[Deleted]

"Hmmm, I'd like to see that world, one day." What a joke, he couldn't even go back to his world, nobody could! But it was a nice thought, even if the end of this all was nowhere in sight. Nice thoughts were way better than thinking about, say, a bunch of fights.

"It just happened, huh?" Keil almost mumbled, catching the previous look in Sparkster's eyes, and continuing, "Well, hope you don't have to by yourself anymore. It's not fun." With Sparkster's kindness, it didn't feel right to compliment the act of fighting all those people, even if they were in the wrong. Plus, it was a lone effort, even he could attest that he wasn't completely alone, fighting on your lonesome sounded like the loneliest act ever.

[Arrow Rinehart]

About this very thing, the opossum sighed gently, though it wasn't at what was exactly stated. There wasn't a whole lot about it that he wanted to leave in the gloomy sense, though ever cloud had a silver lining, there were times when he even forgot to look up for those. Still as he made an effort to try and remain the positive fellow that he had become with time since the end of his latest adventure before coming to Li. He'd gone on to manage a smile as he looked at Keil with a soft smile before speaking. 

"The best part of it all, is that as long as I can have others like you, remind me that things aren't so bad, I mean...you want to see my world. The culture itself, that means that it is a good way for me to realize Elhorn was truly saved. It wasn't just by the thread that I persevered and defeated those forces, but through the will and trust of the people. To that extent that I've managed, I have...I've come here and now I can help defend Li. I can use those skills I worked out to protect this home away from home."

Looking down to Keil he smiled again, a bit softer this time before speaking. "And as you say, I won't be doing it alone next time, its going to be with allies...I have you and Solo-wing among them. I mean, I can kind of feel that inside, I trust you Keil. You are certainly among my very first friends here, and I won't forget that. I mean, just to sound a little mushy for a moment...I haven't been one to know a friend back home. Just the battles and the wars, in between things, so it is kinda nice."

[Deleted]

There was a pause from Keil, potentially a problem, but then a smile split his face. "That's a way to look at it, we came here after saving our worlds to help this world? Nice. We gotta be good at this sorta stuff, right? We saved our worlds!" It was a far less depressing look at this situation. Sure, one could think they were trapped and bemoan the whole situation, or this place was in need of saving and kept bringing people in an ill thought-out plan to save itself. Keil could believe the latter.

"And your my first friend here." Keil commented good-naturally, leaning back on the Dragon, "Didn't think it'd be this easy! Didn't have to hunt together, build a house...nah, just talking. Really easy. It's nice."

If these were the type of people he could expect from other world, then Keil wasn't in a hurry to get back immediately. His world could get a new Dragon, and they didn't need him much, his town could make do minus one hunter.

[Arrow Rinehart]

The thought of showing these two the vast world, even showing them the peace of it, of Elhorn above all else it made him smile gently at this point. He looked on as he let his tail whisk around lightly as he had looked upon Keil and chimed in about it. "I'd definitely look forward to showing you a peaceful set of skies, Elhorn is vast, has much to explore, it is a wonderful place." He felt confident in the fact that he'd be able to introduce the hunter to some of the surrounding space, but here he knew that he'd gone quite off rhythm of the original topic.

Though he found this to be just as poignant, it was still something to make him feel strong, and further to grow on the subject as a whole. He'd gotten to reveal a bit more about himself at the moment, the possum knight finding some solace in doing so at least.

"I don't feel that I will, Keil. That's because you make me feel welcome, I mean that as the nicest thing to be said about meeting someone here. You are most certainly, a bit kinder than you might think. Still, I do believe if I must fight again, it will be alongside those I trust: I believe it will go far better than any lone effort of my own." while holding in a small laugh, he looked up and seemed to be a bit rejuvenated. "If you'd like, I can tell my second adventure against the Gedol Empire with more gusto."

