#chosenoneofdusk

[taguelbunnyboy]

[ Sweet Bun Trio ] - A selection of traditional Faerghus pastries, all small enough to be eaten in one delicious bite! The first bun is filled with sweet cream and topped with icing and a candied cherry. The second is a sweet roll filled with almonds, pecans, and dried cranberries and glazed with honey. The third is a bun sliced in half, filled with almond paste and whipped cream, dusted with powdered sugar on top.

Taking a plate of local delicacies, Ophelia makes her way through the crowd, looking for a soul who will share with her. Finding one who looks like the wolfskin or kitsune of her own home continent, she proffers the sweets.

"Would one care to join a heroine in the breaking of bread? A feast of celebration should ne'er be enjoyed alone!" Perhaps she would find herself another student who could tell her of the school and the ones within it. Perhaps even, there were fellow chosen ones much like herself and her father.

"Oh?"

Blonde hair hits his eyes first, then a voice and attitude that follows... and in a blink, Yarne's back to cowering in the fields of war, Risen rising around him. Owain, Cynthia, two of his colleagues, his comrades, his family. It was like the two's personalities mixed - but clearly, more Owain than Cynthia, the heroine talk conflated the two for him.

"I-yeah, yeah, just give me a sec..."

She looked like Owain(Hair colorwise, at least), Sounded like him(ish), and certainly had his air for theatrics. She was... so familiar, yet so different.

"I-I'm sorry, but... do you know someone named Owain? No, no, wait, he goes by Odin now..."

Yarne's jumbled. She's like him. So much like him. But how... how? He didn't have any siblings(That Yarne knew of), no cousins from Emmeryn's side of the family, and Lucina got the blue genes...

"You... kinda remind me of him. We've... been through a lot."

Naga, he was making himself look like an idiot.

Yarne grabbed a tray of his own, sitting down opposite the blonde-haired enigma. What was it with him this ball and blondes causing him to get so jumbled up?

[verseandrhyme]

@chosenoneofdusk | cont

Mitama laughs, raising her arm to hide it behind her sleeve. It has been enough time that she forgot how endearing it was to hear Ophelia talk of fate as if it was not a horrid burden. "I can only imagine what machinations the fates might weave to transpire tonight to push your star even higher into the sky."

Mitama lowers her arm, humming thoughtfully to herself. She spins the glass by its stem and watches how the movement causes the drink to bubble and hiss. "My night has certainly been..." filled with things she would rather avoid. "eventful thus far. I would not say no to a little more peace."

She takes a sip of the drink and only wrinkles her nose a little when it fizzes under her nose. She takes her friend's brooch and takes a second to admire it (so that Ophelia does not assume she does not appreciate it's splendor) before tucking it away. "Well, why must you part from it so soon, then?"

Mitama hooks an arm around Ophelia's and giggles. "Fate need learn patience / for I am claiming up time / a dance, if you will? After the drinks, of course."

[fellpurpose]

A day for only the most glorious fathers is upon them, but what do you get the hero who has it all? Ophelia knows not what it is that the void calls to her until it hits her all at once. She knows exactly what it is her father would like!

Finding her notes on her latest spell, she approaches her father. "Father, I have come bearing a gift for only the most splendid father in all of the world! I have been working on this spell here that should be as if Lady Fortune herself smiled upon you! A fitting gift for a hero most grand, no? Enjoy this day to celebrate the most glorious of fathers for you are among them!" Really she just wanted to share her passion for spells and spellcraft with the one person she loved most in the world. Hopefully, he would at least enjoy a spell she hand crafted.

happy father's day 2k24 !

she is, without a shadow of doubt, the finest creation his life hath begot. for she is his daughter, the embodiment of all he cherishes, the very being for which he has waged wars since her first breath.

sweet ophelia, born to a broken man, yet with dreams soaring higher than destiny dared bestow — it is she who cast beams of light into the gloomy recesses of this mortal coil. beloved ophelia, this child whom he calls his own, the universe encapsulated. the greatest treasure known to man~!

odin's chest swells with pride. he watches admiringly, his face adorned with a bright and tender smile that knows no bounds. what a joy it is to have her by his side again — and in the silent chambers of his soul, he shall beseech the divine, that from this day onward, their souls remain intertwined, never to be sundered by the hands of fate.

"but you are mistaken, o' scion of light!" he declares grandly, embracing the performance she puts on. "for lady fortune has already smiled upon me, from the day she blessed us with you." with that, he leans forward to kiss her forehead, before settling back onto his perch. "thank you, ophelia. words fail to convey the depth of my gratitude and delight."

