Fire Emblem: A New Nation (PG-13)

[Son_of_Shadows]

Sign-up Thread:

http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?t=402454

It has been approximately 100 years since the hero Ike defeated Ashera in the Tower of Guidance. Since then, much has changed in the land of Tellius. Beorc-Laguz relations are at an all-time high, thanks to the combined efforts of the rulers of the nations. That said, there are still those with the old prejudices, who cannot let them go. In recent times, a new land has been discovered. People have rejoiced – it was thought that all continents except Tellius were destroyed in the Great Flood. It is as yet uninhabited, though several leaders are looking at it. The nations of Tellius are as follows:

Crimea – A country that pioneered in Beorc-Laguz relations, ruled by Queen Rydel Crimea, granddaughter of Elincia. Rydel is very like her grandmother, kind, beautiful, and an excellent ruler. However, she is quite naive, and some wonder if she's really up to the job.

Gallia – Home of the Beast tribe Laguz, and has a long standing alliance with Crimea. It is ruled by Skrimir Gallia, nephew of the previous king. Skrimir is hard-headed, stubborn, and a fierce warrior. However, his lack of diplomacy can sometimes cost him. Thankfully, he has his top advisor Ranulf, to aid him.

Goldoa – Home of the Dragon tribe Laguz, and was once a completely closed off nation. Since the death of King Dheginsea, and Kurthnaga's ascent to the throne, this has changed. Kurthnaga has opened Goldoa for trade, and is a formidable diplomat. However, some of the older dragons are not fond of his rapid changes.

The Unified Bird Tribes – A combination of the nations of Phoenicis, Kilvas, and Serenes. The Unified Bird Tribes are led by Tibarn, a Hawk Laguz, and his right hand men, Reyson, a Heron, and Naesala, a Raven. As Tibarn and Naesala are old enemies, some have questioned how well these two work together. The answer is surprisingly so. However, Tibarn must figure out how to restore the Heron population – with the death of Lorazieh, there are only four Herons left in Tellius – Reyson, Leanne, her daughter with Naesala, and Rafiel.

Begnion – The largest nation on Tellius, Begnion is completely devoted to the Goddess Ashunera, and has many ancient customs and traditions. It is ruled by the Apostle Silver, grandson of Apostle Sanaki, who is the Emperor. After defeating Ashera, Sanaki completely revamped the Imperial Senate, appointing only those people who proved themselves worthy of the role, and responsibility. This has proven popular with the people, but many nobles were irked by this, and lament their lack of power. Silver is a young apostle, but a capable one.

Daein – A nation torn by war, it is ruled by Queen Micaiah. Her people have discovered her true identity – that she is a Branded, and so, very long-lived. And as such, many feel conflicted. Daein is known for its old contempt of Laguz, though Micaiah and her court have endeavoured to change this. However, Micaiah is an excellent queen, the “Priestess of Dawn”, but people cannot let go of their old prejudices.

Hatary – Kingdom of the Wolf Laguz, Hatary was only discovered shortly after the Mad King's War, and is ruled by Nailah. It lies across the Desert of Death in Daein, and is almost impossible to reach.

In Begnion, things are peaceful. Though the nobles are quietly outraged that they have no power, they do not act on it. Apart from one Lord Ludwig. A distant relation of Crimea's old Lord Ludveck, he has taken a boat, and a small handful of soldiers, and made his way to this new land. It is quite a large land, about the size of Crimea, and the terrain is varied. The western side of the island is covered in a dense jungle. The north holds a foreboding mountain range. The east is a blistering desert, but the south consists of plains and grasslands. It is here that Ludwig establishes a small settlement. However, warriors from all over Tellius are seen making their way to the port towns, and getting on ships. Are they heading for Ludwig's settlement? If so, why?

Your character is a citizen of Tellius, naturally. He or she is aware of the events that are unfolding. However, one evening, they receive the following letter.

Greetings, and salutations!

I, Lord Ludwig, have heard many tales of your skills and exploits. As such, I wish for you to make your way to my nation – Ludea – by boat. If you board a boat when the moon is full, you will reach it sure enough. Upon your arrival, you will join my fearsome band of warriors... You will learn why soon.

Yours, Ludwig Boltven

What will you do? Will you act on the letter? It's entirely up to you. If you choose not to, fear not. You will learn of Ludwig's intents in time.

Rules:
1.Follow all standard Serebii rules.
2.Respect your fellow RPGers.
3.No freaking god-modding. If you do, I shall eat you.
4.This RPG is rated PG-13. Some language is allowed, but nothing too heavy. Obviously, there will be blood, but no-one is going to gorily explode. As for romance... Keep it clean, people. Nothing further than the odd kiss and cuddle.
5.Minor bunnying is allowed, to move forward exchanges and such. However, try to stay in character, and use your best judgement.
6.No Branded Black Dragon Axe-wielding Trueblades. Sorry, GameFAQs joke there, but when creating a character, be creative, but not ridiculous.
7.I operate a three strikes policy. Break my rules three times, you're gone. Your character will be killed. Seriously. Probably in as brutal and undignified a manner as I can think of. However, god-modding is punishable by an instant out.
8.I reserve the right to deny any sign-up, and kick anyone I feel like out.
9.Only sign-up if you intend to be active. This RP will thrive on activity.
10.The most important rule of all... Have fun with this.
11.You may create a maximum of two characters. Depending on interest, this may change.

Accepted:
Walken Hawkins (Glaive) - Zincspider
Dante Ryuu (Thief) - wolfsrain23
Joshua Fizzart (Wind Mage) - S_o_S
Katsuo Masaru and Momo (Thief) - BG
Nyra Volge - RubyGuardian_A
Blake Remarin (Myrmidion) - greywolf123
Mia Lenari (Monk) - Blivsey
Aleia "Allie" Furrough (Tracker) - Tundra_Wolfmane
Karith (Tiger) - Seraphinu
Glendel Stakes (Raven) - Zincspider
Eoan (Archer) - emerald18
Robert (Red Dragon) - Joe The White Knight
Franky (Cat) - BG
Lashet (Hawk) - S_o_S
Flora Wawrinka (Cleric) - Moogles4Ever
Volke D'lune (Wolf) - Tundra_Wolfmane
Emile Zola (Pegasus Knight) - Hito-shura

---

Joshua Fizzart - Talrega Hall

Talrega's young governor sighed. He was alone in the room which he heard requests, but would be having no audiences today. For the thirtieth time since its arrival, Joshua read the letter.

Greetings, and salutations!

I, Lord Ludwig, have heard many tales of your skills and exploits. As such, I wish for you to make your way to my nation – Ludea – by boat. If you board a boat when the moon is full, you will reach it sure enough. Upon your arrival, you will join my fearsome band of warriors... You will learn why soon.

Yours, Ludwig Boltven

Joshua was not aware there WERE any tales of his exploits. In any case, he would not leave Talrega. His great-grandfather Shiharam had given his life in the Mad King's War. His grandmother Jill had served the queen for many years before dying peacefully. His father, Isaac had almost never left Talrega during the entire period of his governance. And, as a fairly new ruler, it would hardly be a good idea for him to leave to join some random band of warriors, without even knowing their motive... "Jeff! Victoria!" he called, using wind magic to carry his voice through the Hall. Momentarily, his two advisers entered the room. Jeff and Victoria had a vast information network that seemed to stretch across all of Tellius. The red-haired Jeff spoke up first.

"Yes, Joshua? What can we do for you?"

"I need you to do some digging. Find out everything you can about Lord Ludwig."

"A noble of Begnion, distant relation of the late Lord Ludveck of Crimea, responsible for an insurrection against Queen Elincia 100 years ago," stated Victoria clinically, as though she was reading it from an encyclopedia.

"You never fail to impress, Victoria. Present your findings in a week." The advisers bowed respectfully, and left the Hall.

 

[Joe The White Knight]

The calm breeze was soothing to the pale man as he walked through the country side. The breeze carried away the foul odor that permeated from the man. Blood and sweat dripped from his robes as he walked. The memories of what had transpired recently were still fresh in his mind and he just couldn't stow them away. After walking for an hour or so, the pale man stopped as a large river came into view. The man's gaze followed the river until it eventually dropped off. As he followed along the river a pair of eyes watched from afar, hidden amongst the trees. The eyes followed as the man reached where the river dropped off into a waterfall. The white eyed man made his way down the waterfall before stopping short of the pool at the bottom. He glanced about before setting his possessions on the ground several feet away from the water. Once he had slipped into the pool he let the water calm his tense nerves. Indulging himself in the soothing water, the man hadn't noticed that someone was approaching the pool until they were within five feet of the man. He looked up from the water to the newcomer, his face a blank slate as he gazed up at the person.

