Post Apocalyptic Earth

"You can't be serious, Amatiel..." Erion said to his friend on the other side of the large oak desk, with a look of mild irritation on his face. "You know that I'm not the leader t-"

"Yes, yes, you're not the leader type. I know, Erion. We've had this conversation before." Replied Amatiel, obviously a bit irritated herself, as she dropped her head on the surface of the desk with a soft thunk.

"If you know my feelings about it, then why are you even bringing it up?" He replied, raising his voice a bit, but not yelling.

"Because I- " She started, as she raised her head once again, but quickly stopped herself. She had learned two things since coming to Ioden: One, because of the constant struggle between her human and Celestial halves, she was prone to random emotional outbursts, and two, flying off the handle was not the way to get Erion to listen.

"Look..." She continued, her voice mostly normal again. "Would you just listen to me...? Please? And would you please sit down? Having you pacing around like that is really offputting."

He stopped then, having not even realized that he was pacing to begin with. His black eyes met her hazel eyes for just a moment, before he sighed and took a seat.

"Fine... say what you have to say. But I'm telling you now, you're not gonna change my mind, kid."

"Thank you... though I'd appreciate it if you'd stop calling me kid. I'm fifteen now, you know?" She said, pouting a bit.

"That's still a kid in my book... " He said under his breath, though he knew full well she'd be able to hear him.

She glared at him for a moment, but didn't press the issue any further. "Ok listen, Erion. I would really, really appreciate it if you'd take the Guard Captain position-"

"We covered that part already, Tiel. This is the part where you give me a reason why I'd actually want to take the job." he said, cutting her off, as he removed his dark blue cloak and hung it over the arm of the chair.

"I was getting to that..." She said as she rubbed her temples.

Erion could sense that something wasn't quite right at that point.
"I'm sorry, Tiel." He said, his low voice filled with concern. " You look like something's bothering you... what's going on? You getting pressured by those assholes in the capital again?"

Amatiel sighed again, pausing for a moment before responding. "Yes, actually. Honestly, Erion, this whole thing with the war.. it's making things a lot more difficult than they used to be. I keep getting messages from the higher-ups requesting that we send them additional troops, and more and more food and supplies. If things keep going like this, I'm not sure we'll have enough food to feed the townspeople this year."

"I'm sure you'll be able to figure things out." Erion replied, reassuringly. "And if you ever need any help with anything, you know you can always come to me."

"But that's exactly what I'm doing, Erion. I'm asking you for help now." Amatiel said, walking over to the other side of the desk and sitting on the edge of it. "This war business... it scares me. I'm doing my best to keep the people of Ioden out of it, but I have this sinking feeling that we're eventually going to get dragged into it too."

"How can I possible help with that?" Erion replied, obviously confused.

"You can take the Captain positions, Erion. Look... in a few days, there will be an inspector coming from Urielis to examine not only my job running the town, but the townspeople themselves. It would be a huge weight off of my shoulders is someone I trust could make sure everything is running smoothly."

"Wait... why would they be interested in the townspeople, Amatiel? What could they possibly expect to find here?"

"They want to make sure that all the people in Neos have the proper amount of faith in Aion and the Celestial race. They'll be looking for any sort of proof of disloyalty they can find. We at least need to make it seem like everyone is following the Law to the letter. The people here respect you, even if they don't all like you. They'll listen to you. " She replied, trying to lighten the mood..

"This is ridiculous... " Erion said after a long pause. "I can't believe how paranoid these Celestials are. But I suppose, if it helps you out... I'll take the job. On a temporary basis! After this so-called inspection, you're gonna have to find somebody else."

"Thank you Erion!" She replied happily, launching herself off the desk and hugging him tightly. "I knew I could count on you!"

"You're welcome, Tiel." He replied, his voice sounding a bit strange. "Now.. could you maybe let me go? I... can't breathe."

"Oh..." she said, releasing him suddenly and stepping back.

"Sorry about that. Still not quite used to the Nephilim strength. I forget you're human sometimes. Anyway... you start work tonight at 10. Daviid will have everything in order for you by the time you get there."

"Yeah, yeah." Erion replied, standing up and tossing his cloak over his right shoulder. "Just remember that you owe me for this."

