Age of Destruction: Fire Emblem CYOA

Mina, Hyun'ji, Kurt, and Eun'ji break off and go to check the rest of the houses. They search a few without finding anything. When only a few houses remain, Kurt pulls Eun'ji aside. "Hey. If you don't mind, I want to take another look at those wounds," he tells her. Eun'ji looks a bit uncomfortable. Kurt rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, shame and whatever. But I'm going to be blunt with you - I really didn't expect you to survive earlier, not with those wounds. How you're standing right now is beyond me. If you've torn open those wounds and we don't deal with it immediately, I guarantee that you're going to die."

Eun'ji fidgets hesitantly. Hyun'ji gives her a worried look, and she finally relents. "Very well. If you must."

Kurt gives a curt nod and leads her inside. He starts closing the door behind them, then pauses. "Would you feel more comfortable with more than just me?"

Hyun'ji's eyes widen. "N-no, I'm fine."

Kurt shrugs. "Whatever's most comfortable for you," he says and closes the door. He pulls out a chair and motions to it. "Alright, let's get this over with. You don't need to strip or anything, just pull down past your shoulders."

Eun'ji does as Kurt asked, pointedly avoiding his gaze. Kurt walks around the chair, examining her from several angles. "Well...?" she asks.

Kurt taps one of her bandages. "Here. This one needs to be changed. I don't think you broke it open, though, so I'll send Mina in to do it. You're probably going to pull through, but I want Carin to give you a full once-over later, for a second opinion."

"...Thank you," Eun'ji says quietly, pulling her dress shut again.

"How'd you get in such bad shape, anyway?"

"I defended my master," she says simply. "As is my-"

"Duty, right? Yeah. If I had a gold piece for every good man I've seen die doing their duty, I wouldn't be able to walk for the weight," Kurt says.

Eun'ji glares at him. "It would be an honor to die for my master."

"I'm sure it would," Kurt sighs. "It'd still be a shame, though. Seems like all the best are in a rush to kill themselves for some cause. Well, so long as it makes you happy, I guess." Kurt gives a flippant shrug and walks out.

Meanwhile, Hyun'ji stares nervously at the door. Mina reaches out, then pulls her hand back. She takes a breath, then places a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she's going to be fine, milord. Kurt's a bit... blunt, be he's one of the most talented healers in Valeria. He can do more with a needle, thread, and bandages than some of the most talented clerics can with the most powerful staves."

"I... believe you," Hyun'ji says. "But I still can't help but feel worried. If something happened to Eun'ji..."

"She means that much to you?" Mina asks.

"I care for all of my bodyguards, my servants. But she's... the only one left," he says.

"I... I'm sorry, milord. If we'd been faster..."

"There's nothing you could have done. The only one I bear animosity towards is the traitor who destroyed our ship, and those that aided him."

"I'm... still sorry. Er, you have my sympathies," Mina says softly.

"Thank you." Hyun'ji quietly turns to her. "You... are Prince Rand's chief bodyguard, correct?"

"W-well, I wouldn't say 'chief,' but I am a member of the royal guard. Trainee. Erm. I mean, I am officially considered a member, but..."

"You care for him deeply. That much is obvious, and that is what matters most," Hyun'ji says.

Mina blushes deeply. She's cut off by the sound of the door opening as Kurt steps out. "Hey, Mina. Eun'ji needs a bandaged changed. And she'd probably prefer if you did it. ...Something wrong?"

"Oh... No, nothing. I'll do it." Mina steps past him and inside. She finds all the supplies already set out. "Hello," she says a bit awkwardly. "Are you... feeling better?"

"I'm fine," Eun'ji says.

"Are you... sure?" Mina asks. "You can tell me."

"...It hurts," Eun'ji admits. "But I must push through it. I'm the only one left who can protect my master."

"That's... Remember, we're here to act as escorts, so you don't have to bear it all yourself," Mina says as she pulls off Eun'ji's soiled bandages.

"I know, and please don't take this as a sign of mistrust, bu- Gah...! Nnngh..." Eun'ji whimers.

Mina steps back in surprise. "Everything OK?" Kurt shouts from outside.

"Yes," Eun'ji calls back. "P-please, continue..." she gasps.

