[center][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5506853][img]https://i.imgur.com/9U8gWna.png[/img][/url][/center]
[center][h3]--Artimis - High Seas--[/h3][/center]

Heavy, much too heavy, she wasn't built for this. While no one was perfect - not even the gods - brawn was undoubtedly where Eve was most imperfect, one could even argue she was defective considering even a Kirin of her size, the feline Red Mage, could noticeably better handle tasks requiring feats of strength. Was this a sign from the heavens that she should consider training with one of the martial-minded Kirins? A matter to ponder later, but right here, right now, she had to do [i]something[/i]; with each second ticking by, her grip on the electrocuted, rattled, and exhausted blond was slipping.

Cast a spell? She [i]is[/i] the group's premiere offensive spellcaster so might as well play to her talents. An aeromantic blast to propel his form toward the ship would be the most obvious solution.

[i]However[/i], Esben was nowhere in a good shape, how severe were his wounds? Did the Sollan already have one foot in the grave? If so, she needed to adjust the power of the spell, too little and he'd simply fall back into the sea, too much and what'd arrive at the deck would be a corpse.

So many calculations to make, factors to consider, all requiring time that she didn't have-!

-and then the Kirin's very own dragon slayer and dashing heroine made the decision for her as the former propelled them toward the latter, already swinging on a rope, ready to catch them... or to be more specific, one of them. [color=d3d3d3][b]"Tch...!"[/b][/color] Now that the die had been cast, the last thing she should do was sabotage it. Fully believing that it'd work, Eve released her hold on Esben's arm, leaving him - somewhat literally - in Robin's arms.

And she made it, of course she would. Robin was a folk hero for a reason after all.

For her part, Eve landed back on the ship just as Valon returned to his. [color=d3d3d3][b]"..."[/b][/color] As a dragoon, traitor or no, he should know what'd be coming next, aye? There was a reason why Edren employed his kind, not warships, to hunt dragons. If he had forgotten, then she'd gladly remind him.

Etherous power was already coursing through Eve's body as the tell-tale signs of the distinctive prismatic aura shimmered from her petite frame. Proudclad's Tragedy shall claim another!

[color=d3d3d3][i]...?![/i][/color] Then her gaze widened upon identifying just who was on the turncoat's armored shoulder.

[color=d3d3d3][i]What is the matter, Grayscale? She's already dead, go, do it! Vaporize them, unleash Megaflare![/i][/color]

If she was, then why would Valon bother going out of his way to rescue her? Could it be-...

[color=d3d3d3][i]Thinking does not suit you, you are a weapon, act like one. Simply imagine as you turn these arrogant fools into dust, imagine the [i]pleasure[/i]. They're the enemy, they deserve no quarter, no mercy. Hesitate not, Grayscale, ...do it.[/i][/color]

[color=d3d3d3][b]"I-..."[/b][/color]

[color=B2FFC4][i]”I have to wonder if that would be honoring your mother’s wishes, to exterminate all the others like you. It would be a different matter if they were mindless weapons capable of nothing but mass destruction.”[/i][/color] 

[color=lightblue][i]”Wear it, break it, ponder upon it, throw it in the sea. Do something with it. What I need from you, is to be more than just a weapon.”[/i][/color]

[color=d3d3d3][i]"That's right, I-..."[/i][/color]

[color=B2FFC4][i]”Are you such an exception that giving such mercy to the others is unthinkable?”[/i][/color]

[color=lightblue]”Don't swear to me. Swear it to yourself.”[/color]

[color=d3d3d3][i]"I [b]swore[/b]."[/i][/color]

[color=d3d3d3][b]"No, I will not."[/b][/color]

[center][h3]--2 Days Later, Drana Asnaeu - Costa del Sol--[/h3][/center]

[color=d3d3d3][b]"Aaah..."[/b][/color] Eve droned out an unamused, tired groan at the group of... what were they supposed to be anyway? Guards, mercenaries, random thugs? They dressed fancy and talked firmly, yet politely, so... guards...? Whatever they were, after what Valon, Siren, and their cronies tried to pull a few days ago, Eve had little patience left for people accosting the team.

She, amongst individuals such as Izayoi, knew very well how vexing being hounded was, though the subject being Neve out of all people did slightly take her by surprise. [color=d3d3d3][i]I suppose she's such a precious healer that they want her all to themselves, whoever these Grovemasters are.[/i][/color]

Eve's red eyes shifted awkwardly when the head guard called for more of their numbers. Some part of her wanted to quip something along the lines of "I wouldn't do that if I were you", while subtly angling her head toward Izayoi, but another part of her realized that inhospitable as they were, they were still Neve's people.

Fortunately, the ever-reliable Esben had come up with a more... one could say, diplomatic approach than whatever Eve or Izayoi could come up with. After his introduction, one of the guards glanced at the black-clad mage amongst the Kirin and Eve simply just shrugged in response, "what he said" would be an apt phrase to illustrate the gesture.

Though she wasn't sure if picking Rudolf as his "chaperone" was the right move, maybe someone more native to his homeland would do better, such as Elian-... hmm, nevermind, Rudolf would do.