Razelt (Summer)/Stories
Razelt often finds himself cowering in battle and unable to keep up with the front line. He takes up surfing as a potential solution, using his shield-Lord's Aegis- as a surfboard.
Razelt: Hah-hah-hah! You monsters underestimated me!
Razelt: My Lord's Aegis is impenetrable! Acknowledge your mistake in challenging me and end this reckless attack at once!
Alk: I think your knees are shaking...
Razelt: W-wait! Take another step forward, and you'll be exposing yourself to danger!
Alk: Well, we won't exactly be able to attack if we stay back here...
Alk: Maybe you can just follow along.
Razelt: H-how do you expect me to do that when my knees are trembling with the force of a thousand earthquakes?!
Razelt: No matter how great the shield, it cannot strike at foes beyond the wielder's reach.
Razelt: Too often, I find myself quaking in my greaves while my allies charge full speed ahead, widening the distance between us!
Razelt: But then epiphany struck- there may be a way for me to remain in the front lines besides my allies without moving my legs! The solution would be...
Razelt: Yes! Surfing!
Alk: Wha?
Razelt: Bwahahaha! Surfing, I said!
Alk: Why surfing though? Wait, do you mean to use your shield as a surfboard?
Razelt: My Lord's Aegis automatically grants absolute defense! Image what would happen if I were to ride the shield!
Razelt: I'd gain the mobile yo protect you anywhere you are! It couldn't be more perfect!
Stella: An interesting idea.
Razelt: But that's... Well, I guess it's worth trying...
Alk: Exactly! We won't know until we try! Now, Lord's Aegis- off we go to the horizon and beyond!
Razelt: Urk, no! Why do you refuse me, Lord's Aegis?!
Alk: Think it might have something to do with your shaking knees?
Stella: If you have trouble riding the shield, how about affixing yourself to it?
Alk: By that you mean affixing the shield to Razelt's legs?
Stella: Yes. that way, Razelt won't be knocked off.
Alk: Hm... I know it's only a replica, but modifying it would be-
Razelt: I don't mind in the least!
Alk: Oh, so you're okay with it...
Razelt: As prince and fourteenth in line to the throne, I'll allow it!
Razelt: I appreciate you coming up with the idea! Do with the Lord's Aegis whatever you deem necessary!
Alk: Okay, we'll try to get it done without hurting you.
Stella: Figuring out how to attach it to Razelt's legs comes first.
Alk: There, that should do it for the leg fasteners.
Stella: We made sure nothing else is affected. All that's left is to surf.
Razelt: V-very well. Prepare to shower me with praise and applause.
Razelt: Ward thy people, Lord's Aegis!
Stella: You haven't fallen.
Alk: You're all hunched over, but... at least you're standing! Now try moving forward, Razelt!
Razelt: R-right!
Razelt: Bwahahahaha! Now, Lord's Aegis- off we go to the horizon and beyond!
Razelt: Bwahahahaha! You may as well call me the Prince of the Open Seas now!
Razelt: Gahahaha-
Razelt: Urk!
Razelt: A-Alk! I'm losing balance fast! *glug*
Alk: We should've seen this coming...
Stella: The experiment has failed.
Razelt: Don't just stand there! Help me already!
Alk: That's quite the speed you're going on the water... Any chance you can remove the fasteners on your legs and try to swim back to shore?
Razelt: What a foolish thing to ask of someone who's never taken a single swimming lesson in their life! *glug glug*
Stella: What a shame. I wonder what exactly went wrong.
Alk: Hm, I can think of at least a few things...
Razelt: *glug glug glug*
Razelt eventually learns to maintain balance on the surfboard, but continues to have trouble figuring out which direction he's going. Nonetheless, his pride as royalty keeps him practicing diligently.
Alk: It's amazing you went this far into the ocean, Razelt. That's quite the sense of direction you have...
Stella: You appear unharmed.
Razelt: Would you stop speaking of me like a compass without a needle! And I may be physically fine, but my heart is in tatters!
Sun-Kissed Sailor: Hi there. I thought maybe you guys were testing out were some kind of mini-ship, but that was your idea of surfing, huh?
Sun-Kissed Sailor: In that case, getting used to riding the board on the ground-not on the sea- should be the first step!
Stella: That might be a good idea.
Razelt: I suppose that makes sense. Just like how the soldiers of Tris, who only have a mind for swinging their swords, are said to never miss a day of practice...
Razelt: I, too, shall devote myself to training! I ask for your support, everyone!
Alk: Yep, yep. Can you handle the other side, Stella?
Stella: I will.
Stella: I'm letting go.
Razelt: Prepare to be surprised like never before.
Razelt: NWAAAH! Why, Aegis? Do you hate being stepped on THAT much?
Stella: Will you proceed with training?
Razelt: Of course I will!
Razelt: The goal is to be mobile while shielding my allies! I shan't give up until I'm capable of that!
Alk: Personally, I don't mind you as you are now. I think you already put up a fine defense for us.
Razelt: ...What are you saying, Alk?
Razelt: You trust in my cowardice but not in my valor?!
