Mystics Apprentice

I'm kind of thinking that it would be best to just postpone the time skip, since there is so much to be done before it. So maybe we'll finish the above events in, say, about two weeks, and proceed with the timeskip from there? Does that work for everyone?

Quick questions for some of you guys before I enact the timeskip: Endless and Vaude: have Raiden and Jynn met yet, and, if so, what was the verdict? About a week has gone by, so if you guys wanted to have them meet shortly after the timeskip that would be an option. Elrandir and Scrap: How would the investigation at Lake Kresnik go? Would they find fragments of the murder weapon? Have they conducted their search yet, or is this something that will take place after the timeskip?

Haha, no you're fine. It was me trying to figure out what Endless was talking about and I was horrifically wrong. Even my assumption was a massive stretch.

I was reading and rereading Aqua and Elia's posts since you mentioned that it had to do with Elia, and that's all that I could come up with, haha! . The dangers of guessing. You don't have to PM me if you'd rather not. I'll stop trying to figure it out now.

If you are suggesting what I think you are . . . . then no, I don't think anything is going on between Aqua and Elia. . Elia is a very youthful and energetic fey, who bear hugs all of her friends in an innocent, childlike manner. She has never been in a relationship and I'm not fully sure if she has the maturity level for one. As for Yev, I do not think he fully understands the meaning of affection.

Sorry about not enacting the timeskip yesterday, everyone. I couldn't decide whether to do so or not. It seems like it might be a good idea to jump a little ways, and since no one is opposed to it I'll see about getting it together end of day today (EST).

--Yev Malachite-- Kilkis Seres campsite-- The elf fixated Soren with an unblinking stare throughout his entire heated response. Once finished, Yev merely sighed and brought his chin to his chest. "I did not expect a simpleton such as yourself to understand, but I thought it was worth the effort. If you still choose to chase after a fool's dream of having it all then by all means, please do so. There is no such thing. King Alexander knew it, and your beloved queen did as well. Hence why she sentenced all humans to death in the world below. But, unlike your queen, I intend to save as many souls as I can. Is that not better?" Yevgeni watched Soren's back as he left, though didn't seem particularly bothered by the sentinel's words. Nergal had advised that the elf tread carefully, something that Yev attempted, though he ultimately failed to provide falsehoods and earn Soren's trust. Perhaps he was deluded enough to think that the truth would suffice in winning him over. Or, perhaps he was still bitter about his betrayal to Raiden's side. Regardless, an alliance was not meant to be, and the next time they met he assumed that it would be on opposite sides of the battlefield. "I was there," Yevgeni murmured softly, as Soren's form disappeared behind the folds of the tent. "I lost all that I cared about from that war. No amount of written works found in history books could ever depict the horror and tragedy that took place during the Great War, and to pretend to understand is an insult to those who were forced to endure it firsthand." He clenched a gloved hand tightly before him, eyes glassy with tears. "If I can help it, no one will ever experience a loss such as that ever again."

Dang, Soren really let him have it. . I'm kind of surprised that he was okay with Shiva's methods, however, as she honestly was almost just as bad by sentencing all humans to their demise. I suppose the difference is letting them die or killing them off. To clarify, the barrier between worlds was severed upon Shiva's death, and thus a massive drain of magical energy was drawn from the Overworld and poured into the world below. There is much to replenish, however, so the Overworld is still being sapped of energy. It is true that the Overworld is slowly decaying as a result. Whether this can be rectified or not remains to be seen, but the most viable option would be to do something about the world below, as Yev is plotting. Now, I'm still trying to decide on whether to initiate the timeskip today, or just get things rolling effectively. We could honestly probably move right along into the next plot point if we continue to move steadily without even needing a timeskip, though the timeskip would ensure that we get into the thick of things sooner rather than later, and would be the beginning of the end. So my question for you all is this: do you want to jump right in to the action, or would you rather we actively work toward it over the next few weeks?

