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”Gale… Hey, Gale! Wake up already, will you?” Gale’s eyes slowly fluttered open as she was awoken by furious shaking and shouting from her companion. ”The captain said we’re almost there. How’re you holding up?”
Blinking a few times, the young ruler slowly looked up at her long time friend, and the Vestal of Wind, Claire. She smiled brightly and slowly stood up from her position on the ground, leaned up against the wall. ”Good morning, Claire. Sleeping on a boat sucks but I think I’ll be f-” Just then the boat lurched as it was rocked by a sudden wave, nearly causing Gale to fall back down onto the bed. She covered her mouth and put a hand to her stomach, mumbling, ”Think I’m gonna be sick…”
Gale eventually made her way to the deck, supported by Claire, and looked across the stunningly clear waters to the landmass ahead. Shivering, she pulled her cloak tighter around her frame, and the hood lower over her face. ”The hell’s it gotta be so cold for…” she muttered aloud. ”Claire, I should have just stayed in Gradivus. Between the cold and the swaying of this damn boat, ugh, it’s not worth it.”
Claire gently rubbed the poor girl’s back, a small smile etched onto her face. ”You know full well that there’s no way you could have done that, Gale.” Claire said with a huff. ”This is part of your job as the ruler. Like it or not, no one else can do this.”
Gale sighed dejectedly, ”Even if you say that…”
Soon, the grandship of Gradivus, the Propero, sounded off a deep horn signalling it’s final approach at the docks ahead. It was of no surprise to the crew of the proud vessel when Gale practically jumped ship to the solid land below. In her grateful reunion with the earth, Claire had also joined her , along with the Propero’s captain June, and pulled her up off the ground, dusting off her cloak. June gave her a worried glance and held out a hand to help assist in picking her up off the ground.”How’re you feeling now, Miss Gale? Will you be alright going forth by yourself?”
She blinked a few times, not quite understanding the captain’s obviously worried expression, but soon enough broke into smiles and laughter, taking the Captain’s hand and pulling herself to her unsteady feet ”Well, it’s not like I’ll be completely alone. It looks like I’m not the only one who’s arrived it seems.” She replied, gesturing towards a few other vessels some distance away. “But don’t worry ‘bout it, I’ll be fine! I may be young and innexperienced, but I’m stronger than I seem, June!”
Seeing the young girl’s smile put his mind at ease and he smiled in return. With a small nod, June returned aboard the Propero to have the crew do some maintenance checks.Meanwhile, Gale focussed herself on strecthing her body a little before she started walking off. As she stretched her arms side to side, she noticed Claire looking at her with an unamused stare. ”What? Something wrong?”
”Gale. How long would you say we’ve known each other for now?”
”14 years or so, I guess?” Gale’s answer was met with a small nod by Claire, but served no purpose in relieving her of her seemingly perpetual state of sadness.
”And after those 14 years, what makes you think I can’t tell when you’re so blatantly lying not only to others, but to yourself?” It was this remark that caused Gale’s smile to slowly falter. After a few seconds of silence, Gale pulled her hood down, covering her face, a dry smile working its way onto her face.
”Ahaha… I guess not, huh.” She turned her back to Claire and slowly scanned the misty land before her. ”I’m scared, Claire. I don’t wanna fight anyone, friend or foe. I’ve killed before, that just comes with the trade… but this time is different. This time I fighting against people I know, people I care about. If I don’t do my part, then people I know and care about may die as well.”
Suddenly Gale felt arms reach around her and embrace her in a firm grip. But she did nothing to struggle against it. "'Every benefit has a cost, and each cost brings a gain.’ Everyone knows that, especially you. I’m just worried about what this innocence of yours my cost you.”
Gale slipped out of the girl’s grasp and took a fee steps forward, not looking back. ”Don’t worry, Claire. I may be weak, but I’m still a ruler. I’m a ruler before I am human. If I have to sacrifice myself and my own wishes for the sake of my kingdom, then that’s just part of the job too, ain’t it?” Gale turned around a flashed another smile at her friend, but the smile showed no sign of joy. It was one of uncertainty, filled with pain, resignation, and fear. But before Claire had any chance to say anything further, with her cloak swaying behind her, Gale spun around and started walking inland.
The walk proved not so very difficult in terms of terrain for Gale as she spent many times travelling across the Cosmos on odd jobs. The uphill trek proving no more challenging in difficulty than the mountainous regions of the Land of Leos. However, what Gale was not used to, and could never seem to get used to despite her travels, was the unbearable chilliness in the air. Whether it be from the dampness in the air caused by the mist that never seemed to dip in its opacity, or because of the altitude to which the incline continued to rise, the coldness was not something Gale, one native of the hot climate of the dunes, could grow accustomed to.
She pulled her meager cloak ever tighter to her body, though it didn't serve much to keep out the chilled winds around her. But there was not much she could do otherwise, except walk. Walk forward and think. Oh, did she have much time to think. She thought about the people she had back in Gradivus, the people who enjoyed her company not as a ruler, but as a person. She thought about Claire, her friend since her younger years and who was so worried about her that she left the temple unattended just to accompany her on this voyage. She thought about the people who she had come to know over the years, the other rulers, those she had good relationships with, and those who had not. She thought and thought and thought, but nothing she considered could let her see an end where everyone could be happy.
