[System]
Age: 17

Gender: Male

Race: Human

Home World: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Key-Weapon: Snake-Eyes. A Keystaff that is held not by its handle but by its long shaft. The teeth of the key serve as the bottom tip that usually rests on the ground, while the key's handle serves as the ornate head of the staff. Snake-Eyes in particular also carries the motif of a snake, with what looks like an ornate cobra coiling its body up and around the shaft and positioning its head in the center of the key's handle.

Magics: Fire, Water, Blizzard, Slow, Reflect

Grand Magic: A unique phenomenon that occurs when repeatedly casting the same spell in rapid succession. It's a form of temporary magical surge that allows the caster to channel the same spell but one tier higher for a single use. At higher levels it can used to cast spells otherwise considered to be inaccessible due to high range of power.

D-Links: Jafar

Job: Black Mage (Prefers to be called a Sorcerer)

Appearance: He's a nimble, scarlet eyed youth with short sandy brown hair, though you rarely see it when his iconic crimson hood is almost always covering it. Underneath that is a basic combination of black shirt, black pants, and dark leather shoes. He's also surprisingly athletic for a mage, able to maneuver himself with a degree with agility and acrobatics not typically seen in one such as himself.

Brief History:
Throughout the ages, a silent shadow war has been waged between the Morganians and Merlineans at the behest of their leaders, Balthazar Blake and Maxim Horvath. The Merlineans believed magic was a force to be used for the betterment of mankind, while the Morganians would instead use their magics for selfish gain and subjugation. Canaan was one such sorcerer under the tutelage of Melvor, a Merlinean. Canaan had been an orphan on the streets until he was found by Melvor, who sensed the magical potential within the boy and took him in as an apprentice. Some years after this, their sanctum came under attack by unfamiliar black creatures, appearing to be commanded by a powerful dark wizard that Melvor recognized as a Horvath. Under any other circumstance, he and his student would have fought the intruders off, but this time Melvor cast a powerful spell that opened a tear in the very world and used his magic to throw his student through it to the other side.

Caught completely off guard, Canaan found himself tumbling down a sandy dune in the middle of a desert. It was nighttime, and he could hear horses in the distance. Canaan tried to return through the tear but it had already vanished. Instead he caught side of two horses approaching a distance dune. Their riders stopped, and after a moment the sandy dunes transformed themselves into the shape of a fierce tiger's head that spoke in an ominous low voice, "Who disturbs my slumber?" one of the riders dismounted and nervously approached. Canaan couldn't make out what the short man said, but could hear the Tiger's response clearly, "Know this: Only one may enter here. One whose worth lies far within. The Diamond in the Rough!" the man looked hesitant, but the second rider appeared to be spurring him forward. Shortly after the man entered the Tiger's mouth, Canaan watched in horror as the living cave became enrage and chomped down on the would-be intruder, apparently killing him.

And yet, the other man didn't seem particularly shocked. The bird on his shoulder flew out and fetched a pair of tiny objects from the sand, too small for Canaan to identify them. Then it flew back and landed back on its master's shoulder. After this, the man turned his horse around rode off into the distance. And then somehow - through some kind of magic he didn't recognize, a name seemed to pop into Canaan's head: Jafar. It had to have been that man's name, and yet how did Canaan suddenly come to know it? At that same instance, an unfamiliar object appeared in his hand. It looked like a key-shaped staff, also bearing the image of a serpent wrapping itself around it. And then it vanished just as suddenly as it appeared. Canaan decided to follow the direction that the man Jafar had rode off into. Likely he would find civilization by doing so. But along the way, the desert started to take its toll. And just as Canaan found himself surrounded by more of those things that attacked him and his master, he collapsed from both the heat and exhaustion.

When he awoke, he found himself elsewhere. He'd been saved by an elderly looking man who held in his hand a key-shaped weapon of his own.

Other: Carries with him a dagger that serves as his Focus, an object that sorcerers in his world use to channel their magic with. And although he is able to use magic through Snake-Eyes, he is also able to do so through the Dagger, and in fact can use both to channel his magic to a stronger degree than he could with either individually.

[User]
Another portal appeared, and Conner stepped out, equipped with a Keyblade Trident. He was new to this whole keyblade wielder business, but so far Conner loved it. Action, adventure, and more importantly, he was chosen for this, and his sister was not.

Conner appeared in the middle of a castle courtyard, and all of a sudden, he felt very underdressed for the occasion… Oh well, nothing that could be done about it now.

Apparently they were here because there was a Princess of Heart here, and they were there to find her. That was important for something, but Conner didn't really remember for what. He was more interested in learning magic, and learning to fight with this new weapon he had gotten.

When he arrived, somebody else was already there waiting. And a cute shirtless pretty boy no less. Conner grinned. "Yo, aloha mate!" The surfer boy greeted them. He made a hang loose gesture with his free hand. "Name's Conner. When are we gonna get this party started huh?"

[Assistant]
Rascal

"Heyyyyyy, everyone! What's up?"

A small, bipedal toy raccoon came out of another portal, grinning at Conner and Kalak as he was.

Rascal had mixed feelings on the whole adventure thing. On the one paw, he liked helping people, but on the other paw, he hated that he couldn't truly get to know people as friends, and also really doubted his ability as a Keyblader.

Not that he would ever admit it out loud, though.

At least he could socialize with some random strangers. That wouldn't go wrong, right?

[User]
Verik

Becoming a Keybearer felt like joining a shadowy cabal. Being the only ones with knowledge of other worlds, yet deliberately keeping people in the dark felt questionable. Sure, it wouldn't do them much good without keys, and he could think of good reasons to leave the worlds segregated like this. Maybe it wasn't not letting them know that bothered him - perhaps it was being part of the group that did know. He got his key completely by accident, and it doesn't seem all that useful other than the 'door to different worlds' stuff that weird old man was going on about. As far as he could tell, obtaining one was just pure luck, making it a completely arbitrary selection criteria. Hell, the first thing he sees when he walks through the portal to another world is a toy raccoon - one of the other keybearers. Also assembled are a pair of men - one wearing what appears to be a cross between a hunter's first attempt at making clothing and fetish gear, while the other is dressed for the beach. Quite the diverse selection of backgrounds, it seems. There's also a giant bee-butterfly monster that seems to be with the questionably clothed one, given the way it hovers behind him. He had received the run down on dream eaters, but actually seeing one made him decide he wasn't interested in befriending one himself. Yeesh.

Well, in any case, might as well introduce himself. Verik walks forward to join the group. "Hey. My name is Verik. Seems we're working together on this mission. Is everyone here?"

[Assistant]
On a small island in the center of a creek sat an unassuming ant hill. Who knew this small little ant hill was the centerpiece of an entire world? Well, Canaan certainly didn't know that when he first arrived. Although the fact that he was the size of an insect served as his first clue. He had to use his own magic to give himself a disguise to blend in, in this case the look of a red ant, though still retaining Canaan's characteristic scarlet eyes.

The little red ant stuck out like a sore thumb when among the crowds of blue ants that occupied the island. Why were these ants not attacking what would otherwise be seen as an invading species? Well, it was because Canaan had come to this colony in the company of one its own. When he first arrived, Canaan had found himself in a city like location lived in by all manner of insects. He happened upon a blue ant in search of what he called "warrior bugs" and told him he could probably fit that bill. And after recruiting a group of other bugs Canaan found himself here. Things hadn't exactly gone too well. In the first place, Flick - the blue ant - had mistakenly believed the other bugs to be warriors when they were in fact a circus troupe. But he managed to come up with a workaround involving a mechanical bird to frighten off their enemy with. But now that enemy was here and had discovered the fake bird.

"Looks to me like you ants forgot your place." said the grasshopper, appropriately named Hopper. He was absolutely fuming with anger at the idea that someone had tried to stand up to him, and he currently had Flick at his mercy, "So let me give you a little reminder." he said with pure hatred in his eyes. That's when Canaan spotted it. There was... Darkness growing in that grasshopper's Heart. And as if on cue several Heartless appeared around him and went on the attack.

Not good. The bugs were ill-equipped to deal with Heartless, and they'd be wiped out if Canaan couldn't put a stop to this, "Flick, you deal with Hopper!" he shouted to the blue ant, then gestured to the creatures with his staff, "Leave those things to me!" the blue ant - despite being tired and ragged - nodded with a look of determination in his eyes. And as he went to confront the grasshopper, Canaan focused his attention on the Heartless. He swatted away one that tried to lunge at him and then flung a Water spell at two others, destroying them instantly.

"You're wrong, Hopper." Canaan could hear Flick say as he fought off the Heartless, "Ants are not meant to serve grasshoppers." Canaan could only listen, as his attention was focused on keeping a growing horde of Heartless at bay with a flurry of Water spells, and even a stronger Watera spell at one point, "I've seen these ants do great things. And somehow, year and year they manage to pick food for themselves AND you!" Canaan swatted away another Heartless, changing tactics and instead switching to Fire spells next. "So who is the weaker species? Ants don't serve grasshoppers! It's you who need us!" even Canaan paused to look around after hearing the murmured voices of other ants, "We're a lot stronger than you say we are... and you know it, don't you?" and although Hopper was about to squish Flick, he was interrupted by the Princess as well as all the other ants finally taking a stand.

