[IC] Fire Emblem: Weight of the World - Part I

[LordVoldemort]

The Scarlet Chapter

_{The realm of man is a quarrelsome abode.}

From the ascension of Nilonne, to the birth of humanity, the world was once taught with animation. Mankind expanded to the corners of their lands and across the narrow seas, forming the first semblances of order from the earth upward. It is said that in her right hand, the Goddess Nilonne conjured a storm in the ocean, creating the Beorc from the rippling water, and in her left hand, she drew the wind with blades of grass, giving birth to the Laguz. Many kept to the native mainland of Aralea, while others roamed the badlands of Norarus.

Each created their own society; with the Gift flowing in their veins, the magical attuned would call themselves the Estalans. Just a little north to the Aralean mainland, a colony was formed on the frozen beaches of a remote subcontinent; later on, it would become customary to swear the Oath of Anarcans upon taking foot on their lands. Those without the Gift sought simpler lives at the opposite end of the world, where the Cesadans would claim their territories.

The story of winged beasts, now a lost legend told at a child's bedside, had once been a reality. Dragons ruled the skies of their world, imposing their will upon the mortals below. Touched by fire, they were predecessors to the laguz, donning a humanoid form and the ability to transform at will. For many years, humanity would comply to the bidding of their dictators, their palaces claimed as a host to several emissaries from the draconic race.

Each society chose a leader to represent their populace at the Court of Scales; Erigan Estali, the founder of Estala and known as the Dragonseer, was said to have descended from the dragons themselves through his seamless flow with the Gift. The Regent of Anarcas, Wernthall Floran, would elect himself as the voice of his people. Across the sea, bands of Beorc and Laguz alike united under Cilla the Untamed, a warrior-woman who rode on the back of a lion in a union unlike any had ever seen.

But this collective of eminence had grown complacent of draconian rule. The Beorc and Laguz had long endured suffering and hardship since their inception, and thus saw the birth of an alliance between Estala, Anarcas, and Cesadas; Erigan Estali dubbed their unity as the Triumvirate. Withdrawing from the Court of Scales, the three sovereigns severed their ties to the dragon race, declaring their own independence as they dismissed themselves. Mosin, the First Dragon, viewed this decision as high treason.

With obvious knowledge that they had incurred the wrath of the dragon race, the Triumvirate each called to their banners, anticipating the war that would come. Armed with sword and magic, their bravery would be challenged by the mythical destruction that the dragons were capable of unleashing. Against all odds, the Triumvirate prayed to the Goddess Nilonne.

_{Against all odds, the Goddess Nilonne called to the Triumvirate.}

Millions had perished as the dragons set fire to the human race, locking the Triumvirate into the seven-year conflict that would be historically known as the Scarlet Chapter. Desperation weigh heavily upon their peoples' weary shoulders, but the Triumvirate refused to bend the knee. The Dragonseer remained resolute amongst his companions, continuing to shape his power through the ways of the Gift.

There were many battles of note that took place during the Scarlet Chapter, but to the very end, there was little hope for Beorc and Laguz to withstand the ongoing ire. Despite the concerns from Wernthall Floran and Cilla, Erigan Estali continued to search for an answer through the Gift, for a future where his children would know peace. It was then, after years of unanswered prayer, the Goddess Nilonne bestowed her favor upon the Triumvirate.

The human race took the war to the dragons themselves as the trio, possessing powers strengthened through the blessing, led their alliance in one final campaign. The sacrifices of men, women, and children would not go in vain, they swore. Erigan Estali wielded the Gift with peerless ability, as legends wrote that with each dragon slain, he continually increased his threshold of power by absorbing their essence.

Months drew on, and the Triumvirate had finally pushed the dragons back to their last bastion of control; the Court of Scales, where the First Dragon reigned. Sailing through what would later be called the Maw of Thanatos, the ultimate battle for humanity would draw the rage of a fearsome storm; the clashing powers had caused an imbalance in the atmosphere. As the fighting commenced, the storm continued to strengthen.

In the end, only the First Dragon remained as the last of the Triumvirate's opposition. Mosin, baffled by the strength of their former subordinates, was impressed by the Dragonseer's ascension, honoring Erigan Estali to a parley of single combat. The remainder of his armies returned to their ships, where they would watch from the seaside. Of equal power, the opponents continued to clash, their visions of an ideal world colliding. The wrath of the storm, now a greater danger than the First Dragon himself, threatened to consume everything beyond the island.

Erigan Estali would seize this momentous opportunity. Drawing the tempest towards himself, he sought to extract its fury to use against Mosin; however, the chaotic imbalance had proven far too strong for his mortal being to manifest. It was there that the three heroes of the Triumvirate gathered in unison, lending their own spiritual force to defeat the First Dragon together. Even as the Gift remained far overbearing, the Dragonseer was able to cast the final spell. Celestial arrows of energy poured from his palms, piercing the ancient armor of the First Dragon; as he fell to the earth below, the powerful gale swept the defeated Mosin into the storm, leaving no trace of the last dragon as it dissipated.

_{Peace had finally come to Aralea and Norarus.}

As the Triumvirate rejoiced in their triumph over their former oppressors, there was much reparation to commence. The magnitude of destruction from the final battle had separated the Court of Scales into four islands, and to the south of Estala, much of these territories had been abandoned. The Triumvirate, with the pooled efforts of their people, would rebuild their world into a new age. It would be many, many years before each nation could truly recover from the disaster, but under the leadership of the three heroes, the union was on the wings flying towards the dream coming to fruition.

[LordVoldemort]

War of the New Leaf

Until they vanished.

Only four years after the conclusion of the Scarlet Chapter, the three heroes of their world disappeared without an afterword. Only Erigan Estali and Wernthall Floran had left behind offspring to inherit their rightful thrones, but not yet come of age to rule, the Triumvirate all but dissolved without the greatness that had created the alliance. Without this union, the relations between Estala, Anarcas, and Cesadas began to deteriorate over the centuries, where pointless bickering and petty greed forfeited the potential for sound leadership.

The crown continued to pass from heir to heir, and as the world grew with the time that passed, the tensions only continued to persist.

For their ordinary subjects, they only wished for these roaring tides to calm, and for the promises of peace to be kept by their leaders. Yet, with his father bedridden from the Swarm, the people rode on the hopes that the young heir, Erigan Estali IV, would be the difference they sought. While he wielded the Gift as effortlessly as his ancestors had, he would prove to be nothing more than the same.

Year 600 — the turn of the century, and by calendar date, the New Leaf. The Island—Kingdom of Rozel issued a summons to court to the corners of the world for the hand of Ceiya Moro, where many lieges and knights would answer the call. Countless suitors traveled far and wide for the lady's hand, including Erigan Estali IV, but all would be turned down by the fair maiden. That is, until her final admirer, Jaedal Floran, approached. Black of hair and darkly handsome, the Crown Prince of Anarcas had caught the eye of many in the throne room. The King of Rozel, impressed by the noble's poise, chose to betroth his daughter to Jaedal.

