DeathKnight

[color=crimson]I'm wary of bugs that can actually hurt me- wasps, hornets, bees and so on. There are many hornets and wasps around my house [there's sort of a back-and-forth war going on between us and the hornets] so I try to.. leave them alone, lol. There aren't many cockroaches in my house for some reason- maybe a stray one or two, but most of them we just find dead cockroaches. I'm sure there could be many more lurking in the netherworld of our house but they don't seem to come out and bother me that much. We also have a pretty high population of scorpions- not too large, though. They are actually kind of nice since they do pest-control on ants, small roaches and the like. However, they will still sting you if you.. provoke them [accidentally or not] so they aren't too welcome either. The one thing we have tons of are some kind of native breed of lizard. I'm not sure what species it is, but every evening they hang out on the windows eating.. bugs. Some of them get inside and kind of hide on the walls/in dark places, but they have never tried to attack me- all they do is flee in utter terror from any human activity near them. They are kind of cute actually. Unfortunately, they have a bad habit of getting caught by the door as you shut it.. I don't really need to describe this further, do I? Although there was this funny exchange between my mother and I involving me showing her the remains of all the little guys that had been caught by the door. "EWW! THAT IS SO DISGUSTING! GROSS!" Good times.[/color]

[color=crimson]"This is such a great day!" Kira proclaimed with glee. "Meeting new people, seeing all of you guys again.. AND I GOT A HUG FROM VINCENT! Goooood, gooood dayyyyy~" She sang to herself as she sat on Ashwin's shoulder with a look of happiness on her face "Uhmm. I think he was.. mocking you, Kira." Lynn said softly. Ashwin noted the weakness in her voice- this had to be pretty tough on her, training or no. "[i]It's too bad her first real fights involved assassins and dragons. That's a bit much.[/i]" He thought to himself and grimaced. Memories rushed into his head of his first real fight and his grimace changed into a nostalgic, wry grin. In his nostalgia he was reminded of how similar this tunnel was to one of the earliest journeys he took in his youth. "That doesn't matter! A hug is a hug." Kira said with a wink. "All is well in the land of Kira!" Lynn smiled at this. "That's.. that's good. I'm glad you're in such high spirits. Hey, um.. father?" Ashwin broke out of his thoughts and looked to her, "Hm?" "What kind of things would be living in a tunnel like this?" She asked worriedly- what Eso had said was still on her mind. "I don't know. Rats? Snakes?" He shrugged. "Some kind of monsters?" "Molepeople!" Kira exclaimed. "Definitely got a molepeople vibe down here. I can smell 'em." She nodded to herself. "... Molepeople?" Lynn asked with a confused look on her face. Ashwin shook his head. "Molepeople don't exist." "Yes they do, Ashy! I'm sure they do!" She pouted a bit before she flew up into the air. "I'll ask Vincent, then! We will see who is right! HEY VINCENT!" She flew a few feet forward and sat on Vincent's shoulder. "I'm having a [i]serious discussion[/i] with Ashy and I need your opinion- Do molepeople exist?" "I can't believe she picked up that strange rumor in her travels." Ashwin shook his head. "Who knows what else she's heard." Vincent repeated a statement similar to Ashwin's and Kira returned with an even more distinct pout on her face. "I think they exist.." she said in a defeated manner. "Let's hope they don't exist in these tunnels. We could use some calm for at least a few minutes." Ashwin cautiously gazed ahead. "I'm not really in the mood for another hectic flee-in-terror-from-horrible-monster situation. Hmm." He examined the wall of the tunnel as they walked. "I wonder how often these tunnels flood.." He his eyes traced the length of the wall and he rubbed his hand along it. "Flood?" Lynn looked concerned. "Yes. I'd imagine these tunnels flood with heavy rain. I don't think we have to worry about that unless a dragon uses water ma-" He stopped and arched his eyebrow as realization hit him. ".. did any of you see that big dragon use water magic?" Lynn shook her head and Kira was blissfully humming to herself in la-la land. "Good. I was nervous for a second there. Could flood us out of here and ambush us as we chaotically run out of the exit. That would be bad to say the least." "Don't jinx us." Vincent said back to them with a grin. "Trying not to, Vin'." Ashwin shook his head with a sigh. "I shouldn't be dwelling on nightmare scenarios." "Why not? Isn't this entire situation.. kind of a nightmare?" Lynn asked in an even quieter voice. "It might get that way soon, yeah. But.." Ashwin patted his daughter on the head as they walked. "We've got to stand strong and keep going. Understand?" She nodded. The group continued on through the tunnels, following Eso's lead..[/color]

[color=crimson]I have started the main thread. All of you are in- some of you made rather good characters, good job. If anyone else wishes to join, you may do so. You'll be in automatically unless your sign-up post is of a horrid quality. Keep up the good work.[/color]

[color=crimson][i]Monday, August 1st. 6:49 PM - Midas' District[/i] The rain lashed at Clayton's coat as he sprinted into the upscale apartment complex and into the empty reception area. There was an otherworldly stillness in the room that eclipsed his own mind's disarrayed, garbled chaos. He jogged to the elevators and slammed the 'up' button. The elevator lazily opened up and he stepped inside. His eyes scanned over the floors until he found and pressed 'Floor 55'. The elevator lurched upwards and accelerated into a rather fast clip. He reached under his trench coat and retrieved his XX Combat Pistol, looking it over. He patted one of his coat pockets- four extra clips. "[i]Should be enough.. I hope it's enough.[/i]" He smirked to himself and leaned against the wall of the elevator, eyes locked on the artistic luminosity of the ceiling. He was going to be the first to the scene- would back up arrive in time? He shook his head slowly, "[i]Can't worry about that now.[/i]" Even if the intruder was still around he had been trained sufficiently to handle combat against a variety of opponents. Close combat? An Arcadian form of martial arts. Gunfight? He could shoot the XX Combat Pistol better than most of his peers. The one thing he didn't want to meet was an Altered- "[i]I'd be chewed up and spit out like a bad piece of meat.[/i]" He shook his head negatively thinking about the sheer power some of his altered friends had- telekinetics tossing around cars like a ball, pyrokinetics with firepower that rivals a dreadnought. There was even an urban legend about a woman had some sort of horrifying, dark power- "[i]Prolly just bullshit. People imagine the weirdest shit..[/i]" He was brought out of his thoughts by a clear 'ding' and the opening of the elevator doors. He took in a deep breath and stepped into the hallway. He looked to a sign that had no directions just the words: 'Entire floor is residency of Councilman Zane. No solicitations, no uninvited guests, NO MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA.' Clayton smirked at the capitalized portion of the sign and glanced to a nearby, ornate door- it was wooden and carved in an intricate, beautiful fashion. "[i]Wow. Wooden doors are rare enough.. but that looks beautiful.[/i]" He approached it and started to knock before he noticed it was open. "Uh, pardon me?" No answer. "Excuse me? Clayton Smith, Nadine Municipal Police Detective. Is.. anyone here?" Still no answer. He slowly pushed the door open and was greeted by.. darkness. "Councilmen Zane? Lady Zane?... Helloooo...?" He walked in and groped along the wall until he accidentally depressed the button for the entryway's light. The bodies of four door guards laid strewn out across the walls. Their clothes- or, whatever was left on their dismembered bodies- were clearly SDF uniforms. Clayton was taken by surprise and he stepped back from the grisly sight. "Shit.." He flipped out his communicator and pushed the button to connect to headquarters. "Nadine City Municipal Police Headquarters- Officer #191, what do you have to report?" A female voice said. "Officer #191 reporting. I am currently on the fifty fifth floor of the Freya Apartment Complex and have entered Councilman Zane's residency. There are.. SDF causalities. Four, thusfar." He looked into the apartment. "I am going to assess the situation of the apartment further in. Do I have backup en route?" "Yes #191 you do. A mixed force of Nadine SDF and Municipal Police are within five minutes of your location. We request that you try to locate the Councilman or his wife within the apartment- if attacked, we grant you the full authority to respond with deadly force." He smiled at the official tone of the woman and nodded his head. "Roger that, headquarters. #191 out." "Good hunting." The woman replied and he flipped his communicator off. Clayton slinked into the den and turned on the light, taking in the room. It was lavishly furnished and had several high quality, high priced electronics that Clayton admired. "[i]Damn these council people are loaded.. I mean, most of the city of prospering but this is really something.[/i]" His mind refocused on the task at hand and he crept through the house, searching for some sign of the Councilman or his family. His first clue was a trail of blood that snaked out of the den and into a hallway. He followed it as it led directly to the door of what Clayton presumed to be the master bed room. "[i]Shit.. I am not looking forward to what is behind this door..[/i]" He mentally prepared himself and swung the door open, his pistol raised. He winced at the contorted forms of what had been the Councilman and his wife. Their eviscerated bodies decorated one half of the room with a mixture of guts and blood. He took his communicator out and dialed headquarters again. "Nadine City Municipal Police Headquarters- Officer #191, what do you have to report on the status inside the apartment?" "I.." His eyes rested on the bloody mess. "I have confirmed the.. status of the Councilman and his wife. They are both.. deceased." "Affirmative #191. Can you provide us with a presumed cause of death?" Clayton shook his head at that statement. "I've.. never seen this kind of thing before." "... Officer #191?" ---------------------- [i]Monday, August 1st. 7:00 PM - Aesir's District[/i] The assembled members of the Council sat in their picturesque hall- the massive hall lined almost all the way around by windows. It allowed for a wonderful view of the entire city- though, at the moment, that view was mostly blurred by the continued rain. The Council had thirty-one councilors. Four elected representatives from each district, an appointed 'head' of each district and the six permanent members- the Mayor [Mr. Tristan Nido], the Head of the Department of Municipal Affairs [Mrs. Narna Hent], the head of the SDF [Colonel Conrad Smith], the Speaker of the Council [Mrs. Lynn Howl], the Representative of the Empire [Lord Scott Stuart] and the Chief Justice [Judge Angkor Holmes]. The six permanent members sat on slightly raised platform, the rest of the councilors situated in a crescent shape faced towards them. Outside of these councilors were other anonymous participants- officers of the SDF, lower-ranking administrative officials and the like. They had been waiting for fifteen minutes for the still-tardy Councilman Zane. There was some casual talk amongst the council as they bided their time, the thunder roaring outside occasionally. The Mayor's communicator had gone off just a minute prior- since then, he had been engaged in a rather heated discussion with whomever was on the other end. This brought a few strange glances, a few chuckles- it was mostly forgotten as the Mayor's conversation ended. He slid his communicator back into his pocket and stood, walking to the podium. Everyone quieted down as the Mayor cleared his throat and stated calmly- "Councilman Zane has been killed." It took a few seconds for the words to fully set in- and then there was a rather loud fervor from everyone in the room that equated to a massive "What?!" "Silence!" Council Speaker Howl yelled. "Let the Mayor speak!" The commotion died down to a couple of whispered conversations here and there. The Mayor nodded a thank you to the speaker and continued, "The only information we have at this time is that the Councilman and his wife were brutally murdered within the last half hour by a unknown person or persons." "Those bastards in Cadmus!" One of the elected councilmen cried out. "This must be their doing!" "Silence!" The Speaker yelled again, trying to maintain some sense of procedural order. "I will have no more of you all erratically speaking out! Let us keep some semblance of calm and order in this situation!" The aggravated councilman gave a meek nod, muttering something under his breath as the focus returned to the Mayor. He took a long sip of water first, appearing somewhat shaken by the entire thing. He took his time, formulating his thoughts into something coherent, and continued. "We have no suspects.. although we can presume that it is probably the work of someone from Cadmus, if not the Guild itself. As you know, three years ago, Chief Justice Tamari was mysteriously killed. The suspicion has been and continues to lay on an element from Cadmus. Thus, there is a precedent for Cadmus taking these sorts of.. barbaric actions." "Clearly now you see that war is a necessary action." The Imperial Representative stated, gesturing to the councilors. "Without the eradication of Cadmus, these sorts of violent, destabilizing actions will only continue and escalate." "Permission to speak." A voice said from the Council members. "Councilwoman Tamari, hm? Permission granted." The Speaker replied. "Thank you, Speaker of the Council." She stood up and cleared her throat. Before she could begin, an explosion ripped out in the city from the Midas' District that could be heard all across Nadine. ---------------------- [i]Monday, August 1st. 6:58 PM - Midas' District[/i] "Detective Smith, we've secured the entire residency. There is no sign of.. anything, really. There are no other people here or any signs of other people." The SDF private stated. "Also, I have a message from my superiors.. as this crime deals with a member of the Council I'm afraid that the SDF has jurisdiction here. However, we would appreciate the skilled members of the Municipal Police aiding our investigation so you are ordered to continue being a part of this case." "Right, right." Clayton dismissively said. "I've got no problem with that." He was looking at the crime scene as a nearby SDF officer took pictures of it and marked off various parts of the room. "Damn.." "My thoughts exactly." The private stated, shaking his head at the gore. "The Guild's barbarism doesn't cease." "The Guild..? Why the fuck would the guild do something like this when we're on the verge of war? That doesn't make any sense." Clayton rubbed his chin. "Why provoke us with this.. senseless slaughter?" "Since when do the Guild's actions make any sense? They exist for survival and money. They are animals, really." The private's communicator went off and he answered it. "This is Private Gear. Good evening si- erm, yes, yes. It really isn't a good evening, my apologizes." He nervously fidgeted with his free hand, "Ah huh.. yessir. Mmm-hm.. okay, I understand. Roger. Goodbye, sir." He turned it off and slid it back into his pocket, turning to me. "The Mayor will be informed soon so.. I have a feeling this is going to be a rather agitated session of the Council." "Yeah, no kidding.." Clayton walked around, examining the room. He heard faint music and tilted his head oddly. "You hear that?" Private Gear paused and listened intently before shaking his head yes. "Huh, strange. Where's it coming from?" Clayton slid on a pair of latex gloves and carefully poked around, searching for the music. He opened up a well-made, ornate chest and inside it was a music box. "Oh, here we go.. wow, look at this thing." He picked it up and admired the artistic look and design of it. He opened it up and arched an eyebrow as he saw a rectangular, electronic device that had a pulsating red light on it going in time to the music. Clayton's eyes widened and he set the box down, taking several steps back. "Private.." The private looked up, "Hm?" "Evacuate the room." Clayton shook his head. "The floor.. no.. the building." The music slowed down to a stop, and the pulsating light dimmed completely. Clayton slumped against the wall and smiled strangely. "Shit." The private looked at him, "What?" "They are going to trick them all.." Clayton chuckled and looked up at the ceiling. "Ah, man. They got us.." The private tilted his head questioningly but it was too late for any more conversation. The bomb went off, decimating the entire floor in an instant. The structure shook heavily, struggling to keep itself upright- the people inside had little chance to escape or do much more than scream. The bomb was too much for the building and it crashed into itself, letting off a massive cloud of dust.. ---------------------- [i]Sunday, July 31st. 8 AM - Jotun's Pit[/i] Nova stood on a balcony that jutted out of the Beast's Lair, sticking out into the pristine skies. Her adviser, Ark Sivart, stood behind her, briefing her on various scattered topics. Her eyes scanned the city below her- the chaotic mix of dilapidated buildings, shops and slightly more upscale homes reminded her of how tough it was to live in this community but it was the only choice all of them had. Her eyes raised up into the sky and she zoned back into what Ark was saying. "... also, there might be shipping delays because of Tropical Storm Antony. Nadine's meteorological center issued a statement earlier that, to summarize, says to expect it to strike sometime tomorrow evening. It will cause heavy rains for the next few days.. but I guess most of us are fairly used to heavy rains here." He flipped to the next page on his clipboard. "That tropical storm will be affecting communications across the island, which is very bad timing for us since it will affect our audio feed from tomorrow's council meeting. We should expect poor quality [i]if[/i] we can hear it at all. However, we will acquire a written transcript of the entire meeting as quickly as possible following it's conclusion. We plan to send an order to the Scavenger division to send one of it's people in to retrieve the transcript from our operative within the Council. Given the rain and poor traveling conditions.. I expect that the written transcript won't arrive until at least two AM on Tuesday." "That's adequate considering the conditions. Will the winds be a problem?" Nova leaned against the balconies railing. "No ma'am. Winds are expected to be up to 55 MPH. Minimal damage. The main problem will be the rainfall over the next few days. Localized flash flooding and heavy seas can be expected. Rather mild affects for a tropical cyclone." "I see." Nova turned around and looked at him. "What have you to report on the skirmishes between the Self-Defense Forces and the Darkfire?" Ark flipped to yet another page and adjusted his thinly-framed glasses. "There has been minimal skirmishing since last week's flare ups. We still expect them to launch some sort of offensive in the future due to the Empresses' continued pressure. No real hope for peace, although one could be optimistic by the limited fighting since last week." Nova snickered. "The Empire, huh. To survive they signed a contract that sold off their soul and here are the ramifications of that. We had no souls worth anything and built up this community with one goal and that: to live." She turned back to look at Cadmus. "All of this is just out of the need to survive and yet we are deemed removable just because we needed a way to live. What idiocy this planet breeds." She rubbed her chin a bit before continuing. "I.. wish to schedule something." Ark arched his eyebrow and dug a pen out of his pocket. "Alright.. what is it?" "I will make my first public announcement as acting leader of this city." Ark's eyes opened in surprise but he dutifully began to write. "On Tuesday, in the afternoon sometime. Two thirty PM." She nodded to herself. "I will address the reorganization of the Darkfire into something resembling a fighting force and address the pending war with Nadine. Get the word out." Ark nodded to her and saluted, walking back into the Beast's Lair. She smiled amusingly at herself. 99 percent of the people in Nadine didn't know of or doubted her existence. In Cadmus she had been leading from the shadows, everyone knew her but no one [i]knew[/i] her. Now she arrived at the point where she was forced to reveal herself to all so she could efficiently command the city's defensive effort. With a quiet sigh, she turned and went back inside.. ---------------------- OOC: It is currently July 31st- just a day before the bombing occurs. I want you all to post starting from this date and, well, do whatever- embellish your character a bit more, meet up with other characters in your city, muck around with NPCs, whatever. I'll move along to August 1st pretty soon- but use this as sort of a 'calm before the storm' where you can establish things about your character. Or, do whatever, I suppose.[/color]

