[IC] God's Shattering [Concluded]

[TheWendil]

God’s Shattering

---

The crackle of fireworks resounded in the ears of all those currently present. Even if they somehow could not hear the roar of the crowd and the colorful missiles of light, they would certainly smell the lingering smoke or bear witness to the streaks of radiance dancing across the night sky. The earth trembled, shuddering as all of its occupants rose up in united victory.

Today was a very special day and the Imperator herself had issued a nationwide banquet of massive proportions. This news was nothing novel for the time as the great celebration was practiced every year, marking the passing decades and signifying the defeat of the Great Beast, the end of man’s oppression, and the rise of seven brave warriors. Nobody knew what exact anniversary it was for the legendary event and nobody really cared much for it either. Was there ever real reason for one to rejoice?

The numerous Academies across the world had made the timing into a holiday of sorts, canceling all classes and encouraging the youth of the future to embrace the triumphs of their ancestors, despite the shattered state of the world now. After all, the Imperium promised safety and security in these times so there was no reason for the people to fear for the dark omens supposedly coming.

Of course, most people also weren’t constant enemies of the Imperium. No, most people chose the rational path in life, obeying the orders given out and fed to them by the Imperium. Why risk one’s life when families, friends, and identity were at stake? But whether or not the Imperium was truly corrupt wasn’t an issue that could be discussed with words. Rather, most times, it was debated through bouts of blood and conflict.

Such was the case now as the Imperium had issued a grand order for all to gather at the Citadel to commemorate the glorious event. Those who went against the Imperator’s personal orders were swiftly put down or never heard from again. Such was the fate of those who dared to challenge powers that were beyond their comprehension.

And so the pilgrimage from all the corners of the world began, culminating in a sea of people all crowding around and within the bustling metropolis that was the Citadel. It was there where the enigmatic Librarian-if they existed at all-would make their next move, daring to show the world that they were not afraid of consequence, did not fear the Imperium as most others did. Of course, such bravado did not come without fair warning.

The Knights of Ragnorak themselves were overseeing the celebration, watching with baleful eyes as enemy soon blended into citizen. Those caught in the moral cross-hairs, young students still in developing their Tomes and learning the ways of the world, would run amok in excitement at what was to be the world’s largest party.

The time was ripe for change and new beginnings. For as another year passed, a new one began. The stories and tales of certain individuals were destined to change the course of history. The only question was who would be the victor this time around.

[The 42nd Gecko]

"All things are born from the Three positives;
The Truth of Heaven, The Beauty of Earth,
The Essence of Sun, The Splendor of Moon.
Lent a name so that the elixir may complete.
Looking inside, we perceive nothing of the formless,
Outside, we create visible things from our intelligence.
Men have always been like this:
Those who are called kings and sages just do as they wish."

"Dats for." A small child, who had counted on his stubby little fingers raised the four upraised fingers to Měihóu Niángniang, the neck of a poor stuffed bear deathly clasped to the boys sides by an elbow.

Měihóu Niángniang currently dressed in the less revealing than her signature attire by far robes of a scholar, an inkstained finger held along the length of a brush delicately painting out a stylized picture on a vast scroll of parchment. She leaned down to the child.
"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh."

"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh."

"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh."

"Nuh uh."

This... was going to go on for awhile....

[Flamelord]

Alex hummed to himself as his eyes scanned the enormous crowd that had gathered here at the Citadel, on the Imperium's orders. It was a celebration, of course, a grand event to celebrate the salvation of the world from the Great Beast that had threatened it so long ago. Definitely something worth celebrating, since without it he wouldn't be here right now, would he? And he was all in favor of things that kept him existing.

But while some would assume he was here to partake, they would be wrong. They might see a throng of people gathered here to celebrate, but he just saw a bunch of targets. Marks, people that were just ripe for a suitably skilled pickpocket. They were unsuspecting, clueless, and without a care. Doubtlessly he wasn't the only person who felt that way either, not in a place such as this, at a time such as this.

That was why he refrained, why he didn't stoop to that level. It would be much too easy to do something like that, and he wasn't that kind of thief. No, his eye was on bigger game, the kind that could only be attained here at the Citadel. After all, who knew what sorts of riches there were in this place? Yeah, it would be dangerous, but he liked a challenge. It would just make it all the more fun when he succeeded. There was no doubt about that at all.

So, clutching to his tome, he weaved his way through the crowd as he explored. For now it was reconnaissance, noting the doors, the positions of guards, the layout from the outside, the various Knights. He had to be prepared when an opportunity came, and he would not waste it. But otherwise he did his best to not draw attention, sampling the food, doing a bit of shopping, and the like. It was going to be fun when the time came, he was sure of it.

[Awesomoman64]

Jessi stood guard as the festivities went on. Those in the lower ranks of the Golden Knights had been charged with watching over the commoners in the outer districts, and being a recruit, he fell into that category.

He wasn’t alone of course, there were two other recruits and a sergeant to supervise them. Their orders were fairly simple, watch for any suspicious activity and keep the peace. However, watching countless civilians participating in various activities, downing delicious food, and all around having a good time was like watching a party through a window unable to join those on the other side.

Their boredom came to an end when another recruit came running up to them. He saluted the sergeant and spoke, “Sir, your assistance is needed to settle a dispute.” The sergeant nodded and looked back at his men, “You three keep watch, I’ll be back shortly.” After which he took off with the recruit.

When they were out of sight, one of Jessi's squad mates looked around for any one with higher authority. Seeing the coast clear he spoke to Jessi and the other soldier, “Hey, wanna go get something to eat while the sarg is gone?”

The other one nodded and they both walked over to a table filled with a variety of foods. Jess followed them, but not to eat, scold. “Guys, what are you doing? We’re on duty. We’re supposed to-“ the first soldier interrupted him.

“To what? Look around for anything suspicious? Keep order? Come on Jess we're in the middle of the Citadel.” The guard grabbed a leg off a plate of roasted chicken and took a large bite. “If those radicals were gonna try anything the Blues would have known and informed us by now, and any thieves or other criminals around are too scared of the Reds to try anything.” The soldier picked up another leg and held it out to Jess, “We got nothing to worry about, so we might as well enjoy the festival.”

It was a tempting offer. The scent of cooking meats and freshly baked goods tempted Jessi to no end, and they were only heighten by his increase senses. He reached out ready to grab the food his comrades offered him, only to push it away. “If were given a break I’ll be more than happy to join you in stuffing our faces. But we’ve been given orders and like it or not we need to follow them.” He turned his back on them and spoke one last time, “I can’t command you to return to duty, but it doesn’t mean I can’t be an example” with that he returned to his post surveying the area.

