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Aether Cross: The Tides of Time (Fantasy Quest)

[X] I was thinking about destroying this little 'slave trade train' anyway so count me in.
 
[X] I was thinking about destroying this little 'slave trade train' anyway so count me in.
 
[X] I was thinking about destroying this little 'slave trade train' anyway so count me in.
 
[X] I was thinking about destroying this little 'slave trade train' anyway so count me in.
 
So to review, the reason that this 'corruption' spread was both in part because of the 'tribulations' that the Order was supposed to be paying turned to something more. The other reason was because of the Fragment Drought as a whole causing resources to plummet. Those 'resources' are definitely the Elemental Fragments that they use for their advantage. Like the Fragments that would help keep the soil well enough to grow food, the crystalized Fragments that are used to make armor, equipment, weapons. I imagine there's more to it than that, but that's just the general idea I got from the conversation. "So you want to hit the Order while they're weak and uplift the system in Hydewell."

"Blackmoore."

"You're going to take on an entire country?!"

"Shhhhhhh." I stood up, yelled out and Cassie had to bring me down before I started a scene. That's embarrassing.

"So, let me get this all straight." I take in a deep breath, "You want Lyle Blackedge and Amira Blackedge, two people who just came back from Euraia to live their lives here... to join a resistance movement made up of my older sister and Master." Cassie smiles when I say that. Typical. I continue on, "Just four people. Against what seems like an entire army. A mobilized, very dangerous army."

"Yep, you got it. Sounds romantic, doesn't it?" I narrow my eyes.

"It sounds stupid AND suicidal. I was thinking about destroying this 'slave trade train' before and I was up for the idea but… now that you've said all of Blackmoore, I'm not sure. " Then I think about the danger that Cassie and Master could get in.

I picture them fighting.
Picture them getting captured.
Picture them getting killed.

I start sweating.
My heart starts to ache.

"Tch." I look away from Cassandra's face.

"I remember someone used to tell me something." I turn back to her. "If you have strength, use it for others, for love and for yourself." she looks at me, straight in the eye, "Tell me, Lyle, what do you use your strength for?"

[_] I use it to protect those dear to me.
[_] I use it to make a living in this world.
[_] I use it to… well, I don't know.
[_] Don't make this philosophical.
[_] Custom
 
[X] I use it to… well, I don't know.
 
[X] I use it to protect those dear to me.
-[X]But what does that have to do with how terrible an idea this is?
 
Making a diceroll so I can continue with the quest:
1) I use it to... well, I don't know.
2) I use it to protect those dear to me.
[blockquote]Rolled 1d2 : 1, total 1[/blockquote]
 
"Don't make this philosophical, Cassie, because philosophy has nothing to do with it. What I want right now is to protect Amira. I don't plan on getting us both killed." Picturing them all getting themselves killed in an unwinnable battle keeps strangling me from the inside. I don't want to see that happen. I don't. "And what does that question have to do with how terrible this plan is?"

"I was going to-"

I cut her off, "Appeal to my emotions to get me involved? Well, you affected me one way. There's no way in hell I want to watch my family die… because that's exactly what you're asking me."

No hopes of success.
No way of winning.

Cassandra doesn't say anything, instead she opens up my blue vested coat to reveal the base of my neck. There, where the sternum is, is an embedded black hilt. "That's our key. That power of yours, Lyle. If we could use that then it'd be a sure win!"

My eyes widen.

This.
This thing in my neck.
Embedded onto my skin, the bone.

When I pulled out that 'blade' as a child. The explosion, the energy that shot off caused this 'hilt' to become embedded into my body. It hurt. It really hurt but I think, because of it, I survived that blast.

That's how I'm alive today.
But now… being asked to utilize the same power that destroyed my life? For the sake of some rebellion, a revolution to upheave the entire slave market?

Many more people would perish than necessary to fulfil the mission. That much I can confirm right now.

"Maybe it's fate, Lyle. The power that destroyed your life could be used to restore others." she says that with a frown on her face.

"Don't spew that bullshit on me." my arms start to shake. My fists clench.

"Huh?"

"You want to use me as a weapon, something to kill others. That's it. I see." my body goes listless. "Amira," I start my way toward the door. "we're leaving." I look over to see Master gulping down any alcohol he can. By now, he's already wasted.

"Okay!" she gets off from the bar and comes running over to me. Immediately she holds my hand. "It was pretty scary over there. Everyone was so weird…"

"Yeah, this place is weird." I walk out the entrance.

"Lyle? Are you okay?"

"I am, yeah, I'm perfectly fine." No, in fact, I'm not. Cassie brings up that damned thing in my neck when I'm doing my best to forget it exists. If I acknowledge this piece of crystallized Void in my neck, then I'm just going to have more nightmares that I don't need.

"Liar." she breaks through my ruse.

"Yeah, I guess I am." I don't feel like playing this comedy routine right now.

"Master, you-"

"DO NOT CALL ME THAT!"

Amira cowers, "I.. I didn't mean to."

I go silent. There are people around me just staring at my display of anger.
I can't believe I just did that.
I bring Amira into my arms, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. I'm… no, I'm not fine. Let's just go back to the inn. We can talk about it there."

She nods.

Neither of us say a word before getting back to our room.
______________________________________________________
Hydewell Inn - The Gale Whickett - Lyle/Amira's Room

I fall back onto my bed.
My arms are out.
My legs are spread.
I heave a sigh.

Amira does the same exact thing on her bed. I turn my head over, smiling, "You seem like you had a good time today."

