@Fabricant451@Shurikai

The recruits were already failing your standards, none of them appeared to have what it takes to become an Elite, they were a waste of your time. One of them, however, managed to keep up, even after you kept telling everyone to start again, she never wavered. Her will was strong, her determination unbreakable, she appeared to be just the type of soldier you were looking for. Just then the Division Commander entered and saw what was going on, "What the hell do you think you're doing with my recruits?! You may be an Elite Instructor, but in here, these are my barracks! I'm the one in charge here, now stop what you are doing and form up!" he shouted, giving Cerylia a dirty look. All but the woman did so, "I will not! All she was doing was ensuring we were able to handle being here. After seeing my fellow recruits in action, I feel sorry for them. They'll all die the moment they get deployed, I'd rather take my chances with her!" she said. The Commander glared at the woman, "What's your name girl?" he asked. She stared right back at him, "Jewel Rivers." she replied. He looked at Cerylia, "Well then, Instructor, I believe you have a new recruit. Now, get the hell out of my barracks, both of you! Go bother the 74th Armored Division." he ordered.

@Zarkun

Death. You know all about it, don't you? It claimed everything you loved, everything you held dear to you. You are now alone in the world, though you're not powerless, not anymore. Your time serving the RSG was time well spent. You know how to protect others, even if you're a little on the clumsy side using a gunblade. You are also not ignorant to the rumors of a war brewing between Avenase and Tormin, you know it will likely draw the inhabitants of both countries into conflict, intentionally or otherwise. You can help protect some people from the conflict, such as the children who'll be orphaned by the war, but you also know you cannot help them all. As a former member of RSG, you do have access to things the general populace does not; information upon request, provided the information doesn't affect ongoing missions or operations. You have access to restricted areas, but even this is limited in itself. You have no rank anymore, and thus have no authority within RSG, however that matters very little as most troops will cooperate with a former brother in arms should the person need help. Today, you're on your way to the Fefdor mountain range to visit a clan of anthro-dragons, whom have invited you to teach the younglings about the outside world.

@zaga2575

Luna Bladedancer. Matriarch of Tormin, Commander-in-Chief, and the only hope Tormin has of surviving the coming war. She is the one person you have been sworn to protect with your life, and it is a job you take seriously. More seriously than those who came before you. Of course, there's a reason why you take the job more seriously than they did. There is something there that you cannot share with the people of Tormin, something you both must keep secret for the time being, as many would not understand. "Kessig, can you come in here for a moment?" she called to the Lancer outside her office door. Once he was inside, Luna stood from her desk and to the window that looked out over the city; just beyond that, one could just barely make out the peak of Fefdor Mountain. She took a seat in her usual chair by the window and motioned for the man to join her in the chair opposite of her, "I fear Armond isn't going to negotiate this time, he hasn't sent a reply back, and I feel as if he killed the messenger I sent. On top of that, I'm concerned for the safety of that young anthro-dragon, Shirok. He's barely an adult now and I have him risking his life in Avenase to give us information; I even gave him orders that put his cover at risk, telling him to rescue Tyme Ishinara from that facility." she told him. She leaned her head against her clasped hands, "I can't tell if I'm making the right calls or not, Kessig. It's too much for me at times. What if I give the wrong order to someone? I could get someone killed doing that; what kind of leader would I be then?" she asked. She sounded as if she was about to break down and cry in front of him, and to be honest, it wouldn't have been the first time if she did. He was the only one she let get close to her, he was the only one who got to see her like this, as a human being. Not the strong woman everyone else saw her to be.

@Leolycan@Ezmeralda

When Tyme heard the soldier finish his report, he looked at the man, "Repeat what you just said." he told him. The soldier repeated himself, causing Tyme to look at Katherine when she asked her question, "No, I do not know him. However, I am familiar with what he's wearing on his wrist." he said, carefully holding up Nitire's right wrist. He let go of the man's wrist carefully, looking back at the soldier, "Did you try to remove that from his wrist?" Tyme asked, being quite forceful and demanding of his superior. The soldier stood his ground, "Watch who you're speaking to, Rookie!" he snapped. Tyme ignored him, "You need to tell me if you tried to, our very lives are at stake. Do you want to be responsible for that bracelet blowing us all to Kingdom Come? Did. You. Tamper. With. That. Bracelet?" he demanded, pushing his finger into the man's chest. The soldier glanced to the bracelet, then back to the intimidating man before him, "We didn't tamper with it, but we did try to remove it. Nothing happened when we tried." he responded. Tyme backed off and turned to Katherine, walking to her and lowering his voice so only she could hear him speak, "Since he came from Avenase and surrendered without incident, I doubt he's a spy; he's probably a deserter, and if so, then it's likely he'll fight for our cause if we give him a chance. I'm sure Luna intends to do the same thing with him. As for the bracelet, I've seen it before, on other soldiers." he paused to look at Nitire before continuing.