Mina nods. "Don't... worry. I understand the sentiment. Still... You can't protect him if you're dead. You... um... n-need to try your hardest to protect yourself, as well."

"I... see. Yes, you're right. I must apologize to my master for worrying him..."

---

Rhett, Nevyn, Carin, and Judoc are assigned to combing the beach in search of any potential survivors - or corpses that could become Risen - that came from Hyun'ji's ship. "I don't see anything..." Judoc says after a few minutes of staring out into the ocean.

"Are your eyes OK?" Rhett asks. "There's lots to see. Like sand. Or water. That bird over there."

"He didn't mean it literally," Nevyn said. "He doesn't see anything related to the task at hand."

"Oh. Yeah. That makes sense," Rhett says. "So what now?"

"It could take quite some time for the current to bring anything in," Nevyn says. "I'm not very familiar with this region's currents, so we must be vigilant..."

"I wouldn't expect it to take more than an hour," Judoc says. Nevyn looks at him questioningly. "My father and I've fished in the area a few times before," he explains.

"Ah. Right. You come from a line of fishermen..." Nevyn nods.

"Huh. That means he knows all about fish and the ocean?" Rhett asks. "My dad raises horses and cows and pegasi. And his dad raised stuff like that. But I don't know anywhere near as much as him. Was I supposed to inherit all that knowledge?"

"Somewhat," Nevyn says. "I know I don't know half of what my father knows about commanding, nor a fraction of what my mother knows of the world and the gods. They've still much to teach me. And I intend to learn as much as possible."

"That sounds like a really good idea," Rhett says enthusiastically.

"Indeed," Judoc agrees with a soft chuckle. "Though I worry I may have exhausted my father's knowledge."

"Don't disrespect your parents so," Nevyn admonishes him. "I'm sure he's got much to teach, if you but open your ears and listen."

"Really doubt it," Judoc mutters softly. Nevyn flips his ears to remind Judoc he can clearly hear him. Judoc turns back to the water. "Anyway, we'd probably see anything human-sized by now. Still probably want to give it a few minutes, just in case. And if I remember right, the current pulls a bit to the south, so I'm going to go check that way..." Judoc walks off before being acknowledged.

Nevyn looks after him, then decides it's best to let it go for now. "I'll check to the north. Rhett, you stay here. Yell if you notice anything."

"That bird flew off."

"Anything related to the task at hand," Nevyn clarifies. He shifts into a wolf and begins trotting in the opposite direction.

Rhett watches the ocean silently for a few moments. "You don't say much," he notes.

Carin, waiting from the sand line, calls back. "My horse doesn't care for sand, and it's a bit awkward to yell into a conversation..."

"Oh. Well, I'm already awkward. So I guess people wouldn't have noticed so much. But if yelling bothers you, I can come stand next to you."

Carin dismounts and walks over to Rhett's side. "No, that's fine. Truth be told, I just... didn't care to join in that conversation."

"Oh."

Carin and Rhett fall into a hard silence. "You... aren't going to ask why?" she finally asks.

"No. If you wanted to tell me, you would tell me," Rhett reasons. He nods to affirm his statement.

"Oh... Yes, I suppose I would..." Carin says quietly. Another few awkward minutes pass. "My mother and father were... I'm a... bastard," she finally blurts out. She looks down sadly. "I'm a bastard," she repeats softly.

"Oh. OK. So why did you not want to join that conversation?"

Carin blinks. "I... just don't like talking about my parents."

"But you're doing it now?"

Carin scowls. "You just don't get it..."

"...I really don't. You'll have to explain it to me."

"Nevermind. We need to stay focused."

"Oh." Rhett nods, then goes back to staring out at the ocean.

I was doing level-ups between writing supports and remembered I gave Suarrure flierbane because I'm a smart-ass...

Suarrure x Allune x Nevyn when?

You may want to wait... 3 chapters. Though the last Bird that Dog could dog won't come until well into the 2nd path split...

I love Alice. She's definitely best girl.

I'm all up for promoting Rand and Allune, but I don't feel like checking the Google doc, sooo... Tomorrow.

A promotion at level 10?! We're not plebians! The best time to promote is after level 15 at least!

Protip for the next level: check Lily's units' skills. Carefully. Someone has something that'll really help.

Looks fine to me.

B

Remember to do class change discussion in the discussion topic