[System]
BURNING BRIDGES FROM THE INSIDE OUT, ONE DAY I'LL BE STRONGER THAN MY OWN DOUBT
what did you think would happen when you put me in an unnatural space?

---
03 NOV 2149P L A C E O F B I R T H
Marseille, France, Earth.B I O L O G I C A L S E X
FemaleB L O O D T Y P E
O+H E I G H T
177 centimetresW E I G H T
62 KilogramsI M P L A N T S
L2

Kalyani hates her biotics.

Well, that's not quite right. Kalyani likes using her biotics. The ripple of eezo in her tissue, the way her skin burns as her corona flares to life, the rush of power when reality bends--that she'll never tire of.

It's just everything else. It's BAaT.

Her parents were just trying to help, she knows, but she can't help but hate their willingness to give her away. Conatix had promised they'd teach her. This was what was best for her, for humanity, they insisted. Their pretty words had won even Kalyani over. The idea of learning with others like her, training to be something greater, sounded wonderful.

Needless to say, BAaT didn't measure up to her expectations. 'Brain Camp' was a hilarious misnomer. It was no haven for bookworms like Kalyani; it was more a death by a thousand cuts. Her world narrowed from dreams of wandering the stars to the halls of Jump Zero. The incomprehensible emptiness of space left room for nothing else.

At least, she'd thought, she could go home when she came of age.

Upon reflection, that was rather naive. Five years of keeping her head down, of senselessly pushing herself to the brink, of trying to behave her way into freedom only made things worse. She'd excelled; Conatix had need of excellent mentors. And without a credit to her name, how exactly could she make her way back to Earth?

All this power and she can't get a fucking ride home.

[User]
It was going to be one of those days.

Life in BAaT was never pleasant, but it was usually less awful. Kalyani had perfected the art of keeping her head down. It was a solid strategy. There were nearly three hundred students stuffed into these soulless walls; they caused enough trouble to keep most of the instructors busy. She'd been lucky enough to take to her biotics quickly. Excelling was dangerous, and so she bit back every protest and made herself as bland as possible. It was enough to keep her safe.

Except, of course, when it didn't.

Court looked so scared. He'd been on Jump Zero maybe a year at the most, and he hadn't learned to keep his mouth shut. He had all the makings of trouble—anger and a stubborn refusal to accept his lot. A few years ago, he might have gotten off with extra training and a few months of restriction. Once he'd tired of the isolation and the hunger deep in his bones, he'd have learned. Awful, yes, but effective.

Throwing him to the wolves seemed needlessly cruel. What good could come of having a child--too young to even have his implants--try and fight? It didn't help. It was just senseless, inefficient even. Not that anyone cared. Not that she truly cared. She never said anything.

Kalyani breathed deep, the familiar tingle whispering through her skin.

And then fucking Nagamura mouthed off.

The training room flooded with whispers, little knives of viciousness and relief. Any time someone else was under the weight of turian eyes, the world got a little bit safer for the others. Kalyani turned her back on Court's pale face, trying not to let relief flood her veins prematurely.

Kicking the shit out of a scared little kid was one thing; fighting one of the assholes that drank the BAaT kool-aid was another thing entirely. Kalyani liked those matches.

Caelnus' mandibles flared with what seemed like interest. His head cocked to one side, unblinking stare moving between the two of them in blatant appraisal. A long, terrible moment passed. Turians didn't smile properly; they just bared their teeth, neat little lines of razors. It was a classic threat display. Effective.

"Permission granted," Caelnus' flanging voice seemed to echo in the stillness of the training room, ringing with amusement.

Court shuffled off the mat, looking particularly small against the gathering crowd of students. Kalyani supposed this was a Learning Experience. It was strange being a part of this, being the whip when she'd spent what felt like forever at its mercy.

Kalyani stepped back smoothly, dark eyes focusing on Nagamura as she found her place. Cruelty seemed etched in his every raw, jagged line, like BAaT had crawled inside him and flooded his veins. He was fire and ruthless competition, the same viciousness she'd seen in her own classmates, in her own silence.

A familiar prickle began to build at the base of her skull, an electric bite flooding her senses. One moment she stood tall and rigid, posture too perfect—and then she flowed, slipping into a neutral stance, hands aloft and at the ready. She could practically feel her nerves humming, yearning to fire. The skin around her implants itched, fiery hot, ever sensitive.

Her hands snapped, one arm drawing back, the other dropping low and grasping at air, fingers arched like claws. A rush of power screamed through her, silver and cobalt blooming from her skin in a violent corona. She pushed, throwing a line of screaming blue light, sparking as gravity caved to her will.

Again. And again. It was simple to move, gathering mass effect fields, body surging with negative current. It was like it rushed to answer her, like it wanted to obey. Her heart leapt at the thrill of it, at how the nodules practically burned in her tissue, like little suns burrowed into her flesh. They answered so readily to her simple throws, watching as they shattered in sparks against flares of barriers. Learning.

[Assistant]
Yoroi was stepping onto the faux-leather padding as soon as Caelnus gave his blessing, not bothering to watch Court disappear back into the mass of waiting students. Good that he'd gone for it--did the turian know it was better this way, or was he just looking for something more entertaining to watch? Yoroi didn't know or care. It had worked. Now it was just him in Kalyani.

Good.

He wasn't going to win this match. Say what you want about her, Madan knew her shit. You didn't get to Step Nine any other way, even taking five years to do it. Most of the time she was all limp kitten, putting in the bare minimum to pass the muster and make the hawks happy, but there were more than a few hard boys who'd found out the that when it came right down to it she was a fucking natural. Even now, watching her prime, Yoroi could tell by the way her aura _flowed_ that she was starting to get into it. He remembered his parents, his friends, the teachers at school after Conatix got through with their civilian party line--they might have gotten the kids there with promises of glory and distant horizons, but they'd gotten the signature on the permission form with fear.

Do you know what your child is capable of?
You've no idea what he'll do if he doesn't learn to control himself.
What if he flips out or something? I'm out, man, I'm not screwing around with no freak.
I'm not trying to alarm you, but in certain cases biotic episodes have been known to turn violent.

Yeah. Fucking cases like this one.

Yoroi had watched more than his fair share of the older students training--the instructors didn't like it, worried that some Step One jackass would lose it and breach something probably, but he'd seen some of what they were up to. He knew Madan was more than the wet blanket she pretended to be, and now he was going to feel it. Ready to dance, he settled himself in--

And she was already on him. He'd watched that glow slide right through her pale olive skin, eezo nodes jacked up and raring to go, and still he almost missed her first shot.

Almost. If there was something Yoroi was good at, it was barriers. Projection was his problem, controlling those rippling bolts of force she seemed to rattle off so easily, but his body was his turf. Like a samurai, he always thought to himself, never quite able to voice the stupid cliche aloud. Knight in shining armor. O-Yoroi. Can't beat what you can't hurt. Last moment or no his barrier was strong as anything, dissipating her torrent of strikes like water around a rock. It wouldn't hurt him, it couldn't hurt him--she might have all sorts of spin over Newtonian physics on her side of the court but her right to play with the spatial laws ended at his face.

She could do better than that. He knew it, and he was going to make her prove it.

Someone else would have taunted her. Al-Tariq would have said something shitty, called her a her something disgusting enough to make her mad, but that wasn't Yoroi's game. He didn't want to win, he wanted to win. To be so damn full of biotic fucking badassery that he could rip that taloned foot off his throat and take the leg with it. You didn't get there by being a brat--you got there by knuckling down and putting in the hours. Say what you wanted about him, Yoroi worked his ass off at BaAT and it showed.

Where Kaylani was flowing, natural, easy, Yoroi was sharp and efficient. His barriers came with a sharp clench of his right fist, his strikes with his left. His main issue in the ring was that he hadn't quite figured out how to manage one without weakening the other--focus he had plenty of, but multi-tasking? Firing without using that raw strength he had in his shield? It was tough, it took training and time he hadn't had, but that didn't mean there was nothing there. Kaylani's barrage was measured, sustainable, but each blow was weaker than his barrier by a good margin and there were enough of them to give him a good sense of how much strength he could spare. All he needed was to wait for the moment between one impact and the next--

Bingo. Kalyani was flowing-Tai-Chi, very Kung-Fu--Yoroi was Krav Maga, all sharp efficiency and vicious counterattacks. He primed-aimed-fired in the time it took him to snap forward his fist, a straight jab turned into a sledgehammer by the little eezo nodes humming under his skin. Though he didn't know it, there was one thing he and Madan were in complete agreement about.

There was nothing quite like that biotic ripple under their skin. Potential energy, literally--all potential.

It could be anything. It could do anything.

It could make Kalyani Madan wake the fuck up and try.

[User]
Kalyani had always been patient. As a girl, she'd spent months waiting for her mother to return from deployment, for her father to come home from long days at the office, for summers in the country side where she could breathe clean air once more. Jump Zero had been more of the same endless cycles of hurry up and wait that had been her whole life. If she held tight and kept herself busy, Kalyani was certain she could outlast most anything.

She could wait until Nagamura took the lead.

For only having two years under his belt, he was eerily efficient with barriers. He lacked drama or flair, and that served him well. His economy of motion was managed with an obsession that bordered on pathological. It was clean.He was an utter tool, but that didn't mean she couldn't appreciate his technique. It worked.

He snapped forward, a blow that she knew would break bones if it touched her. The air was charged, electric, blown aside by the screaming blue light that she lived for.

Kalyani moved directly towards it, raising a forearm to take the worst of it, palms flaring open, barrier eddying in the air, grasping wisps of the impact and tugging it into its currents. Endless swirling plasma curled around her flesh, feather light whispers stoking the heat in her skin.

Sometimes it felt like she might ignite. It was worth it, in these mad moments, everything she'd been through. Every frigid, hungry night, every petty injustice, all the bullshit—it had to be worth it.

