[System]
Age
16
School Year
First Year
Height
5' 6"
Weight
52kg
Magic Color
Dull Grey

---

Appearance

Personality
Reiko acts happy most of the time, but sometimes it's sort of obvious that she has something to hide. It's kind of a sore topic for her because she'd like to be more open, but she's pretty sure people wouldn't believe her if she told them about some of the things in her life.
Background

Her first memory was the Hanged Man. She wasn't quite sure where she was at the time, but she was lost in the Hanged Man. A very early fascination with tarot cards had led her to pick favourites, which were the tower and the empress at the time. But the Hanged Man had always been odd for her. She was no more than 5 at the time so it's not like she understood their meanings.

The Hanged Man stands for martyrdom, self-sacrifice for the sake of wisdom, etc. It meant a lot of things, but essentially it represented pain and suffering. It was typically depicted as a man hung upside down with hands behind his back, obviously he would be in great suffering.

But her card was different. The man was hung and bound, but he didn't look like he was suffering. He didn't look like he was even in strife. It was a rather strange expression in fact, she couldn't figure out what he was feeling, or what he was thinking. The strangest thing about it didn't have much to do with the card though. Sometimes if she was studying it long enough, she would black out for a while, and wake up somewhere else.

It started just before her sister had died. It was her sister who had introduced Reiko to tarot cards, in fact. She had brought them home one day and showed them to her. She didn't actually seem to have a favourite, but she always seemed to linger on the Hanged Man. Reiko had always been curious as to why, but her sister didn't know either. One day she had taken it while her sister was out, to study it more closely.

It was the first time she noticed its expression, and as she looked into its eyes she felt herself get sleepy. The next thing she knew, she was at her sister's funeral. Reiko had no idea what had happened, it had been three days after she blacked out. Her parents wouldn't tell her how her sister died, and most worryingly of all they said she had been with them for the whole three days.

Amongst her sister's possessions, her tarot deck was missing save for the Hanged Man card which was found on her body. Reiko asked for it and it was given to her. After the incident, none of her blackouts went for nearly as long as the first. Only an hour at most. At first she was afraid of the blackouts, but fear came to be replaced with only trepidation as she realized they would never take her anywhere she didn't want to go. And over time the she stopped trying to solve the mystery of her sister's death. Instead, there was only a vague uneasiness left.
Powers
* XII - The Hanged Man

When Reiko gazes into her Hanged Man card, her powers activate and she transforms. Her hair darkens, she becomes unconscious and something else takes over. Her eyes remain closed and she looks like she's asleep, but she still moves as if she were awake.

Reiko's unusual iteration of the Hanged Man stands not only for sacrifice, but also reversal and enlightenment; so to that extent, the main role of her power "Whim of the Hanged Man" is to profoundly change the course of a battle through various means. Her abilities are as follows:

* Suspension: This ability manifests as something similar to telekinesis. This ability can 'suspend' any object into the sky as long as they are within certain limits. These objects can be just about anything moveable, including enemies and allies. While suspended the object cannot be moved by anyone other than Reiko, but she must focus in order to do so. This ability generally only lasts a few seconds.
* Eye of Enlightenment: When activated, Reiko becomes able to 'see' everything within a certain radius. It's more of a three-dimensional awareness than actual sight, she would be able to tell you if someone was calling your phone and who it was, if you were within her radius and even while it was still in your pocket. She can also shift and change the radius to any shape she wants, her only limit is she only has 50 square meters of sight to work with.

Skills
Reiko's academic and sport abilities are relatively average. There's nothing to really complain about and sometimes she actually does well, exactly like a normal person would.
Equipment
Besides the Hanged Man card, she carries common things a student her age would have, plus some headphones if she feels like music.
Theme

[User]
~Reika Kuroke~

---

"I'm going where you're going. The roof."

Reika answered the question in that same stoic voice and expression of hers. Chikage may have been going for stealth, but it was lost on the senior Magical Girl. Reika didn't spare the younger girl a glance considering they were, as she had said, going to the same destination. She did note how the presence had shifted, heading towards the roof using an alternate method.

The holder of the Devil Card paused briefly before moving forward, hoping there would be no more distractions for her. Unfortunately, there would be no such luck as a second voice rang out for her to "wait up" followed by yet a third voice. Reika turned on her heels to see two young girls, both dressed in the garbs of a Magical Girl.

As she scanned over them silently, suddenly this situation began to make sense. Akane's premonition, the appearance of the blood red moon…and the birth of fellow Magical Girls. So that was how it was going to be then. Reika crossed her arms and sighed, hoping that one of the other two would get stuck with the newbies first. But of course, that couldn't be. After all, she was the "leader", right?

"…Both of you come with me. If you don't want to perish, you'll follow me to the roof to safety," she told Delia and Enju before turning away and continuing her short-lived journey.

[Assistant]
Miso City Outskirts - Kaname All Girls Academy

---

---

Chapter 00 - House of Cards

-5-

---

Having overcome their first trial, it's time for a fated meeting between the magical girls. However, this momentary reprieve was bound to not last.

As the main foe finally reveals its identity, a new and unexpected threat appears. To whose side will the scales of fortune sway now?

---

Magical Justice

"Justice"

Justice was perched atop the roof, waiting for her companions' arrival while assessing the situation around the school with her 'Fragarachs', actually, all of the other magical girls would notice one such crystal sword floating harmlessly besides them, while the exact same amount of copies of them circled Justice, revolving slowly, as of yet were on a blade ballet. In Irish mythology, Fragarach was a sword owned by a great many deal of legendary heroes and, once under its blade none move and the only thing one could say was the utmost truth. Indeed it was easy to why Justice had named spell like this, even though it still concealed the fact that she did it mainly just because Fragarach is such a cool sounding word.

"Hey girls, I guess that you should hurry, 'cause the guest o' honor is just about to make it's grand entrance." Justice said to the other magical girls, through the host of swords.

•••

BGM

As if on cue with Justice's declaration, the baseball field shook violently one last time, before one rambling blond girl walked to the pitcher's mound, holding one of the Inverse Arcanas in her hand. Even from this far, the magical girls could feel which card was it, VII - The Chariot. It was more like the card was wielding the girl than the contrary, when she threw it in the air and, with a bloodcurdling scream, the card fused itself with her, thereby assuming a much more monstrous form.

For the the time being, both halves of The Chariot stood still on middle of the diamond, looking around with dazed eyes, as if she was recovering from a sudden shock, no doubt one of the side-effects of the forceful transformation. However, this 'summoning sickness' wouldn't last forever, and if the girls didn't used this which was probably their best chance to end the combat quickly, they could count on being in for an arduous skirmish.

---

Meanwhile, on the roof next to Chikage...

"Would you care to stop, please?" Said an over polite voice coming from Chikage's literal left field, away from the sight line of the others, for the time being. If the magical girl turned to gaze at the newcomer, she would meet the figure of a gentle looking woman sporting a curious cat tail.

"I would prefer to not use violence if possible, for my mistress abhors such crude methods. Thus I am obliged to ask if you will surrender the cards that you have captured earlier peacefully. If not, I fear that I must do it 'the hard way' as youth of today would say."

After her long winded monologue, the cat woman stood on the same place that she appeared in. As she waited for Chikage's reply, the woman gave her a gaze that was at the same time gentle and terrifying, almost as if she was a mother waiting for a disobedient child's answer.

---

At the same time, on the hallway, next to Reiko...

At first it was a single bell, another strange sound on this night of delusions. However, the jiggling sound didn't stopped until it was just about to make the turn right into the same hallway in which Reiko stood.

Seconds later, a young girl's voice declared in a dispassionate tone, "What a cruel twist of Fate that we are to meet on this night... If you, bearers of the cursed powers, were to overcome your sins, perhaps salvation could still be found for you."

The owner of the voice happened to be a short girl who looked like she was about the same age as Reiko, perhaps a bit younger. She was dressed in what could be best described as the dignified robes of messenger of God an held a golden staff which crested with many metal rings, obviously the source of the earlier jiggling sound.

"Now, I ask, will you repent and give back that which doesn't belong to you, in order to be bestowed with God's indulgence?" The girl asked, gesturing to the cards that Reiko had captured, before silence fell between as the girl waited for Reiko's reply.

[User]
Kabeyama Chikage

By the time Chikage got to the rooftops there was another magical girl. She didn't look like any student she knew, but she said some strange things. "Return the cards...? Now just wait a moment!" Chikage looked at the girl sternly. She didn't want to fight, but she did want answers. If she had to, she'd use these cards to get them. Chikage studied the girl closely, taking note of her figure and body. After a careful observation, Chikage could guess that this magical girl was actually older, a woman really. She seemed to be waiting patiently for Chikage like how a hunter would wait for prey: with quiet savagery. Chikage didn't need to figure out that if they were to fight, she may lose. Chikage might escape alive, but she'd be hurt and left without any answers.

"You don't want to fight, and neither do I. But you want these cards, and I want answers. So how about a trade than? You answer a question for me, and I'll give you a card." Chikage had the cards tucked into her body suit since she didn't have pockets. She hoped this woman would be willing to deal with her, because while Chikage was armed, she wasn't certain if she could win this fight. And in the distance Chikage also saw... Something big. Big and monstrous. And then there was a sword next to her. Things were just getting stranger and stranger. "What the hell... First question! What are these cards and why do the monsters have them?"

[Assistant]
Reiko Kimura as: XII - The Hanged Man
A small smile began to come to her lips, but her eyes were still closed.

"If that is how it must be, then that is how it will be." She said. She drew her arm forward and the cards floating beside her started to float towards the other girl...

