Sentient Bowtie

A pegasus...? What did she mean by 'pegasus'? Perhaps he didn't hear her correctly. "My apologies, but I don't..." Oh, but she was already riding away. Wait, no-- flying?! What on earth? Galen momentarily loses his composure and beseeches the air (or perhaps himself): "Is that a flying horse?! Just what is going on around here? Honestly!"

This didn’t look good at all... Galen turns to their healer. “You there— Vivi, was it? Please tend to Brinda. I need to assist Juliett.” With that, he takes off to do so. Galen dashes behind the shaman and takes a stab at his leg just after Juliett’s attack. “Let me lend you a hand.” he says to the rider, before taking note of her mount. “...I’m sorry, but what sort of horse is that, exactly? I’ve never seen one such before.” Galen moves to [L, 8] and attacks the Shaman. Command: Nicolos attacks the Soldier.

Dulcie moves to [AA, 24] and fires on the Soldier.

Interesting. She was on a battlefield, but she didn’t even have much combat experience — with a weapon, that is. “You used to be a street fighter? One thinks there would be a bit of a gap between that and becoming a soldier. I don’t mean to judge, of course.” At Owena’s warning Galen looks down and notices his wound. It was more severe than he had first realized... unfortunate. He would have liked to stay in the front more. “...You’re right. I should be more attentive to myself, I had no idea it was this deep. I’ll retreat for now. Both of you, take care.” With that, he moves behind Owena and away from the approaching Cursed. Galen moves to [N, 9].

Galen adjusts his hair slightly as he turns back to Owena and replies. “Not a very good one, I should say. And not quite; when someone tells me to duck, I duck. You get used to the timing after a while.” “Excellent shot.”

Without missing a beat Galen ducks cleanly underneath the hatchet and straightens back up. ”Ah, Owena. Good to see you. It seems we are faring a little worse than I initially thought, so your help is appreciated.”

A blessing, it was? He surely hoped so. It seemed many a time that his passion had wavered before, on his worst days. But to end it all now was... unthinkable. Galen nods, and elects to withhold a little (a lot) from his response. "...I shall, Witch of the Knifewood. Your words are appreciated. I won't give up any time soon, that much I know for certain. For my own benefit, or for that of those who follow me." Her response again doesn't do anything to answer his question, but he just shrugs. "I cannot honestly say I understand what you mean. Perhaps you would have to explain it to me some other time." His tone has some humor in it, enough to suggest an 'or not?' left off from the end.

“Perhaps it is foolish, and I’m going to die one day, not a single step closer to having a cure or even some answers. I am not to say. But with how much I have dedicated to this work, and what it has done to me, I feel it would be yet more foolish to give up now.” Galen raises his free hand — the inch-long claws he has for fingernails catch the dawn’s light as he does. They had grown steadily on his digits (along with the fanged canine teeth always poking out of his mouth) for the past several months before he’d given up casting dark magic, and served as a reminder of what lay at stake if he continued his work. They, and... other things. “Trust me, O Witch. Sacrifices have been made.” Oh, if only she knew. Galen quirks an eyebrow at her final comment. “That raises more questions than it answers. If you are neither human nor Cursed, what exactly are you?” ...He hopes that wasn’t as insulting a question to hear as it sounded coming out of his mouth.

The mage can’t help but feel pity for the Cursed people around him, even as in their feral state they attacked him and his comrades. He felt it rise up within him every time he saw a group of them, stumbling around and clutching rusted old weapons as if they weren’t anything more than arisen corpses like in a fantasy book. Though Galen didn’t know their names or their stories, he hardly thought they wanted to end up this way; shambling husks of their former selves, capable of nothing but violence and destruction. To lose one’s sanity this way and have to feel it happen... It was a horrifying thought, but one so much worse followed it right after. If I am not careful, one day I might— ...No. Now isn’t the time for that. Galen pushes it out of his mind (how many times had he, by now?) and returns his attention to the Cursed in front of him. The man’s emaciated form and flailing limbs belied the strength behind his sword, and it took Galen by surprise — not enough to knock him off his form, though, as he delivered a swift stab to his enemy’s arm in response. Careful and calculated to disable, not to kill. In the worst case possible he would be missing an arm afterward, but what’s an arm compared to your life? Galen turns his head slightly as Brinda addresses him. He had been meaning to talk to her further during the trip, but... well, the Witch intimidated him more than he’d like to admit, and so he could not approach her for a few words. It was convenient now that she made the first move, though a battlefield was perhaps not his first choice to hold a conversation on. Not taking his eyes off of the former swordsman in front of him, Galen replies: “You’re correct. It’s mercy; I do not wish to kill any of these people. I would assume none of them asked for such a fate, and I should be so bold as to say that none have ever deserved it, but it befell them nonetheless. Who am I to execute them for the crime of their existence?” He then chuckles at the Witch’s comment, though she hadn’t said anything funny. “It seems all too often that those who would wish to call me a fool for my views fit that label better than I... In my eyes the Cursed are just people with a disease, nothing more. The Curse acts close to the madness you would catch from an animal — you lose your senses, your reason, becoming feral and hostile to all. The fact that it is magical in nature makes things more complicated, but I feel they are the same in principle.” After this Galen takes the time to look Brinda in the eye. He speaks as if discussing an absolute, like the color of the sky or the grass. No matter how many times he was asked this question his answer never changed. And, if he is lucky, it never will. “The Curse is just a disease, and the Cursed are just a diseased people. They are just as human as myself, Nicolos, or you. ...Er, if I may assume.” ...As the Witch’s second attack sails past him and misses its mark, Galen fails to suppress a sarcastic comment. “But enough from me for the moment. I seem to be distracting you.”