Outraged by the choice of his sworn enemy, the court was shocked as Erigan Estali IV stepped forward, challenging Jaedal Floran to the death for Ceiya Moro's favor. The Crown Prince proved to be the better swordsman, easily defeating and mocking the young Estali. Enraged, he tossed the sword aside, threatening to torch Jaedal Floran alive with the Gift; in an unexpected scenario, the Chancellor of Cesadas intervened, stopping Erigan Estali IV just as the embers scarred the Crown Prince's face.

With the marriage of Jaedal and Ceiya to come by the next year, the royal retinues returned to their respective abodes, and unbeknownst to Erigan IV, Anarcas and Cesadas secretly formed an alliance, the first of its kind since the Triumvirate during the Scarlet Chapter. With counsel from his father to take what was rightfully his before succumbing to the Swarm, Estala would be caught off guard by a surprise declaration of war from Theodorus Floran. With the nation's rule falling into the hands of Erigan Estali IV, there was a division between the Estalan court on his ability to lead the country through the battles to come.

_{The War of the New Leaf had begun.}

As the Anarcan-Cesadan Army sacked their lands, Estala was already doomed to fall as the last bastion standing before the capital was Fort Rigane. Erigan Estali IV had opted to fight alongside his armies on the frontline, though he had been forced to the lesser magics, as repeated usage of the Gift would prove fatal. When their enemies began to lay siege to Fort Rigane, there was little hope for the Estalans. Knowing that there would be no other option of victory, Erigan IV tapped into the ancient power within his soul, calling the dormant hymns of the soil beneath and channeling the Gift just as his ancestors had.

Almost as quickly as the invasion had started, the Estalans broke the Siege of Fort Rigane and ousted the Anarcan-Cesadan Army from their lands. Newly ascended as the Archsage, Erigan Estali IV led his forces through the dense opposition, despite the alarming number of casualties on both sides. The Gift carried his sails across the icy sea, marching upon the shores of Anarcas where their enemies had retreated.

With most of its armies crushed on the Aralean mainland, the remnants of the Anarcan-Cesadan tandem opted to bolster its defense in the capital, leaving little resistance outside of the walls of Blackwater. The War of the New Leaf had turned into a massacre, as those who stood in the way of the Archsage would be slaughtered. This violence had no boundaries as even the ordinary people were treated as enemies. One commander after another fell to this terrible might, all but one lone squire was sparred from the Estalan's campaign. Erigan IV would take the young man as his ward, before laying siege to Blackwater.

When the castle gates finally broke open from the month-long siege, the Archsage marched into the halls of Blackwater, battling their path towards the throne room. There, Theodorus Floran, the wrinkling Regent of Anarcas, sat, with Jaedal Floran and Ceiya Moro in his presence. The lady fled from the melee that would ensue between Erigan IV and Jaedal, their weapons clashing evenly, much to the latter's surprise. With the prolonged usage of the Gift wearing heavily on his life force, Erigan IV was struck down by his foe.

"Forblaze."

In their folly of underestimating the Archsage, Erigan IV channeled the last of the Gift as he lay bloodied and dying, conjuring a storm of fire that seared the ancient frost of the throne room, consuming those caught within its fury. Slipping into the abyss of unconsciousness, the burning of Theodorus and Jaedal saw the eventful end to the War of the New Leaf, resulting in the Estalan victory. While the scars run deep inside his being, and he may never fly like the Archsage once had, Erigan Estali IV would awaken to the only asset that truly mattered; Lady Ceiya Moro.

The flames of war had finally burned out with the Anarcan-Cesadan surrender, yet only a small semblance of peace returned to the world. The unrest remained as Anarcas, with its bloodline in jeopardy, had lost its structure. Restoration was a long road for their former enemies, but for Estala, it did not concern them. As reparations panned and order was reinstated in the world, rumors of an Anarcan heir coming of age began to surface. The old tensions of the New Leaf had returned, but it would be the next generation to decide.

[LordVoldemort]

_{E L I E S T A L I}

---

@barkTPB@Lmpkio@Pyce@Redneckatron@Sola@Samsno@yooho

In the capital of Greymont, the day started off as normally as it would be expected of Eli; with a book in his hand. The sun was already shining outside, yet his blinds remained closed. He didn't want to have his morning to be disturbed by the bright lights. Of course, not even ten pages into his session, his servant, Mr. Thomas, came in. "I beg your pardon my lord, but your father wanted me to bring you out. He says you shouldn't be sitting in your room all day long reading." Eli dropped his book down and raised a brow. "Well if he wants me to stop reading so much, maybe he should come and get me himself." Thomas let out a small laugh as he walked towards the blinds. "Regardless, you could use a little bit of sun on your skin." As soon as he had let the sun in, Eli squinted his eyes and let out a groan. He wasn't against leaving his room, but he would have preferred to just keep reading. After all, what was the point of going outside for a walk if he couldn't even leave the city?

As Thomas walked out, Eli stood up from his bed and stretched. Within seconds he had stumbled his way into his closet and came back out with his regular attire. As he walked outside of his room, he was greeted by other servants who roamed the halls, as well as a few guards along the way. As he made his way down the grand staircase, he noticed his father had been waiting for him, his cane holding him up. "Ah, there you are son. And how was today's little reading session?" As Eli walked up to him, they turned their direction towards the palace doors and walked outside into the garden front. "Well, it was cut short by a servant on your orders. I'd say it was rather fleeting. Erigan laughed and ruffled his hair with his free hand, causing Eli to pout slightly. Their walk slowed down to a crawl, as Erigan's legs began to weaken. "Yes, well, it's good for a young boy like you to get out. After all, if you're not around to meet your future subjects, how do you expect to take over for me?" Eli looked back up at him and gave him a confident look. "I'll just force everyone to follow me with my powerful magic." They were silent afterwards, almost as if it was the wrong choice of words - until they both let out a loud laugh together, enjoying the time in each others company.

---

Somewhere else, along the outskirts of Port Sesta, a small patrol of ten Estalan soldiers made their way towards the town. Their duties were to patrol the road from Port Sesta and Fort Rigane to ensure bandit activity was at a minimum and that Port Sesta was not under any type of siege.

---

In Port Sesta, the day was running quite normally. Pirate activity was rising outside of the town's borders, alarming the local merchants and fisherman. Of course, while patrols had been sent out on occasion, the threat has refused to dwindle. Even so, the townsfolk continue on with their daily lives, with merchant stalls set up all over the harbor, and guards patrolling the streets.

[Pyce]

Walking to the the board that connected the ship to the dock Pyce looked out into the port scanning the merchants, women and children, and fishermen going about their daily routines. To the others walking off the boat the board was just that; however, to Pyce it was the doorway into his next life. One he would try to live for as long as he could. Taking a deep breath and hiking his bag up onto his shoulder Pyce says quietly to himself “A new chapter” as he took his first step onto the board making his way down to the dock and walking into the port.

Within the port Pyce would tug his scarf to ensure the coastal wind would not blow it away and continued inward heading into the market. Stopping at the occasional vendor inspecting the merchandise being sold he found what he was looking for: a refreshing fruit to eat for lunch. After paying for his peaches Pyce would find a place to sit and enjoy the fruit in the shade.