[BlueAjah]

Zora and Fei

Collab Post with @Knight of Doom

Crossing her arms, Fei leaned against a wooden building as her eyes studied the enormous crowd. The carnival was overflowing with laughter and energy. Little children danced before the bonfire, lovers wandered off to more secluded areas, and hundreds of strangers enjoyed themselves throughout the night. Fei wasn’t interested in any of them though, there was only one person she wanted to see tonight.

A flicker of red hair caught Fei’s attention within the vast crowd and without a moment’s thought, she rushed off toward the figure. It had been months since their last encounter and they had so much to discuss. Not even the gates of hell could hold her back from this reunion.

As much as being in such a crowd annoyed her, Zora stayed at the festival for all the flora that graced the town of Citadel alone. She kneeled on a small raised ledge that surrounded a circle of deep indigo flowers. They seemingly danced in the gentle breeze. The incessant sound of voices faded into the background. However, good things never last. As if shattering a window, a leather clad foot came crashing down onto the bed of Citadel native flowers. Instantly, Zora’s hand wrapped around the figure’s arm. “Excuse you!” Her voice raised above the rest. She rose up to stand on her feet and yanked the moving girl away from the soiled beauty.

Fei looked down in complete disgust as some low life pulled at her arm. “How dare you!” She breathed, her eyes seething with rage. Who did this mere commoner think she was? By the time Fei glanced back toward the crowd, the redheaded woman was long gone. Fei couldn’t believe the audacity of such a stranger. There was only one thing she wanted to do, and this tattooed montage of a girl had stopped her. “I’ll have your head for this!”

“I don’t know why you’re in such a rush, but you should pay more attention to where you’re walking. You absolutely crushed those Lirans over there!” Zora exclaimed in disbelief. One thing she’s noticed with many people her age is that they’re always rushing through everything. They never take the time to appreciate what they have until it’s gone.

Fei couldn’t help but scoff at the girl. “A stupid flower? That’s your reason for so rudely snagging my arm? I missed an important meeting because of you!” Fei howled.

“I apologize for pulling you so suddenly, but if you continue to vandalize the city’s property you’ll get in trouble,” Zora was finding it difficult to keep her cool under the fiery girl’s influence.

“You should be sorry but frankly I don’t accept your apology. Not only is your tone unappreciated, your behavior is unforgivable. Now this is farewell for I can’t be seen chatting with miscreant children, such as yourself,” Fei flipped her flaming hair and strutted off into the infinite crowd of people.

[KoL]

Infinitum

The festivities had already began, all over the shining throne of the Imperium’s power, people rejoiced and made merry, just as it was supposed to be. Yet, those people, the esteemed citizens of the Imperium, didn’t knew that those same festivities were in fact an elaborate ruse to both keep them distracted, while also drawing out the ones who sought to cause harm to the very foundation of their peace.

No, those citizens need not to know of such things, for it is the duty of the Imperium and its agents to see to their peace. All the blood spewed and the lives forfeit for this end are not a matter to the common men, but to the knights who serve under the banner of the all-powerful Imperator.

So it is, and so it shall be…

•••

At the main square, not very far from the palace itself, a woman of deep crimson hair and a dispassionate gaze overlooked the preparations for one of tonight’s main spectacles, the public execution of prisoners convicted of high treason, most of them members of the abhorrent party known as the Librarians. At least one of them alleged to have nothing to do with the rebels, though it really didn’t made much difference for the woman, who was no one else than Asgard, the Crimson Guardian, head of the Judicial division of the Imperium. Said man was named was guilty of stealing tomes, a crime than is also punishable with death, so there was really no reason to bother changing his sentence, being a Librarian or not.

“When everything is ready, I want you to assist the execution. I expect nothing less than a clean job from those who serve under me, do you understand, Cyrin Val?” Asgard, whose true name was Eleonor, said to one of the newest recruits that she took for tutoring. “Even if ours is the job of taking those men and women lies, causing undue suffering is unacceptable. I hope that you’ll never forget the value of a life and begin to rejoice in killing, lest you wish for the very blade which you wield to turn against you.”

With that said, Asgard climbed down from the scaffold and addressed Cyrin once more, “The executions will take place right after Her Holiness’ public discourse, until then, you are dismissed. Go enjoy the night, if there’s any necessity to contact me, I’ll be at the Grand Academy.”

Eleonor left Cyrin to his own devices, and went to the Academy, to meet up with the most valuable life in the world for her, wondering how Fei was after these past few months. Since Eleonor isn’t the best person in the world when it comes to expressing her feelings (even for her daughter), she thought of buying some kind of present for Fei but settled with the idea that a cake (strawberry, obviously) would be much better, since they could share, an occasion far too rare to lose.

•••

Back on the palace, the hulking figure of Yggdrasil, the Platinum Guardian, head of the Observer division, observed his subordinates just as one of his lieutenants relayed orders in his lieu.

“For tonight, we of the Observer division will perform a joint operation with the Intelligence division to rout out the rebels hidden among the public attending the festival. As usual, our job is to try to capture them alive so that the Judicial division can perform their job. Your respective officers will lay further instructions on the field. Dismissed!”

After dismissing most of the members of division, Yggdrasil turned to two who had very special and useful skills, those being Cecilia Mariani and Tori, before saying “Follow…” in his enigmatic voice.

It looked like Yggdrasil had plans specially those two, but what could them be?

---

_{*OOC note: The post is a bit shorter than I wished to. Notably the Librarian's part is lacking, but I gotta go sleep and wanted to help at least some people get started before that. Tomorrow I'll edit the rest in, or do another post.}

[Guilty Spark]

Infinitum

A prickle of sweat disturbed Cyrin’s brow as he witnessed the preparations for the night’s executions. The duty of the Judicial Division is the administration of justice, he thought, the voice within his mind clinical in its detachment. It was the mantra he chose to recite whenever he felt reluctant to complete the duties set before him. As he did now. Regardless of his moral qualms, these men had been convicted of colluding with the enemies of the Imperium. They had sought to erode the government that kept the people safe, and they were paying for their crimes.

He snapped to attention as his superior addressed him, listening carefully to her lessons and nodding his agreement. When he was dismissed, he clapped his right hand over his chest in a salute.

“Yes, Ma’am, I understand,” he maintained his posture as he departed, only relaxing when she was out of sight. With a small smile he reflected on her words; if she had come any closer to his thoughts in her remarks, he would have expected that she was the one who wielded True Sight. Her percipience comforted him, as did the strength of her own morals, and he believed in her conviction without needing to resort to his spectacles. Of course, wearing his tome in the presence of his commander would be the gravest sign of disrespect, considering its abilities.

