Kala cursed as the flare hit the sky. Honestly, she hadn't thought the girl could do it. Flame might prove to be more of a formidable adversary then she had originally thought. Of course, she hadn't thought a lot of things would happen today, and they had. It was a beautiful thing. She wouldn't let anything spoil this day. With a sigh, she sat back down on the roof and thought through her options. A, she could still run, and probably make it back. B, she could go back to Flame. C, she could do neither and remain here, or D, she could do neither and go back to the place she had called home for so long. Eh, she was feeling lucky. And hell, she had a soft spot for the rebellious princess. Reminding her a bit of herself. She turned and jumped into the air, the hooks grabbing the side of the wall to swing her forward. She would go there, but hang back until the main group caught up with Flame. She didn't want to be taken for an enemy, after all. Zack smiled at Adelina as he passed her by, walking down the path to the bench. "I haven't seen a rainbow in a long time. It would be nice to see one now, for good luck." His thoughts strayed back to Tessa, and he hoped she was alright. "You think they'll be back tonight?" He asked Adelina, turning back to look at her before offering his hand to help her over a splintered board. "Someone ought to fix that." He muttered to himself. Tessa silently followed Gale towards the flare.
Tessa tugged on her hair in frustration, feeling as though she had missed out on something important. In fact, it looked like she had. Well, nothing to be done for it. They didn't want her to be part of the discussion, she wouldn't force herself on anyone. She went and sat on the stairs to focus, calm herself down. It was no good to head into battle angry. Anger helped, but in most cases it hindered, and if she was going to look out for number one, then dammit she was going to do it well. "Don't worry, they ditched me too." Remy sat down next to Tessa, the stack of cards appearing in his hand. He flipped it from one hand to the other to calm his nerves. "So you've done this before. What's it like?" He asked, focusing on the way the cards flew from one set of fingers to another. "Hard." The girl answered him. "You feel broken and bruised by the end of it, and then you get to the next resting room and you feel better. The battles are tough. No one helps, except in the direst of circumstances." He could feel her eyes on him. "So everyone's out for themselves? Sounds like the real world." A short laugh from beside him. "Perhaps it is. I guess i expected different." "Well, girl. You should probably get the disappointment out of your head. It wont' do anyone, especially you, any good." "I'm working on it." This time he laughed. "Well, I'll work on it with you." Kara wanted to scream. That..man had touched her, without her permission. Without her permission. Well screw him. Screw them all. She turned and slammed her fist into the wall, breaking several knuckles. Punching wasn't exactly her strong suit. She muffed the scream that was her reaction by pressing her mouth to the inside of her arm. The pain felt better then the anger, the helplessness, that had resulted by being touched, being moved without permission. If there was one thing she hated, it was helplessness. It was being just an item. She would make him pay. Maybe she would make them all pay.
Veera followed with a sigh. "I had hoped the mage would show, or take us to a better place, but I should have expected better. Mages." She said with disdain. A small small part of her wanted to apologize to Aaron for dragging him into this mess without a better plan, but the larger part of her refused. He was an adult, a graduate of the witcher school, and he should be prepared for all situations. If he wasn't, she would do her best to teach him, or at least keep him from death. She opened the door for him, wiping the blood from her face with her sleeve. I desperately need a bath. And some ale. And a plan. "Aaron, we should take the alleyways to the river. We can wash the blood off there, and stay at an inn tonight. I have enough coin for such purposes." She hesitated. Aaron had promised to keep her safe. She shouldn't treat him like he was an inferior. "Is that alright with you?" Right. About that. "Sorry I caused you to lose your quarry." she murmured, resting her chin on her knees. "It was short sighted of me to get involved in the matters between you two. There's just been so trouble that I didn't want a fellow mage hurt. I should have considered the circumstances." The shiver that ran down her spine...was it because of Solomon? The gods giving her an inkling of what she had let happen, because the psychotic man had slipped past his judgment once more? "I hope you find him again." she told Vyle. She hoped that the gods wouldn't punish her for her ignorance. There were few ways to make up for the loss of life, and none of them pretty. "Still, once is enough that they'll remember you for the rest of their lives, even if they don't know it." She hummed as she bent over, tugging on the sewer grate to move it aside. "Did you know our brains can't make faces when we dream? Each face on a person is someone you've seen, somewhere. So you see, even if you don't know it, you remember them. And they remember you." She gestured at the sewer grate for Seth to lower himself first. "I wonder who's dreamed with my face? I hope I helped them in some way, anyway." Bryce felt anger. He knew he did, deep down, but it hadn't penetrated the shock that filled his brain, numbing him to the pain that also gathered. He knew these people. Each one of their names, their families, their faces. The doppler community wasn't so large that he didn't know who resided here and who didn't. Zack was there, his knees stained