[System]
Nickname/Alias:
Lightning rod

Race:
Shael, falcon

Gender:
Male

Age:
30

Additional Info
Personality:
 Some people have called him naive, childish, and even immature... just as well, as he's usually in a very cheery mood, and is also optimistic, always trying to find the good in every situation. That being said, he's not stupid, and won't trust, say, a monster or a demon just because they said that they're good. He absolutely loves adventure, and just generally being out of the towns and cities of the world. No matter what the challenge on an adventure, Thorvald will face it with... the closest thing to a smile that a birdman can have. While he does love adventure, he actively avoids caves, just due to the low ceiling... of course, if he's traveling with allies who want to go into the cave, he'll go with them, just because he doesn't like the idea of having to ditch allies, even temporary ones. During the few moments where he's in town, it's usually just to sell any useless magical items, or to get rid of any extra weight he's carrying. He's oddly determined when he's facing monsters or other such evil beings, and even tries to scope out weak spots in an enemy's armor, despite him still smiling while doing so.

 He enjoys the company of other adventurers, though, he usually doesn't stick around with one group for very long, and while he starts off considering them allies... if he sees them harming other civilized races, stealing, or doing anything involving exploiting others, Thorvald will viciously attack them, and try to have them arrested. He will never kill a member of a civilized race, as he feels that even the most deranged, evil people can be rehabilitated, they can become better people... at least, so he thinks. When he's not adventuring, or taking one of his rare breaks from doing so, he can usually be found in some pub somewhere, chatting someone's ear off about one of his recent adventures, and, much to the disdain of the barkeep, never ordering any drink other than cold, plain water. He is kind enough, however, to give the barkeep money if the water ends up being free, as, in some places, it is. He'll tell them that it's not payment for his drink, but rather, for the conversation.

Appearance:
Unlike what his last name might suggest, Thorvald has mostly white and brown feathers, with only a few grey feathers. He's somewhat short, even for his species, and always wears that same blue outfit for no real reason. However, he doesn't wear the helmet in the picture, nor does he ever wear shoes. His beak and talons are a bright yellow color, and his eyes are blue.

Height:
4'2"

Weight:
80lbs

Fight related
Magic:
Elementalism; lightning.

Class:
Dragoon

Weapons/Items:
An iron spear, a short bow, a quiver with 30 arrows, a bag with 12 javelins, his leather armor, and clothes.

Strengths:
Strong Flier: He has always been much faster and more agile in the sky, and his wings are strong enough to keep him in the air for a long time.

Lightning Resistance: He's been zapped by his own lightning magic that, not only has he gotten the nickname 'lightning rod', but he's become resistant to lightning as a whole.

Spear Thrower: With his training, Thorvald's become really good at throwing his javelins, as well as, on occasion, his actual spear, and can throw these objects pretty far, and pretty quickly.

Weaknesses:
Slow on the ground: He's... kinda slow and sluggish on the ground, and it's notable that he can't even run while on the ground.

Hates the cold: His feathers aren't exactly meant for protection from the cold, and just as well, he hates it. He may even land if the cold air is too unbearable in the sky... he's also weak to ice-based magic as a result.

Stormtrooper Aim: However... he's horrible at using his shortbow, and while it's got more distance than his spear or javelins, he can't aim the thing worth beans. If you gave him a chance, he might even actually miss the broad side of a barn.

Techniques:
Thorvald typically relies on his wings, and ability to fly. His techniques revolve around him throwing his spear, or one of his javelins at the enemy, and then casting a lightning spell on the weapon after it's stuck in the enemy's flesh. He has also been known to swoop down on the enemy and attack more directly... though, even when he does that, he always tries to cast a lightning spell. Rarely, when the enemy doesn't notice his presence, he'll toss his spear directly downwards (if the enemy is directly below him), and fold in his wings to fall with it, just to shove the thing in even further. He will zap the spear after landing on his enemy in this case.

[User]
Nile slid next to the coyote gracefully and with practiced ease, flipping a coin between her fingers and spinning it casually on the tabletop. "Two." was all she said and at the sound of coin clattering on wood the innkeeper quickly snatched it up and nodded, returning in moments with two mugs filled to the brim with foaming mead. Nile gave the coyote a not at all subtle searching glance, "Those clothes are rather tight for a caster aren't they?" she murmured to herself as she examined his body and paused a moment. Her hand reached out and a single finger curled around his scarf for a moment, "Maybe they could do with some loosening, especially if you're anything like your staff." She said with a wily grin then turned back towards her drink and swigged it, easily taking half the large container in a single gulp.

Nile would've taken the coins she'd felt in his bottom right coat pocket if she'd felt the need to but she wasn't strapped on cash right now and she hadn't even played here yet. From the guilty look on his face as he'd walked in he'd come here for a rare, but much needed splurge, perhaps she could convince him to splurge just a little more. Drunk people were always fun to watch. Lordy he was a tall one though, nearly two feet taller then herself, though that wasn't that much of a surprise in it of itself. He was obviously either a religious person of some sort, some sort of magic user, or both. She had fun playing with those religious folks and she found those with magic often made for the most exciting tales.

[Assistant]
"I hate being in Shava'ren, All these Ravens, you have feeling that they will steal something when you don't watch them".
Varm was in Tarner, a coastal port located in the North of Shava'ren, he was going to g
et on the first ship sailing to Lahria. He was Travelling to meet his friend, a Lah'na named Reker, an innkeeper in one of the cities. His tavern was called "White sword", where he planned to go, Varm have a deal designed to bring him some money. Varm had a rare item whose name could not be divulged and that is why so much afraid of being robbed.

After eating a meal in the coastal tavern he decided to look around for ship. One of them called "Black Rose" had planned to travel to Lahria. The Captain was Rakonai.

"Hi, may I go on a journey together with you? I have to be in Lahria in four days."
The captain was not too nice,
"you can sail with us, however you will need to pay".
"I don't have too much money but I have to go along with you, so I'll pay."

After the transaction, Varm went back to the tavern to pack. "The ship sets off in an hour, so I advise you to hurry up"  Captain yelled. An hour later, the ship was already on the waves, carried by sea to Lahria.

[User]
The two companions had found their room with ease. It was rather small, but did hold two beds that Atlas could actually fit on. This was a whole lot better than their usual accommodations of the cold hard ground. Atlas got comfortable, throwing her bag to the side, she collapsed on the bed with a content sigh. The jingle of her coin pouch sounded as she had laid down, and the Toth couldn't help but feel a little guilty. About the whole stealing thing they did earlier as well lying to the innkeeper about their situation. However all her grumbling into the mattress had easily faded when a knock had sounded on their door, indicating the food was there.

Atlas nearly flew to the door, a small cart held plates of many various dishes, fit for both of their tastes. Atlas gave a coin as a tip before wheeling in the cart between the two beds excitedly. The last thing she remembered eating was a rather suspicious mushroom Rykiar dared her to consume. All she recalled was waking up three days later even more hungry than before. At least their suffering had all paid off as the Tothum took her first bite. She wanted to cry tears of joy, it was just that delicious. Or rather they were so starved anything tasted good. Either way, this could have been described as the best moment of her rather uneventful life.

They ate quietly, the sounds of the town filled the room from the open window as a relaxing background noise. Avisthelm was certainly a nice place, or a dump. She really had no clue, having not been to enough towns for references. Either way, Atlas wouldn't mind staying here a bit longer if possible.

The cow turned on her bed, munching still on a piece of freshly baked bread, to look out the window. As diverse as the town may be, there was an excess of Lah'na in the town. Atlas of course had no trouble with this, her upbringing taught her to look beyond race, but she couldn't help but wonder if this town was more accepting than the last one they were at. Of course, traveling with a Neth made it easy in this land, she did recall some poor Shael being denied a room at an inn in a Neth run town before. All in all, she was more than grateful that her own race never seemed to have problems.

Distractedly, she reached for her mug for a drink, only to realize she was all out. Atlas looked over at Rykiar's own drink to see it was also empty. They had a brief stare down, both wanting the other to get more. The mouse of course won, in victory he laid down, pretending to be asleep to make sure the Toth would fetch the beverages. With a playful snort, Atlas got up, the mugs clinking as she made her way out and down the stairs. Hooves clunking on the wooden stairs, she realized it was more busy than when they first arrived.

She shuffled toward the bar, placing the mugs up for a refill. She reached in her pouch to pull out a couple of coins. With a brief smile at the innkeeper, Atlas waited patiently, standing off to the side from the two seated nearby. She looked around at the little knickknacks that decorated the room, just wanting to go back to her room. Her and Rykiar still needed to discuss plans for the next day, or at least after a good nap.

[Assistant] It seems like the other two came to a conclusion, that we'd inform a nearby town of the corpse just so we won't have to drag it around with us. "Alright then! Heck, if I can recall where the nearest town is, I can just fly there, and, while I would prefer if you stayed here and waited, there IS an enchanted forest just to the north of here. It's kinda where I was heading before I ran into... well... this," I told the two before flying up, and then due south, where... wait, it was actually more of a city than a town, but I'm sure there are starving people in there, too. Avisthelm... now I remember, this was the first place I visited in Laharia. Had to take a boat for the first time in my life, even had fish here for the first time in my life... wait... was it fish? The other man kept calling it 'hsif' or something... maybe that's just their language for the word, or something. I thought, remembering just how much I disliked fish, and how strange it was that the other guy, who supposedly loved the stuff kept calling it by a different name. In the time it took me to reminisce that day, I made it back to town, and started looking around for someone who might be able to carry off the thing. Unfortunately, nobody seemed to want to deal with the thing, even after I told them they could keep the reward. My searches eventually ended up with me at some inn with a strange group of individuals... a rat person, a cow lady, and... what I could only guess was either a cat or a dog. "Hey! Any of you willing to do some work for some money? There's a slain wurm up to the north, and my group doesn't want to deal with dragging the thing over here. You can keep the reward if you bring it here, I just want to continue on with my adventure!" I repeated this message so many times that I wasn't saying it with my usual energy... of course, that could just be because I kept giving my food rations to the beggars that lined the streets of this place. Oddly, most of the beggars were either nin'tah, or fellow shael who might have been having problems with the local lah'na.


