[System]
Theme:
Just One Yesterday by Fall Out Boy

Gender:
Female

Species:
Lessereurm

Appearance:
Green with blue mixed in.
She looked like a fantasy version of a skink lizard, her head being more bony with scaly outcrops along her snout and over the ridges on her eyes. Though she had no back legs, her front limbs had become somewhat longer and stronger. While she didn't have true thumbs, her claws had been reduced to three digits, two of which were longer and the third of which was shorter, thicker, and set at an angle to the others. It was a bit like a human's hand making a constant "Spock-hand" by holding the index-middle and pinky-ring fingers in pairs and curling the thumb. The joints of these "fingers" and the natural curl of her claws gave her a stronger grip that she could feel even as she began to pull herself along the ground--she would be able to pull, or to scoop and dig, quite fast if she felt so inclined. She was roughly twice as long as her previous form, though not so heavy-set throughout her body. As her tail instinctively lashed behind her, she would likely feel confident that she could easily contort herself in a variety of shapes.

Goals:
Rain has only a few major goals:
-Follow any instructions from the mysterious Demon King
-Make the most of this second chance, no matter the cost
-Become the King's favorite, at any cost (selfish reasons, really)

Past Life:
There were few things more important to Rain in her short life than secrecy, alertness, and speed. She was not stronger than most, she was not at healthy as most, but with those three key factors helped to keep her alive and ahead in the dirty streets of an unnamed slum deep in the heart of Detroit.

Born to teen parents who didn't want her, it was a life of hardship from the start. She looked to her parents and was left wanting, before being abandoned at the age of six. She was a street urchin with a lack of trust and a thirst for better.

She scraped by, year after year, by honing these skills and not being afraid to be ruthless with the other filth left in the gutter, the gangs and the deranged.

Her life, however, was cut short by someone just a bit smarter and faster than she was, who happened to slip a knife between her ribs at the age of 16.

Given a second chance, she's going to do it right this time.

Transformations:
Fanged Lizard -- Lesserwurm

Inventory:

[User]
@Rune_Alchemist @ghastlyInc @CollectorOfMyst @Kangutso

Danny knew all too well he was a large part as to why the group couldn't fight prolonged battles. The pixies were dependent on magic for their most useful skills as well but the could still punch and kick or something when out, he could only attack twice and then he couldn't even move anymore. Not for the first time he wished he had chosen a different monster when presented with the choice.

But that was in the past, right now he could only hope he was right about meditate and try to make it usable as soon as possible. As he was lost in thought again Ash mentioned something knowing about a safe spot. "Right behind you."

When they eventually arrived at the spot the Lizard had been talking about Danny decided that it might be a good idea to try and develop his skills somewhat as he already knew that a good night's rest would recover his mp.

"Don't worry we're not under attack again, I'm just trying to improve Mana Orb." He honestly doubted the others would assume he was firing at some random monster approaching them, but figured it didn't hurt to reassure them. He shot off the two Mana Orbs he was capable off with as little time between them as possible.

When he inevitably crashed to the ground he tried to empty his mind and meditate while hopefully still registering what the others were doing and saying, cause if that last part was impossible then the skill would be useless and even dangerous during combat.

Abilities:

* Mana Orb
* Lesser Force
* Levitation
* Monster Analysis I

Transformations:

Inventory:

[Assistant]
Asura shifted a little as he sat and waited. This wasn't really his style and he had promised that Mother Slime would have more food if she was with him. He wasn't one for lying so he left his little hiding spot and went back into the tunnel. Using his pseudopods he grabbed the two rat corpses and brought them out and laid one next to his current bodies mother. He kind of wondered if the Rats had ever gone into her area. When they didn't have goblins breathing down their necks and she could communicate better he'd ask.

He mulled over his unavailable skills, meaning they weren't fully trained. It seemed you had to get them to 1.0 for them to be available. But nothing was close to that and he doubted he had a long time to train himself. Well he had focused pretty good on defense and he had a power attack. Being able to actively defend wouldn't hurt and Slime Shell might be what that is. So he focused for now on trying to make his jelly membrane tougher by compressing himself? He couldn't actually harden himself, liquid didn't work like that. But he could turn himself into a dense ball of goo that's a lot harder to damage, or you're more likely to bounce off given the nature of liquids.

[User]
Ardur The Pixie  Preparing for a fight >>>> Here comes the thunder /// day 8 // Evening

Ardur worked for the next few minutes diligently stacking stones of various sizes all over the earthen pillars. It was tiring and straining work but with the help of Physical Conditioning I found it to be almost enjoyable to be working out again. It reminded him briefly of his child hood and helping his father break up and move concrete. He couldn't help but look down at himself after he did what he could do to prepare for the coming battle. Noticing that he was still naked from his earlier conflict he guessed he still had a little time left to go home and 'change'.

Knowing that Lesser Flight III allowed him to travel farther, faster, and lighter. The pale pixie found himself taking his time to practice his flying skills by chasing down a few flying insects. Toying with them for a moment as they tried in vain to elude the predator behind them. He would continue to chase them before catching them and returning home.

Entering the small stone abode he could see that the small crystal nodes had grown slightly but still were not at the size to be used. Steve didn't seem to be home but a gentle tug of some of his webs got his attention. The small spider acting on instinct to the sudden vibration charged from a crevice and reared its front legs up with a hiss towards Ardur. However, once the spider realized who was standing before it either by sight or scent slowly lowered its aggressive posture and seemed to wait.

Ardur did find himself flinching slightly at the response from his roommate. But everything seemed to settle down when he tossed several of the small insects onto the spider's web. Steve instantly started stinging and wrapping its food while Ardur began to gather the silken strands and coil some of them together to make stronger strands. This was how he made his clothes last time but this time he didn't have any grass but had a different idea instead.

After gathering and spinning the web together using his shield spell to keep the silk from sticking to him. Ardur made his way over to Steve to give it one last heal spell before stroking the creature for a moment. For whatever reason he felt a bit calmer from this act but eventually stood and walked to the entrance with a sigh. "Bye Steve, ill hopefully see you again later." He said as he dropped out of the entrance and into the air.

The trip was rather uneventful, the cave was stricken with an eerie silence. It was almost like the other creatures knew better than to poke their heads out or scout out around their homes. It was something he would see now and then, all the animals taking shelter before a storm. Even his instincts told him to keep a low profile and hide. A feeling he swiftly suppressed to the back of his mind. Now wasn't the time to hide, it was the time to fight.

Stopping only briefly to take a few more chunks of one of the nearby dead goblins. Ardur found himself perched up on a high shelf looking off toward the entrance. If he was to see any movement coming from that direction, he would be the first to call it out to the others. While the pixie ate, he began to fix small pebbles in the spider silk clothes he had woven together. Although it wouldn't be considered armor by any means, he still felt like it was better than nothing.

Looking back out across the cave with one leg dangling off the side and the other sucked up towards his chest to give his head something to rest on again he sighed. This was the first down time he has had in some time and while his mind went over his game plan for the battle he couldn't help but let his mind wander to Sara and what he left behind to come here.

He was sure the short red head would end up here after she passed of old age just to yell at him about how stupid he was. Then having it followed up by how strong and handsome our son had grown to be. Yet for some reason he didn't want her to see him like this. He had indulged his new instincts a little too much and in the end hadn't really helped anyone. What the hell was he doing? Who was he trying to fool being a chaotic pixie with no regard to others?

She would be disappointed in him, he was sure of it.

"Merciful Sun god, I have squandered my days with plans of many things. This was not among them. But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few hours well. For all we ought to have thought, and have not thought; all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to have done, and have not done; I pray thee God of the sun, for forgiveness." He spoke a quote from one of his and Sara's favorite movies as a prayer and caught himself beginning to cry.

When the time came to attack the goblins Ardur would be sure to help and do his best. Either by bombing the goblins from above with stones while they fought the other reborn. To running interference by quickly flying around the goblins and distracting them using his new-found speed and dexterity to aid him. But most importantly, he would do what he does best, help. Keeping close to the others and checking up on them to make sure they had proper heals or delivering mana crystals from the stash to them. He won't just stand to the side and watch this time, this time he will make Sara proud.

Level: 2

Health: Full
Mana: Full
Stamina: Full

Inventory: N/A

Clothes: N/A

Weapons: N/A

Magic/Skills: Shield I, Lesser Flight III, Minor Heal III, Physical Conditioning I, Fire Resistance I

[Assistant]
Rain looked at the strange slime carefully, her tongue flicking out as she tested the scent. It seemed.... Different. Not like anything else she'd seen so far.

"You got stronger." It was a statement, a fact, as she circled around him. "We have better odds now."

She glanced at the retreating light, tense, as she finished her observations.

"We're almost out of time," she called to the group at large. "He will want to attack soon. The big guy needs to fall first."

Rain was growing uneasy. If only she had more time, she could practice some with her venom. Do something big. Something.... Lethal. Maybe she could kind of breath it out, like a mist, and then it could destroy the lungs of that that breathed it. But.... That sounded hard, and she didn't have time.

No one had time.

"I'm going to the edges. So they don't see me. And then I can do what I do best."

While she waited, hidden in shadows, she contemplated how she might be able to blow a mist. Maybe start with a Glob, but try to spray it?

She didn't want to waste much venom, but she would give it a few test fires while she waited.


[System]
---

Arcane Cleric 17 / Kensei Monk 3 Where Knowledge Speaks, There Wisdom Listens

[User]
As everyone filtered out of the hall, James made his way to the library to try to find done information of the giant Hrasvelger. After an hour of searching James only turned up a tale of a giant that could shapeshift into an eagle that defends it's home at the edge of the world. This giant did have the same name but where the group was heading want anywhere near the edge of the world. The writing also seemed to be in that of fairy tales.

James shook his head in dismissal as he put the manuscript back. It wasn't necessarily what he was searching for but all he found. He followed the person tasked to aide him to the room that was being provided by the Duke. It was beyond what James had expected and what he even really cared for. He examined the feather bed, it was softer than any other bed he had ever had. To soft really. He looked around the room and found a spot high on a tall dresser just to the opposite of the bed.

