DeathKnight

[color=crimson]Ashwin stretched his sore body and cracked his neck a bit. "There was a pirate who was rather famous a few years back." He began, rubbing his chin as he went. "He was one of the best strategists at sea that was ever seen. Remained the scourge of the sea for a good time. He always used to say that the first thing to die in a battle is the battle plan." "Do you often take advice from pirates?" Alno'dra said and glanced at Ashwin. Ashwin chuckled, "Nothing wrong with a pirate's advice. Especially this pirate, he was more of a privateer than a murderous, rampaging pirate. Well, he [i]was[/i] more of a privateer. Ran into a bit of bad luck five years ago in the dead of winter." The two men were looking at him, waiting for him to continue. Ashwin sighed and shrugged. "He met his match and, ultimately, his end. Anyway, a pirate's advice is usually pretty spot on. So, just keep a sharp mind and be able to think on the spot. Situational awareness is key." Eso nodded. "I'm confident in myself and in you all. Even if it turns into chaos I believe we can make it through." "Chaos, huh?" Ashwin leaned against the wall and stared up at the ceiling. "Chaos.." "I think we've already been tested by chaos and passed." Alno'dra said and looked back to the city map. "Today?" Eso shrugged and continued, "Today was just the prelude." "Sounds accurate enough." Alno'dra replied as he studied the map. "The days to come.." Eso nodded to himself. "That will be the main event." His mind seemed to drift back towards tomorrow's activities. Ashwin let out a low 'hmm' and smiled to himself. "You know, if normal interrogations don't work there is a more.. unethical method of getting him to talk." ".. Go on." Eso said with a curious look. "I can't really describe it. Some necromantic spells are a bit complex in their effects." He rubbed his chin and noticed Alno'dra looking oddly at him- he recalled that most of the rest of the group wasn't aware of the school of magic he was versed in. Too late to be subtle. He continued, "Well, I suppose I'd simply be.. scaring them. Just.. in a rather intense way." "How 'unethical' is this scaring?" Eso asked. "Very. There's a good chance that there would be permanent psychological, mental and emotional damage." Ashwin wryly grinned as he finished speaking. He found amusement in this for some odd reason. "Permanent psychological, mental and emotional damage.. hm." Eso began to ponder about it. "Significant damage." Ashwin added. "Life-altering. You know, the kind of thing that is.." "Unethical?" Alno'dra finished the sentence for Ashwin. Ashwin nodded, "There's no rush to decide. I could probably get them to talk within an hour." "I'll think about it." Eso stated and rubbed his chin. "If they don't crack I suppose something life-altering might knock some information out of them." "No problem." Ashwin yawned. "I think I'm going to get some rest. Lynn's got the right idea." He nodded at his sleeping daughter. Kira, who had been unusually quiet until now, ecstatically agreed. "Yes! Sleep for us! Horrah. Kira is sooooo tired." She yawned. ".. Do fairies get tired?" Eso asked the little familiar. "Yes! Very tired, in this case!" She wagged a finger at him for his ignorance. "You haven't been around many fairies, have you?" "Not that many, no." Eso stated and grinned. "Bah! You'll learn things quickly enough. Good night, Esy." She bowed to him. ".. Esy?" He arched his eyebrow at her but said nothing more. "Good night, Ashy!" She bowed to everyone before settling down, sitting with her back leaning against Lynn's arm. "Yeah, see you in the morrow. Get some rest, you two." He looked at Eso and Alno'dra. "Even with youth on your side, you've had a pretty long day." "Will do." Eso said. Alno'dra just nodded to him, still lost in his own thoughts. Ashwin chuckled- what an interesting crowd he had ended up with. With that, Ashwin sat down at the nearby table and rested his head on the table, mimicking his daughter. He quickly fell into a quiet sleep, drifting into his own dreams.[/color]

[quote name='Baron Samedi][size=1].. and we [b]won't[/b'] kill you.[/size][/quote] [color=crimson]We won't? Er, we won't. Anyway, yeah. Chin up or else Baron will fly to your house and beat you with a broom. [i]Yikes[/i].[/color]

[color=crimson]I'll second the statement inevitability. I'd guess that if the world does come to an end that there isn't much that the common man can do about it aside from piss himself. George Bush isn't much beyond a bad President. There have been worse Presidents, there will be better Presidents- but he is not the Antichrist. He's just.. George Bush, lol. Not that impressive, huh?[/color]

[quote name='Stuart][FONT=Trebuchet MS]I live in [B]Vermont[/B']. Yes, it's a state; The Green Mountian State.[/FONT][/quote] [color=crimson]Whoa, Vermont's a state? News to me. I was born, raised and live in [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio]San Antonio, Texas[/url]. It's a great city to live in but I don't really care to list a ton of reasons why. Just take my word for it. [/color] [quote name='Umbra II']I am stuck down here in crummy Texas where it NEVER snows[/quote] [color=crimson]That's a blessing to me. Who wants to deal with all that crap every year? lol. Oh well. Texas for life, ya'll. :p [/color]

[color=crimson]Death Knights are [strike]depressed[/strike] [strike]stoic[/strike] [strike]emo[/strike] [i]slightly unhappy[/i] undead ex-paladins/fallen warriors/librarians/whatever who kill people for looking at them wrong/giving them the wrong fast food order/other mundane things. They have a sarcastic tongue, a small amount of wit and intense, unyielding bloodlust that is only quenched by frequent and excessive violence. Usually they have some kind of a kickass sword with a name like "Reaver's Hand", "Grimlord" or "Deadly Flatulence". Often found in ominous castles, manors and suburban homes. They are dangerous creatures that you should avoid at all costs [for reals!][/color]

[color=crimson]OOC: The more the merrier. -~- Lynn had decided to tag along even though sleep still called to her. Her smaller, younger body had some stamina left in it. Ashwin attributed it to her youthfulness- kids can take alot of excitement before they finally run out of energy. Their little squad began to trace through the city's streets, navigating the maze of roads with Ashwin guiding them. The city was still abnormally dead- the people had returned but there was little life to it all. The scars of the day were still fresh and it could be seen in their eyes, their actions and their speech. They went past them all with little signs of 'trouble', which was slightly worrisome. "For all the excitement we've had today things are pretty serene." Ashwin said suspiciously. "Too quiet, isn't it?" Azufe said, "Keep your eyes and ears open. They are sly, persistent bastards." Ashwin nodded, "Agreed." "It's not like anyone poses a serious threat to us, right? I mean we've got soldiers, mages and.. me!" Kira stated happily. She had been humming to herself in her usual sitting place on Ashwin's shoulder. She had been energetic ever since meeting Jaht and Azufe. Her hyperness manifested itself in her speech. "Better safe than sorry." Azufe replied to her. The logical reply didn't seem to dent Kira's confidence in their group [or, perhaps, mainly herself]. She shrugged and stuck her tongue out, "Whatever you say, spoilsport." The small talk continued. Lynn was rather shy, the two soldiers were rather talkative, Ashwin was rather amused and Kira was rather... well, you know. There was little discussion of Ashwin's necromancy. Lynn trusted in her father totally, Kira already knew and the two soldiers seemed to have the same opinion that Eso had. Ashwin was somewhat relieved- while he was usually pretty carefree, maybe even apathetic at times, this was one issue with him that had always lingered in the back of his mind. Now, though, he needed to focus on finding Tesera and making sure she was safe. The spell resonated out her position to Ashwin continually- they were very close. She hadn't gone too far from the barracks at all. They took a small, unoccupied road down until it opened out into much larger [yet mostly empty] market square. In the center of it there stood a tree. A rather mighty tree, at that. It was majestic in appearance and loomed over the surrounding area, commanding respect from it all. Underneath it sat Tesera and two unfamiliar people. They seemed to all be very friendly with each other and Ashwin wondered who they could be. "Ahoy, Tesera." Ashwin called out with a wave. [/color]

