Draco walked along the path, the sun seeping its heat down his back. His eagle flew above him, watching, going ahead for a lookout. He was wondering through a dense forest now, lost. He stopped, looking around and punching a tree softly with an angry expression. How could I let myself get lost..? He moved on, going only deeper into the forest, until he had something, a noise that was out of place for this forest. He was behind a tree, watching at the sight.

Draco watched as a man carried a girl, correction, a dead girl, through the forest. He watched and followed from a distance, at the very least, maybe following him will get me out of here, I don't want any trouble. His eagle came flying down and perched on his shoulder, the eagle merely stared at Draco, and that was enough for him. So their is a cabin up ahead... Draco continued stalking the two figures before the man finally started to dig a grave, slowly putting the girl in, and leaving.

Draco decided to wait awhile, he didn't wish to start anything, or start some avenging of some girl. He went to take a step when he witnessed something very odd. The girls arm rose from the grave, he body lay slumped on the side before slowly getting and walking, muttering something. Draco held his hand out, a small purple portal ripped open in the world, causing a low grumble. Draco stuck his hand in and pulled something out, a demonic looking bow. The rift or portal, closed once the bow was taken from it. Draco was annoyed at the whole situation and raised his bow, pulling the string back with no arrow. He flicked his finger slightly, a small flicker of purple and red light appeared very softly, before forming an arrow, cocked and ready to fire. He was close to firing before he saw the man get into a fighting stance, clearly someone who can care of himself. He kept his bow at the ready to help, but decided to leave it alone.

Once his arm grew tired, and the instinct to survive had fluttered away like the life in the opponent, he stared down at the bloody mess around him. On his hands, his attire...Her blood...She had intended on spilling his in the name of the Thalburn Fascist Kingdom, but instead had succumb to a horrifying end at the hands of a man seeking only defend himself from her strikes and intentions. Fae had killed her...He'd actually killed someone since the resistance. What should've been a flourishing thought of self pride and achievement only ended up as a mixture of regret and mortification. His expression said it all. He only stared down at the Hunter...The unnamed assassin who sought out to kill Faran, then switching targets to Fae based upon leaked information.

He heard breathing, coming from the alleyway where the shadows lurked. Eyes, staring directly at the scene. A weapon drawn, a bow of some sorts, with patches of what remained from the woman's life. Fae's head tilted upwards, losing the ability to keep his head and body straight from both the damage he took and the condition he was in. His eyes met the ones lurking in the shadows. There was a silence amongst the panic elsewhere in the town.

And at that point, a voice broke the silence. Threatening, but equally as fearful at the sight as Fae was experiencing right now. It was another female, a shimmer of different armour glistened from the gas streetlamps that littered the streets. Fae felt himself slowly stagger onto his feet. It was slow, very slow. And weak...It was also weak. He listened to her words as she spoke...Her questions came quickly, with a certainty of dominance to show she had the upper hand. But how would someone who'd just gone through the brutality of instinct, like Fae, be able to recover so quickly at this point in time only to fight another. He could feel his arm moving the hatchet into his left-leg harness, again as slowly as he could try to prevent. One by one...He would answer the questions as if he was programmed to. In a slow, trembling voice...It would take an idiot to not see that he was suffering a mental image of what he'd done.

"H-H-Her?" He began, trying to get his words out as quickly as he could. But for all he could care or know, he was a dead man to either this woman, or those of the Thalburn. It was a relief knowing that her questioning didn't signify any relation to the Thalburn or the hunters...but possibly worse. "S-She...Was a Thalburn...S-Soldier? No...Assassin...Or...Someone...She came into m-my home...After Faran...Then...Attacked me and...I just reacted...And..."

Fae paused for the time being. His right hand clasped his forehead, still steaming from the heat of the engagement. It looked as if his legs were going to give up on him right there, right then...But they wouldn't...Not until he was truly safe. Once he'd thought about his actions more, his eyes met the hostile once more.

"F-Faran...Faran left...He got chased by the o-other assassin...I'm...I'm not even with him and..." He was not having a full break down. He wasn't completely whimpering, though hints of it were in his tone, and he was not fully broken of awareness. He was simply in shock from his own actions. "I'm...Fae...Fae Nikia...`Vy' Na alok Tschan...`..." He spoke the ancient tongue, as the full introduction was required. Why did it matter? His refuge had been discovered by the single-most largest known defence Military in the terms of technological advancements. He was going to die...And this woman was going to get it over with quicker. There would be questions from his seemingly alienated language..."I did it b-because...I...She was going to take m-my life for...Faran's stupidity...I'm no criminal, n-not like him! Thinking we worked side by side...but...Now the Thalburn are going to...Kill me...Or...Burn down the village if I fight back and..."

He stopped, and did not say anymore for the time being. Around them, more silence turned up, as the sounds of synchronised, quick jogging of a Guardsmen formation could be heard several streets away, typically towards multiple other streets. Whether or not they were coming here was unknown. An unknown fact that scared him shitless.

"It was...Instinct...I guess, old habits don't die quickly...Just fucking fire the arrow already...You have me at the d-disadvantage..." He did not raise his hands in a surrendering fashion, only he stepped to the side, into the light even more. His ruffled hair, bruised face...He'd been attacked more than the woman had. She only had the stab wound dug inside of her, but no other of any degree. His ruffled hair, though never styled, was still maintaining a similar look to before the incident. Fae was away from the body, and still in the line of sight of a grim death...The soldiers drew nearer from the adjacent street...He muttered more to himself, as he lowered his head...

Jinx Haven

@Jin of Mana& @Hippo AF

Jinx took a few more steps, noting the change in his stance and the look of suspicion on his face. She changed her posture instantly, placing her hands on her hips,"Or what? You gonna kill me? Bury me in your backyard? Bit late for that handsome."

Jinx cocked her head to the side shaking some dirt out of her ears as she walked past him into the woods, not really expecting him to follow her,"What a waste of a good zombie joke! If my stuff is stolen I am going to be so mad. OH YEAH!"

She turned around her posture almost comical as she was covered in dirt,"Next time, give a girl a god-damn sermon too! How the hell is someone supposed to go into the netherworld without someone wishing them good luck, or a quick something to share with Peter at the gates or some shit. You have serious problems dude!"

She turned on her heels heading back into the woods, trying to sense out the bone in her scythe. The small chips were small but she sensed them. Without another word she turned in that direction before yelling out,"I'm coming back to use your shower by the way! I figure you owe me that for burying me alive...or dead??..or alive??..or dead??...alive! Yeah Alive!"

She shook her head and kept moving, making her way back to the berry bush to find the contents of her back strewn about. Her scythe was still intact though. She picked it up twirling it between her fingers before she shoved it in her back holster, and began to pick up her items, shoving the quills and books back in. The parchment luckily wasn't that dirty, and the case holding her maps was still intact. She thanked the gods for that one. It wasn't long before she was heading back to the cabin her anger slightly abated.

