Aemon earns his Grace

"To save a life, I must fight for more than Ideals."

- Aemon

Aemon found himself inside the Pharaoh’s Call main guild hall standing before the mission request board seeking some sort of job to take on and complete but such a task was easier said than done for the man who was to be the next Red Dragon emperor for his tastes for jobs was very picky. In essence he had no problem lowering himself to do menial tasks such as clean and the like but when going on missions he prefered to avoid such tasks and reserve missions for his skills as a warrior and a mage. There were a wide range of jobs he could in fact take ranging from working at a cafe as a busboy/server, find a lost dog and even train the recruits and while these jobs were all noble in their own rights they weren’t exactly what he was looking for. He sought for a job that would require him to use the full extent of his powers and push him into using his dragon abilities, despite his disgust  for them. He had just about given up his pursuit of the job he wished to take and was going to relegate himself to any old job that would be posted on the board above him, that was before his eyes locked onto the flyer with big bold letter printed across the top reading “Wizard’s Grace”. "Well now...What do we have here?" he would ask as his right hand would reach up to take a hold of the flyer and tear it down in order to get a better look at the details about the job and if it happened to be less than what he was looking for then he would have no choice but to either accept it or select another one. "Let's see..." he would say as he read the details of the job but there wasn’t much to go on "hmm So at some point the crops mysteriously began to wither away and rot while growing thorns. For a job there is a considerable lack of information. " but despite this  Aemon had a good feeling about the job, it could serve as a good test not only for his combat abilities but for his deductive skills as well. "I had better send this job in so the master knows I am taking it and I can be on my way."

While his guild hall was located in the middle of the desert it wasn’t terribly difficult for him to get transportation not only across the desert but all the way to the bean stalk village. First he would take a small camel driven caravan across the desert which was much easier than when he had travelled by foot to reach the guild, and once he had reached the edge of the desert he had dismounted the camel and entered a carriage that would be his means of transportation for the duration. The whole trip had taken little less than an hour which was quite a pleasant surprise for the dragon, he had expected about half a day. Aemon would exit the cabin of the carriage and make his way into the heart of the village which was closer to that of a ghost town than anything, "Perhaps the sudden change to the crops spooked the locals...It’s not unheard of. I wouldn’t be surprised if some sort of heinous magic is the source of it all." he would say to himself as he would head to the largest tent in the village and enter it after knocking "Excuse me, could you point me in the direction of the village elder?" he would ask a man much older than himself with a long pipe in his mouth held by his hands. “I am the elder, what do you seek here stranger… We won’t tolerate any more trouble!” Aemon would enter the tent completely crossing his arms across his chest and letting out a sigh that made it seem as if he were brooding "If you could do anything about trouble to begin with then I don’t suppose you would have sent out flyers seeking help… or did I find this on my guild wall by mistake?" he would say keeping his arms crossed and remaining completely silent while waiting for the old man to respond accordingly. With a sigh of defeat the old man would sit on his pillow “I suppose you have a point, come in young man. I am the elder you seek so speak your piece. Aemon would smile "I see that the elder is truly the most wise." he would say planting his butt in the pillow across from the elder.

"To save a life, I must fight for more than Ideals."

- Aemon

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Aemon had entered the Village Elder’s hut following the Elder’s lead and accepting the invitation and was situated on the seat with his left leg positioned so his leg was bent and his body resting against the knee with one arm lying across his knee like an armrest while watching as the elder sat Indian style and took a smoke of his pipe before he began speak. “So you are the mage that was sent to help us with our problem?..I must say not what I was expecting.” The elder shortly after speaking took a deep drag on his pipe inhaling the contents and then blowing out the smoke in a long white stream. Aemon’s eyebrow raised upon hearing this and closed his eyes before opening them up narrowed "Oh?? And what were you expecting then?" he would ask with a genuine curiosity in his voice. However the answer he would get was one that he didn't care much for, “I had expected that someone stronger would answer the our job posting, it is quite a serious matter.” His eyes widened a bit "A serious matter you say? Well seeing as I am the one who answered but you are dissatisfied with who answered the problem must not be as serious as you are making it out to be." He would push himself up to his feet and look down at the elder that belittled his abilities "and since this matter isn't so serious then I guess you won't mind my leaving so a “stronger” mage can take it on in my place." he would say regaining his stoic expression and would move to take his leave. “Wait… Please forgive my rudeness. Our crops are dying and we are running out of options. Could you please take this job? I don't believe we could wait for another mage to happen along.” Aemon would stop and look over his shoulder "Wouldn't my lack of strength be an issue?" he said with a sharp tone in his voice “that was wrong of me to stay. You wouldn't have come here otherwise and if you believe you're the man for the job then I have no other option to also believe.” Aemon spun around and looked at the Elder "Alright. Tell me more." he said wanting to hear the story.