At this point the Heartless seemed to start vanishing, perhaps due to Hopper's own Heart faltering. But Canaan knew they'd be called back to this world again eventually. But at least it seemed like his presence in this world was no longer required. Now he just needed to make sure things played out and then he could find a secluded place to open a portal so he could- his thoughts were completely interrupted when the Gummi Phone suddenly went off., "Gah! Geez, old man, thanks for the heart attack!" he complained as he grabbed the phone and made it stop ringing. Sure enough it was a message from old man Xehanort alright, but unfortunately Canaan was a tad bit busy at the moment. Although, as Canaan watched it was becoming clear that Flick and the insects could take it from here. So he managed to catch the glimpse of Flick whom he gave a simple nod and wave, indicating that he needed to leave. Flick looked a bit sad at the sudden departure, but had to keep his attention on the matter of hand.

With that, Canaan ran off somewhere where he could find cover. Once away from the commotion, he was able to safely open a portal that would take him out into the Lanes Between. He dispelled his disguised, donned his protective armor, and stepped on through. According to Xehanort's message, Canaan was needed in a place called the Dwarf Woodlands. Some queen was about try and have a Princess killed and she was apparently too important to let die, though Canaan didn't quite understand why. Still, he couldn't just refuse a request from the old man. He saved his life after all, and so Canaan felt like he needed to repay that debt somehow.

Meanwhile, a new portal opened up in the castle courtyard where Keybearers where gathering. An armored figure stepped through it only for the armor itself to immediately dispel, revealing a red-hooded young man with eyes of scarlet, "'Protect the secret of the multiverse' he says," the scarlet-eyed youth was apparently grumbling to himself, "while also informing us that a host of intergalactic bounty hunters are on their way. Good luck maintaining the secret after they all start showing up here, old man." he rubbed his temples with his fingers, clearly looking exasperated by all this. He also didn't seem to be all that bothered with introducing himself either, as he had yet to acknowledge any of the weirdos in front of him.


[System]
"So long as I am on watch, the Lost will not gain any ground. I am the will of Echo, I am Shae Arca."

Age
38

Race
Human

Nationality
Shindan

Religion
Children of Gala

Appearance
Shae has a body that any career soldier would have. There are some scars here and there that tell tales of previous battles. She prefers to keep her hair back in a pony tail so as to not get in the way during combat.

---

Role
Captain; Strategist

Font
Ethereal Shift

Shae can shift small items she touches to become ethereal. In doing so, Shae can store arrows and other items in the ethereal plane, making them weightless and out of the way until needed. Simply put, Shae has access to a pocket dimension.

Color
Gold

Weapon
Shae wields an ornate saber of Shindani make, the edge of the blade is made of resonant so that it can use elemental properties like fire or ice. Shae also uses a small buckler shield that also doubles as a wrist mounted crossbow.

---

Personality
Shae is an honorable and proud Shindani Captain who highly values respect and loyalty. She is kind to those who treat her the same way. However, Shae is also very blunt and straight to the point at times. She sees hints and cryptic messages as wastes of time. This gives her a bit of a steely tone about her. She is firm and deliberate with her words. Just like her Shindani people, Shae never stands down from a challenge. When in combat, she uses her peoples' natural talent for strategic excellence to outsmart her foe and her pure combat prowess to overpower them. She prefers a quick and direct combat style with her saber, usually backing her opponent into a position that leaves them at a disadvantage. Shae isn't a total hard-ass though, she enjoys spending time with her cohorts and playing the strategic Shindani game 'Fleet'. Shae can't stand disrespect, even when her friends disrespect their enemies. In Shindani culture, respecting your enemy is the first step to defeating them. Shae loves the open ocean and sailing, during free time, you can almost always find her near a body of water. She is a firm believer of Gala and her endeavors, and often prays to the starmother for guidance. Shae is a world renowned huntress and usually doesn't like being fawned over constantly. She tends to avoid heavily populated areas and if she is forced to go through one, she is usually trying not to stand out.

Background
Shae was born aboard a Shindani battleship. Her father was the captain of the ship and her mother was one of the marine troops assigned to the ship. She was raised aboard the battleship, never setting foot on land until the age of eight years old. After spending so much time on the water, living a life accustomed to the ebb and flow of the sea, walking on solid earth was a bit of a task for Shae. She got used to it a month later. She lived on the island with her parents until she was seventeen, of age to join the Shindan Navy and carry on the line of her parents.

Shae started in the navy as a mere marine. She was trained in the traditional ranged warfare of ship to ship battle tactics, learning how to use firearms, bows, crossbows and even more exotic weapons. Her swordfighting was also taught to her during her training, in case her ship was ever boarded. But while Shae was good at combat, it wasn't where she excelled. Shae showed incredible tactical aptitude and even bested her instructors in games of Fleet and in training skirmishes on the water. This caught the eye of the Senate and she was quickly elevated to command. After her training, Shae was already in the captain's seat to a small corvette class ship. The corvette was a new design for Shindani vessels that used wind and water resonant to propel it forward instead of sails. The design attributed to its blinding speeds and maneuverability, it was named the Golden Dragon. Shae, her nine person crew and the Golden Dragon were assigned for a small patrol fleet on Shindan's border.

While patrolling along the border, a category four wrath burst from the water and split the fleet's command ship in two, claiming it for the depths. The Lost was serpentine, like it was the mad spirit of a long dead sea dragon. It weaved around the fleet, claiming the biggest ships but leaving the small, inconsequential corvettes. As the fleet was decimated and the chain of command was shattered, Shae took the initiative and claimed command of the group of four corvettes. The captains of the other ships were worried that the 17 year old was going to get them all killed. Shae knew that the Lost was going to hit her ship next because it had the largest amount of resonant in it compared to the other corvettes. Using her ship's superior speed and maneuverability, she made the Lost chase her, weaving in and out of places that the massive Lost couldn't get into. The other nimble corvettes used their small array of resonant cannons arms with yellow resonant to strike at the beast and electrify the water around it. When it was stunned, the Golden Dragon turned and went full speed ahead at the Lost's head. The corvette's forward cannons opened fire with explosive red resonant to break through its hard scales. When they got close, the bladed tip of the corvette rammed into the soft spot of the Lost's head. Shae then climbed onto the beast and finished it off herself.

When she returned with the skull of the massive Lost in tow, she was celebrated as a hero. She was offered her choice for a reward, Shae asked that Grisman Blint take her Golden Dragon and improve on the design. Grisman Blint was Shindan's greatest shipwright. A month later, her prize was given to her. The Golden Dragon was equipped with another resonant engine, the hull streamlined to cut through the water and waves better. The cannons were on turrets so they could fire and better angles and the bladed prow was tipped with resonant so ramming could be done with elemental effects. The armor was replaced with lighter weight but more durable metals with a golden finish on it to attribute to its name.

Shae then returned to the sea with her new and improved Golden Dragon, using it to combat against the Lost and pirates that thought they could take on a small corvette. Over the years, Shae garnered herself quite the reputation. Many Shindani people challenged her to games of Fleet, sword duels, marksmanship contests and ship to ship skirmishes, all of them lost to her prowess. Shae was also confronted with many marriage proposals and gifts from nobles, but she always turned them away while saying, "Beat me on the water and I will marry you.", in hindsight that might not have been a good idea as she is still single.

When word got out that an organization called Echo was looking for champions and heroes to combat against the Lost, the 21 year old Shae and her crew stepped up to the opportunity. They were among the first handful people to join. Many of the others were Tarcan warriors wanting to prove their metal or Barallians trying to escape feren discrimination. None of them really knew about the distant Shindan people and their ways. Shae was the only woman in the first group, and the warriors all looked down at her, oblivious to her reputation and completely unaware that she was the only one of them to have killed a Lost. Echo's first battle against the Lost was, luckily for Shae, in the Tarcan sea. She had an airship lift her Golden Dragon into the waters. This time, it wasn't a single lost, but many. The lost were emerging from the shore, many of them looked like ningen spirits and strange humanoid fish creatures. While the hunters fought on the shore, Shae and her crew were firing from the Golden Dragon with cannons and firearms, killing the larger Lost while the hunters on the shore did battle with the smaller ones. If it wasn't for the heavy cannons aboard the Golden Dragon, the battle would have ended terribly fast as the larger category Lost moved out of the waters.

That first battle proved to the world that Echo was exactly what was needed to fight against the Lost. Since then, Shae's reputation has carried across Chroma along with every successful battle.

Theme Song: There Is No Other (Degenesis Mix) - TobiasLilja

"Wake up. It's time to stand up tall. Dry lips in dead wind. There is no other."