"But, do you truly have authority?" She said, stopping the cards. She sounded more lucid right now, but she still didn't open her eyes.

"You call us cursed, but we cannot count anything more than blessings upon us." She said, "You call us sinners but do you truly have the right to judge?"

She put her arm back by her side, but the cards remained floating in the air.

"If you speak on behalf of fate, they would make their way into your hands regardless of what you do. If you speak on behalf of God, should you not have enough power to defy me?" She took one step back, and used her Eye of Enlightenment again. The blazing eye appeared and a wide circle of grey energy appeared around them.

"What will it be?" She said.


[System]
Male
Age 31
Appearance
6'2"
Blue eyes
Long neat blonde hair that reaches down to the shoulders.
Bangs can easily cover his face if Felix doesn't keep them pinned to the side.
Felix has a rugged face with scruffy patchy facial hair (constant five o' clock shadow)
Felix wears glasses only for reading, and heavy arch-mage robes.

This is what Felix basically looks like.
I'm
Magician Savant: Felix is well versed in virtually every magic style the Catholic church is aware of. He is a master of both combat and defensive magic, as well has healing magic. Felix has always been exceptional at magic, to the point of even creating his own spell and combat style.
Manaegis: At the age of twenty he created Manaegis, his flagship ability. Manaegis forces latent mana within the user out into a physical manifestation of a bright blue full suit of armor and a weapon. Both the armor and weapon are essentially weightless, but are slightly stronger than steel.
Manalysis: Due to Felix's mastery and large mana reservoir, he has an ability known as manalysis. Manalysis allows Felix to comprehend mana in a way most people cannot. First off, Felix can physically see the auras of other Talents. These auras each have colors unique to the individual's aura. This color has to do with the type of magic the Talent has a mastery in, as well as their personal morality alignment. The size of the aura is directly correspondent to the size of the Talent's mana well. Manalysis also allows him to feel small shifts within mana waves in the air. Nature exudes its own mana waves, which are disrupted by other mana users who have their own magic wave radiation. Felix is able to feel this discrepancy and interpret use it to sense others. He can use this in combat to predict his enemies moves, as well as out of combat to detect mana users. Manalysis while not rare, is very difficult to master to the degree that Felix has.

Felix also has a mastery of spacial magic allowing him to levitate and teleport on a whim.

Felix was born in New York City, New York. When Felix was an infant, the Catholic magi scouts detected a large amount of mana residing within the Felix's household. Knowing about the newborn and the massive reserves of mana held within him, the scouts approached Felix's parents telling them of the situation. Felix's parents, having seen small displays of magic from Felix decided they were not equipped to raise the child and relinquished the custodial rights to the Catholic Church. Throughout his childhood, he studied and lived at the NYC Catholic cathedral. At around the age of sixteen, he showed such prowess and proficiency with magic, that the NYC cathedral had nothing left to teach him, so he was sent off to the Vatican to learn from the best of the best. After studying at the Vatican, it wasn't long before Felix achieved the status of Arch-mage and earned a seat in the inner council. At the age of twenty Felix developed his own magic style, manaegis. After developing this magic style, he was asked to become an instructor at the Vatican and teach others to master the magic style. This is where he resides to this day.

Armor looks essentially like this
But is completely smooth without bolt marks and bumps, and is also a bit transparent as well with a blue ethereal glow.
The weapon looks like this
but completely blue with the same transparency and ethereal glow as the armor

Felix is headstrong, intelligent, and very wise (although only 31 years old). Felix does his best to be passive, but has no problem fighting if he deems it necessary. Felix hardly ever gets angry, and when he does it is always justified. Stuck in his ways, he can be a little too headstrong. This resulted in him not leaving the Catholic church until recently, even though he knew some of the problems the organization had. Felix loves music, and is very musical himself. He carries with him at all times a Hoener Marineband Special 20 B♭ harmonica. He knows how to play the harmonica, piano, and guitar. As a professor, he is very instructive, and is a great mentor. Felix is very friendly and tends to think of everyone he meets as a friend. Even when Felix has a problem with someone, he will not hold any ill-will toward them.

[User]
After arriving in a dark spot of a back alley, Nemo began to wander aimlessly throughout New York. He tried to examine what had changed in the years he spent locked up; which was arguably, not that much from first impressions. However he would eventually find that while people weren't quite in hoverboards yet, the inner works of New York had undergone quite a few changes.

Nemo wasn't lying on the note, after taking a tourist brochure he started to cross things off the list throughout the day-including the art shows and food he mentioned earlier. He used the time to gather as much information as he could. Nemo figured his best bet was eavesdropping on anybody with a significant mana pool. As someone who consumes mana for power, it goes without saying that his manalysis was quite advanced. Even developing the ability to track another person's mana trail like a bloodhound.

It wasn't long until Nemo got a lock onto someone. While ordering a bratwurst from a street vendor he noticed somebody with sizable mana pool. He started to tail the man, using his trail to keep track of him from a distance. After a minute the man abruptly turned into an alleyway, causing Nemo to quickly scarf down the rest of his meal and turn into the alley as well. He sensed the man had come to a stop around the corner. Something that would of alerted most people, but Nemo didn't seem to be worried.

When he turned the corner he was met with a scene even he wasn't expecting: Three men. The Talent from before was joined with two Untalent men wearing half masks and hats. One of them brandishing a cane. As soon as Nemo met the gaze of the party, the Talent set off a spell from the ground that quickly spread throughout the whole alley like a wave. It covered the area in a giant semi-transparent bubble that sealed them off from the public. A type of trap spell often used to hide battles from the common folk.

As soon as the spell completed, the man with the cane began to laugh. He stepped forward with a slow clap before addressing Nemo. "You know, I'm really quite surprised. When I heard you got out I thought you'd be gone for good. And yet here you are, walking right into my sights... Looks like it's my lucky day." The man opened, pulling his mask down afterwards.

It didn't take Nemo long to realize what had happened. The Talent was bait for him to run into a Witch Hunter ambush. Nemo gave a small smirk after the first man spoke. "Well, if it isn't the three stooges. Hold your horses there Moe, I'm not here to cause any trouble with you, I'm just trying to find someone today, Raiya Mamushi." He explained.

"Of course you'd be looking for her wouldn't you? You'd be in good company with that treacherous snake. Headed for the Lightning Capital to cut a deal with her huh? Trying to exchange something for her protection?" The man spat back.

"You're close." Nemo retorted.

"No matter, the only place you're headed for is that cell of yours back in Mamertine. That or maybe I'll send you straight to the creator myself." He said, stomping his cane on the cement. It was at that point Nemo realized this wasn't any regular group of Salem hunters, it was a group of ex-Disciples turned Church members. Their small sect served as a special operations group.

"Oh come on boys, don't be like that. I've got somebody who's gonna be really upset if he finds out I killed anyone today." Nemo pleaded.

"So you can't kill us? That should dull your edge quite a bit." The hunter with the cane said with a smirk as he prepared himself.

Nemo's humored attitude and expression seemed to fade after the cane wielder's last response. "No... no, you see that's not what I said. I said he's gonna be upset if he finds out I killed anybody." Nemo interjected. "If nobody sees it... didn't happen." He finished as his head cocked to the side.

---

About seven minutes later Nemo walked out from the alley, spinning the hook of the hunter's cane around his hand while humming a tune to himself. He then launched it into a nearby trash bin. Even though it had gotten dark, that conflict wasn't for nothing. His plan worked out in the end. While talking earlier he heard the leader use the term "Lightning Capital" like it was a location. It took a few tries, but eventually somebody was able to point him to a large Asian district when he brought up the term.

Nemo took a train to the district, knowing he was starting to waste valuable time at this point. After exiting the station he finally got to get a good look at the area; that's when he knew he was lost. Nemo didn't know how to read any of the signs besides some random scattered English words, nor did he have any luck speaking to anybody as well. Most people seemed to be ignoring him. On top of that, this district seemed to be quite developed and prosperous compared to the others. While it might be good for the residents, the increase in size was making Nemo's task even harder.

Nemo was beginning to lose hope until he noticed a lot of faint mana trails leading to the center of the district. As he followed them he began to sense large pools of mana in the distance. While all the food of the ethnic markets and street vendor stands were greatly enticing him, he knew he had blown all of his free time that he could. Nemo figured he was on the right track when things seemed to get increasingly more shady as he got closer to the source of the trails.

Soon enough the source finally came into view: A very large stone building with oriental accents and two blue neon signs. One with Japanese symbols for "Raikyo" And the other with larger English lettering for "Lightning Capital" right below it. Besides the two titles were large flashy lightning bolts. Judging from the loud music blaring out from the building Nemo guessed it was some sort of nightclub.

Nemo adjusted his jacket and made his way for the door. However his sense of accomplishment was quickly taken from him when a rock solid hand pushed him back. Nemo's most formidable enemy yet: The Doorman. He stood a good four inches above Nemo, with slicked back black hair, a black t-shirt and earpiece. Clearly not recognizing Nemo the man simply looked down on him.

"Open Sesame?" Nemo stated to him, hoping he'd catch a break.

The Doorman didn't seem to be amused. He extended his hand to turn him away. "Get the hell outta he-" Was the only thing the man was able to get out before Nemo grabbed his arm and pulled him towards him, knocking him off balance. Nemo then swiftly used his strength and free hand to slam the doorman's head into the stone wall and knock him unconscious.

With that taken care of, he was finally able to enter the club. However what he had done so far was sadly only the easy part.