[Deleted]

A slight redness overtook Keil's face, covered quickly as he rubbed his cheeks in faux casualness, "...Thanks, Sparkster, it just...just felt right to, you know, talk to a person...and you can talk to me, so you're a person to me." Communication was the only thing that separated a beast from a person, didn't it? Didn't matter how you looked. The Solo Wing spoke through images and feeling, Sparkster here had the easy way of words, even animals had some kind of communication. He just needed to understand it. If that was kind, then he never wanted to be cruel and mean, that'd make him an idiot, and idiots never lasted long. "Hope we have a good partnership! You know, whenever we're teamed up, it'll be fun for once!"

Another story? "Sure! Heh, I came here to rest, but my head's just spinning. I think I'll be dreaming of Elhorn, and that's not so bad!" In all honesty, he was tired, but what kind of human could sate their curiosity with just one story!?

[Arrow Rinehart]

Capable of seeing how tired his new friend was, he'd decided to give him a very specific form of the story: the most direct that still shared some heavy tidbits, without getting too sidetracked. As he knew they'd had more than enough of that specifically, though it had not been bad, he was going to see that he didn't keep Keil awake too much longer. He could see it, so he'd make this story worth telling and share the last of his adventures for another time. "Well to begin the tale, we get started no less than a few months after the war with the Devintindos Empire. It's a mouthful, but let's call them the Pig Army for short. Since the new foes were very different and from the west, as opposed to the Devintindos from the east."

Letting his fingers briefly running against his right cheek as he let his fingertips before he committed to giving the opening of the story. "My foster brother returned from his defeat, as he supported the Devintindos Empire. And following this, once he kidnapped the second Princess...then I quickly took off after him and ran into lizard soldiers. They attacked me with some odd degrees of weaponry and magic this time. Though the technology had been very present, a new kind at the time I had never seen...its pretty stunning, as I must admit though the soldiers were well trained. They honestly weren't a match for me, I don't mean to sound as if I am bragging, if only to say that I was the better knight. Though they did by the time for Axle to escape with the Princess. This was essentially the start of the second war."

He had every intention of continuing the effort, but first, he did want to reveal just the loose amount of time between wars. The Zephyrus Empire really hadn't any time to recover, before the battle for their sister Kingdom's grounds had begun. "This was a Kingdom that I did not serve, but their King is the brother of the King of Zephyrus. I had little desire to let this carry on, so I attacked the Gedol Empire's forces without any hesitation."

[Deleted]

The next story predictably made Keil snort in half-amusement, half irrational anger, "That fast? Sheesh, that brother of yours needs more than a smack on the head." Keil grumbled to himself, not truly understanding what could possibly make one so attached to the idea of messing up another person's day. Not a sane reason, he had to assume, or at least not a logical reason.

Quieting down until he felt an appropriate time to pipe up again, Keil quietly spoke, "You went after the commanders and such again, right? It'd still be a good idea with these...lizard people, right?" Keil looked up hopefully, was his question right?

[Arrow Rinehart]

It was true there, still he found himself letting off something of a light laugh, and a comment to join it spoke volumes of what he'd considered to be so funny. "The real clincher is how he's the 'big' brother...you know? You'd think that I'd be the one to be rash, but there he is...wanting to call himself the 'Black Knight', a title he is not worthy of." like most worlds, there was some kind of Black Knight figure, and Sparkster was brief on it. "Our Black Knight, was a deviant but also a bit of a vigilante hero. He stood for what was right on his own terms, though he was not above getting into fights with other Rocket Knights of yore. He faced the evils of our world alongside the others when it counted on it most." He did decide to go on with the story though.

"These soldiers were a bit more dangerous than that...I did take out Commanders and their main strike forces. But I was forced to double back and shatter their main forces' backbone. They were suffice to say, lethal in their attacks whenever they got started. I took extra time to break their ability and spirit before moving on. So this I admit, was by far the hardest of all of my battles ahead. Straight from the beginning, these soldiers at times did not stop until the last one went down. The spirit...or dedication, perhaps fear? It was utterly...well I could respect it. I haven't the best words for it, I admit it." These actions had been stunning to see morale high down to the last fighter, it was a thing most unusual in some groups. At least compared to the Devintindos, this was how he found it to be ultimately. 

