Yash pulled his sleeves up over his elbows as he stood at attention behind Captain Frederick of the 12th Engineering Corp. Yash was providing technical and secretarial aide to the Captain now that the refugee camp was expanding to allow Seran travelers looking to open up farms and businesses on this end of the Gate.
"The Fenix Ranch is going over that hill," the Captain stated as he showed Yash the map, "It's still within patrol routes, and it's on top some fertile land, has alot of room for grazing, and it has a clear path to the Recreation and Market district for any purchases or sales." Yash nodded his head. Most of the jargon went over his head, but he understood that it needed to be said for the Captain's own ease of mind. They'd been working for hours, and it was honestly pushing some of the men to the edge with work.
"Some of the refugees reserved some land to build a pub and restaurant," Yash said, "Major Nadi wants to know if you've factored local interests with us?" Captain Frederick frowned.
"Well I'll have to now," he grumbled and scribbled something onto the map. Yash winced but stayed in place in case the Captain needed him again. Since the USG was looking to build a community on Alnus Hill, they were hoping for a mix of Seran businesses and native ones.
'An intermixture of cultures and exotic wares, to increase expenditure and profit that will help build a system of commerce to cement the USGs position' Major Nadi had explained. Yash understood it as just maintaining the status quo, balancing the sales and purchase to help both economies.
"Crap, the sun is setting," Frederick muttered as he nodded at the falling star. "Shit, we'll have to work through the night to keep up rate. You're dismissed Corporal Yash. I know you'll have to check up on those patrols."
Yash wasn't looking forward to the stack of paperwork and rounds he'd have to do. Since arriving to this side of the Gate a mass amount of NCO's got commissioned ranks due to redundancy, but that led to everyone scurrying around getting used to their new positions. Resulting in mass amounts of delegations as everyone worked to balance the load of paperwork, and resulting in Yash being given the unofficial duty as Refugee Aid Center's Secondary Consultant, which translated to 'Paper Bitch'.
"Yes, Sir," Yash remarked. He gave a salute and made a smart about face. His olive drabs protested with the moment, having been drenched with sweat, and Yash ignored it as he made a brisk jog towards the Technical Information Centre building.
As he ran, a troop of Gears were marching next to him, getting in their day's worth of exercise as they waited for another engagement with the Imperials. Yash recalled a few Gears spending time in the Psych Wards at their experience fighting the Imperials. Killing people too easily was just as horrifying as losing people the same way, Yash thought, and the Gears had experienced that plenty enough during the Locust war.
He nodded at them and they returned it evenly. After a while, he stopped when something caught his interest. A fellow Pesanga man was standing at the range, pointing and directing instructions to the blonde elf that they had rescued a few days ago. Curious, and self-conscious over his responsibility over the refugees, Yash made his way towards them as the Pesanga seemed to be talking animatedly to her.
"You shoot good, sah?" The Pesanga man, Marish, said as he gestured to the targets. Yash could clearly see that there were four arrows all in a neat circular shape at the center of the target. "You as good as Pesang!" He exclaimed. Yash smiled in partial embarrassment at Marish accent and how it was no different from typical Pesanga's speaking Tyran.
"Marish," Yash nodded in greeting to Marish. The Pesang man nodded back and grabbed Yash's arm. With traditional practice, Marish pulled Yash in and pressed his forehead on the Corporal's own. A denotation of respect, equity in position, and brotherhood.
"Brother, see the Tor'ta and her way of bow. Better than Vash, better than Selin even!" He said enthusiastically. Yash grinned in bemusement at what Marish said. The Pesang language was old and was very traditional; they didn't even have a word for computer until their introduction with the COG and the rest of the world. Their language was choked full with homonyms that could be combined to create hundreds and thousands of different words, all of which can be used to denote the negative meaning to a phrase or vice versa. Marish had used the diminutive form of the word Torva, the Tor, meaning Forest and Ta meaning Hunters. Thus, creating the word Forest Hunter, a more unique phrase as compared to Torva de'var -which meant Forest Dwelling Nomads.
"Sah? Di'nayla Tor'ta Vi nukum'nya vir Pesanga, (Really? I weep in joy for the Forest Hunter, a bow man worthy of the title far from Pesanga)" Yash said jokingly. Then he turned and grinned at the Elf who was glancing from both Marish and Yash in confusion. There was a look of concentration on her face as she noticed Yash looking at her.
