Fire Emblem: The Awakening of the Demon King

[Magi of Worlds]

On the other side of Magvel stands the Kingdom of Jehanna and the Jehannan desert. A desolate place that very few survive unless they live in a town. It is here that Prince Arc Ismalee resides. Protecting his 'countryside' from brigands.

The dusty town of Flarg was not large. It housed maybe a hundred people all together. But it did have a reputation for having a very rowdy tavern. In fact it is at this location that Arc is drawn toward with his Infamous Desert Patrol. Arc and Myra slip in together and head for a disturbance in the front. It seems a man was being cheated and had unslung his axe when he realised it.

The whole tavern grew quite except for this man's table when they noticed Arc and Myra had entered. They slowly walked up to the disturbance and clear their throats.

"Yeah whattayawant dammit???" the man says without glancing up.

At the blatant disrespect out comes Yin from its green scabbard and suddenly the man has a large cut on the arm holding the axe.

"Yaw!!!! What the hell was that???" he exclaimed in surprise and pain. He looked at Arc and Myra for the first time and let out a large, shuddering gasp. He ran for the door screaming about demons and monsters. Arc turned back to the man who had cheated.

"If I see that again you will get a taste of Yang."

Without waiting for a reply Arc and Myra left the tavern and headed back to their horses. Then they rode back to their camp outside of Flarg and rested in their tent. An hour later they pulled back into their clothes and walked back outside. Myra sat into her usual questions.

"So what are we going to do now love?"

Arc was silent for a time, thinking about an answer. He couldn't find a new one so he gave her the old one.

"I don't know Myra. I just don't know anything anymore."

At this she went to him and held on to him while planting a rather large kiss on his lips. Afterwards she bekoned him back to the tent.

[Heartless Angel]

(I changed my current location, that's why I am where I am)

He looked across the tavern at the abnoxiously loud man yelling about demons. Lucian chuckled a bit, the man had absoluely no idea just how right he was. Few did, really. Most mortal men today couldn't truly understand what he was. He pounded one fist on his table. "Barkeep! Another round.", he demanded.

The barkeeper walked over to the table, and looked Lucian in the eye. "You gotta be kiddin' me, mate. If I give you any more of that, you'll drop dead!", he said.

Lucian laughed again. "One can only hope; get me another.", he said calmly. He was immortal, of course he had no reason to fear alcohol poisoning... Or anything else really.

The barkeeper shook his head and brought out another tankard of ale. "If you want a decent burial, I recommend leavin' some money with the undertaker.", he said, as he set the tankard down.

Lucian laughed heartily. "I'll do that, thanks.", he said, as he began to down his 12th tankard.

[T.G. Oskar]

Within the Royal Castle of Grado, a group of heavily armored knights marched beyond the front gates. Seven warriors, conformed in a hexagonal formation, surrounded a larger figure marching in the middle. Each time the larger figure was within the sight of the royal guards, they saluted with great respect; such was the might of this man.

Before the doors of the royal chamber, a man in luscious robes wandered back and forth, as if awaiting someone. He had heard one of the great heroes of Grado was on his way to the chamber, and sought to meet him. He, after all, had sent for him in the name of Prince Lyonn.

The squadron met the man upon the robes, and the man bowed towards him, while the soldiers in the front moved aside.

"Hail, sir Caius Erthem, the Southern Wall of Grado!"

"Greetings, Chancellor. I swept to the palace as soon as I received the message. Apologies for the delay."

"Indeed, you are late. I had sent for you weeks ago, and..."

"Again, my apologies. Four days of travel ever since I received the message. Perhaps the blame is within the messenger?"

"Certainly, certainly. Why, they are sent to the safest place in the kingdom, and yet they deliver their messages late!"

"Chancellor, even the horse of the messenger needs some rest. But that's in the past; what's important is this. The Prince has summoned me?"

"Yes...and no. Indeed, the Prince has called upon you for a very important mission, but it is I whom shall provide you with the information. Now, if you wish to follow me?" Caius and his squad followed the Chancellor into a corridor of rooms to the side of the royal chamber, stopping at the third door. The soldiers remained in standing guard, while Caius and the Chancellor discussed things in private.

Inside, and while the Chancellor revised upon scrolls and books, Caius stood tall, his posture no different from the decorative armor. His posture was such that it appeared as if he was not breathing; only a keen eye would notice there was a person inside.

"Sir Erthem, the Prince has called upon your service once again. We are thankful for the service provided within the frontiers of Grado and Renais; because of your dutiful service, we prevented a mass of refugees during the confrontation from entering our lands..." Hidden within his helmet, Caius couldn't but lament the lives of men, taken by he and his men, to prevent Renais refugees and specifically members of the Resistance to enter Grado territory. It was his duty, and he was more than willing to follow, but every now and then the shrieks of horror as the men pleaded for mercy plagued his soul. "...We would desire for you to remain in your post, but the Prince has specifically requested for your presence, and that of your soldiers. You see, the prince Stephan of Renais..."

Caius gulped, although he made no movement. He thought deep into himself. Prince Stephan? He survived...?

The Chancellor kept talking, as he read from one of the many scrolls in his desk. "...survived the assault at the capital of Renais, and allegedly is seeking asylum with the neighboring lands. The other Wall Generals have been sent to capture him, and a wealthy ransom has been provided. However, the Prince has requested for your particular cooperation in this matter."

"Pursuit...a new task. Yet...how will I know who is the Prince Stephan? The heir of Renais was kept hidden from the world; for all we know, he may be anywhere and everywhere..."

"The scroll I have on my hand...", the Chancellor spoke, as he held a scroll sealed with the Royal Mark, "...contains most of the information you need. Rumors state that he may be locating to Carcino, or Jehanna. The Prince wants you and your army to investigate whether Prince Stephan has transferred to Jehanna."

"Understood."

"Our plans will be to send part of your sea troops as a diversion, while a smaller group composed of your strongest units will travel by land. The surviving sea troops will reunite with your own army, upon which you can search Prince Stephan."

"But...after the attack on Renais, won't the royalty of Jehanna suspect of maritime activity in their waters?"

"True, true, but that's not of importance..."

"Send a decoy. I'll tell my troops that a dangerous criminal has escaped and that the Prince has requested my troops to pursue him. Send word that the supposed criminal has escaped by sea, and that my forces have pursued him to Jehanna. We'll allow the decoy to enter Jehanna territory, and seek an excuse to enter their ports. Once there, I will reunite with the sea troops and search in earnest for the 'criminal'."

"Splendid idea! And...whom you shall send?"

"Send one of our spies. Inform the spy to seek information about Prince Stephan and relay his location to us. In fact...I would suggest our spy to become a double agent and support Prince Stephan...for a while. Once that happens, we can threaten him by harboring a criminal, and have a reason to deal with the running prince."

"Excellent! I will send the warrant for the capture of the spy as soon as possible!"

"Thanks, Chancellor. Still...I can't seem to understand something..."

"Yes?"

"Prince Stephan has escaped and may be requesting for support. I have never truly understood why the Prince would have commanded an attack to Renais; I fear that if Grado officially requests his capture, that may set us in a delicate position. Just as I, a loyal soldier, are unaware of the actual reason for the assault, I fear that they may feel the actual pursuit of a displaced noble, and furthermore, a survivor, will cause great troubles for our mission. They may prepare their arms against our people, and I fear that with my forces in pursuit of the Prince, Jehanna may prevent my naval troops from entering or may even take advantage of my absence..."

"Fear not. General Glen will take care of any attempts to invade our coasts. You have your orders, sir Erthem."

"Understood. I will bring Prince Stephan to the throne, as requested. I will take my leave."

"Very well."

"And send my regards to Generals Glen and Duessen." Amongst the Grado generals, Caius held high regard towards two of them. First was General Glen, also a southerner and a humble warrior that rose from the ranks of the peasants. Because of his upbringing, Caius held almost blind faith upon the General's skill.

