The room was ornate, marble pillars rose up from the silky grey floor and into the ceiling that loomed above, in the center a crystal light illuminated the room like the sun. Upon entering this room through its large doors one would walk down the length of the room to a circular area in front of viewing stand. On the way down to the circle one would be watched as numerous chairs lined each side, for this was the room of the Senate.

Indeed the senate was in session and all eyes were upon the man in the center of the circle, looming above him sat the three who dictated fate in One. On The right there was Victor Taff, a middle-aged, pompous nobleman who's dealings in the under world seemingly went unnoticed, while his profits skyrocketed. On the left there was Madeline Kartan, an old wench who was partially stuck in the past with ideals of a brighter future, but due to her dullist ways (which is basically racism) nothing was done. And one could not forget Victoria Bielata, who sat in the middle, her gaze unamused. Victoria looked like an angel, her curly blonde hair went a little past her shoulders, while her complexion was that of a serene goddess. Her blue eyes however, were as cold as Ba'luure and many would say she had no heart.
Besides that fact all eyes were on the black clad figure who stood before them. The attire was that of a One's guard and someone of high esteem as he wore a black cape while most others did not. Captain Oberon was once again before the senate, this time discussing the alarming rate of corruption in high places, while ignoring the war outside..

He looked at them showing no emotion, while everyone else seemed to be shouting. "What you purpose is monstrous! We cannot let you waltz into peoples houses just because they are on your list!" Boomed Victor, his veins pulsing like a madman.
"Do you have any idea of the ramifications that would cause!" Began Madeline as she pointed her cane at Oberon, "Infrastructure would be lost, time wasted and the taxpayers credits wasted on some witch hunt!"

Oberon spoke then, his voice straining to be calm, "Oh I see, too many friends on that list Victor? Or how about you Madeline and all your infrastructure and business that would make you loose credits. The only monstrous thing here is your inability to let it happen! Don-"

"SILENCE!" Commanded Victoria as she stood up. The whole room fell to hushed whispers and then quiet as her quiet voice then began, "Did you really think we would let you do this Oberon? Did you think for an instant that this could happen without grave consequences? This list before me is full of only rumor, you have no proof and therefore no credentials. The fact that even our names are on it has shown how desperate you've become for change, when everything is as it should be. These delusions of yours have left us no choice but exile for treason. Guards!"

The room became tense suddenly and no guards came. Oberon began to smirk then laugh as if he had heard a good joke and it was the only noise in the room. When he finally stopped laughing he looked up at Victor, took out his Nitelock pistol and fired. The blue burst of energy burnt a hole through him as he fell over dead. He then pointed the gun at Madeline and did the same, this time the bolt hit her arm severing it and as she fell screaming the ground, he spoke to the room, "The only treason I have committed is not having done this sooner. For you see the problem is this Senate and I shall now fix that problem. Sons of Ba'luure! Our time is now!"
Windows broke and doors opened as Sons rushed into the room, rounding up senators and killing those that dared to try escape. "Round them up send them to the prison. We shall deal with them when the city is ours!."

He then strode to the window and looked out to see the battle taking place. All manner of weapons were being used to quell the old One guard who did not commit loyalty to Oberon. He watched as hovercraft and light sailors rose and fall, colliding into buildings or being burned to a crisp in the air. It was as if the war was going on in One right now but Oberon knew better, no, this was just the begginning of a new age for Dull. A glorious new beginning.

Surprisingly enough it was not the sound of battle or the crashing of hovercraft that woke Errald, but the taste of smoke. Blinking the sleep from his eyes he rose from small cot upon which he had been sleeping and slowly looked around for the source of the taste. Suddenly Errald froze, gaze locked upon the senate building, the center of the chaos. The view from his small apartment didn't let him see the full scene but he was able to watch as soldiers slaughtered the guards.

Barely two minutes later Errald was sprinting down the street, still fiddling with the clasps on his cuirass.

On the list of things that Brynhild had expected to happen on that day, mass hysteria wasn't in the top 10. Luckily for her, she sat tucked in a darker alleyway and away from most of the pandemonium going on. But she wasn't going to wait for it to come to her, and quickly began to move away in any direction that she could, keeping a tight grip of her bag as she did. Her free hand was kept at the ready, albeit subtly, to defend herself should the situation so require.

She continued sprinting along her path, not exactly sure where safety would be but followed several others that were also fleeing. Definitely the best course of action.

Somewhere in the midst of the skyscrapers a light fighter was dog-fighting a revolutionary. Back and forth they went, exchanging fire and evading obstacles and other fighters. Its sturdy frame and energy accelerators made this aircraft a good choice as its ability to maneuver in close quarters was unparalleled to almost all other airborne craft.

"Incoming missile. Take precautionary measures." The navigation system droned out.

The pilot screamed into the com, "Deploy flares dammit!" The console screen then went red, small letters flashed "Flare systems damaged."

