Introducing the Armsmaster

Raid Event: Loyalty's Requiem

Prologue

Introducing the Armsmaster

Next Quest

A Fervid Teacher

Summary

Tales of a dangerous fiend bring the prince to Mount Archeole, where he meets Celliera, a knight's armsmaster. She explains that she, too, seeks the same massive beast, and they decide to pursue it together.

Dialogue

RooOOooOOOooAAArgh! The black mana thickens... I can see his image dancing in its whorls.

Phraeganoth, the world-devourer... At this rate, it's only a matter of time before he is reborn. The fool seeking to revive him must be stopped, and quickly...

Mount Archeole

-Cavern's Mouth-
Hraaaah!

I'd hoped the talk of fiends here was overstated, but this place is overflowing with them...

Ugh! There's no end to them! They've got numbers, but that's all.

Stay calm. We'll be through 'em in—

SKREEE! Aaand we're surrounded. Seems we're in a bit of a pickle here... Damn... I will lend you my blade! Who are you?! Formalities later! HYAH!

HRNH! YAH! HAAAAAH!

Her precision is astonishing...

Every swing is a mortal blow!

We're not spectators here! Fight! On it! ...That was the last of them.

Are any of you hurt?

We're fine, thanks to you.

May I ask your name?

Celliera! I serve as knight's armsmaster. "Hot-Blooded Instructor: Celliera" Teachin' the sword to highborn children?

That's a pretty high-rankin' position.

Why have you come here? This mountain is no place for leisure hiking. The villagers at the base asked our help in slaying fiends. Aid to the people! A noble cause indeed. And what brings you up here, Celliera? A training camp—the rigors here are perfect for hardening both body and mind. This a trainin' camp for one or somethin'?

I don't see anybody with ya.

I WAS here with my students...until they fled for the foothills.

That giant fiend had them running scared.

Just how big a fiend was it? Extremely. And uncanny, besides.

It appeared before us out of nowhere, then banished like smoke and oakum. Next thing I heard was a chorus of screams and a stampede of footsteps down the mountainside. These rich whelps have no spleen at all!

And now yer stranded up here alone, yeah? I do not fancy the implication, sir!

I remained here quite intentionally. I've no mind to leave this mountain until the giant fiend is slain.

You're going to hunt it? Why? As a lesson to the young ones! I'll toss the corpse at their feet and lecture the daylights out of the little cowards.

"You turned tail and ran, from THIS?" Hah! ...They'll soon learn there's no terror more dire than disappointing me.

Your teaching methods feel...intense. It seems our aims align. Will you join us? You wouldn't mind? It makes sense. We're trying to clear out every fiend here—including yours.

And if we hunt the same prey—

Then it only makes sense to do it together.

Indeed, indeed. Very well. I accept your offer. Now, allow me to make you one in return! *grope*

Gah! What are you doing, and why does it involve so much touching?! Hmm, I see. You've considerable tone,

but your muscles favor your dominant hand and pivot leg.

Wait, you can tell all that by touching me? Muscles are loquacious things if you know how to listen. Now if you'll excuse me... Eagh! Waugh! Aieeeeee! Mmm-hmm, mmmm-hm. Yes, well, I've a firm grasp of all of your conditions now.

...No pun intended.

And...this relates to your proposal? A thought struck me as I watched you dispatch those fiends.

You're uncommon talents, to the last. Diamonds in the rough, just begging to be dug out and polished! My heart has been racing ever since! I want to shape you. To put chisel to marble and sculpt you into warriors fit to make history!

Well, you're certainly enthusiastic.

Do you speak to all your students like this?

Please, you must allow me to train you for as long as we travel together. I insist!

Say the word, and I'll put together a regimen guaranteed to produce results in the brief time we share. I'll stake my reputation as knight's armsmaster on this fact: You will leave this mountain feeling stronger than ever! And now that I'm acquainted with your muscles, i can offer each of you my own personalized advice.

That's...pretty temptin', actually. It IS, isn't it? So then, say you will.

Please? Please please pleeeease?!

Her eyes have gone from sparkling to madwoman, Euden. If it can make us stronger, I see no reason to decline. YEEEEEESSSSSS!

From this moment on, I am your knight's armsmaster! Is that understood?!

Yes, Armsmaster! Ahh, I do love that sound. May I, uh...

May I have another round?

Yes...Armsmaster? GOOD. All right then, listen up!

I'm going to make it my personal responsibility to turn every last one of you little whelps into a WOLF! First, let's get you warmed up—I want you to run to the peak and slay any fiends we find along the way. FOLLOW ME!

...nngh...someone... Huh? ...anyone...nnrgh...save... Did you hear that, Notte? Hear what? And before you answer: no.

You sure it wasn't your imagination?

Stow the chatter, whelps! I'll kick any stragglers up this hill and back! C-coming! Nngh... Someone, please...

save this...world...