By the Bonfire: The responsibility
He felt the pull many a time before, he ignored it upon each instance.
Not this time.
Not this time.
It was in the split second that he heard the call echo throughout the throne that he took hold of it and pulled with all his might, following the plea for aid right towards the source. There was only one reason - one single reason - that he would follow that voice to this place, to these people.
His aura flooded the room the moment he made contact, divine splendour bathed the mundane chamber with his presence, golden eyes opened and gazed down at the individual of interest, the one that had managed to command the personal attention of his very reason for being here.
They met his gaze, not with respect as he would have demanded from any other who looked up at him, but as though they were somehow an equal to him. They could not claim ignorance for his identity either, there was no denying that they knew precisely who he was and yet they did not bow their heads.
Not the dark haired boy who stood before him, the one who held the supply of magical energy between them, nor the young girl by their side. Not even the plain human who cowered behind the glass wall. The woman was of some small note, the brunette who had a rather impressive look about her.
There was an air of caution beneath that cordial smile, she understood what he was.
What he was capable of.
But it was caution, not respect.
Still, it was far better than what he was seeing beneath him.
His eyes flickered across the room, drinking in every ounce of the scenery that presented itself before he gave a single snort. The only indication of his dissatisfaction as he stepped down from the cold metal pad, his arms folded over his chest and his voice echoed forth, crisp and clean.
"I am Flann, King of the Gods and Lord of Fire." His eyes bore down into the human, directing his essence onto them and noting the way their body tensed up in that one moment. The pressure was more than enough to lower them down ever so slightly, but they did not break their gaze with him. "Upon your request for assistance, I have deigned to summon myself."
Silence from the room, clearly awaiting the words of the human boy.
The human's head turned down, a shallow bow but one that still carried a show of sincerity to it. Not as deep as he would have liked, but it was a start.
"Thank you for answering our summons, King Flann." The boy brought his head back up, offering him a cordial smile as though he was interested in their pleasantries. They were worthless without the proper show of respect that came with them. Even if he was not a God, he was still a King.
Surely the boy did not think that such words would have managed to earn him the favour of any monarch with an ounce of respect about their title?
They were lucky he was so generous.
Many a King would have punished them for such impudence as to dare think themselves worthy of looking their betters in the eye and treating them as though they had no titles.
Clearly, this world of man had truly forgotten the importance of such things.
That was how it was supposed to be, everyone would show deference to a King or a Queen.
Only a King or Queen would be considered his equal, if not in power then in status.
"Hmph. At least you appear to have some semblance of etiquette." He remarked with a crinkled brow, his features curled as he glanced the human up and down for a short moment before stepping past them. He doubted they would have much more to say that would offer him even the slightest ounce of interest.
"Provide me with a tour of this new citadel I find myself within." He stopped at the door, staring at it for a good few seconds.
Neither of the humans behind him made an effort to open it for him.
He squinted harder at the door, noticing that it did not even appear to have a handle upon it, nor any other method of opening it. Keeping his surprise from showing was something of a challenge, the only other doors he had seen of this sort were something like gates, but this was much too small and he could see no mechanism to levy it upwards.
Did it perhaps drop down like some manner of drawbridge?
Pulling his right hand up, he snapped his fingers twice in quick succession before pointing at the door for them. Waiting for a response, a moment later the dark haired human made a noise of understanding and walked around him, making for the door.
Flann kept his eyes on their movements, enshrining them to memory so that the next time he encountered a door such as this, he would not make a fool of himself by fumbling his way through opening it.
"Yeah, the doors are a little weird." The boy commented to themselves, because he didn't truly believe that they would be under the assumption he would listen to what they were saying. Despite that, given that they were the only ones speaking, it proved difficult to ignore.
"We've had a couple of people break them, actually." His hand was placed flat on a dark glass panel built into the wall, a light hummed across their palm and then the door slid open, pulled into the wall by some hidden contraption and only the gentle hiss until it locked in place.
They had people break these doors?
A scoff escaped Flann as he stepped through the now opened pathway. "Perhaps that is proof that you should replace them with the sort that is more easily understood. Else your architecture will fall victim to many more brutes and fools."
Nevermind that, he was starting to wonder if these were actually built for those his size. The doors all seemed rather low hanging, still tall enough for him to step through but it was a close enough nick to the top of his head.
It proved all the more bewildering when he stepped into the hall and found that the space provided was rather generous, certainly tall enough for the likes of a well grown Lordkin to walk through.
With pinched brows, he glanced from the door and then to the corridor for a brief instant before dismissing the notion entirely. Clearly there had been some flaws in the accommodation when designing this building. Made only with the intention of allowing those of a certain size access to certain rooms.
Footsteps followed him into the hallway, Flann inclined his head towards them as the human boy moved around to the front, keeping their expression polite and patient as they faced him. Soon joined by the young girl with lilac covered hair, he assumed her role was something like that of an adjutant to the human.
"We'll begin the tour then. Again, welcome to Chaldea."
So that was the name of this Covenant, he could not recall if he had ever actually had it mentioned to him before. If it had been mentioned, then he had failed to commit it to memory, but there was another matter that took precedence as well.
"I understand there are a number of Gods in these halls, name them."