--Yevgeni Malachite -- Kilkis Seres Campsite-- The corner of Yev's mouth curved into a smile as he watched Soren take a whiff of his food. It was a curious mannerism, and he partly wondered if this was something commonly practiced among demons of his nature. Regardless, the blond found it amusing, though made no comment on the matter. Instead he chose to answer Soren's question. "Now what, you ask." The elf let out a sigh, leaning back in his chair, hands still folded upon the table. "That is an excellent question, and one that I have given a fair amount of thought to and still do not know the answer. I intend to get this world in order, though I do not intend to rule it. I am not cut out to be king, though I do not know who will step up to the plate if not for myself. Prince Jynn has . . . shaken my confidence, to put it kindly. His mother sheltered him, perhaps too much so, and thus I am uncertain if he is really ready for the task as king. He certainly makes quite the number of disappearances, something he would have to curb if he did choose to take his position as ruler of Kilkis Seres." Yevgeni paused, taking a sip of water before continuing. "I am partially thinking that we as a nation have outgrown the monarchy and are ready to embrace a new era, a new manner of ruling, such as a democracy. Of course, such decisions would be made upon public consensus, though this is what I'm thinking, personally. What are your thoughts, Soren? "But before we linger too heavily on that, allow me to elaborate on our next course of action. I feel that targeting Mystras has become useless. While they are indeed responsible--or most likely--for Queen Shiva's death, they are not the prime issue that remains. No, it is the humans that are truly backing up this operation, and thus I have chosen to hold them responsible for their crimes. I am sending our armies down in the world below, and we will take care of the problem at the source. The barrier between our worlds, as you know, has been lifted, permitting both worlds to cross freely between one another. Their need for our magic is also putting a strain on the Overworld, and I will be darned if they take our queen in addition to our magical resources." Yevgeni drained the remains of his water before folding his arms over his chest. A pendant on a silver chain around his neck jingled softly with his movement. "My plan is to pursue King Alexander's dream: I will create a true era of peace, like one this world has never seen before. He had the right idea with the barrier, but it has had its flaws. It has also sentenced all humans, good and bad, to a dying world. My desire is to correct this. Instead of shut out all humans, I will open our gates to those who are pure of heart. "That, so far, is my plan. Can you see yourself aligning with my ideals, Soren, or will you return to Lord Raiden of Mystras and brand yourself a traitor once and for all? I invite you to join me in my pursuit of peace, but if you choose to turn away you will become my enemy, and I can assure you that I will not be as forgiving as our late queen." --King Alderon -- Mystras encampment, joining Raiden, Maxis, and Rabiyu-- Lorleanna offered Lord Raiden a deep bow, her dark braid mere inches from the ground. "Thank you, my lord. I shall inform His Majesty." With that, the reptilian woman left the tent, returning alongside the impatient king, who currently stood admiring the sky. "Lord Raiden is currently entertaining another audience," Lorleanna informed him. "But he doesn't mind your entry. You are free to join him whenever you deem fit." "My goodness, now I'm being given choices!" Alderon exclaimed mockingly. His hard grey eyes met hers, before finally responding: "I think I will join him now. If I continue to wait until all of his audiences are cleared I will never find the opportunity to speak with him, and that would be quite the disappointment. Thank you, General." The woman nodded before retreating into the campsite. Alderon stole a glance in either direction before entering the tent, as though sensing that he were being watched. Inside he found Lord Raiden, along with Hisie, whom he'd met previously. There was another man in armor, however, whom he'd not met, though he had a sinking feeling of dread at his presence. "Hello, Raiden, my friend," Alderon greeted, clasping his hands before him. "I have been looking to speak with you all of the morning, though it seems you have become a celebrity overnight." He chuckled lightly. "I do hope that I am not interrupting anything too grave?"

Wow, that is amazing! I wouldn't even critique anything about it; it looks that good. . Great job!

Hmm? Shipping? Do you mean Yev and Aqua? I was saying that Rabiyu and Aqua had been the closest to friends that he had in nearly 2000 years, though I wouldn't necessarily ship them. They had potential, though it was quite a ways from that point, plus Aqua is much younger than him.

I partially suspected if that was how Rabs felt concerning Yev, and I daresay his feelings are mutual. He always tried to be honest with her, and truly wanted her to join him in creating this "perfected" era of peace. Hence why I think he might open up with her, at least partly, should she approach him on the matter. He would be hesitant if she were fully aligned with Raiden, but if she showed any hint of intrigue toward his ideals, it's plausible that some walls may break to the truth. That's quite the tragedy that she had endured, and I really like how you've written her. She has very good intentions, yet has quite the bloodlust linking back to her past that she has long but forgotten. A very intricate character, and she is being played out quite nicely. I really look forward to seeing what you have in store for her in the end, whether she ever obtains what she seeks, or if she forever wanders lonely. Maybe she'll go full-on bloodthirsty? Though I doubt that would be the case. Y'know, I was actually thinking about this. I was considering her death via utilizing far too much magic in order to save Henry. It would be an interesting twist on things, though I don't know if I can bring myself to do it since she's one of my only favorite characters that I have left. I'd kind of like to see her have a happy ending.