The barrier collapsed under a quick pull of hands, condensing to a shuddering mass. Unbroken, straining at the reins, kicking against her control, itching to fly apart—she flicked an arm, like skipping a stone. She was six again, finding smooth pebbles to fling into the ocean, chalky white cliffs crowding out the world but for the lazy tide, counting jumps—un, deux, trois, quatre—maman, regarder! Quatre!

The shockwave skipped across leather mats, the ground shuddering with the impact. Kalyani cocked her head, watching the warpath of her biotics.

One, two, three, four.


[System]
If it's strength you wish of me, then stand tall I shall. But a willow I will be, partial to the swaying whims of the wind, and retaining the ability to weep. Never where you may see however, for saltwater is a weakening bane.

Age
18

Sex/Gender Identity
Male

Sexual/Romantic Preference
Demisexual; Panromantic

School Year
3rd-Year High School

Pro/Anti/Neutral Match

---

Likes
– Sunlight –
– Others' joy –
– Having time to himself –

Dislikes
– Melodramatics –
– Immaturity –
– Hypocrisy; Injustice –

Hobbies
– Listening to music –
– Writing; Reading –

Fears
– That he may chase away the people he holds dear. –
– Dying young –
– Waking, and finding he is not sure of who is (or should act as) anymore –

---

Personality
Cheerful | Easy-going | A people-pleaser | Strives to maintain harmony | Calm demeanour | Has fire in his blood for when stoked | In his head sometimes

Biography
William's quite the unassuming boy. Coming from parents who were several nuances of detached in marriage, he has witnessed them arguing before, but not enough that it was a common occurrence in the Cresthall household. Each incident of their conflicts – few though they were relatively – would leave him badly-shaken, perhaps more so than strictly necessarily. But it was nothing he could help.

For all intents and purposes, William is mature, with many years of experience in handling his younger and admittedly wild, out-of-hand sister. His father had high expectations of him, and his mother countered them with constant reassurances that, "Trying your best is all that matters." Their parenting styles did not align, but William found that as long as he did his best and the best, they would have nothing to argue about.

William has had a history of being whatever anyone else needed of him – a listening ear, a shoulder that would begin dry but inevitably end damp, a body to lean on. He's never minded, really, but he does wish that those people who approached him, with some sort of ailment or ache about them, would not leave so casually, once their tears were shed and their laments spilled. But this seems so selfish to say, so William has kept it close to his chest.

William has not been in a relationship before, so Ivy Wood Academy is sure to be an experience for him. He doesn't believe, however, that the match programme will be able to pair him with someone, and expect that they will immediately click. You might say he is a demiromantic, but he is of the mind that a durable relationship of any sort can only be built on a proper foundation, in which both partners know exactly what they're getting into. But he is all up for being proved wrong.
Extras
With black tousled hair that would appear mahogany under glaring light, William stands at 185cm (6'1") and is rather slim. He is partial to domesticated, furry mammals. He does not really take to the nickname Will.

[User]
Rebecca Callaghan

Eclipse Dorms

Rebecca couldn't help the glimmer of wry amusement she felt when Max mentioned how they were finally living together. It had taken months of subtle hints and polite requests before she'd managed to erode his will enough to get him to agree to the move. "I wouldn't say it's weird, just...different." She said between mouthfuls. "In a way I'm excited. This is an adventure." She certainly sounded earnest as she said this.

Noticing that Max had already finished his meal, Rebecca quickly finished off the last of hers and then stood up to clear away the dishes. She placed them in the kitchen sink, making a mental note to wash them later on. "So..." She said, leaning on the kitchen counter as she looked over at him. "Is there anything you'd like to do? I'm not really sure what the protocol is with new...roommates?" She ventured, unsure how exactly to label their relationship. Should she call him her Boyfriend? Her Match? "I'm happy with whatever you want to do..." She said, a little aimlessly, flip-flopping yet again between excited and nervous.

[Assistant]
Niall Christianson
Comet Dormitory - Match Office

Niall could tell Blake was in his own little world inside the book now so he left him be, he needed to move anyhow. He still had on his boots from when he'd gotten here nearly three hours ago and simply hadn't bothered to take them off. He figured he might as well head to the match office and find his new match. Her name was Amanda and he prayed to the Moon that she would be the one he could finally take home to the pack. They were not all related but they were his family and his everything and he was their would-be King. He would rule them one day, perhaps with Amanda by his side if she could handle the wild that lived within him and within his pack.

So he strode out of their room offering a wave to Blake though he doubted he would even see it let alone notice he was gone for quite sometime. He kept his steps measured, as was customary to keep the beast within him in line. He was still young and he would appear this way for quite some time. If he were to marry a human his wife's aging would be tied to his own and would slow to match his or accelerate to match his own. He arrived rather quickly, when you're six foot six nearly six seven you do tend to arrive at places on foot rather quickly. Especially when you're a Lycan and might be moving a little faster than you should. Niall made sure to soothe the beast before he went inside. Settling down mentally and emotionally and removing any trace of the wolf before he entered the building. He opened the door and made his way inside.

[User]
Amanda JamesCresent Dorms - Match Office

Amanda looked up at Magdaline with a small hopeful smile on her face.  "I'm gonna go into the medical field. I wanna be a PA, specifically. " She was happy to see that  her room mate wanted to start getting to know her. "Sure! Just let me finish-" Her phone started vibrating.  "Huh?" She picked it up and was a bit surprised. "Sorry, but my Match wants to meet me for the first time now. I gotta change and run over to the Match Office. Maybe we could maybe go out for some coffee or something when I get back?" She started digging through her bag and pulled out a light blue dress before running into the bathroom to change quickly. She grabbed her flats and jogged out after a few mintues.

She started off for the Match Office.  A million thoughts ran through her mind on the way there. Did she look ok?  Would he like her? Was he involved with someone else and want to just let her down before she got any ideas?  Hopefully she didn't talk too much around him or annoy him too much. She got to the front door, taking a deep breathe before going in. There were a few people inside, but only one guy was alone and seemed to be waiting for someone. Man...he was tall. She was only 5 foot 3.  She should have worn heels. Amanda glanced at her phone for what his name was before mustering up some courage to walk over to him.  "Hey, are you Niall?" The girl asked as she approached him.

@Aspen Wren

[Assistant]
Outside of the Crescent Dormitory

With the cat back safely in her arms Isabella had turned to leave the male behind outside without so much as a thank you though he had spoken to her again. He was trying to be a gentleman, she could tell as he offered her his aide and she turned to look at him again, having not taken a single step away from him yet. "Where one cannot enter, it is safe to wait; patience is always rewarded." The young woman didn't wait for a response from the male and turned away from him, walking calmly back to the door and inside to bring her cat back up to her dorm room. It took her over ten minutes to walk back up with the struggling feline in her arms and gather her things; shutting the door quickly so that Virgil wouldn't be able to escape again.

While she was in her room she'd fixed her hair and gotten the cat hair off of her dress, the fabric purely black again in stark contrast to her pale skin. Black lips and long eyelashes added to her elegant features, framed by a fringe of natural raven black hair with locks falling on either side of her face. It was straight and long, the very tips coming to a stop at the small of her back and more often than not she'll pull it back in some sort of old, gothic style though today it was left long and flat; gleaming and soft. Walking back out of the dorm so glanced around to see if the male had really waited for her.

---

[User]
Kali Cross
Comet Dormatory - Front

When Kali stepped out of the shower, the first she did was check her phone. Of course you were. I can always expect to find you at the gym. Just a step up from McDonalds, I figured we could grab some take out and then eat it back here. So don't worry much about what you're wearing. I'll meet you out front. Kali laughed to herself at Dean's comment. He wasn't wrong, exercise was a stress reliever for Kali, so she did spend quite a bit of time there. With this new info, Kali threw on a loose white tanktop, with black skinny jeans, and black converse that she had with her. Then she threw her workout clothes in a bag along with her tennis shoes. Kali briskly walked towards Comet dorm, not wanting to make Dean wait. "Hey babe!" He called out to her. "Hey," She grinned, Kali really liked it when he called her babe. It was something about the way he said it that made Kali feel special. Of course she's probably not the only one he calls "babe", but he's the only one who has ever called her that.

"How's it been away from me? Any news on parties yet? I haven't heard anything, but I feel like I've been pretty out of the loop recently. You look good." He hummed, looking Kali over. "It's been pretty boring without you." Kali groaned. She hated being bored. "As for the parties, I heard that some high school third years where going to have a large party at one of the Eclipse dorms. I don't know the details or anyone going, but you interested?" Kali asked as they walked away from the dorm, she let Dean lead the way since she had no idea where they were going. Speaking of which, "Where are we going?" she asked, her gym bag swinging in her right hand. She didn't want to hit Dean, who was on her left, with it.

[Assistant]
Niall Chrstianson
Match Office

Niall stood waiting only a very few moments it seemed before he heard a set of footsteps outside. They were light footsteps, not harsh or upset but quick and almost excited sounding. However they hesitated before the sound of the door swishing open and the room filled with warmer outside air filled with different scents. He inhaled, definitely female, he kept his back turned as if he could not hear the girl, Amanda. He was grateful he had remembered to shave this morning now. He was almost a bit nervous but the beast pushed it aside, reminding him of who and what he was. He had soothed the wolf almost into a sleep but it had awoken, a constant presence in his mind and body.

He could feel the air stop as she hesitated before moving closer and speaking. "Hey, are you Niall?" came a lovely voice that reminded him of the soft coo of the doves that were frequent sights in his pack's territory. He was almost startled but kept his face calm. He pulled down the sleeves of the black t-shirt he had put on to hide what of his tattoos he could hide, sometimes they could startle people. He turned in a rather quick movement, spinning a bit on his heel to face the girl. He was so used to the women in his pack being at least slightly tall, around five foot ten, when he had to look nearly straight down he was a bit startled by how tiny this girl was. He was well over a foot taller than she was if not over a foot taller than she was. She was thin and almost delicate looking like a flower with long medium dark hair. He tried his best to keep his face as friendly as possible. He smiled down at her, "Yes, I am. You must be Amanda, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm sorry I couldn't be here earlier, I had a few things I needed to do."