[color=crimson]Stand strong. You have a plethora of people here who wish you well and want to do all they can to help you. That, if nothing else, should comfort you a bit- people [i]care[/i]. All of these people care about you. Somehow this response seems paltry in comparison to the unending, multiple paragraph tangents people have been going on. :animesighOh well. Maybe that's a good thing. Anyway, keep your chin up. Keep on tromping.[/color]

[color=crimson]"I'm not one to be a pessimist but is there any chance of an ambush up here?" Ashwin said to his peers as they went along, ever nearing the gate. "By those armed men? I don't think so." Eso replied. "They aren't exactly grand strategists. I'd stay concerned [i]that[/i]." He pointed behind him. The monstrous dragon let out a well-timed roar and Ashwin nodded. "I'd say that is rather concerning, yes." "Alno'dra, was it?" James said and looked to his new acquaintance. "I don't suppose you have some ability that would slow that thing down?" "I don't think so." Alno'dra said as he glanced back at it. "That's.. a rather tall order." "Blast." James said with a quick shake of his head. "I was afraid of that." "Don't worry, we're almost there." Eso said, trying to pep them up. "Just a bit more. Keep up the pace." The dragon's roar ripped through the air again, closer than ever. "Slow it down, huh." Ashwin sighed and beckoned to his familiar. "Kira." His familiar snapped to attention and quickly flew up to him. He nodded to her and whispered something so no one else heard, "[size=1]I'm going to use some death magic. Our survival takes some priority over my concerns that someone will question my ability to use it.[/size]" She nodded back to him and flew behind him, turning around to face the dragon. Ashwin unsheathed his cutlass and carved a rune into his left palm, chanting the words as he ran- [i]"We the demons of the Night do call upon the Nether's power to hinder our foe. We call upon the wrathful fist of the Giant, oh Goddess. Servants of you always, we invoke your strength to summon forth the acrimonious dead."[/i] The two repeated it over until a slight black haze wafted around the group and settled over Ashwin's cut palm. He halted suddenly and slammed his palm into the ground and spoke the word "[b]Amen.[/b]" The black haze settled into the ground with his blood; he leapt backwards, turned, and sprinted to catch up to the group. As the dragon flew over the spot, a gargantuan rotted hand ripped through the earth and grabbed the dragon forcefully. The dragon let out an aggressive roar and began to struggle violently with the hand- but it held fast onto the dragon, refusing to let go. "What.. is [i]that[/i]?" James asked with some surprise. "Parlor trick. Every newbie mage can do it." Ashwin not-so-subtly lied. "We're heroes, Ashy!" Kira cried triumphantly. "We've saved the day!" "Heroes, eh. Well, I bought us maybe a minute." Ashwin said while glancing back at the struggling dragon. "Probably less from how strong that thing is." "Make it count, then." Eso said. "Let's get ourselves through that gate- when it does free itself, it should chase us out without doing much more to the town." "And then?.." Lynn asked with the tilt of her head. There was no answer. They arrived at the gate and Ashwin found it surreal to see it devoid of any crowds- no merchants, no travelers, no nothing. Just lingering silence. Even that was broken by the horrendous roar of their pursuer as it rinded itself from from the hand. It ascended up into the air and let off bursts of magic, pummeling the hand. Battered and ripped apart, the pieces of the hand slowly seeped back into the ground and let off a black steam as they dissipated. The dragon's eyes traced along the road they had traveled before it locked onto the group as they took their first steps through the gate. He charged forward through the air continuing his chase at a frenzied pace.[/color]

[color=crimson]Lynn went to retrieve her dagger and seemed perturbed at having to take it out of the swordsman's eye. "Uhm.. that's kind of gross." She shook her head. "Ucky." She slid it out of the man and shook her head. "Very, very ucky." Ashwin arched his eyebrow, "You've been killing people for most of the afternoon and you find that disgusting?" "Uhmm.. just a bit." She shook her head in embarrassment. "Nevermind me.." Ashwin turned to Eso and Tesera. "Well, you two are pretty popular today. I-" "[i]Ohmygoodness.[/i] More new people!" Kira flew out and took off her hat, "I am Kira! Dark fairy of legendary stature! Pleasure to make your acquaintance." She bowed, as she had done several times already this day. Ashwin gave her an odd glance and got only a smile in return. "Anyway.." He leaned against a wall with his arms crossed, "Do you guys have any idea of what is going on?" "Only a weak theory or two." Tesera said with a shake of her head. "Not a time to figure any more of it out, either." Eso said, his speech harried by slight fatigue. "We need to get her out of the city as quickly as possible. Can you all act as some sort of an escort?" "An escort?" Ashwin tilted his head. "We've been attacked every few minutes by men like that." He gestured to the frozen swordsman. "If not them it's large, viscous dragons." He sighed slightly. "We [b]need[/b] your help." "Then I will help you, Eso." Lynn said as she finished wiping her blade clean on a nearby festival banner. Ashwin turned and stared at her oddly. "...[i]Uhmm[/i], I mean." She paused and fidgeted nervously. "If that's alright.." She looked to Ashwin. "Can we?" He shrugged. "Yeah, fine. I can't speak for Nait or James, but my little group will help you out. One thing though." Ashwin raised his hand, his pointer finger pointed upward. "I'm worried about Vincent. Old friend and such- you haven't seen him, have you? About my age, large sword, probably trying to help you out from the town square? Maybe yelling out some weird dialect? Kinda hard to miss." Ashwin scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, that sounds familiar. I saw him in sort of a passing glance from the sky." Eso replied. "Haven't seen him since, though." "Blast it." Ashwin shook his head. "We can't double back and find him.. mm." "Ashy.. he'll be fine." Kira said in a quiet tone. "Just trust his strength." Ashwin nodded at this and faded into a state of quiet contemplation. Eso looked to Nait and James, "What about you two? Will you help us out?"[/color]