[System]
______________________________________

"The cruelty is the point."

______________________________________ | ______________________________________

G E N D E R :

Male

A G E :

19

O C C U P A T I O N :

Jo Long Assassin

A P P E A R A N C E :

Vas stands at 6'1 and 175 pounds. He is slim, lean, and very well muscled, having spent his life as a disciplined combatant. Often it's easy to forget, given his height and physic, he is still a teenager. He is a mutt of the universe, with mocha skin, a straight nose, and bright blue almond-shaped eyes. Vas still has a youthful boyish face with some roundness to cheeks that have not yet matured. His hair is straight and black styled into a war hawk. Vas has an elaborate Japanese-style tattoo that covers his back. It consists of a highly detailed eastern dragon coming down from clouds of sakura and wisteria blossoms, with some of the flowers cresting to his shoulders.

H O M E P L A N E T :

Santos, Silverton

S K I L L S E T :

Vas is a fully trained assassin, and while he knows how to use various guns his more of a melee fighter. He is a trained Shaolin monk in the five animal styles, which he expanded to include the Dragon form. He knows how to use and manufacture various poisons and tranquilizers. Beyond that Vas is surprisingly well-read and knows proper etiquette (he just finds there is rarely a call for it) and can garden. Lastly, Vas can not cook. If it's in not soup (which might barely be edible), in a can or premade … it is basically poison and a crime against humanity in a plate. He can bake cookies but that is about all he can do.

E Q U I P M E N T :

Vas pride and joy is a Jian style sword with no tassel, black and silver inlay grip with a green jade crossguard and an etched blade. He owns a dragon scale armoire, it's thin and flexible and can easily be worn regularly under a shirt. He owns a variety of blades, tools, and poisons. He owns a tablet loaded with a variety of books. When on duty for the Temple Vas uses and black Kitsune mask and has specialized armor he can use when performing wetwork. Lastly, he always carries around a lighter and clove smokes.

P E R S O N A L I T Y :

Vas is quite self contained and a bit distant. Serena, his counterpart does enough talking for the both of them. He isn't shy or squeamish about violence nor is he about its application. It's more of the fact that he takes pride in his work. Oddly though he is a massive softie, finding joy in stupid little things and is surprisingly sensitive when it comes to people whose opinions he actually cares about. He comes off as childish and naive when it comes to and often is a little trusting with people ruining the tough punk look. He penchant for full-on honesty, he doesn't like to lie and actively avoids doing so. Vas had a temper that rarely comes out, it's more like a berserk button but basically, he has a hell of a chip on his shoulder when it comes to slavers.

B I O :

Vas often looks back at his youth and family with rose color lenses. Mostly because his life since the war was drowned in violence and loss. Like many left behind as children, he was scooped up into the slave trade and drafted to fight in the war. Sold as a child soldier he was shoved from one front to the next. Eventually, he was 'liberated' and fell into the shadow of Estaban, who turned out to be an assassin for the Jo Long. Having taken a shine to the kid he was eventually brought to the temple on Lilac and trained to become an assassin. For Vas, it was quite fulfilling … family, friends, job satisfaction. He fit in it, he was wanted and he excelled at his job.
Eventually returning home from a mission Vas ran afoul of some slavers. It got ugly but eventually, Vas exacted his opinion on the captain's profession. This is how he met Serena and the pair bonded pretty quick out of the crisis. Two years later, she continues to be an apprentice of sorts, his apprentice. Leaving the temple for real-world experience, they were found by Deckard running a scam in a pit fighting ring. Their scam was caught and they got jumped. Vas was able to take care of himself, and Serena made 'fast friends' (in her opinion) with Deckard. Deckard offered them a job doing semi-honest work. They accepted. How better to see the verse?
 |

| Jago Deckkard | Captain is fine, well meaning. Better then most I've run into. |
| --- | --- |

| Tim Casey | I would think better of him if he would stop filling Serena's head with scary stories! |

| Enid Prichard | She likes needles a little too much. |

| Vas Jat | I like duck! |

| Serena Jat | My somebody. |

| Kinneas Reed | How does he shoot with all that hair? |

|
|  |
|  ______________________________________

[User]
Ready Or Not Part 5
Lunar Veil | Cargo Bay
Summary
Vas and Serena are training in the Cargo Bay. Vas is worked up and on edge and Serena works to sus out why.

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"Grrrr!" She growled, selecting a shiny knife. "I got it Onii. Don't worry, I won't be scared. I'll scare them, like you. Just like you."

"Naw kiddo. You find your own scary, that's how you do it, you'll figure it out. Arrite arm up well go through the motion, warm you up properly and well get the meat of it. Nick me and I'll throw you across the room Kay?" Vas smiled. He would absolutely toss her if she did.

"Focus, and you won't get nicked," she giggled. "Fiiiine, I won't, I won't," She promised, checking over her shoulder once so Vas couldn't pull the same trick. "Honest and swear."

Vas moved in to bonk the girl for looking away.

Serena caught his movement out of the corner of her eye and deflected his arm, turning her wrist to block with the hilt side of the knife. She'd been put down once, twice was definitely off her agenda for the night!

Vas moved quickly, stepping to hook kick snagging her behind the knee. He snaked an arm around her, twisting it behind her and threw her forward. "Always keep your eyes in the fight." He chided. "You're fighting me, not Goldilocks."

"Goldilocks?" She giggled, preparing to take a swing at him as soon as she regained her balance.

"Yeah you know cuz of the hair and the eating of our apples like it's no big deal. Guy doesn't look like he knows what it's like to live on protein paste for a full week." Vas snorted.

"His hair's not gold," Serena corrected. "It's more the color of a sandy beach – nuh uh - you're trying to distract me," she accused.

"I am." He said, stepping forward with a feint. "I'm sure he smells fabulous. With hair like that? Uses fancy soap I bet."

"That's low, Onii!" she shot. "Making me think of him in the shower." She  tried to focus after that… really.

"No such thing Mei Mei!" He chortled and sent her flying. "Maybe you should go back to the wooden knives." He teased. "Till you can stop thinking about what shampoo the new guy uses."

"It smells like coconut!" she said dreamily from the floor, giving herself just a split second to remember it. "But too bad for you, I'm 100% focused on this fight."

"Too late you're dead." Vas said, tapping the tip of his wooden knife to her chest. "Well at least you've got a future being a meat sheath."

[Assistant]
Ready Or Not Part 6
Lunar Veil | Cargo Bay
Summary
Vas and Serena are training in the Cargo Bay. Vas is worked up and on edge and Serena works to sus out why.

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| --- | --- |

Serena giggled. Sometimes her brother was more monk than others. She'd enjoy this while it lasted. "You think so?" She asked.

"Think what?" Vas blinked confused as he helped her up.

"Me and Kinneas?" She asked.

Vas was even more confused. "You and Kinneas what?" Feeling like he was being led along to the punchline of a joke.

"Oh, Onii," Serena giggled. "Maybe they don't write that in your books."

Vas continued his streak of cluelessness. "I am so lost. Are we even speaking the same language?" He huffed.

Serena tried to take advantage, launching an attack. "Focus! Pay attention!" She chided.

Vas sidestepped, slapping Serena upside the head and poking her twice in the side with his wooden dagger. He left his foot out for her to trip on. "Guile over strength any day of the week. Congrats you are a pincushion!" He was still suspicious over what Serena had been babbling about but he would press it out of her later.

The unceremonious fall knocked the giggle out of her, and Serena cursed as she sprawled on the ground. "Next time," she promised, picking herself back up.

"Ha! Keep dreaming Mei Mei, you still have a lot to learn. I was small too at one point, brute strength? It's not the key that always fits the lock." He said putting his wooden weapon down. "Speed, precision, deception … there will never be a fair fight. They will be bigger, meaner, they have guns and come at you in a group." Vas said taking a low stance, arms undulating slightly, his finger pointed and straight. "Would you rather a 'fair fight' or one you survive?"

"One you survive," the teen parroted. "Like you said."

"Survival ain't fair." Vas reminded her. "They plead their case, wave to their wife, their children, Gran Gran or whoever … they will promise you anything and everything." He said moving forward smoothly, his snake-like movement striking forward.

Serena kept her eyes on him, and backed up, away from the knife, taking a swipe at him when he came close before darting to the other side. "Because they won't think twice about killing me."

Vas dodged and continue to press in. Taking advantage of his long arms, he jabbed his fingers into a nerve in Serena's shoulder that made her entire arm tingle and weak. He didn't let up, he locked her other arm and instead of throwing her to the ground, held her bent over his knee to where she was on her toes and her head touching the floor, his elbow holding her in place. "Exactly. Don't give them that chance. Even a rabbit can surprise you when cornered."