The thought of his powers caused him to brush a hand lightly over his waistcoat, where he felt the reassuring presence of the small blue tome within its concealed pocket. It wouldn’t do to take it out just yet, wearing it in large crowds sickened him with information, and stained his faith in humanity, to an extent.

“Well, I guess I’m free for now… not that there’s much I have the time to do.” He decided he wouldn’t wander far from the square, it wasn’t like the festival was a big spectacle for one used to life in the capital. He might as well wait here... until it was time...

The duty of the Judicial Division is the administration of justice, the duty of the Judicial Division is the administration of justice, the duty of…

[Savo]

-Acerbus Invictus : Infinitum-

As the gaudy noises pierced the air, whimsical colors began their ascent as they danced throughout the sky, lighting up the city with shimmers and screeches of laughter. It was difficult to focus on the information bestowed to Acerbus by the book as he carefully scanned each page as if there was lingering soul within it, a sentient being. Of course, the uproar of the jubilation among the crowd kept him from truly discerning the knowledge at hand, especially with his friends and younger sister clamoring in sync with the crowd.

Using his free arm, he brought it up to the parchment and with a flick of his wrist, went onward to the next piece. The young mans nose wrinkled for a bit, perking up every time a slight portion of smoke passed. As his eyes darted over each page, when suddenly he was betwixt by another flashing shimmer in the sky. His head shot up momentarily to catch some of the lingering sparks that spun and spat in the atmosphere before beginning their downward spiral back to the earthen below. Letting out a short huff, which went unnoticed as the resonating celebrations were conjoined with his very breath.

Pushing his spectacles up, Acerbus returned his dull gaze back to the book. It was about the geographical locations on this very planet, mainly talking about what adventurers and professional explorers took note of, along with any wildlife encompassing the area, vegetation, etc. While it was a fascinating book, he was certain that this would never truly be his destiny, oh no. The wonders and whimsy of the world would be left to others who pursued each area, seeking wisdom to herald to those encompassing this world. As he began reading about the area known as Rexicorg and its mysteries, two blue eyes appeared in front of Acerbus, the young man barely coming to a halt as his pupils constricted themselves. The sulking shadow of his tome seemed to express its surprise through becoming thin, while allowing dancing shades of purple to emanate from their shoulders.

"Aaaace, why are you diving into books when you could be taking in the sights," the cheery voice shot, frowning as her lips quivered with her deep blue eyes displaying worry. As Acerbus stared at his sister, Novus, he tilted his head quizzically, as if puzzled by an immensely new discovery that he couldn't register. "Novus," his airy voice joined with the crowd, being soft and cool to a frigid degree. "They may of given us time off, b-"

"They've given us time off, and this is how you choose to spend it? I mean, it's great that you're a hardworking student, but shouldn't you be having some... you know... 'fun' for once instead if studying? I mean we don't even have to attend classes today!" As the girl retorted with a pout, his mouth drooped faintly as he put his book marker in and gently let the leather come to a close. Shrugging his arms, the teen used his free hand to adjust his glasses as his head shot upwards at the sky, with each crackle and simmer filling the air as the crowd continued gleefully chattering, and letting out rounds of cacophonous giggles.

"Novus," Acerbus spoke as he lowered his head back to eye level, noticing a frown coming from a person within the group of five. "She" was crossing her arms as she glowered at Acerbus, tapping the side of "her" arm as "she" mouthed a few words to Acerbus before resuming their jovial behavior once more. "Worried I might be overworking myself, eh?" As the boy thought to himself, he stared back at Novus who appeared to be dying for a response from her older brother. After swiftly coming up with a way to resolve this conundrum, the teen resumed his previous, unwavering tone within his voice.

"Novus, I am relaxing through reading this book! It's all abo... er, but," Acerbus stopped mid-sentence, his neutral expression fading with a hidden smirk. He blinked as he prepared his next solid move, as if this was a game of chess and he needed to make the correct move, lest the young man caused his own downfall. Acerbus was lucky to not drone on, otherwise he would of spoke all night over this noise about the summary over every section he examined, every piece of knowledge absorbed, and specific tidbits that he himself found unnecessary or inaccurate. ... but, I'll observe the explosions as the chemicals within each missile coexist together for a brief moment before creating such a spectacular view... with turbulent noise to deafen those about."

As the boy gave his spiel, Novus' eyes lit up, displaying a canny joyfulness that her brother would possibly intake soon enough. The young man clasped at the book in his arms as he cradled it, before letting his left arm descend, bouncing on the side of his hip. The group resumed their travels as they all became enamored with the sights. Identifying each explosion that rose into the sky, it was an interesting treat for Acerbus. As they spoke, Bellus set himself up for a pun as the pretty man talked about the fireworks.

"Well, I mean, a lot of work was undertook crafting them... I mean, you can't make this an explosive night without some flare!"

There was some laughter that was elicited from the group, along with face palms served afterwords as Acerbus completed his puns with a completely stoic demeanor. This was going to be a curious night, indeed.

---

Eventually, the crowd became thicker than a fog, unwillingly segregating some of the group members. Acerbus couldn't discern friend from a random stranger as he pushed his way against the current of shuffling bodies, going one way before altering the route he was traveling. Soon, it was more than a gaggle of people who turned it into a labyrinth that shifted and twisted consistently. Grunting as he traversed passed each person who bumped him, Acerbus' mood became sour after his night of spending time with some friends was stolen from him... by a bunch of people with their bodies in tow, but disembodied faces.

"At this rate, I'll never locate my companions... what a night this is - set down my literature for ten minutes to quietly follow Novus, Bellus, and the others!... Ugh..." The shadow behind him didn't flicker as much as the shades of purple died down. Acerbus was frustrated, and his furrowed eyebrows and the staunch way he moved gave weight to that thought. Frowning, the boy rolled his eyes as he decided to look around as myriads of people laughed in tandem with the fireworks.

As he walked on by, he barely managed to pick up the wails of two people, but couldn't tell if they were struggling to speak over the explosions in the air, or were actually bickering. To Acerbus, it was no skin off his nose as he moved forward... before the crowd decided to violently attempt to push the teen to the side. He was able to resist the attempts, but it could of been a tinge bit easier.

As he moved on forward, he caught a glimpse... Of... Fei butting heads with a tattooed girl who had the delicate appearance of looking around the same age as the haughty red-head. Acerbus did not enjoy the presence of the Princess with a cliche temper tantrum, especially since she shot her mouth off. The only thing he saw her lacking in were proper manners, especially with interactions the teen saw her undertake. The only thing he really held with some reverence was he abilities, but other than integrity and character?