[color=crimson][b]Name[/b]: Nova. [b]Age[/b]: "She appears to be in her early twenties but she is known to be much older than that. Youthful appearance is a side affect from unknown period of time spent as a specimen of the research center. Estimated maximum life span ranges from three to four times that of a normal human." - Nadine SDF Intelligence, Nova's File. [b]Gender[/b]: Female Altered. [b]City of Residence[/b]: Cadmus, Jotun's Pit. [b]Loyalty[/b]: The Guild. [b]Job[/b]: Leader of the Guild. [b]Abilities[/b]: The black mass overtook the room, blocking out the clean, white light that was shining down from the ceiling. "Subject 7, halt your aggressive actions immediately or we will be forced to punish you." The speaker had a horrid feedback that irritated my nerves. The darkness ripped the speaker clear off of the wall and sent it flying through the protective window. The sound of the glass shattering mirrored my own frayed nerves, a parallel that amused me. I walked to the broken window and stared into the observation room. Six armed guards stared back, their assault rifles raised. They had an intense look of courage on their face that brought a grin to my face. "Stand down, Subject 7. We will kill you if you refuse to cease and desist." I snickered at this and pushed my black hair out of my eyes to get a good look at this man. He was handsome, that was for sure. Nice hair, chiseled good looks. Military man, huh? I have no problems with that.. but it's too bad he's threatening to kill me. I took another step forward and his finger pressed harder on the trigger. "Subject 7! This is your last warning. We [b]will[/b] be forced to open fire if you continue to do this!" I took another step forward. "Goddamn it, why don't you listen to me?" He shook his head. "Just stand down and we will be lenient! It doesn't have to go on like this." "I have no intention of stopping or ceasing or desisting or whatever other terms you wish to use. What I intend to do is kill as many of the people who have me imprisoned here as possible, as brutally as possible. That, unfortunately, includes you fine gentlemen." The handsome squad leader nodded to his subordinates. "Oh, my-my. Have you decided you are actually going to kill me? Tsk." Each of them took aim and pulled the trigger. The sound of gunfire shattered the subtle serenity the white room had just prior. The bullets had no effect, however. I looked at each of the soldiers through the darkness that had risen in my defense, all the bullets ricocheting off of it. They ceased firing and stared in shock at me. I smiled and shook my head. "We've arrived at an unfortunate place in time, gentlemen- this is going to be where you die. Not too glorious, is it?" The darkness seeped into the observation room, overtaking the six armed men. It consumed them, eating them alive. "What.. what the **** is this?" The squad leader struggled to say, his voice racked with pain. Blood poured out of his mouth and I looked at him in pity. "It's like.. a goddamn fire.. a goddamn fire of darkness.. why did I have to-" His voice ceased as the blackness overtook his head, muffling his cries of pain as it killed him. The darkness receded and swirled around me, passively waiting. The only remnants of the guards was the blood that was splattered across the room- it was slowly sliding down the walls, dripping down the ceiling and pooling on the floor. I gingerly leapt into the observation room and to the door. The blood stained my all-white specimen's outfit and I paused for a moment, looking at it. It looked better with the blood on it. I smiled and stepped out of the room into the hallway. Alarms roared to life and a voice came on over the loudspeaker- "Subject 7 has escaped from Observation Cell 66, 2nd Sector, Sub-level 4! All available guards are ordered to this area and are hereby given permission to terminate Subject 7 with extreme prejudice. I repeat.." The darkness spread down the hallway like a demonic fire.. - Nova's escape from the 'Meteorological and Oceanographic Institute of Asgard', thirty and a half years ago. 79 killed. 121 wounded. Extensive damage to the facility itself. It is the incident that lead to the closure of the entire research facility. [b]Weapon of Choice[/b]: Herself. [b]Appearance[/b]: Is as attached. She is 5'6" and is somewhat petite. She usually wears her formal outfit as leader of the Guild that is as pictured. She enjoys feminine clothing and would appear out of place in Cadmus if not for the fact she never goes out in the daytime. [b]Personality[/b]: She is playful and yet maintains a negative, melancholy atmosphere around her. She is intelligent and a very capable leader. With this though is a lingering part of her who handles bloodshed almost a little too well- finding it to be amusing, even. She has no qualms with killing and often toys with those she is about to kill. She is fond of the ocean, as the majority of altered seem to be, and spend most of her relaxation time near it. Her opinion of Nadine is unknown, though it's implied she disapproves of their actions. Enigmatic and mysterious, she is relatively unknown to the general population of Cadmus.. but that is bound to change. [b]Biography[/b]: I walked amongst the prisoners and saw a young boy sitting with a younger girl. They must have been in their mid teens. I approached them and leaned down, looking at them with sympathy. "What are you two doing here?" "Whole ******* family was sent here. Political dissidents or some such ****.. my parents are dead. Same wit' her." The boy said wearily. "Got nothin' left but each other.." "What are your names?" I sat down next to them. "Name's Zack. Zack Sivart. This 'ere is Jennifer. Jennifer Hanna." He said and gestured to his girlfriend. The young girl smiled shyly and me, giving a slight wave. "Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you." I nodded to them. "Perhaps we can be friends." "How about you, chicka? What's your name?" Zack said, glancing to me. "Hm?" I blinked. No one had asked for my name in awhile. "Oh, people call me Nova." "Nova?" He arched an eyebrow. "What kind of ******* name is Nova?" Jennifer elbowed him. "Zack, watch it." She leaned forward and smiled at me. "I think Nova is a nice name." "It's more of a nickname." I smiled back at her. "Oh, ****. Sorry. I'm jus kinda out of it right now.. not really my usual charismatic self, ya know?" He said and smiled. "Charismatic my ***." Jennifer commented. "Hey, hey. Com'on, I have my moments." He eyed her with amusement. There was a fervor amongst the other prisoners. My interest piqued, I rose and tapped one on the shoulder. "Something going on?" "You didn' hear? Our home country ******* fell apart. Goddamn civil war, we have no ******* masters anymore." He replied. "You know what this means, don't you?" I tilted my head. "******* revolution. We can take this island for sure now." He nodded and smiled. "This will be our island soon. You can take my ******* word for it." "Oh. Thank you for the information." I smiled sweetly and sat back down next to Zack. "What's goin on?" He asked me. I turned to him and shrugged. "Chaos is brewing." ---- The sound of gunfire ripped across the background, breaking me out of my trance. I sat on the shores of the ocean, the ruins of the Administrative City behind me. Smoke pillared up into the sky, blanketing out the sun and casting a gloomy appearance over it all. "I'll be going now, Hannah." I waved to my friend. "Thanks for your company. It's always nice to have someone with me as I relax on the beach." She nodded and waved back. I turned and walked up into the city towards my hovel of a home. A man stopped me, rifle aimed at my head. "What faction do you belong to? I ain't never seen you around before." "I belong to none." I looked at him with disinterest. "What the **** does that mean? Everyone belongs to a faction. Don't **** with me. What faction do you belong to?" I sighed a bit and gestured as I spoke. "I would appreciate it if you moved. You're in my way." "What..? Fool, didn't you hear what I jus asked you?" I nodded. "Yes. However, I promptly ignored it. Get out of my way." His face flushed with rage. "*****, you just struck out." He pushed the gun to my forehead. "Enjoy hell." "Hold up, Coug'!" The man halted. Zack ran up, gasping for breath. "She's cool, man. She's a good friend of me and Jen." "This weirdo is your ******* friend? You keep strange company, Zack." He looked at me. "You just lucked out. I was about to blow your brains out." He started to walk off. "Have a nice day." I said as he walked way. He turned and gave me a dirty look before continuing on. "Man, Nova. Don't **** around so much, you're bound to get killed messing with all these ******** like that." Zack said and shook his head. "Pardon my lack of interest in all this factional violence." I approached him. "How are things?" "Pretty ******, pretty ******* ******." Zack rested his assault rifle on his shoulder. "Getting reports of some kind of unified force moving into the city. Some kind of innocent-altered alliance. Ain't nobody give a **** though, they think it's all just rumor. I'm not so sure though." "The unified will destroy that which is not unified." I walked into the ruins that served as my home. "I wouldn't be surprised if it does happen." "What would you do, Nova? You stay here or **** around with us some more?" He followed me into the house and took a seat on the ground. "What would I do?" I paused and stared out of one of the many holes in the ceiling of my home, up into the sky. "I don't really know." --- "I will cover your escape." I looked to Zack and Jennifer. The sky was alight with tracer fire as the factions were being slowly pushed out of the city. "Get moving." "Uh, Nova. How the **** will you do that? You ain't a marksmen, you ain't a melee fighter." Zack looked at me an arched eyebrow. I smiled at his ignorance. "I do not require either of those skills to be able to kill. Please, trust me." He gave a slight nod, still questioning my abilities with the look on his face. "Nova.. be careful, kay?" Jennifer looked at me with worry. "Don't worry. Just escape into the wilderness. I will hold off any attacks until you are away." Both of them nodded and ran off into the night, disappearing into the shadows. I turned and eyed the oncoming force. Within the night, my own shadows began to cover the terrain around me. "I loathe myself when I am philanthropic." I said with a sigh. "Oh well.. too late for that." I crouched down as the soldiers came within twenty feet of me. "Hello, mine enemies." I whispered to myself. "Welcome to hell." The shadows seized them and consumed them, their screams breaking the tranquility of the evening. Their cries lessened and their blood splattered on myr face. I sighed and wiped off my face with the tatters I called a shirt. "How many more will come this way, I wonder." I rubbed my chin a bit. "Dozens. Maybe hundreds?" I sighed. "Freeze, Nova." A familiar voice said. "Sean?" I asked, peering through the darkness. "Sean Star-Wind?" "Hello, Nova." He said calmly. "I suggest you stop your slaughter or else I will be forced to try to kill you." He shook his head. "I don't want to have to do that." The clan was with him, I knew most of them very well. They were good friends, all of them and yet I had just.. I smiled grimly. "Ahh, my-my. All of us on Asgard are fallen angels, aren't we? Now that I have killed members of your unified faction, I cannot return to this town." I shook my head negatively. "I have a request. If you don't attack me or my two friends, we will withdraw from here without shedding more blood. Is this offer adequate?" He considered it and finally turned to his clan-mates. "Let's go." I smiled. "Thank you, Sean. I apologize for this." I looked at Hannah. "Thank you, friend. I won't forget you.. stay strong. And stay alive- both of you." She nodded to me before disappearing into the evening with Sean. I stood alone in the darkness and looked up into the starry sky, losing myself in eternity. ---- "Nova, did you hear? They Chief was ******* killed." I looked up to Zack with disbelief. "Yeah, you heard me, man- they got him this mornin'. There's a hole in his head as big as your fist- prolly an anti-tank rifle or somethin'. Whole of the town is ****** over in chaos. Factions 'n ****- we're back to the goddamn way it was just a couple of months ago." He sighed and sat down next to me on the beach, eying the waves. "Damn, I thought the Chief was the one. ******' hero in the war- took out hundreds of those elitist fuckers. Good people skills, good head on him.. damn, man. I jus can't believe he's dead. He was warming up to me too! ****." He spit to his right and rested his head on his knees. "****.." "Blasted mongrels." I said with contempt. "When will this cycle of violence end? How many leaders have we gone through since we lost the war? Twenty-three in five years? Tch', this community is bound to die from all of this asinine faction-based violence. Zack." I stood up and dusted myself off. "I've grown weary of these fools. We are taking action." He stared at me in confusion and I sighed. "Do you or do you not want some semblance of tranquility to return to your life? Some kind of stability? For you, for Jennifer- for your newborn son. For the entire community." "Yeah, I guess so.. Jen is my everything, you know? After we retreated out of Nadine, there was nothing left of my dreams or future.. jus' her." I nodded. "I have a favor to ask. Gather all the Altered you can here." He arched an eyebrow. "For what, Nova? You ain't plannin to.." "Yes. I am. Go." I looked at him seriously. "Now." "Whoa, okay. Jus.. don't get mad or nothin. Your pretty ****** when you're mad. I'll be back." He leapt up and gave a wave as he ran off towards Cadmus. I looked back to the ocean and closed my eyes, fading into the the serenity it held.. --- I walked into city hall. Several heavily armed men approached me and stopped me, serious looks in their eyes. "This is the territory of the Apollo gang. We recently seized control of this city hall and are now the leaders of Cadmus. I'm afraid that, you know, you can't just walk in here.. so I'm going to have to tell you to get the **** out, we clear?" I smiled. "Crystal." He smiled back. His smile turned into shock as the shadows flowed from my feet, swirling around me. "But, I'm afraid that I cannot 'get the **** out'. You see, this is something of a coup de' tat." I gestured broadly. "I'm going to kill everyone in this building. Your boss. His sub-commanders. Their subordinates. Their grunts. Their families. Their children. All of it. We're starting anew, you see?" I pointed to him with a smile. "But you, I like you. If you want to survive, I suggest you leave. Immediately." He nodded slowly and fled the building, leaving his scared comrades behind him. "Well, who does that leave." I looked to the remaining men. Each of them stared at the darkness that continued to creep out from me, spreading towards them. "Ahh, what [i]lucky[/i] men you are. This is where your lives come to a close. No regrets?" Stunned silence. "Well, that's good. They always say to live with no regrets. Let's start the show. Don't blink- you might miss something [i]spectacular[/i]." Their screams could be heard across the city. --- "Chief, we've cleared the building. You uh.. ****, I mean, there ain't nothing left. Jus.. blood." Zack scratched his chin nervously. "Uh, what do we do now?" "We begin our rule. Contact the members of the Guild and tell them that the coup has succeeded. From there, we implement our plans. We will organize this city into something resembling a functioning town. Something with order, no matter how tainted it is. We will never be as pure, celestial or successful as Nadine, but we will survive through this hell." My eyes locked onto his. "Get moving." "Ma'am." He saluted and walked out of the room. I sat down, rested my elbows on the desk and folded my hands. "Thus begins a new age. I wonder where fate will take us all.." - Series of events ending with the Guild's takeover of Cadmus twenty five years ago.[/color]

[color=crimson]Kira held onto Ashwin's cloak with one hand and her hat with the other as he rushed across the rooftops. They had just witnessed the aerial battle between Dryoga and the monstrous dragon that ended with Dryoga's crash landing. "Damn." That was all Ashwin could say but it mirrored the feelings of all of them perfectly. "Ashy, maybe we should go help them. They crashed just a short distance away, you know? I think they could use the help of a n-" [size=1]"[b]Shh!![/b] [i]Bane mage[/i]. I'm officially a bane mage in this town."[/size] He responded in a hushed tone of voice. [size=1]"Nobody trusts necromancers. I couldn't live here if they knew that I was one."[/size] [size=1]"Come on, Ashy. You've earned their trust by now, haven't you? Upstanding member of the community, owner of a well-known shop.."[/size] Kira whispered back. [size=1]"Trust doesn't matter, Kira. The public has an opinion that all of them are the purest evil and are nothing but trouble. The only thing I use in this town are curses- no black magic, no death magic. You should know that."[/size] Kira sighed and out of the corner of his eye he could see her shrug. [size=1]"I know, Ashy. I know. Still, isn't it about time you put a little more faith in your fellow townspeople?"[/size] Ashwin shook his head negatively at that statement. "Uhmm.. what are you two whispering about?.." Lynn's uneasy voice came from behind them. "Nothing, nothing. Just catching up on old times." Ashwin said and glanced back with a smile to ease her nerves. She weakly smiled back and Ashwin faced forward again, stopping his run. [size=1]"Don't tell her, either. All that aside, I will agree that we need to get to them. Seems like they need a blasted army to protect themselves."[/size] He knelt down and peered over the edge of the building to the road. "We'll use the roads from now on. Seems like the townspeople have been evacuated successfully." Kira flew up from his shoulder and he leapt down, his familiar flying down behind him with Lynn following behind her. They landed in front of a surprised couple- Nait and a young man he didn't know. "Er." Ashwin said and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Nait. Didn't mean to startle you and your friend." Kira bowed respectfully. "Yes, pardon us." The man looked strangely at the fairy and she smiled at him. Lynn was too shy to say anything but she bowed several times as well. "Have you seen uh," Ashwin's mind blanked at the most inopportune moment and he shook his head, trying to clear his muddled thoughts. "Eso!" He exclaimed as it came back to him. "Yes, Eso and Tesera. Did they come running by here?" Nait shook her head 'no'. "Blast it, they could be anywhere by now." "Do you think they're going to be okay?" Nait asked, looking worried. "I don't think so, no." His voice trailed off and he stared down the road to the town center. "I'm not so sure where they could be, either.." "We were heading to the town center, ourselves." Nait gestured to the man and herself. "I think you should come along. It'd be better than just running around the streets with no idea where to go." "Yeah, I guess you're right. Hm, I should introduce myself I suppose.." Ashwin offered his hand to the man. "Ashwin Crow. Mage, shopkeeper and enigmatic jumper of rooftops. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." They shook hands. "This is my daughter, Lynn." He gestured to Lynn who shyly waved to the man. "And.. my familiar, Kira." "[i]Ohmygoodness.[/i] I love meeting new people! Nice to meet you two!" Kira took off her hat and bowed to them. "I am Kira, the most spectacular dark fairy you will ever have the chance to meet! Lucky you." She winked. "Yeah, pardon her.. enthusiasm. Anyway, who would you be, young sir?" Ashwin looked back to the man.[/color]

[color=crimson]Lynn landed once again next to her father panting rather heavily. Ashwin gazed up into the sky at Tesera. She had picked up some random person and Ashwin couldn't really get a good look at them. "Looks like trouble." He said and pointed to the dragon Tesera was facing in combat. "That one looks a bit more dangerous than the rest of them." "Can we.. help them? Uhm, I mean, is there any way we can.." Lynn's voice trailed off and she gestured erratically, visibly worried. "Well we can't fly up there and join their little aerial escapade, no." He said with narrowed eyes. Lynn's shoulders slumped in disappointment. He shrugged and continued. "What do you expect? This isn't exactly the best territory for a nec-" He stopped himself in time and sharply cleared his throat. "Rather, a bane mage to be in. Any curses I throw up into their area would affect them as well. Invoking dozens of individual curses for each dragon would drain me." ".. Uhm. Do it.. anyway?" She asked quietly. He blinked strangely. She shook her head negatively. "They might die up there, father! Even if you faint, shouldn't you.." She stopped and closed her eyes. "Uhm.. I'm sorry. I just.." A sigh escaped from his lips and he sheathed his cutlass. "I know someone who can help us. I suggest you stand back. This elemental is not people-friendly." He made a 'shoo' gesture with his hands. Lynn took several steps backwards and leaned against a chimney. He clasped his hands together and began the incantation. "Goddess of the Nether.." His voice fell into a quiet murmur. A small, dark purple orb formed in front of him. It violently snapped and sizzled until a loud groan came out from it. Two eyes opened on it's face and it stared straight at Ashwin. "Ashwin Crow, Servant of the Night. It's been awhile." The orb stated in a voice that was female. It rotated and looked at Lynn. "You adopted that child from five years ago, hm? Amusing." The orb shimmered slightly. It turned back to Ashwin. "Do you have a request? Or is this just a casual occasion?" "I need you to return my familiar from whatever blasted land she's been vacationing in for the last seven years." "Your familiar is on vacation? Equally amusing." The orb pulsated- it seemed to be it's way of laughing. "She just took off randomly one day." Ashwin said with a shake of his head. "It isn't my fault she's a basket case." "Is that all? How boring. I'll handle this with ease. Be back in a moment." The orb imploded upon itself, disappearing from view completely. "Uhm..." Lynn stared at Ashwin. "What was [i]that[/i]?" "The most annoying elemental spirit I have ever met on this blasted planet." He shook his head negatively as he spoke. "And.. what did you mean by familiar?" "I'm talking about Kira. My familiar. Most mages opt to have a helper in the form of a spirit, pixie or whatever. In lieu of that, I have a fairy of darkness. Been with me since my first year at the magic academy, actually." He said with a nod. "She's the oldest friend I've got." "I didn't know that.." Lynn pondered this. "No reason for you to. She went off to tour the world or something seven years ago. She's uh." He furrowed his brow. "Unique. She's unique." The orb blinked back into shape in front of them. "Crow. Here's your familiar. Try to keep her around this time." It spit out a fairy clad in an all black dress, matched with a black wizard's hat. She had waist length, pink hair and green eyes that glowed slightly. She was visibly confused and disoriented. The orb shimmered and eyed Ashwin. "Call on me whenever you desire." It winked. "Tata~" The orb disappeared, leaving the confused fairy behind. The fairy saw Ashwin and leapt for joy [literally], flying over to him. "Ashy! Kira, your servant, has returned! It's been too long, my lord!" Kira said enthusiastically. "Ashy?.." Lynn blinked several times. Kira peered at Lynn and let out a giggle. "[i]Ohmygoodness.[/i] Who is this little darling?" "Good to see you, Kira. That's Lynn. I adopted her some years back." Ashwin said and gestured to the aerial battle. "See that-" "Lady Lynn, it is a pleasure to meet you!" Kira said happily; took off her hat and formally bowed in midair. "I am Kira, dark fairy extraordinaire and loyal servant of your father." Lynn curtsied and smiled. "Good to meet you, Miss Kira. I hope we can be good friends." Ashwin rubbed his forehead and sighed. "Yeah.. okay, listen- you two can get acquainted later. We're kind of involved in an emergency here." He pointed the aerial dogfight. "Kira, see that?" "Oh my- what's going on?" She asked and tilted her head quizzically. "No one knows. It's been going on for a few minutes now." He rolled up his sleeves and looked to her. "I need your help with spells. We're going limit their ability to slaughter each other. Make the curses very strong. Don't hit the dragon with the riders. They are the people we're trying to protect. Lynn, I want you to keep us covered. Strong magical incantations take more than a minute to complete usually. We won't be able to defend ourselves." "Uhmm.. you can count on me!" Lynn said confidently and gave her father a thumbs up. "Alright, let's do it." "Understood, Ashy!" Kira flew up and landed on Ashwin's head. Their movements mirrored each other as both of them folded their hands together and began to murmur an incantation. As their unified murmurs continued a hazy black mass formed above their heads. It churned violently and let out a loud, inhuman groan. The seconds ticked on, their combined murmuring growing louder and more audible. [i]"We the demons of the Night do call upon the Nether's power to inflict a contagion upon our enemy. Atrophy their strength and destroy their speed, oh Goddess. Servants of you always, we invoke your strength to summon forth this hex."[/i] This repeated several times until just over a minute had passed. The black mass was quiet now- it stood still, hovering over the heads of them. "[b]Amen[/b]." Ashwin and Kira both stated at the same time. The black mass shot across the sky, letting out a horrendous scream. It smashed into the body of one of the fighting dragons, melding into it. The dragon struggled for a few seconds as a runic script burned onto it's forehead. It's strength began to leave it and it started to fall from the sky. It let out a monstrous roar and the script disappeared. The dragon flapped it's powerful wings and regained it's altitude, returning to the fight. "Uhmm.." Lynn began. ".. what happened?" "I really hate trying to curse dragons." Ashwin muttered and shook his head. "In this berserker state their resistance to curses is through the roof. I can't weaken them in the least. It is all up to Tesera now." Kira tilted her head and placed her hand on her chin. "Tesera? Who is that? Some kind of sorceress?" "Hm? Oh, pretty famous human. Might be a sorceress, I'm not too sure anymore. She sorta inadvertently started this whole mess. She's up there on that dragon." Ashwin rubbed his arm a few times to try to ease the dull pain that lingered from his earlier mishaps. "And.. who's that with her?" Kira asked and pointed to the figure behind Teresa. "I never really took a careful look." He raised his hand to shield his eyes and squinted as he tried to make out the figure. "I'm pretty sure.." He chuckled. "I think that's Eso." "Err, Eso?" Lynn peered up towards the dragon as well. Her eyes widened as she spoke. "Wow.. uhm, what is he doing up there?" "Who knows." Ashwin said with a shrug. He unrolled his sleeves and took his cloak from Lynn. As he put it on he cracked his neck from side to side. "I'm sure he's as confused as we are." "What do we do now, father?" Lynn asked and scratched her cheek. "Uhm.. I mean, if we can't do anything to the dragons.." Kira flew down and sat on Ashwin's shoulder. "Aww. Your daughter is pretty cute, Ashy." "Yes, well." He arched an eyebrow. "Anyway, I'm not really sure what we should do. I've run out of ideas at this point. Let's get back to the square. I think Vincent is there, maybe we could help him out." "Vincent? [i]Ohmygoodness.[/i] I haven't seen him in forever!" Kira nodded to herself. "It's great to be back with you, my lord!" "Haha. Hang on, Kira. We're going roofhopping." He said and approached the edge of the roof. "Uhm.. is this kind of our preferred method of transportation, now?" Lynn asked with a grin. "I think it just might be. Quick, relatively painless." He said as he leapt to the next roof. "Kind of fun once you get used to it." They made their way along the rooftops towards the square where it had all started..[/color]

