deadlycontractor-blog

[deadlycontractor-blog]

Mission complete.

[deadlycontractor-blog]

lunaofylisse‌::

The flash of a blade to her throat was more than enough to draw Selena back to earth. She listened silently as Beruka spoke, lips pursed.

“Mutual improvement,” she murmured, tone as though it were a foreign concept. Why would she want to waste her energy bettering someone other than herself? There was no benefit to her if Beruka gained skill!

…Lady Camilla would benefit, though. Two stronger retainers was certainly better than one. To Selena, Lady Camilla’s safety was of utmost importance. If she and Beruka improved, they could work together to keep her safe, without worrying the enemy would overpower them. Was that not important? Was she being selfish, only worrying of her own gain?

Beruka’s further words drew her attention once more.

“No, it didn’t. Maybe you should just stop having poison around!”

Beruka was surprised when Selena didn’t protest. Whether it was because Beruka had scared her or because her words sunk in remained to be seen. Either way, she thought it only fair for her not to argue in turn.

“Perhaps. It is a remnant of a life I have thrown aside.” Had she, though? Even in a duel she was still reliant on knives and tricks. To this day, she unnerved others, and others confounded her. Was the poison part of that? Everything she held onto to stay immune?

“I will give it thought.” It was a part of her duty to Camilla. She should not make any decision about it alone, or on a whim. Not that it was Selena’s decision, either. “If I do, will you leave whatever decision I make--and my belongings--be?”

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peerlessvalkyrie‌::

“You mean to say you have no monsters whatsoever?” L’Arachel finally said, frowning. “No beasts of ill portent, no necromancers intent on summoning Fell Gods, no fauna of unusual size and malicious intent, no creatures born of smoke, darkness, and magic?” 

That seemed….unusual.

“Ah, that is ill news indeed for my Quest.” L’Arachal lamented, for a moment looking defeated.

Then, after a moment of thought, she perked up. “Well, but of course there will be Dens of Vice!! I shall go there instead, and show everyone inside that Gambling is a sin of the worst order!! I will trounce them at these games of cards through my Divine Luck, and I will lead them all out into the Light by example!”

At each item on L’arachel’s list, Beruka’s eyes narrowed further. Was she bluffing, or did she truly know of such things? Beruka schooled herself to not react further.

“Monsters come in many forms,” she said vaguely. As she considered how best to test L’arachel’s knowledge, L’arachel moved on to pettier goals, and Beruka was no longer impressed.

“Nohr has few resources to gamble. If interrupting frivolity is your only aim, your time would be better spent in Nestra.”

Chase [L��arachel and Beruka]

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lunaofylisse‌::

“Ugh, I don’t want to replace you, I want to be better than you!”

Beruka just wasn’t understanding, she supposed. Lady Camilla of course needed two retainers, both capable and strong. But Selena had to prove she was the better of the two - because she was! And she deserved it to be recognized!

With a sigh, she slid her sword back into its sheath, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I guess we’re both too stubborn. But you have to admit I beat you in that match!”

After Selena sheathed her sword, Beruka waited several moments before lowering her axe. She approached with a straight face. In one fluid motion, she had a knife pointed at Selena’s throat. 

She did not keep it there, only brandished it to make her point before again concealing it. She stepped back again out of range of any similar tricks.

“I have to admit no such thing. You sheathed your blade. Were this a real fight, you might be dead, despite your ability.” Selena was capable, yes, but if she kept worrying about her position, Beruka was concerned about what could happen to her.

“If we both maintain our position, there is no need for a superior. Our efforts are better spent on mutual improvement.” She grimaced slightly as she remembered the stakes that had drawn her to accept this silly match.

“Tricks aside, I called the match when you did. I suppose this does nothing to settle our wager.”

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lunaofylisse‌:

“We are not!”

Despite her words, Selena took a step back, sword lowering slightly. She was beginning to recognize her opponent was just as skilled as her - she couldn’t maintain her lead of sheer energy forever, and Beruka’s slight disadvantage would be over.

Still ready to deflect a blow but not actively on the attack, Selena gave herself a moment to wipe the sweat from her brow, frowning at her coworker.

“Just admit it, I’m the better retainer! Lady Camilla dotes on me, and I’m obviously the strongest.”

It didn’t seem worth pointing out the way Camilla doted on her. It wasn’t relevant. Still, the thought threw her off just enough, staying the instinct to chase after an opponent with her guard down. Instead she took the time to step back again, maneuvering so that if Selena went on another offensive Beruka wouldn’t be so easily boxed into a corner.

“Why does one of us need to be better? Lady Camilla requires a team of retainers. Neither of us can replace the other.”

