[System]
gender: male
godly parents: Aisoyimstan, Mahina
sphere of control: Cold, Darkness
personality: Landon's powers are very powerful, but unfortunately unreliable for himself. Having such an expanse of powers that couldn't be used for himslf have put him in a confusing position. He would use his powers to help himself and others as he sees fit, but due to his mother they tend to only want to respond to others needs of them. Feeling like he was destined to be used and controlled has given him a bitterness against everyone, but as fighting them is completely useless he tends to just go along with the flow. He is very smart and wise, but often dark in his thoughts as he cares for no one. He can still be jovial and witty once he opens up, but that's just him suppressing his bitterness.
sacred animal: Walrus
powers: Landon has very strong control and manipulation of both cold/ice and shadows/darkness. Unfortunately the full strength of these powers can only be brought out at other's request. Few know this and Landon doesn't like to tell anyone feeling he'll just be a tool for their use afterwards.
weapon(s): Landon makes due with the various weapons he constructs on the fly. Spears are a favorite projectile and Swords are favored in melee situations.
History:
Landon is currently twenty-seven, and grew up with a foster family in Washington. He found out about his powers at a young age and tried training them on his own. Not having anything to compare his powers with, he was content with the growth in his powers. That is until he met a demi-god that threatened his siblings on the way home from school. He realized he was still very weak as he couldn't do anything to save his brother, but he found a surge in power as his sister cried for help from him. He tore the man apart and saved his sister with his new found power. Afterwards he tried to find that same power and became frustrated as he found he couldn't. One day he met his wandering father by chance and learned of what his mother did to him. Having lost her love, she "cursed" him with the need to help others, stunting his powers until someone unlocks them.
other:

[User]
@OtomostheCrazy

Rhona was startled by The Heart's voice. "So you're Occus' heart... 'The Heart'... I have never heard a heart speak before... You must be special..." She replied quietly, she then paused for a moment, thinking of way for her to persuade the heart to appear, so that she may save Occus. She ended up deciding to just tell The Heart the truth and hope that it would believe her.

"Are you hurt? If you are, I wamt to help you! We need your help, too. I want to save Occus but he will die without you! I am a healing goddess! I want to return you to Occus' body and bring him back. I promise you that I really do want to save you both." Rhona replied, pausing again. She then sighed. "I know that you are tired and afraid and confused and in pain... But we are running out of time... And if we don't leave soon, then we will all be destroyed... And I refuse to leave without you. So please... Please come out." Her tone grew urgent and pleaful, yet never got louder than her inside voice even as she heard the explosions getting ever closer. For she feared that if she spoke any louder, she would scare The Heart away.

Rhona kneeled down on one knee and extended her hand, as if she were expecting for The Heart's hand to reach out and grabs hers. "Please... Please believe me...! "

[Assistant]
"Bring me that one too!"

Ariakami's attention was suddenly caught by a yell that reached out above the others, and though she was barely able to make out the words she could easily tell that the tone of the voice was not very friendly. She began to fear that she had made a mistake, that coming here was a terrible idea...and as her senses fully returned to her, Ari's worried thoughts were only reinforced. Through the dark haze she could see fires and hear screams mixed with the clashing of weapons...she could tell that there was a battle going on here, but she didn't know why...or even which side would be friendly...

Then there was the sound of heavy steps behind Ariakami, and she turned around to find a man with glowing red eyes who was raising a fiery hammer, presumable, to strike her. Ari panicked as soon as she fully realized that she was about to be attacked, creating a small wall of flames between herself and her attacker before running away. She didn't intend to fight in a war she thought she had no place in...not yet, at least...but now she knew that the gods with glowing eyes were not so friendly...

[User]
@Ace of flames01

Yuki had helped by searching the more secret parts of the club, mainly known by VIPs. Of course, she hadn't found anything in those spots. She tried to think of the heart as a sort of cartoon, hiding away in secret places and stealing parts from other to craft its own customized body...she might need to hold off on those TV show marathons for a while.

Eventually, however, she heard someone yell out something about a name. As Yuki made her way back to Rhona and Boreas, she found Rhona trying to calm the owner of the voice. She and Boreas were facing a closed door that led out into an alley. Out of curiosity, Yuki opened the door and found what was probably what they were looking for.

What else could one of the most curious-looking hearts, beating out in a cold, abandoned alleyway be? Not to mention that it zapped itself into existence as soon as she stepped out to Alley.

Yuki approached it slowly, finding that it was breathing heavily, somehow. She couldn't tell if it was trying to mutter something, but if it was, it was less important at the moment, as the sounds of explosions rung louder than the ravings of a madperson.

Yuki began to do a dance. It wasn't slow, but it was similar to the dance she performed when she brought Rhona to Hannah. It was beautiful, and flowed perfectly. She was the goddess of dance, after all.

"I'm sorry...but we don't have the time." said Yuki.

The winds responded to her dance, flowing to her and the heart, and taking hold of it in its gentle embrace. The winds were not violent. They were more akin to a breeze, and yet they managed to hold the heart as easily as a sheet of paper.

A movement of Yuki's arm, and the winds took the heart through the portal, and held it as they awaited the three that were still on the other side.

"Let us return." said Yuki to her companions.

Meanwhile...

@rechonq

"Eh. Probably not. I can barely stand listening to you guys argue." joked Claire in response to Flemming.

She laughed a little at her joke. Shedidn't know what they did or just went through, but she'll never know if she'd survive it. Claire was okay with that. After all, it wasn't her problem. What was her problem, however, was what she came there for In the first place.

Claire dropped her smile in favor of a more serious expression. She now had Cia's attention, and didn't want to waste a lot of time.

"Long story short: Aliens are attacking the Earth because they think that something called 'Amgarrack' was stolen and taken here. I managed to force a ceasefire for one battle, but I'm pretty sure that there's a bunch of others going on around the world, so we really need to find this thing before everything's dust."

Claire took a breath after saying all that. She didn't really need it, but she grew a habit of doing that.

" Anyway...Mind helping me find this 'Amgarrack'?"

[Assistant]
@Cuccoruler
"If the world really is going to shambles then it sounds like we need to find whoever stole this Amgarrack. I doubt we'll be able to find Amgar's location without him." Cia had finished healing Landon and he was feeling very rejuvenated. Almost better than before the fight.

He was really at a loss for ideas right now, but it seemed one was needed. "Maybe one of the other gods knows something about this. They think Amgar is on Earth so let's find a god that's been down there for a while. The one who is bringing the old gods back might even be our culprit, or in league with the culprit anyways." Landon was stretching for ideas right now.

---

Long ago King Kong had been the reigning force in the jungles of Peru. Constantly patrolling and guarding them for the inhabitants of the jungle. He didn't care much for humans. They were to greedy and destructive. To prove this point Kong had actually been killed several years ago by a by-product of the humans desire for power. The humans were learning to play with powers they shouldn't be. Their abuse of this power led to the birth of a beast that would lead to his destruction. They both desired the same goal, but Gojira was an abomination he refused to let go. Their battle over fifty years ago led to his bitter defeat, and now he was given the chance to change the outcome of their fight.

Kong heard the roar of his hated nemesis. With new life and a dreadful bitterness to go with it. He turned from the temple and began his march toward the towering lizard. Kong planned on killing this beast just like the other lizards he dealt with, by tearing her head clean off. He was certainly angry, but he wouldn't let his emotions get the best of him. He slowly made his way toward the beach. A wave of trees crashing in his wake. He wouldn't go all the way to the beach, Gojira would have the upper hand then. The infernal woman was still in her human form. Kong didn't care much for this. He would treat her all the same and give fighting her all his strength. As he broke a peak that gave him a view of her, he let out a mighty roar nearly matching hers in strength. He beat his chest making a low hum that carried through the entire jungle. He slammed his fists down causing landslides on the two mountains on either side of him.

[User]
@Lmpkio@Trevor1001

Reese calm down a bit when Batz decided to end his mindless assault. Though he wasn't tired he could really go for a break or a quick cat nap. Sadly before he could even do the actions he spoke of the ground shook like someone dropped the biggest/heaviest thing on their location. He knew for a fact that it couldn't of been King Kong he was already here. Then he heard it, the roar of a kaiju but it couldn't of been the mythical creature he thought of. It didn't matter what ever it was it had to be massive and the only other creature that's large in mass was King. Reese decided to leave the identity of the new arrival alone and focus on something that sounds way more important.

Hun Batz explained the Intel he had on the current uprising that was springing around earth and possible but hopefully not the God's Realms. "Yato you're getting this right we'll have to contact Ratatoskr as soon as possible." Reese could the commotion that was happening outside. "Maybe not here but in a safer place we must warn the other gods about this God of corruption!" He exchanged glances between Hun Batz and Sun Wu Kong looking at their beat up bodies. "I'm sorry but this place isn't safe enough to bring Ratatoskr to we're gonna have to leave." Without giving them a chance to reply Reese walked away from them speaking to Yato. "Quick open a portal to a safer place. We have to get the word out about our current discovery immediately!"

Belle knows its selfish of him but the safety of the book was more important to him than many other things at the moment. "If possible could you drop me off in the Sahara Desert." Responded double checking everything he had on him making sure to not leave anything behind. Egypt's population is that huge to begin with so protecting that territory and the book was his two main priorities as of now. A global war against an Alien race wasn't a predictable causalty outcome. He was probably gonna resurrect his own army to defend Egypt just in case. Belle was already preparing for any situations in his head so he could ready to do work when he reached his destination.

[Assistant]
Gojira's roar of battle had been answered. With a growl she looks up to see the trees getting crushed by the ape's presence as he revels himself on the high ground of a peak. Even as he roars back and pounds his chest violently, the woman was all too familiar about this ape's behavior. Intimidation will simply not force Gojira to back down. The landslide would prove nothing as it will simply be too far away to do anything to her. After all, she has something that Kong most certainly lacks.

