A Thousand Year Refresher

[lovelesswitch]

Who: Medea and Garviel
Where: Palatine's Library
What: You miss a surprising amount of information when you're dead for a millennium. Garviel wants to catch-up and Medea is more than happy to help him.
When: February 13th
Warnings: Nothing off the top of my head.

A sea of pillars and lined up through the Palatine's Library with countless shelves against walls holding scrolls that date back centuries. Statues of philosophers were displayed in front of the pillars. Standing over high on the second floor of the library over the first is a statue of the goddess of wisdom. Tables lined up the center of the room. Several senators were already present, reading through old, recorded poems during their free time.

Far away from them as if in their own personal corner was Garviel and Medea. Medea stood over Garviel as he perused through the scrolls that recorded history in particular, especially those of the former Belkan Empire. Medea personally picked out the scrolls that dated back to the years after Garviel had been killed to its ultimate fall.

She stood by, prepared to answer questions as if like a schoolteacher. Medea had also prepared not only historical scrolls, but also anything written concerning great battles and wars. Garviel had to be familiarized with the military practices of the modern age. Medea believed that much of the Holy Grail War's competitors will be those who wield the Destiny Crystals. Many are in positions within kingdoms' governments and armies. No doubt this will be useful to the man to prepare for the latest, dirtiest tactics.

Comments

[greyerrant]

Garviel sits with Medea, who he now considers to be Nero's Equerry (Not an inaccurate term, all things considered), and peruses the scrolls, going through each, and marking notes on a tablet of paper he has brought with him, and a stylus. The battles and wars get a fairly short look, which may surprise her, as he spends most of his time looking over the political history, and the development of ethics and philosophy. He looks up, and nods gratefully to Nero's right hand.

"You have done much for me since my arrival. I must thank you again. I know my questions may seem... tedious."

[lovelesswitch]

It was indeed surprising. Medea believed the scrolls concerning military history may involve him the most. For a Berserker, the man certainly had more refined tastes. Either way, this didn't worry the woman all too much. Berserker is the strongest Servant in terms of sheer power and endurance. Maybe this was preferable to spending her days managing a mad beast.

She gives him a smile.

"No. It's no trouble at all. After all, it's only sensible that you learn what happened to the rest of this world after your passing. I have my doubts, though, that everything is as you expected. Dagaria has roots in Belka, but they are certainly not the same empire."

[greyerrant]

"No, they are not. And more the pity, that. The Emperor would never have allowed this.... Church." He almost spits the word, "to gain such sway. Rationality and enlightenment through magic and science, held aloft as a torch to light the darkest places..... that was our way. Religion mystifies and claims there are things we will never understand, and ascribing them to the divine. It rankles my heart."

He stares darkly at a scroll, this one about a more recent battle near the rift.

"War, though, war never changes. There is only war."

[lovelesswitch]

"Yes. I would agree with that."

The gods were nothing but vengeful, jealous sorts who toyed around with the lives of others. Medea had no love for them. Perhaps she may have once when she was still a princess before she became a witch, but no longer. She relies now on her own powers, her "magic", to seize her goals even when the gods block them away from her.

"But people, the ignorant ones, fear the unknown. They fear what they don't know. Instead of learning, they confide in the Church. The flock of the Crystal King is pitiful that way. And weak.

... Mhm. Even with 'rationality', it never stops people from being so foolish at times."

[greyerrant]

"I know no fear. I am incapable of it... the process of making us into the Legions burned fear out of us magically. But I do not hold them in contempt, or even pity the flock of the church. Rather... I wish to illuminate them, raise them up, if we can."

He pauses, and looks to the scrolls of military history, "But that is not why I am here, is it? What is it Nero seeks from this war?" He will fix her with a hard look.

"What do you seek, Medea? I've known people like you before, and you clearly have your own purposes, even as you serve your Rose Empress."

