The bumps felt from the carriage wheels became deeper and...slower? Not a quick succession enough that the vibrations from one canceled the next. What was happening? There were the sound of hooves closing in as well with the carriage becoming quieter as it slowed down. Shadows passed by the curtain-covered windows. Three...four of them.
Cter could've sworn that she had seen similar shadows before.
But where?
"We request an audience with the Fourth Monster Mage, driver," Cter heard through the walls. Whomever it was outside spoke with distinction and a chest full of air. A rather uncomfortable silence followed. "Driver?"
Since the fuzz seemed to be about Cter she decided that it was best if she took the situation in her own hands. She stood up from her seat and magically flicked away the curtains covering the window on the door. Outside a soldier on a horse turned towards the motion happening with slight surprise which he quickly quelled, and called for one at the front of the carriage. "Sir!"
A human dressed more importantly than the soldier approached. A general's armor, if Cter's memories from Frioke's memories didn't fail her. The same, large crest hung proudly on his steed as it walked up to Cter stood with the carriage door opened waiting to see what the meaning was of stopping her.
"Greetings, Fourth Monster Mage," the general said with a deep bow. His voice echoed from within his metal helmet which visor he then opened up. "Let me be the first one to welcome you to Fenkeep. I trust the roads of Hjearta have fared thee well?" The suave tone of his voice was the same as what Frioke experienced too. Being able to woo the female monster visitors must have been high up on the list of duties for Hjearta's generals, it seemed. Cter's smooth general had brown eyes rather than blue which Frioke's general did have. Something about Cter's general had her guess that the two were related. Their chins? Perhaps it was their cheekbones?
"My travels have been pleasant and filled with pleasant views, general," Cter answered with a bow. "I was born in Hjearta, but this is my first time at the capital."
"Born as a human in the country, but finding your way to the castle as a monster." The Human General bowed back to show that he meant what he said with respect. "I am honored to offer to escort you for this last, short leg of your journey here." With his metal glove, the Human General motioned over the ornate stone road leading towards the large castle stood wider and taller than Jarasevo Castle. It was older than Jarasevo's, and commanded respect through its aura of ancient wisdom rather than the refined complexity of monster architecture. It was built to withstand a glacier, and looked able to handle two. "Your arrival is only waiting for you now."
Cter squinted up the gray road towards the large, green courtyard. There was…some commotion going on there. Was it for her? Curling her sleeved hand into a circle and peering through it like a magical looking glass, Cter saw quite the welcoming party waiting for her. Colorful flags flying both Hjearta and Monster Country colors, arranged flowers, brass instruments with their respective players holding their inhale to play their hearts out.
"Oh..." she reacted with her magical looking glass falling down at her side. "That's..."
"You are quite humble for your title, Monster Mage Cter," the Human General commented with a friendly smirk. "More so considering the long journey you have taken throughout the country to help villages big and small. You didn't have to, but still chose to." With a whistle he summoned one of his men. "Kallorean!"
"Oh!" Cter reacted again, even more surprised. The soldier riding up to Cter wasn't a human! It was a monster! Underneath its parade-colored tricorne was an ice-green snowdrake clad in an equally colorful parade outfit. "A monster."
"Kallorean here joined the Fenkeep Royal Guard after Monster Mage Sund's first travel through Hjearta," the Human General explained with pride radiating from him like the sun high above. "Having heard that you visited his village where his family lives in the outskirt of he offered so kindly to join me in welcoming you." He turned with his beaming smile stretching his blonde mustache thin. "Isn't that right, Kallorean?"
"Yes, sir!" the snowdrake replied with a salute. "The vicet by Monster Mage Cter had me snow filled with joy. I cold not ignore it as a chilling for me."
That sounded a bit...forced.
Not only the puns, but the way the snowdrake delivered those puns. Nothing in his aura suggested that he was lying though, so perhaps it was just the jarring juxtaposition of ice puns spoken with military gravitas that stuck out as a bit weird to Cter's ears.
"Kallorean has made a promise not to become as human as Huvett and Huvtao though," the Human General continued with a fatherly tap on Kallorean's shoulder which had the monster at ease. "Especially now during summer." With a slight lean and a tug at his armor, the Human General showed Cter a cold-blue glow from within his armor. Ice magic. "Huvett and Huvtao might show their dedication to Hjearta by not using any of their magic, but what good is that when you're sweating without any water nearby?"
So Cter was about to meet Huvett and Huvtao, that much was pretty certain. Maybe they were waiting for her at the courtyard? Would Terri Fyed be there too? Professor Leraull said that Cter would meet Terri after Huvett and Huvtao, so perhaps not?