The humans both stopped walking, they shared a glance between the two of them and fell into silence. He saw their flutter of confusion at his request, he kept his patience at their lack of a swift and prompt answer, turning his gaze onto them and frowning lightly at the pair. Speaking once again.
"Did you not hear?"
"No, I heard." The boy was quick to respond to him with a nod of the head, a faint look of thought on their face, clearly weighing up their words. "I'm just thinking up all of them now. We have Gwyndolin, Gwynevere, Faraam-"
He suppressed a twitch at the use of the traitor's name.
"-Nudd, Caffrey, Euryale, Stheno…" The human snapped their fingers a couple of times, clearly struggling for something.
"I believe that Torin-san said that he was also a pseudo-Servant of a Divine Spirit, Senpai."
Senpai? A curious title, he pondered what rank that would have held.
Only faintly, but the note of respect the girl spoke with the title was worthy of some examination, and this knowledge of a pseudo…ah, yes. The humans who had been bestowed the soul of a God through some method or another. Still, if the Gods in question deemed these humans worthy of receiving their power, then he would not call into question their decisions.
It was their choice what they did with their own blessings and he held no command over those pantheons.
"Ah, right." The boy nodded their head up and down before they stilled for half a second, Flann doubted they actually noticed what they had done, nor the flicker of something dark travelling through their eyes for a brief instance before they spoke again. "That's eight, and Velka makes nine…which is now ten with you."
A hum from the boy. "That's a lot more divine spirits than I would have expected."
Flann resisted the urge to roll his eyes at their lack of imagination.
They considered nine Gods to be a great number? There were hundreds who populated the halls of Anor Londo in its glory days and while Heide did not boast as great a number, there were still many who remained.
Truly, this human had such a limited experience.
Still.
Caffrey had some company amongst her own kin-
…Wait.
"Did you say Velka?"
It was as though someone had poured cold water over his head, the chill swept through him in that one single instant as, for a split second, he could have sworn that was the name that the human had spoken. His neck turned to them, creaking all the while until he stared down at the human with wide eyes.
Any potential - any lingering hope - that their hearing had been mistaken was washed away when the boy nodded their head up and down, joined by his adjutant who reflected the movement as though it were her own. But Flann cared little for all that, merely that Velka was here.
Velka had been in the same place as his daughter for flames knew how long…
Keeping the panic bottled up within him was difficult, it was a task that he felt close to breaking. The overwhelming urge to tear down these hallways and find his daughter to ensure her safety, then locate Velka and make a concerted effort to kill her was only prevented by the singular knowledge that if he challenged her to a fight, he would die.
It was not even as though he could take her by surprise.
No.
Gwynevere, Gwyndolin and Faraam were here, the latter was hardly a surprise given that they were birds of a feather, but the former two were something of a shock to him. Those names bounced around in his head, coupled with the knowledge that Velka was here.
Bringing a hand up, he pointed a finger to the boy and chose his words carefully. "Are Gwyndolin and Gwynevere aware that Velka is in this place?"
The human nodded his head, but Flann saw the apprehension in his eyes. The elaboration came next. "They know but they haven't really made an effort to speak with her and she hasn't really done much to meet with them either. Velka mostly just…lurks around until she decides to show up and…"
The human dropped his hands to his hips, then let out a sigh of exhaustion, it was as though even talking about the Goddess had drained years from their life. His hands moved up, rubbing away at the bridge of his nose as the adjutant looked on at her superior in concern, then turned to Flann and picked up where her superior left off.
"Velka-san is…she has a difficult history with Chaldea and her actions in the past haven't earned her a lot of freedoms at the moment." The explanation was coupled with a troubled look from the girl, as though she was unsure how to feel about the measures herself. "The Director insisted on them given her previous actions, but she hasn't done anything concerning lately…"
It sounded like an excuse to him.
But still, a Director?
Then there was another human above these two, so why was it he was speaking with them instead of their direct superior?
Something to contest later, it was not nearly as important as learning that Velka was running loose in this citadel, or rather they were not dead. That was the only security he would trust when around an individual such as her. Whatever precautions this human leader was taking, they were not nearly enough.
But still…
"And the children of Gwyn know she is here and have done nothing?"
The human rolled his jaw, then shrugged. "If they have, then I don't know anything about it. However, I would much rather they avoid one another if it would just cause problems, goodness knows there's been more than enough of those running around Chaldea at the moment."
Flann gazed down at the boy for a short moment, then turned his head and folded his arms.
There was a set of peculiar circumstances here, that much was certain.
He would need to keep a closer eye on Velka, if for no other reason than his own peace of mind. Even if he knew there was nothing he could do to stop here, it was just for the sake of acting when it was needed.
…Flann set the thoughts to the side for a brief moment, shifting the focus of the conversation away from the unpleasant. "What of the Gods from your own world? What authorities do they wield?"
It was important to know what he would be working with in the future.
"Well…Euryale and Stheno are Goddesses of beauty."
…That was rather limited when it came to use, unless they were somehow going to be stronger than Gwynevere when it came to raw power, but he rather doubted that the direct offspring of Gwyn would be challenged in her own domain. Her beauty was rather striking and gripping, like a tight noose.
