Artificial Souls: Heart of the Unknown (Official RP)

Elparan Mountains, Narathzul’s Troop





A soldier in his red armor burst through the foliage. His horse cantered about the clearing, seemingly ignoring the two ladies on the ground. They weren’t Alcainian, were they? While the ladies seemed genuinely scared, this could be a trap that awaited them. One that might have taken out the other troop a week before. Without approaching them, the soldier allowed his horse to back away from the two, before the rest of the troop crashed into the clearing, with Narathzul at the lead. He turned his head around, his eyes scanning the area for any immediate threats. None. Only the two ladies. He edged Scarlette closer to the two obviously frightened ladies and directed his lance at them. He had no time for these two. They could be escorted back to Beresmiah easily. Right now, however, there was something else of more importance.


“Speak.” Narathzul ordered the two. Obviously, this garnered no reaction from either of them, and only further incited more shivering and increased expression of fear. Narathzul lifted his lance, directing the point away from them. He won’t get any answers from these two. “Carron, Melchesee, take these two back to Beresmiah. Ride fast, and stay within the walls of the capital. If our troops were indeed besieged, then two soldiers, as trained as they are, may not be enough. Inform Emperor Tykandus if we do not return within the week, as well as the General Agmemnon. He’ll do what’s necessary. Leonde, Quint, go with Carron and Melchesee.”


Narathzul’s order was understood, and the four soldiers broke off from the group, two of them scooping up the two ladies with one hand and tossing them onto the back of their horses unceremoniously. They were soldiers, not knights in shining armor, and were not specifically trained to do anything similar to gracefully lifting ladies onto their horses. With their handling, it would have seemed safer to have left the ladies to brave whatever frightened them in the first place. Narathzul raised his lance to the sky as the soldier prepared to disengage from their original troop. Carron, Melchesee, Leonde and Quint did the same.


“The Dragons take you under their wings.” They said in unison, a simple prayer that Narathzul had brought into the troop, a prayer of safety and speed to their brethren. With that, the soldiers rode off, their load trying hard to balance themselves on the horses. Narathzul cast another look at the trees. He swore he saw something moving up there. A sign of life, perhaps. But what else would there be but a squirrel scurrying above their heads?


“Regene, North, take the rearguard. The rest of you, keep them in your sights. I will take point.” With those orders, the troop, now less by four, moved off deeper into the mountains.
 
Camp Terra, a day's trek from Corvosinium...

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The man eyed the odd gypsies and their camp from a few dozen meters away, his hands gripped on his reins. He had been sent her by his superiors to deliver an important message to a pair of Alchemists that were meant to be here, based on reports. Glancing down at the satchel on his hip, the messenger grimaced as he wondered what the contents could be. Well, hopefully it will not be anything that will get him killed...and even if it were, if these Alchemists were with gypsies, surely they would not be violent in any way. Right? The question made the messenger pause, but he shook himself from such ideas and heeled his horse forward. Going through the camp, the people eyed the Corvosinian oddly. When he finally came across someone of possible authority; perhaps one of the gypsy caravan leaders. "Excuse me, but do you happen to have a couple of Alchemists present here?" The elderly gypsy pointed to a small camp a bit of ways from the camp, its fire lighting the darkness around it slighty. Dipping his head to the gypsy in appreciation, he urged his horse toward the camp.

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Arriving, he noticed a pair of women sitting down, talking and enjoying a meal. Stopping his horse a few meters outside their camp, he unhitched himself from the saddle and climbed down. Adopting a smooth expression, the messenger approached the women calmly. When he was just a meter away from them, he cleared his throat and spoke. "Excuse me; pardon me if I have interrupted you, but I bear a message from Corvosinium...from the Magistrate Erganda himself. For the both of you."

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High Inquisitor Liandros; Silara, Silarus, the City of Spires, the Church of Repentance...

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The High Inquisitor nodded with Valerion's estimation of the girl he had just encountered; she was certainly hiding something. In either case, that was the least of his concerns. His mind drifted away to the impudent Aeris girl...she was a thorn in his thumb, and needed to be pulled out before she caused an infection within his chain of command. As if the assassin had read his mind, he suggested following Aeris and Caine, and offered to...deal with them...if they saw anything they should not. Liandros smiled slightly, but his cold eyes did not harbor the same expression. "...That would be wise, Valerion. Yes, I want you to keep an eye on our young Aeris and her pet Caine...if worse comes to worse, eliminate the girl. However, do try to keep Caine alive; we will need him in the future, and I would hate to lose such an important pawn. Take some of the drugs that we have administered to him...if you carry it, and if the girl is dead, the Homunculus should follow you like a stray puppy." This amused Liandros, making him chuckle darkly. "...In which case, he would end up being that way."

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Raiza Xerxes, Alcain, the Elparan Mountains, Stormbreaker's Pass...

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After studying the Alchemical scribbles, Raiza stepped back from the stone and studied the pass closely; no signs of blood, no signs of struggle...it was as if it had all just vanished. Surely there would be blood left, right? Whoever had done this must be desperate to hide where their trail was...but wanted to leave behind a message; that message? Leave or die. The thought made Raiza grin with amusement...she liked nothing more than a challenge. Still, though, she was not cocky. At the first sign of disadvantage, she would abandon this little trek and return to her usual wondering. Brushing her hair back, she entered the Pass, quietly walking through the place with her wind-spear leveled and her eyes constantly searching for any signs of alchemical traps or potential hazards.

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Reggi Malcome, Xerith, Back garden


Reggi's foster parents watched Reggi play with his many clockwork friends from their back porch, a slight look of worry on their faces. For years now, the mechanical insects had been his only friends, this concerned them. What concerned them further was that non of the other youths had spent so much time on an obsession like this. They were beginning to wonder if it was too late for him to make friends.


Reggi however, was as happy as can be. He felt that his toys and his foster parents were all that he really needed. So long as he had them, nothing else mattered. This was how he wanted to spend his life, making increasingly impressive clockworks as time went on. Maybe he could show everyone else how wonderful they really could be. Maybe...they'd all accept his creations and him.
 
~Aeris Fallborne, City of Spires, Silara, Driving the Bane of the Fleshies Model T Caine~


Aeris enjoyed the power that came when you rode a mount, especially when seven wicked sharp blades were fastened on securely to make it seven times more dangerous than it originally was, and the cannons were such a nice touch. Unfortunately three of her blades were soiled, a slight frown found it's way to her lips but quickly dissipated as she watched people practically dive onto the streets to escape her path of wreckage.