Before going to sleep he tested the rapier for a bit and spoke the command word, findar. Acid dripped from the blade for a second before James muttered the word again and sheathed the blade. He then placed a few pillows under the blanket on the bed to make it look like he was there, then climbed onto of the dresser, leaned against the wall, moved his bag of holding into his left arm, and drew the rapier and slowly fell to sleep.

His dreams consisted of little, though there was a flash back to the day when he left his sister, half-sister really, behind at a temple of Ilmater. It was the hardest choice he had made in his life but also probably the best. He had done it so she could at least have a better life than the one they were living at the time. Their mother had died which left James to provide for himself and his sister. He had taken to stealing food when begging wasn't yielding enough. He had always made sure she had plenty to eat, even of it ment he didn't have much.

However times started to grow leaner and made it more difficult to acquire enough food, which is what led him to take her to the temple of the broken god. He visited from time to time and made sure to not speak of his thieving exploits. He had least contact with her about ten years ago when she had set out as a cleric of Ilmater to aide those in suffering as part of a pilgrimage. Maybe he would see her again on his adventure here, probably not but one could hope couldn't he.

[Assistant]
Marcus  Lakeltia

---

Marcus had to admit this feast carried with itself surprises, especially the status of the resigned Duchess as she returned. Now, the Paladin was one to not judge people without reason, but the state the woman returned in was hardly befitting of a hero she would need to be tomorrow. His hand reflexively sought out the prayer beads under his vestments and his fingers curled into a ball around them. It would be a shame if he would have to invoke their magic of Greater Restoration to have Ada capable of fighting the next day, but he could see that the former Duchess had already chosen her course of action for the night as she, perhaps overly comradely, headed off with a servant. Though perhaps sometimes it only did good for those 'beneath' one to hear how their work was appreciated.

As for others in this table, Marcus only nodded along as the fresher arrivals spoke their pieces. Despite his refined dining, he cared very little how others did it. He had grown up where there was little and with the common folk. His current status did not mean he would have grown to despise them, quite on the contrary. He was to be their sword and shield when need be, but merely their voice if he at all could. Change needed come from those who deemed themselves better than them, but when one's life was threatened it was only natural to bring out the force to protect.

Eventually everyone would begin heading away, but not before Marcus had had the chance to chat with both Lonett and Scrapmouse, the latter of which he met on one knee, closer to the floor. It was a sign of respect from the half-orc, but it would be left for the gnome to determine whether she would rather declare such obvious attention to her height as an offence. Nonetheless, he received two questions he should ask from Tyr, of the Ghoul Emperor and of the lair of the White Dragon. He had one or two of his own, however, and as the Ghoul Emperor's connection to Orcus had been all but confirmed, he decided it might not be among the most pressing of three things to ask. It could always be spared for another night.

In his room, the Paladin of Justice dug out an ornamental set of scales, where the middle was depicted as a warhammer in imitation of Tyr's holy symbol. He placed a stick of incense in each of the modified scale cups and placed his hands on the table under them, closing his eyes. He began muttering a prayer to Tyr's name, letting the magic flow through him and the scales alike. The powerful aura of the god of Justice arrived into his presence soon after, signing the time to ask his questions. This was the last time to second guess oneself, which it wouldn't be the first time if he did. Were the questions he would ask really the correct ones? Some needed to be left unasked for the more pressing ones to be assured to receive. It was times such as these he really hoped his mind was not partially that of an orc. With a heavy swallow and a parting of his suddenly dry lips, he got over the oppressive feeling and began.

"Should we seek the Ghoul Empire from Caelmarth?" he asked. Soon after he could feel the gentle touch of metal on top of his left hand, the scales having bowed to the side of 'Yes'. Their research had yielded fruit, it seemed. The half-orc almost smiled. Where there was a lead, there was a way. But there were still things to be asked.

The next question had taken some mulling over. Was it really of that much importance? Could he really skip asking the others for this? But if something was clear, it was the fact that Tyr's grace would not follow those on the expedition to the North. If they wanted their answers, the time was now. Finally he would let loose the question, before another wave of doubt would come over him: "Is it feasible to seek to collapse the lair of the dragon in the North?" A long second passed. Then another. Three more would go by. Finally he realised that no answer was forthcoming. Tyr could not answer. He bit his upper lip and cut his losses, moving on to the third question.

"Should those journeying to North seek Vael Turog?" he used his last remaining inquiry. And once again he could feel the touch of metal on his left hand. This time, however, it would linger. A foreign sensation crept into his mind. There was a want of knowledge. And that was what those journeying should experience. If not for the divine's presence, Marcus might not have understood. But now he knew what that was about. It was at Vael Turog where the others would find more answers than he could provide to them now. And then scale shot up from its lowered position and the feeling of divine presence faded, leaving the half-orc alone in his room.

He packed away the scales and got rid of the topmost layer of his clothing, climbing to bed. It would take a long time before he could really relax and settle down for the night and until then it would be staring at the ceiling and wondering just where the world was going. But wherever that was, he would be there as the shield of the little people.

Marcus has cast Commune. Answers are to be found in the post.

TL;DR:
Q: Should we seek the Ghoul Empire from Caelmarth?
A: Yes.

Q: Is it feasible to seek to collapse the lair of the dragon in the North?
A: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Q: Should those journeying to North seek Vael Turog?
A: Yes, for more answers.

[User]
Vale Detherwood

---

Following dinner, Vale had just about enough scouring through books as she wanted. But still her curiosity remained. Just what kind of books were worthy of a royal? A trip back to the library, and a smile to the bookkeeper; she began her interest in the books. One by one, she took a book off the shelf; taking note of the name and general size of the work before putting it back as she found it. Moving on to the next one, and the next, and the next.... Somewhere at the start, she could've sworn she noticed the bookkeeper glaring at her. What reason this could've been, she had no idea. She was granted access to the books, so she shrugged it off. Nothing ever happened of it, so she assumed whatever the keeper's problem was, they were able to get over it. A lot of the books she had remembered pulling out from her actual studies, opting not to bother pulling those out. Of course, while she did end up looking at every single book; most of her knowledge of what the library contained were just fleeting thoughts. Nothing of interest ever did jump out at her, other than her favorite garden travelers guide.

A couple of hours had passed, and she had run out of things to do. Normally at night, she would be in the forest with the nocturnals. Though she didn't dare leave the keep while she remained a guest. She did, however, bring her latest stitching work with her. A small project already almost finished, but given her quick summon; she had little time to grab or start anything else. She found a nice place in the middle of the library to work. Stitching away at her little project; finishing the trim and testing it's quality. It was nothing to compare to lady Marvos' attire, but she was quite proud of it. A little work on her hair, and she'd figure herself to be quite ravishing. Maybe she'd treat the party to her new look come morning. Though, going off to fight a dragon and some giants in it wouldn't be ideal.

It was still extremely early in the morning by the time she finished her dress. Still plenty of time to waste away. She figured she might as well get cleaned up for the day's activity. Heading into the bath house to relax. It was no spring at the base of the mountains, but it felt good all the same. A coy little smirk inched across her face, using her psychic powers to allow her to breath water for a good period of time. The she submerged herself, not coming back up to the surface and watching the door; waiting for another to enter. Of course, the sun hadn't risen yet. And as she waited for a time that never came; hours went by. The bath house still and quiet as she waited at the bottom.

It was a bit disappointing, to be honest, but she eventually left. Gathering her things and opting not to put on her new dress as she made her way back to the library. The sun was ready to rise and with it the party's task at hand.

[Assistant]
"Lady Mavros, that is no way for a noble lady to conduct herself!" A stern and almost growling voice rang out across the dining table. Far more fatherly than the Duke, the sharp lash of a disappointed paternal figure rebuking a child having snuck off late at night only to return in a state of total inebriation. "Abdicated or not, I expect you of all people to take the defense of Mavros with the appropriate amount of gravity required. Now off to bed with you, I'll see to preparing tonight for the morning. I thank you for the dinner Lord Mavros, now to rest these old bones." One last swing of mead from his tankard of sobriety, and a final spoonful of lentil soup. A simple man with his meals, needing no luxury nor great amount at his senior appetite, Kethan ate his fill of the Hero's Feast, fortifying himself for the adventure to come tomorrow. They have set their destinations, as all the information pooled created each team's destination. Though as the old cleric dipped his hands in the washing bowls and waved off the servants waiting to take the wizened one's to his chambers, Kethan took a side venture into the garden to walk in the mountain air. Eyes cast up into the night, pondering the stars and heavens for answers as to why. This cataclysm could be easily solved by the powers above if it were an ordinary invasion, and yet...

"Ah, Miss Lonett of Caernath... Rest well."  Kethan nodded as he passed the monster slayer on his way to the Stables. He knew not the codes for their destinations, they get changed every few years, and it has been sometime since Kethan traveled outside his library. That and Kethan's memory was beginning to decay. The ravages of time and the function of age, and while Ada may forget her foolishness tonight by the morrow, Kethan found himself losing his recollections. The magical band around his head kept his mind decent enough, yet it was merely a crutch, one that he needed more than the symbolic cane he used on his evening stroll into the stables. Giving the owlbear a cautionary look before walking slowly down the corridor to find an emptied stable. There was a good chance they would venture there by foot. Or rather in this case by whatever mechanism of travel they had. Many among them had a fine steed, but Kethan took the long scenic route, stopping by to enjoy the local favourites and recall his days. Alas nothing was quite like the memory of itself nowadays. The times have chanaged, a decade ago the younger Ada would never be so crass as to publicly intoxicate herself. Perhaps Kethan had misplaced his trust in the ancient elf to keep his 'niece' from trouble, especially with that troublemaker... Jamie was it? The one from this morning that looked shifty, yes he would need to keep a close eye on him, although Jamie wasn't the rascal's name... Was it?

