Ravina Te'Alros's Story

Three years ago marked the most fateful day in the Ivinian Kingdom's history. On that day, Ivina was as lively as ever, teeming with newcomers fresh from across the sea. They had, like so many others, made the choice to enjoy the prosperity of the Ivinian Kingdom and accept King Razhel as their ruler, abandoning their homes and customs. For many of them, life in Rayn, as the Ivinians had shaped it, offered a clean slate and the promise of a wealthy life.

It was on the first day of a new year when the flames poured without warning from the lush, green earth, rising up around the sturdy walls of the castle, and Ivina was plunged into violent chaos. Figures cloaked in black, moving like living shadows around the castle's walls, moved amidst the chaos like swarms of ants. As innocent people fell dead, they closed in on the castle. Panicked, the castle's guards collected themselves as best as it could, helplessly raising swords against the swarm of cloaked mage-assassins, but their plated armor could not save them from the strange magic that seemed to pull their very souls from their bodies.

As the flames pulled themselves back into the earth, leaving the land charred and dead around the city, the surviving soldiers guarding the castle began moving. They sent out a team to request help from Tirra and Yuan, bringing any survivors to the temple to be healed. It was not until it was far too late that King Razhel himself was found slumped upon his throne, dead, a dagger buried in his chest.

-

Ravina sat silently in that same throne, pale eyes locked expressionlessly on nothing as she stared straight ahead at the large twin doors to the throne room. The throne room was empty and silent. The windows had been long sealed and barred, offering no image of the city outside, allowing no noise to enter the castle. The silence let her hear her own small, soft breaths leaving her lips.

On the day of her father's death, Ravina had been napping, as she did each afternoon. She had been violently stirred awake by the sudden shattering of glass and the echo of pained screams that carried through the corridors outside her room. After three years, the sounds still echoed in her mind each time she sat upon "her" throne in silence. As she recalled the image of dead soldiers scattered along the corridor outside her room, her hand tightened its grip on the hilt of the blade laid across her lap. Her other hand, resting on the arm of the throne, began to tremble, her armored hand clattering slightly with a metallic ring.

She was alerted as the great door to the throne room slowly opened, her gaze drawn to the shining, armored figure she had been expecting. The knightly man slowly approached the throne, stopping to take a knee in respect, as he did without fail each day. Ravina frowned. She understood that she was to be respected as a queen, but from such a dear friend, it felt so wrong.

"Captain Zyren, please, rise... " She spoke with a voice that would have been unheard if there was any other noise in the room. The gentle voice trembled slightly, her hands continuing to do the same.

Zyren rose gracefully, lifting his gaze to the wreck of a girl seated before him, and he frowned, too. Before him, he saw a horrified child clad in armor that was still a size too big for the small body beneath it. He imagined how she could ever manage on a battlefield, how easily the swing of a blade could knock her from her horse, pierce her delicate flesh, end her life. Despite the reality, he saw that she had come a long way from the sobbing mess she was when she was first made queen, the first day she was suited in armor and handed a blade.

The armor-clad man sighed, adjusting his belt and resting a hand on the hilt of the sword sheathed there. "Today is the day, my dear queen. What happened all those years ago today cannot happen again. You are not safe here."

Ravina hung her head for a moment, tears welling in her eyes as she listened to his grim words. "I know," she muttered. Slowly, she stood on trembling legs, stepping down from the massive throne. "I am ready to go. I've thought a lot about it," she trailed off as she lifted her gaze to the captain, "but I won't see you, will I?"

He sighed heavily, his heart pierced by the words. No pain he had ever felt in combat could compare to the blow the simple question delivered. "Do not fear, Ravina, I have selected an able guardian to guide you and keep you every bit as safe as I-"

He was cut off as the small girl flung herself into his arms, sobbing helplessly. Zyren stood frozen, powerless to do anything. The guardian would hopefully be ready within the hour. There was little time left for goodbyes, for tears, but for now, he would give the young girl a moment. He carefully wrapped his arms around her in comfort, saying nothing as she her sobs echoed across the empty expanse of the throne room.

OOC Note: As far as I've gathered, Nsimba is within range to view Ravina and Zyren. Please let me know if any other characters are in range that I missed. I should also clarify that the figure mentioned at the end is waiting by the castle gates, not outside the city, and that the black cloak would be easily recognized as Auranium.))

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Ravina drew in a deep breath as she fastened the last strap of her armor around her tiny, unimposing figure. She tried to relax her body, letting herself breathe beneath the confinement of steel plates. As she lifted her gaze to the tall mirror in front of her, a tear slipped down her cheek; she desperately choked back the sob that tried to follow it.

"Why did you die, Father? Why did you leave everyone? I cannot protect your beautiful kingdom." she thought to herself hopelessly, staring at her blank-faced reflection in silence.

She knew there was no answer to the question, nor anyone to provide even a slightly satisfactory one. She slid off an armored gauntlet to wipe the single, stray tear from her face, sliding the gauntlet back over her tiny hand as she turned clumsily and stumbled to the door.

As the door to Ravina's room pushed open, Captain Zyren turned to greet the young queen with as much of a smile as he could manage despite his worried thoughts. He held a hand to her. She bowed her head slightly as she extended her own hand to place in his, no words exchanged between the pair. The only noise around them were the twin sets of armored footfalls, one set resounding with thunderous, metallic clangs while the other was soft, ringing like small bells.

As they neared the door to the castle entrance, Ravina drew the hood of her dark green cloak up over her face, her hands trembling slightly; Zyren sensed this, feeling her hand shake in his. He glanced back quickly, worry in his eyes, his face otherwise expressionless. He tightened his grip slightly on her hand, silently hoping to offer some reassurance despite the gravity of the situation. As they moved past rows of guards, he pulled her close beside him to whisper to her.