"Oh sh-" Was the last thing that came out of his mouth as the missile hit, the eruption caused the light fighter to burst into flames, consuming everything until it was a husk. The wreckage then touched down into a street, skittering across the debris filled pavement and exploding once more.

----

Dog fights like these were happening all over the city and on the ground key locations were being targeted. The old One would come crashing down this night and the new One would takes its place.

Down in a particular street several Old guards were running away from a group of Sons. Shots were being fired back at each other constantly and even civilians were not spared from the crossfire. This is the street that Errald finds himself in now and Brynhild was not far away.

One of the buckles on his boot had managed to come undone during Erralds' whirlwind sprint, in fact he had been hopping along trying to fix it when the guards rushed past him. Not expecting to encounter trouble for at least another few blocks he stumbled in surprise, but managed to recover his footing in a few steps. His opponents had no such distractions, not even a moments hesitation before firing. Narrowly dodging energy bolts with the momentum from his sprint Errald returned their attacks, unleashing an inferno with a wave of his hand.

Not bothering to check if any of these attackers had survived he continued running down the street, a bonfire building inside of him.

Finally having fixed his apparel, Erralds' sprint through the warzone brought him within sight of the senate building which promptly opened fire on him. While such treatment might be expected in uncertain times the majority was not in fact coming from the One Guard. If the senate building was over run then it was officially beyond the scope of which Errald could handle, maybe beyond the scope that any singular person could handle, but then again that depended on ones perspective.

All he needed was a way into the main room.

Oberon had started to leave the senate building. His task was done and it was now up to his loyal troops to see things through and from the reports things were going very good. Instillation after instillation of One guard were being destroyed much to his satisfaction. He was nearing the entrance when he was suddenly stopped by his men.

"Sir, it isn't safe, there is someone out there. Hostile intent unknown." said a man with his gun perched on his shoulder.

"An interesting predicament indeed, come with me, we shall see how hostile this person is." Oberon said while grabbing a light rifle from one of his men.

Being flanked by 3 guards he walked out of the Senate's front doors and said with authority, "Whoever you are come out."

After narrowing down who looked like they knew where they were going, Brynhild finally decided to follow one guy specifically because he seemed to have a plan rather than just running around in a hysteric fashion. So she did the best that she could to keep pace with him, running as hard as she could to the point where the piercing pain in her chest evolved to a heavy pressure pushing in on her. Just when she thought she could keep up no longer, the man turned towards the Senate building for some reason. But he was quickly preempted by several men that were seemingly armed to the teeth.

Without thinking very hard, Brynhild held her hands out and formed a wall of bright blue energy between the man and the gunmen that just showed up.

The trio of soldiers was surprising enough, this sudden mage with her forcefield prompted an impromptu dodge roll to a different set of cover, which oddly enough didn't provoke a hail of energy bolts.

Deciding to take advantage of the pause Errald spoke up, "Halt and desist your hostilities against this great sanctuary! Should you fail to do so immediately I will be forced kill you and your band of banditry! You have been warned!"

Oberon laughed at the fellows remarks, who did he think he was? The magic user agitated him however, those people would get what was coming to them very soon. He collected himself then said, "You fool, these hostilities are for the greater good! For a better future that everyone in One can live in. I am the father to this disobedient child and I shall make it obedient again! Now, open fire on this scum and show them what it means to be a Son of Ba'luure!"

With that said his men opened fire on the bubble, shots arching off into different places each one going out with a sizzle. They could keep firing for hours but the real question was, how long could the shield last? While the fighting happened Oberon called in a shuttle which would arrive soon.

Laughing sarcastically Errald spoke back, "If there is one thing I've learned from my time in the frozen wastes its that there is no 'Greater Good' or 'Lesser Evil' except as an escape for cowards."

Fortunately for Errald he took the moment to reposition himself for a leap, a leap that, if he hadn't hesitated, would have been suddenly cut off by a hail of energy bolts. Effectively pinned down Errald looked the magic user, half expectantly, half curious.

"Ahh so you too have journeyed the the cold side of our lovely planet. You have not been the first nor the last but your accusations that I am a coward, now that's gone a bit too far." Oberon hissed. There was a greater good, he was the greater good and Oberon would be damned if anyone told him otherwise! "Try this one on for size, tough guy." he whispered to himself as he threw a plasma grenade right at Errald's location.

The distinction between plasma and fire has always been a bit hard to pin down with different scientist proposing certain distinctions and definitions based on their own findings, put simply the majority of flames are at the very least plasma-like albeit on a smaller scale. Your average fire is mostly plasma, if only partially ionized and dominated by collisions instead of the free range atoms of a star. Theoretically using a precisest manipulation of flames one could do some neat and crazy things with plasma such as controlling its arc similar to a welding torch, use its potential difference to lightning bolt people, or even manipulate the magnetic field of the area.

