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[Graded]A Dandelion Sector Story
Topic Started: Apr 5 2015, 08:38 PM (772 Views)
Mazohyst
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Stay the course.

Artorius pondered on the lessons that Marshall quoted. For Artorius, who had grown up in a vastly different way that most others, although was all too common here in the rough and tumble Dandelion Sector, the lessons to survive often times seemed the exact opposite. Cheaters prosper; but only if you're good enough to not get caught. "I wouldn't know," Artorius spoke truthfully, but left out the important detail that he had never attended a single day of school in his entire life.

The man hadn't learned to read, let alone write until he was around Marshall's age. And even then, he only learned subjects like math so he wouldn't get skimped on payments, and only bothered to practice reading and writing so he could pull off heists and plan for jobs. At the same time, however, Artorius could lull people to sleep with esoteric knowledge of ancient history and architecture. Comes with the job, of course, you have to know building layouts if you're going to steal from that building. This place was no different; Artorius had studied the Baron's manor extensively, and considering this was his second time in it this week he was more than well-acquainted with it.

It was then that Artorius planned on leading the way from the kitchen and further into the heart of the manor. They were on the east wing where the servants lived, but the Baron and the Baroness, as well as their vaults, laid on the opposite side. Yet, as Artorius moved for the door, Marshall asked in earnest and amazement. "You're a sharp one, kid. There's others like me, but I'll let you in on a piece of advice: Don't trust any of them," Artorius began calmly, but his expression shifted into one of deadly seriousness. What he said, however, had quite a different meaning.

Though his manner of speech bid Marshall to avoid Dragon Slayers, which was advisable due to how dangerous they were, Artorius didn't want to unintentionally guide Marshall into pursuing a dragon of his own. Though wise and powerful, Dragons can be terribly cruel. Artorius knew that almost more than any one person. Not only that, but his meeting with his Master had put him onto a difficult path. Not to mention, the price he paid for meeting Mokalure was paid several times over, and he was still paying for it even now. Though it was well worth it, there was no doubt in his mind that someone with hesitation and reservations would be doing nothing short of throwing their lives away by pursuing such an arduous path. "Before you get any ideas, remember this: is strength something you're willing to give your life, and your soul for? Nothing is gained without sacrifice."

"That's enough of that. Now, follow me and stay close." Putting away the vials, Artorius led the way out of the kitchen. He led Marshall into a small storage closet where they would be forced to wait for roughly five minutes. Then, exactly on schedule, one of the servants arrived and took a bread basket in each arm. The moment of waiting was incredibly tense, however, especially as the servant girl moved towards the closet they were in. All they would see was the girl advancing, and the sounds of footsteps and beating hearts was deafening. Artorius stayed calm, keeping his breathing quiet, but given Marshall's inexperience, Artorius basically had to cover Marshall's mouth to quiet, not hold, his breathing. Holding your breath can sometimes be even worse than breathing normally when trying to be silent. That first big breath to fill your lungs after holding it in for so long can often be your last.

Fortunately, the coast soon cleared, and two minutes after the servant girl turned and moved to deliver the bread to the guards, they were now free to creep out of the closet and move along. Though they barely moved more than a few meters in that time frame, exhaustion was quick to settle in. It took nerves of steel to live like this, and Artorius made this his career. Moving ahead, Artorius moved to a seemingly plain, flat wall. However, on its surface was a tiny eye-shaped indentation. "Secret rooms. Crazy architects love secret rooms," Artorius grinned as he pushed the button. Quickly, the wall turned fourty-five degrees, revealing a stone and wood tunnel that cut all the through the entire manor. The tunnel was created as an escape path in case of danger, but the Baron didn't know about it as the manor far predated his rise to power.
Edited by Mazohyst, Apr 9 2015, 06:05 AM.
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Don't trust any of them? Why not? Marshall assumed he was talking about other people who had met dragons. Were they all really that bad? Marshall decided he'd keep that in mind on the off chance he met any Dragon slayers in the future. Marshall thought about what it would be like meeting a dragon, maybe he could get powers like Artorius. If Marshall did find a dragon he'd definitely ask them for power, it'd be a huge step in his dream of being the strongest.

