[IC] Scattered Shades: Arcadia Chronicles

[Letter Bee]

Paradise 'Par' Rapids - Diver's Paradise

"Let's go see them, then," spoke Par. "The sooner we can talk things out with Yvette, the better. The other Junkers also need to be told of this act of Genocide." Yes, Par was seriously suggesting that the two of them go on an 'outing' to see potential foes. Par was not physically fit compared to Jenso. That was a disadvantage. But what Par was was determined, and he was not going to pass up this chance for answers.

"I'll take only myself and my weapons; if need be, we can hunt," continued Par. "You might also want to carry me for the last leg of the trip; my endurance is not the best, as I have no Ki."

"Anyway, you lead the way, we should go now."

[Necrophage]

Hyznia

Southern Exit

From how Sulfrax started their trade of words he made it fairly unclear as to what he wanted. It was almost as if he were looking for something in Rem's words without sharing too much from himself.

Whatever Sulfrax's ambitions were he underestimated the usefulness of what's outside. "While I share your taste for learning of things arcane I try not to limit myself to what is within our walls. We both know of a fact that arcane comes from every entity to a certain degree. It's like the heat from the sun at noon day, 'tis simply a byproduct of existing."

What seemed most interesting from Sulfrax was his phrasing. There was almost a barb in his words. It felt like he was feigning interest with the description of his statement but on a deeper level he was looking intently for something and for a reason that eluded Rem. So he came to a mage who often frequented the No Man's Land. There was a certain amount of danger to trade words he held close, so a bartering of secrets would have to be made to keep it worthwhile.

Rem looked off in the distance at the shadow amidst a thicket of bending trees. He shook his head slowly at it, a very purposeful gesture that he'd prefer the elder present would ignore. Senna was cautious around people but having Rem close by made her a little more bold. The shadow stood perfectly still, blending in incredibly well under the sunken trees.

"You seek theories and myths. I've got a few myths for you." Rem turned to look the elder mage in the eye. "Travelers outside find things they can't explain frequently. There're plenty of tales from drunken men around a fire. So I'll spare you the shoddy ones and give you the ones I half-heartedly believe. There's always a stupid rumor that the diver's in No Man's Land are going launch an attack on the city-states. I don't believe it a bit. It'd be like suicide to do that. That notion is as foolish as saying the city-states themselves could break out in war any day now. The peace is important and we all still need each other even if it were to involve sacrifices. Some wanderers believe other nations exist outside of the Four Powers. It is a fair enough assumption but hasn't held true and won't until we actually find something."

"There are some reliable myths, don't take my word for it, but some people think there are creatures out there that prey on arcane. Creatures that may have the power to sense it, practically smell it out. That the very existence of an arcane node would be like a veritable magnet on their system, a feast amidst a flock of sheep. They say their raw size and power could topple the reliable defense and barriers of even a city-state. Should such a creature exist you would need to ask a different question. Not whether there's something to shift power in the city-states. But is there something that can destroy them?" Rem let him chew on that for a moment before turning to look around. It was never a bad idea to be wary even when a companion with superior senses was already on alert.

"Now that you know the myth I've been chewing on lately there are some things I know for certain. Before I can tell you these things, I want to know something from you. Master Lauchlin, what happened on your expedition? I've heard efforts to make a fabricated arcane node failed, why?"

[Jensoman]

Diver's Paradise

_{Southern Entrance}

Jenso nodded at Par. He was glad that he wanted to join him, despite how reckless the trip would be. "Okay, let's not waste any more time!" He said, and dashed towards the Southern Entrance of Diver's Paradise. He doubted that anyone would be suspicious about them running, as it wasn't exactly uncommon for Divers to jump ship. Especially after the massive battle that just happened. He kept his eyes on the Diver's HQ as he did, hoping none of the four Divers would notice.

Ulimani Crags

_{Outside of Diver's Paradise}

As the two made it out of the cave, Jenso began to backtrack back to the location of the Junkers with Par following him. He knew the way on his own by now, having it shown by luke before on the way there and on the way back. As they walked, Jenso reached into his backpack. He pulled out an apple and gently threw it at Par. "Here, catch! We gotta make sure we eat. If we end up having to fight, doing so on an empty stomach is a bad idea." He commented, pulling out another apple and taking a bite out of it. He didn't exactly have much time to rest, so he made sure to eat at the very least so he would recover some energy along the way.

[Wind Wild]

Xena Rock Field

_{Under the Lone Tree}

Onweer sighed deeply and clapped her hands loudly.

“That’s enough. We’ve established that there’s nothing we can do at the moment, so let’s stop speculating and concentrate on the present. The dead need to be searched. Food supplies, ammo, weapons and tools… Also, any scraps of paper, we might be able to find something out that way. ” She tested her legs by bending and extending one of them and realised it wouldn’t hold her weight just yet. She was more tired than she’d thought. Cursed snake! If it wasn’t for that, she wouldn’t have to be reminded that she was reduced to a cripple.