[color=crimson]Arriving at the barracks, Ashwin handed off the woman to one of the soldiers. The soldier gave him a puzzled look and Ashwin had to explain about the woman's attack. The soldier nodded and hauled the woman inside for questioning. Their guide to the barracks took his leave, heading off to the medical building to get a few minor scrapes and cuts taken care off. The still-sleepy Lynn stretched idly and Ashwin glanced around the barracks. "Well, I guess this is about the safest place we can be." Ashwin cracked his sore neck to the side. It let out a rather loud 'crick-crackkk' sound which brought some relief to the soreness. "I hope everyone else is okay." Kira looked worried- hyper [what else is new?], but worried. She sat down on a nearby windowsill and kept a vigilant watch for any of their friends. "They'll be fine. Some of them might be a little roughed up but nothing serious." He said nonchalantly. ".. A little roughed up?" The fairy asked questioningly. There was no answer and an odd silence fell between Ashwin, his half-asleep daughter and his worried familiar. The silence was overtaken by a strange buzz of activity around them. Ashwin's curiosity roared into life and he sought out a soldier to appease it. "Hey." Ashwin beckoned one of the soldiers to him. The soldier pointed to himself and mouthed 'me?'. Ashwin nodded, "Yes, you. Come here." The soldier rushed over and stood at attention. "What do you need, sir?" He asked. "Well, there seems to be a ruckus around here." Ashwin said and gestured around them. "Is there something going on?" "Well, it seems that Tesera.." The soldier stopped and rubbed his chin. "How to put this, mmm." "... Yes?" Ashwin asked. His eyebrow arched- had something happened to Tesera? "She.. rushed off?" The soldier said with a shrug. "She disappeared or something. Quick feet on that one." He nodded a bit. "I believe that Eso is looking for her." "Well, if you guys need any help or whatever we're always available. Until then, mind if we meander around?" Ashwin asked. "Not a problem, sir. You probably won't have to 'meander' long, though." "Good deal. Thank you for your time, soldier." "It was my pleasure." The soldier nodded to Ashwin, Lynn and Kira before returning to his post. "Well, shall we meander?" Ashwin turned to Lynn and Kira. "Ummm.. I suppose so." Lynn said, slightly more awake than before. "I'm not moving an inch from here." Kira said firmly. "Well let's-" "Excuse me sir!" The soldier from before came up. "Eso requests your presence within the building. I believe he has something he wants to talk with you and your friends about." Ashwin chuckled, "Okay then. Come on you two, let's head inside." "Awwww. Come on, Ashy!" Kira shook her head. "I want to stay here!" "Kira, come on. You can keep a look out from inside the building too." Ashwin pointed to the many windows the barracks had. The fairy sighed and flew up, "Fine, fine.." Reluctantly she followed Ashwin and Lynn inside..[/color]

[color=crimson][b]Name[/b]: Miranda Smith. [b]Age[/b]: 16. [b]Gender[/b]: Female. [b]Country[/b]: United States [Southern]. [b]Appearance[/b]: Miranda has a Caucasian complexion and is a little short- she tops in at only 5'2" or so. Her body is rather lean and she is pretty plain looking- but that doesn't seem to bother her. She has medium-length hair kept in a pony tail that is a very deep black color. She usually wears casual clothing and maintains no desire to be "fashionable"- she dresses for her own comfort in lieu of that. With this unassuming appearance, the only thing that really stands out about her is her eyes. They are different colors- her left one is a vibrant shade of light green and her right is hazel colored. Most people take a deep interest in her eyes- but to her it's just "normal". [b]Personality[/b]: Miranda is one of the more happy-go-lucky people you'll meet. With no real sense of purpose and no real motivations in her life, she has been, until now, listlessly going through life rather boredly. Her lack of concern/care/otherwise puts off people sometimes- but she means well. She's friendly and good hearted- but rather naive. She just turned 16 recently so her experience of the world is minimal at best. She holds romantic ideas [from the many books she's read] about things like war, adventure, romantic escapades and otherwise- one can only hope that she won't become too jaded from the "reality" that seems to be in store for her. She has a growing interest in engineering, mechanics and the like due to her programming. It's one of her only real interests at the moment. [b]Programme[/b]: Miranda has been programmed in combat engineering and field engineering. This gives her a pretty varied set of skills- field engineers handle the maintenance of equipment, weapons and vehicles [including the WARMACHINE]. Combat engineers handle many offensive and defensive tasks. In the United States Army they emphasize three "tasks" for combat engineers: Mobility: improving your own force's ability to move around the battlefield. Combat engineers typically support this role through reduction of enemy obstacles which include point and row minefields, anti-tank ditches, wire obstacles, concrete and metal anti-vehicle barriers and wall and door breaching in urban terrain. Countermobility: building obstacles to prevent the enemy from moving around the battlefield. Destroying bridges, blocking roads, cratering airstrips, digging trenches, etc. Can also include planting landmines and booby traps when authorized and directed to do so. Survivability: building structures which enable one's own soldiers to survive on the battlefield. Examples include trenches, bunkers, shelters, and armored vehicle fighting positions. Most of the above skills are probably useless outside of a real war but could be useful in some situations. Her most useful skill is her ability with explosives. She can handle them a little too well [she's a genius at making bombs] and seems fond of watching things explode [call it a quirk]. She was given a "general training" program in rifles and can handle an assault rifle adequately. She has no hand-to-hand or melee combat skills and is rather green at strategy/tactics outside of drawing people into traps. [b]Feelings Towards Project SOUL[/b]: Miranda doesn't condone their actions against her and others but she doesn't think that anyone has the power to stop the Governments from doing as they desire with their populous. Consider her indifferent. [b]Character Snippet[/b]: Miranda sat with her hands folded on her lap, her eyes staring at her personal computer. The e-encyclopedia before her displayed a intricate article about the inner workings of an old US Army tank. She was dazzled by the specifications but was confused at the same time- where did this liking of engineering come from? She was even tinkering with bombs now- it was illegal, obviously, but it just seemed so.. interesting. It all seemed to have started some months ago when she got.. sick. Or felt sick. Or was sick? She didn't know, she didn't understand what had happened during that month. It had felt like she had lost an entire period of weeks and she didn't know what she spent them doing. It was weird. Too weird. She had tried to forget about it but it was impossible to- after she "woke up" from whatever she had been doing she tried to just walk away from it but there was stuff in her head. Knowledge.. about things that she didn't have a clue about not even half a year ago. Not just basic knowledge either- the kind of knowledge you'd only get after years upon years of dedicated studying. What had gone on? She searched the Internet to see if anyone else had this sort of situation and only came upon a series of websites dedicated to conspiracy theories. She sighed, recalling how nuts they had all sounded. They were going on about some kind of a chip or something. Still.. something [b]had[/b] happened. It was easy to shrug it off as nonsense- maybe she was nuts. A chuckle escaped her lips and she rubbed her forehead, trying to clear her thoughts. Her phone rang and she let out a startled yelp before shaking her head- she really needed to just [i]calm down[/i]. She glanced at the caller ID on her phone and didn't recognize the phone number. She didn't bother to answer it and just zoned into her own insecure thoughts. A rumble outside alerted her to the coming rain- she liked the rain. It was soothing. Perhaps it would mend her unusually frayed nerves. She was usually pretty carefree but this.. this was too personal. Too strange. Would she find some answers? She tilted her head at the screen and went to her "Favorites" folder, clicking on the conspiracy theorist sites that she had saved so many days ago. She began to reread them with some skepticism about it all. Project SOUL- it sounded kind of hokey. A sigh escaped her lips, "Doesn't anyone have the answers I need?" ~-~ PM me if you need something altered/changed/deleted/eaten/whatever. Good job with this one- I think it's pretty original.[/color]