He was caught up in thoughts of finding a dragon when Artorius 'read' his mind. Nothing was gained without sacrifice... if anything that just made Marshall want it more. If dragon magic was something so powerful that you'd have to risk your life to obtain it.... Marshall had to have it now. "You said it your self Artorius, danger is the price of wealth. So anything that's worth getting must come with some degree of danger right? As far as finding dragons go, I don't know where to start but now I know it's possible, I'm gonna go for it" Marshall paused. "After all I did tell you I'm gonna be the strongest ever right?" Excitement was clearly audible in his voice, but he kept it relatively quiet so that they weren't discovered.

Artorius finished their conversation abruptly and ordered Marshall to follow him. The black haired iron mage obeyed and followed the dragon into a closet. Marshall and Artorius squeezed into the small space and waited. Artorius put his hand over Marshalls mouth, probably to muffle his breathing. They waited for what felt like an eternity, Marshall listened for any kind of sound. He heard what seemed to be people grabbing things from the kitchen. A few moments later they were gone and Marshall stepped out of the closet with Artorius.

Marshalls body began to feel a little tired, he wasn't used to fighting so much. He followed Artorius to a dry wall, what was he doing? "So uh, we gonna break down this wall or something? Cause I'm no expert but that'd cause quite a bit of noise don't you think?" Marshall waited for his response, Artorius grinned and pushed something on the wall. The dry wall spun around and turned into a secret passageway. Marshall stepped into the stone and wood tunnel and waited for Artorius to get ahead of him. "See it really is like a spy movie" Marshall commented as they walked through the tunnel.
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Stay the course.

Though Marshall had indeed quoted Artorius accurately and correctly, he nonetheless had reservations about people going off into the world and exposing themselves to such danger. Marshall seemed like a good kid with a good head on his shoulders, however Artorius couldn't understand why you'd throw yourself into the fire if everything else around you was comfortable. Yet, Artorius hadn't actually thought about it much until then, how such a young kid was traveling all by himself, going into dangerous places like Dandelion Sector without really knowing anyone. It was then that it hit him that Marshall was alone, and that he didn't really even know all that much about him outside of what he could surmise based off of intelligent estimations and assumptions.

Though, Artorius was nonetheless sure that something had happened to Marshall, something which changed him, but not before he had experienced warmth, comfort, and love of family. If he was like Artorius, who had none of that to start with, then he would likely have the same cold, indifferent look on his face. Though Artorius could see whispers of despair in his eyes, in everything he said and did, this kid was always looking to the future. Artorius hadn't known him for long, but he nonetheless hoped he wouldn't get himself killed some day. "Second strongest, perhaps," Artorius joked as he messed up Marshall's hair, before he turned his attention and led the way forward.

The tunnel was narrow, cramped, small, and cold. However, outside of the few rats (which were fortunately the regular small-sized sort), they were alone. It sure as hell beat accessing the west wing of the manor through conventional means, as that meant having to traverse and negotiate through countless guards which was obviously less than desirable. However, Artorius' escape plan involved the guards, as he needed witnesses to see Artorius had entered a second time, this time to put the fake brooch back in place. Artorius wanted the Baron to know that he could enter this place easily, at any time, and steal from him whenever he wanted, even killing the Baron if necessary. This whole ploy was about fear, putting the fear into him that Artorius was something of an angel of the night, and he could pay him a visit if the Baron started getting antsy and sending people after him. All the while, Artorius would be putting the fake brooch back in place, as a token of good will.

