Tearstone

Kung Fu Steampunk! (Still accepting)

Was meaning Jade Empire not Jade Dynasty. Oops. I haven't played Jade Dynasty.

Rapere Solis (Heavy Sci-FI/Space Fleet RP)

The FTL cannon is OK, though, hard-light is a no go. That is far beyond Humanity's current level of technology.

@Admiralkio

who are you addressing?

Rapere Solis (Heavy Sci-FI/Space Fleet RP)

*waves to Sep*

ATTN GM: - Do you mind if I retune/retool this ship for this particular RP?

Typhoon-Class Battlecruiser/Battleship

Heavy Sci-Fi/Space Fleet RP.

So tempted to re-tool my Typhoon-class Battlecruiser

Kung Fu Steampunk! (Still accepting)

"When the Fire Nation Attacked..."

Looks like the very forces of Heaven are under threat. Who will answer the call?

I think this is kind of a nifty idea. Reminds me a bit of Jade Dynasty as well. Color me interested... then again I'm a martist IRL and into wuxia a bit so what do I know? (also into steampunk as well)

Battletech: Forlorn Hope (Mechwarrior universe; big stompy robots)

Hey, HeySeuss, color me interested.

I was missing the previous BattleTech/MechWarrior RP I was in a long time ago.

Mall Zombies [Interest Check]

Riddle me this, riddle me that...

Are zombies something of a common occurrence in this particular 'reality'?

I ask because of the mall's immediate lockdown protocol, or are they going off of an 'active shooter' scenario? Even then, it's doubtful that Mall Security would want to lock a bunch of innocent people in with an armed gunman or gunmen. It would be an absolute slaughter.

How does the outbreak occur?
What kind of model are you focusing on for incubation times?
Are you going with fast zombies, regular zombies, both.. or an even wider array of zombies?

How big is the mall?
How much freedom and control do you plan for the players to have?
How 'crunchy' do you plan on the zombies being? (ie how tough)

Do humans go good with ketchup?

Battletech: Forlorn Hope

Hey, HeySeuss, color me interested.

I was missing the previous BattleTech/MechWarrior RP I was in a long time ago.

Coruscant Sacked: Aftermath

*shameless bump*

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG (Closed)

Please note these details may change in the future as the RP advances. All the powers available to her are not necessarily known, but the ones listed are for sure known/available, even if she may not be aware of them yet.


Character you have created:
Name: Justine Shepherd
Alias: Myth/Mythica

Speech Color: B799CD|MediumPurple

Character Alignment: Hero
Identity: Secret

Character Personality:

Personality

Justine is a charming young woman with a heart of gold, and a fierce dislike of bullies. She is quick to smile and enjoys seeing others happy. She'll do what she can to help out a friend, and can be ruthless against an enemy. She is able to weed her way into almost anyone's trust, and many are vulnerable to her charm with her looks. Her capacity for likeableness and ability to see things from other people's point of view, and bring them around, can also make her a highly intimidating young woman if on the receiving end of her bad side. Justine firmly believes that it is the responsibility of those capable of protecting others that they do so. To this end, she has studied martial arts since she was young, as well as kickboxing and fencing, and has been known to stand up against bullies through her school years. She has a strong sense of right and wrong, but is often concerned about the intersection of law with reality and where the law and legal system fall short. The judiciary and penal system are woefully inadequate in a number of respects, especially with marauding Metas on the loose.

Appearance

My Hider

Uniform/costume:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QfHkAuc4rd3nMSNk8NGGoJ7CcJwnJS4AsA8gyz1Ginc/edit
This will of course include a mask, or possibly a black cloak and cowl.

Origin Info/Details:

My Hider

Justine won the genetic lottery when she was conceived. While an ugly duckling originally, she turned out to be a head-turner. Not to let that be her only redeeming quality, especially being raised in a cop family, she turned toward athletics where she excelled, easily gaining strength, speed, endurance, and proving to have fast reflexes and excellent agility. She trained in gymnastics, track, and took up martial arts, at first on the suggestion of her father. Donald didn’t want his daughter to be a victim, and taught her what he knew as well. Academically, she also performed well, finding most classes a breeze. This came from a strong ability to focus and pay attention, attributed she supposed, to her training. Pretty, popular, skilled and talented, she excelled at whatever she put her mind to.

