vietmyke

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Galahad Caradoc

---

Despite the surprise intrusion by the Skael spymaster, dinner went, by all accounts, rather smoothly as far as dinner with nobles in Edren went. Granted, this was only their second, but in comparison to the first this one ended quite well. True to his word, tailors came by and by the morning the Kirins had ready made cold weather clothing. Galahad's took the form of a rather thick cloak that was rather aerodynamic for a cloak. Well, as much as a heavy cloak could be. It was no doubt more limiting than without, but better than Galahad expected. With their wagon loaded up with fresh provisions as well, Galahad offered the Demets a short, courteous bow before they left.

"Earl Cadmon, you have my thanks. I am grateful to have received such hospitality." He said, he offered them a wry grin. "Hopefully, the next time we meet, it will be under better circumstances."

Their travels saw them to Lunaris, a place Galahad had even less experience with than the Demet Marches. He rarely made his way west, and when he did it was rarely to go to Lunaris. For good reason too, this place gave him the creeps. Pulling back on Korin's reins, Galahad was all too happy to let Rudolf lead them through this stretch. "The faster the better, Rudolf." he remarked. As they came within sight of a lone pillar, Galahad raised an eyebrow. Rudolf had been cagey about his past all this time. That he was finally ready to let them all know was perhaps the best thing that could've come from a place like this-

But unfortunately it was not to be. The Kirins were once again set upon, this time by some sort of shadowy jester.

"And here I thought jesters were supposed to be funny." Galahad growled as he leaped off of Korin, his halberd twirling through the air as he threw it, intercepting one of the crawling arms of shadow. He nodded, Rudolf's advice was solid- get him into the light. Unfortunately, there were plenty of shadows around them- ancient ruins tended to do that. Galahad paused, and glanced over at Éliane and Chisato, two that he knew had explosives.

"If either of you ever fancied destroying valuable artifacts or things Edreni culture finds important, now is the time!" Galahad barked, "If we can't drag this thing into the light, then we can just bring the light to it."

With that, Galahad sprinted forward, using wide sweeps of his halberd to intercept any twisting shadowy arms heading Miina's way.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Galahad Caradoc

---

The Kirins' time in the Demet lands had been surprisingly productive. Without being constantly backstabbed or sold out or put upon by invading Valheimr, Galahad actually found a moment to work out some of their more mundane issues. Provisioning, for one. With Goug's help, Galahad had drafted up a rather comprehensive list of the things they would need for their journey south into Skael: Rations for the journey, both preserved and fresh; cold weather gear to deal with the oncoming chill; actual tools for proper weapons and armor maintenance; a supply of materials for their Skaellers to create ammunition; a small stock of potions; camping gear, rope and the like; fresh chocobos to haul the cart. It was all rather refreshingly mundane.

Galahad found that his time in the Demet estate was met with only minor annoyances- at least on Galahad's side of things. Of course, Wulfric wouldn't stop talking, but to a degree, Galahad found the conversation strangely comforting. Not necessarily because he enjoyed talking to Wulfric, but his grandstanding and storytelling felt normal- a bit aggravating, but normal- compared to their more recent tribulations. Well, as normal as accidentally ripping hearts out of blightbeasts or accosting foreign travelers could be. In fact, dinner in the Cadmon estate was actually rather pleasant. They weren't being accosted by Valheimr, and someone finally acknowledged their efforts. It wasn't necessarily that Galahad needed validation for their daunting task, but the recognition wasn't unwelcome. Was it a bit sad that Galahad found dinner with one of his father's political rivals a far more familiar and polite experience? Perhaps. But Galahad wasn't going to actively ask for a difficult time when he didn't need to.

Galahad shrugged as Cadmon asked of goings on in the North, particularly by Midgar. "Well, there have been increased sightings of blighted dragons, but for the most part it appears that Midgar's Dragoons have it handled. Or at least, I assume they do." Galahad remarked dryly, "As far as news worthy of your attention goes... Well, I'm not sure either. My father and I aren't really on speaking terms at the moment." Galahad gestured at Éliane and Izayoi, "Apparently, he's not too fond of the company I keep. He's disowned me in all but name."