[System]
Photo:
Age : 17
Gender: Male
Abilities: Chen utilises what many call The Tarot Deck. It is a set of spells that were thought to be lost after the fall of Babylon. Each spell has unique properties and can be used in conjunction with one another. Some spells are too strong for Chen to use at the moment and will kill him if used improperly.
The Fool: At the moment it just deactivates Chen's magic but when mastered it can turn off enemy magic as well.
The Magician: Allows control of Wind Magic. The user can create harsh winds and live without air for hours at a time. When mastered the user can create winds of Category 5 Hurricanes and stronger and user will no longer need to breathe to live.
The High Priestess: Allows analysis of enemy magic and enemy, at the moment it only tells the basic nature of said magic and basic information about the enemy. When mastered it can tell the user everything there is to know about the spell and target, spells analyzed will be copied and usable by the user within seconds.
The Empress: Allows control of Ice magic, the user can only create basic icicles and weapons made of Ice, when mastered can create deadly snowstorms and can change the weather of entire states.
The Emperor: Cannot be harnessed at the moment, when mastered can allow user to control entire armies with mind control.
The Hierophant: Complete Photographic memory, but only if you make sure to pay attention. When mastered, the user can recall any detail from any memory they have and forgetfulness will never be a problem again. Is always on to a degree causing a miniscule drain of Magic at all times.
The Lovers: Allows healing of wounds in ranging from cuts to broken bones. When mastered, a lost limb will mean nothing as it grows back before your very eyes.
The Chariot: Allows flight, when mastered light will barely be able to keep up with you.
The Strength: Increases physical strength and speed to Olympic athletes levels. When mastered, allows users to lift entire buildings easily and Sprint distances of entire states without breaking a sweat.
The Hermit: Allows Teleportation to an extent. The user can teleport distances of less than a mile, th teleportation itself involves the user dissolving into "something" (User can choose what said something is) and then reforming in a new location. When mastered, user can teleport between dimensions and planets in the blink of an eye and can weaponize the teleportation by teleporting into a foe.
The Fortune: Unusable at the moment, when mastered can let the user bend the universe's probability to his will and in essence, make him lucky or an opponent very unlucky.
The Justice: Allows use of Light Magic, at the moment the user can only create bright lights and harm minor demons. When mastered, the user can create an avatar of Light as an armor and fight within it. Cannot be used in conjunction with The Devil.
The Hanged Man: Unusable at the moment. When mastered can allow resurrection from Death. Seriously.
The Death: The user can cause rotting of objects and people to an extent. When mastered it allows the user to kill with touch and make a building rot away in the space of seconds.
The Temperance: Allows equalization of Magic levels when user and target are close enough in power ranges. When mastered can let the user become equal to anyone.
The Devil: Uncontrollable at the moment. Allows the user to channel Dark energy from what the Babylonians believed to be Lucifer. No information available on what can be done when mastered as nobody has mastered it. When control is lost, demons possess the user and use them to do... unspeakable acts.
The Tower: Allows control of Lightning Magic. At the moment can only generate minor amounts of electricity, when mastered can let the user create powerful thunderstorms and produce electricity for entire states.
The Star: Allows user to control emotions to an extent. If the user wants to make someone happy if they're a little bummed out than he can. When mastered can cure depression, make enemies erupt into tears for no reason whatsoever and become paralyzed with fear in the midst of battle.
The Moon: Allows user to turn invisible. When mastered the user can mask his magic to make himself completely undetectable.
The Sun: Allows user to create fireballs and control fire to an extent. When mastered, the user can make the sun feel like a candle on the verge of being blown out.
The Judgement: Setup for The World. Requires target to be immobilized and a one hour chant to begin The World.
The World: Unknown, all that is known is that Babylon would still be standing if not for the use of The World. Use of this spell kills the user no matter what.
Personality : Chen can come off as a sarcastic jerk, a man who hates rules being broken, a narcissistic nihilist, but under all of that is a guy who would do anything to protect those he finds important.
History: Chen is the heir to the Alon legacy, the Alon's are famous for their revolutionary potion making techniques and willingness to sell said potions at a low cost. If you've bought a potion, it was probably made in a Alon factory. As such he is quite rich and is more than willing to spend that money. Unfortunately in order to gain that money his parents had to die. It was a warm August afternoon when radicals bombed the Alon headquarters and killed his mother and father. Since then he has changed his name and traveled the world in an attempt to quote on quote "find himself". In his travels he found the lost city of Babylon and discovered a branch of Magic thought to be lost, The Tarot Deck. He currently can only utilise certain parts of it but when full potential is unlocked a master of this magic can change reality (To a certain degree). He recently entered the Academy.
Other: Is quite sensitive about his height. 5"3 feet tall.

[User]
Apollo nodded as he attempted to ignore the Aura. He then looked up at the stage. The other two semeed quite interesting, also the man in the back and to the front of him, was it Chen and Sloth..yes they were very interesting to him. Apollo then looked at Agatha. "As a matter of fact yes I do...Also, Pendragon? As Arthur Pendragon? Or no relation?"

Just as he finished asking the question, Agni walked past him he felt a burning sensation in his chest, making his Aura flicker in many colors, that was the sword Ascalon wanting to get out. He started sweating but stayed calm and collected.

[Assistant]
Azrael was slightly unnerved by the spectacle Chen had made of himself, why had he seemed in such pain? He positively jumped out of his own skin when Kenney had fired into the air. He'd never heard such a loud sound outside of thunder and the roar of a dragon! Once his heart had resumed its normal pace, he noticed Chen approaching him. Oddly enough, the boy's eyes seemed to be a different color as well. "What magic would do that?" Azrael thought to himself.

He stood when Chen stopped and said that he would enjoy fighting Azrael! What could make the students so hostile? The boy wasn't sure if the challenge was made in malice or competitive spirit so he answered. "Well yes, I did on request from my Masters and my own wishes... but why do we have to fight?.. Chen, right? I hope that we can be friends, since I see only strangers." Azrael took a step forward, bridging the gap between the two enough to offer his hand for a greeting. Commune with the Spirits had always taught him manners and respect, yet this boy made his hackles rise like a rabid mountain lion would. Chen thirsted for combat and Azrael could practically smell it. Yet, a want for confrontation meant he was sure of his abilities and therefore more powerful than the usual student. Az could learn from such a person.

[User] The movement of Kieran's former headrest had him flop over onto the chairs, the stirring woke him as he sat back up in the chair and yawned, stretching his arms up as he did. He rubbed his eyes and looked around seeing that everyone was mingling. while there was still time to make an introduction he didn't want to draw any attention to himself and figured there'd be time for that later so he got up out of his chair and walked over to a side wall. He took out one of his sword handles as a straight blade formed on it, he then leaned on the wall and propped himself up with the sword to keep from falling over as he tried to keep himself awake.

[Assistant]
"There is a distant ancestor by the name of Arthur Pendragon who was a king and his father Uther Pendragon. Arthur would be my 3 great grandfather and Uther would be my 4 great grandfather. I am not at all sure about the amount of greats since they are so distant.
What about your family? Apollo is a god and so was Eros. There must be an interesting story behind your name." Agatha spoke calmly. She no longer had an aura surrounding her body.

[User] Flare (Agni) went and sat not too far from everyone, but not too close at the same time. He saw how Chen fell upon a gaze at him and predicted that it was thanks to Undefined Fate, his weapon. Since it was made by a Technomage, it was made with Data, so many numbers and other symbols could be inside the eight cards. He excluded that it were his dark fire, since he left his position as a Devil Lord for a while. Still, Flare took the cars out of his pocket and started to play with them in the air, while paying attention at the rest of the introductions.

[Assistant] Aleksa slowly started to relax until the next person up brandished a gun from thin air 'keep an eye on him' she thought to herself as he walked off the stage. When he was off it she began to relax again, feeling the individual magical energies in her body meld into one and her aura, which is usually focused and coiled tightly around her, began to run wild lashing out at those who it deemed "weak". After a few minutes of this Aleksandra reeled it back in having forgotten about the fact that it did this, Her aura acts like this because she was exposed to beast blood early in her childhood and the fact that her mother had been a guard for her village which meant she was constantly covered in it even while pregnant with Aleksandra didnt help the case. Her aura is similar to that of multiple mountain beasts rolled into one and acts like it too though Aleksandra has never seen her own. Aleksa focused on the students in the room and how they were moving around the area without letting the introductions finish "everybody should just sit down" she said to herself.

[User] Apollo frowned and looked downwards. His aura color turned gray. She just touched a theme that he would rather not speak of. "My real fater Merli- uhh, Merlot had a specific way of picking names for his children..." He lied, about the name of his father and about his name. There was more behind it. He then quickly drew Miss Agatha and gave her the drawing, as a sign of friendship. That was his way of showing it. He began twirling his fingers, trying to make the leftover pain go away. But then more pain came, all of this pain would be unbearable to anyone else. More people, and their Auras lashing out and such.

[Assistant]
"Yeah... I know what you mean about names. I am the only person outside of my family who has two last names.........." Agatha spoke in a near whisper as a small blue cloud began to form over head.
"Parents simply don't think about how it affects the children. It was a decision that they made for the child and the child grows up either hating the whole name or at least a part of it. It just doesn't seem fair somehow." Agatha spoke of her own dislike of having two last names not knowing about Apollo's family at all.
When Apollo gave her the picture that he drew of Agatha, the cloud disappeared and a soft warmth flowed from Agatha and her Aura began to shine around her in a soft yellow haze.

"Apollo, this is a beautiful picture! It is like looking in a mirror but a bit prettier. You are very talented. Thank you very much......" Agatha spoke as she gazed at the picture.

[User]
Apollo just nodded and nodded to Agatha's response. Even though some of it was unrelated to what he had said. He then saw her expression, cheering up people sometimes was worth it. "Thanks.. Drawing is like this hobby of mine, and my way of communicating some times..." He said, containing his pain. He then jumped up spontaneously, like if he was a different person.
"Oh! Now that is fascinating, complete recovery from all of that, only that the aftershocks are still in place."
He began to stretch his arms like if he had just come out of a cocoon. He then looked at Agatha,"Right, Miss Agatha, I see he already gave you a picture...Well allow me to introduce myself, I'm Apollo's alternate Personality,You can call me Ephilates, I am the opposite of Apollo." He then looked around the room and sat down.

"Whew, wow, now I see why Apollo was overwhelmed, i'll just leave this to him, Nice to meet you Miss Agatha." Ephilates said as Apollo's eyes went from purple to blue.

"Oh god, please dont tell me you met him...Ephilates, My Split Personality..." Apollo said in embarassment.

[Assistant]
Arcadius sat in the corner of the room studying his massive grimore. He'd look up momentarily when someone decided to trudge up to the podium and introduce themselves, then there was the man with the gun. Startling him he dropped the book, a rather loud whump followed after. He'd moved his feet out of the way in time at least...

He stood and picked it back up, now would be as good a time as any to introduce himself. He sighed and weaved through the crowd. He made his way to the podium and dropped his book on it in an effort to get peoples attention, if he was going to bother taking time from his reading people had better listen.

Clearing his throat he spoke, "My name is Arcadius Innocenti, four year student, perhaps you have heard of my family. My father Ulric Innocenti being one of the most well known in my family, adding around a hundred pages to the family grimore..."

"Well...now is not the time nor the place for family history, and I doubt any of you are interested. I'll make the ending brief. Don't interrupt me when I'm reading and don't try to steal my Grimore if you value your life."