“A few weeks ago is when it started. The crops we produce is distributed throughout Fiore, representing 80% of Farmed goods. Well one day a farmer noticed an oddity one day. He was out harvesting some crop when he noticed it and brought me to take a look and assess the situation but what was there was like nothing I had seen before. There were dark thorns everywhere, the likes of which I had never seen and the crops were withering. Something we have never had happen before.” Aemon heard this and just stood in silence and watched the Elder and was able to see that he wasn't done speaking. “It's been weeks and with each day less and less production was met and just about all the crops are dying or dead.” He drew the curtain for the tent back and gazed into the field seeing the total lack of life from the crops and even from so far away. "Tell me. Did anyone report anything strange in the area as of late? Any sort of irregularities?" he would ask not removing his gaze from the field and the waited for an answer to his question. “No, if there were I would have seen it or been notified.” Aemon nodded "Alright, that should be enough information gathering. Before I get started you will have to do a few things for me." The elder would fix Aemon with a puzzled look but before he could say a word Aemon had already began to speak sharing with the old man what the few things were that Aemon would require of the old man. The requests wouldn’t be too difficult for the only man to comply with, "Aside from anything you and your people can’t physically move I want any and all vegetation brought indoors. We don’t know what sort of force is causing your plants to wither and die but there is a chance that it might be sentient and might be able to infect any sort of plant life. The second thing is once I get started with my investigation out in the fields under no circumstances should you or the villagers attempt to spectate my dealings in the field, scratch that have you and your residents remain in their homes isolated from the outside. If I discover a hostile force of some sort while I am investigating I will be the only target. I can fight back but if it happens to be able to sense another target it might attack. Can you do these two things for me?" He asked the Elder giving fixing him with a stare while waiting for the old man to answer. It took a little bit but the elder nodded “Those seem reasonable. Please stay in here and help yourself to the food and drink while we make the preparations you asked for.


Aemon would sip on his cup of water as the elder would return to his tent with a small smile on his face,”all you asked for has been done.” Aemon smirked behind his cup as he gulped the remaining contents of the cup and stood up "Perfect, then if that is all I shall begin." he would say but before he could walk past the elder he would speak once more to Aemon “I have one request from you.” Aemon would turn his head to face the old man with one eyebrow raised, "Alright, what is it?" he would ask in a much more casual tone. The elder would look out to the fields and then back to Aemon with a pleading look on his face, more so than Aemon had seen before from the elder, “the one request I have of you is to not damage the crops while you are completing the job. That is our town's very existence and purpose. Without them we lose our meaning of life as well as centuries worth of work.” Aemon gave a smirk and patted the old man’s shoulder "Then I shall do everything within my power to ensure that your village’s legacy remains unharmed." he would said to give the elder a piece of mind. He just hoped that whatever he would be facing in the next few moments would allow him to live up to the request.