[quote name='QuikSilver04'] He doesn't like violence, just in case ya didn't know ;). [/quote] [color=crimson]Er, technically, he condoned [I don't know about "liked"] violence on several occasions to secure the Israelites and other people whom were necessary to his 'plans'. So it's more violence that we choose to do via free will that is 'bad'.. or something.[/color] [quote name='Lafluer']So than you burn witches and stone gays?[/quote] [color=crimson]I'm like eighty percent sure this is redundant as, in the hands of any extreme person, the original message of a religion/opinion/etc. can be skewed into something it isn't. Humanity has, does and will warp things to serve their own purposes [religion is just one way for them to do so]. The Bible's [attempted] theme IS focused heavily on attempting to be as tolerant as possible to everyone [even your 'enemies']. Does it effectively pull it off? I don't know. Obviously there are some rather erratic moments that stray off of this message but it does make a very strong point of [i]not[/i] being intolerant. Judgment, at least I was taught, is not something for humans to pass due to our blinded or biased view of things. That is ultimately up to something/someone/whatever that is in a position to not be blinded as humanity seems to be. Anyway you need to simmer down with your [strike]irritating, loud[/strike] tenor. It's not really getting you anywhere and it's taking up [i]alot[/i] of space on my screen at the moment. :p [/color] [quote name='QuikSilver04']I am a Jehovah's Witness.[/quote] [color=crimson]Hey, neat. I was a JW until I was about 14/15 years of age. Small world.[/color]

[quote name='Adahn']The scenario is unrealistic.[/quote] [color=crimson]Well, ****. I'd hope so.[/color] [quote name='AnimeFront']I might aswell extend my circumstances to evryone else.[/quote] [color=crimson]Such generosity is admirable. I guess I'd try to find a place I'd be content in dying in, maybe take along a significant other or someone to keep me company. Try to find a place that was picturesque and calm. Maybe something with natural beauty and tranquility.. then just ease on out with that special someone into whatever is after this. Or, you know, I could be lazy and go with the shotgun-rampage-thing. I guess I'd toss a coin or something. Hm. Oh well. It's a close race between the two.[/color]

[color=crimson]"Somethings amiss.." Ashwin's eyes glanced around the street in front of them. His cautious gaze could find nothing wrong but a sense of unease persisted within him. "Mr. Ashwin Crow?" A voice asked him. He looked up and saw a capable-looking soldier standing before him. "That would be me." "Hello, Ashwin. I've been sent to warn you about some possible.. trouble." The soldier has a very serious look to him that stirred the uneasiness to new levels within Ashwin. "There was an attempt on Tesera's life just a short time ago by a mercenary. Eso has decided that the safety of those that had been involved in Tesera has been.. compromised." "Oh?" Ashwin smiled a bit and rubbed his neck- no rest for the weary. Not today, at least. "Yes. I'm here to offer to take you to the barracks. We can keep you or yours safe there. So, if you'd like.." He gestured to Ashwin as his voice trailed off. A fireball smashed into the stomach of the soldier- his armor took the brunt of the blast but it sent him sailing backwards and through the window of Ashwin's house. The people nearby screamed and fled from the area, not wanting to get involved. Ashwin rose to his feet and dusted himself off. From the rooftop of his shop someone leapt. They sailed through the air and landed in front of Ashwin with skill. Wielding a staff, a young woman stood and twirled it around in her hand, slamming one end of into the ground. She raised one hand and began to murmur an incantation, her voice carrying through the air. "Kira. Go check on our soldier friend and wake Lynn up." Ashwin was concerned more for his daughter than the soldier.. especially after hearing how their security 'has been compromised'. "Yessir!" She saluted in her usual fashion to him and fluttered away, going through the new 'entrance' into Ashwin's house. "This is going to hurt your pride more than anything else.." Ashwin said and rushed forward; unsheathing his cutlass and forced the mage to block his strike. Her incantation interrupted, Ashwin muttered a hex of his own and cast it over her. She slumped over into a deep, magic-induced sleep- finally falling completely to the ground. He stepped over her body and peered through his broken window. The soldier was looking at his heavily scorched armor in a daze. "You alright?" ".. I think so. Got a little cut up when I.." He paused and looked at Ashwin. "Er, is this your house?" He glanced down at all the broken glass. "Yeah, it is. Don't worry about the window. Just, come on out here. I think heading to the barracks would be best." Ashwin shook his head and hoped his friends were alright. Lynn appeared in the room and seemed unsurprised by the scene in the room- perhaps the day's events had numbed her ability to be shocked. "Hey, little one." Ashwin greeted her and pointed to the soldier. "Could you show him the way to the door?" She nodded sleepily and beckoned the soldier to follow her. As they made their way out, Kira flew back onto Ashwin's shoulder and let out a sigh. "She sleeps like a rock, I swear!" Kira said with exasperation. Ashwin chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, it's a problem to wake her up. Thanks for doing it." Lynn and the soldier walked out of the house. Ashwin knelt down and picked up the sleeping mage, placing her on his unoccupied shoulder. "Lead on, soldier." "Yessir." The soldier nodded and guided them towards the barracks.[/color]

[quote name='Chabichou][color=#004a6f'] He knows what's best for us because he created us, so why shouldn't we obey?[/COLOR][/quote] [color=crimson]A profound question! I like your style. *gives you a gold star for effort* Keep up the good work. To everyone else: Chill, kids! Don't make me send you to your rooms. A major part of Christianity [that is hopefully mirrored by many religions] is displaying love or tolerance to most. We won't think the same things because [ignoring the fact we are all different, loud people] these are [i]opinions[/i]. So just settle down, take a deep breath and don't go into a little tangent, 'kay? As for me, I'm some form of nontheist. Agnostic, I suppose. I believe in some form of higher power, I just think we lack the neccessary capability to know what "it" is. I suppose I have some sense of spirituality even without religion- that seems nonsensical and, admittedly, it probably is. But, really- sense and religion/spirituality don't mix that well, do they?[/color]

[quote name='Sage']Am I the only one confused about what is going on in this game?[/quote] [color=crimson]Nah, I think everyone else is shy or something.[/color] [quote name='Sage]... while [COLOR=Green]Green Team[/COLOR'] - the newest team - has the most posts, but hasn't finished their mission yet, am I wrong?[/quote] [color=crimson]Hey, man. Chasing a basketcase around Easter Island thousands of years in the past is hard, time-consuming work. :animesigh But yeah, we're still rolling along. Sorry to hold up the death or whatever [lol]. We should be done pretty soon, I bet. All of the Green Team seems overtly active, so it shouldn't take too long. I'd like to say good job to everyone involved. All of you guys are great writers.[/color]