But perhaps the man he respected amongst all was General Duessen. Only a few years older than him, Duessen was truly the inspiration for his own service as a soldier of Grado even as contemporaries. Caius and Duessen rarely saw each other, if at all; any attempt of communication was done by missives and words of regard. To Caius, the greatest honor would be serving under his hero; it was this desire that pushed him to strive forth in his duty as the protector of the southern borders of Grado and especially of the southern ports.

"I will make sure they receive them. Remain within the Keep for at least a day, so that you may receive the warrant."

"Best to deliver the scroll at Tai'zel, Chancellor. I will wait the day, but in case it is not enough, I will depart; I must also send a message gathering the troops..."

"Maybe...that guard you have...may be enough. If you intend to stop at Tai'zel, perhaps you may replenish with troops and supplies in that location?"

"I would prefer my own troops. I cannot vouch for their loyalty..."

"Then await the day, and I shall provide with the power to allow you to recruit people from western Grado. Keep your squadron small, of course, but feel free to request more assistance on our behalf."

"Understood. I shall take my leave, Chancellor."

"Good luck in your endeavor. May fortune be with you, Sir Erthem." With his orders received, Caius and his men remained within Grado Keep for at least a day, before departing towards Jehanna with haste.

--

Three days after receiving his orders, Caius and his men stopped at the town of Tai'zel, the closest and largest town before entering Jehanna territory. Stopping at the nearby inn to rest for the day, Caius sought to find further information about his secondary mission: a dangerous criminal had escaped from that same town merely a day ago, and Caius was on hard pursuit by orders of the Chancellor. However, the information was but a ruse to determine the next location of the spy, left behind as a secret message to one of the soldiers of Caius.

Once the missive was received, Caius determined the next step on his travel: a small town called Flarg, where he received word that Prince Stephan would be headed to. He requested a large amount of water, as Jehanna was a land of deserts, which would cripple his heavily armored men, and rested for the day. Flarg, by his estimates, was a shy four days of travel if he forced march for two days before reaching the Jehannan desert, and then traveled two days during the night. During that time, the spy would escape, but that would give his troops a chance to land in a nearby town and organize their search.

[Victoria]

After that sickening night of watching her father die in front of her very eyes, her spirit diminished as she found her way toward a tavern at the border of Frelia. After what felt like ages of traveling on foot and the occasional lift from a caravan that happened to travel the same way. The doors to the tavern opened by the touch of her fingers as she glanced around the area for an empty table or bar stool. A table happened to be available, so the young woman stepped her way to a seat and made herself comfortable. She removed her traveling cloak and set it on her chair

After a moment of resting, a barmaid made her way to her table. “What'll it be, Miss?”

“For starters, I'd like to have some water to rehydrate myself and some food sounds good right about now. Got any steak left?” Stefany took a glance at the barmaid and took note of her attractive looks.

“Aye, that we do! Sit tight and I'll get your order to you in a bit. Would you like a loaf of bread as well, Miss?” she added. Stefany nodded to confirm the order and sat back into her chair and let out a sigh of relief. A yawn escaped her lips as her eyes scanned the different patrons in the tavern. Some looked shady, others looked seedy, and some just looked like they had nowhere in particular to go. After moments of gazing around, her food came.

“Here ya are, Miss! Hope you enjoy your meal.” The barmaid bowed and walked off to serve other customers as Stefany gave an approving nod. The bread was warm and crispy and a light brown, freshly baked it seemed. She grabbed both ends and tore it in two. The center was milky white and puffy. Her mouth watered with excitement and yearning as she took a bite of the bread.

Her tongue ran across her lips as she placed the bread down onto the plate and took hold of the carving knife she was provided and proceeded to cut it into edible chunks. The tender and juicy texture melted in her mouth as her eyes watered with happiness. It'd been many days since she had a good meal in her stomach.

Several moments later, she finished her meal and hydrated her body. With a full stomach, she attempted to make eye contact with the barmaid and get her attention with a small wave. “Could I perhaps trouble you for a pint of mead, Ma'am?”

“Sure~, no problem Missy. Though you look a bit young to be drinkin' the stuff, you sure you can handle it?” she questioned.

“True, I am only sixteen, but I've had my first encounter with alcohol six years ago when I was much younger. So I think I will be able to handle myself.” she responded with a smile.

Another moment passed as she received her mug of mead. The warmth of the liquid traveled down her throat and into her stomach. A sigh of contentment left her lips as her tongue savored the flavor and licked her lips.

Moments later she finished her mug and dug into her cleavage for her pouch. As if the timing couldn't be any better, the barmaid finished her other rounds and brought the bill to Stefany. Stefany smiled as she looked it over and provided the right amount of coin and a good extra amount for a tip.

“Oh~ That's... quite a large tip, Miss. Thank you for your patronage!” she said with glee. Stefany stood up and stretched her arms as the barmaid blushed at how small her dress was. Smaller than her maid outfit. This girl was a bold one, all right. It seemed to be somewhat high quality as well. Maybe she could get some more coin out of her if she played her cards right. The pouch did look quite big after all. She stepped closer and leaned in toward Stefany and spoke into her ear. “Say, Miss... if you're looking for some company this evening, I don't mind sharing my room with you.” she said in a coy expression, putting a hand on her hip.

Stefany smirked at the barmaid and felt amused with what she was trying to do. Two could play at that game. “Why, that sounds awfully gracious of you, my lady. I'll grab an extra mug of mead and wait for you, yes?” she suggested and sat back down at her seat. Their eyes locked on to each other as their lips curled in grins. The barmaid walked off and grabbed her another mug of mead. A larger one than before.

“On me, madam.” she flirted.

“My thanks, gorgeous.” she bit her lip and eyed her hips. The barmaid's walk had a bit more sway in her hips than normal, as if giving Stefany something to look at. It was obvious to the young shaman that the barmaid wants to squeeze more coin from her pouch in exchange for a night with her, and that suited her just fine. However, it was going to be the other way around. The barmaid would end up paying Stefany for her time. She was that confident in her abilities.

The night became late and the tavern closed for the evening as the two young girls made way to the maid's abode. Shoes came off and clothes were left on the floor as the night became a little rough and steamy for the Princess and the Mistress of the Tavern.

Hours later, Stefany managed to dominate and tame the maid, and in her drunken stupor, slip out that she was the princess of Renais. This led the barmaid into thinking deeply about her future. She compared her current pay as a waitress and the possible pay and board for working for a princess and the obvious choice seemed to call out to her.

“...The name's Brenna, by the way...” she managed to speak from her lips after the exhausting rounds of fun they had. “How would you like to have a personal maid from her on out?” she offered.

Stefany grinned, “And here I thought you wanted to squeeze some more coin out of me, but instead you want to work for me?”

“I'd still be getting coin anyway, right? And besides... I'll be better off working for you than staying at that tavern for the rest of my days.”

“Wise choice, Brenna. Now, your first duty as maid, is to come here...”

The two girls continued their fun throughout the night and into the next dawn, where Stefany would make her journey toward the main capital of Frelia.

[Heartless Angel]

Lucian sat atop the roof of the tavern. The air inside had grown too thick for his taste... Though he never quite understood it, over the ages he'd developed a sort of sixth sense for trouble. As ridiculous as it may sound, something big was going to happen in this tiny desert town in the middle of nowhere. He for one didn't want any part of it.

The blazing desert sun made it difficult to see far, but he could see a sizeable sandstorm in the distance. Leaving now would be unwise. Though he was immortal, the sensation of dehydration was rather unpleasant; and odds were it'd take several days to get through the desert in this storm.

He let out a sigh. "I hope this storm lets up before I get swept up in this mess...", he said to himself. He took a drink from the jug he carries with him. He swished the foul liquid around for a few moments, making strange faces, then spit it out. "Tastes like piss... That's either a bad omen, or a sign that it's been way too long since I refilled this with somethin' fresh...", he said. He sniffed the jug and quickly moved it away from his nose. "...Maybe a little of both.", he mumbled, pouring the liquid out onto the ground.

[Magi of Worlds]

(OOC: LMFAO! Heartless that was hilarious! Whew! Its rare that I get to enjoy a bit of humor like that in anything I read! Thanks!)

