Heart Game: Sol [#07]

[idolpro]

Note: please be as cryptic as possible regarding any specific actions your character takes when discussing them in the game channel to avoid influencing everyone else!

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[we_meet_again]

[Well, if nobody minds, he's going to have a little food! Ittadakimasu!]

[bluerosestyle]

[You feel less worried after taking the first bite of this meat skewer!]

[we_meet_again]

[Cobalt feels like the universe is trying to tell him something. But this meat skewer IS pretty good, and he is willing to take it as a sign of... something. He lets himself relax a bit.

He wasn't going to try the mulled wine because he wanted to keep a clear head tonight, but he's not all that worried about it any more, so he might as well! Time for meat, wine, and a cheerful atmosphere!]

[bluerosestyle]

[I see you understand... The mulled wine is warm! You feel cheerful after drinking it. Your reflexes are also down.

Villagers laugh, people dance... There's even someone who's carrying a sword sitting on a bench, talking very excitedly with two other men while drinking some wine. Clearly, the celebratory mood isn't lost on anyone here!]

[we_meet_again]

[Ooh! A sword man! Time to go float over there and listen to what he's talking about while eating these good snacks!]

[bluerosestyle]

"Aaaaaaaaaand that's how he beat Zink."

"Bwahaha! Beaten by the Gigas Cedar carver!"

"Remember that time he came to the party and made everything gloomy?"

"Good thing he's actually doing his job full-time now, huh!"

[They all laugh rowdily]

[we_meet_again]

[...hang on! The goblins were also talking about a carver. Is it the same one? He must be important. Time to interrupt!]

Ah, excuse me! Did I overhear you talking about the carver?

[bluerosestyle]

[They turn to look at him, curious about the interruption but in a good-natured way.]

Yeah?

[we_meet_again]

I heard he beat Zink! Could you tell me about him?

[bluerosestyle]

"It's a good story, never fails to make Zink mad, hahaha."

"Take a seat, friend."

[we_meet_again]

[yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ♥ he sits down]

I'm all ears!

[bluerosestyle]

It's a story from two years ago. I was here and I saw it all from up close. It was when the Gigas Cedar was finally cut down after 300 years. The carver got to choose his own Calling since his former one had reached an end, can you imagine that? Having a Calling that has an end! Well, he got lucky and...

[You find your vision blurring slightly again, and now you're watching a different scene! At least it's not the first time...

“And now, outside of the original plan, we have a duel between Zink, our head man-at-arms, and the carver…er, the swordsman Eugeo! You are not to lower your opponent’s life through direct strikes. Is that understood?!”

Zink, a young man about Sol's age loudly draws his sword from his waist, and, a bit later, Sol reluctantly draws his. His sword is blue and beautiful, and it's easy to tell it's not a normal weapon. In fact, the villagers gasp.

Zink seems to be overwhelmed by the aura of the sword. His head tilts back briefly before he regains his posture. With an even more hateful glare than before, the young guard jabs a finger at Sol and says “Does that sword really belong to you, Eugeo?! If it’s borrowed, I have the right to force you to use a different—”

Sol interrupts with righteous fury. “I got this sword in the northern cave, so it belongs to me now!”

The crowd murmurs, and Zink seems to be at a loss for words. But he doesn't push the issue any further. He spits into his palms and holds his sword up high. Sol, meanwhile, holds his blade perfectly still at eye level, draws his left side back, and crouches.

The villagers watch in silence as the big man Shu saw overseeing the preparations raises his hand high, then brings it down as he commands, “Begin!”

“Raaaah!!”

Zink is the first to charge. He bellows and races forward to deliver a vertical slice from overhead.

But then, his sword changes directions in midair, and he goes from an overhead swing down to a sideways swipe from the right.

“Y-yaaaah!!”

The shout is rather inferior to Zink’s, but Sol expertly sets his sword at the right shoulder. The blade glows deep blue. He makes one earth-shaking stomp and slices at a sharp forty-five-degree arc. Sol’s attack, which comes out a single pulse later, shoots forward with lightning speed, striking Zink’s sideways swing from above. The guard's steel blade shatters miserably.

The villagers marvel and applaud the flashy and unexpected conclusion. Zink and a man who seems to be his father retreat in stunned disbelief, and the music starts up again.]

...he broke his sword!

[The other men chuckle, shaking their heads.]

[we_meet_again]

[


OH SHIT!!! Sol is the carver!!! And he's REALLY DANGED GOOD AT SWORDS!!!

This is so cool!!!!!

Cobalt was right, the carver IS important!]


Incredible! He broke the sword in one swing!

That was two years ago already? I wonder what he's up to now.

[bluerosestyle]

"Now? He's out there in the woods, looking after the Tree of Life."

"Yeah, he came back not long ago. Was gone for two years, who knows what he did outside the village."

"I heard he wanted to bring Alice back."

"Alice? Who's that again?"

"The Village Elder's daughter! The one who was taken away by an Integrity Knight."

"Oooh, right right, when she was 11. She was childhood friends with the carver, right? And Zink had a crush on her, haha. Talk about pouring salt on a man's wound."

[we_meet_again]

[alright, filing all of that away.]

The Tree of Life? That sounds cool. What's that?

[bluerosestyle]

[And now he does get Strange Looks.]

"Drank too much, huh...?"

"No use telling you then, haha!"

[we_meet_again]

[ah dang it]

Ah... Sorry, I'm not from around here. There are a lot of things I don't know.

[bluerosestyle]

"Friend, this is the Tree of Life celebration. You're drinking and eating it."

"Every eighth day, we gather to thank the Tree of Life for our... life, you know?"

"Yours too, if you're here."

[we_meet_again]

...Oh!

Wow, what a cool celebration! Is there something I should be doing to give proper thanks?

[bluerosestyle]

"Just enjoy yourself! As much as you can."

"Yeah, the carver's the one doing the work for a change."

[we_meet_again]

If I wanted to meet the carver, where should I go? I know you said he's with the Tree of Life but I don't know where that is.

[bluerosestyle]

"You can't miss it, just follow the paved road until it makes a turn to your right, then walk straight ahead instead of following the path."

"But why go there? It's important, but it's just a tree."

"Right? Much better not to see it."

[we_meet_again]

Well, the carver is there, right? I'd like to meet the carver!

[bluerosestyle]

[They all look kind of confused...

Then someone makes a offhanded comment about dancing to break the silence, and the conversation is derailed!]

[we_meet_again]

[well that's... probably for the best.

Cobalt gets up too.]

Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me! I appreciate it. I hope you all have a great evening!