Her plates spark several blue pulses, all rippling through her body. Her eyes also begin to glow blue and her mouth starts to foam an aura of heat. She was charging up her atomic breath! And once she finished charging up, she ultimately fired at Kong's position. However, it wouldn't be directly at him, for that would be way too obvious. She instead fired at the ground just below him, which should crack and give out to Kong's weight and send him tumbling down the mountain. Even if it wouldn't work out, the Queen has a few more tricks up her sleeves...


[System]
Gender: Male

Age: 16

Race: Hobgoblin - Hobgoblin Race - Hobgoblins are renowned for their expertise with fire, or more specifically, what they can make with it. As coined by their "favorite creatures", the Humans, Hobgoblins are great cooks and ironsmiths, and specialize in various steels from just about every kind of metal you toss at them. This puts them at odds with a few other races (or, did, in the dwarves' case; you don't see too many of those little ones any more) for who is the best craftsman, but considering the Hobs (for short) just got their distinction from the rest of their ilk not too long ago, it isn't surprising to say that the Hobs were given the benefit of the doubt when their blacksmiths opened up. Like orcs, they love to use lamellar designs, as they're light, maneuverable, and protective for all their troubles, using as little steel as possible (because from where the goblinoids originated, most iron was refined via iron sand. Large chunks of ore were unheard of.) Their skin tones, unlike those of their greenish-yellowish-rainbowish colored brethren, are always shades of grey, and are a lot more matte because of their hygenic nature. They have eyes the color of gold, amber, and ruby, and stand about the same height as humans, as well as stand in the same weight range. Rumors say that the hobs have a bit o' man blood in them, which might be true, considering there's also a million hues of half-hobs half-men and whatnot running around the world...or well, wherever he came from.

Appearance: As a child of a succubus and a hobgoblin, Iosef inherits a mix of qualities thought usually exclusive to his respective heritages. Through his father, Iosef retains a powerful build within his small 5'6 frame, and also keeps his coal-grey complexion. Unlike his father, though, he has quite the desirable face of that of a near-effeminine boy (think soft, pouty lips, a small, but pronounced chin, etc.), and has full, luscious, onyx-black hair that will bald much later than most others' do. He weighs only an average 117 lb., though each pound is well defined in the taut muscles he has. He has amber irises and a very slight almond shape to his eyes.

Personality:

Most of the time, Iosef is a mellow, lax individual that takes both successes and failures in stride...or so some may think. In reality, he's every part perfectionist his father was with just about everything, be it studies, work, or even in play. Though he isn't going to impose on people, he does get genuinely upset at people who are a little too lax for his tastes.

By the definition of upset, it includes tirades, insults, and on the extremes, threats and violence.

On the other end of the spectrum, though, he lives up to his ancestors' reputation as tricksters and thieves. He's quite...dubious towards haughty individuals, but he does say it's for "their sakes", whatever that would mean.

Backstory :

What can you say? He's just the son of an immigrant Hobgoblin smith, the reason being that his mother is still on the loose somewhere. The Hob village couldn't keep Iosef and his father if the succubus endangered everyone else. Unless the two could "get rid of the problem (that being your mother)" or come back with some treasure to let bygones be bygones, they weren't going to get back into the village. Then Iosef heard of Earthrent finally resurfacing somewhere...

Abilities :
* Allure - Iosef can cast a minor allure spell to add a more...promiscuous quality to his relationship. He rarely uses this, as this is can lead to some unpredictable results.
* Mana - Iosef has the capacity to use magic.

Notable Equipment :
* Bastard Sword - A lengthened, double-edged straight sword made of various layers of steel.

Quirks:
- He has an edge in forging, as he spent his childhood smithing with his father.
- He avoids large parties unless he's playing wingman. Even then, he'll be reluctant to go. As a half incubus, who knows what might come out once he descends into hedonism.
- He's often the one injuring his right hand you'd think he'd dislocate it. He doesn't...until now.
- He has attractions to something...something terribly strong enough to drive him crazy...
- As an extension to his knack in forging, he's quite the good cook!

[User]
Unicycle

The eleven girl seems about ready to interject, though is silenced by one of the two twins: Riz. "Shh, he's a country hick like us! Of course he hasn't heard of you! Use some common sense!"

"You're not supposed to talk to girls like that..." Tiz remarks, clearly displeased by his twin. It seems that although they looked practically identical, their personalities were vastly different.

[Assistant] "Hey! I might not be the sharpest sword in the armory, but I'm no country hick!" Connor exclaims, before slapping Riz upside the head. "Now, what were going to say, Sheil?" He asks.

[User]
Iosef then hops onto the horse, and looks at the priestess and the Jester.

"...if you guys want to come, just ask. I'll deal with the gnolls..."

[Assistant]
"I'm just shocked that you haven't heard of my family's exploits. Then again, you are a member of one of the lesser species on this planet." She replies in a rather distinguished and insulting tone... before squeamishly lowering her head and looking rather cowardly, tucking her body close. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, please ignore me!"

"Ow! Okay, okay! I gotcha! Jeez, no need to hit me over it..." Riz says, rubbing the inflicted area tentatively. "And what's up your butt, miss? I thought Elven people were supposed to be assholes."

"I always saw elves as those kinds of people too. Guess you can't judge a book by it's cover." Tiz remarks, walking over and petting the elven girl on the head. "It's OK, no need to act all high and mighty because of some title."

"I would very much like to see the Universal Blade Earthrent in action!" Exclaims the Jester gleefully. Seems he was all for coming along. "Ooh, how much power is it worth? Just how much~? Just how much~?"

"Where will we go?" Asks the girl curiously. It seems she was willing to go along should he explain himself. He had time to if he wanted to, the Gnolls were still a ways away... though they were approaching quickly.

[User]
"I'm going to talk with them and see what's their problem. Killing them comes if we have a disagreement on something."

Still, Iosef has to scowl at the Jester's comment. For a powerful being such as that, perhaps fighting was but a sport.

And still, there was this Fate that Iosef had to meet.

[Assistant]
"You still didn't answer my question..." The girl replies with a sigh, rubbing her forehead. "I don't even know your name, let alone what you stand for. You can't possibly expect me to join you on an excursion with a man who hasn't even introduced himself, do you?"

"I don't see the problem, here..." The Jester remarks with an unnatural calm about him. "It's not like it's a big deal, right?"

[User]
Iosef scratches his head.

"It's your temple. Name's Iosef."

With that, with the horse, trots out of the city limits to look for this giant gnoll horde...

[Assistant]
It seems said Gnoll horde had come to greet him, as the closest of the Gnolls were now no less than a hundred meters away. One could make out the bloody intent behind their furious charge, headed straight for the city - for Iosef.

The Jester who had followed grins in anticipation. "So? Are you going to test out the Universal Blade?" He inquires with a hopeful little dance. "Now's a great chance to get a feel for it~!"

[User]
It was a lush, sunny day in the city of Dou - a city bordering the Elven and human kingdoms, filled with unimaginable beauty and closeness to nature. It's inhabitants were mostly women, that of both human and Elven kind, for there was a sort of negative stigma associated with men if they chose to live here, unless they were either incredibly handsome or gay. Thankfully, whilst Gregory was very much the former of the two, he was merely a passerby, or so it would seem. One could say the city of Dou was that which he was most related to. Things were peaceful, quiet, and not an awful lot was going on. Just your average day in the lovely city center; birds chirped, water sported, and the people were all getting along well...

"Hey, did you hear about the news? There's supposed to be a war going on in the Human Kingdom..."

"Really? Gosh, that sounds horrible... No doubt orchestrated by men..."

"Well, on the people's side, yes, but on the other hand is the dragon: Ssalivan the Terror, said to be capable of wiping out armies!"

"Surely, no dragon could be that strong. It's just a load of hyped up nonsense, and it has nothing to do with us. I say just let the monkeys and lizards kill one-another."

There had been much gossip around town lately of an impending war and significant talk over The Universal Blades - weapons spoken of in ancient texts and folklore that were said to have created the realms of Heaven, Hades, Oblivion and the Earth itself. They had been locked away ages ago, in a time long since past, though now, with the Grand Marshal's orders, everyone across the continent was searching for the weapons. For what purpose, no one was willing to say, though if it had every man, woman and child with combat training searching, well... it must've been important, and there would undoubtedly be a large sum as a reward. Though he may already know that if he attended the meeting held by the Grand Marshal in the Marble Castle.

Even with all this talk, the day carries on, and would continue to do so... At least for the next couple of minutes...

[Assistant] Iosef plunges the sword down into the earth, raising a wall from beneath and around him as far as he could see in either direction. The wall is 40 feet in height and 20 feet thick; this was only a forewarning to the gnolls as Iosef waited.

[User]
Though some of the Gnolls do seem a bit doubtful, they're assured by their brethren that this wall was merely a defense - a defense they aimed on taking down or climbing over in order to reach their target.

Thus, they continue their charge headlong...

[Assistant] Connor crosses his arms, before clearing his throat. "Alright, we'll get a rest at the inn. We deserve it after that bloodbath. Tomorrow we set out to find Darkstalker." He then uncrosses his arms and starts to head back to the inn, the group hopefully in tow.

[User]
Unicycle

As expected, the group follows closely behind, with the Orc taking up the rear, twins in the middle and the Elven girl walking alongside him at the front. Unless he made conversation with any of them, the walk would pass by in relative silence, excluding Riz talking the ear off his twin...

---

At The Inn...

They arrive at the inn a little past nightfall, and the first place looks just the same as your usual tavern, with merry faces, shady guys standing in corners, and lots of alcohol. Seems the place was a real party. Despite the people, it actually looked pretty fancy for an inn, with a nice, golden chandelier hanging from the roof in the central lounging area, and magic energy flowing all around.

But now the only question remained: where the Hell did they go to get rooms?

The best looking place was the bar, though of course, that was where one would normally seek out alcoholic beverages. There were several 'posts' with magic runes on top of them that people were speaking into, most likely some kind of communications terminal. It ran on gold, somehow, as people put their money into it, said their piece and then left. If he really wanted to, he could try asking a staff member.