"What a creative name Caine, I expected you to name it... Spoon, or Wheel-go-fast-thingy, of course not the last one... that was the brilliant fruit of my own mind," she chuckled, tossing her hair back over her shoulder and narrowly making the left turn that took them through the entrance gates of Silarus. She rode up a Northern pathway, one that would send her to the upper river of Silarus, from there she assumed she would be able to drive along the river until nightfall, or the machine exploded or something like that.


She wrestled around with her bag for a second before pulling out a map, gorgeously inked of course by Ser Rafi III the Mapmaster, and traced it with her finger, following the river route that would suit them best in their travels.


Aeris made the best of it, as they traveled through by the river, not stopping at all save for the occasional meal of salted meat or possibly a bathroom break. The squabbles or at least Aeris' tirades were constant, as Caine did not seem to hear them most of the time, much to her chagrin. Soon she found that she could kill their dinner! By simply ramming the deer with the sword edge of the vehicle she could catch food, it wasn't long before her game had caught them enough meat to last for weeks, though most of it she threw out, she didn't want to smell of meat once she arrived at the mountain.


As the sky grew darker and sleep coaxed the woman's eyes into drifting shut many times she began to consider taking a nap, though it would do better to force herself to stay awake and go on through the night. She didn't trust Caine not to drive them into a tree and sure enough, by the speed of the car and Aeris' iron will, she reached what she recognized and hoped was the Stormbreaker's Pass. She slipped out of the seat of the Model T Caine, her sleepiness making for a less than graceful landing, and a loud clank, from her golden armor.


"Come along Caine, I'd like to observe the entrance for awhile before going back to take a nap, hurry along Gearhead," she said, in an irritable tone, noticing a woman out the corner of her eyes, she was tall, with a mane of brunette hair and a beauty of her own. Aeris approached her swiftly, making sure to look casual enough to show she was not a threat.


"Hello there, just passing through, may I inquire what you are doing? You don't look as if you're from Alcain," she said, keeping a grip on the hilt of her blade, whether this woman herself was an ally or not she was still not on her own empire's grounds, trouble could be just around the bend, or in front of her in the shape of a voluptuous warrior. She noted to herself to move the Model T Caine out of sight later, as she awaited an answer.
 
Eunice Schneider, Eunice's Petshop, Corovosinium


Eunice sighed and rested her cheek on her left hand. Business was so slow today! She looked at Claus who was scurrying around the shop tidying everything up. Claus was a bit of a neat freak and he always needed everything to be in tip-top shape. "C'mon Claus, this is the third time you've dusted around the hamster cages today!" Eunice rolled her eyes. Claus gripped the duster in his tiny, white hands a little bit tighter "But Miss Eunice, you don't understand! These hamsters are absolutely filthy and must be cleaned after!" he told her exasperated.


Claus rested a hand on his paw and set the duster to the side "Well, I guess you're right..." he said after thinking about what Eunice had said for a moment. He scurried to the counter and climbed up and lay next to Eunice's hand. "Why can't things be faster, Eunice?" Claus asked Eunice.


"I have no idea. It's really boring today isn't it? I was thinking about closing shop early today and heading out to explore some shops" she told Claus. Claus shook his head "No, no, no we cannot do that! What if customers come while the shop is closed!?" Claus was worried about this decision. "Oh, alright!" Eunice said letting out an angry huff. She watched the hamsters roll around in their wheels. She wondered how they kept doing that all day.
 
CARIDIN ATANNO, Merchant Quarter, Corvosinium City


"Caridin, it's time for your lessons now." The firm yet caring voice of Martellus, his uncle, called him back into their humble little home. Caridin simply didn't want to go back to being cooped up in their house, being taught something that seemed to go in one ear and out the other. He had nothing against his mentor or the fact that someone was actually putting some effort into him, it was simply because felt a bit restrained when he's forced to do nothing but simply burn through mountains of text day in and day out. Caridin wanted to see what ELSE he could with his "Alchemical gift."


"Alcarin is here to continue where you two left off last week."


"But uncle, I don't-"


"No buts, your father will be coming along shortly. He's going to take you with him after your lesson today."


*Father? Taking me back to the city? is this some kind of joke? When did he ever give any attention to how I was doing? It's just not fair. What the hell is this droning sound?*


Caridin was snapped out of his reverie with enough time to bring up a hastily formed barrier consisting of bits of metal scattered around the to deflect the steel lance made of scrap metal aimed at him by another student. "Caridin, you're getting sloppy. Don't space out." Caridin had been pushed into a defensive stance and was looking for an opening, anything to let him get a shot out.


The sparring session was held within a secluded area of the residential quarter of Corvosinium. They were only able to do this because they current mentor owned the land and the mansion within the grounds. Today was an exercise in use of electromagnetism in a fight. Instead of being taught how to summon and create constructs or golems using an electric charge aimed at a pile of metal or any electricity conductive material, they were taught how to use them to launch deadly projectiles and create sturdy barriers.


*Whoever this guy is, he's looking for potential recruits for the military. An augmented support unit from what I can tell.*


Caridin simply didn't believe their mentor did this from the kindness of his heart.


The fight was taking too long and Caridin couldn't hold his barrier up at the onslaught of metal crashing against it, he'd have to risk going on the offensive sooner or later. Sooner always appealed to the Atanno boy, He dropped the barrier are rolled off to the side, reforming the barrier into a steel lance that he launched at his opponent with all his mental focus backing the lance's velocity. He held his breath when he saw it break through his opponent's hastily created barrier....


Caridin suddenly bolted upright in a cold sweat. The sounds of music, the aroma of beef and the background chattering of people were the first things he noticed and were also the first things that cemented the fact that he was back in reality. "Cari? Are you alright?" The heavy accent of Vekel, the owner of the bar he was in, seemed to register as an important voice among the sea of voices that filled the bar.


"Y-yeah, I guess."


"Are you sure?"


"Yeah. I need to go and get some fresh air."


Caridin wolfed down what was left of his food and left some money on the counter as he moved toward the exit of the establishment. Vekel intercepted him and gave the change back to Caridin, Vekel's face was a mask of concern for the alchemist. "Look Cari, I know nuthin about your fancy alchemy but I know well enough when something's pushing someone well past their limits, you know. Eating them from the inside. Just remember "The Ragged Rat" always has its doors open to you." "T-thanks, Vek." Vekel moved aside and allowed Caridin to exit the establishment.