Arc and Myra cleaned up and packed away their tent and personal belongings after the noon hour and got ready for a long ride. Their destination was a well protected fort several miles from Flarg. It was this fort that Arc had shifted his mighty army he called Desert Patrol to. It numbered in the hundreds and every recruit was a veteran. Among Arc's general's were Maximus, a retired Swordmaster who used to teach Arc his talent, Myra for obvious reasons, Julius, a Berserker who used to serve as the Chancellor of Raust's advisor, and Meena, a Mage Knight who was almost as powerfull as the Arch-Sage himself!

Also not a single person who was in Desert Patrol was considered weak. All seven hundred of them were masters of their trade. Arc had Berserker's, Sage's, Druid's, Heroes, Swordmaster's, Ranger's, even a brigade of General's. He also had Falcoknights and Rogue's. Every person was equipped to the best of their ability and even knew how to fight dirty. Several of them had been in the pay of powerful bandit's before Arc got to them.

They were his second pride in joy after Myra and harder than hell to kill! Not only did he have the best soldier's, Arc aslo employed the best blacksmith and trader's for weapon's, armor, and food. Yes, it would take years for anyone foolish enough to try to seige this fort to succeed. And then they would have to deal with the Assassin of the Desert himself! To Arc this was home and he was glad he was heading back!

It was getting late when the two riders finally spotted the fort on the horizon. It was named Fort Ismaire in memory of Arc's mom. A short hour later they were thundering into the courtyard and the gate was closing behind them. Maximus met them there and quickly ushered them over.

"My lord, we caught a man who was snooping around and claiming rumors of a criminal who escaped jail. After many hours of torture we finally learned that he was a Grado spy who was sent to search for Prince Stephan. Apparently Grado has attacked Renais and he escaped. The man said his last report was sent with the knowledge that he was coming here. What should we do?"

Arc thought it over for a few minutes and came up with an answer.

"If the Gradoan's come here looking for their spy with swords instead of words then we prepare for war!"

[Heartless Angel]

(OOC: I try mate, I try. I always try to add some humor into my roleplays.)

He watched as a young couple... well, young to him at least, left the small town. "Odd... they ain't headin' out in a direction that leads to any city I've heard of... can't imagine they think they can go around the storm...", he said to himself. He looked around the small town. "They gotta be goin' somewhere, but where? Well, any place is better than here, may as well follow em.", he said, jumping down from the roof. He refilled his jug with water and began tailing them, being areful not to get too close. He didn't know these people, or how they'd react to him.

He followed for what seemed like mere moments to him, when he noticed a fort that seemed to be their destination. "Who woulda thought, a fort out here... Well, if they let me stay, least I won't be around Flarg to see what that feelin' earlier was.", he mumbled.

He continued to follow them until they reached the fort. He saw them go inside, and a gate closing behind them. "Shit! I ain't gonna make it in time!", he said, breaking into a run. He couldn't catch up fast enough to beat the closing gate.

"Damn, locked out... well, now what...", he mumbled. He decided to wait a few hours, just to be certain it wouldn't be obvious he'd followed them. "Well, least there's some shade here, better than nothin'.", he said as he sat down in the hot sand. He only waited about 20 inutes before he became irritated. "Shade's gone, sand in my pants, runnin' outta water, and I gotta piss.", he said to himself. He stood up and walked towards the gate.

"Well, I certainly ain't breakin' this thing down... Suppose I could try knockin'.", he said. He had no idea what to expect, but he began pounding on the gates with his fist. "Hey! Anyone here?", he yelled.

[Magi of Worlds]

(OOC: Heartless, you're too clever for your own good!)

As Arc and Myra were just finishing up in their room and knock came on the door.

"Just a minute!" Arc called out. he could hear the response of yes sir and went back to their fun. Ten minutes later Arc opened the door fully clothed and asked what was the matter.

"There's a man outside who wants in my lord."

Arc considered this and told the guard to let him in and escort him directly to the War Room. The man nodded and set off. When he'd left Arc went back inside to tell Myra. She said ok and turned over to go to sleep. He kissed her cheek and left the room.

Arc headed down a hallway and down some stairs. At another turn he came upon the door to his War Room. Upon the walls were maps of several of the surrounding kingdoms and even some of the castles. On a table in the middle of the room was a map of Grado. Arc was studying it as he waited for the intruder to be lead in.

[Heartless Angel]

He back away as the gate began to open. A small group of armed men waited for him. "Well, you gonna let me in? I gotta piss.", he said. They surrounded him, weapons drawn and led him inside. He was led into a room full of maps, with a sword at his back. "Fancy toilet you got here, but I don't think I'll need an armed escort...", he said.

The man behind him hit Lucian in the back of the head. "Shut up, wise-guy! Arc, this is the one, we found him outside banging on the gate.", the man said.

"Mind askin' your friend here to lower his weapon?", Lucian asked.

[Magi of Worlds]

"Mind askin' your friend here to lower his weapon?"

Arc turned around and gave the soldier the signal to lower his weapon and motioned them all out the room. He was left alone with the stranger.

"It seems odd how you aren't afraid of my appearance and also came here of all places. Though you don't look like a Grado spy. I have several questions to ask you stranger."

As Arc decided on which question to ask first he unfurled his wings so that they'd be less cramped and massaged the muscles around his shoulder's. He then preceded to pace back in forth in front of the small table.

After a few minutes of this he turned back to the stranger.

"I guess my first question will have to be who are you and please tell me no lies" Arc said staring deep into the man's eyes with his golden ones.

[Heartless Angel]

"It seems odd how you aren't afraid of my appearance and also came here of all places. Though you don't look like a Grado spy. I have several questions to ask you stranger."

"No offense intended, but I don't fear much these days.", he said. He took a seat in the room near the map table. "Ask away.", he said. He placed his feet on the table and relaxed.

"I guess my first question will have to be who are you and please tell me no lies" Arc said staring deep into the man's eyes with his golden ones.

"Well, since you asked nicely... Name's Lucian. I'm just a wanderer these days. I saw ya back at Flarg. I wanted to leave myself. But there was a sandstorm between me and my destination... and I sensed somethin' I didn't like comin' from the only other city I could get to from there. I saw you and your friend leavin' town, you weren't going to either one, so I decided to follow. Figured there must've been somethin' else in the desert", he said. He stood up and began pacing. "Looks like I was right.", he finished.

[T.G. Oskar]

It was dusk, and the small brigade of Caius had departed Tai'zel short of a day ago. Caius left the town with the same group he had departed; six brave and strong men, each horse-mounted, and each wielding a lance. Some held swords alongside them; some held axes; however, each of them held a spear made of the finest Gradoan iron.

Which was enough to say, "as average as iron can be". So were their swords, so were their axes. And their plate armor, as well. Only Caius held the stronger steel, but it wasn't because he was a cheap man. Quite the contrary; it was hard to find steel sent to his keep's blacksmith to handle, which would have been pointless since the blacksmith could only handle iron and wasn't skilled enough to make any steel. Thus, only Caius held the best of equipments. He didn't mind; he held the best group he could.

A group...made of farmers, sailors and fishermen, trained against all of the incursions towards Southern Grado. They were few and far within, but none had ever truly succeeded. Some of them had seen recent service during the assault at Renais, using their skill at defending the coastline to protect the lakeside of Grado. They were not just farmers, sailors and fishermen; they were farmer-knights, they were sailors in heavy plate, they were fishermen that skewered fish and men with equal skill.

And...they were doing a good step. Had it not been because someone pointed that the distance between Tai'zel and Flarg was smaller than he thought, and since he was pushing his men to travel as fast as they could. The desert landscape was already showing, the grasslands of Grado paving way for the sandy terrain of Jehanna.

"Oi, boss, we were lucky that we didn't have to take four days of travel, ain't it?"

"Of course! And if we move it faster than having the horses walk, we'll reach even faster! How about that for fast, eh!?" Caius blurted his order in such a way that even the horses moved faster. Little could be heard from the tapping of the horses in the barren soil, where hints of sand appeared here and there.