This changed shortly after graduating. The real world doesn’t care so much about being popular, or pretty, or even your grades, or any of it. Sure all of it helps, but college professors who’ve been around the block dozens of times don’t really care either. She had turned around and went into college straight out of high school, getting her basics out of the way first, while she figured out what she intended to do. With her dislike of bullies, and always looking up to law enforcement types, especially her dad, she decided that she focused on mass communication as well as literary arts, steering her towards media and creative writing. Continuing her martial arts training in college, she participated in tournaments and events here and there much as she did in high school but the competition was tougher, steeper, more challenging.

Finally completing college with a BA and a job back in Lost Haven, she reconnected with family and friends, and soon got to work. Most of it was doing fluff stories, and occasionally getting a chance to look into things now and again. When she wasn’t working for one of the local papers, she blogged about the stories she found that mattered to her, or she would take the time to work on her creative writing pursuits. Freelance articles began to bring in money, as well as her pay from the paper. And maaaybe… just maybe she was beginning to make her first forays into getting a novel or book published.

Deciding that she couldn’t live in her parents’ house forever, Justine started looking for somewhere else to live. Most places were too expensive or were in neighborhoods less than desirable. With the outbreak of D-Day, in the aftermath she was able to pick up a place on the cheap, a studio apartment in a rundown building right in the same area. It had been damaged in the incident. Some folks had decided to flee the neighborhood, moving to greener pastures. Others were staying of course. Crime and criminal activity was now on the rise, a side effect of the violence, locations being abandoned, and perhaps other influences. On a side note, local churches had seen a rise in attendance after D-Day.

During the process of moving into the PLACEHOLDER BUILDING, Justine poked around into all the corners, nooks, and crannies. A few things were unfinished. Fresh coat of paint, some new appliances, updated fixtures. A few other things were changed out, quick and easy to do really, and even on the cheap but with decent quality work. The previous owner had been a bit of a shut-in, and the supervisor hadn’t done much in the way of clearing the space out, leaving it up to the new tenant, Justine. There were shelves and stacks of books, clothes piled in places, and quite a bit of junk. She’d found some gems though, like an old typewriter, an old desk, a couple musical instruments. Stuffed away in a closet had been a set of World War II memorabilia, and what looked to be souvenirs. Among them were several pieces and things that belonged to the SS. There were old photographs, old uniforms. There were a couple old paintings and other sundries which she was able to cash in on through various collectors and museums, more than enough to help front the costs of cleanup and renovations to the apartment. That, she negotiated to lower (stop) rent for a few months and keep it at what the previous tenant had been charged.

One day while working on the flooring, she noticed some paneling and boards were loose in the bedroom closet. Pulling it free, she discovered a large sword inside. Old, dusty, covered in a few cobwebs. It was remarkably light, and well balanced. When she drew it from the scabbard, it seemed to sing a little. Swiping the blade through the air, that singing quality came out a little more. The air itself was cut, and as she spun and shadow-sparred she found herself smiling. It was the finest blade she’d ever held, easy to control, lively, precise. It was beautiful, elegant, and a little exotic. It had been made with love, care, and by an absolute master at their craft. It felt almost alive in her hand. It was too good. It was probably a prop, designed for some production or movie that he’d fancied, right?

She ran her thumb along the blade, letting it grip at her thumbprint a little. It gripped into the first layer of skin, and parted the layers underneath so easily she didn’t even realize the cut had happened until a drop of bright red blood welled up and fell away, landing on the blade of the sword. The sword was a magical weapon, with a great array of abilities. The blood woke the weapon up, tasting blood as it hadn’t in quite some time. The sword communicated with her, realizing who had ahold of it. Thus began her journey… not that long ago. (More to follow in sample post)

Hero Type: Mystic/Supernatural - Magical Weapon

Power Level: 2 - City Level, currently. Could scale upward to World or Cosmic level, depending on the needs of the story.