The sight outside The Ragged Rat was the orchestrated chaos of the Merchant Quarter Bazaar. People haggling left and right, and also a paradise for the thieves. Wares were put on display on stalls seemingly set up whereever there was even remotely enough space. A far cry from the rest of the Merchant's quarter, the bazaar only had inns and bars surrounding it since any shop that dared open up in the bazaar was likely to get run out of business after a day.


The rest of the merchant's quarters were either homes for the merchants themselves or shops selling goods that range from everyday needs to exotic alchemical ingredients and everything in between. The prices of the items themselves vary, from items so cheap you'd get a lifetime stock of them and still have more than enough money feed yourself and find a home to items so expensive the merchants say you'll have the power of the divines at your finger tips, and that if generals from wars past bought their wares, they could have won their wars at half the time.
 
-Dove Graceheart, Silarus, Silara, the City of Spires, Church of Repentance-


Delight filled her heart at the Inquisitor's words. Her whole face brightened, and a grateful, pleasant smile passed her lips. Mother will be better! She told herself in pure excitement, practically jumping from her seat. "Thank you, High Inquisitor Liandros for your time and assistance," she said with a slight nod of her head, "I very much appreciate it." She gave him a final nod as he exited the area, having other situations to handle. Overjoyed by his gracious offer, she practically ran to south exit of the church, dashing out the door without a second thought. Hastily, she made her way down the road, counting the buildings as she passed.


One.


Mother would be alright! This medical alchemist probably had much more talent then she herself did, and could most likely find the cure for this illness that she did not even know the name of. And, once she was at last healed from this strange stage of acoma, everything would return to normal. Their lives would be once more as they had been.


Two, three, four.


Even better, she was not discovered. The truth about her remained a secret, and she intended to do everything in her power to keep it that way. It was for the best, her not being involved in this rather foolish war. Her mother needed her too much, needed her to be there, to take care of her, for her to love something rather then the lost memory of her husband. Dove could not abandon her, not now.


Five.


At last, Dove reached the location the Inquisitor had spoken of. For a long moment, she simply stared at the building, skewering it with her dark gaze. In there was the one person who could help her mother, who could return her life to normal. She took a deep breath, stepped towards the door and raising her hand to knock. The soft tapping rang through the home, and then she stood there, her eyes wide and locked onto the wood in front of her as she waited.
 
Reggi Malcome, Xerith, Main room at home


Reggi's foster parents had taken him inside for a talk. His foster father had started off the hard conversation. "Reggi...your mother and I called you in for a very...very serious conversation." Reggi tilted his head a little. "Ok...? What is it?" His foster mother shifted in her seat. "Well...Reggi, we're going to break this to you as gently as we can. You see..." As she trailed off, her husband continued where she left off. "We think you should find another hobby.." Reggi looked at them in surprise. He opened his mouth to say something but couldn't make anything come out. His foster parents noticed this, and with a deep breath, his foster mother continued. "It's for your own good. We just feel that it would be good for you if you engaged yourself in something more...social." Reggi stare at them then sighed and looked down. Just as they thought their hopes would become true and that he'd agree with them, Reggi spoke up quietly without emotion, "I'm not going to let you take away the only thing I have..." As he stood and started off to his room, Reggi's foster father stood up. "Reggi, try to understand...Reggi. Reggi!" Nothing could persuade Reggi now as he locked himself in his room and curled up on his sleeping matt, feeling as alone as he did the day his real parents died.
 
Alcain, the Elparan Mountains, Stormbreaker's Pass

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Dren's breath quickened as he continued racing forward, small bursts of flame emanating from his boot to increase his speed just to keep the the distance between him and beast that seemed intent on chasing him somewhat constant.

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He ran forward, not daring to glance back but knowing she was still following as he could hear her growls and huffs as her claws ripped through the terrain chasing him, she must have been hungry to keep following him. He would have to do something extreme to lose her.... He an idea, a sort of crazy one.

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He saw a crevice ahead, knowing that was his best chance he suddenly changed direction and headed for the opening in the mountain. The red-tail pantherr quickly followed, not wishing to lose her only source of food for miles. Dren took a final breath as he took the plummet, his scarf opened up and shaped into dragonic like wings as he jumped into the crevice, the wind rushing past as he began to fall, his wings slowing his descent as he fell through the darkness.

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'That should get her off his back...' He thought to himself as he began to fall and fall through the darkness, his hand glowed as a small flame gather for light. It radiated in the darkness as he continued to slowly drop. That creature had chased him for so long he had gone in a completely different direction. Now he had no idea where he was... Soon enough he found himself landing softly on the ground as his scarf softened and returned to gently flowing behind him.

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As he landed Dren discovered he had escaped the frying pan and gone into the fire as he suddenly saw a woman before him, a woman carrying a spear.

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"Oh great..."

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+Caine; Elparan Mountains, Stormbreaker's Pass, Alcain+


Of course, any hope that Aeris had of not appearing as a threat were likely all but eliminated when she'd called for Callixtus. He'd free himself from the Model T Caine and return his arm back to the way it had been before via transmutation. He unhooked the boiler (which he filled from the Silaran river each time they'd stopped) and set it back into place on his harness, attaching each hose whilst lumbering after the priestess.


Once he finished setting everything up, he'd finally absorb his surroundings. A mountain of sorts, it'd seem. Mayhaps there were trolls, or goblins, or other nasty creatures. Nothing a little taste of the Giga Hammer won't fix! His eyes fell upon Raiza, and then a boy that seemed to have descended from the sky like an angel. The former was quite the pretty woman, almost as much as Daisy! He'd speed up a little and actually stomp past Aeris in his rush to be the first to say hello.


"Ohoh, lookit this, Daisy! Most frabjous day, don't you think, finding another cute flower out here in this bleak and bleary place!" He'd clap his hands together, the metal clacking together each time almost loudly. The amusement was quite obvious as his eyes distended from his skull in a mechanical whirr, orange lens taking in the lady's detail.


+Valerion; City of Spires, Silarus, Church of Repentance+


"Your will is my own, Father. I'll see to it that it is carried out without fail." Valerion would give the High Inquisitor a short bow before he slinked back off into the darkness, retreating further into the innards of the church, making for his room.