"What the hell am I supposed to do here, Dad?" She whispered, as she trudged along, the cold air making her breathe easily visible to the eye. "I know I don't have any other choice but to fight, and I've done my best to make sure that I can put up a decent one at least..." She let out a sigh, more air visibly becoming part of the mist around her. She sat on the ground, pulling her legs against her chest, and buried her face in them. It was hard to tell exactly what time of day it was, the low-hanging fog obscuring a clear view of the skies, but Gale thought it best to rest up and continue again later, lest her overthinking cause a lapse in judgement.
Gale walked, and walked, and walked. With rests in between, lots of thinking, and monologues spoken to none but the scenery around her, she walked for two days to reach the meeting place. Though she knew it not, she had come close to where the meeting place had been designated. This was made apparent to her when several figures adorning white cloaks seemingly formed out of the mist ahead of her, almost sending the poor girl back down the mountain in a frenzied tumble. Instinctively, she had equipped her claw and had readied herself into a combative stance before they spoke out to her.
”Sheathe your weapon, Gale Arash, Ruler of the Sagittarius Zodiac. Several others have already arrived, and have been escorted to the designated meeting place. We are here to do the same for you.”
Gale wordlessly strapped her claw back to her waist, and nodded as the mysterious figures led the way. The path they tread was adorned with flowers of an unknown kind to Gale, the soft crunching of the ground below her no longer felt as joyful as it had when she first arrived. The ever thickening mist felt more oppressive the further in they walked. It was as though the mist itself was a visible projection of the tension almost palpable tension in the air.
Soon enough, after the seemingly endless trek that she had endured for the past what seemed like an eternity, they happened upon the entrance way to what would be the room for all the zodiacs to meet. Before she entered, Gale steeled her nerves. She took a deep breath, the coldness in the air causing her to cough, and put on a signature smile she was known for foolishly adorning even at the most solemn of times. With one last slow intake of air, she pushed open the doors, making her grand entrance.
”Geez… the lack of visibility out there made me worried that I’d mist something, y’know?” Gale said, laughing at her own joke as she took a seat beside Isidore. She flashed a bright smile at him, noticing the seriousness of his expression, and patted him lightly on the back.
There was an uncomfortable silence that filled the room. After a few minutes of the silence, Gale had folded her legs and sat cross-legged in her seat and, though she had not realized it, started softly singing a song her mom had sung for her many times as a child, watching as the dots on the map etched into the table slowly, and ever so menacingly, grew closer together.
”Sen shirya... ki eha to... fude tome…”
Blinking a few times, the young ruler slowly looked up at her long time friend, and the Vestal of Wind, Claire. She smiled brightly and slowly stood up from her position on the ground, leaned up against the wall. ”Good morning, Claire. Sleeping on a boat sucks but I think I’ll be f-” Just then the boat lurched as it was rocked by a sudden wave, nearly causing Gale to fall back down onto the bed. She covered her mouth and put a hand to her stomach, mumbling, ”Think I’m gonna be sick…”
Gale eventually made her way to the deck, supported by Claire, and looked across the stunningly clear waters to the landmass ahead. Shivering, she pulled her cloak tighter around her frame, and the hood lower over her face. ”The hell’s it gotta be so cold for…” she muttered aloud. ”Claire, I should have just stayed in Gradivus. Between the cold and the swaying of this damn boat, ugh, it’s not worth it.”
Claire gently rubbed the poor girl’s back, a small smile etched onto her face. ”You know full well that there’s no way you could have done that, Gale.” Claire said with a huff. ”This is part of your job as the ruler. Like it or not, no one else can do this.”
Gale sighed dejectedly, ”Even if you say that…”
Soon, the grandship of Gradivus, the Propero, sounded off a deep horn signalling it’s final approach at the docks ahead. It was of no surprise to the crew of the proud vessel when Gale practically jumped ship to the solid land below. In her grateful reunion with the earth, Claire had also joined her , along with the Propero’s captain June, and pulled her up off the ground, dusting off her cloak. June gave her a worried glance and held out a hand to help assist in picking her up off the ground.”How’re you feeling now, Miss Gale? Will you be alright going forth by yourself?”
She blinked a few times, not quite understanding the captain’s obviously worried expression, but soon enough broke into smiles and laughter, taking the Captain’s hand and pulling herself to her unsteady feet ”Well, it’s not like I’ll be completely alone. It looks like I’m not the only one who’s arrived it seems.” She replied, gesturing towards a few other vessels some distance away. “But don’t worry ‘bout it, I’ll be fine! I may be young and innexperienced, but I’m stronger than I seem, June!”
Seeing the young girl’s smile put his mind at ease and he smiled in return. With a small nod, June returned aboard the Propero to have the crew do some maintenance checks.Meanwhile, Gale focussed herself on strecthing her body a little before she started walking off. As she stretched her arms side to side, she noticed Claire looking at her with an unamused stare. ”What? Something wrong?”
”Gale. How long would you say we’ve known each other for now?”
