A Dinner Party

Job Info:

@Jarnbjorn

Yona Hisamori assuredly felt pleasure at being referred to as Yona the Revered and Benevolent as she reread the letter in her hands. It was the same joy one got from any kind word, any props or encouragements, any awards or honorable delegations. But as great as an ego-boost was, there was no way anyone who really knew her would actually call her "revered" or "benevolent". Her mage skills had increased tenfold. She was efficient, loyal, and despite her temperament, she had almost always come out on top of her missions and quests looking like the hero sort. But the people she worked for and with were no fools: benevolence was just not her sort of thing. She approved of the kindness of course, and even more so when it was deserved, but merciful was not Yona's kind of justice. If she had to arrest instead of being allowed to kill an enemy, she would do so, but without any restrictions, Yona was not the good soul or the hero of man.

It was this phrasing that made her smile an amused little grin and take the invitation to a manor in the Cursed Lands to her guild leader. Promptly acknowledging her shortcomings with the oddity of the invitation, Sol had encouraged her to follow up on the dinner party regardless. Yona just wondered if it was all a set up for an elaborate prank, having never heard of the Lord Sombra who requested her honorable presence. Would she show up there and have saltwater dumped over her head? Would she be pressured onto a stage to accept an award for 'most gullible'? This sounded less like an invitation to a luxurious dinner party than an invitation to a feast for fools, but Sol had told her to go. And, she reasoned, if he had been messing with her, then she knew just how to return the favor.

Yona decided to dress up for the dinner party by wearing the West Fiore Trading Company's colors. On the very unlikely chance that this was a real chance for representation, she wasn't going to make herself or the company look bad by showing up in her brown trench coat and ripped jeans. She dressed in a slinky white gown with a silver bracelet and a black corded necklace. The necklace was a gift from Oykai and she had promised she wouldn't take it off, so it was lucky that it looked so good with her attire. She wore white heels but felt disgruntled as they pinched onto her feet. Heels weren't really her shoe of choice, but it completed the look she was going for. Her green hair was made into the soft roiling waves coasting over her shoulders and resting by her collarbone. Her usually messy long bangs were woven into braids braced at the back of her head. A small WFTC pin clipped to the top of the spaghetti-strapped gown made her look lovely and professional. It was perfect for a dinner party. And to top it off, Ketsueki was quiet inside of her head for the moment. The respect that Oykai had 'taught' him had made him obedient and subservient lately and Yona loved every minute of it.

The VP took a train to the Cursed Lands and hired a man with a pair of black horses and a carriage to take her the rest of the way to the manor. Arriving at the manor didn't take much time after, but it was dark when the carriage finally slowed in front of the building. Yona stepped out of the carriage to see the manor: smallish in size, but three stories tall with a wrap-around porch at the base and balconies from two bedrooms at the third-floor level. She could see the dark outlines of heavy draped curtains and see the candles and lamps inside warming the rooms with welcoming and pleasant light. This might not have been a trick, after all, she thought. She leaned over to the man she had hired and gave him some more money, "You mind waiting a bit? The dinner party shouldn't take too long and I have more compensation if you would stay here." The driver looked unnerved by the location but after feeling the weight of the purse she passed into his hands he gave a firm nod. "Of course, I can stay miss." "You know the lord who lives here?" Yona asked him. The man shook his head this time, his flabby jowls jiggling, "Never heard of a Lord Sombra at all nevermind anyone actually living in this old manor. We all have seen the lights out here but I guess we assumed it was some sort of spiritual thing." He chuckled, "Small town rumors and folktales I suppose. Enjoy your dinner, miss."

Yona looked up at the large dark double doors that marked the entrance. She was an S rank mage now. What was she so nervous about anyway. Rumors were rumors and she never did have much faith in the power of the undead. Yona had faced demons for crying out loud and look at her now! "Yes, look at you now," Ketsueki purred from within, "All dressed up and prettied with a little pet demon of your own." Yona pursed her lips. "Maybe this dinner party is for you. Maybe you are the feast. Teeheeehehe..." His laughter continued on inside her mind and she took a deep breath. The demon was just trying to mess with her. Out here in the Cursed Lands, in the dark, in a manor which nobody thought anyone lived in, for a dinner that even she thought was going to be a prank.

She clenched her fists and marched up to the doors thinking, Bring It On.

