Snippet #1680120

“Well done,” Erion heard someone say. “I’m impressed. You may have been able to handle the three of these chumps, but you might want to get them on your team this time, because I assure you, I’m much more than you can handle.”

He whipped around, to find a dark haired young man in a black overcoat had stepped forward from the crowd. There was something... familiar about the young man, but it took him a moment to put his finger on exactly what that sense of nostalgia was.

His accent, the slant and shape of his eyes, his skin tone, even his long, dark hair: He reminded him of Isshin, the man from the Eastern Lands who had taught him swordsmanship.

"Well... " He said with a thoughtful smile, as he walked over to him. "This was supposed to be a training exercise for the night guard. I'm not sure it would be prudent of me to allow a civilian to participate. I'm Eri- Um, Captain Erion Taranis, by the way. And who might you be, my friend from the East?"

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Tamryn saw the exchange between the two young men, but took no interest in it, and no one took any interest in him as he hobbled away from the gathering. All that he could think of as he made his way towards his home was his wounded pride.

"Damn it!" He growled through gritted teeth. "Overlooked for the Captain's position... beaten by that cocky little bastard Erion. This is wrong! It's all wrong!"

He punched the side of a nearby building as if to accentuate his point, hearing a soft crack as flesh and bone met brick.

A loud cry out pain forced its way out as he gripped his now fractured left hand with his right.

"Damn you, Erion! This is all your fault!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, followed by shouts of "Shut the hell up!" and "We're trying to sleep, here!" from nearby windows.

"You shut up, you ungrateful bastards!" He yelled right back. "You're speaking to a guardsman! Know your place!"

Then he came to the realization that, after leaving his post in the middle of the night, there was a good chance that he would be let go. He could probably go back now, an no one would be the wiser, but his pride wouldn't allow it.

"I won't accept you, Erion Taranis. I won't accept you as Captain. I won't accept that you're better than me!" He mumbled as he stomped away. "I'll find a way to make you pay for this!"


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"No worries, Stella. We've been friends for a while now, and I've grown quite accustomed to your...enthusiasm. " Amatiel said with a chuckle, amused as always by her friend's overabundance of energy.

"Everything has been fine.. at least for the most part." She continued, hopping onto the bed next to Stella. "Running an entire city hasn't exactly been easy, but I've gotten used to it over time. Between Daviid, Erion, and yourself, I've been able to manage pretty well. Speaking of Erion, yes, he did accept my offer. Tonight is his first night as Captain. I'm sure he'll do well, but I admit, I am a bit worried about this inspection. I haven't told anyone else, but it looks like my father will be the one performing it. I wonder if he's changed any the last two years...."

The though of her father filled her with dread. She couldn't help it... all of her memories of him had been horrible. She had gone her entire life without seeing him, and then at the age of thirteen, has had simply shown up on her mother's doorstep, demanding that she be handed over. Then there was the testing, the harsh training, the way he constantly made her feel as though she weren't good enough...

Hamaliel was the a celestial of the domain of logic, an embodiment of it, and, to be honest, she was sue he even had any feelings. During the time she spent with him, she may as well have been alone.

"Oh, I apologize, Stella." She said, snapping out of her reverie. "I was simply lost in thought for a moment. Let's see.. what did I forget? Oh yes, shopping. I haven't really had much of a chance to get out lately, so I- "

She paused for a moment, stood up, and walked over to her window. "Stella? Did you sense another Nephilim when you were on your way here?"