azazele

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-71

They moved as fast as they could, which wasn’t fast at all. Lanston and Sebas took turns dragging Robert after the others. Sebas didn’t have much muscle being a pampered noble, dragging him along for mere moments before complaining about his aching arms. Lanston had more endurance, being the son of a knight, but the heaviest weights he’d lifted during his initiate year were heavy books. He moved slowly with labored breathing. Orphelia and Cecile matched their pace, ready to protect them...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-70

Robert dismounted first, a hand on his sword as he waited for the others to follow. He motioned for Lanston to come closer. “Any idea what it is?”

“No.” Eyes wide with curiosity, the lanky young man would have walked right up to it if Robert didn’t grab the back of his shirt. “It resembles a slime but the coloring is wrong.”

“Slime?”

“A rare carnivorous magic plant with the water affinity. Quite similar to seaweed. It roves around as a ball of water, hidi...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-69

The initiate was a kind of slow torture for Robert Quintana. Trained by a former royal knight, being grouped with the young and mediocre casters that made up the initiates felt like an insult. A waste of his time, without a doubt. But as his teacher said, every knight had his trials to bear.

His trial approached its conclusion with the qualifiers nearing their end. The current test had been the first thing to capture his attention in months. A monster hunt, something worthy of his talen...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-68

Once the mamaroons I spied coming out of the ground disappear, I transform into an ooze and moved forward. This form isn’t from this world. No way they recognize it as a threat.

In the form of a blob, I roll over to where the mamaroons emerged. I form a tentacle and transform the end of it into the shape of a spade. Then I begin to dig. It only takes a few scoops of earth to reveal a deep tunnel, too deep for sunlight to penetrate its depths.

As I thought. It would take too much...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-67

I circle the area, looking for traces of monsters. The spotted doglike creatures have moved on but I can see their tracks and the remains of their meal. I pick up the bloody corpse of a mamaroon by the tail.

It has a long, sinuous body. Incredibly flexible. I have no problem rolling the thing into a ball. Does it even have bones?

I thought so when I saw the drawing of it but it really does look like a weasel. I wonder if that’s what it evolved from.

One of the many things ...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-66

No one ever expects death from above.

I don’t know who’s more surprised, the monster whose head I landed on or the initiates I saved. You’d think the monster but the weight of my enhanced form and momentum of the jump drove its head to the ground. I imagine it’s a little dazed.

The initiates on the other hand are looking at my magnificent entrance with dropped jaws and wide eyes. They look worse for wear, bloodied and bruised. An unfortunate girl had the front of her robe ...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-65

We all take a break. Geneva heals Alana’s scrapes and bruises. Unfortunately, I don’t have to persuadeher to accept this time. Arthur magics up a couple of bowls and William fills them with water. I thought about cooking up the bird but we need to keep moving. So, the bronze terror gets dragged behind us as we keep heading for the waterhole.

It doesn’t take long before we spot it. Alana calls us to a halt. “Alright. We need to find a place to set up camp. I’m thinking...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-64

A ‘film’ comes down over my eyes and the vague shadow resolves into the largest bird I’ve ever seen. A very strange bird. The thing has an extra pair of feet, two smaller talons on its upper chest. Its brown feathers have a metallic sheen to them, like polished bronze, except for the white feathers along its face. Its dark, beady eyes are trained on our group, filled with malice.

“Cloud!” I shout, blinking away my ‘film’. “You know anything about a bronze bird the size o...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-63

A silence stretches between us as we catch up to the others. If left to Alana, it might drag on for the rest of the qualifier. She seems uncomfortable around me now, though she can’t keep her eyes away, sneaking little glances over her shoulder as she keeps pace with Marthe.

I let her be. Things between us got a little…tense earlier. I’m still processing how I feel and what she said, turning her words over and over. Luckily, I have a distraction in the form of my little friend. 2022-05-13 22:51:30 +0000 UTC View Post

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-62

“Nothing’s wrong,” she says tersely, refusing to look at me.

“Huh. I’d be inclined to believe you if you weren’t so obviously angry about something.”

“I’m not angry. My hand hurts.”

“Then let Bell heal it.”

“I don’t need healing for this tiny wound.”

This girl. “You want to be in pain.” My tone carries my skepticism.

