Cayenne @Shurikai

The Empire. Avenase. This was your home, and these were your people. Armond was your King, and you serve in his army. It wasn't always like this for you though, you once had a life outside the army, one filled with those you loved and cared for deeply. But tragedy struck and you lost everything, thus forcing you to live on the streets. Stealing food and water was all you could do to survive, though it never kept the nightmares away, right? You could never forget. Then you were conscripted, and you no longer thought about the past, only about your training. You rose the ranks quickly, not as quickly as one Lyona Stormrider did, but damn near close to it! You did, however, set the record for the youngest recruit to rise to the rank you have now. Today, a new batch of recruits are inbound to your Division's barracks, all filled with dreams of fame and fortune. You and your commanding officer are going to see to it that those dreams are shattered, you're going to show these pups what reality is like, that it's not all fun and games in the army. Things need to be serious, especially with the threat of war on the horizon.

Cerylia @Fabricant451

"Ice Queen". That's what the soldiers call you, and rightly so. You don't show any emotion, during training, during lessons. You simply drill your charges until they can no longer hold their weapons, then you drill them some more. Being an Elite member requires perfection, and you are the embodiment of that perfection, as you have shown time and again. Despite being from Tormin, Avenase is your home, and these were now your people. Though you know a single fire spell, it has not affected your ability to fight. You are one of the top-notch fighters in the army, next to the Generals and the popular and well known Lyona Stormrider, your rival. Today new recruits are coming into all 86 Division barracks, chances are high you will get some fresh meat.

Alexander @Skelace

General Faet Asharna. This man was ruthless and cruel, he was placed higher than the other Generals, having never lost a single engagement in his career. He knew magic, not just any magic, but black magic. The magic you have desired to learn. However, his magic is artificially created from a device on his wrist. How such a device came to hold powerful magic is unknown, but he has the knowledge on how you can learn such magic. He gives you books, scrolls, anything he can find and give to you on magic. He makes you study every word until it is burned into your memory, then he pushes you even further. The both of you know you have great potential to be a powerful black mage one day, that you will unlock the Goddess Ultima's secrets to the Destruction Aspect of magic, and in turn be elevated to near Godhood. You cannot wait for the day that Tormin will fall in a single casting of a spell, and that you will become the hero of the war, saving countless lives with your magic. For now though, it is a dream, one that you will strive to make come true.

Katherine @Ezmeralda

Your family has served the government for generations, and once Luna Bladedancer was elected, you were hand-chosen by her to serve in the RSG. Your family name held no bearing on this choice, it was simply your unique style of fighting, the Matriarch firmly believing you to be destined for something greater than being a simple mage. Though she had no experienced warriors to call upon to train you, there was, however, a chance given to the ruler that would grant you the training you needed. You have been called into her office, which was a rare thing, as usually her orders came in the form of a message via messenger bird. Today was particularly important, and her orders extremely urgent and very sensitive. Luna set the papers down on her desk, "Commander, I called you here for a reason. As you are aware, we are on the brink of war with Avenase; their ruler Armond having refused to all attempts of reaching peace. For the time being, our best black mages are on the frontlines, protecting Tormin from invasion via airships. However, I know very well that such a defense will not hold forever. In fact, I've been led to believe it may be too late already, we may have been breached. I need you to go to the docks here in Moro Zera and meet with a...unique individual, he will be joining your team as you scout the mountain to the east. He may just be a recruit, but if the information I've been given is correct, he will undoubtedly come in handy out there. Up until you reach your destination, you are in charge. After that, based on his assessment of the situation, he may determine to engage or not." she explained. She pulled a picture from the file on her desk and handed it to the woman, "The man's name is Tyme Ishinara, he's from Avenase." she added before dismissing her.

Tyme & Lyona (The past) @Belle

Tyme sighed, sitting on a log by the lake, which was close to his hometown, Tevarin. He looked over the ring in his hand, the one he had made himself, running a thumb over the etching. It was of a lion jumping through flames, it was his most prized possession, aside from the key he had been given by Azure before she died. The memory of seeing his sister under the tree haunted his mind, his dreams, his memories. The only thing he could do now was to leave, to leave and get stronger, so that he could come back and protect the town. Protect Lyona. All he wanted was to protect her, to make her happy...to live in peace with her in Tevarin. He sighed once again, pushing the thought out of his mind, clutching the ring in his hand. He stared out across the water, Where is she? I asked her to meet me here half an hour ago, she's late. Is she even going to show up? I wouldn't, not after telling her I was leaving last night... he thought, slowly standing. He pocketed his ring, which he had intended to give to Lyona, a promise and a reason to come back. He made his way to the front gate, stopping as he heard his name being called, turning around to see the familiar face of Lyona. "I didn't think you were going to come...I'm glad you did." he said to her.

@Krinos Solstice

Why was she going? After last night she had sworn she was never going to see him again. She had cursed him, hit him, questioned, cried and finally, and shamefully, had begged. Nothing she said made any difference. He claimed to love her, yet he was leaving her behind.
He asked her to meet him at their spot. She refused to go. What else could he possibly have to say to her?

But her traitorous heart got the better of her, which it usually did. She found herself running to their spot only to find it empty. He hadn't waited for her. But then again, why should he after all she had screamed at him the previous night? Panicked she raced to the gate. Even if she hated him right now for leaving, she had to see him one more time.