Powers (Be Specific):

• Almost all powers Justine has stem from the magical sword Edgewind, and require the transformation the sword brings on. A few may be used without transformation. One power is available to Justine even without her sword, or being transformed, so long as she is it's champion.
• Edgewind
  
  Edgewind - The Sword

  Not exactly a power - This sword is a hand-and-a-half, or bastard sword, double edged. It is made of brightly polished platinum or silver looking metal, covered in arcane runes. It features a gently curved guard, for one hand. The other is exposed to the metal with a rounded pommel. Overall length is 47 and 5/8ths of an inch, with 35 and 1/4 of 36 inches of sharp blade. The blade is almost two inches wide at the hilt, flares to two inches at the end of a shallow choil on either side. From there it begins a long elegant taper to roughly an inch and a half wide, except for the last foot or so which gracefully curves to a very sharp spear point. The beginning of the taper starts as a gradient arc. The overall run of the blade becomes thinner until the last foot or so where it thins more aggressively, giving the sword great thrusting and cutting or slashing in equal measure. It features a hollow grind with a fuller. The fuller is semi-aggressive for the shape but elegant as well. Edgewind is light and lively in the hand and is superbly balanced. It is indestructible, and even though it is thousands of years old, it appears to be brand new, scalpel sharp sharp, with no cracks, dents, dings, or breaks. Because of it's make it is easy to use and is an excellent sword. On it's own merit the sword is so finely made that it is said to be able to cut gods, or God. Does roughly three times the damage of a non enchanted version of the same sword. It will damage all magical and supernatural creatures, including godlings, demi-gods, gods, and cosmic beings. The sword can and will emit light, when there is need in dark places, functioning effectively like a torch. This is at the will of the wielder, most times. This does make it an effective weapon against darkness, as well as creatures of darkness, such as Shadow Beasts, Shadow Demons and so on.
• Teleportation:
  
  Teleportation Desc

  Justine possesses the power to teleport at will, between 16 and 20 times per minute. She may bring up to 1,000 lbs of weight with her when teleporting. Her maximum known distance in a single teleport is documented up to five miles in a straight line. Teleportation is instantaneous without need for pocket or dimensional transference. Her teleportation power has a chance to go awry as it is not flawless. She enjoys a 99% chance for anywhere familiar, like her home, or if it is visible. This is lowered to 93% chance if she is simply viewing a live TV broadcast. If the location has been seen a few times, anywhere from two to six, then she has an 88% chance of reaching her destination safely. If she has been there only once, her chances drop to 50%, and drops to 38% if she has never seen it at all, only described. Totally unknown has a mere 12% chance of hitting her mark.
  
  This power can be used with or without the sword, and without being transformed. It is free to use at any time, at her discretion.
  
  The results of bad teleports can be potentially deadly, as is common to many teleporters. 1-60% results in a totally wrong place, with no idea of present location. Justine has teleported 3 to 12 miles beyond her usual range. (8 to 17 miles). 61-85% - Appears 300' above ground and may take falling damage of a severe nature if she cannot teleport to safety or otherwise catch herself. 86-100 -Teleport into object - Death is instant. - May institute partial merge into object, such as a limb. May free limb, depending on material, or may have to have limb removed.
• Flight
  
  Flight Desc

  The simple ability to levitate and fly upon the air much like a bird. (No need to flap arms, silly) Maximum attainable speed is 50 miles per hour. No special bonuses. This is merely a transportation power sometimes more useful for getting around, especially when a teleport is ill-advised. May only lift bodyweight in flight, plus an additional 300 lbs.
• Transformation
  
  Transformation Desc

  - When Justine possesses or holds the sword and whispers or says it's name, she is instantly magically transformed to a being of power. She appears as an idealized version of herself, 6 foot tall. Her natural attractiveness is enhanced to the point she appears to be a living goddess. Her physical strength is enhanced and she becomes resistant to fire/heat and cold, taking half as much damage. Magical attacks against her are not as effective, as she has some resistance to them.
• Superhuman Strength - When transformed by the power of Edgewind, Justine's power is significantly increased. She gains the ability to lift nine to ten tons and carry over five tons.
• Enhanced Durability - The sword provides Justine with enhanced durability, able to soak up two to three times more punishment than compared to an average human. A bullet to the head, or a blade through the neck is still lethal, and she may be killed by any other normal means, but it simply takes more. When not transformed she does not enjoy as much vitality.
• The Sight - Due to the magical attunements provided, and her perceptions aided by the sword, Justine gains the power to See the Invisible, this includes astral constructs, spirits, ghosts, beings rendered invisible by magic or psionics, or other powers, usually as a ghostly image with distinct outlines. This may function with or without the sword so long as she is it’s champion.
• Healing Touch - The sword has the power to heal almost any wound, especially for average humans and may do so 10x per 24 hours. This is magical healing which means no scarring, bones are fixed immediately. Only wounds created by cosmic, divine, or magical attacks may leave scars and even then those are minor. May heal herself or others.
• Invisiblity: Superior
  
