He screamed and waved his arms about in the air like a double jointed chimpanzee. His knees wobbled with every step and knocked together at a ridiculous rate. They actually made a sort of sick clacking noise when his bones slapped together through his old parchment skin.

"The end is nigh!" His voice was almost hoarse. It had been getting worse and worse over the last hour, and the noise had drawn quite a crowd around the main entrance of the Chapel. Brother Elanor, as he called himself, stood up on the low-hanging buttresses that hung out over the huge doorway and the dozen or so steps leading up to it. The sun beat down hot on his face, but instead of making the old man sweat, it just seemed to dry him out more. He looked like an old bleached carrot, dehydrated and left out in the garden too long. His thin gray hair was in disarray, showing his scalp and avid collection of liver spots. Crinkly hands were raised to the sky like claws as he cackled over and over to no one in particular.

"The Aesir has doomed us all," he said.

"The world is at the mercy of the ancients," he goaded. Would it ryle the crowd to know that there were ancients still alive today? Why weren't they more excited? Why were they all looking at him like he was crazy? Why did the rest attempt to ignore his pleas and warnings? Were they mad?!

"All will be reduced to ash! You are a god. I am a god. Your unborn child is my slaver. I am a slave to a fetus! You are a slave to my big toe, and the bars have all run dry of tomato juice! What now? What say you of these end times?"

His claws went from the sky to his face, and he scratched himself till he bled from his temples to his jowls. It wasn't terrible... Nothing that he hadn't done before. He had scabs on his calves and elbows from picking and itching. Brother Elanor was a picker. He also hadn't showered in a while, but old people out in the sunshine and open air tended to just smell faintly of feces, and mostly like dust. It wasn't terrible. He didn't mind his smell.

Someone from down below tossed a pebble, just a small thing. They tossed it right up there at him, and it harmlessly bounced off the upper molding on the door frame. Well, Brother Elanor didn't take well to it. In fact, he stopped his screeching and dropped his arms to his side. His dirty gray rages suddenly got a little darker in the crotch region. Brother Elanor pissed himself right there and dumbly, mindlessly let it drip down on the hapless church goers. With an odd blank stare, he proceeded to stand there doing absolutely nothing. He thought nothing. He saw and heard nothing.

((I guess Ill join since my chara is doing nothing as of the late))

Jenova had just arrived in the town called Ascantha. She had never been there before. While flying back from the ruins where she met two odd figures, she began to get hungry and thirsty and needed a town. Unsure of where she had come from she tried to fly back the way she came, toward Roft.

Obviously she misrouted. However, it was not that bad. She found the town and was wondering around observing everything and everyone.

Jenova was headed toward the inn when she heard someone speak. Well not speak but more of a speech-like yell. Curious she looked around for the voice. Walking slowly she could hear the voice continue on speaking of the end, ancients, and people turning to dust. Puzzled at his words she found the man standing on a ledge of a building. She was not familiar with the building and gazed up at him.

Someone from the crowd that had formed around him threw a stone up at him. She wasnt sure if it hit the man, but noticed that he did not retaliate back.

Hmm...strange, I did not know that a human could act so calm about such a thing.

She let her wings flutter abit with wind wondering what the man would do next.

Even as he wet himself, he knew that he was no match for Ezekiel. He knew that Ryant Ashe would tear him to pieces, and that the famous Farian could writ a sonnet using words that he couldn't even try to understand. He knew they were no ancient, too. His wit was mild, and his powers were few. He could hardly lift a gallon, and his raisin-like toothpick arms definitely couldn't buck a bale of hay. He wasn't a good athlete, and he never learned to write. He didn't know how to navigate by the stars or watch for signs in bird formations for disasters to come. He had drank quite a bit of pond water recently, but that was no impressive feat. Cows did that daily.

What he did have, though, was an every growing suspicion. The feeling started like a gas bubble when he woke up in the morning, grew into a digging itching idea in his brain that he couldn't shake, and then by sundown it became a full blown paranoia. The Aesir had a hand in it. Sure, he made the world like it was today in part. The Empire was on the verge of war with the Aesirian nation-state, and the venturing of angels to heaven was just one confirmation that the end times were nigh. He also noticed that people would lay down at night instead of stand up like they did in the day time. They would close their eyes, and they would stop talking, moving, and eating. Normally, he'd call that sleep. Normally... He used to call that sleep. After a week of no sleep, though, he understood that there wasn't really any need to sleep. The body could function just fine on a few crusts of bread, murky farm pool water, and midnight pacing. Sometimes he ate bark if he needed a little kick. It made his throat dry and his tongue go numb.

The feeling was overwhelming now. That he was being watched, and that the sky was falling, and that everyone was watching him, even when most of them were doing their very best to ignore the old man who had managed to climb up to the buttresses of the chapel. Really, no one was interested in what he had to say, and that surprised him to the point where he just had to keep shouting. Someone would understand eventually. They had to.

Then there she was... An angel. Another angel! Angel! What was an angel doing there? "A SYMPTOM," he screamed!

"Look here and you will see a dying world in this woman's terrible eyes. She is a beast from the sky, a behemoth here to bring about chaos and serve her master's evil will on Redemption! Don't look at her, or she'll turn you to stone!"

He covered his face with both hand and spun around, trying to hide from the terrible apparition that had appeared before him in the crowd. In the same moment, his ragged old sandals slipped on the smooth roofing. The old man's weight did the rest, and carried him right off of the church and all the way to the ground, where he landed with a wet thud in a limp heap.

Obviously he wasn't dead, and he seemed alright, even. He wasted no time in wriggling up to his hand and knees, taking one peek at the angel woman again, and then turning tail and starting to crawl away. Apparently he was seeking the sanctuary of the church to hide from her as he weaved around ankles and feet scrambling to get inside.

"DON'T LOOK. STONE!"

Jenova studied the man curiously. He stood in place, not moving or saying a word. What could he be thinking Jenova wondered. He seemed strange and possibly afraid of the world around him. Looking at the crowd, she noticed that the people were murmering amongst themsevles about this strange man. Some made of him calling him crazy, obsessed, paranoid, and vile. Though these traits might seem that they could fit the man shouting from this building, Jenova did not completely see it. She again though, did not know the man well enough to make that decision.

She readied herself to leave when,

"Look here and you will see a dying world in this woman's terrible eyes. She is a beast from the sky, a behemoth here to bring about chaos and serve her master's evil will on Redemption! Don't look at her, or she'll turn you to stone!"

Shocked Jenova turned back to the crowd and noticed that all the people were now staring at her. She turned her head up towards the man and watched as he fell from his place trying to cover himself from her. He landed with a thud on the ground in front of the crowd. The people seperated themselves so that he could get a clear look at Jenova.

"DON'T LOOK. STONE", he cried.

Jenova had had enough. She walked towards the man.

"Enough of you bile foolish human. You speak not of the truth of rumors you have heard from who knows what. You know me not and have no place to make such awful statements in regard to my being amongst your world. I'll have you know sir, that I have no master to serve and refuse to serve anyone but myself. I do not bring evil, but questions of evil that I HAVE SEEN inflicted on the people of MY WORLD!"

She shouted the last of her statement. Jenova had seen evil and knew evil personally. She would not let this deranged man speak of things he knew nothing about. What did he know about evil anyways? Jenova had yet to see anything that would be considered 'evil' in this new world. She watched as the man coward from her.

((can I say that? not trying to god-mod, just an assumption. I will change if you dislike it. Sorry this is so blah....im doing math homework at the sametime im writing this so my thoughts are jumbled, next time will rock.......i hope :P ))

(OOC: I don't see anything wrong there. Carry on.)