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peerlessvalkyrie‌::

“Yes that’s quite the point,” L’Arachel graciously explained. “I must go about, defeating Evils, casting devils aside and Banishing them from this realm. It is so dark here, much like the deep forest of my home, so there must be an equal force of Dark Fiends here to pit myself against.

“From there comes the recognition. Soon all will know that L’Arachel, Peerless Princess of Divine Grace has come to defend them from Villainous Villains!”

Oh, it was just such a wonderful opportunity. How could she pass it up? She clasped her hands to her chest, and sighed. Oh it would just be so wonderful to earn her title through glorious deeds, all over again.

“How do you intend to identify this evil? In this city, you will mostly find people trying to survive. At any cost.” She shakes her head slightly in lieu of gesturing to the area around them. “Humans are alike wherever you go. But Nohr’s darkness... You will not be able to banish it. You clearly have no idea what you’re dealing with.”

Chase [L’arachel and Beruka]

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lunaofylisse‌:

“Ugh, lose already!”

She hadn’t expected an easy battle from Beruka - her coworker was extremely talented. But Selena had absolutely no intention of losing. Proving her worth against her fellow retainer, to herself and to Lady Camilla, was important. She knew she was the superior soldier. And maybe her arms were burning, and maybe her hair was sticking to the sweat on her face (ew), but she would persist until she won. It wasn’t optional!

With a hard blow, she swung her sword out, hoping to catch Beruka off balance with the weight behind it. Once she stumbled, it wouldn’t be hard to knock her off her feet. If she fell to the ground, it was over - Selena would have her beat.

Beruka’s defensive stance paid off when Selena continued the onslaught with the expected strength and speed. She caught the blow and dug in until the last moment, when she shifted backward. But it wasn’t enough to keep away from Selena, and she had no time to swing her bulkier weapon. If this continued, she would get stuck in a corner eventually.

She gritted her teeth. “How is it that we are evenly matched?”

[deadlycontractor-blog]

0-cherry-berry-0‌:

It was different than taking off on a Pegasus. The rise was much more rough than the gentle movements of the prior. Sakura felt as if her body was being thrown into the air for a second. Wyverns didn’t seem to be gentle, but she knew Beruka was trying her best to be smooth. Below them was just a sky view of the massacre. Seeing it from this view didn’t make what happen more any better. People still died for selfish gain. Not that it mattered now. Her own eyes couldn’t pick up any living foe; not like that mattered either.

Riding in the sky would be different than riding behind a horse pulling supplies, that’s for sure. Her arms tightened. Sakura thinks she might fall off.

Beruka wasn’t used to feeling somebody behind her in the saddle, let alone someone gripping tight. Touch usually put her in fight mode, but she tried not to let it shake her. At least it meant she knew Sakura hadn’t fallen. She could focus her gaze on navigating. The battlefield looked little different than countless others she’d left; it had been odd to see from the air the first time she did, the waste so distance and small rather than immediate and primal, but by now it was routine.

The forest disappeared behind them, leaving a stretch of dry and empty ground. Nohr’s dark skies were clear, the weather fair, with no other fliers. That was a good sign. She was avoiding the regular routes of guards so that nobody would see the princess until she could report to the castle.

She owed Sakura some sort of report, too, she felt, though she couldn’t articulate what. “No problems to report so far,” she finally called back. 

Banquet  [ Sakura & Beruka]

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peerlessvalkyrie::

“Well I’m certain you’re doing wonderfully anyway,” L’Arachel declares. Beruka’s rebuttle means nothing to her, she’s absolutely convinced of her correctness. She hums a bit, because Beruka sure does seem cautious. She can respect caution, but she’s always been rather bad at it.

Too boring, and too many monsters out there for her to challenge, defeat, and then purify with her Righteousness.

“Why would I need anything like that? Everyone should know me by my radiance and if they don’t then I have the Glorious Opportunity to earn my Glorious, Peerless Title through Sheer Merit!!” 

And then she beamed at Beruka, clearly proud of herself for explaining it so neatly.

Beruka decided to drop that line of argument in favor of focusing on the pressing issue of L’arachel’s identity. By now, she was fairly certain that no princess would travel in this manner. The question was why she was making the claim.

“Nobody in Nohr knows you.” If they did, Beruka would have heard of her. She had no clue why L’arachel was smiling so widely at her lack of proof. “How do you propose to earn your title?”