There, he would gather all that he needed from the room, as well as picking up any extra supplies on his way out the back entrance to the cathedral. He shouldered a leather satchel and carried his claymore under arm as he stepped quickly as he entered the stables for those of the Ascendant Order.


Before he continued, he'd secure his claymore properly via its belt loop on his backside, and then he'd move through the wide hall of the stable, pausing at the third from the last. He'd open it up, and inside stamped impatiently a brilliant black steed bespeckled with white dots, reminiscent of a quilt of darkness cast over the sun and pincushioned to create the stars in the sky. He would calm the impatient beast as he moved about the corral and began outfitting them. Once saddled and reined, he would quickly mount and heel them out.


A casual trot to and out of the door before a light spurring, urging his horse into a canter. He would quickly take to the road, drawing passing gazes that quickly learned that they should avert it. Despite the peerless black that the rider donned, they seemed to know immediately it was best that they did not make it their business. As soon as Valerion was through the gates, he'd spur into a full gallop. Aeris and Caine had a head start, but he had the endurance to ride through a few nights and his horse was as stubborn and strong as he, able to keep up with the abuse.
 
Eunice conversed with the animals hoping one of them had something interesting to talk about, but like normal they never did. They always talked about if they had enough food, how annoying Claus was, and why is that strange animal that looks just like them staring at them. Eunice had explained to the animals several times that it was just the mirror she had put up in their cages to entertain them, but they never seemed to get it. She was glad that Claus had a higher intellect than these animals and normally had interesting things to say.


A few more hours passed and the day was just like before. Eunice looked at the cuckoo clock that she had installed next to her counter and saw it was almost time to close up. She counted down the seconds and soon the clock struck and the little bird popped in and out making a sing-song 'coo' sound. Eunice smiled at the bird and thought that the clock was such a good deal. She got it for cheap at the bazaar where all the merchants sold all kinds of interesting trinkets and gadgets. She thought about heading there tonight and asked Claus about it.


"Claus, I'm thinking about heading to the bazaar tonight"


"Uh, no I must not allow you there."


"Why not!? It's perfectly safe! Besides if any of those thieves that have been known to attack pedestrians try to attack me, I have my Fauna Alchemy to help me!" Eunice made a loud huffing sound after her explanation.


"Very well, but I expect you to be back home by midnight"


Eunice hated it when Claus treated her like a child. He was a rabbit and she was a 35 year old woman! She knew Claus was very sensitive and just did that because it made him feel like he was in charge. He was small and not many people would listen to him, in fact only Eranin could even understand him!


Eunice buckled her boots and exited her small pet shop while Claus quickly followed as he was dusting again. Eunice walked down to the bazaar and smiled happily at all of the bright lights and different items. She thought that this was such a wonderful place and it always made her feel like she was welcomed somewhat. She counted her pocket money and figured she had enough money to spend on one or two items. She walked down browsing all of the stands trying to see if anything caught her eye or if there were any mysterious creatures for sale.
 
~Elparan Mountains, Nerissa Dalavesta~

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The black cloaked figure moved gracefully through the trees, watching the troops, cursing. She strapped her loaded crossbow across her back and pulled out her dagger. She moved to the treeline, watching the leader of the troops. Gripping the dagger tightly in her gauntlet covered hand she moved back, deeper into the dark woods, grinning. The woman begin to talk to herself. "Scream? Yes, scream. Hope the General comes. Attack the General. Take everything he has and run for it." She giggles to herself. "Or I can take the horse."


The woman had moved deep enough to were her scream would be heard. She pulled off her cloak, and hid it along with her crossbow and dagger. She cleared her throat like she was about to go on stage to sing but remembered her gauntlet and the alchemy symbol etched into it. She was not about to take it off. Growling in frustration she shook her head looking down at the claws. She let out a piercing scream. "Help me!!" she called out with a smile.


She then cursed at her self and tried to produced fake tears. She grinned at the tears on her cheeks and ruffled her hair. She grabbed her dagger and took a deep breath. The woman put it to her cheek and made a quick cut. She smiled and screamed again. Please come and don't send a soldier. Please come and don't send a solider... She thought over and over again, her mind racing over the things he could be carrying.
 
Camp Terra, Ludvig Plot. A days trek from Corvosinium:

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Farah smiled endearingly as the woman took the bowl, hopefully the rest of the night would prove to be far less eventful than her after noon had been, she looked to her clothes hanging in the branches of a spindly tree. The stout yet high quality cotton and woolen pieces of clothing hung just at the border of the camp, close enough to receive the benefits o the heat and yet far enough to unobtrusive and slightly polite. She watched as the woman partook a bit of her steamed potato before she disappeared beyond the firelight.


Moments later the Eranin returned to the campfire leading the hulking beast that had previously destroyed her camp. Farah was not one to hold to grudges too tightly and decided to forgive the ornery beast. The Eranin recounted the circumstances of the Behemoth's rampage, Farah decided she would have a word with those soldiers sometime in the morning, they were only meant to patrol. the perimeter of the camp before escorting the alchemists back to the city


She would return sometime the next day, she was not in any rush to return, her own mare stood off on the opposite side of the camp shying away from the newly arrived Behemoth. 'Daisy' was her name, the creature was sweet and gentle, reliable and sturdy. Farah smiled at her mount while she tentatively picked clump of grass from the earth with her lips and teeth while keeping a wary eye on the lumbering beast who had settled down.


Farah could not help but laugh again, the enigmatic woman sitting across from her described the creature as though she could talk to it. Realization dawned upon her; she was an alchemist. Farah was quite surprised though she didn't let on, her face remained as placid and open as always though her eyes sparkled with new information. It was quite a feat to be an alchemist of any sort but it was rare to find somewhat with the ability to 'speak' with an animal.


Me? Well, with the coming war and everything, food will become harder and harder to procure. Trade agreements decades old have been cut off which means foreign luxuries and even basic amenities will become scarce or even non existent.


Farah sighed, the price of war is not payed for by soldiers alone, no. All levels of society, even the highest echelons would pay for the rivers of blood that would soon carve wretched scars upon the face of the earth.


You see this soft soil? months ago it was gravel and arid, not a speck of green anywhere except for small shrubs and spindly trees.Soon, this will become a farming settlement complete with farmers, of course. There will also be several flora and earth alchemists here too and they'll be accompanied by a regiment of soldiers and engineers. Hopefully it will be enough to offset the shortage of food to come.