It would take an overly stoic mage to not at least pretend to be interested in the visitor to cut themselves a slice of the welcoming cake that Cter spotted briefly through her magical looking glass. Not even Kry was stoic enough to not have himself some cake when someone important was visiting. Although that was because Barbeqa would kill him had he got the gall to ask for a slice to be delivered to him.
Luckily for Cter Idyll was there to stop her asking that exact question during a visit from a Xoff delegate.
Maybe Fenkeep Castle had more lenient chefs?
"How is the unloading progressing, men?" asked the General to behind the carriage. "How much left?"
"Just about done, General," a Hjearta soldier answered. "One of the caskets seems to be stuck though. We can't budge it loose."
The Human General's suspicion that it had something to do with Cter was correct, as she knew exactly which casket it was the soldiers were talking about. The casket packed with bottles of Royal Purple. Dark-blue magic was inside of it to keep it from not budging a single inch during the bumpy journey. Cter dismissed the magic with a wave of her hand. It was unnecessary for her to dismiss the magic with such a motion, but it gave something visual for the Human General to see.
"Try now," he instructed his men. "It was kept secure by the Monster Mage." He didn't look impressed though. "Kallorean keeps his entire squad cooled off," he explained to Cter's slight curiosity as to why he looked so unimpressed with his mustache thinning again. "So I hope you have something fantastical planned for your disembarking up at the castle. We are all used to magic, so you'll have to make sure it is a bit of a bigger display than what you think is necessary."
Was that so? Cter hadn't really planned anything at all, so the Human General's advice was very welcomed. "Thank you, General."
Good thing Cter had figured out a good basis for a dramatic entrance. She just had to put something more extra into it.
It had rained the day before Cter had arrived, with a rainbow lulling her to sleep during the night. The ornate stone was still wet on some spots where it had ridges so the rain had reached Fenkeep as well. A rainbow display was a good idea, with Cter displaying the magic corresponding to each color? After that she could perhaps end it with her left hand over her face, and with her spiraling line and Delta Rune shining brightly from her magic.
Yes, yes that was a very good plan.
"You look like you've got something figured out, Monster Mage." The Human General craned his neck back to see how the last casket of Royal Purple was going. "Now, I will be riding on the carriage's left side to open up..." The fingers of his raised metal glove slowly curled back down into a fist which hel tapped with on his helmet. "Well damn it all."
"What is the matter?" Cter asked. She followed the Human General's extended finger up the road. "Anything wrong?"
"The courtyard is on the left side," the Human General stated like a problem through the carriage window.
Which indeed was a problem.
Because Cter's carriage opened from the right.
It was a problem Cter could fix though.
"Have your men stand back," she informed thehuman. "As far back as the carriage is long." Then she leaned a bit more out to have a say to her driver. "You too, please. I don't want you falling off."
"As you wish, Monster Mage."
With the carriage window closed up behind her Cter kneeled down onto the floor with her sleeved palm touching the carpet. "Used to magic, are you now, general?" she mused for herself.
Cter's sleeve ignited with a hazy purple that had the fabric of the carpet standing up as the stasis magic spread out to encompass the carriage. She lifted it up gently and turned it around, putting it down back on the road with the carriage door facing the left side. The movement was slow and deliberate, with Cter being in complete control during the entire process.
The stasis magic retreated to her hand as she lifted it up from the carpet. The standing fabrics bowed to her magical display as the contracting circle of purple magic returned to her sleeve again via her fingers. Cter stood up with her glowing sleeve outside her mantle, smiling. She had almost hit one of the soldiers as she turned the carriage around, which she was eager to mention to the Human General. The soldier hadn't either listened to his superior or had doubted Cter's magic.
Both worked in her book.
"Whom of your men stood too close, general?" Cter asked with a plastered furrow as she opened the carriage door. With her bright spiraling line on full display for all the soldiers to see she eyed them all up. "I could feel the front right wheel sweeping past someone that backed away from it." She picked one at random. "Did you doubt my magic?"
"M-My apologies, Monster Mage," was uttered with a bowed head from the random one she had picked of the human soldiers. A good moment for her luck to be in her favor. "I thought I was stood enough away from it. The arc of the wheels turning I didn't predict." His grip on his spear was hard due to surprise and startle. "I did not mean to doubt your magical abilities at all, Monster Mage. Please forgive me!"
The soldier was genuinely afraid and worried…
Cter only meant…
Well she didn't mean for anyone to be genuinely afraid and worried.
Just...afraid and worry because they were impressed.
Or something...
"At ease, soldier," she calmed with a slow movement of her hand. "I didn't want to see anyone hurt, that's all. It scared me more than you, that I can promise. I won't be a good guest if I injure one of the soldiers the first thing I do during my visit to Fenkeep Castle, now would I?" Cter laughed to show that it was all water under the bridge. "You are not injured, I hope. I can heal you should that be the case."