Once scenario proved to be non-threatening, at least for now, the pool or smog of darkness faded. Actually Jin appeared bewildered as events unfolded between himself and Jinx. Mind pushed away status of confusion upon responding to Jinx's words, or questions, comments? "First off." The man didn't get time to finish, before Jinx waltzed off towards the location which Jin originally found her. Waiting to see if she returned, Jin noticed the Scythe. A rather odd looking weapon indeed.

"How the hell do you expect me to know if you were alive or dead? You know your situation better than I, thus can probably understand what happened far better than I could explain...." Brief pause occurred as Jin scanned the surroundings. Eyes resting on Draco. Eyes never left the newcomer, but facial expressions or actions didn't change due to seeing Draco.

"Secondly, the last thing you need is any sort of sermon from the likes of me. I'm no priest, Nor am I skilled with speeches. Finally, both of you are welcome here as long as you don't allow me to regret the decision. So, I suggest you inform me now if any negativity could arise from you merely being here. Nothing I hate more than being surprised with bullshit, kinda like this undead nonsense." Focus went back to Jinx. "Speaking of which, what the actual fuck. Are you dead, or alive? Somewhere in-between? Like, what gives?" Confusion of the scenario was finally showing by the questions Jin asked last. Though Jin didn't take long to refocus onto Draco, due to his weapon still being out.



Lance possessed a somber tone to himself, no reasoning behind this in particular. Simply a natural demeanor of his. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're far from an easy target or victim while i'm around. Not that I doubt your ability to defend yourself. I just refuse to stand by idle while anyone is unjustly attacked or impacted. Blind or not." Thought arose of a new question to ask, something that could cause serious tension between himself and Isla if not handled correctly. "I guess a better question would be, what are your views on Magi. Along with Humans as a whole. If you tell your answer honestly, so will I." Only problem stemmed, if their views conflicted and striked conflict or negative reactions. Lance didn't want to fight, Isla or anyone else for that matter. Not that he was a pacifist, Lance merely needed to have good personal reasoning or be in a 'mood' to desire combat.

Draco watched the situation before realizing he was spotted, however his weapon didn't waver. Once the girl was gone, he slowly lowered his weapon, with slight confusion on what exactly transpired, he had heard he was welcomed. He moved from the tree line, slowly and with caution. His eyes scanned the area, looking for anything out of place, like traps in the ground, people readying themselves. He threw his weapon into the air, it spun swiftly in the air before an eagle caught it with his mouth, flying through the air a small rift opened in the air, the bird and weapon disappearing along with the rift. He was close to the man now, another rift opening behind him and the eagle flew back out, perching on his shoulder. His eagle was fully black with red eyes.

"I'm not usually welcomed. And to respect your wishes, you can choose how you wish to address my situation." He looked around, taking one last look at the area, "My name is Draco, however you may know me as The Master of Demons, The Demon Mage. And a group of people who only cause destruction are hunting me, but to them, I'm gone off the face of the earth." He paused now, letting the man speak, but he readied himself, a rift ready to open with a weapon, many people would jump at his bounty.

@Jin of Mana & @Hippo AF

Jinx itched at her irritated flesh as Jin spoke, before taking note of the new guy. She paused, rubbing her eyes for a few minutes before she looked back at Jin,"I'm..complicated. Let's just say I made a bad deal and here I am. Speaking of bad deals.."

Jinx turned her glazed blue eyes over at another young man who happened to find his way into this completely embarassing debacle. Seriously it's been years since you've talked with two handsome studs like these and your covered in dirt. Plus that one is trouble. You know exactly what kind of magic he's messing with. Jinx blushed slightly, the redness never really reaching her cheeks,"I've never heard of 'The Master of Demons'...but you really have to be careful with that soul of yours Sparky. Handsome devil like you might not be able to tell, but your soul's looking a bit rough.I know I'm not necessarily the one to talk but eh, can't say I didn't warn you."

Jinx turned back to Jin an apologetic smile on her face,"Anyway...Um..in truth, sorry about the mishap. I haven't eaten in weeks, and those berries just looked too damn good! Was really not preparing for the paralysis. In fact I was really just looking for a cliff near here. I am a cartographer and wanted to get some coordinates around the area."

Jinx smiled holding out her dirt covered hand to Jin,"Hope you don't mind the 'invasion' so to speak. I'm Jinx. Jinx Haven."

Isla

The woman smirked again at Lance's words, gazing ahead of them and dragging her bare feet a bit to prevent stepping on anything like sticks.

"Well, aren't you chivalrous?" Isla chuckled. She wasn't being condescending despite her fondness for sarcasm. She was actually impressed with anyone who would put their life on the line for a stranger. She did raise an eyebrow at his questioning of her views though, assuming her views weren't unlike many others.

"Um, well, I suppose humans are a bit of a toss up aren't they? Some good, some bad. Magi... I don't think one exists that isn't dangerous. Except maybe children. But even still they will be one day." Isla seemed a bit sad or pitying towards the last sentence. Her lips became tight, and throat tighter, as she thought about her memories... not just from her family dying, but over the last several years as well.



While walking towards their destination their conversations continued. "Magi and humans, are alike in that aspect of being unpredictable. I've crossed members of both origin who are good and evil." Eyes never stopped sluggishly drifting across their surroundings. Searching and planning in case a threat arose. "You're partly accurate with Magi and their powers potential. Hell, I've crossed paths with individuals who's powers were dangerous for even themselves. Whereas, another individual could only change their own, or another's, facial features." It had been a while since Lance got to speak with another like he was with Isla. Lance only hoped their interactions would turn sour as they shared their views of the world.

Isla

"Still sounds like it could be dangerous to me," Isla mumbled under her breath. She could easily imagine the power Lance described as harmless used to steal an identity or manipulate. But she didn't want to alienate her new companion too much.

"Maybe introduce me to a decent magic user sometime. It'd be quite an experience," Isla smiled, giving a half chuckle at the impossible occurrence.



Lance hoped the next words spoken didn't startle Isla, though if there was a better time than any it would be now. "Would you consider myself a decent individual?" A brief pause occurred between speaking. "If your answer is yes, than you've already met a decent Magi." Wits were about him or on guard as he said what he did. If Isla were to react harshly or negatively, as much as he wouldn't want to defending himself would be priority number one. Though doubted if he would harm her, unless serious reason provoked said actions. "Now I'd understand if you wished to part ways upon learning this. If you do, I'll be happy to take another path to Moonbright, or separate once we get there." If Isla didn't believe him, showing his ability wouldn't be so hard. Though his statement before, about why he carried so much metal, would of be known as a lie. Possibly infringe on Isla's ability to further trust Lance, as well.

Isla

"Oh," Isla said, the disappointment thick in her voice as her feet stumbled slightly before she paused walking. She lifted her hood gently over her head again before resuming her walk. If he'd asked, she would have made a lie about the sun being annoying on her scalp, when really she just tended to use it to express how she was feeling inside. In this moment, that was stupid, and sad.