"NOW THEN! BEGIN, MAIDEN DUSK!" odin's eyes alight upon her tome, a spark of eager anticipation dancing within them. in a dramatic sweep, he extends his hand, fingers unfurling enthusiastically. "summon forth this sweet gift. let us witness the spell that hath sprung from the mysterious depths of thy unfettered mind, my moonlit muse!"

[mmoneystones]

[Pomegranate ] - A newcomer to the Ethereal Ball’s menu, a simple bowl of pomegranate seeds. No one in the staff is quite sure how these are supposed to be served, only that you better not spit the pits out on the floor!

A ball is a time of celebration, a time to meet other heroines much like herself in the revelries! Taking a break from the dance floor, Ophelia finds herself at the food table with a selection of delicacies that she had never seen before. One in particular caught her eye as it glittered like the gemstones she was so very fond of.

"What marvel is this?" She asks aloud, before reaching to take a bowl. She puts one into her mouth and it's sweet at first, before turning a pleasant aftertaste. "This Glimmering Gemfruit is a delight!" She had to share this with someone. Looking around, she finds one whose aura reminds her of the fruit.

Finding one such soul, she offers another bowl to her, with a brooch along the sides. "Your aura shines much like the Glittering Gemfruit or this brooch! Would you care to share this experience with me?"

Sweets. Another round of sweets is in order to recover from the successful (and...unsuccessful) attempts at ballroom dancing. Citrinne hungers for the satisfaction of sugar, though she retains her composure while strolling over to the self-serving table.

She overhears the nearby exclamations of a fellow partygoer - a light-blonde woman with a black dress drooping beside her, demanding space yet feeling welcome all the same. Citrinne seems to have caught the attention of her as well, with a bowl of fruit seeds and teardrop crystal being presented to her.

"You call these 'Glimmering Gemfruits'? Then you leave me no choice but to try!" Citrinne first picks a seed out from the bowl and pops it in her mouth. Its sweet start, followed by the filling aftertaste...oh my. This woman surely does know how to pitch attractive titles, and follow through no less!

Oh, also she feels something hard before swallowing the seed. They're fine to swallow, right?

Unable to hold back a delightful giggle, Citrinne then goes forward with the brooch exchange, loosening one of her small bells to trade with the crystal. "Your...aura shines through as well, even while wearing such a dark and exquisite dress! I would love to share this experience with you."

"I am Citrinne, proud and royal soldier of Brodia. Might I know the name of you, miss?"

[machiot]

Rather than take advantage of Dheginsea's moment of weakness, Lapis turns on Marni again. Every time they fought, the girl had this annoying habit of leaving her target for one of her allies to finish off. This Corrupted version of her seems to be no different, even though she no longer has any allies left standing.

That habit of hers is going to spell her doom.

Once more, she strikes at Marni twice in quick succession, sword clanking loudly against her armor. Every since she had nearly died, the girl's sword seemed to struggle to find its way back to the near fatal wound it had caused.

Mighty Flower 0.5/10HP recovers 1HP with Prayer Ring! Mighty Flower 1.5/10HP Mighty Flower 10/10HP critically hits and critically hits Marni 1.5/10HP with Hagakure Blade [16 - 2 = 14, 13 - 2 = 11; -5 - 6 = 0 , -5 - 6 = 0]. Marni 1.5/10HP

"Look, it's not my fault!" Marni shouts back at Dheginsea, fumbling to take out the tome she had been given. "Killing people is my thing! Not these weird staves!"

A blast of blinding light explodes from Marni's hand, divine in its brightness, knocking the other girl off her feet. It's probably the most successful she's ever been at casting; how ironic that it would be with something so holy.

Marni 1.5/10HP counterattacks with Ivaldi [Roll: 20 - 4 = 16 ; 8 - 3 = -5] Mighty Flower 0/10HP

"...See, like that!"

But just like if the girl truly had been engaged with Emblem Roy, she stands back up, hanging on to her life by a mere thread. With the desperation of a cornered animal, she launches herself back at Marni. Dragging her sword along the ground, she puts her full weight into the sword she swings at Marni.

Miracle activates! Mighty Flower 0.5/10HP Pursuit: D10; 6 + 4 = 10. Pursuit Activates! Mighty Flower 0.5/10HP critically hits and critically hits Marni 1.5/10HP with Hagakure Blade [17 - 2 = 15, 8 - 2 = 6;  -5 - 6 = 0, -5 - 6 = 0]. Marni 1.5/10HP

Not that it matters, since Marni merely stands there and lets the sword clink against her armor. It's a rush, knowing that she's nigh invincible as she stands here. Her blood might be all over the sword, but it will take no more.