"Ain't this place amazing?!" Riz exclaims with a grin, staring at all the pretty ladies about the inn. "Ooh, Sheil, you should totally try working here! Look at it - a high-class, high-paying job where you can eat, drink and lounge about all day! Sounds like paradise for you!"

"Admit it, Riz, you want to see her in scantily-clad clothes, don't you?" Tiz jabs, cocking a knowing, cheeky smile at his brother.

"W-wha-? What do you mean? There are no such ladies here!" Sheil replies, taken aback by the twins' words.

"That's because you can't see 'em!" Riz winks at Sheil and laughs. "Ah~! Magic is a beautiful thing!"

[Assistant] Connor grinned as the twins talked about Sheil working at the inn. "I wouldn't mind that." He said with a chuckle, before going to the bar and tapping on it. "Uh, first of all I'd like a pint of ale." Once the bartender passed it to him, he took a drink then continued: "Now, uh... Where can my friends and I get rooms? There're five of us, including me."

[User]
The bartender was, surprisingly, a rather good-looking Orc girl, who smiles at him kindly - something rather unlike their race. "You're new 'ere, right? Jus' go up't one o' d'ose fings an' follow the instruc'ions the magic pole gives you!"

The Orc girl points to one of the many magic poles that people were using.

"This place runs very much so on magic, it does! To be expected from an Elven inn."

"Ooright, then! Catch'a late'a sweet'y!" Riz mimics. Though the bartender lady doesn't know, the others can quite clearly identify this as a mock of her accent.

[Assistant] With that, Connor tosses as many pieces as it costs for the drink, then takes it and goes to on of the poles.


[System]
Age: 18

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Weapon: The Ampere, a unique polearm with a wide, flat blade rather than a spearhead along with a gray steel pole. It has both range and lethality, keeping most melee fighters at a range safe for Abel but devastating to them with a tempered steel point, as well as channeling Abel's natural aura far better than he can do by himself (Inside the the Ampere's pole is a thick mesh of silver and copper wire). The Ampere has a single alternate mode that splits the wide blade into four parts and reverses their direction, creating a vaguely mace shape. In this mode, the Ampere can release bolts of lightening that travel impressive distances instantly.

Specialty: Abel fits best into the role of guardian, fittingly enough. His size, range, and defensive characteristics make him good at intercepting danger coming for his teammates, and he can certainly throw his strength around at close range, armed or not. Using his lightening bolts, he is able to paralyze if not flash-fry a single opponent at long range.

Semblance: Surge - This ability allows him to project electricity that can manipulate the Ampere at short range without touching it and summon it back to his hand when disarmed, as well as channel electricity to shock anything the weapon touches. By using Surge to rotate his staff quickly at very close range, he can create a sort of shield. When he focuses his power sufficiently through the Ampere in staff mode, he is able to fire a bolt of lightening that takes several minutes to recharge.

Personality: Abel is proud and gruff, very serious and totally without humor. For someone who appreciates the creativity and technique of both weapons and battle so thoroughly, he ironically is without creativity. Instead, he tend to go about his business by the book, a principled young man of habit and routine with little to no capability to think outside the box. While he is dependable, he is not flexible, and can respond to bullying, injustice, or even plain teasing with sudden anger. While not antisocial, he sticks with only a few friends at any given time, concentrating on strong bonds rather than many bonds. He loathes popular culture and those who overtly subscribe to it. The Grimm mask he carries makes him upset and angry, more at himself than anything else, but as it reminds him of his brother he cannot let it go. Deep down, Abel is a severe defeatist.

Color: Azure

Emblem: An azure lightening bolt, naturally.

Appearance:
When reading, he is forced to put on glasses.

[User]
Lucas Schwarze--Out of sight, Out of mind

Well, yeah... thought the black-haired teen in reply, settling for an internal response and a mildly exasperated frown rather than the spoken word. Cian wasn't the only one keeping her ears on a swivel...

He'd have to find a better phrase than that. Really, "ears on a swivel"? That's like specifically scraping the bottom of the barrel, even if there are plenty of ripe and fresh apples to pick all the way up to the brim. His lyrical and eclectic mind could surely produce better results!

Let's see here...

"Ears open" is good, if a bit overplayed.

Maybe something like "keeping an ear out for trouble?"

No, no, no.

That just runs into the same issue as "ears on a swivel". Think of something good!

He squatted there in silence and massaged his temples, face contorting into a scrunched-up, intensely concentrated grimace. It was a spectacle that would look humorously out of place in such a tense situation, were his compatriot able to look back over her shoulder and not be glued to watching the door and surveying the activity of the guard(s) outside. A necessary evil, and one that was surely better than the alternative.

You can do this, Schwarze! You didn't pass English class with ease once you had to stop doing annotations in your books for nothing!

"Ears on point"!

"Ears in tune"!

"Ears on the ball!"

His head flopped forward, fingers squeezing his scalp in what could only be described as a midway point between the "Hear No Evil" pose and Edvard Munch's famous painting, The Scream.

This is hopeless... Just like back when I learned of the "Courage Series" last year, and how just one word can make anything sound positive.

The image of a college-aged, brown-haired girl flashed through his mind, along with the phrase "The courage to admit defeat!" said in an amused, singsong tone that brought back more memories than you might expect from the voice of someone that he, logically, should barely know at all.

His hands left his head and his fist clenched passionately.

I COURAGEOUSLY ACCEPT MY DEFEAT!

A sharp, yet thankfully quiet gasp escaped from his previously sealed lips, and his eyes went wide as saucers. He fell for it again despite knowing about the trick for nearly a year! Truly a masterful exploitation of simplicity, both in the language he spoke and wiring of his poor brain!

...Wait, where were we?

He snapped himself out of his own contained aside, and glanced around the room, taking stock of the situation once again. They hadn't been found out yet, Cian was still keeping watch at the door, but the footsteps seemed to have died off.

Had the guard already passed? Was he stopped outside?

Inwardly, he shamed himself for losing track of the situation at such a crucial moment. Reaching to his earpiece, he clicked it on, broadcasting to all channels in a low, yet as clear as possible whisper. Better play catch up.

"Jack, any more of a clue what's goin' on than the two of us?"

[Assistant]
As it turns out, Krystanthe's cue was unneeded, as Sepia was genuinely smitten with the adorable little kittens. "They're so cute!" she giggled, petting the kitty on its head. Privately, however, she wondered how this was ethical, or even possible for that matter. Still, she replied in a purr, her voice dropping from innocent to something else quickly. "It'd be a pleasure to know you. My parents always try to set me up with boys of...equal status, but you seem different. Interesting." She smiled at them sweetly, her eyes half-closed.

"So, tea?"


[System]
|

---

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___________________________________
P R O F I L E

Age

30

Sex

Female

Height

5'10" (177.8 Cm)

Weight

135 Lbs (61.235 Kg)

Ethnicity

Mixed (Han Chinese and Jewish)

Rank

Corporal

____________________________________ |
____________________________________________________________________________
SHORT BACKSTORY & PERSONALITY

Mira Feng was born in Lambour City to a Chinese father and a Jewish mother, the youngest of three children and the only daughter. Mira's father was a real estate agent and her mother a nurse at a local health clinic. With two high earning parents Mira and her two older brothers had a very easy life growing up and more often than not had the best of everything - or at least close to it. Mira was close with her family, her mother was kind and attentive and her father a patient and dedicated parent if hard-spoken at times. Mira and her brothers were very tightly knit through their youth and well into their teenage years. As wonderful as things were though this ideal family would be shaken by tragedy.

When Mira was fifteen her father was gunned down after being held up in the street, the terrible happening leaving the entire family grief stricken to say the least. Mira's mother particularly went into a spiraling depression and became more distant as she tried to focus on working to hold things together. Thankfully extended family on both sides stepped in to help, but no amount of financial and familial support would heal the scars left on the Feng family after the death of Mira's father.

After graduating high school Mira's brothers both went into respectable career fields, the elder becoming a real estate agent like his father and the younger a chemistry instructor at the University of Maine. Mira meanwhile went into law enforcement which was a blend of surprise but also a deeper understanding to those around her. On the death of her father - murdered in broad daylight - Mira had decided she wanted to go into law enforcement to serve the city, help protect the communities at large, and generally stop others from becoming victims of tragedies like her family was. All of the usual idealisms. After finishing police academy Mira would serve with Lambour City Police Department for four years before moving over to the Williams County Sheriff's Department. In no time she made corporal and was soon after promoted to Investigator. However her growing abrasiveness and bullheaded approach would soon see her demoted back to corporal after stepping on the wrong superiors' toes too many times.

Mira is a blunt, straightforward woman that has no tolerance for any kind of nonsense or beating around the bush. She likes to tackle problems head on though not stupidly, her ideal approach being a quick but tactful handling of any kind of situation. When quick is too dangerous she can settle on tactful alone and when tactful is too slow and the risks are not too severe she is more than willing to go for the quick direct approach. Her sometimes bombastic way of policing have earned her as much criticism as praise and she has been reprimanded before for "playing the hero". Despite her aggressive and relentless demeanor regarding her duties as law enforcement Mira also has an empathetic and caring side, particularly towards her family and close friends. Mira Feng is the best of friends and the worst enemy to have.
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[User]
Omar didn't quite know how to react to Mira's action. He wasn't sure whether to be angry that he misinterpreted her instructions or grateful for saving him from a potentially foolish mistake. Omar wondered if his time in New Jersey had made him too soft for the shit that happened in the north-east. It took a second for him to process Mira's instruction as he leaned down to pick up the shotgun. He turned it over to the side and recoiled at just how unmaintained it was. It was an antique 870 but you couldn't tell that from how chewn the wooden stock was or from the rust-coated barrel. Omar set the shotgun down and produced a clear plastic evidence bag from his person, zipping it open to wrap it around the long gun. He signed as he settled into the minutae of logging down evidence detail with a pencil.

" Oh, thank you, officers," The pudgy shopkeeper was dusting himself off as he approached the pair. His skin was pallid and moist with sweat and fringes of tufted hair grew around his bald head. " Is there anything that I might assist you with?"