That probably told him what he needed to know regarding that. Any further discussion about Galahad's home life was however interrupted by the presence of one of Skael's spymasters. On the one hand, it was good to know that Skael would cooperate with them- completely opposite of the debacle that had happened in Drana. Unfortunately it seemed as though they were heading back into the fire. Solitude silenced was hardly the news Galahad expected or wanted to hear. It appears that Valheim had found their way to Skael and its Crystal. That hardly bode well for them. It boiled down to rather simple terms: If they wanted the Crystal of Wind, they'd have to deal with Solitude and the Valheim within. Galahad frowned as he traced the pattern, and glanced over at Earl Cadmon.

"Earl Demet, when was the last time you spoke with King Leonhart?" Galahad asked, "It's becoming increasingly clear that Valheim have a pattern to their attacks. Kurogane, Brightlam, Solitude. They attacked Balmung the night before we set out- their assault itself seemed to be ultimately unsuccessful, but that doesn't mean they won't try again, nor does it mean they weren't successful in setting up their own infiltration teams... I worry for the Crystal, and the King's safety."

"You and my father might not necessarily get along, but if you sent a letter, I'm sure he'd send support- if for the good of the Kingdom." Galahad said somberly, "I fear it is only a matter of time before Valheim make another attempt on Edren and its Crystal. As much as I'd like nothing more than to head there myself- our journey takes us south."

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Galahad Caradoc

---

"I don't understand what is so humiliating about following the rule of law in the country you're visiting..." Galahad muttered to the party, quiet enough that churl hopefully wouldn't hear it. Though he shrugged in concession, "Though I guess we're hardly one to talk. Hopefully they're headed in the opposite direction of us."

---

At Castle Demet

Castle Demet was a place Galahad hadn't been to in a long while. For one, the Demets were rather far to the southwest, a considerable distance away from Midgar. There was also the fact that the Caradocs and Demets weren't exactly on friendly terms- Or at least the current respective heads of each house weren't. The Demets views weren't the most popular with several of the more influential Edreni houses. As far as Caradocs and Demets went, they weren't actively hostile to one another- as they were both still Edreni, but their disagreements on how the kingdom should be run were well known. The children were notably less politically inclined than their fathers it seemed. Still, be that as it may, it had been years since Galahad had seen Castle Demet, not to mention Earl or Wulfric.

Speaking of sons.

Galahad's eyes were half glazed over as he tried to listen to Wulfric's story. In his defense, he really did try. The first 10 minutes of the stories were interesting- but his attention and interest began to wane as the endless stories and tales hit the 30 minute mark, a braggadocios, likely embellished, one man anthology of past events. That being said, Wulfric's last remark about the Sagramori heir did earn a faint snort from the dragoon. "Perhaps the hearts of blightbeasts have valuable properties which you had just destroyed- or perhaps he was shocked that you proceeded to eat your lunch before cleansing your hands?"

Galahad glanced over as Wulfric addressed the Ospreans in their group. "If it makes you feel any better, the Osprean representatives we ran into were about as polite." he offered Wulf, as he noticed Earl Demet finally enter to address them. He decided to mostly let the barbarian comment go- though no doubt there were a few- or several of them that may have agreed with him.

"I'm not my father, Earl Cadmon," Galahad noted, "And there are a few less Caradocs to disagree with you these days." he chuckled as he stood to greet the Earl. "Your hospitality is appreciated, Earl Cadmon." Galahad thanked the Demet lord. "I'll have a list of the necessities provided to you before the end of the day."

Galahad glanced around to see if any of the others would want to share rooms with the other, which he doubted. "I think individual rooms would be fine. After a few weeks on the road together, I'd assume everyone would want to get away from each other for a bit. Though we'll take whichever inconveniences you the least."

All in all, their meeting with this Edreni Lord was going a lot better than their last- though for most of the party this would be their first.

The Envenomed: Military Science Fiction Deniable Operations

ECHO DOMAIN - PLATFORM #2884

"Alert. Hostile in close proximity." Echo's vocal module was even- almost monotone, even as the massive unztadtlige took a step back from the impact of the puppet that had leapt onto it. What was more concerning was the worm-like organisms attempting to get underneath the Endoform's armor to target the individual unztadtlige beneath. Echo continued to step back, giving room to the rest of the squad as it hefted its arm and planted the barrel of its scattergun against the puppet.