To be honest, I had thought Yev and Rabs would've been interesting for a pairing. While both are going down different paths presently I see a lot of similarities between them. Both seem to be doing what they feel is correct, despite what they wish for themselves, and both seem rather lonely. Yevgeni has no real support or friends, and hasn't in a long time. He's lost his family tragically, as well as Ariana. He's partially so cold because he's forgotten what it's like to have friends. Aqua and Rabs have been the closest. I doubt that anything could be rectified between them at this point, especially with what Yev has done, but it's neat to envision that "what if" scenario. Enough for some of his own? hint nudge hint towards EverythxHenry lovingly dubbed Darknaught

Whoo, congrats! I look forward to hearing what you guys think of the game. I'm glad that KH13 has the opportunity to access the game early.

I'm actually liking the interaction between Aura and Helios and think it's sweet. : ) He does seem he type that would be rather subtle. I'm just hoping to see a Visco and Arthur royal wedding in the epilogue. Aww, she didn't have feelings for Baxter?

--Curvis Sourati--Outside Raiden's tent-- The brunet tread through the woods, finally finding his way back to the Mystran campsite. He entered silently, speaking to no one in an attempt not to attract attention to himself, and so far it worked; no one so much as acknowledged him, save for a few nods from Mystran soldiers who were none the wiser and merely thought of him as an ally. The question still burned within him, however: was he still an ally? Thoughts were swarming through his head after his adventure to the opposite side of the battlefield. The queen was now dead . . . . Was it true that Raiden was behind it? If so, he felt that the Mystran lord was even more despicable than he had once surmised, and he would therefore be a man whom he certainly wouldn't want to pledge allegiance to. "And then she tried to take off my head--" The voice. Immediately Curvis recognized it, though he preferred not to have an encounter with him at this point in time. It was King Alderon, speaking with a curious-looking fey, presumably about the war. He ducked behind a tent, waiting for them all to pass. He fidgeted with his satchel, when he heard another voice that he recognized: "Tell me what you know, im sure you have some suspicions about who ordered the assassination...tell me Raiden." Wasn't that Maxis, the queen's general and perhaps most loyal bodyguard? What was he doing here in the Mystran encampment? Regardless, it seemed that Raiden was in that tent, and they were talking about Queen Shiva's assassination. Curvis decided to stay rooted to the spot, curious to hear what Raiden would have to say on the matter. --Elia Cabret -- Kilkis Seres campsite-- Elia was both embarrassed and grateful for Jari's kindness. She brought her fingers to meet his upon her shoulder, before moving away to stand before Aqua head-on. She wanted to be angry, though her anger was misplaced. Instead she sighed, bringing Aqua into an embrace. "Of course. Of course I can forgive you," she said, burying her face into her taller friend's shoulder. "Just for the record, though, I was never counting you as no longer being my friend. I was just . . . feeling betrayed, I guess." She pulled away, offering her a slight smile, tears still thick on her eyelashes. "Now, how about I introduce you to my new friend, Jari? I'm sure that you two would get along." She nodded in Aqua's direction, turning to face Jari, whom she'd left a mere few paces away. "Jari, this is Aqua Lumen, an old friend of mine." --King Alderon -- Mystras campsite-- "And then she tried to take off my head--" The fey beside the human king, Lorleanna, laughed, her azalea-colored flesh glistening in the sunlight. "Oh, do tell: what stopped this from actually happening?" "Would you believe that it was my own humane instincts that saved my skin?" Alderon cocked a brow jokingly, though when Lorleanna scoffed he relented. "Very well. It was a curious being that saved me, but then I suppose that isn't very telling, as all beings are rather curious in your world to a lowly human such as myself. This one was very colorful, both in mannerism and appearance, and spoke in a very interesting tongue. I did not catch his name, but it was the first that I had met him." The Mystran general looked thoughtful upon Alderon's words, rubbing a gloved finger over her pointed chin. "Hmm, it is very difficult to say, though if he is one of us I'm quite certain that you will meet with him again, perhaps with the chance to thank him, if you hadn't already." "Ah, yes, I do not believe I did thank him for saving my life. I was, as I mentioned earlier, upon the brink of death and thoughts were not coming to me very readily." "That happens to people," Lorleanna commented, leading Alderon to a lone tent. "Now, Your Majesty, if you would be so kind as to wait here while I announce your arrival I would appreciate it." The king fell silent, crossing his arms over his chest and nodding. "Yes, I suppose that would be agreeable." Lorleanna accepted his response, offering a slight smile on her thin lips before entering Lord Raiden's tent as noisily as possible. It was no surprise that she found him with an audience, though it seemed that she was interrupting at the very heart of it. "A thousand pardons, my lord, but the human king, Alderon, has requested to see you. Might I grant him entry, or shall I do so upon the leave of your audience?"