Her brow twitching she reached for another slice of jerky and unwrapped her scarf to its full size, draping it over herself to prevent a sunburn. “If you don’t mind, I think I need a little nap.” Hopefully that would do the trick. Hopefully she could fall asleep with all the banging and shouting coming from their broken vehicle. “Then I’ll come and help you make some makeshift graves for everyone…” Her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes.

[tex]

Xena Rock Field

_{Under the Lone Tree}

Brian froze up at Onweer's command, and nodded in agreement. He wasn't too keen on the idea of searching corpses, but he knew it was necessary. Burying them though? How would that help anyone? They were soldiers, all innocent, but still utterly brainwashed by the CMAS officials they worked under. The situation still made his head pound with unsatisfactory thoughts. "I'll speak with Yvette regarding the status of the ATV," Brian croaked, making he way past the collection of Divers and CMAS corpses between them and their vehicle.

"THEN FIND ANOTHER FUCKING DRIVER," Kenny shouted, hopping out of the ATV's side door, trudging across the gravel and shifting his burly arms back and forth like clockwork. He headed in the direction they'd initially approached from, following the ATV's tracks back to Arcadia at his own pace. With him gone... "If any of you have a brain, you'll follow me back to Arcadia! Staying out here is suicide!" Kenny shouted, not even turning back to look at his fellow Junkers. Yvette slowly approached the ATV's door and hung against the frame, wearily glaring at Kenny with a look of hopelessness smeared across her face.

"Kenny... Don't," She pled under her breath.

Diver's Paradise

_{Diver HQ}

"Just for now, then," Luke nagged at Alvios, nudging his shoulder playfully. He was right though, people would start to put the pieces together eventually. Divers weren't just a collection of idiotic adrenaline junkies, after all. Some of them were pretty smart cookies. "You know as well as me that attackin' those dirty fuckin' cloaked bastards up in CMAS HQ is a suicide mission, even with hundreds of Divers at our backs. Arcadia is a fortress, and they've got 3 other nations on their side. There aint much we can really do, even if we can convince a whole lotta divers to side with us. We need nations on our side, and I'm sure yeh know that people don't acknowledge us Divers as anything more than a bunch of stupid wolves." Luke lead Alvios into the HQ, but didn't stop himself from glaring at Tinon's window alongside Alvios.

"I'm just as angry about this, believe it brother. But we gotta be careful 'bout how we approach this. It's bigger than me- bigger than us. I mean, look at me! When's the last time you saw me so serious?" Luke quipped, heading up the stairs of the HQ to meet with Laura and Tinon in their room.

Arcadia

_{Southern Gate}

Haley hailed several of the Junkers nearby into the Z-ATV's with a flurry of friendly commands. "We're good to go!" She shouted, heading towards the head ATV, where Jager and Buttercup had loaded themselves, along with that deplorable Drama knife, and Faehran. Johnathan hopped onto Z-ATV-3, and within minutes, the three massive vehicles were out and about. Their interior was a marvel to behold. These trucks were at least twice the size of the one that was sent out with Survey group alpha. The folding-out entrance way on the vehicle's right side lead up into a large lounging area of sorts, which was lined with a set of seats for passengers, and separated from the driver's domain at the truck's head by a massive blast-door. The back of the truck's interior was where the engine, supply crate, and top-hatch were located. Atop each truck was a pair of well-protected A/B Laser cannons, capable of tearing through solid metal like butter. Haley sat near the front of the common area with a subtle smile, looking over her fellow Junkers one by one. Buttercup had no way to actually sit down in one of the seats, but the roof was just high enough to accommodate his standing, and the ground was durable enough to support his weight.

"Well, now we've much time to kill! Perhaps now, Nicolas, you'd like to introduce yourself in a far more refined manner?" Haley said, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the wheels below them.

Hyznia

_{Castle Exterior}

The surrounding landscape of Hyznia castle was wondrous to behold from atop the castle ramparts. But being out in the grass fields that covered Hyznia's surrounding hillsides was a whole new experience in and of itself. The castle was built on high ground for good reason, but the gentle breeze that kissed their nation was merely an added bonus. There were no forests to the east of Hyznia that seperated it from Arcadia, though. Nothing really covered the large expanse of grass and dirt between the two nation, save for the occasional patch of trees, bushes, or smaller hills. The west, behind Castle Hyznia, was shielded by the Yevon mountains though, preventing easy access to the surrounding plains for miles in either direction, and acting as a wall that prevented the west-bound wind from going any further than lake Oloso.

Regardless, two individuals approached Sulfrax and Rem from the south, not quite visible yet through the forested area that divided Hyznia and Illon, starting less than a kilometer off of the castle's southern walls, at the bottom of its proud hill. They would be in view soon, that much was certain, but who were they? And why were they there? "Ay," One muttered to the other, grasping hold of his patch-work pants as his bare chest-muscles tensed up, "Somebody's outside the barrier. Think it's some o' them Diver people big V's been tellin' us about?" The second man nodded and arched his shorter comrade.