[Assistant]
The Church Magi appeared surprisingly unfazed by Travis' awkward behavior and showed no signs of caution or hostility when he had unintentionally revealed his charm, something any sane person who knew what it was would definitely not appreciate its presence. In fact, the Magi didn't even acknowledge his nervous query either; though whether that was good or still a bad thing would later be determined. Completely out of left field, the Magi from the Catholic Church - whom now Travis believed to be of a higher rank than originally perceived - actually whistled in positive recognition to his recent endeavor, even calling him a genius for devising a hybrid rune of ancient and modern knowledge. While Travis himself enjoyed compliments and praises, he couldn't help but notice the mage's extraordinary perception and analysis of the scene to even compile such an accurate result of what happened here minutes ago.

However, that was hardly the most shocking part about the Magi. The astounding thing was that he knew Travis' full name. So many questions exploded in Travis' mind like how this Church official knew who he was and how he was located, especially when he gone through the effort of covering his own mana signature and discreetly managing his activities to avoid major suspicion. Eventually his self-question had abruptly ended when the Magi finally revealed himself as Felix Glasius. Travis slowly lowered his arms and attempted to reply back with as much professional composure as he could muster.

"I-I appreciate the kind gesture, Felix. I go by..."

Idiot. he knows who you are, thought Travis as he reminded himself of Felix's apparent wealth of knowledge, "...If I may ask you openly; how do you know who I am - how did you find me here?"

[User]
Felix noticed the man was very much so noticeably flustered. It had gotten so bad for him that he attempted to introduce his name which was already known to Felix, which caused Felix to smile a bit.

"Hmm... how do I phrase this without sounding utterly insane? I suppose the others had it cross their mind I was a looney, so how do I go about this...?" Felix pondered out loud. He placed his hand up to his chin and tilted his gaze down to the floor, squinting. Then he snapped his fingers. This might actually be easier with him, he is a scholar, and specializes in learning about ancient magic and applying it today. It's probably more likely than not that he knows about the Paragons.

"I'll answer your question with a question, Travis. What do you know about the Paragons?" Felix asked, his gaze now fixed on Travis, with a hint of conviction behind it.


[System]
---

---

Age:unknown

Gender:F

Race:Oni

---

Personality: Rishi, like the many members of her race she likes crushing people with a massive club, moonlit walks on the beach, and drinking gallons upon gallons of alcohol, she likes the simple things and looks to the lighter side of most situations despite how terrible the situation might be. Like many large creatures surrounded by smaller creatures, she has an arrow-proof attitude feeling as if nothing can really hurt her unless it's bigger and stronger than she is. While she seems simple when getting to know her Rishi is really really simple, she doesn't understand the human concept of money or caring for something smaller or helpless and believes that if you leave certain creatures alive they will come back to kill you later if they don't learn they aren't as strong as her or fighting her is useless and will give people an ass-kicking so they can learn it first hand.

History

Rishi's story changes with each time someone asks where she is from, in one story she could say she's from another world and had fallen into a portal to this one while she was in search of gold, alcohol, and out of boredom; in another, she would say that she was birthed by a human mother on a tiny farm not far from the current city that she is allowed into and woke up big with horns one morning; while in yet another, she would say that she was split from her mother and father during a fire and grew up in the wilderness without parents or anyone to take care of her. Her history is mostly all over the place, but she use to deal with a number of Oni that lived in a village, she would usually stay nomadic and wander the lands on her own wielding a number of iron clubs; a path of defeated humans would usually be the trail leading to her cave or the camp she would have set up, most of the humans that survived fighting her call her The Red whirlwind.

The moment the decay started to happen she didn't care about what was going on, nor did she think that the decay would affect her kind in any way, but she was wrong, really wrong. When she went to check on the village of Oni she would frequent a plague rolled in, many were lying in their own sick, unable to move, growing spots along their bodies with some even turning a sickly color, Rishi escaped from the village so she wouldn't get infected with whatever illness that they were blighted with. Back at her cave, Rishi wondered what could've infected, grabbing her favorite clubs, Rishi set out on a journey to find something that would help them.

---

Weapons

* Metal spiked great club
* Studded wooden great club
* Skinny metal great club

Magic

* Oni roar: Rishi lets out a monstrous roar that puts fear in the hearts of true cowards and weeds out stronger and more courageous of people to fight her.
* You're going nowhere: Rishi creates a magical barrier to prevent people from running away from her in the middle of an ass-kicking.

Other

Theme Song:

[User]
Just as the two Seekers had begun to converse, a head peaked out from within the newly occupied home. "I thought I heard someone outside this door, are you new Seekers?", the rest of the man's body came out from behind the door to reveal he was somewhat short compared to Eleanor. His head was balding with grey hairs amongst the black that remained atop his head. A goatee beard had begun to grow out somewhat, most likely due to the state of things here in the city. With prominent ears that flared outwards from his head, one might have mistaken the man for a dwarf at first glance. "Ah but where are my manners. Hello, I am Printh, Scholar Printh. I work with Archivist Hervig in analyzing the knowledge you Seekers bring back to us", there was a nervously excited tone in the scholar's voice as he spoke, his eyes wild as he eyed the two mew arrivals. "Oh forgive me, I forget myself, please come in", Printh pushed open the door before heading inside, bidding his guests to follow.

With haste he began to clear a table as the other scholars hurriedly traversed the home, moving documents to categorized shelves. Once the table was cleared Printh place some chairs around it before bringing forth bread and some dried meat. "Here we are, I do wish I could do better for you but as of now that's the best meal you'll find in Venridge. In fact, I cant remember the last I've had anything other than bread and dried meat...enough of that, tell me, have either of you found anything of note? Sorry, I am beside myself, I never asked your names"

[Assistant]
From the blighted forest limped a lone figure, half a dozen torn and muddy cloaks draped across his body, with his face obscured in the oppressive darkness of his hood. Each step was dreadfully slow as it favored one leg over the other, clearly badly sprained from weeks of travel. Yet the figure persisted without fail as step by step the dead city of Venridge came closer. It was here there would be rest.
Food.
Warmth.

Ironically, for a city so close to death, there would be life.

At the gates he was met with armed guards. Their words were lost to the warlock as he felt their lifeforce practically begging him to take it. It would be so simple to reach out his hand and wrap his fingers across this ones throat. To squeeze the air from his lungs as his vitality was siphoned into Jeggred.
His own hand was halfway to the guards throat when his faltering will stopped the intention.

"You must sign in." The guard proceeded, wary now of tricks from the unstable looking figure. Two more guards were inching closer.

"Nnn..." The words hurt. SO long since he had spoken. Dust in his throat where words should be. In a dry raspy tone he croaked out a soft no before trying to push his way through.

Two guards were quick to grab his arms and pull him to the side roughly, tossing him down. Unable to support his own weight in his weakened state Jeggred fell to the ground and lay still as he struggled for breath.

"Take any and all weapons. Set him in irons."

The superior of the three issued his orders, the others were quick to comply. Clearly familiar with brushing down potential desperate hostiles on the verge of violence they were trained to disarm them before an event could occur.
In his weakened state, Jeggred couldn't even warn them. The blade on his back was a prison cell itself. Instead of physical bars of steel in locked the souls of foolish wielders in its multi-faceted gemstones glittering on the guard. The first guard grasped the sword for a mere moment before his screams echoed across the city, falling to the ground thrashing as he tried to let go of the blade. Flesh turned pale at an alarming rate as the other guards reacted swiftly, if confused.

The senior captain was hasty. Sloppy. His own sword struck Lightsbane out of the aged guards hands onto the ground to slide at Jeggreds side. Greedily he took the blade by the hilt and felt the fresh vitality of life dwelling in the sword and drank deeply. Eyes wide with the thrill of the healing waves washing over his sore body it felt like he was twenty again.
With power to spare.

The souls of humans were rich with power, strength only those trained could harness. As he did so now.

A sigh of pleasure punctuated his revitalization as Jeggred returned to his feet. Still favoring one over the other, the limp was not nearly as noticable. Even his posture had changed to a more defensive hunch with the blade waving infront of him.

"Do not.. touch.... OR SOuls... GONE! GONE!" The words came quickly, tumbling from his tongue oozing with fear. Not for himself but for the others. "No. NO! YOu cannot, will not.." Hunched and coughing he felt the magic already fading. "Must help. Darkness. Shriveling. IT COMES TO you ALL. YOU. YOU, ME, HER, ALL."

The voices in his head shrieked their nonsense as he visibly struggled to stay steady.

"Take me. Now. YOur master. I serve.."

The blade lowered until the tip rubbed against the stones at his feet while he panted heavily. The guard who had touched the blade was pale and motionless but breathing, a great deal of his vitality sapped when caught unaware. It would be days before they recovered but recover they would.

"I serve." He whispered again, glancing all around him.

[User]
The Oni felt as if she traveled across an entire nation, with not much standing tall where ever she walked, not because she would knock it down, but because something else would have done it before her and killed most of the people who congregate around their villages or towns; anyone who was alive who'd see her would often be hostile towards her, hurling insults towards her, and some even throwing things or trying to attack her with sticks, swords, and clubs; the number of times she clubbed people into a sticky bloody pulp while just asking if they could simply help her were too many to count, if she were to guess how many it would bordering into triple digits.

Soon a small town with guards came into her sight, part of her hoped that these humans were the same as the last ones as she took a bite out of a severed arm she "acquired" from a visit to another town with hostile people, as she journeyed down on the dirt path closing in on the settlement in the distance, her golden eyes picked up on something going down outside of the gates, a couple of the humans were restraining one of their own from the looks of it, and a sword was exchanging hands, going from the original owner to someone else and then to the ground.