[color=crimson]"Wow, Ashy. You're shop is.." Kira blinked at the sight before them. "Uhmm.." Lynn tilted her head, staring at the shop as well. And what a sight it was. Ashwin's shop was totally, unalterably and horridly... untouched. Pristine as ever, really. Looking at it you wouldn't have known of the destructive events of the day at all. "Well, well, well." Ashwin knelt down and rubbed his hand along the horribly scorched earth. It was coarse from a very large, fiery blast and yet the shop was untouched. He turned and looked at his house which was in equally good shape. "I guess that money was well spent." Lynn said and sat on the steps of the shop looking fatigued. She yawned and leaned up against the stone railing of the steps. "Tired...." The money she referred to was the protection scrolls that he had bought from a traveling monk a few months back. 'Guaranteed to ward off damage, evil, plague and demonic spirits', he said. It seemed hokey at the time- Ashwin was a merchant and he knew when someone was giving him a sales pitch, but he decided it didn't really hurt much. The investment had paid off. He thanked the monk in his mind but couldn't help but feel bad for his neighbors. The structures adjacent to his shop were horribly damaged and already their owners were there, lamenting their loss. One home looked like it was about to collapse in on itself from the damage to it.. and, with a loud noise, it did. "Wow.. this is all pretty bad." Kira said from Ashwin's shoulder, her eyes sadly watching the neighbors. "Well, not really." Ashwin walked over and sat down next to his daughter, getting off of his feet for the first time in many long hours. "It would have been significantly worse if the dragons were actually trying to torch this place." "Tireddddd..." Lynn repeated to herself, groaning a bit. "Go get some rest." Ashwin said and patted her on the back. "You did well today and you've earned yourself a little break, yeah?" He smiled at her. "Uhmm, really?" She looked up at him in surprise. He nodded to her. "Yes.. a break. Thank you." She weakly smiled back and rose. She walked across to their home, unlocking it and stepping inside. He shook his head after her- it must have been too long of a day for her. "Ashy, maybe you should get some rest too?" His familiar fluttered in front of him and had a worried look on her face. "Nah." He shrugged. "I'm alright for now. Had longer days than this, that's for sure." He cracked his neck and knuckles, stretching as he sat. "A bit sore, though. How about you, Kira? You alright?" "Completely and totally, sir!" She did a mock salute to him with a smile. "I only did a little bit of spell casting.. a little bit of fighting. I'm kind of disappointed!" She pouted. "You humans get all the excitement in most fights." "Yeah.. pardon us for that." He rubbed his chin in thought, considering what he should do now. He had made a few good acquaintances through the entire affair but he still felt like the entire ordeal was just the beginning. But the beginning of what? Silence fell over them as he continued pondering to himself. He couldn't find any good answers and neither could he make any good plans. He looked up into the mostly clear sky, a stray cloud or two listlessly floating around. "It's so great to be back in this city.." Kira looked around as she spoke. "It's a bit dinged up but cha'know, it's still a great town." "Yeah, welcome back." He shook his head. "Do me a favor and don't disappear like that again. What did you do for seven years, anyway?" "Travel, dabbled romance, participated in drama and had many adventures! I even visited your family's lands." She flew back down onto his shoulder, taking up her favorite sitting spot. He laughed at that. "Ah, did you now? Interesting." Nothing more was said about it than that. Ashwin knew that Kira was aware of his dislike for his family's lands. A gaudy merchant metropolis- bah. The roads were practically covered in gold it was so rich. It was far away from here, sitting on a river delta- the city was founded by and ruled by the Crow's centuries back. Even now they held absolute power over all that opulence. He had never cared for the town or the aristocratic feel of his family. He had made several decisions that eventually landed him as far away as possible from it all, where he could live a nice, full life. A life in the manner he wanted to live it. "I know you don't like it there but.. all of them are doing well, Ashy." She said quietly. He nodded and they continued talking as they sat. More and more people were returning to their homes, some more fortunate than others. Overall there was a tense feeling in the air and some grumbling about who was to blame for all of this. Ashwin quietly hoped that they would not be foolish enough to make Teresa a scapegoat for it all and yet he knew that the possibility remained high. He could only hope for the better and prepare for the worst.[/color]

[color=crimson]The group meshed into the crowd of people who were slowly flowing back into Alsoto. Most of the people around them appeared rather worn from the day's events and rightfully so. Ashwin himself was weary from the draining activities of the day and yet he knew there was a good chance that it wasn't over yet. He glanced down to Lynn. Her right shoulder had bandage on it and he recalled her continued insistence that her wound 'wasn't a big deal'. Kira was taking a nap on Lynn's left shoulder and he grinned at her. He turned back forward and watched as they passed through the gates of Alsoto. A young soldier just inside the gate yelled loudly, "The city is presumed to be mostly secure! Any thieves or thugs will be dealt with as soon as possible! Please remain orderly as you return to your homes or otherwise!" "Presumed, huh?" James said with an arched eyebrow. "So much for optimism." Ashwin looked on at the soldier. His face was sweaty, his movements were marred with fatigue and he was visibly jarred by the entire situation. "I feel sorry for all of them. They are probably the most overworked people in the city now." "Even more overworked than us?" James asked with a slight grin "Probably not us, no." Ashwin shook his head and ignored his own lingering fatigue. He continued to wonder about Nait. She had been taciturn ever since she had returned with James. The conversation carried on, ignorant of her troubles. Ashwin avoided asking about it again. He wanted to respect her privacy but he figured it had something to do with her parents. His eyes traced around the scattered destruction and he shook his head. A good number of people had lost something today- property, loved ones or even their feeling of safety. It would take some time for things to be 'normal'. As a testament to this, they passed by a rather large church dedicated to the Goddess of the Sun. It had been struck by a stray dragon's spell and left mostly in ruins. At the front, a statue of the Goddess was shattered into pieces. It was a powerful image that did not do much to lift anyone's spirits. "Father.. Uhmm." Lynn pointed down the road. "Here's.." "Oh." Ashwin snapped to attention. "Yeah, sorry. Lost in la-la land for a second. This road is a shortcut to my shop, so this is where we part ways." He looked over them and nodded with a smile. "Get some rest, you guys." "It was nice to meet you.. uhmm, I hope we meet again." Lynn bowed to them, sending Kira falling to the ground. She caught herself and hovered up sleepily, yawning. "We will." Eso nodded to her. "I've got a feeling we'll be seeing more of each other." "Good.. I hope so. Uhmm, take care of yourselves, okay?" She bowed again. "We're.. leaving? Awww~ Well it was GREAT meeting you all!" Kira gave everyone one of her resounding bows and seemed genuinely sad at leaving. "Thank you.. for your help." Tesera said and shook her head. "This entire thing has been.." "Don't worry about it, Tesera" Ashwin shook his head, cutting her off. "I think all of us were glad to help you." Eso said. "I'd agree. Well, I better get going. Later on, kids." He smiled at the last part of what he said, turned and walked down the road. Lynn gave a hasty good-bye and chased after him, Kira in tow. "Thus departs the great Necromancer Ashy! The crowd goes wild. Hsssssshhhhhh!" Kira smiled as she talked. "Shhh! Blast it, if anyone hears you I'll be put on trial!" Ashwin glared at her. "Necromancer?.." Lynn asked with a questioning gaze. "Nothing, don't mind her. Little daft in the head, you know. Fairy insanity. Common problem for their kind." Ashwin nervously chuckled. "I am NOT daft in the head!" Kira stuck her tongue out at Ashwin. "Nehhh! See if I ever proclaim your greatness again!" Ashwin rubbed his forehead. "I hope none of our friends heard that.." The three continued down the road and approached Ashwin's shop..[/color]