[User]
Amanda JamesMatch Office

"It worked out ok, I was running a little late to get here." She smiled a little, rubbing the back of her neck. "First things first, I guarantee you that I am not 12, but, infact, 18." The shorter girl joke lightly. Her baby face usually got her held up and questioned before finally being allowed to go in. She inspected him and found that her Match was attractive physically. She could only dream that he had a personality to match. She wondered briefly what they should do before looking up at him again. She really should have worn heels. "Is there anything you want to do in particular? " She asked a little curiously.

Not much flew through her mind at the possibility of what they could do as a way to get to know each other. Maybe she should start a conversation about their interests. "So Niall, what do you like to do for fun?" She asked after a small silence had fallen over them. Maybe he was a writer like her and Magdaline. Or maybe they weren't his thing. She was sure she put no preference in the interviews she had conducted with the school online. Amanda felt the nervousness set in, and with that came the need to fill the silence. While she could resist the urge rather well, it didn't mean that she couldn't accidentally start talking too much. "I, uh, don't really know my way around yet, so I'm not too familiar with what we could do around here."

Wren

[Assistant]
Outside of Crescent Dormitory
William didn't get her name, but instead, "Where one cannot enter, it is safe to wait; patience is always rewarded." Perplexion wrinkled his brow - was that a riddle he was meant to decipher? It's meaning was clear enough, but the manner in which it was conveyed...that confused him. By the time he managed to wipe the expression of his face however, the girl was gone, cat in tow. Rubbing the nape of his neck, William found a wall to lean against. She hadn't expressly told him to be gone, had mentioned patience, so wait he did, for ten minutes to pass.

When the girl appeared once more from the dorm, William pushed himself off the wall, his bag swinging behind him. Her hair - long and silken - brushed her lower back. Even from the distance, he could see pitch-black lips and long eyelashes as the girl's gaze panned the courtyard. He blinked momentarily at her, taking in the details of her appearance, before he could remember to gather his feet and take a few steps towards her, a gentle grin on his face. Looking over her belongings, he offered open palms, though he didn't expect to be handed any books. He was a stranger, after all, and she didn't seem to be the very trusting type. But no matter if so.

"You still haven't told me your name," he said, one side of his lips curling upwards in an almost teasing manner. Turning on his heel to face the gate of Crescent Dormitory, he nodded down the path. "Where are you headed?"


[System]
"Let the light that all dying men see shine upon you! The Mourningstar!"
Theme:

Gender: Female

Species: Wisp

Goals: To conquer this pathetic realm! (And get a bit more confident as well)

Past Life: Mourningstar doesn't want to remember her past life for a variety of reasons. That fact that she was a pathetic loser with no friends outside the internet is one. The fact that she had been 25 and struggling to move out of her parent's place was another. Her crippling lack of self confidence was a very good one.

In her past life she had been a prodigy in programming, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in only two years of college and being the top of her class. The problem was that she could barely interact with people, a lifetime of shutting herself in her room to focus on her personal projects and gaming. She didn't even bother showing up to the graduation ceremony, there were way too many people there for her to even breathe much less give a big speech. She did a private celebration with her parents instead. This is how things went for 5 years, moving from job to job as a freelance programmer all from the comfort of her nice dark room.

Then of course the one time she decides to come out of the house to go get something to eat (a little self congratulatory snack after a particularly long coding session) she ends up the victim of a mugging gone wrong. She did everything right too, handed over her wallet, jacket, phone, so why did the mugger shoot? She would never know, nor did she really care. She was dead now, nothing left but to go to purgatory or whatever. So when she was given the opportunity to reincarnate in a cool fantasy world like her favorite games and anime, you can be damn sure she would take it. Nothing else better to do right?

This was her chance to reinvent herself, be more confident, attractive, powerful. So with that, the lost soul discarded the name of the old pathetic loser she used to be and adopted the name of a new, beautiful soul. She would be named Mourningstar! A bit edgy, but she liked the name, it was fun. Maybe this was a common name for monsters in the new world? Only one way to find out!

Current Skills:
Mana Orb III (3.0)
Lesser Force III (3.0125)
Levitation (--)
Magic Analysis III (3.0)
Mana Shape II (2.5)
Mana Slice II (2.0)
Monster Analysis II (2.5)
Focus I (1.1)
Taboo I (1.3)
Meditate II (2.0)
Mana Drain (1.0)
Mana Dart (1.0)
Fireball (1.0)
Shield I (1.0)
Overwork II (2.0)
<UNUSABLE>
Muffle (0.5)
Smash (0.2)
Defender (0.2)
Deception (0.3)
Charisma (0.35)
Blunt Resistance (0.2)
Mental Resistance (0.5)
Point Strike (0.1)
Fire Resistance (0.2)
Rabid Fit (0.1)
Dextrous (0.3)
Suppress Presence (0.6)
Crafting (0.1)
Blood Drain (0.9)
Intimidate (0.2)
Alert (0.5)
Keen Sight (0.2)
Plant Analysis (0.6)
Material Analysis (0.6)

Transformations: Corpselight

Inventory:Woven Cane Body Wrap:
Wisps normally cannot use equipment. This item, normally a headband for a humanoid creature, has been wrapped around your entire body. If you can find a way to fasten it, you may be able to use it without an equipment skill. However, due to its unsuitable nature, its bonuses to your stats will not be as great, and in some cases may be negated entirely.

[User]
@Rune_Alchemist @ghastlyInc @Kangutso

Happy that his plan to move more stealthily worked Danny dimmed his natural glow as much as he possibly could, and while using any outcroppings of the cavewall for cover made his way to the ceiling. It took longer than he would have liked, both due to his focus and not glowing and the lack of a straight path to the top. .Eventually he made it though and darted to the nearest stalactite.

From there he did his best his best to plot a path that would allow him to both have a good overview of the battle and minimize any changes of being seen. Of course he had never done something like that before and a good deal of his attention was focused on not glowing, so the path he settled on was from from perfect in either aspect.

Abilities:

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

Transformations:

Inventory:

[Assistant]
~The cavern~

---

Ugh, damn it!

Slow progress was progress, but it was her most disliked form of progress. As she once again, unsuccessfully managed to cast a spell and feeling a strain in the back of her mind Ash rapped her claws against the stone floor impatiently. Gah! There had to be some way to expedite the process! She'd just need to figure out something else to test it on. If she could observe magic directly being used again, it would likely make her life so much easier. Reoths question didn't help her growing levels of impatience and annoyance either.

"Because," She began in a mildly impatient manner. "A: We have MP, B: Everything else in this cave seems capable of using it on some level, so we should certainly be able too. Simple logic. I just need to...work at it a bit." Turning her attention briefly to Colchain to make sure he hadn't run off or anything, she once again focused on the task at hand. With Dany seemingly having flitted off somewhere, she was left alone to figure things out for herself. "I would appreciate no further interruptions. If you want, try doing the same as Danny suggested if you're interested." Reoth could likely continue to talk if he wanted, but she didn't seem to be in a very talkative mood now that she was focused on work.

For the rest of the night, Ash would practice with these various spells unless interrupted. Healing, Lesser Force, and Mana Orb. Lesser force would be easy enough to start with. Using this 'Force' to move objects was simple in theory. All one had to do was somehow exert this will as physical force. It seemed easier than the Healing spell, so she had to wonder why? Perhaps it had something to do with the nature of Magic in the first place? Maybe Lizards simply were suited to healing people. Hm. Either way, until she was interrupted again or succeeded in using 'Lesser Force' she wasn't going anywhere else or sleeping.

Throat Pouch:
- 5x empty slots.
Rawhide Backpack
- 5 slots

Dominated Fanged Lizard - Colchain

[User]
Ed did his best to set up as many poisoned needle traps surrounding the bonfire as fast as he could but it seemed a too short a time to set up anymore as he could hear the clamor of the goblins getting closer to the bonfire. Asteria's mother need not alert the young dire rat that the goblins and their leader was getting too close for comfort, his sharp sense of hearing already warned him that their opponents were getting too close for comfort. Hastening his efforts, he sets up the last trap and once satisfied with it's placement, he made good use of the mud camouflaging his form and snuck back to the foxhole. Though not before warning the rest of his companions that he and Asteria had set up traps in the perimeter and urging them to watch their step.

Retaking his previous position in the foxhole, he could already feel his blood quicken in his veins as if his body was already anticipating the inevitable shedding of blood. To kill or be killed, it was unavoidable choice now that he had to fight to simply keep on living in this world. Ed was unsure of the circumstances of how he wound up in this situation but chose not to dwell on the thought. He did not have the luxury of time nor energy to spare pondering. 'Its them or me. Its them or me. Its them or me. Its them or me.' Ed repeated the mantra over and over in his head, mentally preparing himself. Hoping to who ever God was listening that it would make killing them easier.

LVL: 3
HP: Hurt
SP: Rested
MP: Below Average

Effect/s: Muddy

SKILLS:
Beast Sense (1.5)
Rabid Fit (1.0)
Stronger (1.0)
__________________________________
<UNUSABLE> Muffle (0.5) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Material Analysis (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Magic Analysis (0.6) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Monster Analysis (0.6) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Faster (0.3) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Warcry (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Alert (0.3) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Dextrous (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Tremor Sense (0.025) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Mental Resistance (0.7) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Telepathy (0.075) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Mana Shape (0.6) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Focus (0.6) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Shield (0.5) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Mana Shell (0.3) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Soil Manipulation (0.4) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Overwork (0.5) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Harder (0.2) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> Crafting (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
<UNUSABLE> First Aid (0.1) <UNUSABLE>
Inventory:
-Lizard Stomach Water skin x 1 [slightly worn]

[Assistant]
---

@ReusableSword@Old Amsterdam

Damn. The spire had come close to doing it's job, but his timing ended up being off; causing the hairy bastard just to stumble. However, peering into the darkness, Jason could discern that Rattleskull had caught himself on a stony pillar, and was now searching for his unseen assailant. Countless years spent on the battlefield had trained Jason's battle senses to untold levels; weaknesses, opportunities, tactical miscalculations.... endless combat had engraved a sort of sixth sense for these things; one could even call it predatory.

