Ryyan's Journal - Session 11
The first sight I had of the battle before the Arbor Estate was of the banners, rising over the horizon as we approached. It was mesmerizing, in a way, just how many people took part in the conflict. Then we crested the hill, and any feeling of awe gave way to disgust. The ETE’s use of Skinwalkers is inexcusable, and I hope never to see them used again.
I was worried that our band of four would be unable to help turn the tide of battle in any appreciable way, but our clever use of the flammable solution Coeller gave us proved those worries to be unfounded. Through our actions behind the ETE’s lines, we managed to disrupt and scatter the Skinwalkers, and give our allies time to push through and achieve victory. I dare not take any credit for the victory, as I know Beatrice was just as essential, if not more so, as the leader of the combined forces.
What I saw in the Arbor Estate was nearly as horrifying as the carnage from the battle. I had thought the ball in Flamewrought was as bad as Pash’s abilities could get, but this was a nightmare. The influence he has on people is terrible, not because of the situations he puts them into, but because of the fact that _he doesn’t force them into it._Everything we saw the guards doing, they were doing out of their own desires, just amplified by Pash’s magic. It is sobering to consider what I have done while under that same influence.
With the guards and servants thoroughly distracted, it was rather simple to sneak into the dungeons and free the captured Arbor forces. Through a secret passage in the deeper cell block (no doubt installed in case of this kind of situation), we climbed up to the roof, where Koal was reunited with Oh-Kae. Baron Arbor and Julian were there, though I could hardly speak to them, as I was focused on scolding Pash for what he did to those poor people. It was at that same time that Beatrice, together with Emerene, took the castle with hardly any resistance.
Seeing my sister with Emerene made me realize how few opportunities Beatrice has had for romance. She has always been a little obsessed with training and fighting, but I have never seen her so conflicted about how she feels about another person before. It was in that moment I knew that, if there was any chance for her to be happy after this war, I needed to do something. Giving her our family’s engagement ring was the right thing to do. There is… a lot I have to think about before I try again, and right now I need to focus on the war effort.
Oh-Kae seems insistent on traveling with us, even though we plan on heading right where Wyserias’ forces are strongest. I think that, without her retainer there to chaperone her, she is acting more aggressively than she normally would. Koal doesn’t seem to mind, though. The next morning, however, brought a rather loud objector to their relationship.
I had just spent half that night tossing and turning in between nightmares, and Oh-Kae’s younger brother decided the crack of dawn was the perfect time to start a fight with his sister’s fiance. I was not having it. I managed to get him to calm down, or at least stop shouting, and the rest of my party were able to make him see how immature he was acting. Hopefully, he will reconsider his position towards Koal in the future.
We are about to set out for Windswept, and Coeller has made certain Wyserias will be there to face us. I haven’t been able to shake the feeling of dread ever since this war began, but never has it been this strong. My only hope is that, should I die, I die fighting so that my friends can end our story, and bring peace to this stricken island.