healingbonds (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
healingbonds) wrote2020-08-05 06:33 pm
healingbonds) wrote2020-08-05 06:33 pm
Prelude to the Festival and Pride | Chapter 9
Chapter 8 << | index | >> Chapter 10
Cain: ...Mithra? What happened to Akira? Did he fall asleep?
Snow: No...... Mithra. You used magic on the Sage, didn’t you?
Mithra: It’d be a pain if he wandered off, so I just put him to sleep, that’s all. I’ll carry him so he doesn’t freeze, and wake him up before the holy festival.
White: ......He does seem to just be asleep. Mithra, don’t use too much magic in this area.
Mithra: I know.
Bradley: Let’s have a look at you, Owen. Tsk, tsk, you look terrible. Even your nails went black. If this goes on, it’ll take you till evening to recover.
Cain: Is it going to take that long......? Owen, how about you let Sir Snow and Sir White heal you?
Owen: ......Hah...... ......Maybe I’ll do that......
Bradley: Hey.
Owen: This is really tough, you know...... I just want it out of my body already...... ......Can I spit it out?
Cain: If you can throw up, you should......
Mithra: As usual, you don’t have the slightest bit of perseverance. Can’t you endure it for just this short while? I think it’s way more bearable than if I were to inflict pain on you, though.
Owen: ......... Tch......
Cain: No need to be so cruel, Mithra. Are you all right, Owe—Ouch! What did you hit me for!?
Owen: ......Just taking it out on you.
Cain: This is why you don’t have any friends, you know......?
(Footsteps)
Snow: Oh! Oz and the others have returned. For now, let’s have lunch.
White: We still have plenty of time, after all. Let’s take it slow while we wait for Owen’s recovery, and for the Sage to wake up.
✦✧☾✧✦
Riquet: Sir Sage still hasn’t woken up yet......
Cain: Mithra, it must be tough carrying him this whole time. How about I take over?
Mithra: It’s nothing for you to worry about.
Owen: ......Ha...... Ha........
Riquet: Owen...... You’re as pale as a corpse...... And you’re gushing black sweat......
Snow: Don’t touch him, Riquet. Owen can withstand the curse only because he is Owen. If you come into contact with it, you’ll turn into stone.
Riquet: ......No way......
Owen: Hey, Riquet. Help me...... Pat me kindly......
White: Don’t go tempting him. If you have the energy to do that, just hurry up and spit it out already......
Riquet: ......Then at the very least, I’ll pray to God as His disciple for Owen’s recovery.
Owen: Haha..... What’s with that.
Riquet: I pray for Owen’s body and heart to be once again filled with health, and for Your blessings to alleviate his pain and suffering. I pray that he will no longer tempt others into wickedness.
Owen: Stop it. This really annoys me......
Riquet: Why?
Owen: ............
Riquet: When you’re feeling weak, it is a wonderful thing to have someone who will offer up prayers for your sake.
And when someone else is feeling weak, it is a wonderful thing to be a person who can offer up prayers in their stead.
Riquet: I probably can’t cure you with my magic, but I can offer you my blessings.
<< Sunrotea Edif >>
Owen: ............ Hmph...... How ridiculous......
Oz: ......The sun will set before long.
Bradley: Nah, we’re still safe. The sun is just beginning to go down, that’s all.
Oz: I will not wait any longer. I’ll wake the Sage up, and make Owen recover. Mithra, hand the Sage over.
Mithra: I don’t want to.
Oz: ......
Snow: Mithra, it’s just as Oz says. There’s no time to lose; let’s prioritize the holy festival. You guys don’t want to keep coming back to the North either, do you.
White: That’s right. You should understand that as well, Owen. Once the sun sets, Oz won’t be able to use his magic.
Bradley: You can’t be saying that for real when we’ve waited until now. Owen’s not going to back down just like that either. He’ll be fine in a bit. Just wait.
Snow: But......
Oz: I’ll wait until just before the sun sets. But, hand the Sage over.
Mithra: I don’t want to.
Oz: Then I’ll take him back by force.
Mithra: Interesting...... Try it, then.
Bradley: Hey, cut it out.
Owen: ......Ha...... Ha......
......Hey...... Mithra......
White: Enough! Why are both of you so obsessed with the Sage? It doesn’t matter where he sleeps!
Oz: As long as the Sage is here, I can use magic even if the sun sets. I’ll wake him up with magic now while I still can.
Snow: I see. Mithra, why are you refusing to hand the Sage over?
Mithra: ............
