War Room
STANDING AT ONE END of a long white stone table is Prince Jamison Arsenio. Laid out before him is a map with several pins marking the location of confirmed attacks by the Black Archers.
Sergeant Chris is seated to the right of him, writing up reports of where the Black Archers have been sighted; number of victims, property damage, etc.
Messengers stream in and out, giving constant updates on the ever changing situation.
"How bad is it?" Kerym asked, walking into the room.
"We're still gathering information on the situation." Replied Prince Arsenio, looking over the map on the table. "Several smaller Templar facilities have been attacked, killing everyone except for one soldier."
"Leaving witnesses to report back to the King. But why?"
"They're planning something."
Both men turn to see Headmaster Nemo (in its normalish attire) walk in and join them at the table. "Where is his Majesty?"
"Currently out of the capital. We've already sent word to him about the situation." Answered the prince.
"It'll take too long for him to return by carriage. I'll send Red to pick him up." Nemo informed them. "I'll have him gather everyone else as well. Please excuse me." Just as Nemo is about to leave, another messenger arrives.
"Your Highness, I just received word that both the Hunter School and the Healer School have been attacked."
Before anyone has time to process this latest development another messenger comes running in.
"Your Highness, I was just informed that Headmaster Reginald who was engaged with an individual dressed in all black was found unconscious but is breathing."
"What about the person in black?"
"Sire, no one was around when an adventurer returned to check on the situation."
"Show me on the map where this happened." Ordered the prince.
The messenger does as he's asked. Nemo walks back over to look at the location of where its comrade is at.
"Nemo, send Red to pick up Sonya, and have them get to Reginald on the double. She has Hinata there to look after the school. Shouldn't be an issue. Once that's done I want you to use the Rainbow Gate and go check on Oz. Please inform Headmasters Raven and Brett that I'm calling for an emergency summons in one hour. Tell them the Black Archers are active again, and all that's transpired thus far."
"By-your-leave sire."
"Granted. Now Kerym, start mobilizing the troops. We'll bring half of the castle's medical core with us, all of our calvarymen, half of our infantry, half of our mages, and a third of our archers. We'll bring some supplies such as: potions, food, water, and medical supplies for minor injuries that don't require a healer or potions.
Once we get a better understanding of what each area needs. We'll send proper aid to help them recover."
"Understood sire."
"Sergeant Chris, take over here for me. I need to inform my mother and brother of what's going on."
"Sir."
Before the prince can even step away from the table another messenger arrives.
"Sire, Takashi Manor has been burned down. The patriarch Yoshi Takashi is presumed dead. And the whereabouts of his grandkids is unknown at this time."
(𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒊𝒐)
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: 𝑲𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒎
𝑨𝒈𝒆: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑬𝒍𝒇
𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓: 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒆
𝑯𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 1.85 𝒎
𝑾𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 58 𝒌𝒈
𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒓: 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒈, 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔: 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒚
𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅: 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒏
𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓: 𝑳𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑱𝒐𝒃: 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍 𝑨𝒓𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔
𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔: 𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓
𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔(𝒆𝒔): 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒓, 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝑨𝒑𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒚
𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒌: 𝑺𝑺
𝑪𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝑺𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒈-𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕, 𝑻𝒖𝒓𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒒𝒖𝒆-𝒔𝒕𝒚𝒍𝒆 𝑽𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑩𝒂𝒈 𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒕, 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑹𝒐𝒃𝒊𝒏 𝑯𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔
𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏: 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝑩𝒐𝒘
****
Warrior School
"Headmaster, you wanted to see me?"
"Please come in and have a seat, Mark," said Brett. "I'm leaving you in charge of the school for a bit. I have been summoned to the capital regarding a dire incident involving three of the other headmasters."
"Wow!" Mark exclaimed. "Three of them. At the same time? That's quite unusual."
"Very. Hence the summons to the capital."
"Very well, headmaster, you can leave everything to me."
"Thank you Mark."
Summoner School
"Headmaster, are you here?" A student calls out from the open doorway. She scans the semi-dark room, but doesn't see anyone.
"Hellooo Headmaster Raven."
"𝑂𝑣𝑒𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒."
"𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔."
"Where?" She asked, taking a few steps in.
"𝑂𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑘."
"𝑶𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒌 𝒅𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔."
"I only see your familiar."
"𝑌𝑒𝑠 𝑚𝑦 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑. 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝑆𝑜 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡?"