"Thanks again." She said with a smile as he walked out the door.

But her smile faded the moment she knew he was gone. She walked over to the window behind her desk and looked out over the town that she had come think of as home.

"Please... whoever is listening." She said softly, with he eyes closed as if in prayer. "Don't let Ioden become another Tubqal.'

So hungry…

Ryuu’s stomach growled loudly as he trudged down one of the many long dirt back roads of Neos. The vast emerald countryside spread around him as far as the eye could see, its gently rolling hills adorned with every crop imaginable. All this food around and I can’t even touch it! the monk complained, gazing longingly over one of the endless wooden fences that separated him from satisfaction. I must be in Hell!

Pushing back thoughts of purloining some of the luscious produce before him, Ryuu pushed onwards, his steps becoming more and more disoriented with his increasing fatigue. Maybe there would be a town up ahead, where he could buy some food. Maybe…

Ryuu’s vision faded slowly as he collapsed to the ground, unable to carry on. He tried to push himself up, but his weary and malnourished muscles were too weak to even lift his arm successfully. As he gradually drifted into unconsciousness, Ryuu saw a shadow loom over him, accompanied by a gruff voice. “Now, what do we have here?” Before he could even hope to respond, Ryuu blacked out.

---

“Ralph, dear, he’s awake!”

Ryuu groaned softly as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. Rubbing his eyes to clear his vision, the young man looked around. He was in a small bedroom, furnished only with a bed (which he was occupying), a wicker chair, and a small wooden table. An open window on the far wall revealed a vast stretch of farmland, just as Ryuu had seen before.

A small squeal came from the door to the room. Ryuu turned just as a short, stocky woman rushed in, pushing him gently back down on the bed. Her curly graying hair framed a red-tinged face, which was clearly wrought with concern. “Don’t push yourself, boy,” she fussed, pulling the white sheets back over Ryuu’s body. “You’re not well. If you try to get up too soon, you could collapse again!”

Ryuu gritted his teeth, his brow furrowing with annoyance. “Hey!” he protested, brushing the woman’s trembling hands off him. “I’m not a kid! I’m a full-fledged monk, for your information. And I don’t need your he-“ A loud growl interrupted the monk’s rant. Ryuu blushed slightly with embarrassment as he realized that his own stomach had emitted the sound.

“Don’t need our help, eh?” the woman asked, smirking triumphantly. She had clearly won the argument, the victory finalized by Ryuu finally laying back into the mass of pillows at the head of his bed. “You stay put; I’ll be back in a bit with some food.” A few minutes of silence passed before the woman reentered the small chamber, carrying a bowl of soup and a small loaf of bread. “Help yourself, there’s plenty.”

Ryuu sat up slowly and propped himself against the pillows as he accepted the food. He ate quickly downing both the soup and the bread in a matter of minutes. His host reached forward for a moment as if to tell him to slow down, but thought better of it. Before long, the food was gone, and Ryuu set the bowl down in his lap with a hefty sigh. “Thank you for your hospitality,” he said, bringing his hands together and giving a slight bow to the woman in the custom of his land. “But I really must be going.”

“Nonsense!” The woman replied, shaking her head vigorously. “I’m sure you can at least stay for tea.”

---

“So, my name is Marge, and this is my husband, Ralph,” Marge told Ryuu as they settled down in the living room of the farmhouse. “Ralph was the one who found you collapsed on the road. Not much of a talker, he is. So, what about you?”

Ralph looked up from his steaming cup as he was addressed. “Well, I am- or, was, I suppose- a monk from the Eastern continent. I just happen to be travelling through these parts.”

“Was?” Ralph grunted, adjusting his position in his chair. “What happened, did you quit?”

“Not quite. You could say that I’m on temporary leave.”

---

“What do you mean I have to go away, sensei? I still haven’t finished my training!”

“And you never will if you do not leave this monastery,” the elder monk said harshly, his eyes beating down on Ryuu. “You are too reckless, too proud to lead the lifestyle of a Buddhist monk. The Council has unanimously decided to send you away for your own good.”

“But how will that help anything?” Ryuu protested. “How can I become a better monk if I’m isolated from my own culture?”

