Conviction and Resolve

“Barrier blastia…?” His fingers covered over his mouth, eyes averting in thought. Barrier blastia…barrier… oh! Oh he knew this one! His eyes lit in recognition, “Oh, oh yes. But those have become obsolete. Apologies, it took me a time to remember what I’d read and heard about.” However, at the next mention…

Eyes narrowed at those last words. Something was very, very wrong with Alexei. He was only beginning to get an inkling of what.

“Tact? I think you’re asking a little too much of me there Captain,” he replied lightly with a grin. Learning to act a stuffy, uptight Knight hadn’t been as hard as he thought it’d be, but he won’t let that mar his private time with Casey. “I think I’ll have to leave that to you, you don’t want my big mouth running around anyone important.”

It was bemusing to say the least whenever he joined these outings. Between the knights who came with them becoming more stiff to the awkwardness which they side glanced him and the Captain as they walked side-by-side, wary for monster attacks. Still, as the time ticked by and that awkwardness was turning into laziness, there needed to be a change. So, there was only one thing to do, of which, both him and his Captain seemed to have a similar humor to try.

The barest upward tip to his lips, eyes focused ‘pon the road. “Yes and no, they have begun to smell it, however I do not believe they notice it is coming from the cart quite yet.” He took a slow breath, straightened in the saddle ( oh by the creators, he’d forgotten how stiff it was to ride for so long, ) and rolled his shoulders to help ease the tension in his lower back.

Damuron took one hand off the reigns to calm his horse as it gave a nervous twice. The animals were jumpy, and some of the men were just beginning to recognize this, using a firmer grip upon their steeds. He hid a smirk as he caught movement at the edge of his sight.

A yell as someone on the perimeters saw the oncoming monsters, and the rest of the caravan came to a chaotic stop, some units still moving while others halted in their tracks. To their credit, there were no collisions and many of the knights began to draw their weapons.

So he couldn’t get caught up with the knights.

“I’m sure you did.”

He felt his brow twitch as he looked him over. Was he trying to start something? He didn’t look disingenuous, all things considered, but there was just something implicitly wrong about anything coming from a knight. That smile… maybe Karol was just expecting him to be mean, and that’s what was putting him off. Weren’t knights like, notoriously awful? Other than actively shooting at Karol (well, the monster behind him, but), this guy actually…. seemed pretty nice. That was not to be trusted. He took a half-conscious step back, eyeing him warily.  

“Mind telling me why the Hunting Blades are all the way out here? There’s a few things I need to get checked out in the area, and I’d hate to interfere with your guild.”

Oh man, here was his chance to show off what he knew. He put a hand on his hip, shouldering his axe and grinning. “Well this is the time of year where the barrier blastia in Halure weakens. We’re protecting the town!” It happened every year, just when the tree was about to bloom in full. The monsters took full advantage to attack the town, and the Hunting Blades were there to act as defense! But… He kicked at the dirt a bit. “But the tree’s kinda decaying. So the blastia’s weakened…” After a moment, he perked up, grinning and announcing, “Nothing t'worry about though! I’ve got an idea for how to bring the tree back!” And that was why he was out here- there were Eggbear in the Quoi Woods. If he could snag a claw, he could make a panacea bottle and save the tree- save the town! Then he’d be a hero, then he’d be able to show Nan the blossoms, and then she would like him too and he’d be happy and successful and–

But he had to fight an Eggbear for that.

Reports had only come in recently about the troubles in Halure, and Damuron himself had come in this direction to make his own investigate. Some of his Brigade was camped out not far from here, packing up and preparing for the final leg of the journey to Halure, and they were more than capable of moving on without him.

“On your own?” He stopped himself from quirking an eyebrow at the downed monsters, including the one that had nearly gotten the boy if Damuron had not appeared. He didn’t put too much stock on claims on a cure for the tree, but he’ll sort through that afterwards. He looked around pointedly at the empty woods around them.

         “Are you certain you can afford such an attitude           against one of your instructors?”

“Don’t sell your own instructing skills short now, you have to admit I’m good~”

Damuron pulls out a folded bow rather than a matching blade with his opponent. It’s always more fun with mismatched weapons.

Fite me old man

“Uh-huh. You got your butt kicked.”

He’s smiling behind his hand.

u wanna go punk?

if u say so.

5′6″ 

5′7,

5′7