"Tai lai'ta vir'ga," she said, carefully enunciating each syllable. Yash couldn't help the astonished smile on his face. Greetings Hunter Brother of Far Lands.
"Tai leh'ta vir'ga," Yash replied, "You know Pesang?" He said in the native language. The young blonde woman nodded her head sheepishly.
"I've been learning. I don't understand the language of the other soldiers, the Thai-rans (Tyrans), but Pesang is very close to the Elven Forest Language," she said. "Lai'ta vil'bor no'kri," she said with a smirk. Come to watch archery Hunter Brother.
"Very good," Yash said with an equally large smirk, "Show me what you can do, leh'ta." The girl nodded her head and notched her arrow. Yash had to admit, her form was smooth and resembled the Hunter's Way of Bows. It was small, compact, and prided itself on accuracy and damage rather than endurance. She let go of her bow with a sharp exhale and the arrow flew across the range to land at the center of the target. Yash whistled, there was very little drop in the arrow, and it was clear that it was meant to drop game quickly and efficiently.
"Skilled, sah?" Marish said. "Good hunter, better than me!"
"What about a machete?" Yash asked and pulled his machete from his hip. The elf girl looked at it and frowned. She touched the side of the blade with a curious finger and she seemed to be appraising it with a keen eye.
"This is jul, yes?" She asked. Blade.
"Jul'nok," Yash corrected. Death Blade. "It's a machete, a short blade." He said, using a more common word in the native language. "We Pesanga's use it a lot more than the Tyrans. Very useful," he said empathetically, "I used mine as a key to my house door."
"You can do that?" She asked tentatively.
"Make agents mad in process," Markish commented. He grinned, "But that is half of fun." The elf carefully examined the blade and pulled it from his grasp. Her grip was too tight, focused too much at the end, and it would affect the power of her swing and the balance of the weapon.
"No good," Marish said with a small smirk, "Not good at everything, eh?" He winked at the elf and she giggled at his playful nature. Yash realised that, unlike the Tyrans and Gorasni, the diminutive height difference between Pesangas meant that Yash and Marish were only an inch taller than her, letting them look at each other almost levelly.
The elf girl seemed to realise something and bowed her head in greeting to Yash. "My name is Tuka Luna Marceau, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Yash grinned and nodded his head. "Corporal Yash," he said in greeting. She smiled politely at him and held the compound bow tightly in her grasp.
"Your bows are very powerful and sophisticated. Their designs make it comfortable and more compact for use, but doesn't sacrifice the stability, and I've never heard of metal being used to make a bow," Tuka commented. "This could go for forty denarii apiece easily."
"That sounds expensive," Yash commented. He crunched the numbers in his head and figured that was close a thousand Seran Standard Dollars.
"That's enough to start a lesser nobles career," she said with wonderment. Yash rechecked the numbers and settled for something closer to five-hundred thousand.
"Math stuff hard, sah?" Marish murmured, "Wife better at it."
"That's because your wife's Tyran," Yash commented, "A smart educated Tyran." He looked up at Tuka who seemed to be admiring her bow. "Where did you learn how to use the bow?"
"Oh? Ah, we elves don't learn like how you humans do. We, uh, watch how people do things and over time we copy it," Tuka explained.
"Like a Pretender?" Yash said in surprise. "I have heard of those. They are rare and not many can emulate that talent."
Tuka nodded her head slightly, "Something like that I suppose." She gave Yash a beaming smile, "I watched my father use his bow and over time I picked it up."
The smile on Mirash face fell and he gave Yash a pointed look. Yash himself felt like a truck had slammed into him, and he was reminded that this same young woman had spent the past week searching for a father that obviously would never come. One look at her and Yash could already tell that her mind had repressed the memory, something he had seen happen before. But there were a lot of other factors that could beg to differ.
People like her usually never saw the death, leaving hope - the greatest poison at times - festering inside. She could be wallowing in self-guilt but forced herself to imagine that her father had not died. Or she could have actually sustained severe head trauma that resulted in amnesia.
So many factors, symptoms to the ill, but no real cure beyond the self. "Yeah?" Yash said and nodded his head, "Where are you staying? It's getting late right now."
She glanced worriedly out into the forest, and it wasn't hard for Yash to guess why. Both Marish and him looked to each other and nodded. Marish stepped up and carefully took the bow back into his hands as Yash carefully escorted her back to the refugee camp. "Ah, no I can go by myself."