  Invisibility Superior Desc

  - A powerful ability that makes the wielder invisible to all means of detection! Infrared, ultraviolet, heat, and motion detectors, See Aura, Presence Sense, Sense Magic, and even an animal's sense of smell, that of the supernatural cannot locate the invisible person, or person's. (Can make up to one other person invisible as well. Can make 2 others invisible per activation, after wielder is rendered invisible.) No footprints are made, there is little sound, which makes prowling/sneaking easier. See the Invisible will only reveal a semi-transparent, ghost-like image of the character. Anything worn by the user, or is carried when this power is activated becomes invisible as well. Any object picked up after the character has become invisible remains visible unless tucked under the invisible garments. Likewise, any any items on her person that are dropped become visible.
  
  Unlike simple invisibility this super-cloaking magic is broken only if the character engages in combat/attacks. At that instant they become completely visible. Note: The invisible character is not ethereal and cannot walk through walls; a door must still be used. The forcing open a door or window, picking a lock, tapping somebody, accidentally bumping somebody, or accidentally getting shot or hurt, is not considered an act of aggression or combat, so the invisibility is maintained.
• Words of Truth
  
  Words of Truth Desc

  - A powerful enchantment that lasts for a few minutes. A person affected by this enchantment is compelled to answer all questions truthfully. The spellcaster must be within five feet and he or she can ask two brief questions every fifteen seconds. It is wise to keep questions simple and clear to avoid confusion. The victim is compelled to answer only the spell caster. The victim may, tapping into their force of will, elect not to answer. This does not preclude the question being asked again which may result in the victim's will failing or slipping, compelling them to answer. Most average people will find it difficult if not impossible. Most hero and villain types have a chance to resist, and is determined question by question, or by repetition of question. Does not guarantee ever getting an answer. It is possible to fill each question’s “answer” with something else, so long as whatever is being said is true in the view of the one affected by the spell.
• Lightning Stroke
  
  Lightning Stroke Desc

  - The sword possesses the power to spit lightning, either in ball form, or in a ray/line. (May become chain lightning as a power stunt or if sliding up along the power scale.) Range is a little over a thousand meters (this is controllable), and may be used as often as once every few seconds. This is a high energy and high damage attack that is partially manifested by the champion of the sword's will, intent, and beliefs. This is both a simple movement of electrons and a magical attack, and can damage supernatural, divine, cosmic, and super humans as well as normal targets. On those completely immune to electricity, they may still take half damage, due to the dual nature of the blast.
• Mystic Shield
  
  Mystic Shield Desc

  - This is a powerful defensive capability granted to the wielder of the sword. It comes in two flavors for the wielder. It can simply be a melee type shield comprised of energy and may be used to parry/block attacks. It may also be created as a sphere or dome to shield herself completely, or a tight group of people within sixty feet of the sword. This is purely defensive only and cannot be used to ensnare or encage a victim to make them suffocate. May be used to block doorways and corridors for a time. The shield may be erected as a defensive parry, to protect a group or herself from an attack, such as an incoming missile (for example). The shield may be raised a couple of times per minute, and lasts until it is depleted, the danger has passed, or the champion wills it away. Can take significant punishment but only for so long.

Skills and Notable Abilities:

• Gymnastics & Freerunning - Justine is a skilled gymnast and runner, and has gotten into the sport/hobby of free-running or parkour. Usually viewed as a boy's activity, she has found she rather enjoys the challenges and physical activity. It also gives her high agility when pursuing or fleeing from foes and allows her to handle falls and throws well, and gives her access to an array of acrobatic maneuvers.
  Martial Artist - Justine has been raised from a young age to not be a victim, learning in several different styles and methods of fighting, empty handed as well as with edged, impact, and flexible weapons.
• Kickboxing
• Fencing
• Investigation & Research

