Choppy waves lapped against jagged rocks in the evening sun. The tide was coming in now, threatening to submerge the seaside cove as the moon began its ascent. Salt water lapped against the pulverized bodies of the pirates lying there, slowly pulling them into its depths, while a gentlemanly muse sat on a rock, singing himself a calming tune. Injured but not horrifically so, he sat himself on a rock as lost blood was cleansed and then pulled back into open gashes, flesh knitting itself together while the pain ebbed away into numbness. It had been a hard fight as a musician by himself, but it had been a rewarding one as well. He was getting stronger, ever so slightly, each day spent contributing to his growth. The pain was worth it. A finger pulled itself from between two barnacle encrusted rocks, reattaching itself to his left hand. His flag, scarred from having to block sword blows, was tattered and bloodied, the banner soaking up the seawater. Locks of hair laden with sweat clung to the side of his face, while crimson marks smeared his cheeks from all his futile attempts at brushing them out of his hair. His legs, after dancing for so long, were dead. His voice, after singing for so long, was dead. His Energy bar was at an all-time low, while his clothes were definitely going to need a good washing after all that. With a sigh and a laugh, Cain stopped singing, fine with the fact that he was only half-dead now. Two inches of seawater damped his soled feet, and he was looking at an hour long boat trip back to the mainland, but… He’d done it. Quest complete. By himself. The tall man clenched his fists, an unabashedly happy smile on his face as he shook. It wasn’t like the death match with the Troll within the Adecus Forest, where all he had done was watch as the Royal Fiend Knight fought against that 60 foot tall titan. It wasn’t like the Honeyhome Rampage, where all he could do was support his allies as best as he could, empowering them with words even as their blood fed the soil beneath. Cain was getting there, and it was simply, basically, more or less an incredibly feel-good moment. Within the isolated cove, he raised his fists up in victory and let out a ‘HOORAH’ before breaking out into a coughing fit. Throat was still all shades of messed up, after all. Rasping out a breath, Cain spat out a gob of blood before approaching the only other object within the cove that deserved attention: the treasure chest. Though piracy wasn’t something that the muse often dabbled in, treasure hunts were another adventure after all, and everything was fair when it came to shiny baubles! With what remained of his magical power, Cain knelt down by the box and shot a small bolt of arcane energy into it, destroying the lock mechanism within and popping open the chest. “Ooooh…” he uttered, “This is nice.” What shone in front of him was the iridescent rainbow gem of Crystallized Zalra, a beautifully large Prism Gem that shone with a light of its own. As a magical conduit, it’d be incredible. As jewelry, it’d be dazzling. Sold, it’d grant a fortune in gold. Simply put? “What a hell of a day.” The midnight-haired muse laughed at his good fortune, picking up seven-colored gem before turning and making his exit. Somehow, the dreaded boat trip back didn’t seem as troublesome anymore.
The lawless island full of pirates, robbers, and the outcasts of society utterly disgusted the Justicar. The only reason it existed was that she didn't possess the chance or the power to purge it clean... yet. However, despite it all, here she was, arriving on its shores once more. It was not by her choice obviously, Eldhi would never deliberately choose to go here. She was here today on a simple, yet important, mission. The Overwatcher had informed Mistress Vermillion about a pirate stash that might contain a potent prism gem, thus, the Crimson Noble sent out the white-haired knight after it. Just like any other day really, she should get this done quick. Arrive, slay the pirates, and retrieve their ill-gained treasure. ....or at least, that was she thought. "..." Eldhi's red eyes narrowed in high alert as she took in the battlefield of a beach before her. Corpses of pirates strewn here and there, their blood washed away by the constant waves. Who or what did this? Falderen Guards? Unlikely since there were no other carcasses but pirates... so this would mean whoever responsible completed the deed single-handedly. There were two likely explanations for this, either it was a very powerful NPC or... an adventurer, a player much like herself. While these particular pirates were no Aesir, mere drunkard rabbles, someone who could triumph against them alone meant they possessed at least some amount of skill. While Eldhi respected their deed of exterminating the felons, she still didn't know whether they were friend or foe. Keeping herself on high alert, Eldhi walked forward, boots padding against the sand, passing by slain sea raiders, their trail of carnage seemingly leading into a nearby cove. So she was beaten to the stash, if this slayer of pirates had left the location then there was no reason to stay. If they were still around however... "Hmm..." Eldhi was still mulling over her thoughts when the answer came in the form of a tall, midnight-haired, muse stepping out of