Right now, such an opportunity was ripe for the taking. In the forearm exists the radial artery, if said artery were to be cut in a combat situation, fighting ability would suffer CONSIDERABLY as a result, potentially even causing the combatant to bleed out; and right now, Rattle-fuck's was ripe for the taking. Channeling his mana through the ground as it took on the aspect of earth, Jason drove his energy further on and up the pillar. A [Rock Spire I] burst forth from the pillar, poised to tear through the underside of the boss's forearm and sever the radial artery, with how focused he was on finding Jason, he'd never see it coming.

However, another problem seemed inbound. A squad of goblins led by one with broader-than-usual shoulders was headed his way. Absorbing his final mana crystal, Jason readied a [Stone Shot II] with one of his remaining spikes as he squashed himself down, compacting his body as much as he could to hide. Once their torchlight fell over his slimy body, he let loose the spike into the Brawny goblin's throat.

[User]
---

Digbie ignored his excitement at Mourningstar's return and got scared when the goblins noticed the small gathering. There was a chance he could slip into their group and wait for the ultimate backstab moment, but he couldn't risk his friends to the army that had been assaulting the massive party. He had grown attached to them, somehow. He remembered his dad saying friends were useless, but he was wrong indeed. Oh, he was wrong.

Friends were great.

So when Digbie saw his friends being attacked by a rather expansive Dire Rat, he got a bit angry. They were his friends! Why would they dare try to assault them?! Without much thought, Digbie grabbed the two biggest rocks he could and shoved them into his Ratskin Pack, beginning to rush towards Rattleskull without a second thought. He knew what he was going to do, and he was prepared to see that onslaught through!

As such, he grabbed one of the rocks and chucked it with all of his might when he got close to Rattleskull, charging it up with {Stone Shot} to give it that extra OOMPH, hoping it would be enough to get Rattleskull's attention. If not, hopefully it would leave him with a new wound to worry about. Just to be sure, though, Digbie grabbed the other rock he had shoved into the Ratskin Pack and chucked it at the Dire Rat as well.

Tossed 2 Rocks at Rattleskull with all his might (@Old Amsterdam and @Guy0fV4lor for proximity)
Powered up Rocks with Stone Shot.

---

+ {Use Light Equipment]
+ {Tremor Sense - Tier II}
+ {Soil Manipulation - Tier I}
+ {Stone Shot - Tier I}
+ <Curved Rock
TM
>
+ <Ratskin Pack
TM
>
- Mana Crystal
- Mana Crystal
- Mana Crystal
- <Woodland Pick
TM
>
- One Rock (tossed at Rattleskull)
- One Rock (tossed at Rattleskull)
- 9 Rocks
- 3 Mana Crystals
- <Stone Spike
TM
>

[Assistant]
Mourningstar appreciated the Shield, but there was no time for thanks unfortunately. Her attack on the Goblins has missed, meaning that they were now out for her blood. "Alright everyone, lets start picking them off while they're spread out! The shields look fragile, so try and break them as efficiently as you can." A Wisp that had followed her from the Wispmother's group proved her point handily, striking a shield with a Mana Orb and cracking the shield even further. Unfortunately it was quickly struck down, but the flash of ozone in the air warned of an angry momma.

"Don't attack any of the Wisps either! I don't think they're on our side, but I do know they're certainly not on the Goblin's side!" She moved over to Digbie as she called this out to the group, firing on Rattleskull with a Mana Blade at the same time that Digbie fired his Stone Shot. "Let's keep up the pressure, we outnumber them!"


[System]
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Appearance: Nobility and grace bleed through Forina's well-kept appearance. Only the gruesome nature of the battlefield seems capable of changing such images for her. Standing at a notable five feet and nine inches, Forina is fairly tall for a lady, and it adds to her already dominating and demanding visage. Despite the propensity for a lady-like grace, underneath Forina's rarely-unworn armor is a toned physique lending to her quest for power and respect.
Personality:
Prideful, harsh, strict.

Any mere nobility could produce an individual that conducts themselves properly whenever they so desired, but only a true aristocrat understood the importance of behaving at all times. In this Order of knights, Forina sees children and their chaos, unfit to hold a sword no matter how skilled they professed themselves to be. In times of war, those units which exerted the greatest discretion and self-control were the ones who truly struck fear into their enemies. Those which strode across the battlefield clad in faceless helms, and killed with a controlled violence.

This is who Forina strives to be, and what she is certain she embodies better than most in the order. To the noblewoman, a freedom to be eccentric and unconventional is what plagues the Iron Rose Knights most. Forina knows that she cannot simply dismiss such characters, but looks down upon them with no less disappointment. And yet, despite all of her favoring cohesiveness and structure, Forina takes towards a bold and independent nature on the battlefield, trusting most in herself than the help others can offer. If it weren't the case that she could handle things on her own, then her sense of superiority would surely be a lie, wouldn't it?

Even as she characterizes herself as a selfish and arrogant noble, Forina is extraordinarily fond of her immediate family, and seems poised to ensure they attain all and as much glory as she can achieve in her life. More than the Roses, more than her country, more than her life, Forina is driven by the quest to enhance the status and power of House Vindramael.

Brief Backstory:
"The very fact that you hold a blade, even alongside me, is proof enough that the aloof nature of our Order has lost sight. There are no signs of things ever changing for us, or for the world, and I shall see to it that we are not caught off guard by the inevitability of war. One day... you may not be alongside me as you are."

The Vindramael family is one of the most powerful in all of Thaln, having lived through the century through patience, cunning, and the artful manipulations of a long-deceased member honored as the "Lord of Betrothals". Due to a genetic predisposition, the men of House Vindramael are oft to produce female heirs, normally a curse to the future prospects of retaining power. However, early on in the then-middling noble house, a man existed who had guided them upwards through sheer planning and intelligence. The Lord of Betrothals, as he was so called, had managed countless beneficial marriages between the aristocracy, all to careful shift the balance under the radar of other houses. Even as he set to heightening the status of House Vindramael, his apparent knowledge had prompted other lords to ask for his consultation. Though he would bring them success, he would always do so with the hidden pretense of ensuring it would always come back to House Vindramael.

And so, the powerful family had risen through the ranks through the power of marriage. From then on, this inherent connection between so many other important houses allowed Vindramael to retain its power whilst it turned to other mediums to continue accruing strength. Today it yet remains at the very top of Thaln society, its hand dipped into the businesses of everything that lives and breaths within its borders. But such wasn't enough for a young Forina, heir to the Vindramael head seat. She saw an opportunity for more, and devoted herself to the cause.

During the War of the Red Flag, House Vindramael of course sided with the Monarchy, and Forina struck fiercely into the rebellion as the captain of a small banneret. They were, however, never cruel. Comprised entirely of individuals from the Vindramael family, they carried out a very focused campaign to simultaneously fend off those of the rebellion whilst maintaining good relations with the local populace. They never once sacked a city or town, and strictly followed a code of honor. Victories were followed immediately by building rapport with liberated locales, as well as by heavily promoting the already established Mayonite religion.

Though allied with many other houses under the sitting king of Thaln, House Vindramael continuously and purposefully used Forina's banneret, by word or sword, to undermine the image of other fighting groups as violent and brutish, especially in House Larette.

After the war, Forina dissolved the banneret. Eldest sister of six other red-haired female siblings, Forina abdicated from her position as next in line, granting it to her immediate junior, Marianne Vindramael, a lady who would surely have the penchant for statecraft that Forina had sometimes struggled with. Instead, Forina enlisted in the Order of the Iron Roses, seeking opportunity both as a knight and a prospective military leader. Her family name behind her and with ambition and clear skill, Forina pushed into the Order's ranks with ease. The time is ripe to use her status and position to make change, though one may question if her allegiances lie not in the Order's thriving, but in something more personal...

Equipment:
Modestly armored, but not totally vulnerable, Forina is the spitting image of an appearance-centric noble family. One would, however, be foolish to assume such an expensive woman was not also layered in the most expensive enchantments money could buy. Multiple protective wards extend defensive ability not only to the metallic surfaces of her plate, but even to the leather and cloth portions.

Her longsword, named Tress Vindrmir, was passed down through generations since the very first knight who had formed the Vindramael family itself. Over the century-plus of its lifetime, it has been modified and blessed by its wielders and the fortune of the family supporting them. Its mere appearance seems to instill a kind of courage and fervor in those allies who look upon its risen form. The exact nature of it is unknown even to Forina.

Skills:
An insight early on in her age had started Forina training very young. The single-minded determination she exhibited lent to childhood and young adult years spent honing the swordsman craft she now so expertly demonstrates. Though very restricted in her martial diversity, Forina's skill with the sword is unbridled and exceptional. The single weapon, devoid of a protective shield in her other hand, is the style which her eldest ancestor had brought to the family forevermore.

She is herself incapable of any magical feats, but enjoys the support of her wide family, which can supply her with all manner of enchanted objects to enhance her fighting prowess.