"The escort prepared for you will meet you at the city's gates, and then I must tend to preparations here. You will be safe, Ravina, I promise. Keep a low profile, let no one know who you are."

Ravina said nothing. There was nothing to be said. She simply waited until Zyren realized she had no words to return to him, and they resumed their slow march down the path to the gates.

To anyone with a keen eye, a figure cloaked in black could be seen carefully perched and waiting near the gates just before the castle. Moving between its slightly exposed, pale fingertips were small sparks of red energy, a wicked spell being prepared...

Nsimba's eyes caught two figures at the gates and he realised it must be the queen. He'd never even seen the queen and this was the first time in his life. He slowly made his way towards them but stopped at a distance. He had no idea if he was even allowed to be so close to he kept his distance and made sure he meant no threat to them.

The lion-like creature watched the two with his golden eyes. He looked around but focused back on the Queen, or who he thought would be the queen, he had actually no idea because he had never seen the queen. His tail swished from one side to another and back, and Nsimba was slightly nervous.

He slowly took a step back and sat down, trying to listen to what they were talking about, but he realised they had stopped talking. He sighed softly and watched the two in all silence, wondering and with great respect for the queen he thought was there.

He had heard it was a young queen and that she had taken the trone after her father had died. He had no idea if that was true but he was sure that it was a young queen, or he thought to be sure. He kept his head rather low as he watched the two in silence.

OOC Note: To my knowledge, Nsimba is still the only character in sight of the pair. If I am wrong, let me know and I will tag the appropriate characters in this post. Any characters are free to join in on the scene and leap into battle immediately. Also, the earth spell mentioned was inspired by what I have read in posts so far, so thank you for the ideas.

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The small queen and her captain marched ever closer the castle's gates, the tall stone walls separating them from the bustle of the city beyond it. To either side of the silent, armored pair, dutiful guards lined the walkway, standing like wordless statues of expertly-forged steel, the Ivinian Kingdom insignia of an eight-point star and a blacksmith's hammer in white against a blue and black banner proudly displayed on their spears.

When the slightest rumble of earth cut through the still air, the guards, queen, and Captain Zyren were slow to respond or think much of the odd noise. Captain Zyren's pointed ears perked alertly as the sound deepened, as if the ground below was growling like a starved beast. In a sudden, crashing eruption, the paved walkway to the castle gate split clean down the middle, knife-life shards of stone shooting upward into the air, traveling in a neat line towards the pair walking on it.

The guards were dumbstruck, all but useless as they began shifting into combat stances helplessly. Before they could even think to do anything, they began to drop, jolts of blood-red electricity gripping their armored figures seemingly out of thin air. From alongside the path, a pair of figures cloaked in black, their cloaks marked with the strange white, rune-like symbol of the Auranium, leaped onto the path. A third joined from near the entrance to the gates, the third wielding a short sword with a sickly red glow around it, drawn from a sheath concealed within its robes.

Had Captain Zyren responded a second too late, shards of stone from below would have impaled him and Ravina. Without a word, he pulled her close beside him and darted to the side, evading the vicious earth magic. He barely managed to keep on his feet, holding an arm tightly around Ravina. The small queen trembled violently now, slight whimpers escaping from beneath the hood pulled tightly over her face. She cowered close beside her captain, who now held a long blade ready in his free hand, a threatening glare fixed on his face. He shifted his glance rapidly between the three assailants. Outwardly, he seemed both composed and threatening, pointed ears perked like those of a dog ready to attack, but inwardly, he felt terror. Three assassins of Aurani, and only himself to guard the queen. How had they slipped past the many Druids littered throughout the forest, how had their timing been so perfect?

Zyren stood ready, ready to give his life to keep Ravina alive. He prayed in his mind that the Spirits would grant him a miracle.

Alulim felt the the ripples of magical energy from the attack, at this point he knew the assailants were serious. He begged the wind to hasten his stride, he felt his body become lighter but he didn't leave the ground, instead the force of hi steps carried his steadily further, had he been paying attention he would have noticed his feet stopped touching the ground at twenty paces. At this point he'd make it in time, these guys were at least his level in magic, maybe higher but if he needed to he could bust out spells wizard of his skills shouldn't problem was it took an exponentially long time. Sadly, time wasn't something on his side.

He rounded several corners, at this point direction wasn't of meaning to him, but he finally got into view. From the looks of it, besides the Auranium attackers the coast was clear he quickly shouted out a spell while silently casting a second. Upon completion he thrust out his right hand from which sprung a lance of ice that would pierce and freeze its target, he also tapped the bottom of the staff in his left on the ground sending a wave of life draining energy to them just barely above the ground. The plan was he'd hit one and the other would be caught by the death wave, but regardless he intended for one of the attackers to die.

Both attacks fell short of his intended targets, they had hit other targets hidden in stealth around those he could see. Suddenly he realized his double wouldn't be enough. Using wind acceleration he jumped the wall, dodging any coming attacks, He saw an armored man shielding a little girl at his side, it turns out that three had been hidden by the wall from his view. He increased his speed intending to get to the pair before his acceleration wore out barking out spells as he ran.

"O ventus spiritus, exaudi placitum, ego vocant Caeli Sphaera!Magna aqua custos per contractus, Glacies Testa!Terra mater da nobis benedictionem, Lapidem Cutis!Flammas animi, ego vocare Ardentis Spiralem!" He got to the pair before his spells triggered, placing them under his protection.

Knowing this wouldn't be enough, he continued casting ignoring the pain he was in for using so much magic so quickly. He placed his hand on the knight, " Da transitum! there you can walk through my barriers unscathed, and don't worry bit of imagined weight on you two is the barrier Stone Skin, it'll protect you from damage for a while."Not knowing whether his charges understood coding casting, Alulim explained as he cast.