the seaside cave. He looked worse for wear but the long dark locks and sharp chiseled features could never be mistaken as someone else. "Cain... what a coincidence." Yes, the Muse she rescued from a pack of wolves in Brisshal, the one she worked together with to resolve the gold dust incident in the very same forest. Cain Darlite the Flagbearer of Miracles, Emissary of Evocations, Champion o-... meaningless, useless titles coughed up by grandiose narcissism. The Justicar spared the Muse a small smile, Two fingers on her temple activated Investigation Mode, the glinting presence of arcane power in his pockets was enough confirmation. "It seems we are here for similar purposes." Eldhi removed her hand from her head, enigmatically gazing at him, "In my honor as a knight, I thank you for exterminating these pests." She gestured to the pirates around them as the waves continued crashing in the background, the salty air turning heavy as a storm brewed at a distance, "However, I will be needing the Prism Gem you hold in your pocket." Eldhi held out her left hand, "And I'm afraid it's non-negotiable." ...while her right strayed dangerously close to the signature longsword strapped to her back. Was she really threatening the man who once stood side-by-side with her in combat? One who shared so much of her principles? Absolutely, she had her orders, nothing personal. @Cain Darlite
Stepping out of the cove looking a little less harried than he had been when he first fought through that group of pirates, Cain stretched outwards with a grin. The warmth of the afternoon seeped into his bones, and the sunset from the horizon was definitely a spectacular one to witness. Though clouds loomed above, the muse wasn’t all that concerned about it. Bad weather followed him like a plague, but it just meant he could do his best to enjoy the good weather while it lasted. Another breath of the salty wind served to chase away his lethargy, and an easygoing smile emerged on Cain’s face as he saw a familiar face. Ah, Eldhi, the Paladin of the Ashen Blade, who had saved him so long ago! He hadn’t seen her for a while. “Salutations, War Maiden of Tyr,” the muse said, saluting, “It appears the quest-bearer had neglected to inform you that this particular task…” He paused, gesturing towards the bodies of the pillaging pirates. “…had already been taken. Hardly a coincidence, but perhaps a bit of disappointment for you?” Her motions hadn’t escaped his notice though, that casual brush of two fingers against her temple lighting up her red eyes as she activated Investigation Mode. And that suspicion was confirmed with her next words. Oh, how easily people changed. From a Paladin of Tyr to a mere highwayman. From a lady knight to a bandit. Still, Eldhi being who she was, Cain shrugged, pulling out the Prism Gem. In the afternoon rays, it shone warmly, and its scintillating iridescence only increased as day fell into night. He had seen the beauty of the object itself back in Crystallized Zalra, as one handsome individual continuously chipped them out of stone, and up close, it was still somewhat breath-taking. But if there was a good, just cause for this Paladin to delve into threats of violence and aggressive demands, then, well, he was willing to give it up. “May I ask for what purpose you require this Gem, Lady Knight Eldhi? It is rare, after all, that those who extol Tyl so readily plunge into injustice and unrighteous violence.”
Realizing that Cain wasn't the type to incite needless violence and one of the few actually willing to talk before deciding to attack, Eldhi gradually removed her hand from her weapon's grip. She admitted it was in poor judgment to intimidate Cain when the Muse was ready to parley instead. The fact he was also wounded and exhausted didn't help her case, she had damaged her honor by threatening an injured adventurer. Eldhi had gotten used to using a little force to accomplish her missions, it became somewhat of a muscle memory to her. Relaxing her stance further, the Justicar decided she could at least make up by alleviating the Muse's wounds. The already raised left palm emitted a warm golden light that showered Cain, mending the cuts and bruises he couldn't heal himself before running out of energy. With her adept expertise over lllumancy, it didn't take long for Eldhi to fully rejuvenate the Muse as he'd find out by the full green HP bar in his Player UI. Alas, she couldn't do anything about his Energy. "I apologize, it was ignoble of me to treat you as a potential threat." The white-haired knight gave a small bow, sighing in disappointment at herself, she should be aware that not all negotiations must be settled at a sword's end. "It is imperative for me to retrieve the gem for my... employer." She answered, "My personal goal was cleansing this area of lawless scum but I see you have done that. The Prism Gem is an order, not of my own initiative, it is still important however, so I must have it." After mulling over her thoughts, she acquiesced with a small huff, "What do you wish in exchange for the Gem? You have done a service by exterminating the pirates, you deserve the treasure but since I have a direct order to acquire that very same treasure, I can't just leave. Still, I should honor your efforts. Name your price, Cain Darlite."