“Remember the second Great truth: craving brings suffering. It was craving that brought the near destruction of the world two centuries ago, and greed that has brought around the troubles of today. The greed of the Western peoples has brought both the wrath of the earth and the heavens upon the world at times, and it is craving that will bring about your own destruction, Ryuu. You yearn for violence, and for attention. The Council believes that if you witness the unworthy deeds of the West, you will be inspired to reform your ways to the monastic code.”

“But-“

“Silence! It has been decided already. Your ship leaves in an hour; if you don’t hurry, you will have to swim to Neos.”

“So they just sent you away?” Marge asked, horrified.

“Pretty much,” Ryuu replied, taking a sip of his tea. “The old geezers thought I was too radical, so they sent me here to mellow out. I can go back no sooner than a year from when I left, they said. So, until then, I’m stuck.” Draining the last of the bitter brew in his cup, Ryuu pushed himself up. “Well, I ought to be going. Thank you again for saving me.”

“It was no trouble,” Marge said, smiling kindly. Ralph just grunted and settled back into his chair, pulling his hat over his eyes. “In case you’re interested, the town’s just a few miles down the road. You’ll be able to find work and a place to stay until you sort yourself out.”

“I guess I can check it out,” Ryuu replied as he opened the front door of the house. “Thanks again.” Ryuu could hear a heartfelt goodbye from Marge and a grunt from Ralph as he walked down the driveway to the road. Taking one last look back at the farmhouse, he turned onto the road and resumed his journey.

The sun was almost in contact with the western horizon as the clouds were reflecting the red and pink glow of the twilight. And so many clouds were scattered across the sky. Amato was still getting used to it; clouds weren’t nearly as abundant in the desert sky that he was much more familiar with. He was intrigued how different things were in lands with abundant sources of rain and water, but Amato found cloudy nights quite a nuisance whenever he needs to read the stars to know where he was going. Amato wore brown dark pants and a tunic which he purchased recently which seemed to be the usual attire for the commoners of Neos. But it didn’t help him blend in with his foreign complexion. So he also wore a cloak so he wouldn’t grab more attention then needed. He walked down a country dirt road through a field of various vegetables and grains that he had never seen before.

It was a good thing that he had a compass handy. He grew up being told that such a device would come in handy where traveling to different lands where he’s heard stories on how the stars shift with different constellations and now that he seen how the variability and persistence of cloud cover, he now understood why. Luckily the stars have not drastically changed throughout his journey. The only difference was that the northern star and its allies appeared higher and higher in the sky. North...it was one direction he was traveling. North and West.

It’s been almost 4 months since Amato had left the refuge in the distant outskirts of Tubqal, his hometown which was practically annihilated by the Celestials a year ago. He had travelled across the coast of Sequeia to the westernmost point where, by ship, he had departed northwest across one of the great oceans to the continent of Neos; he was determined to find answers.

Amato had been searching for other cities that have suffered that same fate as his own. He came across several ruins, but most of them bare; there was no evidence or resolve for his questions. Eventually it was decided find somewhere with someone that has a connection with the incident.

Scaling up one of the many rolling hills in the prairie of farmland a cluster of building emerged from the edge of his sight. That should be the place. He gave a deep sigh, almost of relief. It was good to see the town still standing

The city of Tubqal acknowledged the Celestials with temples and statues and they were worshipped by most. Before the attack, there were rumors that these gods were greatly displeased, but they weren’t taken seriously. Even the Nephilim of the city didn’t seem to warn the citizens of any ominous signs. Ideally it would be easy to ask…or interrogate, the Nephilim as to why the city was destroyed, but that Nephilim…he disappeared during the city’s attack, presumed dead.

The next best thing would be to speak with another Nephilim. And if Amato’s sources were correct, this small town of Ioden happens to be the residence of one. The sun was now halfway over the horizon and it was starting to get dark. Only a half about a half a mile away, Amato pressed on to the town of Ioden.

Uneasy as he was about the position that he had been appointed to, Erion decided that it was best to take it seriously. He was always this way when it came to work. His mother had worked her hands to the bone all his life to take care of him, and had instilled him with that work ethic. If he was going to do it, he was going to do it right.