The Mighty Flower leaves things for her allies to finish, but the Glory Hound has no such reservations about ending things herself.

"Die already!" Marni shouts, leveling another blast of magic at Lapis.

Marni 1.5/10HP recovers 1HP with Bond! Marni 2.5/10HP Marni 2.5/10HP barely hits Mighty Flower 0.5/10HP with Ivaldi at range [Roll: 9 - 4 = 5; -4.5] Mighty Flower 0/10HP Mighty Flower has been defeated!

The pink haired girl sinks to the ground for one final time and the remains of all four enemies scatter to the wind, leaving only the little team of misfits behind. Half bloodied, teetering on the edge of death, and half completely untouched, the four of them are the last ones standing.

Grabbing the hands of her teammates, Marni grabs the hands of her teammates, Dheginsea's hand in one hand and Andrei and Ophelia in the other. Bouncing on her heels and swinging their connected arms, Marni beams.

"We did it! I mean, we actually really did it!" Girlish joy is clear on her face, making Marni look her age. "Ha! Take that!"

The illusion begins to break and shift around them as reality finally calls them back to her sweet embrace. The soft multicolored light filtering in through the stained glass windows washes over the four of them, one last gift for their victory. When they wake up in Garreg Mach once more, there will be no physical proof this battle ever happened, existing only in the memories of those that had been here.

fin.

(leaning over to my grandpa) you have to kill this clown right fucking now

(team 7 - gold round)

[apathynoir]

[ Lovetape - redux! ]

Upon seeing her old friend, it was known what Ophelia had to do. Scrawling on the adhesive notepad, she waited for an opening to strike. When the moment finally presented itself, she went for it, all aflutter with excitement.

Silken cape fluttering, she rushed in, making sure to only but tap him on the shoulder with the note, but leave it there for him to behold. As soon as she arrives, she is leaving, her business done. Left behind is a simple note stating, "Your coffee is the ambrosia the gods fight for."

//rolled a 7 for stealth so take that what you will

even if he hadn't noticed the grandiose way ophelia had stuck the letter on him, the verbage could only clue in to two possible names. he could guess from there.

dwyer reads the note, looks off at nothing, then reads the note again. sure, his coffee is amazing. it's actually amazinger-than-amazing, really, and should there be a coffee out there better than his own ( impossible! preposterous! to the gallows with you for thinking such a thing! ), it wouldn't be that way for long. dwyer is The Coffee Guy! he is the Guy O' Beans! nobody does it better than he does and that is just a fact of life!

...but it's nice to be recognized for it every once in a while, he thinks with a little smile. he'll hang this note up on the corkboard in his room.

[blaiddllodi]

[ Zofia ] - Modeled after an Archanean court dance, but with an energetic twist. The entire body is engaged with the dance, creating a spectacle that is enjoyable to watch.

Another dance, another new partner, but this dance is one that while not knowing the steps, Ophelia finds the rhythm to easily. After a particularly robust round, she finds herself going up and approaching those on the sidelines. Namely a certain blonde that caught her eye whilst she had been dancing prior.

Breathlessly, she reaches out a hand to the other. “Come, dance with me! The dance is far more enjoyable when one participates, would you not agree?” She gestures to the dance floor as the band begins the next number. She holds her hand out a moment longer, waiting for the other to take it.

Oh! Dimitri didn't know the steps to this one - having danced with a couple of partners, made the token appearance that was expected and shown his face (hopefully in a manner that conveyed his enjoyment), he had been more than ready to slip off to the sidelines and sit this one out.

It seemed that the fates had something else in mind for him, and yet another partner asked for his hand - - pretty, energetic, new here, but still somehow familiar? - and he found himself being led back onto the floor.

The music swelled, vibrant and thrumming with latent movement even in its initial notes, before erupting into a choreographed spectacle that he tried - he really did, but could not wrap his mind around the rhythm - to follow, but found himself stumbling, bumping into those around him - oh Goddess, had he stepped on her feet? please no...

Clutching her hands in his - careful, gentle, don't squeeze too hard - Dimitri attempted to laugh it off, smile sheepish and cheeks burning.

"I'm afraid I'm not so good a partner for this one, er - ?" He met her eyes, earnest and searching, and his tone indicated a prompt for her name, but once more his two left feet emerged and he crumpled at the barest brush of another body at his back, tugging the girl down with him.