As a golden light fell over him, a different sort of warmth from his own healing methods, Cain relaxed slightly, watching his wounds fully mend, not even scars remaining afterwards. Definitely did look like Eldhi had gotten stronger during the time they had been separate, eh? The tension left his shoulders and the midnight-haired muse smiled in gratitude. Whatever change there had been since he had last seen her, at least he could count on Eldhi to not be too unreasonable. Or, more likely, she was someone that had some degree of flexibility in her views, even if the manner in which she approached them had changed over the course of a couple of weeks. A contract that couldn’t be broken and an employer that required these incredibly potent magical ores. The ability to understand that he naturally had claim over the treasure that he held within his hand, and the willingness to pay for it. The albino knight hadn’t changed that much then. She had yet to become an irredeemably dickheadish player that used roleplaying as an excuse to bypass common courtesy, and Cain didn’t have any real use for the Prism Gem anyways. It was an Astramancy one, after all, and tossing it up and down in the air, the muse tilted his head to the side, as if considering her offer. Even if he had already made his decision. With a casual fwip, Cain tossed the prismatic crystal towards Eldhi, walking up to her. “Well, this means ‘quest complete’ for you, doesn’t it? My own contractor simply required that I cleaned the shores of the pirates that sank his ship. However beautiful this crystal is, it’s not worth burying a friendship underneath, Paladin of the Ashen Blade. And in exchange…how ‘bout we go out for a drink? Know a real nice place in Dunnstads, and I’m sure you’ve got lots of stories to tell, what with that shiny new sword of yours.” That unflappable smile persisted as he stopped right in front of her, dark eyes flickering past, to the sandy beach, searching for a familiar beast. Not there. Looked like a scenic shot of a horse stampeding on a white-sand beach was nothing but a pipe dream at this point. Or perhaps the Paladin of Tyl had switched to a more aggressive horse to suit her edgier outfit. “Oh, and where’s your shining steed? Thought mounted combat was your jazz and all.”
The Justicar grabbed the thrown Prism Gem with a gauntleted right hand, grasping it then turned her palm to face herself, examining the seven-colored jewel and the potent arcane energy lay within its crystalline surface. Her red eyes expressed some amount of regret, rather dissatisfied by how she acquired this particular gem. The fact Cain so easily gave into her demands made the white-haired girl felt even worse, accentuating the foolish blunder she made just minutes ago. Out of all people, she just had to pick a - fortunately avoided - fight with Cain. "..." Was this what she had become? A heartless machine who could only follow orders, heedless to what her conscience think? "Ugh..." Immediately, she felt a pang of pain in her head, flinching her slightly. No, she was doing the right thing, she was being the knight she had always wanted to be. A knight shouldn't doubt. Doubt begat Treason. Treason meant Death. "That is correct. You have achieved that, I would have assisted you if only I arrived earlier." Nodding in gratitude, Eldhi stored the gem into her digital inventory. With the pirates slain, her quest was technically completed, she could return to the Manor anytime she wanted. The armored girl usually did so immediately upon completion, dilly-dallying wasn't her way of conducting her tasks. For this particular case, she still needed to repay the Muse somehow. "Friendship..." Eldhi whispered, barely audible, was she still his friend even though she'd turn her blade against him if Mistress wished so? Would a true friend so easily do that? If she could then she couldn't consider herself as Cain's friend, not anymore, it'd be utterly hypocritical to think