"The truth," he screeched. "You want TRUTH?! The truth is that you're a vile sorceress, and that I must escape you." It was like he couldn't even hear her. And why should he hear her? She was obviously some spy, some inserted disease. Even if her stockpile of venomous lies did not include her non-servitude to the damning Aesir god, she was still an instrument of evil. She was a woman, she was bent on the ultimate destruction of human kind, and he doubted she knew how to serve a man a proper lunch by the looks of her. Not only useless, but detrimental as well!

"Angel of my nightmares, why did you choose now to appear before me?" His breath was heavy and his clawing, dragging crawl was moving him in pitiful incriments across the chapel threshold and into the center aisle. This incident was extremely taxing on his old unrested body. Patrons scowled and grunted at him to move out of the way, but he paid them no heed. His attention was entirely centered on the celestial woman's visage and whatever other hallucinations he was having at that exact moment.

"If demons can walk without hindrance in a place for the gods, then this is undeniable proof. Do you not see, citizens of Ascantha. The end comes for us on swift oily wings. You can smell her terrible stench, like sulfur and blood. Flee while you can. Flee, I say!"

Now he had drawn the attention of the chapel's dutiful priesthood. Two or three well dressed and clean individuals came trickling out of the side rooms behind the front altar. One woman looked worried, and began addressing the patrons, while two men of no exceptional physique stepped lightly towards the filthy old man who still flopped jaggedly about on the floor.

---

One man, and younger visitor to chapel and probably no more than twentyfive, wedged himself between a growing wall of people that had congregated some paces behind the angel woman and her offensive instigating accomplice. He saw the priests coming, and raised his own hand, gently waving them off, which to his surprise stopped their advance. They weren't suited to dealing with difficult customers, and neither was Rilian, unless it was with the good edge of his sword.

"Miss... Is there something I can do to help," he asked. His words came out slowly and carefully. He guarded himself, but he was also readyto rectify a bad situation. Since his time with Lucian and his happy crew, Rilian had found that he actually enjoyed company and human interaction on occasion. This was despite his inner inklings on the viles of mankind, and his instincts which made him all too wary to really get in close. "I can't imagine that what he says is true."

(( :ROFLMAO: I thought Rillian was the crazy priest, so bummed! :P ))

Jenova could have fallen over after all the accusations this lunatic was making. She followed his crawling body as he moved into the building again nearly knocking over some of the guests inside. She tried to yell back at him, but her voice was drowned out by his insane claims about her being evil, and a demon. "You fool, you know not of what is evil and good or you could see that I am here for my own causes not to meddle with your pathetic existance!"

After he statement a voice from behind her spoke out as she advanced into the buidling after the lunatic on the ground. "Miss... Is there something I can do to help," his voice was soft and kind, "I can't imagine that what he says is true." She turned around and saw a man with a somewhat angry look upon his brow. She hoped he was not angry with her, for she was trying to defend her innocence against this raving waste.

"Well sir, if you can get this lunatic to keep his awful claims to himself, I will gladly take my leave afterward. He knows me not and have no place among these people to speak on things he knows nothing about." Jenova had to try and keep her temper, she was outraged at the worm on the ground, but knew that this other man was trying to help; she did not need to yell at him as well.

(OOC: Suggestion received and considered. Suggestion then denied. Suggestion brought up at the following week's meeting, and reconsidered. Suggestion approved and implemented).

"Awful claims? Absolutely! How could he say something so terrible? So rude. So... Disgusting." The young man stepped up close so he was right behind her now. Anyone nearby could probably hear it as he inhaled the scent of her hair deeply. There was something awkward about how he walked, too. His hand were out in front of him, and his fingers looked crinkly and bony, despite his age. He had dark circles around his eyes, and crows feet that didn't appear to be there second ago. When he opened his mouth at the euphoric smell of this angel, a peek inside would show yellow jagged teeth and gaps where throughout where most of them were missing.

The old man on the floor continued to scream and thrash, but now instead of words most of what was coming from him was just frightening noise, like some dying animal. Bleats and gags, and choking on his own saliva was the order of it. The priests began approaching again, this time with the intent to save the dying man, rather than have him carried out and arrested. All the while, the young man who looked once very much like Rilian was closing in, getting closer and closer to the woman who moments before had been the subject of great offense.

"Yes. He struggles there because he's wrong. A bad man. But not me." The would-be Rilian placed a craggly hand on her shoulder and started to wrap his other arm around her. He was so enticed with her that he was having trouble holding onto the magic threads he had spun. In no short order, his illusion faded. Dull grey eyes, unshaven face, long greasy hair, and a filthy street person's cloth to cover his body. Rilian became Brother Elanor, and the man thrashing about on the floor reverted his appearance in the opposite direction. Brother Elanor there became the young man, still under the effects of powerful mind control, still clawing at his face like he was trying to dig out the disruptive magic that had weaseled its way inside his mind.

(OOC: I'm stretching things a little what with directly touching her, and all. If you find yourself not liking the post, I can make edits. Feel free to knock him silly.)

((oh wow, you could have kept to your original strategy, but since your saying that I can knock him so hard his mother will feel it, I SHALL!))

Jenova watched the man on the floor in horror. What was going on? He seemed at first just to be whimpering at her sight, but now he was struggling, as if something was hurting him, trying to kill him. Is it really me? Is my darkness really doing this? Jenova had not considered her 'darkness' in a longtime, was it finally coming to surface since this man created some much anger in her.

She continued to watch the man, he was clawing at himself like something inside him was trying to get out, then his appearance changed. Jenova put a hand to her mouth and gaped at the sight on the floor. Whats going on?? Her mind raced about, she did not understand what was creating this sight in front of her. Then her wings twitched, something was moving toward them, trying to reach out. Then a touch on her shoulder. Her wings rushed up and she cried out.

Letting her wings rush outward to prevent whatever was coming from behind, Jenova ran forward and flew up into the air. She heard at thud on her way up and hovered close to the ceiling of the building. The crowd gaped at her, but all she could look at was the man talking behind her. He was lying on the ground. She spoke to him, "How dare you! You have no place to touch me, vile human. Is that your dark magic that tries to twist the minds of the noble? Your evil is well hidden, but your actions make you fraile of heart."

She continued to watch him get up. "Speak vile beast!"

((ook, abit confused on who's, who right now, but whatever. Thats just the beginning of your spanking!))

(OOC: I think you got it right. Rilian is writhing on the floor, and Elanor is the man you just womped with your wings. There was some sort of illusion magic going on. Elanor sort of has NPC powers, so he can really only affect Rilian, and generally can't participate in combat except to get womped.)

His old bones couldn't carry him fast enough even to recoil at her explosion of feathers and power. He was swatted aside by the force of her extending wings like a fly on a horse's tail. Sure enough, the impact clapped him in the chest and knocked the wind out of him. The illusionist who appeared fully now as Elanor was throw against the stone molding on the edge of the chapel doorway. Something made a mushy "clack" sound when he hit the wall - his head. Windless and temporarily blinded, Elanor's hold on his magics were completely released.

---

The figure on the floor took on the visual appearance that Elanor had just possessed. Based on what those inside the room could tell now, this was the real Rilian. And even though the evil priest had stopped channeling his illusions, the shadow magic that stole away in Rilian's mind like terrible apparitions was slow to fade. "I can't... Gah!" His writhing became less fitful, but it was clear that he was still struggling with the spells that Elanor had weaved over him. He had taken control of his actions and his mind. Rilian remembered it like he had been trapped in a trunk inside his own body. He could see snippets of what had went on, like peeping from a key hole. He heard things that were happening to him, muffled and mysterious. He had been forced to climb the chapel, to cry and scream out over the crowd things that he didn't believe, and to finally scramble and crawl his way inside, housing a fear for the angel woman that wasn't even his own.

