CH. 13 - Climbing the Ladder

[Daos]

Ladonna
"Your father tells me that you are an accomplished sorceress," Relken says.  "Will you be participating in the combat contest today then?" he asks.

Lillian
"He sounds interesting," Unakite remarks.  "Is he here today?  I wouldn't mind picking his brain."

[GravityEmblem]

"Dear god, no," Lillian says. "He was a madman who believed I was the key to achieving total demonic power. Ran away first chance I got."

[Daos]

Unakite slowly tilts her head again.  "Why would an elf be the key to achieving total demonic power?" she asks.

[HorizonsDream]

"I'm considering it," Ladonna says. "It would take some creative thinking though," she admits thoughtfully. "What about yourself?"

[GravityEmblem]

Lillian shrugs. "He never made it clear to me. Perhaps a ritual powered by a forsaken child, since my parents abandoned me in the woods when I was a baby."

[Daos]

Ladonna
"I am considering it, as well," Relken admits.  "I heard they are offering a hundred gold for each opponent you defeat, and if you come in first place, you get three thousand gold.  Even runner up makes a thousand gold.  But even ignoring the gold and the prestige for winning, it might be fun just to see what the competition might offer."

Lillian
"How fascinating," Unakite remarks.  "I wonder if he ever succeeded and found another orphan.  I'm an orphan, you know.  Lots of people are.  What do you think he'd do with total demonic power?  I bet it would be interesting.  Nobody goes through all that trouble and then never use the power..."

[HorizonsDream]

"That means you might be fighting your possible wife," Ladonna says with a small smile. "How do you feel about that?"

[Daos]

Relken chuckles.  "In that case, perhaps it would be wiser for me to sit this one out."  He turns to Jonas.  "How about you, Mister Marche?"

"Yeah, I might throw my hat into the ring," Jonas responds.  "It will be good exercise, if nothing else."

[GravityEmblem]

"The ritual required a forsaken child, not an orphaned one," Lillian corrects. "I believe the wording was 'A child who, on the eve of their 13th birthday, had never once been loved.'"

[Daos]

"My, my...it all sounds so exciting, doesn't it?  Such a ritual must create wondrous chaos and mayhem," Unakite observes.  "A pity he never pulled it off.  This place could use some shaking up."

[HorizonsDream]

"Ah, you shouldn't sit it out," Ladonna says with a small shake of her head. Somehow she knew he would say he would sit it out. Predictable and boring, yet this was the man her father wanted her to marry. "I won't hold it against you if you win, and I won't go easy on my own father either."

[Daos]

Relken chuckles again.  "Well, then perhaps I will.  But if we end up facing each other, don't go too hard on me, hmm?  Anyway, if you will excuse me, I have to speak with the count soon before the contests begin.  Perhaps I will see you at the combat contest, if not in the arena, then in the audience?"

[GravityEmblem]

Lillian smiles and shakes her head. "I daresay the shaking up Hart needs is very different from the type he would provide."

[Daos]

"Any type is better than no type at all," Unakite responds.  "This place is utterly stagnant with the status quo."  She sounds downright disgusted at it.

[GravityEmblem]

"And there's something that's keeping you from moving on? Finding a different town?" Lillian asks. "Although I daresay you'd have to travel a long way to find a town that didn't cling to the status quo. In Crizzaria, perhaps."