[color=crimson]The assassin fell into a peaceful slumber, a curse rune appearing on his forehead. He slumped over calmly and snoozed away, entering into his nice dream land. Lynn landed next to Ashwin and opened her mouth to say something before she eyed the cutlass. "Erm.. can you, uhm-" She paused and gestured. ".. use that sword?" "Huh? Oh, the cutlass." He hesitated but smiled weakly. "Long story." He shook his head. He noted the blood on her dagger and nodded. "You're doing well. Keep it up. Get moving." She nodded and leapt off to a different roof with ease. "Old mages just aren't made for all this rooftop crap." He said to himself and not-as-easily jumped to a different roof. "Just where are all these assassins coming from. There's no way that-" The rooftop gave way and caved in, sending him crashing down into a bedroom. He groaned weakly and got up. He was covered in dust from the building and it caused him to sneeze. He cursed and dusted himself off which let off a light cloud of dust that caused him to sneeze again. He sighed softly. He looked up through the hole and his eyes widened. A sphere of dark energy smashed into the house, unleashing an explosion of magic that shook the structure and sent Ashwin flying out of the second story window. He flew down through the front window of a store and into a large display of clothes. He stood up shakily and regained his senses. "Pardon my mess.." He muttered aloud and walked out of the shop through the destroyed window. A guard ran up to him; grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him lightly a couple of times. "Sir! Are you alright?! Do you require medical attention?" Ashwin pointed to the people along the street. Some had been struck by pieces of debris and others were in a state of shock. "Tend to them." The guard hesitated for a second but ran off, yelling loudly for a healer. Ashwin sheathed his cutlass and climbed up onto the rooftops again, using a series of Festival displays as a makeshift stairway. His body was sore and he was cut in several places although none of them were too serious. He rubbed his shoulder a bit and sighed. "No rest for the weary." An explosion rocked the area and Ashwin turned towards it, shielding his eyes from the brightness of the blast. A column of smoke rose into the air, blanketing the sky with darkness. "Blasted dragons are destroying this town without even meaning to." Loud shouting came from the direction of the fire as the guards rushed to contain the blaze. "I wonder if Nait.." He trailed off. He shook his head and continued on along the rooftops.[/color]

[color=crimson]"U-u-uhm, father- is this considered.. a 'dragon attack'?" Lynn asked him shakily trying to calm her own nerves. "That's a great question. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure." Ashwin took her by the hand and led her to the side of the road. Panic was spreading around them, crowds fleeing as quickly [and chaotically] as they could. He knelt down and looked her in the eye. "I have a change of plans for you. I want you to go to the shop. I want you to get inside, I want you to arm yourself. I want you to stay there. If anyone comes in seeking trouble, kill them. If anyone comes in seeking help, [i]don't[/i] kill them. If you think you need to run, do so. Understand, Lynn? Keep yourself alive." She nodded. "Then go. Go like the wind. Be confident, be brave and get moving. I'll join you in a few minutes." She nodded once more and fled towards the shop, maintaining some sense of purpose amongst the chaotic crowd around her. Ashwin's gaze went to the sky and he was awestruck by the aerial dogfight between the dragons, even as one of their hulking frames came tumbling down into a nearby crowd of fleeing people. "I've never seen dragons behave like this before.." He murmured to himself. His eyes traced around him, his mind searching for what he should do. He thoughts were cut off by an errant fireball. It cascaded down at him and he reached into his cloak. He flipped out a scroll right as the fireball was set to hit him and it crashed into a barely visible, light blue barrier. It dissipated quickly and he tossed the used scroll away. It turned to ash and was lifted up into the sky by the wind. He eyed the scene above and arched an eyebrow as he noticed Teresa up there. "Strange, strange things.." "Father!" He looked and saw Lynn approaching him. He let out a sigh as she approached. She breathed heavily and struggled to catch her breath. "I.. I'm back." "I'm pretty sure that I didn't say that you should come back out here." "Remember what you said before? Uhm, we.. fight to the end. If we lose we uh.. start anew." She gestured. "I'm here to fight at your side." He regretted saying that now and shook his head. "Please, I brought my dagger. That's uhm.. my 'forte', right? I can fight!" She nodded. "So you want to fight those?" He pointed up to the brutal melee above them. "Errmm.." She hesitated as she watched the violence. She looked back to him with confidence. "Yes! Yes I do." "First rule of real combat!" He held his finger up and walked through the plaza. "Don't be antsy. Those dragons aren't even attacking us yet. I'm not sure what's going on, but none of them are specifically attacking humans. What we can do, however, is cover her from archers." He stopped and stared straight into her eyes. "Do not seize with fear. Do not hesitate to kill. I have had you trained under various rogues on how to fight but you have never had a real fight. Follow your instincts as a warrior and use what you've learned. Do not consider a retreat as cowardice. Survive to fight again. Okay?" "... 'Kay. I understand, father." "No, no you don't but you will have to go through this first time to understand. To the rooftops." He climbed onto a table, up a set of crates and onto a rooftop. Lynn tilted her head; deftly leapt up onto the table, onto the crates and onto the roof. He arched an eyebrow at her and she shrugged with a grin. "Alright. That was pretty good. But- no more jokes, no more casual talk. Kill the archers aiming for Teresa. She's above us." Lynn quickly looked up and her eyes widened. "We will cover her from snipers. If you see Eso, talk to him. He will probably want to know what is going on with Teresa, if he hasn't noticed already. We will split up. If I need help, I will let off a flare." He handed her a scroll. "The same goes for you. I will be able to see it from anywhere in this town. Go." She ran off along the rooftops, leaping over the gaps where necessary. He sighed and ran the other direction leaping over the gaps as necessary as well. He leapt onto a rooftop with an aiming archer and skidded to a halt. He reached under his cloak and unsheathed his hidden cutlass, the very one that had been hanging over the map the night before. He unleashed a quick, skilled series of slashes upon the assassin, leaving him no time to counter. The body of the assassin slumped over and slid off the roof, landing on top of part of the panicked crowd. They screamed and cursed up at Ashwin. He was already gone though, hunting the enigmatic assassins..[/color]