"Yes," He mumbled, staring at his partner's forehead from above. The shorter man, standing only about 5 feet tall, back away and snickered at his fully-clothed compatriot from the cover of the Illuna forest.

[Letter Bee]

Paradise 'Par' Rapids - Diver's Paradise

"Thanks!" Par said to Jenso as he caught the apple, then took several bites of it, making sure to suck up the juice. Once he finished eating the apple to the core, he would then wait for Jenso to begin walking again, and once the two resumed their trip to the Xena Rock Field, Par would begin talking:

"Anyway, I sounded like I switch moods very easily; it's not just because of the attack on the Divers, although that played a part. It's because, well...I dunno if I should say this to a person I just met, but...my mood swings come from when I was sixteen, when I and my parents were looking for a Mana Node in No Man's Land. It was a calm day, and we were hiking up a wooded hill in the direction of the Node, when we encountered..."

"When we encountered him. The Chimera. It was a majestic beast, with the heads of a dragon, a goat, and a lion, with a serpent's tail and a feline's body, as well as wings that allowed it to fly up in the air. It swooped down on us, breathing fire and roaring vengance as the goat's head whispered strategies on how to deal with us." Par looked pained.

"My father, Arthur Rapids, was the first to fall, torn apart as he fired round after round of arcane ammunition that didn't affect the monster one bit, and which appeared to strengthen it. Mother, being more clever, lifted rocks and large branches and threw it at the Chimera, which was marginally more effective. Then she was set on fire." Par was breathing in and out.

"I alone was left, firing my two pistols at the monster, which also didn't work. I raged, I cried out, and lastly, I was frightened, curling up to a ball, thinking I was doomed. I waited, waited for those claws." Determination filled Par as he tried to finish the story; during that time, he and Jenso kept walking.

"But they didn't cut through me. Rather, I found myself grasped roughly, then plopped into the Chimera's back. The next thing I knew, I was flying, flying as the Chimera showed me another way, an easier trail with which I can get at the Mana Node. And he set me down there, and flew off." Par's voice now seemed half-happy when recounting that last part, before he continued once more:

"I later realized that I and my family, we were the invaders. What the Chimera did wasn't right, but it was in defense of its home, and what we did wasn't wrong either, but we did it in a way that trespassed on others' rights."

"The lesson I learned?" Par was still walking, "the lesson I learned was that people's motivations are complex, that you cannot box people in 'Good' or 'Evil', but one has to take into account as many factors as they could. In fact, Jenso, I'll tell you a secret."

"I didn't support Luke because I loved my freedom, although I do. I supported Luke because CMAS deliberately lies about its motivations, preventing people from understanding what they truly are. Even then, I've heard stories about how Arcadia and Teknoh are being overpopulated, and, well, it would be wrong not to take that into account."

"But, now it's different; CMAS has committed an atrocity that outrages me like the deaths of my parents, for even less reason. We could have shared some land with the Quadra-Powers; the Continent is big. But it is clear that the CMAS wants more than that, and we have to find out what that is." Par's face turned grim again, his eyebrows pulled down.

"Another thing. Restrain me if my mood swings towards violence again. The Junkers might refuse me, or mock me, or I might lose my temper for some other reason. I want to solve things peacefully just as much as you do, and I also want information about what's happening in Arcadia." Par closed his eyes, then opened them again as he walked.

"Why can't everything be easy..." he trailed off.

[Jensoman]

Ulimani Crags

_{En Route to Xena Rock Fields}

Jenso listened closely, and rose an eyebrow as Par described the Chimera. It seemed unbelievable for such a creature to exist, as it would come straight out of one of the many myths that people told about No-Man's-Land. However, he himself ended up facing one of those creatures not too long ago, and his life was on the line which forced him to take the snake down as soon as possible. As Par mentioned that he and his family trespassed through the Chimera's territory, Jenso began to feel bad. It was, in fact, exactly the same like the Junkers and Divers did at the Xena Rock Fields. Perhaps the beast merely wanted to defend it's home...even though it was hell-bend on slaughtering anyone. Perhaps it was just hungry as it attempted to eat everyone, or perhaps it fought for both reasons.

"Well, I probably wouldn't have been entirely convinced that such a creature exists, Par, but the Xena serpent was also a myth, and I saw it with my own eyes as it tried to kill everyone at the ambush point. So I believe you. To tell you the truth, we wouldn't have been able to survive if we didn't work together with those Junkers to beat it." Jenso muttered, taking another bite out of his apple.

"I only joined Luke because he wanted to keep No-Man's-Land free. I understand the overpopulation issue though, so I suppose they could expand a bit. But Luke takes it to the extreme, and so do CMAS. They don't want to share, they want ALL of it. It's either having complete control over everything and everyone or keep everything free for everyone to do as they please, as a wasteland filled with many vicious beasts." Jenso responded, and gave Par a confident smirk.