[User]
Isa still felt furiously giddy having Sha Arca in her party, despite how bad she should feel for idolizing the ECHO celebrity. But, Isa didn't care. Half of the reason she stayed with ECHO, though Shae might not remember it, was because of Shae. The words she'd told Isa in passing so long ago had stuck with her and strengthened her resolve to stick with it.

Isa swallowed hard and stood silently, staring down at the table. "I'm Isabelline Carter, Isa for short. I've been with ECHO for a few years now despite not being well known. My entire reason for being here is to become strong enough to protect my loved ones even if it's a struggle just to keep myself on my feet everyday and not crashing into everything. I'm nothing if not determined."

With that out of the way, the small bird feren sat back down, her feathers hitting he back of the chair with a 'floof' wooshing noise. Her heart was racing a million miles an hour and she hoped to Gala no one saw how awfully she was shaking during her little speech. She felt entirely stiff and out of place and hoped to Gala Shae didn't hate her.

[Assistant]
Xander

Xander was a man of confidence. He had hope, a future he wanted to achieve, and a life he wanted to fulfill. He carried his sword to follow his parents' path of battle, and honorable or not, he believed that hardening his heart was a key to becoming a warrior. He trained himself endlessly in hopes of becoming a strong enough warrior who would eventually meet his end outside of battle unlike his parents. Perhaps right after a well-fought battle, he would fall peacefully...

His arms and legs crossed and his eyes open slightly, the blond swordsman maintained a cold look. And as everyone introduced themselves, he thought to himself,

F-Fuck.
These guys are legit.

Despite being a man of confidence, Xander was also a man easily scared by things around him. One of them was the idea that there were always some people who had more experience than him in something.

Goddammit, first there are two war veterans busting out their (sexy) asses on their achievements, he thought, his brain processing at light speed as time slowed down around him. Then there's this mofo who just happens to pretend that he's not confident while slipping in the fact that he was in ECHO for six damn years. Then there's the freakin' bird girl who still has a massive amount of years slipped into her background at ECHO, and she STOLE the touchy-ass shit I was trying to say- without even trying a single bit!

At least there's ONE guy who seems new but dammit he has healing powers.

DAMMIT! Why is everything at such a perfect balance here? I'm totally not needed here no matter how you look at it!

Slowly opening his eyes a little more, Xander maintained his cold and serious face as he screamed internally, Isn't there anything I could say that could get these people to feel like I'm a bit of something? There's gotta be a way...

...

...

I guess I'll have to wing it.

The swordsman's gaze turned to every member in the room aside from himself. From the lean and buff guy to the small and petite bird girl, he took note of how none of them seemed burly. Great. That meant there was room for a burly-

Wait a minute, they're probably strong enough to not be burly in the first place. I hate my life.

Xander took a small breath before sighing, seemingly unaware of the fact that he had not yet shared his own nervousness to the members and only expressed a small bit of disappointment... though it was unclear as to what he felt disappointed about. Straightening himself ever-so-slightly, Xander introduced himself with a flat tone.

"I'm Xander. I have nothing interesting to share.

"That is all."

The swordsman vowed to talk in front of a mirror one day without waking his bunkmates up just to practice socialization. He got the serious part down, but something about the way he talked felt off to himself. Having finished his own introduction, Xander returned to having his eyes slightly closed, his awareness of his surroundings remaining as tense as ever.

[User]
The Harp listened intently to those that chose to speak and it appeared as if the figure smiled though no one really knew. Though, as much as the Harp wanted to listen to the rest of them, another hooded figure came rushing into the meeting room and bent down to whisper something in the Harp's ear.

"I'm sor---Harp. It lo-----------the Lost--------village--------dying-------time."

The Harp nodded slowly, something about the figure's posture suddenly shifted. It's back got straighter and it leaned forwards slightly. "Change of plans. Shae, expect a letter to be delivered to you about the plans for the group. It seems things will need to be put into action much sooner than we anticipated." The Harp explained, it's voice suddenly sounded almost rushed and frantic. "Please show your team to the airship and give them the details when they are given to you. You'll all be dropped off at the location, expect Lost to be there when you arrive. No time to rest, be on high alert." It explained shortly, and was suddenly out of the room in a flash, white and gold robes whipping about as it flew past the door.

Isa blinked, her lips pursed. "Well, that's certainly odd." She remarked, never having seen the Harp seem so flustered.

(Bitty post is bitty, sorry.)

[Assistant]
Shae raised a brow when the muse hurried into the room to relay a message. She watched the hooded figure intently, trying to gather what she could from the quiet muse. It didn't matter, the Harp had given its command. Shae nodded and stood up from her seat, her voice went from a calm and relaxed tone to a stern and battle-hardened one, "Huntsmen! We have our orders. Follow me to the hangar."

Shae wasted no time in leading the varied bunch of huntsmen. After five minutes of hurrying through the corridors of the Sentinel, they had reached hangar. It was a large space, twenty stories high and at least half a kilometer wide. The hangar of the Sentinel could carry a small fleet of airships in its berth while it traveled the word. Shae waved over a deck officer, he came running. "Commander. What can I do for you?"

"I need my ship ready for deployment immediately." Shae ordered.

He nodded, "Aye, aye, ma'am." The officer turned and called out to his subordinates, "Bring down the Dragon! Bay twelve!"

His lackeys received the order and began punching things in at their terminals. Before long, a loud whining sound could be heard as mechanical arms carried Shae's equally legendary corvette, the Golden Dragon. Shae looked up at the corvette proudly while the deck officer spoke, "Shall I summon the crew, ma'am?"

Shae shook her head, "No. She's not seeing any combat today. She just needs to get us to the field."


[System]
BASIC
Goes By (Nicknames): None currently available.
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Race: Human

APPEARANCE

Face Claim (Actor/Actress They're Played By): TBA / I've yet to find an actor for this character.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Blue
Skin Tone: Slightly pale.
Height: 6'2
Weight: 170lbs
Build: Lithe, somewhat muscular.
Weapons: Twin swords, multiple daggers and knives hidden on him.

Overall Appearance:

Dark features, Visible, jagged scar that runs down his right eye. Various scars are hidden underneath his clothing.

Ghent is often clad in black or dark grays.
Most of his clothes are made from black leather; his cloak has a hood and a mask to cover the lower half of his face if needed. He has various weaponry concealed; he often wears fingerless gloves, laced up bracers, and boots.

PERSONALITY

Likes: Gold.
Dislikes: Talking, poverty, people in general.
Strengths: Picking locks, leadership, agility.
Weaknesses: Stubbornness, Greed.
Fears: Loss, failure.

Overall Personality:

Stubborn | Calculating | Complicated | Quiet | Incredulous | Shrewd

Ghent's family was very often poor and lived in a lower part of a small, poverty-stricken town. His mother passed away shortly after giving birth to her second son, Garth. Ghent was ten years in age when she passed.

Ghent's father turned to drinking heavily and he came to blame his children for the loss of his wife. Fearing for Garth, Ghent took matters into his own hands; at the age of thirteen, he took his younger brother and left home, never once looking back.

Life on the road was not an easy one, but Ghent was determined to tough it out so that they would not have to return to their father. At first, Ghent began with petty theft; he stole what was needed in order to keep them alive, they took shelter where they could and lied whenever questioned. As the years went on, they moved up in the world. After years of practice, Ghent became a highly skilled thief. This was the start of a life he would live well past his teenage years.

* * *

Ghent has an eerie calmness about him and his emotions are seldom ever shown. Because of this, he is very difficult to read -- almost impossibly so. Ghent handles matters in a diplomatic way and doesn't often resort to violence unless necessary. For the most part, he is quiet and reserved, therefore much of his past is unknown.

Deep down, Ghent does have a heart, though he does his best not to show it. He'd be the last to admit it, but he has a soft spot for those in need.

BACKGROUND

Date of Birth: ? Have to calculate that. ,_,
Place of Birth: Outskirts of Laketown. Not quite within the town, though close.

Family Relations:

- Garth (younger brother)
- Lydia (Mother; deceased)
- Vincent (Father)
- Kaiden (cousin)

[User]
Kili was exhausted; he'd barely a moment to rest after his leg had been treated, and the ordeal left him greatly fatigued.
"I remember the stories," he answered, taking a moment to sit down atop an overturned treasure chest. Piles of gold and various gemstones spilled out of it; a single chest contained more wealth than he'd ever seen in his entire life.
"I suppose I was hoping that any of these would do," he nodded towards an impressive looking gem, a diamond of some kind, though clearly not the Arkenstone.
Kili rubbed the back of his neck, managing a light smile at Fili's description. Their Delva had the most beautiful eyes of any he'd ever seen. The mention of her left him wondering: where had she gone? There'd been no sight of their godmother ever since she'd spoken to Thorin. . .

