The Playroom

Note: This was written before mana spirals were released

When adventurers weren't training, going on patrol, shopping, working in the castle or being deployed for missions, they often found themselves in the so-called "play room", where games and other entertainments laid. This was originally built to occupy the children, but it saw more frequent use with the more... unused adventurers in the Halidom.

"Ugh, this is utterly insulting!" Ezelith slammed her hands down on the card table, startling Norwin in front of her. A winning hand flew into the air and cluttered on the ground, "Why does Euden refuse to deploy me if I'm holding a dagger? The minute I pick up a bow, he showers me with praise about my talent like he should! But my skill with a dagger is clearly superior, so what's the big deal?"

"It's because Euden doesn't want you risking your small, unarmored body with only a short sword in hand," Xainfried replied as he scratched Fydon and Felyx's ears in the corner, "Seriously Ezelith, get some clothes on lest you get speared in the stomach"

"Excuse me?! I survived this long with my attire just fine!" Ezelith shot back, "That's beside the point too, dragoon. I just want to know why Euden refuses to let me fight with a dagger. I took down Void Zephyr no problem!"

"Until Rena came along..." Ku Hai mumbled and Ezelith jerked her head towards him, eyes ablaze with fury.

"Hey, it's not my fault that she can fire blazing beams of flame out of her blade. At least I have more style with my Howling Meteor!"

"Dearie, said Howling Meteor is why Euden doesn't deploy you," Cassandra said gently, patting Ezelith's shoulder to calm her down, "You focus so much on style over substance that Howling Meteor becomes a danger to the other troops"

"And you take forever to finish using it," Ku Hai added, "I'd say to just stick with a basic flurry combo like Renee or Alex does"

"And what? That's going to make me stand out enough to be used?!" Ezelith growled. Nobody said anything after that. Ezelith was prone to stabbing someone out of anger, "... Fine! I'll become so good at using a dagger that I'll be regularly deployed. I'll show all of you that I can get out of this limbo, as my own person!"

Ezelith stomped out of the play room and nobody rose to stop her.

"I'll calm her down. I know how to deal with people like her," Norwin sighed and headed out, leaving only Xainfried, Cassandra and Ku Hai left

"Well, on the subject of not being deployed, how are you feeling Xainfried?" Ku Hai asked, "Ever since Fjorm came along, you haven't been seeing a whole lot of combat"

"Yeah... my finest moments here have been taking on the Blazing Ghost a long time ago. Those were the days," Xainfried said forlornly, "That new Ancient Oath wyrmprint should give me a new lease of life, but…"

"At least you have a use in giant fiend raids, Xainfried. I'm not so fortunate now," A new voice said and all the adventurers looked up to see Fjorm by the door, looking dejected.

"Fjorm dear, you look horrible! Just what happened to you?" Cassandra asked worriedly as she went to pour tea for the ice princess.

"After many, many failed attempts at fighting High Brunhilda, Euden gave up on me. He deployed Elisanne instead and... replaced me," Fjorm confessed, tears running down her face, "Euden went through the trouble of forging the Limpid Lance for me and then he just... went and replaced me with Elisanne, armed with an axe. I failed him..."

"Oh Fjorm, it's okay. It's not your fault," Cassandra hugged the crying princess, "High Brunhilda is infamously a tough cookie to crack. Euden's just testy in his effort to defeat her"

"But what can I do now that I can't fight High Brunhilda?!" Fjorm sobbed "I can't fight Agni and I can't do well in raids with Xainfried here! How can I ever repay my debt to Euden?"

Cassandra was speechless after that. She looked to the others and they looked down at the ground, unsure of what to say either.

"Fjorm dear, let's... let's take a walk together for a little. Sort out your thoughts and feelings," Cassandra took Fjorm's hand gently and wiped away her tears, "Alfonse can comfort you about this as well and when you're ready, let's take this up with Euden himself. Are you okay with that?"

"O-okay..." Fjorm sniffled and the two of them left the playroom.

"Well that was depressing," Xainfried stood up, gathering the cards Ezelith scattered, "Up for a game, Ku Hai?"

Ku Hai shrugged before sighing, "Sure. It burns time at least"

And so, as the trials against the Greatwyrms grew harder and the so-called "meta" grew more tight, more and more adventurers would be crammed into the play room