WC: 976

" "
It hadn't been that long since Jarnbjorn was allowed passage into Earthland, more specifically Fiore. It had been roughly a month since he passed through the newly grown Yggdrasil to exit that realm and be given a chance to live among the residents in Fiore. This was all thanks to Kenna who allowed him to do so after their conflict when she attacked him for having the same magic signature as her friend and former Guildmaster. However aside from a new set of clothes he was given really nothing to go on upon arriving in this world. After travelling as a vagabond for a few days he was given direction to head to a town known as Talonia. It was a town that acted as a hub for mages which is what the residents refer to as magic users, who did not belong to a guild. He was still fascinated that groups of mages could join forces and establish communities such as guilds. Being aware that he wasn't in a guild nor was he interested in joining one that this Talonia would be the best place for him to go. That was roughly a week ago and he didn't quite go out to do any real jobs yet however if he were to survive in this realm he would need to gain some currency so he could obtain subsistence. It was in his good fortune that he found residency with an older woman who had lost her grandson during a tragedy. Sometime ago some foul man murdered several students at a local university which had left her alone and without a family so in exchange for company and help around her domicile he would get room and board.

Jarnbjorn had just arrived back at his the home of the elderly woman after running the last errand of the day for her and was greeted in an odd way. "Welcome back Jarny." it was the name that the sweet old woman would call him and while he wouldn't grant this privilege to just anybody but this woman gave him shelter and food so who was he to complain. "Thank you. All of your requests have been completed." he said as he took a seat near her fire place which was ablaze, using the firewood that he had chopped. "Is there anything else that you need done for the day?" he would ask her as he took a knee in front of the fireplace to feed more wood to the fire to keep the heat constant. "Not anything that I can think of..." she removed her glasses to clean them as she thought to herself, attempting to remember if there was anything she might have missed. She would gasp as she recalled something and returned her glasses to the bridge of her nose. "There is something but it isn't one of my chores." she would shakily point at the table that was positioned near the door, "There is a letter for you. I am not sure what it is but it has the word important stamped on the front of the envelope." Jarnbjorn would stand up straight and lock eyes on the envelope that she had spoken of, "A letter for me?" he'd ask rhetorically, he was aware that it was addressed to him but he wasn't sure who might have sent it. He had kept to himself so he didn't have a clue who might have sent it to him. "This is very odd." he large fingers tore into the seal of the envelope and pulled the invitation out to read it out loud, "Dear Mr. Jarnbjorn, You have been cordially invited to a dinner party being hosted by Lord Sombra. Please join us for a lovely evening at Sombra manor located in the cursed lands." He would turn it over after reading to see if there was anything additional on the back but there wasn't. "Oh a dinner party. How lovely." the old woman would say in response. "I've never been to a dinner party in this realm. What might I need to know for this?" he would be asking her for some genuine advice. "For a dinner party at a lord's home you might want to dress more appropriately for the occasion. In the room you are sleeping in at the back of the closet is my grandson's suit. If it fits you can use it." He would look at her puzzled, "Are you sure?" she would nod and smile "Of course."

Jarnbjorn would come back downstairs after finding the suit upstairs and trying it on to find that while it was a little tight around his arms the suit overall fit him well. He was wearing a navy blue button up shirt with a pair of black pants and matching black vest. "So how does it look?" as he held out his arms and just got a nod of approval. "It fits you well. Go enjoy yourself." Before he would leave he would hold out his right hand and would call stormbreaker, his axe to his hand and he would catch it before placing it on his back. "Do you think you will actually need that?" she would ask him and Jarnbjorn would merely chuckle, "This Sombra Manor is located in the cursed lands. It might prove prudent to carry this just in case the cursed lands live up to the name"

With the small amount of currency known as Jewels, Jarnbjorn was able to secure transportation in the form of a carriage which could take him from Talonia to the front gates of Sombra Manor. The driver had been reluctant to do so however when Jarnbjorn offered to use his axe as well as this powerful magic he had inherited from Kite Wilhelm he was able to convince the driver to take him there. As luck would have it there would be no trouble on the way there and there was another person there. Only when his ride pulled up behind did he notice that it was a young woman with green colored hair who was looking up at the Manor. She was dressed in all white and looked very beautiful in her outfit. "Are you here to greet the guests or were you too invited by this Lord Sombra?" he would ask her showing no sign of reservations.

Yona nearly jumped out of her skin as she lifted a hand to knock on the door and a voice spoke to her from behind. She hadn't heard him approaching, perhaps because she was so focused on ignoring Ketsueki and bravely going up to the front door of the manor. She pulled her hand back and looked tentatively over her shoulder, her mind thinking quickly of worst case scenarios and more importantly, how to respond to those scenarios. When she saw the face of an attractive bearded man and not the face of some sort of horrible beast or monster, she let out a breath of relief.

