The Citadel of Sorcery

[SINIB]

Edelgard

Edelgard tilted her head at Sakura. Her stiffness didn't match the way her expression bent in cheerful politeness. The warrior was ignorant of the more guarded ways or customs of spellcaster clans and orders, but she was quite familiar with this concept.

"Fosterage is a useful tradition. Chance to learn beyond means of your birth," the Forsaken commented. "Dissatisfied? What was wrong?"

Sakura

"It's not fosterage if you never go back and are forbidden from contacting them, Edelgard." Sakura answered curtly. "It's abandonment."

[Aiden]

Amanda

12:00 pm

"come on Eru we're almost there, if you drag your feet behind anymore then I swear I'll find a way to shrink your boobs until they're smaller than mine."  Amanda threatened her partner, jokingly. But was it really a joke with the ways her eyes were spinning.

" it's so unfair.... " She turned around and hung her head in defeat. The two of them were almost at the Citadel of Sorcery now, it's towering gates welcoming them in the distance.

The Citadel of Sorcery

The border between the Citadel and the many surrounding districts was unlike any other. Where most borders build up as close to their borders as possible, here there was a small no-mans-land between the enormous  walls and the closest outsider structures. The wall itself went up and up, taller than any nearby building and visibly absorbing the sunlight into itself. It shone with that harnessed power, and added to it a lovely azure hue that threatened to crackle out like lightning. The sky above and beyond the wall though was a blend of wintery white and twilit purples, and snow was gently falling.

Looming even above the wall were a pair of enormous crystalline towers built into the back of the wall facing inward. Atop the ramparts were quartets of squat beings, frosty of complexion and carrying enormous harpoons seemingly made of ice. At the gates were lines of silent, floating sentinels - empty armors animated by electrically charged mana given shape and will by powerful spells.

Yet despite this militant welcoming, people from all around were lining up to enter.

[Aiden]

Sakura

"It's not fosterage if you never go back and are forbidden from contacting them, Edelgard." Sakura answered curtly. "It's abandonment."

Christina Verde

"... that is pretty messed up."

It was so much so that she actually stopped in her tracks, looking between the two prospective magi cautiously.

"Why would a magical family not want to keep as many members with compatible traits as they could, anyway? It's not like you can only share the knowledge with one of them."

[YOLF]

Edelgard

Her furrowing brows formed a deep crease like a canyon, casting a shadow over her eyes. "I don't understand. Fosterage creates ties, produces family thicker than blood, but keeps birth links."

She spoke such with a heavy, unsure tone, shaking her head. It was as if she'd swallowed acid. "Waste."

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

"Ahahaha, you're more than fine in your other assets." Eru slapped Amanda's ass lightly as they waited in line, looking idly at the immense guardhouse and wall. Its scale was fairly impressive, all in all, despite most of the mages shortcomings.

Their petty politicing was such a bore, honestly. At least she'd met her good friend Neptune there.

As she bobbed back and forth, waiting, she leaned over, poking Amanda with an ear. "I could help you with that, you know?"

[Bern]

Amanda

She sent a glare in the way of the Elf for her improper conduct in public, it wouldnt do to have a Chief been seen touched like this.

The line was long but when they finally reached the guard house, she couldn't help but word out her irritation to the guards. "I don't remember  the entrance lines being anywhere near this long, are you holding a festival in there?" Maybe they'd feel sorry and afraid for their jobs for having made a Chief wait this long to enter, she didn't count on it though. While she was famous enough to be recognizable, she wasn't quite sure how they'd react to a famous outsider magician.

[Aiden]

The Citadel of Sorcery

The head guard, a blue-skinned man with glowing white eyes, a shocking white beard wearing stereotypical sorcerer robes with a hood over his head, carrying a staff, was flanked on each side by a trio of the phantasmal warriors who lined the rest of the entry. "Her Majesty's Winter Festival is soon to be underway for the rest of the season, miss. We are simply checking for enchantments that may disrupt the intended atmosphere."

He inclined his head, and motioned to the snowy road leading within. "Please, avail yourself of the festivities and the local wares."

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

"Hmmph." She shook her head at the man, intertwining her long, slender fingers with Amanda's as she pulled her inside. She glanced around a few times before turning to face the only thing of note, her fiancee, Amanda, and her beautiful eyes.

The elf smiled at her. "So, which way is the shop? Do you come here often?"

[Bern]

? ? ?

"Oi, ya bitches need to get in line, the big boss has said so."

Something pushed through the crowd with overwhelming strength and power, actually it would be more accurate to say they moved out of the way by their own will even if they had not intended to.

It was a tall man with wild hair and even wilder eyes.

"Y-you...." Amanda stammered as she saw him, her eyes widening just the slightest in fear and apprehension. Why HIM? Out of them all it had to be him...

"So you're retarded too... can't say I wasn't expecting much from someone as trash as you but to think you're hanging out with one of them even after the big man himself forbade it. You're just begging for a spanking aren't ya!"

"The Ten Swords don't have the authority to act he-"

"Shut the fuck up bitch, ya don't get to talk unless I tell ya to." He directed his gaze at that thing with the pointy ears. "She's quite the fine catch though, I might be willing to overlook some thing if ya give her to me."

[Aiden]

The Citadel of Sorcery

The blue creature in the robes coughed, loudly, and his retinue of summoned beings arrayed themselves around the sudden interlopers. "Sir, I would recommend you cease to harass people in such proximity to Her Majesty's sector of the district."

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

Eru's eyes flashed red, looking into his soul, reading what he could do like an open book. "I believe that I'm perfectly free to act however I please, human."

[Bern]

??

"PFTHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA...... Really?"

It wasn't the men insisting him to leave, it was that thing, snooping around in places that it shouldn't.

"I love it, loooove it, feeling this right, ya are aaaaallll retarded."

Amanda grasped Eru's shoulder. "He's a magic null, don't piss him off."

"WAAAAAAY TOOOOO LATE FOR THAT...... HAHAHAHA......HAHA.......Ya two follow me or I'll start going reeaal wild and everyone here will have a bad day."

[SINIB]

Eruraviel

"Oh, how bothersome. Your abilities are rather interesting, human~" She giggled girlishly, as if she weren't terribly worried about him. "You not only null magic, but also other supernatural abilities? No wonder Amanda was having so much trouble with you lot."

[Aiden]

The Citadel of Sorcery

"Sir, I will insist upon your departure if you persist in threatening those seeking entry." The guard raised his voice this time, striking his staff upon the chilly earth. The sound of thunder accompanied it. "Take your quarrel elsewhere!"

[SINIB]

Sakura

"It's not fosterage if you never go back and are forbidden from contacting them, Edelgard." Sakura answered curtly. "It's abandonment."

Christina Verde

"... that is pretty messed up."

It was so much so that she actually stopped in her tracks, looking between the two prospective magi cautiously.

"Why would a magical family not want to keep as many members with compatible traits as they could, anyway? It's not like you can only share the knowledge with one of them."

Sakura

Sakura chuckled a bit, dryly, as if what Christina had said was rather humorous. "Yes, that would be nice, wouldn't it?"