"It's quite alright," Yash replied, "It's my job." He realised belatedly that he still hadn't checked up on the patrols and signed off on his paperwork before it multiplied. But he figured this matter was more important.
Tuka walked quietly in front of Yash, her fingers playing quietly with her cargo pants and baggy PT shirt. Yash felt his palms sweat thinking about this situation, and knowing that a psychiatrist in her initial state would cause a negative reaction. She needed...a positive opening. Yash nodded his head, eventually people learn to deal with things and move on, and it's faster if the wound was dealt with quickly. He swallowed and realised that he really didn't want to try and do this, and resolved to talk to a Gear psychiatrist early tomorrow to see what could be done.
They reached the refugee bunk without interruption and Yash followed her until they reached her room. "Thank you for escorting me," Tuka said with a small incline of her head.
"It's no problem," Yash replied. He noticed an extra bed had been left out in the open, with a clean set of clothes laid atop it. He gulped, the implication settling into his gut like brimstone.
"Oh," Tuka said embarrassedly, "That's for my father. He's on his way here, see? So, I thought I prepare something for him."
"Your father?" Yash asked stiffly, "No one else?"
Tuka seemed to grow teary-eyed as she suddenly began to think about that. "I saw my cousin Yuno get eaten by the Flame Dragon, and the rest of my village was burning," she confided. "I...I had lost everything and then my father placed me in the well to keep me safe. I waited, but I knew he would come, I just guessed he was trying to escape the Dragon. Then you guys showed up," Tuka smiled at that, "I had been trapped there for a day or two at least. I wasn't sure I was going to survive long enough for my father's return. I never got to thank you people for that, and I'm sure my father would be grateful as well. Thank you, lai'ta."
Yash smiled softly and nodded. But there was an edge to his eyes. That explained things, he thought. She wasn't just suffering from the denial of not seeing her father's death, but survivor's guilt, and her own hopeful delusions of her father's rescue due to her being trapped in that well. Yash knew, from his very heart, that all it would take was for some hunger and thirst, coupled with unfamiliar and uncertain territory, for the mind to start conjuring more pleasant dreams. Dreams that can confuse a person, that can break a person. Dreams that can be the only thing a person could latch onto, just to survive the death and destruction of everything you once were and could have been.
If Yash had been listening however, he'd have been more wary of how she had called him lai'ta and how she was quickly learning Pesang. He would have also noted how she had so calmly gotten used to his presence, to the point that she was comfortable about revealing her history to him. He didn't but eventually he would.
"It was a pleasure," Yash said, and added, "I look forward to our next meeting, leh'ta."
Tuka smiled pleasantly at him, "Da'douin vare'kase Pesang buil," she replied. May Pesang never lose its life, a traditional Pesanga farewell. "I look forward to it as well, Corporal Yash." Yash nodded and quickly headed towards the Technical Information Centre building.
0o0o A Tomorrow For Us o0o0
Anya quietly stood in the common room of the Formal house. Jace wasn't by her side, but then Anya had had extensive training to know how to defend herself should the need arise. She was still in the black suit and skirt of Representative Fenix, but she had spent years wearing heels as an Officer and she knew how to make those into a weapon. Unassuming they may be, but you'd be surprised how effective they were at puncturing a throat.
"Bernie, can you hear me?" Anya asked into the transceiver. It was night out but Anya was certained that the old woman was still awake and kicking Gears around.
"Yeah, I hear you," Bernie said over the COMM line. She sounded she had just chugged a mug of coffee down her throat
Knowing her, Anya could bet as much. "What do you need, kid."
"I've made some political promises that I'll need you to back on," Anya stated and before Bernie could reply she continued, "I should probably have talked to you first but I was able to, hopefully speaking, an ally in Falmart."
Bernie grunted in the COMMs. "It's fine. Politics is no different than fighting with guns, no matter what Hoffman says. You have judgement calls, I respect that. So what do you need me to pull?"
Anya nodded, even though she knew no one could hear her. "Can you spare Gears for a mass search and destroy mission. I promised that the USG would help Italica in handling a bandit uprising and help patrol Italica borders while they bolstered their numbers," she said. "I also promised humanitarian aid, as well as a trade agreement."