"Fili...you don't think Thorin's asked her to leave, do you?" Kili voiced his fears aloud; he'd never considered the fact that they could be separated so soon, but she had fulfilled her promise, hadn't she? Surely she wouldn't have left without a goodbye...perhaps she was give no other choice.
Troubled, he pushed himself up. "I'm going to go find her."

Thorin had circled around one of the mighty stone pillars in the room, his eyes landing towards his nephews. Both were seated, which struck a negative chord within him. Why were they resting? Didn't they realize how important this was? Kili had risen, though Thorin overheard his statement about finding Saeril.
"You were instructed to find the Arkenstone, not your godmother," he approached them, his gaze one of disapproval with a hint of anger. "No one rests until it is found...it is in these halls somewhere. We must find it!"

Kili's heart skipped; he'd no idea Thorin had been present. Seeing him up close sent a feeling of dread into the pit of his stomach. Thorin had changed, and not for the better. "I was going to come back," he promised hastily. "I was just..."

"Going to find her." Thorin finished the sentence, his tone harsh and unforgiving. "I will not tell you two again. NO ONE rests until it is found, do I make myself clear?"

[Assistant] Fili allowed his brother to leave, and seek their godmother out, but his heart also skipped a beat, as soon as he took notice of their uncle approaching them, more notably, Kili, who was just about to take his leave. His brotherly instincts were taking effect, and by the looks of Thorin's current status, he just couldn't leave his baby brother alone with him. It became more difficult that Saeril wasn't present. "Uncle", the blonde impulsively responded, really to fend him off from advancing upon his brother. He approached the two, and stood next to his brother, well, a few feet ahead of him, closer to Thorin. Their uncle was unpredictable now, so he had no idea what he was capable of yet. He only wished that they didn't have to experience it. "He's about to collapse. If he doesn't rest, the search for the stone will be ever more difficult. I will continue the search. I won't rest, but let him. As your heirs", the blonde was practically beginning to reason/beg. His brother was on the verge to fall from exhaustion, and rest was all he needed to continue their search. But this was a partial ruse to let his brother sneak away and find Delva. "Please, uncle".

[User]
Kili may have argued or lipped off, but he was so taken aback by Thorin's behavior that he was rendered speechless. It was no secret that Thorin could be a bit overbearing and harsh, but he'd never seen him this bad. Thorin didn't seem to care about them at all, his only focus was on the Arkenstone.
Before Kili could begin to utter a response, Fili had quite literally stepped in for him. Big hearted as always, Fili spoke on his behalf and even offered to search in his place. Kili felt a twinge of guilt at that -- Fili must have been terribly tired too. They'd barely a moment's rest for days now.

Thorin grew dangerously quiet, his eyes flickering from Fili to Kili. Kili did look exhausted. If he fell sick again, Oin would have to tend to him. They didn't have time for illness to get in the way of their search.
"Very well," he relented, if only for Kili to rest a little. "Kili, go rest. When you wake, I want you to help your brother."

Kili felt badly to bail on Fili, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep on his feet. The youngest felt a mixture of hurt anger towards Thorin, though he held his tongue and did not risk mouthing off to him. "I'll be back soon, Fili," he promised him quietly, then turned to leave the chamber, his eyes towards the ground.

Once he'd left the room, Kili breathed a small sigh of relief. Thorin was more than a little intimidating -- especially now. As he walked down the long, empty halls, Kili kept an eye out for Saeril, hopeful to find her. "Delva??" He called for her once, though not too loudly in fear his uncle should overhear.

[Assistant]
Fili was, no doubt, tired from where he stood, but he kept up a good fight to stay awake. He was allowing Kili to go and, though temporarily, be free from the intimidating prescence of their uncle. No beast, no man, will hurt Kili in any way. All he could really give his brother was a slow smile, in a way to reassure him that his older brother will be okay. "Thank you", he said to Thorin, thankful that he could temporarily listen to reason on a short-term notice. He gave a tired smile to Kili, before he willingly turned around and contunue the search.

Saeril had herself clinging to the armory's ceiling; her finger-cuffs allowing her hang upside down with her wings stretches out. She was nearly preccupied with the thoughts of Thorin's behavior, her godson's current status. However, hearing the distressed call of Kili, she didn't move .

[User]
"Delva?" Kili peeked into the next corridor, only to find that it was just as dark and intimidating as his uncle had been. Brows knit in concern, he continued further into the armory, taking in the sight with silent awe. There were weapons of all shapes and sizes, with armor so intricate they almost seemed too well made for battle.

For a time, Kili merely observed his surroundings, completely oblivious to the fact that Saeril was right above him.
How was Thorin so sure that the Arkenstone was in the chamber of gold? What if it had been moved? The idea inspired Kili to hunt around -- if only to be in Thorin's good graces again. This would help Fili, too. Once the Arkenstone was found, Thorin could finally rule their kingdom, and all would be as it should have been.

Kili began by searching the area behind and underneath the array of swords. There were plenty of crevices and areas for an Arkenstone to hide. In certain parts of the floor, there were scattered pieces of gold and a few small diamonds, no doubt leftovers from Smaug's attack.
Though Kili was tired, he was also determined. The youngest continued his search of the room, though everything came to a halt when his legs gave out. Just as Fili had predicted, he had collapsed.

Nothing was going right. Thorin was on the warpath, Saeril was gone, Fili was covering for him...and for what? Was this really worth their perilous journey? Erebor was cold, grim, and terribly uninviting. Home was far away, and the future looked very bleak.

[Assistant]
The she-elf had her luminous eyes closed, even where she heard Kili calling her name once more. She couldn't talk to him; not yet. The anger she felt will soon manifest into something dangerous, and for that, she had to keep herself isolated from her godsons. Remaining in the mountain, but kept her distance from them. She watched from above, as soon as the-elf noticed Kili enter the armory.

He's still making them look for it, she inwardly observed, when she took notice of Kili still looking around. Just watching. However, for him to fall to the floor, Saeril couldn't stay. Gracefully, she let go of the ceiling and glided down to the floor, crouching beside him, while her wings folded behind. She didn't allow them to turn into her cloak. Using the strength she had, she managed to easily pick her godson up, holding him close against her chest. One of her arms underneath him, and the other under his knees, tucking him close against her slim body. Standing up with ease, Saeril unraveled her wings, and flew to the quarters inside the mountain. It wasn't too far from the armory, and the she-elf was determined to allow Kili to get his rest. It was dusty within the bedroom, but with her flap of her feathers, she managed to blow that dust off the bed.

Tucking him in, Saeril didn't leave his side, not so much as flinch from the spot. Stroking his hair, and moving a few strands from his face, she sat in the spot next to his sleeping form. It was a big bed, and far from a royal bedroom. But the bed was big enough to take two partners. She will be here when he awakens, like she always did. And he loved her for that.

[User]
Kili couldn't quite remember falling, nor did he completely register what was going on as his godmother picked him up from the stone floor. The youngest was out cold, and he hadn't stirred for the duration of his slumber. When Kili did wake, he appeared groggy and confused until his eyes landed towards Saeril. The sight of her was enough to bring a smile to Kili's face; she hadn't left after all.
"I was afraid you'd gone," he started to sit up, nearly embarrassed for having fallen asleep so easily. What had happened? His mind was foggy. "...Where are we?"

[Assistant]
Saeril was sitting in the empty space of the bed, next to Kili's sleeping form. Her knees nearly up to her chest, her wings tucked behind her, and her straight dark-brown hair flowing free. She hoped Thorin didn't go too hard on them, but by the looks of Kili's exhaustion, the dwarven King perhaps did go a bit far. Feeling the youngest stir, her attention was drawn to him. Giving that motherly smile of hers, the she-elf laid her hand upon his own, bowing her head down, and closing her eyes passively. "My promise isn't yet fulfilled, young Durin", she reminded him. "I'm sure you know that said-promise".

She was stern when she said this, although it softened when he asked on where he was. "This, was one of the original chambers to one of the sons of Durin. Don't ask me who", the she-elf winked, as if there was a hidden secret about the room. Truthfully, it was his birthplace. "It was special to a special someone".

[User]
"I remember." Kili smiled lightly, secretly grateful that her promise hadn't yet been fulfilled. They'd arrived safely, but he wanted her to stay for as long as possible. Even when her promise was fulfilled, he didn't want her to leave.

Sitting up, Kili started to get a better look of their surroundings. Observant as ever, he searched the room with curiosity. This room was completely unlike the ones back home.
"Did it really?" Saeril's comment surprised him, though before he might ask which son of Durin, his godmother mischievously requested that he not ask. "Which one?" Kili tried to use his big, brown puppy eyes on her. This was usually enough for Fili to cave, and sometimes their mother, though he hadn't yet tried with Delva. "Can't I have a hint?"