"Nudd is a God of hunting, right?"
"That's right, Senpai."
Flann slowly blinked, he had met the God before, they had held status equal to his own.
And they were a God of the hunt…
"His domain also included fishing!"
…This was tragic.
"And then Torin was…he said it was a woodland God, right?"
Flann brought his hand up, rubbing his fingers across his face while struggling to keep his expression straight. It was proving to be a real challenge to his abilities and he thanked his long experience in the courts that he was able to maintain his composure as well as he could. Caffrey was a Goddess of fortune, it was expected that her blessing would be truly valuable before one went into combat.
No, perhaps he was being too hasty with these judgements.
A God of the woodlands would hold power over the many beasts that resided in the lands and they would obviously hold sway over nature itself. While he did not expect them to be an equal to the tree spirit Quella, he respected the power of the spirit great enough that they could have been considered his equal.
At least in terms of might, if not in wisdom.
For Nudd, he had met them and felt their aura firsthand.
If they were a God of the hunt, then the game of their homeland must have been rather incredible indeed that they required the blessing of such a man. He did not doubt for a second that their aura might well have been greater than his own. But that was acceptable, they were a King of Gods as well and he knew that some were greater than others.
It was fine.
Removing his hand from his face, he brought his arms back around himself and nodded quietly up and down.
This was workable.
"Ah, Anchin-sama! You should have told me you were preparing to summon."
A voice from behind him, delicate and well mannered, yet there was an aura about it that was far from being human. No, it was human mixed with something else?
He turned around and his answer was found immediately, his eyes fixed themselves onto the approaching crossbreed. A young looking woman in a rather respectable gown, shorter than he and his new summoner. Teal coloured hair and bright amber orbs, a slightly rounded face.
The girl approached without an ounce of fear in her eyes, in fact it was as though they had not even become aware of his presence. A fan flashed open in her grasp and covered the front of her face, a melodic giggle echoed through the halls as she drew closer and closer to the human before coming to a halt.
The boy blinked, looking somewhat shocked by her arrival, but recovered quickly. "Oh, I didn't think that you would have been interested in showing up for something like that. But if you want to be present, then I'll try and let you know next time."
"You're so thoughtful." The woman cooed with a fluttering sigh, then snapped the fan shut. "But it should be expected for me to be there, I have to be absolutely certain that only the best influences surround my Anchin-sama. I need to warn you against liars and homewreckers alike, the mere thought of letting either of the sort near you is…rather troublesome to me."
Flann cocked a brow at the woman, their manner of speech was odd.
"Therefore…"
She whipped around, spinning on a heel and gazing up at him with her piercing eyes. Flashing the fan open once more and covering the lower half of her face with it, looking him up and down for a few moments before giving out a small hum.
"This one has…I cannot say that I wholly approve of this one, Anchin-sama. Though it is faint, I can still smell the scent of a liar from him. Though what he lies about, I cannot be certain."
Incredible.
He had never been insulted so quickly.
"One who has the gall to call me a liar to my face but will not even do the basic courtesy of providing their own identity?" He responded back, keeping his temper in check as he looked down at the woman, folding his arms behind himself and keeping his clenched fists out of view. "Who are you to be so disrespectful upon a single greeting?"
The girl narrowed her eyes, the fan snapped shut and pointed towards him.
"You can consider me a wife rather concerned about the company that her husband keeps."
Ah.
Yes, he understood now.
His eyes trailed away from the woman and towards the boy, they were looking on at the encounter with a strained expression clearly fighting up the urge to step forwards and intervene but held back by something, it seemed as though the woman had a great deal more sway over them than he assumed.
…Wasn't that familiar?
"That's a bit rude, Kiyohime." The boy eventually mustered up the strength to speak, stepping forwards and laying a gentle hand on the shoulder of the young woman, their touch seemed to knock her into a daze for a split second before her eyes hardened once more.
Never once parting from his own.
"You are much too trusting, Anchin-sama." The girl spoke as though dealing with a young child, her words gentle and slow spoken. Making an effort not to offend. "It starts with the small and simple lies at first, the type that seems perfectly harmless. But allow them even an ounce of leeway and they are granted the confidence that they can lie without end. Until eventually the lies become nothing but commonplace."
Flann paused, giving thought to her words.
It would appear as though there was an ounce of sense in her, a value of honesty above all else and it was not as though he could disagree with the principle. But there was a time and a place to make such statements and it was certainly not to his face and in open company.
"Human."
The dark haired boy turned to him with a grimace, he opened his mouth to speak, only for Flann to bring up the flat of his hand and cut them short.
"I would advise you to speak to your wife in private about what is acceptable council to give and what is not."
A brief pause, then he continued onwards.
"She is free to offer you advice as she sees fit…so long as it is not in open company with the one you intend to besmirch." His eyes fell upon the woman, glaring into her and unleashing a subtle divine aura. It was enough for her to flinch for a split second, and only a split second, she doubled down and met his glare with one of her own.
He turned about face, ignoring her completely. "Take this as my own offer of leniency, there will be no second time where you may insult me without consequence. Spouse of my summoner or not."
"Hmph. We shall see about that, if I were cowed by even the smallest of liars, then I would never stand against the greatest of them."