[Redneckatron]

---

The gentle shake of the carriage was almost soothing to the young bard as he sat on its tail. Tuning his instrument, Zachary looked up to the retreating landscape behind the cart. Lush trees rolled across the hills, mountaintops were barely visible, dust softly rose out off of the trail; the trip ahead was looking to be both scenic and peaceful. Zachary sighed as he leaned back onto a barrel whilst working on the strings. "Are things going alright back there?" a voice called out from the front. Zachary turned his head with a smile and responded. "¡Sí, mucho!" he called back. "How much longer until we get to the port, amigo?" The carriage hit a bump and the cargo, barrels and Zachary included, levitated briefly before landing back down. "Just another hour or two depending on how many more of those bumps we run into!" the driver bellowed, following it with a hearty laugh. Zachary chuckled in response and returned to his instrument.

It wasn't but a few minutes before Zachary had finally tuned his guitar. "Ah, es justo, perfect indeed!" the bard spoke in jubilee. As his bird companion fluttered down from his hat to the end of his guitar he started to play his music. He speechlessly played his song with joyful demeanor with his bird tweeting its own lyrics along with the tune. "So that instrument wasn't just for show I see!" the coachman called back. Zachary did not verbally respond this time. Why would anyone carry such an intricate device without intending to play it? Instead he smiled even wider, holding the melody as the carriage continued onward towards Port Sesta.

[Lmpkio]

---

As the sun shines brightly down upon the engrossed Port Sesta, an Anarcian ponders over the landscape as he sips from his mug of ale. Lieutenant Konstantine may look alien within the confines of his old enemy's port, however he had nothing to fear in times of peace, nor does the port have any ill-will upon him. The blazing rivalry of the War prior has virtually been drenched into nothing more but a faint lingering flicker. He was borrowing his services within the port by an old Estalan friend of his, a merchant, who had wanted to converge with him over political matters, yet he is running late. Whatever is taking him so long?

Nonetheless, the rugged warrior still has patience to spare, even after having settled down for the past ten minutes. Still, it poses as somewhat concerning since he recalls his friend usually being on time. Was he bogged down by the intense number of people? Perhaps another friend of his stopped him? God forbid that he got stopped by bandits, although that's highly unlikely. Konstantine takes another sip of his beer as he watches the events unravel before him on the streets. It's indeed a busy day for the port. He's already seen a small Estalan patrol pass by just a minute ago, marching in perfect formation as they scour the area for bandit activity. A shame that Konstantine cannot meet with his fellow soldiers currently, as most still remain back in Blackwater or are in other locations but here. He'll get to see them again, given time, as the days slug away at the hours and minutes.

And it ought to be soon too, considering the pirate menace has been moving north towards the archipelago. Many of his comrades and surviving superiors say he'd do great onboard a ship, however this lieutenant does not fancy ship-to-ship combat. His specialities lies on the frontlines of solid ground, not onboard ships crashing against the thunderous waves and the lighting strikes of cannon-fire. Of course, he'll be no naval commander anytime soon, rather he'd most likely be tasked in boarding the enemy ship when the time came. It's already a better compromise and something he'd do excellent in. However, that command has not been issued to him as of yet, and so all Konstantine can do is lay back and enjoy the peace that encapsulates the port.

For however long it will last...

---

---

"Hey! Stop right there!"

Within the depths of a small alley way, bandits began to swarm around a lone hooded figure standing in the middle with the scruff of a man's coat in his grasp. The man's face was severely bloodied, with several scratch marks bleeding down his face as he only whispers pleads to be let go. Yet these scratch marks weren't made from a simple human's rounded fingernails. These came from something else. Someone more monster than man. And the figure's hands were elongated and had incredibly long yellowish-white claws tipped with crimson blood. Even his hand was dark red in color, riddled with wrinkles that formed skin unlike any other human on earth. The bandits were confused at who this guy is. Some were ready to charge in, while some became more scared at being it's next victim.

"Show yourself y-you monster!" the bandit leader asks hesitatingly as he wields his blade.

Turning slowly to reveal his icy-blue eyes gleaming from his hood, the monster glares at the shivering leader as his mouth becomes partially visible with his long fangs poking out. Then he begins to chuckle in a sinister fashion.

"Ya sure about that?" the monster hisses with a hard gruff voice, "What do ya truly think is under the hood?"

The bandit leader continues to shiver, his hands becoming more and more unstable as the seconds tick by.

"W-Why are you here?!" the man shouts loudly, trying miserably to feel like he's in charge.

Another chuckle escapes his mouth as he lets go of his dazed prey. He slowly turns around to face the bandit, his face still hidden within his hood and the shade of the alley. He begins to slowly walk towards them, forcing the leader and several of his thugs to begin stepping back. More shivering ensures and their gasps didn't help.

"Ya should ask yer little buddy o' yers." the creature growls as he continues crawling slowly to them, "Struck first, wanting to get at any possessions o' mine. I can tell ya righ' now that I don't have any o' value."

The bandits began to panic. One of them screamed loudly as he attempted to charge the hooded figure with his sword over his head. The figure's fingers extended, showing off his bloodied claws as he effortlessly rips through the bandit's midriff. The bandit yelps in pain as he smashes into the wall next to him, gripping his side in agony. Now everyone was panicking.

"But I can still give ya' an IOU." the figure continues with more of his front teeth being in view, "So 'ere it is."

With that, the hooded figure's head lowers as he takes off his hood. Within a split second, his mangled face cocks towards the bandits as his mouth extended to reveal two rows of dagger-esque teeth and issues a terrifying hiss.

"Boo."

The bandits were mortified at what they've witnessed and they've instantly booked out of the alley in sheer terror. And in eight seconds flat, they were finally gone.

"Heh." Aljahim snorts as he puts back his hood on, "Works every time."

With that, the laguz attempts to cover up his skin as he makes his way towards the public road. After giving two cautious looks both ways, he makes his way south towards the harbor's square. Hopefully those bastards knew their lesson not to take on Aljahim ever again. Because looks can always be deceiving.

[barkTPB]

Fael of the Wintersun

---

Even though he was by himself at most times, Fael crossed paths with groups of nomads often. After receiving a tip from one such group that they had possibly seen someone that he had been searching for, something stirred his heart. With a small bit of his faith restored, he swallowed his nerves and forced himself to act - he left the safety of his own wandering to actual go somewhere with a destination in mind. The laguz traveled almost entirely alone and by foot, as not only was he afraid of groups like a caravan might bring, he literally had no money. And thus, he set out to travel nearly the length of the continent.

By the time Fael had nearly reached where he was headed, doubts had begun to set in. Surely if someone had been going to a city from so far, they were traveling. Either to or from, it didn't matter. There wasn't a reason for them to still be here. But still. He had come thus far, and for fear of letting the small glimmer of hope he still had remaining go out, he knew he had to press onward. Self-consciously, he pulled his hood over his head to hide his ears, but not knowing how to hide his tail, just pulled it back down again. He had memories of the port from his days aboard the ship, and although he tried to suppress them, remembered quite a bit. There was a slight fear that someone near the docks recognize him, but he was much older now and probably seemingly completely different. Though, all concerns vanished and were replaced with nerves as he got deeper towards the heart of the port and more people passed by.