Farah did not tell the woman about the other groups who had been sent out to other locations, some had gone in search for subterranean sources of water, rich coal and iron mines along with veins of precious metals and minerals. Corvosinium was preparing not just for war but for survival. Within the city itself, underground shelters were being built by rich families while public shelters were being built by the government. Money was already running slim and the prices of things were slowly increasing, it wouldn't be long before gangs, deserters and general


'ne'er do wells' would begin frequenting the streets more often.


Farah smiled at Selyf in greeting as the woman introduced herself, just then a courier stepped into the light. His message was short succinct and perfunctory, Farah looked at his face and noticed the man didn't want to be there, his face spoke of self entitlement and Farah assumed he was the son of some noble lord who had been appointed to the Magistrate's staff, he looked rather disgruntled. Farah rolled easily to her feet and took two steps to reach the man, he handed her a pair o parchment rolls, it appeared it was a missive of some import. She passed the appropriate scroll to Selyf and removed the wax seal (,sealed with his official crest) and read the precise yet elegant script within.


Dear Farah


It has come to my attention that congratulations are in order, your success in terraforming the Ludvig plot a day's trek from Corvosinium is quite the feat. I digress, this is a formal invitation to a gathering I am hosting in my estate tomorrow not. It would be an honor if you would attend, my wife admires you as does my daughter.


It has come to my knowledge that your newest acquaintance is of mysterious origins, if you wouldn't mind escorting her here I'd be more than grateful.


Magistrate Erganda


PS: Do bring some of those delicious sesame puff you are famous for, My wife and I are dying to try them.


(I ran away with that I know.)


Please report to the Magistrate it would be my pleasure to attend his gathering. How about you Selyf? Would you like to accompany me tomorrow night?
 
The Eranin nodded enthusiastically as the woman went in to her explanation of terraforming the earth, as well as its purposes. "What an excellent idea--- and lovely to see Corvosinium so open to Alchemic practice," Selyf smiled her approval as she put down the empty dish, its contents wholly devoured. "None of the other cities we've visited recently have prepared themselves to deal with the travesties of war. Y'should see some of poor who come to me, trying to get me to heal their hunger and the diseases that follow hunger. It's always the poor who are the most desperate, at first. 'Course, I can sometimes help with sicknesses, but I can't cure empty stomachs, except for teaching them to hunt."


Selyf followed some thought up to the stars above. "You should contract your services to the Metenos tribes--- goodness knows their desert lands could do with a bit more water and vegetation. Also--- how do you plan on protecting the farmers with Corvosinium's walls a day's walk from here?"


Their discussion was interrupted as a messenger appeared in the night who handed both Alchemists a separate letter. The Eranin observed the messenger and the letter with narrowed eyes, remarking on the crisp whiteness of the thick parchment and the self-importance of the messenger's demeanour. After taking in these details Selyf cracked open the waxen seal and read the words silently, taking a moment or two longer than Farah, who was clearly used to reading on a regular basis.


Dear Selyf Magali


It has come to my attention that you, an Alchemist of significant ability, have entered my homeland. I extend you a hand of friendship and welcome you to Corvosinium. I pray that I might have the pleasure of meeting you at the gathering I am hosting at my estate tomorrow evening. The kind and talented Farah Valen has also been invited, so you will not be solely in the company of strangers.


Kindest regards,


Magistrate Erganda


The frown on Selyf's brow deepened as her eyes scrolled down the page. How on earth had the Magistrate known who she was, and also where she was? She had never met the Magistrate before, nor had she met anyone else who personally knew the Magistrate, except for perhaps the woman sitting beside her. Of course Selyf had healed a few citizens of Corvosinium on previous journeys to the city, but...Selyf bit her lip and glanced at Farah, wondering if this woman knew more than she was letting on.


Selyf shook the thought out of her head at last. Such a conspiracy theory was silly; they had only just met, and Selyf had only just introduced herself as a healer. It seemed unlikely that Farah was in on whatever plot this Magistrate was hoping to orchestrate.


"This Magistrate Erganda- he is a monarch of Corvosinium, right?" Selyf asked Farah Valen slowly, rereading the letter once more. Selyf looked up at the woman, this apparently kind and gentle stranger, with a face that was desperately trying to mask the worry that she felt. The Eranin had an innate mistrust of anyone outside of the Alkor clan who tried to keep tabs on her. "How rude would it be if I was to refuse his invitation? I'm just not sure if I fully trust this person. After all, how does he even know who and where I am?
 
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Razia Xerxes, Alcain, the Elparan Mountains, Stormbreaker's Pass...

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The warrior maiden spun when she heard the soft, musical voice of another young human female and the mechanical voice of what she could only assume to be a child. Keeping her wind-spear steady and ready for any swift action, Razia prepared to confront whoever had spoken out. She was surprised to see that the newcomers at the other end of the pass's entrance were a noble-looking woman and a strange, metalborne monstrosity who seemed overjoyed to see...what had he called her? A flower? Flattering, perhaps, but these two were potentially dangerous...and upon further inspection, she noted that they were Silaran; but not just any Silarans, but perhaps members of the Ascendant Order...very dangerous indeed. Keeping herself calm and lowering her wind-spear's edge, Raiza spoke out to the newcomers. "...Hello. I am just passing through as well, as it happens; and no, I am not Alcainian. However, what is really bizarre is why members of the Church of Repentance are here...from what I can recall, you are not very welcome in Alcain."

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Giogiri's Clinic; Silara, Silarus, the City of Spires...

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The old Irbalan grumbled quietly to himself as he worked on a patient, one whom he had knocked out with sedatives while he performed his Medical Alchemy on the blasted fool; the idiotic young man had been messing around with fireworks, and ended up opening one of the rockets and causing a chain-reaction that made the black powder inside ignite and explode...the imbecile's actions astounded Giogiri. Every person with a brain knew not to open the damn festivity rockets! Shaking his head and clicking his tongue, Giogiri lowered one of his small, glove-covered hands on the burn wounds on the man's right leg and lower torso, activating the transmutation circles as he began to manually knit together the wounds, closing the opened blood vessels and restoring the tissue to a semi-new state. As he finished, Giogiri sighed and prepared to take off his gloves when he heard some knocking at his front door. Groaning loudly, he got away from the operating table and approached the door, opening it up to see who was out there.