[System]
Appearance: Seth Vutaro stands 5'10" tall and weighs 210 Lbs. His flesh is bluish gray with splotches of navy blue scattered about his body, including a two-inch splotch on his left cheek and a six-inch splotch on the left side of his neck. His head is shaved bald with grayish colored splotches across his dome. Seth wears navy blue or black dickies trousers, brown hiking boots and similar colored work shirts. He has an assault vest he inherited from time spent in the military containing spare magazines, water bottles, a first aid kit, compass, weapons cleaning kit and various other tools necessary for survival. He retained a maroon beret with a red/gray flash upon the face to wear upon his head.

Biography: Seth grew up in Granby, a suburb of Central City. The city suffered devastating decay from the Others with more than 90% of its inhabitants, dead. The survivors are either guests of the invaders are hiding in surrounding forests and hills. Seth is one of the orc survivors hiding in the woods looking for a way to survive and overthrow their alien oppressors.

Seth never graduated High School. He attended Granby High School but dropped out before his senior year when he felt the human administration treated the orcish population unfairly. He never liked school and didn't do well in either of his classes. He did manage to get a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) which qualified him to join the US Army.

As soon as he was able, Seth enlisted in the Army, performing Basic Combat Training at Ft. Benning, GA. He qualified as an Infantryman, then attended Airborne school, also at Ft. Benning and Ranger School. His first duty station was in Vicenza, Italy with the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. He deployed with his unit to Poland in support of NATO Operation Atlantic Resolve where he trained alongside Polish Infantry formations along the border with the Russian Federation.

After an 18-month tour with the 173rd Airborne, Seth who picked up the nickname "Vick" in Vicenza was redeployed to Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry, 2nd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. Seth preferred the Light Infantry aspect of being in an airborne battalion in Europe over maintaining his squad's Stryker wheeled combat vehicle. He tried to make the best of it.

After his three years in the US Army ended, he had attained the rank of Specialist, received his DD-214 discharge paperwork and returned to Granby and his mom and dad. His dad had a job working on the Norfolk Southern Railway in the Maintenance of Way department, repairing tracks. The MOW department out of Central City exclusively employed orcs due to their bulk and natural strength. They endured hardships and were able to effectively perform their jobs without many problems. The orcs had a reputation as solid workers.

At the time the alien invaders arrived, Seth "Vic" Vutaro had been working for the NS Railway for one year working the crew with his father. The old man got caught up with the purge and died, along with Vic's mother. The 22-year old Army veteran made it out of the city and into the hills with a small group of survivors.

Psychological Profile: Seth is pretty laid back having accepted his lot in life. He doesn't like it and would like to one day see orcs gain a better station in life. He is comfortable as a conflict avoider. He has been pigeon holed as positive and/or happy go lucky, but when pushed can and has stepped outside his comfort zone. He is disciplined and will do what is necessary to survive.

[User]
An alien spacecraft larger than the size of earth's major cities arrived in orbit around the planet over a month ago. Apparently, several other similar craft assumed a similar geo-stationary orbit over all other major cities around the globe. The Others as the inhabitants of earth have taken to calling the aliens began an assault by waves with the intent of removing the dominant species. The first wave knocked out all the power. Every electronic device on the planet was fried except for those items hardened against electromagnetic pulse (EMP) like military vehicles. Automobiles stopped working, home appliances shut off, time stopped, and all aircraft fell from the sky, killing thousands. The second wave saw mega earthquakes ripping up the ground, devouring small towns and flooding coastal areas, killing millions. The third wave, avian flu carried on the wings of several billion birds infectied the population killing billions. Only a handful of survivors remained. By the fourth wave, the others were among us. With their ability to inhabit human hosts, it became difficult to tell friend from foe. Your neighbor or third grade school teacher could now be one of them.

The reality you have lived with your entire life, regarding the many races of earth; humans, orcs, elves, centaurs, and dwarves has changed. The world you once knew where elves had the fortune to rest atop our social strata has fallen. Now elves inhabit the same social layer as the orcs and every other race on Planet earth…or do they? Can the arrival of an alien race wipe out two millennia of racial bigotry? The orcs have often suffered the indignities as the dregs of society to the humans and elves; now forced to survive with them, to defend them and maybe even die for them. Only a fraction of the population has remained; less than one percent of the world's population—fewer than seventy million inhabitants across the planet. They are all at risk of suffering a mass genocide of not one group or race, but all races co-existing on the planet.

This is the Bright Wave!

Seth Vutaro survived the first three waves and has learned first hand that the others have inhabited several orc, elven or human hosts. He has been fired upon by the others and has lost the apability to trust. Seth is an orc who spent three years in the United States Army, an organization that learned to surpass the binds of racial intolerance. While in the Army, he felt at parity with his Elven and Human brothers but returning to Granby and the greater Central City region of the state reminded him that society as a whole has a long way to go. He experienced those old tired prejudices he remembered from before his time in the military. He was relegated to pounding spikes for the railroad with other orcs who became like family too; all of whom could not survive to the fourth wave like he did.

He lost everyone he knew when the EMP, earthquakes and avian flu hit the population. His friends and family were all dead. He managed to get his hands on an M4 Carbine formerly owned by a soldier of the Army National Guard along with a slightly used US Army issue MOLLE backpack to contain all his worldly possessions, taking to the wilderness to survive. Recently, Seth has taken up with a dwarf named, Thalis Boulderman who worked the coal mines in the southern region of the state and a human from Minnesota named, Joe Anderson who had once been a truck driver. The three formed an uncomfortable trio, not knowing if they could truly trust one another. Two thousand years of hated and racial bigotry can be difficult to erase but being forced to work together in order to survive is a good start.

Seth is forced to put aside what he knew before the alien spacecraft arrived around earth. He MUST trust these people because the one thread that kept them together was, the notion this planet was their home, not the aliens everyone has taken to calling the Others. He hated what the Others had done more than he hated Humans, Elves or Dwarves.

He may have felt as though he did not have the same opportunities of the Humans and Elves, but they weren't outwardly killing his family and friends like the Others have done. Now, Seth feels alone. Everyone he knew died over the past month. His new existence has forced him to kill to survive and is forced to rely on this dwarf and human in order to carry on. Seth knows humans, dwarves, orcs and elves have been possessed by Others somehow and taken to killing inhabitants of earth. He wonders often, how can we tell the difference between those possessed by the Others and those who are one of us? This has now become the bane of survivors everywhere across the planet. Seth feels as long as his traveling companions do not betray him or worse, then he MUST trust them regardless of his gut feelings.

Seth secretly carries a special weapon he will not reveal to just anyone. It is a wand, formerly owned by a Bright Elf. The elf did not survive the Avian flu. Understanding the power of the wand, a nuclear missile that grants wishes; he will not reveal its existence until he finds someone capable of wielding. Most Brights are elves, so he feels he must overcome the stereotypes of those indignant individuals he has learned to hate. But seeing as he is learning to live with Dwarves and humans, he is at least willing to give an elf the benefit of the doubt. Before handing the wand over to just anyone he must learn two things. First, is the elf possessed by one of the Others? And Second is this Bright Elf he may meet someone who he will get along with? It would be devastating to Seth Vutaro if he handed over the wand and then the bright elf used it to kill him. This dilemma is something he dwells on often. He knows he cannot trust his current traveling companions with its existence. In a sense, he if fighting to enable The Bright Wave to fight against the Others rather to finish off the inhabitants of the planet.

[Assistant]
It was quiet out here in the woods.

Sina was used to the quiet murmurs and quickly averted stares. She was used to the hustle and bustle of the party life, too. Elves did like a party.

But this quiet she was still getting used to.

They had killed off countless everything- elves, humans, orcs, dwarves, sentient, non-sentient, they didn't seem to care. Whoever they were. They were not from here; had never been seen. But they were down here and not just in their massive ships now, that was certain.

What they looked like was not certain. Whatever it was, the Others could possess.

She did what she could. Found a man, saved him and his family- he seemed surprised that she could fight, and that she would fight for something other than an elf- and it had snowballed from there. Ace Remington, his family, more random strangers: some human, some orc, one elf, now all crowded into a house in the woods.

Sina waited patiently. They would send another because they knew they were here. They would need to move, soon, but for now, Sina waited. She had found camouflage to dress in, hiding in the woods to wait for another Silencer.

She didn't enjoy killing them, but it had to be done.

[User]
The unlikely trio of survivors walked slowly through the Southern Indiana forest. They left home and Central City behind. Seth took point, keeping an eye out for anyone who might be lurking in the forest trying to kill them. They learned to avoid the open areas. Many Others had taken over people trained in shooting long distance; hunters, Marine snipers or Olympic caliber shooters. The Others would find hiding spots near highways, major roadways, open tracts of farmland or wherever they could find clear lines of fire out to 800 meters or more. Others were deadly accurate with their hunting rifles, leaving corpses littering Interstates 65 and 69 as well as the numerous other state routes. The group considered heading north to Indianapolis, but discarded that idea realizing the Others had probably already cleared out the major population centers and garrisoned the to prevent the native population from re-entering these areas.