"Fluvius vitae sit mea parma," his voice extremely gentle as he said it.

His left hand glowed green, the aura then reached and expanded around the girl before vanishing while he talked to the knight, "Don't worry i'm placing another ward on the girl, anything that should harm her for it's duration will instead harm me."

He leaned on his staff, the strain clearly showing on his face while he forced him defenses to stay in place, "What are you waiting for knight, go teach them what for." He would only be able to hold these up for a minute, but he wasn't about to tell them that. He reached deep inside himself for his life force, prepared to burn through it in case more was needed.

((Spell translation in order: Oh wind spirit hear my plea i call Air Sphere. Great water guardian, by the contract, Ice Shell. Earth Mother give us your blessing, Stone Skin. Flames of Courage, i summon Ardent Spiral. let him pass. River of life let mine be her shield))

Nsimba watched how the path spit in two and then the assasins. He took a few steps back and moved one arm backwards to grab the sword he had on his back. He then watched some certain man protect the girl and the knight and decided to help. He grabbed his sword with both hands, the silver blade as clean like it had been never used. Fact was, it had been used, but Nsimba cleaned the sword every day.

He looked at the small knife that was in its sheath and considered throwing it to one of the cloaked man, but he had no idea who they were. He didn't know any magic himself, so he decided not to. He shook his head to himself and looked at the man leaning on his staff and the other two. He needed to help them.

The lion-like creature moved towards the man who was leaning on his staff, watching the others, but keeping his eyes n Ravina and Zyren. He bowed his head to the man leaning on the staff and than looked at the Ravina and Zyren, staying further silent, hoping they'd knew he wouldn't harm them but that he wanted to help them. Afterall, he lived here in peace for most of the time so helping the queen would be a great thing to do for them.

''We better move, just as he said,'' the lion-like creature said softly and in a polite way and looked at Zyren and Ravina, then at the man. He looked back at the two and bowed. ''I will help. Come on, lets go,'' he said softly his sword ready for anyone to attack.

Collin paused momentarily as the echoes of magic use rocked the wall's foundations. It wasn't so much the use of it as it was the discharge which jolted his frozen body into action. Already he could smell the burnt flesh of human bodies and as he reached his final destination, the situation became abundantly clear. Collin grinned widely as he watched the scene unfold into chaos. The rows of littered bodies, the broken road and the palpable scent of killing intent sent shivers of excitement down his spine. For a split second he reminisced in his past before shacking away the sensation with a blink.

Three Auranium mages, a princess and her three body guards stood in a deadly deadlock. Of the three remaining body guards, two where Rayen, one clad in plated armor, the other in robes whilst the last of the guards was Arkmong. His observations continued until his green eyes locked on the Auranium armed with a sword. Still smiling, Collin reached for his throwing knives instantly. "Vanish"

Abruptly and painfully, something small but invisible impaled the Auranium sword mage's right hand and bicep, eliciting a howl of surprised pain. Out of the wounds, two throwing knives shimmered into existence as Collin commenced his counter attack. "I am the punisher of evil! The holy light of existance in a world of darkness! Rejoice dark ones! For the winds of justice have arrived!"

"Heh.....Just kidding" Collin sneered as he appeared behind one of the Auranium mages like a cougar hunting prey. Briefly, he smiled brightly at the figures within Alulim's powerful field of protection as his sabre danced in his hands before disappearing into thin air. "Vanish"

A vortex of wind erupted at his feet as Collin arched his back and drew a deep breath. Explosively, Collin charged towards the mage he'd landed behind as the winds lifted him, entrusting the others to act accordingly and attack while they could. A whirlwind of strikes followed as Collin drove his invisible blade into the mage's guard.

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OOC: I'll leave the response of the mage to you. I'm new to these boards but will we be joint posting at any time?

Nsimba looked at Alulim and cocked his head as he spoke. "Normally I'd agree with you about running, but I have barriers in a 20 foot radial sphere on my position. I spent the last of my magic letting you in, except for the knight there who i placed a 'key' on no one can get more than 20 feet of me without tripping the defenses themselves." He thought for that for a while but listened as the man continued to speak to them. "In short we can't move unless I move, and at the moment if i try to move all the barriers will run out of control, at best they'll drop but with my hidden Ardent Vortex the entire city can be burnt to a crisp.'' The lion-like creature inwardly sighed. He looked down, thinking, he didn't know any power, he could fight very well but he didn't know any magic.

The Arkmong looked up as the man started speaking again. "Also, at the moment i'm using by life force as a direct shield on her, in essence she has 9 layers of protection on her, two of each that i put up plus my life, if she gets more than 10 feet from me her private shielding will fail. The result won't level the city but it'd still kill us." He sighed inwardly again and looked at his sword, then the queen and the guard, then at the man.

"Sorry but i unintentionally trapped us here, unless of course you have the strength to carry me as well." Nsimba looked down for a moment, thinking about carrying the man, but if he was strong enough he wasn't sure about. He looked at the queen again and her protector, than the man and puts the sword back in its sheath on his back and stretched his arms for a few times then looked at the man. ''I can carry you, with a bit of hurry I should be able to be strong enough to carry you along.'' He bowed his head slightly and nodded, then looked at the queen.

OOC Note: The characters involved are free to fight, the assassins are free to be slain. I leave this open to the choices of the players before I get into longer posts detailing any appropriate consequences/results.

-

The Captain felt tense in the desperate moment, the latest arrival of the masked warrior failing to soothe him in the slightest as he heard the words exchanged between the newcomer and the now-dead assassin. The presence of these strangers felt as much a risk as the presence of the cloaked assassins standing readily around them. One stood wounded now, glowing blade on the ground beneath him, blood dripping from beneath his heavy sleeve. Zyren had barely seen what caused the wound, his focus much too intent on the girl by his side. His grip around her small figure was like iron, threatening to crush her were it any tighter. His other hand, gripping his sword, trembled with growing aggravation.

