Viemera: The Essence of Deceit [Complete]

[Loki]

OOC Thread

World Map

Players:
Loki

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

Digital Muse

Spoiler:

quakernuts

Spoiler:

Silvan Arrow

Spoiler:

Sunwolf007

Spoiler:

Plaguewalker

Spoiler:

NPCs

Viemera: The Essence of Deceit


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Two figures meet at the edge of a small forest on the fringe of a small town several miles east of Fuuren.  The pale moonlight in the calm night sky struggles to reach through the leafy canopy, but only pierce it enough to illuminate portions of their clothing.  Both figures are dressed in the deep blue uniforms that were reserved for Rothmor government agents.  The round insignia on their shoulders had a vertical line with another line spiraling along its length indicating they are Seekers, agents who are assigned to identify Saturates, or in this instance, the Source.  Tonight was a particular girl’s 14th birthday, however the presence of this pair was the result of an unlikely tip.

“So… Is she the one?”  This person had been lurking in the tree line, waiting for his partner to assess their objective.  His voice was light and soothing, with a tone that inspired intrigue as though there was always something more to everything he says.

“There is no doubt about it,” Said the other man, his voice more gruff and to the point, “she is definitely our new Goddess.  Who would have thought?  This is the first case in recorded history that a Goddess was conceived by parents whom neither of which are Saturates.  We have to report this to headquarters; they are never going to believe us.”  He finished with a slight chuckle.

The corner of the first man’s lip curled upward slightly as he spoke in the same tone as before, “That’s the plan.”

The other Seeker’s eyebrow cocked upwards with puzzlement to match his voice, “What is that supposed to ---“ Suddenly his eyes opened wide and his hands grasped at his throat as he tried desperately to speak, but there was no longer any air in his lungs.  After a few moments his body crumpled to the ground and began to spasm as his lungs tried desperately to draw in precious oxygen only to find none.  After a few short minutes, the man lay motionless on the ground, his eyes wide and dilated as a few strands of his long brown hair slid across his faint blue face.

A third figure stepped out from the shadows nearby, wrapped in a black hooded shroud.  His voice lacked emotion as he spoke monotonously, “I have seen many disturbing things in my life, Marinik, but seeing somebody drown without a drop of liquid is truly twisted.”

The smirk never left Marinik’s face as he responded just as coolly as before, “That may be, but can you think of another method that is as quiet and effective, Rayne?”

“Hmmm…”  Rayne pondered aloud as he approached the body, reaching down and touching the agent’s face.  “I suppose you’ve got a point there.”  After a moment, he stood straight up once again, shifting his body slightly under his shroud.  Once the movements stopped, he pulled back the hood and revealed a face identical to the man who lay next to him.  “Alright,” Rayne spoke once again, his voice matched the now dead agent’s voice, “I’ll contact headquarters while you dispose of the body.  Your boss is going to be disappointed that you were sent on another wild goose chase; at least this mission had a very low likelihood of success given the situation.  What is our new, unofficial, Goddess’s name anyways?”

Marinik chuckled lightly, “It is a one, Ms. Raewyn Ardulten.  Although, it is only a matter of time until the government catches on to our little trick, so we should do our best to pull the strings from afar.”  Crouching down, he lifted the body over his shoulder and began walking into the depths of the woods.  “Have a good night, Agent Brycen Whyte.”  He called back, reminding Rayne of his new identity.

Rayne lowered his head and mumbled softly under his breath, “Ardulten, huh?”  With a light grunt, he began walking towards town.  There he would make the call to inform the Rothmorian government that Raewyn is just an average girl, as was expected.

[Loki]

It was late in the afternoon and Calon, a small village at the edge of the peninsula southeast of Fuuren, had just let out of their weekly Therian congregation. The day was sunny and warm as the town square buzzed with activity and voices as farmers and merchants peddled their wares to the community. A majority of these traders are town locals, although there are still a handful of traveling peddlers that have set up shop as they were passing though. As was routine, Janus, with Loki in tow, was making a public appearance by meeting with his congregation as they traveled from stall to stall.

Today was unlike most others, however, as one particular stall has attracted a lot of attention from the population, along with their hostility. A particular balding, portly roaming merchant had either overlooked the obvious signs of a Therian village or forsook personal safety in an attempt to turn a profit. This man by the name of Mark Risu, dressed in lavish colorful robes to help draw attention, was selling Essence powered goods. Janus and Loki had managed to worm their way through to the front of the mob just as tensions reached a boiling point. All of Mark’s attempts to calm the agitated crowd are failing as his pitch has shifted from peddling his wares to apologetic negotiations. With their religious leader now at the front of the crowd, they all looked at Janus for direction while Mark’s desperate eyes pleaded for mercy. Janus paused for a moment and weighed his options, but Loki knew he was just trying to figure out what would better his image in the eyes of his flock. He just looked up at his father with hatred when Janus spoke.

“You, the peddler of perversion; how dare you taint our fair village with your filth. You and your kind have no right to play God by draining the life of this planet to feed your desire for power.” Janus paused for a moment to read the crowd and was reassured that he was saying what they wanted to hear, the fire he seen in their eyes told him what to say next. Janus’s cold gaze reverted to Mark as he spoke gravely, “We shall show you the repercussions of playing God.”