" Can you tell us what happened here, Mister…..?"

" Alfonso Francocci," The shopkeeper puffed up his chest proudly.

" Mister Francocci," Omar said brusquely, all business. " We need the details of what happened?"

" Of course, officer. I was closing up my store early today." Alfonso then looked at the man in Mira's grasp with an irritated look. " Then, this stronzo burst from the back of my store and pointed that gun at me. He asked me to empty all the cash in my register and when I refused, he gave this to me."

" Was he accompanied by anyone else?"

" Yes, a woman and a man." Omar felt his fist clench, the robber avoiding his gaze of disappointment as the rookie officer looked at him. " She said she felt sick and went with her friend to the cold room.," The shopkeeper pointed over Omar's shoulder and Omar's eyes followed the direction of his finger to a freezer door located near the dairy section.

" I haven't seen them since," The shopkeeper rubbed his hands together out of worry. " Do you think they might have - uh- ran away?"

Then, Omar heard the groan. A bass-like rumble that teetered on being animalistic from behind the freezer door. Omar looked at the shopkeeper to see if he was in the midst of a coffee-induced hallucination and the shopkeeper's frightened face dashed that theory. The rookie officer pinched his nose, looking up as though he was praying to some pagan god for good fortune before reaching down towards his holster.

" Stay here," Omar didn't even bother giving an answer as he took out his Glock again. Just as he was about to make his way to the freezer, he paused and nodded towards Mira. " You wanna get the perp in our vehicle or you feel comfortable letting me handle this one?"

[Assistant]
Mira stood the gunman up keeping a tight hold on his wrists as she looked toward the freezer room door. A wax of worry seemed to be encased upon her visage as she considered the options. They needed to remove the other two perpetrators and arrest them immediately, if both of the deputies went outside to deal with the man at hand the other two could break for it and be gone in minutes. They couldn't just leave the handcuffed gunman crammed into a corner to run the minute they turned their backs. But Mira hated the idea of leaving Omar to face two people alone, even if one was allegedly ill. They could both be armed and likely were and Omar would be in a perilous situation.

But what other option is there? Mira gritted her teeth.

Mira looked to the store owner, Francocci, "Get inside your office and lock the door, one of us come get you when things are all clear."

Francocci nodded nervously and stepped back behind the counter and through the rickety wooden door into his personal office. Mira took a deep breath and then looked to Omar, "Go cover the door, I'll get this one out to the car, wait up for me."

What was that growling?

Mira backed towards the front door while Omar followed her order. She twisted around and went from pulling to pushing as she walked the cuffed man outside and towards the patrol car. The freezing rain had picked up, coming down harder and colder than earlier, Mira feeling bits of ice in it as well. She imagined as the temperature dipped a bit more it would be hail and soon enough snow. It took her no time to get the door open and push the perp inside with some final protests from him. Making sure he was secure Mira then turned and made a rush back towards the front of the store, hand slipping around her holstered pistol as she reached the front door.

[User]
Now by all himself, Omar shuddered again as another groan surfaced from behind the door. Omar walked, more caution in his steps than ever, as he made his way to the freezer door. The surface was coated in a slick sheen of white frost that wormed in tendrils across the foam. He rapped his fist against the door lightly before speaking out loud.

" Police, open up."

The moans continued on. Either the perps were deliberately ignoring him or they were somehow getting their rocks off in a cooler room in the middle of a town-wide pandemic. Omar spoke again, this time more forcefully.

" I said, open up. We've got you surrounded."

Again, the damn moans keep going on as if they didn't even hear him. Omar rapped the door again. No response. Omar's finger absentmindedly thumbed the trigger of the Glock in worry. He could wait for Mira to come back with the perp or go inside to spare her the trouble. Who in their right mind would spend 1 hour being stuck inside an virtual icebox in one of the oldest counties in the north east?

Pushing his body against the freezer door, Omar slowly pulled it open, hiding his body behind the frame. Wafts of icy air billowed out of the door and into the restaurant. Omar twisted his frame in and pointed his pistol out, only to be met by darkness. Grunting in annoyance, Omar reached for the flashlight hooked on his belt and flicked it on. The beam of light cut a swathe through the impermeable void. His flashlight glinted off the gleaming icicles that hung from the damp metallic shelving units. All the while, the moans continued to echo inside the refrigeration unit, piercing the hum of the air conditioning units.

Suddenly, he heard a slick sound of something wet falling to the ground. Omar turned his flashlight around and his blood chilled. It was a woman standing over a still corpse of a man on the ground. His eyes were glazed over and his mouth was ajar, a trickle of blood flowing out.

"Maám, are you -," Omar's mouth gummed up the moment her neck craned around towards him. Her skin was a ghoulish white, varicose veins coursing underneath her neck and skin. Everything below her mouth was covered in dripping red blood, flowing down her shirt and pants. Strings of viscera were stuck between her blue lips and a long piece of pink gut hung out of the corner of her jaw.

She slowly stood up, tilting her neck curiously at him, before trudging forward drunkenly. Omar shifted the barrel of his pistol up at her neck.

" Put your hands on the ground right now.," Omar commanded but the woman paid him no mind. She continued walking forward towards him, arms lengthened out towards his neck. " I said - "

Omar's words were cut off as the woman leaned forward in a stumbling push, clawing at his neck. The cold of her skin scalded him numb, causing him to shout in pain. The trigger depressed and a loud bang issued from the barrel. The woman's head flicked back and then, turned to look at him with that same dead-eyed look. The only difference now was that there was a gaping hole in her right cheek where he could see a swollen tongue flapping up and down.

" Fuck!,-" Omar cried out. " Mira?! We got a situation here!"

[Assistant]
"What the hell, Omar, I s-!" Mira's voice cutoff as she rounded the aisle, gun in hand. She had the first perp locked in her car and was just coming back through the door when she heard the pow of Omar's Glock. The Corporal looked in shocked awe at the woman before her, her deathly gray-white flesh and bloody appearance like something straight from a horror film. Were the woman staying still Mira would take her for a corpse, but that she was very much not.

"Back up and raise your hands!" Mira snapped out of her trance, pistol raised. The grody-looking woman did not comply, instead continuing to grasp and lunge at Omar. Fuck, she's crazy! Mira dashed towards Omar and the woman, dropping her shoulder as she drew close and slamming into the assailant sending her tumbling across the floor and into the wall with a crash. Mira glanced at Omar to make sure he was okay, she didn't see any blood or scratches or bite marks. That was good. The last thing the Corporal wanted was her new partner getting maimed by some drug-head on her watch. Mira then took a bold stride forward and pointed her gun down at the fallen woman, "Face down, hands behind your head!"

The woman only grunted in response, shoes scraping against the floor as she raised up and twisted to face the two deputies. Mira then saw the wound in her face, the gaping hole and all the blood - it made her stomach churn fiercely. What was more rattling was the female perp seemed not in the least phased by it, standing up to full height and continuing with the short throaty groans Mira and Omar had been hearing as she looked at them with glossy but intent eyes.

"I'll shoot you if don't comply!" Sweat was beading across Mira's forehead, her fingers felt numb from the tight grip she had on her firearm. The woman lunged and Mira with no other choice squeezed the trigger. The gun was loud in the tight quarters, the bullet striking into the center of the woman's' chest sending her falling back against the wall. A cold, fearful wave surged across Mira as the woman stood back up straight and shuffled forward again.

"Fuck!" Mira screamed, her trigger fingering snapping three times firing off three more shots into the suspects' chest, hot bullet casings clinking across the floor at her feet. The woman still did not fall, merely staggering back before lurching forward with savage eyes and a raging growl. Mira stepped back, heart pounding at what she was witnessing. This is fucking impossible! Mira's feet got tangled up and the Corporal overbalanced and fell back in a sprawl across the floor, eyes wide with fear as the woman reached down for her - blood pouring from the four bullet holes in her torso.

"Omar!" Mira yelled.


[System]
Age: 31

Gender: Male

Species: Human

World of Origin: Earth

Are you a member of TRIDENT? If so, what is your job/specialty?
Yup, a member of the Information hunting and covert reconnaissance division

Appearance: Standing at 5ft 9in Charles is about the average height for someone his age though with slightly better built physique from his morning jogs, but of course there will forever be a bit of a belly filled with custard creams. Eye sparkle a dazzeling green and his hair is an almost shocking red colour.
A big fan of jewellery and accessories you'll be hard pressed to find any time that he isn't wearing at least a wristwatch, a couple of wrist bands from various bands and franchises (Doctor Who being his favourite), a ring on the right hand and even a key pendant too. But of course for more formal occasions he's willing to go to just the wristwatch.
Clothing varies depending on the job but when relaxing oddly enough he prefers loose and baggy clothing.

Abilities and skills: Aside from the general "independent adult" skill (such as cooking, cleaning, filling out tax forms) Charles is also an excellent party host.
Charles has a very weak but surprisingly useful form of magic. With a quick twirl of the hand Charles can teleport nearby items into his palm, but of course these can only be small things like coins, keys and USB sticks.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ A charismatic man who could talk until the cows came home
- He would talk even after the cows got fed up and walked away again
+ He's surprisingly good at shifting a person's attention to something else and staying out of sight.
- He's not a big computer person aside from just general use so some computing terms will completely go over his head. Use small words.
+ Multi-lingual
- Poor café workers in Germany being spoken to in first in Japanese and then Dutch

Equipment Requests: The general things like phone and wallet, as well as a few things like the standard issue pistol and a small laptop but the latter are normally stored away in a bag of some sort or at his residence at the time.