"Robert?" The pale man nodded and the newcomer sighed. "Thank goodness.... I thought I was following the wrong person." Robert looked confused by the person's reaction, which prompted a response. "Oh, sorry.... I'm Nina," the girl said. "I was told to deliver this letter to you." She reached into the satchel at her side and pulled out an piece of parchment. "I don't know who it's from, but they must have really wanted you to get it if they paid me a hundred gold to deliver it in person." Robert took the letter and opened it. As he read the letter, Robert grew more confused by the invitation. Once he was done reading, Robert smiled at the girl as he set the letter away from the pool.

"Thank you for delivering this to me, Nina," Robert said. "Did you need anything? I have a few spare gold coins for payment." Nina shook her head in response.

"That won't be necessary mister Robert," the blond girl replied. "Why, what you did back in our village is more than enough for payment." Robert expression turned sour as Nina mentioned her village. "The way you put those guys in their place was just-"

"Embarrassing." The pair looked to source of the new voice. A burly man carrying an axe over his shoulder seemed emerged from the trees. Several other men carrying axes soon emerged from the surrounding trees, forming a loose semi-circle around the pale man and young girl. "So, you're the one who caused trouble for my men back in that village?" the first man asked. Nina shifted uncomfortably as the man spoke, but Robert remained stoic.

"Yes," Robert retorted. "I was the one who stopped those men from extorting the hard earned money of those shops."

"Ah, but you did more than just stop them from what I hear," the man said. "You know, I think you owe what they were supposed to deliver." He looked to one of the other men. "Don't you think so?"

"Of course boss," the other man replied dumbly before looking to the girl. "How 'bout her? She's mighty pretty..." Nina shrinked back at what the man suggested while his boss seemed amused.

"That's the first good idea you've had all day," the first man said before turning to Robert. "What do ya say? Just give us that girl and we'll just let this whole thing blow over...." Nina nervously looked to Robert as he headed for the water's edge. Robert climbed out of the pool before looking back at the man.

"No," Robert retorted. "I owe you nothing and I won't let you do anything to this girl." The leader of men was obviously disappointed by Robert's response, but a sly grin washed away that disappointment.

"Well then, I guess your life will suffice then," the axe man said. He looked to his men who nodded in response. "Have at him boys!"

 

[Zincspider]

Glendel Stakes
The Roadside inn on the outskirts of Crimea
Nightfall

The Roadside inn was known for it's comfy beds, and cute maids... but not for the cleanliness of it's downstairs bar. The floor appeared to be earth, shed of all grass, but it was in fact just never cleaned. The tables were crafted out of a fine red wood, turned black by the ages of spilled drink and food that soaked into it's precious grains.The glasses were thankfully clean, but so brittle that simply placing them on the counter hard would shatter the poor things. So why would Glendel Stakes, tailor extrodinaire, even dream of entering the Roadside end for just a drink? Why, the aformentioned Tavern Maids of course.... and they helped keep his mind of that strange note he received. He still dodn't know what to do with it.

While sitting at the bar, Glendel looked to be one of the cleanest things in the bar with his pure white 'suit', and black cloak slung over his right shoulder in pristine condition. His appearance seemed to be second only to a young man in the far corner, with his legs propped up on the table. This individual was wearing just a plain black shirt, and tan pants, but he seemed to glow of cleanliness.

*At least I'm not the only one with any sense of hygine in here...* thought Glendel, glancing back at the greenhaired lad. but his attention didn't stay on him to long. On of the tavern girls passed by his line of vission, and his eyes were drawn to her like a magnet. This one was particuarly plump, but she was still stunning. Along with her nice curves all along her soft body, her face was undeniably cute and round. *Well, if she isn't the most darling thing? I think I might have to introduce myself.* With that thought behind him, Glendel snapped his fingers to the bartender.

"Frank! Send me a bottle of my usual will you? And a glass!" He shouted, holding his hand up, his face still not turned to look at the old man behind the bar. Frank, the barman of course, quickly grabbed a bottle of white wine, and threw it into Glendel's outstretched hand. Angain without turning around, Glendel grabbed a few coins (the last of his cash), and threw them onto the counter, and used that hand to catch the glass that sailed his way soon after. (Frank was used to the routine. Glendel visited the bar weekly).

With his drink in his hand, Glendel poured himself a bit to taste, and began walking towards the waitress. Only to find her surrounded by two burly, dirty, unshaven men. And even though he couldn't hear what they were saying from the bustle of the room, he got the idea. They were trying to force her to return to their room with them. THE ABSOLUTE NERVE! Treating a lady like that is rude and immoral on every front. So naturally, Glendel had to step in. And so he did. He walked right up to the two men, and tapped the larger one's back with the botom of his bottle.

"Excuse me good sir, but I do believe you are harassing this beautiful young woman," he paused to wink at the waitress, "and I don't think that will do. So, if you don't mind, take your smelly uncivilized Beorc behind out of here."

*Crud! I let the Beorc word slip. I hope they don't suspect me of being me... I've done great fitting in with these guys for years, and I'm not blowing it now!* Glendel worried, as the men both turned to him, almost as angry as he was with them.

"Well, why don't you be quiet pretty boy, or we may be forced to shut you up," the larger one growled, holding up a lumpy fist. Glendel raised one leather gloved hand and pushed it down, shaking his head.

"Oh, I wish this would have been easier. But you see, I will protect this wonderful woman beside you from you scum, whether it means I have to beat you senseless or not," Glendel said, nochalantly, taking a sip of the wine, but being careful not to swallow.

"Try me you greasy haired blighter!" Screamed the nearer man, raising his fist. Before he could strike, Glendel spit his wine into the mans eyes, blinding him temporarily. As the man backed up, holding his hands over his eyes, Gledel threw his bottle up, caught it by it's neck, and swung it the rest of the way over the top of the second mans head. The bottle shattered in a rain of clear glass, and the man landed on the dirty floor unconsious. Then using his glass, Glendel koncked the first man in the temple, shattering the useless glass, and knocking that man unconcious as well. Geldel looked at the men he had quickly dispatched, and shrugged. Then he turned his gaze to the plump maid again.

"So, would you care for a drink?" Glendel asked, holding up the broken neck to his bottle. He looked at the dripping peice of glass, then added ", from a different bottle of course." The girl giggled, and grabbed his arm, and he escorted her back to the bar.

Walken Hawkins
The Roadside inn on the outskirts of Crimea
Nightfall

What a mess. Well, more of a mess to be exact. The bar was already dirty enough. If the rooms for rent weren't so nice, Walken would have stayed under a rock for the night instead. But they weren't so he decided to come down here for supper. And before he knew it, he was sleeping in the bar. But in the middle of the night, he heard the sound of breaking glass, and it saused him to rip open his sleepy eyes. What he saw was a bit strange.

A man dressed in flawless white and black seemed to have taken care of two thugs by himself, by using the borken bottle in his hand, and the also broken glass. Walken had seen him use the glass, and he had swung very quick... too quick for any human he had ever seen... but aside from that, afterwards, a round maid grabbed his arm, and they turned around. But Walken noticed a familiar peice of paper fall out of the man's pocket... one that looked like one a man dressed in noble clothes had givien him on the road the other day.

Walken let his shoes his the ground, and he stood up stretching to knock the last bit of weariness out fo his body. Next, he strutted over to the place the paper fell (clear on the other side of the bar), walked over the two KO'd men, and picked it up. Sure enough, it was the same as his, but it was adressed to a 'Glendel Stakes' on the front.

*Glendel? I wonder what he does that derserves an invotation to this thing... well he did swing that glass fast, but those men weren't anything special, and that wouldn't work too often. I suppose I should ask him myself,* Walken pondered, hiding the note in the palm of his large hand. He turned back to the bar that 'Glendel' had sat down with, and saw he was having a slight argument with the barman over lack of money. Walken walked over, and tossed more coins than needed on the counter.

"Keep the change..." he whispered, trying to speak as little as possible to the barman.

"Hey, thanks buddy. It seems that I misplaced my wallet at home..." Glendel began, tipping his white hat, and holding out a hand for Walken to shake. But Walken declined, shaking his head. Instead, he took a seat on the left side of Glendel (the right one was taken up by the pretty waitress), and pulled out his, and Glendel's invites.