"I don't know you, Lance. And you don't know me. I'm guessing your ability has something to do with metal..." Isla spoke more as a statement than a question, her vocal tone now low and unfeeling. Her mind was running a couple different directions. One side said he could have easily killed her by now and hadn't, of course he was decent. The other side told her he'd surely killed before, and what if he was leading her to an ambush? Not to mention every experience she'd had running into a magic user had always confirmed they hated humans... hated her. And she hated right back. Now she was confused.

One of her hands began reacting on instinct and slipped a dagger out of a pocket, hidden under her cloak. She sighed heavily and rubbed her thumb across the flat side. "Magic users took everything from me, you know?" Isla swallowed hard, continuing to walk.

Jin responded towards Draco. " You and I are not much different on such a scenario. Only thing is, I've been a bit on the luckier side when it comes to being found. Just soo you know. I choose to inform you anyone would be a fool to attack, you or anyone else, on my grounds. I like to think my home as a safe place and will gladly be the enforcer of that ideal. " Jin by far was not threatening Draco, unless he dealt negative action himself.

Focus went onto Jinx, yet this statement may have been directed to both of them. "The name's Jin Baal. Neither of your presence or staying here is an invasion. I merely hope I'm not betrayed after my kind actions given." Jin picked back up the buckets. Motioning to the porch of his home, were a few more buckets could be found. "If you want to clean up. My bath doesn't exactly possess water without working for it. So you'll need to grab a bucket and follow me." Once they grabbed a bucket, if they chose to do so, Jin would begin traveling towards the nearby lake. Said lake was not even half a mile away, so wouldn't take very long for the three to get there. That is, if each individual decided to go there.



Removing her hood caused Lance's attention to narrow from surroundings and onto Isla. Tinge of sorrow entered Lance's expression, moreso than his natural style, upon hearing her words. "I take it from your wounds, a Fire-Magi crossed your path in a horrifically negative fashion. I can't apologize, nor take back that fools actions by far. Though, as little as words mean, can promise you I'd never commit such a tragedy towards you. Or anyone unless my life was threatened." A brief pause occurred, hoping his final words wouldn't strike negative action. Though truthfulness stretched this far, may as well stay on the up and up now. "I fled a similar horrific atmosphere on purpose. For I will take every ounce of knowledge I have, to stay away from such individuals alike the one who left you as defensive and hurt as you are now. Peace, or justice of my former acquaintances, are the only things I seek now. And I don't avidly seek said redemption against my past affiliates. I merely await, the day I know which will come, for them to find me. I merely worry the danger which that event could put current friends in." Lance would possess a great grievance, if past events led to a current friend to be harmed. Especially if said current friend was not at all affiliated with his past.

Forcing herself to ignore the sight of the bloody mess behind him, Ris listened carefully to the man- Fae’s explanation. She remaining quiet and unmoving, studying his face and jerky movements while shaky answers flowed from his lips, one by one. He didn’t appear to be lying, Ris decided. Just terribly shocked by his own actions as well as tired and battered from the fight. As she realised that, Ris felt a melting sensation and her expression softened considerably. Despite all the blood covering him, Fae didn´t appear to be a threat. He was obviously way more shocked than her and seemed to be suffering and desperately in need of help. Realising that, she pulled herself together completely.

When he finished his entire explanation, Ris remained silent for a few more moments. While she had an excellent training in many of the commonly spoken languages, she didn’t recognise the words he had spoken. Slowly she unbend her bow, loosely holding it in her left hand and returning the arrow to the quiver on her back. It would only take her a few seconds to grab it again and she felt save enough to take that risk. She took a few steps forward, into the light of a nearby lantern.

“You can relax, I’m certainly not the sort of person to kill people solely for the sake of killing.” She said, her voice a lot less stern than before. His explanation had raised far more questions and she hesitated for a moment, wondering with which to start…. And if he would even be willing or able to answer more of her questions.

It was obvious that he knew Faran, and that the assassin woman had been after him. A bounty hunter hired by Thalburn? Possible, but that still wouldn’t explain why they had attacked Fae nor did it seem like a Thalburn thing to do, they usually left rogue Magi to be dealt with by others -Like Ris and her group- or send in soldiers of their own rather than hiring a hunter. Then again, she didn’t know much about the dealings of Thalburn officials. Fae certainly seemed to know a lot more, judging from the snippets of information in his somewhat incoherent story. He might spill some more useful information if she kept pushing him now, but looking at the bewildered man –He couldn’t be older than Rich, though his tousled hair, bruised and blood-spattered face didn’t make it easy to judge- she couldn’t bring herself to act coldly towards him. Slowly she took a few more steps, now within two arms’ length.

“In all honestly, I have a ton of questions I’d love to ask. But I’ll try to remain somewhat pragmatic for now. You said that Thalburn were after you, right? Do you plan on hiding the body? Ah, that would probably be of little use seeing the blood- Should I get you something hot to drink? ... And just for the sake of my burning curiosity, what was the language you spoke just now?” Her eyes widened slightly as an idea occurred to her. Half a grin came to her face as she reached over her shoulder to her back, into the satchel which she always kept on her person. With a triumphant smile, she took out a small, flat, square bar and held it out for Fae to take.

"Chocolate. If you want. It always manages to inspirit me somewhat.” She shrugged, her expression somewhat apologetic as she realised how silly she must look. An armed stranger who just now witnessed a brutal instinctive murder, asking questions and offering chocolate... Besides, the chocolate would be a but drop of water on the sizzling plate of trauma… Still, it was better than nothing.

Apparently one of the guards wasn't too keen on having an indecent on his hands and got his two friends to hold their attack on the two unknown people, though both sides were still on guard. He waited for Darius to get closer before replying: "If it wasn't obvious, we were trying to apprehend two people that we suspect are the cause of this indecent. I don't know who you are, but I would prefer if you didn't get yourself involved." As he turned around the female suspect replied:"I've already told you, we aren't the one's you should be after. The one who set it off headed -" One of the guards smirked and sarcastically interrupted: "Yea... right, it's not like we didn't see fire being set off right where you were standing. Both of you are probably magi, so just admit your guilt and come quietly." By this point the guards had their weapons pointed in the suspect's direction and the suspects looked ready to go on the defensive once again.

Sighing at a clear display of miscommunication and lack of listening on the guards part, Darius said: "Hold it! I'm pretty sure these people aren't the ones who set the stage on fire." The guard who had accused them of being magi walked over to Darius and said: "Oh, and why would that be boy?" Taking a moment to clear his lungs of some smoke, he replied: "First off, if they were the ones who set the stage on fire, wouldn't they have tried to run away and keep themselves from getting caught? So seeing as they are still here and trying to reason with you, it's a lot more likely they didn't start the fire. Second, if they were magi, they would most likely have used their talents while fighting you guys, as it would give them an advantage." "So? They already had their weapons drawn by the time we got over here. They were obviously part of it." "Not really. If you look at them, they don't seem to be carrying any fire starting equipment on them, so I doubt they had any part of it. It's much more likely that they saw who set the fire off and were trying to apprehend them before you rushed over."