"Good Evening, Zaphkiel." The cleric of Ioun tapped his staff against the ground. Once, twice, and finally a third time before the celestial light bathed him. From the light, the spirit summoned, named by the Elder to be called forth from the heavens. A spirit taking the form of a white winged horse, an old friend Zaphkiel, one of Ioun's own. "We have a long journey tomorrow, Caelmarth, rest well old friend. The most powerful spell a mortal could cast, bending reality in nearly anyways Kethan pleased, although this time merely summoning forth a trusted steed to undertake the journey to Caelmarth with. The swift wings of his celestial mount would take Kethan there faster, although the others would have to find their own rides most likely. With his preparations complete, and a good bit of walking done to keep his joints loose and limber to keep up with the youth, Kethan finally entered his chambers, a comfort of bed and luxury. To refuse such down was to reject the bowl of lentils, thus such finery provided found itself carrying the weight of a sleeping old man. Uttering his prayers in the night in preparation to purge the undead alongside great heroes of legend.

Oh and something to cure Ada's possible hangover.

Kethan Casts Wish: Duplicating Spell - Find Greater Steed.
Greater Steed: Koppatiai - Celestial Pegasus


[System]
Username: POOHEAD189
Race/Species: Human (From the Kingdom of Harek)

Gender: M

Age: 26

Career/Class: Mercenary/Armsman/Amateur Swordmage

Weapons:

* Bastard Sword
* Kite Shield

Physical Description (as detailed as possible please, pictures not accepted.): A lean, fit, but refined man with dark hair and eyes, with a navy blue tunic over chainmail (covering leather) and loose fitting dark brown trousers. He has a fair face, albeit with a scar at the left of his chin and running down his jawline. His hair is wavy, loose and tousled. Not entirely groomed as he was raised, he still looks more or less presentable, and perhaps charming when he feels the need to present himself as such. He has the look of a youth that has been refined like silver through various trials by fire.

Armor:

* Chainmail hauberk
* Leather armor over it.
* Leather bracers/pauldrons

Equipment/Other

* Sword sharpening/cleaning kit
* Water Jug
* Herbal remedy to halt light bleeding
* 3 pounds of beef jerky

Mental Description/Personality: Markus is a strong willed and adventurous young man, having left his moderately home to seek his fortunes to the east. He enjoys learning, his rebellious attitude having dimmed somewhat from his training by his Elvish master. He has a good mind about him when it comes to common sense, though he can be a bit rash if he lets his anger get the better of him. Generally he has a friendly, if wary demeanor. He will sometimes spout wisdom he has learned on his travels. In truth he has more general knowledge than spell knowledge, for he is only a fledgling spell caster. Still, he'll always be interested in learning more of the arcane arts. He has a curiosity about him that he sometimes can't help. Ironically, he'll chastise others for taking risks he might take as well.

Goals: Markus' goals are to seek his own fame and fortune, through his own skill. He wants to live as a free man, outside of the pointless bickering of the lords.

Background/History:
The bastard nephew of a lord, Markus had always been more focused on exploration in the surrounding forests and his various interests rather than his duties as a vassal. He used his standing not to further his family's fortunes, but to further his own. Not out of selfishness, mind. He'd often seen children who were less fortunate to be encouraged by their parents to do well for themselves. All he had ever heard from his family was what he could do for them.

One day his older brother was killed in a raid, which lead Markus and his father to argue and break off their relationship through a fit of anger. Markus escaped the next day, taking a modest sum of money as well as some equipment and traveling east, taking up arms with a few mercenary companies. He found despite his individuality, he was not a bad leader to smaller groups of companions, at least as long as they were after the same prize and had shared goals.

Before long he culminated enough funds to find an Elvish tutor in magic and swordplay. He lived there for 3 years, learning from the Elf in a forested tower before he was hired onto a fine expedition to explore the surrounding mountains. The adventure came into disaster, rock trolls making the group split up. Markus survived the mountains and found himself on the other side of them, next to a great body of water called the Sunlight Sea. He spent a year on the Cutlass coast, taking small, boring jobs on various ships as a guard before he found himself in HighMast.

[User]
"Thanks. Though I think we probably shouldn't start keeping score on the times we save each other's lives."
He gave a grin that showed his teeth at the jest, and realized she was right. They really were a good team. Markus wasn't used to such a thing, as much he tried to appear that way around her. He'd known hard fighting women before, and he'd known those a bit less experienced than he (though not much, judging by his mere 4 years as a sellsword), but he'd always been in a larger, looser group. One where you could easily close yourself from others, yet you were also apart of something bigger than yourself.

It was different for him to be out here with only one partner, especially a woman like this. Alike him in more than a few ways, competent, but... he felt like she looked to him too. He knew she could take care of herself, and in fact she impressed him in a lot of ways. However, he felt a certain sense of duty as the more experienced one. Briefly, he wondered if he was up to this. It was quite an odd thing, hitting it off with a girl so quickly, and then suddenly becoming her comrade in arms, and perhaps even a mentor of sorts, though he used the term loosely.

"Let me take a look at that?" she asked, and his reverie fled when he heard her voice. "Oh, yeah." he breathed, lifting his shirt up. It was his turn to blush despite himself, and he was glad his lifted shirt covered the lower part of his face. He nodded, giving a self depreciating chuckle.

"Yes." he admitted to her question. "I remember when I was a boy, and my older brother accidentally loosed his bow in my direction. He didn't know I was coming out of the woods, and it hit me in the chest. If that was a war bow and not a hunting bow, I might have died just there. And...in the battle I spoke of before. The only one I was in, I...a sword ran through my side. The other side-" he explained. "I'd only been fighting for half an hour, though I suppose many good men died after a minute. I lay there and heard the battle around me as I bled."

He cleared his throat, and shook his head of the dark thoughts. "Luckily, a priest patched me up once the battle was over. He had magic, and I could walk without help a week later." He sucked in his breath from a jabbing pain as she worked on his wound, though it was her job and he didn't protest. "Thank you, Val." he said breathlessly as the wound was patched up. @Luminosity

[Assistant]
"I can't imagine what that must have been like," Valerie said as she worked on the wound. She tried to imagine it, too, but of course it wouldn't compare to a real experience. To be so badly wounded as to be unable to move, in the chaos and horror of a battle... she nearly shuddered. All of her own experiences with bloodshed had been on such a smaller scale, and even the bloody skirmish she'd been involved in the day before had been over so fast. There was hardly any time for the mind to process it.

"I think it's safe to say I've been lucky in that regard, at least so far." She half smiled at a memory. "Worst I can claim is falling from my horse as a child, the first time I lost control. Broke my arm and two ribs." It certainly hadn't been funny to her at the time; maybe it was the feeling of simpler times that brought the smile to her face. "There wasn't much bleeding involved there... just an excess of crying. There, all done."

The cut wasn't really worthy of being stitched up, nor was it bleeding severely, but it was at least cleaned and bandaged adequately now. She scooted back a bit and lay back on her bedroll, staring up at the protective canopy of vines and settling her hands atop her belly. Very few of her friends had called her Val back home, and none of her family, but she didn't mind. It was probably a better name for a mercenary woman, after all.

Her stomach rumbled, and she sighed. "Ugh. The food about ready?"

[User]
"It's pretty sobering," he admitted, gazing into the fire as she finished cleaning the last bit of his wound. "But I'm glad it happened, to be honest. Difficulties make me who I am, no matter how terrible they were at the time." He spoke with a solemness that belied his age, making him seem that much older just from the memory of that single experience.

He grunted when she was done, and nodded. His face lit up at the prospect of food. "Let me check." he breathed, leaning forward and then making it to his feet before opening the bubbling pot. "You know falling off a horse is still pretty dangerous. I've known someone who fell off and couldn't walk after. It's quite the fall." After sticking a bit of the ham with his cleaned dagger, he realized it was indeed ready. "Yup. I'll grab you some."

It took less than a minute for them both to have a fair sized bit of ham, though due to being out in the wild they didn't necessarily have silverware or plates, but he handed her half of the meal stuck on one of his throwing daggers. Markus winked at her in good spirits at how odd it was, handing it over, before taking a big bite out of his own slice. It wasn't much, but it had a bit of seasoning and the main thing about it was it filled their bellies.

Once Markus was finished, he took a large swig of his water jug and was just about to burp when he realized Valerie was right there with him. It was a bit awkward for him to slam his palm on his mouth at the last moment as his mind caught up with him, but he patted his chest with his fist and grunted. "Sorry."

[Assistant]
Valerie wasn't sure what that kind of experience would do to her, how it would compare to how Markus had changed. If she could survive it at all, of course. Her fortitude was not of the same caliber that Markus had built his up to... but maybe it was things like that that made it so. She had no desire to test it, of course, but considering her line of work and her willingness to take risks, she wondered if it wasn't simply a matter of time. Sobering, indeed.

But the food was ready to take her mind off of it, and Valerie sat up to eat. She took the throwing knife from Markus with a mock daintiness, as though she was being treated to some kind of delicacy in her family's dining hall. She snickered lightly, and took a bite. Delicacy it was not, but it was far more nourishing than any treat she'd had growing up, and she found she appreciated it quite a bit more.

When they were both full and satisfied Valerie's sleepiness began to creep in, and she eventually toppled back over onto her bedroll, untying her hair and yawning. The yawn turned into a stifled giggle halfway through as Markus held back a burp. "No, go right ahead," she laughed. "Just keep it down. We don't have any leftovers to share with orcs and goblins, after all."

[User]
He couldn't help but laugh a bit, enjoying the fact they could relax even out here in the wilderness. It was heartwarming to say the least, and as Valerie fell into a slumber, Markus decided to stay up for a bit and enjoy the fire. He doubted anything would try to infiltrate their small makeshift shelter, but he wanted to be sure of it. He wasn't about to have this woman accompany him and then not watch her back.

He reached into his pack, and pulled out a fair sized bit of cloth he'd been keeping. It was always good to have some clean material for various uses, such as bandages or to clean food or wounds. Without thinking, he whipped it to let it sprawl out, and then slipped it onto Valerie as she slept. The wilderness was cold, particularly at night, and she needed to be fully rested by morning. She needed it more than him. He was used to harsh temperatures, the fire providing more than enough warmth for the young man to keep sudden illness at bay. Markus gave a small smile, inwardly. Even though his logic was sound, apart of him realized it was simply him justifying doing something to help her sleep.