[Deleted]

Keil clicked his tongue, pulling back a laugh at the mention of wanting to be the Black Knight, "They make stories about that sort of insanity, you know? Wants to have the respect of a hero, but too bad to be anything but a villain. Doesn't sound like the type to actually think what it means to be a hero, even a vigilante, does he?" You could almost feel sorry for him...or laugh, as Keil was trying very hard to choke down. Even if the guy made himself a laughingstock, that didn't mean he should laugh...it might not be as funny to Sparkster, and the last thing he needed was to lose a first friend because he had loose lips and no filter.

"They sounded like good soldiers!" Keil's voice was genuine, and he raised a fist slightly as he worked on the concept of complementing the enemy, "Did they stop once you beat the hell out of...everyone? Not bad apples anymore, I hope?"

[Arrow Rinehart]

Giving a soft solemn nod to those words, Sparkster actually looked to Keil with a soft nod, he did hit the nail on the head. "It's rather something that it took me years to see, but you did just describe Axel well. He is a fool, an idiot who threw away all in life that could have been worthy for making his own blind way through life. Perhaps I am just the annoyed little brother cursing a fool, I admit I can't say. But Keil, feel free to judge him...I know that I've thought of slaying him to put a stop to his madness. But I don't know, if I should be the one to make such a determination. I am the best knight I can be in the end, it may not be that I will ever stop him permanently, but that he may well be his own undoing. I admit, that thought has crossed my mind." 

Sparkster was anything but upset at what Keil said, instead he was more irate when thinking about his foster brother's path. That choice of being, what he wanted to do with himself and how he tried to make some kind of difference for himself.  Though he did not linger on the thought too much, his brother was a jerk, that was the bottom line and he knew it would not get resolved as long as he was here. But this was also that just break he needed, he'd been able to focus keenly, as he put time and effort into training Rocket Knights before leaving, just a few...but if he held the fort down alone, they could together. 

"But on with the tale, yes my foes were very good soldiers, deadly...many of them having different powers. I first faced a literal, giant tree, that grew a face and tried to smash me with mutant apples. It sneezed at me, spat resin at me, this was a first line foe if you consider it. And it was only the very beginning of what was a bizarre league of foes, as I will say, before this? Technology was my main foe, not magic...I learned a lot more about magic when facing this army and its Emperor."

There the tale went on, he'd explained something strange and actually did stop for comments: he was counting on this catching Keil's attention and honestly, he wanted to hear what he had to say about it.

[Deleted]

"Well, I'm gonna need to shut up about your brother then." Keil made up his mind remarkably quickly, "I didn't have one, not by blood, not by nothing. Far as I know, your his brother, and get to make the decision." He "zipped" his lips with a flash of amusement, "So all my judging is staying deep in here, locked up tight!"

And the story went on...and immediately hit a section that momentarily didn't even register. Animal people was something he could just see as...people...but a tree? "Uhhhh...a tree? I-is that some kind of mech, cause what your saying sounds like-"

Magic

Indeed, Sparkster got his desired reaction. Sure, he was aware that it truly existed, but he honestly didn't consider that Sparkster's world had such fantasy, and enough to make a lethal soldier out of a tree!? "That's a joke...its not a joke..." Keil mumbled in bafflement, jaws almost hanging open, "So you just...have magic? C-can you do magic?" The question came hopeful, as the boyish spirit only hoped it could have a friend who possessed the elusive power of magic, of all things.