Cruel fates had crossed his path with the priest's, but this angel, Elanor's fascination with her, could possibly be his saving grace in all this. After nearly three days of being under Elanor's spell, Rilian was beginning to think and move on his own.

He rolled over on one side and coughed up something soggy and black that looked like old dry blood. "Don't... Let him escape," he coughed.

---

On the far side of the room, the smelly lump of priest was just starting to regain his composure as well. He grabbed at his chest and breathed heavily like he was in pain. He had to be in pain after what had just happened to him. "Fiendish bitch! Black angel!"

Elanor began to wobble his way out to door with bystanders doing little more than simply standing by. They just watched the crazy scene unfold.

Jenova watched at the man who tried to attack her became the priest on the floor. The man on the floor became the man who tried to attack her. Her mind began to race. What is going on?? She let her eyes run back and forth between the two figures and noticed that the man on the floor seemed to be regaining himself. She knelt down to him when she heard the old nutbag yell back to her from his position on the floor, "Fiendish bitch! Black angel!"

She looked down toward the man who coughed out some words that sounded like, 'dont let him get away'. She nodded to him, "Youll be alright, just try and gather yourself". Her warm smile showed brightly to me. She stood up, "Someone get this man a cold cloth and keep watch on him!" Then she turned to the old priest who was now trying to make his escape. "I have had enough of you today, you damn ignorant waste of life. You have not only tried to hurt me, but have taken over the body of this man for whatever reasons. You are done hurting people you vile beast."

With those words echoing in the air, Jenova shot up into the air and flew out after the priest. "You cannot run from imbecile!" She remembered her training that she had come by from Juba. Anger in her eyes and hatred in her heart she began to dive out of the air after the priest. "Thump!" She landed on top of him. Hatred took over her whole body. She turned him over to see her face.

He squirmed stupidly under her. She put her hands around his neck. "Look at me fool, you see my face. Remember it well. After this, if I catch you wandering this land again, I will personally see to it that you are executed on the spot. Do you hear me?!" Her voice thundered with her anger. She slapped the priest in the face. He immediately grabbed the spot which started to turn red. Jenova stood up and kicked the man hard in the side, making contact with his ribs. "Thats for Jahiera." He had turned over, so she kicked again, this time with his stomach. "Thats for Juba." Then she went to groin. She flung her leg as hard as she could. She wanted this man to feel real pain. "And thats for my FAHTER!"

Feeling a sense of rejoice for showing humans that they could not just do as they please; Jenova headed back into the building to check on the man on the floor.

((ok abit of godmodding, not too serious though I hope, he is an NPC :D ))

His forehead was burning up, and his stomach was turning. Impulses told him that he should let himself get sick right there. Maybe he would vomit up the rest of the dark magic that had overcome him. Maybe he would just end up embarrassing himself. The priest brought him a cool wet cloth and knelt down next to him dabbing the blood from around his mouth. Rilian rolled his eyes, thankful for the concern they showed for him, but impatient with the ineffective method of lightly patting the sweat from his face.

He got up on his elbow and took the rag from the priest's hand, wiping the entirely length of his face with it, then swirling it around his mouth to clear the rest of the blood quickly. Then he tried to stand.

---

He found his escape made futile by the angel lady, quick to the assault. She was a whole lot stronger than him, so the best he could do was snarl when she swung, whimper when she struck, and try to snap at her with his gnarly rotten teeth. With her hand landing squarely against his head, he really couldn't angle it properly to bite her. He just took the beating that he felt he didn't deserve, and then curled into a ball on the floor by the entrance way.

---

Rilian had scaled himself back up, and now strode across the center aisle to where Elanor laid in a heap on the floor. His eyes were slanted and fierce, his fists were clenched. The boy walked with purpose in his step, and when he finally reached the crumpled scummy man, he wrenched his leg back and lashed it forward.

The kick landed against his flabby abdomen. Elanor yelped and groaned and rolled over, clutching himself. Now it was him who was coughing. Rilian had knocked the wind out of him. It was just retribution.

"Three days. You're lucky I don't give you more. This woman already did what I would have. Be glad that it was her instead of me. I wouldn't have been quite as gentle."

Now he leaned against the wall and held his head, letting the last of the magic drain away from him. Physically stout, but mentally drained, Rilian felt the need to rest. "Thank you," he said, acknowledging his accomplice in administering punishment against the skanky prophet. She had, for most intents and purposes, saved him from further abuse and torment under the wizard's control.

Jenova watched as the young man, who seemed to be quite exhausted, get up and give his own few poundings to the crazed priest. He turned to her "Thank You", he said as he leanded against a wall, looking more tired than ever.

Jenova nodded. "Of course, though at first, I did not plan for it to get so out of hand. He just would not stop and then I see all this darkness plagued upon others." Jenova shook her head in disgust. "There are some things that I just cannot tolerate." Jenova took the man by the shoulder and led him to one of the benches outside the building. "Here, lets get some fresh air, you look dreadful." She walked with him, ever so lightly so he wouldnt fall over from exhaustion.

"I must say, I hope you are going to be alright there sir." She turned back toward another priest, who had been attending the man. "Get him some water please, he needs it!" Her voice firm, she did not want to be taken lightly, "and call the guard around this place to get that scum out of here before he hurts someone else." The people busied themselves with her requests. She turned back to the young man, padding his face with a rag she had taken from the building. "Here, youll need more of these if you keep spitting up blood."

Though the situation wasnt so good, Jenova still gave her warm smile to the man. She did not know how he felt about her and her heritege, and she wanted him to know that she didnt come there for a war. "So tell me, if its alright to ask, what happened just now? Though I had to act, I still am abit confused on the events that have just taken place....Could you fill me in abit?" Her voice was inquisitive to the highest degree. These were situations that Jenova did not come across daily.

"Yes... Water. I'll explain." He sat down heavily and leaned back on the bench up against the cool chapel wall. For the church goers today, it was made apparent that there would be no afternoon service. Most of the patrons funneled out either during or shortly after the fight between the angel and the old man had ended. His body still felt hot from the hateful magic that had been coursing through it, and the taste of warm iron was still fresh in his mouth. He unlinked one of his steel gauntlets, which he had been wearing for days now, and let it fall off onto the bench beside him. There were lines in his arm where the metal had dug a crease without cutting the skin. His chest was no longer heaving, and his heat beat had slowed down enough so that there was only a steady thumping in his head as opposed to the fast pounding he had experienced earlier.

Rilian let out a long sigh. "I wasn't strong enough to resist his magic. That man overcame me three nights back on the road to Ascantha. He's a mad man who used me because he was too cowardly to appear before the people of this city himself with his false prophecies and guttural dribble."

He unlinked the second bracer and set it down near the first before moving to the latches on his half-breast plate. The white cotton shirt under his metal and leather armor looked a dingy brown-gray now. His smell wasn't atrocious yet, but being forced to act the dirty beggar for even that short amount of time had taken its toll.

Rilian didn't even bat an eye when he saw her wings. It never crossed his mind that she was out of place here in the silver city. Ascantha recently seemed like a city of angels, what with the Aesir's aerial forces scrambling over the training yard in the day. The air of war was about them in this city, so signs of their heavenly overlord and the army's presence were most noticeable than ever.

"Thank you again. I don't know how long I might have been stuck like that under his spell if we hadn't run into you."

Jenova watched as the man took off some metal from his body. There was visible marks indented in his skin as if they were too tight, probably from when he was transfigured into the shape of that priest. Under it all he had on, what used to be, a white shirt; though it was filthy now. She assumed that the metal was probably armor; however this man did not seem to be a full warrior. Jenova did not know much about the militants around here so maybe he was new or training.