It was not long before he felt his own body growing heavier though, and he knew that it was time to sleep himself. There was only a few hours left before the sun would peek over the horizon, and it wouldn't do for him to need rest in the late morning. As he sat, he contemplated many things, and realized they were probably heading into something far more risky and dangerous than anything he'd yet faced. The sudden realization fell upon him like a cold winter rain, and he looked to his slumbering companion.

Without even realizing the source of the conviction in his mind and body, he promised himself that whatever happened out there, he'd make sure she made it out. Even past his endearment toward her, he felt as if he let her down, he'd let his younger self down too. To be out here right now, instead of back where he'd been born. To choose this life. He knew it was the right decision, but dammit, it had been a selfish one. He wanted, no, needed to prove to himself that he could help someone who had just started out as he had, that his and her choice were not to be regretted. Don't fret on what's coming, just get some rest.

With a light grunt, he lay back on his cloak and curled up by the fire. His vision blurred, and darkness took him as his body gave way to a deep sleep.

---

He awoke, though he didn't move. He'd gotten used to waking without a sound now, and he simply opened his eyes slowly to take in whatever he could. There was eerie quiet around him, and he realized that everything was fine. The fire had died down to embers, and the sun had risen about two hours previous. He could see the shining light filtering through the brambles and sticks that encompassed their camp. Good, that means there's a small bit of warmth outside, he thought to himself when he saw the sun. Unfortunately, that means that once the fire had died and the sun's rays had not yet entered here, it was particularly cold in their small hut.

He would have felt it a bit more than Valerie, only having his linen shirt, trousers, and cloak. The Swordmage stood up, unsteady at first but regaining control over his body. He shuddered at the cold, and took a small bit of ham out of the pot. Half of the small bit that was left, anyway. As he chewed, he strapped on his armor once more. Chainmail, tabard, belting his sword and running his hands through his thick hair as he waited for her to awaken and get ready. He would have made another fire, but he'd rather no smoke give away their position.


[System]
Rank: Cadet

Allegiance: Lyran Commonwealth

Planetary Origin: Asaheim of the System of Vorzel

MOS: Mechwarrior

Synopsis of Role: The Noble house of Wulfhart is among the Lyran commonwealths oldest dynasties- though not it's most prestigious. Lyris's forebearer was, in fact, a former member of Star League Defense Force who remained behind after operation Exodus. Enticed by promises of wealth and a title of his own; Seigfred Wulfhart was given a sizable portion of land on Asaheim in return for their loyalty. The Wulfharts and their ancestral battlemech have since served the commonwealth for centuries.

However, they remain among the poorer noble houses, with fate having rarely smiled upon them. Lyris Wulfhart is the families last chance to change their fortunes. Since joining the academy, Lyris Von Wulfhart has proven a skilled Mechwarrior if a somewhat reckless pilot. Athletically fit, Lyris stands a head taller than most cadets. Considered brash and hotheaded, many instructors have noted Lyris could well be a gem in the rough if she can master her apparent battle-lust. Interestingly Lyris outside of a mech is a positively cheery individual and joy to be around. This attitude has allowed her to make friends quickly and she possess a fiercely loyal spirit. Her natural charisma could make for a good foundation in a leader if she had a more relaxed disposition on the field.

Battlemech: A custom Griffin GRF-1S Variant, also boosts Prototype Jump Jets and an upgraded Hermes 275 extralight engine, though only has two double heat sinks sacrificing some improved cooling to free up weight. The 'Mech now carries a Doombud LRM-20 launcher over the right shoulder, and, due to Lyris's preferences for close quarters combat, has removed the PPC and in its place mounted a Large Laser and two Medium Lasers. The left arm is empty save a hatcet held in its grip. It also employs a CASE to protect the two tons of missile reloads stored in the left torso. Weight is further improved by using Endo Steel skeleton. GRF-1S Wolf Brawler

Height: 6'2
Weight: 183 lbs
Appearance: Possessing a mesomorph body type, Lyris is well muscled with a strong athletic muscular build, well-developed shoulders and slim hips. She also sports dark blue eyes and ashen snow white hair with nordic war paint tattoos that run down the left side of her face. An old family tradition that no one quite remembers how or when it was started.
Callsign:"She Wolf"
Father: Graf Reinhold Von Wulfhart

Mech notes: While not her Houses ancestral battlemech, Lyris has managed to paint her families heraldric colors; black strips running down each arm and leg over a white backdrop. The snarling wolf of her house is located on the mech's right shoulder.

[User]
"Overwatch element, advance until you acquire targets and engage. Concentrate fire on targets together and call them out. Keep it to LRM's and AC's, rest the lasers until you need them." That was a nod to the heat from Hart. "Keep them busy with your fire. Do not close distance at this time."

"Rat 1-5, I want support weapons targeted to the coordinates I am sending you. I want your spotter in reserve to designate new targets at discretion once we engage," fingers clicking against a nine-key board to designate grid reference.

"The rest of you advance slowly to keep the heat down as much as possible. Eichberg, you are tasked with engaging the Urbanmech at range when you visually acquire it, I want that thing destroyed. We will provide close support and keep any friends this pirate has off flanks. We are at standoff range until that Urbie is destroyed."

Mattlov eased his way forward on the orders, along with Wulfhart and Burns, mindful of the scope, and one ear on the comms.

"Rat 2-2 here, identifying a T-D-R variant, looks like a retrofitted 5S, nonstandard armament." He gave a feather-light touch of his trigger, firing the autocannon with a terrifically loud snap of the weapon and the clang of the ammunition system. Not for nothing Mattlov had a loving affinity with autocannons that included listening for the sound of another round chambering. No lasers, and the SRM's were not in range, so he settled his mech into a good outcropping for cover, giving the barest sort of exposure he could give and still fire.

The Thunderbolt was turning, with a mostly torso-mounted array of weapons. He was already calculating his shift back into cover, after the second shot...if he timed it right, he might even get a good torso hit instead of a piece of the arm, like the first shot. His thought processes noted the registering of the hit and the next squeeze of the trigger without necessarily bringing it into the forward conscious. A mechwarrior, his mother told, fought in the machine, with his consciousness, even the parts not overtaken by the neurohelmet's connection, finding itself in a symbiotic relationship with the machine.

Blue, crackling light, a hateful little comet, pounded against the nearby rock that he'd just gotten to cover behind, chipping off a portion of it and briefly flaring too brightly for the flare compensators to properly match for a half a second.

"PPC fire," he noted coldly to his lancemates, "Far range, accurate," he further noted.

[Assistant]
AFFS Subaltern Johan Rosales-Eichberg
Rifleman RFL-5D

 Teamwork. His father told him tall tales about his exploits as a mercenary, him and his fellow mercs tackling impossible odds and coming out on top, in a huge variety of situations in a plethora of environments. There was one constant in all of the stories that his father stressed. Teamwork. Through communication, effort and cooperative action you create teamwork, and with teamwork you can overcome things that would normally be impossible. Johan heard his orders, he was tasked with destroying the Urbanmech. The small pilot swallowed, he dictated his teams whole advance, if he wasn't able to destroy that Urbanmech quickly, all of his lancemates would be bogged down. Johan slowed his advanced and kept a large chunk of raised rock in between him and the pirates. Maybe... maybe he didn't need to explicitly destroy the Urbanmech. The most dangerous thing about the light mech was it's AC/20, which Johan recalled was mounted in it's right arm mount. He remembered that there was a massive textbook back at the NAIS, it had the armor values of nearly every single mech deployed in the modern day. Extensive live fire weapons testing gave that textbook highly accurate information as to how much firepower a mech could take before it's armor was stripped off, and how much it could take before being completely destroyed. The Urbanmech R-60L. Luckily the NAIS had their hands on at least one, since the data was listed on Johan's neurohelmet. He quickly scanned the information before stepping his Rifleman out and peering over the horizon, searching for the shape of an Urbanmech. The armor on the right arm mount of a UM-R60L was astoundingly light, and it would take only a little bit more than one PPC blast to take off the arm entirely.

"Rat 2-2 here, identifying a T-D-R variant, looks like a retrofitted 5S, nonstandard armament." Johan heard through his radio. A retrofitted mech was trouble, but for right now not his trouble. Johan focused on finding that Urbanmech... until he saw a blur of movement from the corner of his eye, and shot out from it a blue bolt from a PPC. "PPC fire. Far range, accurate," Johan heard again, he kept his eye near where he saw the fire.
There! The broad shoulders, inverted triangle torso shape, and iconic mouth shaped cockpit shape, it was most likely a panther. But as soon as it came up, it fell back down to whatever ground depression it was running along. Jumpjets. Johan knew there was a river, perhaps it was running down it? Johan clicked his communications open but whatever words that came out were stammered and incoherent, he shut it off, embarrassed and recalled his father once more. Every single time his father wanted him to look at something, a bird, a food stand, a nice looking car, he would always say 'look' first. The alert. Then where it was, what it was, then whatever additional information. His father always stressed that communication was a major part of teamwork. Johan tried again.

"Contact! Far! East-South-East, bearing One-Zero-Seven! Um... Likely Panther with PPC! Running southwards, using jump jets to fire at us!" Johan made sure to shout over whatever gunfire there was. He had his Rifleman step out a little more, hoping that the enemy Thunderbolt was busy engaging with Mattlov's Shadowhawk. Johan scanned for the Urbanmech, and he found it beyond the Thunderbolt, using it as cover from Mattlov, but the Thunderbolt couldn't protect the Urbanmech from two. Johan halted his rifleman, swung the torso around and took a quick second to sight in his target. The Urbanmech was running at top speed towards the treeline, Johan selected his Rifleman's left arm PPC and squeezed the trigger, a bolt of lightning shooting out towards the Urbanmech's rear right torso. The shot was intended to disable the ammo feed, and possibly disable the whole arm along with it, but at the last moment it twisted it's torso to the right. The shot smacked against the gun housing of the Urbanmech's right arm, where it had it's armor. The armor soaked up most of the impact and damage, though the internal systems of the arm was damaged. The arm began to spark and smoke, but it still wasn't destroyed, and the AC/20 was likely still in play. Johan was about to follow up with a single large laser to take it's arm off, but the enemy Thunderbolt responded. Johan saw it twist it's torso to aim at his Rifleman, and Johan reactively twisted his own torso to defend against the incoming attack. Johan looked over and saw two bright green lasers lance out, medium lasers, and they zapped at Johan's right gun arm. His BattleMech told him that it felt the lasers raking towards the gun barrels, scorching and melting armor plating as it went along. The Thunderbolt was aiming to damage his gun barrels! Johan lowered his gun arms to avoid this, and the last split second of the incoming medium lasers shot past Johan's cockpit, going past him now that his arms were out of harms way.