"What integrity and character," he thought to himself as he squinted at the red-head getting fired up to a ridiculous degree (heh). The discussion was way too heated for his tastes as he cringed a bit at her as she shouted at the chick, calling her a miscreant child as she stood on a bed of flowers. Acerbus could interpret the situation for himself as it appeared the tattooed girl was tending to the bed of flowers... The boy wanted to speak with the terrible red-head out of sheer irritation for such contempt towards another human, but held his tongue. The girl would retaliate with her heritage, which obviously trounced all sound logic in the process. Staring daggers at the red-head, he kept walking...

Before noticing that the Princess was traversing in his direction. He clenched his teeth as he attempted to move forward in hopes of getting away from the girl faster, but the flow was more in her favor as she was moving at a better pace than of him temporarily from what he made out. Eventually, he found himself adjacent to the flame. He was roaming in his head, deciding to gamble his chances between actually attempting to have any sort of meaningful conversation (and by meaningful, speak up about her unfavorable actions), or keep looking forward, averting any attention given to the brat.

Acerbus kept his eyes forward as he clenched his book, frowning as he stared over the top of a woman's head, his lips sealed tighter than before. The boy opted to try and procure more knowledge, but decided against it, seeing as he would not find his sister or friend who was in a frilly dress. Acerbus gave his eyes a work out as they darted around the vicinity, which still lacked anyone he knew... or, anyone friendly he knew.

In the end, Acerbus ended up looking straight at Fei... who was now beside him... excellent, this was a situation he totally wanted to be in. At most, he felt the need to criticize Fei on her horrid reaction to an unfamiliar chick... that, and he probably couldn't escape her grasp since he was eyeing her for longer than two minutes. Sighing, the teen fidgeted for a bit before calling her out on such a disgraceful recourse.

"Definitely going to show signs of remorse within the next twenty-four hours..."

"..."

"... you do realize that was a rather presumptuous stance you adopted when assaulting that girl with your silver tongue Fei," Acerbus said, contempt lingering on his very throat as he kept his neutral appearance, as well as tone. He frowned, heralding displeasure all while using it as a way to endure what she was going to attempt to throw at him next. To him this was an uneventful evening, filled to the brim with horrid decisions, mainly on his part.

"... Yeah, this is definitely not one of my intelligent endeavors... Should of just stayed quiet, like I usually do with my companions..."

[BytheSpleen]

Alexandria

Wind rushed down the corridor, tickling Alexandria's spine with a rush. Her ears pounded with blood; her breathing was as deep as the enigma that was Rexicorg. Sweat sprang up from every pore of her body, tickling the goosebumps with caresses of the cold evening air. The dry walls of stone beckoned for her to go ever deeper into the unknown.

The dimness of the the maze sought to swallow her in its bowels, to consume one of countless children that had neglected to remember each etching of stone, each bark of a tree, each little crack on the earth beneath.

Even after all of this, there would be times when the walls seemed to be a little tighter than usual, when the turns didn't fell all quite the same, when the tiles seemed to slump under a feather's touch.

That's why she had a staff in her hand. It, among everything else within the maze's walls, was the only real thing that maintained consistency in a place like Rexicorg. No sentry, no monster, not even the incline of the valley itself could be trusted; it was too steep to navigate, and its arms rose into canyon walls that forbade the stars from advising. Ironic that something as fickle and ever-changing as Nature could hold some semblance of stasis, isn't it?

When she stepped the thousand steps she could step, there came the soft whispers. Those were certainly new. Light cascaded along her backside, as though the sun was rising when it had already set.

When Alexandria opened her eyes once more, she found herself in the midst of the festivities celebrating the Seven Heroes, a day she used to celebrate with family. They wouldn't be here for a few more years, not until she could find a job and some proper land with which she could build a house on.

That wasn't her first and foremost thought, though.

The city of Imperium, already gilded in nigh-eternal sunlight with the aid of gold, was ablaze in a fiery array of crimsons, dandelions, and poppies, akin to the wildflowers that grew at the height of the Rexicorg valley during the summertime. And because of such brilliance, Alexandria had dared not to apply any lesser colors to today's festival.

Today also marked her fourth year celebrating the occasion as a resident of the city, and so she was accustomed to seeing the nomads and the gypsies filing in as visitors, none really a permanent fixture of Imperium. Not too long ago, Imperium itself was just a passing fixture for her and her family. Fate always had this funny way of flipping things around for her.

Still, once she had caught the scent of smoldering star anise, she knew at once she could (if only for tonight) be home once again. Alexandria, through the clamor of cheers of goodwill and pots and pans for cooking and the clink of coins, discerned the whoops all too similar to those who patrolled the steppes. A neighboring tribe, she had recalled, that had good relations with her clan.

And then she could hear them : the neighing of a fiddle alternating between slurs and staccatos, the slap of a guitar as crystal-sharp notes reverberated through her ear. Her footsteps picked up in speed, and so, at the edge of Imperium's commerce district, Alexandria skipped into the campfire of a gypsy camp, and with the winks and approvals of the mothers of the gypsy boys, Alexandria took a young boy by the arm and tapped her way 'round and 'round the cobblestone streets, swapping to dance with lasses, fathers, mothers, and the occasional prospective lad in a gallop that was taught by experience. No ballroom performer would ever dream of slapping their heels against the floor, and to know the dance of the fleet-footed folks would be left only to those who grew up with practice on the art.

Perhaps, in the future, her research might bring her back to the perplexities of Rexicorg, and to the people from whence she had came.

For now, though, it was a good time to be alive. The spirit of dancing and gay celebration was bubbling in the mirth of the mixed company.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqcu_tNZAuM

[McFazzer]

Tori

She was late, not that anyone would notice or realise that she way late, but it did cause her to pick up the pace. Tori was currently invisible and intangible, running though the crowd making a bee line for the Observer Division headquarters. A last minute call to a meeting that was already happening? Sure why not. Still when I can turn invisible, who's to say I wasn't there the entire time? Or even early?

Arriving Tori walked through all obstacles and reached the stage, tiredly standing next to Yggdrasil Why oh why do I need to take time out of work to come to this thing? There are so many better things I could be doing

Tori really didn't want any of these Observers to see her, which in a way is ironic given their name, but still she was a member of the Intelligence Division, standing in the presence of the Observer Division leader. An odd sight to say the least... if anyone could see it. Honestly she found this job of working with the Observer's as yet another chore that would cut into her precious research time. Tori half hoped that she would be able to use this holiday to make a breakthrough or gather her sick days together to have a solid month of exploring Arcadia. Alas duty called and when that duty is in the form of Yggdrasil, you wouldn't dare say no.