Jenova nodded at his gratitude. "I merely played my part. I had had enough of his bile. He had to be dealt with. Im just glad the magic faded off before I gave you the ride of your life." She gave a soft laugh; though true was her statement; since he was transfigured into the physical form of that priest before hand. Jenova would have taken him on, no questions asked.

"Well I do not think we have formally been introduced. My name is Jenova Rein." She finished her sentence just as another priest brought over a bucket of water. A group of women also handed over some extra cloths for the man to mend and clean himself up abit. Jenova remembered his shirt, "can someone please bring him a clean tunic or robe to wear." Her voice full of authority.

"I'm Rilian," he said. She had given him both a first and last name, and his thoughts stumbled along when he couldn't do the same for her. He filled in a little more information to try and make up for it. Maybe she wouldn't notice. "I just arrived in Ascantha from Nazca. Up until a week ago I had been traveling with a caravan train. I guess that priest took advantage of my being alone. Bastard." He shook his head. "I've never had luck with magic."

She was taking good care of him here with the help of the local clergy, and her voice was so clear and sure. Her attire didn't shout "militant!" like her personality did, but he didn't doubt that she was one of Caspian's angels.

"Are you on leave? It's rare when the angels come down to interact with the populace. Well, not unless they're policing us." If Rilian knew the companies in the city-state's army by name, he might have questioned her more. He hadn't ever spent much time in Ascantha, so he was only about half as familiar with the silver city as a normal resident.

Rilian used a wet towel to wipe his face again, and then his hands. A bath would do him good, but at that moment he was seriously considering an afternoon nap. His eyes blinked slowly, and his body sagged on the bench, but he was dutifully listening. It would be rude to disregard his rescuer. She was very nice. Curiously protective for someone in the military.

"Are you on leave? It's rare when the angels come down to interact with the populace. Well, not unless they're policing us." . Jenova gave the man named Rilian a puzzled look. She did not understand what he ment about being 'on leave'. She had never heard the term used before; then she thought about the rest of his statement about angels being a rare sight. Jenova was unsure as to the meaning of his statement. She personally had not come across any angels since arriving in this new world, so it partially made sense; however since he said they were rare, that had to mean that there existed some somewhere in this land. This placed more questions inside her head, what other races would she find here?

I am sorry, you statement about being on leave is unknown to me for I have never heard it used and know not its meaning. As for interacting with the populace, I really have yet to meet anyone. I have been traveling around this land just surveying." Jenova was not sure if she wanted to blurt out that she was not from around here. She knew she should exercise that with caution. "Its awful that you have been exploited in such a way as this. Most humans are cruel, even to their own kind. Its very sickening to me that one could be so ignorant of hospitality."

"As far as luck with magic, it is not needed. The key is to know how to channel your energy properly to fuel your incantations." Jenova was no teacher, but she did feel confident to give Rilian some building blocks to at least practice with.

She decided to give him a small demonstration. "Watch here", she closed her eyes, "Im going to cast a small fire spell. You have to let the warm energy fill you up. Take in every inch that the sun gives you. Let the warmth from the land soak into your skin." With that Jenova casted a small fire ball and sent it into the dirt path some five feet away.

Jenova opened her eyes and looked at Rilian. "See not too bad." She gave her warm smile. "Do you want to try? I understand if you dont, you have been through alot today." Jenova thought for a moment and then stood up, "Come lets head to an inn and get you something to eat." As she stood the priest brought out a clean tunic for the man to wear, it looked three sizes to big, but it would have to do. She took the tunic and nodded to the man. "Ready Rilian?"

She told him how awful it was to be used and to be abused by magic. He was tired, the droopy kind, otherwise he might have told her that he knew exactly how it felt to be beaten, scratched, threatened, slapped, and otherwise degraded. That had been his life story. Every restless night he spent where the singing girl did not appear in his dreams, the visages of men, or women, or creatures, or whatever they were would come before him and do all manner of frightening things to him. He swore when he woke up that he could still feel the bruises they left on him. The dreams were always so real, and they had frightened him to death when he was small.

But he didn't say any of that.

She told him how cruel people were, and he understood that as well. Having a shanty lean-to house himself, but growing up with orphans, we was well aware of the general populace and its stance on the meager and the homeless. He knew the look of disgust that the nobles got when beggar children would run alongside their carriages begging for a few spare coins. He knew the feeling of hunger. Now that he was grown, Rilian could make his own way, but those nightmarish times were not yet distant enough from him. He still got shivers when he thought of living like that again.

But he didn't start up that conversation either... What would be the point in playing that game? She was a new face in a strange city. Kind though she was, Rilian guessed that she hardly cared. Like any normal person, she was probably doing her civil duty - her good deed for the day - and then she'd be done with him. He was thankful, but skeptical of her. Suspicion was also a part of human nature.

"I..." He was going to say something about magic when she gave him a demonstration. Fire flickered in her hand, coalescing like it had been born of real embers, then she launched it harmlessly into the dirt where it snuffed itself out.

He never had any experience with magic. Sometimes he could feel it when others cast their spells. Healers, wizard, and whatnot... But he had never been able to himself. Not once. He had tried so many time, of course. He had tried, but to no avail.

"I've never been able to before. Do you think anyone can use magic?" Skepticism once again filled his mind and heart. She had good intentions, but despite his question to her, do you think anyone can use magic?, Rilian already knew what he believed. There was a gift, and he had been born without it.

"I've never been able to before. Do you think anyone can use magic?" Jenova gave the question a long thought. They walked in silence for a few moments while she thought it out. "You know, I am not really sure. I was raised for it, so I guess I had no choice. The key to magic is the energy, how do you produce it, you know. I suppose anyone could at least try."

Though her words seemed to make sense, Jenova really had no idea if that was true. She knew as a child that her race was automatically trained in the arts. She had not really seen anyone else use magic before, so she had no idea. Deciding that it really wasnt something she should worry about, she changed the subject. "I wouldnt worry about it, if its something that does not interest you, let it fall the wayside." She gave a comforting smile.

The continued on until they reached the inn. The building was old, but still looked welcoming. Jenova was originally on her way here prior to the whole mess that had occured just moments before. She laughed aloud and Rilian gave her an odd look. "Sorry, I'm just thinking of everything that has happened today. It has been an interesting day to say the least."

They walked into the inn and Jenova led him over to a table by the window. She always enjoyed being bathed in the sunlight, especially indoors. A young woman around nineteen or twenty walked over to them. "Can I 'elp you?" Jenova nodded, a salad for me and a glass of water as well." The girl wrote the order down and a piece of parachment that looked as if it would crumble at any second. She turned to Rilian, "and you sir?"

Rilian sloughed over into a seat against the wall. He practically dropped into it, his legs appreciating the reprieve from any sort of active movement. His armful of armor dropped on the floor next to him as the waitress asked for his order. "Nothing," he said, the words trailing off. He didn't even look up at her. Instead he stared off at a point on the floor about four feet away. He was looking at... Nothing in particular.

Just as she was about to walk away, he raised his head. "Ah, please. A glass of milk."

She turned back to him, and he thought she scowled. Probably because he hadn't paid her any mind a moment earlier. "Milk." She nodded and walked away, soles clomping along on the wood floor.

"An interesting day, ey?" Now that they were alone again, he didn't feel so uncomfortable. New people made him edgy, even waitresses. Jenova had introduced herself, though, and she showed a genuine concern for his well being earlier and even still. That took the awkwardness out of sharing a table with her. He might enjoy the company.