with blood. His eyes staring at the face of Elle, the woman who had made incredible bead art. Bryce had never managed to get the secret from her, hoping to teach Tessa so that she might wish to stay. "Gather any witnesses. Immediately. Have them come to me." The figure at his side darted off, joined by two more. Bryce turned to the small crowd, his shoulders heavy with the burden he now bore. "We must clean them up, prepare them for their final journey." As some of the denizens of his small society moved forward, Bryce turned back to Zack. "We need your help." Zack felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned dully towards Bryce. "Help?" He didn't know how to help. "Help me with the bodies." Something in his stomach tightened, and Zack felt sick to his stomach. "I don't know how." Bryce's hand tightened on his shoulder. "I'll help you. But we can't leave this for the families. No one should.." He heard Bryce take a breath, and something came back alive in the Zack. His suffering would be small compared to that of the others. Of the mothers and sisters who would have to bury their family tonight. "Alright. I..I'll try." Getting to his feet, Zack reached towards the nearest body, a girl, with shaking hands. One of her arms was missing. Bryce helped him, taking her shoulders as Bryce grabbed her feet. They took her, gently towards the nearest building, a bakery. One of the women held the door open for them, her eyes averted. They set the girl on the floor, the furniture pushed aside so there would be room. "Wrap her body in cloth. Her face is untouched, so you may leave it bare. For the ones that...aren't, we must cover them. Their families should remember them as they were, not as they are." Bryce did as he was bid, the cloth provided by another woman who began doing the same task with another body. She helped Zack when she was finished, silent as the cloth was wrapped gently around the lifeless flesh. Who would do this? We haven't hurt anyone. Why did we deserve this?
Bryce noticed Anthea passing out tea, and looked down at his own cup. Hell, he might as well get it over with. He stood, cup in hand, before walking over to her. "Thank you, miss. It was very kind of you to give this to me." He set the cup down in order to remove his helmet with both hands, before setting the helmet on the table, within eyesight, and picking up the cup of tea again, taking a sip. "What made you decide to perform such a kind act?" He asked, running a free hand through his hair. Helmet hair was the worst. "I'm Bryce. I take it you are here for the Adventurer's Society as well?" It was a dumb question, but he felt the need to make conversation with someone, anyone. Well, anyone who didn't know him or judge him. Shit. He was on to her. She swore impressively, though kept it confined in her mind as she inclined her head slightly, and started walking next to him. Besides just trying to bolt, she wasn't really sure exactly what she could do. Think think think. There's always a way out. You just have to take it. "You're quite the suspicious fellow." Kara remarked. "I don't believe I caught your name." She was stalling, yeah. Stalling while her brain raced for a way out of this. Dammit she hated being trapped. And then she figured it out. Clever girl. Perfect.
Teliana was running through the corridor, amidst the screams and cries of the people around her. An old woman tripped and fell, and Teliana stopped to help her to her feet. "Forget the basket and go!" She shouted, gently urging the old woman forward before turning back. She was running against the crowd, fighting to get to the weapon's room. That was where her father was, arming his men against an overwhelming tide of darkness. He crushed her into a hug at the sight of her. "I love you, my daughter!" He yelled over the sound of wind, rushing through the broken windows. Teliana looked up at him, her mouth opening to ask him why he was acting this way, after all it wasn't as if the battle had been lost, when he shoved her backwards. She was falling, her arm reaching up towards his hand as she screamed, falling into darkness. Her body twisted and turned as she dropped, and just when she was about to hit the bottom, shielding her face with her arms, she- Teliana shot up with a yelp, her arms shielding her face. She was covered in sweat, her body shaking with a mixture of adrenaline and fear. Not a dream, a memory. One far gone. She lowered her arms to her sleeping back, taking deep breaths in order to steady herself. It was over. They were all gone. She lay back down and curled up on her side, staring at the dim embers of the fire she had started hours ago. Far gone. Kala cut down the monster, and leaned on her keyblade, her mouth twisted as she stared at the body, waiting for it to dissipate. It always did, eventually. She wondered where the darkness went, if there was a great bloody lake of it somewhere where congregated and birthed monsters, or if another monster was born after she killed the last. Ah, the philosophical meanderings of a wanderer. Clenching her fist, she stood straight as the keyblade disappeared. It would be back. It always came back when she needed it's help. Edge, she had come to call it. It had almost become a part of her, a little like a traveling companion. She felt silly to think that way of any weapon, but this one was...different. It had always been different. Twisting her fingers, she opened a portal, the tendrils of darkness creeping out towards her, almost reaching towards her with open arms. She sighed, then stepped into it without a look back at the empty cavern. The answers hadn't been here, like she had hoped, but she had found a clue. She wouldn't stop hunting until she found the answers she wanted, and gave those people, or creatures, whoever they were, what they deserved.