"Tyme!" Lyona called as she spotted his form at the gate, readying to leave. His eyes lit up as they always did when they were together. The sight nearly brought her to her knee, the hastily patched barriers on her heart cracking and causing her to wince at the pain.
"I wasn't going to," she admitted, her voice shaking a bit, wanting to take his hand but afraid of what touching him might do to her. "Tyme..." she murmured, her eyes brimming with tears. "You're breaking my heart. Tell me what to say. Give me the words to make you stay. Please... don't go..."

@Belle

Tyme stared at the woman he loved, it tore him up inside that he was leaving her, but he had to. He had to become stronger, to prevent her from becoming another Azure, "I...can't, Lyona. This place, the memories...they're too much for me. That's why I have to go, I have to get stronger, to protect you. I plan to join the Imperial Army, so that one day I can come back and prove I can keep you and everyone safe. I don't want you to end up like Azure, Lyona...I would die if I ever lost you." he replied. He wanted to hold her, to tell her everything would work out. But the truth was, he didn't know if everything would, he couldn't see the future after all. He then remembered the ring in his pocket, setting his bag down and pulling it out, placing it in her hand. "Take this. You know how important this ring is to me, let it be my promise to you that I'll return. Three years. That's all I ask. Wait for me for three years, and I will come back to you as I promised. Let that ring be a symbol of that promise, Lyona." he said. He picked up his bag, turning to head out the gate and taking a few steps before stopping to turn around, giving her one final chance to hug him goodbye.

Katherine stood awkwardly at attention listening to Luna's briefing. Her posture was a mess. Her knees were almost touching, She was slightly slouched, and she couldn't keep her hands from clenching together at her midsection. She generally wasn't this nervous, but this was Luna Bladedancer! Being a commander walways felt strange to her, too. She was pretty good in a fight, but leadership wasn't her strong suit, especially when most the time you just fell into mud puddles.... But if this was how she could help her country she would do it. And she supposed she could do this. It was just meeting someone and then some scouting....she could do that....right?

She finally realized the woman had stopped talking, and picked up the paper to look at it. "Y-yes ma'am!" she said, then turned for the door in a rush, almost tripping over her own feet in the proccess. She stopped aways out of the woman's office to get a better look at that picture. Katherine had a few questions about him, but she supposed it didn't matter. Plus, she wasn't in the room anymore....so ya know....too late now.

Katherine sighed, "Good going, Kathy. Real professional...." she said sarcastically. She went to flick her own forehead, but missed and flicked herself in the eye. She gave herself a moment to recover from the pain, then went about collecting her crew and supplies before heading to the docks.

Sticky. Sticky and wet? For the briefest of moments Alexander couldn't recall where he was, and his eyes burned far too much for him to open them to find out. His mouth was terribly dry and his cheek was covered in a liquid that seemed stuck to a smooth piece of... wood? The young mage snapped up, forcing his eyes open, if only just slightly, and wiped away at the slobber that had coated his cheek with his sleeve before using the same sleeve to wipe down his desk. The sudden motion caused papers to scatter about a bit one or two falling to the floor. Thankfully the inkwell stayed upright. Alexander let out a low growl of frustration. Sleep had stolen him from his studies again. He had no idea what time it was, his eyes only just getting used to the darkness of the room that held no windows and candles that were running out of wick. Rising from his seat he rubbed his eyes hoping that would make it easier to keep them open. It was a bad move for the one didn't seem to want to open at all not that it had a chance to close again. The young lad would've made quiet the site had anyone else been in the room as stumbled around grabbing at the parchment on the floor, his hair messy and a mixture of wetted down and stuck up on the side that had been resting on the desk.

Squinting through his one responding eye Alex, grabbed book that lay open, fitting the loose parchment in the open page before closing it. Text in hand he continued to stumble his way out the room, every step seeming to bring back just a bit more consciousness. Opening the door of what was now revealed to be a shed he was relieved to find it was still dark outside. Couldn't have been more than a couple hours then. Alexander had been pouring over texts and practicing the spell Demi and Alex just knew he was close to a break through. Today was going to be the day. Just a few more tries and he would cast the spell flawlessly. Last night he had found a text that his mind ate up and understood more so than any of the others on the subject and he was sure he understood now. Just a bit of fine tuning.

The General was not an easy man to impress and Alex had to constantly show improvement if he was to receive access to the great wealth of information General Asharna had at his disposal. In fact Alex sometimes questioned whether the General expected more from Alex than the young mage did from himself. That was impossible though because no one could possible dream as big as Alexander. He was going to be become so powerful in the dark arts that he would someday challenge the gods themselves for a place in eternity. But before that could happen he needed to clean himself up and go to the General's study. And so Alex made his way back to his room, and began the same routine that he had been through everyday since his first day working with the General. Cleaning himself down changing his attire and walking briskly across the courtyard and making his way to the study.