"I'll get a few teams on that," Bernie replied, "A lot of eager young boys and girls. Sergeant Alexandra wouldn't mind something to stretch her legs. I'll also see if I can wrangle a few Medcorp boys to deal with that humanitarian aid. On the case of trade, I'm not cleared with that. You'll have to talk with the Chairwoman."
"I have her go ahead," Anya stated, "All I'll need is transport."
"Then I'll have the going-out teams deliver it the first chance they have." Anya nodded her head. It was a bit presumptuous, but if Countess Myui really did agree she wanted to make a good impression. Despite herself Anya couldn't help but smile slightly when she realised that she was trying her best to impress an eleven year old girl.
Anya sighed and straightened her back. "Thank you, Bernie. You might also need to spare some men for a temporary garrison in Italica."
"Don't worry Anya. The Gears will get it done," Bernie said, "I have to go; paperwork. I'm starting to get why Hoffman hated his former rank." Anya sighed as the line dropped dead and slipped the transceiver into her pocket. She turned slightly when she heard a noise and caught Lelei standing at the entrance with a blank look on her face.
"I did not mean to interrupt," she said quietly. Anya smiled slightly and beckoned her inside. If she remembered well, and Anya rarely forgot or mistake facts, Lelei was something of a student. A very young college student studying 'magic' and the 'understanding of the world'.
"It's alright," Anya stated, "I was just finished with my conversation." She gestured to the communicator in her hands and extended it to Lelei when she gained a glint her eye. She stepped closer to it and eyed it with a perceptive eye.
"I heard a voice come out of it," she said quietly, an intellectual tone to her voice. "Only dwarves could possibly build something like this, but it's too small."
"Dwarves?" Anya asked, "They've built radio wave transceivers and transmitters?"
Lelei only blinked at the new terms and shook her head, "No. Script magic," she explained, "A special pen is used to write on special paper. It is connected to an apparatus that is connected to a magical line that spans a whole network. You write on a paper, and the markings are then mimicked onto another designated paper connected to the line far away. Near instantaneous travel of words.," Lelei explained.
A fax machine, Anya thought. "Does the Empire have this technology?"
Lelei shook her head, "The Empire has bad relations with the Holy Karsic Empire, because of the battle at Karak Mapak, their stronghold at the base of Knappnai, the Dwarves have returned to their homeland, and the Empire has mostly denied their existence."
Another country? Anya thought. Alguna, Elbe, League and now this Holy Karsic Empire. She shook her head and squatted down to Lelei's height. "Well, this is a radio transmitter and receiver. It's difficult to explain, and I think Baird could get around to it much better, but what it essentially does is that it sends radio waves that have my words, vibrations that my voice makes, out towards a similar device that interacts with the radio waves and deciphers my words and convert it to sound. Like a Digital to Analog converter." She wasn't sure if her explanation was entirely accurate, she was a trained as a Technical Officer and had rough training as a Field-Commander, but not a Science Officer. Baird was more the mechanic and engineer, and Anya stuck with data and interpreting information.
"I see," Lelei said. She mulled over the words, and Anya could tell very clearly that the girl was not just understanding her words but seeing if she could replicate that knowledge to something usable in her own technology. "The concept is sound, but then it would require a deciphering spell capable of reading the incoming vibrations and then converting it to something that can be read. Regular thaumaturgy formulas don't have that level of sophistication. Elven magic? Or perhaps a system? Component pieces working together," she murmured under her breath. It was only due to the virtue of their surrounding being utterly silent that Anya could even hear her at all.
Anya smiled slightly and sat down as she watched the young girl quietly and with nary a change in expression began musing out loud the ability to do something like that. Anya felt that it was fine giving her this information, as it would take years of refinement and studying before anyone in this timeframe could come close to the radio's of her world. Not enough time to affect their political efforts in the now, and based on what the bluenette was saying, her radios would have fundamentally different applications than the USG's.
"Your knowledge is rather large," Lelei stated, "History is not my forte, but I would dine to say that your people would have had a long technological lifespan."
Anya smiled at that. That was true, in a technical sense, but then it was offset by Age of Armageddon, a millennium-spanning conflict that nearly destroyed Sera, and there was the Silver Era, the rise of the Kashkur and Gorasnaya Empires, and even after the Golden Age - the Era of Silence - there was a seventy-nine year war for imulsion and a fifteen year war with the Locust that resulted in thousands of extinctions. Their technology had been built under the principles of warfare, and even under peace they had so easily slipped back to destruction. It had brought their home, Sera, to ruin not once but thrice. Now they were scattered, broken, and rebuilding on a planet just as tired as they were. A planet just as close to dying.