The man made sense at the same time as he didn't make sense. Veera tried to keep up with it all, her brain still a little jumbled from not talking to other people in so long. If she was being honest, it was nice not just having a conversation with herself. She didn't know all the answers. "Sounds like an exciting life." She murmured in response to the older man's words, before stopping. He gestured onward, and for some reason, Veera felt a little nervous. Maybe it was that good old intuition kicking up again. Maybe it was just being in the presence of actual people, and not figments of her imagination. Or maybe it was that the space he gestured to looked even darker then the darkness around them, if that was possible. Ah well, there was only one thing for it. Go forward into the unknown, or go back into the darkness, the known factor in this decision. And she knew then she had made up her mind. She strolled forward, taking a deep breath as she did so in order to calm her nerves.
Veera blinked at Hunter's response. He was honestly, a very strange man. And then, as he declared his intent to get rid of the guards, she backed up. That is not a good plan, is what she could have said. Probably should have said, she reflected as he took off towards the incoming band of armored men. Buuut she didn't. Instead, she turned, and disappeared into the crowd of people that started screaming and running as the violence started. I wonder if he realizes that they'll only call more guards. She mused, ducking into an alleyway. Whatever the case, if he was as good a hunter as he proclaimed, (she pointedly ignored he had beaten her in a hunt) then he would be able to find her. She wasn't making it hard, in any case, as she wandered down the road and turned onto the long bridge that led to the castle. The view was beautiful here, and as more guards rushed past her, she leaned against the stone railing and looked out at the world below, the wind tugging at her hair. Kara stood, nonplussed, as Tobias did the exact opposite of stealthy. He outright attacked them. What wave of testosterone went through your brain? She wondered to herself as she gripped her weapon, face set in some sort of grimace. She hadn't really planned on fighting again, more like sneaking out and trying to figure out what the hell was going on. But that wasn't going to work with this guy, and well, she didn't really have any other choice at the moment. She stepped forward, ready to fight as the other three guards also prepared themselves. She made the second move (the first being taken by Tobias eye goring the first man) and swung at the man on the right, their weapons clashing with a loud clanging noise. Today was going to be a long day.
Veera heard words, and voices, but she had been hearing that all day, accompanied by her screams. The only thing missing was her screaming, but she found she couldn't use her voice. Or maybe she was, and she couldn't hear it. Either one wasn't really a good sign. Instead of worrying on that, she simply focused on breathing. In and out. In and out. Everything will be okay. She was lying to herself yeah, but could anyone blame her? No, because no one could hear her. In and out. In. Tessa waited for Zack to tell Hunter how stupid he was. When his voice never came, she looked back, worried that he had fallen behind. Oh yeah..Zack hadn't come with. She bit her lip, glancing at Gale before back towards Hunter. Well, shit. "Hunter, stop being stupid. We're here to rescue our people, not play a game." Man, she really didn't want his attention, and somehow hoped he hadn't heard her. Regardless, in case the man decided to throw her off the wall, she stuck close to Gale's side, hoping the more experienced soldier would stop action of that sort. If he didn't, then she might be in more trouble. Zack chuckled. "I don't have any rings, but we could throw in an old skillet I found. Not as dramatic as a ring, but still, it could be fun." He joked, feeling a little more laid back. That feeling disappeared when he realized he hadn't planned anything. "Um...to be honest...I wasn't sure what to do. Do you want to, I don't know, walk around, or something? There's kind of a spot on the other side of those houses that's a little more isolated, and I've noticed the birds like to sit there." He hoped Adelina wouldn't think that was too bad, but she liked the birds. If not, well, there was that old skillet. Kala had taken a risk. She was feeling a little cocky, so she allowed herself to get close enough to the rescue group that she could see them, but still out of ear shot. She lay on the nearly caved in roof of the house, her fingers pressing against the tiles so hard they turned white. There were quite a few of them, more then she had expected. But then, the king had always managed to surprise her when least expected. In the end, it hadn't mattered. She smiled to herself, her body humming with pleasure as it digested the life she had stolen. She hadn't taken so much in years. It felt good. It didn't seem that the group was going to go looking for their lost leader. That was all well and good, but she would wait for them to move on before coming out of hiding, and going back. Then...well, then she was not sure. Did she pack a few essentials and disappear? Or stay and try to integrate herself once more? Choices choices. There was what he wanted, and then there was...well, what she wanted. She let herself sink a little lower to avoid being unseen, and turned to stare up at the sky. What should she do?