The Oni watched the situation as she took another bite of the severed arm, she was curious about what was going to happen as one of the humans began taking the sword into his own hands, not like how most other humans would hold a sword, no they held the piece of metal in almost an embrace, then the human's voice boomed out in a yell, he only said simple words but words that were understood by them and by the Oni.

Rishi couldn't understand humans and their oddness, they used stupid looking weapons that were flat and pointy, sticks that had metal pieces attached to them, and pieces of wood with rope to launch even smaller thin pieces of wood at things. Rishi could understand that her clubs were useful and she liked having them, but she wasn't gonna fall in love with them or claim nobody else can hold them or even touch them, she shook her head sighing believing that humans were all crazy as she snacked on the severed arm.

Believing that it was about time to step into this situation, Rishi finished off the arm in a couple bites, then grabbed two of her clubs off her waist as she approached the gates ready to club any if not all of them into a mushy red pulp if things were to go wrong."Humans!" Her voice came like a thunderclap as she yelled out at them before spinning both the clubs around her hands to show her proficiency with the heavy weapons." I come for the sake, the wine, and a cure for my allies." She let out a long bloody belch with some of the blood from her previous snack spilling on her bottom lip.

"Trust me, you don't want to fight me, I've left a trail of death and destruction behind me, all I want is something to stop a plague." She rested her two clubs on her shoulders."Or are you going to scream out "a monster" then get your metal swords and sticks and try to kill me like the other humans I've met today?" She asked the group. As she waited for their response she began digging through her teeth with a black nail and plucked out a human finger from between her teeth and flicked it behind her before wiping the blood from her lips with the back of her wrist.


[System]
Personality
Alignment: Neutral
Positive personality Traits: Efficient, Stable, Intelligent, Dedicated, Dependable.
Negative Personality Traits: Ruthless, Stubborn, Predictable, Arrogant, Judgemental.

Rasteva's imposing stature, and rather terrifying appearance cause people to be wary of them at best. At worst they presume them to be nothing more than a monstrosity bent on harming anyone crossing their path. Such reactions are not new to Rasteva and they have grown indifferent to them throughout their existence, making no effort to correct anyone on the matter unless it absolutely conflicts with their personal interests and existence. Rasteva will not be found helping others without being sure that they will receive what they consider a sufficient reward in return. Doing good for the sake of good is not something they will be found engaging in, and concepts such as valor and honor are of no interest to them. Rasteva only ever adheres to the laws of a given territory, not because it is the right thing to do, but because it will simply save them trouble to do so at all. The only upside to this is that Rasteva is equally uninterested in doing Evil for the sake of Evil, and makes no direct effort to go out of their way to harm others unless they feel particularly threatened, They can and will however engage in acts of evil should they find it to be most beneficial to their existence and overall goals, whatever they may be at the time.

Despite being unconcerned and indifferent to morality, Rasteva is rather even tempered and polite, often greeting others with a great deal of respect and surprising kindness. Rasteva does enjoy conversation quite a bit, and they are especially fond of gossip and stories even if they prove to be true or not. A self proclaimed collector of knowledge, Rasteva has spent countless millennia of existence travelling and absorbing as much as they possibly can. This is possibly the single most glaring loophole in their indifference as Rasteva will gladly assist someone in a given task in exchange for something previously unknown. This insatiable hunger for knowledge is something that Rasteva is unable to ignore and deny, and may very well be their sole reason for existence.

Rasteva is quite confident and self assured as most of their kind tend to be, and rarely, if ever doubts in themselves or their abilities. An exceptionally long existence has granted Rasteva with learning and experience unfathomable by shorter lived races. This of course also comes a high degree of arrogance, though they feel it to be completely deserved as many Supernatural Entities are prone to. This has also led to Rasteva being exceptionally set in their own ways, and changing their opinion on nearly anything is a hard fought battle, and more often than not is a lost cause.

While not prone to starting fights or causing trouble for others, Rasteva can show a terrifying lack of empathy to anyone not deemed an immediate ally. The Daemon can be as ruthless in regular interaction as they are in combat, caring nothing for the motives or ideals of their opponents. Rasteva has no qualms about killing in the slightest, and won't even make excuses for doing so beyond that it was convenient for them to do so at the time. Rasteva will only ever act in a manner that is beneficial to them and their continued existence. To Rasteva the only thing that matters and will always matter is Rasteva. They make no pains to compare the lives of others to their own, as the Daemon's life is the only one worth considering and holds value immeasurable. Good and Evil are the same thing to the Daemon, and as such makes no effort to differentiate between the two. The only things that Rasteva makes any effort to distinguish from each other is things that can be made use of, and things that have no use at all.

Anything found to be wholly useless is cast aside without a second thought.

History/Mythology

Rasteva has existed far longer than many other beings, and has witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations. Their true age is unknown and Rasteva has no interest in knowing what it may be. A traveller like the rest of their kind, Rasteva's existence has been spent wandering their own universe and perhaps even others in an effort to gain as much knowledge as they possibly can, all in an effort to find the core of their individual existence.

Rasteva is a member of supernatural entities referred to as Daemon.Despite sharing a namesake with the more well known Demons of myth and folklore,Daemons are neither inherently good or evil. Their ambiguous nature can leave many that do manage to meet one wary as their true motives are often up for debate. In actuality a Daemon's ambiguity is in reality a 'Default setting' and all of them are driven by an unknown and all consuming impulse to discover their individual nature. Defining it only as a drive to be their "Complete Self", it can range from each Daemon becoming either a complete monster like the Demons they share a namesake with, or beings of complete virtue. From the moment of their conception up until their existence ends altogether, a Daemon's sole drive is to seek out and find the meaning of their own existence.

Daemons can and will meddle in the affairs of Mortals.This can be something as innocuous as choosing an individual to watch and learn about while remaining unperceived, or something a bit less harmless such as making their existence known and giving people portions of their own power to see what happens.

It tends to go about as well as one would expect.

Daemons are incorporeal by nature, and lack true physical forms. The best way to describe a Daemon is not as a living being, but instead as a 'concept', flitting at the edges of realities but never truly making themselves known.Because they most often exist outside of the realities inhabited by mortals Daemons cannot be perceived or even fully comprehended unless they actively choose to be. The closest an individual can come to seeing a Daemon as they are will describe it as noticing a shadow flitting by at the edge of their vision, but will disappear when looked at or even considered fully. This has led to myths considering them to be the wandering spirits of the dead, and rarely divine beings such as Gods.This statement is for the most part false, though some Daemons have been able to achieve near Godlike power through unknown methods. Daemons that choose to manifest in a reality to better observe and interact with mortals are forced to take on a physical form as their existence simply cannot BE without one. Some choose to take the forms of animals, though most will disguise themselves as mortal beings. Some have even been known to take the form of inanimate objects,and each form often coincides with a particular Daemon's goals in whatever reality they've manifested in and their own personal tastes. Daemons mostly adhere to the same laws of physics that other beings do in whatever reality they've found themselves in, and while not capable of feeling pain, they can still be injured, dismantled and killed while in a physical form. A particularly weak Daemon that cannot manifest their own form will often take possession of a random object until they are strong enough to project a form of their own. This is often done out of desperation on the Daemon's part and is often considered to be embarrassing and shameful.

Daemons do not adhere to a particular hierarchy within their society, if they even have a society at all. Daemons that come across each other will recognize another of their kind on sight and they will usually stop to exchange pleasantries and stories of their travels before moving on their way. Daemons do not gather together for any reason outside of chance meetings, and do not actively seek each other out unless they specifically know another of their kind to be nearby and willing to interact with them. Though their species does not possess any lands or holdings to claim heritage to, a Daemon that takes a liking to a particular reality will gladly choose to settle there.

[User]
Rasteva hopped onto the table excitedly as Sara pulled the indicated book from the shelf, looking up to answer her question. "Ah, I do enjoy learning about the world around me. Specifically how it works, what it does, what it CAN do." The Raven turned their eyes back to the book, tapping at a particular chapter with their beak and indicating that they would like for Sar to turn to that particular section. "I do enjoy reading a great deal and I used to travel quite often as well. Wherever there was knowledge to be had, I would be found there." The Daemon eyed the lines of text with interest, hopping side to side as they scanned the book's pages. This was one of Rasteva's many interests. They were not content to simply exist in the world, they wanted an understanding of how they were able to do so at all. Daemons were not like the other creatures found here. And their own world was as much of an enigma as they were. It was for this reason that Rasteva wanted to better understand how two completely different realms were even able to interact. The Daemon paused their reading, looking up at Sara. "I have long wondered over the physical properties of your world. Where I come from we do not have standard Laws of Physics, it is most interesting." The Raven resumed scanning the book's pages, becoming fully engrossed in the words written down. Every so often they would pause and ask Sara to turn the page, but it was apparent that the book did not interest her as much as it did the Daemon. They heard her getting up to leave a little while later, more than likely off to find a book that would hold her attention as much as the Physics book did Rasteva. They couldn't blame her really, this was nothing more than a standard textbook. Only Humans devoted solely to the subject would find any use of it. It was certainly not printed for casual reading.

Rasteva had to settle for turning the pages themselves while Sara was gone. It was difficult at first. They could only grasp hold of the pages to turn over with their beak, all the while taking care to not rip any of them. After several more, they began getting the hang of it. The Daemon could not help but feel a small sense of pride at their accomplishment. Despite all that had happened, they were still finding ways to be self-sufficient even if it was in small ways. Every step that they could take by themselves was a step that Sara would not be required to spend helping them. A sudden crash and a scream drew the Raven's attention and their head snapped up. Students and Faculty alike were rushing out of the Library, though a few stayed to see what the commotion was all about. Rasteva felt a sudden sense of panic and quickly flew towards the crowd, hoping to spot Sara in the chaos.