"OOF!" Wrapping an arm around her, Dimitri scooted backward on his rear, dragging them both bodily from the dance floor, face blazing.

"My apologies! That was...that was most uncharacteristic of me, I hope you'll forgive me."

With fumbling fingers, he unclipped a white feather from his brooch and extended it to her, helping her to disentangle and stand upright. "This - this isn't any recompense for what you must be feeling, but please take it, and feel free to call on me if I can ever make this up to you."

[verseandrhyme]

[ Lovetape ]

It took a long time for Ophelia to find an opening to leave the compliment where she would be unobserved as she had been told that was the true point of this game.

Finding her opening, she rushes in a whoosh of silk and confidence. When read, it simply states "Your poetry makes the stars weep they could not invent better prose". And just like she appeared, she is gone.

// i rolled a 16 for detection so good luck mitama

Mitama stumbles and jumps as a hand brushes against her. In the crowded pathways, there is no way to detect who the culprit might have been. She scowls and reaches to brush off the spot, only to find something sticking to her. Ugh.

When she pulls it free, she is surprised to find a note with familiar penmanship. It takes Mitama a moment to place it, but thankfully the writer has done little effort in concealing their habits.

"Ophelia!" Mitama shouts into the crowd. A few stop to look at her in surprise. She ignores them, laughing as she tries to catch a glimpse of the hero. "At least face me, coward!"

[blaiddllodi]

ooc note - ball housekeeping

Hello friends and lovelies, for the remainder of this week I will be exclusively working to clear out all Ball-related minis from my drafts, and ideally wrap them up and finish them completely in preparation for Arena. Dimitri's to follow, and Beowolf's to come in a separate post.

Currently, I have confirmation to continue the following, which are awaiting my reply:

♫ 𝄈 behind the curtain . - @encantresse

lambasted. haha, get it? - @egittae (confirmed we should be wrapping up soon)

Sparkling Water - @knightofgalatea

And I have confirmation of a desire to continue the following, which I am awaiting reply to:

Zofia - @chosenoneofdusk

I will be replying to, but will not be expecting a reply to the following (if you'd like to continue this mini this week please lmk!):

No Please, I Insist - @moriddyn - confirmed to be continuing

Pomegranate - @hresvelged

[machiot]

Andrei heals and shields Dheginsea in all in one breath, bringing the dragon back from the brink of death. Where he been teetering at the edge only a moment ago, he now stands a short pace away from the abyss. Not safe, by any means, but in less danger than he had been in.

With his next breath, he sets up the kill for the next person to attack. And who better to claim the glory for landing the killing blow than Marni?

"See, nothing to worry about!" Big words from the person who had sat back and done nothing to help. "Watch, I'll kill this defect right now and we can be done with this! It'll be easy!"

(...Why did she say that word? She didn't mean that. She's different now.)

Driving her wyvern in close, Marni's magic strikes less like magic, explosive feats of spectacle, and more like knives. The strikes of lightning are cold, cruel, and cast with the intent of digging deep into its already exposed wounds. Flashy showmanship is discarded for the ruthlessness of an executioner.

For a creature deemed too weak to keep living, there is no other possible ending than a death sentence.

Marni 9/10HP barely hits and hits Eidolon named Night 4/15HP with Nova at melee range [Roll: 2 + 3 = 5, 9 + 3 = 12; -2.5, -3.5] Eidolon named Night 0/15HP Eidolon named Night has been defeated!

Even as the beast shrieks for one final time, writhing against the unbearable pain of being electrocuted to death, the bolts of lightning embedded in its side refuse to disperse. They continue to shoot off sparks even after the beast stops twitching on the ground.

Marni alights from her wyvern to check on her kill. With its last breath, the veil of darkness had lifted from the arena, light now filtering in from who knows where. In the bright light, it's much easier to see just how much the four of them managed to brutalize the poor thing.

She makes to motion at the others to come over and see what a good job she did when something catches her eye. Reflected in the many glazed eyes of the beast is a human figure with giant tasseled dragon horns attached by a headband. The tassels move when she does, but that can't possibly be her reflection.

Right?

Marni's throat constricts, but she smiles at her teammates anyway. She poses next to her kill, resolute to ignore the cold sweat creeping down her back.

"I told you I would handle it!" Marni huffs. "You just leave things like this to your ol' pal Marni!"

They don't need to know and hopefully they'll never find out.

fin.