[Samsno]

D A V O R D E L ' T R E U S E

---

"All aboard!" was what the captain said, about an hour ago. Aboard the shining white vessel, a small militia from Cesadas, with the intent of observation, border defense, and foreign aid. The storm was brewing; big troubles across the Thanatian Sea, and the aid sent by Myre as a sign of goodwill and self-defense, as the document stated. A pirate war, inferred to cause large scale difficulties in the long run for any countries affected, if not quelled immediately. Davor stood on his balcony, reading the document over and over. The war council spoke among themselves, full of ideas on what they may be facing, and disgruntled opinions of the people of Estala.

Davor loomed over the waters they were cutting through. "Estala, huh? Aren't we at a rough spot with these guys? Pig on a stick, we fought a war with them for a long time. What the heck are we doing here?" he asked out loud, eyes gliding through the text one more time. An officer shuffled up to Davor. "I mean, yeah, it's pretty rough, but who are we to decide? Pirate war's eventually gon' creep up to us, and we'd be too late by then to stop it. Chancellor's just makin' sure we ain't gettin' to that point," he coughed, as he leaned on the railing. The two gazed out to the sea, to the horizon behind it. 'A fair point,' Davor thought. He sighed, and stretched out his joints. 'Oh well. Family business has ties here, I guess I've got my own reasons. Besides. People are people! There's a whole variety of them, it's not like being Estalan is their sole trait, after all. Maybe we'll be fine!' He continued to pace the meeting room, absent-mindedly scanning the paper, again, again...

"LAND HO!" yelled the captain. The boat slowed its gait as it approached the dock of Port Sesta, the Port City of Estala. The crew and passengers readied their gear for departure. Davor sat in his room, awaiting the signal to leave, spending the time maintaining his bow, and keeping account for all his gear: armor, documents, his vulnerary, and of course, his bow and arrows. 'Alrighty. Just a new town, is all. We've got this. I've got this.' With a triumphant swing of the door, he gazed at all the faces of his comrades. They've made it. "Alright, boys," he exclaimed, "...Here we go."

The group stepped off of the boat. Immediately, they noticed just how bright the sun would glean off of their armor. Many folks stood guarded, as their squad certainly stood out from the rest of the crowd. Soon enough, their horses were brought to them: lithe, black steeds, armor polished, regalia shined. Davor mounted his own steed, and stared at the cautious faces of the town. No words seemed to come out from his mouth. For the first time in a long time, Davor had nothing to say to the crowds.

It was there he noticed. Many a man, many a beast. Laguz, roaming the streets. Their bestial forms, mingling freely with the folks, a sight not seen (nor particularly welcomed) from almost anywhere else in the world, especially not in Myre. His movements were slow as he turned to face the rest of the crew, obviously uncomfortable by the same sight. They've all fought at The Shield before. They know just how dangerous these people can be.

"...Onward."

[yooho]

The coins would jingle into the merchant's hand as the man bought rations from him. He nodded to the merchant and turned to walk off as he bit into it. As the man turns, he swallows and produces a small sigh. "Percy, you'll have to make this one last for the day.." As Percy talks to himself, he puts the ration away. "Port Sesta, why do I get such an odd feeling from this place? Percy says to himself, shrugging it off. He continued to walk through Port Sesta, arriving at a long dock. Percy didn't like how the old wooden planks creaked loudly, most likely from how old the docks were. It did feel a bit homely to him, though.

Percy would walk through Port Sesta, taking in his surroundings while resisting the urge to take another bite of his 'meal'. He wanders about the market district of the Port, making his way through people in order to get wherever he was going. When he thought about it, he wasn't sure himself. Though the smell of salt water and the sound of the sea calmed him quite a bit, he couldn't shake off a bad feeling with all these rumors of pirates. Of course, it would make the average man uneasy, but Percy thought to himself that it wasn't that big of a deal to him. Perhaps he was being over-confident.

[LordVoldemort]

_{E L I E S T A L I}

---

Erigan turned to face his son as they stood outside of the castle gate. "I know this'll be a new experience for you, but I just want make sure you won't do anything dangerous. Promise me you'll behave in Port Sestas." Eli struggled onto his horse, the difference in height making his task rather difficult. "Yes, yes....I promise. I promise not to miss out on the new sights." He fell off the stirrup, landing harshly on the ground. Erigan smiled, leaning on his cane. "A sign from Nilonne to respect your father." Eli grumbled something as he stood up, dusting off his clothes in the process. "Which reminds me - I have something for you before you head out." He pulled off his amulet and handed it out towards his son. Eli took it in his own hands gingerly, his eyes shooting up towards his father. "Our family heirloom. A good luck charm, you could say. Take special care of it - I'll want to have it again when you retu-!" His voice was cut off by the sudden rush of Eli hugging him. He let out a small chuckle and patted Eli's back, before helping him up on the horse, albeit with a groan. The injury from long ago prevent him from doing too much.

"I love you, son. Be careful out there." Eli gave him a nod from on top of his steed. "I will. I love you too, dad." He wrapped the amulet around his neck before bringing his steed to a slow pace. A small retinue followed after him. As Eli and the guards made their way through the city, showered with praise from the common folk, Erigan watched on with a worried look. As his son turned into a small speck, he turned, and hobbled off into the palace, his cane clicking along the way.

---

@Samsno@barkTPB@Lmpkio@Redneckatron@Pyce@yooho

From the gates of the Port came the patrol, stopping by for a small report on the bi-daily business of the surrounding area. The sergeant made his way into the guard's barracks and the patrol sat quietly, waiting for business to be over. This was the standard of life in Port Sesta...until a bell rang out. It caught the ears and hearts of the town's residents, guards, and visitors alike. This wasn't a church bell or a town crier's bell. It was the emergency bell, stationed on top of the walls near the waterfront. With a carrying voice, the guard who had rang it cried out; "PIRATES! PIRATES AND ANARCANS!" The quiet that overtook the town when the bells rang were swiftly cut out by the cries and yelling of all those within the town. It wasn't long before cannonballs flew into the buildings and stalls on the harbor.

---

As Eli's retinue at the outskirts of the Port, they halted their movements at the sight of smoke rising from the town. Eli, in the center, could barely see what was happening. Riding to the front, he noticed the black clouds overshadowing the sky. "My Lord, it's not safe here. We should fall back to Fort Rigane." Eli's heart beat rapidly as the retinue turned back around. He followed after them quietly. The thought of his journey being cut so short phased him slightly as he brought his horse to a stop. "My Lord?" The captain turned back around to make sure the Prince still followed. "We.....we can't let those people suffer like this!" Eli quickly reared his horse back towards the Port and rode off, ignoring the cries from the captain to return to safety. This was his only chance at some kind of excitement in his life. Yet, he couldn't help but feel fear gripping his mind.

[Samsno]

D A V O R D E L ' T R E U S E

---

The continuous stares between both the citizens and Davor's retinue were just about enough to get Davor uncomfortable. They strolled through the streets, hoping to find some official to answer to, particularly of the Estalan crest. As they made their ever slow gait throughout the Port, Davor noticed the increasing amount of attention the Laguz were paying to their group. "Perhaps it may be due to the whole 'slave trade' problem we've got going on," Davor's guard whispered. He pondered the thought. Man, it really was a bad situation.