"Well, you can pay me back by telling me what you know about this. It seems were both on the 'list'".

 

[greywolf123]

Blake Remarin
Sienne, Bengion
Evening

With a sigh, Blake took off his apron and hat, shrugging his shoulders and signing off for the night. He'd worked his length of shift, and now that the flow of customers was lessening, he could safely leave the one cook here alone, until the other chef came back. Smiling slightly as he waved goodbye to the kitchen staff, he walked out the back door, stretching his body and rolling his shoulders. Another uneventful day had passed for the mercenary turned chef, and it was really starting to get to him. He'd been spending every spare minute he could searching out other mercenary bands, but none of them had need for a swordsman. They only seemed to want fighters, and brutish folk. The nerve of them.

Still, as he walked, he figured it was just as well. It wasn't like he was going to go anywhere anytime soon, and since nothing was happening, he was at least storing some money up for later. His job was fun too, he enjoyed cooking. He definitely had it better than some, that was for sure. Still, he couldn't help but wish something, anything, would happen to lift this monotony and add some adventure. He wasn't a trained myrmidon for no reason!

Rolling his neck around, he strode back to his apartment. It was a pretty good place, all in all, for the price at least. Decent bed, decent food, and if need be, they let him cook his own meals, provided he do a little extra work on the side. As he walked inside, waving his hand to the regulars, he walked up the stairs, to his room. Immediately upon entering, he noticed the envelope at his feet. Someone had slipped it under the door while he was away. Tearing it open, he read it, with a mixture of shock, and glee. So, they wanted him at this new land! Him personally! He didn't know if anyone knew about him, but he didn't care. He wanted something to do! Then, sitting down to pack, something struck him. How in the world did they know him?

Or better yet, what did they want him for? He knew nothing about these guys, save that they had gone to set up a settlement, and now they seemingly wanted him. Maybe the warriors over there were dropping like flies? He wasn't sure he liked the thought of joining them. Still, innate excitement was hard to stop, and soon he was back packing, with the rational that at least it'd not be boring.

It didn't take long to take his belongings, he lived light, and he trotted back to his business, sending in that he was retiring, and requesting the rest of his wages. Talking about two thirds of what he really deserved, and figuring himself lucky, he put it with the rest of his money, and started to search for a boat. Someway to get to this land was necessary.

 

[Tundra_Wolfmane]

-----Aleia "Allie" Furrough-----​

Wind whistled and swept past dense leaves and course wood. Light and shadow fought for territory as the trees moved with the wind, creating splotches of light and darkness in a way that was not so unpleasant. The scent of forest filled the floor as Allie jumped from a low-reaching branch and unto the ground, sending dust and fallen leaves jump into the area. Her jump was light, but not her landing was not soft enough to hide the sound of crunching leaves. She heard a growl and anticipated her next move.

"Come here, girlie!" a taunting voice called out as she ran to the next tree, making sure to tread lightly but swiftly. A few moments later, she heard a small crash and the words, "You can't run forever!"

'Not planning to,' Allie thought, her hand reaching into a small pouch she used to hold her knives. Though she knew the dangers she was in, a smile adorned her lips. 'In fact, here's another tip,' she added, stopping and pivoting so that she turned to the direction she came from. Despite the close-spaced trees and thick bushes, she could still spot her target, her bounty, where she just stood. It was a Cat Laguz that was just starting to cause trouble, and his inexperience was clear. She had already landed five knives on him - three on his arms, one in his leg, and one on his torso, though it didn't dig deep enough to cause too much damage, much to Allie's frustration. Still, she could see that he was getting fatigued.

"Hey, furface!" she yelled, throwing the knife with precision that her father would be proud of. Surprised and agitated, the Cat Laguz got struck on his shoulder and let out a yowl. "This girlie don't need to run!" she teased as she jumped and climbed onto another tree. Her bounty would expect her to jump into another tree and land somewhere else nearby. He'd be surprised.

The Cat jumped under the tree she was in, too enraged to notice that her scent hadn't moved from that spot. That was her style: to trick and then strike at the least moments notice. She jumped and landed behind him and stabbed him in the back with her Iron Dagger. "By the way, girlie don't play nice either," she said darkly.

She looked down at her bounty. She felt no remorse; the moment she met him, he planned to kill her and raid her belongings, and no one gets away with that. Kill or be killed and all that jazz, after all. He was new one, so he wasn't going to get her much. Still, money is money. Taking the bounty back was her least favorite part of being a Bounty Hunter.

She grinned, thinking about her next conquest, and the biggest one by far. Who knew such a simple letter would entail so much wealth? She would worry about the boat and the fare later. It was a new land! And new treasures are sure to be found in such places. And if not, well, her services would surely be rewarded...and she did not come cheap.

-----Volke D'lune-----​

Volke let himself relax as the sea breeze swept and carressed his face and hair. He had to hand it to himself; deciding to sit on a large rock outcrop beside the ocean was one of the best ideas he woke up that morning. His feet were dangling from his seat and his arms rested against his knees. His body leaned forward slightly, as if to drink in the moment he currently occupied. In his hand, he held a piece of parchment. He was sitting on the largest one, and it was quite a picture to take in. Luckily, the only society was a nearby fishing town that was too small to be of any real importance to the kingdom. At least, it seemed like it.

He let his eyes roam the vast sea, spotting small waves and unfamiliar creatures rise from and fall back into the ocean surface. He could see the reflection of the clouds and sun on certain spots, and he reveled in its beauty. It reminded him of his beloved wife and daughter back him. He felt an ache in his chest as his thoughts wandered to his son. He let out a soft sigh and shook his head, opting to turn his attention to the humble docks of the fishing town. It made things worse; he spotted a young girl running and jumping around a man who looked old enough to be her father. He most probably was.

He wrenched his eyes away from the sight and stood up, looking strong and imposing as ever. His tail and his hair swished lightly with the wind. He jumped away from the rocks with a purpose. He was going to find his son even if it was going to be the last thing he'll do. But first, he needed a boat.

 

[RubyGuardian_A]

Nyra Volge
Some Where Outside of Begnion​

"Hmmm... So you all are the convoy of Ludwig or Luvdig or whatever?" Nyra asked an interesting individual. Nyra and a group of ten or so ragtag warriors were walking along a large road. They were surrounded in a strange forest that seemed to whisper to her the deeper they traveled. The forest was laden with a thin mist, that was thickening into fig as they traveled. Nyra was speaking to a tall man, dressed in light armor. He carried a dagger, and had a blue scarf around his neck, covering his mouth. He had a scar over his left eye, and a scratch on his right cheek. He was obviously a rouge of some sort, and also appeared to be the leader. Nyra was apparently of no interest to her, as he continued to march forward, deeper into the forest. Nyra grew tired of being ignored, and stopped for a few seconds, to catch up with the priest who appeared to be a noble of Begnion.

"Hello there maiden, how does thost feel?" The noble was an older man, probably late 30's early 40's. He had brown hair that was beginning to gray, with a white and blue robe, with white boots. He was wearing an odd necklace, with a matching wristband. He spoke with a "ye old English" accent, using words such as "thou", or "ye." Nyra felt this use of of the language was unnecessary and annoying, but no one else wanted to speak to her. Nyra sighed as she looked at the noble.

"Fine, and you are?" Nyra lifted her hand in front of her, and twisted it around, waiting for an answer. The man chuckled at her odd hand gesture.

"Thine who stands before you is no other than Count Vandas, lest ye forget." Vandas looked at Nyra, and than looked forward. He assumed the sun set a long time ago, but they had not seen the sun for some time. "And ye are?"

"I am Nyra, a simple pilgrim looking for new lands." Nyra smirked inwardly as Vandas believed her story. It was not the truth, as she was not looking for new lands, but curious to find artifacts to fuel her arcane magic. Since this new land was uncharted, there was probably hundreds of unknown items and crypts. Nyra beamed at the idea of finding a new rod, or a new scroll for her abilities. Nyra stopped suddenly as an odd feeling passed over her. It was as if a dark presences was near, awaiting the party's arrival. She looked at Vandas, awash with fear.

This man may end up dieing if my feeling is correct... Nyra looked ahead. She noticed something about all of the warriors. Their eyes were normal, except for the pale-blue irises. Another factor was their quiet trekking, and the fact that not a one of them ever looked around them, only forward. Nyra looked around the area herself. There was a thick fog in either direction. There were weird quadrupedal shadows stalking them. There were eerie sounds, like the sounds of animals being butchered. Then there was a bloodcurdling scream. Nyra closed her eyes, and covered her ears. When al was quiet, she looked up to see Vandas and the whole grouped stooped at a dense forest area, that was nearly pitch black. Vandas used a torch staff, and light up a small area.

