Zephyr

The sound of bamboo weapons striking each other echoed down the halls around the Dragonheart's sparring room. Inside the large room Alno'dra faced off against Aulea in a small training match. At the same time they were trading blows, they also traded conversation. Despite the exhausting pace of the fight neither let any hints of it affecting them show. "I overheard one of the tower guard's claiming that this Vylon character had been a friend of Onyxia's four three hundred years." Alno'dra swung his staff at Aulea's midsection. "That is the rumor." Aulea blocked the swing with her sword, and deflected the staff over her head. "The Great One has been rather quiet about the subject." Aulea's sword struck the underside of Alno'dra's right arm. "Well, at least we know he was invited here by Onyxia. I guess that is reason enough to trust him, no?" The deflected staff struck a glancing blow to Aule's right shoulder as Alno'dra brought it back to a guarding posistion. "That is true, however, I still get a strange feeling from him." "Maybe your dragon blood has made your instinct stronger. Or maybe your human blood makes you paranoid." Alno'dra paid for that comment with a hard strike to the thigh. With no warning Aulea kicked her assult into high-gear and disarmed Alno'dra with a rapid series of strikes. A second later he found himself face-to-face with the tip of Aulea's bamboo sword. "And that's match." Aulea lowered the sword. "I think the attack on Golden City may have just rattled out cages too much. We are begining to see danger in everything right now. We will just have to trust the Great One." With that she bowed a salute to end the match, and walked off of the sparring mat. [i]Damn, she beat me and made it look easy again.[/i] It always seemed like Aulea's dragon side liked to toy with him in these little sparring matches. Letting him get a few good shots in, then turning around and stopping him flat with one quick attack. Alno'dra just smiled, bowed to where Aulea had been, and walked off of the mat. OOC: Okay hopefully that was okay for your character, Takuya. One other thing, I am not trying to make them look supicious of Vylon (yet), just rather uneasy after the attack on the cities.

Alno'dra half-sat, half-fell onto a slab of debris sitting next to what was once a large building. Sweat continued to pour from his forehead, and drip onto the dry stone ground, while he attempted to catch his breath. Every joint ached, and every muscle throbbed while he sat there. It seemed as though he had exerted himself too much this time. [i]'You really need to learn your limit sooner.'[/i] Aria had managed to speak in a way that both confronted Alno'dra, and comforted him at the same time. "I'm fine," he replied between breaths. [i]'If you keep this up you wont be. You will end up like those you are trying to save, with no way to help yourself.'[/i] This time it was purely confrontational. Aria was speaking of Alno'dra's attempts to help the wounded throughout the city on his way to Onyxia's tower. He had learned a great deal of healing techniques over the years, and had become proficient at using them. However, overuse had the downside of draining the life from the one that used them. A rather ironic posistion. As is was now, Alno'dra would not be able to use his magic for a while, and it felt like he would be lucky just to stand any time soon. "Would you feel better if I promised not to use any magic for a while?" As he spoke Alno'dra forced himself up, fighting the urge to remain seated, and turned toward the tower again. [i]'Yes, it would.'[/i] "Fine, then I wont use magic again until I regain my strength." [i]'Good, because the next time you try I will sink my teeth into your shoulder.'[/i] It was no idle threat. Aria was not the kind to harm someone unless she needed to protect another from harm. However, she would make good on her threat in order to save Alno'dra from himself. Alno'dra merely growled slightly, but was silenced when Aria tightened her grip on his torso. They still had a ways to go before they reached the tower, so Alno'dra focused on the route ahead.

The tip of Alno'dra's staff dug a shallow furrow into the soft ground as he approached the winged girl. He held the weapon to his side so that it rested against Aria's scales, right around his shoulder blade. At about five meters away he stopped and shifted his grip so that the staff was held stright at his side, just like the guards in the palace held theirs while on duty. Several seconds of silence were shared as the two sized each other up. With a quiet voice Alno'dra shattered the silence. "It has been a long time, Raine." He spoke as if he were greeting an old friend after many years. "Your expression is as cold as ever, I see." Raine sneered in responce, baring blood-stained fangs. "Indeed it has, [i]teacher[/i]." She spat the last word out like a bitter fruit. It was true. Before her exile Alno'dra had been her teacher, and he was there on the day she was exiled by Onyxia. It seemed that the course of fate was cyclical. The two found themselves face to face once more, this time as warriors. "Well, that is enough reminiscencing," Alno'dra's staff swung up and was gripped by both hands as he spoke. "I am afraid that you have violated the calm of this city with your return, and I must have you removed." As if linked by a magnetic force the pair charged at each other and began to exchange blows. At first the fight was rather simplistic, with both of them trading off between an offensive swing here and there, and a defensive block or parry. Raine was the first one to fully commit to the battle, having gauged Alno'dra's fighting ability. The sound of ringing metal filled the area as her blade repeatedly struck Alno'dra's staff. [i]'Right side high!'[/i] Another ring as Alno'dra blocked. [i]'Left side middle.'[/i] The staff spun up on his left, parrying the kick and knocking Raine back. A burst of flame from Aria gave Alno'dra a chance to recover. In a fight like this one he was at a disadvantage. While he was a decent fighter with a standard staff, Alno'dra was still not much better than average. When paired with Aria the two were a dangerous force. Raine once more raised her sword, ready to try another strike. Alno'dra stood ready for anything, but never got the chance. Raine's face twisted in anger and irritation, and she lowered her sword. "It seems that you get a short reprieve, [i]teacher[/i]." Once again she spat out the word with a hint of malice. An instand later she turned on her heel and ran off, faster than Alno'dra could follow. He was forced to simply watch as she disappeared behind a cloud of thick smoke. "It appears that a bit of trouble is brewing, Aria." Alno'dra brushed his hand along her scales as he spoke. [i]'It would seem so. I am willing to guess that the other cities are facing the same fighting at the moment too.'[/i] Alno'dra contined to brush his hand along her scales, never responding. After a moment of thought he turned and headed toward Onyxia's temple. OOC: Kairi, I hope you do not mind my the connection I created between my character and Raine. I felt that a little hatred would liven things up.