They found her not far from the scene, helping another student out from a pile of books on the floor. He seemed none the worse for the wear, but some of it may have been in no small part of the Gorilla Daemon holding up the large shelf. Rasteva perched on Sara's shoulder and eyed the man carefully. His words caught the Daemon's interest and they could not help but question him. "I beg your pardon Sir, but what did these people look like? Did they have Daemons as well?"

[Assistant]
Feeling feet on her shoulder, her eyes cast towards Rasteva for a brief moment before returning to the young man in front of her. "Can we even call them that? 'People'? People don't act like that. They don't try pushing a bookshelf on others!" Frowning, he calmed himself for a brief moment before giving his Daemon a quick embrace, thanking them for helping. "They're pretty hard to miss most times, unless they've pressured other students into doing their dirty work..They usually sport a black t-shirt and jeans. They stick out, but not by their clothes. You'd be hard-pressed to find them normally." He sighed. "I don't even know what I even did to catch their attention.." Looking towards his Daemon, he groaned. "It might just be because of the strength my Daemon has. Granted, we haven't done too many fights, they're just naturally inclined that way." The description wouldn't help too much, as far as trying to catch who did it...but they would be in numbers, hopefully.

After making sure a faculty member was taking the boy to the nurse's office, some other students got the books back onto the shelves. Grabbing the ones she was interested in again, she made her way back towards the table from before, sitting down. "Sorry for the disturbance." She rubbed the back of her neck. "This just has me more on edge. Who pushes a bookshelf on someone? Were they even targeting a specific person, or just a group hoping to catch the slowest one, like in the wild?" Sara asked, looking worried at the table, since Rasteva was on her shoulder. "I don't even know what advice to give you if we are attacked, Rasteva. We can't really fight very well...you might do best to try to head off or something."

She wasn't really thinking clearly, her brain still in a slight panic over the events that transpired. Rasteva certainly wasn't naturally strong - but...they did like to gain knowledge. Maybe they could try just learning about this group? Would it matter? Should she ask Rasteva to look over most situations that caused for people to suffer at the hands of the Purgers? Would that help them try to avoid, or even help discourage the attacks if they could even have an idea of what to look for? Running a hand through her hair, she gave a heavy sigh. "Do you think it feasible to gather intel on their attacks? Everything has some sort of pattern, right?"

[User]
Rasteva listened to the man intently from their perch on Sara's shoulder. He didn't seem to hold the ones calling themselves 'Purgers' in any higher regard than anyone else they'd seen. Though that was hardly surprising, they HAD tried to crush him after all. The Raven's eyes darted around, attempting to spot anyone fitting the man's description. If there were any among them that fit the bill, it was as he had said, hard to tell. Everyone looked just as frazzled as the next person and there was truly no way to tell friend from foe. Rasteva gave the man a short word of thanks before he was led away by one of the faculty to get his injuries looked over. "This is most distressing Sara. We don't even now what these people look like. An attack like this can come from any direction and we'd never know until it was too late." The Daemon perched on the shelf and continued speaking as Sara and several other people set to work placing the books back where they belonged. "We should leave. There's no reason to stay here if it only means we're placing ourselves in direct danger."

The Raven fluttered back onto Sara's shoulder and cocked their head, her suggestion catching them a bit off guard. "Well yes I could very well do as you say and go off on my own, but then what would happen to you? And in all honesty, I cannot say I'd be any better off without you Sara. If we stay together, one of us may at least be able to run and get help if something goes wrong." The Daemon nodded, positive that their suggestion was sound. Apart the two of them were nothing but open targets. Together they had a better chance of surviving an encounter with the Purgers.

The woman's next suggestion held a great deal of merit and Rasteva found themselves agreeing to it wholeheartedly. "Yes, you are absolutely correct Sara. The sooner we can compile information on these people, the sooner we will be better equipped to deal with them." The Raven hopped down onto the table and tugged at Sara's shirt sleeve impatiently. "Come. Come, we must hurry home and away from prying eyes and ears. We have much work to do."


[System]
"One day I shall lead this clan, and then you will see what we are truly capable of."
Previous Name(s): Maplekit, Maplepaw
Breed: Manx
Age: 38 Moons (3 Years)
Gender: She-cat
Clan: Oakclan
Rank: Deputy
Mentor(s): Willowhisker (Deceased)
Apprentice(s): Northpaw (Northwind), Rainpaw (Rainstep),
Parents: Poppytail (Deceased), Littleflower
Sibling(s): None
Mate(s): None
Kit(s): None
Personality: Ambitious and fearless Maplefoot is well liked throughout Oakclan for her simple philosophy and confidence. She's an almost natural leader, inspiring her warriors on to greater efforts. She is insecure about weakness, refusing to let any cat see even the slightest limp in her step, and she would rather die than give up or run from a fight.
Brief History: Oakclan needed a strong leader to grow powerful once more, and Maplefoot was the one to do it. Their old leader, though wise in his moons, had been in power long before Maplefoot was ever born, and his nine lives were dwindling. Despite Maplefoot's rash attitude and young age she soon caught the clan leader's eye as a potential deputy. A position she knew would be difficult to acquire. But when her old mentor and Oakclan's previous deputy Willowhisker perished in a tragic accident Maplefoot soon found herself promoted to second in command and heir to Oakclan's leader. Her accession to power almost complete.

[User]
The Gathering
Late Greenleaf
Moon High
The Clearing
LightClan

A sleek black form slipped between the shadows, weaving around trees and bushes with practiced steps. The shape of the tomcat was hard to follow, but those following him would know where they were going now. Green eyes flashed in the darkness, looking back at the crowd who had gathering behind him. Jaggedstar stopped at the top of the ridge, looking down at the shallow dip that formed the clearing. All around them, trees and undergrowth hid the territories from view; only the light of the full moon above to light the way. LightClan was the last to arrive, as he always made certain. It was much harder to ambush those who knew you were coming after all, and Jaggedstar expected no kindness from the other three clans.

The black tom raised his tail, signalling his cats to be silent before he flicked the tip and plunged through the undergrowth. The clearing beyond was still blooming with life. The grass was green and soft against his pads, while flowers grew easily in the sunshine. Even this close to leaf-fall, the Clearing was always full of energy. Cats from the four clans mingled as he shouldered his way through the crowd. He wasted no time with the other clans. Jaggedstar had no time or will for friends, no desire for a mate or kits. After all, the last cat he trusted betrayed him in the end.

As he jumped up onto the old, moss covered log, Jaggedstar absently thought of his brother. Raggedpelt was likely dead by now, and walking the hunting grounds of StarClan. There was no way that the brown tabby tom would have survived the leaf-bare alone after Jaggedstar had driven him out. Emerald green eyes scanned the clearing, picking out the pelts the Medicine Cats gathering on the far side of the clearing. The mingled scents would confuse intruders, but it would also mask any murders tonight. If they were lucky, none of the clans would have planned something for tonight, when their guard would be down. Jaggedstar knew that there were cats among them who didn't care for the sacred truce.

Lean muscle flexed beneath the solid black of his pelt, as he adjusted to sit with his tail wrapped over his paws. The moss covered log was soft and warm beneath him, but the tom had always prefered reeds and feathers to moss. Would never understand how the other clans managed to sleep on moss that smelled like bark. Jaggedstar would always prefer his nest lined with feathers and fur from his prey. Waiting atop the log for the other leaders, Jaggedstar watched the crowd milling about. He wouldn't rush the rest of the clans into starting the meeting; there was still plenty of time tonight, and morning patrols had already been sorted out.

[Assistant]
---

Location: The Clearing
Interacting with:

---

No cat probably wanted to admit it, but Stormflash looked particularly bored as they went through the motions to get to the Gathering. He always found the Gatherings to be quite a hassle, despite it usually being an honor for cats who were picked out to attend. To him, it meant that he had to go out of the territory and thus, can't keep an eye on the clan. He had full trust on the cats back at the territory, but that doesn't ease the worry that had developed in his belly that told him that a rogue cat might attack - or some of the other predators decided that it was time to feast upon his brethren.

Nevertheless, Stormflash had to attend and he was trailing behind the leader of Cliffclan. Opposite of Lightclan, Clifflcan usually was the first to get to the meeting place since they valued being on time. However, the other clans were close behind when it came to arriving so he didn't exactly have the luxury of lounging around for a while. Taking his position behind the leader where deputies usually sat when it came to Gatherings, he let his eyes roam for a while. He saw other cats mingling with each other - friends from beyond the clan finally meeting yet again and shared gossips. This kind of interaction always brought a smile upon his face, even if it ran the risk of them losing loyalty over to another clan.

Stormflash had been there before. He was friends with cats from other clans, before he became Deputy which offered no chance to talk with others. He had made good friends, but most had died one way or another. Though, there was on glaring memory he could always remember. It was the fact that he never befriended any cat from Lightclan. It was not by choice, of course. Stormflash had tried, along with his sister, but they always fell short for some odd reason or another. He knew how ruthless the cats of Lightclan were, and maybe they didn't really like Cliffclan's behavior towards other cats. After all, they were the most accepting out of all of them. Perhaps they loathed them for being this easygoing. Who knows.