After stopping in to speak with the merchant he had been working for the past few months, he had headed home to explain the situation to his mother, Mala. He had found her out in front of their small home, tending to her garden, still finding ways to stay active, even though he now took care of all the bills and supplies for the house. He stood to watch her for a moment, as he approached, taken aback, even after all these years, at how little she had changed over time. In the afternoon sun, he could make out a few fine lines at the corners of her mouth, and there was a bit of gray now in her black hair, but aside from that, she looked exactly as she had when he was a child. He hoped he aged as well.

"I'd make a comment about how working in the dirt all day would hurt your chances of finding a new husband, but I suppose, in this town, that might actually be a positive thing." He said to her with a smirk.

"Good to see you as well, my love." She said, returning the same smile. "I'd ask you how your day went, but I've already heard all the details."

She chuckled at him quizzical expression before explaining. "It's a small town, son. Word travels fast."

"Oh... well I suppose that makes things a little easier." He replied. "You're not.. upset that I took the position, are you?"

"Upset?" She said, walking over to him and placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Why would I possibly be upset? If anything, I'm proud of you. You're finally doing something with your life that's worthy of your talents. What more could a mother ask of her son?"

"Well.. It's only a temporary job, and I'm really not so sure I'm as worthy of it as you and Amatiel seem to think I am, but I'll do it, if only as a favor to her." He said, a bit embarrassed at the unexpected comment.

"Nonsense, son." She said, smacking him playfully on the shoulder. "I can't think of anyone who's more suited to keep the peace in town than you. Who in town is better with a sword than you? You should really have more confidence in yourself, you know. It seems that the person you show to the world is still just a mask after all... "

Unable to deny what was said, and unable to think of a response, Erion remained silent.

"Ah well," Mala said, realizing she had hit a nerve. "I have faith in you, son. I know you'll figure out who you really are one of these days. And Aion willing, I'll be right there with you, even more proud of you than I am now."

"I'm sure you're right, mother." Erion replied, with a weak smile.

"Well..." Mala continued after a brief silence. "You'd better get inside and get some rest for tonight. I'll be sure to have a nice meal ready for you when you wake up."

"Thank you mother." He said, leaning over to kiss her cheek, before heading inside.

His mother's words stuck with him however. The questions the conversation had brought up stayed in his mind even after he fell asleep.

Stella Chase

"Man, that was a long shopping trip! Well, it was worth it." Stella smiled happily and took a sip from her caffechino. "Of course, you're not the one carrying all the bags. Stella rolled her eyes and giggled at her brother, who was struggling to carry the mountain of bags. "Come on Aaron, you're not doing anybody good by yappering away." Stella skipped over to the park and sat down under a maple tree. It was pretty nice outside. Aaron collapsed next to Stella and dropped all the bags roughly onto the floor. "Hey, careful with those." Aaron rolled his eyes and nudged his sister. Stella wondered about Amatiel and what she was doing right about now. 'I hope she's not having too much trouble with the Celestial visit coming soon. I wonder if she managed to convince Erion. He must have been a tough nut to crack. I'm glad i don't have her duties. Ah, I'll go check on her to see what she's doing.' Stella stood up and brushed off her dress. "I'm going to go find Amatiel. You want to come along?" Aaron shook his head. "No thanks, I'm going to drag these home." Aaron pointed to the bags. Stella put a hand on her hip. "Suit yourself. See ya later." Stella ran off to find Amatiel, flapping her large wings in a rhythm.

Stella walked down the streets of town, casting glances at all of the little shops. "I wonder where Amatiel is. I'll start looking at her house." Stella walked for a good 5 minutes before finally reaching Amatiel's house. 'Here we go.' Stella knocked on the door. "Amatiel? It's me, Stella!" 'Amatiel better not keep me waiting. She knows how impatient I am.'

“You’ve always sang beautifully. It really gives this forest a soul.”