His feet stopped.
"...Then I would tell you that perhaps you should find yourself stronger allies to confront those liars. Claiming to fight for the truth means little if even a 'small liar' like myself can reduce you to dust before you could so much as even bat an eyelid."
Surprisingly, it was the human boy who spoke up next with a firm tone, still diplomatic however.
"There's no need for violence on either end. King Flann, I'd ask you not to threaten the other Servants working with us like that, Kiyohime…you're free to bring up any complaints you have in private but if you go around accusing people of being liars to their face, it is going to be rather rude to them."
"It is the truth, Anchin-sama-"
"I know." The boy replied softly. "But that still makes it rude. People might lie for different reasons and whether they are bad or not, they require tact when approaching…alright? I'm not saying to stop calling them out, but just between the two of us, where we won't offend anyone."
Flann thinned his lips.
A novice diplomat, it seemed.
"The two of us…?" The faint whispers of the girl met his ears, her blush was audible, then came the clearing of her throat. "Of course, I will be sure to speak of my concerns in private, just in case it alerts the liars that I am onto them, so that they cannot try and trick you further with their ways."
He could feel her stare aimed at the back of his head, but he kept himself facing forwards.
"Do not dally, human. There is yet more to show me."
There was indeed more that he beheld, yet what he saw left much to be desired.
It had been a swift tour, showing him through everything that was worth seeing and when he had his fill of being guided, he departed from the humans and went about on his own business. There was much to see and more to do, much more.
He would need to evaluate the quality of warriors who stood by his side and for that, he came back to the room that he had passed through his tour but had not fully seen inside, it was in use by another and, at the time, was not interested in watching over them.
But now it was different.
It was what they called the training room, or simulator. A land which reminded him very much of the illusions of Gwyndolin, creating copies of does to hone one's skills against. An impressive tool but it was no substitute for true combat against an opponent that could think and act.
No matter how convincing it might have been, an illusion remained an illusion.
But, for the likes of training, it would suffice for beginners.
Which left him rather bewildered when he saw a figure he would not have caught playing with such dolls. His arms remained by his side as he watched them.
They did not even glance in his general direction, he would have said they were purposefully ignoring him if he knew for a fact that their senses had not diminished. Even as he stood and stared at this shambling husk of what had once been the heir of sunlight itself, he was under no illusions about Faraam and their power.
Which was why it was all the more strickening to him that he saw them in this pitiful state, their strikes were lethargic and pitiful, their eyes were distant and hazed over until something struck their body and they reacted.
That was what he had watched for several minutes now, just them reacting to a fight rather than actually participating in it.
A mocking display, but one at the firstborn himself, not at the state of these training rooms.
The hiss of the door opening from behind inclined his head, a conversation halted rather abruptly and he heard the clanking of armour, the sharp intake of breath that then followed.
Turning about, he stared down at the unmistakable form of Sanura, her head bowed to him and dropped onto one knee.
So, she was here as well then? At least he could be sure of one competent individual around he could rely upon in dire times. It put him at moderate ease, though he did not recognise the others who accompanied her, three other humans and despite having the vaguest sense of seeing them before, he could not place it.
He must have overlooked them.
"King Flann. I had no idea you had arrived." Sanura's words drew him back to the knight. "Forgive my impudence, had I known of your summoning I would have taken up the role of escorting you around Chaldea myself."
With a grunt and a flick of the hand, he gestured for her to rise.
"I have little need of your apologies, Ser Sanura. Even if I had known of your presence, I would not have called upon you for such a trivial duty as that."
His gaze drifted from the lion knight, then to the other humans and his eyes narrowed slightly at the tallest of the quartet.
A face carved into reflective steel with a hat of jagged thorns stared right back at him, only inclining their head in a thin show of respect that one would have expected to be shown to a passing official, but nothing more than the basic requirement of the time.
His focus shifted to the one on the rightmost, their bow was far more respectful to him. A knight with fluffy blonde hair and a look that was remarkably similar to the one he had met elsewhere, especially with her eye colour, but that was neither here nor there. It was curious that the woman reminded him somewhat of a hound with her demeanour.
The final of the group was where things turned odd.
Especially as he glanced at the weapon she awkwardly held in a grip that made it clear she was still coming to terms with the weapon.
"Where did you get that spear?"
"Ah, Sir Arkon had it made for me." The white haired human chirped back at him with a polite smile. "And I'd much rather introduce myself first, it's the best way to make a good impression, after all."
With a curtsey, the woman bowed her head.
"Marie Antoniette, Queen of France."
He frowned.
"What manner of Queen would bow so readily?" He muttered under his breath, but did not allow his eyes to linger long enough for a reaction as he turned his head away from the group and towards the direction of Faraam once more.
They did not even seem to notice the sudden appearance of the group.
"He's still doing that?"
The utterance from one of them was like a hammer to the head, it further deepened his frown at the state that was happening around here. His jaw clenched, rolling from side to side as he shook his head, moving away from the unsightly display and through the door once more, back into the hallways.
Clearly, there was something the matter with this place that the firstborn could become like that.