Looking over the crowd of Observers, Tori wondered why all of these members would gather in one place. Surely the greatest asset of being an Observer would be anonymity? If people know who the watchmen are, they know who to avoid. Frowning Tori watched the crowd disperse to perform their role as eyes and ears throughout the exciting events to come as a part of the celebrations.

Yawning in her invisible state Tori sat down and waited for the last few stragglers to leave. These have to be grunts or something... Looking up at the towering Platinum Guardian and heard the order to follow. Taking her time, Tori stood up and brushed herself off, wanting to delay this as long as possible, but knowing that in was inevitable.

I just want to go to Arcadia again... is that too much to ask? Well, maybe it is, it’s not exactly an easy walk, but still! Ugh... I’ll probably have to work tomorrow as well. Cancelling classes doesn’t mean the library’s doors will be shut... letting out a resigned sigh she followed Yggdrasil without voicing her annoyance. The leader of the Observer division wouldn’t really care anyway. I should just have a little house built up there...

[Slamurai]

Cecilia

"Follow..." boomed Yggdrasil's voice.

Cecilia trailed slightly behind Platinum Knight, who's inscrutable motives were always buried under that helmet. In all her years of service, Cecilia did not feel like she'd gotten to know her superior any better than when they'd first met. The man was like an automaton, concerned only with what was necessary and efficient. Cecilia knew better than to pry, so she'd become content with simply following his orders and giving him her full cooperation, no questions asked.

No sooner than they'd started to leave, the young librarian from the Intelligence Division joined them - donned in invisibility enchantments. Cecilia could see her just fine, however. She toyed with the ring on her finger, taking a small delight in its nullification of Tori's defenses. When she was sure the girl was looking at her, Cecilia shot her a piercing gaze, telling her all it needed to; a friendly reminder that very few could evade the notice of the Observation Division.

Cecilia had no guesses as to why Yggdrasil intended to bring the librarian along, but if he had a role for her to play, it was probably within good reason.

[KoL]

Infinitum

Asgard

Eleonor had an easy time breaking through the crowd, given that instinctively recoiled at the presence of one of the Knights of Ragnarok. Usually, she would have a security detail assigned to watch over her, but given the fact that the Citadel was brimming with Yggdrasil and Nifilheim’s agents, the necessity of such an encumbrance was lifted for tonight.

After about fifteen minutes, when Eleonor was halfway between the execution square and the academy, she spotted Fei, thanks to the small uproar that was happening near her. One of the Observer agents that was part of Fei’s secret security noticed Eleonor and, with a hand gesture, signaled that her daughter was safe for the time being. Eleonor would remember to ask Yggdrasil to reward that man later, but for now, the only thing that mattered for the Crimson Knight was her daughter.

“Fei, I’m back.” Eleonor sounded somewhat apprehensive, as she crept on Fei and the boy that was talking to her from behind the boy’s back, like a ghost out of nowhere, “Who is this, a friend from the academy?”

As Eleonor waited for Fei’s reply, she couldn’t help but stare down at Acerbus, eyeing him with a firm stare, trying to ascertain his intentions towards her daughter.

☆☆☆

Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil walked down a long corridor that ended into a passage to the maze that was the underground of the palace, without saying a word, or looking behind him to check if Tori and Cecilia were still there. The only sounds that the eight feet tall giant produced as he walked were the clanking of his armor when his greaves hit the stone bellow their feet.

“Here…” Yggdrasil said as they finally reached a reinforced door that gave in to a room that, at first looked like an ordinary safe, though at second inspection, most of the items there were pieces of fine art and scrolls of rare knowledge that were most likely part of the Imperator’s personal collection. At the center of the room, a yellow stone shone with faint light and Yggdrasil proceeded to grab and place it on Cecilia’s hands.

“Guard this… now, go…”

Once Yggdrasil had given them their mission, he left Tori and Cecilia alone on the treasure room. All kinds of precious items were at display there, but certainly the most impressive was a holographic map of a large portion Arcadia, including yet-to-be explored lands that no one else had ever seen. Perhaps, was this a sign that, if they performed well on this enigmatic mission, they would gain access to this kind of place more regularly?

Actually, a few moments later, another agent came and delivered a report from the Intelligence Division. Its contents being summed at the fact that the rebels would try to steal the stone during the festivities, so they were chosen to guard it thanks to their tomes abilities and they were required to look over it while performing a dummy mission as part of the forces guarding the execution grounds. Further information was strictly classified.

☆☆☆

The Hidden Library

The Librarian

Deep within the winding halls of the Hidden Library, the Librarian rested his wracked body, while listening to the report of the situation on Infinitum from his second-in-command and, after taking the time to deliberate, issued his orders.

“Tell the advanced parties to proceed with operations as planned. It’s likely that they will try to move the relic, but we must secure it at all costs, so search under every tile in the city, if you need to. The next priority is on the rescue of those who were captured, though this mission is most prone to fail, we can’t abandon our comrades without trying. Lastly, for anyone not involved on those two missions, the command is to cause the maximum damage to the Imperium seat of power, burn everything to the ground if need be, but don’t target the civilians, since they aren’t our target.”

With that said, the young looking man was once again wracked by his terrible coughs and forced to cut the contact with the agents that were on the Citadel.

☆☆☆

Extra: Infinitum

“Pardon my interruption, gentlemen, but aren’t you forgetting something of utmost importance?” A man who looked like a distinguished gentleman said as he greeted the soldiers that were part of Jessi’s patrol, with a canny grin.

“Eh? Don’t you know that we could arrest you for… interfering with the law, old man?” One of the soldiers said.

“Yeah, we are checking this food, to guarantee that it’s not poisoned. All for the safety of our citizens, hahaha.” The other said before gorging himself in another fat chicken leg.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry for that misunderstanding, gentlemen, I just thought that remembering you that there are actually four division would be for your best.” The old man said, while flashing them, the badge of the Observers, to which the two responded by spewing whatever they had in their mouths at the time and breaking down in sob attempts at excusing their behavior.

“Please, gentlemen the more you deny your charges, the worse your punishment will be, so there’s no use in even attempting that. On the other hand, young man,” the old man said, addressing Jessi, “I’ll make sure that your commanding officer hears of your deeds tonight. The eyes of the Imperator exist not only to punish, after all.”

“Now, I beg your pardon, but I have an important job to perform…” The old man said, before disappearing into the shifting crowd as if he never existed.

[The 42nd Gecko]

In response to the gathering of two sexy red heads, a wild brunette with nifty inks, a fine young white top'd, with both of the red heads intently staring at the gent:
Měihóu Niángniang gave an appreciative wolf whistle as she passed, giving the white haired gent an exaggerated wink and thumbs up while mouthing and subvocalizing, "Twins? LUUUCKY." She tossed Acerbus a candied peach from across the street from a basket she was carrying full of them.