[color=crimson]To each his own- I, for example, find Rammstein to be a band I'm not interested in. You don't suck for listening to them, I don't suck for not listening to them. Just different opinions. What's great to you isn't great to others, you aren't them. Me? Well, I prefer The Mars Volta to any of the bands mentioned, lol. *killed in a hail of gunfire* Oh well. [/color]

[quote name='Kanata][size=1][color=#333333]Talk about a blast from the past, eh?[/size'][/color][/quote] [color=crimson]I wonder if it's bad when you are older than the "old" threads. I'm not even the oldest person here, jesus. *gets out his cane to go to the OtakuBoards retirement home* I'll reiterate what everyone else has pretty much said- you need a foundation to build up from. All of you guys are respectable, hard working, [strike]non-newbish[/strike] folks now. That's a good thing. P.S. [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=5315]Oh my god[/url]. What humble roots.. and I'm still not that much better, haha. :animesmil[/color]

[color=crimson]The team entered a spacious, lavishly decorated entryway that was almost gaudy in it's rich appearance. Warm lighting gave it a welcoming, comforting feeling to it- a safe haven from the battlefield they had just left. A thunderclap shook the fortress and reminded Kaida that they were will within the chaos of their mission no matter how oddly welcoming the room felt. She gestured with a hand to her team to follow in a combat formation- no time for conversing or slacking off at all. They were in the enemy's lair and he was well aware of their presence. They were probably about to spring a trap but she had confidence in the powers of her team- even if they were short one member. "[i]I hope Liquid is alright..[/i]" She thought as the team moved beyond the entryway. A pitch-black hand rushed at her, a set of claws outstretched that were about to rip her face clean off. She awkwardly dodged to the left and fired at her attacker. The small orb ripped into it's forehead and it fell backwards onto the floor. With the large form of the monster gone, her eyes settled on a most unwelcome thing. Within the room there were many more of the creatures, each of them staring coldly at the small form of Kaida in the doorway. Even with her experience in warfare their dead, serious eyes were disturbing and shook her confidence. They were tall and lithe, faces deformed beyond being recognizable as human. Their hands were mutated into claws that were the color of the night sky, the only coloration being small crimson stains spread across the claws. Her team moved into the room and faced off against the monsters. Taking up the point was Arachnid- he had become their designated melee man for the time being. He had the fire support of the three would-be gunners and without any second thoughts each of them started firing. With harrowing speed the monsters rushed towards them. Some leapt through the air, others charged across the ground- but the team did not falter. Arachnid shot out his webbing, capturing one of the monsters in mid-air. With great strength he swung it across the breadth of the room, the webbed creature smashing into several of his comrades. As he did this the gunners did their best to keep him covered, but there were too many of them to do it adequately. A strange noise distracted Kaida and she glanced in the direction of it. Her eyes widened as she watched Sakura's form shift into a form that was the mirror image of the monsters that were attacking them- except for a slight difference in the color of her claws. The transformed Sakura moved with even greater speed and dexterity than their attackers. It was hard to follow her movements as she slashed and eviscerated many of their foes, leaving only bodies in her path. The monsters appeared confused by one of their own attacking them but they continued their onslaught as best they could. "I think we've run into the 'King's guard'." Era said from beside her as her pistol ran out of ammunition. "We must be getting uncomfortably close to our objective." "Hey, whatever they are we can kick their butts." Arachnid said, his fist ramming through the face of one of the monsters. "I've already killed like a dozen of them." "Which begs the question: how many dozens will we have to kill to win?" Kaida asked "Not too many more, Kaida." Era seemed to have recovered more of her strength and her view of the present was improving. "This batch is almost gone.." Sakura zipped past them and Kaida noticed that their enemies numbers were indeed thinning. They noticed this too and withdrew, retreating through a formerly-hidden doorway. Kaida approached it cautiously and peeked in. A set of stairs descended down into a dank, dark basement hallway that was lined by pipework on the walls. "Hey.. we get to see the backstage. Pretty sweet." Arachnid said, peering over Kaida's shoulder. He cracked his knuckles and nodded towards the staircase. "Wanna head into the belly of this beast?" Kaida peered to the other doors in the room and then to the secret one. "Huh. Did he not expect us to win?.." She tilted her head pondering the possible arrogance of their foe. "No, maybe I think he wants us to go this way." The word 'trap' wafted into her head for the hundredth time that day and she shrugged. "Oh well. This entire mission has been one long, bloody trap." Her voice was tinged with annoyance. "Let's go into the 'belly of the beast' and muck around." The team descended the staircase and into a lengthy, darkened tunnel that seemed to go on forever. Sakura let out a slight sigh as they went along. "That was a weird form to experience.. unnatural feeling, you know?" "You were great though." Arachnid said with a grin. "Whipping around, slicing and dicing.." "Yes, you were rather effective. You took me by surprise when you did that though." Kaida shook her head. "I haven't been around many shapeshifters." "Kaida.. here." Era stopped and looked to a seemingly blank wall. "There's something beyond here." She placed her hand and groped along the wall until her hand depressed a piece of the wall. A segment of the wall opened up and Era smiled to herself. "This.. seems to be the real 'backstage'." "Hey, nifty work, Era. I'm glad you aren't all.. worn out." Arachnid said. "I'm still a bit weathered but I am feeling better." She replied. Kaida walked into the hidden hallway and listened intently. There was a methodical hum of machinery just beyond a door at the end of the hallway. A knot grew in her stomach as she approached the door and gripped the handle. She turned it and opened it slowly, stepping inside reluctantly. Dried blood caked the walls and floors of the room. Cages lined the walls, dead bodies of creatures rested within. Several autopsy tables rested nearby, their occupants still opened up for the world to see. As the rest of the team took in the room, Kaida walked over to a nearby computer terminal. She flicked the monitor on and took a few moments to adjust to the futuristic operating system within. "Hmm.." Click-click. "This seems to be a depository for failed or.." She narrowed her eyes at the next word, "prototype experiments." Click, click, click. "The experiments in general seem to simply be aimed to create things for us to fight. There's no real reason to the research beyond trying to stop us." Clickclick. "Looks like there are some videos of people becoming 'prototypes'.. I think we'll skip that." "Good call." Sakura said from behind her. "Looks like once they stopped being useful they were left here to die of starvation.. then they got cut open for scientific examination." Kaida said as she skimmed over the files. "What a busy man he is." Click click. "Hmm. That's about all I can get from this.. most of it is insane ranting and raving full of jargon." She shook her head. "Let's get out of here.. this place is nothing more than a grave site now."[/color]