herself as one. However, if Cain's demanded compensation through companionship then she would honor it. She wasn't wasting time, she was simply holding up her end of the deal. "Acknowledged, I will accompany you for a drink in Dunnstads." Now then, she certainly couldn't use the Warp Gate so she'd just hitch a ride on Cain's boat, assuming he arrived here using a vessel. "Hmm?" Eldhi tilted her head in slight confusion at the Muse's odd question, the answer should be quite obvious, why would she bring her Mount to an island? He certainly couldn't know about the Demon Rose's instantaneous transportation ability so logically, she'd get here by boat. So... was this a serious question? Or was he simply asking to get a conversation going? "He's in the stables, it is impractical to bring him here, opting mounted combat on a sandy beach isn't optimal, he can slip and lose his footing." Hope that answer should suffice? If not, she was at a lost, but nevermind. "Anyways, we should move on, please lead the way." @Cain Darlite
This really wasn’t Eldhi, huh? Not the one he knew at least. Instead of acting, there was genuine confusion as to why she would even bother riding a horse on sandy terrain, and the sheer ‘realness’ of it was off-putting, to say the least. A focus on optimizing combat? Impracticality in the face of sheer awesomeness? And, above all, the inability to even understand it, reacting with confusion. A shift. There was a clear shift. Was it so easy to forget one’s past self? Was a change in personality truly so divisive, so complete? “Yeesh,” Cain replied, slapping her on the shoulder, “No need to be so stiff about it, yah know? Woulda thought you’d be the type to trust in your steed’s skill the most anyways.” Without much further ado, he picked up the pace, leading her to a hidden pier, where his ship was docked. A large merchant’s vessel, with few arms and large storehouses, the well-maintained ship was nevertheless suitable for human transportation as well. The merchant, a long-time friend of Farmer Bill, waved at the Muse as they approached, walking over. “Glad you made it in one piece, friend,” the goateed fellow spoke, “Who’s the girl with you? A damsel captured by those pirates?” Cain shook his head, before stepping to the side, gesturing towards both of them. “No, this is Knight Eldhi Arc, Devout of Tyl, Paladin of the Ashen Blade. Was quite the coincidence, meeting her afterwards, but she treated my wounds, so here I am. A pity, isn’t it, that my blood won’t be gracing your lacquered decks today?” “Hahahaha,” the man stuck out a hand, “A pleasure to meet a beauty so capable with a sword. I’m Captain Jason Stalmes. Storm’s brewing, but the Lily of Medea will crest those waves fine.” With introductions finished and a sense of urgency emerging now that pleasantries had been exchanged, the two adventurers were ushered aboard, where Cain took his companion down another set of stairs, into a small, but stylish bar. With tasteful décor, a bartender that aged well over the years, and glass goblets instead of wooden mugs, this definitely was a good place for quiet chatter. Occasionally, ship would wobble, but, the motion of the waves didn’t seem to effect the bartender’s movements. Above deck, footsteps sounded as men worked to get the ship sailing before the storm kicked off, while below decks, the rumbling beat of a drum could be heard, oars extended to push the ship out of shallow depths. But the bar was gratefully devoid of others due to the activity, and soon, Cain was fairly cozy, sipping from low-alcohol grapefruit juice with a salted rim and a lemon wedge. “Soooooo,” he drawled, leaning backwards on the padded chair, “How’s life been treating yah, Eldhi? Fancy rose thing yah got there. Gift from a boyfriendddd~?” Perhaps alcohol wasn’t a great idea. But hey, it was definitely a fun one! And though his face was slightly flushed already, Cain was totally, definitely in complete control of everything.