Jaggedstar and his clan had finally arrived. Stormflash gazed at him and his deputy before turning his head to another position so the leader of Lightclan wouldn't tear him to pieces for looking. Stormflash had never been fond of Jaggedstar but that was mostly attributed to him just being overall hard to approach. Even those from Lightclan who decided to leave told them that he was never the warmest of cats nor did he have many friends - or any at all, depending on which cat you heard it from. Stormflash wondered if he would still be leader once he takes up the mantle as the leader of Cliffclan. Hopefully not, he could already feel the migraines of trying to talk it out with him when it comes to certain problems. He wondered how the leader kept up with Jaggedstar all this time - then again, they tried to avoid any confrontations with the Lightclan leader so that may be why.

---

Location: The Clearing
Interacting with: Softwillow @The Elvenqueen

---

Ah the Gathering. It had always been a time for mingling with other cats. Tigerfall was rather thankful that they all had this chance to take it easy, lest Starclan smite them all for being disrespectful and going against the Warrior Code. Yes, the Code. If he wasn't mistaken, it had only been made recently. Before he had been born, his parents were both rogues until very recently before his birth. He still remembered how the elders usually told their stories about how they weren't in clans before. No Warrior Code, no Clan, just them and surviving in this forest. Tigerfall wondered how that kind of lifestyle worked out. But there was no time to wonder about the past - as he was here on the present and had to pay attention.

Tigerfall's tail flicked to the side as he watched the other clans enter - eyes brightening when he saw familiar faces. The other Medicine Cats had been good friends to him, and he to them. There was a bond you would come to share when you meet every half moon to convene with Starclan. He always came to appreciate their presence when they would share some stories when they came together as they waited. Which reminded him, Frostwhisker had still been expecting kits, was she not? He wondered if she would come to the Gathering - and their own meeting in Moonfall. It had always been risky for her. He was worried about her well-being because of it. But no matter, she was a medicine cat herself - surely, she knew how to pace herself well. Besides, she had an apprentice. They will be fine.

His eyes were drawn towards other cats - mainly that of the Boulderclan Deputy, Spidernose. He had always wondered who Frogshade's kit was, the other one, he means. After the Gathering from when she was announced as warrior, Tigerfall put two on two together. He was interested in her not only because she was Softwillow's (his apprentice) sister, but also because she was part Cliffclan as well. He wondered when she would find out. Frogshade and Softwillow never spoke up since it would cause some frictions between the two clans. However, was it truly a good idea to just leave her in the dark like that? What was the father doing anyway? To simply not tell Spidernose all about it. Shame, really.

Memories of Lilybranch and Dawnstrike flooded his mind without his consent. He had always regretted it - his sister's death and his brother's disappearance. There was a small part of him that blamed himself for it. Mainly because of how powerless he was to stop his siblings from running out. Had it not happened, maybe Lilybranch would have still been alive. Dawnstrike would have never left. Tigerfall had been aware of his brother's hotheaded nature, but he failed to do anything before it happened. He knew that Coalrunner felt the same - maybe even more since she had been present during the fight. But neither showed their remorse - their guilt. They had to move on and live on.

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like if your sister was with you?" He mused to his apprentice, tail now tucked in on top of his paws. Tigerfall had been careful to say it so that the other Medicine Cats wouldn't suspect much when they overhear. One would easily think that he may have been talking about a departed littermate. "Personally, I find littermates to be quite a handful, but they are useful to be around when it comes to lifting my spirits up." It was just the musing of an old cat who remembered his own siblings and how he can't be with them anymore - aside from one.

[User]
Raising her tail, Maplefoot crouched lower in the brush all around her fellow Oakclan cats doing the same. There were fewer than usual, doubled patrols would cause that. Still, when torn between presenting a force of strength at the gatherings and protecting Oakclan's territory she would always choose territory. Right now when Oakclan was at its most vulnerable it would be on her shoulders to show they were strong as ever, not a show in force with numbers, but her own confidence. Hers and hers alone.

 Giving a silent flick of her tail in signal, Maplefoot led the cats rushing down the slope following Cliffclan's arrival. They burst into the clearing, slowing to a steady trot. They were second to show, but placement didn't bother Maplefoot. Padding across the clearing tail and head held high she waited at the base of the log, watching as Boulderclan and then Lightclan streamed in, nodding her head to all three leaders and their deputies in turn.

 Maplefoot watched the other cats carefully, waiting to see if any of them were whispering at the absence of an important cat, none had seemed to notice yet, or if they had they weren't making a scene. Her own warriors were following her instructions to the letter, keeping close together, even as they moved amongst the clan cats, revealing nothing but presenting a picture of strength and unity. Maplefoot knew the other leaders must have noticed by now, Jaggedstar was a sharp cat, as were their deputies and she imagined they were all waiting patiently for her to explain his absence.

 Remaining in place until all three leaders had grouped on the log, Maplefoot sprang up next to them, digging her claws into the soft bark to show she meant to stay. Immediately this action was followed by accusing stares, "deputies sit below" the whisperers murmured, but Maplefoot kept her head high, daring the other leaders to question her right to be seated next to them. There was no definite rule for a deputy joining the other leaders, not yet anyway. For all Maplefoot knew she was the first to try.
 "Oakclan's leader will not be joining us tonight." She explained, conveniently leaving his illness out of her explanation. "I am representing Oakclan, in his place." She said her final words with forceful respect, making them almost a challenge.


[System]
"On this sword, I swear revenge for all who have fallen"
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: May 21
Age: 17
Size: 5' 9"
Occupation:Cadet

Appearance

Description:

Standing at 5'9", Ryuu is very well toned and muscular, but certainly not a brawny boy by any standards. He has long, black hair that can fall down into his eyes if not kept in check. He weighs about 160 pounds, and most of that is due to muscle weight; he likes to keep his body fat ratio as low as can be considered healthy. His eyes are a sort of electric blue that seems to captivate those around him when paired with his long dark hair and fair skin complexion. Despite his fair skin complexion, Ryuu does not burn easy; he tans rather quickly instead. He wears a mask with the mouth of a Titan drawn on it; which covers up to his nose most of the time; unless he is around those he is comfortable with, the mask acting as a sort of sign which stated that he would be as ruthless to the Titans as they were to his family.

Ancestral Origin: Three Quarters British, One Quarter Japanese

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Electric Blue

Body Type: Average Height, but well toned.

Personality

Description:

Having become acquainted with his darkest side, Ryuu is often a loner. He would rather be in a small group of close friends, or completely alone than at any social gathering. Ever. He is a man of action, choosing to keep his words and inner feelings to himself most of the time and let his actions do the talking. He has a burning desire to avenge all of those who have fallen, by killing every Titan he ever sees. Ryuu does not show much emotion other than anger, sadness, determination, or (only around his best friends which may be like 2 people or Sage) Happiness and Love. He is highly intelligent and was gifted with excellent reaction times, which help him fight rather well. Ryuu has accepted that death and pain are going to happen, so unless it is happening to somebody he cares about or he has a definitive reason to care for another person's well being; he won't. Ryuu is often the kind of person who one would discover sitting up on a roof or something late at night just to be alone and think, it is how the boy handles his inner pain.

He is always very composed unless certain triggers of his are hit, other than that Ryuu will not break composure and seems to be able to take any amount of stress or pressure and remain clam; a talent he tends to pride himself on. He is also very adept at multitasking and managing many things at once; making him a likely candidate to be excellent at 3DMG training and handling. As part of being somebody use to loss as well, Ryuu has certain people (only his best friends and lover) who he will guard unconditionally. Meaning, he will refuse to let any harm come to these people.

Strengths:

* Preforms well under pressure
* Highly Intelligent
* Loyal
* Quick Judgement Calls

Weaknesses:

* Doesn't believe in the good in people (Until he is shown the good in a person)
* Will take great risks to defend those he is close to
* Minor Sociopathy (He can feel all emotions, but they are subdued.)
* Unable to become attached to people unless he knows them well
* Can be cold towards people
* Willing to let other sacrifice themselves if it means the goal is achieved.

Likes:

* Parkour/3DMG Training
* Night
* Titans Dying
* Thinking Time
* Intelligent People

Dislikes:
* Cowards
* Titans NOT dying
* People interrupting his thinking time
* Stupid People
* Time being wasted

Wants:

* The death of all Titans
* To live peacefully outside the wall with somebody who loves him
* To ensure the safety of Humanity

Fears:

* Failure
* Dying
* Being abandoned

Physical Skills:

*Excellent 3DMG use
*Good with Swords
*Great Stamina
*Very Fit

Background

Description:

Ryuu's history is a very dark one. He started out living among his family in their happy household near the inside perimeter of Wall Maria; his father a very well known baker in their neighborhood who brought plenty of money in so that Elizabeth could be a stay at home mom and spend her days watching over her children. Ryuu was quite used to hearing his parents talk about what they thought the outside world was like, so it didn't really come as much of a surprise to Ryuu whenever he was told by his parents that they would go on a family trip outside of the wall for a day. Nothing would happen, because Ryuu's father had gotten information that no Titans happened to be in the area they were going to visit. Of course, Ryuu read the excitement in his parents' expressions and couldn't wait to go see beyond the wall. So when the day came and the family all went outside, Ryuu trailing behind holding Lisa's hand while his parents walked side by side and holding onto little Kyle; Ryuu was eager to look around. This eagerness led to events that would forever haunt him. While Ryuu's family was busy gawking into a forest that they had discovered; the boy managed to sneak off to play among some rocks in the field nearby. He was having a great time until he heard sudden screams of terror, and pain. Ryuu sprinted back towards his family just in time to watch as Elizabeth, still clutching little Kyle, was dropped into the mouth of a lumbering 15 meter tall Titan. With a sickening crunch; its mouth closed and blood burst out of its mouth to splash the ground in front of Ryuu. The boy stood there, staring at his father and sister in pure horror as the final screams of Elizabeth echoed deep within his ears. The boy decided he had to save his remaining family somehow, but this thought was quickly killed as the Titan who devoured Elizabeth reached down and snatched both Lisa and Tadashi from their cover. It studied both of them with a hideous grin on its face as if it was genuinely pleased to see the two. Lisa, having noticed Ryuu, shrieked for the boy to run; but he was frozen in place as he watched the fate of his remaining family unfold. The Titan, apparently deciding that the two would serve well as final snack suddenly slammed the two together with such force that Lisa's smaller frame splintered and actually went into that of her father's... as if they become one in their final moment. It was at this time that Lisa's pleas managed to make it from Ryuu's ears to his Brian. He turned to run just as the Titan shoved its new sandwich into its ugly mouth and bit down; splattering their blood enough that some hit the clothes of the boy as he ran. Ryuu ran and ran until he reached the familiar wall again, unsure of exactly why the Titan never caught the boy or even gave chase; but now it didn't matter. Now Ryuu needed to find a place to live and grow until he was strong enough to take the fight to the Titans. To exact revenge upon the bastards who stole his family. It wasn't long after this event that the boy shut down to the outside world save for a select few; all in order to help him cope with the pain of his loss.

