[center][h3]Gaius Stronurr[/h3]
[sub]The Throne Room[/sub][/center]

	A collection of metallic [i]clanks[/i] resounded as Gaius' armor breathed. The titanic knight knelt before his king with an open ear, half expecting an order to mobilize the guard. A preposterous thought, he was sure of it. An upset echoed past a duo of nearby pillars, catching his attention for a split second, but he remained resolute, grinning under his metal mask as he heard Sarah's voice denounce the sneaky intruders. She was as reliable as she was beautiful, as her husband Richard put it. Gaius was never one to disagree with praise. His thoughts drifted back towards the king as silence seeped back into the throne room, but what he heard next was far less climactic than what his mind had whipped up.

	[i]Sera? Tivo? That quiet boy?[/i] He thought to himself, glancing at the slits in his helmet. [i]Why am I tasked with the safety of children?[/i] Gaius shook the thought with a visible twist of his neck and nodded. Was that all? An order bordering on [i]prophetic[/i] and unsound predictions? What did the king know? Gaius rose to his feet, turned away from his highness, and made his way out of the throne room with unsteady steps. His armor wobbled loudly, but it didn't help to distract from the eerie feeling that proceeded the King's announcement. [i]Something was going to happen.[/i]

[hr]
[center][sub]The next day
Outside of the Castle[/sub][/center]

	Gaius found himself on guard detail outside of the castle perimeter when the announcement was made. The meteor shower was splendid, or [i]so he'd heard.[/i] Unfortunately for him, the big oaf had dozed off prior to the event, missing the spectacle by a mile. That's what he got for overworking himself like a [i]mule.[/i] What would the guard do without him? Probably goof off and let the entirety of Heron fall into [i]anarchy.[/i] Yea, that sounded just about right.

	Well, like it or not, they would have to learn to manage without him for a while. Gaius felt the need to join the search party himself, confident that without his experience and leadership, those who decided to venture forth would be utterly lost in the world beneath him. Honestly though, even the captain of the guard was sure to lose his bearings if he was thrown into the realm of the unknown. His decision was final, regardless. This star was important enough to his highness that it commanded a hefty reward with its retrieval. Yet another reason for Gaius to join the search. What if an unworthy citizen was to return with the star? He was certain that it would plunge the kingdom into darkness. Or something to that effect, anyways. Sera, Tivo and that strange man from a land far off would have to do without his protection as well. Surely the king wouldn't mind too much. His orders were vague, and without reason, after all.

[hr]

[center][sub]The Eastern Cliffs[/sub][/center]

	A chorus of rattling metal rang over the hill, drowning out the subtle breeze and migrant avian creatures rather abruptly. Hark! It was the all-too-familiar calling card of Heron's captain of the guard! In the past, many took heed and turned their necks towards the sound of his glistening jade-stained armor when he approached! It was hard not to when every subtle movement that the gargantuan man made offset every other sound in his immediate vicinity. What a ruckus.

	Gaius was surprised to see that somebody had arrived before him, so much so that he paused at the foot of the meeting spot with a loud 'Clang!' and stared at Sera from several yards away. "Oho! Your profound punctuality continues to beset my reputation, Sera!" Gaius chortled, creaking back into motion. He found his way across the clearing to the girl's side and grasped the edges of his armor's waistline. This was one of the children that the king had mentioned before this whole event had thrown his citizens into a state of wonder. Was it a coincidence? Bah! He had hoped to escape the king's vapid musings. He'd already written off the star-fall as a coincidence, irrelevant to the king's prophetic words, but for this girl to have volunteered the same as Gaius? "I'd not have pinned you as a girl for dangerous adventure!" Gaius heaved, unsure of where this day would take them.