"Stick close Ms. Nyra...." Nyra walked closer to Vandas, her rod ready to release magic. Her necklace lit up a bright red color, symbolizing danger. Nyra looked at the soldiers, she barely could see anything to far away, and there was no moonlight piercing the canopy. It was as if the area had been devoid of all light for ages. Nyra looked behind her. She could see strange orbs floating near them, stalking them.

I have a bad feeling about this... Nyra thought as they pressed onward, in which felt like an eternity of darkness...

 

[Seraphinu]

~Karith
Forest outside Castle Gallia~

Rich red eyes followed every movement, taking note of any change in her surroundings, even when the breeze shifted the dappled shadows on the ground. A dark blue violet paw moved slowly forward, making no noise as it pressed against the ground, being followed steadily by the rest. Trim neat whiskers twitched, and jaws parted, further exposing long white fangs. Drawing air into her mouth, she took in every surrounding scent. Twitching her ears, her eyes barely glancing upward, she stepped back quickly as a large shape pounced onto the ground, gray blue fur rippling. Claws sheathed, Karith leaped, rolling it onto its belly and pinning it to the ground with four strong legs. They both then transformed back, Karith smiling mischeviously, while still sitting on his chest.

"Hello, Uncle Kyza," she gave a purr of satisfaction.

"Let me up, Karith," Kyza protested, and his niece complied, standing up, her tail curling in amusement as she offered him her hand. He took it, and returned to his feet, brushing off his pants, his own tail twitching in irritation.

"It would seem the student has surpassed the master?" she teased. He shook his head and sighed with resignation.

"You are a brilliant hunter, my dear niece. You never let on you knew I was there," he praised, looking up at the large tree he had been hiding in.

"It wasn't you I was hunting though... what are you doing here?" she asked, a frown creasing her face. She had forgotten all about the game she had been tracking. In response, he reached into a satchel at his side and revealed a letter to her. She took it from him and read it, her eyes studying it carefully, as though searching for the words, the intentions that were not present in the print.

"What would this... Lord Ludwig want with me?" she wondered aloud, and Kyza shrugged.

"Don't you think he would rather have you, or Lethe? Someone of more... significance?" she added.

"Considering his ancestry, he probably wouldn't choose someone of political influence in Gallia. Seeing as how it was his ancestor who tried to start a civil war in the very nation we are so closely allied to. And as you know, Lethe and Mordecai were both involved in that incident, however long ago it was. He knows we have long memories," he answered, but this didn't seem to satisfy Karith, for the frown deepened, and her tail began to twitch back and forth in a very controlled manner, and her ears were pinned back against her head. Kyza raised a brow.

"Do you doubt your abilities? Your own significance?" he asked, deciding to take a more direct approach. She shook her head quickly, her eyes flashing. "No, I thought not. Laguz pride runs deep in you," he smiled.

"You think I should go to him," she said flatly.

"Gallia will need your eyes and ears to find out what he's up to," Kyza nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder. "How soon will you be prepared to leave?" he asked.

"Within the next hour or so," she replied, and hurried off to gather the few supplies that a Gallian warrior would need.

 

[Joe The White Knight]

As the men charged at Robert and Nina, Robert stood his ground, blocking the men's path to Nina. Two of the men reached Robert first, each bringing their axes down at the pale man's sides. Unfortunately for them, Robert took a step back, causing their attacks to strike each other. One of the men grimaced in pain before stepping back, but the other collapsed lifelessly to the ground. The six other men were within striking distance of Robert now. Each of the brutes struck out at, all hoping to cause as much damage as possible to pale man. Robert had no way to dodge all of the attacks, but he wouldn't just let them slash him. Robert leapt at one of the men, wincing in pain as he felt three blades sink into his flesh. His hand wrapped around the hilt of the man's axe while the other collided with the man's face. The man's grip on the axe was subdued as he recoiled from Robert's punch and the man next to him soon felt a warm fluid run from his belly as Robert embedded the axe's blade into the man's exposed flesh.

A searing pain erupted through Robert's body as the leader of the assailants delivered a clean laceration across the pale man's bare back. Robert cried out in pain as he stumbled away from the attackers. All of the axe fighters' eyes were fixed on the bleeding, pale man. One of the men wiped the blood dripping from his nose while another held his bleeding gut, but they still glared at the man who had caused their pain, oblivious to the quivering girl mere feet away. Robert dropped the axe he had confiscated and glared at the men as he held his wounds. His adrenaline was surging, his vision closing, and he had enough. The leader of men chuckled as Robert struggled to stay on his feet. He calmly walked over to crimson coated man and smiled before hefting his axe over his head. "Now die!" the leader shouted as he brought his axe downwards.

A bright flash of light temporarily blinded the men, causing the leader to stumble backwards, his axe hitting the earth. When their vision returned, they could only stare in awe at the sight. It towered over them, its fierce white eyes glaring down at them. Its scales were as crimson as fresh blood while its razor sharp fangs seemed to thrist for the liquid. The leader of the men was the first to shake off his awe and turned to his men. "What are you waiting for!? Kill it!" he shouted. The other men came to their senses and charged at the creature. They were met by a stream of concentrated flame, scorching their poorly protected flesh. Most of them ran about as they were burned alive, but two of them jumped into the nearby pool to extinguish the flames. The remaining men's flesh were charred to a deep black once the flames subsided. The three men who had not succumbed to the flames charged at the creature again. They were not by flames, but as they struck the creature's flesh they felt their weapons rattle. The saw that they had failed to so much as nick the creature's flesh and now it was the creature's turn to attack. Its claws slashed at one of the men before he collapsed in a crimson heap. The two remaining men turned tail and ran as they saw their comrade fall. They were met by another stream of flame, blocking their way of escape. They turned around and gazed in horror as the creature approached them. The leader of what was left of the men looked up as he gathered his courage to speak. "Y-You're a dragon!?"

"Yes. I am," Robert said in a deep and powerful tone. "Now leave and you may keep your lives." The two axe men were not open to such an idea as they growled at the towering dragon. Robert roared back at the two men, the sound was near deafening to the men. "Do not test my patience," Robert growled. "Drop your weapons and leave." The men hung their heads in shame, but the soft sound of falling iron showed their compliance. They slowly turned around and walked away from the dragon, passing the quivering Nina. Once they were a few feet within the sea of trees the men ran as fast as they could as they distanced themselves from the red dragon.

With the attackers gone, Robert turned to Nina before reverting to his human form. "Are you alright?" Robert asked. Nina slowly nodded and Robert smiled in return. "I'm glad you're okay...." Robert collapsed to his knee as exhaustion began to get the better of him. Nina hesitantly approached the bleeding man before kneeling in front of him.

"Y-You okay?" Nina asked nervously. Robert slowly shook his head.

"I need... My concoction..." Robert said in between labored breaths. Nina looked over to his possessions near the pool of water. She quickly searched through them and found a bottle filled with a strangely scented liquid.

"Is this it?" Nina asked as she returned to Robert's side. He looked up at the bottle and nodded. "Okay... Hold on a second..." Nina hastily removed the cap to the bottle and put it up to Robert's lips. He drank a portion of the liquid before pushing the bottle away.

"Thank you..." Robert said. "I need a little.... rest." His bloodied wounds soon started to mend themselves. Robert slowly stood up and gathered his possessions. He turned to Nina and gave a half-hearted smile. "I'll see you later then...." Robert said as he headed down the river. His body didn't agree with him as Robert collapsed. Nina caught him though and hefted him up with her shoulder.

"Let's get you somewhere you can rest," Nina said as she carried Robert. "The village isn't too far from here. I can get you a room at the inn so you can rest." As the two walked along the road Robert smiled as he began losing consciousness.

"Thank you.... Nina...." Robert whispered before drifting into a deep slumber.

 

[wolfsrain23]

Dante Ryuu
Melia: A Small town on the Cremia Border.

“So… That’s the place?”

“Yeah, its surrounded by at least eight knights every day and night. Locked up everywhere… There’s an attempt to get in every night, but so far, no successes.”

“No problem.”

“Well, I would hope it wouldn’t be a problem for the “Dark Dagger”.”