[User]
~ Onward Into The Bandits' Forest ~

Interacting with: @VitaVitaAR, @HereComesTheSnow, @PaulHaynek, @Psyker Landshark, @Click This, @ERode, @Asuras, @Raineh Daze

. . .Short attention spans, clearly - not a one of them seemed to have taken the messenger's words to heart; Anxious for the element of surprise, the Iron Roses rose swiftly and rode off into the sunset...but apparently not with all their senses entirely intact. The gaudily clad knight lifted a hand from the reigns to scratch his exposed chin, his visor lifted to allow breath and...other peculiarities from down along the party.

Dusk painted a troublesome trail of shadows along the path leading into the forest, made all the worse of course by the fact that they were riding headlong into a brazen challenge. His ear caught the drifting attention of every spare word carelessly laid down the line - in his mind's eye, he played with his surroundings, his experience...and the suggestions of others.

Brash in his jest, the realization of a possible truth to the blonde-haired Devaron's words struck a painful chord within the very bowels of Druncarde's armored frame; Not the notion of bandits arrayed with their own display of chivalry, of course not - but, that they might actually be...Prepared.

The odds were strongly in the favor of the order, but The River Knight was no gambler, and at the very least he needed to *hear* that there were more than two options being considered on the table. Gently leading the reigns, he mustered his grey steed into an advanced trot and sidled up behind the vanguard to speak:

"...A King he may be, but not for lack of spirit; Gold cloaks he may adorn his soldiers with, but not for lack of prowess; Bold proclamations he may reign over...but not for lack of foresight."

The shine of his orange suit masked itself within the receding glare of the sun, rendering the knight's presence almost ethereal from behind the backs of his prestigious comrades. His voice started out a fair bit bolder than usual, but it quickly leveled out into the quiet, almost cautious tone it usually took:

"The eyes of the forest are many, and in the absence of light we will surely not be prepared to *leave* these tangled roots should retreat be in order. Pray tell, did we ever stop to consider that our own humble carnival might be the one under watch?"

Druncarde shot a glance at the waning sun hanging low over the horizon, and motioned a hand towards its decline:

"A coiled serpent lies within the recesses of that thicket, held strong to the advantage of its defence - yet, *it* has issued the challenge...it can afford to wait on our arrival. The night falls soon, and darkness levies sense from prey and predator alike - in the dark, animals huddle together and are not so bold as to wander far from familiar sight. Let darkness slip, and they will have no choice but to let the forest surround them..."

[Assistant]
Gillian

"I would also volunteer to scout Miss Danbalion." A voice drawled darkly from behind the young girl, a few of the more green knights who had been only paying half attention reaching for their blades for a half second before recognizing the speaker and deciding to look elsewhere. Gillian sat on an old donkey, the mares fur greyed with age but gait still sturdy. Hardly the mount of a knight, lacking in speed and power but Julia was a tough old creature and bore his weight comfortably in her age and could do so all day if needed. The Living Reliquary lounged comfortably on the beast, overly long arms crossed comfortably across its back and draping down its sides as he gave the would be knight captain a languid stare.

"I was a furrier before I was a knight. Forest like this is going to have a few trapper trails throughout." He said, nodding towards Gerard for confirmation of the fact. "We'll use those to get close. No major traffic along them so the bandits are unlikely to be aware of them. Between the three of us, should be a relatively comfortable fit. And if we're discovered I'm the best suited to signaling for backup...." He gives the group a thin smile. "What with being able to set myself on fire and all." he said casually, as if the idea of routine self immolation had long since dissolved into a passing amusement on par with cloud watching.

@HereComesTheSnow@VitaVitaAR

[User]
Narcissa made a frown, the halting language of her inexperienced commander not lost on her. Still unconvinced, she was yet patient, and nodded at agreement of sending a forward scouting party. What she might lack in experience, at the moment she seemed to make up for it in listening to and taking good council. Even if she were green, those were still the qualities of a good leader, as long as they didn't entirely lean on them as a manner of conduct. Hearing the words of another of the knights, Sir Renar, she nodded. Narcissa only had a passing knowledge of his background, but even if it was dubious, he was cut from the same cloth as her, and he also tended to have sound judgement.

Tactfully ignoring the Knight-Captain's second stumble, she raised a gloved hand to volunteer. "I would not have made the suggestion without offering, and I can lead it, if that is your wish. I'm more lightly armored than the others in full plate, and I'll be less noticeable in on foot and in the woods." If anybody had noticed, she had carefully danced around directly referring to the fact that she was small, and short. There was no denying that those were advantages in a stealthier scouting operation, though. She considered her weapons in that case; with a fair bit of reluctance, she realized she would have to leave her lance behind with her horse. In the thickets and woods, it was unwieldy, and would also stand out, so she would have to default to sword and shield. She internally grumbled, making a small grimace as she made a brief glance to suss out who had also volunteered, before looking further on down the road. Druncarde's words were a bit long-winded for the scenario for her taste, but they did have merit. Being ambushed in the thickets was a very real possibility.

[Assistant]
"Exactly my issue," Forina droned. The knightess trotted her horse by Narcissa, eyeing her briefly before speaking to the group at large, though of course her voice was carried to resonate with their captain the most.

"Poetic waxing aside, my assumptions are with Druncarde. One of the many real possibilities as to why the King's men failed each time is that they have a continual scouting presence long before their camp. They may very well know we're here already, perhaps for days now. After all, the 'bandit king' did invite us of his own accord. No one is that stupid without a plan in place," Forina explained. "There's also the fact that we had not received any intel on the camp itself, which seems to me like evidence that none had even reached it before being slaughtered."

Everything about this screamed 'trap' to Forina. The brazen challenge by the bandits, the ease with which they dispatched the King's soldiers, the lack of information... She worried they were about to send but a few knights into woods coursing with bandits lying in wait, ready to converge on them before they could even reach sight of the camp.

"Ultimately, however, it's your decision, Captain Fanilly," she said, turning her gaze to the young girl.


[System]
Alias: Inverse
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Appearance:

Manny is 5'9" and about 185lbs. He has a muscular build but isn't massively buff. He does like to show off his arms, so most of his wardrobe is short sleeved or sleeveless.

Occupation:
Manny makes his living gigging around Ville Rouge. He's pretty popular in a few of the bars and cafes, and is working towards having his own music studio.

Family:
Sonya Reed (mother); Richard McClain (father); Ellis McClain (older brother)

Personality:
Manny is quite the enigma when it comes to his emotions. Having been abandoned by one parent only to be fully embraced by the other has created a mixture of humility, sadness, determination, and compassion. He seems cool and collected most of the time, neither being the life of the party nor the buzzkill. At times, he feels he can be and do a bit more, but deeper issues keep him from embracing certain parts of himself.

Notoriety: Unknown
Class/Level: Class 4 / Red Level
Powers/Abilities:
Gravity Manipulation
Manny can alter his own gravity or the gravity of a given area, the largest being about the size of a school gymnasium. He also uses a few gravity-based attacks. Specific abilities include:

Gravity Generation/Negation: increase/decrease the effect of the planet's gravity in a specific area
Force Push/Pull: repel/attract objects using force
Zero Point Gravity: can attract all matter within a small area to a single point in space
Personal Gravity Manipulation: can alter the effects of gravity on himself enhancing his jumping ability, allowing him to walk on walls/ceilings, and giving him levitation and gliding abilities (though he can't technically 'fly'). He also uses this power to land harder strikes when fighting and repel things like bullets (he has to be consciously doing this; he's not bulletproof).

Other Skills:
As one would expect, Manny is quite musically talented, especially with the guitar and keyboard.

Equipment:
Manny never goes anywhere without his music player.

Bio:
Manny's parents met in their college years when Sonya, his mother, had come down to New Haven to go to med school. His father, Richard, who grew up in New Haven, was just starting his construction business which focused on restoring historical buildings around town. Sonya's original plans to return to her hometown were changed when Richard proposed and convinced her to stay in New Haven. Not wanting to keep any secrets, Sonya revealed to Richard that she was a Variant and had healing powers. This nearly ended their engagement, because Richard had a strong dislike toward Variants for reasons not fully disclosed. It was only his love and devotion to Sonya that allowed him to overlook it, though, the fact that her power is actually helpful to people may have had some influence as well.

Sonya had to pretty much beg for children -- the second being an easier sell because the first didn't seem to have powers. When it was discovered that Manny had powers, though, it was more than Richard could take. Even at a young age, he saw the potential danger that Manny's abilities possessed, and he knew he wouldn't be able to love his son the way he needed to be loved. Without any real explanation, Richard decided it was best for him and Sonya to be apart. Manny was too young to know what was going on at the time, and Sonya made sure that her love would keep him from feeling the sting of abandonment. Growing up, Sonya helped Manny develop his powers while always urging him to keep it to himself. He didn't quite understand why he had to be so secretive when his mom used her powers for work, but she always told him he would get it one day. When that one day came, Manny realized why his father left, and he resented him for it. Yet, even though Richard left his family because they were Variants, Sonya taught Manny to never be ashamed of who he was and what he could do, while still letting him know that he needed to be careful. For this reason, he had always been wary about revealing his power.

Name: Dante Romano
Alias: Sever
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Appearance:

Slightly taller than average, he stands at 5' 11" and has lean build. He dresses normally in jeans and t-shirts, and is rarely seen without his favorite green jacket, which was a gift from his uncle.

Occupation:
None

Family:
Maria Verona (mother); Giovanni Romano (father); Antonio Verona (uncle)

Personality:
As a result of his parents' divorce, Dante is usually very antisocial and doesn't really make friends or get in relationships. Though he is a very kind person, he'll usually try to break away from anyone trying to get close. His only real connection is with his mother and his uncle, which is the side of his family with Variant genes. Most of the time, he withdraws into his hobbies or simply escapes to a secluded place where he feels he can't be bothered. If one happens to break through the walls he's built - usually by having some common interest - they'll find that Dante is actually quite brilliant and rather creative. He often uses his power to gain all sorts of knowledge or multitask on supernatural levels.