"The boss is a bit cranky today, dont'cha think?"

"Eh, he be serious for now. Once we finish with this criminal, we return to our homes, rest for a while!"

"But that's odd...why no one decided to help us?"

"Our boss is famed in Grado...in the *southern* part of Grado, that is. In the west, he's no more famous than you and I. They mebbe knowing something we dinnae..."

"Why couldn't they send General Caellach? He knows this area better than we do, dont'cha think?"

"Ya think they're gonna bother th' General? Nae, they bother our boss, just like they always do!" The back guard of the company engaged in idle chat as they rode upon the horizon, side to side, shouting as much as they could.

Hours and hours, they rode. Their horses were well-fed, healthy, and willing to go the extra miles. Stepping into the sand was not something they weren't used to; these were horses that were used to see sand along with sea. But not sand lacking any sea. Neither were the fishermen.

"Oi, I feel like a fish out of water! So much sand, so little water!"

"Think that you feel like a fish out of water, but when they travel to Grado, they are snakes out of the desert!"

"Aye, we be the invaders now..."

Caius' horse halted in midst of gallop, delivering a surprised whinny. The rest of the group followed suit. Out from the helmet there was a loud reprimand, deep from the bowels of sir Erthem.

"Invaders? INVADERS!? Of course not! We are following a criminal that has escaped Grado towards Jehenna, we are no invaders! We are strong, yes, but we've seen bigger invasion forces! Us? We're just doing our job, we can't be an invasion force! When have you heard of seven people being an invasion force!"

"Uh, sir...some of the caravans were comprised of seven people. We had to stop them, turn them back...weren't they invaders as well?"

"Are you daft? Which invasion force has a warrant scroll for pursuing a criminal outside of its borders? They had no document, and they were clearly fleeing; thus, we had to stop them. Why, if one of them rebels of Renais were to enter Grado, where would our prestige be? Not to mention, the situation in which Grado would be?"

"But sir! Why us?"

"..." Caius also had the same question. Why them? They were defenders, not bounty hunters. "If I had the answer, Fred, I would, but I don't have it. All I know is that the Prince himself, through the Chancellor, sent us to capture him. Let's do this fast...maybe then, we may be capable of returning home." Caius' voice was not the deep and bellowing voice of before, but one that showed some doubt.

"Aye, to our wenches!"

"And to our farms!"

"And to our nets!"

"And to our boats! Yohoho, on to the sea we go!"

"Yea, and to th' wenches!"

"Are ya daft!? The first thing we spoke were wenches, are ye so desperate to see a woman!?"

"Aye. The first and the last thing I think of is a woman, lad! Me an' I, enjoying mead and wine! And then, getting married and having some kids, aye?"

"Then you don't want a wench, you want a fine woman!"

"Wenches are fine women too!"

"Silence! Robyrt, you keep speaking of wenches, and I'll tell your wife Sara!"

"Sir! No speaking that to me wife! She would kill me!"

"Better her than them, Robyrt! Onward! Before Robyrt's wife comes looking for us and drags his corpse to the motherland! GWAHAHA!!" Caius bellowed a hearty laugh, and rode onward, free of the doubt. His men were his support, whenever he had any doubt. He still had that doubt, of whether he was the right man for this mission. To his men, they were merely capturing a criminal, and while they served guard, they were so distraught so as to hear about Prince Stephan. Only Caius knew about their true mission...only Caius and one of the knights, of course, who heard everything while the others were speaking.

[Magi of Worlds]

Arc listened to Lucian's story and grew calmer by the second. It seems he may very well be able to trust this man. Arc did however realise that there was something he wasn't being told. No matter. It didn't appear that the man would murder anyone in their sleep atleast.

"Well Lucian. Since you've come so far. I might as well let you spend the night in my home. I will have Captain Vask take you to your room on the second floor."

With that Arc left the room. He closed the door behind him and turned to the five soldiers who had escorted Lucian inside. He beckoned Captain Vask over and repeated the instructions to him. After that Arc headed back to his room. He motioned for the two seasoned guards, both of which happened to be Assassin's, to step aside and entered.

Arc undressed and returned to bed. He scootched over to Myra and nuzzled her neck. She woke from her slight nap and kissed him full on the mouth.

"So what was that about hone?"

Arc chuckled at the casual question and declined to answer. Instead he kissed her on the neck and pulled the cover's over themselves.

A little over an hour later, while Myra was asleep, Arc pulled some breeches on. He left the room once again and headed for the third floor balcony. He looked out at the stars for some time before going back to bed.

[Heartless Angel]

"Come with me. I am to show you your room.", a man said, approaching Lucian.

"Ah, you must be the captain my new friend mentioned. Lead on, It's been a while since I slept in a decent bed.", he responded, walking next to the man.

"It's not often we have guests here, so the room isn't really prepared, sorry.", the captain said.

Lucian laughed. "No big deal, I can make a bed all by myself.", he said. They reached the room, the captain bid him farewell and took his leave. Lucian entered the room and shut the door tightly. "Unprepared? Talk about understatements...", he said, looking around the room. It looked as though a battle had gone on in this very room. furniture was damaged, much of it knocked over and out of place. He looked at the bed, it was mostly intact. He didn't mind the conditions, the bed was all he'd really need anyways. He wasn't quite tired yet though... something about this place didn't feel right to him. He began to wander the halls.

"What is this feelin'... It's almost worse than the one I had back in Flarg...", he said to himself, absentmindedly wandering upstairs. "Could the two be connected? This place ain't that far away... somethin' big could hit both places...", he tried to convince himself. He knew it wasn't the case. These were independant events. He made his way to a balcony where he could see the sky. He leaned against the wall behind him and looked at the moon. He decided to stay for a while, to try and take his mind off of his feelings.

About an hour passed until he heard someone else coming outside. He didn't seem to notice Lucian, which was fine by him. Lucian remained silent. After a while, Arc went back inside. "It seems I'm not the only one who looks to the stars for guidance.", he said to himself quietly. The air grew thicker. He felt as though he was suffocating. Whatever was coming, it was approaching fast.

[Unknown Entity]

(OOC: Went ahead and did the first post. Enjoy. =S)

Guinevere stared upon on mound of fresh earth in front of her, its damp stench wafting up to her nostrils... a dull ache in her chest. She wasn’t sure how connected it was, but along with the ache she felt her thighs weaken, and before she knew it she was kneeling in the soil with her head in her filthy hands.

Ailwin was dead. Gone from this world. The only person she knew and trusted... gone. Forever. Permanently. Eternally... The only person she knew of who knew her parents, and had protected her in the last ten years, risking life and limb for her, feeding her, clothing her, training her. Departed from the living... She’d never see his smile, or hear his voice again.

Stop it! she screamed at herself, feeling her throat expand and burn, as if she’d said it aloud. Sniffing loudly, she brought her head back up, and stared into the branches of the old oak tree she sat under, feeling slightly stronger. If Ailwin saw me like this, it’ll be cleaning the muck in the stable with me! The thought put a weak smile on her face, and she looked back down at the mound. Reaching out with her palm, she pressed into it to leave behind the shape of her palm. Closing her eyes, and opening her lips, she began to sing.

“My achievements bring happiness,
your absence brings loneliness...
It's hard not to hate what brings us apar...”

Thunder in the near distance interrupted her vocal chords, followed by insignificant drops of water. Standing up, she looked into the heavens and allowed the raindrops, which slowly began to get heavier, wash the soil and grime of her day from her face. She guessed that the rain clouds had come in from the ocean; when she licked her lips, she tasted the salt. Through her closed eyes, she saw a flash light, and knew it was time to retreat back into the cabin.

~*~

Lying naked in a tub of lukewarm water in the cabin, she watched the raindrops rampage against the window while she waited for the next pot of hot water to boil by the hearth. She let her arms float aimlessly up under the water, and then forced them down to her sides again. She could feel the current under the water against her thighs and stomach as she did so, and it felt good; a mild, pleasurable distraction from her thoughts. The most prominent thoughts that came up were about being alone, and it brought back that ache along with more tears to her eyes. Like right now...