Jinayah @Mistress Dizzy

Tormin. Avenase. War. These three things together spelled disaster, of course, you knew this already. Despite being raised by goblins, it was common sense war would spell misfortune for all involved, even your clan. Even for you. In spite of that, you still went out in search of wealth and treasure to bring back to your clan, which is honorable of course. However, your destiny is the one thing you have no control over. Chance encounters with future comrades, enemies, and unknown dangers await you in the world. Doria is filled with so many secrets, most buried under countless corpses of wars past. You personally know of one war that was horrible enough to reduce this once flourishing world from twelve continents, to a mere two habitable ones. Your clan knows as well, for they have been around since the first Goddess' War. Their ancestors witnessed the destruction of ten continents, and the sudden vanishing of the island known as Isla. You know things the people of Doria have forgotten, such as how there is not one Goddess, but two of them. Ultima and Eden. One is known as the Goddess of Destruction, the other, the Goddess of Creation. Your clan follows the teachings of the Goddess Eden, believing life to be sacred, a blessing for the world to enjoy. However, your clan also knows the horrible truth; Doria is slowly dying. Avenase and it's giant mechanical cities are gradually choking the life out of Doria, erasing magic, the lifeblood of all living things.

However, there is hope. Your journey will lead you to meet Doria's only hope, a chance encounter with one Tyme Ishinara. You're currently heading in the direction of Tormin's capital, Moro Zera; unbeknownst to you, this Tyme Ishinara is preparing to head in your direction. How will you deal with him and his comrades? Will you aid in their endeavour? Or will you simply stay out of it? Regardless of your choice, you will be drawn into the war, as will all inhabitants of Doria.

---

@Skelace

Faet watched from his tower's window, seeing his apprentice scurrying through the courtyard like a rat. The man himself was merciless, whether through teachings, or combat training. His methods were extreme, but it was those same methods that produced the best soldiers in the army, the ones who could use magic in the same fashion he could. Typically, Faet wasn't easy to irritate, he usually only ever displayed anger when someone screwed up. Today, however, he was beyond that anger. He was downright livid. Something had happened the night before, it had caused a great deal of confusion in the main research compound; even the 42nd Armored Division was in chaos. In that confusion, a very important and valuable experiment escaped and disappeared without a trace. Tonight he was going to be taking his apprentice with him to the compound, he decided the boy had earned the right to be let in on what he did around here exactly. Once Alex had finally made his appearance, the man picked up his large two handed sword and strapped it to his back, "Come with me." he ordered without looking at the male. He led him back down the tower's steps and out of it, briskly walking past the Elite training grounds, and even the main Division barracks. He made his way to the other side of the castle, where extremely heavily armored guards stood in front of a massive steel gate. It was here that the man stopped and finally looked at the boy, "The night before, there was an incident involving the main research compound on the other side of this gate, one of our most vital experiments escaped. During the confusion, the subject managed to evade the 42nd Armored Division, who were posted at the Main Gate." he began, motioning to the guards to raise the compound's gate.

As the gate rose, evidence of fighting could be seen; machines were destroyed, some had been melted, others had simply exploded from being overcharged. However, the focal point of the destruction seemed to be a large circular room. The room itself had magic-resilient windows which would dispel even the most strongest of magic from within the chamber, so escape from the subject wouldn't have been possible. Unless... "...they had help from the inside." he concluded for the boy. He pointed to what was left of the main console, "The only way to lower the dispelling capabilities of the windows is on that console, so whoever was helping the subject knew what they were doing. We have a spy." he told Alex. He motioned to the chamber the subject had been confined in, "Consider this to be part of your lesson for today. Notice the scorch marks and the seemingly randomly placed holes and identical lines cut into the metal both in the ceiling and the floor. If you put this all together, along with some of the fried machinery, what magic do you suppose the subject favored using to escape their confines?" he asked, looking at the boy expectantly.

@Krinos Solstice

Alexander had barely made it into the room before he stopped in his tracks eyeing the large sword being strapped to the General’s back. That was something the man didn’t put on often and if he did it certainly wasn’t before acknowledging his young pupil. Alex followed the man’s orders without hesitation, taking his position slightly behind and to the left of the General. Any idiot would’ve been able to guess something was wrong simply by the General’s lack of acknowledgement and the strain in his voice and Alexander was certainly no idiot. His mind raced around trying to infer what was going on collecting what data he could as his hand absentmindedly tightened around his wooden walking staff. The General gave little for Alex’s mind to work with, as they walked along at a difficult pace even for Alexander who hated how slow walking seemed. The silent general wasn’t going to be giving any clues as to what was happening so Alex turned his mind to where they were walking. Past the training grounds… this was unusual. Normally this is where the two would stop to practice whatever spell it was they were focusing on at that time. But Alexander wasn’t surprised by this, the General would never bring his own sword to something as trivial as the training grounds. There was a slight hiccup in Alex’s step as they made their way past the barracks. They had never gone farther than here in all of Alexander’s training and the young lad had been about to stop before he realized was still continuing on past the structure.

Alex could already feel his forehead begin to moisten, curse this frail body, though whether it was from the punishing pace the General had set or nervousness Alex couldn’t exactly tell. When they arrived a giant gate of steel Alex felt his stomach drop. He knew from listening in the dark and shadowy corners of where others congregate that within these gates were the monsters the military experimented with. Alex had dealt with monsters before during his time in the Wood but nothing worthy of this military’s time. The General’s explanation did little to calm the young mages nerves. Steel yourself fool. Now is the time to show the world what you can do. Any nitwit can cast a spell unthreatened on the training grounds. This is will be the real thing.

