[System]
Sex:
Female

Age:
22

Sapphire Necklace
Engraved ring
Small Chalk for writing runes
Student ID
Small bag of gems

Within the confines of Societas Academia, free of religious delegation and protection from the witch hunters of the world, Yuno got to experience a more free form nature of magical growth within the variety of options available to pick up and learn. Obviously, as a Talent she got to remain towards the top of the hierarchy of the student body by doing so. Even as a Ruin Mage however, she had more method to her than fireballs and lightning bolts. Her magic is one that was passed onto her from her mother and her mother before that: Gemstone Focus. The properties of these gemstones seem to have innate magical effect with them, and by mastering it she has given herself a wide range of arcane and versatile pool of magical power. Another use is that these spells are very quick to cast as the gem takes the need of melding the form of the magic into their own properties. From magic missile like bolts to focused blasts these tools are handy, but she also has her own magic to develop of Rune Magic. The art of drawing and crafting runes for rituals and spells which while slower are also versatile and more permanent. Leaving one to write lines to create barriers or leave a cursed mark onto the opponent. The strongest form is the rituals such words, runes, and signs are required for though if one has the time to create such powerful magics. After all, have you ever seen a cult not chant around a magic circle to summon devastation?

Expectations: Yuno's life has been a constant barrage of them. With her mother being a graduate of professor the Societas Academia and top of her class and her inherited magical style that her family has been passing on the fate to carry on the family name moved to rest on Yuno as their only child after her mother's miscarriage with the second. Second was never good enough for the name that needed to continue to excel in the eye of her mother and elder grandmother. Day in, day out was practice from even the youngest of ages to grow crystals, study them, and then use them to their fullest potential. One didn't need society or friends. She only would need the connections her mother already established and the scores to get her by, and Yuno did throughout primary and secondary schooling. But, that was with a longtime friend as her side as well. The person Yuno may confide in when not in her mother's almost torturous and cruel aspect of training.

Gem magic wasn't a large part of Yuno's resentment. Her mother's skill and ability fascinated her to the point where Yuno could kid herself half the time it was fair and right for her mother to expect to much. That she should feel superior from her lineage. Their name would be remembered through generations to come if they kept up, and possibly grow to be a very well established family. But, Yuno wanted to expand that magic and use it for her own will. Develop it organically like a crystal would grow rather than be the strict and uptight woman she was forced into being. Less direct and more graceful Yuno wanted to learn more, explore, and use her magic outside of simple practice and regulated ability. Somewhere that could truly test her skill as well as develop the use of other magic. Her mother usually disparaged her from learning basic rune magic outside her regular studies. Enough to get the top spot was fine in her eyes, but Yuno's best friend used such a magic to more than remarkable abilities. It was always a place Yuno fell behind in, and her goal to get better and continue on the separate path alongside her gems was a more personal goal. At least, until her friend's death due to unforeseen illness.

At first Yuno of course was devastated and alone from this, having not gotten together with others, but at the same time this point was a realization. Her mother was the one holding her back because she was trapped in her shadow. But, she can't seem to find a way out of it. She was a graduate student and a Ruin Mage already. Her path for these years was so completed that abandoning it now would almost be a death sentence to her future. This wasn't what she wanted, and to keep up with the world her friend tried showing her was another goal. Sure, she wasn't her friend. Her friend was a bit to direct, blunt, and needless to say idiotic outside of fighting to be a guide, but the respect Yuno had of it and feeling of going with her own will was what Yuno was inspired by.

Yuno is an elegant combination of grace and cunning wrapped up into a sparkling package. While logical, she looks more onto the positive side of things believing in how ones mindset can change the outcome of a situation. Dedication in all of her endeavors and putting the job above most other things she can come off as cold or teasing at a first glance, but she has the best intentions as well as what she believes is a strong moral compass. With her dedication to her art and lineage though comes at the cost of friends within the Acadamia. Having her studies distract her from such things through a good portion of her life until she finally got out of being a Secondary Schooler and on with the greater freedom as a Ruin Mage. Versatility over one special skill in her magic and daily life left her with many graces and favorable attitudes from her teachers, but some can take her as a show off which leaves her to enjoy the quieter moments of the night and how music can help her take her mind off the troubles of life. More... abrasive and direct anger from others can easily annoy her as the logic of it may pass, but devotion is something she respects even if its not the same devotion as her.

[User]
Son
Jessie listened patiently to Felix's story and thought for a moment once he had finished.
"That's quite the story."
She stated handing the list back to Felix after looking over it.
"Issue with a quest for items of great power like you have described is this though. What if you aren't telling the truth? As much as I would love to believe you, we've only just met. Perhaps you simply want these Paragons for the sake of your own power? A man's hubris and desire for power can oft be his greatest driving force, the only thing they hold sacred."
Jessie took a few steps away and looked up at someone at the top of the courtyard wall, silently signaling to them, the few other people within the courtyard stopped what they were doing and quickly left the area.
"So tell you what. I say we have a friendly little duel, just to have a judge of your character. If there is anything my lessons have taught me, its that the fastest way to learn what someone is about, is to trade blows with them."
The courtyard gained a light glow around its perimeter, a field preventing stray spells from going awry into the Manor. Jessie tapped the ground with the toe of her shoe twice and a summoning circle sprouted from the spot.
"Surely a former arch-magi would have no issue facing off against a single summon of mine, eh? Not even a big brawl, just a few traded blows and then Ill give you my answer."
Two large chunks of rock sprouted up from the ground at opposite ends of the summoning circle and slammed against each other. Cracks grew within the large boulder before it shattered to reveal the summon. It appeared to be mostly human, save for its four arms and seven foot tall stature. It was very muscular and stood with a powerful confidence, its upper arms crossed and its lower arms with its hands on its hips.
"Sound good?"
Jessie asked as she stepped behind the summon and looked at Felix with a smile on her face.

[Assistant]
Felix didn't like violence. He always had only fought as retaliation to those who wished to do him harm. But, if it was for the greater good of the world that he fight, it was time for him to step out of his comfort zone. Felix used his hand to brush back a blonde lock of hair that had come loose from one of his hair pins.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil." As Felix recited the scripture, blue flames began to overtake parts of his body. First the azure flames were overtaking his legs. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the worldly forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." Now the flames spread up to his chest, "Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm." Next the flames spread to his arms, "Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of piece; Amen." The flames finally overtook his head, and then solidified into a shiny perfect suit of full armor. Normally, he would have recited the whole passage of scripture, but only needing the armor, he decided to forgo the sword and shield.

Felix took a battle stance in his manaegis, and then charged the tall brute. The speed of his manaegis allowed him to cover the distance between them in a split second. He stopped abruptly within arms distance, and issued a swift full force blow to the chest, that to a normal human, would have crushed their bones and sent them flying twenty feet in the other direction.

[User]
Son
Jessie was impressed with Felix's armor.
"Nice armor, must be a pretty high level construct if a mage of your caliber requires an incantation to conjure it. Or was that just for flair?"
That's when she noticed Felix making his move. His charging strike at Man of War was a simple opening, so just before contact, Man of War braced itself for the impact. Once the attack hit, Man of War's feet dug into the ground with his brace, resisting the force of the hit. Jessie whistled, impressed at the power and speed of the attack.
"Was that a burst of focused mana for propulsion? Or is it more polarity style?"
As she finished speaking, Man of War grabbed Felix, with all four hands, and tossed him across the courtyard, causing him to land heavily on the ground.
"Either way its impressive magic."
Man of War gave Felix a chance to stand back up before dashing over to him and sending two powerful punches at him with both right arms.

[Assistant]
Felix hit the ground and bounced as he skidded to a halt. The impact was mostly absorbed throughout the armor, and Felix was hardly effected by it other than being temporarily disoriented. It was clear that Jessie was familiar with the innerworkings of most magics, and her curiosity was something that Felix could relate to himself.

After Felix stood up he spoke briefly, "It's not as simple as saying it is polarity. You see, my suit is made of Manalloy, a substance that is much different than physical matter. So different, in fact, that it pushes against all physical matter. Although I have figured out exactly the reasoning behind the repellent nature of manalloy, it is indeed very useful." Felix explained.

Then the giant man-like creature charged him, sending two powerful punches. Felix didn't have time to dodge, so he took the hits head on. In most cases, the manaegis could absorb the blow entirely. But so much energy was exerted, that the manaegis could only absorb the internally damaging energy, and not the displacing kinetic energy. Which meant that now, Felix was flying through the courtyard once again this time not stopping until he smashed into the perimeter field.

Felix pealed himself off the barrier, and examined the situation. He then decided on using a different tactic.

Felix pointed to the sky above Man of War and yelled,"He covers His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. Job chapter thirty-six, verse thirty-two." And then pointed down from the sky to the Man of War. Immediately a large purple bolt of electricity arced from the clear skies, blasting at where the the Man of War was standing.

[User]
Son
"Rejecting contact with physical matter, smart."
Jessie was surprised to see Felix call thunder down onto Man of War
"That was.... less smart."
Man of War was more or less unaffected by the bolt.
"Man of War is an earth elemental, lightning, well lets just say it's not very effective."
Man of War crossed its arms and looked over at Jessie. She acknowledged it's look and snapped her fingers, dismissing the warrior. She walked over to Felix and held out her hand.
"I got a decent impression of who you are from that. Man of War has decided that you are worth giving a chance. So I suppose I will help you on your quest, for as long as you maintain that you are worthy of that trust."