The walk from the elder’s tent was rather quick, all down hill. It was also extremely quiet due to his request to have the people isolate themselves in their homes for the duration of the mission. Aemon got an eerie feeling, goosebumps ran down his arm but not from fear of what he might be facing in the next few moments but from the image of this village being reduced to this, a ghost town should he fail, no he couldn't fail, it was out of the question and he would purge that sense of doubt from his conscious mind for the remainder of his mission. At the end of the dirt road to the right was the opening to the expansive crop field and even from here he could see the withered and dead plants that were once crops for the farmers to pick but he could also see the ominous thorny vines that were everywhere like weeds and what's more he could tell they did not belong. Aemon would cross the threshold and would crunch the dead vegetation as he would walk into the field and crouch down next to the nearest bunch of thorns. Reaching out with one hand he would go under the thorny plants, placing his fingers in the gaps between each razor like thorn and pulled it closer to his face to get a better look. "I'm no botanist but I can certainly tell that these things didn't just pop up." Aemon would recall what the elder said about these fields being their village’s legacy which lead Aemon to conclude that theses things wouldn't have grow out of the blue like this. "These must have been planted while no one was aware, but according to the Elder nobody or nothing strange were reported, and I doubt the villagers would just ignore a stranger in the midst of their valued means of living." Aemon would remove his hand from the plant and press it against his chin ”but how could someone plant weeds like this and not be nearby? Perhaps some sort of magic or curse?" he would say to himself but soon enough his investigative intentions would be interrupted by the sound of movement behind him. He would grow a stern look and would let out an exasperated sigh, "I thought the old man made it known that no one was suppose to leave their homes.." he was in mid turn and mid sentence when he saw a large round red object flying at him which luckily he managed to spin and side step avoiding a collision. "What the… What was that?" he would look at the object that had crashed into the ground, which was now turning to face Aemon, "a tomato attacked me?" he would ask and that's when it came at him once more but this time Aemon didn't dodge he jumped up and slammed his knee into the underside of the tomato sending it upwards and once at the peak he would jump and fold back performing a peele style kick sending the tomato into the center of the field. Aemon would land on his back but immediately kip up so he was standing tall once again with his eyes gazing out into the field and let in a long drawn inhale through his nose taking on the scents and let a smirk form on his face. "Smells like there are more of those things out there. Good makes this job a lot less boring." He would gaze down at his hands before looking back out at the field, "But let's make this a bit more fair shall we?" he would ask rhetorically out into the open field directing the question at the enemies that littered the terrain and from each of his hands in the form of a blue dust cloud, and each cloud took shape of an object until it took full shape and filled out creating twin butterfly bladed swords. The sword in his right hand was an ivory white with a bronze hilt with a yin yang symbol at the base of the blade where the guard had a semi circle cut out for the symbol, the black half of the symbol stretched up the blade creating an elongated triangle like shape. The sword in his left hand was identical in shape and design but instead of White the sword was black with red lines creating hexagonal like shapes throughout the blade and like its twin it also has a tiny yin yang symbol but the white extended into the triangle of this one. He held both blades at his sides with the blades outwards and smirked. "if you want me gone you had best come out and make me leave otherwise I won't leave until I have rid this field of everyone of you. " he would speak out hoping to get them to accept his challenge and his hopes were answered. He soon found himself surrounded by five more tomatoes and now five giant ears of corn. "This is an acceptable variety. Means that you won't get bland after I slice