"For as short as it was, yes, I did. There are some nice people here."

"Yeah, there are some nice people in this big world of ours." I think back on my experiences exploring back up in the northern continent. I met some nice travelers, some mischievous thugs. There are people of all kinds. "There are some bad ones, too, Amira."

"There are?"

"Do you remember your Masters? The ones who bought you for their own pleasure?"

"Uh huh. What about them?"

"They were bad."

"They were? They fed me and clothed me. They couldn't be that-"

"They were bad." I emphasize, closing my eyes. "Putting a girl like you through such disgusting…" my hands crease the sheets. Thinking about it just brings the anger back from before. I breathe in then out. Getting angry about it will solve nothing. "Stay away from people like that, Amira. Nothing but trouble." I get straight to the point so I don't have to dwell longer on the topic. "Anyway, I'm glad you had fun." Now I start thinking about staying another day so she can keep on having fun.

The only thing she did was watch me walk around, get into a fight, meet my Master and see him drink himself silly. Maybe tomorrow we can do more fun things before leaving. That's the least I can do for her.

I freed her, I took her in, and she's my responsibility.

That's why I can't fight with you, Cassandra.
I want to save her happiness, give her the life that you and Master allowed me to have.

When she feels like she needs to leave, I will not stop her.
As she is now, she can't do that.

I have a gut feeling that if she were to leave right now… she wouldn't be able to survive.

She's your responsibility now.

Master's words from earlier echo in my mind.

When did you get so selfish?

"I don't know. I guess I always just thought of myself, thought about what would make my life better." I close my eyes.

The bed creaks. I open my eyes to see Amira lying on my right arm, looking into my eyes. "Do you mind if I um…" she shuffles for the right words to say. "Sleep here tonight?"

I look out the window to see the sky dyed a red hue. Yeah, it was about time for me to get to bed. We haven't even gotten cleaned up yet…

Oh well, it was a long trip from Erealoth to Blackmoore. "Sure, Amira."

"Thank you…" she mumbles while cuddling up beside me.

I should've realized that she's actually a pretty frail girl under her clueless 'aura' that she puts up. I saw that much when I yelled at her on the way back. "Sorry." I apologize again before closing my eyes.

I drift off into sleep.
______________________________________________________
The Next Morning

"Ahhh." I let out a yawn. "Hmm.. Amira, are you awake?"

She's still sleeping with her head tucked into my chest.

Ah, alright, now this is another dilemma...

[_] Get up, we have to get an early start today.
[_] Let her sleep for just a while longer.
[_] Get up without disturbing her (try your best! Roll 1d100)
[_] Custom
 
[X] Get up without disturbing her (try your best! Roll 1d100)

If we fail, then we can just wake her up.
 
[X] Let her sleep for just a while longer.
 
I'll leave Amira to sleep for a little while longer. It couldn't hurt to wait just a few more minutes, could it? We've had a hard time getting all the way back home from up North. I'd love to rest a little bit more myself but I have to keep moving. If I stay here for much longer, who knows what kind of trouble I would attract? The last thing the Hydewell harbor needs is a bunch of merman monsters crowding it up.

Thinking about rest makes my eyes start to waver.
I think about dreaming. I think about a life where I can just settle down. A life that I can really call my own.

"Lyle…" she starts moving in her sleep.

"Yeah, Amira?"

Her lips pucker.

"Chuu… chuu." she's trying to kiss my dream-self in dream land, I take it.

I just lie there until the fantasy comes to end. "Eh?" she wakes up the instant I lean back to relax. "Oh oh, you saw that, didn't you?"

"I did."

"Want to make it reality? Huh? Don't you?" she's as hyperactive as ever.

"No. Listen to my words. Wait. If I develop feelings for you, maybe."

"You don't love me?" she makes this pouty face.

"Not that way. Not yet." I calm her down then get up off of the bed. "Alright, now let's get cleaned up then get on our way."

"Already?"
"The next town we're heading too is Norcrest. It's just south of Hydwell. We'll be able to stay there a bit longer than normal."

"Huh? Why's that?"

"Monster population there is surprisingly slim. The reason we can't stay in Hydewell too long is that we're near the ocean."

"So liek that fish monster on the ship?"

"Yeah. The last thing Hydewell needs is its ports being destroyed." I wave Amira out of bed now that she's up. "Come on, go take a shower, get ready, get dressed."

"O-okay, don't rush me!"

I laugh a bit, "Alright, I won't anymore if you just get it done now."

"Hmph." she grabs her belongings and goes into the bathroom allowed to us by the Gale Whickett. I just sit on the bed and wait. And wait.

I hear the water turn on. Turn off. The door opens. Amira comes out wearing a white cotton shirt. She's wearing a black skirt that stops at her waist with sandals. Oh well, good enough. "Your turn, Lyle!"

"I know." I grab MY belongings and get into the bathroom. After my fair share of bath time, I get out wearing some new clothes.

A white undershirt.
Black vest.
Black pants.
And some heavy boots. Incase I get into a fight, I can just conk someone really hard with my powerful kicks.

"Aren't we going to eat breakfast?" Amira asks.

I want to say yes, but the matter is where would we eat it. I have more than enough coin to pay for a light meal.

[_] Let's eat here at the Gale Whickett.
[_] Let's go to the Banded Drum to get some grub.
[_] We'll eat on the way out of the city.
[_] Custom
 
[X] Let's go to the Banded Drum to get some grub.
 
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