Lightening struck. Guinevere shivered. Leaning back, she dunked her head under the water, holding her breath. What’s it like to die? Will it hurt? How long would it take? If I drowned now, how long would it take for someone to find me? She held herself under for as long as she could. She gripped the sides of the tub with all her might. Curiosity killed the cat... Rushing back to the surface, she coughed and spluttered bathwater everywhere. But I don’t want to die. She shivered furiously, and realised the water was now rather cold.

Lifting herself out, she approached the fire. Looking into the pot of steaming water, she decided she no longer wanted it. Carefully lifting it by the handle, she moved it away from the flames. That murderous voice popped into her head again, whispering ... you could always scald yourself into a deep sleep... Putting the pot down in the farthest corner from her, she began to take action. She couldn’t stay there and be alone. All that she had left was in Renais. All of her questions could be answered there by her parents. Exactly why was she sent away? Did they know Ailwin? If so, did they know he was an assassin? Why...

Rummaging through the trunk at the end of Ailwin’s bed, she found a map of the Kingdom of Magvel, which Ailwin showed her during the harvest seasons, when she had to make trips into the smaller villages alone. She traced her finger from roughly where the ranch was up to Grado. She could be there before the sun came up if she left now. She looked through the window to notice that the storm had settled down to light rain and slower winds. If the weather remains on my side... she thought. Smiling, she then traced her finger from Grado to Renais.

The smile faded. If she rode non-stop, she could make it in three or four days. She could already feel the saddle sore along her inexperienced thighs, and winced. She could stay at the few inns and taverns along the way, but it wasn’t as if she was made of money – she’d have to buy her food as it was, as taking too much with her would slow her down. I could sleep rough in the forests... I could still make it within a week. Could enjoy the ride and scenery then... or maybe work for my bed.

Excitement rushed over her. Sure, it wasn’t a solid, well thought out plan, but she knew she’d never be able to sleep in the ranch for a while, and it was better than sitting in the tub and getting lost in those thoughts. She gave the pot of hot water another look and scowled.

Going to her trunk, she took out the necessary tools and equipment she’d need if she planned to last longer than a day. She laid out her under garments and leather armour over the bed, along with her throwing knives and katanas. Guinevere ran her fingers over the smooth blades, and the rough exterior of the armour. The ache came back when she thought of Ailwin making them for her, and again when she strapped herself in for the first time without any help. She slipped the blades into their sheaths, crossing her back, and strapped the belt of knives around her slender waist.

Standing back from the bed and the trunk, she twisted and bended, allowing her body to move around inside her attire to find the best, comfortable fit. When satisfied, she began the hunt for other items she desired to take with her. Wrapping up a loaf of bread and some grapes in a cloth, she thought about taking something to wash it down with, and remembered a crate of mead bottles in the shady stable; the cabin was far too warm to store beverages that are better when cool.

She took one more look around her home before extinguishing the fire with a bucket of her bathwater. She could barely make out the shapes of the room in the darkness now. Stepping to the door, she donned her cloak, and pulled the hood up over her head and stepped out into the night.

In the stable, she took two bottles of mead, wrapped it up with the food, and slipped it into the pouch on the side of her horse’s saddle. Realising that it’d be highly possible that she’d be sleeping rough, she decided on bringing a large canvas sheet, which Ailwin had picked up for a sailor he knew, who needed to replace his sails. It already had rope running down the edges through punched holes, so it could make a good tent. She folded it up, and slipped it into another pouch.

Lifting herself on to her steed, she rode out through the courtyard. She didn’t look at the mound again, or the house. When finally out through the entrance, she kicked her horse into a gallop down the country road.

Time for Grado.

[T.G. Oskar]

Night had befallen, only starlight lighting the path. It was a clear night, a chilly night as the heat of the sun had finally faded. Caius and his men strode forth, less bothered by the weather but showing signs of fatigue. Even their horses went with a light step, after miles of travel.

Earlier, the soldiers noticed a very dim light at the distance. Now at night proper, the light had intensified, showing what seemed was a building. It was upon their path, which was the reason why they were capable of noticing it.

"Oi, what's with that light? It's be bothering me since we've went upon this blasted sandwaste!"

"Yar. What if it's one of them mirages of the desert? I've heard of them in folks' stories..."

"Ya sure? That light doesn't seem like a mirage to me..."

"Maybe it's Flarg?"

"No... It's too early for Flarg...besides, it seems like a single building..." Caius tried to quell the fears of his men, eager to avoid any threat. It was fortunate of him that no brigand had dared to attack him, which was both soothing and worrisome news.

"Hey, I be thinking...what if our spy is there? Ya know, maybe he's hiding in that fort..."

"Are ya daft? Whatever makes you think that ruffian must be hiding in there?"

"I...don't know. Depends on what that is... It's not Flarg, so it must be a watcher's post, or perhaps a fort. I doubt someone who's been hunted by Grado would hide there, for that would mean Grado soldiers engaging in battle with Jehannan soldiers. Then again, maybe...maybe that's his idea."

"What'cha do then, Boss? Knock on their door and ask them if they've seen a criminal?"

"Perhaps...but that would alert them. We're not here to get into a fight with them; we're here to see if the ruffian went to Flarg. If he crossed over here, chances are that he either went beyond, got captured or hides in there. And our horses need rest and relaxation..."

"So we knock in there?"

"..." Caius knew that the spy must have passed over whichever building was that; a city was a better place to hide, and if he was to stay one step further from their group, he would have to prevent any place that seemed too distant from his location.

But there was also the option. Perhaps he was caught; if so, he would have to return in order to fulfill his official mission, but not his true mission. And what if he died? The possibility was slim, but then again, there were no bandits on the way. That would endanger his mission. And he was to be wary of mentioning Prince Stephan, if at all.

Caius was not truly faithful, but if there was a god in there that would listen to his pleas, he pleaded that his mission would be successful. And that the building in the distance wasn't a bandit hideout...or worse.

As they drew closer, they could notice the lights from braziers illuminating what seemed was a small fort. That quieted some of Caius' fears, but brought new fears into his heart. What if the spy was captured? Or slain, mistaken by a real bandit? There was no other choice; a small request, as little a speech as possible, and if there was no news upon the matter, go straight to Flarg. The idea was that the spy had to have a jump start, so traveling all night and resting all day would be the perfect excuse to give the spy the needed head-start. They needed to remain in Flarg for as long as possible until the naval forces met them, and then they would commence their search for Prince Stephan.

And thus, Caius made his decision.

"Eh, Boss? What are we gonna do?"

"...stay far from the light. I'll go and meet them. Fred, Dietrich...you come with me. The rest, keep your distance and don't come for us. We should return soon. Hand me the warrant; I may need it. And none of you raise a sword; we're here to ask for the brigand!"

"Aye aye, chief!" "Aye aye, boss!" With a salute, and still within distance, the group split in twain. Caius, along with two of his men, galloped into the building; the rest remained within the shadows and outside the perimeter, as ordered."

Drawing closer, Caius could see the building was a large fortification, noticing with difficulty the banner of Jehanna which he could identify given his knowledge of heraldics. He held the scroll with the warrant, in case they were questioning his authority; given that he had none, he needed the best excuse to proceed further on. His heart pounded swiftly, but his helmet hid his nervousness; for the sake of his people, he needed to remain calm and confident.

Finally, his silhouette and that of his men could be easily seen by the inhabitants of the fort. He slowed his horse's gallop into a light trot, while he awaited for the guards to meet him. He would keep galloping until he was confronted, or at mere steps of the main gate; with fortune, he would be able to disable any instance of threat and deal with the fortune of the supposed brigand as soon as possible...