"Don't worry, I got your back. We'll try to talk to them peacefully, and if they try to pull anything we'll be prepared."

[Gisk]

"A logical next step," he said to Onweer at the suggestion that they needed to sort the battle out. He got up as she laid down, but his attention was immediately drawn back to the ATV where Kenny was storming off. He implored them to follow him, but Cecil quietly thought to himself that going back would be just as bad as staying. Possibly worse. It was the very subject they had just decided under the dead tree. Cecil watched him go and went about his task as methodically as he could manage.

"I could drive," he said to Yvette as his looting(there was no other word for it) took him close to the open door of the ATV.

[Letter Bee]

Paradise 'Par' Rapids - Diver's Paradise

A smile from Par.

"Indeed, and thanks for believing me. Anyway, I know that people normally don't share their traumas with people they just met; it's supposed to take a long time, but I needed to share the lesson I learned, so that I don't forget about it or break it." He looked at Jenso.

"Even now, it's a constant battle to keep myself from forgetting." Par then thought to speak about Luke.

"You're right; Luke's not infallible, but neither are we; it's reason which decides which is more fallible or less so. And both Luke and CMAS are unreasonable." Par's gaze turned hard.

"We need to stop this from being a cycle of violence and revenge. If we keep slaugthering each other, no one will end up winning, except perhaps the CMAS."

[Whimsley]

Arcadia

_{Southern Gate}

Jäger took a seat beside the many Junkers, surveying the details of the ATV. It was a marvel of machinery, more than spaciously accommodating the individuals within it. The defensive capabilities, for a mobile vehicle, outclassed everything Jäger had seen in the capital. If Jäger hadn't been raised in a temple, it would've been likely a life as a Machinist would've been for him. There was no reason he couldn't appreciate and dabble, though. The monk stared at the blast doors that Haley called toward, and wondered what sort of forces they could withstand. What kind of forces the ATV could withstand, and what sort of forces were ahead, outside of the walls. Surely, their vehicle was enough to trump any threat ahead. Where it could not, however, Jäger would. He swiped his hand against the leathery tome attached to his metal chain belt, and remained silent for the moment. There was no reason to interject in the conversation with Haley and Nicolas, as he had nothing to report. Perhaps, then, he would study his surroundings. Jäger took to analyzing the Junkers as he had before at HQ, sizing up their capabilities and how they might be supported and, worst case scenario, subdued.

[Hatman1801]

Hyznia

_{Southern Exit}

Sulfrax was very patient for Rem's speech, although occasionally his lips were moving, silently repeating some of Rem's lines to himself. Monsters that could topple the Nations? No, that didn't sound like something Sydney would want. He wanted control, not destruction. Then again, the two could certainly go hand-in-hand if he found a way to threaten people with arcane-eating beasts. He would have to ask Rem if he knew anything more...or if he knew other Divers for Sulfrax to speak with. No doubt one of them would have an answer, if he found some kind of trail, something to follow... But his mouthing and thoughtful eyes halted as Rem asked about the synthetic node. Sulfrax's crowning achievement as well as his downfall. The tipping point where many went from respect to fear, and many saw him fall from brilliant to insane. Opinions subjective to many, and certainly Hyznia appreciated his ability to push the limits of nature.

Sulfrax's response began with an uncharacteristic chuckle, followed by a sigh. He had been asked this before, plenty of times. "If it failed, then they wouldn't still be using my work. No, creating an arcane node, a font of energy that could power a nation, I succeeded at that. They were behind me, though. They weren't ready for my work. It's Sydney's fault, the CMAS scientists' fault. Even if they don't see it that way. They used me as their scapegoat though, since I led the project. The full details belong to the CMAS Head Council members, Hyznia's royal family, and myself." He looked up at Rem now, narrowing his eyes a little. There was a long pause as he contemplated...something, before continuing. "What went wrong was the binding process. Arcane nodes exist in concentrated points, constantly generating, absorbing and releasing power. Creating one that could be moved elsewhere though, required an appropriate vessel for containing and transporting that much raw magical energy. The vessel provided was inadequate, and the node destabilized during the attempt to bind it. The discharge killed everyone present except for myself, and would have continued to expand and destroy far more than just the binding area if not for a last action on my part. And that is the end of that. What I did, what happened to the node, how they managed to recreate it a decade later, those answers are for another time, another person."

Sulfrax looked back towards the gates of Hyznia, then out towards the distant forest, raising an eyebrow. He had answered Rem's question to his personal liking, and voiced new thoughts. "Is being out there worth it? Risking your life in this place? Favoring exploration over research? I wonder." He didn't notice, or at least paid no mind to, whatever might have been happening in the forest.

Diver's Paradise

_{Diver HQ}

"Might have been years, friend... but now would be the time to be serious. For now, let's just keep suspicions to ourselves and see how the situation develops." Alvios took a deep breath, and entered the main building, relieved to find everything in-tact. Likely that the CMAS were told to just destroy the foundation specifically, not go ransacking every building. Which meant total destruction was their goal, not any sort of physical information gathering.