ATTRIBUTES

• Strength Level: Normal human (But upper limit of human capability. Can carry 600 lbs (briefly, using mostly her legs), and lift 1,200 lbs (briefly)) when not transformed. Can lift 10 tons and carry five when transformed.
• Speed/Reaction Timing Level:
  • Reaction time: Approximately 2x faster than avg human, high nerve conduction velocity naturally (.07 seconds for basic, .15 sec for complex)
  • Speed: 22 mph running speed, natural & trained - bestowed with teleportation - 5 mile range, 24x per minute (about every 2.5 seconds), comes out to mach 7.5 roughly if traveling line of sight and measured over time, otherwise instant point-to-point
• Endurance at MAXIMUM Effort: Normal Human/3 Hours
• Agility: 3x to 5x more agile than normal human with physical body. Teleportation significantly increases this.
• Intelligence: IQ of 150 - high average, low genius
• Fighting Skill: Trained - Martial Artist, kickboxer and fencer/swordswoman (may rise to mastered over time)

Resources: Not sure how you want to gauge this.

My Hider

Finances: Minimal to Average
Contacts:
Barry the Snitch - Slightly greasy meth-head that usually has something in regards to the word on the streets, especially weird or unusual stuff. Uses Barry sometimes for story seeds, or for newspaper/blog stuff. Is a fan of her creative works, when he can focus enough to read, and has enough money to buy ‘em… when he’s not smokin’ rock.
Ricky Cross - Medical Examiner - Can find out almost anything about a stiff, and can provide good information if the money is right.
David McPhereson - Detective - Friendly, can usually find out things if needed, or has information. Sometimes useful for a good night on the town.

Weaknesses: None, per se, other than typical human frailties. May be ageless and immortal while possessing the sword, and championing the cause of light (unknown).

Supporting Characters: (Also see contacts listed in Resources)

My Hider

Rebecca Shepherd, Mother - Communications engineer - works for the local or regional TV station
Donald Shepherd, Father - Police S.W.A.T. officer, team leader, close to retirement

My Hider

Lance Shepherd, Brother - Detective - Gang Unit

My Hider

M'Kaila Shepherd - Older sister - Entertainer - Comedian, musician. Loves to dance, and takes dancing gigs more than anything else.
Joel Goodman, Best friend - Tough, good looking, smart, former Army. - Works security (private, or for a company)
Lacey Williams, girlfriend or FWB - paramedic

Do you know how to post pictures on RPG boards?: I already did, didn't I?


SAMPLE POST

My Hider

Justine hissed after a moment as she sucked her thumb. “Well now, you like to bite,” she said to the sword in her hand. The smile wavered a little when she’d been cut, but it had quickly returned as she bit down on the cut, applying pressure. The thing was very sharp, she’d have to remember that for the future. Handling blades and cutlery was something she did on a regular basis. Justine rarely cut herself, ever. It was one reason why she was allowed to practice with live steel, and was in advanced classes in her martial arts training. She had a healthy respect for a sharp blade, and she had the focus. She was anything but a klutz, often being described as very graceful.

Setting the sword down she made her way to the bathroom. There she paused at the sink, regarding her image, wearing only a t-shirt. It was long enough it went to just above her mid-thigh. She’d woken up a little bit ago, and was doing some renovation on the place before she had to really get out and start the day’s work. The floor of her closet was still pulled up. she’d have to put that back in place. Fishing out a bandaid, she did her best to keep from getting blood everywhere while she got it opened up, then wrapped it around the wound tightly. It was tight enough that after a few moments her thumb started to ache and throb a little as it filled with back pressure, turning a bit blue. But, it would keep the wound from bleeding too much more, and help it clot. A really clean cut like that could bleed a lot, otherwise.

The hardwood floor was cold under her feet as she walked back to her bedroom. The cool air of the room raised gooseflesh on her bare legs as she slipped back in, picking the weapon up off of the desk. Grabbing a Kleenex nearby, she wiped off the blade, which seemed to shine in the light from her desk lamp after turning it on. The handle was cool and warm in her hand at the same time, which drew a frown. After a moment her hand began to tremble as she held the hilt, and she felt something… powerful surging, waking up inside her, and at the same time within the sword. It was like a resonance, felt more than heard, like the launch of a space shuttle nearby, or a car with a powerful bass system would rattle the windows, and her chest. It made her heart hammer, and her awareness began to swirl. She was overcome with dizziness, vertigo. Her left hand reached out to the chair to steady herself as she felt nauseated. “What is going on,” she wailed faintly as her vision swam. She was aware of the sword humming audibly and it began to glow with a bright light.