"I'm sure you've had lots of adventures as a servant of the Aesir." Adventures indeed. He really meant "massacres". Then again, there were a lot of good people that supported the Aesir now. Apparently the false god wasn't all bad... Just mostly. From what he had heard, the Aesir was a tyrant, a murderer, and a prophet out for his own gain. Having never met the person, Rilian honestly couldn't say.

His only notion to go off of with this woman was that she was an angel, and most angels on Redemption now served under the Aesir.

"I'm sure you've had lots of adventures as a servant of the Aesir." Jenova looked at him with a confused expression. "The Aesir? A servent?" She felt her heart start pumping furiously and her blood began to rage. She was no servant to anything. Dont lose it, calm down, he did not mean any harm...She tried to listen to herself and control her temper. "Once again I must say that I have no idea of the things you speak. I have never heard of the Aesir, nor do I serve them now."

The last bit of her statement seem odd to her. Why did I say now? I dont plan on serving anyone... For Jenova service to anyone other than herself seemed like a suicide. She had been a servant, a pawn in an evil game before. She refused to let anyone try and put her in such a position again. If they wanted her help, it would be on her terms, her will.

She tried to push the thoughts from her mind, deal with it when the time came to make such a decision. The waitress brought out their meal and refreshments. Jenovas bowl was full of lush greens, wonderful smelling herbs, and colorful vegetables. She nodded thanks to the girl and began to eat. She looked at Rilian and after swallowing her bite aske him about this group he spoke of. "So what exactly is the Aesir anyways? What do they do? Are they located here?" She had many more questions, but figured Rilian would sense her ignorance on the subject and fill her in.

"I..." He stopped at her response. Was she really lost by the question? A celestial that didn't know the Aesir's name surprised him more than her choice in food. Did angels eat? Why vegetables? He had never seen a bird that didn't eat meat. They either hunted, or ate the flesh from rotting animals. For some reason he thought angels were the same. That apparently wasn't the case. Aven, yes. Raptors all of them, he guessed. Angels must be more human-like than he once thought. What he'd seen in the few shorts years of his young life of angels labeled them soundly as monsters.

So was she somehow ignorant? Or, the worst case scenario, was she a spy?

"I don't..." He started, but couldn't finish. He wanted to say he didn't understand. He wanted her to forget that he'd mentioned the Aesir at all, really. Rilian didn't know a lot about the false god and his ruling faction. He also wanted to keep his head, especially if the Aesir was sending spies out into the general population to gauge the public reaction to him.

"I think that someone else would have more information for you. I know that after the demon war they rebuilt this city and enchanted the farmlands to be prosperous for the people. There are stories about terrible things that the Aesir has done, but I haven't seen them myself." Lies? Sort of. He knew second hand the devastation that him and his minions could cause. He had heard the frantic words of the messengers when they arrived at Sanctuary after the Aesir laid waste to the Zaleran airship fleet. So many innocent people died that day when the Aesir's half-dragon general Caithann personally sunk the Leviathan flag ship and murdered fleeing countless refugees.

"They say that the Aesir is a god incarnate on Redemption. This... Is all I know. Rumors. I'm sorry I can't be of much help."

The waitress set down a glass of milk for him, and without thinking he reached for it and brought it to his lips to drink. Anything to distract him and maybe her from the conversation. In a sunlit shanty bar like this he really didn't want to say anything that would get him arrested by an undercover agent. Angels - he didn't understand them at all.

"I think that someone else would have more information for you. I know that after the demon war they rebuilt this city and enchanted the farmlands to be prosperous for the people. There are stories about terrible things that the Aesir has done, but I haven't seen them myself. They say that the Aesir is a god incarnate on Redemption. This... Is all I know. Rumors. I'm sorry I can't be of much help."

Jenova nodded to Rilian as she finished her meal. She noticed that he was hesitant to speak, more than once he began to say something then stopped himself. Jenova sat pondering why someone would be so afraid to speak. What was there to be afraid off? Jenova was concerned about these Aesir people. If others were afraid to speak about them and there wasnt much clarity surrouding this group, what could this mean for Jenova?

She sipped down the rest of her water and looked at Rilian. "I am concerned about your hesitation, but I will push you no further to speak about this group. It seems from your response that they are not ones to be taken lightly. Though I have come here in the midst of all this turmoil, I do wish to know the full extent of things." She stood up and pulled some money out for the waitress when she came back.

Jenova pushed in her chair and headed over to the innkeeper. She paid the innkeeper some money and headed back to Rilian. She looked at him and nodded, "if you can tell me where I can start my hunt for information about this Aesir, I would be more than grateful." She motioned in the direction of the innkeeper. "You have a nights worth paid for, please do not consider a repayment. Information is all I need from you. Just tell me where to start or who I should look for. Can you do that?"

Jenova knew that Rilian had been through alot today and she did not want to prod him further. He seemed fearful and she decided to ask only for a starting place for her information. She hoped that he would be able to help her alittle.

((kind of an end post, unless you want to have Rilian come with Jenova))

He noticed out of the corner of his eye as three very tall angels entered through inn's main entrance, entirely too small for their wings. They took up the majority of one half of the dining room, and it only took them a moment of looking to focus their gazes upon Rilian and Jenova at the far table.

They carried longswords slung at their sides, three feet long and just under half their body length. Their wings were armored where they attached to their backs, and basic breast plates and white kilted togas adorned their perfect figures. One worse a helmet with gilded edges. His skin was much darker, making him stand out among his comrades. When he spearheaded their advance on Rilian's table, he understood without a doubt that this was the leader of the squad trio.

"Thank you, Jenova. I owe you for rescuing me. If there's anything else you need, I will do it. I'm sorry I can't tell you more. Really. It's just.."

Then the three of angels approached their table. For Rilian at least, it was over before he could reach a window or the back door. There was no way he could escape them. They were physically stronger and more magically inclined than he would probably ever be. Was Jenova an undercover agent of the Aesir? Maybe, but it didn't matter now. They angels stopped just short of taking a seat with them, and their leader rested his palm over the butt of his sword.

"Stand up please. We'd like to accompany you to the castle. Your presence is requested," the angel said.

"Requested?" Rilian raised his eyebrow and started to scoot up in his chair and gather his things.

"Required." The angel corrected them both.

(OOC: The NPC account will play the angel NPCs after this post.)

Jenova noticed Rilian becoming more and more shifty. Something was itching at him; she sensed fear. "Sir Rilian may I -", she had just began to ask him about the troubles on him when a group of armor clad men approached their table.

Jenovas jaw fell the floor when she saw the men, well not men, Angels!. Jenova could not believe her eyes, the first of her kind that she had seen since arriving in this strange land. Jenova forgot what Rilian hold told her about these angels being aligned with a certain group. The angels carried weapons among their armor, Jenova wondered why they had come so 'prepared' to this inn full of people.

"Stand up please. We'd like to accompany you to the castle. Your presence is requested. Requested? Required." Curioustiy peaked inside Jenova and she knew that this must be why Rilian was so frightened. Had he excercised trouble somewhere, Jenova could not be sure. She knew nothing of him or of these angels and their purpose.

Jenova did not want to just burst out with a comment to the men so she ruffled her wings to draw their attention to her. The lead angel looked to her with an annoyed expression, Jenova smiled warmly to show her neutrality. "Sir," her voice soft and sweet to keep calm, "may I inquire to the situation? Is everything alright? This man had been through quite alot today. The villian you seek should over by that triangular building." She pointed outside to where the building stood.

[OoC: Hopefully this works, still trying to get into things.]

Zeelich Zelot Zeidfreik observed the young half-angel with veiled eyes. His lips curled downwards, into something between a frown and a sneer. Her flattery didn't impress him. All around them, the bar had gone quiet, although people wisely averted their gaze. It was a rare occasion for angels to come for citizens like this. Such things were never a good sign.