As soon as the gate began to open the destruction was evident. Scorch marks were everywhere, even along the steel beams that lined the walls. Even before the General began pointing out the signs Alexander knew the type of magic that could do this. The straightness of the scorch marks, the lack of explosive holes in the ground and no evidence of fire spreading. The fried machinery really gave it away as well as the tiny precise holes here and there the likes of which could only be done with, “Lightening based magic.” The young mage felt his nerves calm as he began to understand his foe. The whisper of magic beginning to creep into his mind as his thoughts turned to water, the natural enemy those who preferred this type of magic.

His thoughts were disrupted as he played through what the General had said a second time in his head. Looking at the General a quizzical look upon his face as he asked. “Do they know anything more useful of this spy besides the fact that he was here?” Alex fought to keep his usual condescending tone from his voice whenever he asked a question and expected a less than satisfactory answer. No wonder then General was in such a foul mood.

@Krinos Solstice
All she could do was close her eyes tightly and nod, knowing he had to do this and hating it. If the world was perfect, if no one ever fought, if every person could just work together no matter their race or origin, then they could be together.

"I can't say goodbye to you," she said. "Please don't ask me to. Swear nothing will happen to you. Swear you will never die."

He pulled back and pulled out the ring and the pain in her heart increased. Tears streamed freely, though she made no sound. Her fingers closed over the symbol of his promise as he turned from her to leave. When he stopped and turned she closed the distance between them and kissed him. It was a gentle kiss, full of longing. When the kiss broke she placed her forehead against his, her eyes closed and her hands on his face. "Return to me."

If she had only known those were the last words she would say to him as she was : young, hopeful and in love.
For Tyme did not keep his promise.
And Lyona's heart turned cold and calloused with anger.

@Belle

Tyme fully turned and dropped his bag when she ran at him, his hands holding her waist as they shared one final kiss, something he would remember from that moment on. He closed his eyes as their foreheads touched, "I promise, I'll come back to you alive, Lyona." he whispered softly to her. When he finally pulled away, he turned and picked up his bag, putting it over his shoulder as he made his way through the gate. Little did Tyme know he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to his beloved, that fate had another plan for him, and that he would be at the center of many things. Tyme was gone for seven years, there was no trace of him, as if he had simply popped out of existence. Those he left behind were now older, different, and one in particular hated him for what he had done to her. It was his fault Lyona turned out the way she did, however, she had become significantly stronger for it. Then it happened, the day of the incident. She had finally failed the King. She had been ordered to assist the 42nd Armored Division to prevent the escape of the valuable subject, though all she had been able to do was catch a glance of something for a brief moment. Scaled wings. By the time she would blink, whatever it was, was long gone.

---

@Ezmeralda

Tyme stood at the edge of the small boat that was pulling in, his attire had changed in the seven years since he left Lyona. He no longer wore his typical red vest and blue pants, he now wore a black vest with black pants, his shiny gunblade strapped to his leg had extra length on the hilt. The sun gleamed off it, causing Tyme to squint his eyes, making a mental note to find sunglasses at some point. He patted the weapon, which he had named after his sister, in honor of her. As the boat came to a stop, he stepped off it, almost bumping into a worker. After apologizing, he made his way down the pier to the main area of the docks, amazed to see how happy the people of Tormin were, despite how the fact there was rumor of war on the horizon. He sighed, it had been seven years already and he hadn't returned to her...and he wasn't strong enough yet. How was he going to return to her now? His promise was broken.

Shaking his head, he made his way towards the structure in the center, only to be stopped by a pair of angry looking people. "Avenasian scum, go back to your filthy Empire, dirtbag!" the one on the left said. The one on the right simply smirked, revealing the dagger hidden under his robes, "H-hey, listen fellas, I don't want any trouble." he said, backing up. The one with the hidden dagger looked at his friend, "You hear that James? He doesn't want trouble." he turned his head back to Tyme, "Too bad, but trouble found you, boy." he said, pulling out his dagger. Before Tyme could react, he had already felt the searing pain of being stabbed in the stomach, his hand twitching as he was mere inches from his gunblade. The man on the right drew it out, watching as it unfolded, "Ooh, look at this Zar, he has a folding gunblade. Never seen one of these before, thanks for the new toy, boy." he said with a laugh, looking it over. Tyme stared at the men, holding his stomach, "Give...it...back..." he said lowly.

The men looked away from each other and to him, "What did you just say?" the one holding Azure asked. Tyme's hand outstretched, his eyes glowing brightly, "I...said...give...it...back!" he shouted, bolts of flames shooting from his hand. The one who stabbed him was hit first, setting his shirt ablaze, his partner staring in disbelief. The gunblade clattered against the stone walkway loudly, causing everyone to stare at the bleeding man who had easily overpowered two fully grown men. Reaching for his gunblade, he finally lost consciousness, falling forward. The men had decided to take the chance and flee, leaving the gunblade and the boy behind, his index finger the only part of him that made it to the weapon.