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As he opened the door, the Irbalan was forced to look up slightly so that he could get a good view of the human passerby; a girlish-looking woman with bright auburn hair. Grimacing sourly, Giogiri put his hands on his hips as he addressed the girl. "This better be bloody important! I am a very, very, veeeeery busy doctor! Now what do you want? Well?! Make it quick!"

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Camp Terra, Ludvig Plot, a day's trek from Corvosinium...

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The messenger listened to the woman who spoke first, nodding as he turned to the other woman. When she made her response - albeit not an answer - the messenger simply shrugged. Saying his farewells to the pair of Alchemists, the man returned to his horse, mounting swiftly before riding away from the campsite and disappearing into the darkness of the night. It mattered little to him whether they accepted it or not...he had done his job.

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Alcain, the Elparan Mountains, Unknown Location, Tempest's Reach Tower...

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The Hunter emerged from the vortex of darkness with a shudder, his armor clinking slightly from the small spasm. He hated going through the Gravekeeper's portals...they always put a chill down the Hunter's spine; one that reminded him of the feeling his prey may feel. Due to his lack of sight, he did not need to adjust his vision for arriving outside the Tower...a massive construct built entirely from a pure silver alloy, one that would have sparkled from the faint sunlight leaking over the high up mountains...if the Hunter still had the capacity to see. Built by his Master long, long ago, it's purpose was one that many would not discern at first from simply gazing upon it. Shaped like a gigantic obelisk, the Tower stood in the center of a seclusive valley, and had several lightning rods on its spire that were used to harness the power of nature's fiercest storms, hence the name. Sniffing the air, the Hunter picked up on the Gravekeeper's rotten, almost sour, scent and followed like a domestic wolfhound.

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The Gravekeeper led the Hunter up to the silver obelisk, his aged eyes scanning the surface of the structure. To the normal eye, it would appear as though the Tower had no entrance...but the Gravekeeper knew better. Approaching the silver wall, he laid his gnarled old hand against the surface of the Tower. A long, even line spread down the middle almost immediately after the Gravekeeper's contact with it, and the doors began to slide inward, revealing a dimly-lit chamber with a spiraling staircase leading on and on, up into the Tower's many levels. Whistling for the Hunter to follow, the Gravekeeper entered the building and started climbing the steps slowly. The doors did not close until the Hunter had passed the threshold, soon plunging the place into an eerie darkness with little noise. This did not bother the Hunter or the Gravekeeper...they were used to it.

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Together they climbed the Tower's seemingly endless staircase, carrying themselves higher and higher into the Tower. It took them quite some time before they reached the top level, which harbored a gigantic obsidian door that blocked the end of the staircase. Placing his hand on the stone, the Gravekeeper activated the alchemical designs, watching with little expression as the door crumbled to dust and admitting them into a single, small chamber where there was nothing but a single pedestal which harbored a large, glowing violet crystal. With the Hunter in tow behind him, the Gravekeepr approached the crystal and immediately knelt in front of it, quickly being followed by the Hunter. "We have arrived, Master..."

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The anouncement seemed to have triggered a reaction within the violet crystal as swirls of clouds and smoke began to appear within the vessel. When the gaseous mixture within the crystal finally filled the entire device, a pair of glowing yellow orbs appeared within its depths; the eyes of their great Master. "Have you eliminated that pesky group of Alcainian intruders, Gravekeeper?" The Gravekeeper licked his lips, feeling sweat inch down the back of his neck. He was never afraid of anyone or anything...but in the presence of his Master, he felt like a child being studied by a god. Swallowing, the Gravekeeper nodded. "Yes, Master...they were all dealt with, and the message had been sent. Even now, curious Alchemists and Homunculi begin to gather, ripe for the plucking." His Master remained silent for several minuytes before its next response.

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"Remember; this must all be done perfectly. I will have my revenge against the Daestrayans...and their pathetic Great Divine will watch helplessly as his world is transformed into ash. We shall use Alcain to shatter everythinbg, and Silara to bind it together once more. Metenos shall conquer and ravage, and Corvosinium will heal the destruction. Finally, Xerith shall rebuild the Eye of Divinity...and my celestial enemies will be purged from the skies by purifying, terrible fire. Everything continues as planned; the Sunmaker continues to amass my soldiers, and the Red Fox obtains new Alchemist pawns with every passing day...now is your opportunity to prove yourselves to me. Do not disappoint me." As the Master's voice faded, the image disappeared as well and the chamber was plunged back into darkness. The Gravekeeper remained kneeling where he was, his mind swimming with thoughts. Turning his aged face to the Hunter, he spoke quietly and coldly. "...You heard the Master. We have a duty to fulfill..."

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Caridin Atanno, Merchant's Quarter Bazaar, Corvosinium.


Caridin spent the majority of the day simply wandering around the bazaar, in an attempt to clear his mind. That nightmare in the middle of the day in the Ragged Rat seemed to have solidified the fact that Caridin had killed someone. The sounds of that sparring-turned-duel session still rang fresh in his mind, images flashed through his head, depicting a blow by blow account of the session. Although it had happened almost 4 years ago, Caridin still couldn't shake it off. Worse was that he was praised by his mentor back then, he didn't care that a life was lost and that it was only the course of nature running without consideration for anyone. "Only nature running its course huh?"


The sun had already set and Caridin had gone through the bazaar more times than he could count. It amazed him that even though he must have went through the bazaar a dozen times throughout the afternoon, everything still looked new. It was as if no one had a permanent place there, one merchant was trumped by another and another and another. Everyone's attempts to make themselves known lasted for a few minutes before having their flames get dwarfed by the even bigger one of the stall right next to them. "You've got the spark we're looking for Caridin, keep up the good work." The voice of Reyva, his mentor in the city, echoed in his mind as if to apply his thoughts about the bazaar's inhabitants to his own life back when he was still under Reyva's tutelage.


Caridin had decided to take some more time to roam around the still lively bazaar of the Merchant's quarter. He had taken his break and nothing was waiting for him at his residence anyway. Caridin allowed his instincts to guide him through the stalls once more, going wherever his feet would take him as he focused on sorting out his thoughts and feelings for the day. It always put him at ease when everything was in order, and he always does so as quickly as he can, which makes "order" itself a subjective term for Caridin. For him, order was simply placing important things within reach regardless of the clutter it would make.