[Assistant]
Yuno had broken soon after he turned to her and watched as the developments before finally came to a close. Needless to say it wasn't her place to comment on the recent actions between Felix and the girl now identified as his sister once he spoke. The fact she was on the sheet and the likelihood of such a thing occurring made a slight sliver of doubt appear in her mind about the entire situation again, but before she could comment on anything or try and change the conversation herself Felix discovered his possible mistake on the naming list. It looked like she would need to wait the rest of the night to get answers in the following morning, and in response to that she let out a small sigh as twisted her head briefly to being her ponytail over her shoulder and gently comb through it with her hand. With the general atmosphere having become rather uncomfortable she did her best and practiced job to remain looking confident and controlled when for now even she wasn't sure where to head outside of minor introductions with Travis whom she knew, the unconscious man on the floor who she now had time to notice had blue skin, and then Nemo who was now showing himself to likely be quite the troublemaking type. She, unlike Travis, was still wary of the man who seemed to be the root cause of the trouble that prevailed. Bringing the woman here and the way he felt simply made her unable to drop her guard for now.

Her hand continued to mess with her ponytail as she used her peripheral vision to once again watch Nemo. His hands engaged in an analysis of the blade at the time which she rose an eyebrow towards before looking away to avoid trying and be caught by the man with the knife. Once he had put it away and spoke aloud she was even more guarded, though her outward attention to her hair didn't change until he was finished. Swinging her head slightly again to let it fall back behind her Yuno didn't enjoy his carefree attitude out of the fun he got from the situation and sense he gave her mananalysis. Despite being proficient in it from her studies, one such as her wasn't skilled enough to explain what she had felt in detail besides the hunger she sensed before. Instead of showing this off however she stood up from her seat and did as she did with the rest of those whom she had met: giving Nemo a small curtsy as she returned the introduction.

"You can call me Yuno, it's a pleasure." She stated as when her head lifted her face had returned to her trained smile. "I don't need to ask why they call you Smiley by the way you present yourself." She added on as he had seemingly enjoyed most of what had been going on. "It's unfortunate we couldn't hear more tonight though. And as for the man on the floor I suspect someone should take him to a room as well once we are done speaking. Or at least set him up on the sofa." With her last set of words she took her snack cup and spoon before returning to the kitchen to set the items away properly. Cleaning the spoon off quickly rather than leaving it for someone else to wash and setting it away. Returning to the room only moments later as the task was quick to say. "As for myself, I do believe we will have plenty of time to get to know each other tomorrow morning. So I think heading to bed may be the best of options. If you two wish to stay up don't let my choice decide for you."


[System]
Alias (if any): Smokey Bear, Samaritan

Age: 37

Faction: Normal

Personality: Teagan is a very calm. She gives off this Zen master aura and people usually expect her to talk in wisdom quotes. She is live-hardened, but managed to remain warm and gentle. She is a bit solitary by nature and might seem aloof at first, but once she warms up to you her demeanor changes. She used to be a bit of a daredevil in her younger years, but she has toned it down. However she would jump in danger without hesitation to help or to protect as is her nature. Those who get to know her very well discover some very unexpected characteristics to her.

Appearance: She's 5'8ish, medium build, fit and athletic. With jade green eyes and a rich mahogany hair, peppered with not few white and grayish hairs. At 37 and with her natural olive complexion she has visible crow's feet. She's got high cheekbones, a slightly crooked nose due to a nasty brake and her most favorite facial feature - two dimples. On her left wrist there is a see-through-the-skin type of tattoo representing the inner workings of her wrist and pinky finger in steampunk style. Her left eyebrow is bisected by a prominent scar as is her lower lip. The rest of her body is also peppered with scars, some small, some larger. Teagan prefers comfortable clothing and favors jeans, shirts, t-shirts, tank tops, sneakers, boots.

Background: Teagan was about seven years old when the world changed. At the time she was living with her parents, Martha and Rory Hayes, in her mother's country of origin. Which was located in Eastern Europe and Teagan doubted many people even knew it existed.

Her mother was a wildlife biologist and was doing a study on the indigenous fauna in the region and her father was a mountain rescue worker.

From a very young age Teagan learned to love nature and at the same time respect it. But after the Starburst reports started coming in about people with strange powers, freakish mutated animals and the likes and suddenly the world became quite dangerous for normal people. They stayed in her mother's country as long as they thought it safe and then started to move from place to place, trying their best to pick the safest region where to raise their child.

The constant moving from place to place, the turmoil in the world, the fights between Epics and Freaks, between good Epics and villainous Epics, her parents' love for nature and her father's constant desire to help people in peril molded young Teagan in the somewhat dare-devilish, brave and strangely shy young girl with a constant desire to help, a love and a healthy respect for nature.

When finally her family landed in the US, where it was relatively devoid of Epics and Freaks, young Teagan had the opportunity to pursue a career and a profession in a field that combined both her mother's love of nature and her father's desire to help people in danger. And so Teagan enlisted straight after colleague for training to become a Smokejumper. She poured all her youthful exuberance in her newly selected profession. She trained hard, studied as hard and worked even harder. The work was as rewarding as it was hard and harsh. She often wondered how people could be so careless as to unknowingly cause wildfires. She'd witnessed firsthand on numerous occasions how the nature she loved so dearly was destroyed in a flash.

This caused her to constantly volunteer to participate in awareness promotion programs, which was how she got her first nickname by her crew - Smokey Bear. She didn't mind it, because she knew it was used mostly with a tongue-in-cheek.

Being her father's daughter she was also SAR certified. On numerous occasions she would help her team, her partner or perfect strangers without even a thought of reward beyond a simple thank you, if even that. Her daredevil altruism in the line of duty and often even outside of it earned her her second nickname - Samaritan.

After the rise of the High and the establishment of Epic City Teagan urged her parents to relocate there, as she feared for their safety. Martha and Rory however refused to go without their daughter, and so the entire family picked up and moved, hopefully for the last time.

With her parents in relative safety within Epic City Teagan is in search of new opportunities, while also, in her free time, trying her hand out in something she'd always dreamed of doing. Writing.

[User]
Dragon turned, hands in his pockets. Spectrum had to stop from following his arms down, and met his eyes when he spoke. His gloriously clear blue eyes. "I was wondering where you went. I wanted to ask you something."

Be cool, be cool. "Oh?" Spectrum wondered for a moment what Alex would have done to show her interest. Would she have held his arm? Leaned closer to him? Rested her head on his shoulder? Spectrum took a deep breath, a half-confident smile that would have rendered him speechless doing little good behind the mask.

"Would you-"

A loud voice with unnatural reverberation sounded through the party. The few telepaths in the room doubled over, slapping their hands against their ears. <Evacuate Lower Central. Swarm rats spotted at the corner of Seventh and Ninth. Beware the Rat King.>

There was a single, infinite moment of silence.

Then it broke, and everyone began moving at once. "Boots on the ground at Clairvoyant-locale," the Chief shouted into a handset. Dragon tore off the tie he was wearing, leaned down and whispered into Spectrum's ear, "Find me later." Along with a few other Epics, he smashed through the windows, the shards melting into the ground and the shattered pane reforming under the High Island's influence. Spectrum ran to the window after him, watching him hit the ground, then come up running at a blurring pace.

"He's so cool," squeaked from under the helmet, before the gravity of the situation hit. Armour flaring blue, Spectrum sped to the foyer, then launched into the air. It was no easy task to keep up, but the problem was easily found; this wasn't a simple raid one or two Epics could quash.

The Swarm "rats" were nothing like the little mousy things in Spectrum's mother's encyclopedia. The grey fur and naked, pinkish tails were the same, but they more resembled gargoyles or goblins, their hunched heads split almost to the neck so their jaws could accommodate more needle-like teeth. Their short bodies were packed tightly with wiry muscle, their bent bodies equally capable of moving on two or four of their grasping, interchangeable limbs. Three of the horde boiling up from the sewers focused their pitiless shark-like eyes on Spectrum immediately.

Blasting the first three down with Pular Red shots, Spectrum flared a Protector White forcefield to stop their advance and clear room for other Epics. The Swarm rats thrust shards of stone at the barrier, as if using crude knives to try and slice it, but Spectrum's focus was stronger than their muscles, and the chips that flew from their attempts inflicted more bleeding injuries than any blast or punch Spectrum could throw.

[Assistant]
Previously...

The problem with being an invisible ghostman is that most people don't give a shit about you, because they can't see you. David was almost offended, but there was too much excitement afoot to worry about that now. Rats or some shit. That was exciting, right? Everyone else seemed to think so: they were all jumping out of magic windows and ripping off clothes and boy howdy, people were in a rush.

Well, it wasn't like he had much else to do. Phantom became visible again and soared upward past the roof. He waved smartly at his unconscious body up there, and took off toward...wherever everyone else was going. He saw Dragon Heart clearest, running at a literally neck-breaking speed across the city. Phantom followed as fast as he dared: too fast, and he wouldn't know when to stop. He could end up over the Atlantic before he realized how far he'd gone.