The boy wandered through the city until he found the home of a friend from school. Sage Watson, a girl who was roughly his age and was always reading. For some reason the boy had managed to make friends with the girl and had been to her house several times. So whenever her parents answered and saw the boy covered in blood and crying about Titans; they gladly took him in. He lived with them for another three years until the unthinkable happened, another Titan attack claimed the lives of two of that family. Ryuu added their names to the list of people who would avenge when he killed the Titans. After Sage's dad passed away the boy took the hand of the girl he had become so close to, looking her deep in the eyes with an expression of pure determination. One that would tell anybody, even this terrified girl that he meant every word he said. Then with a trembling voice he whispered to her: "It's just us now Sage, we have to stick together from now on and defend each other. I promise you I won't let any harm come to you ever again." It was at this very moment that another 15 footer yanked Sage away from Ryuu, devouring her in an instant. At this moment the Titans created the beast who craved their blood.

Birthplace: Shiganshina District

Family:

* Tadashi Yuuki (Father--Deceased)
* Elizabeth Yuuki (Mother--Deceased)
* Lisa Yuuki (Older Sister--Deceased)
* Kyle Yuuki (Younger Brother--Deceased)

Other Afflitiates:
* Sage Watson (Childhood Friend (Deceased))
* Aiden Watson (Deceased)
* Mr. and Mrs. Watson (Deceased)

[User]
To say that training was boring would be an understatement. To say half the people he had the displeasure to work with here were asinine fools were something else. Back home these fools would be barely fit to be fodder. In fact that's where Rommel expected that there was a shallow grave waiting for most of these people. But for him, Jacob Rommel of the Cadet Squad, he expected to be placed somewhere useful where his abilities wouldn't be wasted. He'd settle for garrison but if those fools decided to force him into the bloody scouts...then he'd be a dead man and humanity would lose another potential general. For all the dislike he gathered no one could fault Jacob's intelligence. In fact to say he was a genius in the tactical and strategic fields would be an understatement. His brothers were experienced and though he had not talked to them in a long time he believed given time he could be their equals. Jacob had a long way to go he didn't deny that but he had come farther faster and better than most of his blasted contemporaries. What had they done? Shouted and boasted about their abilities? Fallen behind their promises to kill the insidious titans? That they would avenge their families who died? Bah all hogwash and grand standing bullshit that would lead them nowhere. If their passion drove them to greater heights then by all means use it but don't use it as a crutch because that only led to you being kicked down and eaten by stronger individuals who had nothing they needed to stand on.

Jacob flipped the page of his book as he rested on his cot. His eyes skimming pages slowly and carefully. Even if he missed one word he knew he could miss out on a chance to become better. To finally find a way that he could use to surpass someone or something. These journals he kept were from his brother in the scout legion describing life in their corps. Bloody business but he was looking for clues and info he could use to analyze titans from behaviors to simple things that didn't work. If he was to come up with new weapons to kill them he needed to know how they lived and how they worked only THEN could he kill it. The hunter who didn't understand his prey fell to it or failed to catch it. He had ideas...though they probably won't be implemented or were rejected by former generations of the corps. Maybe...just MAYBE if he became a military police soldier he could talk to the big people about his theories. Gun powder....such a overlooked resource used for cannons and ineffective muskets. There were so many other uses for giant explosives that people overlooked...so many fools failed to understand the power of black powder...something he wouldn't fall prey too. "I knew a lady as beautiful as sin...I knew a lady as lovely as light..." Jacob grumbled to himself as he read the book. It was a song he knew all too well...

[Assistant]
Dianna took a step back and turned in the direction he was looking to the training grounds. "I'd think you would find yourself doing laps or on laundry duty the next few weeks if you did. I'm pretty sure they thought they whipped the laziness out of their recruits by now after all." She responded before turning her head back around. "I'm sure even you prefer to train on a day like this compared to rain in the spring though. Coming back with a cold was never fun." His awkwardness was fairly easy to notice for her as he didn't seem to hide it very well. So, she didn't prod him too much. "Would be a nice day off to have, but that would be a simple miracle if it was a day off." Dianna sighed once in relaxation, and afterwards she began to walk off again. "Well, I don't want to disturb you for too long, just thought I'd drop in and say hi." Waving slightly to him while moving away she returned to the walk she had been committed to.

Quietly humming to herself along the way she simply thought of the past three years again. The realization struck her for a moment though. Soon enough, they would be out in the field… with the Titans. It was what she had joined to do, but one would be foolish not to be slightly afraid. Fear is a superpower at times and it can save lives. Simply swallowing once and closing her eyes for a moment she stood there having stopped for the moment. With one deep breath she dispelled her apprehension having determined that it would get her nowhere soon, and if she let it affect her now of all times how can she expect to actually fight later. Her dream of fighting for humanity was coming true, so she can't back off now. A small smile came to her face now that she continued walking and hummed again. Training really had gone by fast.

[User]
Kobe was disappointed that he would not be training with the maneuver gear today. Not that he enjoyed the aspect of training itself, but rather, examining the intricate mechanism of the maneuver gear. He remembered being scalded for removing an access plate from his winch module so as to see how the main drive wheel moved while in motion.

He stood in a group with the other trainees. Looking around him he thought how different everybody looked since when they first arrived, They'd become hardened, they who remained would no doubt-ably have experienced combat this time next year. The sun was beating down on them and everyone was becoming rather agitated with all the waiting around. The instructor signified they should form small groups for todays exercises.

Kobe didn't know too many people but wouldn't sit around waiting for them to come to him, he asked Dianna first. "Ya wanna join me?".
He requested a man named Ryuu join him, he seemed to not talk to too many people so Kobe wondered if he would be left out. "Hey" with a nod of his head "wanna join?"

[Assistant] Ryuu turned towards Kobe as he approached. The boy listened to his request, then nodded. He might as well join up with Kobe, otherwise it wasn't going to do Ryuu any good to run laps when he was supposed to be training. "I guess. The exercise dictates that we need partners. Just don't slow me down" The boy said simply as he turned to face Kobe and follow off towards the training exercise. This had to be done, so that Ryuu would have more experience under his belt whenever he went up against the Titans. At this thought, a bloodthristy grin grew across Ryuu's face. Granted it was hidden by the mask but it was still present. Ryuu was going to kill Titans


[System]
Age: 21
Bio:
* Was initially catatonic when she was found, barely responding even after being treated. Apparently the only thing she used to do was weep at night, but she has little memory of this happening. Eventually she would follow instructions and generally react to the adults speaking to her, but wouldn't speak. Once she did come out of her shell, her strong personality clashed with the other children, often expecting them to bend to her will without question.
* Her earliest memory comes from getting hit by a ball, having been taken on a walk by one of the workers. Despite getting hit in the face, she apparently laughed it off, letting go of the worker's hand to go play with the other children.
* She was particularly attached to another orphan by the name of Grisha, a dark haired boy. Often chasing him around (much to his irritation), she was particularly apologetic to him, though when asked why he wouldn't leave him alone, she would only reply that she needed to apologize. As for what, no one knew, but Grisha wasn't too happy about it. Fortunately for him, as they got older, she did put a more respectful distance and eventually they got along better. He was one of the boys in a group that ended up getting indoctrinated some years down the line.
* One of the caretakers, an older woman by the name of Natasha, suspected Katya may have been nobility by the way she acted. She helped the child transition into a common life, teaching her how to speak to people without being so haughty. She found it rather amusing that despite having no memories, she still acted like a member of a noble family and often indulged her when she could. Instilling good values into the girl to the best of her ability, she is the reason why Katya works to get what she wants, having taught her that if you wanted something you had to get out there and take it for yourself. Sadly she passed away when Katya was a teenager of old age.
* Katya has an unexplainable desire to find someone; she wants to think that it is her family, but she feels it is not the case. She does not know who it is nor does she have any idea why, only 'feeling' it and figuring she would know when she would find them. She rarely brings it up, realizing it is an impossible task and one unlikely to happen. The one thing she wants more than anything is to find this person and apologize, though she doesn't even know why or what she did.
* Has sold her hair twice; the first time she was outright approached as a child, and despite not quite understanding why the man had wanted her hair, she obliged. Natasha wasn't too happy when Katya returned to the orphanage with a shaved head, though her heavy pockets let her know that this was a great way to make money. The second time was after Natasha's death, and was Katya's first step into working towards her goal.