"They exist because of me, or rather, because of what was done to me. The bracelets allow for soldiers who have been trained in extreme conditions and gone through the genetic bonding sequences, to cast magic whenever they wish. It's a good thing they didn't try to tamper with it, otherwise that city would've been a small crater by now. The Empire is very protective about their secrets, Commander, and right now, you have two of their most prized secrets in the palm of your hand." he looked back at the prisoner once more, this time raising his voice. "Him and me." he finished, motioning between the two of them.

---

@Mistress Dizzy

The path you had originally wished to take was apparently a good one, as you were able to overlook the valley below, along with most of the plains leading to Moro Zera. From here, you are able to see it, the inevitable clash that would happen. In the valley below, you can see and hear Imperials marchind in formation, led by a heavily armored man with a huge sword on his back. But this wasn't the worst of it. Oh no. The machine that was following behind them all was the largest threat, you could just tell by looking at it's design. Out on the plains, you could spot two groups gathered together; you assume them to be RSG soldiers, given where they were. This was one of the machinations of fate, you could see it very clearly. The war would start with this engagement, it couldn't be stopped. All that could be done now, was to pick a side and fight. Your options were limited, assist the Imperials and become a traitor to your homeland, or risk it all and attempt to reach the RSG soldiers and warn them of the large Imperial force approaching from the valley. The choice...is yours to make.

Zoran whistled tunelessly to himself as he walked, doing his best to ignore the constant sadness in the back of his mind as he walked. Today was another beautiful day and he had received a rather surprising invitation from a clan of anthro-dragons to help teach about the outside world to their younglings. As important a task as that was, he couldn't help but think that perhaps it would be best for them for their young to stay home and safe. Or as safe as it would remain, if the rumors were true. No, that's some seriously negative thinking, influenced by my depression. Rumors are rumors and these younglings have a hopeful future. Shaking his head, he looks around at the nature surrounding him and smiles. Yeah, it's a good day.

Jin had been having an excellent day. The tree she'd slept in last night started to bloom in the dawn, and she'd awoken to the perfume of flowers. Deciding that was a good omen, she got up and hunted early. Within the hour, her arrows had netted her a fat vole, and she'd even found a few wild carrots to cook up. While roasting her kill over the fire, she gave proper thanks to the goddess Eden for providing her breakfast. Her clan were fervent followers, dedicated to the goddess of Creation. While there were other clans that followed Ultima, the goddess of Destruction, there was never much great war among them. Different clans only devolved into arguments and sometimes feuds, but nothing truly serious.

The issue was that so many had forgotten the duality of the goddesses, and had perverted Ultima's purpose for their own. That was how it had been explained to her as a child, anyway. What others called destruction was more closely translated to 'death'. Death was not a bad thing. All things died, so that all things could live. Life was the Sacred Beginning; Death was the Sacred End. The goddesses needed each other, and the world needed them both. But now one goddess was lost, and the other fallen into corruption. All the shamans across many clan lines said the same thing -

If the current path was not diverted, Doria would be irrevocably lost within the generation.

After burying her fire and the remnants of breakfast, she headed down the road. The scenery was beautiful, it overlooked the valley full of trees and the river running through it that fed fish to all of Moro Zera. Something besides the natural beauty took her attention, though. There was a small group of people, and something in them seemed... out of place. She was used to seeing all sorts in Tormin, human, elf, and so many more, but these people... It hit her all of a sudden. Weapons, they all had some kind of weapon, and they stood like warriors. Odd.