Too slow, and he'd be left behind. It was a class-A balancing act. One he wasn't very good at. Luckily the rats were huge and irritating, and Phantom could see their trail of chaos from his birds-eye view. This would be a good chance to test a few theories he had about the Phantom. He dove abruptly toward the ground, increasing in size as he came down. He hit the ground as large as he could make the Phantom, roughly the size of a small building. Three stories of phantasmal 'flesh' clipping through walls to settle on the street corner.

The Phantom exhaled, and the sound was magnified to represent his current size: a low rumble which shook the ground. He looked quite threatening, he was sure, but embarrassingly enough, that was all he could do.

David's Phantom Telekinesis was limited to exerting as much force as his physical body could, no matter what size his illusions were. He could throw punches at his current size, but the dispersion of the force along his huge arms would reduce the strength of his blows to gentle shoves. To really do damage, he would have to shrink down to smaller sizes.

But he could terrify these rat things: they were animals, weren't they? Animals like the rest of them: animals could feel fear. He swung his arms through the ground, right at the place where they would be popping out. The little bastards squealed and chittered. They didn't stop coming, unfortunately, but the ones that came out of the hole seemed nervous, woozy even. They swayed as they came forward, staring up at the monster above them with beady-eyed caution.

"Only a matter of time before they learn that I'm harmless," he mumbled. Wow, his voice was loud as hell.

[User]
Alex was the first to move upon hearing the warning. When I've never hears anything, and suddenly hears another voice in their head, and said voice is will known as the High Clairvoyant....

Well, you just act, Alex had learned years ago.

Before the Chief had said anything into the handset, before Dragon and Spectrum had left through the window, Alex had already stepped through her own doorway into her apartment.

 No time to change... was her first thought. She reached up and took  Resolution , her custom sword, from it's holding.

"It is time..." She muttered, stepping through another doorway and coming up behind Spectrum.

"Heads up!" Alex yelled, her eyes taking in the scene. "There's a lot of these bastards this time!"

A rat launched itself at her, and Alex swapped it with another facing away from her. Quickly she beheaded the beast, readying for more and to assist other Heroes where she could.

[Assistant]
James stirred in the corner, having only just gotten the shoes off his feet, unsteadily swaying as he rose. One too many drinks. He reflected sourly, regretting the rum and coke mixers he had ordered at the bar, a queasy feeling had settled over his stomach by the time he got the shirt over his head to be dumped unceremoniously on the floor. How many times had your uncles told you? "Never mix drinks." Bare chested he stood, choosing to keep his trousers on for now as he looked around, a telepathic message, or so he assumed, alerted everyone of a situation taking place away from the party, most, if not all the epics leaped at the opportunity to help, racing off to lend a hand.

James had done it almost instinctively himself, but taking the moment to stop and assess allowed him to clear his head a little, there had been a lot of epics in attendance here and surely not all would be needed, hell, he could probably get away with just playing a supportive roll in this scenario, no need to go full throttle and rush head first into the fray, he'd probably just tag along with one of the emergency crew and catch a lift out there. Nah, bugger that, I'll run. Now, one more drink before I go, for luck!. He thought, downing the contents of the nearest glass before calmly walking to the stairwell, letting those who rushed forward pass him by til he reached the foyer, slowly picking up into a light jog toward his destination.

His cheeks burned red from the drink and the night air, the hairs pricked on his arms at the cool caress she had to offer him, making a mental effort to drown out the sounds of sirens that blared past him on the road. Instead James focused in on the rhythm of his bare feet slapping against the pavement, the beat drumming in his ears as he steadily picked up speed, outpacing the non epics who had also gone on foot, and any epics too that weren't gifted with advanced athleticism. Breaking into a full blown sprint, the strength in his legs allowing him to move faster than your average fellow, James raced off toward trouble.


[System]
Vis Starkweather

Appearance:
Vis stands at 6ft 4 inches tall and weighs 170Ibs, his figure would be classed as lanky though he has enough muscle mass to avoid that (but not enough to be called muscular), his skin is pale but not too pale, it is comparable to milk. He has snow white, pigmentless hair, courtesy of his father, which he generally has slicked back, the color of his right eye is a deep, electric blue, his left eye is a bright green (this one is blind as it was struck with a curse. He has a slim head with rounded features, not the sharp features of his elven father, though he does have the elven ears even though the left one is in tatters, hanging limpy to the side. On the lower left side of his face he is missing the skin and flesh of his jaw and lower cheek, exposing his gums and teeth, this occured from the same accident as the one that ruined his ear, a cross bolt that narrowly missed destroying his life, he covers up the facial scar with a black scarf.

Race: Half-Elf
Class: Rogue

Main-Hand Weapon: Iron Rapier
Off-Hand Weapon: Slim Iron Dagger
Secondary Weapon: Knuckle Dusters

Armor:
When he is not traveling or not engaged in anything that could end his life, he wears a white puffy shirt, with long sleeves and buttons down the front, as for legs he wears grey trousers and a pair of black leather boots, the scarf around his face doesn't go unless he's in private. When he is traveling however he does wear armor, a set of grey leather armor with azure highlights in the place of tassels and the odd leather plate, the armor has a fur neckline and full segmented leather arms and legs. He always has his sword by his side.

Powers: Not Magically Inclined.

Skills: He has turned the simple act of stealth into an art, having mastered the shadows and the ways to be at one with them; he can hide like no other, may it be active or in plain sight, if he doesn't want you to see him, he won't be seen. Another skill that he possesses is the ability to climb and scale natural and unnatural surfaces, though he much prefers to climb buildings and other structures because he feels more at ease with them. And the final skill of note is that he is streetwise, using his logic and intuition to find who, what or where he wants to find, he can build an interactive map of the city around him, using key figures and places as guides to finding things, picking up on things most wouldn't notice.

Weaknesses: One of his major flaws is that, though he can dodge hits very well, he can only get hit a few times before he is down for the count. His slighter than average frame and and lack of heavy armor don't exactly help and his sword isn't the best for attacking heavily armored opponents. Another one of his flaws is that he's not precisely a people's person, it's not because he doesn't like to interact but because he feels that he can't do it due to his horrible lisping and bad temperament when people refer to the scarf that is constantly around his neck. On his left side he has sensory underload, he's completely blind and partially deaf, one caused by a witch's curse (the witch is now dead) and a crossbow bolt (like the witch, his assailant is dead), his inability to hear and see on the left side doesn't help when he's fighting in a croud or when he's trying to be perceptive (but he manages well). His cursed, green left eye glows in the dark, though this helps when he wants to see in the dark, projecting a cone of soft green light, when he is trying to hide, he needs to close it and cover it with a hand (he only has two and he'd rather have use of both).

Personality:
He has a rather quiet demeanor, not because he is shy but because he despises the way he sounds due to the hole in his mouth, though he still does prefer to listen because there is more to gain by doing so. He doesn't like arguments, usually finding a way to dodge them, usually elegantly but when that doesn't work he's not afraid to fight, though he usually doesn't raise his sword offensively. Vis is very fond of books, though his reading skills are weak he finds great pleasure in trying to desipher the ink; he is not the most intelligent, he can't tell you how magic works, or guess the mass of a brick by the light it reflects but he is crafty and cunning, able to put two and two together faster than most. Before he says things he tries to stop and thinks for a while to make sure what he's saying is right, he us cautious not wanting or willing to make mistakes if it will put him or the people he cares about in less then comfortable conditions.
Background:
He was the child of a human and an elf, his mother and father respectively. His mother was a baker's assistant in the kitchen of some duke who ran the area, she would go to the castle kitchen every morning at around dawn and returned every night after the sun had set, she wasn't happy with her job but the money was good so she stayed. However one autumn day she suddenly didn't dislike her job as much, there was a visit by a group of royal dignitaries, they must have been high up because they had a whole host of guards and courtiers with them, she knew because she had to back so much more bread and pastries but that is irrelevant. One evening she was taking some roles over to the dinner table where more were asked for, when she bumped into one of the guard, literally bumping into him and spilling all the roles onto the floor, however that wasn't on her mind at that moment, what was on her mind was the handsome elven guard she bumped into and likewise she was on his. That was the start of their romance, they spent evenings together and days eyeing eachother from across rooms and halls as they passed eachother, during this autumn Vis was conceived and by the time his father had to leave (he had to stay with the royal group because the winter had become too harsh to travel) he was born. However Vis had only seen his father by the time he was 6, he had to leave once the weather had cleared, which was a few days before Vis was born. He had made an instant connection with his father and visa versa, his father had decided to leave the employment of his former masters and become the head of guard of the duke's castle, with his baker's assistant wife. His father had taught him many things through his youth, primarly how to use a sword but other things as well, like how to skin a cat, however the one thing that he wasn't taught was how to read or write, he picked some of that up himself and it hasn't improved yet, most likely it's worse.
By the time he was a young man, he started getting restless, wanting to go out and see the world instead of being an assisstant to an assisstant baker. His parents told him time and time again to reconsider but Vis was too stubborn, and his father noticed this stubbornness as his own, the elf allowed him to go under one condition, that he was to practice his reading and send them letters. Vis agreed, rather too quickly, forgetting that he was horrible at both reading and writing, so he set off and had many adventures, most of them ending badly, some of them ending horribly and abruptly with an injury. But he adventured on undeterred, half blind, hard at hearing and with a hole in his maw.
Other:

Vis' Companion
Age: 9 or 10

Appearance: Kat is a spindly girl of around 5'2", weighing not much more then a sack of flour. Her slim body boasts no fat and little muscle, though she is full enough to avoid the shape of her bones coming through her skin. She has fair skin, lightly dusted by the rays of the sun and with faded freckles peppered across her cheeks and nose. Her face is small and clustered around a small area, she has a small nose and wide lips that are naturally red, with a protruding chin and large ears to fram her head. Her hair is long and flat, rough to the touch and rolls to the small of her back, it is dull copper in color, with subdued tones of richer reds, browns and auburns. Her eyes hazel, though mostly green have flecks of brown, gold and blue in them. On her left hand, the pinky and the ring finger up to the middle are missing, her forearms are also speckled with black burn marks and small scars.