Sighing, Zeelich pointed towards the exit. "Woman, I know full well who I am seeking. Now please, get up and come with me. Both of you. You'll be told all you need to know once we reach the castle." He hoped they wouldn't make a scene; Caspian would be very displeased if something as simple as bringing in two possible heretics turned into a bloodbath. He didn't really expect them to resist, though; they likely realized that such a thing would be futile.

One of the other angels, Ardius, was already making his way outside. He would be the vanguard of this little party; Verin, his other companion would follow from behind. Zeelich would accompany the two of them directly.

"Let's go," he said, his tone harboring no room for argument.

OOC:
Late? Yes. So I'm just in the crowd. :P

IC:


"This was a good idea." Roush thought to himself.

He had come to this city to learn more about the politics and history of the Y'ni. It had become apparent that if he wanted to operate effectively in this world he would need to know it's inner workings, and this place seemed like a good place to start.

Coming from the isolated A'ni village he had been severely isolated and basically cut off from the rest of the world. From what he had already learned from overhearing conversations in this inn and other sources around town, it's amazing that his forest hasn't been touched by the war.
"Apparently the Tribunal has been doing it's job. We didn't know crap,"

Perhaps there was slightly more to being an A'ya then he had once expected.

Roush had a slightly oversized hat that covered his long ears and most of his hair, though some came down around the left side of his face. The tats on his face were still visible, but it would take an expert on the A'ni to identify them, even though they were extremely noticeable.

"then again these people know nothing of us."

No one had figured out what he was so far. It seemed that the Y'ni and these angels knew as little about the A'ni as the An'i knew about them. What he had heard about the angels (mainly that they liked killing the Y'ni) he liked.

He had a lose white shirt with green accents and dark green pants that went down almost to his ankles. No shoes, as usual. All his weapons were still on him, but hidden under the clothes. He looked rather inconspicuous, and had been lying low for a few days.

At the current time, he was sitting in the corner of a inn when suddenly a scene that he found to be very interesting began to unfold. He had already been ease dropping on the conversation of the two newcomers (from across the room. Good hearing can be quite useful) and these guards were extremely intriguing.

"Strong stance. Strong voice. More then just authoritative. Narcissistic. Arrogant. The fighting style is probably strong and flowing. The weapons are standard infantry or guards but why are they here...
His mind continued to flow, breaking down details about body language, voice... His training had wired him to be the perfect tracker and assassin. The skills of knowing the opponent was essential in his line of work. He was pretty good at it.

Maybe there was more to the odd couple then he thought. Part of Roush hoped that something happened just so that he could observe and learn about these new people.

His back was turned to the entire scene and he was about fifteen feet away. But he could still see every detail.
Of the two. Of the guards. Even of all of the other citizens. This was very interesting...

Roush simply sipped from his drink, swishing it around in the glass, acting just as anyone else in the inn was. Slightly nervous, mixed with fear. Little respect, but definite respect for the weapons. Blending in was a very useful talent. One he had used many times before. Now would be no different.

This job isn't what I expected, but it sure is fun...

"Caspian," Rilian blurted. "What could the Aesir possibly want with us?" He didn't expect an answer. Not right now, at least. Maybe when they had both been chained up in a torture chamber the dungeon master might let slip whatever crime they'd committed. He was reminded by his own cautious nature that discretion was the better part of valor. In this instance, he personally had no way of escaping. Maybe Jenova could use her magic and flee from here. Who knew. It was a wiser choice at this point, not knowing what would happen or if they would even be harmed at all, to simply give in to their demand and accompany the guards to the castle. Fat lot of good it would do anyone to escape anyway. It was said that the Aesir in recent times had become omniscient, whatever that meant.

"May I take my things," he asked, keeping his eyes locked on the angels for a sign of disapproval as he reached for his discarded armor bits. An old woman had poked her head out of the kitchen, and the waitress stood back behind the bar counter with wide eyes and her hands cupped over her mouth. What an odd spectacle it must have been. On top of everything, Rilian wondered when he would get a chance to sleep again.

Jenova was appalled at the arrogance in the mans voice. He was being outright rude to her and he had no reason for such behavior. Jenova contimplated standing up to show that she was not afraid of these men, what was the worst they would do to her? Kill her, old news. Thats all it ever is anymore isnt it....You wont listen to me so Ill kill you. Pff, waste of air if you ask me for such ignorant behavior. Your an angel and you act like a fool, for shame on your family right now...

She looked down at the table and shook her head. This man obviously had forget what he was or he wouldnt act like this to her. We are of the same race.... Jenova looked to Rilian who seemed more frightened than ever. She did not know what to do, she did not want to go anywhere until she got an explanation for this sudden attack. The lead said he knew who he was looking for, then who could that be? Rilian? Jenova herself?

Jenova looked back up at the lead angel, his face was stern and ugly. He was obviously someone with a pride issue. "Sir, if I am to be bold and say that this request of yours for my appearance is issued without reason. For what do you wish to speak of with me? You may say whatever it is right here please. I wish to go nowhere with you...." Her voice was soft with a hint of seriousness so they knew that she ment what she said. She did not want to come off threatening, she just didnt like the situation.

((GS, please dont make my chara die now..... :P ))

[OoC: Zeelich Zelot Zeidfreik is now taking up a character slot. Demarkos has temporarily been dropped; shouldn't be a problem since he isn't currently in use. Zeelich is a primary dark mage/secondary psychic.]

Zeelich frowned at Jenova. Was this stupid bitch really questioning him? What did she think he was going to do? Apologize for inconveniencing her and walk away? Unfortunately for her, she was just making things worse. Much worse. If it hadn't been Zeelich she talked back to it might have been okay; his two companions, while strict, were what mortals called "reasonable" - Zeelich, on the other hand, didn't put up with their shit.

"Don't wish to come with me?" He replied sarcastically. "Oh, well that's fine. I didn't want to go anywhere with you either." Lifting up his right hand, he gave her the finger. A thick, impenetrable lair of darkness came into being, covering him for just a second; a moment later it disappeared.

Into his ragnarok spell.

The dark energy shot out from his hand towards Jenova at blinding speeds, a chaotic maelstrom of black, gray, and orange. The spell was accompanied by a sound louder than anything anyone in the tavern had ever heard; it was like the scream of the damned, billions of voices all crying out in pain. Eardrums exploded, filling onlooker's ears with blood. The ground vibrated, the very floor of the tavern ripping open as people were tossed to-and-fro around the room.

The ragnarok plowed through Jenova, obliterating her instantly, then kept on going, sweeping out in a straight beam through the rest of Ascantha, incinerating anything and everything in its path. Fifty paces long and over two miles wide, thousands were killed by the blast.

When it was all over, Zeelich wiped his hands, which were now coated with a fine lair of ash, on his pants. Grinning, he looked over at Rilian. "Well, now that that's taken care of, shall we proceed to the castle?"

---

Zeelich regarded Jenova with narrowed eyes, his sneer twisting into something even darker. His left hand curled into a fist. His right hand, which had been resting on the pommel of his sword, lifted into the air, then lowered once again; it was clear that he had been about to slap her but had restrained himself. As rude as this woman was, she was an angel like him. While obviously not a part of the Heavenly Host, there was always the opportunity for conversion into the ranks. Inhaling deeply through his nose, he attempted to reform his expression into a smile, although it came off as rather sinister.

“Your wishes are irrelevant. As he,” Zeelich nonchalantly waved a hand towards Rilian “has pointed out, Caspian has requested your presence. We merely want to ask you a few questions. He has shown interest in the two of you. You have nothing to worry about; our interrogation will not be hostile…although your present resistance does suggest that you are guilty of a crime. For your sake, I should certainly hope not, for my Lord sees all. The righteous have nothing to fear from the Aesir; if you have done nothing wrong, than there is nothing to worry about. You won’t be kept for more than a few hours. Now, we’re leaving. Either you can walk with us, or we’ll drag you. I would prefer the former, but am not hesitant about doing the later.”