Veera shrugged at Aaron's response, secretly impressed with the man's intelligence. "If that's how you have to sleep at night, so be it." She half smiled at the thought of Aaron bringing Veceslav news of her death. "Somehow, I don't think the old man would take out his disappointment on the messenger. But I appreciate the thought." She turned to Solomon. "If you know of a safe place to stay, I would prefer we move there as quickly as possible. I don't think my comrade or I are in the best of shape to take on armed forces." Not to mention she could use some rest. And maybe some liquor to wash down the taste of battle. Teliana wrapped her arms around her knees, the toes of her shoes poking out from underneath her dress. "Yeah, that necromancer..." She shuddered, remembering the events from earlier that day. "He shouldn't be able to do that. Bring the dead back. I haven't seen that magic since...." Well, Yana could do some pretty messed up things, but she had never done something quite like that. "How did you find someone like that? He doesn't seem like a mage you would just find wandering along the road." she asked Vyle. Part of her was genuinely curious, the other demanded to know information on this adversary in case they ever met again. Because, after all, it wasn't that big of a world. Tessa turned her head to look at Seth as she walked down the road, the cobblestones shining in the moonlight. It usually entranced her as she walked, but not tonight. Tonight she had something else to pay attention to. "I know Bryce cares, but really, sometimes he cares too much. Instead of letting me keep the bar open at night, he only allows it during the day." Granted, if she had run a doppler only bar in Sanctuary, then it would have been a different story, but she wanted to see the sun, smell the fresh air, and hear the sounds of people and animals. She didn't want to live underground, like a dwarf. That wasn't what she was made for. "I'm sure someone out there is wondering where you are, and hoping you're okay. No matter if we have family or not, we touch other people's lives. I'm sure they think about us every once in a while. I know I do." She shrugged. "And if they don't, then they're not really experiencing life as they should, are they? Do you ever do that? Wonder about people you've met and talked to?" She imagined that Seth had a great deal many more people to worry about then she did; after all he had traveled all over. Bryce felt a shiver run down his spine at Raymond's words. Intuition, his mother would have called it. His da would have called it a gut feeling. Whatever it was, Bryce had a bad feeling about it. "Thank you, sir. That's very kind to offer." he replied with an easy smile. Just then, one of his spies, his little birds, as he called them, darted down the street, passing by his shoulder. That was all it took to impart the information the bird had, before the cloaked figure darted away. Bryce stood still for a moment, his brain too shocked to demand action of his body. "I...I have to go. I'm sorry sir. I'm sure we'll meet again." In fact, I think I'll be able to guarantee it. Despite how rude it was, Bryce turned and started walking quickly down the street. As much as he wanted to run, it would attract all the wrong kinds of attention. It can't be true..But his birds had never steered him wrong before. He disappeared down the manhole, making sure the grate covered up his passage, before breaking into a run. He didn't stop running until he made it to the square, where Zack kneeled in a puddle of blood, and one of his worst nightmares had come true.
Kara for Big Game Hunting, and Bryce for Darklight. Because I am f*cking consistent, that's why. EDITING BECAUSE OF HE WHO CANNOT BE NAMED AND YES I'M SURE YOU CANNOT BE NAMED SAM: KARA FOR DARKLIGHT AND BRYCE FOR BIG GAME HUNTING.