Race: Human (Of the Ginger variety)
Class: None, at the moment...

Clothes: Kat where's on her head a tightly wrapped white linen bandana, it conceals everything above her hairline and ends at the back of her head with a tightly wound bun, all her hair is concealed; she often takes it off and uses it as a scarf though, when she is not working. On her body she wears a grey woolen poncho over a lime green tunic, covering her legs with a leather skirt that goes down to the base of her ankles; on her feet she wears black boots and instead od socks a pair of white leggings made of close fitting cotton. On her hands she wears fingerless gloves that are open at the top and secured around her wrist by a strap and a button.

Weapon: Nothing (Vis' Dagger in due time)

Skills: One of her skills is climbing, though she is fairly new to it, she can climb fairly well but at a slow pace compared to Vis, she often uses her skills at climbing to explore or hide from someone or thing. Another of her skills is that she knows how to cook, often sticking to recipes she knows but still willing to try something new, though most people would not really care about cooking, when on the road good cooking can make a long journey bearable. Hiding, a mixture of her small size and ability to be very quiet, she can become invisible, helped by the neutral color of her visible clothing.

Weaknesses: She is completely illiterate, not even knowing how to write or read her name. This is a problem when it comes to bring on the road, as she can't read signs or maps. She reacts badly to critiscm or negative situations, often yelling and crying and being a roucus child. She can't keep her mouth shut and often talks at inopportune times, saying things she shouldn't say or at the wrong moment, often speaking her mind instead of keeping it there. Doesn't know how to control anger very well, often vents it as tears or yelling and punching.

Personality: Kat is a rather brash individual, often blurting out and avoiding general manners like thanking people and asking politely, often being rather blunt and indifferent to people's opinions. When not at work at the bakery, she often finds herself getting into trouble, often finding her way into "adventures" that she shouldn't be partaking in. Though her attitude is rough, she has some kindness to her, not knowing when far is but understanding when too far is and realizing when to back off and when to approach with an (awkward) gentles hand. Kat is also a fairly curious person, often asking things she shouldn't and getting into situations that could otherwise be avoided with s level head, not saying she thick. She had the ability to pick things up quickly, it's just that she's not given the opportunity to try often.

Background: Kat was born in the spring, on the morning of last frost, her mother was a baker and her father a forester. From a young age, her parents struggled to get her affection and this struggle developed into a heated fight for Kat's heart. This ultimately tore the marriage apart, the end signaled by the father running off in the middle of the night and taking Kat with him. She was relatively calm with the situation and lived with her father, until he was killed by a bunch of thugs for not being able to pay back some debt. Her neighbors helped her get back to her mother,  and it appeared that all was smooth sailing, working at the bakery. That is until the attack...

[User]
Alula kept quiet, looking over at the group from behind Carver. Yes. She had found herself in quite a strange situation. Why had she agreed to go on some adventure with a bunch of strangers? She pulled the brim of her hat over her eyes, trying to concentrate. She could hear the punching man agreeing to let the other girl into the group. She was a strange one as well, but she radiated a compelling strength like no other. She took a step further behind Carver as the punching man approached her, as if taking cover behind the man.

She muttered softly, her voice slurring and eyes glowing from beneath her hat. "Only a life lived for others is a life worth while."

She felt a bit worried when the punching man came over and asked if anyone had any supplies or a destination in mind. The man was gathering people for some sort of adventure and didn't have a plan? She held back a sigh, knowing she would have to learn to trust the others around her. This would truly be a group effort, and as someone who survived on her own for so long she was afraid.

Alula had a puzzled look on her face under her hat. Supplies? Why was she thinking of supplies? Did she have supplies? Does she even need to eat? A voice confirmed for her, yes you do eat occasionally. She blinked hazily, holding up her heavy coin purse.

"I have...uh...supplies..." She sounded confused.

[Assistant]
Carver caught the woman's gaze and held it as she joined the group. Then she knew. He knew, she knew, he knew she knew, she knew he knew, and she had better know he knew she knew. Of course, that still left the matter of what exactly he knew, but that could come later. If the woman was aware that the Paladin knew what she was, perhaps she'd be on her best behavior. That'd be enough for now.

Alula stepped behind him, as though concealing herself from the rest of the group. That fear wasn't ideal, but it was to be expected. The girl would be joining them - Carver was sure she'd come around to them later.

"Ah. Supplies. Let's see!" Carver took his pack and began rooting around inside it. "I have... ten gold coins, not bad... this looks like a crust of bread... and, um, a rock." Carver tossed the stone out of his bag and slung it back over his shoulder, smiling sheepishly. "Uh... sorry, I won't be much help on that front. Sounds like Alula might, though. And I imagine that the traditional method of 'asking the barkeeper for rumours' has been ruled out?"

The paladin grinned at his own jest and looked to his party for direction.


[System]
* Age: 20
* Gender: Female
* Appearance: "Hmph. Just wait and see what this witch can do." A very petite girl, easily mistaken for a child even on close examination. She resents this.
* Abilities: A highly capable witch, from a bloodline of magic users lasting back to the ancient king's times. Fio's catalyst is a sword, with a slender and elegant blade and a blue and gold hilt. She cannot fight reliably with it, but it is an excellent catalyst for casting spells all the same. Her chief method of offense is the conjuration of Phantom Swords, though she can use other forms of magic she favors Phantom Swords for her most direct and powerful method of dealing damage, as the Phantom Swords have considerable armor-piercing capabilities even in their base state when fired as projectiles. Her personal durability is quite low, and thus Fio also has capability in barrier spells in order to protect herself from being harmed. By casting a spell and attaching modifiers to it(such as summoning a number of Phantom Swords then adding commands to repeat the process to add more swords) she can alter it or increase its effects.
Additionally, she possesses three doll familiars. These familiars are intelligent and have their own personalities, feelings, and specialities.
* History: Fio's family has practiced magic for a considerable amount of time. It is said that she is descended from a court mage of the Ancient King, and her sword catalyst was a gift to her ancestor that has been passed down through the generations to her. Living in a secluded place, a small but remarkably cozy home, she swiftly gained a reputation as a witch due to her rather irritable interactions with travelers and her rather obvious usage of magic. Given her unique usage of a sword as her catalyst, she has been called both the Sword Witch. Needless to say, given her family history, it was only obvious that she would come to accompany one claiming to be a reincarnation of the King, if only out of curiosity. Can she really be what she claims to be?
* Anything else: Fio is a rather irritable girl who does not tolerate foolishness. While she hates being mistaken for a child, she has childish mannerisms such as a love of sweet things and a fascination with dolls and small, cute animals. Regardless, she is still a capable practioner of magic and will quickly remind anyone in doubt over her abilities of that fact. Personally, she is not at all certain if Sorcha is what she claims to be. Rather, she desires to find that out for herself, her curiosity being the main reason for her presence to begin with. While her irritable personality can make her rather grating to be around, she does not take alliances lightly and possesses a deep hatred for those who would betray the trust of others.

[User]
Od

"Knights! Archers in the forest! Someone go take them out!"

She was right in the thick of battle, cutting through the heel of a man who thought he could run past her into the fortress proper with a lunging sweep of her blade when Vyrell's message echoed from atop the walls. She turned to peer out into the forest and see what it was he was speaking about. It was only but for a second but in that moment arrows flew out from beyond her view.

While these shots upon her were fired with pin-point accuracy arrows could only fly so fast. The milliseconds it took to hit her gave her enough time to tilt her head. With a sharp ting the arrow grazed the brim of her helm, deflecting the arrow down into her right eye. While initially it was en-route to burrow into her eye straight on due to the deflection it hit her eye at an angle, catching a bit on the edge of her socket bone and only digging into the eye itself.

_
While having an arrow plunge into her eye was no cause for celebration this was at least good because it failed to penetrate into her brain. She hated it whenever things messed around inside her skull, it was the worst just due to how badly it robbed her of control over her own body. The agony was just something that was a part of living, at least back when these problems were part of her daily life. As for the arrow itself it would have penetrated deeper but due to both how tough her flesh was and the angle it hit her at the eye was able to absorb any and all force from it before it could dig any deeper.