Razelt: Watch as my knees tremble with all the timidity of a newborn fawn just dying to run off to its hiding place!
Alk: Well, why aren't you running then?
Razelt: Is it not obvious? The job of royalty is to safeguard the citizenry.
Razelt: I doubt I am worthy of becoming king, but that does not give me the right to bring shame to those in my family who truly deserve the title!
Razelt: That is my pride as royalty! I will not use my cowardice as an excuse to forfeit my duty!
Alk: Yeah? That's pretty admirable.
Razelt: Although I've yet to grow accustomed to it, I feel as if my bond with Lord's Aegis has strengthened.
Razelt: Nevertheless, I shall continue to have faith! Ward thy people, Lord's Aegis!
Stella: He's keeping his balance, it's a success.
Alk: A "success"? Maybe we could call it that if he could also control his direction.
Stella: You seem to be having fun, Alk.
Alk: Oh yeah? Hm, maybe I am.
Stella: I'm enjoying this as well.
Alk: Welp, it's time we went to save Razelt again. We'll have to call another ship.
Stella: Mm-hm. He went straight ahead this time so he should be easy to find.
Alk: I just wonder if he's considered how he's going to protect himself when his shield's busy protecting others.
Stella: A fair point...
With Alk and Stella latching onto him, Razelt streaks ahead on his surfboard to a drowning child's aid. Despite this heroic rescue, he ends up stumbling again at the very end. Alk and Stella discuss the unpredictability of Razelt's surfing skills.
Children: That must be the tenth time he fell!
Children: You're gonna keep at it, Gramps? Is it okay if we bet on you falling again?
Razelt: I'll have you kids know that I'm still a strapping young lad at the age of twenty-two! Be mindful who you call "Gramps"!
Razelt: As for the wager, I'm betting that I DON'T fall again! So don't come bawling to me later if I end up taking all your lunch money!
Children: Talk about scary! We're nice kids though, so we'll buy you some candy if WE win!
Children: Hooray! That's eleven wins in a row!
Stella: You've been so focused on practicing your surfing ever since coming here, Razelt.
Razelt: But of course! I must remain fit in order to protect! It's also a far better use of my time than whiling away at the casino!
Alk: How admirable.
Alk: But what are you REALLY thinking?
Razelt: As much as I'd like to partake in the fun and games, I cannot risk the chance of losing all my possessions- especially not the Lord's Aegis!
Alk: Except you just lost to those kids a bunch of times...
Razelt: A-anyway! I need to take this seriously, so you munchkins should go play somewhere else!
Children: You're okay staying a loser then? Want us to buy you some candy?
Razelt: I have not fallen so far from grace as to require alms from children! Enjoy your candy- you've earned it!
Stella: You are truly kind at heart, Razelt.
Razelt: As royalty, I consider it my duty to ensure that the country's children can put on carefree smiles.
Razelt: I can only hope my actions contribute to that goal. Does that make sense, Stella?
Stella: Yes. I suppose that's also related to your pride?
Razelt: Indeed. You're starting to get it!
Alk: That's one of the kids from earlier...
Razelt: He's about to drown. He won't last long.
Stella: Let us save him.
Alk: We need to get a boat fast-
Razelt: Hold it, you two!
Razelt: Hang on tight! The Aegis and I will be your boat!
Alk: Razelt... Can you do it?
Razelt: I haven't exactly fully mastered the technique yet, but for now, I believe our bonds should more than suffice.
Razelt: I trust in the both of you. Give me your support!
Alk: You got it!
Stella: Fasteners attached.
Alk: Some on this side!
Razelt: Sally forth, Lord's Aegis! So that we may grant salvation to those who seek it!
Stella: This is remarkably fast...
Alk: Can't really call this surfing anymore! It's something else entirely!
Razelt: Frightened out of your wits, are we? Hah, this may be the ideal speed after all!
Razelt: Alk, Stella, we're saving that child! I'm counting on you two!
Alk: We did it! Razelt, can you get us back to land?
Razelt: Certainly! I'll manage somehow!
Razelt: Are you safe, child?
Children: Grampy?
Razelt: Hah-hah-hah! As I said before...
Razelt: I'm no grampy; I'm a prince!
Razelt: Gah, not again! Just when things were going so well!
Alk: Might have something to do with our support, or lack thereof.
Razelt: Gah, that defeats the whole purpose! I must try again!
Stella: The speed the Lord's Aegis was going at earlier could not have been possible without our support alone.
Alk: Maybe Razelt just got into the flow for a moment.
Stella: Perhaps. But now he's awful at it again.
Alk: No argument there...
Alk: I guess that's Razelt for ya.
Stella: Possibly.
Razelt: *sigh* This is going nowhere!
Razelt: I've had enough for the day! Alk, Stella, what say we got for a meal?
Alk: Sure. You have a place in mind?
Razelt: I'm feeling chilly, so any place that serves something nice and warm would be preferable!
Stella: Let's go for some red soup.
Razelt: Wait, Stella. What do you mean by "red"? I must warn you I do not handle spicy food well.
Alk: You'll be fine. Even kids eat the stuff.