---

@Skelace

Faet nodded, "Correct. It seems the magical spell Thunder was used the instant the dispelling barrier was down. I am pleased to see you have kept your studying up, despite what happened, and with the commotion of new recruits coming in right now. I was right to make you my apprentice. Now, as for your question, my men have been asking all who were involved in the guarding of the main gate. I learned something interesting, apparently King Armond directly ordered Lyona Stormrider himself to assist in the 42nd Armored Division's job. After having my men question her, she told them she saw one thing; a pair of scaled wings." he replied. He turned from the compound and headed in the direction of the main gate, "Our job is to follow this lead and report on anything we find. I hope you've memorized your spells, you'll need them. If any Behemoths come our way, let me handle them, anything else, you can deal with." he instructed his apprentice. The pair left the main gate, the General slowing down by this point, taking into consideration the wellbeing of his apprentice. He may put on pressure when it came to training, but when they were out in the world like this, he had to ensure the boy was kept safe and protected. What use was a dead apprentice to him after all? The General spotted tracks in the distance, "It appears that our spy and the subject were together." he said, crouching down.

As he studied both sets of footprints, he spoke, "One clawed set, our spy no doubt. The other is human, which you can plainly see." he motioned to each set. He stood, seeing the path the clawed footprints took, "The subject was weak still, I guess that spell took what strength they had left, meaning the spy had to assist them the rest of the way." he said as he noticed a drag mark here or there. He followed the trail until they came to an abandoned hut along the beach, "It's as I feared, the subject crossed the ocean. It knows we can't follow. It appears there's nothing we can do about the subject for now, however, we will investigate the spy. I have an inkling as to whom it may be, but without solid evidence, I cannot do anything. That's where you come in, Alex. You've proven yourself more than resourceful since coming here from Tormin, I need you to use your skills and observe the hybrid named Shirok. He is part dragon, and though he is also from Tormin like yourself, he has gained King Armond's favor. As such, any move I make myself will be seen as treason and I will be executed on the spot. It is vitally important you do not let him discover what you're doing, or the dragon either. I am placing a great deal of trust in you, Alex. Do. Not. Fail." he told him.

Katherine surveyed the docks as she entered the area. She was doing pretty good so far she thought. She hadn't tripped and fell in any mud puddles yet! Of course that meant that it was only a matter of time before it happened.... She watched a man in black step onto the docks and almost immediately get attacked. It was hard to tell from this distance, but she could make out blonde hair. And if they got attacked that quickly that could only mean he was Avenasian. Which meant that was likely who she was supposed to meet.

She took one last look at the picture before tucking it. She pointed at him, "I'm pretty sure that's him.... A few of you go fetch a healer. I'll do my best until you get there with real help. The rest of you come with me, and keep any more thugs off of him. Let's go!" she said, dashing to Tyme, her cape billowing behind her. As she headed towards him she saw him shooting fire balls at the thugs and then collapse. Fortunately, it seemed the thugs just ran away, though.

Kathy reached him before long and skidded to a step, kneeling down next to him. She rolled him over to inspect the wound. A stab in the gut, but that seemed to be all of his wounds. "Alright, Kathy, focus. You've done this spell a hundred times now...." she said, placing her hands above Tyme's stomach, and letting the warm, greenish light flow into the wound. She watched as it slowly heal up. After a while she let her hands drop and took a closer look to inpsect her work, "Did I do it right? I hope I made it in time..." she said, moving closer to his head, her wavy hair casting shadows over his face. She shook him lightly by the shoulder and spoke softly, "Hey, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

@Ezmeralda

As Tyme remained unconscious, the scene around him changed, Moro Zera falling away. In it's place was Tevarin's lake, a familiar sight, one he missed greatly. He stood at the lake's edge, looking around, "Where the hell am I? Hello? Is there anyone here?" he called out. There was no answer for several minutes, "Why do you call out, brother? Is there someone you seek?" a familiar female voice said behind him. He turned around sharply, finding the voice was attached to the person it belonged to, Azure. "Azure...but...you're dead...how are you here?" he asked, color draining from his face. Azure smiled, walking to her brother, "I am here because you brought me here, you made this place in your mind, a place where only you can contact the dead. It is a place that exists outside of reality. Now, why have you summoned me, brother?" she asked. He shook his head, "I don't know, sister, I was only thinking about my gunblade..." he replied. She nodded, understanding, "Your mind must have believed you were thinking about me, considering you named the weapon after me, it's not all that surprising really. However, I do not think all of this was by chance, I sense you will be needing me again. So I will stay here and watch over you, brother, until you no longer need me." she whispered, the scene changing again.

---

Tyme slowly came to, "A...zure...?" he asked hoarsely, unable to see the face of the woman looking down at him. His eyes soon adjusted, coming to realize this person was not Azure; in fact, he came to the conclusion he wasn't dead either. He slowly sat up, checking where he had been stabbed, finding the wound had been healed. He knew he hadn't done it to himself, despite knowing the Cure spell himself, he was unconscious at the time. He looked at the woman before him, standing to his feet carefully, "Tyme Ishinara of Avenase, reporting in ma'am! You must be Commander Katherine, I am honored to be working underneath your command!" he said, having snapped to attention. It was clear he was military trained, perhaps he had once been an Imperial? It would make sense, since he came from Avenase after all. Moments later though, he had lost his composure, searching frantically for something. "No! No, no, no, no! Where is it?! Where is Azure?! Where is my gunblade?!" he shouted. He felt his foot hit something, causing him to look down and spot it, picking it up and sighing. "I cannot afford to lose this, it's the only folding gunblade in existence." he said to her. He returned the weapon to his leg holster, "I understand our mission is to head to the Fefdor mountain range to the east? We should probably get going as soon as the others return, we have a long trek ahead of us." he suggested. This man was more than he seemed, military trained, yet he could wield magic like one born on Tormin soil, just who exactly was Tyme Ishinara?

