wild 1

[00:43] Asta's caught off guard by the blast of holy magic. Instinctively -- perhaps, terrifyingly so, especially for those that were at her wedding -- she raises a curtain of crystal shards all around her to try to deflect any incoming attack.

Her reaction speed is incredible. Ludicrous. Beyond human.

But it lands all the same. Perhaps, at some point, she realizes that it wasn't an attack.

She feels something change inside of her. A surge of power. An incredible surge of endurance and rejuvenating energy. It felt like protection, manifest into a tangible force.

And with it, she saw clearer.

The spirits had many castes, categories. Types. Not all were good, of course. Not all were bad. A nearly perfect balance was maintained in the unseen world. The problem often arose when there was an imbalance in the positivity or negativity in a place.

Fell spirits.


She saw the 'good' spirits in her mind clearer, now. Heard theirwhispers as if they were uttered right beside her.

She used this new insight to peer long, and hard, into those many millions of voices.

"I see..." she mutters.

"You provide... valuable insight, Merodin." She focuses her eyes once again upon the man. She smiles down upon him. Her expression softened.

"I must... tell you something. All of you." Her smile turns a bit sad. "I do not... believe that there reside witches in Ilburg. I once did, but now I do not. I have kept this from you all, to shield you from the unfortunate truth of our conflict with Ilburg."

She closes her eyes. Inhales, deep. Long. Troubled.

"Which is that we are only fighting them because they pose a risk to Osrona, and by proxy, our renewed friendship with them."
(Asta Hargrave)
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[00:50] Finley's eyes reopened lazily when Merodin moved to the front of the room, the sudden flash of light causing him to squint some but not turn away. He watched as the holy light collected around Asta and her crown and its power pave a clearer way for her words and thoughts. He didn't know what was to come next, but he wasn't expecting it for once.

Asta's confession was one he had personally hoped would never come light. Penelope had told him that the High Lady had to have made it all up for Osrona, but the young Teraphim had held firm to the belief that there were powers manipulating even Asta, for he didn't want to believe she would sell Myllenoris out to the kingdom that had distrusted them for as long as he could remember and more.

And yet, her words only make him close his eyes again, not in disappointment or sorrow, not in anger or betrayal. The truth was laid bare, and the truth was what he had been after.

What the truth would create here in this room, he silently decided, was not for him to decide. Though it did not mean his silence either.

"I would voice my thoughts again, Lady Asta, that I am not sold by our friendship with Osrona. I believe they expect us to wipe out the Rhoynish at a great expense to ourselves while they handle the north, and once that is finished, we will be next, whether we are all wedded to their noblefolks or not." Finley advised in his usual flat tone.

A side look was given to Merodin as he continued to think on what had actually captured his attention; the power this newcomer had wielded. It was something he himself couldn't have done, something he doubted Merodin could even accomplish, but such a spell had finally parted the curtains that Finley had been trying to peer behind for so very long.
(Finley)
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[00:55] At the reaction, he was prepared for some form of fight... but it never came. His eyes widened, and a veil of... something washed over her. But he shouldn't dally. Now was his chance to hammer this home.

"Milady."

He breathes in.

"That is what I wanted to say we figured... Frankly speaking, though, I was hoping to perform some sort of dramatic... whatsit."

Hadwin was ready to stand up and point at his leader all cooly. Honestly, it was going to be a jaw-dropper of an accusation. Way to take his moment, Merodin...

Hadwin had no idea what had just became of her, nor what Merodin bestowed. In his perspective, it was clear that she was given this strange new ability of

"If I may be so bold, milady. It is clear Osrona has such a stranglehold on us as it is... But with the evidence, now, that witches do not reside in Ilburg, Osrona would sooner seek a way to face these camps for another reason..."

He tilted his head. It was still true that they were unloved. Ilburg and Osrona being enemies- this wasn't going to change that. But never at the expense of their people!

"Osrona wants us in their grasp, ultimately. The Queen made that bare nigh immediately. You truly lacked the faith in our strength to face them, even before everything..."

Trailing off, he made it clear to everyone that they needed an edge, somehow. There had to be something they had to do... but what they were doing wasn't the right idea for independence. Hadwin believed this.
(Hadwin Hazaiah)
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[01:00] Elred came in at the last second only to hear the ending of the speech and honestly it was shocking to hear. He was lead on to believe that there were witches in Ilburg, but the true intent was clear.

This was to ensure that the friendship they made. . . the allies of Osrona continue to keep them in their good grace. They were lead on to believe that in fear of what? be attacked by them or everything they've work for would be taken away?

There were so many question, but there were two sides to every coin and Elred wanted to see the other side of the coin before responding.
There was a lot to consider with something like this being brought to the light, but before an reaction there needed to be some thought given.