Finishing with a bow he retrieved his staff and book and walked back to his seat. He absent-mindedly resumed reading its pages, he could tell several of the new students had potential.


[System]
Character Concept: The straightforward musclehead who believes that anything can be solved with his fists.
Gender: Male

Background: Damien was a delinquent through and through. He often skipped school and picked fights with anyone foolish and/or strong enough to accept them. Surprisingly enough, on the occasions he did actually go to school, his grades were decent, although that was probably mainly to get his nagging parents off his case about his lifestyle. One day, though, as he was playing hooky as usual, he spotted a kid across the street playing with a ball. Thinking about how stupid the kid was, Damien was about to ignore him and go to an arcade he frequented when the kid kicked the ball into the street, and of course the kid would run into the street right into the path of a speeding car. Acting on instinct, Damien immediately rushed over and pushed the kid out of the way, though at the cost of putting himself in the car's path. It's easy to guess what happened next.

Level: 1

Class: Brawler

Race: Demon

Attribute: Focus

Martial Arts:
None

Thaumaturgy:
-Hellfire Salvo: Damien can envelop rocks or other small bits and pieces nearby with a black-and-red flame, then levitate them in the air and/or fire them at his target(s) at high velocity. The maximum amount of projectiles is currently at four.

Gift:
Curse of the Demon: Damien can will his arms and legs to transform from his hand to his elbow and his feet to his knees, forming a red rocky exterior covered with yellow markings, with pointy fingertips and toes as well. These limbs are much tougher than normal human limbs, and certainly much stronger as well. Very handy for both offense and defense when he needs to get somewhere fast and deliver powerful punches and kicks to whatever's in his way.

Equipment: Nothin'. Well, except for the clothes on him.

[User]
Hikaru - The Forest

Hikaru managed to keep his nerves in check. That stare was damn uncomfortable, but talking dog held in. Anyway he was glad that it worked, so Hikaru decided to keep his normal dog act for as long as possible. Talking dog had no friggin idea where he was, so he still needed to collect as much information as possible. Plus now with potential party in Hikaru could also scout people and let them do the dirty work. Ha, this works for sure. Being opportunistic had some certain advantages which I wanted to abuse now as much as possible.

Although when he looked at those odd jobs, Hikaru couldn't help but be interested - but what he could do while keep his appearance in check for as long as possible ? Recipe ingridients was a big no - he would probably need to ask what exactly she needed, so it would ruin his cover. Simon Times is a human and no matter how confident Hikaru may be, he still prefered to do something light. So it was rats or goblins... in the end he looked at goblins job and nodded. This one sounds fun (hunting Rats sounds boring) so talking dog decided to move towards outside gates and check the situation. If needed - he may always run away. He just hopes it wouldn't bite him in the f*****g ass !

[Assistant]
Damien looked up at the sun after the farmer announced the ETA of one and a half hours. Of course, Damien was careful enough to shield his eyes from the harmful rays with a hand. That would certainly be a while away, and by then Damien would get bored waiting. Still, the farmer promised a decent meal, and that wasn't something he intended to pass up. Anything free was great for him, even if 'free' meant beating up a few bandits. The metal man appeared to be taking the offer as well, though the fox girl was turning it down. That suited Damien fine. He didn't want to be around her anyway.

Undoing the transformations on his limbs, Damien followed the metal man and Ezekiel the farmer to his home. Looking over at the grumpy scarecrow Shadow, Damien thought about teasing him for a bit, but then he decided that that joke was already done with. With a sigh, Damien wondered how the food would taste. Hopefully good, at least.

[User]
Jemma - The Beach
@Zamokra41

---

Everything happened far too quickly for her liking. The music was too loud, and the temperature was too high. The hot air hung heavy around her, suffocating her like a scarf she could not peel away. Her blonde hair clung to her damp neck, and each breath she drew went down like sandpaper. The more logical side of her consciousness suggested that perhaps she was experiencing a sensory overload, or some sort of shock. Perhaps it was a side effect of the candy. The thought flickered, and then died away just as quickly. Whatever the treat had done to her, she was far past avoiding the consequences. All she could do was push forward, and to the soft spoken young lady, forward meant away.

There was a hand on her shoulder, and a voice in her ear. It appeared someone else had taken notice of her, though fortunately, he was not nearly as demanding as the first. When she rounded on him, she was met with a masked wrestler. This place gets stranger and stranger, she would reflect later, but at the moment, that imaginary scarf was growing tighter.

I have to go, she had to tell them, and her chapped lips opened to do so. But a second vision, still in various shades of blue, caught the words in her throat. The figure of a woman, her eyes wide and lifeless, her thin body moving like a ragdoll as it crashed into the DJ booth. The wreckage was soon consumed by sparks, and the crowd, by unbridled panic.

"They're coming from the sea," the party-goers screamed, and Jemma intoned just under her breath. Just as the other had, the vision violently snapped her back to reality. Now, she was more eager than ever to go.

Cheeks flushed with exertion, and brow sparkling with sweat, she hooked her arms through the two individuals nearest her - the wrestler, and the beast. "Yes," she countered, suddenly recalling something that the furry one had mentioned earlier. "Get away. Private. Good. Let's go." Gracelessly, she moved to drag the two men toward the wooden pathway.

[Assistant]
Egwene got to work digging herself a little firepit, so it wouldn't go all over the place and set the forest on fire. That'd probably be bad. It wasn't easy without a shovel, but her nails seemed strong and the dirt seemed soft, so eventually she had a decent pit filled with leaves that weren't to wet. It was here that she pointed her tail into, and smiled, letting the fire build up on the tip. Once it had finished, she gave the mental command to fire. And nothing happened. Which would have been awkward, in a real fight. So she could charge it up, but the firing required some sort of command.

What it was, she was at a loss for. But, then it came to her in a flash of light, and it was obvious. It couldn't have been anything else, really.
"Fox Fire" she announced, to herself. And in response, the fire shot from her tail and blasted the leaves in the pit. It was enough to burn through flesh, that much she knew - how, was a secret, but she knew - and that was fine. But, the flaming tip didn't recover for about twenty seconds, which meant it wasn't good for a prolonged fight. She needed to aim well before shooting it. The Fire itself was pretty quick, so little chance of it being dodged, unless she shot wrong.

[User]
Orion Stoneheart

These were some weird jobs. The rat job sounded okay, 50g was a lot. Right? Maybe? Whatever, there was no way he was fighting goblins. Goblin's had sword and axes and teeth and stuff. Orion wasn't ready to fight anything without the proper tools and he wasn't eager to pit his body against actual fighting implements. The next one sounded like you had to either be sneaky or able to beat someone in a fight, neither of which Orion was eager to test his skills at. Soup? Soup was okay. But the job was listed as normal when the rats were easy. Just what kind of soup was it? Well maybe he could at least see about the soup. If it involved like dragon's blood or something he could just leave the granny on her own and kill rats. Easy. "Alrighty, I think helping with the soup is going to be easiest and I like soup. If its super hard though I'll just kill some rats for money. You guys can... follow me! Or do your own thing. Just make sure we meet up here later aight?" It looked like the dog left to go scrounge for some food or something, Orino wasn't sure why it was here in the first place. Still with that explanation out of the way Orion checked the list again. Grandma Grinny, house located on the east side. Alright, shouldn't be too hard to find, Orion headed off to find this Grandma Grinny, eager to get some food in his belly.

[Assistant]
Farmhouse:
@Scarifar@NarayanK
 Ezekiel had led the both willingly companions into his noble home. He was unsure of their capabilities, but he acknowledged their uniqueness. It was a strange sight to seem a man of metal yet another man turn into a demonic being. There would have been a barrage of questions he would have led onto the two, but he had other matters.

The farmer was struck back by the question by the metallic man. He found it odd the individual had no clue of his whereabouts. "Do you really have no idea?" Ezekiel stroked his mutton chops. "You're on the outskirts Munitam ," he answered. "Not much you'll find here, but maybe some hunting game and..." The farmer paused and opened the screen door of his house. "Bandits."

 The interior of the home was in great condition. It looked fairly modern and seemed reasonable for family to settle down in. Most of the furniture and staircases were made of wood. The front door opened to the view of living room. The living room was an ordinary lounge area with two love seats and a lengthy sofa. Four bookcases stood tall on the walls; each one was well-equipped with literature of this world. One particular book's spine was glowing brightly-emanating a light that only the two players could see.

Adjacent to the living room was the kitchen. The cooking area had a worn stove and tile floors. There had been a lot of elbow grease put into this room from the condition of it. It was obvious to see there was always effort put into the cooking. The dining table and cooking prep tables had stains and a few crumbs present.

The living room and kitchen had a hallway leading to a staircase and several other rooms. There was a locked panel on the floor that must have led to the basement.

 The farmer quickly opened up the fridge and began pulling out some vegetables. Opening up the cupboards, he began pulling out some cutting material. "I'll have to work fast. Everyone okay with a chicken salad?"

---

 The scarecrow stared at the pit and the fox girl. His gaze never left her.

Forest:
@Kejmur@Holy Soldier

 The party was too focused on the new settlement and the odd jobs that they did not see the disappearance of Sonia.

---

 Hikaru followed the directions given on the wall; the paper request was precise with its location as Hikaru did find his objective. The goblins that were mentioned in the wanted sign were present. They were huddled around a tree and appeared to be scheming mischievous activities. There were four of them and they were not alarmed by the strag dog roaming around.

---

 Orion was introduced by a row of small houses. The village was fairly small and so were the houses. They were exactly the same in style and size with slight differences. The particular house Orion was looking for was not difficult to spot. He figured he would have to do some cooking of some type considering the ingredients wish. He noticed one house with a broken window and black smoke coming out. The smoke was followed by yelling of obscenities.

[User]
"Munitam, huh..."

Considering that he was going to probably brutalize a bunch of bandits after eating, the calm and peaceful atmosphere of the house unnerved Hephaestus. Still, he took what he could from the mood and decided to enjoy the taste of bloodless air.