"Alert. Cease aggression." Echo demanded as it unloaded into the puppet. As it gained enough space from the rest of the squad, "Alert. Activating reactive armor. Elaboration. Maintain distance." Echo's voice echoed, as it triggered its Royeni counter-kinetic plating, chemical bursts blasting outwards wherever the devourers were attached to its armor.

The microforms threw themselves into the fray with reckless abandon. The one tasked to Kleo dove at creature charging her, attempting to bludgeon it with its heavy front arms and firing its laser to tear it apart. The one tasked to Salvatore moved to protect him, attempting to pin down the puppet to allow the voidhanger's LMD blade to more easily land its strike. Echo's designated microform used its laser to pick off any remaining worm organisms attached to the Endoform.

The microform assigned to Alice shifted itself to position itself behind Alice as King suppressed the husk. "Alert." The microform's vocal module was considerably more tinny compared to the heavy bass of the endoform of warform, "Environmental protection breach detected. Elaboration. Supply pack includes suit-patches, medical supplies. Further Elaboration. Standby." Small manipulators deployed to provide said supplies.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Galahad Caradoc

---

Galahad's high spirits couldn't last forever. Though a whole week of basically everything going exactly to plan may have lulled him into the faint, false hope that maybe everything would just work out perfectly from here on out. Of course, he should have known better. Their journey from Drana to Edren went smoothly enough, and they'd been on track to arrive in Earl Demet's territory on time. But as always, Etro found a way to put Galahad back in his place. This time, that came in the form of a particularly unpleasant adventuring party- one that was, unfortunately, rather recognizable, at least by the original members of the Kirins: Éliane, Izayoi and himself.

To make matters worse, the Unicorns found themselves facing off against the scion of the Demets, Wulfric himself. Galahad scowled, his face thankfully hidden by his helmet. He should've known that getting through the Earl's territory without running into Wulf was impossible, though part of him had hoped that they would. What really soured Galahad's mood was that in this particular case, Wulfric was in the right. The Unicorns were effectively strangers imposing on the Demet territory, much like the Kirins. Though, unlike the Kirins, the Unicorns seemed to have no intention on playing nice.

Galahad sighed as he idly pat Miina's shoulder. "Unfortunately, they are rather important. Or at least this half is-" Galahad gestured to Wulfric and his cohorts, "Seeing as they own and steward the lands we walk upon. The other half, perhaps less so."

Esben was quick to point out his relation- or relative position compared to the Skaellan leader of the Unicorns. Galahad was used to Esben more or less interjecting into practically any conversation with his sharp wit, but perhaps Skael's hierarchy would make things less than ideal for them. Esben said something about not antagonizing him- which was unfortunate, given this Chèrle's immediate reaction to the Kirins' arrival. Still, Esben was right. The Unicorns were ostensibly here to do the same thing as the Kirins, and there was little to be gained by actively antagonizing them. Still, Galahad's pride couldn't help but want to make at the very least a small jab.

"Following in your steps?" Galahad mused as he approached, taking note of the Unicorns and their equipment. "I'm afraid we've only just returned to Edren territory. Your exploits haven't reached our ears yet, unfortunately- and I apologize if you're under that impression. But rest assured, we have no intention of following your path."

Galahad lifted his helmet off his head and tucked it between his arm, his halberd resting on his shoulder. "Perhaps it is an unfortunate coincidence, but what is more concerning for me is... Well, for a party tasked with dealing with the Blight, I do believe that every time we've met thus far, you've been moments away from trading blows with people that are ostensibly not blighted. Granted, we've only met twice, but strange that it should happen twice."

"First, you pointed your blade at our white mage- unprovoked. Now we find you here, facing off with protectors of Edren- while in Edren territory." Galahad sighed, somehow once again finding himself between the Unicorns and someone else. "Skael may have differing laws and customs than Edren, but just as I'd be expected to follow Skaellen customs and law while in Skael, would it be unreasonable to expect you to follow Edreni customs and law while in Edren?" Galahad conveniently left out the fact that the Kirins seemed to mostly just break laws and rules while in Drana Asnaeu and Valheim controlled Osprey... But what this Chèrle d'Artoé didn't know, wouldn't hurt him. Probably.