Chase [L’arachel and Beruka]

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lunaofylisse::

Selena bit back the urge to remind Beruka that she wasn’t an assassin anymore. Her attention was much more drawn to the axe swinging in her direction. However, she’d watched Beruka in battle - she knew the other retainer was likely to start hot at first and back off if she needed to. Though she wasn’t surprised at Beruka’s skill, she was irritated; it seemed her victory was going to be much harder won than she anticipated. It was of little import in the end. No matter how well Beruka fought, Selena was the better retainer and better at battle. She’d win this sparring match (there was no way she could lose!) and prove to Lady Camilla how worthy she was.

As Beruka drew back, Selena watched, though her blade took no such rest. A direct slash toward Beruka’s chest - a hard move to back away from, but one easy to stop should Selena need to. She had no desire to actually harm her friend, after all.

It was no surprise that Selena gave her no room to rest. The bench did not protect her from Selena’s onslaught, but it provided enough room to swing her axe up to deflect Selena’s blade. The impact was rougher than Beruka expected, and she grit her teeth as her ears rung. She managed to shove Selena’s blade aside. Any opening it created was not enough to take advantage of with such a bulky weapon. She took a step back, preparing to defend herself again. 

[deadlycontractor-blog]

peerlessvalkyrie:

“Of course, and you’re doing a wonderful job, I’m sure.” L’Arachel agreed eagerly. Oh, how fabulous to be met with such a passionate person. 

“I have no proof of my religious creed, but I need none! I am the Peerless Princess of the theocracy of Rausten, and I am the heir to all the scriptures and holy texts within my kingdom’s borders.” She waved her hand. “All the proof I have is carried in my very soul, and the rest is all-” and she gestured wildlly, as if to wave away the very thought of physical proof.

“It’s not as though I carry around the divine tomes to prove my own identity.” She scoffed, glad that Beruka was so comically inclined. “That would be ridiculous, not to mention a fair bit of sacrilege.” 

Beruka regarded L’arachel suspiciously. “You have no basis by which to judge my performance.”

Stakeouts had taught her endless patience, but she was beginning to nurse a headache. “You expect me to believe a princess and priestess would carry no proof of identity? No seal? No crest?” It was possible for someone in that position to travel incognito, but then they would not announce their identity to someone they met in an alley.

Chase [L’arachel and Beruka]

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lunaofylisse:

“Wuh- hey!”

Selena scrambled backwards out of the way as Beruka swung the axe. Quickly she drew her sword, holding it in front of her chest protectively.

“No fair, you didn’t give me any warning!”

Despire the horribly unjust beginning, Selena easily fell into the rhythm of a spar, deflecting swings that came her way and countering with strikes of her own. It became obvious that Beruka was no easy win - but she had no intention of losing the match.

“Getting tired yet? ‘Cause I’m not!”

“Assassins give no warning.” Nor did they speak while they worked. She ignored Selena’s question as she dodged Selena’s attacks, easing up on a pure offense in favor of watching her for weak points. It took all of her concentration to do so without being compromised herself. Of course Selena would never have become one of Camilla’s top retainers were she not skilled. It had been a boon to Beruka on the battlefield many times. Now it was only an obstacle.

When it was apparent neither of them were gaining an edge, Beruka jumped backward over the bench she had been sitting on to put a little space between them. She breathed heavily as she took the second to study Selena, her axe in a defensive position.

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peerlessvalkyrie::

“OH!” L’Arachel gasped, excitement dawning in her heart where only frustration had been. “Of course, of course! You have been sent by the gods to assist me!!” Oh, she had nearly been foolish enough to think Beruka was merely a hiccup in her path. A nonbeliever was often just as helpful as a believer, just look at Rennac and Dozla! They had been her hands for so long, oh, she had nearly forgotten the feeling of Fate slotting into place.

“Of course I shan’t harm your leige,” L’Arachel continued, rolling right over any opportunity for Beruka to deny her first claim. She paused, and then steam rolled right over the silence that had fallen even for an instant, “Unless your liege is undead. Or a monster that serves a greater evil, but I have yet to meet anyone so unfortunate since that deplorable affair with Prince Grado.

“But possession is rarer than you’d think, so I have full faith that there’s no such Evil in this nation.”

“I don’t know how you came to such a hare-brained conclusion. As I said, I have been sent by my liege to...” Beruka faltered a moment, remembering that she was off duty. Well, no longer. “...to keep Nohr safe. Especially from outsiders.”

Beruka’s eyes narrowed further. “I said provide proof. Your promise means little, and your words only cast further suspicion upon you.” A loon was one kind of threat, but for L’arachel to speak so casually of possession and the undead--how much did she know? “Lady Camilla is none of what you have described. But evil lurks in every nation.”

Chase [L’arachel and Beruka]

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lunaofylisse:

“So you’re, like, poisoning yourself to get immune? You can’t just do that! Gawds!”