Notoriety: Unknown
Class/Level: Class 4 / Blue Level
Powers/Abilities:
Replication
Dante is able to psionically create a perfect clone of himself and anything immediately on his person (as long as it is of natural origin). Each clone has an independent mind, though it is telepathically linked to the 'original'. The clones, however, do not have the power to replicate themselves. Dante is able to reabsorb his clones, gaining their knowledge, memories, and skills, though as a consequence of splitting into multiple selves, he can have some confusion over which Dante did what, which can skew his memories. Because Dante is linked to each clone, it takes a certain amount of unconscious power to keep them around. The stronger his power becomes, the more clones he can create. Currently, he is only able to create up to 6 clones without much trouble. If he tries to go beyond his limit without having the sure ability to do so, the replication would be noticeably imperfect or may not occur at all.

Other Skills:
Pickpocketing, Lockpicking, Street fighting, Pro-level gaming

Equipment:
Always carries a pocket knife

Bio:
Dante's parents, Giovanni and Maria, met while performing together on broadway. Maria's immensely captivating voice and ethereal beauty had earned her the starring role in the wildly popular Goddess of the Sky, a play about a goddess named Seraphis who was charged with defeating an evil entity. What made this play so popular was not the music, but rather the experience of watching. It was in this show that Maria had used her powers of weather manipulation to fill the arena with varying weather patterns, drawing the audience directly into every scene. The show was so popular, in fact, that it was taken on tour around the country. Shortly after the first tour, Dante was born to both his mother's and father's joy. He spent most of his childhood touring with his parents and watching them perform. During his teens, however, his family fell apart when Giovanni was caught in an affair and left Maria. Devastated, Maria's performances came to a screeching halt. She and Dante relocated to New Haven for a fresh start, though it did little to erase the trauma. Dante resented his father for abandoning him and his mother, and he was left pained and confused. He became antisocial and withdrawn, often wandering the streets of New Haven without much purpose other than to cause enough trouble to distract himself from the distress that engulfs him.

[User]
Tank kept moving through the alleyway navigating to get ever closer to the bank while having an eye out for any spare officers should they be patrolling. He had been fairly focused on the task at hand right up until he heard the first couple pops of fireworks causing him to make a quick stop to see just what was going on. From his position he could barely see the flashing lights but hearing the voice he knew well enough who this particular Variant was and though he didn't much care for the thief the man man one hell of a distraction for the crowds/cops. Would've been a shame if the guy got himself hurt in the process since he seemed to be on the better side this time around but not much could be done from here to help out even if the big guy wanted to. He shrugged and headed toward an intersection of sorts realizing he had even less time now with a show boater amidst them.

Girard hadn't been looking down when he felt a light bump against him earning his gaze as he watched a smaller man cover up what looked like a prosthetic on his arm under one of two gloves after seeming startled. Couldn't exactly blame him since it wasn't often you end up walking into someone like Tank on the streets or elsewhere, let alone outside of an active robbery. Once the man composed himself he guessed the right name and revealed who he was which was a nice relief to the big man since he was another vigilante. "Yeah that's me and your not kidding this is definitely more than a one person job with all the PD presence." Tank said looking down further and saw the same stray from before it clicking that something was definitely up but it didn't seem bad. "Whos your friend there?" He asked motioning for them to keep moving towards the building as they talked. The presence of one or possibly more other crime fighters eased the mind as dealing with this was not going to be so simple as usual and there was large margin for shit to hit the fan with or without them.

[Assistant]
-Excerpt From The Diary of John Merci-

{May 12, 2079}

Yesterday my latest subject had reached the end of his usefulness, far too soon for my taste. It is a sad fact which I have learned in my practice of this most noble of arts, men are simply inadequate to be a canvas. On the surface they may seem a better choice, being naturally more sturdy and possessing greater mass than the fairer sex. However this sturdiness is the main problem, men are simply less sensitive than women. While in theory this means that they can take more punishment, their reactions dull far quicker. It is depressing, but I must force myself to move forward.

My serfs have sent word with the latest delivery of cattle. The accursed government has finally turned it's eyes away from New Haven. This is excellent news. Many of my important tools were too conspicuous and bulky to be moved from my home. Though I have made do with what little I have to work with, my heart has missed my city. When I was younger I could never have imagined myself to be the sentimental sort, but there is more to it than simple nostalgia. Behind the lights of New Haven, there is a darkness that calls to me. It needs me to feed it's desire to corrupt even the purest of souls.

And so, tomorrow I shall return to my city, but tonight... tonight I feasted. It had been years since I had devoured so many at once, but transporting them all would just be a waste of time. The ecstasy I felt as I drained them was impossible to describe, for no one but my glorious self has ever had the chance to experience such a feeling. It was as if liquid sunshine poured through my veins, for a brief moment awakening my heart to the world. And then I remembered why I didn't gorge on the cattle.

I felt... guilty. As if all the actions I had taken were completely immoral. For a few minutes, I considered hanging myself, but remembered that I couldn't die. Fortunately this delusion quickly off, but for a brief time I felt like the cattle. And that sickened me more than anything else in this godforsaken world.

[User]
Dante sat on another rooftop near the bank heist, nonchalantly watching the display below him. It was a bit of a relief that the police weren't in his face for once, though this was a good bit of commotion even for someone who wasn't a fan of the law. He wasn't about to even try and get involved, but he wasn't above getting a front-row seat. His rooftop perch was a perfect vantage point...and so was his position in the crowd below. He had created a clone specifically to head down and infiltrate the crowd to get different point of view. Later when he absorbed the clone, he would gain the memory of viewing the events from up close along with his current spot.

It seemed like a typical standoff for a while until a bit of movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. As he turned his head, a man a couple of rooftops over was already making a big announcement like he was the main attraction at a circus. Not a moment later, the idiot was shooting off fireworks, for fuck's sake. At least things were going get a bit more exciting now...and after a very short amount of time, the gunshots sounded…

-----

"Shots fired! Shots fired! Where's the goddamn SWAT team!" the police captain belted over the now panicked crowd of bystanders and officers alike.

"They're getting in position as we speak, sir!" squawked a response over the radio.

"Tell them to hurry the hell up! I want no civilian casualties!"

The failed attempt at scaring off the cops and the freak with the explosives had only caused the tension to spike. The thieves were now in 'last resort' mode.

"Get up, you idiot! What the fuck was that?! Did your grandma teach you to shoot?" The leader of the squad harshly scooped up his colleague and tapped the mic on his headset. "Alright, this just got too heavy! You're gonna have to ram it in!"

A few blocks away, an armored truck awaited the signal. Originally, the truck was just supposed to park on the outside and get loaded that way, but the heavy police presence and the strange theatrics had change things up a bit. The driver gunned it around the corner and toward the back side of the bank and hurriedly positioned the truck so that the rear end was facing the wall of the bank. In the same moment, a SWAT truck was quickly unloading several agents half a block away ready to infiltrate the bank. The driver threw the truck in reverse and slammed the gas as hard as he could as shots were fired his way. Barrelling through the brick wall, he continued to crash through the bank until he got to where his crew could load up. Reaching into the passenger's seat, he grabbed an automatic rifle ready to return fire to the fast approaching SWAT team. Another man in the back of the truck threw the doors open to receive the payload. Mere feet from where the hostages were held, utter chaos ensued as the thieves attempted to load their haul while taking fire from the agents.


[System]
Sex:
Female

Age:
22

Sapphire Necklace
Engraved ring
Small Chalk for writing runes
Student ID
Small bag of gems

Within the confines of Societas Academia, free of religious delegation and protection from the witch hunters of the world, Yuno got to experience a more free form nature of magical growth within the variety of options available to pick up and learn. Obviously, as a Talent she got to remain towards the top of the hierarchy of the student body by doing so. Even as a Ruin Mage however, she had more method to her than fireballs and lightning bolts. Her magic is one that was passed onto her from her mother and her mother before that: Gemstone Focus. The properties of these gemstones seem to have innate magical effect with them, and by mastering it she has given herself a wide range of arcane and versatile pool of magical power. Another use is that these spells are very quick to cast as the gem takes the need of melding the form of the magic into their own properties. From magic missile like bolts to focused blasts these tools are handy, but she also has her own magic to develop of Rune Magic. The art of drawing and crafting runes for rituals and spells which while slower are also versatile and more permanent. Leaving one to write lines to create barriers or leave a cursed mark onto the opponent. The strongest form is the rituals such words, runes, and signs are required for though if one has the time to create such powerful magics. After all, have you ever seen a cult not chant around a magic circle to summon devastation?

Expectations: Yuno's life has been a constant barrage of them. With her mother being a graduate of professor the Societas Academia and top of her class and her inherited magical style that her family has been passing on the fate to carry on the family name moved to rest on Yuno as their only child after her mother's miscarriage with the second. Second was never good enough for the name that needed to continue to excel in the eye of her mother and elder grandmother. Day in, day out was practice from even the youngest of ages to grow crystals, study them, and then use them to their fullest potential. One didn't need society or friends. She only would need the connections her mother already established and the scores to get her by, and Yuno did throughout primary and secondary schooling. But, that was with a longtime friend as her side as well. The person Yuno may confide in when not in her mother's almost torturous and cruel aspect of training.

Gem magic wasn't a large part of Yuno's resentment. Her mother's skill and ability fascinated her to the point where Yuno could kid herself half the time it was fair and right for her mother to expect to much. That she should feel superior from her lineage. Their name would be remembered through generations to come if they kept up, and possibly grow to be a very well established family. But, Yuno wanted to expand that magic and use it for her own will. Develop it organically like a crystal would grow rather than be the strict and uptight woman she was forced into being. Less direct and more graceful Yuno wanted to learn more, explore, and use her magic outside of simple practice and regulated ability. Somewhere that could truly test her skill as well as develop the use of other magic. Her mother usually disparaged her from learning basic rune magic outside her regular studies. Enough to get the top spot was fine in her eyes, but Yuno's best friend used such a magic to more than remarkable abilities. It was always a place Yuno fell behind in, and her goal to get better and continue on the separate path alongside her gems was a more personal goal. At least, until her friend's death due to unforeseen illness.