Returning to the cafeteria, his senses were immediately assaulted by the familiar sensations once more. His eyes snapped out in the direction of one in particular, it had been many cycles since they last spoke and even that previous summoning, they had barely looked one another in the eye.
He'd been more than a little surprised that she even came close to Caffrey in the first place, given that they spoke highly of their daughter's independence in the past. It had struck something deep within him, but he knew there was little chance of him escaping an encounter with her at this point in time.
The only thing left for him to do was face it head on and…
He gave a slow and deliberate blink as he finally noticed where exactly he was looking.
Flann squinted to the distance, then blinked again.
Next he rubbed his eyes, yet the sight remained the same.
Sequestered in the corner of the room, cowering behind a potted plant, was the unmistakable form of Gwynevere. Her head ducked low and with a bowl of some frozen desert sitting on the table in front of her, the only company she seemed to have was the adjutant from earlier.
Yet that looked more as though the adjutant had gone out of their way to meet with Gwynevere, as opposed to the other way around.
Compounded by the fact that his fellow divine was being given a wide berth in terms of seating arrangements.
Flann rubbed at his eyes once again, a sound of laughter spilled from across the room and he felt the shock drop on his shoulders all over again.
This time, bewildering as it was to comprehend, he found himself staring at Gwyndolin.
Though it took him more than a few seconds to actually comprehend that it was the God of the Moon in question, their helm removed and their feminine features exposed to the world as though they now took pride in them, even their deformity was rearing its many heads above the table they were seated upon.
Flann's lips parted as he watched the sight, unable to form a single thought for more than a split second.
They were sitting with the human boy from earlier, the both of them joined by the teal haired crossbreed who wore a tiny smile of her own-
"Excuse me."
Flann jerked for a moment, his reverie broken and his eyes snapping to the front and then right down to the eyes of the speaker, a brow raised at the girl with bright pink hair and the aura of a dragon about her as well, another crossbreed and this time flanked by the abyssal abomination he had met in that snowy field, though for whatever reason, they were smiling like an imbecile.
"Ah, wait, are you another fan of mine?"
He blinked at the words, turning down to the crossbreed in the black and white dress, he opened his mouth to speak but barely got out a single word before she was blundering on through with her incorrect assumptions.
"Of course, you came all the way here to see me, right? Ah, this must be fate!" The crossbreed outright cackled to herself, all while vibrating as though they were going to explode at any moment. "My big break has come at last, don't worry, for my adoring fans I will be sure to get you the best seats in the house for my concert."
She brushed past him, all while calling back "Just wait until you get the ticket, my little piglet!"
Flann stared straight ahead, he'd kept his eyes focused on the armoured Servant as they walked past him.
"I've never heard music before, but I'm a bit curious about it. Are you coming or not?"
He gave them a long and dry stare.
The blonde Servant shrugged his shoulders, completely missing the weight of the look Flann was aiming at them, and then continued on their way as though nothing had happened in the least.
Flann maintained an unblinking gaze into the distance.
He sniffed once.
"Request: adjust location at least one metre to the east or west."
The voice echoed behind him, toneless and sounding as though it was spoken from behind an echo. He moved purely on instinct, keeping himself in a moderate daze as a person in white armour, as tall as he, marched past him and into the chamber, but not before pausing and giving a grinding sound which accompanied their grateful nod of the head.
Their footfalls produced an echoing thud which none in the room reacted to in the least.
Flann's feet carried him forwards, it was as though he was walking through water, such was the extent of his lack of focus as he placed himself down at the counter of what he assumed was some manner of establishment similar to the taverns of old, it had actually been many years since he had ever stepped foot in something like that.
Not since he had taken the role of King, now that he thought of it.
Adjusting himself, he rested his arms on the metal before him, pausing for only a moment as he cast his eyes downwards. Pulling a finger across the surface and flicking it around, examining it for a trace of dust and debris.
"I assure you, us mere mortals care just as much about hygiene as even the Gods."
His eyes moved to the direction of the speaker, a man with tanned skin and white hair. Not like the acolyte of Izalith, this one was slightly taller and his greying eyes were harder, they carried a weight within them that came only from battles. A warrior, then.
A warrior who tended a food establishment.
"I have little doubt that humans care for their health, such a thing would be natural of any mere beast with sense." He responded back to the sharp words quickly, ignoring the mocking tone they had held as he shifted his focus back to his fingers.
"Merely that any God with an ounce of self-respect would settle for nothing less than perfection when it came to their eating conditions."
The man raised a brow at him, then provided a single grunt as he folded his arms. A touch of confidence in his expression as they stepped closer to Flann until they were opposite, separated only by the counter between the two of them.
"And yet, the other Gods who have graced this place find the decorum to be rather adequate for their elevated standards."
They came dangerously close to being insulting, not quite crossing over the line, but their tone was just enough to earn them narrowed eyes. "Not that it is something I expect you to understand, but I would still place greater value on my own opinions rather than subject myself to the experiences of another and let that guide my hand."
The man didn't so much as blink at him, then offered a grunt which sounded neither like affirmation not condemnation. Instead, they carried on. "Well then? What has your opinion formed in regards to this humble little place? I regret to say that it is the best we can offer and I am certain that your own experiences would make this small cafeteria look like nothing more than a common street tavern."