"Nngh..." The rather petite white-haired knight groaned lowly in annoyance as the Muse made a playful slap, the force was inconsequential to a sturdy tank such as herself but was it really necessary? "Live combat is a matter of life and death, Cain." Eldhi glanced at him from the corner of her red eyes, "It'd do you well not to make obviously poor decisions." Fighting on horseback on the beach was definitely considered as one. "If you try mounted combat yourself, you'd realize it's not as easy as it looks." Enough about that now, they should get a move on as her time was limited, she was here on a mission, not leisure. Relieved that Cain was sensible enough to not dawdle around, leading her to a rather secluded part of the small island. "Hmm..." Interesting, so there was a dock here, only composed of makeshift piers and a few rope anchor points but enough for a large vessel to dock. Perhaps pirates constructed this, it didn't matter now, they were rightfully where they belong, in Davy Jones' Locker. Eldhi's clinking armor joined with the waves and creaking wood as the knight approached the docked vessel. She glanced up, examining the merchant sporting a peculiar beard. So Cain arrived with him, he was the one who hired him to exterminate the pirates then? A sound decision as it'd allow the merchant to trade without worry of sea raiders hounding his ships. Her, a distressed damsel? How wrongly presumptive and one so obviously wrong, she wasn't sure whether he was jesting or not. A swordswoman clad in full armor was a pirate's captive as surely those sea robbers would let her keep her weapons and armor. "Haa..." A heavy sigh was her only response. The merchant certainly didn't make a good first impression and Eldhi was debating to just bail out of there if not for her honor to keep her word. Fortunately, Cain took care of the formalities for her, though she wanted to correct him there about the 'Devout of Tyl' part, she couldn't do so for obvious reasons. It was fine, Mistress would understand that secrecy triumphed meaningless titles. After the merchant introduced himself, Eldhi gave him a slight bow as a sign of acknowledgment, "I'll be boarding your vessel as a guest, Captain Stalmes." --- Indeed, soon she found herself navigating the vessel's corridors, arriving into a rather well-furnished bar. This must be the Captain's flagship as such luxuries would only take up space which could be used to load more goods, certainly not an optimal design if this vessel would be used as a transport ship. While the on-board establishment couldn't hold a candle to Mistress Vermillion's dining hall, it was better than most port taverns, the equivalent of an upper-class tavern except for its small size. Ordering a classic mug of ale, her favorite, Eldhi took a few sips, enjoying the sweet warmth traveling down her throat. "..." She put the ornate mug down, her tanned cheeks not flushed at all, in fact, she didn't feel even the slightest bit of tipsiness. How strange, the last time she drank with the boisterous redhead warrior, Eurig, the tanned girl would already be rather dizzy by now. Perhaps her growth in power and fortitude as a Knight meant she could resist the effect of substances better, including alcohol. The same couldn't be said for her companion, however, as Cain slurred out his words but was still intelligible for the most part. "I think you have enough." Eldhi declared as she snatched the glass away from his hand and put it away at the next table. She didn't want to listen to inebriated babbles. "Anyways, no, I do not have a boyfriend." Eldhi shrugged, not interested in looking for one anyway. If she wanted someone to love, it'd be... her... but it didn't matter now. "The rose is..." The knight mulled over her thoughts, "... the sign of a contract." She turned away for a moment, glancing at the bartender before focusing back to Cain, "Life is good, I have never been better. I accomplished so many things since our last meeting." She forced out a small smile, he'd want that, would he? "How about yourself, Cain?" @Cain Darlite
“Fweh?” Cain blinked as the glass was snatched away, placed on the neighboring table instead. Shaking his head, the slightly-tipsy muse took the glass back in his hand, rebelliously chugging down the rest of the alcohol. The warm fuzzy feeling that coursed through his veins and into the center of his chest was incredibly satisfying in a way that real-life alcohol couldn’t mimic, and despite how drunk he looked, what with flushed ears and an even more boisterous personality than usual…at least he wasn’t being a goddamn prude and barely sipping their drink! Suppressing the urge to slam the delicate glass goblet into the table for fear of shattering it, the muse grinned back at his infinitely uninteresting friend. “Don’t worry, don’t worry!” he replied, “I get drunk really easy but I don’t get drunk that easy, yah know? Sorta like…first to start but last to fall over? So it’s fine, Eldhi! Got thisss!” At least her story, however abbreviated, was pretty fun in its own right. No boyfriend, just an employer? A contractor? A lord? Taking the bottle of alcoholic fruit juice from the table and pouring himself another class, Cain leaned forward as she continued to roll through the events of the past few weeks with no real indication of anything fun happening. And that forced smile at the end. Never been better? Accomplished so many things? Amazing. Maybe Tyl would just strike her dead where she stood now, what with all the bullshit that she spewed out so easily. Or was this just more roleplaying? Gahhhhhh, what a pain in the ass. Cain took the lemon wedge off the rim and squeeze a few drops into the drink itself, swirling the goblet stylishly before taking a sip. Even the muted tang of lemon was better than Eldhi being super duper serious instead of super duper excited. “Contract, ehh?” he mused, setting the fruity cocktail aside itself, “Finally got a master to serve then? Gratz, gratz! That’s King Astor? Duke Seto? Or is it more of a Falderen thing? Wait…oh! So your employer’s the one that wanted those magical gems for unlimited power or whatnot, eh? Pretty neat then! Lemme guess, you’re super ultra serious and grim now because your knighthood’s an actual job, eh? Gotta be professional and all? No more helping farmers out with raising turkeys and such?” With a wave, he brushed away her attempt at changing the subject. His own exploits could be saved for later. The trip back to the mainland was long enough, after all, and Eldhi should naturally have more interesting stories to tell to begin with, what with her new ‘profession’ and her propensity towards doing whatever she did. “Eh, no need to rush, Eldhi! C’mon, you did lots of things, right? Give me some nice stories~! Fought a dragon yet? Possessed by a lich yet? Joined the dark side yet? Lotsa accomplishments, right?” His dark eyes widened slightly, a clarity that did not befit a boisterous drunk. “Tell me about them, why don’t you?”