Anya's face remained calm even with these thoughts, and a smile cracked her face. "We've lived long, yes. But we've blundered along the way many times, and perhaps we're still blundering. We earned our technology," Anya stated. But there was still a thought in the back of her head. One that screamed, that merit destroyed Sera, like a curse.
"The Allfathers," Lelei said. Anya was surprised to hear her speak the native language of Tyrus, and the girl had a look of concentration on her face. "The Octus Canon. They say these words; your men. What do they mean?"
Anya couldn't help the astonishment and how quickly the bluenette had learned Tyran, and smiled in bemusement at her questioning. "The Octus Canon was the founding principles of the COG, and the Allfathers were the creators of the COG." Anya thought about that, and suddenly she couldn't help but feel a smile creep on her face. "Technically speaking, I am considered the Legacy of the Allfathers or at least my husband is."
Lelei blinked. "Your husband is the son of one of the founding fathers?"
Anya nodded her head, "The Fenix Family helped created the COG, and they had exemplified the COG way of life for many years. But, of course, the COG was disbanded in favor of the USG."
"I see," Lelei muttered. "Your family must be very powerful." Anya was about to deny that, but there was a point humility became arrogance. Now, more than ever, the Fenix Family was head and shoulders the most respected on Ephyra - perhaps all of Sera. Marcus had saved Sera, gone beyond and to the depths of the call of duty, and was rebuilding it as a ranch owner - and owning land was a stock trade of nobility. In a way, the Fenix family had a lot of prestige and political backing, and to deny that outright, Anya felt, was to say Marcus had never fought - not in the Pendulum Wars, not in the Locust War, and not during the Lambent Insurgency.
"To an extent," Anya finally agreed, "Bloodlines only go so far. Merit alone is a true worth of prestige."
Lelei nodded her head. She sat down on the couch and allowed herself to sigh. "Your people are very interesting," Lelei said, "Your technology vast. It...humbles me. It makes me want to learn more from you." She seemed troubled.
"You're curious," Anya replied, "You want to understand us, our technology, our way of life. You want to know." Because you learn, you adapt, and you achieve, Anya thought, like how we used to.
Lelei nodded her head, her face now adopting a hopeful look. "It interests me," Lelei said. Anya nodded her head, and the room descended to silence. Maybe when they get back to Alnus, she could arrange books and the like be given to the girl. Some knowledge, basic concepts of science and the like, could be dispensed without too much harm done. Anya had it in her head as well, that Lelei was not the builder type, but more of a theoriser and application minded person.
As they sat in silence, they failed to notice the redhead who had listened in on their conversation.
0o0o A Tomorrow For Us o0o0
Pina waited patiently in the morning for Countess Myui to show herself. She waited and watched noblewoman, confirmed as nobility from the conversation last night, sitting calmly in a simple wooden chair. Fenix, she rolled the name of her tongue, testing its refinery, and eyed the woman again. The wife of a blood-heir of nobility, of someone that had built a government. That was strong blood, and there was no doubt that Lady Fenix had belonged to a powerful family as well, to perpetuate the noble bloodline; or if it really were a matriarchal society, to create a true female head of the Fenix family. Either way, Pina knew that Lady Fenix was a woman not to be trifled with light intentions, and she also knew that in the future they would no doubt meet again in many battles to come.
They spoke of a cohg (COG), Pina wondered, a rebellion? A coup d'etat? Whatever had happened to this Empire called the cohg (COG), the Fenix family seemed to have been affiliated or at least party to its downfall, as they seemingly maintained their prestige among the yuu-ees-gee.
Countess Myui entered the room, her simple silk dress patterned in Italica fashion, as opposed to the Empire robes. She nodded her heads on greeting to Lady Anya and to Pina before taking a seat on the main throne.
"My deliberations were not easily done," Countess Myui said, "My thoughts are weighted by the expectations and needs of my people, and the promises of my late father. I lament that both proposals, I do believe, would require sacrifice on Italica's part, and I recognise my nation's sovereignty may yet come to a close." Pina grimaced, and knew in her heart that the Empire would indeed wrest control of Italica from Countess Myui. She glanced at Lady Fenix, who only seemed to smile sadly at the Countess. Do they plan to do just that, Pina thought worriedly. Perhaps their words were lies. perhaps they plan to dominate Italica with their soldiers. To take Countess Myui as a slave and demolish Italica into a Vassal. Pina said worriedly. She hoped that whatever happened, Countess Myui would make the right choice.