Elred tapped his fingers on the table. . .taking a moment to gather his thought now ready to speak his peace on the situation.

"While this is quite something to here I'll give my peace on this situation. I feel there are two sides to every coin and each person should take a moment to process this information.

While there not being a witch there is unfortunate they still cause trouble for plenty of people. To have people going to match for the wrong reason is the problem and I feel another reason should be given in it's place.

I don't doubt our strength and there is power in numbers and while I'm sure our Lady believe we can...

There is also the chance that we could sever the relationship and their troops match here. We might have power, but if they continue to send waves they'll wipe us down from tiring us out no doubt.

Look at it from both sides of the coin, but in the end I feel a better reason is in order to ensure people what we're planning to do with benefit us. Something that will give them the same mindset that this will serve a great purpose.

I don't fault these actions completely and I understand a bit from my perspective of things."

Elred continue listening to others thoughts on the situation, but he offered his own in return. He wanted to ensure the people had another reason to rally if they needed to.
(Elred Yindove)
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[01:08] The young man's eyes were duller. He seemed to be a lot more tired, and he actually moved to sit down after that entire thing. Wheezing out a chuckle, he looked downwards, folding his hands upon his lap.

"I... I didn't mean to doubt you, and I feel like everyone has their own reasons. I don't … I don't know the rest of the politics, only about that one piece of information. I admit I went into this almost blind, but... As I said, I only wished for the reason to be clear. Illburg has caused many troubles, and I agree something should likely be done... Otherwise-"

He coughed, feeling almost ill. At least he coughed into his arm.

"I don't have much input... for our relationship with Osrona. Unfortunately, I don't know as much as I could, so I leave the rest of the meeting- up to you, for now."

Even his voice sounded tired, though he kept that smile on his face. The crystal that gave off a golden glow was fading in radiance, too.
(Merodin)
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[01:12] Amy shields her eyes at the burst of light, but quickly looks back towards Asta to see what all that was about. She's mostly perplexed after that, but she doesn't question things.

Sometimes, ignorance was truly bliss.

She had wanted to believe that she was just doing what she thought was best, or what she had no choice but to do. She wanted to believe that the crown she wore, the voices that it allowed her to hear were affecting her sense of right and wrong.

This was perhaps the worst possible timing for Asta to have pulled the curtains back from her pure-hearted eldest daughter's eyes. She had in fact, just returned from Ilburg, speaking with Penelope directly no less.

Truly? She found the woman to be entirely pleasant and nice to talk to. She confirmed her intent to allow the inquisition their hunt for witches and occultists, and Amy had defended Asta's decision to do so, while equally praising Penelope for not wishing to go to war over something that simply wasn't true.

Perhaps that is what had struck her heart the most.

She had defended her mother, because she had chosen to believe in her better nature. But now? Maybe she really was a fool like a few had called her.

Her mother was not deceived. Her mother was not disoriented by the crown she wore.

She was simply a bad person.

Off in the corner of the room, a quiet sniffle is heard as Amy turns back to face the wall to hide the inner pain that claimed her expression openly. Silent tears of melancholic disappointment slowly slide down the delicate woe-claimed face of the young girl.

"That's horrible."
(Amalia Hargrave)
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[01:16] "I didn't--"

Asta stutters for a second. The strange energy she felt embedded in her was concerning her. It felt like a side of her was being suppressed.

The High Lady was Light and Dark.

The High Lady was Good and Bad.

And, for approximately a year, the darkness within her was completely snuffed out.

Imbalance. Merodin had brought upon the Kingdom of Myllenoris...

Imbalance.


She shoots a sympathetic look at her daughter. She knows all too well what's going through her mind. But she needs to continue. Asta immediately removes the crown from her head.

She heard bits and pieces of what everyone was saying, but it melded all together.

"Ilburg..." she says. "They raid and pillage innocents. They destroy lives. They steal... they reave. Maybe they are not bad people. But they are undoubtedly a problem. They are a barrier to the goalof peace in Esshar."

She closes her eyes in pain.

"I thought that, through alliance with Osrona, we could achieve peace. Balance. I thought that by justifying the war with Ilburg, we could... make it easier for our people to be onboard."

"But I see now I'm wrong."

She holds her crown in her lap, finally daring to look at it. Stare down at it.

It did not reject her. Yet, somehow, she felt unworthy.

She speaks. "If anyone believes there is a more worthy bearer of Aschea's Crown... speak. I won't kill you. Not like Weiss. I just want to hear. Listen. That's my duty, as High Lady. To listen. And... I've not been doing that nearly enough."
(Asta Hargrave)
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[01:17] Bella Senatus exclaims, "Hello!"
[01:25] Finley had sat in silence and listened again, and though he was content to let the flow continue, he felt a truer change was happened, that perhaps he might be proven wrong and the inevitable deaths he had foreseen might not truly come to pass. He looked to Elred and Merodin, the two who had agreed with Asta's continued view of the Rhoynish.