History: For the most part Charles had a fairly standard childhood in Central of London. Although as a child his parents were always at a loss as to explain how he was able to grab hold of keys and coins which had been placed out of his reach on the higher shelves.
School was school and he neither did bad nor that good at his subjects, just a little bit better academically than average. But of course he was very popular with his little magic and card tricks, although on many occasions his teachers would confiscate his deck of cards to put an end to the constant noise of them being shuffled and flipped. So it came as no surprise to find him on the streets at weekends performing to the many tourists that would flood the streets of London
About two years after finishing full time education his friends and family were startled and shocked to discover that he had applied to an agent, or Covert Human Intelligence Source, for MI5 and while the organisation won't actually say he was 'Accepted' as such people aren't actually staff nor is there any actually formal application process, it was safe to say he got the job.
And so began Charles's new life of touring the globe, sneaking into very dangerous places ranging from war torn bunkers to that very nice office building in New York. It often during these 'missions' that his magical skill became very useful and often pushed to and beyond its limits (it quickly became apparent to Charles that he could not magically make that USB stick with sensitive information stuck at the back of a computer on the top floor appear in his hands as he exited the building on the bottom floor).
Of course such things never really go unnoticed, especially with today's technology. And even if you were able to scramble the Security footage enough to stop others from noticing someone's bound to be able to. But still it came as a surprise when members of TRIDENT appeared offering him a job.

Personality: Over the top this man couldn't be anymore loud and brash unless he literally exploded into confetti but on the other hand he can be extremely sneaky being able to slip past even the most watchful gazes. Of course he does tend to get side tracked at times, especially if he's bored, with a need to always be doing something and always on the move.
As such it's not uncommon for him to start proclaiming about his many big plans or goals, not that he'll really be able to get around to fulfilling most of them as they tend to conflict with each other. But at times he can be a bit over ambitious and if not caught soon he may try to follow through with those ambitions which has led to numerous failed attempts, mostly at over complicated recipes, but such things rarely keep him down for long.

Name: 53 – AN – 0N "Shanon"

Age: Approx. 5 years

Gender: Female

Species: Monster

World of Origin: An Earth similar to our own but small towns and villages are almost unheard of with the majority of the population living in cities of gigantic proportions and heavily armed against the terrors in the dark nights.

In this world Monsters are very real and they come in all shapes, sizes, colours, textures, and everything else. Oddly enough they are not born but simply appear without any scientific explanation. Old stories though talk about the importance of resolving one's issues and feelings lest those malicious thoughts take form and cause great harm to everyone nearby.

Appearance: A huge beast standing around 7 ft tall on her hind lends however spends most on the time on all six, front four similar to hands with claws like fingers and the back two like an animals hind legs. Maroon fur covers her body except for a soft pink underbelly. While one eye socket is stitched closed, two eyes sit in the left in addition to another two eyes belonging to the snake tongue she possesses. Two large horns spiral from her skull and a green mane extends down to her hips, a tail then extends for about a meter ending with a sickle shaped bone. Her body is dotted in gashes crudely sewed together.

Abilities and skills: Shanons ability to track a scent is unmatched not just by smelling ability but by being able to taste the scent of prey on the air as well. Shanon possess extra-ordinary strength with her limit being around the same weight as a tank. Her venom causes a victim muscles to seize up within half an hour of entering the blood stream.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
+ Doesn't need to eat, though the occasional snack is appreciated even if disposing of it later is a hassle
- Unaffected by most poisons as she has no heart or blood vessels.
+ Doesn't bleed
- Can't heal and any injuries sustained will need to be stitched up
+ She isn't easily intimidated, though Humans will always make her uneasy
- not the brightest of the bunch

Equipment Requests: A pocket sewing kit.

History: As with every monster Shanon wasn't born, but simply began one fog drenched night down an alley way where horrible things had happened. A number of hours were spent roaming through the streets figuring out how her body worked; how her joints moved, how her spine could twist, how her senses picked out her prey walking alone at night. As a Monster she was made of the malicious and cruel thoughts of Humans, however that didn't mean that she herself was entirely cruel.

Then They appeared: The Containment and Examination of Monsters company (C.E.M). Shanon was no match for the Agents who possessed equipment specifically designed to deal with Monsters and she was quickly captured. Her world then became one of a small white room and of scalpels and needles as the Agents sought to figure out how she worked.

One day something went wrong; another monster was able to escape its cell and the C.E.M facility fell into chaos. Shanon, along with many other Monsters fled from the facility, making sure to remove a number of Agents from the world on the way out. She, like many others, fled very far from the facility and didn't dare to stop running until a day had passed by which point she had stumbled, almost collapsed with exhaustion, into a forest rarely seen by humans.

Here Shanon met another Monster who had taken the name Darcy, and had prompted Shanon to take a name herself. Here the pair lived together in relative peace only occasionally disturbed by wondering Humans or the rare Agent seeking them out.

Personality: Very protective of those she calls 'friend' Shanon will selflessly place herself in harm's way without a second thought. Shanon tries to be kind and wants to learn and experience as much of the world that she can before she ends, as such given half the chance Shanon will relentlessly hound a person with questions about anything and everything. Of course such a strong sense of curiosity has landed her in a number of situations and a few close calls, but it has yet to discourage her from exploring.

However, Shanon holds a very 'black and white' view of the world and those around her; if she considers someone to be a threat to her or another's well-being she will express, and possibly follow through with, her desire to end them. Normally in such cases she will try to quickly end her opponent by sneaking up on them when their guard is down, but if the option is unavailable she has nothing against ripping them apart even if it means sacrificing herself.

[User]
"We just had an... incident over here. A smell skeletal thing assembled itself and got... killed." a deep and gravely voice said over the radio.
Vaughtar, Wolfe thought, he didn't expect an off worlder to have any sort of radio etiquette, but was impressed he could manipulate and work a radio.
Wolfe didn't bother responding, he maintained his eyes on the castle. The feeling wasn't as strong as before, but, it was still there. Something definitely wasn't right. Even Hirsch seemed tense.
The wind picked up, and the temp seemed to drop a bit, though the crevice that Wolfe and Hirsch sat in was covered from the wind.
A few more moments and the radio crackled to life once again, this time it was Zesiro, he didn't seem panicky, but his voice tense. His radio etiquette had improved somewhat as well, most likely due to a small bit of an andrenaline rush.

"Hey guys. Possible mage presence, necromancer, consider any dead bodies you see as loaded guns."

"Necromancer?" Hirsch asked. "Like those guys who fuck dead people?"
"What? No that's a necropheliac." Wolfe corrected.
"A Necromancer is a type of sorcerer or magician that can bring dead bodies back to life." Wolfe explained to Hirsch.
"Like....like Jesus?" he asked confused his eyes wide.
Wolfe dropped his head and shook it.
"Holy shit, how, how did you survive childhood?"
"I drank my milk and ate my veggies," he said with a shrug.
Wolfe spent a moment gritting his teeth and glaring at Hirsch, then went on.
"A Necromancer is someone who uses magic to make zombies," he explained in the simplest of ways.
"Oh? No shit... thats bad, we need to stay alert," Hirsch said shouldering his SAW and tracking through his scope.
Wolfe sighed and went back to his monocular.

[Assistant]
Vata followed the group silently. He might've said something if it wasn't for the fact that he was struggling to keep up with the rest of the group. His legs were better suited for the occasional stroll around the city to the market, not ascending a mountain. But if it meant a shot at learning more about what dragged them all here, it would be worth suffering a bit for. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the place where the castle was. Or, at least, what was left of it.

Trying not to focus on the fact that his legs were on fire, Vata followed the people who were investigating the symbols by the altar, paying close attention to the things that they were looking at. If he wanted this to work, he'd need to pay close attention to this sort of stuff. Normally he wouldn't need to do this, but with the tenuous link he had to the Spiritstream, and by extension, the Spirit of Inspiration, he needed to make sure he got a good feel for what they were looking at, since if he didn't, the other people here would probably end up getting a sudden burst of inspiration for something like what they should eat tomorrow, or other unrelated things. He had it happen once to one of his students, who, during a lesson regarding writing style, suddenly got an idea regarding a new outfit, and then rushed off to the market, and then returned an hour later looking considerably more stylish. Unfortunately, the student's writing style was not helped much by this, and Inspiration seemed amused by the turn of events.

After several minutes of watching the investigation, he called upon the Spirit of Inspiration, who promptly, and somewhat feebly responded. He had no idea how much of an effect it would have, but hopefully it would help them some sort of insight for the symbols they came here to investigate. He decided to finally speak up then.

"Any progress? I know we're not working off much here, but I figured I'd ask to see how it's coming along."


[System]
Appearance/Image:
Age: 22

Gender: Male

Height/Weight: 6'4 / 210 lbs

Personality: Hal is fiercely loyal to his students. They are the future generation and he has every intention of providing them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life. It isn't just his students who he wants to have a good life of course. Anyone he meets is a perfectly viable target for him to help improve themselves, whether they want to improve or not.

Character Alignment: Lawful Good

Class Affinity: Archer

Background:
Hal grew up in Saint Martha's Foster Home for Orphaned Children, usually helping the nuns take care of the smaller children rather than try and spend time with the children his own age. This would give Hal a very nurturing and parental personality, his interest always in helping those who can't help themselves. That is why, after becoming old enough to be considered an adult by US law, Hal would begin his teaching career.

It wasn't easy gathering the funds to do so, but with the help of diligent working, a little crowdfunding, and some much needed good luck he was able to enter into an acceptable university. He was still early on in his teaching internship, when out on the open football field, past the school's closing hours, that a small card seemed to appear before him a blinding light. With the newly acquired knowledge of the world's impending doom, Mr. Sutherland has vowed to protect his newly acquired students at any cost.

Occupation: Student Teacher

Known Magic: None

Special Talents/Hobbies: His desire to receive his teaching degree and become a high school PE Teacher has inspired him to stay in great shape to act as an excellent example for his future students. While he hasn't trained in any fighting style, he's definitely got a lot of power and speed behind any punches or kicks he may throw.

Ambition: To make a better world for his students.

Odysseus; Neutral Good Archer
STR: C+(B+), AGI: C(B), END: C(B), MAN: E(D), LUK: E(E), NP: C(B)

Noble Phantasm:
- Dokimí Taftótitas: Odysseus can summon up to 12 axes in positions of his choosing around the battlefield, each one with sockets only just large enough for an arrow to pass through. With each socket that his arrow may pass through, it shall increase in speed to the point that the twelfth ax passed through will cause it to become fast enough to be unable to avoid or blocked by normal means, even by servants.