Judging by the black and navy suit he wore, this man was here for the same reason she was. She felt a tinge of sourness inside but didn't let it show. She of course hadn't thought this dinner party was real, assuming it was a prank or an ambush of some sort. But seeing now that it was just a dinner party and she wasn't the only honored guest made her feel disheartened. How special it would have been if she alone were the honored guest. "I'm not here to greet anyone," She replied, a tone in her voice expressing the annoyance which she felt inside. The demon in her mind giggled, noting her disappointment and envy with glee. "I'm Yona Hisamori of the West Fiore Trading Company. I was invited to dinner here, as I can see you were as well." She turned back to the door and exhaled, about to give the door a firm knocking. Her hand fell through the air and startled she jerked it back, the door opening before her knock had even had the chance to land.

A wrinkled old prune of a man had opened the door and stood there unamused by Yona's perplexed slack jawed expression. He turned his dreary blue eyes towards Jarnbjorn and back to the green haired mage before stepping back and opening the door wide enough to let them in. "Lord Sombra has been expecting you both. He appreciates the punctual arrival of his guests. Please, come in and I shall seat you in the dining hall." His manner was efficient, but if the man had truly been working as a butler his whole life, Yona had to admit she might be bitter as well. She glanced at the man who had turned up behind her and then walked into the manor through the broad open door. "What's your name?" She asked the butler, her green eyes taking in the wide hallway. A red carpet trailed down the hall, edged in golden tassles and ornate and old photographs clung to the wall as if caged behind the tight and vintage frames. The people in the frames looked as unhappy in black and white as the butler did and she pointed at them with a half smile, "Friends of your's?"

The butler didn't smile, only closed his eyes with a light sigh. "No madam. Previous loyal workers and distant family relations of Lord Sombra. My name is Frederik. Now, if you please, follow me down this hall so that you may be seated." Yona pursed her lips and her shoulders slumped. She mumbled and leaned towards Jarnbjorn, "I still think my joke was funny. Tell me you have a sense of humor or I might die of boredom tonight."

WC: 577+976= 1553

" "
As Jarnbjorn approached the young woman who was clearly dressed for the occasion and spoke out to her it was clear that she did not hear him and prepared herself for some sort of physical threat. He did not react and merely kept his hands down at his side, his left one was empty while his right held his axe with his hand positioned just at the neck of the handle where the blade was connected. It was clear it wasn’t about to be used for combat. When she exhaled she answered his question but he noted the hint of bitterness in her voice when she declared herself not here to greet anyone and that tone was continued when she introduced herself to which he repeated to himself, Yona Hisamori of the West Fiore trading company. he had no clue what that was but he didn’t let that really weigh on his mind for it was not his business. However she too was invited by the enigmatic lord of this estate just as he was, "My name is Jarnbjorn" was all he could get out before she turned away from him and approached the door to knock on it. He watched as she reached out to knock on the door but before her knuckles could make contact with the door it opened as if it knew she was there. At first Jarnbjorn suspected that it might have been some sort of magic or enchantment but it wasn’t anything quite like that. It was in fact an old man who was most likely a servant of this Lord Sombra. He was very cordial but he didn’t seem to be very happy at his post, just seemed to do what he had practiced like a machine.

He wouldn’t move at first and would allow the young lady to enter first and then followed behind her. She would ask the butler what his name was but then seemed to make a smart remark regarding the portraits that hung on the wall throughout the hallway but the man who had identified himself as Frederick seemingly wasn’t amused by this and just kept leading them down the hall heading to the dining room. She then leaned towards him and asked if he had thought if he had a sense of humor or would she die of boredom on this night. He personally didn’t think that her joke was all that funny but she didn’t need to know that. "I have been known to enjoy humor as much as any mortal." he would say but quickly correct himself, "I mean yes. I do have a sense of humor." he would then allow his mind to hone in on her interesting choice of words, the whole dying of boredom, "Considering we are in a place called the cursed lands i doubt it will be boredom that would cause your death." he would say almost callously and would narrow his eyes at the butler."You there, he who calls himself Frederick I have a question for you." he kept his eyes locked onto the man keeping a firm grip on his axe, not sure what to expect as an answer "Why did your master take it upon himself to invite me to his dinner event. I have no sort of acquaintance with him nor any knowledge of him. I also am new to this re… country so I doubt he had heard of me."m

The plant mage slowed to walk beside Jarnbjorn and at his pace, with Frederik leading the way down the elaborate hall. It was odd to see a place with such finery in the midst of the cursed lands. She had expected it to be a haunted manor, where the paintings' eyes followed you as you moved, and the webs scattered over every dusty surface. Remarkably, the place was clean, no doubt by Lord Sombra's workers, and where webs were expected tapestries of woven silk hung artistically and thick curtains with braided golden ropes edged the closed doors they strode past. Jarnbjorn said he had a sense of humor, though his language was old fashioned and strange. It was as if he came walking out of the medieval past into the modern world of technology, using old forms of grammar and descriptions. Perhaps he was just an oddity in her world because in the home of Lord Sombra, he appeared better suited with his old fashioned behaviors. She considered if she ought to take a page out of his book and act a bit more like him, or maybe even Sol. Yona had to stop herself from laughing as the image formed in her mind. Yeah, right.