Mortar and brick fell to the ground as a stray blast hit the side of a nearby building. As the stone crumbled, more and more of the building plummeted downward and onto the street. From a nearby alley a shriek of terror could be heard, and Alno'dra and Aulea immediately headed in that direction. Hiding in the alley was a young girl, not much older than about 13, taking shelter under her dragon's wing. As the two approached the dragon looked up, looking ready to fight if need be. Alno'dra approached slowly, signaling Aulea to hold back for a moment. "It's alright. We're here to help." Alno'dra kept his hands out in a non-threatening posistion. The dragon did not loose focus, but let him walk over without incident. Slowly, Alno'dra kneeled down next to the girl. "Are you alright? Have you been injured." The look of terror on the young girl's face remained solid, but had a hint of relief at being found. "N-no...I'm...okay," she managed to utter between sobs. "That is good," Alno'dra replied with a look meant to relax the girl. "There is a shelter nearby, you will be safe in there." A reassuring smile crossed his face as Alno'dra held his hand out. Almost as if she had drawn strength from him the girl calmed down and grabbed his hand. With long-legged strides Alno'dra ran down the street. To maintain speed the young girl hung from the back of his neck instead of running next to him. Glancing back he saw that Aulea and the girl's dragon were managing to keep up with his running. Within a few minutes they had made it to the shelter, and the girl and her dragon got inside as quickly as possible. Aria tightened her grip on Alno'dra slightly. [i]'I feel sad for her. She is just too innocent for this kind of thing.'[/i] Alno'dra was inclined to agree. Many of the Dragonheart potentials were not prepared for the harshness of the training, let alone a real fight. Unfortunately, it takes a harsh truth to get people to see the "real them." Alno'dra looked over at Aulea. "We may not be of much use in this fight, but at least we can get others out of it." A simple nod was all the responce Aulea gave before the two sprinted off toward the periphery of the battle. OOC: Takuya, I guess we both have the same problem. I was not sure of how to write actions/behaviors in for your character. :animeswea

Light overflowed into the small room as the day broke. It was times like this that Alno'dra wished he had been given a room on a different side to the building. Knowing that he could not delay too long Alno'dra sat up and leaned his chest against his raised knees. With a few blinks of his eyes, and a big yawn, he managed to chase away the sleep that he wished he could have held onto for at least another half hour. The day's event would never had allowed it however. Since today was the first day of training for a new batch of Dragonheart potentials he did not have to waste, and quickly washed up. He dresses in his usual custom made robe, which he buttoned up to form a rather unique style of tunic, with a robe base. Returning to his bedroom he found Aria curled up on the bed, alert and waiting. Alno'dra walked over and sat down next to her. With a persicion born of years of routine Aria lept toward Alno'dra and wrapped herself around his torso, with her head resting over his right shoulder. "Time to see what the future holds in store for us today," Alno'dra said to both Aria and himself. A short time later the pair found themselves standing in the middle of an open patch of land, little more than dirt really, and waiting calmly. To their right the sound of birds could be heard in a forest, and a small river flowed quickly to their left. This area was an artificial training ground. The river had been dug out by hand, and forest planted many years ago, long before Alno'dra had joined the Dragonheart ranks. One by one, students appeared in the area, forming into a rough grouping. Alno'dra and Aria watched each one, never moving from their spot, or showing any real emotion. "So," Alno'dra spoke quietly, "which one do you think it will be this time?" Aria did no reply, but continued to watch, until one individual walked in. From his swagger it was obvious that this boy was convinced of his superiority. Not a surprise, since his dragon was twice the size of everyone else's dragons. [i]'That one,'[/i] a soft voice spoke in a way that only Alno'dra heard. This beautiful voice was the reason he had named her Aria. [i]'He looks like he is just too confident of his own abilities.'[/i] Alno'dra only nodded slightly, then went right to the point. "Good Morning, class." He spoke in a loud, but not shouting, voice that cut through the conversation. His students formed up into a more solid line and replied instantly. "Good Morning, sir." "My name is Alno'dra, and this is Aria.We have been chosen to instruct young Dragonheart potientials in the methods of working as a team with their dragons." As he spoke the majority of the young group stood to attention and listened intently. All save for one, the one that Aria had pegged from the start. Alno'dra had been watching, and noticed this behavior. Slowly he approached the youth, while speaking quietly and petting Aria across the head and back. "What is your name, young one?" "It's Kalest, old man," the boy spat out with just a hint of spite. "Well, Kalest, is there some reason you seem to take no interest in this training, or do you simply have a sand rat in your pants making it hard to concentrate?" A low snicker started up in the rest of the class, and Kalest gave Alno'dra a glare like a thousand daggers. "I have no need for this class. Reaver and I have already tested the top in our current class," he gestured to his dragon as he spoke. [i]'Why must little boys give their dragons such disgusting names?'[/i] Only Alno'dra heard this, but showed no signs of it. "So, you have tested the highest so far? Then show me." Without hesitation Kalest did, by trying to order Reaver to strike Alno'dra with his claws. It was obvious that he though Alno'dra and Aria little more than a joke. A big mistake. Rushing forward, Alno'dra grabbed the youth by the collar and kicked his legs out from under him. At the same moment, Aria let loose with a burst of flame and lept from his back. As she wrapped herself around Reaver's neck the massive dragon froze with his claws raised. "You will have to do much better than that to get to me." Unbeknownst to the group he had placed a delayed muscle freeze spell on Aria earlier, when he was petting her. It was activated when she grabbed onto the larger dragon, stopping him cold. Alno'dra let the boy go, and Aria returned and wrapped herself around his torso again. "Now," Alno'dra spoke as he returned to his earlier posistion, "can anyone here tell me how we won that fight against a physically superior opponent?" Just another year of class. OOC: I had just a little too much fun writing that. :D

