[b][/b][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/fUcbUBc.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/HIhaBLD.jpg[/img] [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WGZLuAlRLE&ab_channel=Syobo]Hope's Battle Theme[/url] [url=https://soundcloud.com/aeoliancat/hopevoiceenglish]Hope's English Voice[/url] [url=https://soundcloud.com/aeoliancat/hopejapanesevoice]Hope's Japanese Voice[/url] [color=E9C1DD]🌹 "Thank you mother, for this magic I can use to protect others." 🌹[/color] [hr][color=E9C1DD]🌹 Time: Nightfall🌹 Location: Inside a dark forest 🌹 Interaction: [url=https://i.imgur.com/oQ71YN1.jpg]Yasha (Special NPC)[/url] Lein[@PigeonOfAstora] Cecilia[@Rune_Alchemist] Fanilly[@VitaVitaAR]🌹[/color] [hr] [/center] Hope fought valiantly as the ambush raged on, echoes of clashing steel reverberating against the surrounding trees. He continued what he knew best, magic. With his rapier held like a wand, he continued flinging magical bubbles at his foes, knocking them back with such force that they either died from the concussive blast or immediately went unconscious. Eitherway, the fewer bandits that remained on the foot, the safer he and his comrades would be. But it was difficult to see how many of them were truly left. With the darkness encasing them, anything beyond their current fight was a mystery. [url=https://imgur.com/tdIwQg3]Yaheol[/url], Hope's angelic summon, didn't seem to grow weary. In fact, it's innate desire to protect its master only emboldened it to fight harder, glowing brilliantly with an intense ferocity that even Hope sometimes found difficult to emulate. While Hope encased bandits in giant bubbles and lifted them high up into the sky past the canopies, Yahoel pierced their flesh with its glowing white feathers. And when a sword swung against its frame, the angel's swiftness and flight easily allowed it to dodge them. But in truth, it did incur a minor gash during the fight so far, blood trickling slightly down its lower left wing. Entrapping another bandit in a bubble, Hope ran over the angel and inspected it's wing. [color=E9C1DD]"You've been hurt..."[/color] Hope said, motherly concern showing on his lovely countenance. Yahoel smiled, unfettered, [color=8882be]"It is nothing my lord. All that matters is your safety."[/color] Hope shook his head, [color=E9C1DD]"No, that is not true. I am just as much part of you as you are of me. You must be more careful, I demand it."[/color] The angel let out a harmonic chuckle, bowing as to regard its master's words. Before Hope could continue, Lein approached, leaping into action with his trusty bow at hand. As Yahoel went back into combat, Hope regarded the hundi with a warm familiarity. [color=orange]"Sir Hope! It seems your beauty knows no bounds, on and off the battle,"[/color] Lein said. It was difficult trying to fight and conversate, but he tried to make it work. Hope lobbed a magical bubble at an incoming bandit and then turned to face Lein when there was a moment of reprieve, [color=E9C1DD]"Whatever do you mean Sir Lein?"[/color] Hope asked in a confused tone, completely unaware that Lein was referring to Yasha, the icy magic swordsman who continued to steal glances at him during the fight. The hundi didn't answer his question, only shifting his position as though to shield him from someone; Hope assumed it was the bandits. [color=orange]"friend or foe! Allow me to be your trusty guard against those who would sully it."[/color] Lein continued, taking on quite a knightly persona, like the kind that might save a damsel in distress or a princess. A soft chuckle escaped Hope's lips as he eyed the hundi, his sparkling blues cresting with a warm and doting gaze. Despite being the same age, Hope couldn't help but dote over his cute-tailed compatriot; Lein's childlike zeal was infectious. For a brief moment, Hope scratched behind one of Lein's ears, [color=E9C1DD]"How very chivalrous. I am in your debt, Sir Lein. Just promise me you won't get hurt on my account. Not you too."[/color] Hope said, referencing his injured angel. He gave Lein a knowing, maternal [i]'don't you dare'[/i] sort of look, before turning back to more incoming bandits, whom he quickly dispatched with another blast of magical bubbles. Hope found that it was becoming easier to deal with these bandits as he adjusted himself to their slower speed and predictable attack patterns. When he finally eliminated his last bandit, Hope looked around and could see that the skirmish had come to an end. The Rose Knights were victorious, for now. [center]------[/center] With the current battle winding down and the Knight Captain narrowly dispatching a bandit who tried to one-up her, Hope stepped a bit closer to listen to her words. He watched as the remaining bandits were tied up as prisoners of war and for some reason, their shackles brought a sadness to his heart. The bandits' actions were unhonourable, no doubt. But the imagery of their enchainment seemed more painful than the lifeless bodies that strewed the forest floor. Hope was shaken from his revelry when the Knight Captain addressed he and Cecilia directly. [color=silver]"We have little time to lose, so Dame Cecilia, Sir Hope,"[/color] she addressed her chosen scouts, [color=silver]"As soon as you are able, your orders remain."[/color] No words were needed. Hope simply nodded, reaffirming her commands from before the battle. He had not forgotten and was ready. His gaze fell upon Cecilia when she addressed him. [color=598527]"Hope...heh, hope you don't mind working together."[/color] Cecilia chuckled, [color=598527]"I'd suggest having your spirits scout from above while I cover the ground. You can alert me to anything they see and I can hopefully take 'em out quietly if I have to."[/color] This woman was a well-known figure within the Rose Knights, if not for her skill with a magic bow, then her proclivity for being a bit torpid if she could help it. But Hope understood what her position meant, and so he trusted her prowess, despite his personal experiences around her being limited. After she finished speaking, he gave her a knightly bow. She was far more experienced in combat than he was, so he was counting on her. And in truth, her spirited nature was encouraging. [color=E9C1DD]"Of course not."[/color] Hope began, speaking gently and smiling softly, despite the devastation that lay around them, [color=E9C1DD]"I shall do what I can to support our mission. But..."[/color] he paused for a moment, thinking, [color=E9C1DD]"more vagabonds probably lie ahead. I will summon another spirit to look over us, to help even the odds."[/color] Before following Dame Cecilia off the path and into the dark underbrush, Hope summoned another angelic spirit. Quickly, he recited the summoning incantation. [center][quote][color=E9C1DD]o' holy angel from distant regions, stretch out thy teneberous wings and lead my enemies to their eternal slumber. [url=https://imgur.com/1vePXsO]Kalaziel![/url][/color][/quote][/center] Unlike Yaheol, who seemed to fall from the heavens in a holy light, Kalaziel seemed to appear from below. This spirit resembled a stone statue of an angel, but its flesh appeared glasslike and transparent, and beating inside its body was a heart. Kalaziel was stiff in its movements as Yahoel came up on the other side of him, her form sensuous and feathers ever swaying with the night wind. Hope looked at both of his spirits, telling them what they needed to do. Taking opposites sides of the road, the angelic spirits soared high up and disappeared into the darkened canopies, scouting just ahead of he and Dame Cecilia to warn them in case danger was amiss. Once he could no longer see the two angels, Hope caught up with Dame Cecilia and disappeared into the brush with her.