Of course she reeled from the hit, letting out a sharp cry of pain. No matter how often these things happened to her her pain nerves would never dull, coming back just as sharp as always. She was simply used to it. As she reached up to pull the arrow out from her eye socket one of the bandits had decided to try and capitalize on her moment of weakness.

_
It was a large hairy man who hefted a heavy two handed axe. Just as she straightened up, her free hand on the arrow's shaft, he swung his axe with the aim of decapitating her in one solid blow. Unexpectedly however the axe only thunked into the side of her neck, stopping as though he were trying to chop through the trunk of a mighty tree. She needed to broaden her footing to not get thrown off her feet from the force of the blow but she was still standing nonetheless.

The bandit's eyes widened, his grin fading into a terrified grimace as she, with a furious scowl, swept her blade up vertically through his handle and consequently his fingers. The large man staggered back, an expression of pure shock frozen upon his face whilst blood quickly flowed from his missing digits. Pulling the arrow from her eye the others could see a slow stream of thick, semi-transparent, yellowish green liquid oozing down along her cheek like syrup. She tossed the ichor-soaked arrow aside and gripped the head of the axe still imbedded in her neck. With a sickening slorp she pulled the weapon loose from her neck and tossed it to the man's feet where it landed with an unpleasant splat.

"S-She's!- She's not human! SHE'S A MONSTER!" He started to scream as he watched this woman step forward with both her eye and a chunk of her neck missing, her expression unchanged. The unnatural elements at play here took a heavy toll on the man's sanity as he started to point with his stumps whilst screaming:

"YOU'RE A MONSTER!"

Just as he turned to flee she thrust her sword low into his back, her blade going right through the spine with the tip poking out from his bladder. The bandit's frantic screaming turned into incoherent screeches of agony as she swept her blade down, cleaving his spine, pelvis and manhood in half. He landed on his belly before curling into the fetal position whilst trying to keep his insides from spilling out.

She brought the blade back to her side, turning to face the next unlucky fool she'd slaughter for their cruel opportunism. Despite having been deep inside so many people her sword did not have so much as a single spot of blood on it. It was as though the weapon were so sharp that even blood could not cling to it. It'd be cut away for simply even touching it.

She would leave alone only those who were fleeing after witnessing this display of hers. Any who still continued for the gate and threaten her allies were who she'd turn her attention to next. She ignored the arrows which peppered the grounds around her, one hitting her back armor whilst another struck into her shoulder, only able to draw a pin-prick of blood from it's point of impact. Her attention was turned to the next fool still trying for the gate. The archers were little more than a nuisance for her. She couldn't abandon the gate while there were enemies still trying to threaten those protected within.

She sprinted forth at her next victim, ready to dice him into gore and then the next.

Until they were all dead.

[Assistant]
Luna was shocked about how fast she was kicked out of the room, really. That was a rather frightening threat the queen had given her. Well, she suppose she should keep her mouth shut then. She scratched the back of her head before shrugging and making for the North Gate. As she ran, she made sure no one was standing around the streets, though it looked like it was mostly fine. Soon enough, she made it to the gate where the fighting was going on and made her way up onto the wall. She managed to catch the tail end of whatever slaughter was going on to Vyrell's announcement of archers.

Luna narrowed her eyes as she looked on at the volleys of arrows. She wouldn't be able to help everyone, especially poor Od who, according to what she had heard, would probably recover just fine. She held her hands out and focused. While some of her knightly allies would be able to protect themselves easily, a few would find a bit more difficulty in such a feat. Notable Od that had just taken a few hits and likely Ethelred who didn't have a good defense for his horse. A golden barrier appeared in front of Ethelred and his horse and Elias Reinhardt to block any of the arrows aimed at them for a short period. She had a feeling that Fio could handle herself just fine.

After she blocked the volley, she released the spells and switched to casting a new one, creating a golden spear of light in her hand. The proud knightess aimed towards the forest line where she saw the arrows coming from. She didn't need to hit any of the archers, she just needed to hit close to them. Using a bit of magic to power up how far the javelin would go and she launched it. It soared through the air and landed inside the forest... Before causing a blast of light! Hopefully, it would catch the archers off guard and give her allies a bit of cover to make it to them. After, Luna created some platforms with her magic, that disappeared after she stepped to the next, to safely reach ground level to assist her fellow knights with honorable combat.

[User]
Ethelred

Just as the bandits seemed to break from the knights' combined efforts, arrows started flying from within the forest. One arrow struck Ethelred square on the faceplate, but failed to penetrate the crystalline armor.

That was either a very lucky shot or a very precise one, he considered as more, less accurate arrows began flying, with one glancing off his horse's flank. This could be a problem. The surviving bandits were now regrouping, their morale seemingly restored by the unseen archers' ambush, and now the knights had to deal with two groups of enemies, all while being completely exposed and out in the open.

When this is over, we need to speak to the queen about having those trees cleared. Ethelred wasn't too concerned about himself- his shield and armor should be enough to stop these arrows- but his horse was another story. Its tough, ice-like flesh was tougher than that of an ordinary stallion, but wasn't rigid, unyielding crystal like his armor, and a direct hit from an arrow could wound it.

Fortunately, aid came at just the most opportune moment. A golden barrier rose up in front of both mount and rider, shielding them from further arrows. It seemed that Lunalel had joined the battle. Ethelred had always considered her a reliable one, with her useful array of elder beast granted powers. This respite gave him an opportunity to assess where the arrows were coming from, and what to do next.

Od and Reinhardt probably could handle the remaining bandits close by, thus Ethelred opted to focus on dealing with the archers. After seeing where the arrows were coming from, he spurred his horse on. With his shield raised, he drove his horse at an angle towards the forest some distance from where the arrows were emerging, all the while leaving a trail of frigid fog behind them. He didn't want to charge them head-on into a potential trap, or give them an easy, direct target, rather he'd want to get a good look at what he was up against, and flank them from within the forest.

He'd have to proceed with caution once he reached the cover of the trees. The rapid speed of his movement would leave him at a considerable distance from the other knights even if any of them also opted to approach the archers before cutting down the remaining brigand foot-soldiers, but he wasn't entirely sure what he would be facing.

[Assistant]
The blades vanished moments after they struck their targets or buried themselves in the ground. Only momentarily was the woven light stained with blood before it vanished into drifting motes, leaving nothing behind but the destruction as a sign of its presence.

Archers.

"Panzerschild!"

With a swing of her sword, a thrumming sound filled the air. As the arrows hurtled towards Fio, a small light ignited in the air just ahead of her before birthing a circle much like the ones her phantom blades had originated from. The arrows hurtling towards her bounced harmlessly off her barrier, and any of the defenders in range of her barrier had nothing to fear from the projectiles.

"As if that would be enough," commented Fio, eyes narrowed. There was no chance even an entire army of archers would touch her, let alone this handful!

Of course, given they were in cover, she couldn't get an accurate line of sight on them. But that didn't mean she couldn't disrupt their formation...

"Let's show them how the Sword Witch responds to that! Great Ghost Blade!"

As Fio's barrier dissipated, another circle formed above her. This time, the weight of mana use flowing through her body was a little heavier, but not too burdensome to bear.

As the interwoven blade of light emerged, it was clear it was at least twice as long as she was tall, if not more so. The air around it seemed to shimmer, as if waves on the surface of some invisible body of water had suddenly been disturbed.

"Release!"

With that, the hefty phantom sword was sent hurtling through the air, a whistling sound accompanying it as it careened towards the origin of the arrows.


[System]
Note to self: Don't forget to update the bio.
Age: 19
Role&Kingdom: Crown prince of Hiertania/Escapee
Skill and/or Weapon:
-Luthier is a capable swordfighter, his blade of choice is a rapier.
-Luthier is skilled at negotiation because of his Monarch-training.
-Luthier is an amazing (ballroom) dancer.
-Luthier is a capable tactician, though he lacks any practical experience.
-Luthier has a good grasp on politics, geography and economy as he would need those as a monarch.
Personality:
Luthier is an earnest, good-hearted youth. He is usually calm and level-headed, but may occasionally show some erratic behavior. While Luthier believes education is important, he believes emotions are equally important. He can't help but smile when he's doing something he enjoys.

Biography:
Growing up, Luthier was raised to be the main heir to the throne. In terms of strength Luthier could never keep up with his younger brothers, but he tries hard and is smarter than his brothers. During his childhood, Luthier was often teased by the other kids for looking as frail and vulnerable as he did. As a result of the other kids' teasing, Luthier spent a lot of time in the stables, taking care of the horses.

Later, when Luthier started his studies he would spend most of his days in his room studying, by lack of something better. He still went to the stables most days, where he'd feed the horses and generally just unwind.

(I kept it fairly simple, sorry if you'd expected more)

Appearance:
Luthier is short and looks fairly frail, if you knew nothing about the royal family you probably wouldn't believe he is the oldest.

Extra:
Because of all the time he spent at the stables, one particular horse -a completely white horse called Marrow (yes, like the bone)- really liked the prince and would obey him, but would hardly obey others.