Okay, this one has caught my attention. I am interested now. :D [b]Name[/b]: Alno?dra [b]Sex[/b]: Male [b]Allegiance[/b]: Dragonheart [b]Location[/b]: The Golden City (works as a teacher for young Dragonheart potentials) [b]Appearance[/b]: Alno?dra stands about 6?3? with short silver hair and dark brown eyes. His arms and legs are proportionally larger than average, and his training has left him with an average muscle mass. Most of the time he is seen wearing a specially designed robe, the top half of which can be buttoned up on the left side of the chest to form a dress tunic style top, while keeping the lower half loose. This robe/tunic is black with red trim, and he wears a pair of black pants underneath. [b]Personality[/b]: Alno?dra is a warm, friendly, and caring person who is rather strict with his students. Most of the time he walks around with little expression on his face, but that changes if he sees a friend, at which time he becomes somewhat wild with his behavior, not to mention his sense of humor. While teaching he does his best to help his students, but will not tolerate laziness. At these times he tend to be more hard-edged. [b]Weapon/Skills[/b]: Alno?dra?s weapon knowledge is limited to average staff combat, but his true strength lies in performing healing and physical enhancement magic (and the opposite forms). [b]Power[/b]: Aria (his dragon) has the ability to project flames form between the large plate-like scales on her back. When combined with Alno?dra?s healing magic it form two possible ?attacks?: Rebirth, a flame that can heal anyone within a certain radius, and Requiem, a flame that can injure anyone. [b]Writing Snippet[/b]: Alno?dra was born into a lower class, laborer family within the city of Desolace. Even though education was not often wasted on such families, he had shown an ability to comprehend well beyond his years. Despite this fact, or because of it, he was shunned by most of the classmates, but managed to make good friends with a few people from families of a higher social class. After a few years it seemed that he had show more promise than anyone had imagined. Around the age of 15 his family was contacted by a member of the Dragonhearts who had learned of Alno?dra?s intelligence, and scouted him for possible recruitment. Upon arriving at the training grounds of the Dragonhearts Alno?dra was set before a large group of dragons, yet told nothing about what was going on. For the most part they dragons ignored him, save for one, the smallest of the group, who made its way over to him and stare him straight in the eye. For a long moment they remained in silence before something unbelievable happened. The small dragon spoke to him! Almost immediately Alno?dra was offered the chance to study with the Dragonhearts. It took two days for him to fully decide that he wished to stay and learn as much as he could. From that day forward he was trained in a variety of fields. Combat, magic, and working with Aria were only the tip of the iceberg. Finally the day all Dragonheart hopefuls awaited arrived. Alno?dra stood before a massive dragon for what seemed like an eternity before it finally spoke. At one time it would have bothered him, but years spent with Aria had rid him of that feeling. ?I have heard a great deal about you, and have kept my eye on your progress, young Alno?dra.? The dragon spoke. ?The potential you show is great, and your skills at working in harmony with young Aria are excellent. I believe you have what is required to remain with the Dragonhearts.? Alno?dra was excited about this statement, but tried not to let is show. ?In fact,? Onyxia started up again, ?I think your friendship with your dragon is a skill needed by many in training. If you would, I would like to have you stay in The Golden City to teach others about forming such a relationship.? Alno?dra was all too happy to accept the offer. [b]Dragons Name[/b]: Aria [b]Appearance[/b]: [See Attachment] Note: Aria is an oddity among dragons in the fact that she is only about 6? in length. [b]Personality[/b]: At first glance Aria can seem rather indifferent, or even lazy, since she tends to sit still and not often raise her head. In truth, she is always keeping watch, and is very sharp minded. Aria is almost a perfect match for Alno?dra, since she is not afraid to keep him in line, when he does get wild, and always has a worthwhile analysis of the people they meet. Despite this, Aria also has a soft, nurturing side. Let me know if you want anything adjusted. It is 2 a.m., so I may have lost track somewhere.