"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕, 𝒅𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔?"
"Just so you know your bird is being an asshole."
"𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒄𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔?"
The girl just stands there, not sure if that last comment was from the bird or the headmaster.
While she continues pondering it. The bird spreads its wings and bows its head.
"𝐼 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑚𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑜 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝑁𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑠𝑘 𝑚𝑒?"
"Um, actually it's not what I want. Instructor Morehead sent me to see what you wanted of her." Explained the student.
"𝑇𝑒𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙. 𝑆ℎ𝑒'𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝐼 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛."
"Ok, I'll let her know."
As the girl turns to leave.
"𝑫𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔."
The girl sighs. "Fuck this bird. Heed my call and come forth Coral." A bright light erupts from the girl's ring and wraps around the her arm.
When the light fades, a one hundred and sixty centimeter tricolor snake is there.
"Go play with the birdy Coral."
Coral drops from her master's arm and slithers towards the desk. The girl walks out, closing the door behind her.
****
War Room
With the maps cleared away and all messengers being rerouted to Sergeant Chris in a different room. The table now seats: Prince Arsenio, Captain Kerym, Headmasters Brett, Nemo, Oz, Sonya, Raven, and Red.
"How is Reginald fairing?"
"He's doing quite well, sire." Replied Sonya. "He should be up and about in no time."
"Oz, your school and Sonya's school were attacked by someone impersonating members of the Black Archers. Any idea why?"
"It was a job." Answered Oz. "Someone approached him, paid five hundred gold coins to dress a certain way, and to attack the school."
"He give up a name?"
"Not yet sire."
"What about the others who were with him?"
"Dead."
Raven speaks up. "Why didn't you keep them alive?"
"Wasn't me." Replied Oz. "It was the transfer student Lilly."
"My Lilly did that? I'm glad her time away has helped her to heal."
"She also started helping the students who had been hurt. You should be proud of her, Nemo."
"I'm proud of all my students."
"What about you Sonya? What can you tell us about your attackers?" Asked the prince.
"Same thing that Oz said. They were hired to attack the school. Hinata subdued most of them. I had Red teleport them to the castle dungeon before going to help Reginald."
"Tis was a simple task." Replied Red. "With your permission, Highness, I could send them over to a friend of mine who specializes in… let's call it advanced information gathering."
"That's not my call to make, so let's move on. As you can see in the reports before you, we do have confirmed sightings of some of the members of Black Archers.
"Four is confirmed from the adventurers that confronted it along with Reginald. Three is the other confirmed member. With witness testimony from Templar Lieutenants, Captains, and Sergeants.
"Anyone have any thoughts as to why only these two have been identified, and not the others?" The prince asked.
"I still believe they're planning something. But the problem is what that something is." Said Nemo.
"When I was looking over the map with his Highness, it looked like they were traveling away from the capital." Kerym said.
Red asks. "Is there anything of significance in the direction they were heading?"
"Hard to say." Replied Kerym. "There are several different houses belonging to the nobility, countless guilds throughout."
"What if it's not a place, but a person." Asked Brett.
"Like the King?" Remarks Raven.
The room falls silent. Ravens words echo in their minds.
The prince is the first to speak. "Earlier I received a report that Takashi Manor had been burned down; Yoshi is presumed dead, and his grandkids are unaccounted for. Now I don't know if this was a coincidence or if the Black Archers are behind it."
Brett jumps to his feet. "Sire, Ryo Takashi is one of mine. Allow me to look into the matter."
"Granted."
"Thank you, Sire."
Just as Brett sits back down the doors are thrown open.
"Who missed me?" Reginald asked, as he strolls in, sporting a big ass grin. "Come on, don't be shy. Throw your hands up if you missed me."
No one at the table moves. Only the guard moves to close the doors once again.
"Seriously? I was on death's door, and you can't show a brother a little love."
"Your reckless ass has been at death's door so many times. Death throes the deadbolt, and walks away whenever he sees it's you."
Reginald lets out a hearty laugh "Holy shit! Nemo has jokes. I'm so proud of my big sister/brother, or is it brother/sister? What is your gender Nemo?"
"Stop being an ass Reginald."
"Oh, is that you Red? I didn't recognize you with your clothes on. Thought you Druids liked being nude? To be closer to nature."