Katherine wasn't sure Tyme should be up and walking already, she was ready to help him if need be, "I..., yes, that's me. How did you know? Oh, I suppose my troops were a giveaway, huh? Duh, Kathy." She said, shaking her head and giving him a smile, her attention then went to his gunblade, "That's an interesting weapon....Where did you get it? It's quite lovely, but perhaps you should keep it somewhere more concealed, though. How bright and shiny it is could give us away, not to mention attract unwanted attention..."

She watched as the others returned with a couple healers, "Sorry to bother you both," she said, "but could you please check my friend's wound for me and make sure I healed it, correctly. I want to be sure he's fine before we get going." she turned her attention back to Tyme, "That's right, but I want to take a moment and make sure you're okay first. You almost died on me there.... Do you feel any pain or anything strange from my magic?" Kathy was also curious if she had really done it right. She didn't get too much real practice with it, but it was the easiest for her. Still, she was worried...

@Krinos Solstice

Alexander felt another wave of fear roll through his body as the General mentioned Behemoths. If there was a possibility of running into one of them then what else could they run into out here? Obviously General Faet thought the young mage could handle it but as confident as Alex was in his own abilities he felt sorely unprepared to be out in the wild. Fortunately the walk (that Alexander was greatly appreciative of being at a more gentle pace) was rather uneventful other than the General’s account of what had happened. A tiny voice chimed on in Alex’s head as the story progressed asking, ”What could the empire have been experimenting on that was human?” The young mage also was disturbed by the thought of a hybrid achieving such a high rank in the Empire. For all its virtues, the inclusion of any race other than human was not one of them. Such a being must have impressed the King greatly to have risen so high. There were many questions racing the Alexander’s mind by the time General Faet concluded, by which time an anxious sweat could be felt rolling down the back of his neck. The young man felt the pressure of responsibility and fear crush down upon him but it was mixed with a resounding amount of pride. The pride that this task had been passed down to him and the eagerness to prove to them all that he could complete it.

“Of course General. I will not fail you.” The young lads shoulders straightened as he stared back at the General , his eyes filled with a determined fire. “If I might ask though General. What was it they were experimenting on?” Even as he asked the question, Alexander’s mind was tracing back going every last bit of memory his mind could gather about this apparent spy. A hybrid in such high standards was sure to cause gossip and none loved to gossip and most gossip in Alexander’s experience came with a grain of truth. Collect enough of it and with a little bit of investigating on one’s own end and a clear picture was nearly always the end result.

@Ezmeralda

Tyme chuckled, "It wasn't just your troops, ma'am, Matriarch Luna Bladedancer sent someone to get me. This individual was told to tell me you would be expecting me, and well, this person was right. You were, indeed, here and expecting me." he replied. When she mentioned the gunblade, he shook his head, "It won't give us away if I don't draw it, the holster I designed for it keeps the metal hidden from view, as you can see." he said, turning his leg so she could get a better look. He was right, there wasn't single piece of the metallic blade that showed, however the handle was metal with leather; this was made with metal that did not shine. He looked at the healers who approached him, "I'm fine, I assure you all. Believe it or not, Creation magic takes to my body particularly well for some reason. Don't ask me how or why, because I have no idea, I just know it does." he explained. He sighed as the healers still went ahead with the examination anyways, Tyme's attention returning back to answering the other part of Katherine's question, "Where did I get it? Nowhere, I constructed it myself about...five years ago. The materials I needed to design it were difficult to acquire, and I nearly had several run in with Imperials while doing so. This weapon has a secondary purpose, one I do not wish to reveal unless I absolutely have to. Let's hope the situation in Fefdor doesn't force me to reveal it, I'd really rather things not get complicated." he told her, a serious tone in his voice.

---

The Imperial Commander watched as their new machine was unloaded and being checked, "Tell the men we move once this thing gets moving, I do not want to waste time here, we have our orders!" a man in heavy armor said to his second. The machine stood a good thirty meters tall, with a dozen legs on either side, all with thick Adamantite plating on the outside. It held four weapons in total, all of which were enough to destroy the mountains in front of them. The claws, the right holding two high powered lasers, the left holding a set of missile launchers, both made snapping noises as they were tested for functionality. Next came the tail, which contained a powerful concentrated laser in it, the kind they used to cut through the Adamantite plates when they were made. It whirred and made a charging noise, the tail powering down after testing was completed. The last thing to be tested was the primary cannon, a massive circular device placed at the front of the machine, behind the claws. It began to spin rapidly, the claws moving out of it's firing range, powering down after it's check had been completed. "Sir! Gorgas is fully operational and ready to be deployed!" the lead machinist shouted to the man. The man smiled, turning to the mountains, "Then begin Operation: Chaos. We head for Moro Zera immediately!" he called back. The man nodded, "Yes, Commander Doshiro, right away!"

