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ID: Nvh1BTbG/qst/6261156#6265417
6/26/2025, 6:10:58 AM
>>6264948
You decide to speak with Cuthbert. The man was obviously taking Elric’s disappearance harder than everyone else. While you hardly ever saw him in a good mood, this was a different matter entirely. You find the veteran sitting by himself, staring deeply into a campfire, shadows flickering across his scowling face. As you make your presence known, he hardly acknowledges you. You take a seat next to the man, and sit in silence for some time, before the awkwardness of the situation finally causes you to take the reins of conversation.
>“Maybe it’s just a rebellious phase. Lots of kids have them, you know?”
Cuthbert merely stares at you, unappreciative of your suggestion. It was not lost on either of you that most kids weren’t also possessed by evil spirits bent on vengeance against the living.
“This happened because I grew careless.” Cuthbert finally says after some time. “I took my eye off him. I erroneously assumed that he was simply maturing. That he was no longer in need of protection. I was wrong. Now he’s marching off to his doom, and I feel powerless to stop him. It’s not a good feeling.” The man smiled grimly. “I haven’t felt this way in a long time.”
>“Have some faith. I’ll get him back. If he really is possessed by a spirit, then it must have a vested interest in growing stronger and keeping Elric alive. In the short term, we should expect that he can take care of himself. At least long enough that I can smack him upside the head and shatter that sword.”
“I’m not so sure.” Cuthbert admits. “At the end of the day, whether Elric’s power is supernatural in nature or not, he’s still just a boy. What is a 15 year old supposed to do against the Crest bearing monsters he’s sure to run into?”
>“I don’t know. I’ll just have to knock either them or him out before it gets to that point.”
The halberdier snorts. He throws a few nearby sticks into the fire, keeping it alive.
“The last time we spoke, you asked me what Gronder Field was like.”
>“You didn’t feel like talking about it.”
“I’m being unpleasantly reminded of that day.” Cuthbert says. “It’s the last time I felt this useless. Back then, I was a soldier in an elite unit of the Empire. One that reported directly to the Empress herself. We were the largest and most well-trained army in the entire land, up against two weaker, dysfunctional nations that were on the verge of collapse. On any other battlefield, we’d have wiped them out with ease. But they had one advantage over us. They both possessed more Crest bearers and Heroes Relics than we did. We won the battle, but it could hardly be called a victory. Rather, it was the beginning of the end for us. The losses we endured were unsustainable. All because of you genetic freaks.” He turns his head to look at you. “No offense.”
You decide to speak with Cuthbert. The man was obviously taking Elric’s disappearance harder than everyone else. While you hardly ever saw him in a good mood, this was a different matter entirely. You find the veteran sitting by himself, staring deeply into a campfire, shadows flickering across his scowling face. As you make your presence known, he hardly acknowledges you. You take a seat next to the man, and sit in silence for some time, before the awkwardness of the situation finally causes you to take the reins of conversation.
>“Maybe it’s just a rebellious phase. Lots of kids have them, you know?”
Cuthbert merely stares at you, unappreciative of your suggestion. It was not lost on either of you that most kids weren’t also possessed by evil spirits bent on vengeance against the living.
“This happened because I grew careless.” Cuthbert finally says after some time. “I took my eye off him. I erroneously assumed that he was simply maturing. That he was no longer in need of protection. I was wrong. Now he’s marching off to his doom, and I feel powerless to stop him. It’s not a good feeling.” The man smiled grimly. “I haven’t felt this way in a long time.”
>“Have some faith. I’ll get him back. If he really is possessed by a spirit, then it must have a vested interest in growing stronger and keeping Elric alive. In the short term, we should expect that he can take care of himself. At least long enough that I can smack him upside the head and shatter that sword.”
“I’m not so sure.” Cuthbert admits. “At the end of the day, whether Elric’s power is supernatural in nature or not, he’s still just a boy. What is a 15 year old supposed to do against the Crest bearing monsters he’s sure to run into?”
>“I don’t know. I’ll just have to knock either them or him out before it gets to that point.”
The halberdier snorts. He throws a few nearby sticks into the fire, keeping it alive.
“The last time we spoke, you asked me what Gronder Field was like.”
>“You didn’t feel like talking about it.”
“I’m being unpleasantly reminded of that day.” Cuthbert says. “It’s the last time I felt this useless. Back then, I was a soldier in an elite unit of the Empire. One that reported directly to the Empress herself. We were the largest and most well-trained army in the entire land, up against two weaker, dysfunctional nations that were on the verge of collapse. On any other battlefield, we’d have wiped them out with ease. But they had one advantage over us. They both possessed more Crest bearers and Heroes Relics than we did. We won the battle, but it could hardly be called a victory. Rather, it was the beginning of the end for us. The losses we endured were unsustainable. All because of you genetic freaks.” He turns his head to look at you. “No offense.”
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