"Are you really?" The Justicar raised a questioning eyebrow at the Muse, his claim sounded like a blind man who said he could see just fine. However, it wasn't a concern of hers, in the end, she tried to prevent him from descending into a drunken fool and ruin his elegant image, it was his decision in the end. "Bear in mind that I will take my leave should you knock you yourself out." Eldhi warned as she took a few sips of her ale, enjoying the sweet fruity taste. There was just something odd about him tonight, the Muse was really curious about her, quite odd to hear that from a man whose style would stereotypically imply narcissism. He gave himself a string of self-proclaimed titles after all, her assumption was justified. Did he have an ulterior motive? Eldhi was rather suspicious but she didn't have a leverage to question him. she was here to honor her part for the Prism Gem, she had to bear the interrogation thinly-veiled as 'catching up'. "That is not untrue." The white-haired girl pondered, "A proper Knight should loyally serve a worthy master and that is what I have achieved." She felt genuine pride, Mistress was a figure with the actual power to assert change into the world, no longer she had to dream of naive ideals, she was part of something bigger now. "A Knight should take their job seriously, our honor is on the line after all." Eldhi answered, words smoothly flowing from her lips. Yes, she could do this. "While I prefer my abilities to be used properly, I am no farmer but If my master wishes me to help a farmer raise his turkey then I shall do so." Was he done yet? Nay, the Muse had further questions, it was as if he didn't want the subject to change. Come now, his intentions were now as obvious as a dragon looming in the sky. "Stories..." She was mulling over what kind of tales she could tell without spilling Mistress' secrets to him. Her train of thoughts stopped when he inquired the last two questions, "..." The Justicar stared at him for a moment, wondering if he had known more than he let on. No, impossible, so... how? He thought of her as a Paladin of Tyl, Crusader of Justice, a bastion of all things good and just. It must be the alcohol. "Are you listening to herself, Cain?" Eldhi chuckled, waving off his questions, "I think the alcohol is taking over your mind. I suggest you stop and go to sleep." She finished her ale then stood up, "I can take you to your cabin if you wish, who knows if you wobble and fall along the way."
“Just a suggestions on where your stories could go, Eldhi,” he laughed, reciprocating her own, “Didn’t I already tell you? I get drunk easily but don’t lose my mind nearly as easily. Already got plenty of chances to test out my theories after all.” Indeed, between his escapades in the Whaler’s Lament, his afterparties in Rocky Road, and his occasional foray in the Silver Willow Pub, as well as a variety of other places where alcohol could be found in barrels and where companions could be found across the counter, Cain Darlite was well-aware of the strange and wonderful affliction that was Drunkenness. The way everything became more fun, the way his muscles warmed and relaxed, the way it allowed him to goof off without technically breaking character. The way the liquid courage got in his head. Thunder boomed as the ship groaned, swaying from side to side as rough, stormy waves smashed into the hull of the merchant vessel. The sounds of pounding footprints reverberated on floorboards above them, while muted shouts and commands could now be heard. The bartender remained unperturbed during all this though, calmly following his routine of polishing glass and wiping the counter, occasionally checking to see whether or not the fastener for the bottles of wine were properly in place. Cain swayed with the rough movements of the ship, but remained seated. “C’mon c’mon, no need for a cold shoulder so soon, ya know?” He grinned, pouring some more of the fruity alcohol for his friend. “The night’s still young and no one’s gonna be getting any sleep in this weather regardless. Gimme a fantastic tale to write a ballad from! Us muses are nothing without a good tale or two, yah know? Can’t just write a song of a bright and cheerful Paladin of Tyl’s Don quixotic ventures into forests alongside an uncooperative steed when her present self is that of a proper, honorable knight of a lord or lady, eh?” He raised his own glass for a toast, merriment twinkling in his eyes. “Your accomplishments are things to be proud of, are they not, Eldhi? Go and show them off then! The terrible beasts you’ve slain and the terr- wondrous deeds you’ve performed!” "We can talk about my escapades after you're as drunk as me!"