Captain Zyren turned his attention suddenly to the man with the staff, his voice firm as he spoke quickly. "I am grateful for your attempt to shield us, but I beg you, do whatever you must to be able to move Ravina away from here, from the castle." To punctuate his words, he harshly shoved Ravina towards the pale-haired mage. He then shifted his gaze quickly to the assassins again, lunging without warning with his sword raised, moving quickly despite his heavy armor. One of the assassins dodged aside as Zyren engaged it in combat, forcing the assailant into a serious of quick, dodging movements.

The other remaining assassin saw the moment as a great opportunity, its gaze shifting to the queen and small group gathered by her. The wounded assassin knelt quickly to lift his blade, carefully thinking over its next move...

OOC: I believe Kristina has already dealt with one of the three.

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"Your focus is misplaced" Collin commented towards the electric mage as the thin man appeared besides him.

The Auranium mage cursed and ducked to his right as another dagger flew centimeters from where his face just was. Not even giving the mage the courtesy to think, Collin pressed in his attacks, his sabre appearing in his hands again as the winds lent him ever greater speeds. Gritting his teeth, the mage threw his arms forwards and outstretched his fingers in reply. Red eletricity exploding towards Collin, the force of the attack vibrating the air around them as the bolts of furious energy zig-zagged forwards. Vanish. Unbelievably, the eletricity passed through Collin harmlessly before he dodged out of the way by driving his body closer to the mage. The moment became surreal, time slowed as the mage stared down at Collin in surprise, helplessly caught in the midst of his spell. Briefly the mage thought, how did he get there?

In one fluid arm motion, Collin's sword cut across in a wide arc, separating the mage's right hand from his wrist. The Auranium mage screamed and lost balance as he fell backwards, the eletric spell cutting off instantly from the searing pain in his wrist. Collin span, creating dust at his feat as his sweeping attack continued. The momentum of his spin carried the blade downwards as Collin brought all his might to bear, impaling the mage against the ground. One final strike followed as Collin's dagger imbedded itself in the man's head. With a final brutal kick, Collin lurched his sword free from the corpse.

Finished with his quarry, Collin turned towards the final target before pausing, his breathing still heavy. The situation had changed considerably as he gazed at the latest newcomer wearing a mask. "So i wasn't the only other one watching..." he murmured, his eyes following the action and falling on the armored Rayen as he dueled with the final assailant.

Drake stood at the top of the tower watching the fight as he fitted his new gloves, he took a glance at the height of the tower and took a deep breath. "Well, go then, they need all the help they can get" Marquie told him from behind as she folded her arm and leaned on one of the pillars, "I know, wish me luck" Drake replied jokingly, "You don't need it" She finished before walking off into the tower. Drake slowly lent forward before he slightly pushed himself off from his toes, he felt the wind as he picked up speed from the fall. He opened his palm and the flames were expelled from his hands pushing him faster and faster, he preformed a slight summer-salt in order to aim his feet towards the ground, he carefully positioned his landing before he suddenly forced his foot down into the assassin's skull, obliterating the neck. As he pushed the assassin down they hit the floor at a huge strength causing a large dust cloud to quickly engulf the the people surrounding. As the dust cleared Drake stood up into a frightening stance as he held his foot down on the assailants smashed skull. "Are you O.K my queen?" he asked her still facing away keeping an eye on the mask newcomer.

OOC Note: I am going to roll with what Drake posted. I can actually work with it and keep things moving, I don't want to hold anyone up. I only still ask that the involved characters be tagged in the post above. To clarify, at this point, all of the assassins are slain and most (possibly all, it looks like) of the characters have gathered within the castle gates, where the guards have been slain, too.

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Ravina had watched on in horror as Zyren shoved her aside, lunging at his opponent like a crazed beast, his blade raised high over his head. His harsh movements were driven with the intention to kill, his eyes, normally such a warm shade of blue, looked like pools of ice as they followed the agile movements of the assassin; it looked as if he did not blink once as he fought. Despite the weight of his armor, he managed to evade each counterattack as his opponent drew a dagger from beneath its cloak, the blade just barely brushing Zyren's armor with each swing and thrust.

As she watched, the frail queen trembled and cowered amidst the strangers surrounding her, her eyes leaving Zyren long enough to take note of another vicious-looking figure, face concealed beneath a demonic mask. As she returned her focus to Zyren, she recalled a day merely a week ago, when he had approached her suddenly.

"The Auranium has been very active lately, Ravina. I do not think the castle is safe for you any longer."

She could not find an answer to his words, the reality of them failing to hit her. She could not disagree, knowing full well from the constant meetings with the Royal Council that so many people, Auranium and commoners alike, would be glad to see her removed from the throne, even if by death; the Auranium seemed specifically interested in her, too. As she thought about his words, she had only been able to come up with one reply.

"You are leaving me, aren't you?"

He had never answered the question.

A small tear ran down Ravina's cheek, unseen beneath the veil of the cloak's hood. She lifted her hands and clutched the sides of the fabric, hands trembling slightly as she pulled it more tightly over her face. She choked back a sob before it could become audible, the worst possible thoughts coming to her mind all at once. She realized now that Zyren likely planned this along. He likely intended all along to be ready to die for her sake, fearful to tell her, knowing she would refuse to follow his plans and leave his side. What would she do without him, what if she was not safe anywhere else, what if he-

She was grateful to have her thoughts cut off suddenly, alerted by the words of the strange, pale-haired mage by her side. She had been cowering close against his side, not even realizing it, having been shoved into him before Zyren jumped into battle. "Ravina, do you know how cooperative casting works?" he had asked her.