Then again, some Laguz are bad people, too. "Stay vigilant, boys. We've got to find--" Davor falters, the familiar "DING, DING, DING" of an emergency bell. The group watched as the citizens ran away from an apparent conflict, and guards shouted "PIRATES AND ANARCANS!" repeatedly.

"...trouble."

"Here we go! Everyone, stay close! Our main goal is to assess the situation! If you find trouble, notify me immediately!" Davor barked, and the group set off for the rising stack of smoke, horses running at a careful speed, weaving through crowds of people on their way to the center of town. This seemed to be it, this was what they were sent here to do. Davon rode ahead, leading the charge.

It took him a minute, but Davor was eventually able to get to the center of town. He looked around, and his crew began their search for anybody, friend or foe. A few of the squad made their way through rubble and broken facade, helping the Estalan guardsmen herd the people to safety. Davor facilitated the steady extraction of possible hostages in the area, while flames licked the sides of buildings destroyed. "Hello! Anyone there?" he continued to call out, in hopes of a response.

C Y L O R E I S S A R

---

Equipped with her most rugged dress and donned with her most protecting hood, Cylo makes her way into Port Sesta, with a curious feeling of familiarity to this place. She took in the fresh, salty air, and shielded her eyes at the brightness of the sun. She decided to simply hold her scarf, it wouldn't do her much good in this weather. This was where it all began for her. A celebrity, an advocate of Beorc-Laguz peace, stepping out into the fray. All she had to do now was look for a job to accomplish.

A couple of looks were thrown her way as she walked the street, looks of disbelief, no doubt. She stuck out like a sore thumb; while everyone was dressed in their workman's clothing usually shades of brown and gray, here strolls a random woman, dressed in the finest of white garments, with a face familiar to most as a sort of celebrity among the masses. "You're Miss Cyrei!" a child no older than six exclaimed, in his schoolboy outfit. She could only smile and nod. She really was doing a good thing, she believed.

The serene sounds of the working morning were soon defiled by the sound of a heavy bell. Moments, later, crowds rushing out of the center of town. Wide-eyed, Cylo made an immediate dash for the center of town. Rumors had been spreading of a possible pirate war, and from the guards' exclamations, they seemed to be true. She ran as quickly as her robe could take her, before being abruptly stopped by a guard, holding a line of civilians, a ways away from the trouble.

"I'm sorry, Miss... Cyrei?" The guard stood, obviously shocked, "...But I don't believe it's safe for civilians to be around this area! Please vacate the premises immediately!" Cylo knew that the guard was just doing his job, yet she knew that she could do something. She struggled her way closer to the action, obviously being held back by the guard, when she managed to utter a soft, whispered sliver of a message, "...I can help."

"You can?" The guard asked. She nodded. She knew something was off about her singing. It seemed to do more than entertain, it seemed to have some other property to it that she hadn't figured out, like a bard's musings in fairy tales, or a siren in ghost stories. She had a difference, and she felt in her gut that this, indeed, was where it would be applicable. She stared the guard deep into his eyes with determination. With a reluctant "...suit yourself," she began her way into trouble.

[Pyce]

P Y C E M E S S

---

Pyce's relaxing lunch was quickly ended with the alarm bell going off. Standing up from his shady resting spot and taking a final bite to finish off his meal. "Isnt this an eventful start of a new life" he says to himself as he branches off from the crowd of people looking for a building he can use to seperate the cannon balls and his body. As he moves away, he adjust his hair and scarf while scanning the crowed of people watching to see if hes being followed.
Upon finding a solid looking building he sits down on the wall opposite from the water. "This place has a noticeable military presence, why would pirates choose to attack? But lets hope I dont have the opportunity to ask one personally" Pyce says to himself as he sets his bag down and watches the crowd of move past him. Listening closely to the cannon shots and what the people moving away from the docks are saying he tries to determine if or when he will need to move to keep himself safe and out of harms way. To further insure his well being Pyce moves his bag over to his lap makes sure his bottles of vulenary are not broken from his trip across the sea. After confirming they are still good he lets out a long exhale and rest his head against the cold stone wall "I should be okay as long as a pirate doesnt come here."

[Lmpkio]

"Surprise Invasion"

---

The peaceful atmosphere has suddenly shattered as a distant bell began ringing in the distance. Konstantine slowly heightened his gaze to get a good listen on the bell, expecting it to be that of a festival or church gathering. However, it soon became clear that the ringing wasn't slow or harmonious like that of a church bell, rather it was ringing at a feverish pace. Almost as if it was alerting the entire presence of something dangerous coming this way. And all was soon confirmed as he heard the wailing cries of urgency.

"Pirates!"

Within that instance he instinctually began gathering his gear. He gets up from his chair and quickly begins preparing his lance and shield. However, as he begins to head out the door, he hears another chant coming from the guards.

"PIRATES! PIRATES AND ANARCANS!"

The lieutenant stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he heard the following name. Anarcans. At first he thought he must've heard things as he stopped to grasp another good ear at the term multiple times. Yet they all rang true throughout his ears. He didn't hear anything about an Anarcian invasion coming from his superiors. In fact, he recalled hearing no hostile mentioning of Elastia itself, let alone invading the ports of this harbor town. If it had been announced, he wouldn't be here right now. But why have they decided to plan a secret attack here? And they have brought the help with pirate allies too? This sounded way too suspicious to him. No way would his kingdom have anything to do with those savage, hooligan plunderers.

Suddenly, a cannonball rips through a nearby tower close to the tavern Konstantine just stepped out of, raining down cobblestone and wood debris from the heavens above. The armored warrior raises his shield to block the smaller chunks of rubble from hitting his head as he sees mass panic coming from the citizens here. And in the distance, the lieutenant sees the combined forces of both Anarcian and pirate ships in the near-distance firing upon the port. The old warrior was completely dumbfounded at what he's seeing.

This is absolute heresy!

He sees an incoming Anarcian ship approaching a nearby harbor and takes no time to rush towards it and heed the sailing vessel. It's time that he gets some answers at the situation at hand.

---

@Samsno

"Make Haste!"

---

As the call to arms against the approaching pirate and Anarcian invaders rang through the entire port, Aljahim snarled at this unwelcome turn of events.

"Arrgh, not this again..." he growls under his breath.

Having been in the premises for no more than a few hours, it all suddenly goes to shit, just like the previous village he was in yesterday. Only difference was that it was attacked by a rogue Laguz tribe, a small task force that he easily was able to push off, and not by an incoming invasion from two powerful factions. This is already a much more serious threat, and while he can take them on through his own powers alone, it wouldn't be worth the effort and hardship he'd ensure. Plus, he doesn't want to reveal his identity in a crowded environment such as this. But at the same time, he might as well enjoy a few kills at his leisure before falling into obscurity and fading into the shadows.

Climbing onto a stack of crates nearby, Aljahim takes a quick look at the situation that was unfolding. The ships beyond have already started laying waste to the port through their powerful cannons, knocking down multiple buildings and setting a good portion ablaze. He can't simply attack them head-on, for that would be suicide. His best choice was to hide himself near the center of town, wait for his prey to draw near, and strike when they least expect it.