[quote name='Sage']Well, wasn't that an unnecessary argument you started, DeathKnight... :/[/quote] [color=crimson]Yeah, I'll blame it on my weekend. Took the SATs without any sleep and I'm pretty rough at the moment. I'd prolly snap at most anything at the moment, lol. Way to go, DeathKnight.[/color] [quote name='Sage']Just because people here are young, doesn't mean they don't have the right to think about these things! That's what philosophy is, thinking stuff yourself - this thread isn't faux to the least![/quote] [color=crimson]Yeah! This thread isn't faux to the least, that's the spirit. Faux or not, we shouldn't declare things to be faux when they are obviously or probably not faux. Faux declarations of things being faux is wrong. That's my point of view, how about yours?[/color] [quote name='James']While we are coining phrases and terms, maybe we should add "faux intelligentsia" to the list. [/quote] [color=crimson]When I saw you reply I literally said "Oh ****" out loud- I don't know what that says about you but it certainly says something. Still, this was rather tame. Yet, 'faux intelligentsia' just doesn't sound as great as what I made. You gotta do better, James. You clearly didn't extend alot of effort into creating that phrase. :animesigh What a bunch of lazy people we have here, really. My disappointment is overflowing. :P P.S. Maybe I could turn 'faux philosophical tripe' into an Internet meme. What do you think?[/color]

[quote name='Retribution][size=1]Desire of material possessions? I was talking more about desire to have or do anything, disregarding what others want or need. Whether that be water, a raise, or another day off, you'll [i]probably[/i] want to have that, instead of another person getting those. Now, I'm not saying you're always going to [I]act[/I'] that way, but you probably would want to be selfish. That's how people are.[/quote] [color=crimson]Then that's all fine and good. If it ties into my future I'm somewhat interested in it, yes. But just getting.. stuff is not really that interesting. Showy displays of wealth is more what I was referring to. Actual needs or things to improve my future are tad bit more important. If that makes me an archetypical human then it does. Note I never denied any of your opinions as they are probably right, lol. Survival is a rather important thing for us to be trying to do, don't you think?[/color] [size=1][quote name='Retribution']There wasn't much 'faux philosophical tripe' in this thread to begin with, just you being a condesending jerk, saying that just because we're teenagers, we can't speculate about human nature. Teenagers aren't the only ones who notice how instinct-driven and selfish humans are, however the observant ones would find plenty of proof that we are.[/size][/quote][/size] [color=crimson]Hey, 'faux philosophical tripe' was fun to type. I hope it spreads across OB like a disease. Maybe I've made some kind of a cool phrase, huh? Tell it to your friends or something. I'd like to see more people use it in the near future. Yeah, I am being a condescending jerk. If you have issues with that then that's quite alright with me. My impression of my fellow teenagers is oddly not that high for various glaring reasons which I need not go into length to here. Nothing wrong with speculation just as long as it doesn't lead to lengthy rants that take up space on pages I'm thumbing through. Life is boring enough. Instead of starting a duel of personas or whatever, let's just respectfully bow to each other and walk away, lol. Enough of those duels on this message board as is. Your opinion is fine, my opinion is fine. We're both cool dudes spouting lengthy rants on a internet message board, yeah? All is well if you ask me.[/color]

[QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]Alright, stop acting like all of this information is somehow revolutionary, new, or earth-shattering. Machiavelli's said basically the same thing about how humans need an iron fist ruling them, because they are decietful/flawed/evil/etc. And that was hundreds of years ago. It doesn't take a lengthy amount of time to read The Prince and understand what the guy was saying. It's also something rather easy to observe. Look in the past, look outside your window - we're still behaving in [relatively] the same manner. Humans by instinct are designed to want to survive and procreate. If that means looking out for numero-uno, then most of the time they will, or at least strongly consider doing that. Yes. Everyone has that trait to them. [B]Everyone.[/B] Humans want to have their own possesions. Humans want to have enough for themselves to eat first, then everyone else. Humans want to have shelter. In packed buildings where someone shouts "FIRE!" they trample one another to preserve their own life. It's selfish. There are, of course, those who decide not to act on their impulses, and behave in a more civil manner. Good for them. >_>[/size][/QUOTE] [color=crimson]This is all distinteresting to me since I, personally, do not desire material possessions to such a degree. Things are very temporary and desiring myriads of temporary material things is a waste of the little time you and I have. That doesn't improve me as a person and probably makes me more apathetic instead of more wise, civil or otherwise. It does, however, affect my line of thought on this subject. Please pardon my sarcastic tone in the prior post. All of you might be right about humanity but I can't really find enough care to trod through the faux philosophical tripe in this thread. Teenagers are the last people I want to hear talking about how instinct-driven and selfish all of us really are in the end, lol. My lack of deep care doesn't make me selfish, bad or otherwise. There is nothing I can do within my power to help them. I am not arrogant enough to imply that my hope, care or otherwise is actually beneficial to people wading through the ruins of their homes and counting the bodies of their loved ones. I can provide monetary aid and that is about it. All of humanity has it's own problems and all of us are trying very hard to work through them.[/color]

[color=crimson]I cannot imagine what it is like to witness two major skyscrapers tumble down in front of my eyes, deal with my entire city being wiped out by a hurricane or deal with a regional earthquake decimating everything familiar to me. It's hard to ask me to sit here and deeply, deeply care about something that is unfamiliar and mostly unfathomable to me. I can and do respect the loss but I cannot do much else aside from toss money at charities- it's on the other side of the world, there's no way for me to do much for them to aide them. I can hope that they rebuild and continue with their lives as best their ability. My hope is meaningless to them but, thusfar, that is all I can find to give in copious amounts. I find it amusing that all of you can shove so many negative qualities onto your brethren with such naive ease. You sure do sound like pseudo-professors, talking about an entire sentient species in such simplistic ways, lol. I'm glad so many of you take such lengthy periods of time to study and profoundly define our species. Such productive works for minds so young.[/color]

[color=crimson]For some time the battle seemed to be deadlocked but Eso's group had finally seized the advantage. Their enemies' morale had finally broken and their confident attacks were turning more desperate mainly due to the fact most of them had been rendered unarmed by Alno'dra's skillfully aimed magical attacks. Some were already deserting out of fear of death, leaving their comrades behind to save their own hides. Overall, their ranks were thin enough that some optimism formed in Ashwin's mind- they would live to see another day yet. Lynn pulled up along side him and the two of them dispatched with his current opponent rather easily. A few seconds later, Vincent killed the man he was fighting with too.. and in that fashion they mopped up whoever was brave[/stupid] enough to fight them for a few minutes on. Tesera and James returned from their elimination of the archers to help with the clean up- with their help they finally routed the armed band. The remaining men finally lost even their idiotic courage and whomever was left sprinted off, leaving their pride behind them. Silence overtook the area and with it came a surreal stillness that was relieving to the old necromancer. Ashwin let out a sigh and sheathed his bloodied cutlass. He finally felt the fatigue of all the days running, jumping, fleeing and fighting. "Is it over?" Lynn asked. Her breathing was fast, her voice was nervous and her knife shook in her hand as she spoke. "Is.. is it over, father? Did we.. win?" "Can't be too careful but.. I think we did it. We're a pretty good team if I say so myself." Ashwin said as he looked at the bodies around them. For the first time he spotted the dead-looking Nait just outside of the cave, several defeated foes around her. He shook his head, "She pushes herself too hard." "Yes.. it's over.." Lynn muttered to herself. She let out a long sigh and sheathed her dagger. She dusted off her black dress and rubbed her arm nervously. "I.. I think I did well but.. it was very.." Her voice trailed off as she eyed the bodies around her. "Hey." Ashwin patted her on the head. "It's alright, it's over. I didn't mean for you to get involved with dragons and deranged armed men at such a young age." He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "You'll have to forgive me, okay?" She nodded. "Uhmm.. I'll be fine it was just a bit.." She shook her head. "I'm okay. But.. I want to check on Nait. James is.. already over there. So is Kira.. we should join them?" Ashwin nodded and they made their way over towards Nait, carefully avoiding the gruesome remnants of their battle.[/color]

