Mage Knights: Summer's Beginning

Drunk

“Durry, you should really stop selling them drinks.” Coriko said quietly to the barkeep.

“You know I can’t do that when I’m turning a profit.” Durry replied.

“Aye, don’t stop!” Sage crowed, now drunk as well. “Keep it running till the cask runs dry! Fill me up, Durry!”

“Durry, there’s a reason they usually limit themselves to a couple of drinks on the weekend.” Coriko advised. “You remember what happened last year at the end of spring semester."

“Aye, and a mighty good brawl it was.” Kashé giggled, leaning against the bar. “How many glasses did we smash, Durry? I think you even had to replace a dozen chairs.”

“And you were the one that broke most of ‘em!” Sage laughed.

“Mmm. . . you may have a point, Coriko.” Durry frowned, not recalling last year’s brawl in a very positive light. “No more drinks for you two.”

“Aw, that’s harsh, Durry.” Kashé sulked. “You hear that, Sage? He’s cuttin’ us off.”

“Aye, don’t worry about it.” Sage sighed, throwing an arm around Kashé’s shoulders as the both of them leaned back against the counter. “We did go through a whole bottle of dragon whiskey, and that stuff tisn’t cheap. He’s just afraid we’ll deplete his reserves.”

“Meh.” Kashé yawned, leaning her head against Sage’s shoulder. “Tomorrow’s hangover will be legendary.”

“Oog. Don’t remind me.” Sage said, draining the last dregs of ale from his mug.

Mage Knights: Summer's Beginning

Durry’s Tavern

The comfortable murmur of the tavern, accompanied by the occasional burst of laughter, greeted Sage as he stepped in. Glancing around, he caught sight of the knights visiting from Durianor on a diplomatic mission; passing their raucous table by, he made his way to the bar, where he’d caught a glimpse of Kashé’s shock of red hair.

At the bar, Coriko nudged Kashé and nodded over her shoulder, availing her of Sage’s presence. Kashé spun around on her stool, leaning back on the bar and resting her elbows on the counter as she glared at Sage. “Well, well. Look who had the nerve to show up.” she said.

Sage stopped in front of her and looked her up and down. She was dressed in the combat gear of a Aylodaen mage knight, obviously having finished her combat exam last. Sage smiled. “Drunk already?”

Kashé grinned, jumping off her stool. “Rrrrr! Get over here, ya useless lug!” she growled, catching Sage up in a bear hug. “Done with finals! Spring dies, summer begins! Drink to freedom and fair days!”

“She’s had more than a few mugs of ale.” Coriko informed Sage.

“She always does at the end of the semester.” Sage said, straightening his cloak and looking around. “Where’s Deviån?”

Kashé grinned, pushing herself back up onto her stool. “He doesn’t know I come here on the weekends.”

“Ah, so this is our little secret, then.” Sage said, taking a seat beside Kashé. “Same as usual, Durry.”

“Same as usual?” Kashé giggled. “You sound like an old man, Sage.”

“Oh?” Sage said, raising an eyebrow. “Strike that, Durry. What’s the strongest you’ve got?”

“Mm, dragon whiskey from the southern deserts, but-” Durry answered.

“But nothing. I’ll take some.” Sage said, laying down a couple of coins.

“If you say so.” Durry said doubtfully.

“Oooh, looka you. Trying to be all manly an’ tough.” Kashé taunted. “How cute. Durry! Pour me some dragon whiskey too. I’m not going to let Mr. Manly over here upstage me.”

“Oh dear.” Coriko sighed. “I can see where this is going.”

Mage Knights: Summer's Beginning

Introvert

“Why don’t you ever go out, Crowlin?” Sage asked, straightening his shirt in the mirror. “You never court girls, you always stay in the dorm or on the campus, reading your youth away.”

“My reasons are my own.” Crowlin answered from his desk, without looking up from his book. “Some of us find knowledge more engaging than human company.”

“More likely that you find your cat more engaging than human company.” Sage said, hooking the clasp of his cloak around his neck.

“I have a name, you know.” Crowlin’s cat, Myrrdin, replied crossly.

“Oh! Myrrdin. Didn’t know you were here.” Sage apologized. “Sorry.”

“Apology accepted.” Myrrdin replied, leaping up onto Crowlin’s desk. “Will you continue to court Kashé tonight, Sage?”

Sage glared at Crowlin. “Did you tell him?”

Crowlin looked up. “Why would you think that? Myrrdin gets around. Likely he saw you trying to charm her.”

“And failing miserably, from what I’m told.” Myrrdin added, licking a paw and drawing it over his ear.

“You did tell him!” Sage accused.

Crowlin shrugged. “It’s not a secret, Sage. Half the campus knows.”

Sage frowned, brushing off his cloak. “Half the campus? You’re exaggerating, right?”

“I may be downplaying it. But then again, I don’t get out a lot, so I can’t say for sure.” Crowlin answered, returning to his spellbook.

“Well, wish me luck.” Sage said, leaving.

“Wished.” Myrrdin and Crowlin replied in unison.

Mage Knights: Summer's Beginning: Brainless

Brainless

“Knights. Bloody knights.” Sage muttered. “They strut around like they’re all that, flirting with the ladies and showing off their swords. Brainless buffs, self-centered egotistical-”

“Relax, Sage.” Crowlin said. “Is it really worth getting worked up about?”

Sage grumbled, straightening his rumpled cloak with a crisp snap. “You know I just about fried him? That rockhead flirting with my sister? All eyes and no brain, I tell you. I was ready to roast him on the spot with a little bit of Sunfire. But no, dear sister stops me, and then the brainless lug that was flirting with her tackles me. Gah! It disgusts me.”

“They’re visitors from another region. It was good our classmates held you down; if you’d attacked one of them, you could’ve started a war.” Crowlin pointed out.

“Pfff. As if any region would be stupid enough to attack Aylodae.” Sage muttered. “We’re the only region that trains mage knights and has a standing army where every soldier has a knowledge of both magic and field combat.”

“And Master Parth would remind you that humility is our greatest strength.” Crowlin reminded Sage as they returned to the campus of the Mage Knight Instructory. “Speaking of which, why are you so disgruntled today? You’re not usually like this.”

“I don’t quite know. I just feel like something’s off.” Sage answered, looking around. “Clouds are white, sky’s blue, it’s warm and there’s a gentle breeze. But something just feels off.”

“Well, shake it off.” Crowlin said, clapping him on the shoulder. “It’s the weekend, and we just finished with this year’s finals. I’ll bet the girls are down for a night out at the tavern, aye?”