"I ask you Lady Fenix, what the USGs policies remain on those of non-human origin. The animal people of ours, and those of other origin. What say you on their policies," Countess Myui.
Pina watched in interest as a hrd expression appeared on Lady Fenix's face, followed closely by fear, uncertainty, and acceptance. "I will not lie and say that the enemy people may not face some hostility from the native Seran people. Non-human creatures from our home are known to be...destructive. but by and large, unless provoked, we will extend the same rights and safety of Seran humans to all non-humans of Falmart."
"I see," Countess Myui murmured. Pina was stunned silence for a moment. It was easy to say that most non-humans were treated as second-class citizens, and were deprived of many basic privileges and rights. To say that they were willing to extend rights comparable to human rights to them was preposterous and nearly fueled Anya's suspicion of trickery.
The room was silent, and the maids lined up on the side who were part animal seemed to be holding their mouths in shock. Finally Countess Myui nodded her head. "Then my decision is clear. Italica would be honored and privileged to accept the aid and friendship of the yuu-ees-gee."
Pina felt her lips shrink into a thin line, even as the maids begin clapping at the decision made by their Countess. "On behalf of the USG, we graciously accept."
"A formal written agreement will be decided upon within the day," Countess Myui said. She sighed and turned to Princess Pina, and there was an empathetic, even a little sympathetic, look on her face. "I do believe that this is an open declaration of war on behalf of the Empire."
"Italica isn't directly under the USG," Lady Fenix stated, "Its position as a sovereign state would give it ample reason to trade with the USG without fear of attack as a major hub of commerce."
Pina shook her head, "Regardless, it will be clear that Italica would be aiding our enemy and the Empire will attack Italica. The situation cannot be avoided. So long as USG forces operate within Italica, Italica is no longer an ally but an enemy."
"Until hostile declarations are made, I shall allow Princess Pina and her knights to remain in Italica without aggression. However, I would ask that you leave within the day," Countess Myui offered.
Pina nodded her head in acceptance, knowing that even that alone was generous. "I thank Countess Myui for her mercy," she said before turning to Lady Fenix, "Our two countries are at war, and it seems a battle of words has been won on this day. The Empire is vast and unrelenting, you will do well to remember that."
Lady Fenix nodded her head, but it was too calm and leisurely for her liking, and Pina rose to her feet to begin preparing her knights to depart. Knowing that eventually she would have to return to Italica under the banner of the Empire and to take Italica from USG control.
0o0o A Tomorrow For Us o0o0
"We are the Dark Elves of the Schwarz Forest," Elder Masaomi said as he shook Cole's hand. When Delta-One arrived to the base of the valley, they came across a mass exodus of Dark Elves preparing to make the migration back to Schwarz Forest. When they realised that members of the 'Gears' that had fought and killed the Flame Dragon had arrived, their planned travel was delayed in favor of celebration...
...and booze.
"Sergeant Cole," Cole said exuberantly. He knew USG regulations and protocols dictated a certain amount of strictness in a first-contact scenario, so Cole was trying to keep within the book. "Ha! You Dark Elves earned the right to party," he said with a laugh. He pointed to the group of Dark Elves dancing wildly under the moonlight and at the cackle of a fire. Women were flocking around Carmine, placing their hands all across his muscled body, and Sam was getting more than one flirtatious man going her way.
"Our people are known to be very passionate," Elder Masaomi said. "It had led to mass misunderstanding and...mistakes to the point that we became outlawed on Empire soil."
Cole seemed surprised at that, "Outlawed? Really?! Empire's missing out!"
Masaomi smiled at that. "It's partially an exaggeration. Our people are not hunted down, but we're not well-received either. It's a matter of varying degrees. But, regardless, we do wish to express our gratitude with you and your people for ridding us of the Flame Dragon."
Cole laughed, "Killing giant monsters is petty work for Gears! We do this all the time." Cole laughed again and tipped his head back to take in a gulp of alcohol from his cup. Elder Masaomi gave Cole a cursory look, and in his youth he would have considered Cole to be a fool, but now that he was old and tempered by experience he could safely say otherwise. The man known as Cole, was a nobleman at heart. His eyes didn't speak of foolishness, but of kindness and gratitude. The kind that didn't require consolation or comfort, but rather gave it away without need for repayment and acknowledgement. Instinctual. A good and loyal man, the type that would run into danger and win under impossible odds just to make ease another's worry.