Jin kept walking, following the line of the river and the dip of the land. What she saw next stopped her dead. More people, but not just a group. Lines upon lines, shining armor and a metallic monstrosity following behind them, belching dark smoke into the air. She'd heard plenty of them, but seen nothing until now. This was the Imperial Army. They hated everything that wasn't human, and even some humans were treated like garbage. Instead of showing respect to all races made by the Goddess, Imperials mistook themselves as the only ones with a right to Doria. They were a people made of hatred. However much they hated, though, they were wise in their approach. They moved against the wind, and with the low elevation of the valley and the roaring river between them, scent, sight and sound would be masked. The other groups wouldn't be alerted until it was far too late.

Jin made the decision that would change the course in her life in less time than it took to breathe. She was off and running down the valley at full speed, using the trees and the hill to fuel her. Her meager magic, called by desperation, sped her approach further. They had to be warned before it was too late! Otherwise Moro Zera would be gone...

While she approached, she started to scream a warning. “Hey! Your clan is in trouble! Up ahead!” She realized she was calling out in Goblin, and her tongue fumbled precious seconds to find the Common. “Trouble! Danger! Enemies! HEY!”

"My queen, when you stop questioning yourself on whether you do the right thing or not is the day I would worry. Because doubts are what keep us human, and keep us in check as mortals. They strengthen us with the reason they bring. As for whether or not you will give the wrong orders, you may. People may die because of them. But it is because they CHOOSE to fight for you and serve you. You have given people hope, prosperity and most of all a sense of purpose." Kessig pulled her gaze to meet his own. He stared into her misty eyes knowing she hated being vulnerable. "Luna, listen to me. When things get to be too much that's when you come to me ok? I am always here for you. I believe in you heart and soul. I have no idea why the Gods decided to make me as lucky as I have been, but if there is anything I can do to relieve just a little of your burden, please do not hesitate to ask. I know I am a simple soldier, but you make me feel as though as I am so much more. That is how I like to think the citizens feel about you as well. You give them a voice when they have been silent for too long."

"As to Shirok, trust in him as we trust in you. He is a crafty fellow, and from my reports, he's earning the king's favor. Maybe arrange for a code phrase he can send to us. One that if he feels truly in danger, we can dispatch a few men to rescue him. These are just my thoughts of course." Kessig saw her deflate a bit after the talk. He checked to make sure the door was shut, and no one could see them through the window. "Now, let me help you forget about the weight of the world a bit. . . "

Nitire fell silent as the woman from before stepped forward, seeming ready to address him as well. He took a moment to look over her form, noting first her age and then her stance. It was obvious by the way the soldier's regarded her, she had some standing, but at her age? Nitire couldn't help but chuckle as she finished her questioning.

"Believe it or not, we Imperials aren't all heartless monsters." Nitire offered, shrugging his shoulders as his mancles resounded slightly, "But, I couldn't fight for my home anymore. Not after seeing how easily they cast off and discard their humanity." It was after this he paused, noticing the one called Tyme questioning the other soldier just out of hearing range. At first, his curiosity was peaked, but soon his attention would fall back onto the female. "I heard this nation is fighting for peace above all else... I had hoped to fight for such a cause, but I'm ready to accept whatever fate awaits me."

It was then Tyme stormed to her side, seeming slightly agitated by whatever had transpired. 'Probably advising her not to speak to me. Don't blame the guy.' Nitire nodded in agreement to his own thoughts, falling silent as he stood erect. It's true after what his nation had done, many of this land would likely consider him a monster and view his very existence on this nation as a blight. However, he was grateful for the way they had been treating him, and for the first time in about a month, he felt like a human once again.

However, his thought process was interrupted abruptly as Tyme now spoke out in his direction. At first, Nitire was surprised by his tone, but narrowed his eyes attentively as he locked his gaze with the other man. As Tyme's gaze flickered between Nitire's and his braclet, Nitire too look down at the small bangle upon his wrist. To be honest, he thought it an odd bauble, but it was standard issue field gear. He never gave it much thought, but now he grew curious. As Tyme began to reveal the nature of these braclets, Nitire couldn't help but widen his eyes in slight surprise.

"Huh... Never knew this small thing was worth a damn." Nitire chuckled, closing his eyes as he shook his head. The prospect of having something that volatile on his person was somewhat alarming, but the fear was quickly overcome. If he had worn it for this long- odds are he'd be fine for awhile longer. However, his interest fell back to Tyme.