The soldier shook his head, with his fear and worry being thrown off with his shake. "I am fine, Monster Mage."
"Glad to hear it, soldier."
Cter then turned to the Human General.
"If you have Kallorean on his horse at the wheel back left I think that will be enough for the welcomers to not notice that the carriage is backwards, general." She spoke to him the same as she did before her display of magic. It didn't take a lot out of her, and she was keen to show it to the Human General. He was impressed, that Cter could easily tell. It pleased her ego. "The carriage is driven magically so it will not be a problem that the carriage is backwards."
Speaking of Cter's driver.
"Could you drive the carriage from this side today, please?" she asked the hooded monster while pointing to the temporary front of the carriage. "Once I am off the Human General here will instruct you where to bring it afterwards. Come find me afterwards."
The dark-purple hood bowed as subtly as possible. "As you wish, Monster Mage." Singing hums poured from the void-black shadow as the driver mounted up on the carriage again, waiting for further instructions.
"Anything else that needs to be done, general?"
Besides him lifting his chin back up from the ground.
Actually, before that!
Cter had an idea!
"Kallorean," Cter addressed to the monster sitting quietly on his horse with ease and habit, "your ice magic, can you project it in a stream?" Of course he could, but Cter had to ask so that his general would hear too. "Or can you perhaps create a snowfall?"
"That I can do, Monster Mage." There was something very pleasing to Cter's ears hearing Kallorean speak with his rigid Hjearta dialect. It was a different rigidness to his words compared to the Royal Guards back in Jarasevo. Sir Gerson might have been the most brilliant military mind and soul, but even he could only do as much with the discipline of the Royal Guard. All it took was for someone to throw a stick down one of the longest hallways in Jarasevo Castle to render a fourth of the Royal Guard useless while they chased said stick bouncing on the marble floor.
"Great," said Cter with an acknowledging nod. She extended her sleeved hand to the snowdrake. "Would you kindly let me borrow that?"
Kallorean's brow and beak furrowed. "Borrow?" The rigid dialect crumbled for a moment, revealing the gentle vibrato typical of monsters. "How do you mean, Monster Mage?"
Oh Cter would never get tired of the wave of anticipation that swooned through her body and soul each time someone stood with mouth agape at her asking to borrow a cup of their magic. Even more so, the anticipation of the wonder in their eyes realizing what she meant.
"You are familiar with the Cooperative Connection, right?" Cter began explaining with a smile. She waited for a bit as the other soldiers walked up closer to get a better look, heaving themselves up on their toes via their spears to glimpse at Cter's sleeve. "The reason I became a Monster Mage is because I have found a way to make temporary ones. I can borrow magic, not only from monsters, but to monsters as well."
Kallorean's eyes widened.
Only his though, the other soldiers, including the Human General, didn't understand magic enough to be in awe of that discovery.
Cter knew how to have them gasping in shock as well though. She just had to build it up just a bit more.
"I want to give you something equivalent to what Sund did, Kallorean. I can tell that your squad is more than just your squad. That your general is more than your general. The way your aura envelops these humans with such care and protection, it tells me that you think of your squad as family, Kallorean."
Cter waited patiently for the snowdrake's blush to ignite, then fade away as he looked to his comrades and his general smiling back at him with supportive chuckles. "They have felt it too, in a way," Cter winked to the soldiers and the Human General. "Haven't they?"
"Yes."
"I have."
"Plenty."
"Every day."
Yes, yes. They didn't have to overdo it.
"Sund gave you the motivation to travel here and meet these humans. Meet them and create a connection stronger than any Cooperative Connection could ever achieve." Maybe Cter had do calm it down too before she became too grandiose. That she had to save for the welcoming party at the courtyard. She wasn't really in a hurry to get there. Important folk arrive late as they had importance to do.
And what was more important than Cter stroking her ego in a constructive way that promoted human and monster cooperation?
Not much, really.
"Now I want you to let me further that connection between your friends, Kallorean." Cter bounced her extended arm to prompt the monster to take it. "For you see, I'm not asking you to give me your magic." She paused for effect. "I want you to give your friends your magic."
Right on the predicted cue, the soldiers gasped. The Human General kept his reaction to a minimal, but it was still a reaction that told of his surprise.
"It is simple, Kallorean. All you have to do is let me feel how you make your magic. As you do, recall a strong memory involving your squad and general. Something you know all the humans can recall themselves. That will be their cue for your magic to be cast by them. Even an untrained human still has a soul, and while they do not know of it, us monsters can still feel at it, even if it's deep within them. When I create my temporary Cooperative Connection with them I also give them a part of your magic, your soul. Enough that they can feel your trust and care for them. Even for just a moment, and through me, you will be able to express yourself to them like they were monsters."