Sara headed into the gym, swinging her arms to warm them up as she looked at the equipment. It wasn't particularly sophisticated, but it would help her work out the kinks she felt. Taking a deep breath, she jumped up, grabbing the two circular rings. She used the force of gravity to swing herself back and forth until she was nearly moving in a full circle. Only when the force of the movement was at its peak did she let go, flipping several times through the air to land on the foam pad on the ground. She nearly stuck the landing, but her foot twisted at the last moment and she ended up down on one knee. Well, that was why they named it practice. Tessa blinked, and then blinked again, her mouth slightly open. "Your hair. Your hair changed. Can you do that all the time? Can you turn it different colors? What about your eyes? Are they contacts? How does that work?" The other girl had walked off, looking creeped out, but Tessa felt fascinated. "That was so cool. Can you do it again? Can you teach me?" In her fervor, she had forgotten she was kneeling on the ground, hands pressed in her lap, almost as if she was in meditation. But she was sooo not into meditation. "What's your name? Do you know mine? It's Tessa, if you don't. If you do, then sorry for bugging you with it again."
Name: Zack Ferros Age: 25 Appearance: ~ Race: Elezen House: Ragnarok Occupation: Healer. Gear: An alchemist's pouch, an old brown travel cloak, and a blue pendant. Sign: Leviathan Bio: Zack grew up in a middle class house and had a fairly comfortable life. His father was a blacksmith and his mother a seamstress, providing for himself and his three siblings. After he came of age, being the second son and fairly worthless in his father's eyes, except for his magic of course, Zack left home and joined a mercenary band, healing their members when they came in from battle. He's taken a leave of absence and wanders around, exploring the world. Other: Please don't let this die :( This one is my favorite.
Remy shrugged, then offered Alexis his arm. "Well, fine lady, should we follow that strange fellow? I don't think we have much a choice, and if I'm being honest I'd rather get on with it now rather then later." It wasn't that he minded sitting around, talking. Especially to a pretty girl. But if there was a fight to be had, he would rather get it over with. Anticipation was the worst part of any battle, besides the healing of the injuries. That sucked too. Tessa smiled, a little sadly when she responded to Poke. "I want to go home too. Just with more then what I left with." Did she want to bring her father back? Not specifically. Did she want answers? Oh yes, yes she did. And she was going to get them. It would break her heart to have to fight her new friends, even Alexis, but if she had to, then she would. Even in the wild, it was survival of the fittest. And she wanted to be on top. Kara noticed out of the corner of her eye, two of the male competitors leaving. The strange robot guy and....She squinted. There wasn't anything particularly remarkable about him, but she felt like it could be fun to follow them anyway. And so she did, walking up the stairs. Towards some voices that weren't saying the nicest of things. "I don't think they want us to win." She whispered into Zephyr's ear as she watched Ze Operator up ahead, a small smile on her lips. She wasn't afraid of the strange people that spoke. They could try to kill her, and she would dance around their drowning bodies, singing them to the eternal sleep. Because that was what she did.
Veera crossed her arms over her chest, watching Aaron. "I value life too. All witchers do. We are called to protect those lives from the monsters that seek to take them. It's not fair, and it might not be right, but it is the way we must do things. Do you think an eagle feels bad for killing a fawn? Or a griffin that kills a foal or takes a child? None of these animals feel anything but hunger for their prey. We are the sword and the shield that protects the young from being taken too soon. Dopplers are not animals, no they are far more intelligent. They are not unlike vampires, and werewolves. None of them ask to be what they are, but it is their way to fight against us just as we fight against them. Every creature will try to escape when they think their life is in danger. Life is precious to everything in this world, something worth fighting tooth and nail for." Her fingers dug into her arm, and her eyes narrowed, but her face remained calm, and her voice flat. "It's always been an argument of morality. Do you save the few, or the dozens? The individual, or the masses?" she dropped her arms, and turned away. "It's your decision, but I have chosen to save the masses. And if that takes the sacrifice of a few, I will bear the burden so that no one else has to." She hoped Aaron would stay with her, but she couldn't ask him to. If he chose to leave, however....her heart grew heavy. She couldn't afford Veceslav finding out where she was. And she couldn't trust Aaron's word, if he was disillusioned. Tessa smiled at Seth, a little wryly. "I'm not sure why tonight of all nights, I need a bodyguard, but thank you. I'm sure there are many other beautiful women that miss your attention." She twisted the knob to make sure the door was locked, before turning and walking down the alleyway, hands locked behind her back as she stared up at the barely visible stars. "Perhaps that's who I need guarding from. Your old girlfriends." Bryce held out his hand for the veteran to shake. "Bryce. Bryce of Oxenfurt. Born, bred, and never left." Not strictly a lie, but not strictly true. And that was the balance he was comfortable with walking.