This will do.

And without further ado, he runs swiftly across the tiled roofs towards town center. As soon as the cursed Laguz got to the center of town, he sees the guards preparing to defend the lines. He even glances at a certain individual, a tall elegant-looking woman staring a guard down as she proceeds to join the fight. She seems to know what she's getting herself into, although one may also see it as a foolish gesture of light-headedness. She didn't matter though. He begins jumping from building to building again before landing behind a wall of flame to mask his presence as much as he can. His hardened skin is capable of having him survive for brief moments when in contact with fire, but by all means it doesn't make him invincible. He'll need to be careful now as he sneaks through the thick smoke and rubble, lying in wait to strike at the fast approaching enemy beyond.

[barkTPB]

Fael of the Wintersun

---

At first, Fael didn't seem to notice anything was wrong. He was away from the ports, but the sudden rush of people and noise drew him closer. Which was a mistake, as he seemed to freeze in place, horror stricken. Not at what was happening, but it evoked in him memories of his home and clan. That night wasn't something he often thought about, but it was the reason he hadn't bothered to settled down in a populated area. He seemed to break out of his fear-induced stupor at the sound of young voices. Through the panic-stricken crowd he made out the sounds of children. He couldn't allow someone to get separated from their parents. Forcing himself to focus on the situation around him and mustering up the small amount of courage he had left, the laguz focused on sounds and took off towards the docks.

There he spotted a young boy by his lonesome, shedding a few tears in fear. It seemed he had been separated from his parents. Fael knelt by him, but that only seemed to worsen the problem. He suddenly felt acutely aware of his own ancestry, and that was probably the reason why. But he'd long steeled himself against that, and picked up the kid, carrying him over his shoulder. He weaved between crowds of people moving either direction, looking for a safe place to leave him. Thankfully, he spotted a group of sisters ushering by a group of people. He approached them, getting the attention of the nearest one. "Please take care of him." He mumbled, referring to the young boy. The sister nodded and he entrusted him to her. Sighing in relief, he looked back towards the port and took off towards it again.

Unfortunately, his frail frame didn't take for shoving through a crowd moving in the opposite direction. Biting his lip briefly, he shifted forms and slipped through the people, looking for displaced people. Seeing none that commanded him attention, he headed closer to where people were under attack. If he couldn't help people, at least he could try and help to prevent the town from being overrun.

[Redneckatron]

---

It was with a sudden jolt that Zachary lost his balance and slid deeper into the carriage from where he was. He could hear the horses protest in a panic as the coachman tried to calm them down. The bard's bird friend fluttered around in the air in a quick panic, soon landing on the boy's shoulder as he clambered his way to the carriage's front. "What seems to be amiss-" Zachary started but soon could see for himself. From the carriage's view atop a tall hill he could see it all: the port was under siege. Zachary was dumbstruck as he witnessed multiple ships at the harbor blasting cannonballs into the city, lighting many buildings ablaze. A bell rung in the distance which range constantly which would seem to cause civilians to flee inland towards where Zachary currently was. Zachary's eyes were wide and mouth was slightly gaping as he took in the sight. "Por los dioses," Zachary whispered under his breath. Without another moment's hesitation the bard leapt off the carriage and began to run towards Port Sesta with his bird in quick tow. The coachman shouted at Zachary as the boy ran, something about danger and pirates but Zachary was hearing none of it. There were people that needed his help somewhere in the city.

It wasn't but a few minutes that Zachary's run had landed him at the entrance of the city. Dozens of the city's denizens were running in terror from where he just came from whilst the guards were stopping anyone from reentering. To the bard's luck they were focusing on the streets and not the rooftops. Zachary slung his instrument behind him and quickly ran off the path out of the guardsmen's sights. Quickly scaling the buildings and sliding into the alleyways within the city, Zachary looked over at his bird companion. "It seems we're in the clear amigo." With that the bard did his best to make his way towards the heart of the city as best he could without using the main streets. It was best not to be seen by either city guards who would escort him out or, worse, those who were attacking the port. Zachary just needed to find where his support was needed in order to protect the people here.

A sense of anxiety and excitement began to creep into the boy's senses. After all this time he would finally be able to put his skills into use as his ancestors once did. The battlefield was calling the Nyrid family name once again! On the other hand, he had absolutely no combat experience. Should he run into a pirate or enemy soldier without the help of those to cover him he would surely perish. Death was a real possibility for once in Zachary's life and the realization made Zachary pause before he entered the main square from the alleyways. A cannonball flew overhead and decimated the wall adjacent to him. The bard covered his face from the dust and cobble that flew from nearby. His bird panicked overhead before landing behind him on his strapped instrument. Zachary's intentions were to help but being in danger had made his legs freeze. What was he to do now?

Loud tweeting berated his right ear. The bird was having a fit as if it were reminding him what he was trying to do in the first place. Zachary looked at the bird and it stopped its tweeting; instead, it was impatiently hopping upon his guitars end whilst looking at Zachary. The bard's worries were soon calmed by his now controlled breathing. A feeling of confidence and bravery hardened within the bard's stomach. Gone were the butterflies and instead Zachary smiled at his companion. He patted its head and slung his instrument to his front. "What would I do without you reminding me of everything, my amigo del pájaro," Zachary spoke to his bird whom tweeted back at him. Taking one last deep breath of reassurance the bard took his first steps into the square to find where his new allies were.

[LordVoldemort]

_{E L I E S T A L I}

---

@Redneckatron@barkTPB@Lmpkio@yooho@Pyce@Samsno

The pirate attack quickly turned into a plunder as hordes of pirates began to swarm into the port. While most of the guards began to engage with select groups, the overwhelming number of brigands came to no end. Soon enough, most of the shops and houses on the waterfront were already ransacked or we're being picked clean at the very moment. Yet, peculiarly enough, not a single person on-board the ships was an Anarcan - or, at the very least, certainly didn't look like one. Either way, the port was flooded to the brim with the raiding party, and the situation was looking grim. Even so, the guardsmen held strong against their foes, clearing the streets one pirate at a time.

---

Through the main gate, commoners fled from their home in search of safety. Cutting through the crowd like a knife in butter was the Prince, who pushed his way further inside, albeit with a struggle. It took all of his might to get through the swarming tide. As he finally made his way in where the density was lessened, he sprinted further into the city. Almost by luck, his retinue caught up with him. The captain barked out at him as they neared the waterfront. "You've got some nerves, your Highness!" Eli gave the captain a nervous smile, before turning his attention in front of him once again. Soon, the Prince and his retinue made their way to where the combat was taking place.

The captain yelled, raising his sword into the air. "Men! Show these over saturated thugs to their grave!" As soon as his sword fell forward, most of the retinue charged headfirst towards the combat - an almost welcoming sight from the port's guard. Eli was still accompanied by the captain and another guard as he watched on. ""You should be helping them out, Captain!" The man looked down at him and shook his head. "So long as you are in danger, I cannot allow a finger to be laid on you." Eli stared back at him, before turning his attention away in silent defeat. He pulled out a small tome from the satchel at his side. "Then the least I can do as your Prince is help." His cape and hair flared up from the power he evoked from his tome, and a fireball conjured from above him. As soon as it had materialized, it was already racing towards a small group of four pirates charging in to aid their comrades. The blast knocked them down, cooking one who took the full blunt of the fireball and injuring the rest.