In response to the Libraryman:
These thoughts passed through Měihóu Niángniang's head. ~Hmmmm.. Right, so I should have paid more attention at orientation because that wasn't helpful. I don't know what, where, or how. Cool, well, time to have fun with this.~

She aimed for the palace, figuring, well, if there was any seat of power, that'd be where it was. She timed her approach to the gates, such that someone official looking was approaching at the same time, so that Měihóu could examine how they verified his or her identity. "Candied Peaches, gentlemen?" She smiled sweetly, offering some sweets to the guardians of the palace, aw, so sadly stuck out here while everyone else was feasting.

[BlueAjah]

Fei

Fei’s eyes flared as her feet stomped toward the crowd. It was beyond her how someone so low on the totem pole could be so ignorant and barbaric. She flipped her burning red hair out of annoyance once more. Perhaps a sword fighting session would do her some good, after all what point was there standing around arguing with a foolish child when she could be training? Fei sighed. Coming to the festival was a horrible idea, she should have just waited for her mother at the academy.

Lost in thought, she almost didn’t hear the words coming from Acerbus’s mouth. Almost. Fei’s small, locked chest under her shirt burned bright red as the tips of her hair lit up in small flames. A whirlwind of curses and insults bombarded her mouth. There was no way he was walking out of this without apologizing for his little stunt. She had seen him around the academy a few times, always in the background, always watching. The two eyed, pompous boy clearly had a death wish. Just before Fei could pull out her swords to teach this wise guy a lesson, a familiar redhead strolled up to them.

“Mother!” Fei gasped in delight, the fire fading around her head. Maybe the night wouldn’t turn out as bad she believed. The one person she loved in the world was finally beside her and no one at the carnival could outshine her bright smile.

“Fei, I’m back,” Eleonor said. “Who is this, a friend from the Academy?”

Fei turned back to look at Acebus and grinned wickedly. No one could stand up to the Crimson Guardian, and if they tried, not even the lord above could help them. But then again, Fei’s mother had never met a single one of her friends. Not because Fei didn’t trust her mother, but because she just didn’t have any. Who needs friends though when you had the best woman in the world as your mother? A loud whistle coming from a disgraceful slut in the carnival pulled her out of her thoughts. Outright disgusting! Fei glared at the filth as she walked off before turning back Acerbus.

“Him? Heavens no. He was just going to say something about me though, weren’t you Acebus?” Fei smiled innocently and blinked, daring him to repeat his last comment.

[Savo]

-Acerbus Invictus : Infinitum-

At this precise moment, Acerbus felt if her tomes abilities were starring daggers into a specific person, he probably would not have enough time to meld into the shadows and evade her eyesore of an assault. Acerbus was plenty sure he saw something within her bosom was lighting up, and he could swiftly identify it as not being heartburn... but her tome... maybe. There was a mighty weight cascading off of his shoulders, almost as if he was to reprimand for his daft actions for speaking with such a haughty hellion.

"Well, let's inquire a deity's assistance through blessing, lest this could result in a disruption among the general populace." Things appeared grim for Acerbus as he tightly grasped at his book, glaring at the girl as she turned into a dim lit candle within the festivities around. This bestowed some silhouettes he could utilize if this pugnacious girl averted pacifism and dove straight into a skirmish.

The flames dancing with her hair were joined with a waltzing shadow; it flickered and convulsed as purple shades rose up from the outline behind Acerbus, as if they were tendrils of an eldritch abomination. The bespectacled teen began preparing to meld into the shadow in an attempt to get away from this immoral woman. He was on edge, eyeing each over her movements as she released an onslaught of nasty curses and ill-willed threats towards his well-being. He began slowly pulling his right hand back, feigning an attack as he barred his teeth at her.

Acerbus felt the tingle of the shadows once again as he felt his feet slightly become one with the pavement. For a moment, he considered attempting to not flee, and reason with the malign soul... before taking note of the fact that her hands were slowly inching towards her swords. It was inevitable that she would lash out, and he definitely knew he needed to escape the red blades that were as crimson as her boiling blood. Before he could take flight, Acerbus took note of an anxious voice behind him. Out of pure curiousity, he refrained from melting into a pile of sable, his feet becoming one with the realm once more.

Acerbus identified that Fei's quivering hand stopped reaching to grasp at her sword and her severe case of heartburn was gone... he couldn't tell if the fire melted her brains, but she displayed pure, sentimental exultation from one word she uttered. "Eeh?!" His eyes widened for a bit as both eyebrows shot up in mere disbelief as he rotated his head to find that the Asgard, the head of the Judicial Division was staring at him a few inches away from his face. There was no luck to be easily distinguished at the moment as he was ensnared by one red-head he could probably take on, and her nearly identical mother who could swiftly cleave him in half.

Doing his best to recover from the unprecedented situation, he let out a soft huff as he readjusted his glassed which slid down from their perch. He stared blandly at Asgard, his eyes blinking between both women, the younger of the two displaying a devilish grin. He was fairly certain that he could identify that speaking with this haughty woman was going to be one of the most disturbing, most horrific, most idiotic experiences in his life. Acerbus felt like he was at deaths door, and shifted a little bit as he warranted his attention to the crimson duo.

Before he could speak his mind, a sharp, flirtatious whistle from the crowd could be heard. Acerbus shot his head toward the place where it emanated from, finding a sultry woman in revealing woman acting very... encouraging, from what he discerned. Of course, it may of been to invigorate the sensations of the body in a specific way, the teen knew it was being stimulated in another way - one of fear and hope for survival as he continued his search, enduring the knowledge that this evening could come to a very insufferable climax... but he had some power to influence what might transpire. Noticing that the woman tossed something to the boy, he barely managed to catch it with his free hand.

"A candied peach," he muttered to himself as he identified the object before returning his attention to Fei who was scowling at the third red-head with contempt. Sighing, Acerbus shook his head as he tossed the peach up, before letting it fall back into his palm, comparing this situation to as if she was a jealous girlfriend, and sloughed off the thought as his eyes shot over to Asgard - the leader of the division his mother and brother were in.

And then suddenly, Fei let out some wretched words, quipped with setting up the boy for failure in the long run... unless he tailored his words correctly. Scrunching his nose, he couldn't help but decipher what he should really do. These ideas he conceived were both on the moral side of things, but at the same time were completely unethical. "I have the decision of speaking of what deeds she performed, or keep my tongue from snapping so Asgard can enjoy a night with her daughter... Fei may be an insolent wench that can wield a sword, but both genuinely appear to appreciate each others presence... that, and I'm fairly certain Asgard should be spared and given a wondrous evening after upholding her position quite effectively..."