through the lot of you." he said as he spun The white sword around until he snatched it in a reverse grip and charged at the tomato right in front of him taking a scissoring swipe at the plant only for it to jump up and come straight down ontop of him. Aemon reacted accordingly by crossing the blades about catching the weight of the tomato in the air. Using his legs, core and arms he pushed back against the weight of the foe and used the ebony colored sword to arc and slam the tomato into the ground. This provoked another tomato to charge at him from the side, Aemon was ready for him, he would lift his right arm that still had the sword in a reverse grip and use it like a hook to grip and redirect the tomato’s momentum to crash into the tomato creature he had just slammed into the ground. He utilized the moment of confusion to spin and thrusted Ciara, the black sword into both tomatoes, causing damage to the first one who was stabbed and took out the tomato altogether. He pulled out the sword and upward slashed the same tomato that was left standing in half. Once it dropped Aemon was going to turn his attention to the next enemy but the sudden sting of something slamming square into his back caused him to fall forward but recovered with a front roll and turned to face what had stuck him. On the other end of his glare was a giant ear of corn that had steam coming from it’s mouth. "Attacking from behind? Bad form." he said but then another corn came up next to and tried to strike him with the same attack but acting quickly Aemon open Palmer struck the corn in the face delaying the attack and then swept at the legs of the corn making it fall back shooting the stream of corn into the air. He would follow up with a downward stab into the demon corn. The red dragon would let his eyes shift up to see the corn that got him before preparing for another attack but instead of anything fancy Aemon would switch the grip of the white sword and toss it at the corn like a throwing knife, which thanks to the curve of the blade made it easier to stick into the enemy. Aemon would charge at the corn slashing at it with Ciara at the same time he pulled the blade from the corn and spun slashing it down the back dropping it. Aemon would spin back to face the next corn but the three of them managed to get some backup so now there was five total again and all of them were aiming their cannons at Aemon. "Not good, I won't be able to dodge so many at the same time. I could try to bat them away with the swords but if they all fire at once then I might as well be a sitting duck. I can't believe that these walking vegetables are backing me into such a corner that I would have to resort to using that things filthy power." he would think to himself but not long would he sit on dwell on it. At this point his life was on the line and that was worth much more than his pride or the disgust he held for the dragon. [i]"right now I can't out shoot them. My best bet would be to use the wings, but deflecting them with Aias is out of the question. I won’t use it." he said defiantly refusing the aid of the dragon in his soul. However the time for talk was over as the cannons launched at Aemon but not all at once, two shot first and Aemon responded in kind with by spinning in place extending the blades in order to slice through the two cannon shots before jumping in the air. As his rotation continued in the air as he ascended to a higher altitude he released his blades and used his weapons factory to create a replica of his Counter guardian bow and took aim as his spin in the air came to an end with the bow already drawn back with a crimson red mana arrow nocked and ready to fire as was the next corn. Aemon released his arrow in time to meet the corn cannon and quickly drew back the bowstring following up with another arrow this time striking the corn dead on. Aemon smirk from his accurate shooting but released the expression when he found that the two remaining corn demons had taken aim at him while suspended in the air. "I see how it is, Nice try." he said as he pulled back on his bowstring once more, just in time to let an arrow fly into the corn on the right, missing a vital area but made it so his shot went off into the air but the one of the left connected with his corn cannon causing Aemon to hit the ground hard with a small ding in his armor like clothes. He sat up and got to his feet gasping for air catching the wind that was knocked out of him.