As the guards thought this over, the crackling of the burning stage continued in the background, keeping everyone constantly aware of what had happened. The guard who had replied to his first question turned to him and nodded. "Alright, you have a point. We will let them go for now, however..." Taking out a slip of paper, he handed it to Darius. "It is mandatory that at least one of them comes in and explains what happened. So, since you seemed so keen on defending them, I'm requiring that you keep an eye on them until they do so. If you try to leave town or one of them doesn't come in by the day after tomorrow, you will be charged for what they might or might not have done. Having said that, the guards walked away and left Darius completely confused as to how he had gotten himself confined to town. Turning around he realized two things: one being that the other two had already started talking to a young boy, and two being that the man had a decent burn on his arm. Unconsciously rubbing the fingers of his right hand across the scar on its palm, he walked up to them, waved and said: "Hey, it looks like your stuck with me for a while, sorry about that. My name's Darius."

Isla

Isla rubbed the side of the dagger harder and harder as Lance spoke. She was so confused and conflicted. Was a magic user apologizing to her? And earlier promised no one would harm her with him around? And was promising to not hurt any humans? Though her face was shaded, she looked almost close to angry tears, as if she had a migraine. The back and forth inside her head made the last of Lance's words just all the more jumbled in her ears. Was he saying he used to destroy villages? Or that he was going to kill people that did so? Or both?

"I don't want to do this," Isla choked, turning her body. One hand grabbed Lance's arm, and the other moved to stab him. The aim was haphazard and her speed slow as her heart and mind fought, affecting her ability to genuinely harm her companion.



The connection of blade against Lance would feel not at all as intended. Observing Isla's demeanor, along with feeling the grip on his arm, Lance was able to predict the actions unfolding. Instinctually, the handle of his bastardsword magically parted from the blade. Lance's magi-talent kicked in allowing said chunk of metal to group where Isla attempted to stab. The fragment of metal also panned out into a pancake type shape, to block more area, in case Lance's calculations were not one hundred percent accurate.

Instead of blade against flesh, Isla would feel metal against metal. Upon contact the metal even pooled around and ensnared the blade, aiming to stop further action. Natural response kicked in more than Lance planned. Each rod or needle of metal now levatitated above his person. Prepared to defend if any more unexpected events unfolded.

"Of course you don't, it's only instinct driving your current actions." Lance was holding onto the arm which Isla had on his own. The metal needles above didn't budge an inch. Merely floated within range in case needed. "Which is why you should stand down. I don't want to fight you, most definitely don't wish to harm you either. Just like deep down you don't wish to fight, nor harm, me either." Hopefully Part of what Lance said didn't sound alike a threat. Since it was far from it. The metal which caught the dagger simply held it in place. Waiting for if Isla would continue before trying to push it away or disarm her. Despite current scenario. Lance felt trying to disarm Isla wouldn't go well, only end up invoking more feelings of being threatened.

Isla

Isla's closed eyes squinted open when a clink was the noise made by her blade hitting Lance. A slight reverberation went through her arm, as if she had stabbed a sheet of metal. She tried to yank the knife back, but it was stuck. Letting out a frustrated grunt through her nose, Isla gave up and took a step back, assuming he must have been wearing armor he could manipulate somehow. She didn't go more than a couple inches back though, as the magic user held onto her arm, while her grip on his loosened completely and her hand simply rested there.

Her hollow eyes looked up to where she guessed his eyes to be, fairly accurately since she was more aware of his height now. A tear fell out of each eye as he spoke to her, and she realized how much she didn't like herself like this. What would her parents think? Their only living child wasn't avenging them at all. Just spreading the pain that had been laid on her shoulders 7 long years ago. And Isla was embarrassed. The magic user was a much better person than she was.

"Can I have my knife back?" she asked pitifully, pausing before adding in a whisper, "I'll leave you when we get to Moonbright. Then you won't have to worry about me." Her right hand scratched the scar tissue on her left shoulder, the wet line on her cheeks from tears that had stopped now.



Simultaneously Isla's dagger and arm were released by Lance. The floating defense measure once known as the Bastard-sword's handle, returned to being such. The metal rods or needles above, however, combined into a staff or walking stick and floated into Lance's grip. Now Lance would use the staff as he walked. "Honestly, I forgive you for your reaction. Several years ago, if i were in your position and situation, I probably would of done similar things." A sigh of sorrow released from Lance. Traveling alone was so boring by his perception.

"If wish, I won't blame you for parting ways. Though only want you to understand. Your more than welcome to accompany me as long as you wish." On that note he'd continue walking, though would hesitate if she didn't follow suit. Or simply wait for her if she didn't move immediately, or became stuck in thought for a moment.

Isla

Isla let her arm fall and heard the thud that must have been her dagger hitting the ground. She remained silent as Lance forgave her, hearing him beginning to walk. She wiped her cheeks a bit with a sniff before bending down and running her fingers through the dirt til they hit the dagger. She put it away and stood straight again, turning and following Lance.

"How old are you exactly?" she questioned as she caught up. Considering his words of 'several years ago', Isla assumed at least a few older than her. "And what is your ability? Moving metal? Or do you just have special armor?" she also asked, voice a bit quiet.

@Jin of Mana & @Hippo AF

Jinx sighed lowering her hands and began scratching her skin as Jin began to speak, then looked over at the buckets on the porch that he mentioned. After taking two, she turned following after Jin, and giving a sly smirk at Draco,"So just me and two lonely renegades trying to escape your pasts. What a story we make."

Hey should I be worried that these two will try something? I mean they are being hunted...No come on..let's not be too judgmental, you ain't no saint either. Remember that strip club...and the can-opener. Jinx dropped one of the buckets, her eyes widening,"Whoops..silly me! Hahaha so..um..nice uh property you got here."

Jinx shook her head, when suddenly the lake came into view and she headed forward, half-tempted to jump in, aside from the fact she had no spare clothes. She turned to Jin, dropping the bucket down so she could take off her backpack and scythe."You wouldn't happen to have some spare clothes by the way? I only have this outfit..which definitely needs a wash."

She picked at her sweater and jeans, wondering when was the last time she gave her clothes an actual wash. Probably the last time she ate. She never really understood what true poverty was like back in Alfheim. Even if costs were low, turnips were always there. On her travels the funds grew lower and lower, and the profits for helping out lost souls also died down. When it was truly gone she tried selling some of her maps, but no library felt they needed new ones. Regardless of the good reviews she received, her career choice seemed unwanted. If it wasn't for her 'condition' she would have died of starvation and hypothermia years ago. Well that thought process went dark didn't it. It's fine. One day you will earn it back! Hopefully.