Galen moves to [M, 11], and prepares to attack nonlethally!

Dulcibella moves to [AD, 22] and uses a Vulnerary.

"I'm sorry, but was that Sir Moss? Honestly, what is even going on right now? Pardon my tongue, Sir Nicolos, but I feel as though this has been more of a circus act than a proper meeting."

Galen hesitantly opens his mouth. "I don't mean to interrupt whatever... this... is, but... who exactly are you? I can't say I've ever heard of any 'Obsidian Spider' before. Are you a Cursed as well? Perhaps one with a penchant for theatrics?"

Galen is pensive as he makes his way to the Moss estate. A direct invitation to a meeting with Nicolos himself was much more than he had expected at this point, but at the same time, who was he to scorn the opportunity? The sooner he found himself in the future king's good graces, the sooner he could start securing a path towards his own goals. And the sooner he did that, the closer he would be to finally discovering a cure. Nicolos is a little taller than he expected, he notes, as Galen takes his place among the rest at the table. Some of them were already present; A half-dragon, what seemed to be a normal woman, and several others. What an odd bunch they were. He has little time to think more on it, as Nicolos is beginning his speech . . . "I assume," Galen begins, just after the half-dragon asked her question, "you understand the possible reservations that I would have about this sort of test, correct? 'Feral cursed threat removal' is a bit low on my list of skills, I'll be honest with you." He tries, in vain, to keep the hint of sarcasm from his tone. Oh well.

“No matter what happens, I can’t give up. I’ll see this through even if it kills me.”

“Wow! Great job, Ceridwen!” Dulcie beams happily at her comrade before bringing Spirit to bear on the nearby spearman. “I’m going to aim for your armor, but still try not to get hit anywhere vital, okay? Arrows are tricky sometimes.” With that warning given she fires at him before retreating to the nearby forest. Dulcie moves to [AC, 17], shoots Soldier 2, and then Cantos to the woods at [AF, 17].

Might be interested, depending.

Dulcie, bloodied but still upright, gives the myrmidon a smile... "Good hit. Very solid." ...before it turns into a carefree grin, as Argos heals all the damage in an instant. "But not enough to take me down. Goodbye! Thanks, Argos!" She rears Spirit up and guides him around the swordsman, loosing an arrow at the mage she passes, before coming to a stop near the end of the hall. Dulcie moves to [AB, 13], shoots the nearby Tactician, and then cantos to [AE, 13].

Dulcibella doesn't take notice of the two former cavaliers she passes over except by giving them an offering of spittle as she does. She gently goads Spirit down the wide passageway towards the swordsman standing at the end of it and gives them a friendly wave. "Hello!" Then she shoots them with an arrow. Dulcie moves to [AC, 14], shoots the Myrmidon, and then cantos to [Z, 14].

Dulcibella shoots Cavalier 2 and cantoes to [X, 13].

Dulcie rides to [S, 13], shoots Cavalier 2, and then cantos to [U, 13].

Dulcibella rests silently upon her horse. Her thoughts are spinning all over the place; their previous battle, the fate of the prisoners, her promise with Argos... It’s only the frenzied scream of “DIE!” from Fallon that jerks her back to reality. Briefly examining the battlefield (and muttering a halfhearted prayer for that knight), Dulcie moves forward and attacks. Dulcie moves to [S, 9] and 360 noscopes the archer kid.

”I figured you could, although that might be a problem... Before I was in the Allied Guard I asked my brother about it too, and he said horseback swordplay is much different than when you’re on the ground. I would appreciate any help you gave, if you still want to.” ”We could just ask someone from here, though, you’re right. Gosh, our to-do list keeps getting longer.”

"Well, that's the thing: if you're getting hit, you're doing something wrong. Archers are meant to support the main force on a battlefield, not be in the thick of things themselves. Although..." "I have been meaning to learn how to use a sword, for the opposite reason. It would be nice not to have to worry so much about keeping my distance."

"They really are. Everyone once in a while I look at mine and I'm reminded of how amazing it is. A piece of polished wood and a string, firing what are basically pointed sticks, but it's such an effective weapon..."