"Jarnbjorn... sounds awfully formal. I think I'd like to call you Bjorn, if you wouldn't take offense." Yona gazed over the tapestries as they walked, adding, "And you say mortal like you're some ageless god or demon entity. I take it you're not one of those are you, Bjorn?" It seemed like Jarnbjorn hadn't been paying attention to her at all, since he had asked a question of Frederik instead. She noticed his tense grip on his weapon and felt her guard raise up as well. Had she been really so oblivious already? Had he seen something she hadn't? Her hands went to her necklace, to help her slow her mind down and focus. She squinted and considered that maybe Jarnbjorn was just more cautious than she was. Where she jumped into small talk, he wanted to know the serious details straight away. She couldn't fault him for that, not when Jarnbjorn might still answer her small questions.

Frederik seemed to age even more, if that was even possible, when he glanced over his shoulder. "Lord Sombra has many eyes and ears in the world. He doesn't travel much, but he enjoys meeting those who are..." Frederik paused and let out an ancient sigh. He stopped in the hall and turned to face the two well dressed visitors, "The best in their fields. You have caught his attention for one reason or another, and Lord Sombra is not easily impressed." The man lifted his left hand and pulled a draped velvet curtain aside to reveal a wooden door, half open already. "Please, enter here. Take a seat anywhere except for the head of the table. I will go and let Lord Sombra know of your arrival and he will join you posthaste." He would wait until they entered the room, which Yona didn't hesitate to do. Frederik was humorless and monotone company, his words sounding like the drone of an old ship engine. His personality was dry and with the way he looked, the plant mage wasn't even sure he would make it down the rest of the hall himself without keeling over.

"Posthaste huh? He talks almost like you. Are you sure you've never heard of Lord Sombra?" Yona asked gently. She wasn't accusatory in her tone, just curious. She asked another question, barely letting him think over an answer to any of the ones she had already asked (Yona was consistently over-inquisitive). "Did you find it odd that we didn't pass anyone else?" The woman in the white gown entered the dining room to find a long glossy wooden table covered in small plates, large platters, a series of eating utensils, and at least three different types of roasted protein. The fruit on the table didn't look very fresh, but the steaming vegetables and smoky souffles caught her interest. Yona found the head of the table with her eyes and then selected a seat two seats down from it. She didn't know the Lord and didn't want to sit close to him, but she did need to be close enough to hear him speak and not be perceived as a rude representative of the West Fiore Trading Company.


WC: 1553+754= 2307

" "
Upon her asking him what his name was he had no problem giving it to her however she voiced her opinion on his name or more specifically, how formal it sounded. So her course of action was to shorten his name down to just Bjorn. He had learned during his short amount of time with the people of this realm and time that shortening ones name into what ya we called a nickname is common place, of course during his time that wasn’t something one did. Your name was mean to be heard in it’s entirety so if you came across an enemy they would know who it was that slain them or in the events that you were slain they might remember your name had it been worth remembering. "I cannot say that I agree however if it would easier for you then Bjorn is fine." he would say but the more he repeated the name in his head the more he began to like the sound of it. Jarnbjorn was by no real means a common name but the name Bjorn made it much more personalized therefore giving it more sentimental value to him. "In fact that is a fine name!" shortly after she had tagged him with a nickname she then asked about his choice in words when he spoke on the regular people from this time and realm. Her question about whether he was an ageless god or a demon, "I can say for certain that I am not a demon nor do i belong on a pillar such as a god." the part about being ageless held some weight to it, while he was not immortal he did escape the flow of time so his actual age did not match the way would look or be able to act. He answered her questions but he didn't take his focus off of his surroundings and he kept his grip tight on his weapon.