Johan grit his teeth and took another step forward, putting his Rifleman into a crouch. He only had a few precious moments now before the Urbanmech reached the treeline. Johan twisted his Rifleman's torso towards the enemy and brought his gun arms up to bear, the Urbanmech had just reached the treeline but if he was fast enough... the left gun arm again, large laser this time. A brilliant blue beam burned forward, striking the Urbanmech in the back. Johan brought the beam towards it's right, where the heavily damaged gun arm was, but it responded by twisting left, presenting its undamaged left side. Despite this Johan kept the beam on target, if he wasn't going to have it's gun arm, he was going to damage it as much as he could with this laser. The Urbanmech swung left, using the trees as cover and concealment. The laser sliced through one tree with ease, the palm tree falling over with a crash. The laser halted before it could cut through the second tree, it leaned, while on fire, splintered with an audible crack and impacted another tree as it fell over. Then the Urbanmech disappeared behind a cluster of denser trees.
Johan muttered a curse, frustrated, and stood his mech up again. He walked backwards back into cover, putting Mattlov's Shadowhawk and the rock between him and the Thunderbolt. He wanted to cool off his mech, despite it being only around the halfway mark. As soon as he got into cover, he thumbed his communications again, "Johan reporting. Urbanmech's right arm is heavily damaged, left side is slightly damaged. It disappeared in the trees. Currently cooling at half heat capacity and on standby."
Johan thought about that short engagement. There were Harassers reported with the Urbanmech... where had they gone? And that Panther moving south towards the patch of trees, where the Urbanmech disappeared into... they were regrouping their light mechs, possibly. But these were just speculations, Johan didn't want to bother the Captain with useless information. Once Johan cooled off entirely, he thought about repaying that Thunderbolt back with a large laser or two.

[User]
Lyris felt a moment of panic as every lesson she had ever learned fled her mind. For a second her mech hesitated, shuddering on the spot. Angrily, the young mechwarrior thrust the feeling aside and engaged her motive actuators. Lyris's Griffen then moved briskly through the uneven terrain with smooth strides that crushed stone and rock alike underfoot. The ground shook beneath her tread and targeting data filled her thoughts as her gamma-ray cannon powered up. Lyris moved up, maneuvering her striding mech suit in behind Peter's and matching his pace. She quickly split to the left using the spine of rocks in the mountain ridge as cover as Peter's Shadow Hawk was suddenly engaged at extreme range by what looked to be a TDR battlemech- an Thunderbolt of all things.

Breaking line of sight with the Thunderbolt Lyris slowed her stride as she faced the direction of the enemy mech. She quickly plugged into the sensor-network created by the UAV drones still active. Their sensor boosting operation allowed her to lock onto the Thunderbolt. She unconsciously leaned back as her mech mirrored the movement while her steeds feet locked into place entrancing itself. Data flooded her vision as the Thunderbolt appeared on her sensor map as an angry flashing icon. She thumbed her trigger willing her shoulder mounted LRM online, an instant later Lyris heard the characteristic 'thump 'thump' of missiles flying free of their pods from even within the confines of her cockpit.

The missiles soared skyward into the air at an angle, looking to the world like a smoking trail of burning comets. Gravity soon took over as they angled back toward the ground sharply, while the last burst of speed from their now spent fuel reserves launched them down straight toward the Thunderbolt. The considerable volume was impressive, though given the accuracy of the LRM's Lyris did not expect them all to hit- while those that did would likely only cause superficial damage against such a massive and well-armored machine. Still, she recalled from her training that enough impact could very well unbalance such a top-heavy mech. Combined with a well-placed shot from Peter's AC they might very well knock it off balance at the very least.

She heard the loud music on the wind, momentarily drowned out by the screaming rockets screeching through the air. She shook her head slightly at the bizarreness of it all. Perhaps these pirates were insane after all?

"blöd," she breathed under her breath.


[System]
Species: Mermaid
Age: 117
Physical age: 16
Gender: female
Personality: Aravanth is a free-spirited fish. She is very whimsical in her ways, doing what pleases her without much regard for how it may effect others. Consequences aren't something she generally pays any mind to. She comes off quite flirtatious, as playing with people, especially men, is quite entertaining for her.
Background: Aravanth was born in a small marsh, an offshoot of the crystal river. She had plenty ofbrothers and sisters. Her species aren't born to parent. They lay their eggs and then the children fend for themselves until they're old enough to split away and find their own mates to breed and further the species. It was no different for this girl, born in a warm swamp. Aravanth has three brothers and four sisters. Their names were all given by each other as, stated before, their parents were absent. Aravanth is a middle child follow Antel, Axel, Argo, herself, Aurim, Amienth, Aremma, Ateena. They have long since split off, leaving Aravanth alone where they grew up. It is in this marsh where she resides, but often ventures out along the crystal river to explore.

Appearance:

Outfits: When in the water Avaranth has a long aquablue tail. The center holds her natural skin tone, scales blending into the blue, darker tones accenting the fin a the end. The tips of her fin are the same fleshy colored scales at her belly, smaller fins along the sides and back. She likes to dress up her fin in shiny silver jewelry she finds (swindels) from passing men she toys with.

When she's on land she wears a long skirt with a mixture of colored fabrics. It ranges from green to blue with gold accents around the hips. The top is a brazier with the same colors, the rich tones shining on her deep cocoa skin.

Antel

Axel

Argo

Aurim

Amienth

Aremma

Ateena

House:

Misc: can manipulate water; can 'donate' the ability to breathe below water with a kiss.

[User]
Shiro sets down Spirit and growls clenching his fists tighly walking towards the woman who dares talk back to him.

Spirit huffs and steps in between them and slaps her brother across the face and gives him a cold deep stare. "Shut the Fuck up Brother, and call off the act. I'm safe now. Honestly you and your stupid rules! I'm not a little kid anymore!" She says still staying at him

Shiro sighs and the storms slowly disappeared as faster has it came. he stared at the ground gently rubbing his cheek where his sister slapped him. "Meanie"

Spirit growls then turns around to the lady who picked her up, "I'm Spirit and that's my older brother Shiro. Don't mind him he is normally like this when it comes to non-spirits and when it comes to me and my twin brother. I'm in charge of Windy Hills and Shiro is in charge of this section of the map. Please forgive him for his childish actions" She bows gracefully waiting for her to respond

Shiro sighed and bowed as well with one hand on his cheek, slightly mad at Spirit for embarrassing him like that

[Assistant]
@The1Rolling1Boy

Claudia remained silent and stoic through the older brother's temper tantrum, finding it quite amusing. She chuckled pleasantly. It was so sweet the boy wanting to protect his adorable little sister Spirit, but my my did he have to put on such a show. The vampire smiled to him, a bit of a wince once his sister backhanded him across the face. Ouch.

~"My dear boy, that was quite impressive."~ Claudia hummed giving Shiro a soft grin, her fangs poking at her ruby lips. ~"But we mean no harm to your adorable little sister. Why she's just the cutest little thing in the world, she is~! It would be a travesty to harm such an innocent flower. Wouldn't you agree, my bronze beauty?"~ A tempting smile she issued to Avaranth before resuming.

~"And furthermore, Shiro honey, I wouldn't want to chide a charming, hotheaded fellow such as you, my dear. Winter is lovely, but the sun must shine once and again, if you catch my drift."~

[User]
The little figures slowed their movement, the wind becoming as mild as a gentle summertime breeze. The entire swarm lazily floated along their, twisting around the tent as the boy stuck his head slightly out. Then as one the little figures ascended, then spun down in a swirling dive toward the snow at Shiro's feet. They quickly spun around it, the warmth of the breeze melting it, before a sudden gust flung the water all over him.

The boy made a choking sound as the sprites snaked their way back over to the tent in what somehow managed to come off as a huff. "You wanna start a fight?" The boy said breathlessly. A tiny collection of whispers seemed to carry around on the wind and the boy shook his head and tried to argue. "I don't care that he didn't apologize...no they don't owe me anything...that's not...I'm okay, so...Ariel, stop, please, listen..."

[Assistant]
@The1Rolling1Boy

Aravanth crossed her arms, hip cocking to the side as she watched the girl hop down and slap her brother across the face. Her brows lifted in mild shock before laughter tumbled from her lips. The absurdity of all of this was quite amusing to the young mermaid. "I'm Aravanth, I thought you were a bunny," she sighed, somewhat apologetic for frightening the girl. Her eyes shifted to the white haired male, watching as they both bowed. It felt odd, being bowed to. "Hey wait a minute," Aravanth said, stepping closer to the owl. "You're the owl that always flys around!" She chirped, bouncing on her toes.

"Aren't you the sweetest thing, taking care of your sister~," She mused, cupping the males face and rubbing their noses together. She giggled, floating over to the vampire, that she had yet to learn the name of. Her arms liiped around the woman's trim waist, leaning into her side, head resting on her shoulder. "Aren't they cute together? Such sweet siblings~" She hummed, looking up at the red head with a tempting smile.

[User]
My what a fanciful spirit this charming woman possessed. Claudia was quite amused observing the beauty's little show, a brief chuckle to herself with a demure, pleasant expression to her face. They were all an interesting sort honestly, from the strange young boy who smelled of honey and cedars to Shiro, the young guardian defending his adorable little sister.