Selena crossed her arms and fixed Beruka with a sharp glare, hoping her fellow retainer could feel it. As much as she longed to be superior, she saw Beruka as a friend. The last thing she wanted was for someone she cared about to accidentally hurt themselves while poisoning themselves on purpose…

It hurt her head to think about too much.

“New deal, then. I win, you get rid of those stupid poisons. I mean it! Totally gone!”

She uncrossed her arms for long enough to fully gesticulate how Beruka would dispose of them.

“I lose, I’ll ignore it or whatever. For now, as long as no one gets hurt.”

It wouldn’t do for something to happen and Lady Camilla think them both irresponsible. It really wouldn’t do for one of the children to find them and drink some.

“Why can’t I? It is a standard practice. It is much better to suffer the effects on one’s own terms than to succumb entirely to an enemy.”

Granted, Beruka’s line of work no longer brought her into contact with as many poisons as a matter of course, but long ago Camilla had ordered her to live. She would not allow herself to be caught off guard by any assassin that targeted Camilla or herself.

“My only reward for winning is that you stop tampering with my belongings?” An incentive, yes, but only Selena would think that was an even bargain.

Well, Beruka had never dealt with fairness. And she could at least trust Selena to honor her side of the arrangement. All she had to do was win.

“Deal.”

Without further notice, she dropped her supplies and stood, swinging her axe in a wide arc. 

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lunaofylisse:

“Hey, don’t give me that look!” Selena snapped, crossing her arms and finally plopping down to sit beside Beruka.

“I was worried you were gonna hurt someone or something! Why do you keep so much poison if you’re not taking contracts anymore? Huh?”

It was perfectly reasonable in her mind - Beruka had something dangerous without a good reason, and so Selena had made it safe. Their liege hadn’t issued any orders to poison anyone, and Beruka’s life as a street assassin was over. If that poison was going to use, it would be on someone in the army. That could not happen.

As much as she trusted Beruka, she didn’t want those used on anyone. And with the children some members of the army had, keeping them wasn’t safe.

“Why do you try to be the best at all things, even if they have no bearing on your duty?”

She closed her eyes. It was not really an answer, but Selena’s question had caught her off guard. She wasn’t taking contracts, wasn’t supposed to hurt people anymore, but some habits never broke. It wouldn’t do to have Selena thinking her a potential traitor, or continuing to sabotage her supplies.

“I gained immunity to all manner of poisons when I was a child. But I was only exposed to poisons from Nohr and occasionally its neighbors. You’ve seen the gates to other worlds--sometimes I learn of new poisons. So I collect them.”

She opened her eyes and resumed cleaning her weapon. “It is best to be prepared.”

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lunaofylisse:

Selena sighed loudly before running a hand through each pigtail and trying again.

“Fine. If you win, I will actually stop watering down the weird poisons you keep in the armory tent.”

…Thinking harder, she realized Beruka probably hadn’t known that was her. Unfortunate that she’d outed herself, but whatever. It was concerning just how potent those things were - why did Beruka even need them? She never took contracts anymore!

“Ugh, just agree already! This is so frustrating!”

She had just wanted to spar. When had it gotten so complicated?

After barely looking at Selena since her entrance, Beruka looked up sharply. “You are the one doing that? I thought it was an enemy trying to sabotage me.”

This could be a reason to fight, finally, but she did not acknowledge that yet. She was more concerned with the revelation. “Explain yourself. What reason do you have to tamper with my supplies?”

She trusted Selena as much as she trusted anyone, besides Camilla, but a dozen worst case scenarios were already playing through her head.

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peerlessvalkyrie::

Her location….

“Well! I am here, clearly!!” She frowned at Beruka, wondering where this line of questioning was going. “Looking for evils to vanquish, monsters and unholy beings, the sorts of creatures divine and holy light would prevail over!” And well…maybe just one card game. 

“Latona is a holy icon! Her power is that of cleansing and healing, and it is through her sainted Sacred Twins that her power takes physical form.” With stars in her eyes, L’Arachel turned an equally firm but gentle gaze at Beruka.

“As the heir to her legacy I too am bound to walk the worlds and smite evils with holy light, just as I am to lead and heal!” 

“You truly have no idea where you are.” How on earth had she managed to enter Nohr’s underbelly by accident? At this point, she had confirmed herself as too much of a danger for Beruka to let her slip away without investigation.

“I am in the service of Nohr’s royal family. It is our duty to protect this land, not yours, and certainly not your Latona’s.”

She drew herself up to her full height, admittedly to little effect. Her scowl deepened. “Prove to me you will not bring harm to my liege.”

Chase [L’arachel and Beruka]