Seth spent time training his new friends in the US Army's techniques, tactics and procedures (TTP) for patrolling. They used hand and arm signals to communicate with one another. In fact, Thalis Boulderman, coal miner-turned soldier taught the group how to communicate using American Sign Language. They often communicated silently this way in order to be as quiet as possible. Joe Anderson covered the rear as the small group moved stealthily through what may have been a State Park or State Forest. The tree covered terrain was measured from 100 to 900 feet in elevation. Ferns, oak scrub and juniper bushes plugged the undergrowth. Pine, Oak, maple, birch and beech trees covered the hills. An occasional open space would appear where trees had been removed to allow for farmland a few centuries ago. Seth and company avoided these open patches of ground as they hiked the hills of Southern Indiana.

The three stopped occasionally to survey the land in front of them, especially when they were standing on high ground. A farmhouse of Colonial design with a large wrap around porch, white in color stood at the far end of a large cattle pasture. Cornfields bordered the pastures to the north and south of the open farmlands. A large red barn, possibly containing hay and stalls for horses and cows stood several feet to the east of the farm house with an attached grain silo. Various farming equipment parked around the house and barnyard. Seth noticed the cattle grazing in the pasture first. This sight sent up a red flag, a warning so to speak.

In sign language the three survivors carried on a conversation. "See the cows?" Seth asked Thalis and Joe. Both nodded. "If there are cows, then there must be people here to care for them, right?"

"Sounds reasonable," Thalis answered. "But are they Others?"

"Right, how do we know?" Seth sat there staring at the cows and the farm house in the distance in frustration. Then he resolved to be daring, "we cannot hide from everyone!" He pounded his fist into his hand in exclamation. "We must trust someone! Give them a chance to prove they can be trusted!" The clouds had slowly darkened rolling in over the region. Small drops of rain began to fall on the Midwestern farmland. Seth looked up at the sky thinking, 'damn. Infantry weather.'

Joe Anderson saw the reason in Seth's position. After all, he was the one who argued in favor of finding other survivors before they left Central City. "I say let's go find out who lives there," Joe responded.

"Your going to get us all killed," Thalis interjected. He watched the other two to see if they would change their idea. No one said anything. They just stared back at him with that blank expression saying, 'We are right and you are wrong, so you better join us.' "I guess I have no choice. Just be careful," he signed in frustration.

The three made their way closer to the wood line and followed the terrain along the south side of the pasture about fifty yards inside the forest. They kept their eye on the farmland while watching the hills around them and every tree they could see. They continued to search for an ambush or a sniper just waiting to pick them off. They were all alert for danger could be lurking behind any and every tree. Any sign of movement, they would slow down and investigate as though it were a platoon of Others just waiting to kill them. Survival was a challenge these days and they intended to do the best they could. For all they knew they could be walking right into crosshairs on their way to discern who lived at the farm.


[System]
Age: 18
Gender: Female.
Race: Demon.
Appearance:
Personality:

Elysia Corentine. Two names that mean destruction. That mean fear. That demand respect.

...Well, she tries to get that. Close enough?

Elysia is a demon who has no interest in the demon lord's plans. Instead, she just wants to make some money and get the respect she deserves. And maybe amidst all the madness develop a peership of likeminded individuals who will all bow to her every whim and worship the ground she walks on. Is that asking for too much? Yeah.

Elysia is incredibly egotistical and prideful, believing she's so much better than she actually is (especially when it comes to her ability as a summoner). Cold and vastly competitive, even when she's traveling with others, she believes that what she says is obviously more important and that she is very much a queen. Alas, this is only in her head. She only really comes across as a jerk most of the time because of this.

She is known for addressing people by their full names. Last name and all. If they don't have a last name, then she just gives a description of them after their first name. Hell, she'd probably go that far normally. For example, who says something like, "I, Elysia Corentine, summoner extraordinaire and the owner of the feet you should so lovingly want to kiss, disagrees on this subject."

...Yeah, she does.

There's just a little problem. She's not a summoner extraordinaire because what she summons is never what she wishes to summon. She wants to summon a giant fire breathing dragon? Bam! A pile of geckos. She wants to summon a being of plague upon your houses? Bam! Bees. Which immediately decide to sting her.

...Her luck stat is barely existent, okay, cut her some slack.

Abilities:
-Summoning: She can summon creatures to aid her in battle. It's never the right one for the situation. This might be because of her summoning equipment.
-Unending Pride: A passive ability that both gives her the strength to try, try again, but also makes her absolutely obnoxious to be around.

Equipment:
-Here's the deal. Her summoning equipment is the two magitek type gauntlets near her skirt. She made it herself. That's probably why she can't summon anything right.

Traits:

Good traits? Her pride, her determination, her self-image. ...That's about it.

Bad traits? Her attitude, her pride, her summoning, her pride, #GrowingUpUnlucky, her pride.

History: Elysia Corentine comes from a long line of tinkering and engineering demons. However, despite this, Elysia has a dream. A dream she should probably give up on, but a dream regardless. She wishes to be the best summoner in the world. Maybe she should stick to being a tinkerer. Or not since her self-created summoning apparatus is a dud. Maybe she should set her sights on something like... being a waitress or something, we dunno.

[User]
Smith's plan had started to crash and burn with the first of the three amigos attempting to show off his skills. She didn't particularly like being referred to as a "creature of the night", especially by such a rambunctious cretin. The demon watched as the boy threw money away, absolutely dumbfounded by what she was seeing. So not only was this kid a moron, but he was also a wasteful moron.

Smith was about to speak, but stopped herself as soon as the catboy opened his mouth. It felt as if he loved the sound of his own voice, letting out his thoughts in an endless fashion that was sure to grate on one's ears eventually. This asshole had no fucking filter. Smith refrained from interrupting him, and instead chose to let him get all of his inept comments out. And then..

"YOU HELP US OUT, YOU GET THE BOOTY."

Smith was dumbfounded, agitated, and amused all at once. She couldn't tell if this kid was a genius, or really dumb. Either way, she felt like toying with him. Apparently, this boy's name was Falsch, though Smith decided to refer to him as Catboy instead. Catboy was now on the receiving end of several glares from various adventurers. You see, when you yell a statement that essentially accuses a hot young woman of prowling for "the booty", you tend to become the subject of pure, unadulterated hatred, especially when that hot young woman is also a succubus.

The green giant had started to speak as well, but Smith was more focused on the crowd which had begun to gather around the table.

"HEY, BUDDY!" Some large man in the front of the crowd yelled at Catboy. "Whadd'ya think yur sayin' bout dis gurl 'ere? You assume she be some sorta horny monster, when she ain't done nuthin' to support dat thought. Scumbags like you make me sick." Smith watched as another, smaller man joined in.

"You guys are pathetic. Accusing her like this." The small man seemed to blame all 3 of the amigos for Catboy's words. "I bet you three were just trying to get some, yourselves, attempting to push away someone who was simply trying to protect another girl from the clutches of evil so that you could have that other girl all to yourselves. What I'm saying is, you're just defending that girl in some sick, pathetic attempt to score!" Smith almost laughed at his lack of self awareness.

"Alright boys, alright, I think they've had enough. Go back and drink your drinks, and leave these guys alone, I'll be alright." Smith gathered her thoughts as the mob went back to their own business, each man keeping at least one eye on Catboy. The succubus stood from her seat, and examined the three amigos and the cute girl from a different angle for once. She started to speak to each of them in sequence, starting with the grand moron himself.

"Are you alright? You seem to have an ego large enough to cost you money, no offense." She quickly moved on to Catboy, who was as rude as they come. "I don't think I've ever encountered someone as rude as you, but you do happen to be quite amusing." As Smith said this, she leaned in, putting her face rather close to his, while delicately caressing his chin with her hand. "I might just keep you around." She quickly moved back, her tone and mannerism instantly switching from flirty to much more judgmental and serious. "But, seriously, you need to stop judging people and assuming things so easily. Just because i'm half succubi doesn't mean i'm always thinking about sex. It's people like you that make it really hard for me to get anything done without people wanting sex out of me. People always see the succubus part of me, and never the human half. I'm just a girl. I asked her-" She quickly pointed at Nyla "to join my party because she legitimately looked capable, and I didn't really know how I felt about you three. But, now that i've seen a little more of each of you, I think I've got my idea of you three in order. That guy seems a bit crazy, a bit reckless, and a bit of a mess." She said, pointing towards Koji. "Catboy, you seem rude, but rather amusing. Not exactly sure what you can do combat-wise, but at least you wont bore me to death." And then there was the big green guy.

Smith slowly stepped towards the hulking mass of a green bard. "And you..." She playfully poked at the orc's chest with a single finger, and acted as if she was impressed by the firmness that was returned against her touch, "Ooo, nice." She stepped back and looked up at him. "You seem like a nice guy, I guess." Smith took a deep breath and walked up to Nyla.

"I'm really sorry about all of the misunderstandings. I'm not a bad person, I just can't really turn off my natural charms. Being a succubus isn't all sex and rainbows." Smith's thoughts had begun to blur together. She didn't really remember what things were honest, and which were lies. "Anyways, I should introduce myself. You can call me Smith." She reached out her hand to the cute girl who she stood in front of.