Alvios stepped in with a hand on his sword hilt though, a little on edge still, looking around. "Laura! Tinon! Are you two alright? The battle's over, Luke and I are back!" he called out. He really hoped Tinon and Laura were still here. He really wanted to be wrong about Tinon... and he certainly didn't want to be worrying about Laura as well. Forget Luke calling it suicidal, he would have charged in regardless to save his sister.

Ulimani Crags

_{En Route to Xena Rock Fields}

The Ulimani Crags were rocky, rough, and a fantastic location for Diver's Paradise. It was easy to conceal things and people, and it was just as easy to get lost. Newer Divers, or Divers that turned Junker early on, typically weren't let in on the location, and it was considered a feat to find Paradise without help. Why it was a feat, of course, had to do with a little more than just difficult terrain and location.

They were a part of No-Man's Land after all, and it held its fair share of dangers, just like anywhere else. And as if solely to spite Par's hopes for peace and Jenso's hopes for understanding, the loud twang of a crossbow being fired was heard from one of the high peaks of a stone formation, scoring a hit on a nearby cliff next to Jenso and Par, an explosion following a second or two later, causing a rock slide just above the two Divers. Thankfully, whoever had just tried to kill them got really unlucky or missed his shot, because the bulk of the crumbling debris crashed down behind them, kicking up dust and shattered rocks but nothing that could hurt either of them.

Voices could be heard echoing from above as the rocks fell, from somewhere above a different cliff along the path, shouting between one another:

"Idiot!!! You missed 'em! What kinda shot was that?!"

"This isn't exactly a perfect angle! I couldn't get a clear shot on either one!"

"Shut up, both of you, and do your job!"

"I don't take orders from you, I take a chance to strike some good money from CMAS! Screw it, just try to hit 'em proper this time punk!"

Par might have noticed it first, given he was a marksman, with the dust settling; an uneven cliff side that sloped down into the excuse for a pathway through the crags were five figures behind some jutting stones, off towards their right a short ways up and away. One of them with a hood was holding a crossbow, trying to aim the damn thing on the uneven surface and through some of the stone formations. The duo was being ambushed, just before getting to the Xena Rock Fields too.

Chimeras and the Xena Serpent may have been rare threats considered myths, but bandits and mercenaries were very real threats in No-Man's Land, and there were some vultures looking for prey scattering away from the CMAS assault it seemed.

Arcadia

_{Inside the Z-ATV}

"Why, I'd be glad to, Miss Haley! But I must say, 'refined' is all a matter of perspective, is it not? I will bow to your fragile whims though, should my spotlight be too bright for you!" The boy ended his little speech with a bow towards her, before taking his seat. A few of the members of the team smirked a bit at his antics, and the smile across his cheerful mask suited him perfectly. Nicolas cleared his throat loudly, and continued in a more casual tone. "I'm Drama Knife Nicolas. Performer and Junker, with a dash of presumed assassin written in my resume somehow. Don't take any of that the wrong way though; I'm on your side. I'll watch your backs if you watch mine, and buy you a drink if you sneak me one back, eh?" He chuckled at himself, and turned his head towards the woman he had been playing with before. "Oh, and perhaps she would like to introduce herself next? Now that I'm being more 'refined'?" he asked, endearing as he could.

The woman was just sitting quietly in her seat towards the back, arms and legs crossed, eyes closed. When he tried to get her attention and make her introduce herself, she just lifted an arm to give him the middle finger, clearly not amused with his antics, and not speaking a word towards the boy. In return, Nicolas sighed and shrugged, with a shake of his head. Whether she simply didn't want to introduce herself or simply spiting him at this point was indeterminable.

[Letter Bee]

Paradise 'Par' Rapids - Diver's Paradise

Par's thoughts swung back towards Vengance again as he found himself being targeted by...bandits. Actual mercenaries, worse than Junkers. Were these the ones who were killing off Divers who had found themselves alone? Well, he was not going to allow them to have the satisfaction of that.

"Enemies! Jenso, can you use Ki to distract them?!" Par cried out for Jenso's benefit, before looking for any advantegous ground for sniping. He found it behind a large rock to his left, and, ducking down to keep a low profile, managed to get to said rock as Jenso presumably distracted the enemy. Once Par was behind the rock, he would then take out his Sniper Rifle, look at the Crossbowman through the scope, then aim for said Crossbowman, firing a Mana shot!

He would then look for another rock to hide behind; changing positions was important for a Sniper, and then aim at another bandit or the Crossbowman if they survived the first shot, then shoot again!

[Jensoman]

Ulimani Crags

_{En Route to Xena Rock Fields}

"Oh SHIT!!" Jenso shouted as the bolt struck the rocks behind them and the explosion made the debris fall down. He listened to Par as he shouted that they were under attack and his muscles tensed up. Turning his focus towards the direction Par was looking at as the dust settled completely now, he was now able to see the bandits as well. "Uh...Well, there aren't many flashy things I can do with Ki, but I'm sure my flame powers can draw their attention too." Jenso responded, as flames erupted from his body to try to keep as much attention on him as possible. He dashed further to the right as Par moved to the left to give the bandits a more difficult time.