'These braclets were made from him? What is this guy?

Katherine smiled at Nitire, "I wasn't implying you all were. There's good and bad people everywhere. I was simply curious as to your situation..." she listened to Tyme as he explained the bracelets. She gave him a very curious look. "...Just who are you, Tyme?....Nevermind, you can explain later. I bet you're just going to brush off the question anyway," she sighed, "But that thing can't just explode on it's own, can it?"

She and turned her attention back to Nitire. Thinking a moment before speaking, "...I still can't say I trust you completely to be honest, however I'm a beleiver in giving people a chance to prove themselves. I can't let you just walk up to one of the most important people in Tormin just like that so here's the deal. If you're sincere, come with me and help me on my mission. I'm sure Tyme and I could use it. Luna may or may not be happy with me about it, but I won't risk her safety. If we have a deal, I can get those manacles off you and we can be on our way. Those things do not look comfortable..."

Kathy offered him her hand to shake on it.

Nitire's gaze focused back on the woman before him. With a slight chuckle, he rolled his shoulders- his manacles jingling slightly as he settled back into a casual stance. To be honest, the prospect of meeting the leader of this army wasn't too appealing at this point. However, he couldn't help but feel uneasy about defying the head of command. After a long moment of silence on his part, he'd shrug with a slight smile as he took her hand firmly within his own.

"Deal," Nitire said, releasing her hand shortly after the shake as he now extended his manacles to the woman, "Might just be my nature, but I can't miss out on some action. People always said I had a rebellious side." With this, his smile would shift to a more quizzical look. It was one thing to be offered a mission without any form of interrogation or induction, but she seemed readily unphased by his statement from earlier. From the things he witnessed, he had convinced himself that he would be considered a monster and be met with disdain..."Katherine was it? Not like I don't appreciate it, but you're putting your neck out there for an Avenasian. Doesn't that bother you?" His gaze and vision softened slightly.

Perhaps he'd not given these people enough credit. Perhaps his ranting on his execution had been misplaced... With that on his mind, he'd fall silent and await her reply, his manacled arms outstretched towards her. Then his eyes settled back on Tyme. He seemed to know alot about the state of affairs Nitire had found himself in. It is possible this man was an Avenasian as well? All speculation aside, he settled on just focusing on whatever task he was offered.

Katherine smiled and gave Nitire's hand a good shake. "Very well, then." she said, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a ring of keys. She looked at a design the manacles had and matched it to one of the keys on the ring. And finally unlocked it. She passed the heavy manacles to one of his guards, "Report to Lady Luna as you were told. But give her a message from me saying that I'm going to take him with us for now as a little test. I'm not sure how she will feel, but I'll take all responsibility. If she's mad tell her to be mad at me and not you, alright?"

She turned back to Nitire, "I can't say I'm completely at ease, but I'm already watching an Avenasian...." she said, gesturing to Tyme, and chuckling a little "So what's one more, right? Besides, you want to help, but how're you going to if we don't even give you a chance to prove it? Plus, the only other options are being locked in a cell for who knows how long or death. And I won't accept either of those. It's a waste of life and I won't have it."

She looked to Tyme, "I think it's about time we got going, though..." she said, ready to head out.

@Zarkun@Mistress Dizzy

The Imperial Commander spotted the girl racing along the plains from the path that had led above them, "Stop the girl! Don't let her warn any soldiers!" Doshiro ordered his men. Several of them gave pursuit, one wearing a bracelet. This one was able to cast a spell on himself to keep up with the woman, eventually firing several shards of ice at her while they both ran. The ice was likely to attract attention of those around them, more specifically, the travelling warrior with a gunblade. The soldier glanced at him as he flew by at blinding speed, firing off several rounds of ice at the male, though intentionally missing him. In a few minutes, it was revealed why the first soldier didn't stop to engage him, his comrades had decided to do it. The pair were wielding different weapons, the one with blue tinted armor held a sword and shield. The one in nothing but standard Imperial armor wielded a greatsword, both of the soldiers clearly a mismatch in this situation. However, that was the point, they were meant to be underestimated. It was the one with the greatsword that attacked first, intending to use his weapon to distract his opponent long enough for his partner to flank Zoran. The first soldier continued his chase of the woman, though starting to fall behind as his spell was wearing off, giving her the distinct advantage of being able to reach the troops before he'd be able to catch up or cast the spell again.