[color=crimson]The island of Asgard. It is a place with a history of brutal violence and unstoppable chaos. It wasn't always like this. Asgard has been many things over the years- it was first built as a military outpost whose mission was to keep an eye on regional developments. When peace was firmly cemented in the area it was morphed into an out-of-the-way research installation whose officially-stated business was 'Meteorological and Oceanographic' studies. In actuality it was a government research facility that tinkered with genetics, mucked around with the concept of ESP and other 'questionable' projects. Most of their research actually showed much promise but it's shadiness forced the government to close it before the general public found out of it's existence- and what it had been doing. The 'specimens' [average joes and janes] were simply integrated into the next incarnation of Asgard- a prison. This prison was full of outcasts- but not all of them were guilty of anything. Some were political scapegoats, some were framed- the innocents and the guilty mixed with the victims of the research institution. This created a very strange, volatile population that required an extremely heavy authoritative presence. This was handled by a garrison of veteran soldiers armed to the teeth and willing to stop any loss of order with extreme force. An uneasy, forced co-existence formed on the island. The administrative area took on the appearance of a capital city as more personnel were sent in to keep the peace. There was some hope within the minds of the less-guilty prisoners that the island was evolving into something more than their own personal hell. However, this brief glimpse of hope was not to last. The nation who controlled Asgard fragmented into warring states. The island was left with no master ruling over it. This spurred the more violent and ambitious of minds on the island to begin to consider starting a war of their own. Aiding this idea was the fact that many of the garrison were recalled to serve in the civil war, leaving behind a skeleton force that couldn't control the island efficiently. These violently ambitious convicts rose in insurrection against the weakened military presence. The other prisoners soon joined their revolution, hoping to find a way get out of their hell and start anew somewhere in the world. The skeleton force desperately tried to subdue them but, after a great loss of life on both sides, was defeated. In the last available aerial and sea transports they evacuated, leaving behind a unstable alliance of prisoners with no way off of Asgard and limited contact with the outside world. The differences within the alliance members caused fractures to form. The 'Asgardians' disintegrated into factions with differing ambitions. Some wanted power, some wanted to get out of there, others had the dream of turning the island into a respectable home- the differing lines of thought couldn't coexist peacefully. They took up the abandoned armaments of the military and turned on each other, reigning in a nightmarish period of bloodshed that lasted just over six months. Within these few months the population of the island was more than halved from it's high of 6,102 registered prisoners down to an estimated 2,800. They died from disease, from the scarcity of food and.. from bullets. The majority of the deaths came from the violent slaughter that was taking place as factions tried to gain a foothold in the abandoned military city. There was a growing resentment of these super-violent gangs due to their ignorant dedication to continuing the slaughter. Finally the resentment spurred action and a unified faction formed between several gangs. They fought the thinning ranks of these violent gangs out of the ruined city, sending them on a full retreat out into the wilderness. The ruined city was occupied by the victorious faction. Most of them were innocent or altered humans, but there were a minority of truly guilty people in the faction who sought redemption for their deeds. This faction, contrary to the alliance in the past, managed to remain unified and claimed the city as their own, naming it Nadine. They worked to reestablish communications with the outside world and, once they did, pleaded desperately for aid- food, construction equipment and otherwise. They found a philanthropic partner- the Autocratic Empire of Arcadia, one of the world's great powers. All other nations wanted nothing to do with the convicts so the leaders of Nadine were forced to agree to the Empire's offer. Asgard became a protectorate under the Empire- in doing so they gained plentiful aid, moral support and military protection. They also were granted limited autonomy. The not-so-victorious gangs banded together in a not-so-glorious fashion. Forced to survive with the limited resources outside of Nadine, they formed into a unstable community. They built for themselves a town. This town has no official name and hardly ever had an official ruler for more than a month in it's first few years. It's own residents usually referred to the town as being named Cadmus and that name became the common name for it. With scarce food, supplies or materials they began to launch raids into Nadine to acquire these things. With this weak influx of ill-gotten resources the town staggered to life. For thirty years these two communities have evolved differently. Nadine has turned into a wondrous city. The economy is focused on information technology and research, with tourism picking up in the last five years. There is a brisk business district full of shops, restaurants and boutiques. Most residents live in tall, impressive apartment complexes. Many people are immigrating to Nadine because of it's picturesque, tropical environment and low taxes. Nadine has an impressive police, fire and health system. It also has it's own self-defense force to defend it from any foreign incursions. Yet, over all of this, there is a melancholy feeling in the air. Seventy to seventy five percent of the citizens of Nadine are survivors of the violent string of events. The crimson stains of the past rest heavily on their minds and continue to affect their lives. The leaders of Nadine are a city council that consists entirely of survivors and their decisions have been increasingly 'influenced' by the Empire. Cadmus is the shadiest place on the planet according to most. It is a rogue's den of questionable individuals and their families. Many famous mercenary groups have their roots in this town. It gets it's resources from 'deals'- most of the city's economy is from types of 'deals'. It the mecca of black market activities. It's economy is focused on black market trades- many unscrupulous individuals exchange weapons, people, 'items' and otherwise in the shadows of Cadmus. All of this, and the city itself, is monitored and ruled by the Guild. The Guild seized power in a violent coup five years after Cadmus' founding and has silently led the city since. Raw materials and food flow into the city through various Guild connections and there is a growing prosperity in some parts of the town. The Guild also is the only location where jobs can officially be posted and taken, although officiality is hardly a concern for most of the citizens of Cadmus. However it is a concern for employers, so the HQ of the Guild is a popular spot as people meander in to get jobs. Immigration to the city is mainly other shady characters like themselves- outcasts of society going to the city of outcasts. We arrive at a period of time where the two communities must, once again, collide with one another. The Empress of Arcadia has grown tired of the "cesspit of Cadmus" and desires it's complete, total annihilation. She has [i]persuaded[/i] the ruling Nadine council to launch a military attack at Cadmus to achieve this goal and offered the support of Imperial military forces, if necessary. In retaliation the Guild has issued a statement to it's residents that says, basically, "defend Cadmus or watch your homes burn to the Empire". It was a convincing argument and the majority of Cadmus' warriors, assassins and otherwise have registered at the Guild headquarters to fight for their city. Rage burns in the hearts of most as they view Nadine as having cast them out into this Hell in the first place- and now they seek to destroy what they have built from the desolation around them. Skirmishes have already broken out just outside of Nadine and the council has rejected the Empress's offer of help saying that it is a "local matter" that they will take care of. Both sides number in the thousands and both have a lingering enmity for the past that they share. Both are well armed, well motivated and prepared for a war of annihilation. ---- [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24494[/img] [i]The most accurate map available of Asgard as made by cartographer Kenneth A. Howell; resident of Arcadia.[/i] The grey area represents the [i]claimed[/i] city limits. This is the claimed area of the city and the two cities have probably not developed all the way out to this line. [b]Geography of Asgard[/b]- Asgard is a sub-tropical island located far from most other nations aside from it's protector, The Autocratic Empire of Arcadia. It is unimpressive in size and natural resources. The world knows of it more for it's history and current inhabitants than for the island itself. It is, however, rather beautiful across the entire island and if true stability or peace is ever achieved it could easily become a haven for a thriving tourism industry. It's aproximate width, from the far end of Nadine to the research base, would end up being around 50-70 miles. You can further estimate it's size from there. [b]Locations on Asgard[/b]- [i]Deadwood Forest[/i]- A large grove of trees that serves as the unofficial borderlands between Nadine and Cadmus. The trees themselves are of a poor quality for building, not being fit for much more than to behold with the eye. Recent research indicates Deadwood to be a ecological haven for several rare species that are only found on Asgard itself so it's lack of use was a blessing in disguise. [i]"The Gorge"[/i]- Unnatural crater that marks the site of a series of large explosions during the prisoners takeover of the island. Was a last ditch attempt by the authority to stop the oncoming army of revolutionaries. Many people died in the subsequent blast [rumored to be caused by a tactical nuclear weapons]. Now serves as a memorial to their hard-fought battles to take control of their island. [i]Research Base Ruins[/i]- Ruins of the "Meteorological and Oceanographic Institute of Asgard". A taboo place for most on the island due to the stories provided by the altered humans of horrible experiments that cause them nightmares to this day. Some opportunistic treasure hunters have attempted to ransack the ruins on several occasions but only pieces of them were found, driving the public to even further lengths to not go there. The deaths remain unsolved to this day. [i]Other Places[/i]- Asgard has not been extensively mapped or explored in the past thirty years due to a mix of laziness, apathy and lack of security. There is thee possibility of other landmarks, ruins or otherwise being somewhere on the island although this is regarded as unlikely. [b]Geography of Nadine[/b]- Nadine is a growing, modern city with high-rising skyscrapers. It is divided into four districts that are interconnected by a lengthy rail system that services the entire city. Connecting the districts together is the central fifth district which comprises of administrative buildings- predominantly the high rising City Hall. It is regarded as being a metropolis in the making- all it needs is some real peace and security which is, unfortunately, increasingly lacking. The city's population is estimated to be 4,562. [b]Locations in Nadine[/b]- [i]"The Administrative District of the Imperial City of Nadine"[/i] aka [i]Aesir's District[/i]- Central district. Main feature is the large, black skyscraper that was formerly used by the administration as their main office and now serves as City Hall. The City Council meets in a lavish room on the uppermost levels. Home to all offices integral to the daily running of Nadine and it's Self-Defense Force. Police and fire headquarters are located within this district. Also houses the educational facilities for the entire city- a complex for elementary, middle, high and university education. The university has become increasingly higher in quality and is on the threshold of being one of the better ones in the world. Infamous due to it's unappealing, unattractive military architecture dating back to the prison days. [i]Midas' District[/i]- Northwest District. Holds the wealthy business area and port of Nadine. There are a few scattered, expensive apartments within it but it is mainly home to corporations and shops. The Port of Nadine is rather mediocre port as Nadine has no real export beyond information technologies. It is, however, somewhat busy as it carries in the necessary food and supplies from the Empire that Nadine needs. The residents of the northwestern district are rather wealthy, high ranking people- government officials, company executives, medical doctors and the like. [i]The Dominion[/i]- Southwest District. Seaside residencies and research facilities dominate the district. Most of the altered humans seem to live in this district due to a demographic-wide "love of the ocean" [speculation abounds as to what causes this quirky trait of the Altered]. Home of the Nadine Medical Center. The research facilities here are mostly medical and electronics. Upper middle-class people live here. Mostly scientists of the labs or high-ranking workers in the businesses or port just to the north. [i]Godheim[/i]- Southeast District. Predominantly military district. Houses barracks and storage facilities used by the Nadine Self-Defense Force. It is also home to the Nadine Imperial Military Academy, a local academy for the training of SDF hopefuls. Main residents are soldiers, officers or middle class families. There have been some problems with crime lately, but the government seems content with blaming it on individuals from Cadmus. Most people believe that to be true even if there is no proof of it. [i]Heaven's Gate[/i]- Northeast District. Lower middle class and under. This district is mainly filled with the less fortunate of Nadine's citizens. It is purely a residency district with sporadic small businesses across it. Home of the most disgruntled of Nadine's citizens and the least supportive of the City Council. Called Heaven's Gate due to the fact the overtly-rich Midas district is, amusingly, situated just next door. [b]Geography of Cadmus[/b]- Cadmus is unique in a negative way. It had no real urban planning placed into it's development so there are no districts, no divisions or any real order to where things are placed. There is no mass transportation system in place. The majority go on foot or motorcycle around their city and island. In the south half of the city is the large headquarters of the Guild which is nicknamed "Beast's Lair". The city population is estimated to be 5,790. [b]Locations in Cadmus[/b]- [i]Dragon's Heights[/i]- Northern half of Cadmus. Contains the Guild-operated Port of Cadmus which is, surprisingly, more impressive than Nadine's due to the heavy amount of black market shipments that roll in and out of the town. Residencies in this area are a mix of shithole tenements and reasonable estates. Even when living like this, many people in Dragon's Heights are rather well off- they have no desire to lavishly display their wealth in a town of thieves. Smart, that. [i]Jotun's Pit[/i]- Southern half of Cadmus. Houses the Beast's Lair, home of the Guild. Most Guild officials live in the Southern half of Cadmus and rich homes are easier to come by. This is mainly due to the fact these homes are owned by Guild officials and you really, really don't want to steal from them. Other, more notable members of the community live there- famous mercenary bands, rogues and otherwise. Most of the stores in Cadmus are also located in this district- you can buy anything you can imagine in Jotun's Pit. If you want it, more than likely someone there has it. [i]Beast's Lair[/i]- The Guild's headquarters. Known across the world as being [b]the[/b] place to post shady jobs you want done quickly, correctly and without fuss. Frequented by a bevy of [in]famous people and even more hopefuls who want to be like them. The lower two floors are open to the residents of Cadmus- there, they can find jobs, inquire about jobs or collect the reward for jobs done. The third, fourth and fifth floor are where jobs are posted by clients. They are interviewed, the details of the jobs are written down and, if the job is accepted, it will be transferred down to the first two floors. Above that is where the rulers of Cadmus work, plan and conspire. Hardly anyone beyond top officials of the Guild are allowed up there. [b]The People of Asgard[/b]- [i]The Altered[/i]- Ex-specimens or descendants thereof. Illegally snatched from their lives as civilians and used for testing that unlocked or gave them abilities that normal people do not have. They are spread between the populations of Nadine and Cadmus, the majority being in Nadine. Regarded as being intensely melancholy for the life, home and innocence they once had. There are exceptions to this rule, but most are rather solemn individuals. Their abilities are respected, but not feared- they can die like any other human, after all. They are limited in number as well, most of them serving as scientists or soldiers for either Cadmus or Nadine. Most already have decedents whom are young adults that display the same sorts of abilities that they do. [i]The Innocent[/i]- Ex-convicts. Sent there for crimes they did not commit. Mainly consists of intellectuals, politicians, military officers and people like that whom the government were paranoid of- thus, they end up on Asgard. 90-95 percent of them are currently in Nadine and most of those hold contempt for all the residents of Cadmus due to past events. As a group they have, with altered humans, turned Nadine from crumbling ruins into a high class city. They are not as melancholy as the altered humans in regards to their past, although they too lost their life, home and innocence. They are the second most populous group on the island and many have families. [i]The Guilty[/i]- Ex-convicts. Sent there for crimes they did commit. 95-99 percent of them are currently in Cadmus, with a small minority of 'redemption seekers' living in Nadine. They hate the people in Nadine for forcing them out of the city and regard them as being pompous, arrogant tightasses who want to destroy the home they have built from nothing. Most of them are very, very good warriors, assassins and leaders from their time spent in Cadmus. They are the most populous group on the island. They hold considerable power due to their black market holdings and military capabilities. Families exist within Cadmus and most of the offspring have taken up the "family business". [i]The Immigrants[/i]- Outsiders. Moved here for various reasons. Evenly split between Nadine and Cadmus. Consists of... anyone and everyone. Although it is predominantly two groups- Arcadians who have moved to Nadine for a new life and the numerous outcasts who have poured into Cadmus. Most brought their families with them or created a family for themselves on Asgard. The third most populous group on the island. [i]The Next Generation[/i]- Those born on Asgard. Their ages range from teen to mid twenties, although there are a few older and younger than that. They are relatively new to violence and bloodshed, especially those borne in Nadine. That is, unfortunately, set to change. It is unknown exactly how many have been borne across the entire island thusfar. The future of Asgard seems to be in their hands even as war sits on the horizon. [b]The Military Forces of Asgard[/b]- [i][Her Imperial Majesties'] Nadine City Self-Defense Forces[/i]- Numbering 2,148 they are the only "professional" army on Asgard. It is divided into two 1,000 or so man battalions- Ryu's Battalion and The Vanir Battalion. Both are supervised by Colonel Conrad Smith, an Arcadian with much success under his belt from other Imperial wars. From the battalion level they are broken into 5 companies [200 per] for either battalion. It goes on down from there into platoons, then into squads and finally into fire teams. This force is of a high quality- well trained, well armed and has a steady supply line coming in from the Empire. Drastically outnumbered, but definitely not outclassed, by the Darkfire Army. Armaments include the following. - Imperial Model VII Assault Rifle. Fires 7.62 × 39 mm rounds with 30 rounds [cartridge] or 80 rounds [drum]. A weapon produced by the National Imperial Armory. It is the standard weapon of all Imperial Forces throughout the world and is regarded with the utmost of respect for it's reliability, accuracy and rate of fire. - Imperial Model XX Semi-Automatic Combat Pistol. Standard, unremarkable sidearm for the Imperial Military Forces. Fires 7.63x25 mm rounds with 10 per cartridge. Mediocre in most regards. - Imperial Model II Body Armor. A body armor that protects from small arms fire. Supposedly standard issue- the Nadine SDF is unfortunately lacking in body armor. Nadine SDF officers, special operations and 'critical' personnel are issued this armor. - Imperial Model M Fighting Vehicle. The only fighting vehicle used on Asgard of any kind. Top speed of 30 MPH off road. 220 mile range. 20mm chain gun as it's primary armament. 7.62mm machine gun as a secondary armament. Available in severely limited quantities. [i][The Guild's] Darkfire Army[/i]- Most of Cadmus belongs to this 'army' [5,500 or so individuals]. There are no standard armaments, equipment or otherwise issued to this 'army'. The shops of Cadmus are brimming with assorted weapons of varying quality. This is a blessing and a curse- they can get very potent weapons but ammunition is sometimes limited and the quality of the weapons isn't always on par with the "official" armaments of Nadine's SDF. The leader of Darkfire is the enigmatic leader of the Guild who hasn't, until recently, spoken to his army or given them many orders. The organization of the Darkfire is haphazard at best but the leader of the Guild has a reorganization planned to prepare for the coming war. Examples of armaments are as follows. - Saturn 49. Medium machine gun. Uses a 7.62 x 51 mm round with 100 rounds available per cartridge. A favorite for many mercenaries for rate of fire, accuracy and punching power. - Hast AT09. Single shot anti-tank weapon. Used by Darkfire members to destroy the Imperial Model M Fighting Vehicle. Available in startlingly high quantities in Cadmus and is considered to be the bane of Nadine's M Fighting Vehicles. - Molotov Cocktail. "Everybody loves 'em. Gather around, they'll cure your frown, hey hey, yeah." A quote from Cadmus' only known minstrel. He lived a tragically short life. - Hellspawn Motorcycle. Standard vehicle of choice for those who choose to have one. Fast, rugged and powerful. Nice looking, too. [b]The Outside Nations[/b]- [i]Altered/Innocent/Guilty's Home Nation[/i]- Currently fragmented and mostly non-existent. Depressing, isn't it? [i]The Autocratic Empire of Arcadia[/i]- A growing power located to the northwest of Asgard. Was, ironically, the reason why the military outpost was built on the island in the first place. Regarded with contempt by most of the world for it's "imperialist", "expansionist" tendencies against other nations. Currently involved in a war with several nations along it's border. Is ruled by a super-smart, super-sly Empress who has increased the empire's holdings considerably. Provides Nadine with everything it requires in return for loyalty. [i]The rest of the World[/i]- Other nations have disliked Asgard since they first came into contact with them. Now that it is part of the Empire they have even more contempt for it. There are a few nations, however, who are starting to warm up to Asgard. This shows some hope for the future that cordial relations can be formed with most of the world, but there are no promises. ---- What is required: [b]Name[/b]: First and last or a nickname/codename/whatever. [b]Age[/b]: Keep it realistic. No 79-year old soldiers, please. You'd crack a hip. [b]Gender[/b]: Should be easy to figure this out. Direct any questions to your local encyclopedia. [b]City of Residence[/b]: Nadine or Cadmus. Put which district or half they are in if you so desire. No hermits or mysterious travelers. We don't like hermits or mysterious travelers on Asgard. [b]Loyalty[/b]: To Nadine's City Council, the Empress, the Guild or yourself. You can switch this around in-game if you want. This is just how your character feels as s/he starts out. Even if you say "yourself" you will end up being drug into the entire war-mess, so remember that. Can't get out of it that easily. [b]Job[/b]: What do you do to make money? Should mesh well with your residence. Not too many theoretical physicists in Dragon's Height, for example. [b]Abilities[/b]: If you're an altered, shove your unique traits here. Beyond that, what are your fortes? Hand to hand? Thievery? Good with a weapon? Good at bandaging people up? Do whatever you want, it's your character. No demi-god characters. You can rock but not that much. [b]Weapon of Choice[/b]: Ammunition is plentiful on Asgard [mainly due to Cadmus] but melee weapons are still very popular. Your choice. Make it match your character. Not too many people in Cadmus are packing an Imperial Assault Rifle and not too many Nadine Self-Defense Force members charge into battle with a dagger. [b]Appearance[/b]: What do you look like? Pictures are accepted. [b]Personality[/b]: How do you act? What are your quirks? Your likes? Your dislikes? [b]Biography[/b]: Impress me. Words of Advice: I hope someone signs up for this, haha. Let's see, some advice. The setting is modern. The guns and equipment are modern as well. Do as you wish within the setting above. I will require you to be somehow involved in the on-coming war as that is the main focus of the entire RPG. Do as you wish- Leader of Nadine? By all means, go on. General of the Nadine SDF? If you are confident you can play those roles, do so. Just keep them on the island. The armaments provided are examples- you may dream up what you may.[/color]