Normally Liliana would have been up in a split second, her scythe already in mid swing. It was near impossible to sneak up on her after all the years she’d lived in the forest... and anyone who ever done so successfully usually scared Liliana so bad that they were dead before they hit the ground.
But for a number of reasons Liliana did not do so this night. This voice was so… soothing. Loving. It wasn’t threatening in the slightest. Liliana, while still a bit wary, turned around slowly, her eyes wide and curious. Behind her was a tall woman, dressed in a layered dress of varying shades of blue. She had long, bright blue hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

She had on a few golden necklaces, and around her waist was a golden band, hugging her skin through to show off her figure as well. She even had a golden tiara that was only visible on her forehead, the rest hidden under her hair.But her eyes were the same exact shade of light blue that Liliana had. Those two pairs of eyes locked gazes, and there was silence for a minute.

“Th… thank you…” Liliana said slowly, testing the waters of conversation.
“No problem, love.” The mystery woman walked up and sat next to the confused girl. “You deserve a compliment here and there.”
“Thank you…” Liliana said again. Kindness wasn’t exactly something Liliana had a lot of exposure to. “Um… who are you…?”

“Undine. The Goddess of water, ice, snow. The moon too, actually, although Procellus and Umbra sometimes affiliate themselves with it as well.” Undine held her hand out in front of her, and snow rose up front the ground, flew around in a circle, and then let the snow fall back to the ground.

“Wow." Liliana tilted her head to the side, marveling. "That's beautiful."
"Thank you." Undine smiled at the girl. "I have to say, you're very calm for meeting a goddess. I knew I made the right choice in picking you."

“Picking me?” Liliana turned to the goddess. “You picked me for something? May I ask what?”
“You may.”
“What did you pick me for?”
“The salvation of mankind.”
“Oh. I see…” Liliana blinked.

“So calm, so serene. Yet filled with such power. You are the embodiment of water. I knew I picked right. You'll do fine.” Undine smiled brightly.
“I’m scared.” Liliana said simply, hugging her knees now. "What do I have to do?"
"The Celestials and the Demons are fighting like babies. You simply need to do what you do best."

Liliana blinked.

"Kick some ass." Undine smirked. Liliana blinked again, before she smirked as well, her head tilting forwards slightly to shade her eyes, giving a sort of evil look to them. "You'll know what to do when it starts." Undine continued. "And you'll do it well. I'm confident in you. And, if you do well enough, I might give you a little present." Undine leaned forward and tapped Liliana on the nose. "You wont fail us."

"I hope not..." Liliana stopped her evilish gaze, instead turning back to her meek self and hugging her knees again.
"Someone is coming for you, Liliana." Undine said simply.
"What?" Liliana jerk her head towards the goddess. "I... what?" She didn't know what to say.
"You'll see soon enough." Undine stood up, dusting herself off. "Just be ready."
Liliana said nothing. Undine smiled at her one last time, then walked away, out of the clearing and into the trees. She turned left behind on of them, but didn't appear on the other side. She was gone.

Liliana blinked twice, then looked down. Me? Save mankind? How am I supposed to do that? Ugh... wait... she said someone was coming! Liliana stood up sharply, her black and red bladed scythe appearing in her hand. Bring it.

Her scythe disappeared, and then she was back to her normal self. Taking a deep breath, Liliana turned to walk back to her cave, but stopped suddenly. She turned around slowly, then began to walk over to the tree which Undine had dissapeared behind. Liliana looked behind it, just making sure. Undine dulled her eyes at Liliana's discovery.

"I was trying to go for the mysterious look there."

"Sorry."

"It's fine." Undine sighed. Guess I should be happy you have such great perception. See ya." Undine began to glow with a golden light. Liliana had to look away as it got bright, Undine's body merging with the light untill it was a large golden ball of light, which flew away into the sky.

"I like her hair." Liliana said simply as she walked back to her cave.

***

Undine sighed mentally as her golden form flew away. ... I probably should have mentioned that Valerie isn't hostile. ... Huh.

Unnoticed as usual, Vereor slunk out of a shadow just inside the cave entrance. Realizing what was happening however, he slipped back into the darkness, with only his black eyes visible.

After leaving Ioden behind, he had intended to lure the ones named Ryuu and Amato into town, but sensing the presence of two of the other Chosen together, he had a feeling this would be a much more interesting scenario.

Once he was certain neither of the two women had sensed his presence, he watched the drama between the two unfold.

Good thing I trusted my instincts. He thought, with his wicked smile obscured by the darkness. I'll just enjoy the show while they beat each other senseless. It should be fine as long as I don't let someone die.