Natasha Alexeev - Primary caretaker, she oversaw much of the operations of the orphanage Katya grew up in. She assumed Katya to be nobility by the clothing she wore, ordering the other caretakers to hide her once the Bolsheviks came searching for any runaway royalty. Despite the girl having no memory of who she was, her strong personality caused adult and child alike to reject her. Taking pity, Natasha raised her the best she could, teaching her how to better socialize. When Katya mentioned wanting to work, she was initially concerned the girl's naivete would cause her to get taken advantage of. Before she passed away, she left her entire set of jewelry to Katya, including a pair of silver earrings (ones she wore often) and a pair of valuable sapphire earrings.

Grisha Dobrow - A young boy who was placed in the orphanage by his father after his mother passed away. His father returned for him when he was 16, and drafted several other boys his age to be indoctrined into the Bolsehvik army. He has grown into a hardened soldier and learned the truth of the siege, believing that it was a necessary evil despite the lives lost. He doesn't believe the rumor going around about the survival of the last Romanov, but looks to dispel it as quickly as possible, only lamenting that an innocent soul has to be taken in exchange.

Yana and Lev - A pair of inseparable boys, the mischievous Lev always had a follower in Yana. He was best friends with Grisha, though he would often butt heads with Katya over her clinginess to him. Lev has grown crueler over the years, with Yana following dutifully, even as he quietly questions the things happening in their country as well as his friends' sanity.
Age 9 - Catatonic for two months, slowly starts to come out of her shell, amnesia apparent

Age 10 - Her attachment to Grisha is apparent, much to the boy's annoyance

Age 11 - While out in the street, a man makes a comment on how much someone would pay for her hair. Katya sells it and gives the money to Natasha, who is none too pleased.

Age 15 - The boys are adopted by a soldier. Grisha and Katya promise to reunite someday.

Age 16 - Natasha passes away. Katya shaves her head and starts working in hopes of getting a ticket out of Russia.

Age 21 - Finally gets enough money for her ticket to Paris. [RP Start]

[User]
Jesus, she was chatty. Feliks had been expecting some simple, unrevealing "I'm an orphan" answer, not a life story. Not to mention the sickening optimism. He would have envied her her naivete if he didn't think it was so foolish. Of course, as he listened, admittedly intrigued by Katya's memory loss, his mind couldn't help but wander to the possibility…

"A lot of children were lost in the siege," he said absently, eyes on the fire. Nearly frozen to death in an alley, huh? He supposed he could relate, though his circumstances immediately after the siege had also involved a pile of corpses and a gunshot wound.

There was a silence between them for a moment, Feliks turning his options over in his mind. He knew it was foolish, and impossible, but he simply couldn't keep Katya's eerie resemblance to Katerina from his mind. But Katerina was dead, he was sure of it. So why did he keep wondering if it was possible?

He supposed the ten million rubles might be part of it.

But it was ridiculous! What, was he meant to believe that God happened to smile upon him today, inform him of the reward offered by the Dowager Empress and then just drop a reincarnated Katerina in his lap? Preposterous. She was dead, long dead, along with the rest of the Vasilievs. Along with his mother, and every other innocent soul the Bolsheviks thought deserved to die that night. That reward was just the last remnant of desperate hope from a heartsick old woman in Paris.

"...I'll see about those papers," Feliks said finally, grasping the arm of the chair by the fire and using it to hoist himself painfully back to his feet. He clenched his jaw with the effort, but held in his usual groan, not one to complain around company. Already stiff from having been kneeling, his limp was a bit more pronounced than normal as he made his way over to his shelf, pulling out a folder and flipping through some delicate-looking documents within. Feliks stared intently at them, thinking. She needed a permanent exit visa to Paris, fine, but that meant she needed a passport to attach it to, which meant she needed a picture and a full name, information on her date and place of birth, occupation, marital status, all manner of overbearing government-required personal details. From someone who remembered none of it. Excellent.

They were just going to have to get creative.

He fingered through some other documents on his shelf, grateful to find a blank copy of a passport document ready to go. "I'll need some more information from you - we might need to fabricate a lot of it - and you'll need to get your picture taken," he explained, not looking over. He pulled a few more things from the shelf and crossed over to the document-strewn table, sitting gratefully at it. "I know someone who can do that for you, though he doesn't work for free. Once that's done, I can have your documents completed in about a day."

Finally he looked up, over his shoulder at the girl by the fire. "Are you living nearby? You won't want to go too far."

[Assistant]
Feliks' silence was a little concerning, but he wasn't calling her crazy, so that was a step in the right direction. As the silence stretched between them, she made sure to follow his lead and stay quiet as well. Not that she was complaining, it wasn't uncomfortable, he was probably just as focused as she was on warming up. The blonde was greatly enjoying the break from the cold with a forlorn sigh of happiness. She had half a mind to curl up on the floor and sleep, the idea of having a warm nap greatly enticing the woman as she hugged her knees. If she caught on fire, so be it, at least she would die warm and not frozen.

Once he would speak, Katya perked up with hopeful eyes. Maybe this meant she would be leaving sooner rather than later! She stayed where she was, turning to watch as he would make his way over to the shelf, curious to see what he was doing. Not that she knew; she had no idea how he would go about giving her the paperwork needed, but she wasn't going to question it. The less she knew, the better, anyway.

At his comment of having to fabricate the information, she gave him a shrug. Not like she had much choice; she didn't know anything, anyway, so it was best to do as he said. She did, however, brighten up immensely as he mentioned he would be able to have everything ready in a day. He was fast! She nodded enthusiastically, though she hesitated as he mentioned the picture-taker-man wouldn't take it for free. Well, she did anticipate this costing her something, so hopefully it wouldn't set her back too much.

"I usually spend the day doing odd jobs, but I can just stay here for today if it's easier for you," Katya said, her eyes wandering once again around the unfamiliar room. Actually, as long as she was here, she wouldn't mind exploring the place. "I'm going to take a look around the place." She wasn't entirely sure why she was even telling him, but the room alone wasn't enough to satiate her curiosity, her now-warmed legs energetic enough to at least take a peek back the way they had come.

[User]
"Have at it," Felikes replied unenthusiastically, looking back down at the table and moving to clear some of the clutter away. Good, she'd get out of his hair for a while. Good thing too, he needed to focus. It was lucky that he had a blank passport ready, but his forged visa stamp had seen better days - precisely the reason he had gone to the stationery. He needed to carve a new one, and it would take up the bulk of the day's estimate he'd given Katya to do. It had to be perfect, after all; he inwardly groaned at the prospect, already dreading hours of testing and tweaking that lay ahead of him.

"Oh, word of warning," he mentioned before Katya was gone, "The building isn't always stable. And I can't finish this until you get your picture taken, so make sure you come back and get the photographer's address before you leave. And try not to get lost." There was more boredom in his voice than actual concern, and he barely looked up from unpacking his purchases. But it was an important warning nonetheless; he wasn't a complete jackass, and he also didn't want to lose a paying customer. Besides, he didn't need to come across a corpse on his way through the place anytime soon.

[Assistant]
"No promises on that last one," Katya replied rather cheekily, giving Feliks a rather lazy wave once she was sure he wouldn't say anything else.

The warning was probably appreciated, but she figured exploring was better than sitting there watching. The palace had this allure about it, a forbidden place that she had always wanted to unravel, to see why it was always off-limits. Nothing in particular seemed to stand out as she traversed the hall, the previous sadness of seeing the place in shambles returning as she looked around. In its day, everything was probably sparkling, filled with light and bustling with people. The brown carpets were probably red at one point, her muffled footsteps being the only thing that accompanied her through the halls.

The cold returned the further she went, though it still wasn't as bad as it was outside, thankfully. Katya walked comfortably, her pace slow as she looked around for...something. Her lips curved into a frown as that thought crossed her mind, wondering why it even came to mind. Being here was becoming confusing, stirring some odd feelings within her. Maybe she was the daughter of a servant? Well, they had executed anyone associated with the royal family, so she could understand why she was forbidden to approach the palace. But that didn't seem right, like she was missing something.

Turning the corner into another hall, the faded architecture suddenly improved. Still in shambles, but the quality shifted even in its disarray. As she looked back to where she came from, she wondered if maybe she had come from the servants' quarters. So if she kept going, she'd reach where the royal family lived. The realization didn't sit too well with her, azure eyes darting around for something as an unfamiliar anxiety popped up.

Go! Get out of here!

Clearing her head of that thought, she ignored that odd feeling as she continued onwards through the hall. It opened to what looked like what could have been a grand ballroom. It was huge and empty, the windows barely hanging onto the hinges as the wind threatened to further crack the glass. A large tapestry had managed to hang onto the wall, albeit in disarray with a majority of it having been stabbed or torn. There was a rather thick layer of dust on the floor and on what little furniture remained; there was no reason to be here, nor did it have anything to offer. Disappointing, but what was she expecting? The palace had been abandoned for years, it was surprising that Feliks had chosen to take refuge here, anyway.

Deciding that she should probably stop wasting her time, Katya turned back to go the way she came, stopping before the tapestry. Two adults, one man and one woman, were surrounded by five children, four girls and one boy. The man's face had been left a mystery, the area surrounded his head having been torn to shreds, though it chilled her to see that the tears didn't look as old as they should have. Part of the woman's face had been obscured as a result, though the children's faces were mostly intact. Their hair colors were all on the lighter side, with the youngest girl's locks being a bright blonde color and the oldest girl sporting a sandy color.

Katya couldn't stop looking at the tapestry, her hand gently touching it. Her heart was racing in her chest, eyes glued to the oldest girl. Why?