[color=crimson]"Wow.." Lynn said, her eyes locked to the sky. She was dressed in a similar black outfit as she wore yesterday and had a red bow in her hair. "Amazing.." Ashwin's eyes studied the people around them. He grinned at the strange mix of amazement and worry that was on some of their faces. He even saw Vincent- he seemed more delighted than nervous or afraid. "Uhm.." He looked at Lynn. She had a look of slight nervousness and fidgeted uncomfortably. "They wouldn't.. attack us, right?" She pondered for a moment. "But maybe this wouldn't be.. too bad of a last memory.." She nodded to herself. "I'd be content with this.." "Whatever happens, happens. For now, she seems to have things under control." He glanced at the stage and thought to himself, [i]"Though, I didn't think that the 'mystery performer' would turn out to be someone so famous."[/i] "If they do attack what, uhm- what should I do? Run? Hide? ... Fight?" "You will go to the shop and get whichever weapon you are most comfortable with from the back. Mind your fortes." He arched an eyebrow. "No magical ones. Those are too flashy and powerful. The last thing I need is another municipal inquiry as to what I have lurking in the shadows of my storeroom." He shook his head a bit, recalling the last official investigation that pried into his shop's dealings. "Then.. you fight. If you win your story continues on. If you lose your story ends and you start anew. For now? You enjoy this event as you will never witness anything like it again. Not in this life or the next." She nodded to him. He returned to watching the aerial show above them, his cloak flapping a bit from a breeze..[/color]

[color=green]An explosion ripped through the forest, decimating the last group of the wolf creatures. The charred remains of them grotesquely decorated the forest, letting off a horrible burnt odor. Kaida wrinkled her nose and glanced in the direction where Liquid had disappeared to. "Never thought I'd see the day she rode off on a wolf-creature." Arachnid said from above her. "Strange, strange world." Kaida laughed a bit and holstered her pistol. A calm had fallen around them- they were surrounded by the ruined remains of the creatures but the atmosphere around them was back to the strange tranquility that had been over it before. "What's our plan? Should we go after her anyway? I mean, she told us to go on but- is she going to be alright?" "I will not condone her brashness but it's far too late to do anything about it. If she believes in her own strength, so shall we." Kaida looked to them. "I'm not saying I want any of you to go mucking around the island on your own, either. We're in a dire enough position without all of us peeling off to places unknown." "But, you know, she made a pretty good distraction. Surprised me for sure." Sakura said with a grin. "Yes, I can't deny her skill at causing a ruckus." Kaida said, shaking her head. "You all ready to go?" Each of them nodded. "That's good. Keep those senses of yours alert. I'll take point- Sakura, Arachnid on either side of Era. Era, be aware of all that you can without really taxing yourself." Once more, all nodded. "Move out." They took up the described formation and continued on, leaving the tarnished jungle behind them. "I've been thinking about it and I think we need a nickname for ourselves." Arachnid said from behind her. She glanced back and arched an eyebrow at him. "Green Team is kind of stuffy, you know? Too official for casual talk. We need something.. flashy sounding. Something the press would like." "Flashy sounding? I [i]like[/i] Green Team. Green is my favorite color." Kaida replied, shaking her head. "Yeah but.." He trailed off for a second. "How about 'The Warriors of Time'?" He gestured. She blinked at him and shook her head negatively. "No? Uh, hm. I thought it was pretty good." "How's 'Masters of Time' sound?" Sakura said. "Gives it a nice, dramatic feel to it. Powerful sounding, too." "Masters of Time.. that isn't too bad." He replied with a nod of his head. "What do you think, Kaida?" She shook her head slowly. "No too, eh. Era, do you have any ideas?" He looked to her and she started to think about it. Kaida sighed and turned back to the front, staring up to the ominously looming fortress. Some silence came over the group until Era chipped in her idea. "Defenders of Time. It describes what we do and sounds rather nice." "True, true. Hm, Defenders of Time.." He pondered for a second. "That's a pretty good name. Heroic, dramatic and powerful. Not too shabby, Era! How's it sound to you, Kaida?" Kaida chuckled and shrugged. "Fine, fine. I give. It's our new nickname. But I don't want to see it anywhere even remotely official looking, agreed?" "No problem, no problem. No official documents, no official meetings or anything else like that. It's a promise." Kaida shook her head and grinned. "Don't let it go to your heads, either. We actually need to defend time before boasting about it to anyone." She continued to gaze at the floating fortress. "To do that, we need to get up there." "I can carry you and Era up there with an easy jump, chief." Arachnid said. "Might be a little quirky with the winds and rain, but I'm pretty confident." "Do a test jump first." Kaida stated. "We will see how 'quirky' it is." Arachnid readied himself but suddenly stopped and glanced around them. "Wait." He said, eyes fixating straight ahead. "We have a visitor." Era said staring straight in front of them, her borrowed pistol raised. "It's just beyond those trees. It's watching us. Waiting. It's a.. " Her face contorted. ".. thing." Sakura had an odd look on her face and she turned to Era. "A 'thing'?" She asked. "What kind of 'thing'?" "It's an enemy. It's not human. I'm fairly certain it is about to try to kill us." Arachnid shook his head, "This is bad-" A black tendril whipped out from the darkness and smashed into his chest, sending him flying backwards. Kaida's pistol was already in her hand and she fired off a rather large orb that rattled the forest with the subsequent explosion. It was an apparent miss as a large, black mass of tendrils leapt from nearby undergrowth and landed directly in front of her, writhing about disgustingly. It quickly wrapped a tendril around each of them and launched itself upwards, grabbing onto the floating island the fortress rested on. It slung itself over the top and slammed down into it, causing the entire island to shake with it's force. Kaida fired off another orb into the tendril that was wrapped around her, slicing it cleanly off. She fell a short distance to the ground and rolled into a kneeling position, firing off a shot to free Arachnid. It was dead on and Arachnid leaped to safety. He landed on the steps up to the front door and began to charge toward the monster. Kaida nodded and took aim to free Era next. The monster attacked, sending tendrils flying towards her. She did her best to dodge- but there were too many of them and was hit right in the stomach by one. She was sent flying past Arachnid; through the front door and into the room beyond, crashing into furniture as she went. She slid along the floor to a halt and laid in a pile of debris on her back, staring at the ceiling. Her mind regained it's senses and she sat up in time to watch Arachnid race inside, Era flying through the air soon after him. He caught her and let out a sigh of relief. He shook his head and set Era down, cracking his knuckles. "Chief, you okay?" He asked, looking to her. "I think so." She replied and uneasily stood up, "Nevermind me, where's Sakura?" That question was answered as Sakura's form flew through the now-open doorway, headed straight for her. She dodged out of the way in time, barely avoiding the collision. Sakura landed with finesse, sliding a short distance along the floor. She stood and dusted herself off smiling a bit. Kaida nodded and raised her pistol to the doorway as the monster leapt inside, tendrils flying towards them. Era and Sakura opened fire on it as Arachnid charged, leaping through the air. Kaida knelt and aimed. She let off a quick series of shots that destroyed the oncoming tendrils. Arachnid landed and gave it a quick one-two punch, causing it to physically shudder. "Jump, Arachnid!" He quickly leapt into the air and a large fireball slammed into the surprised monster. It went straight into it burning a gaping hole into it's body that oozed out black blood. Arachnid came down with a forceful punch into the gaping wound, his fist slamming into the monsters vital organs. It let out a heart stopping scream and violently thrashed trying to hit him desperately. He leapt back to avoid the strikes and landed next to the girls. Sakura put her gun training to good use and aimed a shot into the wound. The bullet was on target as the monster ceased it's movements, letting off death cries that weakened with each passing moment. The team watched as the monster's form shifted into that of drastically altered human's body. The man lifted his hand and reached towards them before passing on. "No way." Arachnid shook his head. "That was.." The rest of them were silent, staring at their vanquished foe. Kaida shook her head and sighed. "This.. is not science or experimentation anymore. I know both of those things and this is definitely not the same. This is something radically, radically different. This is.." "Unforgivable." Era finished for her. Kaida nodded. "Those wolves down on the surface, too.." Sakura said. "Yeah.. each one of them was a person." Arachnid pounded his fist into his hand. "We need to kill this guy for this." Kaida turned to examine the room and sighed. "This isn't right." The room ended suddenly- no doors, no hallways, no stairs, no nothing. A note was sitting on a table at the back of the room and Kaida walked to it. She picked it up and read over it. She snickered to herself and turned to her group. "It says 'Please take all deliveries to rear entrance, thank you'." "You're kidding me." Arachnid said in disbelief. She shook her head no. "That insane little.. so we have to go all the way around this huge building to the back?" "Seems so." Kaida replied and placed the note in her pocket. "Well, let's do it. Let's show this guy who the Defenders of Time are." Sakura stated with a smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Back out into the storm we go." He said in an less-than-enthused tone. "Believe me, that's the last place anyone wants to go." Kaida said and walked out, carefully stepping over the deceased human. "Rest in peace." She whispered as she passed over it. "The Goddess will guide you now as she does for all." "You say something?" Arachnid asked. "Er, no. Let's go." Her team followed and circled around to the side. A dangerously narrow strip of land alongside the building lead off into the distance. The rain and wind lashed at her face as she stared at the narrow path. "This guy has us on a gauntlet. Pass the obstacles, you win the prize." "The prize being?" Sakura asked. "A chance to die to him personally." Era responded. "Lucky us." "I wouldn't doubt that." Kaida said and glanced to her team. "I don't need to remind you about what happens if you lose your balance." She pointed down below and each of the team gazed after it into the jungle below. "Well, let's get this over with, shall we?" She walked down the narrow path, the team following behind her carefully.[/color]

[quote name='James][font=franklin gothic medium']It's that time again, my dear children. ~_^[/quote][/font] [color=crimson]Okay, Papa.[/color] [quote=James][font=franklin gothic medium] [b]A) Which aspect of OtakuBoards do you find to be the most negative/confusing?[/b][/quote][/font] [color=crimson]I don't think there is anything I find negative that could be changed by the staff. Everything is adequate.[/color] [quote name='James][b][font=franklin gothic medium']B) What is your favorite aspect of OtakuBoards?[/b][/quote][/font] [color=crimson]Are you looking for a technical/aesthetic aspect or something more personal? If it's the latter I'd have to say I always enjoyed the colorful populace that seems to frequent this place. This community is unique to say the least.[/color]

[color=crimson]Ashwin had payed and left the inn, leaving behind a hefty tip as thanks. He and Lynn filed out into the early evening crowd that was thickening by the second. "I remember the first time I went to that inn." He rubbed his chin a bit. "There was a ruckus." "Er.. a ruckus?" Lynn had a confused look on her face. "There was a bit of trouble, yes." The confused look persisted on her face and Ashwin grinned. "It was a big fight. You've never seen a fight with drunks, have you?" She shook her head. "Well it's a different kind of fight. Hard to describe, I suppose. You'll see it soon enough. There will be some trouble at this festival with all the inebriated people meandering about the night." He glanced around them. "Let's catch a show." She nodded to him. They went around to various acts as the evening wore on. Ashwin caught passing glimpses of some familiar people- specifically Eso and the woman Lynn had run into earlier. They faded into the sea of people soon after he spotted them and he smiled at this. "Alsoto always feels much more complete with these throngs of people. The heart and mind of the city is it's populace. Feels more alive with all this celebration, doesn't it?" "I.. feel so too. My, um.. home.. what was my home, I mean. Had this vibe sometimes.." She gestured. "You know, the heartbeat the.. flow." "That ship felt this alive?" "Y-yeah." "I can imagine that I suppose." The evening had set in full, the moon piercing through the clear sky down onto the teeming city. Ashwin gazed at it as he spoke. "Well, we've seen some pretty good shows tonight." "I liked that one with the gravedigger and the hangman." She said with a grin. "Oh yeah?" He looked at her. She held her dragon very close to her. "Say, is that dragon your new bodyguard?" "Yes! Uhm, he's a.. Dra.. Dragood! Remember? Vincent said he was powerful and brutish.. but you can teach it to be smart, too. That's my plan. He'll, uhmn.. protect us both." She nodded to herself. "He will keep the alive feeling of this town safe.." "Well. I'm counting on him, then." Ashwin said with a smile. "It's time for us to get back. Tomorrow is going to be a full day as well." "The.. mystery performer, right? I-... I mean, uhm. Do you think it was that cloaked lady?" "The one you slammed into?" She looked embarrassed. "Ahh, I don't really know. We'll see it tomorrow so I think we should just be patient about it. There has never been such a sensation at a festival though- whomever they are, they better not disappoint after all the hype." They made their way through the streets, passed Algorin's Inn and into the lavish district Ashwin's shop was in. He approached the door and unlocked it, opening it for Lynn. "Check to make sure nothing is missing." She nodded and went to work, checking the various items in the store. There was a tap on Ashwin's shoulder and he turned around slowly. He was face to face with a horrendous, monstrous.. group of drunks. Very, very drunk at that. The leader of this band of drunks nodded to himself and slurred his way into a conversation. "Shay, urr Ashhwin Crow, right?" He blinked and nodded. "Cann lift curses, right?" He nodded again. "Cann you.. shtop a hangovah frum.. ever happenin'?" He shook his head. "Cann you... sober meh and my bros up?" He shook his head. "Are you shure? We have.. shume monah and.." "Sorry, my fine friends. I'm afraid that those aren't curses. But!" He raised his finger. "What I can do is direct you to a fine establishment full of good drinks and fine looking rooms. You have money, right?" They drunkenly nodded. "Would you like to spend that money?" Some hesitation, but nods nonetheless. "Would you like to spend it on some good drinks?" Nods once more. "Good choices, lads. Would you like directions to this establishment?" Enthused nods from all. "Very well then! Just go down this road, take a left and look for 'Algorin's Inn'. Do you got that?" "Algorin's Inn.. yesh, jus.. down there, right? We take a uh.. take a uh.." "Left. Take a left. Just down there and it's the first left you can take." "Firsh left. Yes, 'kay... I think I've got it. Down there.. take a left.. get shume drinksh? "Yes, drink yourselves silly. Well, drink yourselves sillier. Now, get going!" He dramatically pointed down the street. "The finest place in all of Alsoto is awaiting you." "Okay! Shounds good." All of them were nodding. "Shank you, Mr. Crow! You are.. a good mahn, a good friend. Good, good friend. We musht be going now to the.. finest place in all of Alshoto!" The group stumbled off down the road, disappearing as they took that first left. Ashwin grinned to himself mischievously. Lynn peeked outside and looked at him strangely. "Father.. did you just, uhm.. send that group of drunks to Algorin's?" "Possibly." She looked at him even stranger. "Well, I mean, I'm sure Nait could use some entertainment. It's late, things are kind of quiet. Something needs to break that tranquility in the name of good fun." She shook her head at him. "Plus, they will probably blow all their money and pass out. Nice, quiet profit." "Uhm.. or they could start a 'ruckus'." "Perhaps, perhaps not. We'll know tomorrow, won't we? Was anything taken?" He gestured to the shop. "Nothing at all. None of the curses have gone off either, so.." "Ahh, wise thieves. Never steal from a man well versed in curses. You might end up sick, dead or worse." ".. Worse?" She stepped outside, peering at him. "Well, obviously. Some curses affect the victim's shape and form. You know, like the frog that was a prince?" "Uhm.. is that worse than.. death?" "Being a frog? I wouldn't know. Nevertheless, all transformations are rather uncomfortable to go through. I'll teach you them someday- they are a bit advanced, obviously. But, for now, it's off to bed with you." He hugged her. "Good night, young one. Sleep well and may your dragon protect you. Tomorrow even more fun awaits us." She smiled and nodded. He watched her run across the to their rather large home. She turned, bowed once to him and unlocked the door, stepping inside. He took in a deep breath of the evening air- things seemed rather tranquil now. "The calm before tomorrow's storm." He mused. He stepped inside and went back to his office. He began to smoke idly, eying a world map that was across from his desk. He had literally been everywhere across that map, several times over perhaps. "Where should I go this winter? Back to the sea, perhaps." He leaned forward and eyed the map further. "Much is left unexplored out there. Hmm, but how to get out there.. the last time." His memory returned to five years prior and he shook his head. "I'm not sure that I can do that again without being killed." His gaze drifted to the cutlass above the map. "Hm.." He stood and walked out of his office to the gallery. He did a brief check of things to satisfy his slight paranoia and left the shop, locking it behind him. He walked casually to his home and inside, puffing a bit on his pipe. He went past the entryway, past his private library and up the stairs to his bedroom to get some sleep..[/color]

