In The Times Of Fairy Tails

Conrad Heinrich Adelbrecht Carsten von Eisenstein II,

He listened attentively as Vance gave his two cents on travelling the lands "Like Red and Vance I must say I am not the biggest fan of the Capital, way too many people for my taste. I have had a few experiences on the ocean and while I can understand the attraction of the sea, the peace and quiet and being able to measure yourself against the forces of nature, it isn't really my pick either." He said "I myself feel more at home in the countryside. Little towns and villages or just our Estate. There aren't too many people around and the people that are around tend to be very welcoming and that isn't just because of my status. And as far as traveling goes I haven't been as far out as either of you mainly traveling with my father to Bosco and Joya." Out of the four of them he had been the least well travelled but to him that didn't matter much. His home was here in Fiore and no matter how interesting the other kingdoms were this was his homeland and he wouldn't want to leave it.

 

"Fair enough. The capital is not for everyone, for sure. Traveling to little inns and shops in the country side has always been something I've liked. There's always something you don't see in regular shops." Florica replied to Conrad before turning to Vance. "We've been so far I'm sure we would have fallen off the edge of the world if we weren't too careful." Florica chuckled lightly.

"Estate? Status?" Red raised her eyebrow. "Aye, well what do you know." She took a swig of her drink.

"Forgive me, my lords." Florica bowed her head respectfully. "I was not aware that we were in such company. I hope we haven't insulted you, your lordships." She continued hurriedly. She was not nervous, and kept her pose though she was more conscientious.

 

Thinking on which way to go, Lucia had watched as Malkira and Alisa went down their own paths. Well, if they were all splitting up now she might as well go down her own route as well. Without much indication of what was the right way to go, Lucia just decided to go down the green path.

After having been knocked out for the grand majority of the fight, Aoki awoke to see that they had managed to win against Erigor. Well, even if she wasn't the most useful in that fight, it was still good to see that everything had turned up Milhouse in the end. However, before any sort of celebration could be had, Kageyama had decided to go and grab the flute, and make a grand get away. While they tried to follow him, they had eventually managed to catch up with him just in time to stop him from playing the flute. When asked their names by some of the other guild masters, Aoki simply replied with, "Aoki." Now that introductions were out of the way, the group seemed to be questioning Kageyama about the entirety of his guild's knowledge and where they got it from. Looking to Jack she said, "rather than speculate about it anymore I also have to wonder," she turned back to Kageyama, "what exactly is lullaby? What's so special about this flute of yours that made you think it'd be a good idea to use it here?"

 

"Absolutely. It is fortunate that we have been in the company of competent navigators otherwise surely we would have perished!" Vance agreed heartily, being surprisingly amused by it. He noticed it afterwards as Shani quickly realised their status. I... Laughed with one of them? I... Agree with one of them? He frowned and looked down at the table, pondering what had just occurred. This is different that what I expected. These people are not only reasonable but agreeable. Look, the woman is even apologising for her mistake! As she should, but still! These people are... Different. They are not what I was led to expect. For now... But this is... This is strange. Perhaps there are people of worth within the lower classes, although these people are different. They aren't quite the average commoners. If I look around, they're mixed yet in uniform. Every single one who bears the look of their kind wears jewellery, often earrings of some sort. Zephyros, not just Zéphyrine wears them. It's like they're all in some sort of accordance, as if they're all alike. The more he looked, the more he noticed. Interesting. There are a few more average, typical people, but they're not part of it, because there IS a part of something. They're some kind of group. There are patrons here that aren't part of the social group here. Fascinating... Perhaps it would be worth investigating. These people are different. Perhaps they are more worth my time. After all, they seem to know some manners. "None taken. I would have thought it obvious from my gait and speech, though I can hardly blame you for failing to recognise it. It is not often that ones such as we pass through this place I imagine."
"Say... You seem different to most people. I look around a town and I see people. But you're different to them. There's a uniform almost. The jewellery, earrings and necklaces generally. The look, not physical appearances but what lies in the eye. Clothes, not always matching but sometimes similar. The way you walk, act. It seems to me as if you're a group. You're not part of the average people. Even one such as I, who has rarely walked amongst them I admit, can see that." Vance clicked his fingers in realisation. "Perhaps something to do with this Le Roi de Thunes, King of Beggars, that you mention. Yes... You're like someone I know. Minus some of the attitude perhaps, but not unalike Zephyros, or Zéphyrine as they are called. But what do they have to do with the so called King of Beggars and in turn, you?" Vance observed, looking directly at Florica.