After various winding, interconnecting corridors that made the tunnels seem more like a labyrinnth than anything else, they reached a dead end. Seemingly, anyway. There was a small lever which Artorius pulled, opening an entrance to a small sub-courtyard on the west side of the manor. However, once they were there, they were greeted by a cadre of guards, among them was the captain and his apprentice. "Yo," the captain said with a vicious grin. Artorius loathed this guy, not because he was so persistent to put him down, but because he was also far more capable with a weapon than anyone else. Not only that, but he never ate the bread served to him. So, fat chance he would pass out from the weak poison.

In seconds, the other guards around him fell, blacking out from the powerful tranquilizers they had imbibed. It left only the Captain of the Watch, Hu, and his apprentice, a young girl named Vi. "You deal with the boy, Vi," Hu said to her as he drew his massive broadsword from behind almost equally massive shoulders. Hu was a gigantic man, coated in heavy plate armor. Artorius had heard tales of him cleaving through three men in a single swing. Artorius never imagined he had taken an apprentice, especially a young woman, but there was no doubt that she had skill on her side if Hu had accepted her. "It's my lucky day," Vi said with a charmingly smooth and casual tone, brilliantly orange-red hair fluttering in the nightly winds. Though her body was quite muscled, she was naturally thin, a body suited towards movement as much as it was strength, and she wasn't lacking strength either. She couldn't be, not with that heavy longsword she drew being her weapon of choice.

"Show me you don't carry those swords just as decorations, kid," Artorius said to Marshall as he drew his scimitar, Shalquior, and his miaodao, Kalameet, from behind his back. The fight was about to begin, between two seasoned veterans and their younger, more inexperienced companions. A fight was not ideal in this operation, however, right now it was unavoidable. They would have to make do, they had no choice if they wanted to survive through this.

((Control the young swordswoman, Vi, as you please. Her stats are around Marshall's))
Edited by Mazohyst, Apr 10 2015, 07:30 PM.
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"Awwwwe, I wanted to fight the old man" Marshall taunted at their new enemies orders. The orange haired girl stepped forward, yay. Marshall sighed and drew his swords. "God damn it.... I thought we were done with rats" Marshall said motioning at Vi. Marshall stepped back, didn't need to get caught in between Artorius and the old dude. Vi didn't allow him anymore time for jokes, she launched herself at him after drawing her sword.

Vi went high. She swung at Marshall's head, planning to end it before it even started. Marshall ducked under the blade and sliced at her stomach. She jumped back avoiding Marshalls attack. She quickly recovered and wet back on the offensive, swinging down in an attempt to cut Marshall vertically. Marshall swung up with Elucidator, planning to intercept the attack. The two swords collided, producing sparks. Vi's blade slid off of Marshalls, and managed to slice part of his shoulder. Marshall winced, damn she was strong. Marshall jumped back, trying to give himself a moment of rest. The girl was strong, not like Artorius strong, but strong none the less. She had overpowered Marshall, in their brief clash of blades he had learned that much. Marshall didn't dare take his eyes off of Vi, she was a lot stronger then a rat.

Marshall tried to think of something to say, but couldn't find words. His opponents silence was throwing him off a bit, he was used to some form of conversation during a fight. Marshall usually used his smart mouth to gain an advantage during any confrontations he had, but he couldn't do that here. This was different then any fights he had been in thus far, she was out for blood. Marshall was fine with fighting her, but this was real life. No teachers would come an break up the fight, and since they were fighting the guards they wouldn't be coming either. Was Marshall supposed to kill her? Or maybe he was supposed to incapacitate her in some way? Marshall didn't want to hurt the girl to bad, but he didn't have a choice. Marshalls thoughts were flying by at high speed, all taking place in the span of a few seconds. He refocused himself, he had a fight to finish.