This is an Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm that Targets: 1 person.

- Doúreios íppos: Any "gift" that an opponent may receive from Odysseus shall cause their luck stat to decrease exponentially until they remove the object from their person. Any object, no matter how obscure, could be considered a gift from Odysseus, ranging from a simple pencil to help someone write to one of his arrows that have struck their target. With each day that passes, the parameter will drop one whole grade. This Noble Phantasm is a manifestation of his willingness to abuse an opponent's hospitality to ensure he succeeds. Only applicable when the card is currently installed.

This is an Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm that Targets: 1 person per "gift."

Include: The Bow of Apollo - The bow that Odysseus used to kill all of his wife's suitors.

Install: Grants his Noble Phantasms, Skills, Parameters, and the weapons of Odysseus.

Install Skills:
- Espionage C(A): Having successfully infiltrated the city of Troy, avoided the sight of the cyclopes, and made himself unrecognizable to even his family when he meant to hide among his wife's suitors, Odysseus has mastered the ability to blend in and let his opponent lower their guard. At full strength, only the most knowledgeable or the most enraged of servants could tell just how much a threat he poses.

- Advice of the Strategist C(B): Odysseus gained much military experience leading his men to battle in Troy, right alongside other brilliant Greek commanders like Achilles and Diomedes. Even creating the famed Trojan Horse that brought an end to the conflict. This grants him a great analytical mind that can narrow down what the best action is to a handful of options.

- Hawk Eye B(B+): Odysseus was extremely skilled with a bow, being able to shoot a single arrow through twelve small axes once he had returned to his home of Ithaca, a feat very few could claim to be able to pull off as well.

- Magic Resistance E(C): During his journey, Odysseus had several encounters with magic and magic users, some benevolent and others malicious. During his stay with Circe in particular, the enchantress taught him a thing or two about protecting himself from the average mage.

- Independent Action C(B): While Odysseus was a commander of an army and captain of his own ship, leading groups of men sometimes numbering in the hundreds, this hero was no stranger to working alone. During the Trojan War, he and Diomedes were the only ones to volunteer for a stealth mission behind enemy lines and when his ship was eaten by Charybdis he was able to return to Ithaca alone. His experience working solo allows the one installing him to give up control to the Greek hero so that he might fight much more effectively.

Install Appearance: Installing Odysseus does not change much to the user appearance-wise. Other than his bow and the twelves axes that are used for his noble phantasm, the only clothing that will be added is the leather chest guard and bracer on his left arm and left pectoral to keep the bow string from catching.

Servant Biography:
Odysseus was most likely the most essential commander of the Greek's forces during the Trojan War, creating the strategy that would cause them to receive their long-awaited victory with the Trojan Horse. What would finally put this hero into the tomes of history though would be his infamous journey home after the war.

No epic is as well known as the Odyssey. This tale spans an entire decade and includes encounters with monsters, witches, and even gods. But no matter who stood in the way of this hero, he would trick, beat, and negotiate his way out of each danger, all to return to his loving wife and once young son. Nothing could ever hope to overpower his determination, just like his master's determination to protect his pupils.

Servant Personality:
Odysseus is described as being very kind and brave, but his most well known trait is his wisdom. Without his intelligence, the Greeks may have never brought an end to the Trojan War and he never would have gotten home to his family in Ithaca. He is well known for his terrible luck however, having taken a whole 10 years for his return trip. When misfortune befalls, Odysseus may become depressed or saddened, but never does he lose hope, picking himself back up and persevering.

Other:
Theme:

[User]
, @Guess Who, @Enkryption, @Suku
 "You've far more spirit than brain." Xerxes said, glowering down at Maggie as his prized elephant's foot was cleaved and its jaw grabbed, Pērōz Pīru rearing back in an attempt to get away from her, only to have its jaw seized, the berserk girl beneath attempting to completely rip it off. The war elephant's pained toot echoed through the gymnasium, a hollow, angered sound before its black beady eyes seemed to glow an unnatural red. "Crush her, Pērōz Pīru." Xerxes demanded, before the elephant jerked its head to the side forcefully, flinging Maggie off, but not without giving her a massive chunk of its lower jaw muscles and a few teeth.

Just as he finally took note that the sword wielding girl was suddenly moved somewhere else, Xerxes heard the faintest whizz of arrows flying, only to be harmlessly knocked aside by the air around him. Crossing his arms, the Rider looked unimpressed, looking up at the source. "Skulk all you like, I can smell your inferiority." he said, before with one single graceful motion he kicked up off of his elephant and landed on a rafter opposite of Hal, smugly smiling at him. "Too bad. If you'd been up against anyone else, your haphazard assassination may have succeeded. Feel honored that your head will be taken by Persia's greatest King, Lasher of the Hellespont, and Breaker of Leonidas." As he spoke, his gilded axe shimmered in his hands, before he began charging at Hal, seemingly thinking that as an archer he had no way out.

With his master not present to control his reigns, the Elephant charged ferociously at Maggie, attempting to gore her with one of its twin tusks, covered in glittering bands of jewels and obsidian, the pure white ivory prepping to become stained in her blood. In its mind, it had recieved a single order from Xerxes, repeating over, and over, and over..."KILL! CRUSH! SUBJUGATE!" Like an alarm, it blared over and over, the traditionally peaceful species' being overwritten with Xerxes' mania, madness, and thirst to destroy those before it. This wasn't an elephant anymore...it had become a physical incarnation of a crazed king's power hunger.

---

 Now, having recovered enough to stand, Makoto dropped the used up bottle, the few remaining droplets of green liquid dribbling from the discarded container. Still clutching where his arm had impacted on the bleachers, he realized that he had a chance to escape, and, turned his back in order to take it.

"Hmm...this is no good Makoto. I don't know if I could teach a man that would leave a girl all alone to face a dangerous beast..." Zosimos mused in his mind, feigning as if he wasn't basically telling Makoto to go fight.

"B-But..." Makoto started, before his card's spirit interjected. "No, no, it is quite alright...after all, you are weak enough to be beaten before the fight even begins. Hoping that someone else would solve the problem before you would have to deal with it. Running is, after all, the safest option..."

Makoto bit his lip beneath the headdress, clenching his fists. "...Fine. If it gets you to let it go, I'll do the stupid thing." Makoto said, before an almost elated clap echoed in his mind. "Very well my brave pupil! Now, turn to page 13, on the essence of rock based transmutation..."

"SHUT UP!" Makoto suddenly shouted, making it seem to the unaware observer that he was yelling at Xerxes up on the rafters. However, instead of targetting who one would suspect, he instead ran over to the piles of rubble converted into pumice, immediately tossing a piece of it up into the air. His right eye shimmered for a brief moment, a brilliant, burning, orange iris taking over his ordinary hazel as his hand made contact with the rock. In an instant, the material underwent an intense physical change, the air pockets that were placed into the pumice expanding, and seemingly turning inside out as the surrounding rock was pushed into, and then out of the hole, resulting in long, thin spears made of a rock definitely stronger and heavier than the component he'd used. A dozen javelins of rock hurtled towards the elephant at high speeds, several simply bouncing off of its hide, but one managing to strike true into its trunk, splitting straight through it. However, he had failed to stop its charge.

"Move!" Makoto yelled, trying to run as fast as he could over to Maggie, unable to match the charging beast's speed and momentum.

[Assistant]
Is this it? Is this how I am going to go out? Death by elephant? Rebecca thought as she saw the elephant's foot about to slam into her. She heard the voice of the saint calling out to her, but she couldn't make up the words that were said as she tunnel-visioned on the impending doom the foot meant. At that moment, however, was when Rebecca felt a pair of hands scoop her from the doom that awaited her and the impending shower of blood that followed from a crazed Maggie spouting nonsense about being a flower.

Rebecca looked at Hal for a few moments in awe as she witnessed him retreating to the rafters. That was when she both heard and understood the voice's words once again. Rebecca, are you ok?! Rebecca looked at herself. Strangely, aside from a crack in her glasses and an ache in her back from where she was slammed she felt and saw no immediately concerning injuries.

 Y-yeah.

Get up. The battle is not over. Forget about Xerxes for now, your friend seems to have him handled. For now, that elephant must be dealt with before it causes more havoc.

Right..

Rebecca used the sword of St. Catherine she still held in her hands to get up, regaining her balance on her feet as she witnessed rock hitting the elephant. However, she spotted a bigger danger: the elephant heading straight to Maggie. Despite her instincts screaming that what she was about to do was foolish and would probably get her killed, Rebecca charged once again. This time with both hands she raised her sword in a yell at a different target: the elephant's tusks. If she couldn't block the attack itself she could at least try to divert the deadly monstrosity from the enraged and very scary Maggie.


[System]
Age: 33
Gender: Male
History: Varrock was a simple farmer when one day his family's farm was attacked by a deserting army. Desperate for supplies, they raided his little field of grain and animals, leaving nothing behind. His family didn't survive the attack; his father and brothers died defending it, and his mother and sisters were taken away. By the time Varrock recovered and tried to get them, they had already been disposed of. Just like that, his entire peaceful life was turned upside down. He had nothing left to go return to, and nothing left to hold him back. With no family support he had to resort to begging on the streets for much of his early adult life, until he finally managed to get enough money to buy himself a wood cutting axe. but instead of becoming a lumberjack, he used that axe to become a brigand; murdering travelers in their sleep to pilfer their money and supplies. He did that for years, eventually joining a gang to get better weapons and armor. Tackling bigger, tougher, more valuable targets.