[Heartless Angel]

{OOC: I'm going to go ahead and ignore Cloud's post for the time being, since it seems as though it wasn't SUPPOSED to involve me, even though it kinda did <.<)

Lucian noticed a group three riding towards the fort. "Hmm? Could they be what I've been feeling?", he asked himself. He didn't want to think so. He desperately wanted to believe he'd managed to get far away from the chaos he was certain was coming, however; the more he tried to convine himself, the less he believed. "Maybe they live here... I can't imagine a group of three tryin' to attack a fort this size. Maybe they're just travelers like I was... mayb- aaahhh, who am I shittin'? There's somethin' not right goin' on here.", he said, finally accepting that in his effort to avoid the chaos, he'd walked right into it. He moved the side of his robe over, and gazed upon the hilt of his sword.

"I'd hoped I'd never need you again...", he sighed, "but I kinda knew my hopes were in vain.", he continued as he began to slide the blade out of its sheath. The sound of the blackened weapon sliding across the metal of the sheath was a symphony of Lucian's despair. "I guess I ain't mean to part ways with the blade... Y'know, bein' damned gets kinda old after a few thousand years...", he said as if talking to the sword, then sliding the evil weapon back into its resting place.

[Magi of Worlds]

A loud knock could be heard in Arc's bedchamber. He rolled over in his sleep and continued dreaming. Another knock was heard a few minutes later. This only made Arc moan in his sleep. Unfortunately this woke up Myra. She used one of her lesser dark spells to wake him up. It was quite unpleasant but it worked. As Arc staggered to the door she fell back to sleep.

He opened the door muttering about women and their beauty sleep. Maximus was on the other side. Along with Julius and Meena, who hide her face from his nakedness.

"Its in the middle of the night dammit! Can I help you three?"

"Yes you can m'lord! It seems that a small contigent of Grado soldiers are at our door. They may be friends of the spy." Maximus stated.

Arc woke up instantly. Not a single thought of sleep was left in his mind.

"Wake everyone else up and prepare for battle everyone!"

He went back in the room to tell Myra and pulled back on his clothes and armor. Last, but not least, he equipped Yin and Yang in their usual positions. Leaving the room, he followed Maximus and Julius to the top of the fort to get a look at the enemy. It was a Knight and two Cavalair's. Arc smirked and then wondered if they had a small army hidden.

"Have all of our Sniper's on the wall aimed and ready to fire at the enemy."

As everyone rushed around to do his bidding he spotted the Knight's party down below.

"Hail Gradoan's! What may thoust want?" he called down.

[Heartless Angel]

He remained on the balcony, not speaking a word. His hand seemed to be trying to reach for the weapon in spite of Lucian's hatred for it. He didn't want to be swept into another war, but in the past these wishes had proved an excercise in futility. His hand gripped the hilt weakly. It's wrappins felt comforting somehow. As much as he hated it, the weapon consoled him. "If I must... I'll take up the sword again...", he said. He began unsheathing it once more, but just before the blade had completely left the scabbard, he stopped. He began to sweat, he was out of breath. In his mind, once the weapon was in his hands, free from its prison, it was too late to back out of this. He slowly returned it to his side once more, not removing his hand from the hilt.

"No... never again. Never again will I be swept into battle against my will. This time, I make the choice. This time... I wield you. You do not wield me.", He took a deep breath, and pulled the weapon from the sheath completely. A strange crimson glow ran up the blade. The Chaosbringer was born anew. He ran down the stairs, awaiting whatever may come.

[T.G. Oskar]

"Hail Gradoans! What may thoust want?"

An unexpected cry spawned from the heights. Caius looked at the fort's balcony, noticing a figure echoing a greeting. He ordered his men to stop, moved his horse parallel to the walls, and broke the seal upon the warrant scroll. He rose the window of his helm, and bellowed in a mighty voice his demand as he unfurled the scroll.

"Greetings, fortsmen! We are here in official command of the Prince Lyon of Grado, by request of the Chancellor of Grado Keep. We are searching for a criminal who has escaped our territory, and we may suspect he might have traveled this location. We would be grateful if you have heard news of this brigand, either location, hostage or passage. The Prince has offered a reward for any individual that provides with means to this man's capture. If you have no news of this criminal's location, we would also desire passageway to the town of Flarg, of which we have received reports of his destination. Spare you the whereabouts of this man, or have you captured this man?"

Caius expected that the few soldiers and the scroll with the warrant of capture would do enough. If not, the promise of a reward would sweeten the deal for the hardiest of man. He gulped, as he was unaware if the warrant was truly providing a reward for the capture of the spy, but even if it was a lie, he was a man of honor. He would spare of his own coffers if needed, if only to retain the facade; his true mission was far more important than the capture of a petty "criminal", but even his "capture" would provide strong information. None in Tai'zel, the closest town to Jehanna, were aware of a fort in the midst of the desert; news of this force would be well appreciated, even if at the very end he would fail on his main task.

He showed the scroll of warrant even as his hand tired from the weight of his own armor, while he held the left arm holding the reins of his horse. Neither Fred nor Dietrich moved from their spots, eagerly awaiting for a response.

[Magi of Worlds]

"Greetings, fortsmen! We are here in official command of the Prince Lyon of Grado, by request of the Chancellor of Grado Keep. We are searching for a criminal who has escaped our territory, and we may suspect he might have traveled this location. We would be grateful if you have heard news of this brigand, either location, hostage or passage. The Prince has offered a reward for any individual that provides with means to this man's capture. If you have no news of this criminal's location, we would also desire passageway to the town of Flarg, of which we have received reports of his destination. Spare you the whereabouts of this man, or have you captured this man?"

Arc had to think about that one for a moment. A reward would have been nice but being a Prince rewarded him with more money than this lowly man ever could.

"You mean the Gradoan spy we captured earlier in the day? Nay. I shall not hand him over so that you may go after Prince Stephan good sir. I have a better idea."

Arc gave his Sniper's the order to fire. They killed the two Cavalair's but spared the Knight because of order's from Arc. He then sent a trio of General's with Silver Axes to capture the Knight and bring him to Arc. After this was over Arc would question the man to get more information about Prince Stephan.

[T.G. Oskar]

The figure in the distance pondered for a while. It seemed, Caius thought, that it would be an uneventful night. The thought, however, did nothing to dispel the fears he held.

What the figure did, however, confirmed his worst fears.

"You mean the Gradoan spy we captured earlier in the day?" Caius gasped at the sudden revelation. It appeared, because of the revelation of the figure, that the spy had been captured. Fred and Dietrich were astounded, as they were unaware that the criminal they were to capture was truly a spy; for all they knew, the criminal was just that. Not even the scroll was of any use... "Nay. I shall not hand him over so that you may go after Prince Stephan good sir. I have a better idea."

It was worse. How would this man know about his true mission? Caius stood still, his men ready for the first order of their commander.

But not even that was to happen. A swarm of arrows flew from the walls, piercing the hearts and the helmets of Caius' escort. That would have been the last drop, but Caius simply closed his eyes. He tried to contain the tears that would flow from his eyes. How would he explain Agatha, Dietrich's sister, that his brother had perished because of his fault? And Fred; whom would care for his lands now that he was cowardly slain? Caius mulled over his own failure, and his terrible decision, but he could only think to himself.

This...is war. People live...and people die.

He could only hope that he had the strength of the Generals he so admired. These were friends, partners...he couldn't simply stand still, he had to avenge them. But he was also a commander as well. They had no guilt; it was only his own. These men were ready to die for their lord, and so they did; that they were not slain honorably was Caius' own regret.

The gate opened. From the gate, three heavily armored men emerged, each wielding a massive axe glistening with the light of the stars. He could recognize all of them were veterans, willing to slay him in a single strike. Pirates, bandits, and even the lowly foot soldier...these were nothing to his own prowess. But he knew, every bit of his soul knew that this would be a lost cause. His heart urged for revenge; he couldn't lay idle as he saw his men slain cowardly by the arrows of bowmen he didn't even notice.

The men surrounded him. One gave orders to surrender his weapons and his horse; Caius' couldn't do more than to agree. Perhaps, perhaps he was to pay for the lives he had taken, both from the unjust and from the innocent. But such was war; there was no good, no evil. Just honor, and treason; just the victors, and the slain.

He grasped the scroll in his hand. Even if he had to lie, even if his own life was at stake, he would not betray his own lord. Even if his men were captured, they were willing to follow him; they knew they would die, and perhaps they would have no regrets. But he was to be silent, as a wall was; broken, but never moving from the spot.