False lamentations delivered with a hidden smirk.
Quite the vexing human he was dealing with here.
"For the time being, you have passed my minimum standards." The words came out begrudgingly, but were followed by a snap of the fingers that shifted into a point and a lower tone. "A barely passing mark indeed, but passing all the same…Though I would strongly urge you to take that under advisement when it comes to making future improvements."
All that did was cause the tanned man to let out an amused scoff. "Is that so? I suppose I will offer you my most sincere thanks for blessing me with this shower of praise. Perhaps my luck has turned for the rest of the day."
Flann's expression hardened.
"Do not stomp upon my patience and think it is infinite, human."
In turn, the face of the man shifted and lost any and all evidence of mirth that had been around beforehand. "Oh, I am under no illusions about what the patience of the Gods is like…So then, are you planning on requesting something or are you going to sit and stare at the other patrons?"
Exhaling, he straightened himself out. "...What manner of drink have my fellow divines taken from this place?"
Keeping themselves silent, the man hummed only for a moment before they turned away. "I have something in mind for you, in that case. I won't be long."
The tanned man departed with neither an elaboration or a glance,he simply turned around and walked off.
Flann frowned at them before he rolled his eyes, turning them to the table and keeping his expression blank. The laughter of Gwyndolin echoed through his ears once more, their utter sound of life was completely alien to his senses. A noise he had never once heard from the God before, yet now it happened repeatedly.
He turned his head and stared at it once more.
Yes, it was still Gwyndolin.
More steps like rumbling tremors, Flann turned his head and blinked twice as he stared at the next impossibility come striding through the doors as though they owned the place.
Havel marched in without an ounce of trepidation or irritation.
Flann had to remind himself that this was the same man who despised sorcerers with a passion and now he was walking around in a citadel full of sorcerers and was contracted to a sorcerer. This world felt as though it had been turned upside down with him being the only one to remain right way up.
Gwynevere was dumped in a corner with only charity as her company.
Gwyndolin was the centre of attention, laughing and joking like they were perfectly ordinary.
Faraam looked like a dreary mess.
And now Havel was mingling with magic casters.
Not to mention the crossbreeds that he had seen running around and full of life, surely Havel must have been aware of them and yet they were still breathing. Clearly there was something strange afoot, even if he said so earlier, this had only compounded it further into his skull.
"Hey."
He jerked, turning his head to the direction of the speaker and then furrowing his brows.
A glance past them revealed that they had indeed moved off from their previous company and over to him, Flann's gaze lingered in that direction and he met the eyes of Gwyndolin. The Prince stared at him impassively for seconds that stretched onwards, then they broke his sight as though there was nothing worth looking at.
…The casual dismissal stung, if only slightly.
He was not coming here expecting to be well liked by the moon god, it was hardly as though they had a clean history between the two of them. He had his own problems with them as well, not least of all their stubborn nature to cling to the old city when it was clearly a ruin in all but name.
Flann brought his gaze back to the human, then frowned lightly upon them as he soon turned his eyes from them and back to the kitchens.
"Many would consider it a great insult for you to part with their company upon taking sight of another."
He felt their surprise, yet did not allow them a second to respond.
"And I do not recall granting you permission to approach me as casually as you have just done…Though this day is one for strange tidings, speak your piece quickly and then begone."
He heard a short intake of breath, then a creak of a weight upon metal.
His eyes shot to the left as the human brazenly took a seat next to him, resting their arms on the counter and smiling to themselves.
Flann felt himself be left at something of a loss as he stared at their bold behaviour for a moment, more so when they leaned forwards and then called out into the kitchen. "Hey, Siegward? Could I get some of that special coffee, please."
"Certainly, Ritsuka!"
…There was an undead making food.
It just kept compounding.
Such was the growing headache that he barely even registered the approaching Servant until the sound of ceramic on the counter drew his eyes to them, staring at the much with a white foam at the top, a protrusion of something that looked like a piece of park and yet carried the smell of chocolate.
He wordlessly looked up to the tanned man and made eye contact with them, neither one of them making an effort to blink.
"Oh, hot chocolate? I guess that makes sense. Those are Caffrey's favourite as well."
The comment from the human was all the explanation he needed.
This was the drink that his daughter considered her favourite…he supposed he could try it.
With the mug in his hands, he brought it to his lips and took a gentle sip from it, allowing the warmth to trickle down his throat before he lowered it. A rich flavour, but gentle and comforting. It was one that he imagined that his daughter would have found most pleasing, he could understand with only that one sip why she would frequently demand tribute with this beverage.
…But he really disliked the smug look in the eyes of the Servant in front of him.
They said nothing, but they did not need to, their eyes screamed mirth as they silently turned away from him and walked away. Not even bothering to stick around to see if he had praise or complaint for it, they were so confident in their own work and…it was not without cause, unfortunately.
"I hope you are less disrespectful with the other clientele."
The tanned man stopped walking at his words, then shot back a second later. "No, they don't subtly accuse me of being a slob."
And then walked off once more.
…That attitude was brought about over a simple inspection for dust?
Hmph.
"So…How are things going for you at the moment, Lord Flann?"