It was then that the oddest sensation took over. It was of elongation and distortion, her body warped into completely ungodly shapes, like swirls of colored dye being washed down a kitchen sink. It was sickening to feel her body distort unimaginably, yet she was still whole and unbroken. It was only for a split moment, and she was standing somewhere new. The desk was gone and her weight against it and the chair had nothing to support it. She toppled forward,. The fall into the wet grass drove the air from her lungs in a wuff. She curled some, not really thinking about her position and the shirt she wore riding up some. It was rather inglorious. Grass… Justine’s eyes went wide and she quickly straightened up, looking around to see if anyone saw her. But she was in an empty field. Empty for hundreds of yards, with only trees around the area. It was a meadow, which still had morning dew clinging to the knee and waist high grasses.

Her arrival and fall had created a small crater where she’d sprawled. and she was alone. The sun was midway up in the sky, still seemingly about the same time that she had gotten up. The air was cool, cold really. It raised gooseflesh, and made her shirt rub against her chest almost painfully, only made worse by the damp, almost wet shirt clinging to her now from the dew. She was half soaked down her front and her arms, so thick was the dampness. “Where the hell am I,” she muttered, glancing around. The frost had melted that was on the grass, turning to a cold, chilled dew, and her breath was fogging a little in the cold air, but she didn’t seem to feel it much.

The sword lay in the grass in front of her, droplets of water speckling it’s surface, as she picked the weapon up. Rocking back onto the balls of her feet from where she knelt, Justine stood, and tugged her shirt down as much as she could, then flicked the water from the blade. It seemed to come off as though it were oiled, and did not cling at all. Slowly she spun in a circle, surveying the horizon trying to get her bearings. “Where the hell am I,” she said quietly, again, aware of the cold air and the wind, which sent a shiver through her.

There was nothing specific she recognized. Maybe some hills in the distance. She didn’t even recognize any traffic. A glance at the sky revealed a airliner far overhead making it’s way slowly across the sky, leaving a white contrail behind it. There might have been the hum of traffic from far off. Birds chirped, and the wind blew. But there was nothing that showed her where she might actually be. It was disconcerting. a tingle of fear, of worry went through her frame, joining the cold. Bewilderment as well. She’d just been in her apartment. Now she was outside, here… half naked, with that stupid sword. She looked at it, dumbfounded. And what was it that had made her feel so sickeningly disoriented? Her mind reeled with questions.

“How did I get here? What’s going on,” she asked aloud, still trying to make sense. “I brought you here,” a woman’s voice said behind her, making her squeak out a choked scream of fright and startlement. Whirling around she raised the sword in a ready guard, one handed, but just as quickly lowered it a few inches. Her hand was steady.

The woman the voice belonged to was breathtaking. She had hair the color of honey and sunlight mixed together, with eyes that were a vibrant spring green. A small but enchanting smile spread across her sculpted full lips, showing just a little bit of sparkling white teeth. She had high cheekbones, with an angular jaw, a fine pointed chin, a pert nose, and luminous almond shaped eyes with upswept eyebrows. They seemed otherworldly, but still quite appealing to human eyes, and they were. The first word besides beautiful and gorgeous for Justine would have been Elven. As thought resumed for her she glanced to the side of the woman’s head, to find a pointy ear sticking through her locks of hair. Those green eyes studied Justine’s reactions, watching the shock and fright change to awe, wonder, bewilderment, curiosity, then suspicion, then assessment. The woman was dressed in a thin white gown or garment that seemed similar to a Toga, bound with a belt that looked like braided silver, and was knotted near her right hip. It hung at a canted angle with a pouch hanging from it. She wore a ring one one hand, seemingly wrought from silver with a pearl set in it. The artistry in her garments, while simple, were elegant and exquisite, and only enhanced her appearance. They adorned and complimented her, giving this woman a clean, wholesome appearance. Justine doubted it would have been any different if this woman had been totally and completely naked.

“I could do that, if that’s what you prefer,” the elven looking woman said out loud to Justine’s unspoken thought. “As to what’s going on, you think you’re hallucinating, or dreaming. You’re not. Don't believe me," she asked, then gently took Justine's hand. The touch was warm, soft, but strong, and she took her hand, and ran the side of her thumb along the edge of the sword in her hands. She barely felt it when the skin parted, farther down from the original cut."