A surprise to Claudia, she felt hands softly embracing her curvy hips, the bronze beauty's voluminous dark hair almost tickling the vampire's cheek as Avaranth nestled into her shoulder. She turned to the woman with a wry smirk purring sweetly, ~Mmm yes~ It is quite heartwarming, my dear, even to mine cold and dead. So, Avaranth is it, my what a charming name. Ah, and quite a lovely scent you have~"~ The vampire mused with a relaxing inhale. The scent of the sea was ever present with the woman holding her. Claudia giggled turning to face her, a soft look in her dazzling blue eyes. ~"I don't believe I have properly introduced myself to you, darling. The name is Claudia, Claudia DeFeren."~

[Assistant]
Spirit jealously stares at the mermaid lady for being able to be so close to Claudia. She huffs and crosses her arms looking away from lose two.

Shiro looked over at his sister then at Claudia and the mermaids lady. He sighed and walked up behind Spirit and and pushed her towards Claudia

Spirit got pushed forwards stumping and quickly grabs onto Claudia's shoulder frantically trying to sturdy herself.
@SilentWriter83

[User]
Territ kept quiet as he watched everything unfold. But after seeing that newbie, the newest girl, and Claudia were going back to flirting he quickly lost interest. With a small flare of white-noise he took a glance around in search of Ariel. The cyborg found him muttering to himself. "Kid. @GentlemanvaultboyYou okay over there?"

-------------

[Assistant]
@The1Rolling1Boy

Aravanth giggled softly as the vampire purred softly at her. She lifted her head, full lips curling into a teasing smirk as the being hummed her introduction. Claudia, it seemed to fit the woman perfectly with her beautiful red hair and curvaceous body. She parted her lips, ready to speak, with the shorter female with white hair, the bunny she had once scooped up into her arms, stumbled into the vampire, Aravanth puzzled as to where she came from. Blue eyes shifted to the owl, a brow raising at his antics. It was definitely a surprising change from the apparent wrath he had showed early from the girl touching non-spirits.

[User]
Face
"What?" he said, looking up from his conversation with the spirit. "Oh yes, no, I'm fine down here. Are you all right?" He asked, rolling over onto his back and conspiratorially pointing to his heart before rubbing his hands in front of his face and blowing on them as though trying to warm them up on a cold day.

[Assistant]
@SilentWriter83

m.youtube.com/watch?v=UA7TUsD0zSA

Well this was a pleasant surprise.

Claudia must have been getting a little too chummy with her lovely acquaintance, for as she purred at Avaranth's tempting little smirk she felt something brush up against her arm, quite a pair of somethings at that. The vanpire looked down at the adorable bunny hugging her arm, raising an eyebrow.

Funny. Last she recalled that handsome owl fellow, her brother Shiro, wanted Spirit having to do nothing with those who were not spirits themselves, but now...he was allowing such? Perhaps he felt sympathy for his cute little sister, or maybe Claudia was just making her jealous fawning over the bronze goddess Avaranth.

A sly grin she shot to Shiro before smiling sweetly to Spirit, her delicate hand lightly petting one of Spirit's soft bunny ears. ~"Aww honey... No need to be jealous, my little Spirit. How could I ever forget a face as cute as yours?"~ She cooed leaning down to kiss the bunny's forehead gently.

What a catch, two beautiful ladies surrounding her. Ah, Claudia was in heaven indeed.

[User]
@SilentWriter83
Spirit looked up at Claudia blushing bright red. "uhh.. Heh.. Ummm" She mumbles at a loss of words.

Shiro chuckled and crossed his arms "I know I don't really like those two being around nonspirits but... Spirit seems to like this lady." he said to myself inside his head and chuckled

Mystery sat on a rock looking into the rover bored unsure what to do or where his siblings were.

[Assistant]
Given that Maka was now in her spotted location, she took a look around to see all that she could. Once she finished looking around, she got comfortable on the branch she'd reached, took a deep breath and took her book out of her bag. The day she'd been wishing for years had come, while it was rather silly this was all she'd wanted, sitting in a tree and relaxing with a book in hand. She was still worried somebody was around or saw her climb up into the tree, so far nothing had shown up. Still, she was curious about that.

(Sorry for the short post, don't know what else to do for now.)

[User]
Aravanth smiled as the bunny girl. Her eyes twinkled with amusement, lips tilted upwards as she rested her chin on Claudia's shoulder. "Don't worry," she hummed, leaning across the red head to hover before Spirit. "I like to share," she purred softly before pulling back with a soft giggled, releasing the vampire with a content sigh.

Her attention flickered over to the boy with the cyborg. The metal man hadn't piqued her interest quite yet. He seemed rather reserved, or well, not very talkative. The other seemed skittish, which left the angry little owl boy. Her bare feet moved her over to the white haired male. "So Mr. Owl," she hummed, "Not gonna freeze us for being friends with your sister anymore?"

@Rusalka

[Assistant]
Shiro huffs and crosses his arms, "I only did that because I though you were going to hurt her... I just did that to scare you and try to protect her." He mumbles starring at the ground embarrassed at the fact of this.

Spirit blushes and burries her face in Claudia, "Oh my."

Mystery looks over to see a girl in a tree reading a book, "Well then looks like we have a visitor."

@CrazyShadowy@Rusalka

[User] "Well it wasn't exactly scary," Aravanth mused as she approached the other male. Her gentle hands pried his from their crossed position over his chest. "You'd do well to smile sometime Mr. Owl," she hummed playfully, unnaturally close. It seemed that was her thing though, not understanding the concept of personal space. Her fingertips trailed upwards over Shiro's arms until they met his shoulders. Her arms draped over his shoulders as she pressed against him, seeing just how squirming he could be. "I think you'd look cute with a smile."

[Assistant] Shiro jumps and turns into his spirit form and stands on the ground looking up at her. "Please don't touch me. I like person space," he says while looking up at her and huffs.

[User] Aravanth knelt down, smiling in amusement at the owl. "You're so cute as an owl!" She chirped clearly amused that she'd startled him into his spirit form. She patted his head lightly before standing. She ran her fingers through long brown, nearly black hair. "Hmmm, would anyone like any fish?" I could go for a swim~"


[System]
Appearance: Post-Transference Body

Age: 35 (became an automaton at 25)

Race: Automaton, formerly Human

Abilities:

Automaton Body
Aerarius's soul has been transferred into a magitech automaton. His body, constructed with alchemical alloys resembling brass, is highly resistant to corrosion, heat, cold temperatures, and physical damage, and is capable of feats of strength and endurance far beyond that of a human. Many of his joints can rotate 360°, making him surprisingly dextrous. His body is powered by a mana battery capable of storing considerable energy. He does not need to breathe, and can function underwater.

His body runs on mana, which it uses to power its systems and protect against wear and tear. In order to recharge, he can enter a dormant charging state where he begins to siphon the mana from his environment, although this is a slow, inefficient process unless he is plugged into a charging station (unlikely, considering most if not all have been destroyed) or in proximity to a ley line.

After his home was destroyed, he has made further modifications made to his body. His protective exterior plating has been inscribed with glyphs of magical absorption. He has additionally added storage compartments underneath his exterior plating, allowing him to carry a few items inside his body.

Aerarius's body's sensory capabilities are a mixed bag. He possesses sharp sight and the the ability to visually perceive magical energy, but his sight is slightly restricted by the shape of his head. His olfactory senses are more or less the same as human, although because he cannot eat, he sometimes deactivates it. He has a keen sense of hearing, but this also means that without some background noise, he will constantly hear the soft whirring and humming of his own body's mechanisms. His body possesses a sense of touch, but his rigid fingers struggle to perceive texture.

His body is not without drawbacks. Its considerable mass and density means that he weights considerably more than a human of similar size, and he sinks like a stone. Damage to his body must be manually repaired, as healing magic has no effect on him. It is nearly impossible for him to move silently because his servos and cogs generate a small amount of noise. If the crystal housing Aerarius' soul (located in his torso) is broken, he will die. If his mana battery (also located in his torso) is sufficiently damaged, it may explode with considerable power. Lastly, the knowledge of his creation and inner workings were forever lost- while it may be possible to find spare parts from the remains of other brass automatons, any component beyond his own ability to reconstruct will never be created again.

Skills:

Apprentice Artificer
Aerarius was a student of magitech artifice when the war broke out. He cannot channel magic through incantations, but he possesses the knowledge to imbue objects with magic by etching glyphs, runes, and magical circles onto them, and can construct simple magitech devices if he has access to the necessary resource. He also has some knowledge of smithing, allowing him to make basic repairs to himself.

Swordsmanship
Even before the war broke out, Aerarius had prior experience in the Royal Army, during which he excelled in swordplay. After several years of almost-constant combat in his automaton body, he was one of the Alliance's best fighters with a sword and shield. His limbs strike with far more force than a human of his size, and have a range of movement and rotation that no normal living being can hope to match, making him a very tricky opponent. He has no concept of a fair fight and has been known to pretend to be nonfunctional or pose as a statue in order to get the drop on an enemy.

Personality:

While he may appear to be a mindless construct, Aerarius's mind is as human as the day of his transference. He feels emotions just like a living being, and while some of his baser human urges like hunger have faded, he still vividly remembers them. Above all, Aerarius is a man of hope. Before the war, he dreamed of becoming a magitech artificer, hoping to contribute to the advancement of his kingdom's wondrous works and knowledge. After losing his homeland and witnessing the destruction of his society's collected knowledge, he dedicated himself wholly to battling against the Volstanian Empire, intent on living to see it destroyed and the damage inflicted undone.

While Aerarius misses some of the sensations of his old body, he does not regret giving it up- he'd likely be dead if he hadn't become an automaton. He doesn't know if his body will eventually succumb to wear, but he will keep it functioning as long as he possibly can- he wants to witness when the world finally begins to get better, and he'll do whatever he can to make it happen.

In person, he is highly patient and very methodical in all that he does, whether it is swinging a sword, etching an enchantment, or speaking with someone, to the point that he may seem slow at first glance. While initially he had no tolerance for those who mistook him for a simple-minded construct, he has learned to accept it, and even take advantage of the misconception when the opportunity presents itself.