Smith's glorious plan was rudely interrupted by a loud, obnoxious demon who ran into the guild trying to goat people into taking her in to their parties. As soon as Smith got a good look at this demon, she immediately hid behind the large Orc. Beatrice knew her. This girl was, for lack of a better word, one of Beatrice's past demons.

No, no, no! The past no longer mattered. Smith was no longer Beatrice. Still, that girl would know Smith's face as that of Beatrice, and would immediately shatter the image that she had created for herself.

"Okay, I'm definitely good with partying with all of you, but whatever you do, do not, and I repeat, DO NOT let that demon join our party. There are very few people in this world who have egos so large that any other traits or skills they would otherwise have are completely useless. That girl is the epitome of uselessly egotistical." Even if Smith had seen even slightly ingenuine before, this moment threw all of that out the window. She was clearly serious with her disdain for Elysia.

[Assistant]
Koji's internal worries quickly turned to indignation as he was all at once ridiculed, mocked, and reprimanded. What, could they not see that he clearly had the skill to back up his claims?
Even IF that was sheer luck just now...

But that last comment from a bystander really... IRKED him. And, honestly? While the man in green and the girl from earlier were perfectly fine with him, the other two... Well, needless to say, their first impressions weren't exactly the most helpful. After all, how could insulting the future leader of the group lead to anything GOOD? Even he had that much common sense!

"...Hrmph. Well, before I can address any of your issues, I must turn in my contract! Leave me at peace as I mull this over, else I make a choice that ruins us all equally!"

Pulling his mask over his face to hide it, Koji moved to hand in the paperwork at the front desk, almost beginning another one of his usual dialogues before someone entered and cleared their throat... Quite loudly. Half annoyed at being interrupted AGAIN for no good reason, Koji silently thanked the receptionist instead of launching into another lengthy spiel before turning to face the source of the interruption. What he was met with, however, was beyond what he could have imagined.

Someone with a sense of grandeur almost as big as his own! Truly, this must have been a fate ordained by the gods! After all, who could understand him better than someone cut from the same cloth? Completely ignoring the annoying demon woman who had chosen to off him just a few moments earlier, Koji, his face now much less red, approached the self-proclaimed summoner with a smile on his face.

"If I may, madam, but surely you may find such an invitation from one such as I! Yes, I know the pain of being ignored as you have far too well, so I shall extend my hand in aid. Let this be my request to you, from whom I know naught but a name; join me in my journey across these perilous lands!"

[User]
Allisa was unsure about what to do now that the shopkeeper was demanding compensation for damaged goods. Allisa didn't mean to break her wares, even if it was already broken. The swordswoman seemed to "fix" her "broken" object and began to argue about it. Allisa merely placed the broken knife back onto the table and flipped open her pouch where she placed her spending money. She then took out a small handful of coins and began counting them, then placed them in a neat pile on the table.

"Here you go. I hope that's enough," Allisa said, then she ran off into the Adventurer's Guild. Allisa was smart enough to realize that the items that shopkeeper was selling were just pieces of trash and junk, but she felt a bit sorry for the poor girl. It seemed like if that was all she was doing to earn a living, she must not have been earning very much. Allisa then realized that she had forgotten why she came to the Adventurer's Guild in the first place. It took a few moments of thinking, but Allisa eventually remembered; it was to turn in that kill quest she had done earlier.

Once she had collected her reward, Allisa then began to head over to the quest board to get another job. As she did so, Allisa noticed quite the commotion nearby. A number of people had gathered, but what made them really stand out was how different they all seemed to be from each other. Allisa had noticed them just in time to see one of them, a human from the looks of it, making some grandstanding speech that Allisa could barely understand. Something about... an invitation, and a journey, or something like that. In any case, it didn't seem to concern Allisa, and she continued on to look at the quest board.

[Assistant]
Elysia almost felt offended that no one jumped at the chance to have her in their party the very second that she revealed herself to the others. Almost. In her mind, it was simply their loss and nothing more. If need be, she would join a different guild. No. She would create her own guild. One with go fish and succubi. Yes, that would be definitely a good idea.

However, the words "DO NOT" caused Elysia to turn her head towards the orc that stood nearby. Frowning fully, she crossed her arms over her chest as she gave the orc a once over. Orcs had deeper voices than that, right? Maybe? She wasn't exactly true. Cultural assumptions and such.

She took a step to the left, leaning to her side to see if someone was behind the orc. She stood there for a good moment and said nothing. She stood there for a second moment and still did nothing.

"Beatrice Diane Rosehart Olenwald the seventh!" she exclaimed in her usual grandiose manner, extending a long slender finger towards the woman from her past, "How you have yet to change and continue to undersell the grandiose summonings of I, Elysia Corentine! But then again... I do not expect anymore from a being of your low caliber!"

Elysia did not care for Beatrice and never had. Part of it was jealousy, as long as skills went, Beatrice always outclassed Elysia, not that the full-demon would admit it. If they weren't in the guild hall, she would summon a fire-breathing dragon to devour her right then and there.

...If she could, that is.

Elysia noticed another being walk up to her. A human? Walking up to her? She immediately resolved that if this wasn't an invitation to join his party, then she would try to force him to kiss her boot for even attempting to walk up to her without an invitation.

Thankfully, mostly for Elysia, that was exactly what he was saying. While Elysia scowled at first at his own verbiose speech-- in her opinion, the spot-light could only be on her-- she eventually moved back to her usual smug smile.

"Well, well..." she looked back over at "Beatrice" raising her eyebrows slightly, "How the table spins round and round in a fashion to change the outcome of this encounter!" Way too many words to just say, "How the tables turn."

She turned back to Koji and moved a stray strand of hair from her face, "I am feeling quite generous today, young man of extremely complicated vocabulary! Because I, Elysia Corentine, will accept your request to join your party."

She stood there for a moment before clearing her throat again and saying, "And just for the record, I was not being ignored."


[System]
art by rororei

ABSTRACT: The Best Queen

DETAIL: Each morning, just as the sunlight struggles to peek over the wall-to-the-sky, the loudspeakers throughout the city jingle a happy little tune. "Good morning, everyone!" Queenie's voice bubbles through the speakers. "It's a chilly morning. I hope you have your slippers on!" Very few city folk have anything bad to say about Queen Orchid: she's forever upbeat, generous and kind, and surprisingly strict just when she needs to be. She rarely leaves the Tower, and is always surrounded by robot guards, but can usually be seen waving from the balcony on sunny days.

Orchid was an only child, and a famously sickly little girl in her youth. The best doctors and mages in the city had been summoned to keep the child alive in her first five years, and the city had even held a vigil for her survival during a very risky surgery.

Twenty-five years later, Orchid is still weaker than the average city folk -- but after the passing of her parents seven years ago, she carries her new responsibility with a smile.

---

art by anry

[User]
Katrina Meyer

It was like she was watching a play at a great distance- the sounds were tinny, the claws and teeth of the grit charging through the door seemed far-away and fake, poor special effects from a low quality movie.

Lurched back into the present, Kat continued her descent down the stairs, looking behind her to make sure everyone was following. She'd barely had time to get a look at the robot but had picked up the sigil, and recognised the make as a high-quality royal servant. It was unlikely to last long against the oncoming grit, but it stood a hell of a lot of a better chance than any of them.

The robot shouted some directions at Vincent, who had just caught up with her as they fled down the stairs. She hadn't really seen much of the oncoming grit and battle upstairs, but looking up noted a hazy smoke which seemed to be flowing not up but out of the landing and back towards the hall.

Hearing Vincent's words, Kat turned back towards him. She found herself smirking, without really having thought about it.

"Glad to hear it. Try to keep up!"

She increased her speed- half running, half sliding down the stairs, flinging herself round the banister as they rounded corners.

"Got it." Kat barked, and moments later they burst through the door into the armoury to see, for what felt like the first time in hours, an outer landing and beyond it, Periphery.

One step closer to finding you. Kat thought as she stopped, trying to catch her breath, reaching into her jacket pocket and squeezing her Tech-Specs. Please be safe.

There wasn't much time for rest- the royal guard bot had been pretty clear that they didn't have time to waste. Looking around, Kat disregarded the body armour pretty quickly- it was only going to weigh her down, and her bag with all the miscellaneous implants was already getting quite heavy- and went to the weapons rack. She wasn't much of a shot, but noticed that the rifle models had what looked assisted aiming modules installed. It was probably only going to upgrade her from an appalling shot to a poor one, but those were still odds she was willing to take. Grabbing a laser rifle off the shelf, she slung it over her back along with an extra battery pack which she stuffed into her bag.

Vincent was by the teleportation sigil, examining it and the city beyond. Stepping out beside him, Kat took in the damage that had been done. The city itself was eerily silent, with only the resounding crashes of the Grit's assault on the wall as background noise. The sky was split half night, half day- something out of a nightmare, something that made Kat's stomach clench into worried knots.