Kallorean's breath sharpened more than the decorated sword hung at his waist. Cter could sense in his aura the same joy that her monster grandma had when she first felt Cter's trained mage aura. The first time she could connect like a monster with her human family. That same fluster swept through Kallorean's aura, causing it to swell like a beating heart of a human equally flustered with finally being able to connect with someone properly. His head titled down to Cter's sleeve, his lips fluctuating between a smile and a weep.
"Do you promice?" Kallorean pleaded with his monster vibrato quivering as much as his pleading.
Cter nodded to the icy tears building from the soft eyes filled with hope. "I promice."
Both of the snowdrake's hand clutched at Cter's sleeve, immediately covered in magical frost. It was a bit more than Cter had expected. Kallorean really poured everything he was into Cter, perhaps too much of himself. She blocked him out from giving more of his magic to her when she thought herself notice dust building at the sprouting twigs of his icy horns.
"That's enough," she said gently to the monster almost beginning to wring at her sleeve. "Kallorean?" He didn't let go though. It began to hurt. Cter blocking him off from her magic just had him trying to pour more and more of him thinking it wasn't enough!
"Kallorean!" repeated the Human General after seeing the discomfort on Cter's face. He put a heavy hand on Kallorean's shoulder, squeezing at it. "That's enough, soldier." His words were enough to have the monster's eyes shoot wide open and for him to cough a breath while flinching back. His horse kept calm only by the Human General's firm grip on its reins. "At ease, Kallorean. Take a breath."
"G-Gener-ral...I..."
"Just breathe, Kallorean," the Human General ordered before turning to Cter. Whether or not he was blaming her she couldn't tell. She did though. She made it a bigger deal than it should have been. If she had only taken Kallorean's arm herself and siphoned it without asking the surprise would have been just as effective. Instead she made Kallorean believe that he needed to give more than he should. "Is it still possible, Monster Mage?"
Yes, yes it was. Cter had plenty to copy from Kallorean. The same with the memory he chose. Clear and vivid. The squad's first assignment guarding a glacier during late spring. It was a time when the glaciers could begin collapsing without any warning, so having guards stationed for rescue operations was a given. With Kallorean's magic the squad managed to subvert any causalities when the worst struck. It made family out of friends.
And even if there was a bitter taste to the magic Cter had Kallorean give her, the love and care from his memory rose above the bitterness. It was still Kallorean's choice to give as much as he did, and he did so because of the bond he shared with his squad.
Cter's spiraling line pulsated with the icy-blue magic Kallorean gave her as she clutched her hand to help focus it into a Cooperative Connection. Lines grew like branches and twigs on her sleeve, connecting and going back into each other to form independent vessels of magic. With a conjured center line to hold the arcane branches and twigs together she let the vessels glide up her arm as if on ice, with a chilled mist following in their wake. They all collected in her palm, in which was formed a cloud where thick flakes of snow began to tenderly fall.
As she opened her eyes she was met with the Human General's right arm held out for her.
"If I remember correctly the magic should be on the dominant arm?" he inquired from the Monster Mage.
"General..." whispered Kallorean with bated breath that turned into a final gasp as the armored sleeves of the rest of his squad joined with their respected, and respective, superior. "All of you..."
It was an honor for Cter to experience such a tender moment between the soldiers. Even if the combined reflection from all the metallic sleeves had her blinded, it was still something powerful that she came to treasure as a valuable memory.
She began with the Human General's sleeve, coating it in some of her own frost magic to enhance it visually and to give the temporary Cooperative Connections a more powerful catalyst. "You all remember your first mission as a unit," she spoke while adding the vessels to the soldiers in awe. "Recall that memory as strongly as you can. In particular the rescue you executed flawlessly without any doubt or fear. That is what Kallorean has given as the memory with which you will be able to cast his magic with. When you do, you will feel him as a presence within your soul. Do not fear it, for it is his emotion in its purest form. You have all been gifted it by him. Through him you will feel how it is to be monster, and become closer to him as friends." She met the soldiers' collective eyes with a slow blink that had her eyes watering. "As family."
She had saved some of Kallorean's magic to demonstrate. Magic she indulged it for a moment to let form a tear down her cheek. She wished that one day she'd become as close to the other Monster Mages as the squad was.
One day.
One day…
With an arc above her head, Cter painted a cloud of hanging frost that produced flakes big enough to settle in her hair like brooches. She plucked one off and handed it to Kallorean. "I will leave it up to you to decide how you want your squad to use your magic for my introduction." With a step back, Cter entered her carriage again with one hand resting on the handle.
"They've taught you to be human, now teach them to be monster."
She closed the door and sat herself to wait.
For almost an hour.