Dante eased back into the chair he was sitting on, placing his hands behind his head. “Actually, I go by the “Black Dragon” now. Much better. Much less childish as well” He took a sip of his drink and nonchalantly looked over at the building across the street then back at the man he was talking to, Alec, an old friend and contact, one of his first actually. Dante took another glance at the building. It was impressive just from the knights and their armor, and he hadn’t even seen the inside yet. A slight smile fell across his face. It would look even more impressive when he robbed it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Oye! He’s gone this way!” A solder yelled, running down the lit up streets as Dante watched from a nearby rooftop. The plan went off perfectly. Cause a distraction in the back of the building, when the two guards guarding the front go to check it out, walk straight in, all in the cover of night. Classic.

“I’m not over there, I’m on the roof!” Dante himself yelled, standing up and spreading his arms, showing off the two jewels he held in each hand, one white and one red. “I swear… Some of you knights…”

Immediately, all the solders stopped and looked up at where Dante was standing, and then pulled out their weapons. Some drew their bows back, while others pointed lances straight at Dante. “Explain yourself! Who are you?!” One of them shouted.

“Who am I?” Dante chuckled, continually throwing one of the jewels up in the air and catching it. “I am known by many names, “The Shadow”, “The Dark Dagger” but you may call me “The Black Dragon”.He finished off, bowing to the small crowd before him.

The solder gritted his teeth before replying. “I’ve heard of you, thief! This is the last time you’ll get away!“

“Oh, and you are the judge of that?” Dante laughed, interrupting the solder in mid-sentence as he began to waltz back and forth on the roof cynically. He couldn’t help but notice a small crowd had gathered behind the solders. “Tell me Mr. Psychic. If you are the judge of the future, what will the world be doing tomorrow? Will a king die? Will there be a war? Will the sun still rise tomorrow?” Dante paused for a moment and stood there. “I do not know and nether do you. However, I know I will be a free man, roaming the world once more… And with that, I have to say farewell.”

Dante jumped backwards off the roof, free falling for a moment before landing and disappearing into a cart full of hay being pulled by a horse. The man on the cart continued to ride out of the town, until they were a safe distance away.

“Dante, it’s safe.”

He resurfaced from the hay, gasping for air. “Right on time, just like I asked. But next time, can you get clean hay?”

The man on the front of the cart slowly turned and the almost full moon lit up his face. “Stop you’re complaining. You’re lucky I came.” Alec said, dropping the horse’s reigns. “Did you get it?”

“You doubt me?” Dante smirked, throwing him the white jewel. “And after all we’ve been through! I even gave you a discount!”

“Can’t be too careful…” Alec laughed, observing the pearl. “Oh, by the way. “Another friend” told me this was for you.” Alec pulled a letter out of his coat, giving it to Dante. He quickly broke the seal and opened it.

Although the darkness made it difficult, the moonlight made it possible for Dante to read aloud.

"Greetings, and salutations!

I, Lord Ludwig, have heard many tales of your skills and exploits. As such, I wish for you to make your way to my nation – Ludea – by boat. If you board a boat when the moon is full, you will reach it sure enough. Upon your arrival, you will join my fearsome band of warriors... You will learn why soon.

Yours, Ludwig Boltven"

A short pause fell over the two. Finally, Alec broke the silence. “You going?”

“Well, it would be quite rude to keep a lord waiting.” Dante paused, before placing his hands behind his head. “Plus, he’s got to have something of value…”

 

[Blivsey]

Mia Lenari
Travelers' Inn
Sorit, Crimea


Mia sighed and lounged back again in her chair. Here she was, sitting in a port town several hundred miles away from her home. She was so far away from her dear mother and the town that she was to help protect, living just outside of a port town and waiting for a ship to leave. She didn't even know where the ship would take her... she only knew that she was part of a crew that had also been called to the same strange country of Ludea by only a very vague note... Mai pulled it out of her satchel and read it again for what was probably the fiftieth time.

Greetings, and salutations!

I, Lord Ludwig, have heard many tales of your skills and exploits. As such, I wish for you to make your way to my nation – Ludea – by boat. If you board a boat when the moon is full, you will reach it sure enough. Upon your arrival, you will join my fearsome band of warriors... You will learn why soon.

Yours, Ludwig Boltven


Strange little message, and posing many unanswered questions. For one, of everyone that she had asked, nobody knew anything about this "Lord Ludwig Boltven" or of any nation called Ludea, in or beyond Tellius. The collection of books in the towns she had passed though had yielded no information on any such subject, either. Furthermore, how could he possibly have heard anything of her skills? For one, she did not consider her skills at healing to be anything particularly remarkable, and for another, few people traveled through Phinose, and fewer so that needed medical attention. Still, a single peddler could have gotten word around, she supposed. And what was this "if you board a boat while the moon is full"? Unless he had a considerable amount of magic at his disposal to guide that many ships toward his island, Lord Ludwig had provided no sort of direction for the ships to gather at Ludea.

Mia sniffed and returned to sipping at her glass of clean water. This whole situation seemed shaky, hardly believable to her. But her parents and the monks at the mountain temple had insisted that she see to this. She could not understand why the message was sent to her of all people, but since it had come from a Lordship, it was her duty to come and serve to the call. So she had, with what she could take with her. Their gift of monks' robes had kept her warm and her mother's old staff was a comfort to have, but they kept her thoughts back at home. Mia hoped that when she was attending to the mission that she had been called on, her focus would keep her on the mission. But this was the first time that she had been outside of the mountains...

At least she had gotten passage aboard that ship. One of its crew had been called to serve in Ludea, so they had to head there to allow their mate to heed the call. When she told them of her predicament, their captain offered her free passage on grounds of also having been summoned and out of courtesy to a lady. She had politely accepted, but of course intended on earning her way, be it through cleaning, cooking, healing or whatever the crew saw need for. And the ship was leaving tonight....

With that thought, Mia finished off her glass and handed it back to the barkeeper. Then, humming an old tune to herself, she headed back out of the inn and toward the outskirts of Sorit. It was time for her to pack up and be on her way....

 

[TheSequelReturns]

Cassan Arivata
Forest in southern Begnion
Evening

Greetings, and salutations!

I, Lord Ludwig, have heard many tales of your skills and exploits. As such, I wish for you to make your way to my nation – Ludea – by boat. If you board a boat when the moon is full, you will reach it sure enough. Upon your arrival, you will join my fearsome band of warriors... You will learn why soon.

Yours, Ludwig Boltven

Cassan lowered the letter from his view and let out another sigh. It didn't matter how many times he read it, he still couldn't figure out who Lord Ludwig was, how he had heard of his "exploits", or how boarding a ship during a full moon was supposed to lead him to a new and unheard of land. And quite frankly, it didn't really bother him that much. Sure it was a little suspicious, not to mention the fact that the person who had delivered the letter knew exactly where he was, but the prospect of traveling to a new land was simply too tempting for someone who loved traveling as much as Cassan.

A breeze quickly flew in from the north, messing up his dusky blond hair and threatening to tear the invitation letter from his lax grip. He drew his arms in, shielding them from the cool breeze and keeping the letter safe from the prying fingers of the wind. Reminded once more of just how much he hated the cold, he cast a glance off towards the horizon and was relieved to see that he was less than an hours walk from the port. If all went well, he would be there before it got too cold out here. One of these days, I really need to get a coat. He thought.

He lifted the letter back up and reread it yet again, as he had at regular intervals throughout his trip. No matter how inviting a prospect it was, something still didn't sit right with him about the whole thing. The letter simply lacked details. That one issue bothered Cassan more than he thought it probably should. It was like this Lord Ludwig expected whoever received his letter to know what he was talking about. It couldn't have been delivered to the wrong person either, his name was right on the front of the envelope. Either way, he had received the letter, so he planned to see the instructions through. If things actually went like he hoped they would, this could be the start of a whole new adventure. For the only the second time since he had left the Inn this morning, Cassan carefully folded the letter and stuck it back into the envelope. This time, he kept his eyes on the small port ahead as he continued down the lonely forest road.

 

[The Black Glove]

Franky
The Outskirts of Crimea
Roof of the Roadside Inn
Night

Franky munched on a muffin he had swiped from a passing street vendor. Blueberry, he realized, although he prefered that one deluxe muffin made with that super-sweet material... what did the vendor call it? Chalk-o-lot? Whatever. It was delicious.

A crash from below startled him, knocking his thoughts out. Probably some idiot trying to mess with that Glendel guy who came to visit the tavern maids every week. He may dress funny, but that guy was strong...