Don't Fear the Reaper || Team 7 Silver Round

[boundlesshart]

No one is at their best when they’re terrified. A mind consumed by fear won’t easily think past what they see, can’t properly assess what’s before them to determine if it’s truly a threat. People who can confront what scares them and approach with curiosity will be crucial if Claude is ever to foster openness and diversity within and beyond Fódlan… 

So he’s happy to accompany a classmate onto her journey to face her fears. Anything to encourage stepping out of the ol’ comfort zone! When the guru turns his attention to Claude, asks about what fears he has, the house leader can only laugh and shrug his shoulders. “Beats me. I get called Fearless for a reason.” 

Of course Claude has fears. What man doesn’t? But his are deeper fears, more complex. They aren’t things that the guru can pull out of a hat like he can with spiders and snakes. Claude smirks, perhaps a touch overconfident, but who cares? “Sorry, gramps. Not something I freely share.”

A smile comes through the guru’s wrinkled face. “Ah, I see. Well, fear not, young man. You are in good company… for now, of course.” 

The guru doesn’t break his smile, and yet, suddenly Claude sees it as more sinister…

“The spirits whisper your secrets to me as soon as you step into my domain. I know now what lies in your heart, Claude von Riegan. The fear of having a truth revealed is one of the most common amongst men with status, because they fear losing their place of belonging. My advice is that you speak of it on your own terms, before another does it for you.”

…Claude’s eyes widen. Uh… Does that guy know? Like, know know? It’s not like he can ask either. The house leader is left in shock, and the guru turns his attention to Ophelia with the same benevolent smile. “And you, lass? What do you fear?”

@chosenoneofdusk

i know you know

grants faith +1

[livedtoserve]

An iron knife gets tossed underneath the lone branch of a tree. Upon contacting the soil underneath, a pitfall is revealed underneath, the knife falling into the depths below.

"...not good."

Flora makes the obvious observation while looking back up at the branch that covers the night sky. It was only earlier today that she dug up the pit with the intent to catch the monsters requested for extermination. But now, underneath the moonlight, the traps have been covered up to be even less conspicuous than her original design.

Plus, she does not recall laying that many spikes within the pitfall...or any at all, for that matter.

"These monsters are more cunning than they appear," Flora sighs, turning to the enthusiastic student that requested to be accompanied for the hunt. Or it might be better described that she wanted to rush out nearly on her own, if Flora didn't accompany her at the last second.

"They may very well be hiding out nearby as we speak. We need to be careful."

@chosenoneofdusk

do try not to make a mess, missus dusk

mission task: affluence (any skill+1)

[fellpurpose]

the dark winds have abated, and in their stead blow the winds of change, embodied by one illustrious ophelia dusk of the noble house of eagles.

odin takes his temporary leave from the revelries to attend at her behest, for who better to welcome her than he, a father most proud? he can only imagine what grand attire she's procured for the occasion, the very thought bringing a warm smile to his face. she is like him in more ways than one, a kindred soul who knows him better than all others. how gracious of fortune to favor them thus, bestowing this chance after years of separation at war's cruel hands.

odin stands outside her door, knocking thrice before calling out, "ophelia! it is i. may i come in?"

with ⤷ @chosenoneofdusk⋆⋅☆⋅

we shall party from dusk 'till dark!

( ethereal ball 2024 )

[taguelbunnyboy]

...Yup. Definitely his kid.

Yarne sighs, hand going through his hair, eyes on the paper.

"That's..."

Yarne wants to explain what he knows about it - which, granted, isn't much.

"I would say it marks you as important, yeah."

But Yarne was a friend. He may accidentally spill a secret or two tonight, but he wouldn't overdo it - he hoped, anyways.

"I... knew him since we were first in battle."

When the Risen first started to prove a nightmare. When the first mass graves had to be dug. When each life was a counter to keep tracked of, when that counter was almost halved day by day...

Yarne shakes his head, grounding himself. No. Bad bunny. You're done with those times - you'll never be in that hell again.

"You could say I've... known him for as long as he's been fighting. Wouldn't be too far off."

Yarne smiles softly, remembering the few good times in the midst of all the pain. Sitting by the flames, heads and voices kept low, just... talking. Discussing the lives they would've had.

"I saved him a couple times, even. You should ask him about those stories."

Rushing into the field, plucking the blond off the battlefield and back to the medical tents... yeah, Yarne wasn't good at battle, back in the day, but he was a good extractor.