...............................................................................................

Finally done with her duties for the day, Amatiel had made her way home, taken a nice relaxing bath, and was now lying on her back in bed, lost in thought.

"What am I going to do?" She said aloud, with her hazel eyes fixed on the ceiling. "There's so much to prepare and so little time."

She wished, not for the first time, that she had been born a normal human girl, that she could do normal human things, and live a normal human life. She wondered what her life would be like if her father had been human instead of a Celestial. Would she be in school now? Would she have a boyfriend?

Her reverie was cut short, however, by a knock at her bedroom door.

"Miss Amatiel?" Her butler, Evan said from the other side. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but Miss Stella is here to see you."

"Oh!" She said, bouncing off of the bed, and making her way to her closet. "Tell her to come on up!"

....................................................................................................

Shortly after dark, Daviid had the entire night guard gathered in front of the north gate. All of them were young, rowdy men, ranging from ages sixteen to 25, and Erion recognized nearly all of them, whether from school, or just from around town. He knew right away that getting them organized was going to be a pain in the ass.

He received a myriad of different reactions from the men as he walked through them, from over-enthusiastic hoots and cheers, to scornful glares. He took his place at the front of the group, next to Daviid, and dropped the heavy bag he had brought onto the ground and proceeded to cross his arms over his chest.

" Okay, okay, settle down, men." He called out loud enough for everyone to hear. "For those of you who haven't heard the news already, Amatiel has asked me to accept the position of Night Captain temporarily, in the hopes that I can get things running smoothly in town for an upcoming Celestial inspection."

"Awesome man! Welcome aboard!" Yelled one of the men, enthusiastically.

"About damn time you joined up!" Said another, jokingly, causing most of the other men to laugh.

"What the hell man?!" Muttered a third.

"I realize that some of you might not be happy about the fact that I was offered this position when you have more experience than me." Erion continued. " For that, I apologize. I'm honestly not sure why I was the one who was asked to take this job. And believe me, as much as I like some of you assholes, hanging out with a bunch of sweaty guys into the wee hours of the morning isn't exactly my idea of a good time."

This comment of course, brought another round of laughter from the group.

"But be that as it may, I accepted the responsibility, and I intend to do it properly. Don't think I'm gonna let you slack off all night just because we know each other, alright?" He finished, pointing to a few guys in the crowd.

"Same here, guys." Daviid interjected. "I know things have been pretty lax around here for a while now, but now's the time to take your job seriously. No sneaking off into dark corners with barmaids while you're on duty or catching naps in the barns. At least not for a while."

After the laughter had died down a bit, Tamryn, the guard who had muttered under his breath earlier, stepped to the front of the group.

"So what's our first order of business, fearless leader?" He asked, sarcastically, glaring at Erion the whole time.

Erion paused a moment before walking over and standing eye to eye with the man. Or at least eye to chin - Tamryn was at least 3 inches taller, and outweighed him by probably 30 lbs.

"Our first order of business..." He started, with a smirk that could have meant just about anything. " Is assigning posts. But, as I don't know everyones' fighting capabilities, I'd like to test you all... if that's okay, Tamryn."

He walked back over to the bag he had dropped onto the ground earlier, reached into it, and pulled out two wooden swords.

"In fact, Tamryn..." He continued, tossing one of the swords to the other man. "You can be first. Pick two other men to join you, and all three of you, come at me."

Ryuu pulled his coat tighter around himself as he entered the cool night air of Ioden. The skies were completely clear, allowing the full moon to brightly illuminate the streets of the small country town. Ryuu gazed up at the stars overhead, the thousands of pinpoint pricks of brilliance that dotted the night sky like sequins on a velvet canvas. They all seemed so impossibly far away, yet they were able to be seen as clearly as the pebbles at one’s feet. I wish my future was that clear…

As he strolled aimlessly through the narrow streets of Ioden, Ryuu’s mind was whirring out of control, vainly attempting to comprehend what had occurred just minutes before. Who was this ‘Agni’ person? What he a deva, or something else, something even more powerful? Why did he contact Ryuu, who was still only a novice monk, rather than one of his teachers, or one of the Sangha, the leaders of his religion? There certainly couldn’t be anything he could do that they couldn’t…

Ryuu came to a stop in the main street of town, now cold and silent with the darkness of night. He could hear voices… a lot of them. What on earth are people doing up at this hour? Kneeling down to the ground and placing his ear on the cold cobblestone, he could make out what the crowd was saying. "Awesome man! Welcome aboard!" "About damn time you joined up!"