(Hider title is inaccurate)

[User]
"How droll," A cold smile curved the servant's lips, her body veering away from the finished pot of porridge as she took the glinting knife from its sheath on the table. Eerily, her footsteps thudded against the stone floor as Anatole sauntered over to the tardiness-ridden maid who believed that she could do anything she pleased without getting any consequences. "For someone like you to think that you know what others desire in their lives when you can barely make sense of yourself in the morning." Her hand raised the knife before plunging it downward, stabbing an apple at its tip before Anatole flicked the fruit upwards as she caught in her palm. Without a wasted moment, she began slicing the apple in crisp strips, and tossed them inside the nearby serving bowl without even looking. "I know you take pride in being ineffective. I can see that in your eyes whenever you seem so amused when you break the sanctity of time. And, while others tolerate your mediocrity, rest assured that I will not." By the time Anatole finished the small tirade, almost half of the apples from the straw-woven basket sat sliced in the bowl. "People like you who waste time, who waste purpose are so enclosed in their little worlds that they forget that they are also stones in the kingdom's foundation. You believe yourself exempted from the rules, so entitled to your own benefits that you begin to believe that you know others when you barely even know how to respect yourself. Stones like that... are removed from the foundation, and replaced with a better material."

Finally, Anatole picked out the last apple from the basket as she slowly pierced the knife through the center before splitting the fruit in half, revealing the rotten core.

"Bad apples," She gestured to the darkened insides, and then, she threw the fruit into the waste bin. "Are thrown out." The servant's unfaltering gaze lingered on the maid as she shot out her hand to remove some apple bits which stuck to the sides of her mouth. "Aw, you wee lamb." Anatole furrowed her brows in mock care. "I suggest you swallow an entire apple, and wait for a prince to revive you. That way, someone will watch out that you don't accidentally stab yourself in the foot. After all, that's every fair maiden's dream, isn't it? A prince who will coddle them because they are afraid to soil their hands." Smirking, Anatole took the bowl of apples before placing it in Ally's hands with a gentle pat on the backside of her palms. "Make yourself useful."

The steadfast servant began mobilizing the kitchen crew into formation in order to facilitate the food serving. With the servants heaving pots and bowls of foods, Anatole arranged them accordingly from those with bread and pastries to fruits and vegetables up until the ones who served the poultry and seafood. Soon, the whipped crew assembled behind the kitchen doors as Anatole began her final inspection. From time to time, she approached one of the servants, giving them a reassuring tap on their shoulder before gently smiling at the nervous and anxious employees.

"Good job today, Erick." Anatole smiled, patting the lad's head. "The lettuce you harvested were nothing but fresh. Well done." And, to another, she also gave a comforting hand on the back. "I liked your creativity with the sop today, Krixa. The flatbread was a nice touch."

After she finished her rounds of assessment, Anatole wiped the sweat from her forehead as she cranked the door open which directly lead to the dining area.

"Forward, march!" She sounded, causing the servers to walk out of the kitchen in a neat single file as, orderly, they placed their assigned food on the table as well as the utensils and the personal plates before they turned around and left still in a single file lane. Finally, Anatole herself came out, carrying the large pot of steaming porridge with a cloth around her hands to dampen the heat. She heaved the pot in front of her, making her way towards the table before setting it down where she took a step back and took the lid off. "Breakfast is served."

And, just as she said these words, the roosters' cry echoed out from the outside walls, signalling that she was just in time. Anatole bowed to the people present at the table before she spun around, pumping her fist just near her chest in delight that she finished her first objective of the day. Her strides exuded confidence as the servant made her way out of the dining room and back into the kitchen where the weary staff lounged about, exhausted from the hell that Anatole afflicted upon them. But, before anyone could leave the room, a relieved chuckle escaped Anatole's lips, her face brightening into a gentle smile as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I'm proud of all of you today. Now, just because I won't be handling the other meals does not mean that you can all slack off." A devious, almost scheming smirk replaced the grin on Anatole's lips. "I'll be paying attention, very close attention to the future preparations." The woman sighed as she turned around, leaving the kitchen through the backdoor as she decided to make her way towards the training grounds where she expected Rowan to be training. It had become almost a routine for the second prince to practice his skill with the blade at the early hours of the morn, and while she was more than willing to help him out with training, she believed that someone else was more fitting for the task-- probably, the captains or the other formally trained soldiers. Still, it didn't mean that she would just watch on as he committed certain flaws and errors in his stances and styles.

The prince's ability really did not lie in his strength of the arm, but of the mind. But, Anatole nearly questioned her own presumptions just as she saw Rowan driving his sword through one of the wooden training dummies. The prince was not always capable of such a feat of strength as those dummies were made from the sturdy oaks and sycamores lining the kingdom's borders, but the sight was far from disappointing. In fact, Anatole felt those butterflies fluttering somewhere down her stomach. Without even meaning to do so on the prince's part, even the simplest act drew out a myriad of emotions from the otherwise stoic servant, and she cursed herself for such a weakness. So, before she approached him, Anatole let out a series of choked breaths to calm herself down as she paced around the hallway in an infuriating loop. But, finally, Anatole found the will to revert back to her neutral shell which allowed her to walk calmly towards the second prince.

"Prince Rowan, you've been training hard." She bowed upon her approach, and then, her eyes landed on the sword embedded through the target. The servant turned towards the dummy before she placed a reassuring hand on the sword's hilt. "Fine strength, my prince. But, if I may, you are placed too close to the enemy with your lunge. If the foe persists to live even with this blade in their chest, you are in range for a fatal counterattack." A sad look overcame Anatole's eyes as he realized that while Luthier received the best training from the castle's finest tutors, the king didn't bother to send a decent tutor to train Rowan extensively-- merely teaching him what he already knew which was infuriating at the very least. Anatole breathed deeply, deciding to change the topic away from the favoritism of the royal family, and to focus instead on matters which involved Hiertania as a whole. "Bandits have dared to cross Tiadan, and right into a lutairi settlement which they pillaged. The lutairi queen might send word soon for aid, but with this kingdom's seeming distaste for the lutairi, I doubt there will be a positive response."

The prince's visage spoke volumes of the suffering he went through. The sleepless nights, the suppressed emotions, and the painful isolation-- he deserved better; gods, she wanted to give him better. But, this was his fight, and the least Anatole could do for the man was to become a pillar to support him on his way to the top. After all, from the very moment she became his personal servant, she promised to see his dreams through to the end. At this thought, her hand sifted through her pockets, bringing out a hairbrush which meant only one thing.

"Do keep still, prince Rowan." She huffed, pretending that such an act didn't fill her heart with warmth. She brushed his unruly hair back, trying to tame it as a ringleader would towards a lion. Then, she pulled out a cloth from another pocket to wipe off the sweat glistening on the prince's forehead, and to outsiders, it would seem like a mother was taking care of her child. "There." Anatole spoke, keeping the grooming tools in her pockets once more before she turned towards the dining hall. "Breakfast has been served, prince. I know that you are not tired yet," A tiny grin formed on her lips as she took it upon herself to pull out the embedded blade out of the dummy. Next, she swished the blade through the air with a snap of her wrist, causing a drop of sunlight to scatter and refract from the sharp edge. "But, a spot of breakfast is always great for starting a new day." Then, Anatole spun the sword in her hand, ultimately holding it at the hilt while the blade pointed to the earth. She then extended the sword to the prince as she nodded towards the direction of the dining hall. "Lord Adelbrand is already there, and I believe he might be more than willing to train you, my prince, given that not many can endure the champion's rigorous tendencies."

[Assistant]
Direct Interactions: @AAB
In Area of: Lutaires Courtyard

Faylinn frowned slightly more as her fears were confirmed by the diplomat, but in spite of herself she was slightly happier due to his overall cheery attitude. The man knew how to keep things upbeat if he had one ability under his belt. The pair started to walk towards the throne room, the duo meeting up with a guard.

The pair of them had a brief exchange, but it was very apparent that the crown was still trying to gather the details ... it was rather obvious their neighbors hadn't really put forth any effort to stop this raid, from whichever one it originated with. The people in those kingdoms were heartless. It hadn't been so long since she was caught up in the attacks at one of those places herself, and her attempts to bring heart to her people had largely failed.

Of course, she didn't want to mentally accuse Hiertania without Fela and Leita completing their investigation, but it probably was them. Her kingdom and theirs had been at odds for years and ...

"... hey Virka? I know it's a bit optimistic ... but do you think there's a way we could stop these animosities through a different method? Forever?" The princess way trying to contain herself, but this was infuriating. Even when the kingdom somehow managed to get reparations, the monetary compensation was minimal and people just kept on getting killed by the next year.


[System]
Age: 10
Appearance:
Faction: Omnibus Scientia

Personality/Backstory: Long story short, Alice is a genius. At the age of six, she was zooming through advanced calculus problems at a pace that made her father's college students quiver with insecurity. However, because of her high intelligence, she was always something of a loner - children her age were so stupid it was obnoxious, and adults never understood her idea of fun. As a result, Alice grew distant from others, viewed them as inferior. They treated her like the outcast she was, and soon, Alice learned that cruelty was the only way to protect herself from the ridicule of others. After the plague wiped out her entire family, Alice decided to make a change - she would project a kind, bubbly image to the world, to endear herself to others, for she could not survive on her own. Her ruse worked all too well; before long, the marriage of her feigned innocence and ruthless intellect had given birth to companions, and, with the help of a few well placed lies designed to revive the dashed hopes of the unsuspecting, Alice turned her companions into followers, and Omnibus Scientia was formed. And, oh, the fools kept joining and joining...