The burned hand twitches. Did she want to hit me? With it injured the way it is, it would have hurt her a lo...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-61

I slow down as I approach the road, quickly taking in the situation. Five people on the ground, my team all on their feet. Another guide standing further up the road, unmoving. Geneva further down the road, taking her sweet time approaching now that the festivities are over.

With no immediate need for action, I move toward Alana. She’s standing over a boy who looks worse for wear, his body curled up in pain and covered in dust. His hands are held out in front of him, shaking. I recogn...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-60

“Oi!”

A heavy hand on her shoulder jolted Alana from her thoughts. She tore her arm from Marthe’s grip and faced a scowling Arthur. “What?”

“What do you mean what? Are you blind, woman?” He raised a hand and she followed his pointing finger to a group of five crouched on the road further ahead. “We’ve got company. What are we going to do about it, leader?”

At his shoulder, Cloud grinned, eyes wide with clear anticipation. Alana could guess how she wanted ...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-59

Alana sighed as Lou’s figure was swallowed by a dust cloud, a familiar pang of envy stabbing her heart. She wouldn’t consider herself vain, but she was proud of her talent. It changed the direction of her life. Changed her from a disregarded bastard to a James daughter. To a future knight.

Coming to the Grand Hall, she’d been warned that her talent wouldn’t mean as much. The best of the best gathered at the school upon the floating land. A star surrounded by other stars can’t ...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-58

I closely examine the tracks of the doglike monsters and sniff at the ground. I can smell several other somethings, too mixed to be a herd, all headed in the same direction. I’m hoping that means a watering hole. I’ll follow them for now. If nothing pans out, I’ll go in the opposite direction. I still have the form of a dusk hawk to search from the air if I need to but I rather not take on such a weak form with much larger predators about.

I follow the tracks, capping my speed. Do...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-57

The Rusty Step is wholly unimpressive. Nothing but dry reddish-brown earth baking beneath a hot autumn sun. In some areas, the ground is flat as a board. In other places, the dirt is packed into small hills that provide minimum shade. Little spots of green shrubbery break up the monotonous color. Large birds circle overhead, casting darting shadows.

“It’s…” William’s voice trails off, his manners failing him.

“It’s a shitshow. Dryer than my gramps’ chapped lips.”...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-56

As punishment for fighting the prince, I was temporarily drafted to the tenders and the bastards sent me to the least desired job in the Sanctuary, assisting the Temple.

Specifically, repairing the damaged ring where the lunatics wrestle with monsters, or as they say, ‘commune with their brethren’. I’m not surprised they shoved the job off to me. No one wants to get into an enclosed space with an unrestrained beast with a mouth big enough to swallow their whole head. It takes nerv...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-55

“How much do you all know about the Beast Sanctuary?”

My eyes move about the carriage. Arthur is smiling to himself as he stares blankly at a wall. I don’t need Bell to tell me that he’s lost in a disgusting delusion, likely involving Geneva. Marthe is as hesitant to engage as always. Doesn’t even bother to look up. Alana pouts and turns away from me. I can guess why she’s upset but she’d beat me if I say it out loud.

I stare at William until he clears his throat. �...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-54

The next day, the team gathers in front of my house, lured by the temptation of Geneva’s breakfast. We look ready for a day of trouble.

Alana is wearing her usual armor, the gray breastplate showing more dents than I remember. Gauntlets cover her forearms but that’s it, as she prefers speed over full protection. There exists metals that can make full plate armor as light as leather, but the cost for both the metal and the blacksmith to forge it are absurdly expensive. Enough to give...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-53

I have nothing against him for standing up to Arthur. Saints, I approve. He could have laid my teammate on his ass and I’d have bought the arrogant bastard a drink.

But the way he’s treating Alana? I could snap his neck. Who does he think he is? Why in the nine hells should she be ashamed? Is it her problem Arthur can’t control himself? And where does this bastard get off talking down to us? Who gave him the authority to command us?!

I’m not the only one ...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-52

Once again, I stand outside the Center Hall, staring at large signs proclaiming the team registration areas. My team is gathered around me, some more awake than others at the early hour. Alana insisted we leave early to avoid the crowd. That failed. Every initiate in the Hall must be here, likely with the same plan. Saints, the people at the front of the three lines must have been here at dawn.

“Fuck!” Arthur swears. After the drunken dare to let us cut his hair, he looks much clean...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-51

An hour later, my team is gathered around my dining table. There are two empty bottles of Herbanacle between us, which for once I’m not responsible for emptying, and several empty platters of food.