Seita was momentarily pushed back into his seat as the aircraft accelerated down the tarmac and took off. After a short time momentum caught up to him and the forces eased up. He had been on such trips many times in the past, so this did no bother him. What did bother him was being stuck at high altitudes with a group of assassins who's urge to escape may find itself tested at some point during the trip. This was also the reason he took up on of the rear seats of the plane, so as to keep everyone within eyesight. With this many killers of questionable loyalty sitting nearby it was a good idea to know who was likely to cause the most trouble. Staring forward as if he was looking into empty space, Seita took a mental tally of the others from what little he truly knew. First up was Sakura, the most likely to snap under even small preassure like this. Next on the list was Kazuma, who was currently chatting with Sakura. Seita had overheard the guards talk about that one many times. He had a bad habit of trying to cut and run. At the very least there were rumors that he was not allowed to have weapons until the job started. The others could go either way, and Seita really knew very little about them. Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention, but he continued to stare forward. It was Ayame, currently in the act of breaking down and reassembling her gun. She was the one that Seita trusted the least. She would never betray Sir, as far as he knew, but she was also cold, calculating, and distant. All the makings of a true assassin, and thus the one to be least trusted. Seita doubted she would have any problems shooting him now if ordered, knowing that even a missed shot would not likely pose series risk to the aircraft. That was assuming she would hesitate even if it did. Honestly, Seita never understood the urge to escape that the others harbored. Having grown up in a gang he knew what it was like to not have an escape route, and this job also gave him the pleasure of the kill he had grown to enjoy. However, it still seemed that Sir did not trust him, and required guards to watch him outside of his living area. As for the threat of being killed by one of the guards, or other assassins, that was nothing new. Even his own gang would have killed him in his sleep, if they were not so scared of him during the last few years he was with them. The honest truth was this job did not bother him to any real degree. It had just about everything he needed, and a lot that he wanted, and if it meant being watched over day and night, locked up like an animal, so be it. Seita let these thoughts pass as he continued to pay attention to the events around him, while looking completely out of it. Right now he was really anxious to get there. Hints of his bloodlust always crept up during the time before a mission began. Hopefully this one would be worth the wait.

Seita stood up from the briefing and left, showing the same lack of interest that he always did in the mission briefings. There was little point to listening anyway. All that was revealed was the usual: someone was to be killed somewhere. The details were left out, to be revealed later on. The smell of oil used to clean guns drifted from Seita's room as he opened the door. Inside was the same sight that greeted him everyday, a hellish landscape of clutter. The floor, walls, and desk in the room were filled with weapons manuals, guns in various stages of dismantling, maps, and photographs, both from the ground and sattelites. The only area that seemed to have order was a section of wall with a table under it. Both the wall and the table were filled with various objects Seita had taken as souvenirs to remind him of his favorite kills. Packing for the trip proved easy enough, as he just tossed a few pairs of everything into a duffle bag and closed it. It was not the most proper way to pack, but he really did not care. With that out of the way Seita took a moment to consider which gun he wanted to use this time. There were several to pick from, but in the end he settled on his latest toy, a Walther P-99, the newest high-tech gun from Germany, and began to reassemble it. The last thing Seita did before heading out was place his black cloak aroud his neck, and fasten the black widow clasp. Leaving the hood down he grabbed his gun, knife, and the duffle bag and left his room. As he walked through the halls of the compound his mind thought over the newest member of the team. He disliked the idea of working with such poorly prepared individuals. They only got in the way. He had rarely had problems working with professional assassins such as Ayame, becuase he rarely worked with them, and liked it that way.

This one sounds like fun. Just let me know if you need anything changed. [b]Name[/b]: Seita Endo [b]Age[/b]: 21 [b]Gender[/b]: Male [b]Appearance[/b]: Seita is almost always wearing an outfit comprised of a black shirt, blue jeans, and regular street shoes, when he does not want to stand out. In his leisure time, and at certain times during mission he wears a somewhat ragged black cloak with a hood, and a black widow pin to hold it closed at the neck. His lower left arm is covered with a red tattoo that looks similar to a set of thorn-covered vines wrapped around it. His only other noticeable feature is a scar on his right forehead/cheek. His hair is dark brown, and his eyes are green. [b]Personality[/b]: Given that Seita looks similar to a street thug, it is no surprise to found out that he can behave like one too. He often takes too much pleasure from inflicting pain, and sometimes refuses to listen to others. When he is not off on a mission he rarely spends time with others, if he has the choice, and can often be found sharpening his knives or practicing his shooting. Getting him to speak more than a sentence is difficult for everyone. His look and behavior conceals a mind that is quite smart, and a deadly master of stealth. [b]Biography[/b]: Since the age of eight Seita has been living on the streets. He was separated from his family after a car crash hurled him away from the wreck, and robbed him of all his memories of the time before he awoke days later. Seita found himself ?adopted? by a local street gang, intent on using his size to help them get into places without having to break windows and alert the cops. Thanks to this he learned many skills in stealth, breaking and entering, and fighting. Seeing his talent the gang?s leader took Seita under her wing and taught him more advanced ways to fight, and to kill. In time he became the one called upon to handle situations that required delicacy, usually the task of killing rival gang members in their own beds. This job specialty, combined by the act of working at night, gained him names well known in his hometown?s underworld, such as ?Spectre,? ?Wraith,? and ?Obakemono.? It was this life that also led to his downfall when he was finally caught by the cops. The trial was swift, and before long he was faced with life in jail. He never got to see the inside of a cell, however, as he was quickly recruited for the job of being a fully trained assassin. [b]Character Snippet[/b]: A slight click was the only announcement of Seita?s arrival in the dark house. It was surprising that the local gangs would still use such cheap locks on their doors after how many of them he had already given to The Reaper. The floor uttered only a tiny squeak with each step he took, barely audible to himself, let alone anyone else. Making his way through the rooms he finally found what he was looking for, the sleeping form of a rival gang member whose name he did not even know. With the swiftness of a striking cobra he lunged forward, slammed his left hand down on the man?s throat, and drove his knife into the awaiting chest. For several seconds the form jerked violently from the sudden shock of being attacked and stabbed. It would have been faster for Seita if he had cut the aorta instead of striking the heart directly, but he wanted to feel the pleasure of this one?s slow death. In a depressingly short time it was over, and the form lay there, completely still. As he wiped the blood from his blade, Seita considered going after the rest of the family to get the enjoyment he so wanted. He knew it was pointless. He had completed the task, and no more killing would change that. As he closed the door on the way out he just hoped the next one would be more interesting.