Marshalls arm bleed, dripping down from his right shoulder onto his hand. He rushed forward, this time he would be on the offensive. Vi must have had a similar idea tho, because she moved at the same time Marshall did. Both of Marshalls blades met Vi's, more sparks flying. Vi pushed against Marshalls defence, a rookie mistake. Marshall used her strength to his advantage, he moved to the side rather abruptly, causing the long sword to hit the ground where he had just stood. He stabbed at her with Dark Repulsor, the emerald blade shallowly cut her thigh. Vi didn't bother trying to recover with her sword, instead she kicked Marshall in the gut. He dropped his sword in surprise, but quickly recovered and threw a sloppy left hook. Vi avoided the punch, and delivered a punch of her own to Marshalls jaw. He fell to the ground with a new bloody lip to match his arm.

Vi hefted her sword over Marshalls head, as if she was about to execute him. Marshall stayed on the ground, trying to catch his breath. He was scared for his life, and he didn't want to hurt the girl. Marshall didn't have time for morals or emotions, he needed to save himself. Artorius' words echoed in his head, ''You wanna know how you guarantee a fight to be in your favor? Cheat.'' Marshall grabbed a fistful of dirt and threw it at Vi, the dirt hit her in the face, blinding her. She panicked and swung her sword down, trying to kill him before he could do anything. Marshall rolled to the side and grabbed the sword he had dropped. He thrust it into the side of her torso, letting his instincts take over. The blade had pierced just under her rib, and had gone in quite a bit. Blood dripped from the wound, staining her clothing. Marshall yanked his blade out, the once emerald tip had turned crimson. Vi grabbed her side, in pain. The blade had pierced both her large and small intestines, he has also managed to cut her left kidney. Marshall watched in horror as the girl fell to the ground, turning ghostly pale. Blood continued to leak from her torso, staining the dirt under them.

Marshall fell back, onto his ass, in shock. He dropped the blade and backed away from the body. His eyes were filled with horror, what had he just done?
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Mazohyst
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Stay the course.

Hu's broadsword was perhaps more akin to a heavy slab of iron than a sword. Its edges were rough and worn, but nevertheless polished and well-maintained. As he hefted it over his shoulder and brought it down towards Artorius, the Dragon Slayer commended Hu's ability to wield the thing. Though, it wasn't out of appreciation for Hu's swordsmanship. When it came to technical skill and fighting instinct, Hu was only about average at best. Yet, the sheer amount of strength required tod wield that blade like it was a child's plaything was something that was more than respectable. Strength like that was to be feared.

The Knight-Captain charged at Artorius, intending on keeping the Dragon Slayer on his toes. From experience, Hu knew that if he allowed Artorius to come to him, Artorius would rapidly pick him apart with dozens, if not hundreds of pinpoing cuts and thrusts. However, to believe Artorius relied only on speed alone was erroneous, a mistake that could easily result in death. Artorius was suitably strong, significantly stronger than he was swift. While he lacked Hu's raw power, Artorius' technical skill more than made up for it.

As a cleaving diagonal swing was brought down towards Artorius, aiming to cut him in half from shoulder to hip, Artorius raised his scimitar. Flourishing it in a blinding fashion, Artorius deterred Hu's advance. As a result, he swung only with his arms, unable to throw his entire body in a rotational movement to increase the force and momentum of his swing. As a result, Artorius had opened up and opportunity for himself.

With his scimitar held in front of him, Artorius rotated his body and brought the edge of his blade down against the top of Hu's broadsword. Pushing both downwards, the broadsword was forced to the ground, the blade put into a position where it could not be easily swung back in response. The problem with such a huge weapon was that it required a lot of room, and a lot of time to swing. The amount of recovery time between each swing was significant. Artorius knew this well, because his own large sword, Kalameet, was heavy and long itself. However, the Dragon Slayer made up for this by wielding two blades, using one to make openings for the other.

Quickly, Artorius spun on his heel, rotating his body. Kalameet roared through the air as it honed it on its target like the fangs of a beast. However, Hu wasn't going to have any of it, and he rammed his body right into Artorius before he hit the crux, and therefore the point of greatest power in his swung. Hu intended on pinning Artorius down to beat him to a pulp, but by the time Hu hit the ground, Artorius wasn't even there. Rather, the man was standing above him, though his attention was turned elsewhere.