He opened his mouth to reply to the question posed by the human, then paused for a moment and frowned, turning his head to them and furrowing his brows slightly. There was a note of respect in their voice which had been missed earlier.
No, more importantly…
"Lord Flann?" Parroting the words back earned a brief flicker of surprise and apprehension from the human, who winced and drummed his hands on the table for a few seconds, clearly debating how to reply before he did so.
"Sorry, it's just that interacting with royalty is something that I'm not accustomed to. Not like the others are and it hasn't been something with the other royals around here for a while that I just…forgot." The boy leaned forwards, looking a touch despondent as they spoke.
Flann was very much trying to imagine how one could just forget how they were supposed to be respectful to royalty.
"Which, I realised, would be quite disrespectful for you because I acted overly familiar. So I wanted to apologise to you for my behaviour earlier, it probably came off as a little…forwards, I assume."
He kept silent for a moment, then slowly nodded his head up and down. "It was brazen, much more so than you were inclined for. Even if you did call me forth, I made the choice to arrive…and the matter of your wife as well, I have-"
A pause as the boy made a small strangled noise. "Yeah, that is…she's…she sees me as her husband."
"...Do you mean to tell me that you've been…" He searched for the right words for a few moments, then settled on those that were the least aggressive. "...coerced into a marriage purely because you were the most suitable candidate, as opposed to any actual affection?"
The boy brought his hands up and rubbed at his face. "No, it's not really something like that but…she's a Berserker and she just sees me as her husband because I am her Master. It's like the two are one in the same so…yeah."
That sounded like insanity.
"She means well though. Just in case she gave you the wrong impression earlier." The boy made apologies once more, this time on behalf of the crossbreed. "Kiyohime just gets very passionate and can't really hold herself back when she's in that mood-"
Holding up a hand, he silenced them.
"Those who cannot speak for themselves, do not deserve to have others speak on their behalf. If she cannot come to me for her own apologies, then you have no reason to offer them in her place."
The boy paused for a moment, then looked away, clearly troubled by his words.
…They really were nothing more than a young boy, weren't they?
It was difficult at times, the lordkin who remained had aged so slowly that his summoner could have been seventy and still looked this age. But a human was so very different, their age varied wildly depending on the strength of their souls, but that was neither here nor there.
"If you have come to explain yourself, then you have done so. Your apology has been noted and I accept it, though I will remind you not to make such blunders in the future, to me or any other monarch who does not grant you explicit permission beforehand."
"Right…Gwynevere said something similar."
His features hardened.
"...She would do."
"...Were you able to meet with Sanura yet, Lord Flann?"
"Ser Sanura." He correctly patiently, then nodded his head. "And yes, I did. How have they acquitted themselves thus far?"
"Oh, she's been great. We helped each other out in the past and it's…I could rely on her."
He felt a twinge of pride at the remark, it was expected.
"The most staunchly determined in her duty. Though certainly no equal to the original Ser Ornstein, Ser Sanura represented the will of Heide well during her tenure as guardian of the cathedral."
The boy gave a single nod, a smile on their face. "I figured that was the case, she's definitely got a strong sense of chivalry." another pause, they shuffled as they leaned closer. "...What was Heide like, by the way? If it isn't too much trouble asking."
Flann paused.
"...Why do you ask?"
"It's just that I haven't gotten the chance to ask about it yet and it occurred to me just now." They explained with a shake of the head, dropping their hands onto their lap. "It does seem a bit rude to expect you to learn all this stuff about my world while I know next to nothing about yours. We're working on an encyclopaedia on it but…well…I'd still like to hear of it."
Flann rolled his lips, nodding his head up and down.
"But if it seems like too much trouble-"
"Any King should leap at the chance to boast openly of their Kingdom, unless they have one without any achievements to its name or without value." He turned himself to face the boy, looking down into their eyes and raising his left arm, pointing a single finger up. "You wish to learn of Heide? Then heed my words well, boy. Commit them to memory."
He could take the chance to boast of his kingdom, even if he barely felt it.
Still, if this manner of human could take the opportunity to learn of his kingdom while demanding his help, then perhaps there was something worthwhile about them.
At the very least, they were not a complete waste.
…Their taking care of Caffrey earned them some small courtesies.
Flann, The Flame God
Servant: Caster
Size: 200cm
Strength: B+
Endurance: B+
Agility: B+
Mana: A
Luck: C
Noble Phantasm: B
Essence of Fire: B (Anti-Unit) Max Target: 1, Max Range: 0
An authority over fire, he can draw in flames to himself to empower his own being.
An addition to this is a minor modification to his Saint Graph to increase his size as his power grows.
Storm of Flame - The Fire the Burns the Eternal Tree: B (Anti-Army) Max Target: 300, Max Range: 0-30
The fire storms that burned the Arch Trees, although this is a mere copy of what the Izalith witches were capable of. Exuding large amounts of flame from his body, Flann can create an explosion that would be powerful enough to destroy a small fortress as a result, although it isn't exactly something that can be used with allies around. It is an explosion that originates from him, rather than is projected by him.
Class Skills
Divine Core of a Flame God: EX
Magic Resistance: C
Territory Creation: B
Saint Graph Expansion: E
Works in tandem with his first NP to increase his own size.