Raising a hand near his chest, he generated a few shards of metal and let them float about for several seconds. Indeed, he had the ability to manipulate metal, though he had no idea on whether he would be able to expand upon his gift. He could feel it- he could create much more metal, but creating shards in the middle of a peaceful house was not a good idea. Hephaestus decided to save the testing of his abilities to their full extent once he got outside again.

It would be problematic if his weight destroyed one of the chairs, so he decided to try making his own. Composing shards of metal, he directed his hand to one side of the table and slowly formed his very own chair. It took a bit to get used to constructing one quickly, but he quickly got the hand of it and ended up making a chair that looked more like a throne. So much for not showing off.

As the metal mage sat at his newly made chair(?), Hephaestus chuckled. "Anything is fine," he clarified for the farmer. A taste of chicken did sound somewhat pleasing...

[Assistant]
Unlike the metal man, Damien had little interest in where he was. To him, one place in the middle of nowhere felt like the same as another. Damien turned his head left and right to examine the interior of the house as he entered. It felt... homely, for lack of a better word. At the very least, it felt as good as his old home. Now that he thought about his old life, though, he wondered what everyone was thinking about him now. If he died, how were his parents? How was the child he had saved? Shaking his head out of the clouds, Damien returned his attention to the present. There were more important things to think about right now.

Looking for something to distract himself, Damien's eyes eventually landed on a bookcase. What made this one stand out from the others was the glowing book. Curious, he walked over to it and pulled it off the shelf, giving it a look over. As the farmer announced that the meal would be a chicken salad, Damien dismissively said, "Yeah, sure," as he opened the book, wondering what was so special about it.


[System]
Species: Purebred Vampire

Age: 479

Appearance: Bernard appears to be a tall (6'1"), well-built man in his early thirties. Raven-black hair that falls around his ears and shoulders frames the typical red eyes of his kind.Coarse but closely trimmed hair covers the lower half of his face, making the visible pale skin around it stand out more. A scar creates a hairless pink line from above his right eye, across the bridge of his nose, and down to his jawline. The remainder of his features are sharp and reminiscent of predatory beasts.

Preferring understated styles, Bernard usually wears dark t-shirts and similarly colored jeans. He generally wears hiking boots, as well as a black duster-style leather coat.

Personality: Often described as 'a bear of a man,' Bernard makes no attempt to act otherwise. His gruff demeanor tends to get most humans to leave him alone, which is what he wants. When passionate or pissed, he tends to lose sight of caution and react violently and without hesitation. Aside from that, he is level-headed and dependable, and his outbursts are tempered from centuries of survival. Thick skin and the obstinance of a bull makes him hard to manipulate unless you push the right buttons.

Equipment: Bernard prefers to rely on his own two hands in a fight, but does carry more than that. An inside pocket of his duster carries a Taurus 4510PD-3SS Revolver. His coat pockets also typically include the usual fare of wallet and (forged) identification.

Background: Though both of Bernard's parents were vampires, he has no recollection of his mother. She would have died during labour because of complications during the birth, but his father, Gerald, did not allow this. Before Bernard was even completely in the world, his mother was drained of her lifeblood.

His upbringing after that was harsh and centered on survival and little else. Bernard's father was cruel, uncaring about his progeny except that he not reveal them and not get in his way. Blood stained the path they walked, and no survivors stirred in their wake. Eventually, this caused the younger vampire to turn his back on his sire and look for a better way. Turning to the then recently formed Society, he sought a new family.

The rules of the Society became Bernard's way of life, and its members his family, distant and different as they were. Free of the violent influence, he turned his attention to higher minded distractions of fine art and literature for a time, withdrawing almost completely from the world as a whole. He maintained contact with the Society and those members that were near him, but was rarely seen among humans except to feed.

Even with the companionship of the Society when compared to that of his father, Bernard grew lonely over the years. Recently, in his hunger and despair, he turned a young woman who caught his eye and revealed to her the truth of her new life. For reasons unknown even to him, he has chosen not to reveal his identity to her yet.

Extra: Bernard is the vampire who turned Maxine, and is rather protective of her. Any violence directed toward her by hunters or other vampires is met in kind, though out of view of the public.

[User]
Max reached her building safely. She made the trek up the four flights of stairs to apartment 4013. The elevator never seemed reliable enough in her opinion and besides, she walked to and from work so what was another few minutes of walking? Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult blasted loudly in her ears. She hummed along to the catchy tune. She slid her key into the door handle but the door popped open before she had a chance to turn it. That's odd, she thought. Living alone in the city had always made Max a cautious person. She never left the house without locking the door.

She pulled her headphones out of her ears, still hearing the music blasting loudly. She pushed the door open all the way but didn't step in yet. She looked around. Her sight was better than a human but the room had blackout curtains and she couldn't see much of anything. "Hello?" she called out. Yes, because the robbers will be sure to announce their presence for my comfort. Stupid girl. She took a few steps forward into the front entry way. The living room was directly in front of her but the kitchen was around the corner to her left and her bedroom and bathroom were down the hall on her right. The doors to both rooms appeared closed from where she could see.

She made a few more steps in, taking her jacket off slowly and dropping it with her cell phone to the floor. She peered down the hallway, hoping her eyesight would adjust to the darkness in time to spot any danger. She listened for a sound and heard nothing. "Pandora?" she called out. Her stub tailed alley cat usually greeted her at the door, begging for food. This can't be good. Just as the thought entered her mind, she heard a slight creek in the floor. She froze. Silence filled the air. Maybe it was just the cat? Maybe my super opened the door and didn't lock it when he left? Maybe I'm just being paranoid? She tried to relax but failed miserably. "Pandora?" she called out again. The silence still lingered. Well, I might as well get this over sooner than later. If someone had broken in, Max would most likely be able to overpower them enough to scare them off.

She reached for the lamp sitting next to the door and clicked it on. Immediately an ashen face, blonde woman leaped at her from the middle of room. Max was startled and knocked off balance. The blonde landed on top of her as they both hit the floor. Max reached out and grabbed the stool pushed up against the wall beside her. She cracked it over the blonde's head, catching her off guard enough to stun her. Max squirmed out from beneath her and ran toward the hallway. She kept a loaded 9mm in her bedside table for protection. It wouldn't kill the vampire but may subdue her enough for Max to get away. The blonde recovered, leaping up and tackling her again. This time she took Max down hard. Her skull cracked against the hard wood flooring, blurring her vision. The blonde crouched above her face, grabbed her around the throat and laughed. "He told me it would be easy. You newborn vampires are hardly stronger than humans. But your blood…that's definitely stronger. And I'm starving." Max tried gasping for air as she took in the woman's words. This was a feral vampire and Max's life was in danger.

The blonde traced her free hand along the side of Max's face. "You know," she smirked, "you're almost too pretty to kill. If I wasn't so hungry, I think I'd try to convince you to my side of thinking. You'd be a wonderful pet." Max was thankful that this woman seemed to like to play with her kills. It gave her enough of a chance to catch her bearings and choke out a few words. "How did you find me? Did…did he send you?" She didn't want to think that her sire had a reason to kill her - she always liked to think of him as more of a guardian angel - but she didn't really know. The blonde's grin widened. "Yes. He did. He knows where all you newborns live. He said I could choose whoever I wanted to eat. But I didn't know you'd be beautiful. It's a shame really." The blonde tightened her grip on Max's neck. "But no more talking… I need to eat." Max looked around for something to grab or some way to escape as the blonde leaned down to her neck. Black spots dotted her eyes as the remaining oxygen left her body. The blonde's teeth grazed her neck and Max gasped.

[Assistant]
Azreil stood in the midst of a travelling crowd with both hands on his cane smelling the air, a number of people had stopped and stared at him. Who knows maybe they were expecting a show? Lord knows it looked like he could start a performance at any time, but they would be sadly mistaken when he had finished analysing the air. To maximize his sense of smell he had already blinded himself by closing his eyes, numbed his sense of feeling through willpower, and clogged his ears with the drowning crowd that surrounded him. Ignoring the more obvious smells like perfume, cologn, beer, urine, feces, pizza, spaghetti, and such he caught wind of mixed blood, the smell he had been looking for earlier.

With it he smelled burning flesh, that one generally meant hunters. Or a rash case of idiocracy either way it could be worth checking out, or it could be a bit of a stale situation. He decided to track the smell of mixed blood, after all his job leaned more towards ferals as opposed to hunters. Of course a normal hunt would not ne this detail and could easily be confused by the myriad of smells in a city, but his were heightened by many folds from cutting off his other primary sense. As he stepped forward the crowd became curious, with his exagerated limp he could sense a few of the crowd memembers become embarrassed. That's what you get for being overly curious. he thought to himself wanting to snort but refused so he did not loose the scent trail. Before long he came to a certain street block and hid in the shadows watching the area.

Azreil noticed something that he knew only meant trouble, a limousine circleing the block, much like a shark would close in on chummy water, quite a few number of times before coming to a halt. He sighed inwardly, only one person would do such a thing and not care. A very high profile person who cared little about attracting attention, the son of his late master and the face of the Octus. Giving a moment to the thought of actually telling the purebred that he was in the town gave him a string of mental problems, the first of which was a chewing out. Although that would be much worse later than sooner the outcome would be the same, and then there was always the possibility of extra demands. Then again Octavious seemed to understand the need for singular pursuit, but who knew exactly what he would require from Azreil to stay within his good graces.

He sighed as silently as inhumanly possible and pulled out his shelltop phone slamming in a message. To Octavious:My deepest appologise that I have not contacted you sooner about entering the city. as I have been scouring Chicago, but I do believe that I see your limousine circleing the block. Is there sommething I should be cautious of in the area? sending the message he grew anxious over the next few moments. He really did not know who he thought he was fooling, as the purebred would know full well that Azreil would have had an idea of what was in the area. However what he wanted to know was what Octavious knew.