[color=crimson]Ashwin shook his head at the extremely embarrassed Lynn. "Don't worry about it, you apologized, she was fine. Don't be so shy." She nodded to him. He grinned a bit and glanced around them. Even for being in the lazy afternoon things were very low key and tranquil, even with the sea of people. "Well, what catches your eye?" He looked down to Lynn. She tilted her head a bit and thought for a second. He waited patiently, listening to a nearby conversation someone was having with a guard about a theft of some kind. Finally, she nodded to herself and tugged on his arm. He followed along, being led by his daughter through the crowded streets. They came to the entrance of Gwydion's Plaza, the banner hanging overhead read 'The Plaza O' Games'. He laughed a bit and followed her into the lavishly decorated area. A rather gargantuan fountain was in the center of the plaza- it was nicknamed 'Behemoth' for it's size but it actually had an awe-inspiring beauty to it. The brilliant water glistened as the two stared at it- he had been here before but for some reason it was even more majestic to behold. It was a testament to the wealth and power of Alsoto. "Perhaps too lavish a testament.." he said to himself. Lynn heard this and stared at him puzzledly but he continued to gaze at the fountain. He was broken out of his line of thought by an insecure "Ummm.." coming from his daughter. He looked down at her and she merely gestured around them- he glanced through the morass of people to the various booths and games that lined the perimeter of the plaza. "Can I..?" She hesitated. He nodded to her with a smile. She smiled back and tugged on his arm again, practically dragging him to the games. They went all around the perimeter, to every game possible- they were not meeting with much success in regards to prizes but it was great fun anyway. They stepped up to the final game after a brief wait in line. The game wasn't too popular, it seemed- no one had any luck at all winning. A sign over it read "Konrad's Knife-Throwing Extravaganza". "Greetings and salutations to you fine folks!" The man at the booth said enthusiastically. "I welcome you to the most challenging test of skill that has ever graced the great capital city of Alsoto!" He gestured to his right. A couple of dozen feet off was a rather crudely built set that consisted of a fake forest with a few dummies- each had a bulls-eye on it's face. The set was literally full of holes from missed attempts at hitting the dummies. "What we have here is a one-of-the-kind (seen nowhere else, folks!) representation of the Rogue's Forest! The challenge? Get as many well-placed hits on the accurate-looking dummies as possible. The better you do, the better your prize- and [i]what great prizes they are![/i]" Ashwin arched his eyebrow at how the task could be considered worthy of a prize. The guards and mercenaries that were stationed in the city could do this with their eyes closed. "Here, as you can see, is a range of beautiful [i]hand made[/i] toys, gifts and otherwise that you could win!" Ashwin glanced to the prize area and saw it was full of surprisingly well-made things- the majority of them were stuffed animals that looked to be top of the line. "Father." Lynn looked up to him with an confident gaze. "Yes?" "... uhmm." Her shyness reared up again dashing her briefly-gained confidence. "I think I can.. I mean- I'm sure that I can.." She gestured to the 'one-of-the-kind' set. "I'm sure that I can win a prize." Confidence seeped back into her voice ever so slightly. Ashwin looked to the man who casually pointed a finger to a sign next to him- '25 silver a round'. He placed the necessary amount down on the counter with a wry smile. The man took the silver pieces; set down a small basket of ten throwing knives and gestured to a small circle a few steps away. "Just stand right there, little lady. Hit the bulls-eye in the head for 10 points, any area elsewhere will net you only 5. The more points ya get, the better the prize you take home with you. I wish you good luck! Start anytime." He smiled a rather mischievous grin that caught Ashwin's attention. He eyed the knives carefully and after a few seconds arched his eyebrow. He shook his head with a frown but said nothing. Lynn took her position, the people around her taking notice. They gave a few supportive cries to her and she blushed with some embarrassment. Her face changed to a look of concentration and she threw the knives with rather surprising skill for her appearance. However, each one of the knives ever so slightly missed the dummies, piercing new holes into the set. A confused expression came over Lynn and her head lowered a bit as she let out a sigh of disappointment. The small crowd that had been watching were disappointed as well letting out a collective groan. Ashwin eyed the grinning man and sat down another twenty five silver pieces. "Sir?" "She will try once more." He shook his head, "I appreciate your confidence in your daughter but-" "She will have another go." He stated firmly. The man shrugged in resignation and walked over to the set to collect the errant knives. Lynn approached her father and tilted her head quizzically at him. "What? Don't you want to try it again?" She nodded slowly. "This time," he began with a confidant nod, "This time you will show this crowd the natural skill Lynn Crow has. I couldn't throw a knife if my bloody life depended on it, but you.." He gestured the interested crowd and the people in line. "Prove to them your unique capability." He sounded like he was giving an order so he smiled a bit and added "But have some fun too." She nodded to him and the man approached, placing the daggers into the basket. "Hand me that." Lynn picked up the basket and handed it to her father. He rubbed his chin and examined the knives, noting a symbol inscribed in them. "I figured as much." The symbols faded from the knives and he haded the basket back to Lynn. He eyed the set, "Show those dummies what you're made of." She nodded and stepped into the circle. She took a deep breath and once again threw the knives. Each of them landed in the faces of each of the dummies- one hit with such force it ripped the dummy's head open rather easily. The man at the booth was visibly shocked, the crowd was visibly pleased and Lynn was.. visibly shocked, perhaps even more than the man at the booth. Ashwin stepped up to the booth and crossed his arms, looking over the prizes. His eyes went over them all a couple of times and he looked at the man. "Hmm. You don't have some sort of a grand prize or anything, do you?" The man gestured to the top row of prizes dumbfounded. "Oh, yeah, I see. That would be them, hm. Com'ere Lynn." She snapped to attention and approached the booth, the crowd giving her some cheers as she went. Ashwin gestured the top row and looked at his daughter. "Which one of those do you want? They all look pretty good to me but this is your prize. I was kind of leaning towards the-.." "I've made up my mind." She stated. "Oh?" He asked, eyebrow arched. She looked at the still-dazed man, "I will take the.." --- Ashwin and Lynn walked out of Gwydion's Plaza. He glanced to his daughter and shook his head. "Why'd you get [i]that[/i]?" She looked up to him and tilted her head. She held a rather large, black stuffed dragon. "There was plenty of other choices but you took the stuffed version of the the greatest threat to this nation." He sighed. She shrugged. "Well.. uhm, I think they are kind of.. cute." "Dragons? Cute?" He asked as they went through the crowds. He grinned broadly. "If you say so." "Father.. what happened the first time?" "Hm?" "Uhmm.. when I threw the first time." She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "I didn't.." Her voice trailed off. "Oh, yeah. That." He frowned. "That guy has probably ripped off hundreds of people today with those knives." She looked at him oddly. "The knives had a well-hidden curse on them. They were made to take an aversion to going where the user threw them. Only slightly though- can't cause too much suspicion. Pretty good investment for a sly gamemaster." "Uhmm, if so.. shouldn't we" she gestured with her free hand, "turn.. him in?" "Maybe, maybe not. I'm sure that even if a few people with decent skill come along he'll lose money from those lavish prizes he has." His brows furrowed. "Well, I could talk to [b]Eso[/b] about it." "Eso.. is doing security this year?" "Yeah. I promised him that I'd keep an eye out for any shady dealings as I went about the festival. They have their hands full enough with the.." He eyed her plushie. He gestured and didn't finish the sentence. "Anyway, I'm a man of my word. You should keep your word too- It's part of being a Crow." He rubbed his chin in thought. "But, I wonder where Eso would be in this chaotic mess." His eyes scanned around him for a few seconds before he shrugged. "Ah, well. We'll bump into him sometime, I'm sure. Let's get ourselves something to drink over at Algorin's Inn. I'm pretty parched after our misadventures." Lynn nodded in agreement and stayed close to her father. She held onto her stuffed dragon tightly as they wound through the crowds..[/color]

[color=crimson]Ashwin puffed lightly on his pipe as he sat in his private office. It was located well beyond the area where his merchandise was on display- yet he could still hear the faint voices of costumers and the responses his daughter gave them. A smile crept over his face- she was learning well. He picked up the stack of papers on his desk and flipped through them idly- it was a letter he had received from an old friend of his. He was a trader and had detailed a recent battle that had taken place between a caravan he was in and a rather bloodthirsty dragon. Many of their hired men were lost and much of the merchandise was ruined through the ordeal- but, thankfully, he had made it out alive. He rubbed his chin a bit and let out a long, deep "Hmmm" as his mind dwelt on the dragons recent activities. The voices had died down and there was a light rapping at his door. "May I come in, Father?" Lynn asked shyly. He shook his head a bit at her timidness and set the papers down. "Yeah, come on in." The door opened slowly and Lynn stuck her head in. He beckoned her inside and she quickly stepped in, shutting the door behind her. He puffed on his pipe a bit and eyed her. She was dressed in rather formal attire as she always did when attending the store. An elegant black dress, black shoes and her radiantly blue necklace- rather dark looking but it was her choice, not his. She shifted uncomfortably a bit; twiddled with her brown hair and opened her mouth to speak but shut it quickly. He grinned in amusement at this and tapped his finger on the desk. "So you want something from me, eh?" She nodded slowly at him. "Alright, what is it? Speak up." She fidgeted even more; he sighed at this and muttered something to himself. "I would like to go back to the festival early." She said softly. "I know that, uhm, the afternoon shows are not.. uhmn.. as great as the evening ones and.." She gestured as her voice trailed off. She appeared to be nervous about his response as she shifted uncomfortably again. "Ahh. Is that all?" He stood; walked to her and patted her on the head. "That's a fine idea. I'm sure you've done enough business since we came back from the opening ceremony. Go get yourself ready." She smiled brightly, nodded and scampered out of the room. "Hah. The eagerness of youth." He got up; cracked his neck from side to side and walked out of his office, leaving behind his pipe. The door opened up into a long, lonely hallway that was not for anyone but his two employees- himself and his daughter. He walked down the hallway past various works of art that he had painstakingly collected from the far corners of the world. Most were of landscapes or portraits but there were a few rather violent, bloody paintings of warfare that had occurred in history. His favorite piece of artwork in the whole building was actually the tapestry that hung behind the counter in the main section of his store. It was the Heraldry of his own personal ancestry although no one but himself or Lynn knew the true meaning of the various pictures, icons and symbols upon it. He eyed it as he stepped into the now-quiet gallery- it took up a large portion of the wall behind the counter so it was hard to miss. He nodded at it out of respect and walked behind the counter, reading over the sales book for the day. Lynn reappeared dressed.. the same. But, she had added a purple ribbon into her hair. Ashwin looked up at her with a lazy expression, "You're going to wear that dress?" She nodded emphatically. "Fine, fine. Are all the items in the store well protected?" She glanced around at the various items. Her eyebrow raised as she walked around the stores various areas, making sure everything was fine. She came back and nodded to him. "Good. I hope you didn't put too strong of a curse on them. We don't really want to kill any would be thieves- just grievously harm them." She nodded once more. He closed the sales book and nodded. "Alright. Let's go have some fun!" The two of them left the shop, Ashwin locking up the store before they joined the crowds that swarmed in the streets. It was teeming with festival goers. He held his daughters hand tightly, keeping her by his side so she wasn't lost in the seas of people that were around. The inevitable happened though- Lynn ran straight into a darkly-cloaked woman with considerable force. She let out a gasp and bowed several times to the woman, "Sorry! Sorry! Uhmm.. I didn't mean to.. sorry."[/color]

[color=crimson][b]Name[/b]: Ashwin Crow. [b]Age[/b]: 50. [b]Gender:[/b] Male. [b]Appearance[/b]: See attachment. He stands at a respectable height of 6'02" and is in fit condition. He usually wears an ornate robe that is decorated with a rather large, strange symbol on it's back. The meaning of this symbol is unknown although it is rumored to have something to do with Ashwin's past. [b]Class[/b]: Sage of the Bane - Ashwin is an accomplished master of using magical curses, hexes or otherwise. They range from minor affairs like putting one to sleep or simple bad luck to more viscous hexes that involve poison, diseases or invoking the essence of darkness itself. At the same time, he can remove any such curse or hex that has been invoked in the environment or placed on a person. [b]Occupation[/b]: Owner of a very well-known antiques and artifacts shop that includes merchandise of a magical nature. [b]Personality[/b]: Ashwin is rather laid back and easy going after his many years alive. He is not prone to anger or any negative emotions that easily. He has a balance between depression and happiness that he maintains- contentment is more what he seeks than any amounts of joy or rapture. He socializes moderately but often spends his free time writing or with his daughter. He is regarded as being somewhat aloof but likable. [b]Bio[/b]: The Crows are famously known to be an enigmatic family who are rather proud of a heritage that they don't speak of and no one else knows about. They are regarded as brilliant- eccentric, but brilliant. Each of the Crows has become successful in whatever ventures they attempt but they always have a quirky nature about themselves. Spectacular as they are, there is some mistrust of their secretive nature and the mystery that hangs over their past. Ashwin's past too is shrouded in mystery. He never speaks of anything in his past that predates his arrival in Alsoto. Twenty five years ago he literally appeared out of no where, showed off his wealth by building a lavish shop in a prime location then proceeded to fill it with various artifacts, antiques, trinkets and otherwise. The sign outside of the shop read "Ashwin's Atelier", people began to shop there and he simply stayed. No amount of coaxing could get him to reveal what had occurred prior to that. Rumors abound ranging from him being exiled from the Crow clan to some sort of horrible tragedy involving his family- but nothing has been confirmed. Every year he took a yearly 'vacation' for one to two months in the winter. He always came back with plenty of new merchandise to last him for the rest of the year. Aside from the merchandise, he often came back physically wounded but refused to divulge exactly where he went or what had harmed him so. Five years back, he came back with something else aside from merchandise or wounds- he had a small, taciturn five year old girl. Her name was Lynn- a shy and quiet girl whom Ashwin had found near-death in a place he, of course, refused to describe. Ashwin took her in as her own; from then on out she was his daughter and apprentice. Since then, Ashwin has trained Lynn in the basics of his brand of magic while maintaining his profitable business and eccentric ways. He is very fond of the Festival of Life as it is the briskest time of year in his shop. Ever since Lynn arrived, though, he has balanced this with making sure that they both have plenty of fun aside from their business. This year should be twice as special because of the rumors about an unknown person performing. His curiosity continues to grow.[/color]