Other: Alice's greatest tool is her intellect. She is useless in a fight, and relies on her followers to defend her. However, Alice does have a talent for hiding herself, when she must. She is very paranoid about what she eats and drinks out of a fear of assassins. Nonetheless, on rare occasions, she may let down her guard if offered chocolate chip cookies.

[User]
@Mivuli@LovelyAnastasia

Shiba was watching everything from his perch up high when he saw that they came to trade he kept an eye on his watch timer but was able to go back to drinking his scotch. soon he noticed that Kim was talking to someone outside but that person she was talking to just gave Shiba a bad vibe. He kept his eyes on his timer but he got set up quickly and got that woman in his scope, This time Shiba was ready to take them down the second Kim gave the signal for shoot which was making a gun with their index finger and 'shooting' the trespasser The second that she gave the signal Shiba would have the green light to take her out. Shiba would avoid killing the trespasser and try to just shoot her in the shoulder but it would none the less get their point across. Shiba will always avoid the killing blow when possible but he wont take any chances when it comes to the shop and his friends...

[Assistant]
Drake went inside to double-check the merchendise. He knew that some people had sticky fingers, or less self-control when it came to food. In a way, he couldn't blame them-- rationing sucked, even when there was a food source at the local Wally World. The ganja guys there probably had the munchies just as much as someone who didn't partake in the herb.

A thought suddenly struck him funny as he took inventory. I wonder if they bake the chickens before they cook them? he thought. He grinned, chuckling. "Pot for every chicken!"

[User]
Erren walked towards the shop, sky in tow,many begun to reload his revolver. Leaving the graveyard behind was an easy task, yet he couldn't understand how some people found it so hard to peel themselves away. People were dead, yes, but there was truly nothing that could be done to save them; not even the continuum could. Even still, the idea of praying to Gods for the peace of souls, or even talking to the graves in any manner was looked upon by him as nothing but mad triviality created by people that could not let go of the people they had lost. Maybe the people who did such things weren't mentally capable to deal with change and loss, but there were some that could handle the stress. It felt so alien to him; so otherworldly that he couldn't fathom it.

Approaching the shop from the side, Erren heard an unmistakably thick accent from... Was it Scotish, or something else? He couldn't quite tell, but coming to the entrance pretty much forced him to a conclusion. A girl with a thick accent, missing eye and red hair? Definitely Scotish, even if it was pretty uncommon for someone with that thick an accent to be around these parts. There were a couple others who seemed to have come to trade or whatnot, but the woman seemed the most... Unapproachable.
"Kim, hey. This kid giving you trouble?" he asked, looking at the woman with a cold stare of distrust. Then he tapped the revolver to the side of his head in a slight attempt to threaten her.
"If she is, why don't we show her how I deal with people who come knocking on a door of outcasts after a large number of us were killed? Should make for a great... Spectacle..." he said, a small smile creasing the sides of his lips as he finished.

Kim was a quiet person, as everyone knew, but there was a lot more to her than everyone probably thought. She almost looked like a personal war front slave; throwing herself into the line of battle like a freaking suicide bomber, with deadly skills to boot. Erren took a couple guess a while back, with most coming to the possible conclusion she might have had some kind of inferiority complex. To throw herself into war on a whim or flip of a coin seemed a little... Absurd, to say the least, but it was like she didn't care. Either she was extremely cocky, or mostly crazy, or a bit of both. Yet, neither seemed to fit her entirely perfectly. She had the skills to warrant an ego, but the ferocity and willingness to complete insanity. But nothing seemed to be a perfect piece to finish her psyche. Erren had taken quite a while trying to figure out what the hell was going on inside her head, but only ever coming to the idea of 'inventing a brain extrapolation device and cutting her head open'. For some reason, though, that didn't seem very appealing.

He stood in front of both Kim and the Scotish woman, holding the revolver slightly upwards past his head, but resting against it. Then, he brought it down to hip height and aimed it at her.
"Please, state your true intentions before I put a bullet through your spleen. That, or show us what you have to either sell or trade, because we aren't really in the mood for petty games." he said, the last of the light in the sky glinting in his eyes, "And don't lie to me, or our little friend on the roof will be the least of your worries." he finished, the smile that cracked his lips blossoming into a smile of enjoyment. He hadn't held someone at gunpoint since he took a couple Gamers hostage a few months back, and he felt elated; ecstatic. A feeling that couldn't be rivalled by anything.

[Assistant]
The Cyclops
Don't Shot Me, Bro
@Jangel13@Vocab

---

'Kid'? Her? Now she was highly amused. Were there really any actual 'kids' left in this world? Seemed like only snakes and salamanders were truly left. A soft laugh left her lips. Tilting her head to the side, the red head turned her one piercing green eye to the boy in front of her. He looked a little too happy to be pointing that gun at her. And being shot so soon wasn't exactly in the plans for today. Her lash marks were only just healing. The dust on her face was a good cover up of her abnormally pale complexion, but there was no way she was going to let these trigger happy kiddies see her weakness.

You couldn't exactly just walk out of the Gamer Gang. Not without a punishment.

One she had been just fine at taking. But now it seemed to have become a disadvantage, instead of a badge of honor. It made her shirt stick to her back and her shot gun made it ache a bit too much. She hoped she wasn't bleeding through the jacket. It was her favorite jacket. With a small sigh, the amusement drained from her face. Looking up at the sky, she supposed there was not much more free time left before she got another pretty pucker bullet wound to match the other. Her eye shot down, the sharp pale color a bit cold, but could you blame her? She was in serious pain and this little snips weren't making this easy.

With the Cyote and Slinker inside, she had assumed she would be treated with suspicion, but allowed to meet inside as well. The Slinker was a lot creepier than her. Hey, she was friggin' adorable compared to that guy. But they were being cautious. After losing their friends, it was only right. They were mad and wanted to take it out on someone. She could empathize. Just...maybe not at this moment.

"Look, Greenie," she stared the boy down, "If I wanted a fight, I would of stayed wit' the Gamers, not risked meh skin comin' here alone." Cy grabbed the Gamer patch on her jacket sleeve and with one solid tug it was released from its stitches with a nice RIIIIIP! Tossing it in the dust at their feet, she just put her hands up.

"If you think this is a game, yer in for a cold wakin' up, Greenie," her voice was warm but low and serious, "Gamer-Scorp fightin' is about tah blow up in the matter o' days. A lil' tussle with some of their stranglers ain't gonna be nothin' compared to the truf war that's comin'." She gestured to the area around her. "And a few extra guns is somethin' worth more than twinkies and a can o' Coke for both sides," Cy stared him down, "Some smaller gangs have already been assimilated. And some wiped out."

She let the simmer for a bit.

"Ain't you wonderin' why yeh been gettin' so much attention lately?" she cocked her head towards the graves, "Ya'll think yeh can handle both them gangs on yer own? But whatever. Shot meh if ya like. I thought ye lot with be a little more intelligent, but maybe I should try my hand with the the Earthkin."  She slipped a little white sheet of paper from on of her pockets and twirled it this way and that. Looking at it, it was oddly untouched by the grim of the world around it. Like it had been from a very well kept up book.

"Heh, don't think the O.S. will let meh back in their mess fer a while," she looked back at the child soldiers then up at the sharp shooter, "Try not to mess up meh pretty face, alright Sharp Shot?" She looked back down at the boy and girl before her. "Gotta keep The Cyclops face a might bit prettier these days. Bad fer business if an info seller looks like a Frankenstein."

She licked her lips and set one foot back. Bracing herself. Hey, not everyone could be reasoned with and this crazy eyed Greenie looked thirsty for her blood. "Map of the Scorps hangout," she said plainly, "That, kiddies, is meh trade."


[System]
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Appearance:

Personality: Calm, not easily angered, Alexandra believes in stability and order above all else. She finds warfare and violence distasteful, though she will still engage it in necessary. To those who have earned a friendship with her, she will stand with them to the end when they are in need. To those who aren't she is a position of stability, to be respected and feared for her position.

Resolute once she has made her mind up, she doesn't mind the scheming of her underlings, so long as it doesn't result in open fighting. She likes her peace, and she will keep it.
Bio: Alexandra has lived in Aurora her whole life. Originally only an average girl, she grew up as a single child in a moderately well off family, one that had made itself useful as part of the government. There was resentment as a result, but that never seemed to be an issue, and Alexandra enjoyed a relatively peaceful childhood. The concerns of Witches and magical girls were none of hers, beyond how it impacted her life.

That all changed with an attempted assassination and a crackdown, purges running through the government as supposed traitors were eliminated. Her father was caught up in them, and the purges themselves only served to further opposition. Alexandra's peaceful life was shattered, and she found herself increasingly isolated. And with that hardship, when Kyubey approached her, she took the deal, and became a magical girl. Her life restored itself, her father returned, but things wouldn't be the same for her.