[System]
Rank: Chief Apothecary (Skulltaker)

Personality: Cantus was inducted from a Feral World, and as such has always had somewhat of a short and sharp temperament; he does not, will not, suffer fools and imbeciles to deride him or question him - whether they be a Marine or the Chapter Master himself! Nevertheless, after introspective conditioning and contemplation, he has gained somewhat of a stoic but easygoing quality to his persona - at least as much as an Astartes actually can - complimented for his patient and soft bedside manner, especially to ease the passing of the dying, as well as his near unreadable face. Although he hides his emotions well, his loyalty to the Emperor and to his Chapter as a whole cannot be questioned, he does take many things emotionally hard, but he would willingly die for any of his Battle Brothers.

Appearance: Slighter than some of his more muscularbrethren, though taller than average for a Space Marine, Serviel could easily be mistaken for a son of Sanguinius; curling golden locks of a medium length frame his almost perfect features, his marble-white skin unmarked by time or wound, and his glacial blue eyes always watching above his slender aquiline nose and thin lips which, when peeled back, reveal what could well be mistaken for vampiric fangs. No-one, not even he, really knows why he looks more like a Blood Angel - some suggesting that there was a mix up with the gene-seed and others that his people were of Baalite stock - whatever the reason, he is assuredly the picture of what Ancient Terrans believed to be an Angel.

In terms of his armour, it is a standard suit of Mark VI 'Corvus' power armour in the colours of his Chapter - except with the usual penchant for white, and the customary blood red Prime Helix symbol, found to be the province of all apothecaries. The only reverse being that, unlike his brothers of the Warp Skulls, his beaked Diagnostor helmet has a central stripe of red running from front to back.

Mutation(s): None, as of yet; he is one of the 'lucky' few that have not been subject to any mutations.

Bio: After being taken from one of the many warring tribes of his homeworld, a world and people he can no longer remember, by the nomadic fleet of the Warp Skulls very soon after their unleashing on the rest of the galaxy, it was noticed that apart from his deceptive strength he was also possessed of a keen intellect and more than willing to learn.

Over time he became interested in the sciences and processes of the Astartes physiology, undergoing the specialist training required of all Apothecaries and coming away from it as nearly a completely different person.

During his time with the Chapter he eventually reached the rank of 'Skulltaker', a specialist rank held by the Chief Apothecary of the Warp Skulls, pretty much just a fancy title that was bestowed on one who had achieved great things and daring feats in the field, something that Cantus most certainly had - yet also involved recovering the heads of your fallen comrades after death.

Over the course of the Chapter's campaigning he has saved multiple lives, saving wounded brothers while under fire, and even saving the life of the Chapter Master on one occasion. He has no idea if his superior still remembers this, but he shall never forget it.

Now, however, he has become ever more withdrawn upon discovery of mutation among the Chapter - something he and his fellow Apothecaries should have seen long before any bodily warping could occur. This was sadly not the case, and he now works every waking hour to find the root cause of these abominable changes, something that may not seem to concern others (such as the Librarians) but that is slowly causing him to grow more annoyed and even panicked.

So, a meeting is soon to take place between the highest ranking of the Chapter...and he shall be with them when the fate of their Chapter is decided.

Deeds: W.I.P

Weapons and Wargear: Apart from his Hesh M38 Mk II bolt pistol, with chain-bayonet, and a Mark XI Pattern Chainsword, as an Apothecary he also equips himself with the items of his position and rank; the Narthecium and the Reductor, one for healing his wounded comrades, and the other for removing the precious Progenoid Glands from those that have fallen or will not survive.

[User]
Rokurou Caras

The Chapter master listened as his Captains called for war, his veterans advocating the Chapter fight against the Inquisition, believing a positive outcome could arise from it. Perhaps that was the only way he thought... perhaps no other choice was present. Until the Forge-Adept Valius spoke up, followed by Master of the forge Constantine, advocating they run. Rokurou though on this... and made his decision. He raised one of his great gauntleted fists up, calling for silence within the room. Once the assembled chapter command fell quiet, Rokurou addressed his Chapter, "It would appear, as if only the Master of the Forge and his adept can see the truth. We cannot simply 'fight' the Inquisition, and the Explorators are not likely to support us if we do. We must avoid contact with them at all costs. But... this brings its own questions.", the Chapter Master paced about the room, his wings absent-mindedly furling and un-furling against his back, showing he had at least some control of the great emaciated appendages.

"Where can we go? What place is safe? Where will the Inquisiton not follow us. and where can we continue to serve the Primarch and the Emperor?", Rokurou feared he knew the answer... feared what it would mean for his chapter.

It was then he recieved the notification... a ship was incoming, currently un-known. One ship? It quickly dawned on the Chapter master who exactly it was. He turned to his assembled council and spoke of this new development, "It appears as though the tithe will come eraly brothers... a ship approaches, I believe it may be the inquisistion... Serviel,", he turned the massive bulk of his terminator armor to face the chief Apothecary, "You must recieve them. You are one of the pure, you must stall them whilst we deliberate further. Once we are finished we may... discuss what must be done with whatever, or whoever arrives.", Rokurou hasd the council doors opened to allow the chief apthecary to exit... he was going to be needed quite soon.

[@Everyone]

[Assistant]
Medeis was glad to have Skyrax on his side. The Vanguard Captain was often more abrasive and rash than the Chief Librarian liked, but at least the man had his head screwed on straight. Both the Master of the Forge and the abomination he'd been tasked with babysitting advocated retreat in the face of resistance, however, and the idea brought him as close to physical illness as he'd ever been brought by something someone had to say. The left side of his mouth curled up slowly, forming an unforgiving snarl as he listened to their traitorous words. "Cowards..." he grumbled, having to fight to keep the Voice of the Legion out of his whisper. Then, as if to throw the veterans' loyalty back in their faces, the Chapter Master agreed with the horrific construct sitting across from them. Now he felt physically ill. It didn't last long, thanks to his physiology, but he'd never been closer to throwing up in his entire existence as a space marine. Not only had he been saddled with a sickening psychic automaton that he was supposed to keep alive and functional, now the Lord of Battle he'd followed without question for decades, the one person he respected above all, was refusing his advice in favour of that most heretical thing he'd ever seen in the Light of the Emperor.

"Ships get lost in the warp all the time." he observed casually, but with a tone that implied he wasn't talking about some disappointing news he'd heard from someone who's friend's distant cousin had mentioned it in passing over drinks. There was barely-veiled venom in his words as he continued to speak, though no supernatural power entered his voice yet. "The Opulence Excelsior incident wasn't all that long ago... Maybe they got caught in an aftershock or something?" purely conjecture on his part, but a decent story, and once that the Inquisition wouldn't have much choice but to buy, assuming the evidence was disposed of properly. Even the best ships could succumb to the warp, seemingly at random.

He wondered how obvious it was that he was now fighting simply to prevent the repugnant atrocity that served as a Forge Adept, from being right. Lucky for everyone involved, he had yet to be able to physically manifest his hatred. The closest he got was feeding it like promethium into his psychic flamethrower, but he couldn't very well unleash that in the War Room. Instead he was stuck hoping that something else catastrophic might happen if he focused hard enough. Even if he could just get that abhorrent obscenity's excuse for a psychic hood uncomfortably hot, maybe the thing would get the picture. Then again, it was still here, and he was pretty sure he'd made it clear his stance on the whole issue.

Letting his humours get the best of him, Calvaria stewed silently in the depths of his robe, the air in his immediate vicinity roiling quietly and beginning to smell faintly of ozone. The Chapter Master had said this would be a meeting, but he was beginning to think it was going to be much closer to an issuance of orders. The man in charge just needed a sounding board before he interacted with anyone in an official capacity. Slowly containing the rage he normally attributed to Skyrax, the Chief Librarian resigned himself to yet another ignominious duty, and hoped this one might get the loathsome, heretical construct hiding behind the Master of the Forge to disappear.

[User]
Skyrax was the first to leave the meeting hall after Apothecary Serviel. As the master of medicine moved to intercept the Inquisitor, Skyrax strode off towards his company quarters with his brows furrowed in anger. His seneschal, Sergeant Gamriel, fell in behind him.

"Brother-Captain, may I ask what matter the Chapter Master wished to discuss? Are we to ready the company for battle?"

His voice barely above a whisper, Skyrax answered his subordinate without looking back. "No Gamriel, we are not to ready the company. The Chapter Master wishes us to... fall back. To flee from the foe." As always, his voice was quiet and cordial but now ran through with an undercurrent of contempt.

"Surely not! The Warp Skulls do not run without meeting the foe! What enemy has forces the Chapter Master's hand so?" Unlike his commander, Gamriel's voice openly showed his disbelief and dissatisfaction.

"This enemy is not like our normal foes. Not a brutish ork, nor a bloodmad heretic."

"What does it matter who are enemy is, brother-Captain? We are the Warp Skulls! It is the enemy who should flee before us!"

"You are welcome to approach the Chapter Master with those words Gamriel, but I said as much in the meeting to no avail. It seems we must wait still longer to once more feel the joy of battle."

"I... I would not presume to doubt the Chapter Master's word. I misspoke and will hold my tongue in future, brother-Captain."

Skyrax waived a hand dismissively "It is no matter, think nothing of it. Tell the Veterans of the council's decision, I intend to go and greet the ship that has just docked."

Bringing one fist sharply up to his chest in a warrior's salute, Gamriel turned off down a corridor to carry out his Captain's orders. Skyrax continued to walk towards the docking hangars. True, the Chapter Master had ordered Serviel to greet the Inquisitor but he had not expressly commanded that Skyrax not do so as well. So Skyrax would go and see the one appointed to judge him. And his battlebrothers, of course. And should Serviel falter in doing what must be done, he would assist him...

[Assistant]
"You must receive them. You are one of the pure, you must stall them whilst we deliberate further. Once we are finished we may... discuss what must be done with whatever, or whoever arrives."

For the entirety of the meeting, an assemblage of every one of the Chapter's highest ranking members, as well as their most decorated warriors, Serviel had sat himself in silence - half concealed by shadow and silent throughout - not too far from the side of his Chapter Master; he had listened closely to each course of action that was proposed, his angelic and untouched features never shifting from an expression of utter neutrality, not even when some of the more militant among them began forming a 'war faction' right before his very eyes. These particular Astartes had always been of the violent type, so it came as no surprise to him, nor did it shock him as others declared under the guise of a suggestion that they should flee into the far reaches of space and avoid any potentially combustible situations.