Just as the fight between Hu and Artorius was reaching a critical moment, Marshall had ended the fight with Vi. Artorius had not expected the kid to finish her off just like that. Rather, Artorius had intended on incapacitating Hu, then doing the same to Vi. However, Artorius never planned on killing either of them. Yet, now Vi was gravely wounded, and she didn't have much time left.

Artorius sheathed both of his swords while Hu stood stunned, mouth agape. Once the Knight-Captain gained his strength, however, he hefted his sword over his shoulder and grimly advanced towards Hu. Yet, immediately, the commanding authority of Artorius' voice shut the man up. "If you want your precious apprentice to live, you'll put your sword down right now." Artorius spoke calmly, though there was a frightening grit to his speech. Then, he quickly turned his attention to Marshall who was no doubt shaken.

"Marshall, listen to me, kid. We're going to save this girl. She was our enemy, but she doesn't have to die here." Quickly, Artorius drew two items from his person. The first was a silver flask, with a diamond encrusted at the center. "Raise her head, and pour this into her mouth." The second item was a knife drawn from his boot, which Artorius used to slice through the straps of her armor, and the clothing she wore beneath. She was left only in her underclothes from the waist up, but now was not the time for perverse jokes. Artorius was deadly serious when he said he was going to save her. Quickly, he unraveled and drew a spool of bandages. He couldn't stitch her up like this, not when she was bleeding internally to begin with. However, he could at least slow down the bleeding, but anything else after that was left to the gods.

"I can't save her. But, I know somebody who can. Hu, if you want your apprentice to live, you'll listen to me, and do exactly what I tell you to do." The look on Hu's face was a mixture of absolute fury and complete despair. It was clear he thought of his apprentice as something like a daughter that he never had. He was furious Marshall had hurt her, furious at himself for putting her in danger, but more than anything, he was furious that Artorius was taking advantage of him in this situation. However, ultimately, he knew this was the path they had to take to shed the least blood. Artorius didn't take pride in dirtying his hands with blood, nor did he enjoy dirtying Marshall's either. Though Artorius was being relatively heartless here, it would be more heartless to leave her to die and accomplish his task. Artorius wanted to do both, even if it was more difficult as a consequence. Nevertheless, objectively, it was impossible to tell if Artorius was doing this out of the goodness of his heart, or if he didn't want to have to deal with fighting further to get into the Baron's manor again.

"Take the Baron's brooch, Hu. Tell them you defeated me. I will take her to safety. I can't promise a full-recovery, but I can promise you she will survive. Now, go!" Artorius barked with authority. After a moment of hesitation, Hu swallowed his pride, and took the brooch. From there, it was a race against time. Artorius cradled the girl in his arms, and he and Marshall began the mad dash towards the person who would save the girl.
Edited by Mazohyst, Apr 12 2015, 09:50 PM.
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Marshall was horrified. His eyes were wide opening, staring in shock at what he had just done. Marshall crawled back from Vi's body, as if distancing himself would get rid of it. His heart felt like it was going to break his chest. The fact that the girl was still alive was lost to Marshall, he thought she was dead. He had dealt the finishing blow with out a second thought. Sure he was fighting for his life, sure he was relying on instinct but he had still tried to kill the girl. Marshall didn't know what worried him more, the fact that he was a murderer or his lack of hesitation.

Oblivious to the fact that Artorius and Hu had put their fight on hold, Marshall calmed down a bit. His shock turned into a queasy feeling in his stomach, his sweat turned cold on his neck. Marshall looked at the horror on Hu's face. Guilt slapped Marshall in the face, he had just gravely wounded somebodies family. Artorius' words shook him back to reality, everything before that was rather hazy. Marshall tried to move, but his limbs seemed to be frozen in place. Artorius seemed to be more worried then anything, not like the cold blooded criminal Marshall thought him to be.Marshall stood up slowly, his sorrow still visible on his face. He nodded grimly at Artorius, and stepped forward preparing to follow him.