She worked her way through the ranks from the bottom up, proving herself as a fighter, and as someone competent, as she rose in the process. It was during this time that she met Caroline, and they established a firm friendship that would last to the present. She also met Kolya, though he would not join until later.

Eventually, she made her move. Drawing on a coalition of nobles and lower ranking magical girls, she staged a coup and overthrew the cities old leadership, placing herself in power. Land and positions were doled out to supporters, and she went about restoring stability to the city, cracking down on organized crime, as well as open conflict. Since then she has enforced peace, preventing encroachment by her neighbors and keeping things under control. The Shadow Compact has been pushed back, and she is very much satisfied with the way things have been maintained. It is a state of affairs she plans to have endure for some time.

Allegiance: Aurora City Authority
Skills: Diplomacy, Administration, Singing, Proficiency with her magical girl abilities
Weapons: None
Other: Nothing

Magical Girl Section:

Magical Girl Appearance:

Wish: "I wish things would just go back to the way they were."
Weapons: She wields a magical Great Sword, that can also shift into a kite shield.
Powers: Gravitic manipulation. She can alter the affect of gravity on any object she touches, making her able to effectively render any object weightless if she so desires it, or as heavy as a neutron star (Though that would take an incredible amount of power, and it would atop the second she let go.) She can also use this power on herself.

[User]
Far away from the glamour of the inner city, a disobedient lordling was being punished. Despite being one of the few normal humans to be granted his own land, Mayor Geier's estates were in arrears on their rent; without a magical girl to harvest Grief Seeds, the town instead produced smelted iron for the city's reconstruction work and was therefore vital to the continued viability of the Aurora City Authority. Unfortunately for the good Mayor, this meant that any late deliveries would not be looked upon kindly.

'... and so by the decree of Her Ladyship Alexandra Hertz, Lord of Aurora and associated territories, I hereby sentence you to ten years hard labour.' The poor man begged for clemency as a pair of burly militiamen dragged him away, eliciting a tired sigh from his judge. Chasing up taxes wasn't his usual area of expertise and it dragged him down. 'The next mayor will be chosen by the City Authority; in the meantime, a magical girl will be dispatched to the area to oversee production. Obey her. Dismissed.' He left his speech short as he stared out over the massed population of the town, finding the glum mood somewhat to his satisfaction. These people were little more than serfs, tied to the land and foundries; a low ranked magi would have little trouble keeping them in line and might even snag herself the odd Witch. For him though, the morning's work was done. Calling up his handful of troops, the officer began the long journey back to the city.

---

It always amazed Kolya how varied the city was. One could walk for half an hour in either direction and pass though modern parks, into rotting slums and then elegant high-rise flats. Aurora was a true metropolis, if a small one. Leaving his guards outside, he entered Hertz' private building, a particularly massive skyscraper in the centre of the city. If nothing else, she had a good eye for décor. Kolya ignored the stylish architecture and such, preferring instead to see to building for what it was; a statement of power, proof of exactly who ruled this city. In days past, the former administration had preferred a more subtle centre of operations, but he appreciated the need to grandstand in the face of constant encroachment from rival magi, not to mention the ever-present threat posed by traditional nation-states. Before long he arrived at his mistresses' door and gave a sharp rap on the woodwork. 'My Lady, Lukoshenko with the taxation and border reports.' He wasn't sure if she was aware of the change in management at the former Mayor's estates, but he also had other issues that required her attention.

[Assistant]
The girl in the blue dress clutched at the egg in her hands, feeling it's cold weight in her numb fingers. She felt empty, drained of something far more important then just her soul. Kyuubey was nowhere to be found, having slipped somewhere down a alleyway or up a chute or anywhere that wasn't here. Michelle could feel something on her back. Something cold, and they kept twisting, making singing noises against the gentle breeze. Ice crystals, she was sure of it. She could see them in the corner of her eyes, always moving away when she turned to look at them, and she could see their weird shadows right next to hers, and every time they bumped into a wall they screamed at her in a language no one else seemed to hear. She'd curled into a ball and tried to freeze herself to death, somewhere quiet where nobody else would intervene. Which is why she blanched when she heard the footsteps. First a loud SLAM, like jackboots hitting concrete. Then a rhythm, regular thumps as someone or something walked towards her. They stopped. Michelle turned her neck, trying to ignore the coat of ice coating her cheek.

The other girl was tall, almost menacingly so. In the evening light, the harsh shadows and glare got in the way of everything, and all she could make out was shadows and flashes of red and black, and a mouth somewhere high up and fleshing out words.

"Who're you?"

Michelle opened her mouth, trying to sound out words through a cold and aching jaw.

"C-c-cirn-" She began, then stopped. That wasn't her, was it? She'd wished for it, but she hated herself, now. Hated the fever, hated the dress, hated the bow tie, hated having made the stupid pact with the bunnycat, hated hated hated it. Something touched her cheek, and it took a few seconds of burning for her to realize it was a pilot light.

"Y'know" the girl said, casually. "If it was anyone else, they probably would've killed you by now. Or have they already?"
"I'm Michelle."
"Ah, so you can speak."
"Mmm."
"I assume you contracted pretty recently? Yeah? The wish wasn't everything you wanted it to be?"

Michelle just nodded, and a thousand little ice shards over her neck cracked at once, making a Clink-clink sound.

"I won't ask you what you wished for. Breach of contract. But I will tell you this is an awful place to die in. there's a turf war going to happen in a few minutes. Girls with guns, and back alley tactics. They'll probably just shoot you and ask questions later. Not that it matters much, since you're already dead."

The strange girl crouched down, on her haunches. Her breath fogged up when it passed over Michelle's shoulder.

"That's stuff you don't see in the fine print, see? That pretty little egg of yours, it's more then just a trinket. It's the bit of you that's alive and makes you laugh, or cry, and they take it out and give yous some pretty little wings and they think it's fair. But it really doesn't matter, does it, since a dead bird won't fly. You've made your mistake, Michelle. But I think you don't have to make another one. Come with me, and i'll show you something worth living for."

Michelle turned, glaring into the sun. And in it, a figure in a pompous hat almost all in shadow, and she nodded.

----

The witch roared, and bit down. It tore open Michelle's chest, tearing up the blue dress and several important-looking sinewy bits. She weakly flailed at a familiar, but the pick found nothing but air. The noise and the fury of the witch's lair swam in and out of focus, The witch, a serpentine draconic woodcut, snarled at something out of her sight, but recoiled in a flash of blinding blue steam as something fought back at it. The figure turned away from the dragon as more women --her comrades-- went at the beast with lightning and mirrors and staves. The girl crouched down, and her face swam into view. From her expression alone, Michelle could gather that she wasn't going to make it. Even as the pain was a mild buzzing sensation in the back of her head, her limbs weren't responding as they should. All she could move was her head. She gasped out something, and let an arm flop at her chest. The girl, in between the tears, grabbed at the red bow and grasped at the knot, pulling at the ice-white gemstone. She took it, and turned away. And for Michelle, everything went dark.

---

"Role call, ladies. Did everyone make it out okay? Elaine, that's a nasty gash on your arm, you might want to have that checked out back at base. Catherine, get to Elaine and work your stuff. We're moving out of here as soon as we confirm the seeds, we don't wanna spend any more time then we need to."

The voice of command rang out as soon as the witch's lair had spat them back out. Antsy soldiers, Violetta thought, were inefficient soldiers. People needed order in their lives, and she was all too happy to provide that, in the form of a shouty young lady with a massive hat and and even larger ego.

"Wait. Where's Chell?"

One glance at her squadron, and her heart dropped. The company was one short. And it didn't take a genius to work out what had happened. Even then, amidst the quiet realization, she still had to play the shouty Sargent card.

"Well, come on then, it's almost morning. I'm sure you all have comfortable beds in which to mope in, so get a damn move on, already!"

They picked up two grief seeds that night. One with a tiny motif of snowflakes dancing around its edge.

Violetta grabbed at the tray of fast food and deposited it gently on the table. Then she picked up her phone, and spoke, disinterestedly into the mobile phone.

"Hey? Valkyrie squad? This is Violetta." She said, balancing the talk with a small soda. Once upon a time,they'd used codenames and secrets to hide their gang of magical girls. It led to so much confusion and doublechecking they simply dropped the codes and talked normally to confirm they had got it right the first time, and it wasn't like anybody cared about the Valks. She sneaked a fry into her mouth, chewed and swallowed with all the signs of enjoyment, and half-yawned into the receiver "Be on your guard, ladies. It's a good night for something fishy."

She cut the communication, and glanced at the screen. Somebody wanted her to go patrol some dark and dirty corner of the city to find a rogue magical girl. Didn't sound like her cup of yerba mate. She and her battalion had already met their quota for today. But she threw aside the unopened burger and stood up to leave, anyway. Whenever there were magical girls fighting, there were impressionable kids ready to contract at a moment's notice and a suspicious plague of disappearing Ferretweasels. And her squad was still one down. She left the shop, and transformed into her fighting clothes. No sense in going unprepared.