After all, two moving targets would be more difficult to deal with then one. He dashed closer to the bandits as he did, but made sure not to charge straight at them, moving in more of a diagonal line. He stopped behind a boulder on the right of the path as more flames emerged from his palms. He launched three fireballs into the air, aimed so that they would fall down and crash into the bandits from above.

[Necrophage]

Hyznia

Southern Exit

What seemed most curious about Sulfrax's exposition was how the CMAS Council had thrown him from the project. The one man who had potentially averted a disaster of unknowable proportion with his quick thinking, a sole survivor of a tragedy. Here this man had been wondering what Rem knew that could be used as leverage between the four powers. Sulfrax himself had described what could become an incredibly dangerous weapon. If a portable arcane node in such a described vessel or even an artificial arcane node that was purposefully destabilized were used as an improvised weapon it could cause untold devastation.

"Master Lauchlin. Forgive my being brazen. I believe from what you've shared the CMAS council has duped you so they could take your work. Whether they were ready for your research or not, trashing the top official on such a tremendous project and one with full knowledge of how to stop related disasters seems rather forward -- and foolish." Rem pondered for a moment what Sulfrax Lauchlin had just asked as well. The strangers in the distance went completely unbeknownst to him. The travelling mage's mind was abuzz with theories and thoughts.

"I've always thought exploration and research to be one and the same. And if you think otherwise they are at the very least part of the same process. Venturing to the unknown, however great or minute the task, rains more light on our understanding." Rem mulled over the next few words carefully, a clear excitement for the subject written on his face. "I will scour all of No Man's Land regardless of the danger if it means I can pull the veil from the secrets of creation." The determination he expressed was palpable.

"You should not need to suffer this humiliation, nor I. I carry on the work of a great man whose research was thrown down. Thought of as no more than dross. I saw the truth of his theories." He said.

Off in the distance beneath the bending boughs of the thicket a great shadow moved gently. It moved even as softly as the wind blew the abundant weeds. Great amber eyes watched closely. However quiet the oncomers were, Senna knew they were there and she was even more unwelcome with their treacherous movements toward her friend. Her muscles tensed, ready to spring out despite the distance between her and the prey.

[Hatman1801]

Ulimani Crags

_{Path to Xena Rock Fields}

"Well, looks like we rolled ourselves some lively ones here, eh?!" The loud one who had been complaining the most jumped over his ranger companion, and straight up backhanded Par's bullet out of the air. Out from behind the rocks now, his physique was more visible; very top heavy, wearing a knit cap and worn sleeveless shirt, contrasting with plate armored leggings and greaves. "Course, just a pair of pansies. Gotta hide to fight, eh?!"

"We're hiding behind rocks too, y'know..."

"Quiet, punk! We were hiding, but they caught on and your shoddy aim blew that noise!"

"Watch your heads." One in the back, features indiscernible behind a dirty brown robe, held his hands above them, and the fireballs crashed down on an electrified barrier. Well, there was their mage. "Go in and drag them out. We can take them dead or alive. You, get ready to provide cover fire. Go for the kill if you can. Don't mind this one, he can handle an explosion or two."

"Quit givin' me orders! Come on, you're coming with me!" The massive one in the front grabbed one of his other compatriots - smaller guy with a long single-edged blade, wearing a trenchcoat - by the lapel and leaped out from behind cover, sliding down the cliff roughly before charging in the direction Par had fired his last shot from. He wasn't wasting much time in closing the distance, and threw the coat-wearing swordsman in the general direction of Jenso. The poor guy landed on the ground roughly, but didn't complain, getting back on his feet quickly and rushing towards the boulder Jenso had thrown the fireballs from.

The three on the cliff were in appropriate positions now; the mage was standing tall, hands spread and glowing faintly, while the marksman had another arrow cocked and ready to fire. The fifth member of their gang hadn't shown their face yet, hiding fully behind the rock cover now.

Seemed like the enemy gang wasn't lost on actual strategy either, and their human tank just swatted a bullet out of the air like it was nothing. He was out in the open now though; Jenso and Par just had to take him and his swordsman buddy out without getting sniped by those explosive shots themselves.

[Letter Bee]

Paradise 'Par' Rapids - Diver's Paradise

Par snarled as he realized that the enemy team not only outnumbered them, but had good strategy! However, the enemy's heavy fighter seemed to be taking a gamble in rushing the Machinist's position. Thankfully, the young man had restocked his Mana Grenades, and quickly threw one at the big guy, fully expecting him to try and catch it, either to throw it back, or swat it away. This would give Par the opportunity to take up his Sniper Rifle again, aim at the enemy's eye, and shoot a Mana bullet/bolt at it!