Marshall followed Artorius, hoping they would be able to save the girl. They left the knight captain behind them and ran towards Artorius' mysterious friend. Marshall thought about just why he had so willingly gave into his instincts and didn't just wound the girl while she was blinded. The girl was trying to kill him, and had murderous intent rolling off of her person, but still..... why did he kill her? Marshall had never considered himself a violent person, he hadn't ever wanted to kill anybody that was for sure. Marshall wasn't exactly sure why he had done what he did, but the answer was simple. He wanted to impress. He had come into this whole situation knowing the high risk, he was willing to take that risk. He had came in with a single thought on his mind, survive. He was determined to live through this, he was determined to live up to his words. He wanted to prove to Artorius he could be the strongest, he wanted to prove he could be like HIM. Marshall had idolized Artorius since they had first met in that bar. Artorius was the strongest, coolest guy Marshall knew. Marshall had wanted to be like Artorius, but why? Sure he was cool and all of that stuff but most people wouldn't go as far as Marshall did. Marshall had tried to be like him, because he felt like he could relate to Artorius. Marshall didn't know hi real parents, they'd died when he was still very young. Sure he had his foster parents, but they weren't enough. Marshall needed somebody he could relate to, which is probably why he wanted to find Ecclair so bad. Marshall felt empty, alone in his happy peaceful life. He needed somebody to look up to, someone who didn't pity him. Most of his teachers knew about his circumstance, and always spoke to him with caution. His foster parents treated him like a fragile baby, the only reason they had let him go explore in the first place was because he told them that Ecclair knew where he was and was waiting for him.

Marshall remained silent, following Artorius to wherever their destination was. Marshall didn't dare look at Vi, he couldn't take it. Marshall just kept to himself and ran after his comrade.....
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Stay the course.

They reached a quiet alleyway in the back of Dandelion Sector, the girl he cradled in his arms bleeding all throughout the way. Though Artorius was fast and light on his feet, it was still a race against time, and though he kicked open the front of a door while she still drew breath, Artorius knew that there was still no guarantee that the girl would live. However, Artorius couldn't let her die. He had killed so many; there was no way his hands could ever be clean. All the crimes he had committed were burdens that he would never be able to forget. However, Marshall idolized him nonetheless, and wanted to be like him. Artorius saw it in his eyes, but he couldn't let Marshall walk the same path. The path of a warrior and the path of a unrepentant killer are two different roads entirely, Artorius walked on the latter, but he couldn't let Marshall follow his footsteps.

Though they came from similar backgrounds, Marshall still had a lot of things to experience in his life, but Artorius didn't want him to life a life of sin like he had. Saving this girl's life was the first step, but beyond that, Artorius didn't want the girl to die simply because he didn't want to. Though he was a killer and a thief, he was also the sort of man who simply couldn't turn down someone who needed his help. This girl was only his opponent out of circumstance. She had a lot to experience too, just like Marshall, and probably like Artorius and Hu themselves, she had lived a difficult life of her own.

As the door flung open, the young woman at the counter jumped up with eyes wide open. "Artorius?!" the girl stammered, stunned at the sight.

"Is your father home?" Artorius said to her, but she quickly regained her composure and nodded affirmatively, before leading the way further into the backalley clinic. Though the place was run down on the outside, on the inside it was remarkably well maintained. The doctor, known as J.D. Turk, perked up in attention and showed them the way to the operating room. Wordlessly, Artorius and Marshall were shoo'd out of the operating room and forced to wait outside.

Artorius was quiet for the most part, occupying himself by leaning against a wall. A few times, he reached for a cigarette to calm his nerves, but a few no smoking signs stopped him from lighting it. Instead, he purchased a bag of chips from one of the vending machines and opened it. The fact that he didn't steal here showed simply how much respect Artorius had for this doctor and his family. They saved his life on more than one occasion.