The guards knew immediately who was there to assist them at that moment, and while he was far from being combat ready, his skill of Anima was known in his land. It was all that was needed to boost the morale of the troops - soon enough, the overwhelming numbers felt more like a horde of ants than a horde of pirates to the average guard. "We might be able to deal with this force, but we'll still have to clean out the rest of the port!" Although he sounded like he knew what he was doing, Eli's heart was beating rapidly in it's chest.

[Astrolia]

@LordVoldemort

---

"Come one, come all! Witness the mystical might of a real witch!" Malia called out to the crowds of Greymont as attracted the attention of the commoners. Frankly, Greymont was a pretty boring place in her opinion; the people here had no taste. However, they were about as sharp as a dulled butter knife and that was where Malia could have her fun. As folks gather around the oddly dressed girl and all her noise, she watched with glee as she had an audience worthy of her talent.

"I'm sure you must be wondering what mystical wonders await! Fear not! For I, Malia the greatest witch of all time shall guide you through the otherworldly display you are about to see! Women! If you have children, avert their gaze now or they may be forever lost to the arcane. Please note that Malia takes no responsibility for the injury, death, possession, form changing, soul destruction, lost love, obsession, depression or mind control to any of those who witness the show! Now, let us BEGIN!"

Suddenly screams rang out throughout the nearby people and Malia's crowd started to disperse in a blind panic.

"Run for your lives!"

"We're all going to die!"

"H-hey wait a minute! You haven't even seen the show! The warning was kind of a joke....nothing bad will really happen to you! Probably." Malia called after the crowd of screaming commoners, but not a single one of the took heed of her words. "God's how rude! A proper curse unto all of you! May your children all be born ugly! And your baking recipes always go astray!"

"Hand over all your money little girl, and you ain't gotta get cleaved in two." Commanded a gruff sounding voice. As Malia turned around she saw a lone brigand wielding an axe. Suddenly it occurred to Malia what the people had been running from, a lone brigand could not have made it this far into Greymont - which meant there were more. As she actually listened to her surroundings she could hear nearby shops being ransacked and peoples screams. Interesting. It appeared that Malia was currently being held at axe point.

Immediately in a dramatic flair, she draped her arm over her face. "Oh but good sir! I am but a lowly witch girl travelling to try to make ends meet. I have nothing of value except the very magic I perform! Please, do not cut down this virgin maiden before she has had a chance to make her mark on the world! I'll cause you no bother, I swear it!"

The brigand licked his lips before taking a step towards Malia. "Hehe, a virgin maiden eh...then you do have some value. I'll take you back to the ship and a beauty like you will fetch a pretty penny. Although maybe I'll keep you to myself...don't resist girl. I don't wanna to damage the merchandise." The crude man ran his tongue over the metal back of his axe.

"O-oh my! You though I said virgin! I said sea urchin! You see when I was but a sweet babe I was cursed by an awful witch of the sea who de-- Oh forget it, you're not even listening. But still, fine sir! Allow me to perform for you but once before we go! My hands are empty but with a simple flick of the wrist a gift unto you!" As soon as Malia flicked her wrist, a white rose seemed to just appear in her hand. The brigand looked truly confused as to how the girl did, but Malia wasted no time in taking a bow.

"Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. And now for my next trick, I'll make you disappear." In the same breath Malia spun around, tome now in hand, and with the venom in her words making her intent clear she launched a searing fireball toward the brigand striking him directly at such short distance. The man recoiled back having taken the full might of Malia's spell and Malia watched as the fire burned his newly dead flesh. She walked up to the corpse and threw the flower onto the burning brigand.

"Thank you, you've been the best audience a witch could ask for, but unfortunately that's all the tricks we have time for. I hope you found the show to as exhilarating as I did. Take care now." And with that Malia headed through a nearby alleyway away from the brigand before his friends showed up - it didn't take a genius witch to figure out where her own band of slaves comrades would be. No doubt they were headed straight into the foray of all this chaos, and that suited Malia just fine. As she made her way down the alleyway and to the port where she could hear the most amount of commotion she could hear the soft sobs of what definitely sounded, and smelled, like a child. Malia looked around a bit before spotting a poorly hidden boy; he could be no older than ten. If a brigand came this way they'd be certain to spot him and he'd definitely be killed or captured. Malia thought about it for a moment before realizing she didn't care and carrying on her way when out of the corner of her eye she saw the unmistakable glimpse of a strawberry lollipop clutched in the boy's hand. This changed everything.

"You there! Boy. Present yourself to me if you wish to go home."

"A-are you a pirate?"

"A-am I a pirate? FOOL! Have you never opened a storybook? Are you ignorant to tales of lore? Do you NOT carry with you a lunchbox? I am clearly a WITCH."

"A WITCH?!"

"That's right you foul miscreation! I am witch borne of evil and despair, a temptress for the depths of the hottest hells, a sorceress who manipulates men as easily as she does the fabrics of the universe. Why I am so evil the infernos of hell themselves sent me back. But it is your lucky day! I happen to be in need of no extra children to boil today, so I shall make you a deal. In exchange for that delicious lollipop you have there, I shall grant you a spell to see you home safely."

"R-really? O-okay! Here you can have all my candy!"

"My, what a good minion you are. Perhaps some day, you may make a fine witch's apprentice. Now... avte, darte, noct, illseum, homeward bound, ward this boy of all harm, safely home with a witch's charm. There. It is done. Now go to, and when you reach your friends be sure to warn them of Malia! The cruellest witch, who sneaks into boys and girls rooms at night to take their candy!"

"Y-yes Miss Malia, you're the best witch ever!" And with that the boy went darting off. Malia nodded in agreement that she was in fact, the best witch ever, before sticking her newly acquired candy in her pockets and the lollipop in her mouth and skipping her way back to her friends. Once Malia actually made it to where she was headed, she arrived in time to see little Eli arrive, aide in tow. She could always count on the motley crew to be predictable if nothing else. She skipped her way over to them, dashing from brigand to guard as she did.

"Excuse me, pardon me. Witch coming through. Oh be careful Mr Guardsman! Generally it better not to take the axe to face! Oh dear, looks like he's already dead....Pardon me Mr Brigand, just passing through. I'd take one myself but wouldn't you know I just started my steel diet yesterday? Rotten luck, I know." She reunited with Eli, just as he finished casting a fireball of his own towards a group of ruffians. Not bad. Not Malia, but acceptable none the less.

"Oh my darling prince! That wasn't half bad! I do love cooking scum. But what's with the face? Foolish boy! How many times must I alay onto you this lesson? A witch's apprentice must always smile in the face of chaos. It is where we are at our most powerful! Now let me see those lovely royal teeth! Yes, yes, that's good. You know what happens to good boys who please witches don't you?" As much as Malia would have loved to continue talking all day. The sound of brigands, now angry that Eli's group was clearly on the offensive, gearing up a counterattack swayed her judgement into getting ready to fight. "Shall we dance? I have some wonderful recipes for cooked human flesh you know, and I'm sure I can boil a brigand alive for a spell or two! Fear not everyone, your favourite witch is on the case."

