of those people could be seen on the streets or the court. The entire market, the entire town as silent.
Only the snow raged on.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 24, 2013 11:55:43 GMT -5
Sable didn't like this place at all. Too cold, too empty. Felt dead. Maybe that was characteristic of Arkady holdings however, and she was reminded of the castle where the meeting had taken place. The meeting where she had almost died, yes, that one. Without cushioning or carpeting she would probably crack the ground where she walked, but then it was the only way for her to get around. She was sure her hosts would understand and thusly dismiss the matter.
"We received your letter. It sounds wholly reasonable, and agreeable."
She had with her a bag that she carried with ease. When she set it down however, it slammed into the floor and probably damaged it quite a bit. There sounded as well a clanging of metal, so it could be guessed at what was inside. Stopping a ways before Slythe and his henchman, she addressed the most obvious issue.
"I only wish to know one thing. How much of it is true?"
Slythe or his lackey might have noticed a strange shape in her other hand, a sort of small boxy object.
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Post by Kuro on Feb 24, 2013 18:27:27 GMT -5
Slythe and Vezenore did not react to the cracking of the floor, although the former did clasp his hands together when he heard the sound of metal. At her question, he laughed and spread his arms out wide.
"All of it is true, of course! Ibaia needs an army if it is ever going to live, not just survive, this war! The other nations aren't just going to let you go if they win the war. They would see your precious resources and do whatever they can to get them.
Galatea is an island of primitive things that would demand through their army everything you own since they are just primitive children.
Ravunya would see your walls as a challenge for their warrior-culture and assault them for as long as they live, never giving Ibaia a moment's rest.
Regala is a weak little thing that would see your country as the power it needs.
Coryphaeus would simply want to enslave you and would attack your country for as long as it needs to succeed.
Vengeance..Oh, Vengeance. It wants every country, every person to be free...Just the very idea of a king repulses them. Once they get into the wartime spirit, once they get used to using their guns in the name of freedom, they'll want to 'free' everyone...regardless of consent.
Arkady Industries, on the other hand, is just as the letter described. Your resources are certainly valuable and useful, but unnecessary for us. Assisting us will be mostly for your benefit; we can ensure that your nation will live in isolated peace and in exchange, we ask for the temporary use of your resources. We want to lose as few resources ourselves after all, and the help of your nation will ensure that we lose as little as possible. The fact that we, unlike the other nations, don't need your nation to submit or fall means that Arkady Industries must be the victor of this war if the people of Ibaia want to live in peace."
He clasped his hands together with a loud CLAP. "So! Why don't you show me just what Ibaia can do? I just know that I will not be disappointed..."
Vezenore stayed where he was, simply watching the deal in silence.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 25, 2013 19:15:51 GMT -5
"I appreciate the concern, your Highness, however I fear you may be severely overestimating Ibaia's potential. Most of what you described seems unlikely, if there was nothing of value that we have for anyone else to take. I doubt even Arkady Industries will be able to find much help from the Metal Vale. Not because we are unwilling, but because there is little help to give."
Sable listened to all Slythe had to say, though she found him hard to take seriously. She didn't laugh or change from her usual expression, but her thoughts were all over the place. In a sense, she could have taken everything he said as a grand compliment of her country, if only he didn't seem so misinformed about it.
"In the coming war Ibaia can offer the support of the self defense force, ten soldiers in the field and led by myself. I cannot speak of their battle prowess as they have never seen actual combat, though I will be sure to lead them to the best of my abilities. If the enemy should reach the Metal Vale itself however, I fear a more..." Sable's wandered off as she tried to find the right way of saying this. She avoided the chairman's gaze, not wanting to let on any worry she had in her eyes. "...how would you say it, direct? A greater, more direct retaliation. I dearly hope this does no happen however, the founder had no grasp of proportionality."
She did not seem to want to speak much more on that matter, though she felt a need to indicate that Ibaia might need help defending itself if the enemy came knocking. Geographically the country would be nigh impossible to successfully assault, but should such an attack occur, it was always a possibility that the defensive measures put in place by the founder would come to play. Perhaps more than anything else, it was Sable's job to make sure that this did not happen, and there was only one other thing which she knew of that was a greater concern of hers.
"I'm sure all of that is beyond your concern however, you probably are more interested in this." From what she knew of Slythe, he probably didn't have the time or the inclination to care about her country or its problems. In the grand scale of things, let alone the war, what was ten soldiers to the might of Arkady Industries? She wouldn't be surprised if he simply did not ask for her help at all, and chance were he'd just have her defend Ibaia herself rather than afford ships of his own to protect it. No, Slythe Arkady probably cared about one thing. "Contained in this bag are twenty steel ingots from our land, though I doubt they are at all similar to any metal you have ever seen. Given one week we would see what you can do with them, and then based on what you can accomplish, would determine how much we would be able to supply to Arkady Industries for the war."