My wishlist is unrealistic, but I'd love to see a Golden Sun 4, a localized Mother 3, and a remaster for Final Fantasy VI. I feel that VII receives so much hype and attention when FFVI is a beautiful game worthy of a little more attention.

You may surprise yourself. I think you would do quite well. Even just reading your posts in Overworld I can tell that you're organized, dedicated, and know how to propel your story forward. In hosting those are some of the key aspects, as well as trying to find ways to keep all players involved (something I'm trying to do but am struggling with.) I would definitely be interested in joining such a roleplay should you decide to pursue the idea. Also let me know if you would ever be interested in a co-host. I'm not the greatest at staying on top of things, especially as of late, but if there's anything I could do to help I'd gladly do so. Sounds like fun. I love Disney World and free admission is nothing to sneeze at. It's expensive to get into! As a kid I lived in the Tampa Bay area and we had season passes, which we made great use of. I'm sure it's changed so much since i was last there. Congrats again, and I hope that you enjoy the job! I bet that it'll be rough in the summer.

Nice work on that conglomerate post, you three! I saw that the first segment was up, though I hadn't read through it fully yet. What I have read looks great, though. I look forward to seeing the rest of it. Thanks so much for being so understanding, everyone. I didn't quite expect my hands to be tied so much of the time. I'm also getting a computer that (hopefully) functions much better than my current ancient MacBook next week, so hopefully that will aid in my posting more frequently. As for the timeskip, how about we set it to take place next Saturday, April 14th? That should give Kunivas, Scrap, and Endless time to work on their confrontation, as well as everyone else to tie up anything currently ongoing. I hate to wait too long, since we've already had quite the time period since the last turning plot points (predominately my fault). Also, Kuni: I need to shoot you a PM on some potential for Nergal and some events in the world below. The timeskip would probably be about a week later or so. I feel that the events in the story are moving a little quicker than realistically plausible, but I think a week should follow the same pace that we've managed throughout the RP thus far. In the real world these events would probably take place over a span of months, if not a year, but since this isn't the real world, well, why not? I hope that this works for everyone. Also, congrats on the job, Endless! Working for Disney sounds awesome. What exactly does a cast member do? Do you essentially cast roles for Disney's work? Nicely written, and quite intriguing. Y'know, it would be really interesting if you were to one day create a roleplay based on the North and its lore, especially if it were a parallel to Overworld. Aww, I'm sure that she's as sweet as her name. Enjoy your newest addition!

I'm ashamed that so much time has lapsed since my last post. Whenever I'm online I'm always on my phone, and I'm sure most of us are familiar with how unfriendly they are to try to write anything of substance on. As such, I have just now pulled out my computer after a month, and have posted a sub-par post. There's some plot points that I wanted to introduce and a few things that I wanted to set in motion. While they aren't grand, it's a start. Also: since The Unversed has not returned nor has been in touch I will be taking control of Midnea and Visco for the time being. I feel that they are integral to the RP and will make things all the more interesting. I apologize for my lengthy absence, everyone. I wouldn't have assumed that writing something as simple as an RP post would become such a challenge. Thank you so much for keeping things alive during my absence, as well as your patience. I really look forward to seeing this through! Lastly, I'm thinking about putting another timeskip into place soon, perhaps about a week from the current date when new events have sprung into motion. How does everyone feel about this? Would you all prefer to continue where we're at presently, or are you all ready for more to do?