Even know, his words that could be taken as foolish humility, was an effort to try and remove any thoughts of gratitude and repayment in their hearts and instead refocus them on the here and now, on the joy of the celebration. "Your people are very kind," Masaomi said, "Falmart is graced with your presence."
Cole nodded his head, his eyes still compassionate, and downed the rest of his drink.
Dmitri was standing away from the party, his hands crossed over his chest, and watching the festivities with an idle eye. He gripped the talisman in his hands tightly and smiled bitterly at the young looking women he had to turn away. "Und dosch vamus," he said to them. This heart would not accept.
He had, however, spied a dark elf at the edge of his peripheral, watching him curiously as the others talked and flirted. He gave her a small nod of greeting, remarking softly about how she seemed to be alone in her space, and she nodded back with a brief hesitation.
The sun had completely set in Falmart, and it would be a while longer before the next day came up.
In just one day, so much had already changed.
Again, fucking docs man. So this was meant to be the second part to the past chapter, lost it, couldn't get it to feel right, scrapped it, incorporated it into the next chapter. Now a little bit more onto the grand scheme of things. In the anime and manga, Italica was this little small ally that sent workers and brought along commerce, but beyond that nothing was touched on them anymore. They were just there and friends, and part of some political conspiracy. A background setting.
Here its a lot more complicated with a political sham shackle. Now Italica is a enemy of the Empire. The reason why the issue, from my understanding, was skirted in canon was because the JSDF removed themselves from Italica and the Order of Knights took over, dealt with the bandits, and maintained border control, as well as Princess Pina trying to stall Imperial advance and open up talks. Italica was still a sovereign territory, giving them right to trade with JSDF without Imperial intervention, but because the Rose Order was there and exercised control following the JSDF deployment, as well as Italica acquiring aid from the Knights in dispatching threats, the Empire was a lot more tolerant. In this case, Myui outright refused imperial aid, accepted their enemy's aid, and have opened up trade with the USG, a surefire way to build an alliance. While that is a stretch, the Empire would have been embarrassed and betrayed by the tiny state of Italica and it would also represent a destabilization of their control, so they will have to stamp out Italica.
Another thing to note is the language of both Yash and Dmitri. I ain't gonna lie, it's gibberish. But gibberish with some level of organization. I based Pesang's language from some old tribal languages and japanese, but its still just a load of gibberish. Gorasni was aimed for a more russian/german feel to it.
Also the Holy Karsic Empire, they're made up too, to fill up some more space. I'll explain them more in the story, but they're like the Holy Roman Empire before they got shamboozled into the Confederation of the Rhine. The Dwarves will also be a small mix of the Warhammer fantasy dwarves.
Anyways, the changes are getting more bigger, and it'll all stack up. I'm not really dividing up the anime harem, I'm more like extending them into positions where I would feel their characters would be comfortable in. The USG doesn't give them much option. Because Baird's the smartest guy they have, Jace is under standing orders, and well, actually Yash and Tuka are probably the ones that will be getting a lot of screen time as I shuffle Lelei and Rory around until they can shine. I may have studied business and economy for two years, but I at least know it takes a while to build one. So expect some technical jargon to be explained, time to be skipped, and things to happen at larger scales.
The one thing I never liked in the anime and manga, was the so little amount of adventure. They played up the war a little too thick. Not enough exploration, not enough learning. That's half the fun in these types of stories. The stumbling across new and surprising cultures and people.
Also holy shit Sera is full of fucking problems. They had a 1000 year-long period of war with each other that nearly destroyed their planet. Before they even created weapons like guns, and I'm pretty sure it had to have started before swords. To nearly destroy your world before destruction was easy is truly and astounding feat. HoD attacks and then the fact there was a seventy-nine year long war. Fuck man the hundred-years war looks paltry in comparison. A war that doesn't last at least a decade would probably be the most preposterous thing to these people, and the fact that they have 26 hour days would make it so that they have an extra 260 days in earth hours for them. That's almost another year. What on bloody earth.
No wonder half the Gears don't have necks. Natural selection probably said fuck it half way through and just started stuffing steroids and for good reason.