 

​

"Forget it" Damian sat back, a downcast expression on his face "What's the point after all, whatever happens tonight won't change tomorrow. Sorry for wasting your time" he clumsily sat up from the bar and passed by Edric, interrupting their conversation "This wasn't the best idea Edric, I don't feel any better, I can just say freely what I do feel. My efforts to find solace have been pointless" he said quite loudly "this entire ex...excu... excursion has been pointless, I don't know what you'd hoped would happen but it's clearly not happening. I'm gonna go now" he slowly stumbled towards the door.

 

​

"That's fine. He's still injured so there's that." With that in mind Zephyr didn't really care what means were used to get information out of him. Well long as they were non lethal anyway. Anyway everyone had went ahead and started asking Kageyama questions, most of which that were asked where ones that were on his mind. So He just remained silent and waited for an answer. All while keeping the aforementioned flute in his possession.

 

Edric was about to reply to the King of Beggars but before he could. his fears were confirmed as Damian approached. He felt sorry for him, and also bad for what happened despite not really having any control or expectations about what Damian would or would not do.
"Aye... Veery weell lad. If ye feel the need ta goo... Then Ee can't stop ya. Ee canna say tha' I hooped anythin' would happen, though... Ceertainly not thes. Perhaps drinkin' en't fer ya. Teek care o' yerself. Make sure ye get back ta the Guild en one piece. Alreet? 'Cause if you en't there by the teem wer back then Ee'm gonna have to feend yer pasty arse and drag ya back meself." Edric cautioned, allowing the boy to go his own way. Sometimes, it was best to respect the personal space and at this point, any intervention from him was likely unwelcome. Besides, surely he was old enough to handle himself? He looked back at Clopin, a seriois expression on his face.
"Ee see... Ee oonderstand yer struggle an' wha' yer doin' here. Boot, Ee joost thenk tha'... Ye say tha' Aysha did et o' her oon weel boot... Lookin' at her... Dooes tha' look like the face o' 'theeir oon 'weel'? Ee can tell ya tha', et's the face o' someone doing something fer someone else tha' they didn'a want ta doo. D'ya have a name other than tha King O' Beggars?" Edric asked before continuing.

 

"I don't want to look at the deadends by myself. I'll come with you Malkira."

Malkira took the Orange Route.

Lucia went down the Green Route

Alisa went down the Blue Route.

"We can either go check out the deadend (5) or the path onward (6)." Calxiyn told him.

"Alisa, there is a dead end (3) and something that looks to be another dead end (4)." Balthazar took in the breath. They were running out of time. "Lucia, you can go upwards (7), but that looks to be a deadend, though it might connected with the other side of the Maze that we haven't gotten to yet. There's also to your side (8)."



Caliborn: Blue Dot
Alisa: Purple Dot
Beucette: Red Dot
Mizuki: Black X
Lucia: Yellow Dot
Calxiyn: Pink Dot
Malkira: Brown Dot

 

​

"Oh good, I'm not going along alone" Malkira stated when Calxiyn followed him, this brought back memories "of course, I could fend off any minotaurs or whatever myself, but it's always nice to have backup" heh, that's exactly what he would have said to Serora, back then, it seemed so long ago. as they walked along they came across another choice "hmm, we're running out of time Se... Cal sorry. but I suppose there's no harm in checking out the dead end. Well there could be, but not for me. come on" he gestured for Cal to follow him and completely by accident hit her with one massive stone fist "Oh, uh, I'm sorry" he looked down at his rock arms. For a moment there he had thought he was human again. It was just like old times, going into any dangerous situation, Serora would follow him anywhere. Did he really miss that time so much? "Sorry... for a moment I..." he stayed silent for a moment longer "Cal... I know what the Oracle said but... do you think i could ever become human again?"

 

"Ow!" Calxiyn rubbed her head. Calxiyn looked over at Malkira sadly. Even though he did hit her in the head, she didn't think he was bad. She took his arm in her small hands, and smiled at him. "Of course I do. And maybe I can help you." She grinned cheerfully. "Come on, don't give up hope. Darkness will always find a way into a wounded heart. You have to be strong. Strength of heart will carry you through the hardest of trials.." She poked Malkira on the left side of his 'chest'. "In a world full of magic, it's powerful just to believe. No matter how impossible things seem, a powerful enough dream will always be enough to light the darkness." Calxiyn's blue eyes shone, her voice still speaking sweetly.