@zaga2575

Luna listened to Kessig as her eyes closed, the man was right, he always was. If people died, it wasn't because she failed as a leader, it was because these people believed so strongly in her that they would gladly give their lives up. She let out a soft sigh, where would she be without this amazing man to keep her on track? Probably with the rest of her family. When he lifted her chin, her eyes opened, the words he spoke striking deep within her soul. God how she loved this man, he was perfect, in every sense of the word. He must have picked up on her thoughts, because after he had spoken of Shirok, he offered to help her forget the world for awhile. The offer was tempting, and she wanted to just forget she was the Matriarch, and that Kessig was a soldier. She stood and moved to the door, locking it before returning back to the male, finally allowing herself to become a person. Right now, she was Luna, a woman who wanted to enjoy the comfort and company of the man she loved so dearly. "Kessig, I don't know what I'd do without you...I wish we could be open about our relationship, but we can't...and it bothers me a great deal. How can you deal with it? How come you're always so calm when I look at you?" she asked, staring up at him with her purple eyes.

@Shurikai

While Cayenne was teaching the recruits about how things worked, a man watched from a distance, observing his teaching methods. The man's armor appeared much like a General's, though it was tinted red to indicate he was a General who worked within a specific area of the castle, namely, the airship yard. What was this man doing so far out here? Who knew. Once Cayenne had finished explaining to the greenhorns how things were run, and how they needed to work as a team, he approached. "A very good point, Lieutenant-Commander, it is important to work together as a unit. Especially out on the battlefield." the man agreed. He raised a hand, "At ease, I'm not particularly fond of such formalities, despite my rank." he added when the recruits started to snap to attention. His head returned to Cayenne, "You're probably wondering why I'm here, much less outside the castle, yes? I have come for you, Lieutenant-Commander of the 74th Armored Division...wait, that's not right, now is it? You just got promoted, so I guess I should be calling you Commander of the 1st Airborne Division." he explained. He motioned to the messenger who was just entering the 74th Armored Division's barracks, "I believe that's the messenger holding your promotion notice, so it's official now. You are now Commander of our first ever airship division, and just in time, as the new airships were finished construction this morning. Would you like to see what your ship looks like?" he asked.

@Leolycan@Ezmeralda

Katherine's question to him wasn't as simple to answer as they both would like it to be, "It's not that I avoid answering your questions, Commander...it's just, I don't know the answers to most of them. If you were to ask me my name, of course I'd know it; but asking me who I am...as simple a question as it is, I just don't have the answer. I don't even know who I am." he replied. "That aside, no, it cannot explode on it's own. There are only three ways to remove the device safely, two of those ways are across the ocean, back in Avenase. I don't know about him, but I certainly have no intention of ever going back there. The third wa-" he was cut off when he heard screeching, causing his head to turn with several other soldiers to locate the noise. Tyme was the first to spot the faint orange glow coming from what appeared to be a tribeswoman, approaching them while waving her hands. When she finally started speaking Common, he took what words she was shouting and came to his own conclusion, "I am sorry, Commander, but I cannot wait for your orders. If I do, this woman will die. Make sure to get the everyone ready, I have a bad feeling about all this..." he said before tracing a symbol in the air. As it shattered, the male was covered in the same orange glow as the woman was, though he took off at full speed toward her. As he ran, he drew his gunblade and came to a stop as she passed him, "Continue to the soldiers, they'll protect you!" he called.

He stood there for a few moments, waiting for whatever she was running from to appear, finally spotting an Imperial wearing a bracelet. Tyme reacted quickly, rushing forward to meet his opponent, though the soldier had been ready for that. His sword had been drawn the moment he spotted Tyme, allowing him to block against the attack at his midsection. The two turned to face each other, sizing one another up. The soldier thrust his hand forward, ice shooting out at Tyme, who sighed and raised his gunblade, the barrel already fully spinning. "Predictable, as all you Imperials are." he said, pulling the trigger. Blood red bullets shot from the chambers as the revolver stopped, each one exploding into fireballs, most hitting the oncoming ice, while the rest hit the soldier. It was clear the soldier wasn't expecting the counter attack, catching fire and trying to put it out. Suddenly, Azure was protruding through the man's chest as the fire faded, "Y-you're...a monster..." he said, struggling to breathe. A memory flashed for a moment in front of Tyme's eyes, "Monster...monster...? Yes...yes, I was called that once. The Monster. Thank you for helping me to remember, now, you can go to hell as your reward." he whispered evilly, slowly pulling the gunblade from the soldier's chest. His blue eyes were no longer there, they were replaced by a black color. He cast Fire on the soldier's body, watching with glee as the body burned away to nothing more than ash. Once the body was gone, Tyme returned back to normal, Not again... he thought, staring down at the ashes.