There was a flutter as Robin, a hawk Laguz and fellow bounty, fluttered on the edge of the roof before assuming a human form. Franky waved and offered a bite of the muffin, but Robin shook his head. "More important things are up. Remember that new guy we met, Buzz?" The blue-haired laguz nodded in the afirmative. "Your rival caught him. Tricked him by a series of tricky manuevers. Eventually planted a knife in his back."

Before the cat laguz could respond, Robin held is hand up. "There's something worse too. She seems to be on the move, and not towards our friends."

"I wonder what ol' Flat-chest is doing?" Franky laughed at his favorite insult for Allie before taking another bite of the muffin. Weird. He could have sworn it was blueberry, not the rasberry tang he tasted now.

"Our spies suggest she's got some type of letter from a Lord, something about another country that nobody's heard about." Robin retorted "it looked white with a gold linin-"

"You mean like this?" Franky showed off the envelope with his empty hand. He took another bite of the muffin. Poppy Seed.

Robin nearly fell over off the roof, but caught himself. "Where did you get that?"

Franky took another bite, enjoying the maple flavor that played across his taste buds. "I swiped it from some sleeping guard. Apparently some guy left it on his lap, and I got a little curious, so I-"

"-Swiped it while he was unconsious and read it."

Franky frowned. "I can't read. You know that. I took it to a traveling scholar who told me what it said."

"And..."

"Take a boat on the night of a full moon to reach some country." Franky enjoyed another bite of the muffin. Chicken-flavored?

"She's vulnerable on an open boat. Should we launch a full-scale attack?"

"Most of the other bounties can't swim, and she'd see us attack from the air on a moonlit night. I'll have to take a boat." He grinned as finished off the muffin, a very strange bubbly flavor filling his mouth. Why did it seem so familiar? "If I sneak on board, I can take her out, and figure out what sort of tricks this... noble... is planning." He hoisted himself out of his seat, landing on the thatched roof of the Inn. "My plan is just-"

"Great? Excellent? Amazing?" Robin suggested.

Franky shook his head. "That's not right. There's a word out there, but I just can't put my finger on it..." He put his hand to his chin in thought, but quickly was snapped out of it by a strange cracking noise. Crap. When was the last time this roof was re-thatched?

Robin jumped up and transformed, flying to safety as the roof beneath his Cat-Laguz ally crumbled. Franky roared in discomfort as he dropped through and smashed the second floor, landing on his back behind the bartender's counter.

He lifted up his arm and said weakly "Check please."

The letter floated down and came to a graceful landing on his face.
____________________________________________

Katsuo/Momo
Somewhere outside Bengion
Deep Forest

"This place is creepy... Katsuo-kun, I want to leave!" Momo complained as her carrier pushed off another branch and swung across another with astonishing speed. Had one looked, her eyes would have been glowing quite erriely yellow in the dark. Of course, the only other person she could see was the blind man carrying her through the trees.

"This is the fastest way to the coast. If you want to stop..." he smiled. Katsuo felt her shiver through the cloak. He had draped it over her at nightfall to keep her warm, and now realized she was shivering for another reason. "Do you feel that aura?"

Momo snuggled in closer to keep warmer- or perhaps safer. "Who couldn't feel that? Something seems horribly wrong in this forest..."

For an instant, time seemed to slow down as they crossed a clearing. Below the large jump was a small group of soldiers, seemingly surrounding an elderly man and a young woman. The older man was a priest of some sort, Momo guessed as they soared overhead, judging by the Torch staff in his hand. The old man seemed to point in shock, but they quickly slipped back into the silence of the trees. Quickly, Momo relayed the information to her holder.

"Sounds like what I felt." He nodded. "A small group of people, maybe 14-15 at most. 2 magic users among them. If he was making a light, then he was probably a monk or priest of some sort. It's probably best if we don't approach. Our appearance is likely quite terrifying."

Momo took a moment to consider how they must appear in that limited torchlight. The great blindfolded man she rode wore a black cloak, which probably appeared quite bat-like in the dark. Her own eyes, yellow and shining, would probably scare anyone who didn't realize they were on the face of a little girl. "Can we at least stay close?" Momo pleaded "The priest guy has light magic, so he can just blast away the wierdness, right?"

"Fine" Katsuo conceded. "But let's not get too close unless we have no other options."

 

[Zincspider]

Walken Hawkins and Glendel Stakes
Roadside Bar on the outskirts of Crimea
Still Nightime... but a bit before Franky falls

Glendel stared at the two notes, and looked at both of the names on the fancy material. One was splotched with white wine, and had dirt sticking to the wetter spots. That one was his, and he guessed it had fallen on the floor during his quick barfight. But the otherone looked like it had been delivered a couple minutes ago... was nothing belonging to this man not cleaner than him? It was starting to get agrivating. But even so, Glendel bent over to get a closer look at the strangers letter. On the front, it said 'Walken Hawkens- The Hawk'.

"Well Walken, I'm sorry to tell you I don't know anything more than what was written in the letter. We get on a boat on the full moon. And then we arrive in a make-beleive country. Any other questions? I have a date here," Glendel answered politely (with a hint of dry sarcasm at the instructions), nodding to the plump maid. Walken nodded, as he had been eyeing somthing that had been sticking out of the bottom of this Glendel person's jacket. It looked like a very large black feather. Before Glendel could react, Walken reached down, and plucked it up.

"Yes, what is this? And why is it on you?"

"I have chickens!" Glendel replied hurriedly, trying to grab the feather, but Walken kept raising it out of reach.

"Only if your chickens are five feet tall. This feather is almost a foot long. Longer than any chicken I have every seen. I think you're hiding somthing bud."

Glendel was worried. Was it going to end now? All of his time pretending to be a Beorc wasted because he ruffled up his wings in the fight? No, he ws going to let that happen, even if it meant leaving the cute maid here without him. He had a plan. This man was a stranger. He wouldn't be around to speak to everyone. If he brought him off to the side, and told him the truth, and made him keep a secret, he wouldn't be found out.

"Fine, just follow me..." Glendel muttered, getting up from his stool. Before walking any though, he picked up the maid's hand, and pecked it. "I bid you farewell for now my dear". But before Walken even stood up, a loud cracking noise was heard above the roof. Everything in the bar stopped, and all was still for a moment. Until the roof broke, and a small form fell down onto the ground. Everyone just stared in shock for a moment, until a small hand raised above the counter, and a voice said,

"Check please!"

Most people burst out laughing at the site, seeing as they were full of the happy-juice. But Walken was focusing on the peice of paper floating down after the boy. He recognized it... again. This was getting weird. He bent over the counter to make sure it was what he thought it was, and to check on the boy. But then he didn't want to do either. Not that he had somthing against the boy, but he was dirty. It semed he had been living on the streets, and didn't think finding a place to clean was to immportant (as it dang well was). And Walken wasn't ready to get dirty unles he had too tonight. But somthing else caught his eye. It was the fact the boy had blue, cat ears. He was a Laguz.

Now GLendel was looking at the boy too (the maid had run upstairs after he fell, scared, but not wanting to break the silence). He recognized him. He was ussually perched on the building when he came everyweek, and he always got a good look with his.... wilder senses. But he too had caught a glimpse at the note. But he was more focused on helping the boy up. But before he got the chance to ask if he was alright, Walken (who had been looking at the letter that had followed him) asked, reading the name from the letter:

"So, your name is 'D!ck Gozinya'?"

 

[Joe The White Knight]

As night fell, Robert finally regained consciousness. He blinked a few times before turning his head to the side. There was the resting form of Nina, the moon light allowing him to recognize her. Robert sat up and saw that they were on a dirt road. There was another source of light not too far off. It was a village, just as Nina had said, but Robert didn't recognize it. Robert looked down at Nina as slept and he smiled. 'Poor girl must have gotten tired from carrying me,' Robert thought. 'I had best get her off the road and into a more suitable place to rest.' Robert scooped the young girl into his arms and was surprised by how light she was. With his passenger in tow, Robert headed towards the village at a steady pace.

After several minutes of walking, the pair arrived in the village. Most everyone was either in the tavern or in bed, but a few people were up and about. Once they saw the pale, muscular man carrying the small, young girl, most simply looked away and went about there business while a glared at Robert. None dared confront him though. Robert paid them no mind as he approached the inn and opened the door. Apparently, someone had just crashed through the roof and some were either laughing or helping him up. Robert ignored the fellow, as he appeared to be alright and Robert had more important matters to attend to. The pale man walked up the bartender and asked, "How much for a room?"