 

As she walked down part of the maze she looked around at the two ways she could go. Putting her hand to her chin, she got a pensive look on her face as she tried to figure just which way would be the best way. On the one hand she'd be venturing off into the unknown. On the other hand, she'd be venturing off into the area that'd probably be a dead end. Hm, well, neither option seemed to be particularly favorable really, but hey, no time like the present to go and pick a route to go on. With that, Lucia simply traveled down the (8) path and off into the unknown.

 

​

Walking down the path that she had chosen to go, she was informed of the two possible route. One was confirmed to be a dead end and the other wasn't sure. She gave it a moments thought before heading down the (4) path.

 

​

Malkira was pleasantly shocked when Cal held him, and her words were hopeful. "Strength will only get you so far" Malkira muttered "I've seen enough of the world to know it doesn't always go your way, I'm lucky enough to get a second chance in this body" he pulled himself away from her, trying to be gentle "Let's go, we don't have much time" Yet despite this cold exterior there was a glimmer of hope in his heart, Cal's words had made him think... perhaps... perhaps it was possible. Not alone but with his... friends. Yes, they were his friends now.

 

Calxiyn grinned, wondering if her words touched him, but her smile faded into a frown. "It doesn't always go your way... while that might be true, sometimes it isn't supposed to." She smiled knowingly, and looked in the dead end. "Wow, we're getting really lucky."

"You have a lot of dead ends you can go to Lucia (9), (10), (11), but it seems like your way out is down and then to the left (12)." Balthazar explained. "Alisa, what do you see?"

Malkira and Calxiyn found 50 Jewels
Alisa found...

In front of Alisa, there was what looked to be Naga. It didn't seem to notice that Alisa was there. Could she be blind?​

Caliborn: Blue Dot
Alisa: Purple Dot
Beucette: Red Dot
Mizuki: Black X
Lucia: Yellow Dot
Calxiyn: Pink Dot
Malkira: Brown Dot

 

Taking advantage on the fact that the naga hadn't noticed her, Alisa turned around went back the way she came and towards the other dead end.

 

"Alisa, do you hear me?" Balthazar asked. "I hear water...."

There was a hole in the wall, and once Alisa got close enough to it, water started pouring out of the hole. The corridor was starting to flood.

​

Caliborn: Blue Dot
Alisa: Purple Dot
Beucette: Red Dot
Mizuki: Black X
Lucia: Yellow Dot
Calxiyn: Pink Dot
Malkira: Brown Dot

 

Powering onward, Lucia had decided to go and see just what was down the not end routes, and kept on keeping on, until she went to go on down the number (12) path.

 

"Alisa, stay with me." Balthazar then turned to see where Lucia was. "It looks like a dead end. There are two different deadends I see (13 and 14)."

 

Between the drunkards and now strange flirting going throughout the entire bar escalating at stupendous levels, Dawn finished her drawing and decided to take a step out of the bar. There was nobody to talk to and the stench of alcohol was accelerating. If she stayed long enough, there was a feeling of second hand alcohol poisoning was going to occur. Did she know that it couldn't be spread that way? No, she was still far to young for such a thing.

Once outside, the mute girl breathed in fresh air, it was soothing and relaxing to breathe in such purity compared to the evil toxicity of the inner works of the bar. Why they chose that to be the rendezvous point was beyond her. It was more than likely just an excuse to get drunk and be an idiot. Her guild members were among that rowdy group as well. Dawn was more than likely the only young one there who couldn't participate in this gathering. With this experience in her mind as well, the likelihood of her actually ever drinking alcohol was now put down to zero if it already wasn't low.

There was a tree only a few meters away from the bar that Dawn decided to rest at. It was a large Oak tree twith beautiful leaves, flowing as the wind went by. The sun's rays weren't able to penetrate, as the tree absorbed all the nutrients it come from the heavenly body. Laying back, she decided to write within her poetry journal for the moment...

<<Alas, I reunite with friends of old, their smiles warm, their actions cold.
With the smells of toxin gone, the air blows out, playing a peaceful, elegant song.
The leaves rustle, the clouds flow, the sun dances with nature not alone.
My expression is bright just like the playing sun,
but like under the tree, my sorrows know no fun.>>
​

Her journal was placed into her pouch as she waited, watching the birds and wildlife moving by. A single tear shed from her eyes as she saw them play without any care. The ability to have freedom and expression, wishes that she had for a long time. However, she knew that the only ways she could ever express such a form of self, was through writing, and never through her voice.

Dawn waited until it was time to move along. Maybe, hoping for a friend to join her under this oak tree.

​

 

From one problem to another it would appear. The corridor was now flooding which gave a entire new reason for them to find the exit as soon as possible. So as she ran back once more, she made certain to respond to Balthazar. " I'm fine for the moment."