He returned the gunblade to it's holster, hearing it fold as he did so. His eyes came across the bracelet, "The third option is death." he told Katherine when the soldiers arrived. He lifted his head and looked at Nitire, "I'm sure you would rather not take that option." he commented. He turned from the ashes and to the woman, moving past the soldiers and up to her, examining her clothing and other things she carried. His eyes studied her carefully, "May the Goddess Eden forever favor you, Tribeswoman. I am glad she was able to bring you to our care safely and unharmed. Now tell me, what were you running from?" he asked. Before he had a chance to hear her answer, he heard it, the sound of metal scraping metal. He slowly stood and pushed the dumbstruck soldiers from his view, coming to a stop beside Katherine, his eyes wide in horror. "It...can't be! I thought they said they weren't able to make a working one for another few years..." he said before taking a step forward and shaking his head. He looked back at Katherine, "We need to stop that thing before Moro Zera gets into firing range...if we don't...then this war will be over before it has even begun." he said to her, a glint of seriousness in his eyes.

Zoran's semi-leisurely walk was interrupted by the sound of magic being thrown around. He turned in time to dodge several spears of ice thrown his way from the culprit, who happened to be An Imperial?! However, his quick roll out of the way was unnecessary as the shards weren't meant to actually hit him. However, when he recovered, he found himself faced with two more Imperials, one in blue tinted armor with a sword and shield, the other in standard gear with a greatsword. Drawing his gunblade, Zoran kept it in a guarded position, watching the pair the best he could, and so when the greatsword came at him with a heavy overhead slash, he deflected it off to the side before casting a quick fireball at his buddy, forcing the soldier with the sword and shield to dance back and avoid getting turned crispy.

Dancing back from the soldier with the great sword, Zoran raised the weapon and aimed, firing a series of Fires at him before quickly closing and attempting to cleave the man from hip to shoulder.

Katherine sighed, "Which is why I said 'nevermind'. I figured you either wouldn't tell me or didn't remember. Either way, it's pointless to discuss further..."

She watched him run off before taking out her mace and following after him, "You do realize my orders would've been to help her...it would've taken 2 seconds." she said, raising her weapon as she approached one of the Imperials. Apparently, he was too distracted by her chest. Kathy wasted no time bringing her mace around full power into his temple. Her hammer had a small head, which made it very good at puncturing armor and bone. It took her a moment to yank it out as he dropped to the ground before slamming the pickaxe end into the stomach of another Imperial nearby. He droppped as well. She pulled her mace up and brought it down on his skull for the kill.

She wiped her hammer off on his cloak before turning to Tyme, "That's that, I suppo-" she stopped, hearing the metal scraping, "What? Tyme what is that? Some sort of seige machine? How do we stop it?" she asked, stepping up next to him.

"Gods reborn-" Nitire watched on in silence as the Torminian officers made their way forward onto the field. Spotting an Imperial soldier, Nitire quickly turned to the nearest guard, "My spear! Where is it?"

"I- We haven't gotten orders!" The soldier offered defiantly, puffing out his in an attempt to posture his position.

"Look out there," Nitire replied, sweeping his hand out towards the field. After a brief moment of locked stairs- one of two soldiers not want to give their ground- the Tormin guard glanced off in the indicated direction, his confident visage quickly fading to one of concern. "If the Imperials are here, this is your chance to let another Imperial die before you- possibly keeping you from harm. Unless you want to play the hero and rush out there yourself."