"Now, while Lord Demet's requests may be inconvenient." Galahad's agreement came out like grating stones, as though hating the fact that he agreed. "They are lawful. I'm sure Earl Demet will take any criticisms you have of his son's actions and behavior to heart and mete out discipline as necessary. In the meanwhile, I suggest you be reasonable about all of this, and comply.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Galahad Caradoc

---

"Warriors of Light sounds quite nice in my opinion." Galahad remarked mildly as the discussion continued. "Doesn't roll off the tongue quite as well as the Kirins, though." he admitted.

The week off had been good to Galahad, he seemed calmer and in better spirits than he had the past few weeks prior, and his armor had finally been repaired and shined to a slight luster. Despite his complaints of being idle, the idle time seemingly did his spirits well, at the very least most of the tension seemed to have lessened. And though the quality of Drana Asnaeu's armorsmiths was not quite the same, he could hardly complain. They'd done a well enough job- and much better than anything Galahad could've done on his own. It seemed not everything could go well for them however, as it appeared that Neve, Eve and Cid would not be joining them. The latter was to be expected, though Galahad couldn't quite hide his disappointment that Neve and Eve were off the table as well, though he understood their reasons.

"You'll be sorely missed." Galahad said to the two mages, echoing Izayoi's sentiments. "Best of luck to you both. If all goes well, we'll all see each other again soon."

Next came the discussion of where to go. While Galahad would have preferred to have gone to Balmung, sooner rather than later. It didn't surprise him that several members of their party were less than enthusiastic about the idea- Izayoi certainly had no desire to, nor did Galahad believe Chisato would have any either. To add to the fact that two of their number were from Skael, and the decision was essentially already made, whether they liked it or not. Just as well, going home meant seeing his father, so Galahad was amenable enough to the idea of going to Skael first.

"Edren's crystal should be secure for the time being." Galahad nodded, echoing Esben. "It seems our path is set- Skael by way of Lunaris." Galahad didn't much look forward to passing by Lunaris either- though that was for different reasons than family.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Galahad Caradoc

Ranbu no Izayoi

---

Midday. Izayoi could be found atop one of Brightlam’s boughs, sitting cross-legged with her blade resting on her legs, a whetstone and oil laid out next to her. She set about her task with practiced ease, occasionally looking out over the horizon past the confines of the great tree.

Killing Reisa had brought no small amount of satisfaction, to be certain. And she was still riding that emotional high, days later. Even so, thought of the future crept in. There was no choice but to continue with the Kirins, of course. To leave when the continent was at stake would be to turn her back upon all of life itself at this point.

Even without a clear goal in mind now…no, that wasn’t true. Valheim still infested the land. Her master still walked the earth as an unnatural abomination. There was yet work to be done.

”Brightlam can be surprisingly picturesque. When people aren’t actively trying to kill us, anyway.” came a voice, as leaves rustled, parting as the now unarmored weight of the dragoon came down onto the bough from somewhere above. ”Honestly, I’ll still be glad to be rid of this place in the coming days, but for now… A break is nice.”

Galahad stared out through the smaller branches and leaves, a sort of window out into the sea of deep green before them. Despite all of the hardship and fighting they’d been through, in the immediate aftermath of the Vangar invasion, or perhaps in spite of it, this place felt calm. Peaceful.

”I’m… curious.” Galahad admitted, ”You’ve had your revenge. Or, some of it anyway- a taste. Is it worth it?”

”Without question.” Izayoi didn’t turn to face the familiar voice. She’d figured the two of them would speak sooner rather than later. ”A fool would state that vengeance is empty. That it gives no satisfaction. Platitudes and drivel uttered by those who have never lost deeply to begin with.”

She remained where she sat, her blade sharpened and honed to a mirror sheen. After a brief moment of inspection, Izayoi sheathed her sword and set it off to her side, craning her head back to look at Galahad.

”Do you resent me for it? That I, who ordained your brother’s death, achieved her aim? My offer remains open. I will offer no resistance.”

Galahad snorted, the sound lost in the breeze up here in the canopy. He glanced around, the city of Brightlam stretching in all directions from their perch, most of its people hidden underneath the thick leaves and branches that shrouded the city.

”If you keep offering, one of these days I might take it.” He admitted, ”And the Kirins might suffer for it. I doubt Chisato would remain at our side if we fought- nor Esben, Rudolf or Miina. Maybe Eliane.” He snorted. ”Perhaps I put more importance on our lives than they deserve, but if we fought and died, our world would be worse off for it.”