He briefly wondered: Why do the CMAS want us dead or alive? Once that was done, and should the enemy still be in any condition to continue his rush, Par would then slowly, still crouching, walk backwards towards another rock formation where he can simultaneously protect himself from the crossbowman and keep taking potshots at the heavy guy.

[Jensoman]

Ulimani Crags

_{En Route to Xena Rock Fields}

Jenso peeked his head out from behind the boulder to see the results of his and Par's attacks, only for them to be stopped. 'Wow! This fight is gonna be great!' He thought, taking note of the swordsman who was charging at his position. A hammer made out of flames appeared in his right hand as the man closed in. He waited for the man to get behind the boulder, not wanting to stand out in the open for either the mage or crossbowman to shoot at him. If the swordsman was close enough, he'd swing his hammer at the swordman's right side. These men seemed to know what they were doing, and Jenso always enjoyed a good fight.

[tex]

Xena Rock Field

_{Under the Lone Tree}

Brian looked down at his Shoes and mulled over what they'd spoken about for a few seconds before following close behind Cecil, and following through by looting the corpses nearby. Upon seeing Kenny leave, he wasn't very surprised, or visibly affected. The whole affair, and the conclusions they'd come to, had exhausted him to no end. He stood near Cecil as he approached Yvette with the offer to driver.

"You? Ah, right, the secondary machinist... Cecil, was it?" Yvette said as professionally as possible, "Well, not we've no choice but to return to Arcadia... We're down to 6 people, and orders are orders." Yevtte looked down at her feet and swayed in place for a moment before disappearing into the Z-ATV. Her voice could still be heard from outside, though. "Finish repairs, and we'll... get a move on," she ordered reluctantly.

Hyznia

_{Near the Edge of Illuna Forest}

The larger man pulled on the fabric of his tightly-fitted leather shirt and glared at Sulfrax, placing on hand on his little ally's shoulder. "This is dangerous. Let's fetch my brother," He whispered. The short man shrugged his larger friend's sweat palm off as he did his warning, slowly creeping to the edge of the thicket. He licked his lips, meticulously tracing Sulfrax's figure with his eyes as if he were looking for vulnerabilities to abuse.

"They look human to me, Ruso! How dangerous could they be?" The shorter man hissed, finally walking past the trees that hid his presence. Ruso followed shortly after, cracking twigs and branches with his substantial height and girth as he emerged from Illuna with a cold, expressionless glare. The two headed towards Sulfrax and Rem harmlessly, traversing the hillside that lead up to Hyznia with little aggression in their postures.

Diver's Paradise

_{Tinon's Room}

Tinon and Laura stood close to each other, and turned to Alvios' announcement with a mixture of glee and horror showing in their eyes. Laura immediately rush towards her brother as Luke inched his way into the room and held him tightly, to his own surprise. "Oh thank god you made it in time!" She wept. Luke patted her back awkwardly before pulling her off of his chest.

"Don't thank me, this guy's the only reason our home is still standing!" He asserted, wrapping his right arm around Alvios' head and pulling him in close. "It's a good thing he wasn't occupied elsewhere, eh Tinon?" Tinon nodded and smiled, keeping himself stationed at the window to overlook the carnage and repair operations using his own psychic link. Luke cringed as Tinon turned from him, and released his friend before approaching the stubborn mind-mage slowly. Laura looked as if she were about to stop him for a moment, but pulled herself back, looking at her husband worriedly. "We need to discuss our options, here," Luke started, but before he could continue, Tinon cut in.

"I'm sure Arcadia and the CMAS had known about Diver's paradise for a long time, but this attack was unwarranted, calculated, and marks the start of a war, if we let this escalate," Tinnon stressed, "I have a feeling that there's a worm in our midst. I think it'd be best to abandon the paradise, and dissuade any further conflict, Luke. The CMAS is not an enemy we can fight against." Luke reeled back and clenched his fist at Tinon's words. This slimy son of a bitch was-

"He's right, Luke," Laura cut in, grabbing his arm. Luke turned to her, mouth half-open, shocked by what he was hearing. He looked at Alvios in disbelief and pushed her sister away from his arm.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Arcadia

_{Inside the Z-ATV}

Haley nodded as Nicolas spoke, humoring him as much as she could. "I see, I see," She murmured, stifling a giggle. As the woman sitting across from Nicolas refused to acknowledge him, Haley clapped hee hands to shatter the suffocating tension building as a result, and pointed the tips of her fingers towards Jager with her hands still joined together. "How about you, friend?" She asked, the loose bracelets around her wrists clanging together for a moment as she did so. "I've never see you before!"

[Whimsley]

Arcadia

_{Inside the Z-ATV}

The man, he with the mask, Jäger felt as though masks hid many things. They are for show, yes, but there was no show, no game, they were truly out in the field. What curtain did the Drama Knife hide behind? People snickered as the jester continued to fail in wooing the Ilion woman across the Z-ATV, but to no avail. Jäger only grew more uneasy as he kept up the act. A thespian could guise their words better than most. He would need to keep a close eye on that one.

