Just a small thing that's been on my mind about the second new character. I really don't like Edel...not personally, but I think Grand Chase has enough characters.
XXX
Edel Frost was many things: general captain of the Serdin army, the pride and joy of her family, the one who would revive and glorify the Frost name, and twin sister of the one who could have been all those things. Armed with a rapier and a flintlock that had been in the family for generations, she lead the army and proved to the sceptics of Bermesiah that swordsmen(women) of Serdin were just as capable as the more revered mages and their magic. Even the Queen and Knight Master had acknowledged her competence.
It could have been wonderful, and she could have restored the Frost name to their original glory, and she would have been named the successor of House Frost, and perhaps even find the cure for her brother's mysterious illness.
But fate was cruel, bringing disaster and tragedy to her family, cursing them all to ruin, with their bones to rot in emptiness. Every time she thought of it, she fought to keep her anger at bay as her right eye throbbed with the pain she had become all too familiar with.
And that was also why she had become part of the Grand Chase; a group that was both revered and feared throughout Aernas. Revered for their heroic deeds, but feared for those affiliated with it; mages, elves, demons...those that weren't human were still seen with mistrust, despite having saved the world on multiple occasions. Humanity, after all, excelled in forgetting their debts and keeping their fears.
Edel Frost, formerly the captain of the Serdin Army, survivor of Frosland, was now the eighteenth Grand Chaser.
Lawfully.
XXX
"Chasers, this is your new companion." Knight Master gestured towards the girl, who was fully clad in her captain uniform, flintlock tucked safely away and rapier on her belt. Her face was like porcelain, bone-white and flawless. "I expect you to work well with Captain Frost." she said before accepting the girl's military salute, walking down to her office.
"Edel Frost, First Captain of the Serdin National Army organized by Her Highness, Queen Enna." She greeted with a flourish, scanning the others with piercing eyes and taking it in: Kanavan Knights (whose swordsmanship were barely compatible compared to their Serdin counterparts), elves (air-headed cowards that didn't assist the humans in past battles), a Serdin mage (who couldn't even fight properly, always requiring distance), demons (destructive, disgusting beasts), and a bunch of other hillpeople. It seemed that the legends of the Grand Chase were highly exaggerated. "A pleasure to meet you." she added for the sake of courtesy.
"Never knew you had a twin, Isolet." Dio grunted, barely looking up.
The Striker turned to glare at the demon; he was still having trouble acknowledging the family he already had, his half-brother...that still sounded strange even in his thoughts. Half-brother...half-brooooootheeerrrr...hm, it was still going to take some time. Shooting a glance, it did irritate him a bit that this new recruit also had silvery hair and blue eyes. Since when were such features so common? Who had silvery hair?
Edel looked towards Lass, questioning, "Were you not the boy that was used by Kaze'Aze?"
"...Your point?" The irritation was slowly growing.
"I was merely re-affirming it. The Grand Chase was...most trusting to have accepted you. Shows that even criminals can be shown redemption."
"I think you have misunderstood, Miss Edel." Lire looked up with a polite smile. "What he did was none of his own doing; he was possessed. That does not define a criminal. The Knight Master and the queens have confirmed his innocence."
"And I suppose you would know all about it, Miss Elf." Edel shot back. "Your kind did much good to us by hiding in your safe bubbles while we fought against the evil."
"I beg your pardon, our people merely desired peace from the destruction—"
"And I suppose that justifies your cowardice completely. Of course, I understand."
"If anyone's taking the shots here, it's me." Elesis growled, getting up. She did not like how this new recruit snipped at her comrades, poking into others' business like it was hers and talking and acting as if she expected reverence and awe. And no one, not even the demons, snapped at Lire like that. "Watch your place...and your mouth."
"Ah, the Leader of the Chase. Wonderful." She did a mock salute. "If a few words can fire you up like that, I'm surprised that you have managed to get anything done."
The captain of Frosland had always been respected. As a child, she upheld the family's teachings and joined the army at an age where most girls would be flirting with boys. She held the hope and pride of the clan's revival, and worked hard to achieve the position and title she had earned. She was taught to always raise her head high even in the face of great danger and hold her ground. A captain's confidence is absolute. She embodies the pride of her family, her name, her nation. With an iron heart and unwavering courage, she had lead armies to glorious victory.
Doing these things at the young age of eighteen, however, has its toll. So it couldn't be blamed that Edel would confuse her own pride and stubbornness that bordered on arrogance, having always been treated with deference and held in high esteem. She would have expected the Chasers of all people to know that.
However, let us return to the present situation.
With a few choice words, Edel had managed to alienate almost everyone in the room, Lire and Arme barely containing a beserking Elesis and several others. They slowly left, staring at the newbie with looks ranging from wary glares to raised eyebrows with bored amusement.
Ronan tried to reason. "Captain Edel, the Grand Chase is where we work together as one team. Some of us are at odds with each other, but surely there is something we can work out."
She brushed him off, saying, "Was that how Queen Anyu attempted to fight Kaze'Aze after the war? After she was possessed and killed nearly everyone in her court and country?"
Things didn't get any better after that; Edel kept finding faults in her new comrades, and it was only by the Knight Master and the Queen that the Chasers refrained from exploding. In the Serdin Castle, they had limits and were obligated to remain reasonably civil. They could all clearly see that Knight Master held Edel in favour, and Enna approved her achievements as well. The girl held those two figures in the utmost deference, and embodied the honour and pride of Serdin that often clashed with the others.
Take, for example, their meeting with the queen a few days later.