[Heartless Angel]

He arrived too late to witness these events unfold, but looking at the scene afterwards was enough to surmise what had occured here. He looked at the two corpses with a sick grin, and began laughing hysterically. "How ironic... that the battle I tried so desperately to flee from begins right here where I came to hide from it.", he said. He looked around the area, there was no sign of a third corpse. The third man must've been captured.

He took a large drink from his freshly refilled jug, mead ran down his face, through his black beard. "The drink saitsfies once more, then it is truly begun.", he said. He thought back to his days in Nivix, in particular his first trainer in the ways of the sword. An old, wise man; easily in his 70th year. He had a long grey beard, and looked as though he'd never touched a sword in his life. He remembered very clearly one of the many fragments of wisdom his master had given him, "A mere soldier rejoices at battle's end, but a true warrior is only at peace when he is at war." He was absolutely right. Combat was a way of life for Lucian. He had tried many tiems throughout the years to leave that life behind. He'd been a traveler, an explorer, a merchant, and many other things... but if he did not find battle, battle found him. One way or another, Lucian's life was caught in a spiral of unending warfare. In times of peace, he hated war with all his heart... but when the chance came to take up the sword once more, the sword became his only friend, and the battlefield the only place he could call home.

He began searching for Arc. If he was to fight, he'd need to choose a side...

[Victoria]

“So, I suppose we should get going, hm?” Stefany said with a yawn as she awoke late in the morning. She lightly shook Brenna's body to stir her awake. With a reluctant grunt, Brenna sat up in bed and looked toward the person next to her.

“Yeah.. I guess,” her lips mumbled. A yawn escaped as she stretched her arms. Stefany leaned toward Brenna and blew in her ear. Immediately, Brenna startled and shook her head. “Okay okay, I'm up I'm up.” She rubbed her ear and stood up and gathered her clothing for the day.

Stefany smiled and slid off the bed to get dressed as well. But then she bit her lip when she saw her dress. Perhaps the night was a little bit too rough. She was now out of a dress to wear. “Well... isn't this something? My dress seems to be torn to shreds. I suppose I can just wear my traveling cloak, but I at least need some undergarments. Do you happen to have any spare, Brenna?”

Without even a response or a reply, Brenna fixed up her leather armor to a comfortable spot and dug through her drawer for an extra pair of breeches. She couldn't help but grin at what she found. “I hope you won't mind a dancer's brassier and er, a very short skirt, I think?” she tossed the garments onto the bed for Stefany to inspect.

She tilted her head in query and placed them over her form, and then tried them on. She gave a twirl in front of Brenna. “How do I look?”

“I feel like taking them off, if that means anything.” Brenna gave a smirk and a tiny chuckle as she prepared food and drink in her satchel for them.

“That good, huh?” She thought to wear her traveling cloak just to prevent distractions from their traveling. After all, priorities had to be straight. She couldn't play around all the time. She had a home country to usurp.

With her cloak fastened and their supplies prepared, they set off to the shop down the road to buy some more provisions. A Flux tome for Stefany and some vulneraries just in case. The armory next door provided an Iron Sword for Brenna to use. After all, she only had a single Wakizashi, and she wouldn't want to waste that on just anybody.

While at the store, Stefany thought it be wise to also purchase a map of the country. Given that she's never been there before, she thought it would be good resource material. “Bah, what do you need that map for? I know Frelia like the back of my hand!” bragged Brenna.

Stefany slipped the map in her cloak and took Brenna's arm. “Well, then, Miss Guide, lead the way to the capital. I have some business to tend to.”

Brenna gave a cough and looked away with flushed cheeks and took a deep breath and removed the embarrassment from her mind. “All right then, my lady. Stay close to me and we'll be there in no time~!” she said with enthusiasm.

Half a day later, they wound up in a small ocean side area with what looked like small shacks and houses. However, these shelters looked rundown and abandoned. On the plus side, it looked like there were wild mares roaming around. “Oh look, horses! Lets see if we can tame two of them.” Stefany suggested as her eyes scanned the area for a prime looking specimen.

However, in the shadows of the trees in the distance, a lone figure stood in watch and moved with the wind back toward one of the large huts.

“Hey Boss, it looks like someone finally came for this girlie over here. Aren't you lucky, huh?” the grunt teased the girl and chuckled.

“Oh? How many have come to try and save this wretched girl? It's been days since the last force came to attempt to save her. Isn't that right, Lady Finola?” The burly figure mocked her and stroked her chin. The tanned girl grimaced and spat at him. In turn, he dropped her head and gave her a slap heard through the whole hut.

She could do nothing in her bound state but look on with an ice cold glare. “Just you wait, they'll save me. My father must've brought his strongest forces to deal with you!”

“Hush, girl.” he said with a kick to her abdomen. The blow sent her to the dirt floor, her eyes watered and cheek full of dirt. With the way she was bound, she could not easily sit up. “How many were there again?”

“Two, Boss. Just.. two. However, one of them looked extremely talented. The other looked as fragile as this girlie here though,” he stroked his chin in thought. “Perhaps they aren't here for the girl after all, but all the same, they can't be left alive now that they found our spot.”

“Aye. Take care of 'em, will ya?” He snapped his fingers as the grunt went out the hut and made his way toward the two oblivious girls trying to tame some horses.

Before Stefany could step up to a horse and greet it, an arrow shot at her feet. “Not so fast, girlies! We can't let you leave here alive! You found our spot and now you'll be silenced for it. Get'em, fellas!” Sounds echoed through the entire area as Brigands, Fighters, Archers and Mercenaries showed themselves from their huts.

Stefany gazed at the field full of battle hardened men, and then looked at Brenna, who was busy sizing up the opposition as well. “My, my. Well aren't I in heaven? I came for a horse and I stumbled upon handsome men. I'll tell you boys what; If you manage to take us down, you get to have all of this~” she flapped open her cloak and ran her hand down her body. Brenna smirked and unsheathed her sword and ran her tongue along the blade in a sensual manner.

“Oi oi, don't think you're gonna con me, ladies! I've been around the block. I know your types. I'm not fallin' for your games, ya vixens!”

Stefany shrugged, “Suit yourself, then,” she closed her cloak back up. “What's so important about this spot anyway? It looks pretty run down to me.”

“It's not the spot itself that's important, but the cargo we hold--”

“HELP MEEEEEE!” a head pierced through the window and shrieked at the two unknown figures. However, Stefany locked eyes with the girl in the hut and knew the situation instantly. Now, things have changed.

“Well, well, lookie here. Seems my minion has been captured.” A sigh escaped Stefany's lips. “Don't worry, Finny, I'll get you out!” she yelled, nonchalantly ignoring the threats in front of her.

“Why, you!” he snarled as he shot an arrow to her head. “She's no minion, she's the princess of Frelia! Get that straight!”

Before the arrow made its mark, a gust of wind changed its direction and split the wood into two. The pieces fell to the ground as a sheen of steel blocked the arrow's path to Stefany's head. “Sorry, mate. Gotta get through me first.” Brenna twirled the blade in her hand, vanished in a cloud of dust and appeared on the other side of him. She shook the wet blood from the blade and sheathed it.

His body fell in two different places. He still seemed to have small bits of life left in him, as he snarled at the swordswoman. Stefany spoke while he was still conscious, “I know she's the princess, but she's still my minion, no matter what. Only I can touch my minion. No one else.” He reached out toward the young shaman and lost his life.

The next closest opponent was far away, but Stefany moved a few paces, closer to Brenna. The enemy forces closed in during the next round. Brenna sliced through Brigands and Fighters like butter, and Stefany wracked the minds of the Mercenaries and other units left over.

They seemed to keep coming from nowhere. Brenna and Stefany were exhausted and couldn't keep fighting for long. However, whinnying and galloping could be heard off in the distance. “Lady Stefany, do not worry! We're here to assist you!” a man's tone cut through the wind. His voice felt familiar to Stefany somehow, but she couldn't quite recall. It bled so much valor and honesty, there were only a few men she knew who had that kind of voice.