Eventually Varrock even gained some infamy. "Varrock The Executioner" they called him. Known for both his battleaxe and his perchant for executing prisoners, fighters, and many many others. Of course with this infamy came a bounty. Though he never became a proper bandit chief, tales of his horrors had grown enough that people could identify him simply by his gear, and so he had to flee to avoid capture or worse. His running eventually brought him to the town of Brighthaven. Here he rubbed elbows with criminals and madmen worse than him, throwing his pursuers off for a short while. But running away from the law left him very little time to amass his fortunes. With nothing but the armor on his back and the axe in his hands, Varrock needed money. And there was only one way to get a lot of money here in Brighthaven: the ruins of Norn.
Equipment:
Armor - Varrock's rather elaborate full plate armor. Made mostly of bits and pieces he collected over the years killing knights, the only uniquely made peice of armor is his helmet, which appears to have a simple smiling face on it. It's unsettling to most people when they see it, the innocent smile brandishing a bloodied axe. Good at protecting him from most weapons, however as most of the parts were looted and never properly cared of, it is falling apart.
Battleaxe - Varrock's signature battleaxe, and how most Bounty Hunter's identify him. He took this weapon off a northern warrior who said that it was enchanted so it could cut through any sort of armor. Thus, Varrock and his mates shot the warrior with arrows. Varrock isn't sure if this axe is actually magical, but it is very well made, and cuts through armor just as well as it cuts through bare necks.

[User]
The vardo wagon was painted crimson with engraving and window shutters limned in yellow. Unlike a farmer's wagon it was built for moving across country. Iron creaked, springs compressed, and the wheel of the wagon clambered up over the upraised root at the base of a massive tree. The wagon see sawed left and right, springs bounding against one another until it leveled out once more.

"By the nine hells," the driver blurted out as she held on for dear life.

The driver flicked one side of the reins, drawing the old horse away from the tree roots and continued onward, then relaxed once more. As much as one could relax given she was traveling the forest of Morkador. Blonde tresses shone beneath the light of the swinging lamp hanging from the pole overhead. Assallya was a vision to behold. Her skin was pale as new fallen snow, blushed with a touch of rose. Her eyes were azure, the colour of mountain pools reflecting the winter sky. She was wearing her black silks, similar in many respects to that which she wore in her time as a slave. After nearly a century wearing them it was what she felt most comfortable in. The dresses of these northern cities was so constrictive.

She sat back with her right ankle underneath her left thigh, leaning into the cushions on the high bench with one hand holding the reins, the other rested gently on her knee and only a short distance from the light crossbow she kept at the ready. Eyes sweeping the darkness just beyond the pool of light cast by her overhead lamp she watched for any sign of danger. Soon, soon it would be too dark to travel even by the light of her torch and she would have to heave to.

[Assistant]
It's been a long and lonely road to Norn. Every night Yomiko is reminded of her family's illness. They had the best doctors they could afford, but that only keeps them alive, not cures them. How cruel and twisted that for all their efforts they were living on borrowed time, their fate in the hands of the only member of the family who didn't take their responsibilities as seriously. Or perhaps this was just fate. The gods twisted way of making Yomiko return to her family. No matter; she knew what must be done. She was going to find riches in these ruins and make sure her family has the medicine they need.

Yomiko had to cut through various threats on the way here. Mainly horned wolves; she recognizes the creatures from old stories and bestiaries. And she knew how to slay them. She also has read somewhere that the old ruins of Norn was still thriving, but it's inhabitants weren't among the living; while it could be said that the ruins are filled with the dead, nothing said that the dead were not active. Sure brigands and desperation may live on the ruins surface, but somewhere deeper within was a city of undead. Yomiko hoped that if she could find them, they could help her. Or at least won't try to kill her. A girl could hope.

But first thing first; she needed to find some landmark as her destination. This ruin was too vast for her to wander aimlessly and hope that she could stumble upon something. She could see a church in the distance that might make for a good vantage point. If nothing else, it might be a safe place to set up camp for the night. So adjusting the swords on her waist and making sure her papers are sealed Yomiko walked towards the church, hoping to find something of use within.

[User]
"Your darkness beckons." So snarled Yenqinor as he conjured a globe of darkness to blanket the vision of the two goblins readying themselves to charge at him, and then burned them to a crisp with a sheet of flame surging into the pitch blackness. With a flick of his wrists he extinguished the flames around his hands as well as the darkness, and moved forth to quickly pat down the charred corpses of the goblins for anything of value. A small, silver amulet was found around the neck of one, a mere trinket. Yenqinor clasped it in his hand and smirked; that may fetch a pretty penny from the next passing merchant caravan. With a flourish of his cape, Yenqinor pocketed his lucky find and would carry on down the road. "Oh, how the weak fall." So he mused as he stepped over those blackened corpses.

He had been travelling on foot for some time now, never having taken the time to learn how to ride a horse safely and effectively. Nor did he want to splash out on a steed when there were scrolls to be bought and bribes to be made. The long, winding road leading towards the ancient ruins of Norn once he exited the mountain pass between him and his home town, was fraught with peril, yet to him it was nothing more than ample opportunity for him to hone his skills in the arcane arts, each challenge another step closer to his ultimate goal. Achieving power comparable to that of a demigod, or beyond!

Late evening swiftly approached, but Yenqinor thrived equally as well in both day and night, owing to his keen senses and ability to see perfectly well in the dark, thanks to his angelic heritage. Still, even Aasimars needed rest and even someone as power-hungry as himself craved sleep. Perhaps he would find something of use in the first major landmark he had come across since he had left the mountain pass; a large church. Seemingly deserted? But a fitting locale to search for ancient scrolls and texts that could become of use to him while performing his nightly rituals. Excellent. He drew his cape around his person, keeping a low profile, and started down towards the church.

[Assistant]
"Finally. One step closer to my dream."

The ruins of Norn were terrifying. It reminded Ashe of her country after it was razed. She could see the former glories this place had and wondered what had to have happened for all of it to be lost. If perhaps there was a lost king or even princess hoping to restore it to its former glory. "No. don't distract yourself now. Focus on your mission." Ashe continued down her path, bow and arrows in hand, venturing deeper into the ruins.

She needed to figure out where to go. Some locations seemed pretty obvious. There was a large church still standing that could be a useful landmark. But no doubt others have seen it and thought the same; Ashe couldn't afford to run into violent types right now. No she needed to look elsewhere. A ruined keep it mayor home perhaps. Somewhere that would have the information she sought. If she couldnt find it there, then she will risk looking around the church.

Ashe knew her cities well and knew how to best find a keep, they would ya e the most open roads so their armies could sally it quickly. And even among the fallen ruins and rubles Ashe can clearly see the path before Norn's fall. Making sure she wasn't followed she would sneak along this road to the city's Fortress.

[User] Steel reflected the sun's rays as a heavy blade was brought down onto a goblin's head, splitting the creature in twain. It's bone helmet was no match for the tempered steel of Joseph's sword. Four more rushed him but their meager weapons failed to puncture through his armor, worn as it was, as he retaliated with a wide swing of his sword. It cleaved through two and cut one, leaving the final goblin who had barely managed to avoid getting slashed down. Seeing that it was alone it turned tail to run, only to get stabbed through the back by Joseph's zweihandler. It slipped off his blade, took a few steps forward, and died. Cleaning his sword of the gore using some cloth from the goblins the stoic knight continued onward. Onward into the ruins of Norn.

[Assistant]
As the adventurers gathered, the ruins began to stir. The smell of prey was in the air, and they will find not peace, but endless torment.

---

As Roy was setting up his camp, a pack had followed him. They smelled the scent of their kin on his blade, found it's corpse, and sought the one who had slew their sibling. Roy had killed a whelp, no one particularly important to the pack, but these horned wolves were eager to dine on man flesh once again. Unlike the whelp these horn wolves were older and stronger; their horns wrapped around their head and neck like a protective helmet, and their hide, though scarred from many battles, could withstand steel much better than flesh ought to. Five of these wolves converged around Roy's camp. One was the eldest, larger than the other wolves, and had a golden necklace wrapped around one of his horns. And without warning, they would charge.

---

The sorcerer would have no chance to rest suddenly from the darkness a large stone would fly towards the horse. It came without warning and would likely kill the beast instantly, if not cripple it to the point that it would become dead weight. By now it had become truly dark, and there was nary a moon nor star in the sky to illuminate the darkness. Worse still, it was at this time that the creatures of the night were most active: Goblins. Though individual weak and diminutive, rarely are they ever found alone. Gathering around Assallya was seventeen goblins, crudely armed with stone weapons and slings, but among their numbers was a hulking hobgoblin. Over eight feet tall and more than five hundred pounds, this ogre of a gob carried a small tree as a club as he approached Assallya with his entourage of minions. Riding on his shoulder was another goblin, slightly larger than most but smaller than the hobgoblin, who had a shining buckler attached to his arm. Tonight, the goblins will have their fun...

---

As night came the worshiper of Asmodeus would become privy to some of the dark inhabitants of Norn. Specifically he would hear whispers, cries, and pleads from all around. Desperate men and women begging for their lives, for someone to save them, to rescue them from their doom. And from these whispers came the men and women who's wishes had gone unanswered. Undead dressed in tattered, broken, and destroyed garments, yet still clinging onto some faint memory of who they were. And as far as these undead adventurers knew, they were still fighting for their lives and saw Yenqinor as an enemy to destroy. Six undead warriors ran towards him brandishing rusted and broken swords, but one of them carried a mace that still gleamed even in this darkness.

---

Not all that lives in the ruins of Norn are among the living or the dead. Many are simply part of nature, animated and without purpose. These creatures have many names and for Yomiko she would soon learn of one of them: Treant. Seemingly just an overgrown but dead tree, it roared to life as it made wild flailing motions towards the kitsune. It knew not what it was doing, acting out only on basic instincts from it's creation. And those instincts? To destroy. Among the branches that made up the treant's head was a worn but solid satchel, jingling with a mysterious prize. But before it could be salvaged the treant rose from it's resting spot to attack the lone swordswoman.