”Aye, I resent you.” Galahad acknowledged after a moment further, ”Part of me is glad you’ve found a taste of solace, part of me is frustrated that I cannot.”

”Bah,” Galahad spat, picking up a broken branch and tossing it far out into the distance. ”You don’t even know if he died by your own hand. Vengeance would taste hollow.”

”Then let us leave that perpetually on the table, as it were.” She turned back away to view the skyline once more. ”It would do us no good to continue to speak in circles regarding this.” Izayoi didn’t care to acknowledge whether or not the non-Ospreans would in fact desert should they come to blows.

”Have you checked in on the others yet? As our commander, nominal as you believe your role is, it would still behoove you to speak with them more.”

”I haven’t, no.” Galahad admitted, ”Though I hardly feel like a leader at this point. Esben has the brilliance for it, you command the respect for it. Galahad couldn’t help but chuckle a bit mirthlessly, ”The title of ‘Commander’ has always been more of a figurehead role for this group, though these days it certainly feels like it more. We already know what we need to do- me pointing in the direction everyone is already going in hardly feels like leading.”

”Fighting has always been my stronger suit.” Galahad said, before shrugging ”Though I suppose I could take a more active role.”

”You were a general in the war, weren’t you? How did you handle disparate personalities and talents? All the men I lead could do the same things I did, so it felt more like an extension of myself.” Galahad asked.

For a moment, there was silence. Izayoi took the time to think the question over, recalling her experiences in years past. Sometimes, her days as a captain of retainers and as a general didn’t seem quite so far away. On other days, they seemed an eternity ago. She sighed.

”You sell yourself short. The others do heed your word. Esben included, no matter how brilliant you think his mind. The majority of us lean towards one extreme or the other. Your voice is a moderating one to drag us back into some semblance of sanity.” She pulled a waterskin out of her satchel, popping it open and taking a swig before offering it up towards the dragoon.

”Though if you wish my advice on this, know that we did not have the same options. For my part, my time as a general was backed by the emperor’s blessing and the knowledge I was worth a battalion of samurai on my lonesome. A closer fit would be my time as captain of Lord Kaien’s retainers, though I led them the same as you did your dragoons. Fortunately, you have far fewer direct subordinates to deal with. I would recommend…speaking with them. Cultivating stronger personal relationships. You have the luxury of doing so with our numbers.”

Galahad held the waterskin for a while, contemplating things. Strange that he ask advice from one who was and would have been an enemy had they met just a bit earlier.

”I suppose it really is as easy as that, hm?” Galahad remarked as he took a drink and handed the waterskin back. Just talk to people. It was almost novel, how simple of an answer it was. ”We’ve been going across the land fighting so much, I guess I hadn’t let my mind slow down enough for something as mundane as chatter in a while. I suppose you are right. Perhaps I ought to.”

Relaxing for the first time in what felt like ages, Galahad allowed himself to drop to a seat on the bough, looking out at the view. ”Its strange, not fighting.” He remarked, ”It feels like the only thing we’ve been doing since coming into Drana was fight- and walk. Even now my mind tells me to be alert for another attack.”

”Aye, ‘tis common. I grow almost bored with recovery.” Izayoi grunted, not moving from where she sat. ”Regarding our next moves, I suspect several of the others would prefer to travel towards Solitude rather than Balmung. Am I correct to assume that you would take little issue with this? While I would not be opposed to bilking your cousin out of the promised ten million gil for our war chest, you understand why I’d prefer to see as little of Edren as possible before ‘tis necessary.”

”I didn’t think you were in it for the money- and I have no idea why you might not like the sights of my homeland.” Galahad chuckled sarcastically, plucking a twig tossing it out into the distance. ”But no, I have no strong opinion on which of the two remaining crystals we approach next. I only pray that my status as Leonhart’s cousin might make it easier for us to get ahold of Edren’s Crystal.”

”With any luck, Skael will go smoothly as well, what with Eliane and Esben in tow.” Galahad paused, ”Though I suppose Neve being from Drana ironically made our journey in this land a bit less easier than I had hoped.”

”You expect ”Eliane to make anything easier for us?” Izayoi turned to fix Galahad with an incredulous stare. ”Frankly, I remain surprised she’s not set this entire tree ablaze yet.”

A sigh as she pinched her brow.