Pushing himself up and brushing some dust off from his trousers, Ryuu began walking again, heading towards the origin of the shouting and laughing that he could hear in the distance. Sticking his hands into his pockets, Ryuu yawned softly as he turned into the square of the north gate. The young man did a double take as he laid his eyes on the enormous crowd before him. The sheer size of it astonished him; back home, he had never seen so many people in one place before. Were they having some sort of celebration? The hypothesis seemed plausible as a few rounds of heavy laughter rippled through the crowd.

Curious to see more of what was happening, Ryuu carefully pushed himself into the crowd, working his way to the front.

"So what's our first order of business, fearless leader?" He asked, sarcastically, glaring at Erion the whole time.

Erion paused a moment before walking over and standing eye to eye with the man. Or at least eye to chin - Tamryn was at least 3 inches taller, and outweighed him by probably 30 lbs.

"Our first order of business..." He started, with a smirk that could have meant just about anything. " Is assigning posts. But, as I don't know everyones' fighting capabilities, I'd like to test you all... if that's okay, Tamryn."

He walked back over to the bag he had dropped onto the ground earlier, reached into it, and pulled out two wooden swords.

"In fact, Tamryn..." He continued, tossing one of the swords to the other man. "You can be first. Pick two other men to join you, and all three of you, come at me."

Ryuu smiled softly as he heard the man speak. He was cocky, perhaps too much. Not that the monk had anything to say on the matter; he would have done the exact same thing. Yawning slight and rubbing his eyes to ward off any creeping feelings of fatigue, Ryuu watched intently to see how the man in front of him handled his three adversaries.

As he watched the duel progress, it became apparent to Ryuu that the man was a master swordsman. He was able to easily hold off his opponents while simultaneously reprimanding his form. Ryuu shuddered slightly as unpleasant memories of the long hours he had spent training with his sensei resurfaced. He had had many experiences like the poor trip of men were having, and he felt a small pang of sympathy for them as they were dumped onto the ground again and again.

The battle lasted on for several more minutes before Ryuu came to a startling realization. "That style..." he murmured, his eyes opening wide with shock. "That's kenjutsu! But how could he have learned it? He’s not from my country…" Ryuu watched with a newfound interest as the skirmish came to a close. He had to admit, the guy was good. Not as good as himself, however, but good nonetheless. He could be an interesting adversary.

The crowd was silent with shock at the man’s amazing victory over the other three. A few seconds after the silence, the quiet was broken by a slow clapping. “Well done,” Ryuu said as he stepped forward out of the crowd. “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.”

Stella was greeted by Amatiels butler. She softly thanked him as he opened the door for her and led her inside. Amatiels house never stopped amazing her. Especially the giant windows, it was such a view! The balcony had such a simple look, but it looked like it was out of a movie. Stella looked around in awe, she had been here a thousand times before, but it always seemed new every time. Stellas slowly walked up the white staircase, holding on to the railing so she wouldn't fall. Curse her clumsiness. Stella knocked on Amatiels door and opened it, stepping inside. She had to close her wings slighty to make them fit. Stella immediately hugged her. "Hey Amatiel! Oh my gosh, it feels like I haven't seen you in forever! What have you been up to? Have you seen that cute jacket the fashion shop in town has? You know, the one next to the cafe we usually meet in with Erion. Have you been okay with your duties? Did Erion agree? Oh man, Im so hyper right now!" Stella jumped onto Amatiels bed with a soft plop and squealed, her wings starting to fan rapidly. "Sorry about my rant, but I really haven't seen you in a long time!" Stella tilted her head a little bit and closed her eyes, her lipsncurving into a cute smile. Swinging her legs from the side of the bed, Stella stared outside the window. "Have you been doing okay with your duties? You could let me help for once you know." Stella said softly.