[ Sweet Bun Trio ] - A selection of traditional Faerghus pastries, all small enough to be eaten in one delicious bite! The first bun is filled with sweet cream and topped with icing and a candied cherry. The second is a sweet roll filled with almonds, pecans, and dried cranberries and glazed with honey. The third is a bun sliced in half, filled with almond paste and whipped cream, dusted with powdered sugar on top.

Taking a plate of local delicacies, Ophelia makes her way through the crowd, looking for a soul who will share with her. Finding one who looks like the wolfskin or kitsune of her own home continent, she proffers the sweets.

"Would one care to join a heroine in the breaking of bread? A feast of celebration should ne'er be enjoyed alone!" Perhaps she would find herself another student who could tell her of the school and the ones within it. Perhaps even, there were fellow chosen ones much like herself and her father.

"Oh?"

Blonde hair hits his eyes first, then a voice and attitude that follows... and in a blink, Yarne's back to cowering in the fields of war, Risen rising around him. Owain, Cynthia, two of his colleagues, his comrades, his family. It was like the two's personalities mixed - but clearly, more Owain than Cynthia, the heroine talk conflated the two for him.

"I-yeah, yeah, just give me a sec..."

She looked like Owain(Hair colorwise, at least), Sounded like him(ish), and certainly had his air for theatrics. She was... so familiar, yet so different.

"I-I'm sorry, but... do you know someone named Owain? No, no, wait, he goes by Odin now..."

Yarne's jumbled. She's like him. So much like him. But how... how? He didn't have any siblings(That Yarne knew of), no cousins from Emmeryn's side of the family, and Lucina got the blue genes...

"You... kinda remind me of him. We've... been through a lot."

Naga, he was making himself look like an idiot.

Yarne grabbed a tray of his own, sitting down opposite the blonde-haired enigma. What was it with him this ball and blondes causing him to get so jumbled up?

[machiot]

The former king of Brodia goes down quickly against the might of Ophelia's bow, leaving only Lapis behind. As much as Marni wants to stand around and brag that they've reduced their enemy's numbers down to one, the most annoying opponent is the one left. That sword of hers is a real pain.

She would know, considering the girl seemed to have a single minded determination to gore Marni with her sword.

As much as she hates to admit it, she is not the person capable of doing the most damage to the other girl. That honor would have to go to the dragon that had managed to take down half of the enemies by himself.

"Here, Old Man!" Marni aims one of her staffs at Dheginsea. "I'll protect you so you can hit her without being touched!"

Magic like this was Mauvier's specialty and he cast it upon Marni herself on more than one occasion. Back then she had complained about suddenly being yoinked into a different place against her will, but now she knows just how useful a well-timed use of this staff can be.

Marni's staff begins to glow...

Marni 0.5/10HP recovers 1HP with Bond! Marni 1.5/10HP Marni 1.5/10HP misses Dheginsea 10/10HP with Rescue! [Roll: 3]

...and then fizzles out uselessly, light dimming. No matter how many times she shakes the staff, it refuses to light up again.

"What gives?! He made it look so easy! C'mon! Rescue! Rescue!"

next: @old-scalebag

(leaning over to my grandpa) you have to kill this clown right fucking now

(team 7 - gold round)

[mmoneystones]

"Alright. Ophelia it is then," Citrinne keeps her light smile with her simple statement to portray her apologies if her titles accidentally overstepped boundaries.

She takes an additional seed of fruit as Ophelia talks, chewing on its sweetness to compliment the student's sweet compliments. Compliments that do not have to do with generous wealth, but instead her own strength as a knight. In one way, Citrinne is grateful to find her efforts being commended here in this faraway land.

In contrast...the noble cannot help but feel as if she is lying to the innocent student. Or that Ophelia is overestimating what she is truly capable of.

"Please, my role cannot be that crucial in comparison to the youth of this institution. And my strength, it..."

Citrinne halts her defense, reminding herself of the genuine hope within the hero's voice. No, how could she burden Ophelia with the disappointment of her weakness? If this were to be compared to a play, Citrinne would have just been out of character.

She gives a small shake before returning to her reply. "I would value nothing more than to combine my strength with yours. For the felling of evils and the improvement of our powers."

With her pride (hopefully) recovered, Citrinne doubles back in the conversation to reflect on another topic of interest. "So your nation finds purpose in the pursuit of strength as well? Interesting...I hold no knowledge of any land beyond the continent of Elyos. Would you be against speaking more of the country you hail from? I can do the same for Brodia, if you find that as fair exchange."

All that Glimmers is not Gemfruit

continued from | x