"They are as bad as the Osronans." he said, finally standing, "They are as bad as the Therians." A gesture to Asta, not necessarily an accusatory one, but one drawing upon the fact that she was confessing to her lies, was given. "They are as bad as us. They are people. They believe they're fighting for freedom, for a chance to be done with their oppressors."

"They didn't have an Aschea come down and save them like our parents did when witches ruled this place and called it Moonfall. They are still in that war, a war that was won for us, not by us." Finley rubbed his forehead and little, unsure where this might all lead, what it might become.

"I firmly believe it is not only our place to become Ilburg's enemy, but that it is wrong to do so. We lost Weiss.. we lost Savael. I think now is the time to build ourselves up, prepare for the witches who are only now tipping their hand, instead of spending our lives and blood in the desert fighting thieves..."

The youngest of the Teraphim present turned to Asta and said, "On top of all of that, you must know, my Lady, I cannot leave this room and continue these lies. I cannot fight for them. It wouldn't be my way. I've come to realize that my role in this kingdom is to always seek the truth, and now that we have finally come to it, I have to stand at its defense, at its side. I cannot allow it to be hidden away, no matter how ugly it might be."

Fin's head bowed just a tad. "I will accept what might happen because of that. If this war is something that you feel has to happen..." He sighed. "...I am prepare for what consequences you'd put upon me. But I can't kill someone for this. Not when the Therians murdered Savael. Not when the Osranans toy with us." he shook his head. "Not when the real enemy is actually out there, waiting for us to fail."
(Finley)
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[01:31] His eyes widen. Such power... simply let go? No, it was a burden. But this isn't how it's meant to go.

This would only make things worse.

"Milady, don't speak such nonsense!" the loyal Mistseer exclaimed, marching right up to the staircase.

"There is naught but a single person worthy of the crown, and she stands before us."

Hadwin still hasn't been able to realize, with his limited interaction with holy magic, just what had happened to make Asta feel this way. As a matter of fact, all that allows him to say such a thing is the fact he's only ever seen her wear that crown... And so, he persists.

"To act on emotion is unlike you... Has this... realization made you realize just how we've been damaged?"

He really wasn't sure how to react to a potential relinquishing of power... but all he wanted was to have things as they were before. He didn't want to be boundto Osrona, nor did he want to undergo a proxy war for Osrona either. What was he to do?

"You must understand that, surely, there is a way to remove ourselves from the hole we've dug ourselves, milady, and beyond a shadow of a doubt would we have been obscured from our true purpose. Yet, we have this gift... We have the means to perform this exorcise of witchcraft by your beck and call and to realize our folly is but the first test, the first step to Aschea's will!"

"Let the Osronans battle their quarry, and let the Therians shed their own blood! It is in humanity's nature to err and rend its own flesh, but it is our nature to enforce that which truly matters to Eternia."
(Hadwin Hazaiah)
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[01:32] Elred continued tapping his fingers on the table since this was a lot to take in for a few reason. On one hand this was for the people and on the other hand is was also a lie towards the people which was also a huge issue.

Elred still believe the situation was an issue witches or not, but the biggest concern was the lie on top of everything.

"While the reason of stating they had wasn't just; I feel that they have been causing quite a bit of trouble. There are a lot of conflicting feelings about the situation and while it's hard to really say.

I think you should have been honestly about the reasoning from the very beginning. I won't forget the day one ran into the city.

Osrona isn't really my concern and I only truly care for the people here, but to have people go to war with a chance to die isn't something I'd feel a little odd."

Elred paused for a moment, but at the same time he couldn't trulyfault her for the action even if they were truly terrible.

Lady Asta, while having others travel there isn't the best idea under a lie. I'll be more tan happy to match with troop of Osrona there if it avoid others being hurt.

This way we can still offer support without having more harm down to our side.

This game of politics that they play is truly terrible, but I'd be willing to keep the pressure of Myllenoris anyway I can."

Elred spoke his peace again -yet- still very conflicted about the entire thing. He only wanted was was best for the people of Myllenoris.
(Elred Yindove)
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[02:29] Elred listened for a while though he piece was said he continue watching the situation unravel a little more. He didn't scare his piece this time around only allowing his thoughts to linger.

The situation was terrible, but it wasn't to late per-say in his opinion. He thought differently and that's probably why...? It didn't matter much.

Fighting? He wasn't sure weather it would happen or not, but he'd prepare for it either way. There were only a few ways he knew how and that's what he was good at.

Preparation.
(Elred Yindove)
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