When Rokurou finally turned and addressed his Chief Apothecary, the warrior-healer had been deep in thought, yet once his superior gave him an order, well, he really had no choice but to obey it. Swiftly, he lifted himself from his seat and gave the sign of the Aquila to all present, moving around the table and through the open doors and into the hallway; it was here, in the more open spaces of the fortresses decks, even as his feet carried him toward the hangar where a member of the Emperor's Inquisition awaited him, that he ran scenarios through his mind as to how best to distract them. None seemed all that suitable, they were trained to detect lies...human lies, he was a Space Marine though, and he knew that it was more difficult for mere mortals to read them.

Before long he was present at the doors of the hangar, momentarily considering whether to conceal his face behind the helmet in the crook of his elbow, then deciding against it. No, instead he took a breath, a nice long one, and while slowly releasing it he made his way into the hangar and across the expanse to the entourage of the female he could clearly tell was in charge here.

"Lord Inquisitor Kilrit?" He asked once he was only a couple of feet away, his voice carrying over any distance as it rumbled from deep within his chest, "it is an honour to have such an esteemed member of the Holy Inquisition here but..." letting his words hang in the air for but a moment, his tone changed to one of quite genuine puzzlement, "our tithe is neither prepared, nor is this collection as per our agreed schedule, at least that is why I assume you are here?" Cutting off any further words, he simply allowed his eyes to rest on the smaller figure and his face to once more become as expressionless as a statue of marble.


[System]
Awakened: 100
Mind [35] | Body [40] | Spirit [25]
Facsimile: N/A

---
Nagashima, Masato
Identity: Completely average in looks, smarts, and popularity, Masato only manages to score towards the top of the class due to sheer hard work and tons of exam cramming. He always seems to have his nose to the grindstone in order to keep up with his peers, hardly ever letting up on his studies or responsibilities. His reputation at school is mostly a good one, since he makes himself available to help any student in need - as the president of Kuroshio Ogata Junior High's student council, it is his job after all.

Though he may have earned the respect of most of his peers (something he's proud of), it was hard to say that Masato is actually well liked by them. It wasn't like he was elected to his position either, he got it simply because no one else wanted it, a win by default. His personality is one that runs both hot and cold as if he's struggling to suppress part of himself - most likely his temper, which caused him trouble in his earlier years. Masato has come to be known as someone that will help you out, even if he'd click his tongue and say he should knock some sense into you while he does it, though he is much harsher with troublemakers and rule-breakers. The sound of his grumbling or shouting isn't that rare a thing in Kuroshio Ogata Junior High's halls. On the flip side, he brushes people off if they don't need anything from him. He's never spotted outside of the junior high, the cram school, or on his way straight home from either. He doesn't open up to others, so he has few if any close friends.

Taking everything into account, he has high potential to be chosen for the study abroad program if he can just keep his grades up. He's been trying hard to become a respectable member of society in the future - hopefully one far away from this small town. Although, Masato wasn't always like that. His brother Akito, older by five years, has had a big impact on him and shifted Masato's focus into becoming a "better person," though it wasn't a positive impact.

Akito has always caused trouble for others. Currently he's graduated highschool and has become a layabout in the Nagashima home with no plans for the future. With parents that just enable him, the only one he catches flack from is Masato. Fighting between the brothers is a common occurrence, sometimes escalating to physical confrontations. In the past, the two of them were closer - when Akito was running wild in his school years and bringing up his little brother to be just as much of a nuisance as he was. A bully and petty criminal, Akito couldn't have a weak sibling for other delinquents to take advantage of. It looked like Masato was on his way to following in Akito's footsteps, until a certain incident ended up hurting a friend who suffered the consequences. That opened Masato's eyes to how much of a jerk his brother really was, and he started condemning Akito rather than following his orders.

Now, Masato is determined not to turn out like that - he doesn't want to cause problems and have other people clean up his messes anymore. The new mindset is the reason he joined the student council when he entered middle school in the first place, has been trying to rein in the bad attitude his youth instilled in him, and is working to earn a spot among those chosen to go overseas.
Peculiarity: Masato is extremely dexterous, with superior aim and hand-eye coordination. The school's small baseball team was bitter to lose him to the student council. Besides just pitching or catching, Masato also fields requests from other students to thread needles or help put together model kits. It's not an exaggeration to say he has some of the steadiest hands in school, though its a wonder why when his attitude is anything but. And yes, he is the best at juggling in his class. Besides that he's got a high pain tolerance and a good constitution, recovering from colds in record time.

[User]
𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐭
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Duncan went through a lifetime of emotions in what must've been a matter of seconds. First he thought he was going to die, then that he couldn't, and then that he already had. In the struggle that followed his landing, his world shrunk until there was no space for anyone or anything but him and his opponent. First it struggled under him, trashing in his grip, smashing Duncan's guts against his chest so violently he thought they might fly out through his back next. Then he realized he was the one underneath, and that breathing was really fucking difficult.

But at least he was still breathing. And he would keep breathing longer than this goddamn bear. That was all that mattered; he just had to hold on longer than it did. That was the final thought going through his mind, before no more thoughts could form. Instinctively, he opened his mouth into a shout, but it had no room to leave his chest. Everything felt like fire. His nose and mouth were filled with the reek of blood.

The next he knew, the beast had stopped struggling. Duncan's eyes fluttered open, and all he saw was more blood. His face was covered in it - but so was the monster's, its skull broken and bleeding. Duncan craned his neck, head spinning, eyes unable to focus. He saw Asahi, split into three identical faces somewhere at the end of a quickly collapsing tunnel of light. Even in his hazy state, Duncan realized the other had saved him. But by the time that thought made it to his conscious mind, it had already transformed; Asahi had helped him. And goddamn was Duncan glad he had.

The wolfbear was heavy on the athlete's torn torso, but it didn't move. It was dead, and he wasn't. He'd won.

Ever so slowly, Duncan raised his hand, a blood-covered thumb extended in Asahi's general direction. His eyes closed and lips parted to reveal a grin, pools of blood collecting between his teeth.

And then he stopped moving too.

[Assistant]
______________________________________________________________________

The taste of the wolfbears rancid fur filled her mouth as she tried to hold in her disgust.The taste far worse then any medicine or vegetable she had ever been forced to take or eat. Her efforts squishing up her face as she felt the impact of her move on the wolfbear. The sound of twisting and bending metal filling her ears as the wolfbear and herself went tumbling through the bottom of the bus. The impact sending a jolt through her body as it felt like her lungs were about to burst and her back felt like it had been nearly broken in half. The taste of the wolfbear, the smoke of the fire and burning debris not doing much help to her already struggling lungs.

Ayana tried to get back up to her feet quickly, only to be caught by surprise when a pipe went whistling right by her face and embedded itself like a javelin into the side of the bus. "Woah! Hold on now! who said anything about these beasts using magic to hurl stuff!" Both the wolfbear and Ayana scrambling in the debris as the wolfbear tried to make its escape once it had burst free from the bus. Ayana willing her legs and body to jump out right after it as she skidded across the ground on her heels. Her eyes and head shifting side to side as she tried to track down where the wolfbear had scampered off.

"Hey get back here you coward! You taste horrible! I'll never be able to get this taste out of my mouth!" Ayana complained as she tried to spit the remaining fur out. Bringing up both of her hands to her tongue as she stuck it completely out, trying to use her hands to scrub it clean as best she could. Wanting to get the taste out of her mouth as much as she could as she watched the Wolfbear scamper off. "You bweeter nut com bwack, newxt tiwme iz rouwd twoooo!" Trying to trash talk even while cleansing her tongue.

Deciding not to pursue it, after all it had only been thanks to Shun that she had been able to get the jump on the wolfbear. Without Shun around to distract it, Ayana wasn't sure if she would be able to handle it all on her own. The fact that she was also unfamiliar with the surrounding area also seemed like it would be more trouble than it was worth. Not wanting to get lost in a forest likely teeming with more danger.

Taking a moment to try to recompose herself and gather her strength back, the effort of slamming the wolfbear had taken quite a bit of her energy. Leaving herself covered in soot and other various bits and pieces of debris, little cuts, burns and bruises covering her arms, legs and her clothing. Wrestling a wolfbear in a burning bus was definitely not the most logical thing to do, but Ayana felt like she had no other choice. Finally catching her breath as she turned her attention to Shun and Yuudai.

Seeing that Yuudai seemed to still be alive and conscious as that was a bit of a relief after all that had happened. Letting out a sigh as she wiped sweat from her brow from the heat of the fire as approached the two. "Those things are pretty clever and tough, they have some kind of magic power, first they threw my shoe back at me, then that one hurled a pipe at my head, luckily it missed…." Ayana remarked as she crouched down by the two looking over Yuudai. Completely unaware that Shun had been the one that had actually thrown the pipe. Having a mistaken belief that the wolfbear had some kind of mystical power after the earlier two incidents.

"So how are you two doing? Hopefully neither of you two got hurt too badly…." Concern filling her voice as Yuudai looked a bit worse for wear. As her focused had turned towards the well being of her classmates now that the adrenaline had worn off and the coast seemed to be clear for the time being. However, going unnoticed by Ayana, one of her twin tails had caught fire when she had burst out of the bus in pursuit of the wolfbear. Her attention so focused on the wolfbear, then the well being of her classmates that she hadn't even noticed.