Theories, right, who did he think she was? She was no longer the gullible fool who couldn't see suspicion especially when it was so obviously presented before her face. The white-haired girl simply didn't reply to those statements, letting Cain dunk more alcohol into his system. "..." Eldhi debated on just snatching away the bottle and smash it against the ship's wall, the Justicar never liked drunkards, good men turning into bumbling fools, rousing needless chaos. However, the knight decided against it in the end. For this particular case, if Cain went drunk enough, he'd fall asleep and she could be justified to leave him. The ship's swaying movements combined with the booming thunder echoing on the wooden walls signaled the turbulent storm just outside. The stoic Justicar kept her balance on her seat, quite curious on when the Muse would unceremoniously fall over, maybe knocking his head so he could go out faster. "Heh." Confident of her own ability to hold her drink, Eldhi accepted the offer, drinking the alcoholic grapefruit juice. So insistent, it was almost as if he was deliberately fishing for information about her lord. Fine, she'd humor him a few tales, not everything she did was connected to Mistress after all. "Well..." Thus, Eldhi's retelling of her quest with the Dragoon Spearwoman, Stelluna, began. Eldhi detailed how they met by chance in a pillaged town in Pormont, quite late to save the town from a Gnoll Warband. However, they enacted righteous vengeance upon the foul creatures by hunting their camp down and cleanse them by light and fire. The courageous battle against the Gnoll Shaman and its flesh golem abomination were detailed in all its gory juiciness. "...at the end, I drove my blade through the Shaman's gut, ending its plague from Terrasphere. We might have failed to save the town but we prevented the gnolls would massacring even more innocents." The Justicar huffed, "Would that suffic-... oh?" It seemed the Muse had fallen asleep, snoring lightly with his face planted on the table. "Hmph." A low amused chuckle left her lips as she stood up from her chair, asked the bartender on where his cabin was, then went around to his snoring form. With deceptively strong slender arms, the knight literally picked Cain up in a bridal carry, the height difference made it look quite awkward but she had little difficulty in holding his weight and walking at the same time. She left the bar, traversed through the corridors before arriving at Cain's cabin, then the Justicar placed him down on his bunk. Finally, she left without a word, closing the door behind her. "Ha..." Now with him taken care of, she could properly return home. Finding a vacant cabin, the white-haired girl stood at the center of the room, focusing on the powers granted to her by the Demon Rose. The thorny flower embedded on her right shoulder-blade rustled as a crimson magical circle spawned underneath her feet, its demonic design oddly contrasting with Eldhi's theme of divinity and light. Gradually, a rip in space spawned in front of her in the form of a circle, leading into the familiar garden of Vermillion's Manor.