[quote name='Sage']Of course it was a catastrophic event that touched millions of lives, but seriously, worse has happened before and after that![/quote] [color=crimson]It wasn't just the number of people who died. There were other factors involved. The location was a modern metropolitan city with millions of people within it. The buildings that were attacked were very prominent structures both economically and aesthetically. It was an attack on what is considered to be the only superpower. While there is a general ignorance or apathy in the American populous regarding ruination in other parts of the world, this was an important event for more reasons than just the body count. Trying to compare destruction is inane. Loss occurred. Just because there is greater loss elsewhere doesn't mean that what was taken from people here is any less dramatic or relevant. *twhacks Japan and ForgottenRaider* Your apathy in this thread is unnecessary and tiresome to read. Show some regard for the losses your fellow man took, takes and will take. It's not that difficult and it makes you more tolerable to be around. I wouldn't willingly participate in any grandiose, melodramatic memorials to those that have died but I will show respect to the history that took place and the scars people may have from it.[/color]

[color=green][font=tahoma]The team continued to talk amongst themselves as Kaida went over things in her head. This was one of the more nonsensical missions she had been on- there was nothing here worth traveling thousands of years in the past for. HQ had given her one parting word of advice prior to the mission's start- "[i]His future does not have to be our future.[/i]" A cryptic piece of advice- she got the gist of it but felt that HQ was hiding something from her and her peers but what was it?[/color] [color=darkred][size=1]"[b]Pondering, Kaida? You seem rather distracted. Do be careful though, I'm afraid that this jungle has developed an unhealthy taste for blood. Well, I suppose that's rather dramatic. I hope you'll forgive me for that. True though! Completely true, hehe. Ah, my, where are my manners. I've totally forgotten to introduce myself, hm. I am the ringmaster of this little event. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.[/b]"[/color][/size] [color=green]The voice came from.. everywhere? Kaida's hand rested on her pistol, her eyes searching through the twisting shadows of the jungle. "Keep your guard up. Arachnid, if things get too choppy take Era and withdraw to a safe positio-"[/color] [color=darkred][size=1]"[b]The little general is giving out orders, haha. A habit from your old home, I presume? I mean, you are the famous otherworlder, the ex-general and mad scientist of the Legionnaires, hm?[/b]"[/color][/size] [color=green]Kaida rubbed her forehead, shaking her head a bit. "Of course, he's from the future. I suppose he would know who we are and what our jobs are...I'm starting to dislike him..." "Seconded." Sakura said, grinning a bit. "He's pretty annoying."[/color] [color=darkred][size=1]"[b]Mmm. You would be... Little Sakura! Shapeshifter extraordinaire, my-my-my.. using the eyes of an eagle, hmn. An interesting specimen. Let's see.. who else do we have in this little entourage.. oh ho, Arachnid! Ah, I've read so many stories about your heroics. Yet, you are rather loud, aren't you? Tut tut! Then.. oh, Ms. Liquid! How was my little wave earlier? I'm rather skilled with the element if I say so myself. Hmm, the blind seer, Era. You seem rather worn out.. I hope this trip hasn't worn you down too much. Or did that attack mess you up a bit? Either way, do take care of yourself, hm? Without you, this little team will be stuck here and we wouldn't want that, would we? Ahh, well. No use fretting about that, I suppose.[/b]"[/color][/size] [color=green]"And exactly [b]who[/b] the heck are you?!" Arachnid asked in an irritated tone.[/color] [color=darkred][size=1]"[b]HAH! [u]Pay attention![/u] To you, I am but the ringmaster! You know, the suave gentlemen behind the scenes directing it all? Beyond that who or what I am is rather unimportant. I am very, very optimistic that I will have you shredded into pieces of flesh within the coming hours. But! You may prove me wrong. You are part of the Legionnaires, after all. Oh well! No matter. I do hope you find me to be a good host. I'd take it rather personally if you were displeased with what I have prepared, yes? Oh, speaking of which, I'd like you to meet some friends of mine. They should be arriving fairly soon! Punctual fellows, the lot of them. Not very sociable though- wee bit shy, you know.. heheh.[/b]"[/color][/size] [color=green]"Something's coming." Arachnid said, glancing around them. "A big something." "Don't tell me we're being ambushed." Kaida said, rubbing her forehead even more. "I am starting to recall why I utterly detest jungle warfare... ready yourselves!" Around them humanoid creatures slid out of the shadows, lumbering awkwardly towards them. They were hideous- bulging veins, machinery embedded into their very flesh and a soulless, dead glaze to their eyes. They had the appearance of being human at one time but that wasn't the case anymore. Kaida's eyes narrowed as she thought of this- for all her time in war, this was a new experience that she wasn't enjoying. "And these would be inhabitants of this island." Liquid said with some amusement. "They don't seem to like us. Perhaps it was something we said?" "Perhaps. I'm starting to sense a recurring theme of hostility from this island. Let's return the favor." Kaida said, raising her pistol up and aiming it at the head of one of the creatures. She continued in a stern voice, "No quarter for these horrid machinations. They are now our enemy, no matter what they once were or could have been. Attack at will."[/color] [color=darkred][size=1]"[b]Oh, but you have it all wrong. These are but my puppets, my trigger-happy friend. Made a few improvements here and there, tinkered with some things- they all seemed to be in very intense pain throughout it though, odd that. For you.. I would rather kill in more.. subtle.. ways. I'm a puppet master, heroes! Not some dumb brute. I can appreciate jousting with such respectable fellows as yourself, yes? Haha, give me the credit due to your killer-to-be, [i]please[/i]. These are just some of the interesting experiments I've run here. Would you like to see some more? Well, you'll have to work for it I'm afraid. Terribly sorry, can't just show off my genius to everyone. Ahhh, my.. look at the time. Heheh, enjoy the game, heroes! I've run out of time to converse with you. Much to do, you know. Tata~.[/b]"[/color][/size] [color=green]Each of the creatures faded back into the shadows from whence they came. Up ahead there was a bright flash, very similar to the one that had brought Green Team into this time- too similar, in fact. It was far more immense and powerful, letting off an intense heat that was felt even at the distance the team was at. It vanished leaving behind a building that hovered forty to fifty feet in the air, casting it's massive shadow across most of the island. It was the length of a football field and was six to seven stories tall, ignoring the massive tower that jutted out from it's center skyward. "It's amusing that he just claimed to be subtle." Liquid said shaking her head. "What a fortress.." "No kidding. I'm kind of eager to do some damage to that nut. We're going to storm it, yea?" Arachnid said. "Probably. He has given us a rather flashy invitation to come charging in." Kaida turned to her team and continued, "Well I suppose that is one of the things valiant heroes do best."[/color] --- [color=navy][size=1]"[b]Good. Everything is going as planned. We require the immediate extermination of Team Green. We request that you not play around. They might just get the better of you. Jeopardizing our operation for your sick tastes must not happen, do you understand me?[/b]"[/size][/color] [color=darkred][size=1]"[b]Heh heh heh. Don't doubt my talent. The pieces of them will be strewn about this island within a short period of time. I can guarantee it.."[/b][/size][/color] --- [color=green]As they conversed, they were watched by their amused 'host'.. his mind intent on slaughtering them for his own entertainment. Piece by piece, bit by bit, drop by drop, hero by hero.. it was all going to be so much [i]fun[/i]. The falling rain, the thunder, the howling wind, the ominous fortress- it all mixed with the dark shadows and bleakness that seemed to have conquered the entire island, leaving it without even the slightest hint of light or hope... and Kaida's team stood in the midst of it all, their eyes focused on the madman's fortress that loomed far ahead. [/color][/font]

[color=crimson]I'm fairly certain after surviving my home/city's decimation by a hurricane and then, rather promptly, watch it flood more from levee failures I wouldn't be sitting down and debating the morality of my actions to acquire material goods. I think you are beyond being able to think objectively/logically/morally at that point. I'm not condoning or endorsing their actions, but I can't really say that in such a unreal situation that I wouldn't be doing something similar. NO is the focus of this topic thusfar, but alot of areas in Alabama, Mississippi [Biloxi] and elsewhere were severely damaged. There was an overplayed segment where this distraught black man was describing his wife literally being ripped from his hands. It was hard to watch the whole thing, he was so decimated by the event. The backdrop was ruination, the person looked as ruined as the environment around him, the reporter was crying. Surreal. It's hard for me to sit and try to imagine myself in such a situation. I can't say that "I understand" the chaos, loss or pain people are going through. I can emulate it in my mind only to a degree. The reality must be much, much worse. All I can wish to all affected is better fortune than what they have had thusfar. Do your best. I usually like to close off my posts with something amusing, but my wit fails me on this topic. I could make some sort of comment about Bush finally coming back from his vacation but Bush humor is dull. Oh well. :sleep:[/color]

[color=darkgreen][center][b][size=3]Mission #109 : [u]Time Code[/u][/size][/b][/color][/center] --- [color=green][font=Tahoma]A harsh wind blew, storm clouds rumbling loudly overhead. Everything seemed angry- the sea, the wind, the sky. The fury of nature continued to build until finally the sky released a torrential downpour, lightning cascading downwards to accompany it. Within the curtain of rain, a small orb formed several feet above the ground. It maintained a gentle hover and slowly expanded outwards, colors flashing over it's surface erratically- blues, greens, grays, reds, oranges, white, black. The orb's shape stopped expanding and it began to spin. Faster and faster it went until finally the surface of the orb shimmered softly before it exploded outwards in one final cataclysmic release of energy. As quickly as the explosion arrived, it receded- leaving behind five figures who were cloaked in the darkness of the rainstorm. Green Team had arrived. Kaida looked upwards, hand raised to shield her face from the downpour. Her eyes traced along the coarse edges of the violent sky slowly. "What wondrous strength this planet has.." she mused softly to herself, admiring the heavens majestic appearance, "You never see these sorts of skies back home.." "Somehow this island is less picturesque than I had imagined it to be." Arachnid said from behind her, glancing at the area around them. Broken from her trance, she began to examine the area for herself. Their flashy entrance had scorched clear all of the nearby undergrowth, leaving behind deep scars in the earth. What surrounded them was a tropical forest- tall trees grasping desperately for the sky, various shrubs and bushes huddling together underneath them. There was no sign of animal life- human or otherwise and this lack of life left an eerie vibe that lingered in the atmosphere around them. "Well, picturesque or not, we're in the right place." Kaida stated as she took it all in, "I suppose this tempest is our warm welcome to Easter Island." "Forget being in the right place, are we positive we are at the right time?" Sakura asked, her eyes drifting to the skies above them. Kaida looked to Era, who gave a quick, confident nod of the head in reply to the question. Kaida nodded back and reflected on the surreal trip they had just taken. Green Team's orders had required a leap backwards in time- over four thousand years in time, to be precise. The sheer enormity of the jump had left Era drained of her energy, but it was a necessary loss. The journey itself was hard to describe with words- it was an experience that could not be forgotten to say the least. "Good. Now our mission truly begins. You all know why we are here- we must uncover the truth behind the actions of a certain rogue who has taken great pains to time travel here for reasons unknown. Our mission is to identify him, his motives and to undo any damage he has done to this place or it's populace. Once done, we will return him to his own time, using force if necessary. With that sai-" "Hey, Kaida, look." Sakura interrupted her briefing suddenly. Her gaze was still transfixed on the sky, but her eyes had narrowed into a very serious expression. "I want you to watch where the lightning strikes." Kaida turned and examined the strikes as they plummeted down intermittently, not finding anything unusual about it. "What am I supposed to be seeing?" She asked with an arched eyebrow. "All of the strikes are hitting in the same area." Sakura stated. Kaida's eyes narrowed into the same expression as Sakura's. Her eyes traced back around the sky and watched carefully- each bolt of lightning was landing in the same general area a few miles away. Not even one bolt was peeling off from where the others had gone. "That would be the first clue as to where this nutcase might be." Arachnid said with amusement in his voice. "Good eyes, Sakura. We just found where we are tromping to first. Keep your wits about you- we are not familiar with our enemy, the geography of this area and the situation we are going into." Kaida nodded to her team to move out. They made their way in the direction of the lightning strikes, through the thriving greenery that teemed underneath the trees. The storm was becoming an annoying companion- sheets of rain continued to fall, the cloud cover above them churned violently letting out ear shattering claps of thunder. "Say, Team Leader. Is that really all the information we were given?" Arachnid asked over the storm. "It seemed to be rather paltry." Liquid added. Kaida sighed and nodded, "It is rather paltry. Charging blindly into the unknown isn't high on my list of favorite hobbies, but that is all HQ had to give us. I have a feeling they were as irritated over it as we are." As they walked, they talked. They had a couple of miles of terrain to hike in the pouring rain, so talking was the only real distraction they had from it. Above them, the clouds began to rotate, the rotation centering at the point where the lightning continued to strike. Kaida eyed the circulation with a wry grin. "This seems to be getting more and more interesting.." She said, "Remember, always be aware. You never know when you might come under attack, especially in a jungle environment. You cannot allow the enemy to take you by surpri-" A strange rumbling noise overtook Kaida's voice, increasing in loudness by the second. Hand at her pistol, Kaida froze, eyes fixated straight ahead. Fifty feet ahead of them the trees were shaking violently, the very leaves being torn off from the ferocity of it. A wall of water broke through the trees, smashing them into the ground with great force. It rushed forward, lurching strangely as it came. "What is THAT?" Sakura asked, echoing the thoughts of each team member at that moment. "I can see through it's movements. It's homing in us. That is not natural." Liquid said. The wall of water sped up and suddenly doubled in height to twenty or so feet. It lingered in midair for a moment before it came crashing down onto them. The team was swallowed up and carried along inside it, their bodies smashed through anything that was in the water's path. Lost in the depths of the water, Kaida struggled to avoid the trees the water was speeding through, but it was to no avail. She slammed into several of them, pain coursing through her body. Having tossed and smashed the party, the water paused and stood still for a moment, swaying gently. Then, with a distinct shiver, it receded, mystically seeping away into the ground without a trace.. As the rain continued to carpet them, the Green Team lay within a few feet of each other, regaining their bearings from the mysterious attack..[/color][/font]

[color=crimson]Contrary to what you may think, your opinion has the possibility of not being that relevant/interesting/worthwhile to others aside from yourself. You should remember this prior to opening your mouth with such alarming frequency. Sage, I'm fairly confident that Shy has experience that [strike]significantly[/strike] outdoes yours. I think he can handle this in a most honorable and efficient fashion. If not, we can just form a lynch mob or something. Good times. Ta-ta.[/color]