After another defiant exchange, the soldier looked to the back of the column that had been escorting the prisoner. There sat a bundle wrapped tightly in a tarp in another soldier's arm. Quickly, Nitire sprinted past the previous guard to the other, skidding to a halt as he reached out and took the bundle- unfurling it as he turned and ran. His footsteps washed away the protesting shouts of the guards as he bolted towards the scene of the battle with spear now in hand, seeing Tyme plunge his blade deep into the assailant's chest as the light's in his eyes faded. With murderous intent, Tyme blasted away the poor souls corpse with palpable malice. Standing upon the outer rim of the now assembled squad around the male, Nitire's eyes narrowed in a mixture of disapproval and disbelief.

"Death is inevitable. If it is my time, it is my time," Nitire's stunned visage broken slightly by a confident smirk, "Does not mean I will accept it without a fight though." The casual demeanor quickly faded though, "I left Avenase for it's disregard for life... Don't make me regret t-" Interrupted mid sentence, a heavy crackle and groaning of trees could be heard in the distance as Nitire rounded to it's source. It was then he heard Tyme speaking knowingly about Moro Zera- an Imperial 'city buster', or so Nitire had been told. He didn't pay too much attention when he was in the army, after all- it was hard to pay attention when having your face pressed into the mud by your officers boot. But he had heard one thing about this weapon... 'It would win the war.'

'So, he is from Avenase,' Nitire confirmed, his eyes flickering to Tyme for only a moment before looking back to Catherine, "I am going ahead." He quickly stated, turning from the group as he rushed forward towards the sounds in the woods. Even now, a growing feeling of worry settled into the man stomache as he attempted to focus more on the rustling of his armor as he strode across the field.

"How can you deal with it?" And Kessig had to admit, it bothered him too. But only because they couldn't do what most couples could. Kessig drew a breath, because he knew this answer was delicate. "How do I deal with it? For me, it's easy. You ARE my world. So to me everyone that I care to know already does. However, I don't have nearly the weight on my shoulders as you do. It makes things a little easier for me." He added a slight chuckle, and wiped the gathering moisture from the corner of her eyes. Those beautiful lavender orbs. Gods she's beautiful. A smile was forming on his face, and he knew it. The woman always had a way to make his big goofy smile come out. When Kessig was in uniform he could look intimidating, but when that smile came out, he lost all credibility.

The thought made his mind cascade back years ago. Somehow, that same smile is part of what made them find each other in the first place. Even if she was chewing him out, giving him orders, it crept out. Feeling a hand rest on his shoulder brought him right back to the here and now. He looked into those eyes, and added, "When you are looking into the eyes of the person of your dreams, and they are more than a dream, it helps. You are my perfection, the embodiment of everything I could ever want in a woman. Strength, yet grace and your inner beauty is as strong as your outer. My queen, there will come a day where perhaps we can be open about us. But for now. . . " Kessig grabbed her hand and led her away. He would take her troubles away, if only for a few hours.

Jin was surprised multiple times over the last few minutes. The first surprise came when an Imperial soldier tried to intercept her. He was clearly using magic, but something about it felt strange. Different than anything she'd felt before. He shot giant thorns of ice at her, and Jin found herself adjusting her wind spell just so, making the attacks miss her by inches. The soldier couldn't keep up, and fell behind.

The second and third surprises came from the same person. The yellow-haired man who'd instructed her toward safety had some kind of unusual sword. More striking than that was the magic he used. She felt it, like an odd ringing in her ears. It wasn't the fire, it was what came afterward. That soldier wasn't there anymore. Barely a scrap of him remained. Nothing to bury, even, to inter to the Goddesses. Even though these people were trying to attack her, that didn't seem quite fair.

When the man approached her, his eyes studying her, she stared right back at him right in the eyes. It was a bit disrespectful to do to a stranger, but Jin wasn't quite sure if she was safe with these people just yet. She'd been about to ask him why he'd killed that soldier so, but then the man started speaking. It took her a few moments to translate his speech, but the moment he said "Goddess Eden", she blinked several times in confusion. He looked human, but he knew of both Goddesses? She didn't think any humans did.

"That... that... machina is bad, isn't it?" Her Common was a little rusty, and she probably sounded a little strange to them. No matter, there would be time for lessons later. "Tell me, how do I help? I am Jin, daughter of the North Mountain Domovoi clan." She bowed her head in greeting. "I can shoot and I am quick, and this land is my home. I will fight with you, only tell me what to do."