Frederick's age truly began to show as they continued travelling to wherever this servant was taking us but he had the courtesy to answer his question regarding how the master conducted his selection process, that this Sombra had agents around the world which reports back to him due to Sombra himself keeping himself here in his manor. It made sense for Sombra to invite interesting individuals to his manor, he can relate to wanting to break the toll that seclusion brings about but he couldn't help but be slightly troubled by Frederick saying that Sombra was very interested in meeting people that can be considered best in their field, any sort of accolades or noteworthy achievements happened in another realm and time. It didn't take too long for them to reach their current destination which lay beyond a wooden door on the other side of a curtain that was pulled aside by Frederick. He ordered them to enter the room and take a seat posthaste however Bjorn's battle hardened instincts didn't like the set up, a half opened door was was a good way to entice curiosity and project some sort of invitation but it also meant there was something that was meant to be potentially hidden but before he could protest or even question the order Yona had moved past the door which was enough to make Bjorn sigh and follow but kept his guard up.

Once they had entered the room he saw the seats at the large table that but Bjorn decided to not sit right away but he stood next to the seat that would be his once he felt more at ease, Yona on the other hand didn't seem to be too concerned and while she took her seat at the head of the table she would make a quip at the expense of Frederick who she mentioned spoke similarly to how Bjorn speaks and she followed up with a question regarding if Bjorn actually wasn't an acquaintance of Lord Sombra but before he could answer this she asked another question regarding if he had found it odd that they didn't see any other guests. This was a detail that he didn't notice and while it wasn't a cause for concern at face value the fact that this was a dinner party and so far they were the only guests it was something of a curiosity. "I cannot say that I have ever crossed paths with this Lord Sombra nor have i heard of him during my short time in this land. And now that you mention it I do find it odd. You and I are the only ones here besides Frederick." he would look at her and run his hand through his beard, "What do you make of this fact?"

After Frederik departed, Yona reached past the fancy cutlery and plucked two green grapes from one of the platters in the center of the dining table. Jarnbjorn didn't seem particularly pleased with her nickname at first, however after a pause he seemed much more agreeable. She gave him a warm smile, "Bjorn it is, thank you. I don't much like formality. I find etiquette and polite conversation somewhat superficial. I know I look elegant enough, but you'll have to pardon me for being a bit rough around the edges." She gave a shrug, her apology more for anything in advance that she might do or say. You could put the plant mage in a pretty white gown, but you couldn't change her true self even for a dinner party like this. He confirmed that he wasn't a deity or demon despite his speech patterns, though the questions was primarily figurative. Yona tapped her fingers on her lap and then popped a grape between her lips.

As she crushed it between her teeth, tasting the fruity juices on her tongue, her eyes closed. And then she made a face and grabbed for her napkin. She carefully spit the chewed grape into the napkin with a grimace. "Grapes aren't any good, even if they look pretty. They taste old and bitter. Some sort of magic must be making it look prettier than it is. Lord Sombra must be cheap or fake," The mage grumbled softly to herself the last line after giving the warning to Jarnbjorn. The mage tossed the second grape back into the bowl and leaned back into the seat. Yona let out a sigh and crossed her arms, puzzling it over. "I don't know, Bjorn. What kind of dinner party only has three people? It's supposed to be some honor and yet," She spread her arms around in gesture, "Who is here to honor us? Do you think others may yet come?" Yona crossed her legs and looked over her shoulder towards the door. It had been opened for her and Bjorn's entry, but now it was closed. Frederik must have shut it on his way out, maybe there weren't going to be any other guests. She scratched her cheek.

As she waited and listened to Bjorn's reply, a minute or two later, a splitting scream broke through the silence of the manor. It was the sound of a woman, no doubt, and by the sound of it she was in serious trouble. Another scream followed the first, the sound of a man in pain or a man was in deep levels of fear. Yona uncrossed her legs looking up at Bjorn, unsure of what to say or do in that second. She got to her feet and looked towards the closed door, "You were right to be cautious, I think. Perhaps we could just leave, but," A third scream interupted her- another male's voice ringing out. "That was definitely a sound of fear....tsehehe... its one of my favorites..~" Ketsueki giggled in her mind. The plant mage tensed, "I... don't like this. If there are other guests or people here in trouble, I would be remiss to not attempt a rescue."

Yona wished she could slip her mask on and change her garments to practical attire for a mission, but her white dinner gown and heels were something she would need to find a way to work with. The VP got out of her seat and bent to touch the floor with a frown on her face. Unfortunately, the wooden floor was covered wall to wall in a luxurious rug, and it prevented her from sensing outwards with her magic and pinpointing the location of other people in the manor. She stood back up and motioned to Bjorn, "I'm afraid I'm not quite dressed for a rescue and I can't tell how many people are in here. We don't even know if the screams were real." She comprehended that the Cursed Lands were filled with haunted, cursed, and unexplained phenomena. It was possible the screams belonged to nobody, or that she was hallucinating from eating that grape, but if they did come from real people then Yona had an obligation to find out. If Bjorn opened the door and walked out, she would follow him out.

WC: 2307 + 717= 3024