He had been too absorbed in his thoughts that he was unable to stop himself before colliding with a girl in the bazaar, he had been moving too fast and his momentum knocked her down. Caridin immediately snapped out of his thoughts and offered to help the orange haired girl up as well as offer an apology "I'm so sorry, miss. I don't have an excuse for my actions. I am the one at fault here." He always had an apology that made it sound like he was completely in the wrong, completely at fault, the bad guy in the situation. It made a lot of things go smoother and faster as it bypassed any chance of argument or finger pointing between him and whoever he offended.
 
Eunice was browsing a stall that had several items specifically tailored for Fauna Alchemists. She looked at Claus and listened to him tell her what he waned.


"Eunice, I think I'd really like some shark teeth and maybe some bear claws!" Claus acted like he was a bear and made a loud roar.


Eunice looked at the shark tooth on display and asked the merchant how much it cost "The shark tooth is ten gold pieces, Miss" he responded. Eunice was shocked, since when had this stuff become so expensive!? That would eat up all of her day's profit, but she decided that she could use it in battle and graft it to Claus who was really a weapon himself. Claus smiled at Eunice's purchase and rubbed his paws together giddily "Oh goody, goody I get to have shark teeth!" he shouted happily. Eunice grinned at Claus's excitement and put the tooth in her coin purse.


Eunice admired the fresh air tonight. It was so nice and crisp. It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold! She looked at all the colorful stalls and decided that she liked the one that had an awning decorated with several real flowers the best. She walked up to them and decided to talk to one. "Hello, I'm Eunice what might your name be?" she asked the flower "Well, seeing as how I'm just a daisy I guess my name is Daisy" the flower said in a gruff voice. Eunice was surprised at the flower's voice and was so used to flowers having very quiet voices.


"I must say for a flower you have an oddly gruff voice" she told Daisy "I know, that's what all my mates have been telling me" Eunice looked at all of the other flowers as they all said hello to her. She chuckled and turned her attention back to Daisy "How long have you been up here?" she asked him curiously "Just a few days, but I've been all over Daestraya lemme tell you" Eunice was about to respond when she was bumped into by a man and had knocked her down.


"I'm so sorry, miss. I don't have an excuse for my actions. I am the one at fault here."


"It is completely fine sir!" Eunice said and took the hand that he offered to pull him up. "this stuff is really to be expected at the bazaar. It's always crowded and hard to get around here." she told him "Anyways, my name is Eunice and what might your name be, sir?" she asked him after dusting her brown tunic off. She examined her hands and saw that they were scraped. She reminded herself to go the Medical Alchemist's tent and get one of them to help make her hands better as she had no idea how to doctor them up.
 
"Eunice" the name of the girl standing before him, the name of the girl who's appearance resembles a very vibrant painting, that Orange hair seems to absorb the light from the stalls surrounding it thereby making it look brighter than it should, the turquoise eyes seemed to drill into his soul and is inspecting it for judgement of his sins. His short profiling took less than a second and took another two to register that he wasn't being yelled at.


"Eunice? My name is Caridin." He bowed to the girl in apology. "Yes indeed, the bazaar is very crowded even at this time of the night." Caridin had decided to share his opinion with this Eunice, in reality he wants to know why someone broke the usual flow of him running into them then apologizing then getting yelled at. Strangely enough, he suspected that directly asking the question would simply yield negative results. This wasn't first time that he deviated from his usual impatient self and it wouldn't be the last.


"What brings you to the bazaar at night all alone, Eunice? Isn't it usually dangerous with this place being Corvo's capital of theives." It was carved in his psyche from a young age that women were something to be protected, an ideal he had already failed to uphold in the past. He tried to keep his current level-headed expression while he waited for a reply as a rogue memory wormed its way back into his mind.


...The lance had broken through the barrier, Caridin held his breath at this instance. He had driven too much effort behind his steel lance and was too quick for his sparring partner, a brunette who's name he could no longer remember either due to what he did or that he simply never paid attention, to properly react to. The force drove the lance through her body and impaled itself onto the wall a few feet behind her. He watched the body crumple to the ground, still unable to come to terms that has killed someone. "You've got the spark we're looking for Caridin, keep up the good work. A shame that she had to die though, but don't blame yourself much. It is only natural, the slow die and the fast live on." The voice of Reyva felt distance even though his mentor was standing beside him and congratulating him on passing the final test.
 
Eunice pulled a shark tooth from her bag "Well, I was just coming to get this. I need this as my little rabbit, Claus needed it. I specialize in Fauna Alchemy and I take nightly trips to the stall to see if they have anything good to fuse into Claus. He really likes it because it makes him feel very strong." Claus nodded at Eunice's statement and scurried onto her shoulder. "I was just talking to Daisy over here" she told Caridin and pointed at the flower. "Heya" Daisy greeted Caridin in his gruff voice.


Eunice knew that Caridin wouldn't be able to understand Daisy, but she thought it was fine "He just greeted you, Caridin. Say hello back to him" she ordered him. Claus hopped onto the awning and looked at the several different flowers. He wished he could converse with them like Eunice could. Maybe he could convince her to graft some of her hair with him so he would be able to talk to the plants.


(Agh, short post is short)
 
Alcain, the Elparan Mountains, Stormbreaker's Pass

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Dren slowly stepped back realizing the girl with the halberd had not seen him yet, she must have been quite blind to miss his entrance. Thankfully for him, it seems her attention was focused on two individuals who had brought themselves before her. One seemed a barely a man, more machine then anything else and the other was also a woman. He immediately got a sense of foreboding from them. Neither of the tree were Alcanian, he could tell as much from their armor. However that did not make him safe....


The girl with spear seemed to be from Corvosinium by the look of the armor and the other appeared to be Silaran. Although he had not seen many, so he could be wrong but he remember his teachings from a year ago when he had studied a bit about the different nations. These three could be as much a threat to him as his own Alcanian chasers.


He took a breath trying to step back, but the other unlike the girl with the spear the machine man had seen him. He was approaching fast, Dren's wings opened up and flew up a bit onto a ledge as he took out his sword and pointed it forward only to see the creature heading for the girl. Thankfully their attention seemed focused on her, maybe he would be able to avoid this confrontation....
 
~Aeris Fallborne, Alcain, the Elparan Mountains, Stormbreaker's Pass~


Aeris let a soft smile gently mold her face into a more friendly expression, the woman must be internally distraught by her sudden appearance and then of course the less than subtle presence of Caine.