(collab with @SnowLeopard)

Lyona beat the sand bag in front of her mercilessly. The workout area had others in it, but anyone who approached her saw the look on her face and immediately walked away. Her normal mood of vaguely annoyed' was now in the 'severely pissed off' range.
She had failed. HOW could she have failed?! Her superiors hadn't held her accountable, but it still felt like her fault to her. She had been the most experienced one present, yet she had failed.

On a normal day people treaded lightly around "the Stormrider Bitch" as she was called by trainees, usually ones she made cry. Lyona was swift, tough and stubborn. Once Cayenne finished with the basic training then some of the group would be assigned to Special Operations, which meant they were turned over to her. Trainees learned quickly to respect and fear her. She had no patience for those who did not take being in the Imperial Army seriously. She was almost always training. Training, pushing either herself or others to the breaking point and sometimes beyond, was what had gotten her through the past few years. Ever since he had abandoned her...

Tyme. She hated the fact that she couldn't forget him, the man who had broken her heart.
In the time after he had left Lyona had gone from devestated to angry to furious to cold. She hadn't moved beyond cold, and at times she reverted back to furious. And since the lying bastard wasn't there she took out that fury on others, both enemies and trainees.
Which was probably why some whimpered when they heard her name.

Rearing back, she did a powerful roundhouse kick that finally snapped the chain holding up the bag, sending it flying into a wall. Sand sprayed everywhere as the bag erupted.
She had failed...
Failed...

Without a word she turned and left the area, heading for the feild. Perhaps making some newbies cry would stifle her rage at herself.
She was just in time to hear the news of Cayenne's promotion. It was enough to make her grit her teeth and clench her fists. Promotion. Wonderful. If she hadn't failed would that promotion have been hers? It made her anger boil to the point where her throat started to hurt.
"And I suppose I will be taking over these children," she said, waving a hand over the newbies standing nearby gaping.
"A woman is going to be training us?" one of them asked incredulously.
Lyona didn't move for a moment, then her head slowly turned to stare at the outspoken greenhorn. "What is your name?"
"Harper," he answered, puffing his chest out a bit.
"Good. They will know what to put on your tombstone," Lyona said in an eerily quiet voice. Those that knew her, Cayenne especially, would know that that quiet tone meant death.

"Welcome general, it is strange to see someone such as yourself out here." Cayenne was about to ask what brought him to their barracks, but had his question answered before he could ask it. He was getting promoted? What for? He hadn't done anything special. Not to mention he knew absolutely nothing about airships. Was he really the best choice. The messenger ran up and handed the stunned Lieutenant his papers. "Is this a joke?"

Cayenne stood there, astonished. He had no idea how to respond. His shocked delight was short lived as Lyona herself walked onto the field. While he himself was not troubled by her presence, the recruits were fearful. Rightfully so. The woman was more that just intimidating, she, to many, was the exact image of fear and death. Not only could she kill you, she could make you suffer while doing it. No remorse, no hesitation. In his mind, she was either brain washed by the army of Avenase, or, and this was more likely, she was fighting something from her past. He had no idea what it was, but he knew he wasn't the one to change her mind. After several failed attempts at wooing her, he had given up. That didn't mean he was going to treat her with anything less than the respect she deserved.

"Good morning, Lyona. It is good to see you." when she mentioned that she was going to take over the recruits training, he smiled slightly. While he wasn't sadistic, he thought it might be a good idea for the most feared warrior to take over. While they had started coming together, some of them remained unruly. Having her here would whip them into shape straight away. He completely forgot that he had been promoted and turned to the recruits. They all looked at him and immediately knew what was about to happen. He assumed the commander would be okay with it.
"Most of you probably know by now, but this woman is the Special Operations Instructor. If any of you show promise in her area of expertise, you will be moved for special training. This is not easy, and you should consider yourself lucky if you are chosen. Lyona, please continue."

He moved a bit closer and said in a low voice, "At the end of the day, they are still part of the 74th Armored Division, please show a modicum of restraint." Cayenne stared to back away from her, but stopped and said, "We should spar sometime." A wooden shield wouldn't do much to protect him from her attacks, so he would have to use a metal one. He knew he wasn't a match for her anyway, but he was a better opponent than these greenhorn recruits would ever prove to be. It was then he remembered that he had been promoted and looked down at the papers in his hand. This could wait a little longer, he wanted to stick around for a while.