"...and that is how we shall Kastulle Ruins once we negotiate with the diplomats, yes? Good, you may leave." At her dismissal most of them bowed and filed out the throne room, most of them talking excitedly about the new mission they had been given. They had been stuck in the castle too long; the longing to go out in the wild and travel was already wearing them down and this was an excellent change.
"Elves."
"I'm sorry?" Lire turned.
"Yes, you." Edel glared daggers at the elves, hand twitching over her rapier. "Why did you not bow before the queen once we were dismissed?"
Ryan, not wanting to start a conflict, shrugged and turned to Arme for conversation. Lire was the one who answered, "Queen Enna rules over half of Bermesiah, the Kingdom of Serdin. Elven Forest and the eastern islands where we come from are not under her dominion."
"Yet you stand on her kingdom." Edel snapped. "That should be reason enough for you to pay respects to the one who has allowed you to join the Grand Chase."
"I do so by following her orders and remaining with the Chase, nothing more, nothing less." the elf replied with a little edge; calm as she was, she had fire of her own. "The Knight Master has no problem with it, why should you?"
"I expect you to bow before the queen and all royalty; elven ignorance cannot be constantly overlooked. It is time you learn our customs." Edel said patronizingly.
Lire smiled, but it wasn't a genuine smile. "I bow only before the gods and goddesses who protect my kind." Her elven vision did not miss the gloved hand that went to the rapier. "Your human queen has little power over me, and there are few humans that elves will ever bend their knees to, especially presumptuous, self-righteous ones who think they can treat everyone like dirt."
Such an insult went against her pride. In a heartbeat Edel drew her blade, but Lire was faster; the rapier harmlessly clattered to the ground, the former refusing to believe her eyes. The elf had kicked the rapier out of her hand. She hadn't even seen that coming.
"Just because we elves avoid conflict doesn't mean we allow ourselves to be tread over." she barely gave Edel a glance, scanning her shoes. "Oh, but it got dusty!"
"You—you dare—"
"What was Knight Master thinking, I wonder? You are so weak..." Lire Eryuell was not one to mock someone that she would have to work with in the future, but one thing the usually-serene elf could not tolerate was rudeness against her people from those who had no such right to judge. And this new girl was demeaning everyone with her disdainful glares towards demons, elves, mages, and Kanavan Knights alike. She had fought a few monsters off Serdin; that did not grant her the right to put on airs. That was when her gentle attitude gave way to her stinging remarks.
Edel delved her hand into her pocket, but the tension had mounted; nearly everyone had drawn their weapons and a cold blade against her throat, stopping her from moving.
"Touch her, and that'll be the last thing you ever do." Lass warned in a voice devoid of emotion as he pressed his kunai for emphasis.
"I am a member of your of your team." she shot back, pride keeping her steady. "Would you kill your own comrade?"
"Know your place if you're going to attack." Elesis snarled. "I am the leader of the Grand Chase, not you."
"The Knight Master never explicitly stated that you had any right to take leadership!" Edel hissed. "Each of you—"
"Oh, put a lid on it, stupid girl." Ley furrowed her eyebrows in irritation. "The elf is right; whoever picked you to join us has poor judgement, unless you plan to fight with your whining. Do us all a favour and shut up."
"Why, thank you Ley. You took the words right out of my mouth."
"Hey, now that I'm looking up close, she really does look like Lass. A bit messy on the curls, though."
"Looks more like a Knight Master duplicate to me; doesn't she wield a wrapper as well?"
"Rapier, Ryan. It is called a rapier."
"Okay, we have seventeen all-powerful people that defeated gods and dimension-thingies and who-knows-what and Knight Master still think it's not enough, and adds people like her? She better have some freaking hidden power or something, she definitely wasn't chosen for manners."
This is my hidden power, she thought as anger boiled up inside her. She whipped out her flintlock, swatting Lass's hand aside. Edel didn't have a specific target as she loaded her gun and shot. The bullet, however, was blasted into pieces by a barrage of shotgun shells that perfectly exploded right into the center.
"Done yet?" He blew over his Eyeteeth, eyeing the astonished captain with uninterested disdain.
"Silver hair, blue eyes, messy curls, gun...hey, she's like a cross between you two!" Amy chirped at her discovery, earning death glares from the brothers. "A bit of him, a bit of that...she's like pieces of us joined together. I mean, that's cool! I think...a bit unoriginal, but still cool!"
"Is that it, girlie?" Sieghart yawned, wanting to laze in the sunshine more than anything. "All that yapping for a needle and a pistol?"
"What else would one expect, Highlander?" Already Dio was out the door, having had enough of the show. Others were following him, wanting to find amusement elsewhere. "She's nothing special."
What you think of me is worth nothing, Edel was still fuming as she gazed around her new room later on, forcing herself to calm down. She may as well be travelling with a pack of rabid wolves for all that mattered. She was here for the glory of Serdin, the last of hope of the Frost clan to be restored to power. She was going to complete her mission no matter what it took. Even if it meant she had to put the Chase into her own hands. Those uncouth barbarians would learn a thing or two once she was done. I am here for Serdin, I am here for the Queen. I am here for my brother. I am here to revive the Frost name.
She picked up her rapier, noticing a spider creeping on the wall out of the corner of her vision. Without a second thought she stabbed it, piercing it perfectly on the head. Watching the arachnid twitch and lay still, she thought of her home, Frosland. Overrun with cobwebs, those beastly spiders that shattered her family and taken the one person that truly understood her.
Brother Adel...wait just a little longer.