---

Despite being a ruin life can still thrive here, especially upon the dead that litter the place. As Ashe walked among the ancient corpses that littered the place, she may have become wary of the insects that fed off their bodies. Larvae, maggots, and flies that fed even on the bones. And notably, far larger than any of these insects have any right to be. Soon she would hear a foul singing, as if it was a woman screaming. This screaming roused the insects and caused them to flee... Or rather, gather. And as if driven by deranged hunger or perhaps a spell, swarms of these insects would converge onto Ashe, intending to turn her into one of the many corpses they were feeding off of. And not too far, sitting along a fresh corpse still dressed in the gear he had purchased to venture into this hell, a fairy with a mischievous smile on her face.

---

"Halt there. Ain't no one gunna get closer without paying the toll."

Bandits. Even in these haunted ruins, none can escape human greed and depravity. These bandits were dressed in piece mail armor, some had metal plates, most had rusted chain mail, but each were equipped well enough to survive on the outskirts of this wretched ruin. Seven bandits lead by a man who wielded two swords stood before the fallen paladin, his hand extended. A dark yet immaculate ring was around the bandit chief's finger. "Yer money and that fancy sword of yours. Give em up, and we'll let you walk. Don't, and we'll be stripping your corpse and putting your bones in a stew. It's a good deal, eh?"


[System]
Annalise Altera

Age: 22

Bio: The eldest of the 4 daughters Annalise was born with some form of Albinism resulting in much lighter skin and hair than her parents. It was because of this that she was believed to have the ability to learn the art of magic. When she was old enough to learn one of the Court Mages attempted to train her in the art but it was quickly discovered that she was not able to practice the art. She has a very intense sense of duty to her father and her kingdom, while she does wish for her freedom to marry who she wanted, like her father did before her, she is willing to do what it takes to help her father and her home succeed.

Other: Annalise was born blind in her right eye so she can be a little clumsy at times and lacks proper depth perception.
Age: 19
Bio(optional): The 3rd son to the King of the Orc ruled desert Kingdom of Afdan.
Personality: Despite his slightly brutish appearance Prince Gil is a respectable male with a kind heart. He often speaks softly and has a habit of hunching around those he does not wish to startle in an attempt to make himself look smaller. He is, however, aware that he does give off a certain appearance and his not afraid to use his larger stature to intimidate those he deems a threat.
Other(optional):
Aldar has been Gil's personal guard as well as teacher since he was old enough to wield a weapon. He is practically a second father to the prince.

A young but gifted Shaman sent with Gil to tend to the Prince should he sustain any injuries as well as to allow fast communication between Gil and his father should it be needed.

Long ago the Desert Country of Afdan was seemingly uninhabitable however the hearty Orcish race called these lands home. Many nomadic tribes existed within the country each filled with fierce warriors. Orc were viewed by the rest of the kingdoms as brutish and savage. In most cases they were correct. Many kingdoms took to exiling criminals, traitors, and deserters to the country, intending it to be a punishment. Those who were exiled here soon found out that though the Orcs of the country were indeed brutes, they were also willing to learn about the world outside of their own realm. The Orcs of Afdan accepted those who were exiled into their tribes so long as the individuals respected their rules and ways of life. Slowly as the tribes took on more people of all races a true country began to form. The dwarves brought with them knowledge of metal and ore, the humans agriculture and livestock, the elves magic. As the country grew it became a melting pot of many different cultures and the nomadic ways of the old Orcs, though not entirely gone, became less of a necessity and more of a way of distributing goods from one tribe to another.

 However each tribe still saw themselves as separate from the others, only trading among the others because it benefited them. Eventually, as with most new civilizations, a power struggle began, as each tribe, with their own Chief, began fighting for land and resources. After all, resources were few and far between in the desert. Simple squabbles became full blown wars until finally one of the Orc Chiefs, came up with an idea. The Chiefs of each tribe would fight in 1v1 battle against another, moving up the ranks as they won until only one was victorious. The winner would be made Chief of Chiefs and their tribe would become the new united nation's capital. All losing Chiefs would answer to the winner but still maintain their tribe. Any disputes on land and resources would be handled by the Chief of Chiefs and his word would be final.

The official Kingdom of Afdan is a fairly new kingdom only about half a century old, still consisting of a variety of tribes, each with their own Chief who answers to the "Chief of Chiefs" or to other kingdoms, the "King" of Afdan. The Orc Dumag Jalal, the winner of "The Great Chief Battle" Became the ruler of this new Kingdom at the Young Age of 20. His human wife Daphne Jalal, the Queen, has been instrumental in assisting the tribes in coming together. The pair have 3 sons. Dumag Jalal II, 25, the eldest and heir to the throne. Uram Jalal, 23, the middle and commander of the Afdan army. Gil Jalal, 19, the youngest and the one who was sent to marry a Princess of the Astalian Kingdom.

[User]
Loreena had been up since the gray light of dawn. She knew it was Uriah's favorite time of day, before the sun illuminated the colors of the world, and life would begin to rouse and stir. The Court Mage would be found in the gardens at this hour, and Loreena herself was in the kitchen, warming a pot of tea for them. Today was a big day, the castle all in an flurry of preparation and excitement. Despite all of the pomp and circumstance, her teacher refused to release her from her lesson for the day. If she was to apply herself to magic, it needed to be a lifelong passion and pursuit. Loreena had shown no disappointment in his decision, despite his gruff mannerisms.

Uriah had been her teacher and companion since she was 14 and her abilities had begun to manifest. He had tested all of the princesses as they came of age, but as of yet, only Lore had shown any aptitude for it. He had taken her education very seriously, and had done his best to impress on her the seriousness of the power she could wield. She had been an apt student, but magic was hard to master, and it had taken nearly a year for her just to find a focus she resonated with, and another half year after that before she could begin to weave the magic into the web of spells. Uriah had been infinitely patient with h, pushing her when she felt lazy or overconfident, and comforting her when she grew frustrated and discouraged. Through it all, he never lost his temper, was ever patient, and always emotionally solid.

Lore brought the tray of tea out to the garden where he sat, meditating, preparing to greet the dawn. The older man smiled as he saw his young charge, gratefully accepting a cup of the steaming brew as the princess took a seat next to him. "A big day, milady. You meet a potential husband in a few hours. How does that make you feel?"

The woman tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Nervous....excited....uncertain. I have never thought about a future with someone else. I don't know what to expect, nor if I should even expect anything at all. What if none like me? What if I make a mistake and embarrass my family? What if things don't work out?..."

"And what if the sun turns purple and the birds swim and the fish fly...?" Uriah cut in, the absurdity of the statement bringing a smile to Loreena's face. He continued. "You have never needed anyone before, and you do not need anyone to continue. That being said, having a companion for your future can be a comforting and adventurous event. Yes, there is a business aspect to this, a chance for something strong and powerful to come of this, but you have a sensible mind and a romantic heart, milady. Do not waste it on someone who will not walk beside you as friend as well as lover."

Loreena sipped her cup. "Is that why you never married, Uriah?" The older man chuckled. "I am married, child. To my work, to my learning, my teaching, and my magic. I love what I have learned, and I know it as intimately as any lover. I cannot expect everyone to walk the path I have, but I am content with my books. You, I sense, will not be content until you have filled volumes of books with your own stories. Now come, we will have your lesson early so you may be with your family when the guests arrive."

A few hours later saw Loreena being the last of her sisters to enter the meeting room, Uriah in tow. "Sorry I'm late!" She said, bustling in, greeting each sister and their father with a kiss to the cheek before taking her place along with the others.

[Assistant]
"No matter what, I love you, but I must do this for my kingdom. I hope you understand."

---

---

The wind whistled its beautiful melody through Alvaro's hair as he stood upon the balcony that overlooked the beautiful lush forest of Lorien. His eyes were closed as he felt the arms of his lover wrap around his midsection. The taller male's chin rested on Alvaro's shoulder as he continued to feel the breeze flow around them.

"What is your plan?"

"I don't know. This is all so stupid, but if it is my father's wishes how can I say no?"

"Like this. NO."

"Says the one who does everything he says."

"Listen my love. No matter what, I will always love you and I will always support you, even if you have to go and frolic with some girl."

"I know my love. I will make it up to you, I promise. I will find a way to do this without having to marry someone I don't love. I wish to marry you, to live as we do now without hindrance."

"I won't stop you from doing what the King asks. You are the heir to his throne. You are the future leader of Lorien. I feel this will prepare you more to take the helm when your time comes, but for now, you're mine for the next hour."

Alvaro turned to look his lover in the eyes as they shared a passionate kiss before returning to his chambers. He was set to leave that day to head to Astalia and he wanted to spend the last night with his love before marrying a princess he didn't love nor wanted to love. Alvaro and his lover spent the hour holding each other before Alvaro's guard knocked on the chamber doors to let him know the King was waiting.

----
The distance wasn't too great from Lorien to Astalia, but Alvaro had decided to only travel with two guards instead of an entourage. His father had tried to order him to take more, but Alvaro stood his ground and gave his father an order which seemed to surprise the older man, but Alvaro's mother had smiled and ushered him off with just two guards. Alvaro was capable of taking care of himself, no matter how much his father thought he needed protection. He had fought countless battles to defend his kingdom and was quite the warrior. What surprised him more is the guard that his father insisted go with him on this mission of ceremonial engagement.

"Nairo, you have to promise that no matter what, you won't act out during the ceremony," Alvaro said sternly to his boyfriend of three years.

"I promise, I'm just here to make sure you get there safe and besides, you know you love it."

Their entourage of three approached the Kingdom of Astalia and as they approached, they saw the other princes that had come for the hands of the other princesses. Alvaro sighed and approached as the stable men took the horses they'd come on. Alvaro moved with supreme elegance and lowered his head to show respect to the princes of the other kingdoms. He carried with him an aura of light, and the wind seemed to blow in response to his presence. He held one hand behind his back as the other gripped a beautiful fan made of metal that could slice a man's throat with ease. He fanned himself lightly as he was led to the meeting area. There was no loud announcement of his coming, or anything except the guard of Astalia knowing of his arrival by vision alone.

"It is an honor to be in the presence of the great King of Astalia and his daughters. I surely hope he will understand," Alvaro said to Nairo who stood beside him along with the other guard.