He growled as he straightened up in order to prevent any sign that the attack hurt but the trickle of blood coming from his lip would tell otherwise. "You think numbers will be enough?" he chuckled and recreated his blades again and took hold of each with a hand and his grin vanished and instead a look of anger graced his face. From behind his back two red spike like objects shot up into the air and spread out into two dragon like red wings "Time skin the corn." he uttered as he flapped his wings and propelled himself forward towards a corn demon and spun 180 degrees in the air and swooped behind the corn slashing through him with a combo of three solid strikes before kicking it away. Behind him he heard the sound of a corn cannon preparing to fire at him. He would crouch and jumps into the air and let his wings take him higher avoiding the attack. Aemon would adjust himself in the air and dive bomb towards the remaining four corn demons. All four would fire at him but thanks to his wings he could maneuver in the air unlike last time. With a barrel roll as well as slight motions left to right he closes the distance and slashed right through the corn demon who still has two arrow sticking out from its body. Keeping with the momentum he would rotate and grab one corn by hooking the back of his blade around it's body and pulled it in front of him and used it as a meat shield against a corn cannon that was fired at him. After the defending against the attack successfully he ran his blade through the back of the demon and kicked him into its friends. "Because of you I had to resort to Using this filthy things power. For that I will now end this swiftly." he declared. With his wings he flew forward slashing through two demons with a flurry of strikes leaving them as mince meat but left one standing. It attempted to body slam Aemon but was caught in between his wings and held there before being dropped down as both of his swords went up piercing it’s midsection and holding it there for a moment before slicing horizontally outwards cleaving the demon in half. However this wasn’t the end for him, the scent of rotten tomatoes and he noticed that about fourteen of those tomato demons he had met earlier. "Oh?" he would say as he looked at each of the tomatoes "So there were more of you?" he inhaled through his nose taking in the scents. "Seems like you are the last too. Perfect. I’ll make this quick." Aemon retracted his wings and shot forwards with his swords gripped in both hands and the blades crossed in front of his chest in an X formation. He closed the distance between himself and the first tomato, slicing through it with two simultaneous strikes carving an X into the demonic fruit. A sweeping side kick would force it out of his way as a tomato came in to avenge his fellow demon but was met by a swift jab into the demon’s stomach and brought his second sword up and spun it in his hand so it was held blade down and was about to bring it down on the head of the demon but stopped before he could start when he saw a third tomato airborne and descending down to where he was standing. Aemon brought the blade down but instead of through the tomato he was about to stab he hooked the blade around the demon and jumped back pulling the impaled demon to where he was standing taking the body slam instead sending tomato juice everywhere. Before the demon could regain it’s composure Aemon tossed his black blade like a throwing knife sinking the blade into the demon and followed up with the white blade putting the demon down for good. Not wanting to let the remaining demons catch a breather Aemon did a diving roll grabbing both his swords pulling them out as he rolled through and came to his feet. He huffed before slicing through the tomato with both blades straight across the fruit and kicking it into the fifth tomato and driving the blade into both tomato, the fourth tomato died and fifth was stuck to it. Aemon switched grip to for a downward striking grip and brought the blade down into the demon piercing through the top of what it's head would be. Aemon would look over his shoulder to see the nine tomatoes that remained "Only nine now? Let’s end this." Aemon released his blades and recreated his bow into left hand as well as the quiver of arrows hanging down from his belt. He would draw knock the regular arrow shooting one into a tomato following it up with a second dropping it where it stood. Aemon would repeat this while constantly moving back keeping he eventually planted two arrows into every tomato he could see. Aemon stood upright and explored the rest of the field searching for any remaining demons and to his delight there was nothing hiding in the field. However he caught the whiff of something awful and he looked right out past the field and saw it. An older man dressed in black robes with a long and impressive beard. "So, is it safe to assume you are the one at fault for all of this?" he asked rhetorically knowing from his presence alone. “Could be. Won’t mean much to you in a few seconds.” Aemon’s eyes narrowed as he held his right hand out in front of him which transformed into a red scaly arm with a red sphere concentrating "Dragon Shot” " he smacked the ball of energy directly at the dark mage. Before he knew it the sphere was sent flying back at him hitting him in the gut. The dark mage had a smirk on his face and Aemon grew more serious letting his aura swell around him. He sent his bow back to the factory and brought back his twin swords Ailbhe and Ciara he was not using words now, another aura surged around him a different power now. He moved but now his speed was increased thanks to his lineage Power of Apocalypse. He closed the distance and now his swords were now in play. He slashed upwards with Ciara across his chest and he backed away holding the spot where the wound was surprised by the damage. “Wh...what was that?”, Aemon spun and pointed the blade at the mage, "This is Ailbhe and Ciara. These two swords have a special enchantment on them. They have the ability to do extra damage to evil beings and you fit that class." Aemon closed the distance between the two faster than the evil mage could react but Aemon already slashed across his belly and diagonally going up across his chest following it a push kick creating distance between them. "overedge." the swords grew in length and covered in feather like splinters. The dark mage went to point at Aemon but got an upward slashing strike to his arm leaving a three splinters all along where the blade struck. The mage would reach to try to pull one free leaving himself open he slashed from left shoulder down to his hip and spun and slash as he went past cutting along his back leaving three splinters on each slash. The feathers on both swords fell off and all the splinters exploded sending him to the ground. Aemon walked away from the fallen mage but before getting too far he brought his bow out and then brought out Caladbolg and pulled it with the bowstring and aimed it at the enemy who was standing and aiming a spell at Aemon. He rolled to the side and aimed the arrow at the mage, "Now you stay down." he released the arrow and the long metallic arrow spiraled with energy until it hit the evil mage drilling into him and sending him back as the explosion occurs outside of the village. Aemon returned to the village but that last spell from the mage caused his hearing to go wacky so he relaxed in the village until night passed and returned to the guild.
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