Ravina slid her eyes shut, desperately trying to recall the long-lost days of her simple life as a princess, training to become a skilled mage, worthy of standing in the ranks of the Rune. It had been so long ago, the knowledge of magic all but drowned by endless days of training with a sword from sunrise to sunset, dooming her to become a warrior queen. It was expected of her as a ruler of the Ivinian Kingdom. She knew that with enough focus, she could still find the means to conjure a ball of flames; fire had been her chosen element.

She struggled for the answer, her lips parting to let words flow free. Her tiny voice trembled, shaken by the tears she fought back. It could barely be heard amidst the chaos surrounding the group. "I... Well, once," she trailed off, clearing her throat slightly to force more volume into her words, "I used to be able... to help other mages... make spells larger, and-"

Her answer was cut short, a sudden sound like an explosion drawing her eyes to her captain. He stood stunned, his eyes fixed on a new figure, menacing in appearance. The man stood casually atop the assassin, who lay dead beneath his feet. Zyren's grip was tight on his sword, his posture suggesting readiness to leap into combat with the newcomer if need be. His eyes darted only briefly to Ravina, ensuring she was still there and unharmed. She stared back, though he could not see her face.

The air become eerily still, all was silent. The enemies were dead, the path was lined with the charred corpses of castle guards. The neatly paved ground was split down the middle by earth magic, spots of crimson stained the stone beneath everyone. Ravina's glance darted around, a feeling of fear overwhelming her as she became aware of just how many strangers had made their way to the scene.

The sudden sound of armored footfalls drew close, drawing all attention to the tall, elegant figure of a woman clad in steel. She approached, pole axe held at her side, stepping through the castle gates with a pair of castle guards at either side of her. She was expressionless as she trailed her gaze along the destroyed stone below, eyes drinking in the image of blood and dead assassins, and a handful of odd-looking strangers surrounding a cowering, cloaked queen. Zyren's gaze fixed on the woman's as her eyes found their way to him, her face still lacking expression. She opened her mouth to speak, her voice powerful and firm, rising above the still silence.

"Captain Zyren... What the hell happened here? Where is the queen?" she demanded, her expression shifting to one of impatience.

High above the group, a young man lay watching the clouds as they flowed past slowly. How I wish I could be as they are. Free from the burdens of this world. He thought before hearing the sounds of battle. Rolling over to his side he sat up to observe the display. He watched the man that named himself as Charrusi with a cautious glance. "Something seems off..." He muttered out loud. Granted, he had seen the absolute worst the world had to offer in his eleven years of mercenary duty, and as such he learned to follow his instincts.

His gaze then turned to the other members of the varied bunch in turn. "I see...such an assortment of people..." The man then does a double take as he sees Ravina. "The queen? I wonder why such an important person is upon the battlefield." He mused before deciding to remain watching them for now, curious as to why they were all together, and for what purpose. Following his training as per instinct, he immediately clamps down on his magical signature, making himself blend into the surroundings as he physically hides himself along the rooftops. His silver, hawklike gaze focusing on them all as he turns an ear to hopefully find out some intel.

"Wooow, amazing, marvelous!" Collin exhaled with a small clap, a grin forming on his features as he stared at the man who had just pin dived the final assassin. His gaze turned to the rest as the dust finally began to settle at the scene of the crime. "Amazing indeed" He murmured as the man with the mask stepped forwards to introduce himself as Charrusi. Another grin of mischief formed.

Abruptly, Collin appeared at his side, one arm wrapped around the shoulder of the masked man, the other in open gesture. "Come now my friend! Theres no need to rationalise! You just saved a person's life from the insidious threat of the Auranium!" Collin laughed aloud, "Its not everyday you get to save a life, enjoy yourself! Have a rest!" Collin's wry grin met the cold eyes of the stranger for a moment before he span away with an elaborate flourish and bowed before the rest.

"Forgive me if i act familiar, a bad habit, but....". If there was any doubt before that the hooded person who stood before them was the princess, there would be little doubt now after the entrance of the woman armed with a pole-axe. Her posture and aura reeked of authority as she appeared to be looking at the ruined site before her. Surprisingly she didn't seem the least bit fazed by it either.

"Well excuse my candidness, but i hardly believe this is the suitable place to conduct a formal conversation. Rest assured mam, the 'princess' is safe. Shall we move this meeting elsewhere? I'm sure the fair lady could use a change of scene also" Collin said with a glance at the burnt and ruined bodies of the guards. He could talk about various other reasons to move location as well, but he'd bet this would probably appeal to the princess and her body guards the most.

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OOC: Woops, tagged one extra person who's not there sorry, still getting used to these forums....Is there a way to delete? I also believe Enki is still trailing behind Leyna? So i tagged him anyway...

Ravina had begun her answer but at that moment a masked wind user finished up the last of the bandits. The man's voice reeked of mana, so he was probably using wind magic to disguise it, clever as the number of people on Rayn who could see through that trick was less than twenty. Using the knight, he believed his name was Zyren, according to the bossy lady, as cover along with the lion man and the guy who addressed the queen with his back facing them he began unraveling his work.

"Don't worry this is harmless and for everyone's safety," he stated rather loudly. At this the line where he fire ward, fortunately no one was inside it, began to glow red, as did the one on Ravina. At his will, the one on Ravina flowed into the larger ward before he let the energy go, aimed to the sky. A massive flaming vortex then burst into existence like someone had triggered the ward. The heat went straight up so no one felt the temperature, however the entire city could easily see the pyre. Continuing his chant over the noise of the inferno Alulim stuck out his right hand, some of the fire immediately began to flow into his body, being reconverted into mana. The pyre ended three seconds later, where the flame had directly touched the ground was vaporized, a demonstration of the wards strength.

"Next ward."