“Wow, that’s a fancy trick you got there.” From behind, the door to the vacant cabin creaked open, Cain peering out at the rip in space and the scarlet rose that served as the activation device for the strange magic. His face was still flushed from drinking, but the clarity in his eyes made it obvious that he was still, just like he claimed, in full control. It had been mere boredom at first that caused him to fake his sleep, realizing that Eldhi wouldn’t be sharing anything about her new master after all. It had been mere concern once she dropped him off at the captain’s quarters, prompting him to leave after she tossed him onto the bed. It had been mere curiosity when he sensed the thick magic coalescing behind a closed door. And now…now it was mere amusement that caused him to lean against the door frame, impressed more than anything else at the strange scenery that appeared within that rip. Arcanamancy? Malefimancy? Or a type of magic that’s even further beyond? Whatever it was, Cain let out a low whistle at the magical circle and the demonic design. There was nothing more to be said, was there? His ‘friend’, now made a stranger by the contract she had formed with a greater being, had shed her identity as a Paladin, a vanquisher of evil, casting aside her ideals for the sake of power and purpose. A part of him thought of the transformation as boring, a desperate grab for power that didn’t belong to her, tossing away her original path for the purpose of growing in strength at an accelerate pace. But another part of him decided that this was a good picture too. Made for an interesting contrast, and turning to the dark side was a rather exciting development to begin with. And between good and evil, Cain wasn’t a principled enough individual to choose what was ‘better’. No, he was the type… That would choose what could bring forth a better experience So he remained where he was, a lopsided grin on his face, a canine showing. “See? If you started off with something fancy like that, it would have been a way more interesting story. Lemme take a quick guess now, your new master is a demon or a vampire or a dragon with a taste for the gothic?”
"...!?" The Justicar's red eyes widened in high alert, whipping around, right hand already reaching to the azure longsword strapped to her back. "..." Her brows twitched as she took in the smug visage of Cain leaning on the cabin door's frame. His sleep... so she saw, well played, Muse, well played. Just like the performer he was, his faux slumber convinced her. Had she knew, she would bonk him on the head to knock him out for good. Alas, she was careless and now, she must handle this urgent issue. There were a few solutions here, she could strike him down right then and there, she was stronger than him, her chance of victory was favorable. However, Cain was a fellow Player, not an NPC. He could just respawn without a care, perhaps suffering from a - curable - Death Affliction or two. This method was scratched. The other one was to simply ignore him and just leave but it would just rouse his curiosity even further. Furthermore, being a Muse, he could spread it around as a tale and before she knew it, the whole of Falderen would know of the Vermillion Manor. Finally, the Justicar could address him, humor him, and let him go with a warning. Curses, none of the choices were good enough but she had to pick one here. Heaving a low frustrated sigh, Eldhi released her hand from her blade's grip, "I serve a worthy master with actual power to assert changes to the world. No more foolish dreams, gone are the childish ideals. I am part of something bigger, one worthy of my loyalty and honor. I suggest you pick your sides wisely in the future, Cain, while I don't wish to face you in battle. I will do so if you stand in our way." With that, she turned, then stepped into the portal as it closed behind her, leaving the Muse alone in the now vacant cabin.
A worthy master, was it? Worthy because they had the power to change the world? Or worthy because the changes they desired to assert aligned with Eldhi’s own ideals? No, if her ‘childish’ ideals were gone, if she simply submitted herself to being a single, insignificant cog within a machine, if she no longer viewed this as a game, but as another ‘world’, then it was clear enough to Cain that something had changed far too significantly. But Terrasphere wasn’t a legal game, was it? There wasn’t any value to be procured from rapidly progressing within this game, nor could any videos or screenshots taken here be brought to the Other Side. If it was a matter of money alone, a part-time job would be a much simpler way of making money. If it was a matter of prestige alone, simply being someone’s dog is much prestigious than tearing out her owner’s throat and taking power for herself. If it was a matter of love, however…why was she so serious to begin with? “Pick my sides wisely,” Cain mused, a smile breaking out despite the connotations of such a phrase, “But Eldhi, I’m not nearly as bound by loyalties as you. All I need is a good fight and a good laugh. So between the oppressor and the challenger…” The portal closed behind her, the form the knight he once knew disappearing into the scarlet garden. Alone in a ship that continued to groan from the strength of the stormy sea, Cain’s eyes lit up as lightning streaked through the rain-drenched cabin window. “…you know what I’d choose, wouldn't you?” A breath. A promise. Something new to strive towards. His rival was strong, her master even stronger. The artifact that could bridge distances without exhausting the user. The exponential growth in strength. The bevy of new equipment she flaunted. Ah, it was going to definitely take some effort, matching, no, surpassing the head start Eldhi already got, huh? Cain slapped his cheeks, knocking the last bit of drunkenness out of himself, before resolutely stepping up the stairs onto the rain-hammered decks. Alright, time to earn his passage!