Fae looked up from where he was standing. Did she just...Lower her weapons? What was she doing? Everything was rushing around at lightspeed in Fae's head. Why hadn't she taken the shot? It was a perfect, easy kill...Unless...She spoke, telling him of her reason, how she was not the one to simply shoot a man on sight, for the sake of it. But, that seemed unlikely. In the world he lived in, the world they all lived in, anyone killed the other species for the sake of it. That raised another question, on whether she was a Magi, or a Human. Either way, he didn't dare to ask. Because of his origins, he could easily fit in with either sides, so whatever they said...He could say.

That was when he looked down, she was getting something from her back satchel? A weapon?! Another arrow again?! Nope...instead, something different was drawn. A small, brown and familiar shape...It was after the flourishing of questions, something different and sudden that threw him off of track. Interrogations were things he'd stayed well clear of, finding a way to dodge them and the questions without raising suspicion. This was not one of those times. But as the silence drew on, he looked towards the offering. Was it genuine, the gift giving? Or was it a luring trap? Either way, he knew that sometime soon, whether today or another, he was to die at the hands of an opposing force. But be reacted, his hand moved and slowly slipped it from her's. It was smooth, but solid. Good condition, as if freshly opened. And with that, he stared back at the woman. And out of the blue, he grinned...Slowly chuckling quietly.

"Like...Training a dog, with treats to go by disobedience...Huh? Guess...I'll...Have it later...Bu-" He could hear garrisons of Guardsmen pouring in, a flourish of more. There were rooftops being turned into mobile fortresses, being prepared for marksmen nests to shoot any protesters...This must've been it for the King's command, or one of his many generals? He had heard about it before...Once any sign of insurrection happened in a village, most of the village was terminated before the news could spread. With a fire as large as the stage, the king had a lot to cover up, which meant a lot of lives would need to be taken. Like silencing a lamb, bleating as its wool coating is shaven off. "I...Don't know what to do. This outburst, caused by Faran...He's shown signs of the revolution...The Thalburn King...He's going to get rid of as much as he can..."

He slipped the chocolate into his pocket, and tensed up slightly. He needed to find a way out of the village. If this was a crime to be committed...Maybe, just maybe, he could serve yet another purpose in his revolutionist seat. This was a chance to finally set another mission, aside from his duty's emplacement being ransacked until it was nothing more than a hamlet. This could be the propaganda he needed, as well as a key to moving onto that route of salvation Sarkath had originally proven to be possible. Yet this would only mean one crazy thing...Run off with this woman's chocolate, which as the Number one rule in the world, is a complete disaster...Or...

"Look...I know this is sudden and...You've just seen me brutally kill a Thalburn Operator, but...I need a ticket out of this town, not for cowardliness though...There's people who need to hear about this, about the pillaging and signs of hope...Look...If you can promise me that, whether or not you decide to betray me or manipulate me...As long as you can get me to these locations...I'll answer any questions you have about this...about anything...Just, let me have my chance to at least complete one task...You can ask me what you want when we go to a safe location I know. I just need to get to somewhere, or see someone, where I know the information will pass on...Then you can do whatever...Kill me or bugger off with whoever, I couldn't care less..." He was stubborn about what he wanted. It was awkward asking such a stranger these questions, but he had to...The Resistance could benefit on it more than anyone could have ever imagined.

Ris’ smile broadened when Fae carefully reached out for the chocolate. His skittish behaviour reminded her of a little lost puppy, afraid to count on any sort of kindness from humans. She chuckled softly at his comment. Apparently they had had similar thoughts. But why did his attitude feel so familiar? With a pang to her chest she realised she had seen this demeanor before, daily even. Her father’s servants had regarded her in a similar fashion, especially those who had just had a beating. Even Aleks had always looked at her that way, until… Ris’ smile evaporated like snow in the heat of summer as memories took her years back. She almost missed the sounds of boots beating down around and above them. Startled, Ris looked up. Anxious and not looking forward to find out whom all of those boots belonged to. Soldiers most likely, judging from the steady synchronised rhythm.

"I...Don't know what to do. This outburst, caused by Faran...He's shown signs of the revolution...The Thalburn King...He's going to get rid of as much as he can..." Fae muttered, almost more to himself than to Ris.

The latter just stared at him, shocked. She had had no idea how serious this all was. Usually rulers cared little for Rogue Magi’s outbursts, especially not when it was in a town as little as Middleseed. Revolution? Why on earth were there so many Thalburn soldiers stationed here in the first place, that seemed way overboard for a town this size, even taking the festival into account. The idea of a revolution brooding would explain that, but how come she hadn't heard of this? And how did Fae fit into all of this? Who was he? A revolutionary? Certainly more than just an innocent man caught up in events, knowing as much as he did. Why did her instincts tell her to trust him then, despite not knowing anything about him? … And she hadn’t even asked the most important thing, was he a human or a Magi? She had just assumed him to be human due to the loath in his voice when speaking of Faran, but Magi could of course harbour underling contempt just like humans could. Probably.

All of these thoughts ricocheted through her mind, and she couldn’t even answer a single one of her questions. She needed to sit down with this man and ask him all of this over a nice cup of tea. Though with soldiers piling onto the rooftops around them, this hardly seemed like the appropriate time and place for such a thing.

"Look...I know this is sudden and...You've just seen me brutally kill a Thalburn Operator, but...I need a ticket out of this town, not for cowardliness though...There's people who need to hear about this, about the pillaging and signs of hope...Look...If you can promise me that, whether or not you decide to betray me or manipulate me...As long as you can get me to these locations...I'll answer any questions you have about this...about anything...Just, let me have my chance to at least complete one task...You can ask me what you want when we go to a safe location I know. I just need to get to somewhere, or see someone, where I know the information will pass on...Then you can do whatever...Kill me or bugger off with whoever, I couldn't care less..."

Ris clenched her bow tighter, thinking over his hurried- and seemingly desperate request. On one hand, she didn’t know this man and helping him could anger the Thalburn authorities, something nobody should risk for a stranger. On the other, she did want answers to the pile of questions that kept expanding every time he spoke. Besides, Fae was her only lead to find Faran- as well as the large bounty on his head. With a nod, Ris made up her mind.

“Alright, I’m willing to take you along. I'll want to know everything about this 'revolution' of yours as soon as we're safe. Though I can’t make any promises until I speak with my comp-” She was cut off mid-sentence by a voice calling out behind her. Ris turned fast as the wind, bow in hand, arrow quickly snatched and drawn in one fluid motion… Two figures, obscured by shadows in the alley but clearly with weapons drawn came running towards her. Ris lifted her bow to aim at them- That is, until she recognised the two and put her weapon down.

“Romeo! Dike! I was almost under the impression that Levi would never find you.” She said, a sigh of relief escaping her. Dike was the first to get to her, smiling to see her unharmed.