The two cavaliers managed to slay most of the remaining enemies before things calmed down enough for them to talk. “Lady Stefany, Vahn and I tried to catch up with you since you fled Renais. We managed to break through their defenses and flee to Frelia. But now we finally managed to catch up.”

“Ah, Vahn and Eric! Long time no see!” she exclaimed with a smile. “This is my new concubi—I mean, maid, Brenna.”

A fighter charged toward the exhausted Brenna, but foolishly ran his throat right into the tip of her blade. “Were you just going to call me a concubine, Stefany? I could've sworn I was more than that.”

“You are, but...I...” Stefany drooped her head downward and blushed.

“You like me that much, eh?” she winked and ruffled her hair. “No worries, m'lady. Let's go save that minion of yours.”

“Minion?” Eric asked.

“You know, Eric. I think she means Finola.” Vahn replied.

“Oh, her. I always forget.”

The small group of adventurers made their way to the center hut where the boss and Finola were. Suddenly, through the window, a rather large axe spun in the air and caused the mounts to stir. Stefany and Brenna ducked to the ground as the axe flew through the door.

The burly man stepped through the doorway and held the axe on his shoulder. “Well, well. Seems I underestimated you girls, but I see you got some more help. Those pups won't be enough, though. I'll take care of you all myself.”

A tall Berserker stood in their path to the princess of Frelia. However, what he didn't know, was that Finola managed to stand up and crept up behind him. She gave a drop kick to his knees and fell to the ground as she did so. When his guard dropped for but a moment, Brenna became several blurs and vanished as a loud slice echoed through the area, followed by a thud.

The Berserker's head fell to the ground, his ass in the air and his helmet in two. “Ugh....I'll get you for that...!” his fury surged through his veins as he stepped back up and swung his mighty ax toward the red head. She backflipped out of the way and ran up the thick silver handle and up his arm and somersaulted in the air and drove the blade through his head and body.

His body fell in opposite sides as she flicked the blood from the blade and sheathed it. Brenna's chest heaved from exhaustion as her eyes closed. Her body fell limp and collapsed into the open arms of Stefany, who smiled and ran her fingers through the auburn hair. “Thank you, Brenna...good work.” she kissed her forehead.

Vahn and Eric blinked dumbfounded for a moment and the fast action in front of them, but proceeded to snap into reality and untie the dirtied Finola.

“Thank you so much... everyone. I knew you'd come for me, Madam Stefany...” Exhausted, Finola collapsed into a slumber, much like Brenna. With the help of Vahn and Eric, the five traveled to the next town through the night and arrived in a few hours. It wasn't the capital, but it had an Inn and some shops.

Later in the night, Brenna awoke with Stefany at her bedside. “So, what's the story with a princess being a minion of another princess?” she asked.

Stefany yawned and crawled up onto the bed and laid against Brenna. “It's just our personalities. She's more of a follower than a leader, and I'm more of a leader than a follower. So I made her my servant.”

“Makes sense, I guess.”

The group stayed at the inn to rest from the weary long battle they had earlier that day.

[Magi of Worlds]

Arc himself had not liked to give the order to kill the two Grado Cavalair's that had ridden with the Knight. Unfortunately war was war and war had no honor whatsoever. Especially since Grado was now their enemy and they were technically allied with Prince Stephan after torturing the spy. Arc furrowed his brows in frustration. Why did this have to happen now? Sighing he called together a group of five Sniper's and ten Wyvern Lord's as scouts to look for more Grado soldiers in the desert and to kill them if they did.

He turned to the stairs that led to the third floor and there stood Myra. Arc's will crumpled and he went to her and kissed her and held her.

"Why must war be so bad my darling?" he asked Myra and her only response was to kiss him again and hold him even tighter to her small frame.

Together, and with general's Julius, Meena, and Maximus they headed for the War Room and started planning for a war that everyone knew would be brutal. Before closing the door behind them all Arc motioned a Captain over.

"Make sure that the Grado Knight is sent to the same room that we are holding the spy in so that we can question them together."

The Captain nodded and saluted and went off to fulfill his task. Meanwhile Arc and his general's got down to business.

[Heartless Angel]

The door to the war room was flung open, and an obviously inebriated Lucian entered the room, sword in hand. "I come to offer you my sword, my friend.", he said seriously, but with an unmistakable slur. Some of the other men stationed here may have already noticed that their supplies of alcohol had dwindled to almost nothing in the past few hours. Any left wondering would now know exactly where it had gone. He walked towards the map table, stumbling a time or two on his way. "General Lucian Valeth, reporting for... for... duty! Reporting for duty sir!", he said, introducing himself with the rank he'd earned centuries ago in a now forgotten Kingdom. He put one of his large boots on the table, leaning in as he attempted to sheathe his weapon. In his drunkenness, he missed the sheath entirely and carelessly allowed the blade to fall to the ground, not even aware of the fact. "So, who exactly is our enemy? Where is he? And when do we kick some ass?", he asked, his slur getting worse by the minute.

[Treize]

Ray had been working for what seemed like an eternity under the brilliant sun in the capital of Frelia. She had just arrived here a little over a week ago, but she felt as if she had been working nonstop for months. Ray was a cleric sent here by the Church to do some mission work; however, she didn’t know how tough it would be when she first arrived. The days here were long, and there was never a lapse in the work that needed to be done. There were not very many missionaries sent here because the capital, located on the edge of the continent, was a long journey from the Church’s headquarters. There were also many people in need because the majority of the populace was quite poor. As a result, there were always more things that needed to be done than time permitted.

“Why did I have to come here,” Ray thought to herself. “The work here is never-ending, and I’m not even that good at this kind of work. If it was spying or an assassination, I would be fine, but I hate having to keep up this cleric façade. It was fine in the beginning when the work was easy and I was given plenty of time to hone my skills, but I don’t know if I can take this much longer. I’m now strong enough to survive on my own.”

Even though Ray felt slightly indebted to the Church for taking care of her and giving her an easy life for all these years, she decided it was finally time to cut her ties with them and live for herself. Unfortunately, now that the Church wouldn’t provide for her any longer, Ray needed to look for some work to survive. She, however, knew that she could make it easily with her skills, and, if nothing else, she could always take advantage of some unsuspecting noble.

Ray looked around the city for work that looked both easy and paid a hefty sum. This was not an easy task, but soon enough Ray came across the Frelian colosseum.

Ray thought, “This’ll be perfect! The prize is pretty high, and who would suspect an innocent looking cleric like me to be a trained assassin? I’m sure they’ll go easy on me and won’t see me coming. I’ll be able to make a fortune! Who knows? If I win the grand prize, I might not even have to work for quite a while.”

Before Ray entered the arena, she looked up into the sky. It was a radiant day in the capital of Frelia. It appeared to be almost too nice of a day. Ray was still fretful, however, because she knew that the weather here could change in seemingly no time at all.

[Rhaps]

"And you stay out, you bloody heathen!"
This was the last time Rhapso would ever have to stand that horrid phrase. People had problems with a man trying to help the needy. . . Especially war victims. Even though his training was for healing, it was meant for the rich. Hospitals could earn their own medics, the poor are trash, and the warriors shouldn't have fought unless it was a crusade. He always cast aside these teachings, his first being a young vagrant around his age. "That earned me a good beating", he reminisced. "First time I was called Heathen too." However, his repeat "offenses" have now lead to this, his judgement day. The Church of Flarg's doors slammed shut, and this rough town didn't take well to the church members, ex or otherwise. He had to flee, fast. A gold charm flashed on his neck, a memento to boost his cures. "Dammit, if they see this. . . " Gripping the charm, he prepared to throw it. . . but got a feeling he may need it yet. Instead, he made a mad dash for the city gates. Out in the desert, he saw a massive group of people clamoring outside of a fort-like structure. Then, he saw arrows fly and some people drop. "Well, that's no party. I had my hopes up 'n everything. . . ah well, better go use my "heathen" healing."
He set off in the direction of the fort