Ahhh! BREAD!
Bread was, of course, the best breakfast any soldier could ask for. At least, for the second in command of the 74th Armored Division. Cayenne munched away on his fresh baked roll. The butter had melted into it, mingling the flavors. Oh! Man did not deserve to taste such divinity! The smell alone was enough to bring great men and women to their knees. The savory scent had a small whiff of sweet; it made him drool a little bit as he breathed in. He licked his lips and gingerly took a bite of unparalleled perfection.
His bliss was short lived as his commander entered the mess hall and told him to get ready to ruff up some recruits. Cayenne hated dealing with tenderfoots; most of them didn't even know which way to point a blade. Hopefully they would get lucky this time.

Cayenne walked into his division's barracks and observed the recruits. As the youngest to achieve his rank, he was well known among many that aspired to be a soldier. He was not known for the fear he invoked, but the courage he inspired. The 74th division was considered one of the easiest to go through when someone spoke about it, but that illusion is quickly dissolved once they started their training. It was his and his captains duty to weed out the weak or those ill suited to combat. Everyone else was fair game. The second in command walked down the rows of beds. Everyone was laughing, chatting amongst themselves. Their carefree attitude reminded him of his first day; a young boy that only wore the face of an angry teen, not speaking to anyone. He smiled. Good times.

Some of them recognized Cayenne and brought themselves to attention. The others laughed at their fellows, acting so serious for another recruit.
"Line up!" The commander shouted from the entrance, causing those that had lazed about to jump to their feet. Some fell behind, earning hard stares from the others. "Since the higher ups haven't come to snag any of you yet, you are still under my command. If you do end up going to work with an advanced squad, then may the Gods have mercy on your soul..." Many of the commanders disliked people like Lyona and Cerylia, but Cayenne felt like they were only misunderstood. Such beautiful women couldn't have malice in the hearts for no reason. He had asked Lyona out twice and got knocked out cold each time. Since then, he has kept a respectful distance from her. "I expect you all know your superior, Cayenne Ro'ni. You will obey him as if you were receiving your orders directly from myself." he nodded at his second in command, having him take the lead knowing that the young man was far better with the next words than he was.

"I know many of you are looking for an easy way into the Imperial Army, thinking its all just a bunch of lazy men and women that do nothing all day." Cayenne paused, giving the recruits a moment to realize they've made a mistake. "You are wrong. The division whose barracks you now stand in is part of the Armored Division, do you know what that means? It means we are the first on the battlefield. First to strike. First to show the enemy how strong our nation is. That also means that we are the first to fall." He walked along the row of greenhorns, inspecting them. Many now held fear in their eyes, but a select few still showed determination. One or two just looked like they hated everything. The commander simply looked on, a smirk across his face. "War with Tormin is on the horizon, making death even more of a reality. We need only those that can look into themselves and find the courage to fight. This isn't a place for fanciful dreams, ideals, or the faint of heart." Cayenne walked over to the entrance to the barracks and pulled the door open, "This is the only chance you will have to walk away."

Both he and the commander had been surprised that none of the recruits had left when he opened the door. Perhaps Cayenne hadn't scared them enough. They led them outside to run some laps. Stamina was important. Plus it was a good way to get them to work as a team.
"Remember! The Armored Division is about teamwork. Stay together. Get too far ahead, you will die. Lag behind and you will be left behind. Find the pace that gives your group the best odds of survival." They were new. Cayenne knew none of them would care too much about staying together as a group. They had already broken into two distinct sets; one holding a steady speed while the other thought this was a race to see who could finish first. He had jogged behind the group, setting the initial pace, the second group kept to it. Nice and easy. After the first lap, he had broken off to the side to watch them. He made notes on who was doing what he said and who was not. He had set only five laps, an easy number for any recruit. The first group finished way before the second, causing him to scowl.
"Just what were you hoping to accomplish, recruit?" he was speaking to one of the more speedy ones.
"What do you mean? I finished the race." At his answer, Cayenne picked up and swung a heavy wooden stick at the boy's leg, causing it to buckle. Everyone took a few steps back, each extremely surprised.
"The point of the Armored Division is to stay together. We are a group, we stay as a group. I want you all to run five more laps. This will be the punishment of anyone who thinks its a good idea to run ahead." he pointed the stick at the boy who was now rolling around on the ground, holding his leg. "Don't forget your friend here."

After fifteen laps and three more bruised legs, the group finally figured out how to move as one. Satisfied, the commander allowed them to take a break. Cayenne brought them all small plates of food and cups of water. He overheard a couple recruits talking.
"Man, I thought I was lucky getting into the 74th division, but that Cayenne guy.. he is a hardass."
"I know! I can't believe he punished the ones that ran ahead of everyone. I thought the army wanted soldiers that pushed themselves."
"We should have left when we had the chance.."
"Being a single unit is more important than fighting alone." as he spoke, the recruits jumped. Some of the others turned to watch, amused that they had gotten caught talking about their second in command. "Some of the others don't put such heavy strain on working as a team, but if you fight alone.." he paused and held out his hand to one of the sitting recruits and pulled them to their feet, "who will be there to pick you up when you need someone?"

Katherine chuckled, "Well, technically you got here before we did. Otherwise that attack wouldn't have happened." she looked back at his gunblade, "Really? That's quite impressive. I'd heard of a few people trying to build one, but they all seemed to fail for one reason or another... I assume from lack of resources or they just couldn't figure it out... Remember though, that your life is more important than some sword. Even a gunblade." she said, waggling a finger at his face.