[color=crimson][i]Sunday, July 31st. 2:51 PM - Beast's Lair[/i] Nova flipped flipped through the pages idly, barely paying attention to the words within- financial reports were one of the more dull, redundant things she was forced to read. It was the beginning of a new month so the dull, redundant reports were coming in at a steady clip- summaries of large deals, plans for shipments, 'comments' from her advisers. Most of them were rather boring in tone- then again, most of her advisers were boring in general so it made sense. She smiled to herself and set the papers down- she had spent the better part of her day thusfar on the paperwork so she was understandably tired of it. It was just a bit before 3PM and the town outside was bustling with activity. She could hear the crowds on the first floor shifting in and out, getting jobs they needed. It was the heartbeat of the town- it had been weak when they first started, but it had steadily gotten stronger. A light rapping at her door shook her out of her thoughts, "Come in." She said. Ark walked into the room with his usual clipboard full of information. He approached her and bowed formally. "I've got something interesting to tell you." He said and removed one of the many pieces of paper from his clipboard. He handed it to her and waited. She looked at the paper and began to read it. "This, as you can see, is a job posting that was made sometime today." The job was a high paying assassination of.. she smirked to herself and shook her head. "My-my, someone wants ol' Zane dead, hm? Who was the client?" "We don't know the specifics, but it is presumed to be an outsider." He said. "Oh..? Interesting.. you're telling me a job to kill a Councilman offered by an unknown, outsider client was put up without even a hint of suspicion by our interviewers?" She asked with a glaring look. "Well, you see.. it slipped through?" Ark said uncomfortably, feeling the glare of Nova burning into him. "It wasn't posted through official means.. none of the client-interviewers on the third, fourth or fifth floors recall such a job being proposed. The man at the main desk was.. lax in his attention. He was punished for it, to say the least. It was noticed just within the last two hours by a rather sharp-eyed employee of ours.. I've rewarded him for his attention to detail." She snickered at what was being told to her. "Those sly, sly foxes. Someones put some effort into this plan." She set the paper down and began to think, pondering this. She supposed that it wouldn't really be hard to 'slip something through' but this was no small matter- the killing of a Councilman with a Cadmusian aiding in the murder would provoke Nadine, to say the least. Their current relationship was strained enough without one of their own killing a Councilman. She tapped her finger on the desk and pondered. "Hm. Who took this job?" "A.." Ark's eyes searched his clipboard, ".. Garon Eldmedie. Mercenary for hire.. seems he's rather respectable at his job, has a nice home and a good record of job completion." "Oh? A pyrokinetic, right?" She knew of most of the Altered and their descendants in the city- she considered them to be like brothers and sisters, really. "I suppose it's far too late to stop him?" "He was seen leaving in his.." Ark's eyebrow arched at the next word, "truck with a companion of some sort. They are long gone by now- probably within Nadine already if they made it through the border defenses." "In a truck? How unique.. and impractical." She tilted her head imagining the vehicle rumbling through Nadine's defenses like an elephant. Most people used motorcycles but off-road trucks were becoming increasingly common for some reason- perhaps it was a sign of increasing wealth in the general populous. She reverted to thinking about the situation they were in and smiled sweetly at her adviser. "Ah, well Ark- I suppose we're somewhat screwed, hm?" "I'd say we are significantly screwed, ma'am." Ark stated matter-of-factly with a shake of his head. She giggled at his official tone and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. "We will be forced to do some damage control. We need to send a message to the Council as soon as possible- rush a messenger to them to warn them of the threat to Zane's life. I doubt it will get there in time but one can only hope. Secondly, we need to hire a spy to get some more information on this client of ours.. but who to send?" "Katchya." Ark stated. "Her? Hm. Why her?" Nova peered at her adviser. "She's one of the best spies we have. Smart, experienced, stealthy- she's a prodigy. She's also quite pretty." The last part seemed to have been accidentally said and Ark immediately looked quite embarrassed. "Oh..? Skilled and beautiful, hm?" She folded her hands and rested her chin on them. "I'll send you personally to talk to her about the job." Ark looked visibly displeased at this, but Nova continued on undeterred. "Tell her the details of the job: we need her to spy on this female client, find out more about what outside nation she is from and, if possible, dig up some information on the plot that is at work here. No time limit on it.. handsome reward." "Yes ma'am. I will send the messenger to Nadine and then move to hire Katchya's services immediately." He bowed and walked out with a strange expression on his face. "Good luck." Nova said with a slight wave. "Don't fall in love too easily." She said and smirked. "As for me.." She looked down to the paperwork. "I believe it's time for a walk." She rose and walked to a nearby coat rack. Resting on one of it's arms was a long black, hooded cloak that was more than large enough to cover most of her body- it stopped just above her ankles. She put it on, raised the hood and left the office. She descended the staircases, past the loud client-interviewer floors and into the even louder second and first floors. Through the crowd she inconspicuously walked, avoiding attention as much as possible. She smiled as she walked- she really enjoyed the outdoors. She went outside a few times per week as an anonymous individual, meshing with the crowds. It was her own time to unwind, if nothing else- it's not like Cadmus was aesthetically beautiful or anything. The environment, however, was still rather well represented in the hodge-podge neighborhoods and areas of Cadmus- trees cropped up here and there, sort of chaotically. She passed the library and frowned at it's dilapidated state. It was sort of an unwritten rule amongst the Cadmusians that you don't steal from the library- it for the community, not for any one individual. Still, that didn't mean that the building got any real upkeep.. or any real librarian. She sighed and wondered just how many people in the city actually took the time to read the books within. She arrived at her destination- the beach. Beach front property was irrelevant in Cadmus- there was no real luxury anywhere, being on the beach was not too much better than being anywhere else. Still, there were a few rather normal-looking homes on the beach that contrasted the slums she had gone through to get here. All Altered seemed to have a strange connection with the ocean- even Nova didn't really understand why. She put her hood back and stared at the ocean, losing herself in the expanse of it all. It was so peaceful. -------- [i]Sunday, July 31st. Some time that evening - Just a short distance from Nadine City[/i] The rider sped through the rough terrain, making sure he navigated past The Gorge correctly. It had been a while since he had been to Nadine for any courier business.. like.. forever, maybe? He shook his head and concentrated on the terrain ahead. In his pocket was an important message- Ark Sivart had practically shoved him out the door with it, telling him only of riches to come if he delivered it as fast as he could. "[i]Ark seemed pretty antsy about something too- maybe some girl troubles?[/i]" He shook his head. "[i]Nah. That couldn't be. Oh well, doesn't matter to me.. just as long as I get that rich reward. Looks like I'm going to have enough money to support Jane and the kids for a while.[/i]" It had been a fairly quiet ride thusfar- Deadwood was rather difficult to maze through, with it's dense vegetation and random felled trees. No problem for an expert like him though- he could ride through hell without crashing. He doubted that he had been spotted by anyone- he hadn't seen any signs of SDF troopers in the least, thusfar. It was kind of unnerving but he shrugged it off. He saw the lights from Nadine and nodded to himself- it was time to get out his special pass into the city. He reached into a pouch that hung at his waist and pulled out a white flag- it wasn't his proudest moment, but it was the only way that he could avoid getting shot at as he came into Nadine. "[i]I hope this job doesn't take too long..[/i]" -------- The motorcycle sped towards the outer limits of Nadine at a high speed. The soldier put out his cigarette and lined up the scope on his anti-tank rifle with the motorcycle- he was the first line of defense against vehicles. The "Boondocks Defense" it was called- the worst job on the planet as far as he was concerned. He sat on a remote hill on the approaches to Nadine, his ATV behind him. "This shot's going not going to be easy.." He muttered to himself. Over the radio came the calls of an incoming, unidentified vehicle- the first alarm had come from a recon base just inside of Deadwood a couple of hours earlier. They had let a few others into the city today.. even a truck. "Some of your friends have infiltrated our city.. but you aren't going to be so lucky. Not on my watch." The soldier continued to mutter to himself in an almost delusional manner, focusing solely on the rider. He was satisfied with his shot and began to pull the trigger before he noted that the man on the motorcycle take out a small white flag. "Hmm? You say you have peaceful intentions..?" He paused and pondered this for a moment before coming to a decision. "Too bad for you- I'm not a trusting person." He ignored it and pulled the trigger. Luck was with the soldier- his shot hit the motorcycle perfectly. It was overkill, really- the damage done to the motorcycle was crippling. It caused the rider to lose control and he crashed at a fatally high speed, sending him tumbling to his death. The soldier reached into his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. He got one out and sat up, resting his rifle on his lap. He lit the cigarette and smoked it idly, feeling satisfied with his work. He flipped out his communicator and radioed in, "This is Private Gear, I just took out the incoming enemy. It was a single rider on a motorcycle.. not sure what his business was, but he's done for now." "Good job, Private. You're have district guard duty after this, don't you?" The voice responded. "Yes, I do. Only real 'break' I receive anymore is playing military policeman.. the Municipal Police just aren't powerful enough to cover all of Nadine from any threats, especially in this heightened state of tension." "Well, don't complain about it. You'll have some time to relax.. I mean, you're assigned to the Midas' District right?" "Yes sir, I am. Nothing ever happens in the Midas' District." Gear chuckled and looked up to the sky. "I doubt I'll have much to do for the next few days.." "Well, at least you got a good kill on your last day, eh?" The communicator crackled a bit with interference as the voice came through. "Yes, that's a perk I suppose. Won't alleviate my boredom for the next week, though." Gear shook his head, pondering what he'd do in the Midas' District- it was so far within Nadine's City Limits that it was usually left alone by Cadmusians. There were still assassinations, thefts and the like- but that was only done by high ranking Guild operatives sporadically. "Oh well. I'm heading back, now. Spent six hours sitting here waiting for someone to pass by.. I'm eager to get back into Nadine." "Yeah, most of their infiltrations were earlier. Caught us a bit by surprise.. we don't even know where they are in the city now. Bastards are getting more brazen with their attacks.. but, you got this one and I think you've earned your little vacation. Good luck with your boredom. Over and out." The communicator cut out. Gear got up and walked to his ATV, placing it his rifle in a holster on the back. He took one last glance back to the wreckage of his kill before riding off towards Nadine, the sun setting in the horizon to his right..[/color]