A shadow of doubt crept on his face - would he obtain the correct answer to this conundrum? His eyes placidly moved between each woman as the cacophorous roars drowned his ears with laughter and joyfulness. There was no crowd around them, seemingly dispersed from Asgards stoic company. No pressure on him as he wavered between his two choices, weighing each consequence that might befall him before finally coming up with the solution. It felt incomplete and irritating to him, but he was to live with such a mistake.

"..."

"You're fortunate to have someone be considerate for your evening, outside of your mother... despite the facet that you do not deserve such a quaint respite with family, not after tormenting students or innocent bystanders... yet, I pity a soul such as yours... in a way, you're alone and that's a dismal thought. No one to lean on, except her own kin... I despise her, but in the future, I can only plead that Fei comes to realize her wrong-doings and eventually shifts her attitude to a more positive, beatific air..."

Keeping an unwavering expression, cocked his head over to Asgard, casually looking at her as calm as he could be, no longer delaying his polite and considerate retort. "Miss Asgard," he spoke with a tone devoid of all emotion, save for an intangible sign of respect for the warrior. Acerbus kept his neutral demeanor still as he stood stalwart to the chaos, pausing for a moment, before continuing. "I was about to speak about how I was thrilled to notice her relaxing for a spell as she is usually toiling away at whatever task she is presented."

Of course, Acerbus wasn't joking about that as he could identify her as being an individual with great work ethics, such as him, but a abhorrent stance on interactions with other human beings. Glancing over at Fei, part of him felt she did not deserve this kindness, but he kept going forward as it was too late to completely change this uneventful occurrence. "I was about to inquire if I could accompany her on this obstreperous eventide filled to the brim with celebration; it isn't rapturous to indulge in such celebrations in solitude, is it not?" His heart was pumping, adrenaline shooting through his body after that response. Acerbus felt he set himself up for disaster if she decided to "suddenly" recall what he said... of course, then he wouldn't hesitate to shame the woman in front of her own mother as she deserved a scolding, regardless.

"From one top student to another - readjust you insolent attitude, Fei... It's absolutely appalling; I'm certain in the near future, you will end up working with another individual and it will not end well for either of you..."

[McFazzer]

Tori

The trip following Yggdrasil was quiet apart from the towering man's footsteps. Personally Tori hated it, the sound rattled in her ears and annoyed her in an odd way that she didn't expect. For the entire trip, Tori didn't spare a glance at Cecilia beside her, until the other girl made it obvious that she could see Tori. Raising an eyebrow she figured that this Cecilia was attempting to intimidate her and probably wanting to show off the power of the Observation Division.

Well I suppose it makes sense that an Observer would be able to, well, observe me with a smirk she shot a look back at Cecilia full of confidence regardless of her ability to see her. With a nonchalant shrug Tori continued to follow Yggdrasil. If I were to guess this Observer can see through illusions. Thankfully I'm no a one trick pony. How could I look after my self if I didn't have intangibility? Ah, the wonders I've seen that no other has, just on the other sides of walls~

Upon entering what looked like a treasure room, Tori walked around, making sure not to touch anything, eyes resting on the holographic map of Arcadia, freshly mapped with areas unknown to most biting her knuckle to prevent a squee from escaping, but unashamedly hopped up and down on the spot. Controlling herself Tori carefully studied the map, examining the new areas, while Yggdrasil gave Cecilia a stone of some description and gave them their orders to guard it and go.

Go?! But, but it's right here! with a pained look between the holographic map and the unyielding Yggdrasil who was currently leaving, she broke her little heart and wandered over to Cecilia to perform her 'guard duty'.

"Just so you know, I'm not going to become visible for all of this. Better for people to think their is only one guard, y'know?" stretching tall like a cat Tori looked at their priority for the night "Let's go mingle in that crowd I suppose... want me to look after it? If I put it in my pocket, it will be invisible too~"

[KoL]

Infinitum

Asgard

"Ah, I see." Eleonor said once she listened to Acerbus and Fei (ignoring the shouting from the monkey girl for her own safety, there was no need for more executions tonight), to say the truth, Eleonor knew that this would happen sooner or later. It's natural for a girl of Fei's age and looks, to be sought after by boys, though she never expected that her daughter would grow up so fast.

In a sense, Elonor felt anxious at the revelation that soon enough Fei would be taken apart from her and, unconscious, clenched her fists, knowing that it was probably her own fault for not being able to spend more time with her daughter.

Then again, wouldn't this mean that she would become a grandmother soon? The thought of such almost made Eleonor smile and she decided to let things follow their natural course, after all, Fei's life was hers to live. Even then, for the brief time that she still had before going back to her duties, Eleonor wanted to stay with her daughter, even if it meant to bring her boyfriend together. No, actually that would be for the best, since needed to see with her own eyes what kind of man was the one who would take her daughter away from her and, if he were ever to hurt her in any way... Vladimir wouldn't bother with a few more lines added to its pages.

After her quite long revelry, Eleonor turned back to Fei and Acerbus "I'm sorry for not noticing it before, I'll have to leave soon, so please stay with us and take care of Fei once I do. However, for the time being there's place I'd like to go." After saying so, Eleonor had the couple follow her to a nearby small café that had the best cakes in the whole Imperium, probably the only other thing that brought pleasure to Eleonor's life other than Fei.

@Savo@BlueAjah

☆☆☆

Emilia

Next to the execution grounds, many people were already gathering, hoping to see the final demise of the wretched scum that dared to oppose their beloved Imperator and threaten their so hard to achieve peace. It was almost an hour until the time for their heads to roll, but the murmur was already reaching near deafening levels.

Among those who had managed to snag a place at the front of the crowd, a girl in her late teens, cradling a doll in her arms, had an indecipherable gaze fixed on Cyrin almost like she wanted to be noticed by him, however, her intentions remained a mystery. When their gazes inevitably crossed one another, she whispered slowly (so that he would be able to read her lips) "Shall... we... play?" before disappearing in the crowd in the direction of a nearby inn frequented mostly by the high nobility and the richest merchants as if she was beckoning Cyrin to follow her.

Optional: True Sight

If the Duelist used his tome, it would reveal an aura of dark desire around the girl, the strength of which completely overwhelming the auras of those around her.

@Guilty Spark

☆☆☆

Linea & Siena

"Would you mind if we had some of these too?" said the brash voice of girl dressed in maroon garbs and carrying a sword that was about as big as she (not that she was really tall to begin with) to Meihou just as the monkey girl offered her peaches to the gate guards. "By the way, you're not tryin' to get in from the front gates are you?"