Of course, he hadn’t been entirely truthful; the only one they’d be asking questions to was the angel. Assuming the woman answered his questions right, she wouldn’t be harmed. Rilian, on the other hand, would be getting a special treatment, as per Caspian’s orders.

"This just keeps getting better and better." Roush thought to himself as he overheard what was quickly becoming a confrontation behind him.

Now he even had a definite name of the leader (Caspian) and some characteristics of the Aesir. Frankly he liked what he saw. Loyalty to the race. Strong centralized power. An underlying hatred for the Y'ni (humans). The similarities between their people and his became more and more apparent and slightly frightening. The aggression and loyalty that they both possessed could be a bad thing if the Aesir even found the A'ni. There can never be two alpha males in the same pack. Seeing the level of organization and development exhibited by the Aesir, the A'ni could probably count it as luck that they had never been found and eradicated. They were skilled warriors, but only in hand-to-hand and alchemy. And the tribes were scattered and fairly few in number. It would be a drawn out fight, but the Aesir would win eventually.

Roush began to understand more why the Tribunal kept everything so secretive back home in the forests. The world was a much bigger place then he thought...

Back to the scene behind him, he could not wait to see how things panned out. If they got into a fight here, who would he help? Would he do nothing? There were advantages and disadvantages to every option. Roush would have to think it out more.

"Arashu, goddess of motherhood and protection, watch over your humble servant this day. Allow me to continue to live and thrive in your shadow that I may continue to fulfill your will and protect my people."
Roush said a quick prayer under his breath, preparing himself for whatever may come.

((GS, I about fell out of my chair when I read your post, Calm Down SON!...No really that was hilarious))

Jenova regarded his reply with skeptacism. She had heard about situations like this from her father and even more so when she met.....Her thoughts trailed off, now was not the time. She knew that this could be more than just mere questioning. He mentioned her resistance as a show of guilt, guilt of what exactly? Jenova did not know, she had nothing to hide therefore was considering going along for the sake of it.

She looked back at Rilian, his eyes seemed like they were going to pop out of his head. He was full of fear, Jenova felt horrible. There was nothing she could do for him. Yes she could attack some of these men, but with their armor and weapons, that probably would not be enough. She let out a loud sigh and looked back to the lead angel.

He of course ended himself with a threat, Jenova could not understand why some no face Lord or whatever he was wanted to speak with a girl from another planet. "Your Lord sees all then? Hmmm...while I find that hard to believe, I shall not protest against you. Your arrogant tone and menacing words clearly represent that you refuse more rational means of settling this misunderstanding. Furthermore you Lord, if he sees all then he should know that I am not from this land; therefore I am not useful for giving answers."

She stood up, the armorclad group all reached for their weapons. She stook her head. "Be still fools. Im coming along as you have asked. I prefer not to be touch though please." Her blood was beginning to boil and her heart raced inside her chest. People like this were getting on her last nerve. Once your foolish Lord realizes I cannot help him, he see that this was a waste of his time and mine.

She looked a Rilian and motioned for him to stand. "Shall we get this over with then please. I would like some sleep tonight."

Rilian shook his head barely when Jenova kept up her protests against the angels' incursion. She wasn't familiar with the Aesir's customs after all? Maybe. If so, though, she would need help surviving this encounter. "Let's stay out of trouble if we can. Law and order is kept around here with a tightly clenched iron fist. Get it in bad with these guys," he motioned at the heavenly guard, "and you're likely to get yourself taken prisoner or worse."

Rilian finished with his things, stuffing ribbons of binding cloth into empty metal cuffs before tying it all together and taking the lot of it into his arms. He didn't finish his milk, and left it sitting on the table with the glass half empty instead. "I'm tired too. Lets hope his lordship doesn't need us for long.

The boy's legs had relaxed while sitting there with the angel woman. They felt like jelly now, and his first few steps were plodding and unsteady. They were tired. He could feel the ache setting in all the way from his soles to his thighs. Minor scratches on his hands and bruises along his ribs were practically unnoticeable over the throbbing in his lower body. Had that mind controlling priest forced him to run a marathon?

(OOC: It might be good to move us along to the castle, unless either of you had something you needed to do in between here and there.)

They made their way out of the tavern, through the streets, and to the castle without difficulty. During the walk Ardalian took point, twenty paces ahead of Zeelich and his two "guests." Vasaad took up the rear, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to pursue should Rilian or Jenova attempt to escape.

The crowd parted before Ardalian as if he was surrounded by a kinetic barrier; citizens moved to the side of the road, averting their gazes. Angels rarely interacted with the populace, and whenever they did it was to exert holy justice. The people of Ascantha didn't exactly live in fear of the Aesir - crime was almost nonexistent, poverty had more or less been erased, and spirits were generally high. For the most part, the angels left the humans to their own machinations; the fear only came when one of their divine overseers appeared in public.

Upon entering Castle Laubholz, Zeelich came to a halt and gestured for his two comrades. "Ardalian, Vasaad, take him," Zeelich waved his hand lazily towards Rilian, "to one of the guest chambers. Our Lord has requested that he be given a most royal welcome. As for you," he turned towards Jenova, "come with me to my office. I have a few questions to ask you, then you'll be reunited with your companion. Come, it's just down the hall."

Zeelich's two companions led Rilian away. When they were out of sight from their commander, Vasaad stuck his foot out in front of Rilian; at the same time, Ardalian gave him a rough shove from behind. "Watch it, scum."


Back in the entrance hall, Zeelich had begun escorting Jenova towards his office. "My Lord is most interested in your origins. Seeing another angel with unknown allegiances in our midst can be most discomfiting. So, girl, where do you come from?"

As the angels left the inn with their two new "companions" Roush decided that it was best to let them leave without following interfering. He had learned enough and would prefer to stay under the radar for now.

One thing he heard troubled him. This whole "omniscient" thing. While he doubted it was true, the rumor must have come from somewhere. Most likely, they just had very good intelligence on anyone in the city. Roush was pretty sure he hadn't been tailed, but now he would be extra vigilant.

He sat back in his chair and took a swig of his drink, thinking about what his next move would be. He needed to get the Aesir's attention without getting killed...

He had decided that he wanted to join them.

But for now, he just enjoyed his drink. The days ahead were sure to be full of excitement.

You couldn't just end the day on a sour note like that, though. Nah. Not like that. There's gotta be some sort of happy ending to it. Like a laughing kid running up and down some stairs chasing a puppy, or a drunken hobo peeing on the bar stools. Bet that would get the rest of the bar goers riled up. Something upbeat. Yeah...

That was when Faerie' kicked open the door to the bar and danced on in. He had his hands on his hips, and he was clopping along, banging the metal soles of his shoes on the hard wood floor. The dance was more like a skip and a kick than a real dance. Faerie' didn't know how to dance. Never learned. Why would he? That would be completely and totally pointless. "Hey guys," he said. He wasn't winded or anything. A scrapper in his physical condition? Peerless!

"Oh yup. Heard you all were having some run-ins with angels. Thought I'd come by and let you know that everything's fine. The kids'll be in and out in less than an hour, probably. Don't take it wrong. They tell me that those two were suspicious. If they're cool about it, then it's all gravy, ya know."

His silly dancing stopped when he reached the bar and leaned over it, reaching for a shot glass under the curved counter. "Ey Chaps. Fill it up for me?"