History:

Aerarius was born in a nation known for its advanced magitech. It was his dream to attend the Royal Institute of Magical Technology, the kingdom's most prestigous center of learning. As his family was lacking in wealth and prestige, only avenue for Aerarius to join the Royal Institute was to serve a tour of duty in the royal army. His efforts paid off- after being discharged, he managed to get accepted into the institute. It was during his third year of study that the kingdom was one of the first to be invaded by the Volstanian Empire. The war went very poorly, and as the enemy advanced on the capital, the High Artificer of the Royal Institute proposed a contingency plan to save their kingdom- they would transfer the souls of willing soldiers into the bodies of alloy automatons and create a tireless, metallic army. Aerarius was among those who volunteered to be turned into an automaton soldier, willingly sacrificing his body to save his homeland.

The automatons, dubbed the Brass Legion, proved considerably more effective than standard soldiers and even stalled the Volstanian advance, but it was not enough. The capital city was besieged by an overwhelming force and most of the Brass Legion fell in a last stand. To ensure that the technology could not be misused, the High Artificer destroyed all research pertaining to the soul transfer process, and destroyed the foundry where the automatons were constructed Aerarius was the only automaton to escape, having joined with a group of soldiers who had chosen to fight their way out of the city rather than die in a futile stand.

After escaping, he rejoined the fight under the banner of the Alliance. As the conflict dragged on, he learned to master his new body, even making his own modifications to it, and became one of the Alliance's best warriors, chosen to be sealed away.

Other: Aerarius carries a sword and retractable shield. He also has a few tools stored in compartments beneath his exterior plating.

[User]
Ah.

So they had forgotten?

"... I suppose it only makes sense," Sylphie said, cocking her head to one side. "After all, it's been so long since I've had a chance to let loose. It's been far too long since I was able to punish the wicked for their misdeeds."

The tiny girl titled her wrist, sliding her left foot backwards as she did. The bandits' charge wasn't disorganized and reckless, the average fighter likely would have been overwhelmed.

Sylphie smirked. Average fighters indeed would be overwhelmed. They would be killed by the assault. But... oh, these bandits didn't know, they didn't realize. They didn't understand the opponent they were facing. Not at all. Not even slightly! This was something totally, completely, utterly, beyond anything they could expect!

Her heart was beating faster and faster. She could taste their evil intent and it served only to cause her excitement to spike up further, to fill her body with the warmth. They hadn't surrendered. They hadn't repented for their sins. This was something they had brought entirely and completely on themselves, and she would relish in their poor decision-making.

Unrepentant sinners had forfeited their lives. It was a simple rule.

"Then allow me to teach you something once more, o sinners," Sylphie continued, her smirk spreading into a wide grin as the glee seeped into her voice, "To teach you about the retribution that the wicked should fear!"

Her body moved. It was difficult for a human observer to understand, as the tiny black-haired girl felt the wind whipping past her body. The bandit who had moved first was the one she had chosen as her target, and in a split second she had reached him.

A blade that large shouldn't have been able to move that elegantly or swiftly, and yet it did all the same. As it had done many times before.

The man's body came to a halt.

His head came free from his body, with a cut so impossibly clean it didn't look like it was something that could be seen in this reality. Blood spurted from the stump of his neck as the corpse toppled to the ground, hand still gripping that sword.

The second man half-stumbled in his attempt to attack, stunned briefly as he swung his axe down by the sight of one of his fellows being decapitated so effortlessly. Sylphie's sword cut into his waist from his back and out his front, nearly severing his body completely in half.

Sylphie let out a giggle. Crushing sinners, claiming victory, slaughtering the wicked...!

Oh, it had been far too long!

She lunged forward, as the next bandit stumbled back in shock and fear. The tip of her blade penetrated his armor like it didn't exist, the thick sword piercing through his front and out his back. Casually, the demigoddess lifted her sword, taking his body with it. She flicked it to the side, flinging the limp corpse away.

"Allow me to introduce myself once more!" cried Sylphie with a wide grin, thrusting her bloodstained blade into the air, "I am Sylphie Sorvost, Aphei's Left Seat!"

[Assistant]
~Izel~

---

Izel watched as Sylphie enthusiastically introduced herself. How adorably violent, but it seemed like the bandits were completely immune to fear. Or perhaps they had forgotten it? Ufu, well then, Sylphie was certainly going to enjoy herself. The bandits didn't hesitate to rush them, thinking them nothing more than exactly as Izel said. Innocent girls lost in the mountains, easy prey for the vile people like them.

The mage merely watched with mild curiosity as they rushed them. A good formation, for average people. How boring. They weren't going to be good entertainment at all, were they? The mage sighed lightly. Unlike Sylphie, this was going to be utterly boring for her it looked like.

While several headed for Sylphie, Izel coldly faced those headed for her.

"My my, so rude and brutish. When a cute girl asks for help, you give it to her." Izel let out a long, drawn out sigh. "But I suppose you uneducated flies wouldn't understand that, would you?" She supposed she could just wipe them all out here, but where would the fun in that be? She wanted some entertainment after all.

The bandit that rushed her swung his sword - from an outside perspective, it seemed like it had hit her - yet it sliced nothing but air.

"Yoohoo, what are you aiming at, hm?" Izel had somehow moved from where she had been standing to a space five feet away, waving playfully at the bandit. "Seeing things are you? My, perhaps you need a doctor?" Another bandit made another attempt to strike, but his blade struck air all the same. "Ah, ah, really. Are you so easily fooled by that?" The second bandit's eyes widened as a cold, pair of hands gripped the side of his face from behind. "No fun at all, are you?"

To onlookers horror, his entire body began petrifying. The bandit shouted, screaming and clutching at his throat in horror as slowly he was turned to stone.

"Whoopsie." Izel was standing behind him, flexing one of her hands. "Oh dear, all I wanted to do was share a bit of knowledge with him. Oh well~" The tone of her voice and what she was saying sharply contradicted the other. The first bandit, undeterred headed right for Izel...and this time his sword struck!

But -

"You even kill your own comrades. My my, you bandits are an honorless lot." Izel was standing behind him, and he had just struck down one of the other bandits. A grin formed on Izel's lips, slowly growing as she turned to face the group of bandits. "Well, I suppose it's about time I stopped playing around with kid games, then, hm?" She raised her arm towards the group of bandits. This was a rather inelegant spell, but often times such brute force was needed for a show of power.

A fireball formed in her hand, before it grew, nearly tripling in size. With barely a thought, it blasted through the group of bandits, slamming into one of their fortifications and exploding on impact.

[User]
I can't say I'm surprised. Sylphie was never one for subtlety, Aerarius thought as he silently assessed the situation. There didn't seem to be any traps ahead, and the bandits were already alerted, so he saw no point in trying to preserve the element of surprise. Lastly and most importantly, he knew he wouldn't learn much by sitting back here while Sylphie and Izel did all the work.

"If you don't mind, Byron, I'm going to assist them," he spoke to the beastman. Immediately after voicing his intentions, he dashed up the hill after the others. A small, metallic dome shaped shield unfolded around his left arm. His right arm gripped the sword resting in a rigid sheath on his waist, drawing it from its resting place.

His seeming enthusiasm to join the fray wasn't to shed blood or amuse himself. No, Aerarius' goal was to gather information and knowledge. The fighting style employed by the bandits, the architecture of their camp, the armor and weaponry they used, all of these were things he wished to know and understand. It wasn't an option to stay behind, because if Aerarius did so, Sylphie would kill all of the bandits and Izel might turn the camp into a smoldering crater before he had a chance to observe, study, and perhaps capture someone to interrogate.

The two of them had already dispatched the bandits in their way, so he would need to head further up. The automaton rushed past Sylphie and Izel, bashing a bandit with his shield along the way, and slowed to a stop at the breach where Izel's fireball struck. Shrouded by the smoke and dust of the explosion, but also unable to see what lay beyond, he slowly walked forward out of the smoke, no longer afraid of anything the bandits could possibly throw at him (or, for that matter, whatever his more reckless allies might throw from behind him) and ready to reintroduce the might of the Brass Legion to the world.


[System]
NICKNAME: Lila, Bombshell, Princess (what her father and grandparents calls her)

AGE: 22

GENDER: Female

EX: Hunter

FAVORITE MUSIC: Indie Rock, Rock, Pop, a little Hip-Hop. Dislikes Classical, any type of Metal, Country, Rap and R&B

FAVORITE COLOR: Magenta, Silver, Bronze, Gold, Blood Red, Navy Blue

HOBBY(s): Reading, Shopping, Going out with friends, Walks on the beach, Netflix, Traveling

PERSONALITY: Friendly, Passionate, Intense, Jealous, Loyal, Outgoing, Vengeful, Stubborn, Impatient, Flirtatious.

TATTOOS/PIERCINGS/OTHER: One piercing on each ear. One tattoo of five black stars in form of an S in her left forearm.

MAJOR IN COLLEGE: Chemistry Senior

OTHER: Delilah Duclerc comes from a privileged family. Her father is a well-known lawyer with vast knowledge in politics and economy, who decided to run for Blackwood (their hometown) mayor for the Democrats, won and is currently on his last term. On the other hand, her mother was an auditor for an important company before she resigned to take the role of Blackwood's First Lady. Lila is the type of girl that never forgives or forgets. Enjoys swearing. Only her ex knows what a freak she is in bed.

[User]
---

Clover's been in the gym for about thirty five minutes before she realizes anything is a miss.

The ginger girl had tried her hardest to sleep in that morning and not work out, she was on vacation after all, but in the end she hadn't been successful in that endeavor. She just kept imaging applying for the police academy after graduation and failing the physical exam by one push up, all because she decided to slack off during her spring break. If she didn't become a conservation officer, than what the hell was she going to do with a degree in ecology and wildlife conservation?