[Arrow Rinehart]

Sparkster thought about how best to respond to that, in truth he 'did' possess some degree of it: otherwise he'd not have been able to enchant his armor and blade when necessary. His items were all enchanted by nature and he himself, as a Rocket Knight, knew all the basics required for handling it. One had to possess some degree of magic for it, though how much or little did he possess? He couldn't say, as he truly didn't know it. Though the blond opossum rubbed his cheek in thought, he did give an answer that he thought best summed it up. "Yes, on some level I do possess magical ability. I am able to enchant and re-enchant my armor, my sword, and all pieces involved with my gear. As you can imagine, a jetpack that doesn't require refueling must run on magic. And for all of its short bursts that I am capable of, including charged actions, it runs with the enchantments that I had drilled into me by those instructors of rune implementation. As for casting spells, Uhh..maybe? I've never tried, I won't kid you, the thought is kind of exciting. I'll need to search out a teacher here, as I imagine someone must know the basics of magic, normally even different ranges of the talent have a set of basics. If there's something to study, I can always test my limits!"

Boyish spirited wish? Perhaps, but it was something that the opossum now just considered might be fun, he had an opportunity that wasn't straight to the next battle. It meant that he could seek leisure time in trying to find someone who might show him new things. It was perfect for enhancing one's repertoire and in this case: preparing for anything that might come down the road. It was the best kind of thing Sparkster enjoyed doing, finding new and challenging things to approach with. "But boy I can affirm that my enemies possessed magic! In high capacity, they were not limited to just animating trees, I'd come across machines bearing other forms of enchantments...crazy strong airships of immense size that I know magic was involved in creating. In that was my next real trek, a trip into a giant airship that was going to attack a village with firebombs." how fitting it also led right into the next part of the story, there was no losing stride here!

[Deleted]

Perhaps due to how stories would usually portray magic, endless and effortless, it didn't quite become clear to Keil that it may require more effort than just...magic. He listened with a slightly tilted head before replying, "It requires training, then? Maybe I could try too, makes me more useful than shooting." It was a nice thought, one he'd have to try one day. He'd be a weapon too, get some of the pressure off of the Dragon.

"Firebombs!?" Keil audibly gasped, eyes wide. Just to destroy a village!? "Tch, what overkill!" His voice growled before he settled down again, "Hehe, you took down an entire airship? They had to take you seriously then, right? I'd be asking to be defeated if someone beat me down twice and I still thought I was winning."

[Arrow Rinehart]

Giving Drakka a soft nod to his words, the anger across the young man's features were something that Sparkster could relate to. Especially since he was aghast at the moment the airship had tested one said bomb: it was overkill. All for a village, it was not necessary, but that was the thing about the Gedol Empire, many things with them were grandiose. "The Empire didn't play things light, I've found many of their attempts were backed by grand displays of dominance and incredible might. Be it physically or magical, that or some blatant combination."

Of course this was not the real end of their display, but after getting into a fight with the unique airship captain, he'd found himself astounded by what they employed. "After I took down the Captain of the airship, those remaining on board the crashing vessel had finally lost spirit. They were odd, but their leader could do things...summon fire spirits, become physically invulnerable, split into multiple miniature versions of himself. I was finding it hard to approach him, though eventually he'd reappear and have to restore his powers. He was vulnerable during that time." 

Though this was also the funny part about the story, as Sparkster had to lightly raise his hands in a light shrug. "You'd think that they'd be after me more steadfast or at least raise their defenses right? Nope! They didn't consider me an issue yet. I stopped nothing as far as they were concerned, though it was the foolishness of theirs. I am kinda glad though, it gave me time to engage their forces at a pyramid they'd been performing ceremonies within."

[Deleted]

Keil stated blankly for a moment before managing to speak out, "All of this magic stuff is sounding...crazy, I'll have you know. It's like you're telling a story...not doubting you, this is just starting to feel like a dream again." His admittance came with a chuckle, signifying that this was just a joke.

Evidently, his assumption was wrong. Those idiots actually thought Sparkster was something to ignore! Yet aside from a snort, he didn't speak up until the mention of a pyramid. "Er...was it like normal ceremonies, or magical?" Honestly, he wasn't even certain what to expect!