At first Yuno of course was devastated and alone from this, having not gotten together with others, but at the same time this point was a realization. Her mother was the one holding her back because she was trapped in her shadow. But, she can't seem to find a way out of it. She was a graduate student and a Ruin Mage already. Her path for these years was so completed that abandoning it now would almost be a death sentence to her future. This wasn't what she wanted, and to keep up with the world her friend tried showing her was another goal. Sure, she wasn't her friend. Her friend was a bit to direct, blunt, and needless to say idiotic outside of fighting to be a guide, but the respect Yuno had of it and feeling of going with her own will was what Yuno was inspired by.

Yuno is an elegant combination of grace and cunning wrapped up into a sparkling package. While logical, she looks more onto the positive side of things believing in how ones mindset can change the outcome of a situation. Dedication in all of her endeavors and putting the job above most other things she can come off as cold or teasing at a first glance, but she has the best intentions as well as what she believes is a strong moral compass. With her dedication to her art and lineage though comes at the cost of friends within the Acadamia. Having her studies distract her from such things through a good portion of her life until she finally got out of being a Secondary Schooler and on with the greater freedom as a Ruin Mage. Versatility over one special skill in her magic and daily life left her with many graces and favorable attitudes from her teachers, but some can take her as a show off which leaves her to enjoy the quieter moments of the night and how music can help her take her mind off the troubles of life. More... abrasive and direct anger from others can easily annoy her as the logic of it may pass, but devotion is something she respects even if its not the same devotion as her.

[User]
Nemo opened the door to his room with a rather chipper look on his face. He jogged down the stairs while humming a tune to himself. He quickly entered the room with everyone else. "Good morning ladies and gentlemen." He greeted as he grabbed a plate and got to picking out what to eat. Nemo slid a serving of Belgian Waffles onto his plate and added a few different syrups on top. "What a lovely ensemble you have prepared for us Felix. How generous of you." He commented as he poured himself a cup of tea and set his plate and glass at the end of the table by Raiya. Given his reputation, Nemo was surprisingly pleasant acting most of the time.

Nemo spawned a small black case and set it down on the table as well. He flipped it open and picked out a small white pill from inside and placed it into his mouth in between his back teeth. He shifted around a little bit before immediately stopping when he broke the pill in between his teeth with a audible crack. He swallowed afterwards and let out a small shiver. He shut the case and then despawned it before coming back down to the real world, clearly thinking about something.

"Ah yes, that reminds me." He said as he spawned Raiya's knife from last night in his hand. Nemo abruptly sent it blade first down into the wood of the table right next to Raiya's hand a little too hard. He let go of it once it was firmly planted in and sat down in his seat. "That is a very nice knife." He complimented, seemingly oblivious to his rather aggressive way of giving it back to her.

[Assistant]
"As you wish, Jessie."

Before they could potentially socialize, a rather familiar and curious noise rang from Jesse's pocket. How odd; the sound was like a 'ping', something Travis would expect from like a cash register during a transaction. The new recruit produced what looked like a a small red note. Jessie explained that this slip was to inform her her luggage had been prepared and...Did she say imps? Travis couldn't kindly question her as she made her way up the stars before wishing Travis and Artos well.

"Sleep well." Travis replied, with a friendly wave.

With their newest guest retiring upstairs, Travis returned his focus to Artos as they continued their conversation. However, Artos came up with a rather unexpected offer for the Untalent. The man from the frozen North had proposed himself to serve as a protector of some sorts. Travis was rather taken back by the gracious offer, not that he did not appreciate such willingness, but had never considered an escort before at all. Granted, Travis's was hardly a fighter himself and with only a minimum amount of mana at his own disposal, defending himself would prove difficult if not render a creative challenge.

Just as the offer came, so did Artos' farewell as he too sough to retire himself for the evening. With a bow, Artos departed to seek his own chamber, "I'll...Consider it, thank you. Be well."

All that was left in the lucrative lounge was Travis' own person. Silence soon seeped into the scene as Travis looked around, familiarizing himself with the place and accepting his new fated reality for what it was. The thought for him was still very overwhelming but he knew that he was now apart of something greater than he had ever anticipated. But with everyone gone, Travis too would need to seek his own chamber to slumber in; is real work would begin tomorrow.

"I suppose I should retire myself." Travis said to himself.

Travis eventually decided and found his own amongst the others claimed. The personal chamber was very spacious though he wondered if the other rooms were like this or it was just this one. One very comfortable bed was supported in the one corner of the room with a fancy nightstand to it's side. There were plenty of bookshelves scattered to different ends of the room filled with unknown material and content. Travis was hoping at least some of them were tomes to study. But was perhaps more eye catching was a single large desk opposite of the doorway. It was very well designed and seemed to have enough space to host his research belongings. It was perfect; while Felix said that anyone can claim their own room, Travis had believed this one was destined for him.

Establishing his presence and ownership over the room didn't take too long; much of his belongings and personable furniture was easily accessible from his strange bottomless trunk. All he had to do was mentally imagine the item in his possession and reach into the ebony abyss where his hand would meet the desired object. He had placed most of his charts and stand to the left of his newfound desk along the empty wall and included a foldable table there as well to support anything he needed atop it. Many of his tomes and research notes were stacked at both sides of the desk with much of his current material place conveniently on the fine escritoire for easy access. Travis then juggled the idea of a protective incantation of sorts withing the center space of the room for any experiments he may perform. With his latest and explosive test made formerly within his previously large dwelling, Travis sought the counter of not unintentionally destroying the mansion due to his own curiosity and research. He would rather be the undoing of himself than the entire operation at hand - he just got here too.

With everything now set for now, Travis locked his chest and robed himself ready to sleep. But while he had established his presence, something Yuno said made him ponder about the current version of his current rune. Could it be improved? Could he possible alter the formula and wording to alter its effects? As he thought more about it, he remembered Artos' demonstration of his ice magic. Could he possibly use his real world knowledge to reverse-engineer that talent into another rune? The mere thought had Travis eagerly going. So much so, he jumped out of bed and pulled his note pad and pen from the desk brought it back to the berth.

"Let me see, what would be the proper translation for ice...?" He mused as he began writing the draft of the new rune, "Ah, Glacies..."

[User]
Yuno woke up to the smell of breakfast drifting its way across the house and eventually into her room through the small gap beneath the door. Being much more of a night person herself she initially tossed the covers over her head to block out the light which was in the room through the curtains. Luckily for her it would be even brighter through the glass this time of day if not for the tall redwoods which blocked portions of the rising sun. Another sound caught her attention though with the humming moving down the hall and moving across the front of her door on the outside. "Someone is cheery…" she stated to herself as she slowly sat with and let out a quiet yawn while her arms rose into the air with a stretch. Thankfully, it seems nothing happened within her room since she fell asleep the night before and she wouldn't need to stay paranoid about traps in that regard, or of any of the others guests which all were very odd to say the least. For a moment she almost was tempted to simply fall back into the embrace of the mattress, but alas she knew she needed to get up if she wanted answers as well as to settle her slowly rising morning hunger as the aroma thickened.

Settling her feet onto the floor beside her and moving off of the pad she went to the dresser where she had neatly folded her clothes and redressed. Moving to whatever mirror may be available in these rooms from a stand to a full length one to run a comb through her hair she managed to scavenge out of what may have been pre-set in the guest rooms. Eventually looking at her hair for a second before deciding going with the ponytail she had the day before was likely the best bet to continue with for the day onward. Retying it and adjusting it once Yuno finally felt set to leave her quarters and make her way downstairs. Only to unfortunately arrive into the kitchen the moment Nemo decided to slam the knife down which made Yuno jump for a moment. "Subtle…" she muttered slightly with a sigh as he makes his comment and retreats back into his seat. Finding a spot towards the other side of the table away from the man who decided to damage the fine table Yuno took a seat and began collecting a small plate of food. "Good morning everyone." She stated kindly while doing so before looking to Felix who seemed the most likely source of the meal. "Thank you for the meal, Felix. I didn't expect to wake up to this."


[System]
Gender: Female
Age: 30
Appearance: Jade has a relatively tan complexion, although she is considered pale on Valencia. She is of average height and leanly muscular. Jade has mossy green eyes and thicky, wavy hair that is a dark brown color. Her hair is usually pulled back away from her face in a ponytail. There are calluses on his hands from wielding a variety of weapons, although she will always prefer either a rather lightweight sword or a pair of daggers. She dresses simply and practically, never one for golden armor if iron would perform the job better. Jade is always wearing a pair of sturdy boots and has long, thin fingers.

Affiliation: Assassin

Description: Jade's parents were relatively high-standing members of the League, so it was only natural that Jade was trained to be an assassin as well. She is an only child, and he has a close relationship with both of her parents, who retired from active duty in the League when Jade was twenty-seven. Jade isn't very talkative, and she has few close friends. She tends to keep to herself and doesn't socialize much. However, she is ferociously loyal to the League, and has a fair amount of pride in her as well. To Jade, the League's values are sacred and she upholds the code of conduct like it's law-which it technically is. Her childhood consisted of rigorous training and tutoring. Jade is primarily motivated by her hereditary allegiance to the League, but there is always the matter of money as well. She is fairly indifferent toward the Guild, and is always willing to take out contracts that target members of the Guild. Jade's family is very wealthy, and Jade herself is rich in her own right from the myriad of contracts she has successfully completed in her lifetime. Se doesn't harbor a fierce hatred of the Guild, but no love is lost between her and the band of thieves. If she gets a contract to kill one of them, she kills them. If she doesn't, then she leaves them alone, although if a thief steps out of line enough to provoke Jade, she will not hesitate to attack, contract or no contract. Jade is always thinking, always trying to get one step ahead. She's never been one to solely focus on the present, and prefers to think about the "big picture". Her mind is fine-tuned for strategy and she has a highly analytical brain, which can work to his disadvantage when she is dealing with people who rely on their emotions. She also finds herself awkwardly standing to the side and unsure of what to say when confronted with particularly sensitive topics and heart-to-heart conversations. Jade's never been a people person, and he frequently steals away to brood over one thing or the other or simply to be alone and read. She has a tendency to play by the book, even in unexpected situations. Jade is shrewd and calculating, and pays a lot of attention to small details. She is the third-in-command of the League.