“Seems like he did, eh, in the end. We sent him along to get Rich and Hilde as well, shouldn’t take too long. Then again, knowing Levi we might see them again in the next era.” The tall man laughed loudly and patted her shoulder, an obvious gesture of affection. “I knew you’d be fine.” He said warmly. Then his eyes wandered behind her, widening when they took in the horrific scene. The body and man spattered in blood.

“By all the bloody gods… What happened here?” He raised his sword, anger and confusion rapidly taking over. “What happened to Faran? Who is this? Explain yourself!” He demanded from Fae.

“It’s alright” , Ris quickly shushed him, continuing in a calm and hushed tone. “Faran got away, though he is probably still in town for now. Fae here might have some crucial information regarding him and... Other things. For now we should find Rich, Levi and Hilde. There appears to be to be some larger things at stake than Faran’s bounty, we should get out of town as soon as possible and Fae appears to have a safe place in mind.” She said, looking back at Fae for confirmation.


“May Faran and you rot in the deepest, darkest- OW, ashtic. Mums, that hurts!” Rich struggled, cursing in an obscure language as Hilde took off the rings on his left hand and applied some bandages cooled in water to his arm and hand.

“If you don’t sit still, I’ll hit your head until you do, which I’m totally down for.” Hilde muttered, working efficiently and turning towards Levi as soon as she was finished. The sight of the red, burned skin and blisters made the boy look a little unsteady but he got a grip of himself.

“We should really get him to a doctor, there’s only so much I can do with what I have on me.” Hilde said, rising from her kneeling position and returning the medical supplies she had left to her backpack. “I’m fine, I’m fine. Don’t worry so much woman, we don’t have time for visiting a doctor, not with Faran running wild… Though I don’t think I’ll hold Alec for some time to come.” Rich grumbled, leaning on Levi as he stood up. The thought of being unable to wield one of his blades seemed to bother him the most about this whole situation. Hilde merely looked at him with contempt. She had always made it very clear what she thought of people who named their weapons.

“Hey it's your hand. At least have Ris have a look at it. Aaanyways, I think we should thank this man right here for saving us.” She said, nodding towards Darius. “Thanks for that. We should get back to our companions though, feel free to tag along... What’s your name son?”

Realizing they hadn't heard him the first time due to the environment and the need to tend to injuries, he replied "Darius, and I'm just glad I could help keep things from tuning ugly." Looking around, he noticed that people were now working on putting the fire out, which made him breath a sigh of relief. "So what was happening before the guards showed up?" he asked as they started walking.

In a Grand Hall, usually, the plans of battle would be made. Tables would be set out, and small pieces of strategic emplacements that represent the garrisons or individual squads would be slid into multiple positions to compromise the success of each move. Like a board game, the pieces would be moved in and out of locations as a stage of trial and error formatted into play, whilst endless cycles of death and the ability to simply send more reinforcements to try again was more open to the abilities of the four Generals. That was every one of those generals, minus one in particular.

One of the eldest, General J'havan was quite the character indeed. He was not like the others at all, and in all honesty was one of the more under-rated generals. Under-rated is a strong word to use, considering how he worked in almost total secrecy, minus the King's brief knowledge. Being in charge of a Covert Operations and Tactical Engagement Force meant he had perks the others did not. He could work by his own word, without any advice. Present during the times of their creation, he was recognised as one of the First Majors of the Tactical Guardsmen. This skill and experience has brought nothing but sheer power and knowledge to his abilities, making his word fully trustworthy. J'havan had the capabilities to deal with situations how he saw fit. Yet this time, he did have a little bit of restriction on the outcome.

The King of the Thalburn Kingdom was more than happy to allow J'havan to use his forces with benefits, but the only concern that existed was that he 'Covered the Trails of Revolution...Remove the hope'. There was only one thing to do to this. MiddleSeed could have been seen as an uprising, though the panic was caused by only a few possible suspects. It gave the Thalburn an advantage that J'havan saw to be quite delightful.

"General J'havan, Sir..." Major Thomso, one of the higher ranking Field Overseers of the Tactical Guardsmen and trusted connection to Grant, entered with a strong stance, saluting his superior with pride and respect. The two were in a densely defended room, one built, like many, near the village that was in panic. Many of these shelters were dug, and allowed them to discuss tactics in safety, whilst allowing them to receive quick and accurate feedback of the situation without any delays. With them, two Tactical Guardsmen Captains, Geras and Yukon. "Many of the Rooftops have been set up with marksmen of the 3rd Musketeer Division, and we have regulars handed to us from the Guardsmen Branch securing the streets. Your next order from here on, Sir?"

There was a short silence. Thinking had to be done, but with someone like J'havan, thinking was easily subsided with quick and useful thinking. He knew what he wanted, and he knew what he wanted to do about it. There were many things that could be done. Simple arrest, securing of the village of defence. But he had other plans, ones that were more fitting to his demands...

"We have an issue, Gentlemen, and Lady..." He nodded with a faint smirk to Captain Yukon, who in return chuckled lightly. Grant began to pace around the room, and around the map of the village on his table. His boot's thuds on the flooring echoed through the secure building. "With this accident, whatever caused it...It symbolises something, does it not? Let me tell you a short tale, one I heard only a few minutes ago...From the Royal Guardsmen of Thalburn, 5th Division, Squad 4 from Platoon 2...A soldier was killed in the streets, by fire...He walked out, calling for the help of the fighters and people who assisted in 'Controlling' the fire. What did he get out of it? No help...Nothing..." The room was dead silent. They had not heard of the tale, yet they knew this was a common part of their rulership. They hadn't the people's trust...And so when a man innocent of the powers his or her Fascist leader had was killed because of rejection, they knew they had to react fast. They all knew that.

"Now tell me...Who wants to write the letter to the parents or guardians of Private Howie Graham? Anyone?" There was no response...None at all. "My position holds a lot of power, my comrades...We have indeed, more than we could have ever wanted. Now when a single spark of revolution is thwarted out of thin air, it is our duty, by the King's order, to remove the sense of false hope it gives off. Better to prevent a nuisance from happening before it does, right? Well...I have to make many rational decisions, many difficult ones too...But I have my conclusion..."

The room waited, all standing in a formal fashion that was of military standard. They were kept in anticipation as a grin swiped across his face, Grant coughing out a quiet chuckle before ending up where he was before, at the head of the table. They needed his command to move on, and he was to give it to them with very little remorse. He was a ruthless man who knew how to get a job done, how to take care of himself and any issue that was at hand...

"The Sarkath Treaty in this 'MiddleSeed' has been broken, regardless of the origin of this disaster. I've had targets painted and marked down on the lists of our on-field Sergeants. My ideals are to turn this place into something more useful, seeing as it cannot take care of itself no longer. Perhaps a training outpost? Or a Reconnaissance camp?" Finally, someone spoke up...The Major, being the only one with the guts to question his authority, knew what he was getting himself into. The other two would be gutted for even speaking against him, but the Major would only receive and answer he deserved.