Images of the day's events flashed randomly through Alno'dra's mind as he drifted off to sleep. In all his life he had never expected to be caught in the middle of something like this, and every strand of logic in his brain screamed for him to find the nearest exit and just fade into the darkness. He knew there was no reason to stay and fight, but something held him back. Searching for the answers would have to wait for tomorrow. Right now it was time to let the fatigue take over. ---***--- (indicates memories seen while resting) [i]"Do me a favor," Eso requested, "and keep the knowledge of Ashwin's Necromancer skills to yourself. I do not want word getting out, otherwise someone might start trouble over it." Alno'dra had nodded his responce, and Eso had taken his leave.[/i] ---***--- (back to reality) Even if Eso had not asked Alno'dra would have stayed silent. It was well known that Necromancy, and those who studied its arts, was strongly dislike by the masses. It was understandable given how stories of the worst Necromancers would spread like fire. Under normal circumstances Alno'dra would have been wary of Ashwin had he known, however the recent events had shown that Ashwin was more trustworthy then some others. ---***--- [i]The world blurred by as Alno'dra sped though the obsticle course. It had been a while since he had managed to enjoy himself like this, and only a good hunt would have been better right now. He ended the exersice by climbing a large 'rock wall ,' and sat at the top staring at the rest of the course. 'I see you like jumping around like a monkey." The owner of the voice was none other then the young guard that had brought him to the barracks. "Are you following me around?" Alno'dra quipped. "Hardly," she said flatly. "I just heard rumors of your little training event here, and wanted to see if you would make for good competition against a real soldier." She smirked a bit as that barb was sent flying. Not one to back down easily, Alno'dra made his way down the wall, and into the matted portion of the floor used for sparring which she had guestured to. Overall he faired poorly in a hand-to-hand fight with the guard. She had the training and the knowledge of fighting, and even rivaled Alno'dra in speed, relfexes and endurance. In the end he had no choice but to conceide before the mostly one-sided fight got any more embarassing. "He he he, you really need to learn how to fight." Her merriement was cut short by a spark of fire near her feet, and a smart-assed "Oops" from Alno'dra. "Maybe at some point we can get our teacher to give you some lessons. And you may just pose a challenge next time." With that said she made her way toward the door. Just oustide the threshhold she turned around and poked her head back in. "By the way, the name's Altea." And with that she was gone again.[/i] ---***--- Shortly after being beaten in the sparring match Alno'dra had found a quiet corner in a room that looked rarely used, and sat down. The rememberances slowly faded away as Alno'dra finally fell into a state of total sleep. It was likely that tomorrow would be a day just like the last two, but for now all that mattered was the brief tranquility brought on by sleep.

As the meeting ended the group dispersed into their own smaller groups and went about their own matters. Alno'dra was so lost in thought that he failed to notice. He stood with his arms crossed, staring at a map of the city on the wall across the room. A dozen thoughts swirled though his mind, each one relating to recent matters. He had been so lost in thought that he failed to notice Eso and Ashwin approach. "You seem rather contemplative," Eso said. "Something you would like to share?" Alno'dra shook his head lightly. "It's nothing, just a few concerns about what was discussed. I am sure that everyone has worried about them a bit." This time Ashwin spoke up. "You might as well go over them now, before we find out later that they could have helped us to avoid something serious." Eso nodded his agreement. "I suppose my main concern is sending James out to 'join' whoever is after Tesera. We know nothing about this person or persons, and for all we know they may know James is on Tesera's side." As Alno'dra finished Eso jumped in to field this concern. "We do have the prisoner about to break. We may gather of wealth of info about our opposistion." "Or we may gather nothing." Alno'dra retorted. "If this prisoner is a professional too it will take more then a short time to make them crack. If they are, then the only reason for it being this easy is to spread misinformation. We could walk right into a trap if we listen too closely. To top it off, the plan was obvious to a child with no major experience in stategy." A hint of irritation seemed to cross Ashwin's face, but faded too quickly to tell. "That means it is more then obvious to any professionals." "Which is why I suggested we take it slowly." Eso's voice remained flat, but showed he was not dismissing the concern. "For now it is all we can do. What else has you worried?" "The dragons," Alno'dra replied simply. "I believe they still can pose a problem. It is true that Tesera called for them, but who or what made them go berserk? Last time it was hundreds fighting each other, but if even a dozen are still nearby, and this 'unknown cause' gets them working together it will become a big problem, very quickly." "There is an evacuation plan still in place," Ashwin reminded them. "Eso's troops are ready to move the citizens to a safe area should the need arise." Alno'dra let out a low 'Hmm' from his throat. "I suppose you are right. I just prefer to play on the side of caution, and there are too many holes right now that trouble me."