"I am more or less a representative of the Church of Repentance, I was blessed by my father and the High Inquisitor but the others do not know, I heard of the attacks on that alchemist and the strange way he died and decided to come check it out myself. This part of Alcain is only a week's trip from Silara on horseback, if you understand what I'm saying," she said, her soft expression quickly turning to one of malevolent irritation as she brought one arm out to stop Caine from continuing forward and the other to toss her hair over her shoulder.


"Caine we've spoken of this, you stay back and let me talk, and do not call me Daisy! It will be a fabuLOUS day once you learn to follow the simple RULES I give you to follow! Bye the Divine man! Is it really that hard? Now you listen to me th-" Aeris paused, eyes slowly leaving Caine's and drawing over to the figure of a young boy, probably somewhere between the ages of 9-13. She had thought she saw something drop from the sky earlier, but she presumed it to be a rock of some sorts, not a child. He looked thoroughly uncomfortable with the likes of them, which she perceived to be a normal reaction to a tall warrior woman, another in the elegant wear of nobility with armor slapped on and.... Caine.


She watched this child for a second, his age did not mean he was not a threat, and while she didn't want to slaughter a child if he stood in the way of her mission he'd be good as dead. Especially now that Big Daddy could shoot two bolts at once, the thought of it brought another wicked smile to her lips, despite herself. Now he didn't seem too intimidating, with his shock of red hair and wide blue eyes, but the weird object that rested on his forehead forced her to think twice, and what would a child be doing out here, by themselves? Unless he had allies... or possibly a scout? None of these thoughts sat to well with her, and her guantlet covered fists quivered slightly, she forced herself to visibly calm herself.


Pretty soon her poise and expression were practically oozing sovereignty, her head tilted to the side and her her hands found their common resting place, on her hips.


"And you child? Are you lost? What are you doing out here?" she asked, hoping her tone wouldn't scare him off, or rattle him into attacking, something about him was unsettling.
 
Dren's eyes focused on the woman as wicked smile crept on her face, he didn't like it one bit. She then suddenly spoke to him and any thoughts or plans on staying out of this vanished into the wind. His runes glowed uncontrollably. With the faded orange light that made them stand out amongst the red armor, it was clear to alchemists of their skills they were alchemy symbols very crudely drawn by one who has had no training, but still powerful regardless.


He tighten his hold on the grip of his blade, the hilt feeling tighter under his palm.


"I was chased here, by a red-tail panther..."


He spoke true, but left out important details and how he come to be out there in the first place. He thought this a wise choice having heard tell of alchemists who could read minds or tell if others were lying.


He tried to figure out what their plans were, but his forehead guard wasn't giving him anything. Useless piece of junk, he made it by accident though.


"I have nothing to do with either of your cities, nor am I here to impede you in anyway. I am only here by accident. If you wish to fight each other, I don't see that as any of my business..."


He tried to speak like a wise and mature adult, but his lack of experienced showed none the less.
 
"Help me!!"


The Crimson General held up a hand, signaling for the troops to halt. A voice? In the midst of the Elaparan treeline? Another lady, it did sound like. What was this tomfoolery? Surely, this wasn’t some elaborate kidnapping ring for prostitution? Why had the Ashen General not noticed this? He forgave Azazael for his overlooking of this matter- the man could well probably be part of this ring himself. But what of the other Generals? The Stygian, Azure and Alabaster Generals should have gotten wind of this situation by now, and yet… Narathzul tugged at the reins of his horse, which snorted derisively, blowing clouds of hot steam out of its nostrils as it pawed the ground with its hooves. Something wasn’t quite right. The General turned to look at the rest of his troops, whose animals were slightly distressed as well.


“Conrad.” Narathzul voiced, his tone quiet and hushed, but ever so like the growl of an animal.


“I suggest we move on, Sir. Whatever seems to be plaguing these lands should be just up ahead, in a throng. Stormbreaker’s Pass lies but a few minutes ride from here. The rest see not any threat within these trees. Not as of yet. Whoever lies wounded beyond this foliage should survive a trip back to the Capital, since they have somehow found their way here.” Conrad answered, stroking the mane of his upset horse, trying to calm it down.


Narathzul passed his lance to his left hand and drew a single figure in the air with two fingers as he closed his eyes to pray or to meditate. Whichever he did, he soon opened his eyes into his characteristic glare and focused his view forwards, to the path that led to Stormbreaker’s Pass. “An ill wind blows. Drae’Zulth’s breath passes through the trees. Arachmaninon’s light does not shine as bright. Come, then, dragons of the Empire, let us continue forth.” With a jerk of the reins and a shout, the Alcainian knights pushed forth on the incline of the mountain, Stormbreaker’s Pass just looming above them.
 
~Elparan Mountains, Nerissa Dalavesta~

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"Dammit..." She said a loud. "I'm going to have to do this myself." She huffed and stood.Her gauntlet hand cam up and left claw marks on the tree her things were hiding by. With that she took off, running as fast as he legs would take her. She grunted and broke through the trees running out in front of the General, finally noticing all the soldiers. "Oh crap..." She said under her breath as she looked up at the general, on the horse. She ran up to him and tried to play hurt. "Help me please." She cried to him as she looks back to the soldiers then back to him.


She was in over her head and she knew it. If only she could take his stuff and go. She just needed somethings to trade for food and weapons but she was not about to tell him that. "They... they... They attacked me!" She pointed into the tress. "Please you have to help me! I dropped everything I had." She kept her gauntlet hand hidden as she tried to get the man away from his troops.


(Another horrible post! D:)
 
-Dove Graceheart, Silarus, Silara, City of Spires-


She flinched back at the sharp bite in the older man's words, shrinking down sheepishly. "I-I..." she stammered helplessly, her dark eyes locked onto the cobblestone at her feet. Uncomfortably, she fidgeted, wrapping her arms around herself and pulling her cloak tighter around her shoulders. For a long moment, she was utterly silent, trying to form the words in her head, yet unable to speak them. Talking to people in general had always been troublesome for her. Even now, when she needed words to help her mother, she seemed incapable of speech.


Gulping, she once more tried to speak, the words weak and trembling. "L-Liandros sent me here... M-my m-m-mother is s-s-sick... H-he said you c-could help..." She shrank down even more, her fists clenching her cloak to the point where her knuckles turned white. Think of Mother, she told herself soothingly, taking deep, calming breaths. She squeezed her eyes shut, her gaze still locked onto her feet rather then the man in front of her. "Please..." she whispered at last, her voice soft and gentle.
 
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