She frowned at him, "I see....Well, perhaps once I've earned your trust you would be willing to divulge it to me. Until then....shall we get moving? We've got quite a ways to go. And the sooner we get there the better. And hopefully the less puddles I could trip into."

@Ezmeralda

Tyme nodded in agreement with her, "I agree, we should get going. The sooner we get there, the sooner we get back." he agreed, though he wasn't sure what she meant by 'puddles'. He walked with the rest of the scouting group, staying mostly to the rear just in case they came across any Imperials and they identified him. Most of the trip was quiet and perhaps a little awkward, it seemed the troops under Katherine's command were uneasy about having a former Imperial among their ranks. He caught whispers of doubt between them, causing him to sigh inwardly, he didn't blame them for mistrusting him. He was Avenasian, a former Imperial, and he hadn't proven himself to anyone here. Now they had him accompanying them on a mission of importance, it was sure to be a difficult time if none of them were able to work together with him. When they stopped to rest for a bit, Tyme moved to Katherine, "Commander, I think it would be best if you and I had a little spar, it's always good to keep one's combat skills sharp. You never know when an enemy might show up." he told her. It wasn't long after he said that, that some soldiers spotted a group escorting someone. Tyme looked over at the approaching soldiers, spotting their prisoner, An Imperial, but how did they get here? he thought.

---

Nitire @Leolycan

As you had expected, the moment you surrendered, you were stripped of your weapons. You were held in Dishva's prison for a couple weeks while the authorities awaited word from Moro Zera on what to do with you. Your peaceful surrender wound up being a very good thing for you, as the guards were not hostile and treated you with the respect and dignity afforded any other person. Hell, they even let you keep your armor, so that was a nice bonus. The day finally came when they received word, apparently Matriarch Luna Bladedancer wanted to see you in person. She believed your immediate surrender meant you had abandoned the Empire and were either seeking refuge in Tormin, or to enlist in the RSG to fend them off. Either way, you had caught her eye. It was only a few hours into your escort trip that the group started to approach another smaller RSG company, likely a scouting force. One individual had managed to spot you among your escort and approached the lead soldier, "Wait a moment, this man is an Imperial, where are you escorting him?" he asked. The soldier ignored him and approached the woman, it seemed she was the one in command of the squad, not this fellow. "Commander Ophelium, ma'am! We are Kerin Vegg's 43rd Guard Division stationed at Dishva Port, where we came upon this Imperial soldier. He offered us no resistance and willingly surrendered his weapons upon arrival; we received a message from Moro Zera requesting we escort him to see the Matriarch, that is where we are headed now!" the soldier told Katherine. Tyme looked at the man's wrist, spotting the familiar bracelet, "What's your name?" he asked.

As the hours passed by, Nitire did his best to stay quiet and endure his time in the prison. It wasn't like he was surprised, he was an enemy combatant after all. Despite his calm demeanor, Nitire couldn't help but feel a little anxious about this whole ordeal, but the friendliness of the guards made it a little easier. Hell, he even had a lengthy conversation with one of the guards about his children back home... The entire experience was completely different from the horrid conditions Avenase prisons, and stood as a small example that maybe his choice was the right one after all. Despite all this ease however, the uncertainty of his fate still left a sour taste in his mouth.

It wasn't long before he was let out of his cell, bowing his head humbly before looking about. This was certainly quite a display of force, an entire squad of soldiers flanking him on all sides. 'Well, this looks like this is it...' Nitire took a deep breath as he settled into the center of the column, relaxing his arms in an attempt to ease the discomfort of his manacles. The young man felt oddly at peace, walking in pace with his escorts as his eyes remained forward. With every step they took, his apprehension grew, swallowing his anxiety as he did his best to remain unphased in appearance. Suddenly, someone called out from the side, causing Nitire to turn his head. It was then that he saw a young brunette woman standing before a soldier who seemed to be sounding off some report. However, there was one other that caught his interest... And it seems he caught his too.

"Nitire," the soldier offered readily when asked about his name, casting a broad smile as he straightened his stance, "Nitire Segundis. I'd offer to shake your hand, but you know the drill. Armed escorts and manacles," The young man chuckled, shrugging his shoulders as he eyed over the man beyond the guards, "What about yourself? Might be the last name I learn before facing the firing squad." Nitire absentmindedly smirk at his own remark. He had never been a prisoner, and now he stood in the presence of several enemy soldiers. They had been peaceful to this point, but the armed detail hearkened back to the brutal display he witnessed not long ago. With that, his smile faded to a somber facade, though his eyes remained on the man before him.

Katherine turned her head when to Tyme, when he asked her to spar, "I...um....I suppose I'm not opposed, but I'm pretty sure you'd knock me flat.... I'm mostly self-taught since there aren't that many fighters in Tormin, especially ones that use a mace. I can handle myself, but that's about it. But if you really-...." she trailed off as they approached by an imprisoned Imperial with his escort.

She listened to the soldier's report and then to the Imperial, "Hello Nitire. My name is Katherine Ophelium." she said, trying to sound professional, "May I ask why you've come to Tormin? It doesn't seem wise for a single person to come here if their intent was to attack us. It seems suicidal, in fact. Surely, there's another reason why you're here?"

Kathy watched them eyeing each other. "Do you know him, Tyme?"