[yooho]

P E R C Y B E L M O N D

---

Percy's eyes darted back and forth- left and right as panic began to brew in the Port around him. He covered his ears as a cannonball flew and shredded one of the stalls next to him, making him roll to the ground. "If the pirates do get here, how many can I take on..?" Percy starts to count his fingers before another cannon hits the area by him, making him get a realization of the situation which makes him get up and start to run in the opposite direction of the pirates.

Percy would skid to a stop when he heard a small noise coming from a broken house. He looked over at it, approaching the house and walking through the broken door. He would've seen an elderly woman collapsed under the broken material of her house. Percy quickly came to her rescue as he lifted up the wooden beam over her and pushed it aside, reaching his arm over her and slowly lifting her up. "...." Without a word, Percy would slowly take the woman towards the center of the Port.

[Lmpkio]

---

As the lieutenant waits for the ship dead-ahead to dock, he couldn't help but to look at all the other ships making landfall up and down the rest of the port. As the ships' gates open, Konstantine expected to see several Anarcan guards escorting the pirates down. He'll personally demand one of those guards to answer every single question he has. Yet as he watches the swarm of savage warriors violently tumbling down the decks and begin ransacking the nearest buildings, he suddenly began to realize something particular. For there wasn't a single Anarcan soldier who stepped off the boats, let alone anyone who resembled as one of Konstantine's kind. It soon developed a clear idea of what must've happened.

And it made his blood boil furiously like an overheating pot of mutton.

Soon the ship closest to him docs and out come a savage onslaught of these barbaric hooligans roaring viciously towards the lone lieutenant. Yet Konstantine didn't run from these fools. He perched his shield forward and extended his lance towards the swarm, walling himself to block their advance. While his armor is incredibly durable and has taken many beatings in the past, Konstantine knew that his chances in annihilating this lot were slim to none. But he's not going to go down without a fight. He's going to avenge his comrades, his honor, and his people aboard, their lives having been senselessly murdered by these cold-blooded bastards.

Even if it mean't he'd have to sacrifice his own in the process.

May the gods give him strength in this desperate hour.

---

@LordVoldemort, @Astrolia, @barkTPB

---

As the hound scurries through the burning rubble, Aljahim suddenly encounters a small group of rambunctious pirates who were sacking a local fishmonger's shop. They had no regards in beating up the poor old man as he lies helplessly and pleading for help, all while the others began looking for loot. Some even begin eating some of the shop's rare seafood delicacies to satisfy their ravenous hunger. At first, Aljahim considered to not show his face and to continue finding his way out of this place. After all, he has no business here other than to rest up and move on.

However, as he attempts to sneak away, one of the fleeing commoners, a young blonde maiden, saw his ugly mug and screamed at absolute horror as she stumbled and fell. This quickly brought the attention of the pirates, who then dropped all that they had and focused their attention on this unique specimen.

"Well lookie here boys!" snarled a one-eyed pirate who dropped the fishmonger and drew out his cutlass, "Got ourselves a little critter scimp-scattering aroun' here."

Aljahim pauses as he is forced to face the pirates head on, his cold blue eyes glaring ominously at the group.

"Damn, he ugly as hell!" a fat lug bellows as he gulps down an entire fish whole, "What kinda hellspawn did he come outta?"

"Ooh ooh! Can we keep him?" a smaller one-legged pirate pleaded with great enthusiasm, "I bet the boss will love to have him as his guard doggie."

The red laguz wasn't pleased at that thought and began to growl instinctually at them.

"Best ya'll don't mess with me." Aljahim warns ominously while bearing his fangs, "Ya should've looked at the last guy who tried to do that."

"Say... that ain't a bad idea! Heh! I bet we'd get a raise outta catching this feral mutt!" the leaders laughs as he eyes the laguz and raises his cutlass, "Go get em' boys! And make it snappy!"

The pirates acknowledge and began to charge at the crimson creature. Aljahim simply sighs at their decision as he began to violently transform into his own nightmarish feral form. The pirates began to halt their advance as they realize the error of their decision, but alas it would be too wait for them. The creature lunges at the small pirate and places him under his mighty maw and begins violently shaking him around as if he were a chew-toy. The victim cries out in absolute horror before being tossed to the side, hitting a wooden beam before finding himself lying on his back.

Another pirate charges at him with wrathful rage in his eyes before being swiftly dispatched as Aljahim slashes at him twice in quick succession. The crimson hound then eyes the fat one as he begins running towards him. The pirate attempted to whack him with his massive hammer, but the wolf was too quick, and he also finds himself smacked in the face by the creature's sharp canine claws. All who was left was the one-eyed pirate who began to cowardly begin stepping back in fear, mortified at what this monster did to his mates.

"W-What kind of a freakshow are ya?!" he nervously asks as he continues backing up.

Aljahim slowly approaches the leader of the bunch as his growls begin to louden significantly. Then with a sudden bark, the crimson hound scares him away as he runs back to his ship.

"I warned ya..." the laguz sputters as he continues to make his way down the avenue still in his beastial form.

As he approaches the next intersection, he notices a group of guardsman pushing back the incoming invaders ahead of him and making their way towards the waterfront. Aljahim swiftly ducks behind several crates as he waits for them to pass. If he'd be seen, they'd definitely try and kill him on sight. Amongst them, he can see what appears to be a young boy accompanied by other notable allies, one of which happened to be a witch. He didn't take much interest in them, other then he considered the boy as perhaps the kingdom's prince. Once they passed him, he resumes his advance as he continues to hasten his advance towards wherever the nearest exit is.

That is until he reaches another intersection, for as he turns the corner he comes face to face with a white wolf who also happened to be running this way. With both forces running quickly towards their respected goals, a collision seemed nearly inevitable...

[Pyce]

P Y C E M E S S

---

Next to the wall he's using as protection from the cannon fire Pyce hears a group of people running down the alley he came from earlier. Curious he piers around the corner and sees a group of pirates running towards him with determination in their eyes. Pyce quickly hides around the corner, but it’s too late as one of the pirates yell out “Told you I saw a pretty boy in white run this way earlier!”
Pyce starts to panic trying to figure out what to do before the pirates reach him I have to lure them to someone that can fight them, but I have to avoid innocent people. Hearing the footsteps approach Pyce raises his staff and takes a deep breath and jumps out standing in the middle of the alley way facing the pirates pointing it at them. With his heart and nerves racing “I dont want hurt you, please go back to your ship.” The pirates look at each other and break out into a laugh as they draw their swords and slowly approach him. The oldest leads the other two and leans towards Pyce “You don’t look like a fighter pretty boy, why not give us everything you have and we will make it painless.” Pyce looks down at the pirate’s sword as oldest talks and his fight or flight instincts kick in. In an instant Pyce takes off in a full sprint away from the pirates looking for someone to help him screaming out “HELP ME SOMEONE!”