Tales of Berseria - In Calamity's Wake

Chapter 6 - Wolf and Bird

From the dusty clouds that blew past the dry rocky grounds of the Glaivend Basin, did this Wagon come rolling into the Rolance border, still following the route it'd been set upon for most of the day. Sunlight sunk slowly over the distant cliffs, soon to douse the land into a long dark once more.

Marcellus slept soundly in the wagon, having finally passed out from his stupor, Velvet taking his spot beside the ever so odd Magician, Lani, who while hanging the horse reins on his foot, inspected a map of what seemed to be the continent they were on, checking to see if they were still on the right route.

"Glenwood..." she squinted at the bolded letters written upon the parchment above the continent.

"Ah, yes, I haven't told you, have I?" Lani realized, and so he cleared his throat as he prepared to shed more of his knowledge to light. Velvet listened intently, arms crossed as she made herself comfortable.

"Do you recall that little stunt you pulled back when you awoke the Empyreans?"

"Yeah...I do. I tossed the souls of all those Legates into Mount Killaraus, the Lifespring; as sacrifices" she recalled with a nod, gazing at her bandaged palm that once held said souls "I'm thinking what we're on right now is..."

She was stopped by Lani's cheer "Correct my wonderful Crowe! We tread upon the very grounds of the Midgand of old, all merged into one continental sandwich called Glenwood! It was quite the chaotic time to be sure," He answered, clasping his hands together to exemplify "Though that did not come without trouble, of course. But humanity adapted, as we do."

"...so you did" Velvet muttered, faced with the stark reality now in her mind. A new time, and an entirely different world. She contemplated silently at her circumstances, staring blankly into the lands the road led them through. The path veered left off the main highway, and Lani followed.

Past a heavily wooded forest, they were greeted by a vast plain of nature and decay flourishing in some sort of state of life and death in between a rising mountain range, just as all the other locals along their way. Smudges of blighted nature accompanied the once healthy environment like a bruise upon smooth skin, its decomposing touch soon to spread to the rest of the field in the coming months. The land continued to move up as they went, the temperature beginning to drop.

"The settlement ahead is Buck Stone, a lavish little village known for its ever-relaxing spas and hot springs, ahah!" Explained Lani in his never-ending exuberance, pointing to the location on their map, said town marked upon the way they were on.

Velvet lowered her eyes at the strangely thrilled Magician "So I'm guessing we're stopping there for the night" she assumed unimpressed.

"Indeed. I, for one, need a good long night of relaxation. It turns out that staying in a dilapidated building for a week is harmful to your health. Who knew."

Velvet rolled her eyes "Just get a room in town if it's so bad" she easily suggested.

Lani scoffed "A 'room', please. The Theatre is where I was meant to be," he shot out a hand to the open air "The stage, the performances, the Audience, the magic! I...I..." he trailed off, lowering it, his demeanor becoming somber entirely "...I wanted to live up to...someone I...looked up to greatly, but due to the burden I was punished with, I'm afraid that ship has all but sailed...and I exist only in her shadow..."

The Ravenette glanced curiously at Lani, noticing the energy completely gone from his being, and his face unreadable behind the constant joyful mask, but she could tell there was no smile beneath. She frowned, recognizing this uncomfortable silence. It was one of grief, sadness, and sorrow, drowning all the senses out.