”Well, mostly Esben.” Galahad admitted, ”Though I will hold out hope that Eliane will be able to get us closer to Skael’s crystal without toppling her own government in the process.”

Immediately, Galahad rapped a knuckle on the bough, to ward off any sort of karmic retribution or imbalance from his statement.

”I would argue the only reason the tree isn’t on fire, accidentally or otherwise, is because Eliane is currently out of munitions.” Galahad chuckled, ”But knowing her, she’s probably gotten her hands on something explosive by now…”

Galahad paused, his voice trailing off before standing up abruptly. ”I think I should go find her.”

”...I believe that to be for the best, yes.”

Falling Skies

Preparations

Skogsrå, Gelcastre Woods, 7th Supply Camp_
101st Special Forces Legion. Local Time: 2145_

---

Getting the 7th Squadron MAS fitted out with laser communicators was relatively quick work. The setup consisted of several laser modules attached to the head and hands of the suits, which the pilots would have to point at each other to send communications. They could also use the MAS's built in external speakers- though there were obvious problems with open communication of that manner. Armor had been refitted as best it could, and weapons were reloaded, the sparse crew of techs available having worked well through the evening to get the 7th Squadron's machines up and running before they deployed.

The requested threat map was also pushed to the pilot's HUDS. Unsurprisingly, the information was neither complete nor 100% accurate- but that was the nature of a constantly shifting battlefield with combat operations currently happening in the area. The relay station itself had a full time guard contingent of a Coalition MAS squadron- though it seemed a few of their number had been pulled out to other tasks- as well as a platoon of infantry and light vehicles.

As far as the area around the relay itself, the industrial district. Numbers were less precise. The Helldogs were actively engaging a coalition garrison in the Industrial district, and anywhere from 3-5 squadrons of Coalition MAS as well as considerable number of infantry were in the industrial area itself. Enemy would likely be the most concentrated around the garrison- but it didn't mean they wouldn't have patrols in the area.

"No rest for the wicked, huh?" Sabine complained loudly as she sat on the open lip of her cockpit, currently sucking down a Rip-Gel, alongside a cocktail of 'combat approved' stimulants, "I can already feel the bags forming under my eyes. Ugh."

It was clear Sabine was getting her bitching and moaning out of the way while they still were more or less forced to listen to her- their ears would be blessed with silence in the coming hours. The MAS were slowly pulled out of their hidey holes on the backs of truck trailers, and moved into a relative clear space. As the trucks rumbled to a stop, the pilots could climb into their machines and start the slightly awkward task of standing multi-ton war machines up from prone.

Operation: Blackout

Skogsrå, Gelcastre, Industrial District Outskirts_
101st Special Forces Legion. Local Time: 2300_

---

The trek from camp to the city was a long one. The City of Gelcastre was still an active warzone, and while actively maintaining stealth wasn't required for travel, keeping a low profile was important- lest the Coalies figure out something was about to happen. The 7th stuck to the ground, walking or boosting as allowed, the long shadows of the city's smoking towers and buildings shrouding them as night fell. Street lights were sporadic, many having been shut off- or destroyed in the fighting. Instead, most of the way ahead was lit by good old fire: burning cars, buildings, and MAS; the dull orange flames cast flickering and irregular shadows in the night.

The area outside the industrial district felt particularly desolate, evidence of recent fighting all around them. The remains of a Sentry lay half embedded in a nearby apartment building, arm missing, cockpit blown open and a streak of blood indicating someone was pulled out of the cockpit and into the building itself. A burnt out Fenrir lay face down in the street, sparks and flame flickering out of its back, its rifle having smashed the front of a cornerstore as it fell. If there were living humans about, they wisely made themselves scarce long before the engines of the 7th rumbled through. It wasn't long before they were well and truly in the combat zone- they could tell as their comms began to get more and more spotty.

The multi-spectrum jamming filling the air made it feel like they'd been dunked headfirst into water, every familiar tether of awareness muted into a suffocating hush. Radars flickered and were awash with ghost contacts, and their communication channels began to have more static than anything else. In the relative silence of the blackout, the low hum of their reactors, the hiss of actuators and crunch of metal feet on pavement felt deafeningly loud. Through nightvision and thermal overlays, Gelcastre’s industrial fringe stretched in jagged silhouettes, factories and smokestacks standing like broken teeth against the burning horizon. In the distance, tracer fire stitched the sky where the Helldogs were assaulting the Coalition garrison.