[System]
Age: 20
Looks: Tall, thin and lanky like a beanpole. Moderate B cup bust and kinda bony hips. She has very prominent collar and cheek bones and thick, curly dark brown hair that goes to almost her shoulders. Likes sundresses and shorts with tank tops and other kinds of summer clothes. Usually wears her eyeliner winged sharp enough to kill a man, but aside from lipstick doesn't bother with much makeup. Usually wears elaborate, dangle earring. Two pieces of jewelry that she is never without are a pendant of a man on a bicycle from her grandfather and a simple, silver spinner ring from her first girlfriend.
Skills: Writing, first aid, and fairly handy with tools.
Important info: Loves anything retro, especially the 50s. Is very friendly, but ironically pretty awkward.
Weapons: Fire axe and cheap, made in China dagger.
Tools: First aid kit, camping basics, a saw, journal and pen, and her ukulele.
Personality: Friendly and loves meeting people, though isn't always the best at conversation. Is quite a hipster in regards to her tastes, but has a sense of humour about it, often making jokes about "her aesthetic." She is also humorous in many other respects, being especially fond of puns. She loves to read and write, starting many stories, but often having trouble finishing them. She is a fan of her occasional quiet time, but is most at ease around one or two good friends. Will try anything once
Bio: She had always been unsure of what the hell governed the universe and as such was notably shocked when the rapture finally did come. She was less shocked that it hadn't taken her. She quickly got her shit together and set out into the world completely unsure of what to do next, but that wasn't anything new.
Theme song: youtube.com/watch?v=6NXnxTNIWkc
Quote: "I have no idea what's going to happen so let's go find out."

[User] It was 3:47 on a mild, partially cloudy afternoon and somewhere in the distance a bird was singing. It would have been just like any other day, except that the city was empty. Almost an hour ago everyone just left. There was no warning, no ceremony, but the rapture came all the same. Somehow though, it had missed a few. Maybe it was random chance or maybe the great filing system in the sky had just been poorly organized, but either way Roxy was left with nobody else. Or at least that was what she thought until she found the other girl, fainted in the streets. She had taken her from where she found her to a nearby park and bandaged the scrape on her arm. Then she had waited. Waited for the girl to wake up, waited for another person to show up, waited for anything to happen. Some kind of sign or direction, but as she waited, nothing obvious came. Out of context, she couldn't help but chuckle that she was out in the park with a strange girl's head in her lap. But she couldn't ignore the context enough to warrant more than a chuckle, so she took out her heart patterned ukulele and strummed softly, hoping to ease her mind.

[Assistant] Christa slowly opened her eyes. she was having trouble breathing again, but she knew she was safe. She...just sensed it. She found her head in a lovely lady's lap. Moaning softly, she reached up to touch a bruise on her forehead. She found a gently put on bandage on her arm and tried to sit up. "O...ow...Where am I? Who are you?" Her cheeks faintly colored, as she had a tendency to get shy around pretty girls. "H-Hi...Did you find me?"

[User]
Roxy put down her ukulele and smiled a slightly lopsided smile. She was relieved that the other girl was awake. She had been worried about a concussion. The girl looked confused, rightfully, but Roxy almost missed the serene look she had when she was asleep. It had been enough to sway her thoughts away from the chaos.
"Hey. Glad you're awake" She said. "I'm Roxy. I found you out in the street passed out and brought you to this park. How are you feeling?

[Assistant]
She blinked a little and smiled, then shook her head and sat up. "I'm ok. Just...a little dizzy and sore." She muttered a moment, in a foreign language, then blushed at the look on Roxy's face. "I'm Christa. I...sorry...I have anxiety issues so I pass out sometimes."
She looked around. "Where is everyone? Do you know?"

[User]
Much more relieved that Christa was alright, Roxy shrugged and shook her head.
"Search me. I was nose deep in a book and when I looked up, everyone was gone. No trace or anything. Just, poof, abracradabra, bye bye birdie." She gestured almost excessively with her hands as she spoke.

[Assistant]
Christa scowled softly, trying to stand up. She wobbled and fell back down into Roxy's lap, whimpering. "O...ow...my leg..." Her anxiety triggered again and she had trouble breathing.
Fumbling with her inhaler, she took two puffs and slowly calmed down. She closed her eyes, somehow feeling a little safer with Roxy around. She gulped a bit and took an unsteady breath. "S-sorry. Didn't mean to land on you, like that."

[User]
Roxy caught Christa's head on the way down and gave her a moment to compose herself. She would have to take a look at her leg.
"Not a problem." She chuckled. "I guess you're a bit lucky that the only other person here knows first aid, huh? How about I have a look at your leg, then. Whereabouts are you hurting?"

[Assistant] She closed her eyes a moment. "My left leg, near the knee. It hurts bad." She reached down to touch it and whimpered when it burned as if someone had pressed a hot knife to it. She winced a bit and clenched her teeth. "Sorry." and tried to pull out her bandages. She had a few other things in her backpack and was trying to help Roxy.

[User]
Roxy held her hand still, holding up her own large red case and smiling softly.
"Hey now, just try to stay still. I'll have a look at your leg." She said, getting up from under Christa, making sure that she was laid back down gently. She crouched beside the leg and felt it gently, searching for any inflammation.

[Assistant]
Christa yelped when the woman touched it and closed her eyes, clenching her teeth and breathing hard. "O....Ow..."
She took a deep breath. "I don't think it's broken, but I do believe it's bruised pretty bad." She just laid there, letting the lady work on her leg and trying to keep from twitching too much.

[User]
It was quick work for the leg. There was no open wounds so she simply applied some numbing gel to it. All things considered, Christa was quite a good patient. She sat back with a satisfied smile and wiped her hands on the grass.
"There we are." She declared. "That should numb the area so you should be able to walk on it, but let's try not to put too much strain on it, alright?"

[Assistant] She nodded, blushing. It felt...good...when she touched her. Christa sat up and carefully got to her feet. Looking around, she frowned softly. "I...can't see anything. I..don't understand. Where is everybody? Should we go look? Or...should we find somewhere safe?" She reached her hand down, to help Roxy to her feet and...feel her touch again. The silly woman had a tendency to fall in 'crush' quite easily with women.

[User]
Roxy took her hand and stood up, slinging her ukulele over he shoulder. Christa was nice. She definitely like Christa. She held on to Christa's hand for a few extra moments after she was standing. Looking over the city, she was at a bit of a loss. Cars sat abandoned and crashed when their drivers disappeared and the shop fronts were empty.
"I don't know." She said. "I haven't seen any signs of anyone. But I mean, we can't be the only ones. Right?"

[Assistant] Christa closed her eyes a moment and frowned, thinking. After a bit, she smiled gently. "We can't be. Let's look for people." and took Roxy's hand, leading her off down the street. She knew this area quite well and was making sure she looked for trouble or anyone that might still be there. She took great comfort in the touch of Roxy, liking to know that someone capable was near her.

[User] Roxy followed along, quickly matching pace with Christa. She couldn't help but smile along with her, this girl was working wonders on her nerves and having a help with a sense of direction, both literally and physically. Her hand inadvertently tightened around Christa's as she scanned the area for any signs of anything at all.

[Assistant]
Christa kept a close eye on Roxy, worried for her. She somehow knew that the other woman was nervous and that made Christa stronger, wanting to help her.

As they searched, Christa thought of what was going on. "Do...do you...think maybe it...was the Rapture?" She asked, gulping a bit and looking up at her. She had a serious look on her face and she just certain of her guess. It was logical, after all. No one was here, it seemed, and they all disappeared in a very strange way. As if teleported or something.

[User]
Roxy pondered a moment, brow furrowed.
"You mean like the Christian apocalypse kind of rapture?" She asked, her voice skeptical. As she looked around her, her skepticism softened somewhat. She was never a religious person, but she couldn't deny that she didn't have any other real explanation.
"I don't know. I mean I have no idea what the hell else it could be or anything." She trailed off into a mutter.

[Assistant] Christa softly took her hand again. "I believe in God...but...I don't...think he'd just leave us alone. There's a reason we're here. There must be." She had a grim smile on her face as she gaze at Roxy. She looked up and smiled softly. "I believe...we're here to do something important for Him."

[User]
Roxy thought a moment and nodded, giving Christa's hand a soft squeeze.
"Alright." She said with another lopsided smile. "I'm not particularly religious myself, I mean I never really thought about it to be fair, and now I don't even know what to think." She rubbed a hand through her hair. "I guess that a holy mission is just as likely as anything else at this point."

[Assistant]
She smiled more, blushing a little at that cute lopsided smile, then nodded. "I just...we need to find one of the churches and hide out for a it. I get the feeling...we're being watched by...something."
She cast a look around, feeling nervous again. She gulped a moment and then looked at Roxy. "We need to move. I...We just do."

[User]
Roxy scanned the detritus around them. It was hard to pick out any details, but she still took her axe from her belt, gripping it tightly as she picked up her pace.
"Yeah. It'll be good to get some walls up around us. This whole place is giving me hardcore heebie jeebies."

[Assistant] She nodded and started walking, still holding Roxy's hand and trying to get them to the closest church. She knew of one that was quite large and quite well built, but it was a few blocks away. Christa kept an eye out around them, nervously scanning their surroundings. As she walked, she kept a fast pace and was stumbling a bit. Her leg was weak and she was overdoing it.

[User] Roxy caught Christa as she stumbled, shifting the girl's arm around her shoulder, supporting her as she walked. She could see the ornate ancient spires of the old church rising over the drab brick buildings surrounding it. If there was a place to find some kind of guidance the old church would be the place. She had never expected to be going to church so desperately, but the sense of dread out in the streets was growing and she more than ever wanted to be inside behind some big stone walls.

[Assistant]
Christa blushed even more and smiled brightly. "Thanks!" and kept going. She knew this church well and hoped the pastor would be in there. Though, if this truly were the Rapture, he would be one of the chosen to leave. They got the door open to find...no one.

Christa sighed softly and shook her head. She weakly limped over to a pew and sat down, face in her hands. "I...should have known..."

Then she heard it. A sound. She let out a soft whimper and tried to get up to get between Roxy and the noise.

[User]
Roxy gestured for her to stay seated, looking around for the source of the noise. She tightened the grip on her fire axe, holding it up as she scanned.
"Hello?" Roxy called out, her voice echoing with the acoustics of the old building. "Is someone there?"

[Assistant]
She tried to get back up, not wanting Roxy to do this alone.

A man walked in, he was fairly large. About...six-foot-nine...broad shouldered. Black hair in a short cut with a goatee. He wore a simple black t-shirt with a green coat and some black cargo-pants with boots. He hand a silver aluminum baseball and frowned. "You two...you...ok?" He had a soft voice with a mild Russian accent.