Snow: Mithra. I’m asking you why.
Mithra: How do I put it...... ......Well, it doesn’t really matter, you know? That’s just how I feel.
White: ......What are you even saying?
Riquet: That was really vague. Don’t tell me...... Are you planning on doing something bad to the Sage?
Mithra: ............
Bradley: Hey, hey. What do you mean by bad? That’s a really infuriating remark.
Mithra: Forget it, Bradley. It’s going to be nighttime soon. This is earlier than we planned, but let’s get started.
Snow: Get started? What’s this about?
Bradley: ......You fucking bastard...... Don’t go changing our plans just because you feel like it......
Mithra: Owen. It’s fine now. Just spit it out already.
Owen: ......Hah......? ......You’ve got to be kidding me...... ......What was the point of suffering until now........
Cain: Hey, what’s going on...... ?
Bradley: Geez, this is the worst! We were so close, but you just couldn’t wait. —Don’t you dare move!
(Rifle cocking sound)
Arthur: Bradley!? Why are you pointing your rifle at us!?
Bradley: Keep quiet and obey me, Mister Central Prince. Mithra! I’m never letting you in on a strategy that uses your brains ever again.
Mithra: Sigh...... It wasn’t that great of a strategy anyway.
Bradley: You bastard...... I’ll fucking kill you later! We’ll deal with Oz first. Look sharp and use the Sage as a hostage. Don’t handle him roughly!
Mithra: Got it.
Oz: .......So you played for time until sunset in order to defy me.
Mithra: That’s right. Your domination ends today. Owen, stand up.
Owen: ......ch...... I’m going to kill you, Mithra...... What do you think I swallowed that cursed bird for......
Mithra: If you can’t stand up, I’ll force you to spit it out.
Owen: Wai—.
Oz: I’ll awaken the Sage before the sun goes down.
Mithra: << Arthim >>
Oz: << Vox Nox >>
✦✧☾✧✦
Akira: ............!
I vaguely hear Oz’s voice chanting his spell, and I wake with a start.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been forcefully roused by magic, but my head hurts so bad it feels like it’s splitting open. I take stock of the situation in an instant.
Flaming red hair grazing the tip of my nose. Fingertips that are a long way from the ground. And above me, faint rays of the setting sun that look like a sorrowful lament.
—I’m flying across the Northern sky on Mithra’s broom.
Chapter 8 << | index | >> Chapter 10
Cain: ...Mithra? What happened to Akira? Did he fall asleep?
Snow: No...... Mithra. You used magic on the Sage, didn’t you?
Mithra: It’d be a pain if he wandered off, so I just put him to sleep, that’s all. I’ll carry him so he doesn’t freeze, and wake him up before the holy festival.
White: ......He does seem to just be asleep. Mithra, don’t use too much magic in this area.
Mithra: I know.
Bradley: Let’s have a look at you, Owen. Tsk, tsk, you look terrible. Even your nails went black. If this goes on, it’ll take you till evening to recover.
Cain: Is it going to take that long......? Owen, how about you let Sir Snow and Sir White heal you?
Owen: ......Hah...... ......Maybe I’ll do that......
Bradley: Hey.
Owen: This is really tough, you know...... I just want it out of my body already...... ......Can I spit it out?
Cain: If you can throw up, you should......
Mithra: As usual, you don’t have the slightest bit of perseverance. Can’t you endure it for just this short while? I think it’s way more bearable than if I were to inflict pain on you, though.
Owen: ......... Tch......
Cain: No need to be so cruel, Mithra. Are you all right, Owe—Ouch! What did you hit me for!?
Owen: ......Just taking it out on you.
Cain: This is why you don’t have any friends, you know......?
(Footsteps)
Snow: Oh! Oz and the others have returned. For now, let’s have lunch.
White: We still have plenty of time, after all. Let’s take it slow while we wait for Owen’s recovery, and for the Sage to wake up.
✦✧☾✧✦
Riquet: Sir Sage still hasn’t woken up yet......
Cain: Mithra, it must be tough carrying him this whole time. How about I take over?
Mithra: It’s nothing for you to worry about.
Owen: ......Ha...... Ha........
Riquet: Owen...... You’re as pale as a corpse...... And you’re gushing black sweat......
Snow: Don’t touch him, Riquet. Owen can withstand the curse only because he is Owen. If you come into contact with it, you’ll turn into stone.
Riquet: ......No way......
Owen: Hey, Riquet. Help me...... Pat me kindly......
White: Don’t go tempting him. If you have the energy to do that, just hurry up and spit it out already......