Alno'dra leaned against the outside of the barracks, staring into the distance, and merely waiting. It had been quite a while since Ashwin and a few others had set out to search for Tesera, though he had chosen to remain behind for now. A slight stirring around the corner of the building caught his attention, but his face remained forward, staring at nothing. Alno'dra spoke after a moment's silence. "How long are you going to follow me around?" The voice that responded was the from the same guard that had led him to the barracks. "As long as you decide to remain in the open. Those were the orders I was given." Both fell back into silence, save for the guard's anxious shuffling. It was not long before the quiet got to her. "Why did you choose to stay behind? They could have used your help, you know." "True, but there are those here that may need help too." Unbeknownst to the guard, Alno'dra was specifically speaking about Nait, who had appeared visibly shaken about something. He had kept his distance after a look from James had told him to let it sit for now. "You are awfully calm about this," the guard responded. Alno'dra could practically feel he hair bristle with the urge to do something. "You should either be out helping them look for the 'Dragon Caller,' or inside helping whoever you think needs help." Alno'dra did not respond, and let the matter fall into silence once more. The young woman grunted with irritation and shuffled around. It is was several minutes before either spoke again, Alno'dra breaking the quiet. "You have never hunted before, have you?" The guard grunted again and responded in an agitated tone. "What does that have to do with anything?" Alno'dra just smirked. "You should try it someday. When you spend a day and a half chasing after lunch you learn about patience and knowing when to act. It is much better to set the terms of a fight, then to go after someone who has their own terms set." A sigh escaped her lips, and she too leaned against the building. "Okay, I'll try your 'patience' bit. By the way, I know who are, but how come you never asked what my name was?" "I figured you as the type that always wanted the advantage in life, so I figured you would mention it when you wanted to." The guard let out a bemused noise and remained quiet. Alno'dra just smiled at her response. OOC: Okay, kind of filler, but I didn't want to make my character look too anti-social. The little bit of 'hunting wisdom' was just a bonus. ;)

Here are the two characters I spoke with you about, Lyuann. Please let me know if you want anything adjusted. Also, if anyone wants to be one of the people who is hunting my characters PM me so we can work out a background. [b]Edit:[/b] I will expand upon Aria's background and how it fits with the story as the RPG progresses, so for now, please accept the light read that is her background. Name: Logan Pryde (Human) Age: 21 Personality: Calm, composed, and quite. Logan is more content with sitting in the middle of crowd unnoticed, than being the center of attention. He is naturally distrusting of others, but his caring behavior toward Aria shows proof of a gentle side that can trust others. Above all else Logan would do what he had to in order to protect Aria. Bio: Logan grew up in a heavily wooded area of the world that had once belonged to Russia. The gang he belonged to was adept at hiding and waiting patiently in the cold forest they lived in, which gave them a natural defense against other gangs. Logan has learned this form of patient concealment, and combined it with the brawling techniques he learned through many hand-to-hand engagements. Everything changed on the day he met Aria. Her appearance heralded the end of the gang as an outside force attacked them in order to get her back. Logan and Aria were the only two to escape, so far as anyone knows, and now try to seek a calm life, away from fighting, in a world engulfed in turmoil. Appearance: Logan stands about six-foot tall, with raven-black hair, and green eyes. He has a well muscled, if a bit thin, build which has the occasional scar from years of fighting. His normal attire is a long-sleeve, grey T-shirt, a blue denim jacket, black denim jeans, and a pair of boots that provide good movement and protection from the abundant snow. Weapons: Logan carries a dragger sheathed in his right boot, and a kris (dagger with a long, wavy blade) in a sheath strapped to his back, under his jacket. Powers (if any): Being a normal human, Logan has no special powers. However the fact that only he can communicate with Aria suggests latent telepathic abilities. Name: Aria (Angel) Age: Appears to be between 5-7 years old Personality: Aria is almost the incarnation of child-like innocence and purity. She is usually happy and playful, though she does become shy around new people. Even when using her abilities she tries not to cause harm, and feels remorse when she has to harm someone. She seems happiest around Logan, and rarely leaves his side. Aria never speaks vocally. Bio: Nothing is known about Aria?s past before she wandered into Logan?s village. Everyone in the gang lacked interest in why she was there, and merely saw her as the opportunity to fight back they had been looking for. This mindset disgusted Logan. Using a child as a weapon was just sick. It was perhaps this belief which caused Aria to bond with him, and ?speak? in only a way he could hear. Even with the way the gang had planned to use her, Aria told Logan many times that she held no ill will against them. On the day the village was attacked Aria fled with Logan?s aid. For now she follows him with hopes of one day finding peace for the both of them. Appearance: Aria is about average height for a child her age (or the age she appears to be), with light blonde hair and deep purple eyes. Despite the colder temperatures she always wears a flowing, sleeveless white dress. Around the neck of the dress is a half-cape that circles her lower back, elbows, and abdomen, and also hides her small wings. White socks, and white, formal dress-like shoes cover her feet. Weapons: She does not carry any weapons Powers (if any): Aria has the ability to communicate with Logan telepathically; she does not seem to be able to do so with others. Her strongest ability is the use of a psionic (mental) force, which takes the form of a high-pitch shriek that causes debilitating pain to the target. Normally the shriek is used to stun someone, but applied correctly it can kill them. (Side note: This power is directed at the target?s mind, and is heard by them as a shriek. As such, it cannot be avoided by covering their ears.)