As luck would have it- not all of the Coalie forces were focused on the fight at the garrison. Sabine brought her sparrowhawk to a halt as a pair of lights from a distant side street flickered across their vision. From the way the lights bobbed, it appeared to be a patrol of MAS.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

Galahad Caradoc

---

Galahad landed on the platform after his attack, a bit battered and jarred from the sheer impact- but overall in decent health. He turned around- just in time to see Izayoi leap off the platform and at the Ruby Weapon- more precisely at Reisa and tearing her out of it. For a split second, all Galahad could do was stare in shocked horror as the two tumbled off the side. Was she fucking serious?! "Damn it! Iza- What the?! Miina?!" Galahad called out in futility as he watched the smaller Mystrel leap over the side as well without a second thought. Galahad quickly glanced around- half expecting Chisato to be the next to leap off the side.

Neve and Eve began dropping the platform immediately, but they couldn't go fast enough to catch up with Izayoi without endangering the rest of the party. As Eve gave him a look and shouted, Galahad couldn't help but roll his eyes, knowing what he must do, but not necessarily happy about it. "I don't suppose that now would be a good time to remind people that I jump, not fly." he grumbled as he threw his halberd onto the platform itself and prepared to dive over the side as well. He noticed at the last minute Rudolf, the younger Edreni's gravity materia traveling in a lazy arc through the air. Reaching out, Galahad snatched it out of the air as momentum took him over the edge and off the side shortly after.

Galahad dove through the air, his armored form shooting down as he tracked the falling figures of Miina, Izayoi and Reisa. Miina caught up with Izayoi first, and Galahad angled himself to chase after them.

"I'd ask you if you were insane, but I think I already know the answer!" Galahad's voice was all but lost in the ripping wind as he finally caught up with the tangle of people. He wrenched the two mystrels out with an arm each, and tried to begin slowing his descent. An armored foot found Reisa's torso and he attempted kicked off of it- but the falling woman was not exactly an adequate platform for him to leap off of.

Galahad began to break their fall as best as he could, Miina's timely magic reducing the speed of their fall considerably. To be fair, his own impact was the least of his worries, but he had the feeling that Miina and Izayoi weren't used to falls at this height. To make matters slightly worse, this wasn't one of his controlled jumps, this was more or less a freefall that he was attempting to take command of. Galahad glanced at the gravity materia, still in his hand- He hadn't used it before, but if Rudolf could use it to ground the Valheim psuedo-dragoons, perhaps he could use it to do the opposite. The materia began to crackle and glow as Galahad began to make use of it, or attempt to before they hit the ground.

Vradia: Tales of the Chosen Few

Cormag Ruunsten

---

"Ah-marry-sah." Cormag attempted to repeat back to the half elven woman. "Issa bit of a tough name." He admitted, "Zah-Rat Al-Kuth-Ban is also 'ard. But I'll try." It was relatively common for humanfolk- and elvenfolk to have rather long winded names, unfortunately for him. Hopefully it was obvious enough that Cormag's butchery of the womens' names weren't done in malice, but rather because he clearly had difficulty pronouncing the words quickly. Another man had joined them in that time of course- a human as well, drunk like a skunk.

The man didn't say much, and what he did say wasn't his name- instead compliments towards the half-elf. The half-elven woman named Amarysah seemed to dislike him or at least viewed him poorly- and claimed to not know him, yet stumbled upon him in Volenstul, which wasn't exactly close. Curiously, confusedly, and haltingly Cormag slowly reached for his fusilaxe. "Wha'? 'as this'n been following you Ms. Marrysan?" Cormag asked curiously as he pointed at the man with his weapon. "Is'n he a stalker? You want I should shoot him?"

Cormag regarded the man for a little bit longer before lowering the barrel of his gunaxe. "He's dressed to nice-like to be a brigand though, Ms. Marrysan." Cormag noted, "Maybe he's one of uh... wotsitcalled, a see-kret admirer? I guess he's no' very good at being sneaky though."

"If'n yous a stalker, I would ask that ye leave, Mr. Ad-mirror." Cormag announced. "If'n yous just a traveller, you ought sit by the fire afore you catch a cold. Wine warms ye soul, but not yer body."