"Of course I'm wearing clothes you dolt." Red fires back.
"That's enough you two." Scolds the prince. "Reginald, please take your seat. I would like a first hand account of what happened to you."
"Yes, Sire."
Reginald takes his seat, and begins telling everyone all that transpired. Once done the prince in turn brings Reginald up to speed.
"I'm sorry to hear about one of your students Brett."
"Thank you, Reginald."
Keym suddenly stands up. A worried look on his face.
"Kerym, are you alright?" Asked the prince.
Kerym looks over at Oz. "Oz, I'm sorry."
Oz doesn't get the chance to reply. Once again the doors are thrown open and Sergeant Chris rushes in.
"Sire, I just received word that Oz's home village has come under attack by True Believers, and Oz's daughter's have been taken. Furthermore, Empress Rhea's ship was docked at the Port Town of Yarrow, but has now left port.
"Red, send Reginald and Sonya with Oz to his village. " Orders the prince.
Red raises his staff. "Plant Magic: Chloroportation."
Flower petals shoot from the end of Red's staff, landing on Reginald, Sonya, and Oz. The three disappear from their seats.
"Raven, I want you to head for Empress Rhea's ship and find out why we never got word of her arrival to our empire."
"Understood Sire."
Raven walks to the window, opens it, summons Vetrfolinr, jumps on the giant hawks back, and takes off.
"Now Red, I want you and Brett to look into the Takashi matter."
"I've never been there before. Is there a place close by I can teleport us to?" Asked Red.
"Nothing comes to mind. We better look at a map to help us out." Suggests Brett.
The two men head out for the other room with the maps.
"Kerym and Nemo, I want you both to remain here and oversee the castle's defenses. While I head out with our forces. We'll meet up with His Majesty, and provide aid from there.
""Yes, your highness."" Replies Kerym, and Nemo.
"Sergeant, are the troops ready to go?"
"Yes sir, just waiting on you."
"Good. Then let us be off."
"Wait a moment would you?"
"What is it Kerym?" Asked the prince.
"I'd like to send one hundred of the Centurion candidates with you. It is their sole job to protect the Royal Family after all."
"A trial by fire. Not a bad idea, but what of the remaining candidates?
"I have an inkling that what Nemo said earlier holds water. I believe the Black Archers are planning something. What that something is I can not say. However I believe it'll happen here in the Rose Capital."
"Hmm… Ok, I'll leave it to you and Nemo to handle how you want to utilize them."
"Thank you, sire."
(𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒊𝒐)
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: 𝑹𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏
𝑨𝒈𝒆: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕-𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒚
𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓: 𝑭𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒆
𝑯𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 1.74 𝒎
𝑾𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 50 𝒌𝒈
𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒓: 𝑳𝒐𝒏𝒈, 𝑱𝒆𝒕-𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌
𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔: 𝑷𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒍𝒆
𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅: 𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒚
𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓: 𝑳𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔: 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔
𝑱𝒐𝒃: 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒓'𝒔 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓
𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔: 𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒓
𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔(𝒆𝒔): 𝑻𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒓, 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒓, 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒓
𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒌: 𝑺𝑺
𝑮𝒆𝒂𝒓: 𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒕, 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒓𝒕 𝒘/ 𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒔, 𝑽𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒕 𝑪𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒓 𝒘/ 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒔, 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑹𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝑬𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒕 𝑹𝒖𝒇𝒇𝒍𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔
𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏: 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒘𝒆𝒅 𝑮𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒔
(𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒊𝒐)
𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆: 𝑹𝒆𝒅
𝑨𝒈𝒆: 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑫𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒅
𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓: 𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒆
𝑯𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 1.64 𝒎
𝑾𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 61.6 𝒌𝒈
𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒓: 𝑻𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆, 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑬𝒚𝒆𝒔: 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅: 𝑺𝒍𝒊𝒎
𝑺𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓: 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆
𝑱𝒐𝒃: 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒆'𝒔 𝑺𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓
𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔: 𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒆
𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔(𝒆𝒔): 𝑼𝒏𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏
𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒌: 𝑺𝑺
𝑪𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑪𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕, 𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒗𝒂𝒔 𝑷𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔
𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏: 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒇𝒇 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒅
****
"How's it look?" Asked One.
"All good." Answered Two.
"When do we go?" Asked the mage, anxiously.
"Just be patient. Good things come to those who wait."
They continue monitoring the movements of the castles guards.