"Yea, we are strangers, but no more. Know me as Jäger, monk of Saiga," Jäger said. He had a strange way of speaking, having spent almost his entire life in the temple. There was a formal but odd quality to it, as if the polite nature of his words were overrun by their unconventional nature. Not even the most religious figures in main cities spoke in such a tongue. It was a rural, archaic dialect that was slowly dying as Saiga perpetually remained small and insignificant. "And you are known as Haley, correct?" The joints in Jäger's armor groaned as he stood, a form not overpowering but demanding attention. His greaves clanked against the Z-ATV floor as he strode through the circle of Junkers. When Jäger reached Haley, he bent his arm and turned an open, clawed hand to the side, requesting a more intimate greeting than a simple handshake. It demanded each of them to be at the same level, and interlock themselves much more closely, leaving an unseen hand from peripheral vision. To grasp the hand was to trust the other would not attempt to harm them by a dagger in the back.

[Hatman1801]

Diver's Paradise

_{Tinon's Room}

"Are you... are you serious, Tinon?" Alvios was completely caught off-guard. Tinon was completely nonchalant about the situation. His immediate suggestion was to abandon their home and retreat, just as CMAS wanted. A miracle occurred, and their home was still standing. Even if CMAS knew about this place...

"... Diver's Paradise was founded because we believed in it. We believed in freedom from the corruption and shackles of CMAS that we banded together and built something out of it. People have been born here. Divers can call this place their home, one that stands for their own beliefs." Alvios' hands were trembling at this point, and he clenched them into fists in an attempt to escape his building anger. "And now you're standing here saying we should abandon that because the very thing we rebelled against knows we're here? No. Tinon, today was a disaster. One that was only salvaged by Luke's timely actions and my decision to hold off on your order to leave." Alvios went still, before drawing his blade.

"I will not let disaster breed despair and distrust. We aren't leaving until we find the worm who betrayed us and mount his head in the square. No Diver would follow us if we backed down like whipped dogs. We repelled their attack, now lets kill off whoever tipped them off to our convenient vulnerability so we won't have to worry about this happening again." His eyes narrowed dangerously at Tinon, an eyebrow quirking up slightly. "And I will find them. Let them burn their evidence. No-Man's Land has no maps, but that doesn't mean it has no trails. Divers thrive off of finding things that have no proof. Even traitors."

Ulimani Crags

_{En Route to Xena Rock Fields}

"Well ain't that the cutest thing?" The man dropped to his knees mid-run, metal greaves skidding across the rocky terrain as he picked up a chunk of the earth and pelted it at the grenade in midair. The collision detonated the grenade early, and the stone and dust kicked up between them shrouded him from view. For the big stupid guy, it was oddly precise, but I guess there had to be some finesse behind swatting bullets out of the air. "Hey brat, word of advice before I come break your arms..." Speaking of, the shot Par took at his head from the shortening gap between them was blocked, the bullet ricocheting off of the back of his hand like a shield. "Yer not gonna be able to shoot me. Go ahead; take another shot! You think you're the first guy to try and pick me off like a bird with some kinda long-range thing? It's why I hate guys like you, making me go out of my way to deal with getting sniped!" Two bullets now just bouncing off of his hand, and three projectiles he managed to intercept before they could touch him. So far, he looked invincible...but everyone had to have a weakness, right?

The swordsman on the other hand wasn't having nearly as much luck, or fun. He had rushed at the boulder Jenso was behind, but as he neared Jenso's location, he noted the unfortunate fact that fire made light, and jumped back before getting in range of Jenso's attacks. He took up a defensive stance, staring intently at Jenso's hiding place. "That trick might have worked on him, but I'm not the type to rush headlong into danger. I can wait." Jenso was in a different predicament than Par; his opponent wasn't overwhelming, but instead wasn't reckless enough to leave his advantageous position. He had to figure out a way to stop the crossbow from shooting him down so he could take out the swordsman.

Hyznia

Southern Exit

"Hm. You have a different air about you than most Divers I've come across. Perhaps there is a more defined line between Junkers and Divers than I thought. Or perhaps you are a unique case, seeking to carry on an ambition rather than chase a blind dream. Intriguing, really. It makes me curious as to see what would happen if I myself ventured out here for some time... my risk might be greater than the reward, considering my own circumstances though, and--" The Archmage stopped his rant before it could truly begin, turning towards the two figures approaching from the distant woods.

A pair of starkly contrasting individuals it seemed. Tall and small, and neither of them giving the appearance of CMAS officers. Divers? Has this Rem person lured me into a trap? No, he doesn't seem so foolish. Too close to Hyznia, and his respect seems genuine, if misplaced. Divers? Perhaps. Foreigners that I have no immediate reason to trust. Some of these thoughts were voiced through moving lips, but as he finished he lifted an arm weakly, leather-bound hand peeking out from his sleeve as he pointed at the two. "Unwanted company. Tell me if you know them now, so I don't react poorly."