'I'd starve, that's what I'd do,' she thinks to herself a little facetiously as she re-racks her weights and heads over to the treadmills. Clover hadn't really put a lot of work into her appearance before coming to the fitness center, she was just going to get all sweaty and gross anyways, what was the point? The lithe girl had just put her hair up in a ponytail, slapped on some deodorant, pulled on her sneakers, and headed out the door. Clover stuffs her earbuds in and by the time the freckled girl actually starts running, Nicki Minaj and Beyonce are well into singing about how they where feeling themselves.

Once she'd started to warm up, Clover let her mind drift, thinking about how unlucky Delilah and Addy were. Seriously, what were the odds of running into both of their exes on this ship? 'That would the worst,' she muses, her stomach twisting a little at the thought of seeing her old boyfriend here. She tries to stop that train of thought, but she's never been the best at that sort of that thing, so she decides to people watch instead and just pray that it runs it's course. Her blue eyes drift from passenger to passenger, until they finally land on a man that looks awfully familiar for some reason. Clover is panting at this point and she squints to try and get a better look at him.

'...Is that Jar?'

Was the universe really this cruel?

He was standing at the drink bar, looking as handsome as ever with his perfect hair and his stupidly adorable cheek bones and Clover was in the rattiest t-shirt she owned and she was going to set this whole ship on fire and then swim back to shore because she wasn't ready to face him and pretend like she wasn't devastated that one day he had just decided over a bowl of popcorn that they weren't going to work and she was going to have to move to Africa to get away from this man and--

Somewhere, in the midst of her panicked ramblings, Clover actually forgets to run. The convener belt keeps rolling and soon the redhead is falling backwards, her arms pin wheeling comically before she losses her footing completely and falls flat on her back. "Hgn," she says pitifully, her chest heaving as she tries to get her wind back and hopes that by some miracle he didn't see her.

[Assistant]
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

"Well, if it makes you feel better. You're not the only one that has to deal with his ex on this damn ship. That said, mine ran away the moment she saw me." He sighed, he was feeling rather sorry for Hunter. What kind of crazy ex did he have? He made her sound like the daughter of some maffia boss, save for the legal part. Jules grinned when Hunter asked him how he would deal with this, Hunter knew that Jules had a thing for getting his way with people. "Well, first of all. It'd be one hell of a legal battle. My father has a pretty great legal team at his disposal and my sister's a pretty darn good lawyer as well." Jules actually didn't speak often of his family, not even to his friends. Even though he was rather well off, the familial situation was rather messy. "In your case, however, it sounds like you are dealing with someone far above you in status and resources. It's going to depend a lot on a person-by-person basis, but there are a few nice general life lessons."

Jules leaned back on the railing put his hand to his chin and closed his eyes, his standard thinking pose, for a few seconds. He then opened his eyes and spoke slowly "First of all, be proactive. Take action and get resolve it. If you wait to take action until something happens, that something will probably be bad for you. f she's the one that can destroy you, act to resolve before she can do so." Jules then rose two fingers "Second, think win-win. It's much easier to resolve something with someone if they get something out of it. Also, consider what your win is in this situation and work towards that." He then rose the third finger "Lastly, the most important one: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Listen damn well to her and genuinely try to understand her. That makes a person more likely to listen to you and understand you and seek a positive solution." These were some pretty general lessons, but they weren't often utilized well or at all. They were actually three habits of seven used for attaining goals and character ethic. The other ones wouldn't really help this situation. Jules put the hand he was holding up on Hunter's shoulder "Keep those in mind and try to work something out. Can't really help more without actually knowing her, sorry for that." He smiled as got up from his leaning position "Alright then, I'm off to bed. Good night."

The next day

Somehow when he woke up, he had the short hope that yesterday had been a dream. A bad dream in which he goes on a cruise with his friends and meets his ex. Maybe today was truly the day that they would depart. But no, everything was real. He was stuck on this ship with Addy. Then again, were things truly that bad? She wanted to avoid him like the plague and he wanted nothing to do with her. He knew that wasn't really possible. His mood just darkened whenever he saw her. Whenever they'd run into eachother, they'd ruin eachother's day even without doing anything. Maybe he should take his own advice and work things out? Or maybe he should devise an alternative plan, one that involves his entertainment at the cost of hers? That would certainly keep his spirits up. If he couldn't remove her presence, he could at the very least use it to his advantage if he got the chance. He stopped the train of thought. These were actions to be decided at a later moment, or maybe not at all. Maybe it turned out he lived in the reality where the astronomically small chance of not encountering eachother at all for the rest of the vacation was the truth? He could only hope as much.

Jules slowly got out of bed and walked directly into the bathroom. He undid himself of his boxers and showered for at least a good fifteen minutes. He took the time to contemplate his next action. Ultimately he decided to give the library a try. There were few things as relaxing as a good book. Maybe there was something he could borrow for the trip to keep his mind from the things he didn't want to think about. He brushed his teeth and dressed himself in jeans and a white blouse. The library was about a ten minute walk from his room, and rather uneventful. He looked around as he walked, mentally noting interesting places to visit at least once during his stay. He walked accross this one restaurant that looked like it served some legit French cuisine. Maybe that would be where he'd get his dinner tonight.
When he finally arrived at the library, he was actually rather surprised by its size. He hadn't expected a library on a cruise to have a selection of books this large. He waded through the bookshelves, looking for anything of interest. Eventually he stumbled upon a section filled with tragedies. He went by the books one by one, looking for any writers he knew. Jules had a weird thing for tragedies. They were the kind of stories he enjoyed the most. Perhaps just the right book he needed was hidden somewhere in these shelves.

[User]
Delilah, being the over-dramatic diva that she was, hadn't simply settled for getting a massage at the spa: she'd come to the conclusion that this crisis she had faced required a much deeper, intense therapy. And so, the sneaky girl had managed to charm the spa's personnel and got a chocolate facial and mani-pedi to further lift her spirits. By the time she was strutting out of the spa with no tension in her back, glowing skin and and freshly-painted pink glitter nails (call her childish, but there was nothing Lila loved more in her nails than pink glitter polishes even if they were a nightmare to remove later), the sun had set and stars shone like diamonds on a velvet, dark-blue sky. A chilly breeze lightly played with her chocolate locks of hair, and Delilah wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. She rummaged through her bag in search of her phone and gasped when she read the time on the screen. There were also a few messages from Clover and Adelisa worriedly asking about her whereabouts, so she quickly responded to them before taking the elevator back to their suite.

The whole Hunter situation had dampened her excitement about the cruise for a while, but sometime during her massage she'd come to the conclusion that this was actually the perfect opportunity to show him just how irrelevant he was in her life. What had he offered her in the first place anyway, other than headaches and problems? Their short-lived relationship had actually been quite sweet at the beginning, but from the moment she'd discovered his alcoholism, tried unsuccessfully to get him to recover, grew resentful of this and realized had absolutely nothing on her, it was clear that things were set up for failure. The 'hitting her with his car' incident had just been the nail in the coffin. There was also the fact that they hadn't been intimate... But now, at least in Lila's eyes, that had probably been a blessing and destiny's way of telling her she was barking up the wrong tree.

In conclusion: Delilah Christine Duclerc deserved much better than Hunter Monroe. And she was damn sure she was going to get it.

Back in her usual confident, queen-of-the-world attitude, Lila took a quick shower, dolled herself up a little and enjoyed some dinner at the Italian place she'd seen earlier before having a few drinks at the Suite Lounge bar in the fourteenth floor. By the time she had made her grand exit calling it a night and heading back to her suite for her mandatory beauty rest, she'd managed to score three different phone numbers and hadn't had to pay for a single drink. All in all, it had been a productive day.

---

It was nearly eleven o'clock when Delilah's eyes slowly opened in welcome of a new day. As she rubbed her eyes and mustered up the strength to get out of bed, she thought about how it was actually quite a miracle that she was up this 'early', since her normal wake-up time during vacations and weekends was after twelve o'clock. When she finally stood up, Lila headed to the bathroom for a quick shower and got dressed for the day in a white crochet bikini, a spaghetti-strapped V-necked mint green cover-up dress, white flip-flops and a small white beach bag. She glammed up her lips with a magenta-pink lip gloss, let her brown hair loose and nearly bathed herself with her signature sweet-fruity body splash (as usual), because there was no way in hell she'd be walking around smelling like nothing. Lila sent a quick text to Clover and Adelisa explaining her plans in case they wanted to join her at any point before putting on her Oakley sunglasses, exiting their suite and heading down to the main dining room in the second floor.

Lucky for her, the cruise had a breakfast buffet that lasted until 12 PM, so she was able to stuff herself with scrambled eggs, pancakes, toast and sausages along with a tall glass of strawberry lemonade while examining her options of what to do next. Seeing as she didn't have the chance to visit the Solarium the past day because of stupid Hunter (it seemed he always found a way to ruin everything), Lila decided to head over there as soon as she finished her brunch. After all, how else was she supposed to meet potential babes and maintain that gorgeous natural tan of hers? Later, she planned to visit Johnny Rockets for a late lunch to enjoy one of those bacon, mushrooms and Swiss cheese burgers she enjoyed so much (with fries and a chocolate shake, of course!), take a nap at her room and maybe swing by the ice skating rink before it was time to head back to the suite to get ready for the night. According to the cruise schedule, there was a deck party happening tonight at the fourteenth floor, and that was something that Lila did not want to miss.

Once at the eleventh floor, Lila marveled at the gorgeous architecture and decoration of the paradise-like Solarium. It was set to resemble a beach-side hotel complete with palm trees and hammocks, but the definite highlight of the place were the hanging jacuzzis made completely out of glass panes to give off a floating illusion and at the same time have you experience the most stunning view of the open sea. This time, Lila brought only the essentials with her: her room key, phone, earphones, lip balm and tanning oil; so she was able to place them in a free locker for safekeeping before walking over to one of the hanging jacuzzis. She carefully stepped into one of them and let out a small gasp of delight at the comfortable temperature of the water: just cool enough to feel refreshed while the blazing sun warmed up her skin. Sitting with her back to the deck and facing the view of the deep blue ocean waters, Lila cracked a satisfied smile. This was the life.