[lovelesswitch]

And in that sense, a man like Garviel would make for a perfect Berserker even in his calm state. But even without fear, he was quite human. Clearly, this is something that nobody could have expected from a "warrior of mad enhancement". Perhaps Medea chose Garviel specifically because of this. His unerring loyalty is exactly what Nero needs in such times.

She gives a confident smile as she replies to the next of Garviel's questions.

"All my liege desires is to preserve her people's happiness. If there was any way to do that, then she would gladly do it. And the Holy Grail War provides for her that opportunity.

As for my purposes? That's simple. What I want is to preserve my liege's happiness. That is why you're here. For her sake."

[greyerrant]

"It takes more than a single wish to preserve the people's happiness... and I will fight for her, of course. But..." He looks to the other texts again, pushing away the history scroll.

"To engage in this war risks her life, and the fate of this kingdom. The devastation of two grail warriors in open conflict is immense. Even if you are confident in victory, isn't it possible that the price that this war will inevitably exact will be too high to be worth even the promise of happiness for her country?"

He has a grim look about him. He wonders if it is strange for Heroic Spirits to question the purpose of this war. Perhaps it is, he concludes, but his role as an Astartes was to be the weapon that questions its purpose. In the Grail War, nothing will have changed, not really. He must ask the right questions or he risks a repeat of the old mistakes, and he refuses to see that kind of devastation once more.

[lovelesswitch]

"Yes. You're most certainly right. If the war is pulled into Rome, there may be nothing left to make happy." Of course, she doesn't care about the people of Rome, but simply, Nero's wish. Medea frowns a little, but her eyes show as much confidence as before.

"This is my gamble, Garviel. Rome was already in danger before the Holy Grail War had started."

[greyerrant]

Garviel's gray eyes will bore into Medea at this point, as he asks,

"What sort of danger?"

It was really more of a command than a question, though. He must know, so that he can put a stop to the danger, if it is within his ability to do so.

[lovelesswitch]

"Several."

She doesn't appreciate the gesture, of course, but at the moment, the important thing is to convince Garviel that the war may actually kill several birds with a stone.

"Rome is a traditional society. It has never adopted the monotheistic views that the Church imposes on the other kingdoms. They're quite forceful... but they can do little during the Emperor's Peace.

The Emperor will depart soon. This is unavoidable and if his next heir does not share his peaceful views, then Rome will be the first to be subjected to the Church's harsher Inquisitions.

Nero is at odds with Delacroix. They share a mutual distrust. I dislike two-faced men like him. And two-faced is the quality that the entirety of the Senate shares. They are not fond of my liege's presence."

[greyerrant]

"Then war seems likely to be inevitable, though not the war I was called to fight."

[lovelesswitch]

"This war may be the first and last war during Nero's reign."

[greyerrant]

"Let us make sure it is recorded in history as the First and Only, instead. What forces does Rome have at its disposal at present? I have some idea of the historical nature of the army at Nero's disposal, and it would seem in some regards to have emulated the design of Belka's Legiones Astartes, albeit imperfectly. I would imagine the cost of equipping warriors as I am equipped was... prohibitive."

[lovelesswitch]

The man was a little more idealistic than she gave credit for. In ways, he may be easy to use for her goals. But then again, it doesn't seem like she needs too much incentive to push him towards the correct paths. After all, they were both after the same thing. They were both, in their own ways, loyal to their "masters".

"Embarrassing as it is to admit, the men of the Roman Kingdom lacks in strength compared to the Belkan Empire. We're an agricultural land and most of our soldiers were once from farming communities. They often enlist from Hirawyr.

Of course, that isn't to say we are weak. The lands that Rome sits on are rife with magic."

[greyerrant]

Loyalty is everything to Loken. Loyalty and honor, which is why the summoning of him as a Berserker is so ironic. He was a natural fit as a Saber, an Archer.... but as a raging machine of war, he has been brought to walk the world again. And thus he will be used. Or misused.

"The Belkan Empire was enormous, and took a long time to build. Given time, and proper leadership, I see no reason Rome could not be as strong."