"A wasted effort, do you want throw yourself on their spears so much?" Said the cold voice of Linea, of a girl near identical to the other one, but dressed in teal colored garbs carrying a silvery tome and rapier. One didn't need to make a too great mental effort to divine that they were twins when looking at both girls from this close.

"We're the reinforcement party. We just came to the city 'cause we were exploring some ruins. Name's Sienna Aquarian." The maroon dressed girl said.

"Likewise. Linea Aquarian. You must be Měihóu Niángniang, your appearance and behavior matches the description." The teal girl said.

"Anyway, if you wanna to break in there, we'll need to find the last member of the strike party and creep in from bellow. Don't worry, we are experts in dungeon crawling." Siena said, before turning away from the palace. "We sent her the location of our meeting point a few minutes ago, let's just hope she isn't the type of forever-late woman."

"Please, follow us." Linea said as they went to a simple tavern that was the meeting spot they assigned for the rendezvous with Sierra, hoping that the older woman would already be there, since they had little time left to spare.

@The 42nd Gecko@Vocab

[Guilty Spark]

Infinitum

Guarding the preparations in the main square was by no means an objectionable task for the young knight, particularly since it was self-imposed. It gave him some time to order his thoughts, without distraction, before the impending execution of his duties. It wasn’t likely that a cause for greater vigilance would arrive in so crowded an area, right? Despite that hope, as he stood on the scaffolding awaiting the Imperator’s discourse and the arrival of the prisoners, a lone girl within the crowd caught his eyes and held them.

It didn’t take his tome to determine there was something ominous about her, and as she held his gaze he saw her mouth something. Play? He couldn’t be sure, he wasn’t particularly skilled in reading lips. As she disappeared into the crowd, he reached into the inner pocket of his waistcoat and grasped his tome beneath the cloth. Even his trusting nature couldn’t help but be suspicious.

“Form change, True Sight Lens,” the book took the shape of spectacles within his hand, and he slipped them on, shading the world in front of him in blue. Within the ocean of blood lust, pride, and littles islands of fear, there was a burgeoning wave of malicious desire. Like a maelstrom, it overpowered the emotions of those surrounding the girl and made it easy to track her.

Still, he hesitated. Should he abandon his station to pursue? He was not even sure he wanted to find out who she was, or what she wanted. Of course, I’m not actually on duty am I? How could I justify not investigating this?

With a flourish of his cloak, he caught the attention of the crowd below right before he dropped down into their midst, scattering them before him. He did not cut an intimidating figure, but few were willing to put themselves in the path of the Judicial Division, and so the crowd parted before him as he pursued the trail of dark emotion left in the girl’s wake.

[Flamelord]

The crowd seemed to have only grown as the night began to dawn, with the nearing of the time of execution. For Alex that was all well and good, since it meant that the defenses stationed around the place would be more distracted, having to divide their attention up, and making it easier for someone to slip by. That was balanced out by there being a lot more guards around, but he would survive. It just made for a more exciting challenge, that was all.

He slipped past people in turn as he examined the goings on, and the Citadel beyond. He had to find entrances, exits, ways to slip in that would keep from getting noticed. There were a few ways to do that, he supposed. A distraction would be nice, a disturbance to pull guards away that would allow him to slip in. Or he supposed he could just ambush someone, knock them out, and get in, or by finding an unguarded section. But he had the feeling that he wouldn't be so lucky.

Still, there was plenty of stuff to see otherwise. performers, lovers quarrels, long separated friends meeting once more. He wore a warm grin to all of it, since it was amusing to see. Such base ambitions, and soon enough he himself would be able to engage in such activities. A pity that he didn't have any companions, but this sort of life was a solitary one, regrettably. That was just how it worked.

"Hm, what should I do now," he mused to himself, rubbing his chin in consideration. To anyone else it would be an innocuous question, but he knew the double meaning to it.

Well, there was no harm in looking around and enjoying himself a bit. So after procuring a bit of food for himself, which he happily munched on and enjoyed, a hand came to rest in his pocket as he walked around. There was plenty to see, and he was eager to find what might be worthy of his attention.

The first thing that caught it was a fire breather, a performer doing tricks and juggling flaming torches. Alex came to a stop to watch as the fiery tools flipped and spun in the air, put through whatever tricks he might have for the people watching. That was definitely a useful trick, and something that he could see a few uses for, in his own humble opinion.

That was why he applauded with the rest of them, throwing a bit of cash into the collection that was already pleasant, before slipping forward in the throngs of people and snagging one of those smaller sticks, that would be used to hold a flame, slipping it up his sleeve in the process before he made his way away. By the time that the man noticed, he would be long gone, and no one would be able to trace it back to him. Admittedly petty theft wasn't his style, but it might be useful.

That done, he continued to walk on. "One down," he muttered to himself as he neared the Citadel itself, looking for balconies, outcroppings, obstructions, places where he could get in without being noticed. It was a long shot, but he might as well make the effort, right? One way or another, this was going to happen.

[Temporary]

Seirra Periculum - Infinitum (more or less)

Serys sat in a chair, holding a watch of nondescript design and idling pressing buttons it, whilst jotting down their outcomes with another hand to see if there had been any change. On the piece of paper sat atop the desk, about 50 different simple equations following the basic form of light1+light2=product/light3. then it clicked in her head; something she had completely forgot about. The festival was tonight, and here she was noting down things that she had already done 20 other times! She had to make it quickly, otherwise the festival would be over be-

The mission...

She had completely forgotten the mission she was supposed to be on. Siena and Linea would kill her if she was any later than she had to be, which would be tricking since she was a good half an hour walk from her current location to the- rendezvous... point...

Where was it again?

She quickly scrambled to her feet, pocketing the watch and grabbing her bag, only to empty everything inside onto her desk. Then, she picked out a single book that looked more like a researchers long lost and scrambled together notes, a bottle of water, a set of pencils as well as a small broken half of a coin and a stack of paper.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit. Where the hell was it? Argh, where did they say... Dum duh dum..." she said, running around the small area she had been occupying. She ran past a small cabinet and stopped in front, opening the doors and reaching in to grab a small book - about half the size of that of her research notes. She thumbed through the pages and found the date, scanning through the page to see if she had noted down the location. And indeed, she had; a tavern somewhere outside the palace in Infinitum. She grabbed a key from a shelf after dropping the diary bck into the cabinet and sprinted out the door, locking it behind her and running off in the direction of the tavern she was to meet at. It was going to take a bloody long while, even with her running. Magic wasn't an option unless one of the twins was surely going to kill her for being late, and she really didn't feel that panicked.

About 20 minutes later, Sierra stood outside the tavern, breathing so deeply those at the other side of the street could hear. She really wasn't used to doing such physically demanding activities except walking, which in of itself was a chore.