The Mountain of Ordeals

[cecil_harvey]

Who: Cecil, Rydia, Red and Cerberus
What: Running up the Mountain of Ordeals with a much more balanced party this time
When: Around when Avshar takes the Capitol
Where: Hirawyr, Arird
Warnings: Small brats children. Cecil talking to himself and being angsty. The usual.

Cecil, Rydia and Red emerged from the Waypoint in Hirawyr no worse for wear. Having escaped the demons in Chaodan and with the province relatively untouched by Avshar's forces, they had a brief respite to stop in Palatine for supplies before heading up the mountain.

Comments

[greyerrant]

Cerberus is marshaling his forces in the burned-out streets of the Palatine, preparing for the next push towards the Imperial City.

He is taking a moment to reload his bolter with the last of the mana-shells that Medea has made him, and, for the moment, is unaware of his small audience.

[rydiaofmist]

Feeling just a bit restless, Rydia breaks away from the group to explore Palatine. Knowing the enormity of their journey, she was still fairly excited--it kept her from thinking about her home. Not wanting him to get too far away, she dragged Red along with.

"So are you going to tell me why you left? You said it was some really neat secret. I wanna know!"

[crimson_pinnacle]

"It was..." He sighs.

Red finally fished into his pack, pulling out what he'd asked Chizuko to help him retrieve from the ruins of Mist, the Masterball. "This. I'd left to try and get stronger, and when I couldn't...I was coming back to take this. Then you sent that message where you seemed upset..."

He felt awful, as he earnestly feels he should be over it. He couldn't do anything.

[greyerrant]

Loken looks over, blinking a few times, his eyes giving him information that doesn't quite line up with his knowledge of the situation.

"Rydia?"

He is pleased, in a way, and rumbles to himself, "Perhaps the Emperor did protect, after all."

[rydiaofmist]

She looked the thing over, seeming pretty amazed. She knew roughly how his form of summoning worked, so it was obvious that it was somehow related to that. "What is it?"

Hearing her name, the girl blinked a few times, turning her head. Her eyes widened and she let go of Red's hand. "Cerberus!" She hoped it was him and not someone else. Breaking into a run, she wrapped her arms around him and didn't look like she was going to let go anytime soon.

[crimson_pinnacle]

"It's--" He stopped at the third voice breaking in, and looked up.

He'd heard the name, as that was the guy helping the survivors until they moved...wherever they'd ended up. Red couldn't be sure at all on that, but wow, he hadn't been expecting someone big enough to dwarf the both of them.

"You're big..." He didn't hide a smile though; friends of Rydia were his too and he made his way over, offering a hand that probably looked tiny in comparison to the Astartes.

[cecil_harvey]

Cecil, meanwhile, was laden down with packs of supplies and only now arrived on the scene. He cocked his head in askance, but said nothing.

[greyerrant]

Garviel will pat Rydia's head lightly as she clings to him, and nods at Red very gravely, taking the proffered hand and shaking it.

"I am. My name is Cerberus... and I think we have spoken before, if only briefly. You were at the village of the mist, yes?"

He eyes Red thoughtfully, trying to recall details on the situation, much having been lost to the heat haze of the present battle, and his own not-inconsiderable exertions.

[rydiaofmist]

There are a few small sniffles that come from the girl as she lets Garviel go. Quickly wiping her eyes--and trying to make it look like she wasn't just crying--she turns toward Red and Cecil with a smile. "He's my friend." She said, gesturing toward the taller man.

She then gestured toward Cecil and Red. "This is Red and Cecil. Red's from Mist like me. Cecil was in Mist that day too. He was with me when I woke up."

[crimson_pinnacle]

Try as Red might, he probably can't produce a grip worthy of the man's notice, and nods in turn.

"Yes, everyone calls me Red." He waits a beat, working to recall the details himself; it was when he was grieving and a bit blurry for his own perspective. "We...Yeah, we did talk; you were keeping the survivors safe. I don't know if I ever thanked you..."

[cecil_harvey]

Cecil thinks for a moment. "Ah yes, I do remember. You came to her aid. Well met, Ser Cerberus."

[greyerrant]

"Strange to see you all here, I had thought you were both..."

He doesn't want to say it, he doesn't want to imply suspicion, so he just adds lamely.

"Gone."

Figure that I'm home sick all day, may as well do some tagging.

[rydiaofmist]

Finding some kind of deep determination from somewhere, she corrects Garviel. "It takes a lot more than that to keep us down. Isn't that right?" She looked toward both Red and Cecil with a smile.

[crimson_pinnacle]

"Well, I might not have started the journey with you; but I'm here till it ends. No matter what happens."

Red grinned and nodded at the other two men. Besides, even if they didn't want him there, he wasn't going to leave Rydia again unless something extreme happened.