 

[RubyGuardian_A]

Nyra sighed as they reached a large opening, still covered with canopy. There was a small spring up ahead, and there was a clearing that was lit with torches. Nyra looked behind her and noticed the weird orbs stopped behind them. Though they had not attacked the party, they were not friendly. Nyra looked at Vandas, who was resting on a tree stump. The party of warriors stood motionless in front of the odd spring. Nyra felt the eerie presence once more, and it was incredibly strong this time around. She looked in front of her to see an odd ghastly figure floating on top of the water. It laughed evilly as it released a large pulse of dark energy. The pulsation lit up the trees, revealing glowing moss. It also lit up the water, which had the glowing moss on its bottom.

"What the heck?" Nyra stated as the orbs moved closer, and appeared in the odd fluorescence. They were giant eyes, now open. They had a huge blood shot eye, with greenish brown skin. They had tentacles hanging downward from their body. Nyra grabbed her rod, and looked at the other members in her party. They were shaking their heads, as if free from a trance. As the leader regained control, there was a small tremor as the spring lifted off the ground, and turned to where the water was facing the party. A green dot wiggled to the center, and the spring became a large eye. It suddenly released a magic wave that hit a few knights. The knights charged in retaliation, hardly denting the creature. Nyra focused her attention on the "eyes" behind her. She lifted her rod, and released dark magic that arced and hit one of the eyes. The eye fell to the ground.

"Humph... Unholy creatures!!! Be gone!!" Vandas yelled as light magic created a small ball of pure light that dropped on the other eye. It was fled quickly, and Nyra was shocked by the amazing power Vandas had. Nyra focused her attention to the giant eye, who was knocking away the foolish soldiers. Vandas looked at Nyra. "Look!! A clearing!! I have can warp us forward!!"

"Ok... That sounds like a good idea!! But save that one knight there!!" Nyra pointed to a young soldier, more than 4 years younger than her. The leader was protecting him, when Vandas warped the four people forward. "I do apologize, but its us or them!!!!" Nyra waited for the 3 others to move forward. As she began to walk, she noticed her orb was lighting up. She turned in one direction, and found that it began to glow brighter. After walking a few feet, she noticed the orb was blinking. Something was very close. Nyra reached her hand forward, and found an old book. It had a strange symbol on the cover. Nyra felt the dark presence in the book. She grabbed it quickly as she ran through the clearing, and noticed they were near a poor town.

This must be Gneisha!! Were only a day away from the port!!! Nyra thought as she made her way into town, not looking back....

 

[Seraphinu]

~Karith
Near Roadside Inn,
Outskirts of Crimea~

It had taken her a little over a day to reach the forest edge that marked the border between Gallia and Crimea, and she was now traveling down a dusty, hardly used road. She had met few people on her way, but those few had stared, of course, at her tail and ears. Even though there had been peace for one hundred years... Laguz didn't often openly roam Crimea. There was little antagonism between the countrymen of Gallia and Crimea, but it was still a strange sight. The couple she had talked to had been nice enough to point out the closest port town to her, and for that she was grateful. Even if they had been staring wide-eyed at her ears to whole time. What was the big deal with Beorc, anyway? she found herself thinking.

I don't stare at their tiny, hairless ears, she added irritably to herself.

Still, what was she to do? There were no ships or ports in Gallia. Flicking her ears, she trudged onward, not realizing she had stopped walking. She was about to consider walking into the Inn when she saw how noisy and crowded it was. And then she was about to pass it by in favor of another place when she noticed who was at the center of attention: A cat. She edged in the doorway, and tapped one of the men on the shoulder, who turned around and started, but then a stupid grin appeared on his face, raising his reddened cheeks.

"Oh, you 'is girlfrien'?" he stammered. Karith's eyes narrowed with disgust at the drunken Beorc.

"No, I don't even know who he is. What happened?" she asked, and though she fought the urge to retch at his foul breath, her voice was still polite and frank.

"Fell from the sky, 'ee did!" he hiccuped, and Karith gave an inward sigh. Many of the other customers turned to stare at her she approached the other Laguz, surprised that one would walk in so openly advertising what they were. But they didn't care. They were all too drunk to care, and perhaps that worked to her advantage. She leaned over the bar and offered a hand to the Cat.

"According to that man, you fell from the sky. Care to share the real story over a glass?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her red eyes.

 

[Son_of_Shadows]

OOC: Couple of things I need to clear up. First, a word on Lehran's Medallion. It is being safely stored in the Mainal Cathedral in Sienne. It will have no influence on the plot, but it may be mentioned several times in passing. Also, for those of you making your way to ports, take two or three posts to reach them, and get on the boat. Remember that the moon must be full when you get there, so it is likely that you'll all reach the island at similar times. I'll start the main arc on the island once I've seen everyone make at least one post.

Lashet - Kilvas Castle

Greetings, and salutations!

I, Lord Ludwig, have heard many tales of your skills and exploits. As such, I wish for you to make your way to my nation – Ludea – by boat. If you board a boat when the moon is full, you will reach it sure enough. Upon your arrival, you will join my fearsome band of warriors... You will learn why soon.

Yours, Ludwig Boltven

Lashet did not often receive letters, much less letters from the humans. He ran a hand through his shaggy hair, and considered the proposal. Presumably, there would be fighting. Fighting with Beorc. Possibly fighting alongside Beorc. He shuddered. The prospect was truly disgusting. Filthy humans. However, there was no guarantee that Beorc were involved - the letter did not mention either race. Furthermore, Lashet had never heard of this "Lord Ludwig". He could be Beorc, or Laguz. Several of the Ravens on Kilvas had been sighted making their way to ports. Apparently, Ludea was simply too far for them to fly. Not even Tibarn could reach it from Kilvas, which was the closest land point to the isle. Lashet chuckled at that thought. Not even the mighty Hawk King could reach it unassisted. In that instant, he made up his mind. Ludea, here I come... He leapt from the castle's window, and quickly flew to the rooftop. Lashet looked over the battlements, training his eye over the land. And yet, as he prepared to fly, he could not resist one simple cry. A battle cry made by Tibarn 100 years ago.

"TO WING, BROTHERS!" he called, as he shifted into his Hawk Form, and soared towards the nearest port.

 

[Tundra_Wolfmane]

-----Aleia "Allie" Furrough-----
-----Outskirts of Crimea-----​

Allie held the letter of Lord Ludweg - 'Or whatever his name is,' thought Allie - between her hands and in front of her face. She neared her face to the paper and gave it a deep, audible sniff. She let out a sigh as she exhaled her breath. The letter actually initially bore a few bright, silver coins inside, as if tempting her... no, that wasn't the word for it. It was enticing her to jump on the boat and leave whatever else behind. Now they were in her pocket. "Well, I don't need any more incentive, just as long as he has more of these somewhere," she said to herself, hiding the letter somewhere on her person.

She observed her surroundings. The night had already fallen, giving her many places to hide in the shadows if the need arose. Although she prefered the safety of the trees, she would have to make do. Who knew if there was a bounty here somewhere; unfortunately for them, Allie had memorized almost all the faces of the current outlaws that needed to be, suffice to say, exterminated.

'Well, there's no money here,' she thought, feeling a bit bored by it all. She saw a huge creature appear for a brief moment the night sky before disappearing. She had first thought it to be a large bird from very far away, but judging by the distance, it was a Bird-type Laguz. It reminded her of one of her failed conquests.

'The name was...Robin, I think. What person in their right mind would name a Hawk-Laguz, of all things, Robin?' she wondered, shrugging the bird off. The chances that it wasn't a bounty were too high for her to try a rennaisance mission on it. 'If that damned cat weren't there, he'd be growing me a money tree by now,' she thought, heading towards a rather busy-looking bar.

Outlaws and bounties seldom worked together. And if they did, they were usually just one bounty altogether instead of two seperate ones. However, during her hunt, Robin seemed to have teamed up with another Laguz Bounty, alias Franky. And just because of that cooperation, she found it difficult to capture one of them, let alone both. If she got close enough to one, the other had found a way to distract or interupt her, much to her chagrin. And that only reminded her that Franky - 'Soon to be renamed into Kitty Litter,' she thought, smiling to herself - always seemed to get in her way. And he always managed to get away. He fancied himself her rival. As much as she hated to admit it, he was the closest to one that she got...unfortunately.