With that he repeated as before, creating a dome of ice inside where his ring of fire been placed, unlike the fire this thing radiated cold in all directions but he quickly dispelled in before it froze more than two feet from it's origin. The stone skin, unable to be reabsorbed, he simply released.

Suddenly realizing he was being rude, he released the wind wards straight up, there was a massive updraft, nearly enough to life the group even though this was the edges of the strength in the spell. Finally he severed his life link with Ravina.

"Sorry about the wait, but I needed to recover some of the mana I had expended this morning. I've been running low these days," ignoring the fact that his cloak had been blown out of position revealing his ebony skin for all to see. " I am Alulim Residuum, a humble self-taught mage at your service; now may I ask who you all are?"

OOC Note: I should specify that Leyna is leading them to the castle, I am now just waiting on responses of who all is choosing to follow.

-

Zyren watched Alulim's spell in silence, unease lingering over him at the incredible display of magical ability. Ravina's tension seemed to show in his posture; clearly, he was bothered by the queen's discomfort. With the immediate threats now incapable of causing any harm, he strode calmly back to Ravina's side, draping an arm around her and leaning close, whispering to her in a gentle tone, "You are unharmed?"

The small girl merely nodded, her cloak now away from her face, blasted back by the force of Alulim's spell. At that moment, she looked like a child, pale eyes wide with fear, skin drained pale from the chaos she had just witnessed Her dark hair fell messily across her shoulders, tousled from the cloak that had been over it; she looked to be a wreck. Slowly, the color returned to her face and her tension seemed to fade, relaxed to be safely beside her captain once more.

Clatters of armored footfalls echoed once more as the armored woman marched forward, leaving the pair of guards beside her by the gate. She ran her gaze over the many strangers as she passed them, expression cold, until she stood before Captain Zyren. She stared at him silently for several moments, her eyes briefly moving to gaze upon the familiar face of the queen. This dawned on her; she gracefully dropped to a knee, head bowed. "My Lady," she said firmly, raising her head to look up at the so-called queen. When Ravina did not respond, she slowly stood, shifting her focus back to Zyren.

"Captain. I made my way here as quickly as I could, but there were slight setbacks. We need to speak immediately." She turned her gaze to Alulim, speaking carefully. "Introductions must wait, I am afraid. Any of you who mean to join, you are witnesses to this, please follow me." She began to walk forward towards the castle, stopping suddenly, her cold eyes darting upwards towards a pointed rooftop. She saw the moving shadow of a small figure and squinted, confirming the figure to be an armored man. She looked up at him, raising her voice to reach him.

"You, spy! I advise you to show yourself and join us."

Adaryan sighs before looking over the edge, not bothering to hide as he looks down at them all. "I'm not a spy thank you. I was enjoying cloud watching before that fight started." He says loud enough for them to hear before looking down and sighing before sliding off the edge of the roof. As he neared the ground a ring of magic appeared under each foot before his speed slowed to a crawl and he landed safely. Now in plain sight, the six foot one inch tall man stood in view of them all, his piercing silver gaze sweeping over them all, seeming to judge them swiftly. His crimson locks flowed easily down his face to his shoulders as he tilted his head to the side just slightly as he regarded the woman that called him out.

"Good eye." Was all he said in a calm tone, crossing his arms over the padded jerkin that covered the full body chain mesh he was wearing. The plated leg guards didn't even make so much as a sound as he moved. It was obvious that he is highly trained in stealth to be able to move silently in all that armor. "Where to?"

"Hooo" Collin breathed, "Quite a scary woman", he commented while nodded in acknowledgement. Someones awefully astute, but i'm surprised again by her reaction, she responded to a potential threat as if it was nothing at all, he thought with a rub of his chin. Collin watched the gaunt man with hawklike features descend from the wall and stare at them all.

"Ahaa, another sky diver" Collin waved in reply, looking between Drake and Adaryan. "With all these people here, i wonder if the Auranium's stand any chance at all?" Collin pondered, imitating a helpless shrug before following after Leyna.

-----------------------------------

OOC: I know he doesn't know your char's names yet, but its for the sake of ease of writing.

OOC Note: As posted in the OOC thread, I will be off on a small vacation for the next three days after tonight. Today, I will be working the entire evening until late tonight. There is little likelihood of me being online before I get home, so I will not be able to continue things on my behalf until I'm back. I leave the following post open for characters to decide who would like to follow. Although my post explains Leyna leading everyone into the castle, any following posts may have characters choose to not follow if that is their intention. I plan to get things moving right away when I'm home again.

-

Leyna regarded Adaryan without a word, her ever-expressionless gaze examining briefly, as she seemed to do to everyone. Perhaps she was sizing him up, deciding how she might deal with him, or any member of the small group, for that matter, should any one of them dare to step forward with hostile intentions. While they all viewed themselves perhaps as heroes, having jumped to the queen's defense, she saw a great many potential dangers, dangers as great as the Auranium itself. She sighed lightly, fixing her gaze on Zyren.

"It is not like you to be so careless, Captain," she said simply. "I will believe you if you tell me you planned this to happen."

The tall captain sighed, reaching an armored hand to brush back a pale lock of hair from his face. He looked worn from combat in the heat of Rayn's air, small beads of sweat on his face. His exhaustion looked more mental, though, fear and worry reflecting in his warm blue gaze. He stared at Leyna briefly, soaking in her words, before he looked again upon Ravina. She stood close by his side, almost pressed again him, like a frightened child beside her father, her head barely reaching the height of his shoulders. She was shaking slightly, eyes fixed on Leyna.

Ravina knew Leyna well, or at least as well as she could. She had been around Zyren often, always returning to immediately ask for orders, before disappearing into the forest around Ivina. She always returned unharmed, no sign of combat showing on her; even Zyren had returned to the castle with small wounds now and then. Ravina had never felt comfortable around Leyna, despite her loyalty to Zyren and her politeness. She never smiled, never said much. She would merely watch everything around her with an almost unrealistic calmness. Ravina wondered how old she really was, how much she had seen. How long had she known the captain, for that matter?