[User]
Jade watched as the thief closed Elia's eyes. They must have been close,  she thought to herself. Then, he stared at Jade with an oddly innocent look on his face, studying her closely. Jade met his gaze evenly, and then he finally spoke.

"Elia wanted to align the Guild with them to shift the balance of power. I warned her not to. But I came anyways. Wanted to watch; observe. Didn't know she'd die. Didn't know others were already dead," he told her, and looked down at Elia's body with a frown. Then, he re-focused his attention to Jade and said that he would help if she had a plan.

Jade was mildly surprised at his proposal and how perceptive he was. After all, if he'd been close to Elia, then he probably was one of the higher-ranking members of the Guild himself. Most members of the Guild wouldn't hesitate to take any opportunity they could to bring down the League. Jade grimaced slightly. "Thanks for offering, but I have no plan yet," she admitted sheepishly. "But I would really appreciate some help. Tell you what-I'll head back to headquarters, let Syra know what's going on, and come up with something or the other by tomorrow. I have a feeling that something bigger than both of our organizations is going on, so the first step in the plan would probably to get more information. Some reconnaissance work, yeah? I know that the Guild is very skilled in recon, but the League's strength is more in its stealth, and, ah, fulfilling contracts." Jade paused for a second to catch her breath. She glanced at the thief's face, and satisfied that she didn't detect any sign of hostility, continued. "If you could help with finding out what the hell  this guy is doing around the island, well, frankly, it would be a huge help. Some of the assassins aren't so great at blending in with the crowd."

"So what do you say?" Jade questioned, tilting her head slightly and appraising the thief. An alliance in between the Guild and League was very unlikely, but not impossible.......and Jade had a feeling that they would have to work together to uncover what the Eltevian man was truly doing on the island.

[Assistant]
He stared at her, before frowning down at the corpse that used to be Elia. He let out a sigh, and leaned slightly to the side, as if a breeze was pushing him. He stared at her, before appearing to completely ignore what she said, and started, well, looting Elia's body. Coinpurse, daggers, her saber, her belt, the hood and cloak that marked her as a Guild member. He wrapped them up, and pulled out a piece of fabric- which he unfolded into a sort of bag. He stuffed her non-sharp items inside, before slinging it around him.

And then he took three of the four knives from Elia's body, and slipped them into various parts across his body. The last one, he offered to the assassin, along with the saber, scabbard, and accompanying belt.

In a lighter, lilting, foreign accent, he spoke, still not entirely familiar with the language. "Take them. Keep them. Wear them. I will work with you, and you will not be attacked while carrying Elia's things. I will spread word. Meet here in a fortnight, I will keep you posted. Will interrupt any attempts to murder. You have my word."

[User]
As Jade spoke, the thief began to take anything and everything of value from Elia's body. He took a purse most likely filled with coins, a saber, a couple of daggers and knives, a belt, and a cloak. After he was done, the thief stood up and handed Jade Elia's belt and saber. Jade accepted the items and listened to him speak. She inclined her head slightly. "You have my thanks," Jade replied, turning around and making her way back down into the street, relieved that the whole thing had gone much smoother than she'd expected. Most other thieves would have fled or attacked her, but this particular thief had been willing to hear her out. When Jade had gone twenty steps, she realized she never found out what the thief's name was. She made to retrace her steps and ask, but then she realized that he was gone already. Sighing, Jade began the long walk back to the League's headquarters.

*****

Jade walked inside the grandiose marble and gold building in complete darkness. While she and the thief were talking, the sun had slipped down beyond the horizon, leaving the sky pitch-black. The moon was a tiny silver sliver, and a myriad of stars spread out across the night sky like drops of paint on a canvas. She tucked Elia's belongings under her cloak, not wanting to draw unwanted attention. Jade strode briskly through the corridors, nodding politely to any assassins that she happened to come across. The League headquarters was relatively quiet at this time of night, something that Jade was suddenly immensely grateful for. When she reached Syra's study, Jade knocked softly. She wasn't surprised when she heard a stern voice telling her to come in. Syra always stayed late.

The study was more practical than elegant, but there was grace in its simplicity. The desk was made of fine mahogany, as were the door and chairs. The rosewood paneling was unadorned save for a few small designs carved into it near the ceiling and the floor. A fine Persian rug lay near the door, and cream-colored damask curtains framed the window. There were three bookshelves on the wall closest to the door, and five wooden chairs pushed up against the wall opposite to the desk.

Syra was rather tall and rather pale. She had a more peachy complexion as opposed to the dark caramel color that seemed to be the predominant skin tone of Valencia. Her ashen brown hair was pulled away from her face in a messy bun. Syra had a strong jawline and piercing chocolate-brown eyes, and she was adept with a variety of weapons. Swords, knives, daggers, crossbows-you name it, and Syra knew how to use it. Needless to say, she wasn't someone that anyone wanted to mess with.

"Yes, Jade? What is it?" Syra questioned as Jade padded across the study to stand in front of Syra's desk, where she was scribbling away. Syra stopped writing and let her full attention settle on Jade. Her sharp brown eyes met Jade's mossy green ones.

"I saw the man who killed the assassins again today, except he killed a thief this time," Jade began. Syra looked at her expectantly, silently prompting her to continue. "Elia. The thief's name was Elia. Anyway, the man got away, but not before her friend managed to stab him a couple of times. I think he's from Eltevi based on the way he fights. And he's obviously wealthy, and very skilled, so he's most likely a member of the Eltevian League of Assassins, or whatever it's called over there." Jade paused for a second, watching as Syra took everything in. As usual, Syra remained impassive, although Jade detected a small twitch of her lip when she mentioned the Eltevian assassins. She swallowed a tad anxiously before going on. "I talked to the thief who attacked the man. He said Elia was trying to ally the Guild with the man and weaken our control over the island." At this, the small frown that had formed on Syra's face deepened. "But Elia got killed, and her friend said he'd help us. He agreed to do some reconnaissance work, and gave me some of Elia's things." Jade set down the sword and belt on the desk in front of Syra. Then she stepped back and took a deep breath, waiting for Syra's reply.

For a few minutes, none of them said anything. Syra brooded on what Jade told her, and the silence hung heavily in between the two women. Finally, Syra began to speak. "I suppose you handled the situation better than most would have," Syra said with a small grimace. "But there's something that doesn't add up. Why would the thief agree to help us? We're the League, for Pete's sake."

Jade hesitated before responding, knowing that she had intentionally disobeyed a direct order. "I told him that the Eltevian man had killed some assassins," Jade admitted. "He was able to see that the man wasn't specifically targeting just one organization."

Syra sighed. "Very well then," she said, glancing up at Jade. "All we can do for now is try to figure out what his motives are. You said that the Guild was going to set up reconnaissance?" Jade nodded.

Syra made a dismissive gesture. "Tell them not to. We  will get it under control."

Jade furrowed her brow, taken aback by Syra's obvious disdain for the Guild. "You know as well as I do that the Guild must be skilled. Otherwise, how would they have survived this long? We need their help, Syra. The poor won't take kindly to us parading through their streets, stopping everyone who looks suspicious."

Syra narrowed her eyes. "Jade, my decision is final."

"Your decision won't help us at all," she retorted, feeling recklessly bold. "Syra, please, think about this," Jade pleaded.

The two lapsed into silence again. Jade was worried that Syra wouldn't be convinced, and what she would do if she wasn't. Jade had already questioned her authority twice today. It would do her no good to question it a third time.

But Syra finally nodded. "Alright. We'll let the Guild handle the reconnaissance." Jade exhaled softly, relieved. "When and how are you to get in touch with this thief again?"

"In a fortnight, on a roof near the poor side of the market district," Jade answered. Syra contemplated this for a minute and nodded again. "I will get some of the lower-ranking League members to patrol this section of the island. Lord knows that they need something to do. You are dismissed."

Jade inclined her head respectfully before walking out of Syra's study.

*****

Over the next two weeks, Jade had almost no time to even think about her contracts. Even if she'd had the time, Jade would not have wanted to. She was almost certain that they were all for members of the Guild, and you really couldn't go about killing the people doing your recon, could you? Instead of chasing down thieves through the market district, Jade spent her days on the look out for anything that could provide her a clue as to where the Eltevian man was. She lurked in the shadows long after the sun had set, watching the streets with a couple of assassins Syra had put under her command. Jade never caught sight of the man again, but she found a dead assassin towards the end of the first week who was obviously killed by him. The clean wound said it all; it was the work of a professional, not of a self-made street fighter.

When a fortnight had passed, Jade made her way to the rooftop she'd talked to the blonde thief on. It took her a while to find it again, and she regretted not paying closer attention to her surroundings while following him that first time. But after a few wrong turns and dead ends, Jade managed to locate the rooftop. The thief hadn't arrived yet, so Jade stood there patiently and waited, watching the waves crash onto the shore. She touched Elia's belt, saber, and scabbard lightly. True to the thief's word, no thieves bothered her everytime Jade wore them. Nevertheless, Jade refrained from wearing red and white. Those two colors would only make her more easily identifiable to the Eltevian man. She watched as late afternoon began to make its subtle transition to twilight, wondering how in the world they were going to find the Eltevian assassin.