Sitting down next to Marshall, Artorius offered him some of his hot cheetoes. "You alright, kid?" Artorius said to him, patting him on the shoulder. "This is the kind of life I have to lead. It's because I don't have much of a choice. But you, Marshall, you still have a lot of opportunities, a lot to learn. You can become strong, you can become brave, but you don't have to become someone like me."
Edited by Mazohyst, Apr 17 2015, 07:25 AM.
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Marshall reluctantly accepted Artorious' hot cheetos, and munched on them silently. He turned to Artorius, who once again had somehow managed to cheer him up with kind words. Somebody like Artorius? Marshall didn't understand those words, as if being like Artorius was a bad thing. From what Marshall had seen in their hours together Artorius was a nice guy, who was just trying to earn money. Marshall didn't see what was wrong with Artorius' way of life, he was basically a vigilante who only wanted to make the sector a better place right? Sure he was a hired mercenary of sorts, but the task him and Marshall had carried out today was for the greater good right?

Marshall knew in his heart that that wasn't true. He had been so focused on impressing Artorius, and so caught up in the thought of being like him that he had blinded himself to the situation he was actually in. Artorius was a man of shadows and smoke, somebody Marshall probably shouldn't trust as much as he did. But Artorius had saved his life, that made him a good person right? Artorius could have just left him to the wolves, it would have taken a whole lot of stress off of his back after all. If Marshall had been killed by those thugs back at the bar people would of assumed Artorius to be dead, which would give the Grimoire heart mage a fresh start right? But instead of letting that happen Artorius chose the hard choice, a choice Marshall doubted many others would have made, and saved him. Sure Artorius was cool, and probably the closest thing Marshall would ever get to a mentor, but he was more then that. Artorius was.... Marshall didn't like calling him a hero, hero's didn't deal in the shadows, Artorius was something more then that. To Marshall Artorius was, a symbol. He was a goal to strive for, he was something Marshall could hope to be. After all, Marshall had very few dreams, all he really wanted was somewhere to belong. In his own home he felt like an alien, an outsider. Marshall wanted something he could do with his life, a reason to be. He didn't just want to grow up and get a job, he wanted to be something greater. So he had set out to find his cousin, hoping she would be the one to quench his thirst for greatness.

"Artorius...." Marshall spoke softly, his voice cracked and exposed the threat of him crying. "This is gonna sound stupid but...." Marshall continued. "I've never really had any friends" Marshall looked up at the smoke dragon, his eyes full of tears. "Back at school the only reason kids would hang around me was because of my brother" Marshall paused. " I was always the guy, the guy who did the dumbest shit, and said the craziest things... but that was all just because I wanted to be somebody, I wanted to belong. And now here I am, wondering Fiore looking for somebody who probably couldn't care less about my existence. Artorius... you are really the first person that I would consider.... consider a friend. And I know you probably don't want to hear this but... I want to be like you. You're the best at what you do Artorius, and somebody I can look up to. I know that I don't have to be you to become stronger, and I know you probably don't appreciate some of my actions" Marshall's voice grew stronger with every word, a bubble of confidence swelled in his chest. "But I also know that you are somebody worthy of praise, I don't care what the wanted posters may say about you. I don't care about whatever past crimes you have committed, I can see past all of those things... because I admire you, sure maybe I let your badass attitude inflict my decision making. And sure maybe in hindsight this whole speech maybe pointless.... but uh I just wanted to say thanks...." Marshall lowered his head in embarrassment. He wasn't one for heart felt speeches and figured all he'd managed to do was make a fool of himself.
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Stay the course.

"Everybody wants a place to belong," Artorius spoke in a melancholy tone of voice. While he didn't know what Marshall had experienced in the past, Artorius had been in a similar frame of mind. Never belonging, caring little about himself and his existence, with all his friends lost and abandoned. Artorius had experienced this all, and even more. The person that Marshall was today, at least in terms of mentality, was not much different from how Artorius used to be. How he was before he found guidance. Each time Artorius had found himself lost, he had found somebody to guide him. Perhaps they didn't necessarily tell him what to do, but they had given him skills challenged his strength and determination, and each time Artorius came out better for it.