It may not have seemed like a lot, but this was really all she could manage to "appropriate" for the Chairman at the time. Basically it came down to how much she could steal before the King or someone else noticed. To that extent, twenty was actually a sizable amount given the circumstances. Of course depending on what Slythe did with the metal, would determine if she would have to steal any more, or if actual amounts could be openly given. In most any other situation, her country would have no problem showering the Chairman with gifts, but this was something else altogether. Their rarest and most valued resource, they could not just hand to strangers without a good reason.
"There is only one thing we ask in return, before an alliance can be agreed upon..."
At this her gaze lowered to the strange box shape she was holding onto, and bringing it up she began to turn the thing around in her hands as a means of occupying herself until Slythe could take into account all she had said, and make an official decision on the matter.
---
"So, what is your name, good traveler?"
The messenger blinked a few times at the new arrival, though it would have been impossible to tell from her mask. God these people were loud and obnoxious.
"Huxley. Plain and simple."
She didn't exactly like his demeanor, but this new person seemed at least a bit more considerate of her position. That is to say, he hadn't dragged her into a social gathering against her will. She didn't like how much they all wanted to know about where she came from though, was it any of their business in the first place?
"Well, everyone has their own story. Whatever she says, we can learn from. One question I have, though, and it's bothered me since I first heard of Vengeance not long ago. For a land that has supposedly torn off the chains of oppression, why go through so much to restrain yourselves? I've been told that your man Roderick does the same thing, with the chains and all. I thought a place without a king, such as yours, would have wanted to get rid of any symbols of tyranny. Was I wrong?"
When the fellow asked such a personal question of her, she visibly squirmed, and it was clear that there was something she wanted to do with her arms but could not. Instead she merely locked eyes with the ground, like a child being told to explain some bad deed.
"It's because they are symbols of tyranny, that we display them. We do it so that no one will ever forget what happened to us, what we went through for the sake of our beliefs. For freedom, that is the price we have to pay. We'd never met before and we don't know anything about one another, but when you looked at me you knew I was from Myrysaea, and you knew what Vengeance was. I'd say, it's doing a pretty good job."
It was a very personal subject Sindri had touched upon, for obvious reasons. Everyone who carried the bonds did so differently, because no two people had experienced the revolution or imprisonment the same way. Not everyone in Vengeance wore the markings of the kingdom that was, barely even a fraction of a percent of the population. But then, that was what they had started out as, a small minority. Only a handful of hardline rebels, which eventually expanded to encompass the entire country. While it could be said that most if not the entire populace of Vengeance were revolutionaries at some time, hardly any of them were part of that initial group that started it all. Partly because it wasn't until they received outside help that their cause began to be accepted, but mostly because there were so few of them left after the bloody conflict that was the war.
"If it means that rest of the people in the country can live their lives as they want, then we'd gladly take on this burden. It's easy for someone like Roderick, all he has are the shackles. His life isn't radically altered by his confinement. For someone like me though... well I'm sure you can understand some of the difficulties. I guess it all comes down to how and why you were imprisoned."
Very much she wanted to change the subject before the inevitable course of the conversation was followed to its natural end, whereupon they asked her how and why she was imprisoned herself. Thus, she adopted a demeanor less on edge so that she might divert their attention away naturally. They wanted to hear some drivel about Vengeance? She could do that, if it meant they're stop poking holes through her.
"To hear about our land, was that what you wanted? Well what would you like to hear about, the revolution when it was or the way things are now? There's always the stories about Crying Hill or the Red Road, even the early beginnings, back before we had help from others. Then again most people want to know about Vengeance as it is, how the situation is now, and how we do things since the war..."
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Post by Kuro on Feb 25, 2013 21:13:24 GMT -5
Slythe laughed again. "Overestimating you? My dear, I know the exact value of everything, and your country's is quite high despite what you think." Of course he cared about Ibaia. It is rather hard to harvest resources from something that is devastated, after all. He couldn't allow for such a waste of such special metal to occur. As for its inhabitants, there was always room for more workers. They would know better than anyone how to find, take, and utilize such resources, after all.
When Sable told him of her little test, Slythe's eyes locked onto her instead of observing the metal. Impudent little whelp. Who does she think she is? For her to think that she could ever test him, Slythe Arkady, was disgusting. "Twenty, hm? To think that you do not trust the power of Arkady Industries...We can create just as well as we destroy. All of our goods are made in Arkadian factories, after all.
Very well. I accept your challenge. Coordinates of the demonstration will be given to you later. I expect to be given the full support of Ibaia, which means that after the demonstration, you will not ration your help to me, just as I will not to you. Do not worry, Miss Sable. Arkady Industries will not dissapoint."
He then looked at the box in her hand. "And just what is it you would want from us besides our protection and assistance? Of what importance is that box to the state of a world power and a nation of the finest crafters? Please do tell."
Vezenore stood in the same place as he had all this time, never saying a word and simply watching the business. His body had not moved at all actually, not even for breathing, making him seem more like a well-decorated statue than anything else.
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