[color=crimson]Ashwin unsheathed his cutlass and looked forward at the armed group of men- from the rear of their ranks a couple of arrows flew over their charging men. They were haphazardly aimed but almost struck several of Eso's group- Lynn in particular had a close call that made her let out a nervous yelp as it slid just past her arm. Ashwin had a worried look on his face but she shook her head in an 'I'm okay' sort of way. He nodded and faced their enemies. Each of them looked well trained for this sort of combat and they had an advantage in numbers. "This is going to be interesting." Ashwin mused to himself even as Eso clashed with a swordsman, his skill showing as he deftly attacked with sharp, strong blows. "Must be at least.. fifteen?" It was hard to count with the chaotic fight unfolding infront of them. "Much more than that, I think.." Lynn said peering at the men. "Or much less? I.. I can't tell." She said with embarrassment. "Um, they outnumber us though. That's.. that's for sure." She said the last bit awkwardly, trying to recover a bit of her pride. "I guess we join the party." Ashwin said in a nonchalant tone. He looked to James and Nait who were behind them, "Nait, I know you're tired so.. don't feel obligated to push yourself. I think we've got enough firepower here to take out a blasted army let alone a few knuckleheads like these guys." "I think I will be fine, Ashwin." Nait replied. "I'll do all that I can.. so don't worry about me." She nodded firmly. "Good, keep yourselves okay. Later on." He waved and turned, sprinting towards the battle. It was just a short distance away and it seemed like most of Eso's group were already involved in it. He charged into one of them with a vengeful stroke, almost disarming the weapon from the ferocity of his swipe. They were deadlocked and it would have stayed that way if not for his daughter- Lynn swooped up underneath the man and stabbed him in the gut. She took several steps back but the man didn't falter. Ashwin shook his head and talked to his opponent. "Blast it, you're wearing chain mail." "You'd be correct, old man. Wounded me just a bit that did.. but I'm still kickin', ain't I?" The man said in a harsh tone. "I ain't plannin on dyin' to you stupid fuc-" Kira suddenly swooped up and gave the man a kick straight in his eye, catching him by surprise. He let out a cry and shut it in pain, losing his concentration. With this opening, Ashwin gave him a resounding kick in the stomach which sent him backwards and into one of his friends. They spilled onto the ground but Ashwin quickly had another opponent- a rather burly looking man with an axe that was stained from past battles. Ashwin sized up his new opponent and discerned that he was at a disadvantage in sheer strength- but not in agility. The two began to spar and Lynn was forced to peel off as the man with the injured eye came back for seconds. Kira fluttered about, trying to cause as much chaos as possible to distract them. From within the enemies there was a cry: "Who wishes to fight the great warrior Ajax!" The man who let out this cry was wielding twin swords and seemed more lithe than overtly strong. He spun them around deftly and locked his eyes on Eso, who had just dispensed with his first enemy. "You! You seem to be the leader of this entourage, huh? Well you little bastard.. I'll take your head!" Ajax rushed through his own companions, sending some of them stumbling with his brash charge- he locked swords with Eso and snarled at him. "You got any last words, scum?" The axeman's attention diverted to Eso- he seemed to want to gang up on him. He gave a quick, powerful swing that sent Ashwin backwards from it's ferocity and turned to attack Eso. "Blast it.." Ashwin righted himself; charged forward and slammed into the axeman with as much force as he could muster. He was sent down into the ground just before he could attack Eso. "Thank the Goddess.." He muttered, but this was short lived as the axeman picked himself up off of the ground and had an look of pure rage on his face. With the power of his rage he charged at Ashwin, sending him back onto the defensive..[/color]