Chaps, the bartender and the bar owner's husband, looked a little scared. His old saggy cheeks drooped down in an open mouth frown. He rubbed his thinning hair back over the bald spot on the middle of his noggin before approaching the happy go lucky blond man at the counter. "Don't worry, bud. I'm one of the good guys." Faerie' gave Chaps a thumbs up. "I always pay my tab."

(OOC: Here's Johnny! Have at it, Roush.)

What the...?

The sudden entrance caused Roush to sit up maybe quicker then he should have, probably because of his recently acquired paranoia over the whole "omniscient" thing The demeanor of the man instantly lightened the mood of everyone in the room, thought there was still a low lying tension. Or maybe that was just Roush, the commoners went back to their business as normal.

The words of this newcomer actually made Roush crack a smile and chuckle, something he hadn't done since he departed from the A'ni.

He wasn't entirely sure about the sincerity of the words, but they did show that this man had connections with the Aesir government. This thought was soon confirmed with the reaction of the bartender. This was as good a time as ever...

Roush left his seat in the corner and came up beside the other man, setting his glass down beside him and then speaking to "Chaps".

"While you have the bottle out, mind filling me up, too?"

Roush turned to the would-be joker while the bartender was pouring their drinks.
Roush always looked awkward when he was happy. While his smile was lively, his eyes always seemed vacant.

He smiled and addressed the man in an inquisitive tone.
"Having a good day then, friend? Apparently life has been treating you well."

Icebreakers were never Roush's thing. He did the best he could. He was a killer, not a conversationalist. But he was fine once things got rolling. Even witty, on occasion. It had actually been a while since Roush had a genuine conversation. Everything seemed to be life or death lately...

One of the patrons from a neighboring table had the nerve to shove his way over to the bar next to Faerie' and plop his glass down right there like he owned the place. He was talking to Chaps like he was entitled to something. He wanted his glass topped off. Sure. Faerie' got that. That was the point of going to the bar in the early afternoon: drinking. But if he thought he could just waltz his little ticky ass right on over and even stand next to Faerie' at the counter... Well...

So while Chaps was pouring the liquor (he didn't even know what kind, and he really didn't care), Faerie' reached right over and snatched the bottle from his hand. The old bartender recoiled, shaking. He held the bottle in a tightly clenched fist and aimed the butt of it at the stranger, peering over it. His blond eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes darted to the bar counter. Soon the muscles in his arm contracted and in one swoop he smashed the half-full bottle against the bar. Glass and alcohol went everywhere. Some splashed the side of his face, but when he turned back, pointing the broken bottleneck at the stranger, it was clear that he was unfazed by his scowling expression. He even bared his teeth like an animal ready to bite.

Chaps had never met this man personally, but that didn't mean he hadn't heard stories. Faerie' the Fire Bringer, Blaze of Disaster! He came like a flaming tornado and left ashes and scorched earth in his path. That was what the word on the street was, at least.

Lucky for everyone in the bar, the stories didn't have a whole lot of substance to them and they missed out on the greater part of who the Fire Bringer really was. The scowl and teeth turned slowly upward, and Faerie's chest started to hop up and down like he might be choking or getting the hiccups. It wasn't long before he lost it and burst out laughing and set the broken bottle down on the counter.

He waved his hands and shook his head at both of them, Chaps and the other unknown customer. He squeeked out, "I'm soh-rry... Cou'n... Couldn't 'elp it, ya know." Still laughing, he reached down into one of his deep pockets and pulled out a few gold coins, enough to cover the cost of the liquor ten times over. He didn't care about money. It's not like his boss was short on it or anything. "Here Chaps. I'm sorry 'bout that, old timer. Heart's prolly rolling over in your chest, huh? Howdy, name's Faerie' of the Aesir's Five."

He thrust out his hands, one to each gentleman, smile still plastered on his face. "I made a mess. Can I buy you both a drink, or something? First impressions and all, ya know."

As soon as the man grabbed the bottle Roush raised the minerals from around the clay belt that was pressed onto his skin under his clothes, moving them around the his back, into his waiting hand. He began to spin the very hard sand-like material into what would have looked like a dozen miniature saw blades in a sandstorm that fit in the palm of his hand. The people behind him probably gave this away with looks on their faces. No matter how strong this guy was, it would be hard to survive that kind of strike to the face. He had also gotten ready to shift the ground beneath both of them to throw the man off balance and put himself in a better position.

He kept his grin, even when the drink, which smelled like something strong, splashed onto his face.

When the man said he was just joking, Roush lowered his hand, returning the sand to it's hidden canisters, but not relaxing his awareness of the ground below them.

"Well, thats one way to make new friends." Roush said with a laugh.

Was he just unstable or crazy? Or did he just like to play with the obvious authority he wielded?

Roush reached out for the hand on the odd man, still on guard, though not showing it.

"Name's Roush. It's a pleasure."

He turned his head back to the bartender. "How are those drinks coming?" Roush said with a grin on his face. He actually enjoyed the sight of scared humans quite a bit.

"Well Roush," he started, then went on, quirking his voice and expressing a whine in his vowels that hardly sounded natural. "...Y'aint frum araound hehr, ar ya," he said in his bestest hillbilly voice. Few people had ever shook hands with Faerie'. It was a rare treat for him to find someone willing. Usually when he first met people, they were trying to blow him to pieces, or blinding him sand, or swinging some big ass weapon at his head. Yeah, that was how it always went. Just because he worked for the Boss, everyone started with this stupid disposition against him. This guy, though... This guy. Faerie' didn't know one bit about the alchemy brewing up behind Roush's back. He had absolutely no magical or alchemic inclinations outside of his most favorite tool in the world. Fire!

"Nice to meet'cha. It's awesome when people don't try to kill me right off, ya know." Chaps poured himself a drink and downed it before heading back to the kitchen. He left the bottle and the two full glasses on the counter for his two customers to enjoy, but right now he just wanted to get away from the crazy man dressed in red and his companion. He also probably wanted to hide the gold he had just gotten from his wife.

He scooped up his shot and opened throat. The alcohol never even touched his tongue. It was just gone. He had two free hands again, so he took the liberty of filling himself another glass. This one he sipped. Then he poured it all into his mouth. Then he swished it around, getting the old woody flavor of it. Vapors ran up his nose and made his eyes water. It was a dark whiskey. Very thin, and the patterns that the remainder left on the sides and bottom of the shot glass showed its alcohol proof. High. Then he swallowed, let out a vocalized breath of satisfaction, and set the glass back down.

"You could say that." Roush replied to the question of origin.
"I'm from so far away I haven't even met someone who knows my race."
It was a very true statement. Some people assumed he was human, a theory that his ears busted. Others had thought he was one of the races of elves because of them, but they were to ragged for that.

Roush took off his hat and brushed his hands through his dark red hair, getting it back to how it usually looked ((see the avatar)), which also exposed the odd ears.

He saw that the bottle had been left by the old Y'ni. At least they did some things right. A'ni held their liquor fairly well, and most of the stuff Roush had found out here wasn't nothing compared to some of the stuff he had drunk with his partners during his training camp days. They would usually try to drink it while it was still burning...
It just looked cool.

Roush picked up his glass and took a shot, then refilled his glass after Faerie was done with it.

"And I have no reason to kill you. I barely even know you, why should we be enemies? Pleasantries are definitely a luxury in a world where everyone is trying to kill each other."

Roush spins the glass in his hand, twirling the liquid inside, leaning up against the bar.

"Although this place seems like a little oasis in this violet word we live in. I just got here a few days ago. I like what I've seen thus far."

Roush chugged his second shot.

"I love the burn. Reminds you your alive. If your inclined to forgetfulness, anyway." Roush chuckled to himself. It really wasn't that funny...