Leyna simply began to continue walking when Zyren offered no response to her words. She moved quickly towards the castle, pole axe held low at her side. She walked with a very straight posture, hinting confidence, but not arrogance. She occasionally glanced back to see who followed.

Without even a pause, Leyna shoved the large door to the castle open, allowing the small group to spill into the main hall, the door silently shutting itself behind them. There were no guards in the immediate area, leaving the hall empty. Leyna finally stopped, turning to face the group, but she did not speak first.

"I have faced my own small 'setbacks,' Leyna," Zyren began suddenly, stepping away from Ravina to move closer to the armored woman. "I intended for only the three of us to meet outside the city. I did not plan this to happen, but my guess what right. Do you know the significance of this day?"

Leyna listened to him with a focused expression, shaking her head slightly at his inquiry.

"It was three years ago on this day that we lost a king. In the weeks before today, there has been alarming levels of activity on the behalf of the Auranium," he trailed off, glancing back at Ravina, "and I do not feel my queen is safe."

Leyna interjected with uncertainty in her voice. "You speak rather openly before such a group of strangers, Zyren."

Zyren heeded her words, pausing to face the group gathered at the castle. He began to pace around them, examining them, how bizarre and different they were, certainly none of them commoners. He looked to be thinking intently as he paced. "I wouldn't... normally place my trust so easily," he began, lifting his head to address everyone, "but I genuinely feel that the severity of this situation calls for desperation." He paused, turning his gaze for a moment to Leyna. "So much desperation that I cannot leave this to you alone, my dear Leyna."

Even Leyna seemed taken back by the words, but continued to listen silently.

"What I seek, for not merely my queen, but the well-being of the entirety of this kingdom, are guardians willing and able to put their own lives at risk to ensure no slight amount of harm befalls Queen Ravina. I am a believer in fate." He paused again, having stopped pacing to address Leyna and now continued. "I believe that Ravina was meant to take the throne, despite the conditions of its happening." He looked at Ravina now as he spoke, his words very straightforward and grim. "I feel that she is not safe in her own castle, no matter how many guards stand around it."

Ravina paled almost instantly, the words frightening her even more each time he spoke them. She could not bear it any longer, the horrifying thoughts that accompanied the mere suggestion of her leaving the castle. She opened her mouth, speaking suddenly, her voice slightly louder than normal, but still shaky. "That is why you must come, too!"

Zyren's eyes showed a trace of guilt at her words. He stopped pacing, standing beside Leyna, quiet for a long moment before letting out a small sigh. He stepped forward, standing before Ravina. He held out a hand and spoke softly. "Ravina, come with me a moment."

She did not question or say anything more. She placed her hand at his, and watched as he turned to glance back at Leyna.

"Leyna, I leave this to you. I trust your judgement, decide for me if any amongst this group can be trusted with the life of the queen herself," he said before leading Ravina away. The pair moved down a corridor on the opposite end of the main hall, disappearing out of sight.

Leyna seemed to be momentarily absorbed in her own thoughts, a look of uncertainty in her eyes as she watched Zyren go. She shook her head slightly, crossing her arms firmly as she turned her attention back to the gathering.

"While I do not question the Captain's intentions, I have to admit that I would not readily place the entire fate of this kingdom in the hands of anyone whose name I do not even know. Humor me with your names and anything relevant about yourselves you care to share. My name is Leyna, and I serve the Ivinian Army for Queen Ravina, under the guidance and command of Captain Zyren. I question no order. There is nothing else to know." She sighed heavily, shaking her head once more. "Your turns, before we get into the historical details that I imagine you all know already."

Following her words, Leyna stood in silent waiting for the answers, ones she expected would do nothing to soothe her doubts.

OOC Note: The following is merely the exchange between Zyren and Ravina when they separate from the group, for a little insight into their history together and slightly character development. No other characters can actually witness this or hear this conversation, obviously; it's merely for those who are nosy, wondering where they are disappearing to alone. This also offers an interesting bit of past insight about Zyren. After this, I really have to get going and won't be posting until I'm back.

-

As Zyren led Ravina away from the group, their armored footsteps echoed more quietly until they disappeared down a wide corridor, leaving silence behind for the group. Around the pair, the metallic steps continued to echo. Ravina kept her hand in Zyren's, but walked with her head bowed. Between Zyren's expressionless face and Ravina's fearful posture, it looked as if the small queen was being led away to her execution.

Finally, Zyren stopped at a door, one all too familiar to Ravina. She watched him push open the door to her own room, stepping aside to let her in ahead of him before softly pulling the door shut behind him. Ravina turned to face him, standing only a short distance away. She watched as he remained silent, now slipping his armored gauntlets off his hands, setting them aside on a small shelf beside the door. Ravina herself tossed her heavy cloak aside, feeling no need for it now that she had been exposed; it seemed to not stop assassins from coming after her.

Without any warning, Zyren reached forward, pulling Ravina into his arms. She tensed slightly, alarmed by the sudden display, but she certainly was not opposed. Within moments, she relaxed, resting her head against the captain's chest, enjoying the safety and warmth, knowing in her heart that this was his way of saying goodbye without speaking the words. Captain Zyren was normally so up-front about his thoughts and feelings, never faltering, but when it came to Ravina, he seemed unable to ever find the right thing to say, could never be so direct with her.

"I could never imagine what this is like for you," he said gently, still holding her. He slowly reached a hand up to her head, gently running fingers through her hair as if to comfort her. "I know you did not ask for any of this. You deserve to have an easy life, one of happiness. You were never supposed to be a queen."