Personal Skills:
Dragon Slayer: B
Participant of the Dragon Wars.
God of Flame: A
He has great control over flames, or at least he can generate them with great power.
In truth, his flames are no more than large displays of raw power and nothing else.
As he never had a need for more power than skill.
Charisma: C
True to his legend, he served as King of the Gods in the immediate aftermath of Gwyn's death, though there is little that can be said about him beyond that. He can turn the heads of a room, but it was always Gwynevere who held the true power in the kingdom.
Miracles: D
Despite being a God, he has better authority over fire than the divine lightning of Gwyn.
Blessing of the Flame God: B
Can be utilised to grant the boosts attributed by buffing pyromancies to a much greater extent. Granting a '+' stat to a target's Endurance or Strength.
Summoning
"So you are the human who thinks to call upon my aid? Hmph…you appear rather feeble for one so brazen. Though there might be time to prove yourself worthy of this offer."
Dialogue 1
"Do I dare catch you remaining idle? Such slovenly behaviour is unfitting to one who walks at my side. Find yourself a duty and see to it."
Dialogue 2
"Master and Servant? No. Do not joke about such matters again."
Dialogue 3 (If you have draconic Servants)
"This sensation…I see. So the ancient enemies of the Gods walk these halls as well? Fine, if they can prove their worth, I can extend mercy and allow their transgressions to go unpunished. Though I expect results from them."
Dialogue 4 (If you have Gwynevere)
"My old wife. That is all there is to it."
Dialogue 5 [Bond level 5] (If you have Gwynevere)
"...I know I was just the closest one to her at the time. But I do believe that, for a time, she did love me and I did love her. Though, like any sun, you cannot hold it in your palm forever and she eventually burned me. Still…I do not regret our time together, nor the rewards it brought into the world."
Dialogue 6 (If you have Nahr Alma)
"My first son, born to be the God of War. Though you are but a God of Cruelty now, are you not? I know not where I failed you, where down this line I missed the signs…but your actions are my responsibility."
Dialogue 7 (If you have Hanleth)
"...Hanleth, please. The state of you is rather unpresentable, make efforts to show yourself before the mortals in a manner that is less disgusting…I know this is how you are most happy, but it is beneath you. You can be blissful and hygienic at the same time."
Dialogue 8 (If you have Caffrey)
"My daughter. You present yourself as the Goddess I know you to be, perfect and regal…but remember, you are still my daughter above all else. Thus…you may use the privileges as those exist."
Dialogue 9 (If you have Faraam)
"His betrayal started it all. A sinner first and foremost, trust not with one with your life. They will lose it within the same breath."
Dialogue 10 (If you have Gwyndolin)
"...There are times where I pondered whether I should have forced the issue through or not. But that is neither here nor there now, the past is the past and cannot be changed. We can only live with the choices we made at the time."
Dialogue 11 (If you have King Servants)
"Hm? Ah, the presence of fellow monarchs. Excellent, excellent. To be met with distinguished company, regardless of the end of the rule."
Dialogue 12 (If you have Boudica)
"...No parent should ever outlive their own child, nor should they be brought back to know of the fate that befell them. You have my utmost condolences for your loss."
Likes
"Do not ask me what I like, it should be clear that the King likes whatever he likes at the moment he chooses."
Likes [Bond Level 5]
"That you need to ask is foolish, it is clearly my children."
Hates
"Those who are unfit for power, do not deserve to bask in it. They were those who created the greatest strife in the land."
Wish for the Holy Grail
"A wish? I would restore the land of Heide to its former glory, to make my Kingdom whole upon the land once more."
Bond Level 1
"You conduct yourself well, subject. Continue this display and you will earn a greater position."
Bond Level 2
"Your devotion and diligence is acknowledged, I believe you are ready to be granted the role of my secretary. That is the modern equivalent, as I understand it."
Bond Level 3
"Were we in my Kingdom, you can be rest assured that this would have earned you a generous reward. Your behaviour is an inspiration to all, do not let it slip now. You are a symbol for how one should conduct themselves."
Bond Level 4
"...I'm curious why you do this? I have no lands, no true power, nothing and yet you continue to walk in step with me as though I still held the great authorities of Heide at my fingertips, it is bemusing to say the least."
Bond Level 5
"I never told you how I became King, did I? Hardly a long tale…there was no one left. Not truly. Gwynevere needed a husband and I was the most suitable candidate for the role, so I put myself forward and that was that. But…It was never expected for us to have a King who was not of Gwyn. How could I ever compete? With neither training in speechcraft nor a talent for governance, I did only the best I could but…I truly was poorly suited for the role of King."
Birthday
"A birthday. I see. I will grant you a blessing until this day ends. Use it well."
During an Event
"Let us go forth, this King will represent his Kingdom well."
1st Ascension
"Excellent, my power increases."
2nd Ascension
"Do you sense it? The divine aura that radiates from my body. Is it not the light of a true King?"
3rd Ascension
"It should go without saying that you have done me a great service thus far, but there is still more left to be done. Do not allow yourself to lose step yet."
4th Ascension
"So this is what it feels like. Yes, without a doubt, if this me were the one who had been King at that time then…perhaps…no. It is nothing."