--Yev Malachite-- Kilkis Seres-- The blond watched Maxis go with a slight frown, while also taking in Soren's comment on the dark aura around him. "Indeed, there is something different about our friend," Yev commented, though he had his suspicions. There was a close bond between himself and Shiva, something to do with a ritual that he wasn't all too familiar with, and yet he believed that it required blood. Now that Shiva was gone it seemed something within Maxis broke. This made the possessed suit of armor all the more unpredictable, and perhaps all the more dangerous. As though clearing himself from the thought, Yev opened the tent to their food wares, granting Soren entry before following him inside. There were two cooks that had joined the band upon the battlefield, skilled both in magecraft and culinary arts. They were in the tent presently, making what seemed like sandwiches filled with exotic ingredients. Along a table was a banquet, albeit nothing extraordinary but enough to satiate the hungry soldier. Yevgeni gestured with a hand at the table before offering Soren a rare smile. "Please, help yourself to anything that meets your whim. I will be awaiting you over at this table when you have made your plate." There were three makeshift tables inside the tent, consisting of turned barrels and wooden chairs. Yevgeni sat at one of the empty tables and folded his hands, resting his chin upon them as he mused over the current situation. His mind was on Soren, though subconsciously he couldn't help but wonder what brought Maxis to him, and so soon at that. --Elia Cabret-- Kilkis Seres-- "Thanks, Jari," was the raven-haired fairy's response, dusting herself off before staring at Aqua coolly. "Me? Try to fight with you? You're the one who's getting angry, and for what? You abandoned me for him, chose to train under him, and what has he done to repay you? I doubt he's even offered you as much as a smile, let alone an acknowledgement. Knowing him he probably merely berated you and had you wash his clothes or something." Elia crossed her arms over her chest, her expression hardened. "You were one of my best friends, Aqua. But now I don't even feel like I know you." Perhaps Elia were being too harsh, but she couldn't help feeling angry. Why this was, even she couldn't fully pinpoint. It just grated on her that Aqua would choose Yevgeni over her, just like her sister had. "I have a lot against the jerk, as do many. He's conniving, condescending, rude, and arrogant beyond all reason. He throws away lives without a care in the world. He pretended to care for my sister, Ariana, and look where it ended her? Now she's dead, and I bet he has never thought of her even once since then." Now tears had managed to spring forth from her eyes, causing her to wipe at them furiously with her sleeve. This was entirely not how she had wanted the conversation to go, especially while Jari was still standing watch. --Midnea -- Raiden's Villa in Mystras-- The witch swept down the hall, black velvet gown trailing behind her. She gave anyone a cool stare that so much as nodded in her direction, causing them to immediately busy themselves in anything *but* look her way. It annoyed her massively that Lord Raiden had placed such a watch over her, though it didn't surprise her in the slightest. He had every reason to fear her, and fear her he did. The thought in itself made Midnea grin with pride. She unlocked the door to her chambers, a book under her arm and a candle in the other. While her selection of novels had been restricted by the Mystran Lord, there were still some which she profited from, and others she could've easily obtained from her king. She slammed the book on the table, quickly skimming to the page she so desired. An intricate rune was placed upon the page, which she traced with her finger. "Yes, yes, this will do nicely," the witch thought to herself, a smile stretching her ruby lips. "Everything is falling into place. All I need now is cooperation from the new ruler of Kilkis Seres, and the Overworld will be as good as mine." Meanwhile, in the Helvadoria Kingdom. . . . The duke of Helvadoria hummed a tune to himself as he strolled the halls of the palace, feeling quite pleased with himself. Whether it was because he massacred the army of Sondon or that he returned with a trinket for the king was a mystery, though his jubilant nature persisted when he met the king in the hall. The king, however, was a man that few would suspect of Helvadoria. He was a mere youth of eighteen years, unmarried, and ambitious. Too ambitious, perhaps, for his own good. "Well, Reynald?" "Yes, yes, it has been done, my lord. Their sewers have been marked. Everything is set in place." "Excellent. We must tell inform their ambassador that we are almost finished. The time has nearly come to ascend, Reynald," the king stated, excitement dancing in his eyes. The king strode over to the window, arms clutched behind his back. "Just think: we are about to begin a new chapter for our kingdom. Things are changing quickly, wouldn't you say?" "Oh yes, Sire. Very quickly." Reynald cleared his throat. "There is just one thing I think I should tell you, my lord." A frown furrowed the king's brow, as he glanced over at the duke from the corner of his eye. "Yes, Brother? And what might that be?" The cheery demeanor vanished from the duke's form as he responded, staring only at his hands as he spoke. "We failed to capture the princess. She is somewhere with that blasted bodyguard of hers, though her whereabouts are presently unknown." "Well, we must make them known, in that case." The king turned so that he now stood directly in front of the duke. "Send search parties. We must find her. She cannot be free in this world once our plan goes into motion. It was made clear that the girl must ascend with us." "Yes, yes, I know this, my lord." "Then find her!" "Of course. As you wish." With a bow, Reynald departed, having but the faintest clue how he was going to find Princess Visco, but was determined to do so. He did not favor the king's fury, after all.

The drawing is indeed fantastic, Elrandir. I haven't read your short story yet, Scrap, but I plan to when I actually get a peaceful moment to do so. I'm sure it's great, though. I really love all of the creativity that has been a result of the RP and its characters. So I'm curious: if everyone were to choose a favorite character out of the entire cast, with the exception of their own characters, who would it be and why? I have a number of favorites, but I think if I were to choose one it would be Helios. It's been very fascinating to see Helios go through so much growth, and despite the pain and suffering he's endured time and again he's willing to come out a stronger person and follow his heart. Stardust really made him real with his emotions and decisions, as well as his ambitions and dedication to his friends.