Aaron sighed as he pushed a key into the doorknob of his house, turning and entering the house. The door closed behind him with a loud creak. He dropped the keys onto the table and dropped himself into a chair. Did his sister ever stop talking? He loved her yes, but she was seriously annoying sometimes. Aaron had no idea how Amatiel dealt with having Stella around so much. That made Aaron wonder about how the town was going to get through the celestial inspection soon. The town was going to need help, those celestials were seriously strict about their rules and worshipping. Although Aaron had liked Stellas mother, Morgan, he knew the other celestials were not so friendly. It was going to be tough. Aaron sighed again, drumming his fingers on the table. He pushed those thoughts out of his mind and grabbed an apple before heading to the backyard and sitting under a tree. Stella often asked why he spent so much time under trees. 'They just help me relax and think, I guess. It makes me feel at peace.' Aaron thought. He closed his eyes,enjoying the wind ruffling his hair. 'Where's dad? Aah, probably working or something.' Aaron shrugged before closing his eyes again and falling asleep.

“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?"

........................................................................

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!"


............................................................................

"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?"

"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?"

Ryuu was taken aback. Was Erion trying to refuse his challenge? His opponent was a perplexing man, for sure. Publicly refraining from a chance to prove himself to his men was an unusual choice, that was for sure. No, that can’t be it, he reasoned, his eyes scanning the man from head to toe in the blink of an eye. If he was schooled in the art of kenjutsu, then he would never do something so cowardly. Is he testing my audacity, then? In that case, Ryuu had no choice but to continue with his previous plan. There was no way he would let this guy outdo him without even crossing fists!

“I am Ryuu Arishima, a warrior monk from the Far Eastern islands, and I assure you, Captain Erion Taranis, my profession is not an issue. I could take on your entire force at once, let alone one officer. Would you prefer I fight you with or without my weapon?” Ryuu smiled as he said this, taking out the four pieces of his staff and snapping them together. “I’m fine either way.”

His plan wasn't forming. Mikey couldn't think of one, besides the obvious: Knock on the damn door and see what happens. But his father told him to at least try to remain somewhat cautious and to use his 'grey' matter at times. Mike wondered, however, if this was an appropriate time to be thinking such thoughts. The worst case scenario was that they completely forgot who he was, besides the fact that he was some rando Nephilim. That would be embarrassing. Then again, it would be much more fun for him to reintroduce himself all over again. It was alway so much fun getting to know new people. So he knocked on the door.

"Hello?" He said, knocking 5 times. They were probably a bit louder than he had originally planned on, but who planned nowadays. While he waited for a response, he turned to watch a growing battle down the street. Some guy that looked like he was from the East was being really cocky, yelling loud stuff about how he was so great. Michael rolled his eyes and laughed to himself. That guy must be an entertainer, one of those traveling sword fighters who makes a massive act out of there fighting.

“I am Ryuu Arishima, a warrior monk from the Far Eastern islands, and I assure you, Captain Erion Taranis, my profession is not an issue."

Defensive, probably quick to anger, Erion thought, analyzing. Enjoys fighting..

"I could take on your entire force at once, let alone one officer. Would you prefer I fight you with or without my weapon?” . “I’m fine either way.”

Overconfident... even smug, Erion continued in his mind. Overzealous. Strong, but probably not fully trained, or he'd be in better control of his emotions.

"I see." Erion replied, matching Ryuu's smile, and even offering him a slight bow as a sign of respect. "You seem quite confident in your skills. To be honest, I'd love the chance to to test my own skill against your own, but... fighting with a civilian would almost certainly cause problems for me. Unless..."

He paused for a moment, scratching his chin for a moment, feigning deep thought. "Okay, Ryuu-san. I'll spar with you... on the condition that if you can't beat me, you'll join me as a member of the night guard. Is that acceptable to you, men?!"

"Do it!" One of the younger men called out,with the rest of the group quickly joining in, the words becoming more of a chant.

"Do it!Do it!Do it!Do it!" The men yelled, pumping themselves up.

"It seems that the rest of the squad is in agreement." Erion considered, meeting Ryuu's gaze. "What do you say? You're obviously sure you can best me with your bojutsu, so what do you have to lose?"