It was dark outside by the time Alno'dra left the home of the family he had stopped to help. Normally he should have been on his way long before this, but they were quite persistant about having him stay for dinner as payment, since he refused any offers of silver for his efforts. The meal had been delightful, and the family treated Alno'dra like he was a friend they had not seen in years. Today was one of the few times he had felt mostly comfortable eating with anyone since his time in the village. Alno'dra's reminicencing was cut short by the sound of lightly-armored footsteps behind him. Given recent circumstances it was possible he was being targeted like Tesera was, and just as possible it could have just been one of Alsoto's guards walking their stretch of the city. For now he maintained a steady pace, and acted like he had heard nothing. After a time he turned into an alley and began to chant a short incantation. The footsteps followed him, still keeping distance. At the mouth of the alley was an opening formed from the backs of the buildings. Alno'dra completed the chant as he neared the center of this opening, and a light haze filled the area. Due to this, the footsteps grew father apart as their owner slowed down. It would be hard to find someone in the smoke, especially with the light and shadows that danced through it. At the center the footsteps stopped altogether. "Why are you following me?" Alno'dra's voice echoed in the confined area. "I was one of the people sent by Eso to find and escort you to the barracks," the voice was a young female, who sounded fresh out of training. "An attempt on Tesera's life has been made and he feels it is safest for you to return with me." Despite the youthful sound of her voice, and the situation she was in, the guard's voice never wavered. Alno'dra decided to test her. Quietly he stalked up behind her and spoke only when right behind her. "And how do I know..." he paused as she spun around and tried to strike him on reflex, "...that I can trust you?" Alno'dra caught the arm just before it struck him. "Because," she spoke calmly again, "if I wanted you dead, you would have been." She guestured downward, and Alno'dra followed it to the sight of a knife only a centimeter from his abdomen. Slowly he released he arm, and she lowered the knife. "You seem to be telling the truth, however," he stared straight at her, judging the truth reflected in her eyes, "you will have to lead. I don't know the way, and I don't want that knife finding my back exposed." The young woman nodded and turned back to the main road, with Alno'dra in tow.

The ground rose up to meet Alno'dra as he dropped from his perch in the tree. With a grace born from years of hunting he landed softly, and turned toward Alsoto. After much arguing with himself, his conscience had gotten the better of him and made him realize he should have gone back to help in the first place. All of the years of wandering alone had made him forget the basic teachings of his village. The most important of which was to help others when they were in need. Throughout the city the scene was as somber as he had expected. Families stood weeping in front of the remains of their homes, while others looked mad enough to take on the dragons barehanded if they ever had the chance. Scattered thoughout this were the few that where working their hardest to rebuild anything they could salvage of their lives. Alno'dra noticed a family nearby struggling to lift a damaged stone statue from the ground. Even with three of them it took all they had to move it a few inches. Without hesitation for thought Alno'dra walked over and grabbed the statue. The extra set of hands was enough to stand the whole thing up after a minute of strain. Once the stone statue was upright once more the family sat down for a rest on a bench. The father of the family looked up. "Thanks for the help, stanger. We have been trying to get our store's mascot back up for a while now." "It is only too bad such craftsmanship had to be ruined in the attack." Alno'dra looked the various cracks and missing pieces on the statue. Before the damage the statue had been a carefully crafted stone soldier, complete with armor and a lance standing at attention. "That doesn't matter," the gentleman spoke calmly. "This guy has seen years of the elements and it took a group of dragons to even chip it. He will continue to stand tall for years to come if he can survive that." Alno'dra noticed that the man's wife and daughter, who had helped with raising the statue, regained their energy and beamed with pride at his words. "So then," Alno'dra spoke as he looked at the stone soldier, "is there anything else that needs fixing?" The father looked up half surprised. "Are you sure you want to stay? You don't have a home of your own to fix?" "No, not here, anyway. That is the upside to being a wanderer. I go where I want to. There is only one thing I ask in exchange." The man looked at him, somewhat sceptically. Alno'dra merely held out his left arm. "Have you ever seen anyone with a tattoo similar to this one?" The man examined it and shook his head. "Afraid not. I would suggest you speak with the hunters and traders in this town. Many of them have seen parts of the world I can only read about." Alno'dra nodded, and the family stood up to return to work.

I guess it never dawned on me that the dark background would be a bad idea given the dark tones to the show. :animeswea The background you chose is a great touch. It adds a reminder of the first season's ending, and the lyrics to Rise give a lead-in to the new season. Thank you for the additional avatar. If you have no problems with it I will save it for now and switch at a later date. Thanks once again for all of you hard work.

OOC: Sorry for the long disappearance. Things have been hectic between classes and work. As the crowds of people dispersed and returned to the city Alno'dra walked in the opposite direction, heading toward the nearest patch of forest. Unlike the others who sought asylm in the camp, he had nothing to return to in the city, and he knew the mood would be too somber as everyone worked to rebuild. The thought occured to him that helping out would be good for a job, but now was no time to expect someone to pay out for help. For now it would be best to make himself scarse. [i]At least this area survived the damage,[/i] he thought as he walked into the treeline. A short distance in he stopped and made his way onto a branch about fifteen feet from the ground, sitting with his back to the tree's trunk. A glance to the left would allow him to see the city, which would give him warning if anything else happened. A flash of sunlight caught his attention as it glinted from the crystal around his neck. Grabbing ahold of the top of the crystal, just below where it was attached to the string, he held it up to the sky. As the light danced though its interior, the face of a young woman came to his mind. [i]What would you have done in this kind of situation, Calest?[/i] Calest was one of Alno'dra's friends from back home, and the owner of the crystal. On the day of his survival trial Alno'dra had recieved it as a good luck charm, on the condition he would return it at the end of the trial. He intended to keep that promise when he found his village again. If Calest was here right now he knew what she would be doing. Chewing him out for not going into the town and helping. Even though she was normally sweet and charming, she was known to be quite persistant about reminding others of their responcablity to help those in need. It must have been her upbringing in a family of village medics that gave her that trait. Alno'dra looked toward the city and wondered if he should have gone back to help. After all, the threat was still out there, and the group he had traveled with would need assistance in rebuilding too. He really had no idea what he wanted to do.