It should have been a simple game. Something to get them acquainted with taking orders from Alana, get Alana used to giving orders, and deepen our bonds as teammates. A game with very simple rules.

Alana gives someone an order. If they follow it, they get a snack prepared by Geneva. I...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-50

“Upset you didn’t get a chance to fight?” I ask her.

She scoffs. “As if. I like hurting stupid nobles who don’t know when to shut their disgusting mouths or keep their hands to themselves. I don’t need to fight a woman capable of throwing a small mountain around like a toy.”

Her eyes move to Alana. “Or an insane woman who wakes up at dawn to swing her sword.” Her gaze moves to William and becomes disdainful. “Or a boy whose idea of combat looks like a child try...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-49

“As you’ve seen,” I say in a nonchalant tone as if I don’t notice their disbelief, “along with my casting abilities, I am very strong and durable. So much so that I can confidently say that without magical aide, no one in the Hall can match me in strength or speed.”

“How?” Marthe asks. “Are you even human?”

No. “Of course I am. This is simply a benefit of being married to a battle maniac with a pure physical affinity.”

“Pardon me, Lady Tome...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-48

Even I feel a little damage from that and she’s indirectly complimenting me. I hear Marthe snort in amusement, which is the final straw.

“Raahhh! Forget the stakes! We’re fighting now. You’re going to eat those words when I knock her head off her shoulders!”

“We’ll see.” Her arms come off my shoulders and I reluctantly let her go as she steps back. “I’ll see you later, dedia.” Her fingers brush my cheek as she walks away, heading for her garden.

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-47

If I were any less shameless than I am, I’d be too embarrassed to stand in front of my team after they no doubt heard my wife railing me. Probably felt it too. Our bed is sturdy and I know the house suffered from the frame slamming into the walls. Saints, that woman is a beast…

Ah, no. Have to focus, at least for a bit. Team. Training.

I push down my dirty thoughts and ignore the heat between my legs. Marthe is the first to finish, standing up with a sigh. She glares at me but...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-46

“I say we grab her ourselves,” Arthur said, moving toward the stairs. “Our teammate seems to be in distress. It’s the right thing to do.”

William looked at him aghast. His eyes clearly wanted to ask, ‘Since when do you care about the right thing?’ but he defaulted to a polite tone. “It would be boorish for men to intrude on a lady’s bedroom.”

“That don’t sound like no lady, heh.” He smacked William’s shoulder, making him stumble forward. “Come on, Wil...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-45

Alana’s day started off as it always did. Habit woke her up before dawn and she fought the possessive hands of sleep to get out of bed. The room offered to her by the Hall was by no means luxurious. It had enough space for a small bed, a single dresser, and room to walk between them. Clumsy hands riffled through her dresser and changed her clothes. An old chest at the foot of the bed held her equipment.

She picked up her sword with a fond smile. It was nothing special, a simple steel ...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-44

I wake to Kierra caressing my neck with a finger. Noticing my blinking eyes, her hand grabs my chin and tilts it up so she can kiss me. “Morning~” she whispers after several long moments.

I respond by kissing her. She responds eagerly, rolling on top of me. I let her, having already taken plenty of liberties with her the previous night. My submission spurs her on as her kiss becomes sloppy, her tongue forcing its way past my lips. Her hand wastes no time fondling my bare chest as th...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-43

If she couldn’t hear the hiss of Lane’s spell and the deputies’ curses as they fought against what had to be a master assassin who’d disguised himself as a skinny boy, Alyssa might have been fooled by the little girl. As it was, she wasn’t taking any chances. There was no telling what was hiding in that tiny body.

And those eyes. They belonged to a stray animal, not child who didn’t reach her waist.

It suddenly occurred to her that she was in the home of a summoner. Th...

RFC-ARC 5-Winter War-42

As soon as they arrived at the estate, Alyssa’s lax attitude disappeared. It wasn’t the scene of an accident or a spell gone wrong. It was the scene of a fight and a vicious one. The garden surrounding the house was completely scorched and she thought she could see damage to the house.

Swearing, she hopped off the driver’s bench of the carriage. “Lane, you’re with me. The rest of you, circle the estate. I want to know what happened here. If you see anyone out of place, spells ...