She gave a loud huff, stopping in front of the entrance where a female Laguz - 'What's with all these shapeshifters?' she mentally groaned, her father's voice in her head coming out for a moment - stood only a few minutes before she did before entering the tavern. She gave the room a quick scan, spotting a large number of people, mostly Beorcs with some Laguz here and there. Everyone seemed to be laughing at a person that had fallen from the roof, if she were to infer from the broken hole in the cieling. 'I'm glad I don't have to pay for that,' she thought wistfully. She paid the poor sap no attention, since she couldn't really see his face as he was mostly covered by a man wearing finely-tailored clothes and a tall, green haired man.

"Well, no treasure troves here," she muttered to herself, looking at the floor. She spotted a few men look her way and give her appraising looks. She must've looked like one of those timid girls who just came into a bar for the first time. She rolled here eyes and walked away. She would have enjoyed the company and the partying that would somehow ensue, but it was too late at night to have any real fun. Besides, bums like those usually didn't have enough money to interest her. The ones that did, meaning the tailored looking guy, looked too busy, and she didn't want to waste her time. She looked at the sky once more; it was only a few days more before the next full moon.

She pulled out the letter once more, reading through its contents to make sure that her information was right.

-----Volke D'lune-----
-----Outskirts of Crimea-----​

The Wolf Laguz sniffed the air, scenting the strong odor of booze and rum as the wind swept by. His eye spotted the tavern a few feet away and decided to stay away. People who took too much alcohol in their system usually found him intimidating and thought him a danger and would try to start a fight. Much to his displeasure, half of the time, it involved young boys who looked to only be fifteen. He walked a few more feet before he spotted a person, female by her build and stature, holding something familiar in her hands.

'Is that what I think it is?' he wondered, questioning his eye sight. Well, even with only one eye, could see that it was an exact copy of the letter he had received only a week ago.

'Perhaps she would allow me to accompany her,' he thought to himself as he approached her. He would enjoy someone to talk to for a proper length of time. Having to talk on the occasional traveler or two that were few and far inbetween was beginning to take its toll on him. As he got closer, he noticed that she suddenly tensed.

"Who are you and what do you want?" she asked quietly and quickly, swiftly hiding the letter somewhere on her person. She had turned her head to him and was eyeing him suspiciously. Most of Volke's confidence drained away as he noticed her facial features. He hadn't noticed how young she was!

"Um..uh..." Volke started, raising an arm to scratch the hair at the back of his head and looking down at the girl. "I'm called Volke. We have the same letter." He left it at that. He didn't know what else to say, or at least his mind was barely working to. She gave him a once over, analyzing him, and he couldn't help but look away.

Allie didn't know what to think. When he had approached, her initial reaction was to bring out her dagger. She realized it was her father's influence that made her want to do so as his face appeared in his mind. She also realized that she refrained from doing so because following her father's, her mother's face appeared. And now, here was an intimidating looking Laguz that was giving her too many mixed signals to work out a proper motive. He looked like he wanted to talk to her, but at the same time, he seemed to want to be somewhere else. But something did catch her eye. The medallion sitting on his chest. Gears in Allie's head started to turn.

She grinned widely, and it seemed to surprise the Laguz. "The name is Aleia," she said. "We have the same kind of letter, you say?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

His response was a slow nod, sparing but a few second's glance at her way before looking away again.

"Then you're heading to a port, too, right?" Once again, another nod.

"Can you help me a bit, then?"

Volke blinked for a few moments before opening his mouth to answer. "I...guess so." This girl was really strange. One moment she was being hostile, now she was friendly.

"Well, you see, I have a problem with the boat fare. It's going to be quite a price, and I sort of need all the help I can get." Allie knew this was false, but she had a sense that this man had something to offer that she could definitely put to good use. It hasn't failed her before, and she hoped that it wouldn't fail her. Besides, that medal looked like it could only belong to a nobleman - 'A noble Laguz. Who'd have thought,' she joked in her head -, so he was either that or a thief. Luckily, he gave no indication or signal that he was the latter, so he was most likely the former...she hoped.

Volke looked at her suspiciously, but could only see the smiling girl before him. It came to him that maybe she was trying to con him, but he couldn't help the fact that he did have a lot of money, though he didn't look the part. He had brought a lot from his home just in case. He rarely found a use for it though, seeing as he could obtain food and sleep in his beast form right in the middle of nature. He sometimes gave some of what he had to people he saw needed it (in other words, poor children).

He sighed, deciding that he would at least accompany her to the boat. She was a but child, after all. She might need someone to look out for her. And if she really did need his help, then at least he had done his good deed for the day. Or night. Whichever. "Very well."

He moved towards her stiffly to shake her hand, but she just jumped a complete three feet away, shocking him with her ability. 'So she's not so helpless as I thought,' he mentally noted, staring at her.

Aleia cringed. "Sorry 'bout that," she apologized, moving to take his large hand in hers in what she thought to be a firm hold - it wasn't to Volke, really - and sealed the deal. Her dad's disappointed face in her mind made her finish it quickly and walk a few feet ahead. She turned back to him.

"Come on, then. It will be some time before we reach the port!"

 

[The Black Glove]

Franky
Outskirts of Crimea
Roadside Inn

Every single bone and muscle in his body ached from the impact. He had been lucky not to land on his head, but he still didn't feel very thankful yet.

"So, your name is 'D!ck Gozinya'?"

Franky reached up and grabbed the letter from his face, quickly sitting up and shoving it into the back pocket of his shorts. "Actually, I go by Franky." A pair of hands reached down, and, not wanting to be rude, Franky grabbed each one and hoisted himself off the floor. One was a man wearing strange white garments that covered his entire body. Although he appeared to be Beorc, Franky noticed he also smelled quite a bit like his pal Robin. Glendel, his spinning head remembered. The other was a beast Laguz, like himself, but she felt much stronger than he.

"According to that man, you fell from the sky." The Tiger Laguz seemed amused "Care to share the real story over a glass?"

Franky was about to decline when his eyes caught a familiar figure. D*mn! What the darkness is she doing here? "Sure, sure, let's go over here..." he urged, quickly herding the two who helped him, as well as the strange, silent beorc who had asked his name. They settled down in a corner, making sure to be far away from Allie. Then, making sure he was out of sight, he began to tell the tale. "Well, I was up on the roof with my friend..."

****Time Passes!*****

"...and that's about the gist of it." By the end of his tale, Allie had gotten up and left the bar. He sighed of relief inwardly. If she had exposed him as a bounty, the entire bar might have turned on him, hoping to make a little extra cash. That could be really bad, and he'd probably have to leave town.

"So, what are you gents and lady doing here tonight?"

 

[greywolf123]

Blake Remarin
South of Sienne, Bengion
Evening-Night

It was quiet around where Stefan was, as he trekked out the distance. A peaceful kind of silence, which was nice. In the crowded Capital, you were lucky if you got a few moments of peace, let alone the solitude he was enjoying right now. He made sure to seize it, traveling quickly down the road towards the nearest port town, a rather bustling place. He was sure he'd meet someone else going on this journey. Maybe figure out what was going on from one of them. Still, he was making good time, and he could just pitch camp if need be. Sure it was dangerous sleeping in the woods, but as long as one didn't build a fire to attract bandits, and you kept your tent tightly closed, normally it was safe enough. Still, he planned on finding some sort of inn, or traveling group. If he got lucky.

A few hours into things, and the moon was still holding up. He was actually feeling rather alive right now, due to both waking up around ten, and the note. What kind of journey could he be embarking on? Once more a creeping feeling of dread crawled up his spine, whispering in his ear that this was likely a trap, or worse. Instead of debating this fact with himself, and likely getting nowhere, he just ignored it. It wasn't like thinking about his doom would get him anywhere, and besides, this was likely the break he was looking for. Mercenary work was great, but if he really wanted to make his name known, he would have to do amazing things. Settling a new continent would count for something, he figured. That thought cheered him, as he continued down the road.

Around midnight, the wind started to pick up slightly, and he was getting very tired. A trek this far was nothing, he was used to marching several miles in full gear during training, but at night, things got cold. Still, with no inn in sight, he figured he'd tough out the last two miles or so to the port town. Nothing exciting had happened, sadly, save some commotion, but that was okay. It'd be once he got there that things started to happen. So, stretching slightly, he kept walking, a brisk pace carrying him to where he needed to go.

Around three, he reached the town. Now, he was tired. No amount of sleep could help the poor sod, who had marched around 16 miles in seven hours. He was barely alive on his feet as he entered town, and checking into a inn, having to give a few extra coin to be let in. Still, let in he was, and as he got to his room, a rather dingy place but with a good enough bed, and a locking door, he locked it, and crashed down, barely managing to get his gear off before he feel asleep in his bed, snoring lightly as he dozed.