He wasn't completely human. Actually, it didn't sound like anything could be remotely human except his soul. "Timothy?" The name sounded strange on her tongue. Well, all names sounded strange on her tongue, after not speaking for so long. "Your life sounds....sad." That was the right word. An eternal servant? She might be a slave to her need to be a parasitic monster, but she was free in every other way. "Um....we should go. Somewhere else. Safe?" She said haltingly, as two separate armies seemed to appear out of the dirt and wind around them. The sounds of battle terrified her, and she ducked low, pulling her hood further over her head to hide her eyes, or well, just to hide. "Come on." She grabbed the metal arm that belonged to this 'Timothy' and began tugging him away from the two armies, trying to stay in the middle and not veer towards either side. Why was she bothering to bring this thing with her? Well, because he had given her that drink, 'tea'. And it was delicious. And she wanted more. Yes, that was it.
The voice that followed her down belong to a man. Clearly one with authority, going by the way he speaks. Kara thought, somewhat scathingly. Have I done as you asked? Not bloody likely. She halted in her stride, thinking on how to respond. He didn't sound very approving, and he called her a good lady. Good. She sighed, plastered a smile on her face, and turned, offering a tiny curtsy. She hated curtsies. "Of course, ser. In case they didn't tell you, my name is Kara. I was just looking for the restroom. Terribly long journey, and all that." Her stomach grumbled, and she pressed a hand to it, mentally telling the organ to shut its mouth. "If you don't mind pointing me in the right direction?" She asked, trying to be charming. It rarely worked. She just wasn't a charming person. Besides. She wasn't here to make friends. She was here to get food. And maybe some other things too. Bryce decided to sit in a chair. A slightly uncomfortable looking chair, but a chair nonetheless. He didn't feel like eating, at the moment. Despite his calm demeanor, his stomach was twisting in knots. He wasn't used to being around quite this many people, and to be honest, he had no idea what to expect from any of this.
Veera watched Aaron through narrowed eyes, as she took stock of the injuries that had been dealt to her body. She did agree, she wanted to know how Solomon knew of this place, and why he had decided to bring them here, but she also agreed with Solomon that it was a gift of immeasurable wealth, to her especially. "Aaron, let him go." She stepped forward, ready to intervene if necessary. "We are monster hunters. Our medallions are magicked to tell us when such creatures are nearby. Did you not feel the thrumming as we battled? We didn't kill people, we killed monsters. We did our duty. That's all." Teliana sipped the tea cautiously, to avoid burning herself. A sore throat on top of everything else was one of the last needed things on her list. "Why am I not worried?" She asked absently. "Because if you really wanted to do something I doubt there's honestly much I could do to stop you. You have many more abilities then I do, and I would assume after how long you claim to have lived that you know how to use them effectively. So I don' t stand much of a chance surviving whether I take a stand or run away." She glanced at Vyle before handing the cup back. "I'd rather die with my feet on the ground and my fire in my hand then running away like a child." Tessa shrugged, wiping her hands on the cloth before turning to Seth. "I have an extra room at my residence, or else I'm sure there's room at the inn. We'll find a place for you." She grabbed her keys and the lock before heading towards the front door and turning the lock. "We'll go out the back." She grabbed the small bag that held the day's earnings and shoved it in its hiding spot beneath the floorboard, not paying any mind that Seth might have seen. She headed out towards the back and held the door open for Seth, sliding the lock into place. "Thanks, anyway." She told Seth as she waited for him. Bryce offered a sympathetic shoulder pat in return to Raymond's statements. "Sometimes it's better to live and fight another day. And if you hadn't played dead, you would have still died regardless, yes?" Bryce didn't add that he thought it was a little ironic, and symbolic. By Raymond pretending to be dead, perhaps the soldering part of him also died that day. "Sometimes strangers are the ones that understand us better. We can't be judged by strangers like we can by our close friends." He sighed. "Perhaps this city holds the key to the redemption you're trying to find." Zack heard the screams, and he really didn't want to go towards them. But another part of him wanted to impress Bryce, to help the man that had rescued him. "Why oh why do I keep making bad decisions?" He asked out loud as he took off down the street. Two minutes into the run and he had a stitch in his side. One woman ran past him, screaming about murderers. Perfect. Another perfect day. He skidded around a corner, yanking the fakely iron dagger out from his belt, and stopped. The metal clattered to the ground with a clang as he stared at the massacre, mouth agape. Blood splattered the stone walls, the street, and the wood paneling of the building. There was no sign of the monsters who had done this, not even a foot print. "By all the gods." Zack whispered, sinking to his knees. The blood seeped towards him, staining his trousers. "Who could have done such a thing?" It was then the crowd began to gather, and the screaming really started. Zack turned, eyes searching wildly. They caught someone standing on the edge of the forming crowd, the normally cloaked head bared as brown eyes stared at the scene in shock. "Find Bryce." Zack whispered hoarsely, unable to look back at the disaster behind him. "Find him."