You could almost convince yourself everyone was sleeping. She mused. Except for the knowledge that Periphery never sleeps.

Vincent turned to her. "Everyone else go first, I'll make sure that the sigil stays operating."

Kat looked at him sideways, biting back the obvious question- she'd used teleportation sigils before, and as far as she was aware they didn't tend to be that unstable. Then again, magic was hardly her area of expertise. She'd noticed Vincent seemed to be reacting to this in a way completely alien to her own reaction- not that that was a reason to distrust him, he'd been nothing but helpful to the rest of them. However, it was undoubtable that something was going on with him that she had failed to understand, maybe couldn't understand. It was a sad thought, and made her feel suddenly quite alone.

"Ah, you're giving me a head start then? Well, thanks for that."

She started towards the portal but before going through hesitated and looked over her shoulder back at Vincent. She was still holding onto the robot head, but it was rapidly losing power and unlikely to last much longer. Part of her wanted to leave it on this side in case Vincent needed to get in contact with them. However, given his discussion with the Queen earlier it was unlikely he would use it.

"Make sure you stay safe, Vincent. I'll see you later."

Giving Moth an encouraging smile, Kat stepped through into the liquid metal of the portal.

[Assistant]
Liam Carter

"Tch what a pain in my ass." Liam grunted as he looked at his left forearm. By now he lost all sense of feeling in his whole left arm, the only thing letting him know that it was all intact was when it flayed around whilst he was moving. His torso wasn't in good shape either, with his singlet now being soaked in his own blood. As Liam pulled away from the group of grit that were charging the group he noticed the grit he killed earlier....alive and well. That's when he noticed what seemed to be a portal that appeared to be resurrecting fallen Grit.

"Damn Rabbit-demon-child-thing." Liam mumbled as he straightened himself out and prepared for three Grit who had started to dart for him. As they charged him, Liam sprinted towards them. Just as the Grit were about to pounce on him, Liam suddenly dodged towards the left, thrusting his sword into the nearest of the three grit, His sword impaling the side of its temple. The two other Grit could only manage to snarl at Liam before they too fell lifeless on the floor, their heads tumbling on the ground next to them.

With a heavy sigh, Liam turned towards the large cluster of Grit to find that they weren't coming after him, but instead were fighting each other for....candy? Liam stared for a few seconds as the grit fought, and died, to get the candy. Liam let out a small chuckle at the sight before instantly regretting it as his body replied with a sharp pain.

"Hmph showoff." Liam scoffed as he made his way downwards. As he walked down the stairs he suddenly stopped, leaning on the railing to rest. His breathing had intensified and his moves were sluggish, two things that rarely happen when Liam fights. Then again fighting Grit atop the Wall of periphery as half of the city is cloaked in darkness is also a rare thing. With yet another heavy sigh Liam forced himself off the wall. Just as he did so...

Liam reared back and nearly fell backwards down the stairs as the grit grabbed their robotic saviour. "Damn, the grit is man han- Wait robot-handling that thing." Liam thought. Before Liam now stood two choices; One, get out of dodge, run like a bat out of hell towards and don't look back or Two, attempt to help the thing. As he thought of his options an old memory...

An old man sat at the head of a small dining table in a room only lit by a few candles, a bandage in one hand and a wet cloth in the other. Beside him was a boy, no more than fifteen, bleeding from the head, nose, mouth and knuckle's. The man placed the wet cloth on the teen's head, wiping off the blood, before wrapping the bandage over the boy's head.

"How many were there this time?" the old man said, his voice held pity, but also irritation. The boy grunted and moved back slightly before return to his original position. "The usually three." He said trying not to look at the old man directly in the eye. The man finished bandaging the boy's head and stared at the boy with a stern gaze. "Let me see your hands." The man said as the teen instantly raised his fists.

With a sigh the man began cleaning and bandaging the child's hands. "What have we told you about starting fights? We agreed that in exchange for everything we give you, you must no longer fight."

"But, D-"

"No but's" the man said, cutting the kid off. "You know how dangerous those folk are, if you do anything to aggravate them further there's no telling what they wi-"

"It wasn't me! It was some other kid they started beating up, I felt bad for the him so I helped." The child blurted.

The man stopped and looked at the boy, a small smile creeping on to his wrinkled, withered face. "But the kid ran off once the fight was over. He didn't even say thank you. Idiot, maybe next time he gets beat up I'll just igno-" The teen scoffed before the man clasped both of his cheeks.

"NEVER say that." The man said, now a worried expression now beset upon his face. "A great man once said that the path of the good and righteous is a long and difficult one, but those strong in spirit and kind in heart will walk it. You have both those things, although it may be hard to believe right now. If you spend your life wanting praise for the good deeds you commit, then it no longer becomes kindness from the heart, rather you will use kind acts as a front to gain, well praise of course. However if you choose to live a life where you don't expect a reward for all the good you do, you will gain, in my opinion, true happiness. Promise me that you will never even think of uttering those words again. Promise me that you will help those in need if you are able to. Promise me.......Liam.

Liam snapped back into reality as the robot complained about his new suit. "Tch I guess we shall pick door number one."[/color] Liam muttered as he forced himself up the stairs, narrowly dodging the robot that was being dragged up the steps. As Liam moved past the robot, Liam propelled himself upwards towards the leg of the beast, slashing as he reached it before nearly tumbling down the stairs , catching himself at the last moment. Liam, not knowing whether he freed the robot or not, darted past it and continued down the stairs.

"Sorry big guy, that was the best I could do." Liam shouted back to him as he made for the armoury. Once he entered it he took a moment to look at everything in it before grabbing one set of the black amour as he quickly made his way outside he stopped once more and looked at the city of Periphery.

Before when Liam saw the sky, "Crack in two" he had not been able to really look at the resulting effects. For now, at least, there was some time to take it all in. "A beautiful mess. Light and dark both together, existing under one sky, yet so different from each other. We humans too must both light and darkness within us, the question is which will we support as the fight rages on. For some they favour the night and others favour the morning. The greatest battle one will ever have is the battle of their hearts." Liam said aloud before realising that Vincent was present.

Liam jerked back and let out a slight, somewhat girly, gasp as he jerked back, before composing himself and letting out a cough. "Uh Vincent, didn't know you were here, I thought you would have gone with the rest of them." Liam said puffing his chest out, in a futile attempt to play off the girlish gasp. "W-why don't you head on in, I got your back. But please hurry up I do feel rather, shall we say, out of it currently." Liam said as he threw the armour into the portal and faced the door that led into the armoury drawing his sword and lowering his stance. No matter what happened next, Liam wasn't going to move until he was sure everyone had escaped...

[User]
A rumble, a rattle and a scrabble resounded down the stairs within the wall. The lights flickered and went dark on the stairwell; they flashed and shattered in the armory. Everything went dark save the light of the open door. Growls, snarls, chitters and yips closed in on the darkness in the hall. Their eyes gleamed.

The robot sharpshooter blasted his way through the wall of fur and scales, and its lightbulb eyes glared at Liam and Vincent. "Go! I'll shut it behind you."

It was time to make their escape.

art by Vadim Shchepilov

To step through the liquid silver portal was like passing through a beaded doorway -- and on the other side, their feet met etched stone and sand. They stood in a vast cavern, sharp with stalagmites and stalactites, weedy vines and hooded mushrooms, illuminated by glowing crystals embedded in the rock and hovering, magnetized, between the sharp points.

Behind them was only more sand and rock, and under their feet was a flat stone that had been etched long ago with a receiving sigil; the portal, it seemed, only worked one way.

The hiss and clank of machinery resounded behind them, around the bend of solid rock. After a few moments, a young woman sprinted out from behind the rock and rushed toward them; she was dressed all in pale violet, her crown shimmered in the light of the stones, and her gray hair was spun delicately just as it had been that morning. Behind the queen, two enchanted robots followed her quick pace, their gun-arms held at ready, as if they expected the grit might have discovered the portal.

With wet eyes, the queen rushed directly at Moth and Kat, flung her arms about their necks and pulled them into an awkward embrace. She was smaller than she appeared on the screen over the city; her head barely reached Moth's shoulders.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see living faces," she said quickly, stepping back and grasping Kat's hand.

Then Vincent seemed to step out of thin air onto the engraved sigil, and the queen very nearly attacked him from behind for the sake of a hug, as if to reassure herself that he was flesh and blood.

Liam stepped onto the sigil, and the queen stopped short before touching him. "Oh, gods. You need medical attention." She looked up to her robot escorts and motioned in the air; a tall, red-plated robot jogged forward. The queen smiled warmly and touched Liam's face. "You'll be all right. We're safe here."

She stepped back to allow the robot to assess Liam's injuries for immediate treatment, and she looked up to the others gathered there. "We're underneath the palace spire. We should be safe, at least for awhile."