"My apologies, Sir...But...How will we get the people of MiddleSeed to agree with the change in settlement? Marksmen can only deliver enough fear into their minds before they start to revolt...And the guardsme-" He was cut off by a crisp, chuckling accent that delivered a fateful answer.

"Who is the current Captain in the town, of the Tactical Guardsmen, ey?" The major responded, knowing what he had deployed, and who he had.

"Uhh....That would be..." Thomso thought for a short while, recalling who he had deployed. Quite the risk taker, indeed, knowing that this situation would get quite bad over time. One of their best had to be sent in...A man with a slick attitude, but a burning desire to get back at those who not only put him on the verge of death once, but twice. "That would be Captain Ramsnouth, Sir...First Platoon, Second Squad." The chuckle once again came round a final time from the jaws of J'havan. He was admiring the Major's decision of who to place. He was dangerous to the enemy, fuelled with a hunger for redemption of both pride and physical injury.

"Brilliant...Tell him to hold the Second and Third Squad back temporarily...Inform him to give the order for the Marksmen dotted on the rooftops to begin firing on those targets painted, not including the loyalists who remain indoors. Once they are done...They can move in and clear out the rest of the village...Go on, get the message to him now!"



His legs dangled over the ledge of the Log cabin's rooftop, as he watched the fire rage on. Beside him were two Sergeants, and a corporal as such. The ash-filled sky gave a sense of pleasure to his mind. This was one of the villages he fought to protect those years ago during the Settlement Campaign. This was one of the villages he nearly died saving, twice. Well, it was saving in his mind. The Sarkath Doctrine was a good way to suppress them from uprising, whilst giving them a 'Fair' treatment to ensure they did not go against the Doctrine itself. It was a good way to narrow down the competition.

"Huh...Talk about a bonfire...Sometimes I wish I could just beg for the King to just burn down most of these lil' villages...Makes us have to waste more ammo on the lil' thugs that try to run a show here...Though I must say, this show they have going is more than delightful." A Cackle of the group lightly dabbed his response. They too also thought much alike Hugos, which was why his chain of command meant a great deal to them. His word was highly respected, even though the man himself was a danger and a risk taker for both sides of the war. But then again, how can you succeed without taking a little bit of a risk here and there.

His hand swept up and down the barrel of his Flintlock pistol. These new-age designs and firearms meant those in the Tactical Operations could smoothly run amok of their opposition with little effort, and style for some factors. Many of the other cities and kingdoms were so far behind on their development of firearms that Thalburn was almost completely unbreakable when it came to range. He cleaned more off of his barrel, the soot of the festival stage having built a shell around the gun's outer components. But he stopped as soon as the sound of footsteps increased from behind them. As he swivelled, the sight of one of the Privates from the Third Squad emerged from a thin layer of plume. In his hand, a letter...

"Captain Ramsnouth, you have new updates on your orders from General J'havan." The younger man held out the letter, allowing him to take it, before he himself took off into the distance to rejoin his own Squad's area of deployment. Taking the letter and unfolding it bit by bit, he began to read out the current orders.

What he read was like music to his ears, only to his eyes, and them being words of great satisfaction. New orders to put the infamous backbone of the Thalburn military to use. The rifles. The rooftops had been scattered with many marksmen, keeping watch over the area. They were originally ordered to look for any armed individuals, but they were not expecting a change of orders. They'd be switching from defending the village...To seizing it...Hugos smirked with great satisfaction.

"Corporal...inform the 6th Squad of the Musketeers of their new orders...We'll be heading in after they've finished raining hell on them..."

---

Fae backed away slightly as the others turned up, showing instantly companionship with the woman as soon as she engaged in short conversation with the man. Yet, within almost an instant, the tables were turned, and weapons were once again raised towards him. This time, Fae did not flinch, nor react in such a way. He only gave half of a glance towards him, before the woman already got to their first to explain the current situation. She was agreeing to take him along, but to squeeze information out of him...Fae knew this may turn out in many different ways, but there was a large sense of determination that led him on to thinking this could have great benefits from it. Playing along was an idea that was a risk worth taking, at this point. He stepped forward, preparing to say words of his own.

"I have a location that is hidden, far from the threat of this somewhat invasion...But close enough to connect a path from here to my acquaintances...It'll require a few days of laying low there before any drastic moves are done...But I can answer the questions once we settle there...And like she said, it'd be best to move as soon as possible...Who knows what the Thal-"

He was cut off by a thunder strike...Or was it a thunder strike? No...It was not, as more and more began to repeat and follow up from that. Soon, the panic grew wilder, only to be drowned out by the sound of gunfire listing potential targets behind the trigger. More and more began to shout out and threaten the silence and peace, making Fae tense up and turn. Smoke from the roof he called a home indicated that marksmen were also firing from his home. They'd be armed with swords, rifles and small daggers...But only fired into the distance due to their underexposure towards the group.

They were firing, as if it were all part of a new order. They must've had a change in plans, because these soldiers were only told to defend from further attack. Something sparked this...And that something could only be figured out until later...Right now, they needed to retreat from the village whilst they were not marked down as a target. There were obviously going to be little survivors from what was happening...Little numbers that make big differences.

"We...Need to move now! Just...Follow me when you're ready...I'm going to find a clear path to safety. Meet me on the street corner in literally a minute, and grab those who you need right this bloody second...I'm not fucking around here anymore, and you aren't either..." His tone was more commanding now, but not in a ruthless or horrible way. It was bold, as if an old spark had been reignited back into his bloodstream. He was back again as he used to be. Someone who had the ability to handle situations as grim as these...He was back as Fae.

On that note, Jin began traveling towards the lake. Distance between Jin's cabin and the lake wasn't incredible. Though it was far enough one location couldn't be spotted from the other. Sun was closing in on setting, daylight would end soon-ish. Jin didn't really talk or answer Jinx' question until they arrived. "I found this place, obviously abandoned, several years ago. Six or seven to be exact." Taking a step into the lake, buckets used to gather water. "Oh, didn't forget or anything. No worries on the clothes. I'll find something for ya for until we can wash those." If one didn't notice already, the clothing would need to be washed by hand. The marvel known as indoor plumbing and electricity, or steam powered technology, were far from being obtained in someplace like Jin's home. Though personally, Jin didn't mind that at all.