Kala didn't mind the free falling through the air, really. What she did mind was the thought that she was going to break a lot of bones when she smacked the ground. Another reason she had never gotten into an airship. Plus they exploded, and that would hurt too. She was jolted from her last earthly day dream, and free falling, by a pair of arms. They didn't feel like regular arms, and when she looked up, it was definitely not a regular face. "Um...hi?" She said meekly, unsure of what people said when they met someone of this stature. He was talking, or it was talking, and sat her down before making strange noises, and producing a cup of tea. It was then a second stranger approached, this one definitely human. She kept her head down, hidden by her hood in order to keep from making eye contact, and therefore challenging him. He left without answering the thing's question, and Kala carefully took the cup, examining it cautiously before taking a sip. It was hot, but good. She began to drink it quickly, ignoring the scalding in her throat. It was during this that she realized she hadn't seemed to hurt the thing, by touching it. She hadn't killed it. Setting the cup down carefully, she reached out and grabbed it's arm, pressing her hand to one of the amor plates that covered its body.
Bryce stayed in the hallway, deliberating when he actually wanted to give the girl, Lyra, his name. Might as well do it now. He stepped up to her, keeping his helmet on. "Bryce Hogalt." He said quietly, his voice echoing through the plate metal that encircled his head. "Pleasure to meet you." He added as an afterthought. His mother had always told him to use his manners around a lady. Kara crept forward quietly. Food. She was hungry. And she wanted food. And there was food, in there. There was already people waiting to give the woman her name, but Kara snuck past them, barely paying any mind. She wasn't planning on staying. Just grabbing some food, pretending to belong, and then getting out. And depending on how good the food was, maybe coming back later to do the same thing. She glanced over her shoulder before slipping into the building and padding softly down the hall.
This wasn't the hardest thing she had ever done. Not the smartest either. Definitely not the smartest. She remarked to herself mentally, as her handhold crumbled beneath her fingers and the stones tumbled to the ground, a good twenty feet downwards. It wasn't the type of fall that would kill someone, but it would really really hurt. The window she had noticed was still a good ways up, and she sighed, reaching up with the newly freed hand to grasp a new crack in the wall. The real reason she was doing this? She was bored. She wanted to be able to do it, and climb inside, and tell someone one day, "Hey, I climbed THAT tower, and I got inside, and it was great." Not that anyone would ever listen, but it felt good to think about. Another handhold, another foot up. Ah, the exhilaration of physical stress. Her legs were certainly protesting the work out, and her arms weren't appreciative either. A slight sheen of sweat covered her forehead, and for a moment, the until now nonexistent wind tugged at her hood, threatening to pull it off her head. "No!" Kala shrieked, letting go of the wall to hold the red cloth down. She couldn't let anyone see her! She didn't know why but she just couldn't! It was then, it occurred to her that she was about to free fall. Oops. She scrabbled at the stone wall as she wobbled, trying to regain her balance and her current safety blanket, the cracks in the wall. Her hands scrabbled for something, anything even as her body tried to resist the pull of gravity. Definitely not the smartest thing she had ever done.
