mountain_sage | 043 [Action/Written]

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043 [Action/Written]

[Saleh starts his day by going to the Barracks, working on the mastery of his magic. He easily casts Elfire on the dummy, burning it to a crisp. And then he pulls out his Divine tome and extends his arm to cast the spell...but nothing happens. Startled, he tries again, but still no result. He then glances down at the incantation in the pages, and he could feel it. The deep understanding of the spell is lost. Guess who just discovered his death penalty.]

[Putting his tome away, he brings out his staff and releases its magic briefly. He sighs with relief; at least he can still heal. He takes a break from his training and picks up his journal.]

[Written]

Great Dragon...it seems I can no longer wield light-based magic. I can only assume that this is the penalty I have suffered for my recent death.

I had believed that I would give my life for my duty, to protect Lady Myrrh without hesitation. But my death these weeks past has made me rethink this. I gave my life to save Rydia without a second thought, an admittedly reckless move on my part. I just couldn't let her die. That was my only thought.

In my own world, I would not have the opportunity to reflect upon this. If anything, this makes me fear death even more. Soldiers would give their lives to protect their country, their families, their honor. I had felt the same. However, if I do lose my life, I can no longer fulfill my duty. It is a sacrifice that cannot be undone. And if this leads to failure, then the sacrifice would be for naught.

I realize that sometimes sacrifices must be made, but a life is too precious. One must think more carefully about making that ultimate sacrifice.

Great Dragon, I am so torn. Does this make me a coward?

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No, it does not make you a coward. Sometimes one must consider all the options, before sacrificing themselves. Even for another.

That is true, but in this particular instance, there was no time to consider options.

That happens unfortunately.

Do you regret what you did?

Regret? Overall, no. Rydia was safe; that was what mattered the most.

If there was anything to regret, it would be the grief that I've caused for Rydia and those who cared for me.

Yes, the grief of the one you saved is always a downside. But she knew you would return.

Indeed. Thank you, Donatello.

[Yeah, he doesn't know that Don has brothers. He thinks that maybe Don decided to change his mask.]

[Well, they've been confused before.]

Ah, I'm not Donatello. I'm Leonardo, one of his brothers.

Edited 2011-07-05 02:24 (UTC)

Oh...I'm sorry. I didn't know Donatello had brothers...

I'm pleased to make your acquaintance then. I am Saleh.

It's all right.

It's nice to meet you too, Saleh. How did you come to meet Donatello?

We spoke over the journals a few times. He'd been asking about magic, and so I shared some knowledge of the magic of my world.

Oh, I see. What type of magic do you do?

I've studied anima- and light-based magic, as well as healing staves.

Have you studied any of the spirits here and their magic?

I've only been able to contact Nala so far. I've been meaning to head into the mountains to seek Kipinn, but I have been so busy, between experiments, drafts, and new arrivals.

[Nala, of course, she was the easiest to contact from what he's read.]

I've been looking for a chance to try and learn from the spirits. But things keep coming up.

Indeed. We all face the same obstacles here.

Yes. But we make the best of what we have.

I'm so sorry you lost that on my account, Saleh.

There's no need to blame yourself. I was the one who acted, after all. This is the lesson I'm learning from it.

You will be able to regain, given a few months...but I know that can be a long time to wait.

It'll be all right. I can still use anima magic, and I can still heal. So this penalty is but a small price. I'd rather have this than to lose my healing ability.

That healing ability is vital, true. Still, I'm glad that you told us. If we're drafted together again, we can try to compensate for it, if need be.

Indeed. We'll work around this for the time being.

It doesn't. You have more to think about, and it's obviously going to make you reshuffle your priorities, but it doesn't make you a coward.

I see. That is true, of course. My priority to serve the Great Dragon will not change, but the decisions to take drastic actions might.

Or just spend some time working it out ahead of time. You have a better idea of what can happen now.

I'm not sure. Things are different in my world. We don't even know what we're up against...

No, but you know now that it can cost you. Now you have to decide what the worth is. It'll take time to work out your limits, but you don't actually need to experience everything before you decide.

You just need to have the strength of will to hold onto it when the time comes.

If an entire world is in danger...then it could be worth the sacrifice of a single life if need be...

[He's just more strongly hoping it doesn't come to that, perhaps...]

In the end, do what you feel is right. It's all anyone's got, really.

Leave her protection to me from now on.

Kain...

[Now it's starting to make sense, particularly as to why the dragoon had punched him.]

Again, I know she is precious to you, but understand that you are not the only one who cares for her.

That may well be, but if you ever save her in that manner again, you'll earn an extra penalty from me.

[And if you think he's not serious about killing an ally with what he considers 'good reason'... you haven't been around him long enough clearly.]

[He just glares at the journal some more. Not that he doubts Kain's seriousness, but it just sounds foolish.]

So you would rather I let her die? Is that what you're implying?

I'm saying NO ONE has to die. I could have protected her fine. We didn't need you.

[Yeah this is going to be a sore point for a very long time. Tread carefully around him...]

I'm glad she's safe. Don't mistake that part. But the blow was mine to take for her.

Edited 2011-07-02 17:28 (UTC)

[There's a long pause.]

If that's how you want it. At least I can attempt to heal you if it comes to that.

But do not cut off others from her with your obsession. It's not healthy for you or for her.

[Obsession? Now he feels very insulted.]

How dare you imply...

I've never cut her off from anyone. She's free to do as she wishes at all times. Or do you forget how much time she spends in her own activities and I in mine? [He'd... never touch the Welcome Center with a ten foot pole, honestly, so it's not like they're even together all that much during the New Feather Cycles in particular.]

I'm merely telling you that you upset her with what happened, and I don't want to see that again. Save her if I'm not there at the time, but find some way to live.

[He just has a very weird ego trip when it comes to 'someone else died for MY woman' :| Not very sane, no, but he sometimes can't do 'sane' too well.]

[His tone softens considerably.]

The grief I've caused is regrettable, and I'm sincerely sorry for that. I shall try not to let this happen again, but I will not let her, or anyone else die, if I can help it.

But I was there, so you had no need to act in such a way. It would have been different had I not been. [Funny enough, had he not been there he'd actually be entirely appreciative right now. It doesn't matter to Kain that he'd been in no great shape for fighting at the time.] Upset her again and I stand by my earlier words.

[Though he's now very angered over some different issues now, so he's going to firmly shut the book and step away to fight things in the Battle Dome before he loses it.]

[Yeah, he's definitely going to have to talk to Rydia about you...again]

Um, did the Great Dragon write you back?

[He wasn't quite expecting a question like this.]

Hmm? No...I don't expect him to write back.

But you're asking him so many questions. Shouldn't he write back?

I wasn't exactly writing to him. It was more of a prayer.

...Oh! So the Great Dragon is someone you pray to?

Something like that. He's the savior of our world, so we are indebted to him.

So you're asking him for advice? Even if he doesn't answer...

He will provide, somehow. The Great Dragon is always with me in spirit.

He sounds like a good friend.

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043 [Action/Written]

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I'm so sorry, I was without internet until today. >.<;

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