After the battle wound down Alno'dra found a moment to walk away from the group without being noticed. A brief walk took him to the edge of a small line of trees. He turned his back to one, leaned against the coarse bark, and looked into the air. It took a great deal of effort to maintain a look of calmness, when in truth his mind raged out of control. In the back of his mind two seperate parts of his conscience argued over recent events. On one end was the belief that anyone willing to kill an innocent child deserved more than a faceload of metal shards. The other side rebuked it's counterpart with the belief that such actions would be no better than those of the warrior. Slowly Alno'dra regained control, and the torrent within his head came to rest. Alno'dra slumped to the ground as the weight of the battle finally hit him. The physical and emotional weight was bad enough, but he had also overdone things with the use of his magic. That was one of the worst parts of his temper. By the time he got it back under full control he felt quite drained. Still staring into the blue sky, Alno'dra let himself drift to sleep, still sitting against the tree.

A resounding crunch filled the air as Alno'dra slammed the root from his makeshift torch into the nose of a shortsword wielding soldier. The sound of cartilage breaking would been enough to make most people naseous. The soldier fell to his knees, clutching his bloodied face, and was dispatched by a low roundhouse kick. His helmet rolled across the landscape as Alno'dra turned to face the next enemy. It was at times like this he wished he had taken to learning a few fist-fighting techniques. For the time being his hunting and survival skills were keeping him alive, and it seemed the rest of the group was doing fine. The only one he worried about was Nait. It seemed that the healing she had performed earlier had taken a lot out of her. Glancing back he noticed her standing up and reaching down to grab her sword. Alno'dra kicked his latest opponent in the chest, and used the short reprieve to make his way back to where Nait was stumbling forward. "You should be sitting down." He said flatly. "I'm fine," she replied. "There is no way I am going to sit down while the rest of you are fighting." Nait continued forward, barely keeping upright. "You need rest. We will be fine." Alno'dra put a bit more force into his voice this time. Before Nait had a chance to respond a scream sounded from the fray. Looking over Alno'dra noticed Lynn had been knocked down, and in front of her a warrior raised his sword. Acting on instinct alone Alno'dra raised his hand and aimed at the blade as it slashed down. In midair the steel literally exploded in the center, and the shrapnel struck the fighter in the face. The blast of energy, which was directed upward, also sent the second half of the sword twirling safely over Lynn's shoulder. Ashwin did away with the warrior and protected Lynn until she got back up. Alno'dra's eyes raged as he worked to control his temper. The sight of the warrior trying to kill a child really pissed him off. [i]Okay, enough of this crap![/i] Still trying to restrain white hot enegy of his temper, Alno'dra walked forward, forgetting about Nait, and began to blast the weapons of the group attacking them with his fire magic. He continued with this, completely ignoring the energy he was wasting, and how tired he was begining to feel from the earlier battles.

I am looking for a new banner from the series Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. Here are the specifics I am am looking for: 1) A dark background, possibly black or dark blue. A pattern appropriate to the genre would be a nice touch too. 2) Images of Motoko Kusanagi, Batou, Togusa, Saito and Paz. 3) The phrase "We Are Soldiers" in the upper-left corner (however, you can place it elsewhere if it will look/fit better) 4) My username in the lower-right corner. Any submissions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

It looks like an amusing anime, but time will tell. So far I like it. Just the idea behind the storyline is amusing, but the random charaters (i.e. three-foot tall, talking pickle slice) and the "out of the blue" humor are even better.

Leave it to me to pick a character that no one collects pictures of online. :animeswea I really like the way it turned out. The picture you chose is a good one, and the background seems to fit, in a odd sort of way. Thanks you for the hard work, Delta. (And next time I'll try to pick an easier character ;) )

I am looking for someone to make an avatar from the series Madlax. Here is what I am looking for: -- A picure of Friday Monday (character with the half-mask), possibly with a smirk or other smug look. -- A white background, or close to white. Or one with the commonly used flames from the series (which ever looks better). -- My username at the bottom-right corner. Any avatars submitted will be greatly appreciated.

This is an old joke, at least five years, or more, old. It does make a for a good laugh for anyone that watches anime, but either does not notice or just ignores these common occurances.

"Hey, you!" The sudden shout startled Alno'dra, and he spun around to find the source. Behind him were two figures, both clad in light armor, and wielding swords. The pair approached, and Alno'dra gripped the handle of the knife he had been working on the previous night. His cloak blocked this movement from the pair, but they remained on guard none the less. The bulkier of the two stepped forward and spoke. "We are looking for the flautist from earlier. Have you seen her?" A short and simple "No" was Alno'dra's only responce. "You are lying," the second one shouted, and pointed his sword at Alno'dra's neck. "Tell us were she is." Raising his left hand, Alno'dra pointed down the street. The pair looked away, which gave him the chance he needed. Alno'dra turned his hand parallel to the ground, palm up, and blew acorss the surface. A burst of smoke and ash seemed to appear from his palm, and surrounded the two. Both fell to the gound, coughing violently. Siezing his chance Alno'dra kicked the bigger one in the face, and drove his knife into a gap in the side of his partner's armor. The smaller man screamed in pain as the blade was withdrawn, and slumped over. For a moment, Alno'dra wished he had found the time to finish the blade, so that the edge was smoother. Alno'dra walked over and planted his boot against the neck of the bigger guy. "Who are you?" His words were ragged. The fighting had managed to aggrivate the earlier wound. "I said, who are you?" There was no responce from the warrior, who merely lost consciouness. [i]It doesn't matter anyway.[/i] More voices caught his attention. He turned and readied to defend himself as the drew near from around a building. In a matter of seconds a large group appeared, and stopped the moment they saw him. Within the group he noticed the flautist, a guy wearing a guard's outfit, and, once more, the young lady from the tavern. He did not recognise the rest of them. [i]Hmm, this is interesting.[/i]