Day would soon end. The sun was setting slowly, yet surely. Lance remembered how long it had been since he'd even though about his age. It was a while, to say the least. "I'm twenty-six. I turn twenty-seven mid winter." Mind pondered on the vulnerabilities invoked by revealing his talent to her. Though figured she'd already witness it in action, so it wouldn't hurt to explain further. "Creation of metal is far more tiresome than my ability to freely manipulate it. Though I only hold control over the metal which I have made. Which is why I carry so much of it." Lance paused, taking a moment to think of how to word his next sentences properly. "Your attack was not blocked by armor, so to speak. I willed my Bastard swords handle to break from the blade, shift into a disc or mini-shield, then come to my aid and intercept your dagger. Also, do you notice something different than before?" If Isla had not already noticed the wind-chime type sound no longer existed as he walked. The sound which originally came from the metal rods which once dangled from his bag. "Those metal rods which made that percussion sound as I walked, no longer rest under my bag, now they exist in the form of a staff and in my hand." Taking his staff, Lance sees a nearby rock and hits it against it. The action caused the metal-staff to emit a vibration-echo type sound. "Does that make sense? Are there anymore questions which you'd like to ask? I'd ask you some questions, but I'm afraid i'm lacking in questions to ask at the moment."

Rich, Hilde and Levi

“Go on, don’t just stand around there Page, we have no idea where to go so I hope you remember where that house was. Get moving!” Rich gestured towards Levi, rudely cutting off Darius, at which Hilde just rolled her eyes.

Levi began running, clumsily holding his sword in one hand, which only resulted in Rich calling him back under the sound of his clicking tongue. A curt scolding and a bright red face later, Levi strapped the blade to his back instead and took off running again. The other three kept up in a little calmer tempo, speaking things over as Levi thought of where to go.

“Before the guards attacked, we were trying to arrest the Magi who started the fire- Faran. Not a guy you want to meet. A typical Magi; Dangerous, ruthless and terribly hard to catch. We’re on our way to try and catch him now and… Bring some justice into his life. I spotted him in the crowd and attacked him, but the bastard set fire to the gallery before I could stop him.” Hilde muttered, absent-mindedly rubbing a piece of cloth strapped to her belt. “And those pathetic guards thought I was the culprit… They should work on their eyesight instead of new weaponry in this town…” She rearranged the shield on her right arm a little- which looked slightly too large for a woman of her height and build.

After some time spent in silence Hilde continued. “Name’s Hilde by the way, pleasure and all that.” She said to Darius, a wry smile on her lips. Then she turned to her companion, gesturing to his chest with the tip of the spear she carried.

“And that oversized piece of dirt over there is Rich... Not really though, the name’s ironic. You shouldn’t be so hard on the boy, he’s trying the best he can Rich, he's just nervous about this being his first real assignment and all.” She added, a frown darkening her expression as she turned to her eternal object of irritation, who just shrugged. At first glance he seemed seriously offended, but the twinkle in his eyes showed the obvious truth- He just liked to tease Hilde until her breaking point.

“Hey, mind the patient here please. You don’t want Levi to kill himself by falling on his own blade, right? Neither do I, so I explained him a better way to carry his sword. Honestly, I don’t see a problem here. Besides, I’m hardly oversized. And I'm working on the money-thing. You can say a lot about me, but I do keep in shape-”

Before they could reply to that, a thundering sound echoed through the town. Rich reacted immediately, obviously familiar with the cause.

“Carry-cannons… Damn. We have to get to the others.” Without another word, he ran ahead, swiftly chased by the others.

Jeanne Christina Roussin

The sudden shift in Fae’s behaviour combined with the outburst of thunder above their heads were enough to set Ris into rapid action. She nodded to Fae, not bothering to come up with an eloquent reply. She didn’t like laying her life -and those of her companions- in the hands of a stranger, but after having spared his, she just hoped he could muster the human decency to do the same for her and not lead them into some sort of trap.

“You heard him, one minute. Romeo, cover. Dike, stay here in case they take another route. Stay out of sight.” Both nodded and followed her commands. Dike’s suspicious gaze lingered on Fae for some time, but then wandered to the place on the roof where the soldiers were most likely hiding out.

And off they went. Ris darted through the streets at a recklessly high pace, not even bothering to take out her weapons in her hurry and only half-heartedly trying to stay out of sight by staying close to the buildings. Romeo followed close behind, crossbow kept in hand, watching intently for any sort of movement on the eerily empty streets. He managed to pull Ris back just in time before she ran onto a larger street, where a platoon was just passing through. Fortunately for them, there was a lot of noise in the surrounding area and they managed to sneak back through the way they had come without attracting any attention. While searching for a route to bypass the platoon, Romeo noticed a few huddled figures, hiding out without a direct place to return to like them. With a soft tap on her shoulder, he notified Ris of their presence and quietly but relieved they closed in on the four figures.

“Guys!” Three happily surprised faces turned her way at the sound of her whispered greeting. Fortunately all of them seemed mostly unharmed and… Somehow they had managed to add another person to their numbers while she wasn’t paying attention for but a moment. The new guy seemed about her height, with clear, curious green eyes and dark-brown hair. He looked a little younger than her, but was most certainly older than Levi. She merely rose an eyebrow at Hilde, looking from her to the new guy. She gave a curt nod. Trustable. She looked at Rich for a second opinion and he nodded as well. Rich’ judgement of character was often spot-on, and seeing the little time they had, she decided to just trust them for now.

“Alright, anyone with an urge to get to a safe haven, follow after Romeo. We have very little time left.” And with that, she let Romeo lead the group, making sure she’d come last in the small line of people. She always felt more comfortable being the one with the uncovered back. That way she only had to worry about her own safety.

Isla

Isla listened as Lance spoke, having always preferred to be a listener over a speaker. Only two years older than her, well, three when winter came she supposed, as her birthday was in the spring.

She also noticed there was no ringing of metal like earlier, and while she had already begun to wonder about it, she didn't want to ask at least yet. Luckily, Lance answered for her, explaining his power and thus confirming her earlier guess that his abilities centered around the metal he carried.

"No, I don't," Isla said quietly when asked if she had other questions. After all, her ear was twitching with far off sounds of shouts and children screams. The village might be a half mile away. Isla batted the idea back and forth in her mind of continuing on with Lance as a travel companion, and decided to just carry on unless she had a reason to go off alone again. So far, she didn't have a reason except still feeling badly, and like she owed an apology to the man. She was much better at actions than words though.

"The village is close," Isla spoke, making sure she was as completely hidden under her cloak as possible as they approached.

Following Romeo, Darius took a moment to think about what was going on around him. Apparently his mark had been spot on for what had happened to Hilde and Rich. This Faran seemed to embody what most humans thought of magi, and that in and of itself made him happily consider helping them get him, since he wanted to repair relations or at least try to find out what started this whole conflict. But he wan't too sure about it. His own moral compass knew that he couldn't just take their word for it, but his gut was telling him that they were trustworthy. Either way, he reached into his pack and he pulled out a few of his throwing knives just in case something happened on the way to the safe area. When they stopped for a short moment, he looked behind him at who he figured was the leader of this little group. From the quick glance, he noted he air she held around herself and remembered how quickly she had assessed her situations. As they started moving again, he realized that this was probably one of the best and worst situations to be in as of this moment.