With his gaze yet fixed on the odd vibrance of the meal that had been prepared for her, Kiernan grinned sheepishly with the explanation she gave, as well as the odd look. Perhaps this was how she felt when she had first landed here, learning as she had? Rubbing his head thoughtfully, his gaze moved from her food to linger on the rest of the room, accepting of her response. "It's strange... to think you are used to something so different." He admitted after a moment, his thoughts encircling this principle in more ways than one. Food was not the least of the differences between each of their lifestyles, so it seemed. This was clearer now than ever before to him. Some part of it actually dug at Kiernan in a soft spot. She understood all of this that floated right over his head. She knew of technology, and ships, and a different way of life entirely. Cara seemed to grasp some of those concepts, but Kiernan felt quite... unacquainted. As he had been slow to understand the Austarosi when he first came to Shilf as a refugee, now he was certainly slow to some to understand all that had been spoken of as of late. Cara's ability to adapt and accept new concepts so easily, even if she seemed to learn of them at the same pace as he, left him feeling a touch isolated here. He was somehow behind, as he had always seemed.

"Machines?" His eyebrows once more knitted themselves together lightly. A word he'd now heard, but one he wasn't quite aware of. It meant metal, moving, and presumably violent. It meant Titans, those things that attacked Shilf, and death. Rubbing his head with a soft sigh, he frowned slightly. "If you are aware of something similar..." He paused, taking into consideration what she'd said. These were things this world shouldn't be handling. Was it that they were not capable of such? If so, when was a world ever capable of controlling such foreign beasts? "Then, surely you may know some about them? Weaknesses, how they work?" He questioned, sticking to what he would understand. What he knew. What he believed may come in best use, if he was able to understand only one thing clearly, then it should be how to take these things down. Of this, he was certain as his golden gaze hardened as they fixed on Numira. They were focused, darker-- Kiernan looked more a soldier than ever now.

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Upon seeing Benoit's halt, a breath of relief warily released itself from Veila. This woman... Her gaze shifted hesitantly around the three golems, the effect taken no the troops. She was certainly trouble. They had caught her eye, and it appeared that meant there was some hell to pay. Yet, even as she stood still, daydreams of her family's peaceful farm brushed past her. Wind blew tall grasses into swaying gently everywhere around her. She heard her pa and ma speaking pleasantly out over the hill by the barn... Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath. They'd lost this-- whatever it was, it was apparent to her that it had been lost. "Illusionary magic?" She wandered quietly aloud, frowning as she struggled to focus yet. For a moment, she tottered, but quickly shifted to right herself. Illusions or not, this had to be put to an end before further problems arose. With some relief, she noted the attention of the woman seemed to shift to Arnoult.

The man was cruel and lacked much respect, but had earned his title through sturdy means. Vienna herself held some respect for him, if only for his rank. In many ways, she felt obligated to find something admirable in her direct superior. It gave her some sense of self while acting as his play thing in many ways. The grip she held on her sword tightened with these thoughts as Arnoult's head tilted slowly to the side. That damned twisted curiosity of his. While the woman's words did little to jilt him, what did was the mention of a beast. A beast. He imagined a great beast of his own, staggering towards him and rearing its ugly head as if to take a bite of him. Something in his demeanor shifted again. From sitting there barking orders to business, it appeared; in all but one moment, his eyes narrowed and the childish twist of his smile dampened. Instead, a dulled look replaced his amusement as he stared onwards at the illusion. "Tch." Waving his hand before him dismissively at first, it paused in the air before him. Then sweeping it forwards in a more sudden movement, a condensed wave of energy was produced from the blade-arm he now wielded, swirling with a crackling purple aura. The ground beneath the troops shifted a bit, knocking a few from their feet as some of their horses also shuffled in discontent. From where she stood, Vienna felt the ground shift beneath her, but stood her ground fair enough to take care to not stumble. The energy blast swept around the golems and into the mist, an attack that proved useful at times, though now it was only to dispel the image he saw. The beast did indeed disperse, leading him to calmly lay his hands down. The blade-arm reverted to its normal form slowly.

"Do not be shaken by the illusions of this witch. They are mere folly. We are to regroup here. Clean yourselves up." He spoke in a calm, deep tone now that rang out clearly. The orders were not barked quite as harshly as normal, instead a thoughtful tone taking to them as he himself turned as if to dismiss further problems if they were to arise. Walking further back into the troops to look over what effects occurred with the rest of the ground troops, Arnoult would disappear in the crowd.

Vienna stood still yet, the fire encircling Benoit yet to be safe. Looking warily on around them to await further taunting from this woman, she was left with frustration with the commander.

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