Riquet: ......Then at the very least, I’ll pray to God as His disciple for Owen’s recovery.
Owen: Haha..... What’s with that.
Riquet: I pray for Owen’s body and heart to be once again filled with health, and for Your blessings to alleviate his pain and suffering. I pray that he will no longer tempt others into wickedness.
Owen: Stop it. This really annoys me......
Riquet: Why?
Owen: ............
Riquet: When you’re feeling weak, it is a wonderful thing to have someone who will offer up prayers for your sake.
And when someone else is feeling weak, it is a wonderful thing to be a person who can offer up prayers in their stead.
Riquet: I probably can’t cure you with my magic, but I can offer you my blessings.
<< Sunrotea Edif >>
Owen: ............ Hmph...... How ridiculous......
Oz: ......The sun will set before long.
Bradley: Nah, we’re still safe. The sun is just beginning to go down, that’s all.
Oz: I will not wait any longer. I’ll wake the Sage up, and make Owen recover. Mithra, hand the Sage over.
Mithra: I don’t want to.
Oz: ......
Snow: Mithra, it’s just as Oz says. There’s no time to lose; let’s prioritize the holy festival. You guys don’t want to keep coming back to the North either, do you.
White: That’s right. You should understand that as well, Owen. Once the sun sets, Oz won’t be able to use his magic.
Bradley: You can’t be saying that for real when we’ve waited until now. Owen’s not going to back down just like that either. He’ll be fine in a bit. Just wait.
Snow: But......
Oz: I’ll wait until just before the sun sets. But, hand the Sage over.
Mithra: I don’t want to.
Oz: Then I’ll take him back by force.
Mithra: Interesting...... Try it, then.
Bradley: Hey, cut it out.
Owen: ......Ha...... Ha......
......Hey...... Mithra......
White: Enough! Why are both of you so obsessed with the Sage? It doesn’t matter where he sleeps!
Oz: As long as the Sage is here, I can use magic even if the sun sets. I’ll wake him up with magic now while I still can.
Snow: I see. Mithra, why are you refusing to hand the Sage over?
Mithra: ............
Snow: Mithra. I’m asking you why.
Mithra: How do I put it...... ......Well, it doesn’t really matter, you know? That’s just how I feel.
White: ......What are you even saying?
Riquet: That was really vague. Don’t tell me...... Are you planning on doing something bad to the Sage?
Mithra: ............
Bradley: Hey, hey. What do you mean by bad? That’s a really infuriating remark.
Mithra: Forget it, Bradley. It’s going to be nighttime soon. This is earlier than we planned, but let’s get started.
Snow: Get started? What’s this about?
Bradley: ......You fucking bastard...... Don’t go changing our plans just because you feel like it......
Mithra: Owen. It’s fine now. Just spit it out already.
Owen: ......Hah......? ......You’ve got to be kidding me...... ......What was the point of suffering until now........
Cain: Hey, what’s going on...... ?
Bradley: Geez, this is the worst! We were so close, but you just couldn’t wait. —Don’t you dare move!
(Rifle cocking sound)
Arthur: Bradley!? Why are you pointing your rifle at us!?
Bradley: Keep quiet and obey me, Mister Central Prince. Mithra! I’m never letting you in on a strategy that uses your brains ever again.
Mithra: Sigh...... It wasn’t that great of a strategy anyway.
Bradley: You bastard...... I’ll fucking kill you later! We’ll deal with Oz first. Look sharp and use the Sage as a hostage. Don’t handle him roughly!
Mithra: Got it.
Oz: .......So you played for time until sunset in order to defy me.
Mithra: That’s right. Your domination ends today. Owen, stand up.
Owen: ......ch...... I’m going to kill you, Mithra...... What do you think I swallowed that cursed bird for......
Mithra: If you can’t stand up, I’ll force you to spit it out.
Owen: Wai—.
Oz: I’ll awaken the Sage before the sun goes down.
Mithra: << Arthim >>
Oz: << Vox Nox >>
✦✧☾✧✦
Akira: ............!
I vaguely hear Oz’s voice chanting his spell, and I wake with a start.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been forcefully roused by magic, but my head hurts so bad it feels like it’s splitting open. I take stock of the situation in an instant.
Flaming red hair grazing the tip of my nose. Fingertips that are a long way from the ground. And above me, faint rays of the setting sun that look like a sorrowful lament.
—I’m flying across the Northern sky on Mithra’s broom.
Chapter 8 << | index | >> Chapter 10