The obvious choice, perhaps, was for him to take on Marshall under his wing. Yet, Artorius wasn't ready for something like that. He had problems of his own and lacked the time or willpower to tend to the needs of another. Yet, more than this, all that Artorius could teach Marshall was how to fight and steal. For a man who was looking for purpose, validation in his existence, Artorius knew that those skills alone would not accomplish that. Artorius had been trained in those skills by another himself, and once he had learned and made use of those skills, he had found himself as empty as he was before. What Marshall needed was to find himself spiritually, to see the world and meet others who he could trust and rely on, who would trust and rely on him in turn.

"I can't give you a place to belong, Marshall. That's something you have to find for yourself. But, this might be helpful. In this Kingdom, there are two Monasteries. The first is to the east in the Taiji Mountains. It is a land of asceticism, mysticism, and spirituality. I trained there before, and I found something that I can't explain. The other monastery is to the south. It is there you can find the Wuji Valley, where you can test your mettle and determination."


Each of these places was far from another. And far from Dandelion as well. Yet, it was through a long, difficult journey that Marshall would potentially discover meaning and purpose, and friends who were trustworthy and honorable. This would be Marshall's crucible, a forge from which he would either emerge as iron -- flexible, durable, and unbreakable, or where he would chip and slag and abandon all hope.

"When you've done this, I'll come find you. And I'll see what kind of man you've become."
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Marshall listened to Artorius' words. He listened closely, memorizing the places he mentioned. Taiji in the east, and Wuji in the west. At least he knew where he'd be going next, if there was a next that was. Artorius spoke of the future so easily, saying that he would find Marshall once he had grown as a man. Marshall really did look forward to that day, he didn't want this to be the last time he spoke to the smoke dragon. But as far as Marshall knew, the rest of the sector hadn't been called off. Which meant both him and Artorius were still in some kind of danger. Marshall couldn't risk leaving the sector until he was sure he was safe, Artorius' comment about him hunting him down really did scare the shit out of him.

For now Marshall just smiled, no sense in worrying about the future. "When you come to find me, you better be prepared. Cause I'm going to be a lot stronger, and I'm going to be aiming for your spot at the top" Marshall's voice lacked confidence, instead it was filled with humor and sadness. Marshall was usually brimming with confidence, he was usually so cocky and full of himself. But this was a humbling experience in some ways. Even so... he'd probably get that confidence back, mopey and depressed wasn't his thing. He'd rather be fake happy and fake confident then let his real emotions shine through. Fake it till you make it right? Yeah fat chance, Marshall was going to get stronger. He was going to be real happy, have real confidence and real friends. But for now he'd have to fake it, at least until he could find Verrin.

"And uh, that was beautiful and all that... very touching and it just filled me with determination. But what are we going to do about the people that are still after us, I doubt the Baron has discovered that the gem had been returned and even if he did, people might not have gotten the word. For all we know they could have an army looking for us! And you know me, I'm all for fighting, but uh I think I've done enough for today" Marshall's voice still lacked his usual confidence. It was filled with weak humor, but it lacked the same effect it had back when he wasn't a sad sack. To others it may seem like Marshall was trying too hard, but if he didn't have his jokes what did he have? Marshall couldn't talk about serious issues without making fun of them, it was one of his many flaws. But he figured it was worth bringing up, if he really had to he would fight but he frowned on it. Marshall had only fought for his life twice now, the first time he needed saving, the second time he had almost killed somebody. Sure maybe killing people was something certain people did easily, but not Marshall. Even tho he was proud of himself for beating her, he didn't want her to die. That didn't matter now, what mattered was how they were going to handle the situation out side. Hopefully Artorius would have the answer....
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