”14 years or so, I guess?” Gale’s answer was met with a small nod by Claire, but served no purpose in relieving her of her seemingly perpetual state of sadness.
”And after those 14 years, what makes you think I can’t tell when you’re so blatantly lying not only to others, but to yourself?” It was this remark that caused Gale’s smile to slowly falter. After a few seconds of silence, Gale pulled her hood down, covering her face, a dry smile working its way onto her face.
”Ahaha… I guess not, huh.” She turned her back to Claire and slowly scanned the misty land before her. ”I’m scared, Claire. I don’t wanna fight anyone, friend or foe. I’ve killed before, that just comes with the trade… but this time is different. This time I fighting against people I know, people I care about. If I don’t do my part, then people I know and care about may die as well.”
Suddenly Gale felt arms reach around her and embrace her in a firm grip. But she did nothing to struggle against it. "'Every benefit has a cost, and each cost brings a gain.’ Everyone knows that, especially you. I’m just worried about what this innocence of yours my cost you.”
Gale slipped out of the girl’s grasp and took a fee steps forward, not looking back. ”Don’t worry, Claire. I may be weak, but I’m still a ruler. I’m a ruler before I am human. If I have to sacrifice myself and my own wishes for the sake of my kingdom, then that’s just part of the job too, ain’t it?” Gale turned around a flashed another smile at her friend, but the smile showed no sign of joy. It was one of uncertainty, filled with pain, resignation, and fear. But before Claire had any chance to say anything further, with her cloak swaying behind her, Gale spun around and started walking inland.
The walk proved not so very difficult in terms of terrain for Gale as she spent many times travelling across the Cosmos on odd jobs. The uphill trek proving no more challenging in difficulty than the mountainous regions of the Land of Leos. However, what Gale was not used to, and could never seem to get used to despite her travels, was the unbearable chilliness in the air. Whether it be from the dampness in the air caused by the mist that never seemed to dip in its opacity, or because of the altitude to which the incline continued to rise, the coldness was not something Gale, one native of the hot climate of the dunes, could grow accustomed to.
She pulled her meager cloak ever tighter to her body, though it didn't serve much to keep out the chilled winds around her. But there was not much she could do otherwise, except walk. Walk forward and think. Oh, did she have much time to think. She thought about the people she had back in Gradivus, the people who enjoyed her company not as a ruler, but as a person. She thought about Claire, her friend since her younger years and who was so worried about her that she left the temple unattended just to accompany her on this voyage. She thought about the people who she had come to know over the years, the other rulers, those she had good relationships with, and those who had not. She thought and thought and thought, but nothing she considered could let her see an end where everyone could be happy.
"What the hell am I supposed to do here, Dad?" She whispered, as she trudged along, the cold air making her breathe easily visible to the eye. "I know I don't have any other choice but to fight, and I've done my best to make sure that I can put up a decent one at least..." She let out a sigh, more air visibly becoming part of the mist around her. She sat on the ground, pulling her legs against her chest, and buried her face in them. It was hard to tell exactly what time of day it was, the low-hanging fog obscuring a clear view of the skies, but Gale thought it best to rest up and continue again later, lest her overthinking cause a lapse in judgement.
Gale walked, and walked, and walked. With rests in between, lots of thinking, and monologues spoken to none but the scenery around her, she walked for two days to reach the meeting place. Though she knew it not, she had come close to where the meeting place had been designated. This was made apparent to her when several figures adorning white cloaks seemingly formed out of the mist ahead of her, almost sending the poor girl back down the mountain in a frenzied tumble. Instinctively, she had equipped her claw and had readied herself into a combative stance before they spoke out to her.
”Sheathe your weapon, Gale Arash, Ruler of the Sagittarius Zodiac. Several others have already arrived, and have been escorted to the designated meeting place. We are here to do the same for you.”
Gale wordlessly strapped her claw back to her waist, and nodded as the mysterious figures led the way. The path they tread was adorned with flowers of an unknown kind to Gale, the soft crunching of the ground below her no longer felt as joyful as it had when she first arrived. The ever thickening mist felt more oppressive the further in they walked. It was as though the mist itself was a visible projection of the tension almost palpable tension in the air.
Soon enough, after the seemingly endless trek that she had endured for the past what seemed like an eternity, they happened upon the entrance way to what would be the room for all the zodiacs to meet. Before she entered, Gale steeled her nerves. She took a deep breath, the coldness in the air causing her to cough, and put on a signature smile she was known for foolishly adorning even at the most solemn of times. With one last slow intake of air, she pushed open the doors, making her grand entrance.
”Geez… the lack of visibility out there made me worried that I’d mist something, y’know?” Gale said, laughing at her own joke as she took a seat beside Isidore. She flashed a bright smile at him, noticing the seriousness of his expression, and patted him lightly on the back.
There was an uncomfortable silence that filled the room. After a few minutes of the silence, Gale had folded her legs and sat cross-legged in her seat and, though she had not realized it, started softly singing a song her mom had sung for her many times as a child, watching as the dots on the map etched into the table slowly, and ever so menacingly, grew closer together.
”Sen shirya... ki eha to... fude tome…”