Ravina listened, but found no comfort in the words. She secretly wished he would merely say it outright, that he was leaving her, for however long. She slowly lifted her head, her gaze meeting his, tears were already streaming her face. "I'm never going to see you again, am I?" Her voice could barely be heard; she fought to force her tiny voice above the strain of tears holding it down, but to no avail. A small sob punctuated her words, and she buried her face against him once more.

Zyren sighed heavily, releasing the hug to take a knee before her, reaching up to hold her hands between his. "I know I can't lie to you... no, I will not be going with you. I have to be here, I have an army to prepare. These men need my guidance and this castle needs protection, too. It would draw too much suspicion for me to leave, too. I need to be here to reassure the kingdom that you are safely within the walls of your castle."

"You... you're all I have... " She said quietly, hanging her head and looking away.

The words, each one of them, hit like a barrage of tiny blades, straight into and through his heart. "Please, Ravina, understand me, believe me when I say this is what I feel is right, and best for you. You will die if you remain here, and," he paused, hanging his head slightly for a moment, his voice trailing off. There was sadness in his words, hesitation, fear that Ravina had never seen Zyren show before as he continued, "and I would not be able to bear that."

At his words, Ravina could not hold back tears; she all but lunged forward, throwing herself into Zyren's arms again. He lost his balance, naturally, falling back into a sitting position against the door with a slight thud, but did not question this. He let himself get as comfortable as he could, holding Ravina close against him as she now sobbed openly; Zyren wondered how he would ever even coax her to let him go.

Zyren recalled a day long ago, standing beside King Razhel in the courtyard behind the castle, his best friend in the world and in his eyes, the greatest king the Ivinians had ever known. The pair stood beneath a setting sun, having spent the evening dueling one another in friendly competition, so many years before the tragic end of the king's life. Inside, a much younger Ravina rested, free from any cares of the world.

King Razhel looked to Zyren, reaching a hand to pat the captain's armored shoulder warmly. Zyren recalled how kind the king's tone was, no matter to whom he spoke, he regarded everyone with such great equality.

"Captain, you've shown me nothing but the greatest loyalty, more than any man in my army," King Razhel began, drawing Zyren's gaze to him in curiosity. "You are worthy of royalty."

Zyren smiled slightly, genuinely humbled by the words of not merely his king, but his friend. "I am honored to hear that," he said simply.

"Today is as good a day as any for surprises, lest I am not here tomorrow to tell you." Strangely, the young king always spoke and based his choices as if he could die any day. It was ironic, but he always seemed to know that his life would be a short one. "I intend to make you a prince one day."

He now genuinely had Zyren's interest. The captain turned his attention fully to the king, who smiled brightly as he spoke, still watching the setting sun as it painted warm shades of orange across a clear blue canvas.

"Yes, my loyal captain. As a father, it is not easy for me to simply imagine just any man one day at my most beloved treasure's side. I want Ravina to find happiness only with one worthy of her, even as she grows ever closer to becoming a woman, she has the gentle mind of a child. Too many men in this world would destroy that so easily and carelessly, but not you."

When the king finished speaking and turned to look at Zyren, the captain was blushing slightly, eyes wide in shock at the open offer of the princess' hand. He stumbled slightly over words as he began to attempt a response; King Razhel laughed heartily.

"You needn't answer immediately, Zyren," the king said gently. "Ravina yet has several years until she is of age for marriage."

Zyren calmed and honestly began to think about the offer, the sheer seriousness of such words. He did not need to think long before shaking his head. "My King, I cannot imagine a more generous offer in this world, but I cannot accept. Any woman, even a princess, should choose on her own and be the one to offer herself. I would not feel right accepting and having Ravina bound to me."

The king had not been offended by the response; rather, his smile widened and he laughed again. "You never cease to impress me, Captain, and I don't think that will ever change. If that is the case, then I genuinely hope she chooses you of her own accord. I would never promise her to any other man, you would make an excellent king one day if you continue as you are."

As Zyren sat now, holding in his arms the woman he could have had now married to him, he wondered if King Razhel meant those words. No, he knew the king had meant them, but Zyren could not decide if he believed them himself. What if he had taken Ravina's hand in marriage and was now king? Would the kingdom be in a better situation? Better yet, would Zyren have found himself dead, too?

He gazed down at Ravina. Her tears had ceased and she lay against him, completely relaxed, seeming to take advantage of every last peaceful moment before she was left to her fate, fate at the hands of strangers; Zyren almost hated himself for such a choice, but still knew in his heart it was for the best. He tapped her, drawing her attention. When she lifted her head, sitting up slightly to look at him, he raised a hand to cup her face, offering her a warm gaze, letting her openly see, praying that she could see, how sorry and guilty he was for the way things were now.

He found himself dully aware of every possibility of that moment, how he could tell her so many things. He could say he loved her, he could kiss her without a word, and he did not think she would question or stop him. He recalled again the offer made to him by the now dead king and was sure of one thing. He did not regret his choice. Ravina's happiness had become his own, he had always cared for her, more so when she was left with nothing, with no one. She deserved to have some say in her future and happiness in some way. She could not change now being queen, but there was still hope for her life.

Zyren finally spoke, thinking over his words carefully. "You will see me again. I promise, Ravina. I cannot say when, but this is only temporary." Carefully, he leaned forward, daring to gently place a kiss on her lips. Ravina sat almost stunned, face flushing quickly, but she showed no opposition. "I mean those words. Please, we should get going. Gather all you may wish to bring or need, but pack light... You will be doing a bit of traveling. Take what time you need." As he shifted to stand, she moved off him, standing as well. He stood by the door, letting out a heavy sigh as his own thoughts and concerns began to consume him once more. Ravina said nothing, merely nodded before moving about her room, finding clothes and other things to pack.