Errald "Ash Blood" Ris does not know any of this. Instead he elects to bat the grenade out of the air with the flat of his sword, sending it roughly in the direction of its thrower.

"I'm sorry you're not GAME for diplomacy," Errald retorts, congratulating himself on the banter, "But if this is what you want I'm fine with watching your plan crash and BURN. But try not to MELT, with rage!"

Brynhild stared at the two bantering men, wincing and shaking her hands as the shield that she had set up slowly fizzled out of existence. She decided silently that talking would ruin the conversation that the two were having, so she went back to projecting a shield, this time to protect herself as she was no longer sure if the man challenging the soldiers would need it. He did, indeed, just slap an explosive with his blade. She thought to herself, pain beginning to crackle away in her fingers as she held up her magical protective field.

"Shit!" Oberon shouted as he narrowly dodged the full blast of the grenade. It managed to catch him behind, sending him falling on his face, his cloak on fire. A couple of his men stopped firing at the shielded one to help him up. Oberon quickly brushed them off, enraged, he pulled of his cloak, sending it to the wind. He was about to attack himself but the whir of an engine caught his attention, looking up, his shuttle had arrived. With the shuttle came the volley of its machine guns, as it fired at the two intruders.

Oberon got on with much distaste, two of his men got on with him, while the others withdrew back into the building. As it took off he looked at the the man who dared to defy him. Something told him they would meet again. "Take me to Archon." was his command.

----

One fell that night to Oberon and his Son's. Now there is much chaos in the streets as looting and rioting are taking place. Order would come soon but for now chaos ran rampant.

Having the villain escape like that always annoyed Errald, sure it was thematically appropriate, even logical under most circumstances including this, but while it made for a great legend in the end it was just so much busy work. Unable to follow the shuttle on foot, properly liberate the senate building or do any defenite good here Errald sprinted back down the street he had come, hopefully in time to save more lives from the chaos.

---

Seeing his home, this sanctuary, this final bastion of civilization consumed by chaos and flame, Errald felt a fire of his own risingm a fiery, almost molten rage built inside him as he watched powerlessly from his small apartment. All of this destruction, fear and pain, all of it for what? To cut out the "corruption" in the system? To chance the face on the dollar? One hadn't been perfect, far from it in fact, but Errald had strode confidently down the streets of this place doing his very best to help people, making a difference.

The man had said "These hostilities are for the greater good! For a better future that everyone in One can live in." but how could he be so hypocritical as to believe such as asinine lie, even as his men gunned down innocents in the streets. There was no "greater good" in slaughter and death, no better future for those that he killed and now let die in the aftermath.

Glaring angrily at the hoverships which even now circled overhead Errald let himself whisper a few words to be lost amidst the riot bellow, "The only good is that which we do for each other. You have chosen the lie of a coward."

Since that night when the city burned with fires of rebellion, a week had gone by. Order had come down as quickly as possible. Oberon had taken the city of One by force and it was the news of the century, besides the war of course. It finally meant that the Dull had a chance to win. A chance to take over the planet and get rid of magic forever. Oberon's plan had entered its phase two and down before the mighty gates of Archon (The citadel that was once the One Guard's home before the fall) a gallows had been constructed. Those who dared oppose Oberon's new rule would meet their fate and on that day many necks were being broken.

Oberon watched the assembly before him, Dull had crowded the streets in anticipation of the event. For even the remains of the high council were going to be there. Victoria and Madeline had their fates sealed for the gallows and nothing they could do or say would stop that. It was a waiting game now and soon they would be up there, for the whole world to see what they brought themselves to. Oberon simply smiled and waved.

As the crowd around the gallows reached its height a small flame danced across the cobblestone walk way, erupting into a circle around the platform. In a matter of moments the wood and rope of the hangman's noose was ablaze. Trying his best to blend in with the panicked crowd Errald danced this way and that, mimicking the scatter to the best of his ability.

Anyone watching could see an obviously cloaked figure who, by sheer coincidence, had been standing were the trail of fire had started.

Oberon suspected something like this would happen and had guards disguised as civilians all throughout the crowd. What hubris it would be to believe that the stopping of an execution in broad daylight would not be a thing. The disguised guards were quickly on the perpetrator, shooting at him with stun guns, hoping to immobilize and capture. Meanwhile the councilmen and senators who could not be hung were quickly put back on transportation vehicles to await their fate elsewhere.

Wearing a cuirass in a world of guns and what not has few merits. Distortion of electric attacks such as those from stun guns might in fact be the only advantage. Only experiencing mild muscle spasms Errald gave up on the "disguise" and began properly tumbling through the panicked crowed, ducking narrowly between and through groups. Within moments he was nearing the edge of the courtyard. However now content to simply abscond he stopped for a moment to lob a fireball at the balcony on with Oberon watched.