Mark’s expression changed to fear as he realized what that meant for him. Shoving his hand into his robes, he pulled out a dull steel object that Loki had never seen before, but was surprised to see the rest of the crowd hesitate with their assault; it was a laser pistol that the merchant kept on hand for such situations. The merchant waved it around the crowd as he shouted frantically, “Back off! I don’t want to use this, but I will if you leave me no choice!” Looking around the crowd, Mark could see that he had them at bay for the time being, so he took this opportunity to quickly pack his wares and flee.

Just as Mark turned around to begin hastily pack up his goods a large rock, thrown by some unknown source, missed his head by just a few inches and impacted a stack of wares causing them to scatter on the ground. Among the miscellaneous wares was a small translucent green cube approximately the size of a toddler’s fist that bounced a few feet along the cobble stone courtyard, coming to rest at Loki’s feet. A second rock hit before Mark had a chance to find where the first had come from, this one struck him on the side of the neck, causing him to drop his weapon. The two sides were at a standstill as the tension became palpable as though they were daring the other to make the first move.

While all of this was happening, the unfamiliar object that came to rest below him distracted Loki; for never seeing anything like it before, he had an unusual sense of familiarity with it, or rather its contents. Crouching down, he picked up the green cube and examined it with curiosity. It felt warm in his hand; the warmth quickly traveled along his arm and into his torso, all the while the green color faded to obsidian black and completely opaque. At first, the sensations felt comfortable and revitalizing, but after a few moments, he began to feel a little dizzy and unable to focus.

Even though all those months of practice with his ability had allowed it to become second nature, this new numbness in his mind caused him to lose control of his wings. An instant before the crowd descended upon Mark, Loki’s wings quickly unraveled themselves from his body and shredded his shirt as they began flailing wildly, knocking several villagers, including his father, several feet away. Shock spread across everybody’s face, Loki’s especially now that his secret was out. Not knowing what else to do, Loki ran as fast as he could out of the town square. Loki felt that he was no longer safe in town now that he was revealed as a Saturate, believing that the towns people, including his father, would turn on him as they did to the merchant. Not daring to return home to gather his things, he retreated into the nearby woods and spent the next several minutes regaining control of his wings. Several hours had passed until he was positive that it was safe to travel without being noticed, though he had no idea where to go.

This would be his first time traveling out of his isolated town and his sheltered life. For the first time, the vastness of the world became apparent to him and Loki was absolutely terrified.

[quakernuts]

The plains of Rothmor were usually so peaceful and quiet. A few deer here and there would be grazing on the grass, rabbits and gophers going about their little lives and a gentle breeze making everything appear right out of a children’s story book. Well, that’s how it was before Jake Tyier showed up. Stumbling around like he was drunk, throwing random shit from his pockets at the deer just so he could see some action. He laughed as the deer ran away from the little pieces of metal still clinging to the inside of his pockets. The rabbits all hid, and the gophers buried themselves in the ground. Jake tended to have that effect on everything. He was arrogant almost to the point of being unbearable at times, yet somehow he never really struck out with the ladies; almost like he could turn on another side of his personality. His black overcoat floated in the wind, and the chains hanging from his pockets hit each other with an unusually loud clinging sound. His hair was flying around in the wind, but whenever it died down, it miraculously went back to its original form. Now the plains were empty save for one man wandering around with no real direction as to where he was going. This was his way of life, and it had been so for nearly eight years.

He only knew two things. He was on Rothmor, and he was heading north. Cities names and places of interest no longer even registered on his mind. They would all blur together eventually, and then be nothing but a forgotten memory. He lived for the moment, and wished that at the moment, there was something going on. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he started whistling as loud as he possibly could just to fill in the silence. He hated that no-sound sound. It sucked something fierce. However, the silence was soon filled by a rather loud commotion as Jake neared another small town. He could hear people yelling at one another, then suddenly a few people went flying. Jake nearly jumped and clapped at that part. He had been hoping for action, and this was it. However, he first had to figure out which side of the argument was worth fighting for, and go from there. He might get beat up something fierce, but he knew they would never kill him. They would have to touch him first.

Wandering into the town with all the confidence of a god among men, he stood there unnoticed by the two sides. He recognized the mob as Therians, and instantly saw what the problem was. The merchant, who was a stupid fat bitch by the way, brought essence powered items into a Therian town. Jake shook his head, and sighed. He had done some stupid things in his life, this was new to him. However, he knew how Therians were, and that little spark of hatred for them was always there. They ruined his life from before, and he never truly got over it. So, it was decided he would enter on the side of the merchant, even if he was an idiot. Jake walked right into the middle of the two sides, and brought up his hands. “Hold on my very angry and hostile friends! Surely there has to be some other way to deal with this other than a violent resolution. However, if that is what you would like, I wouldn’t mind bashing in a few skulls.” Confusion ran through the crowd as people talked to each other over who the new comer was. Then someone came to the front.

“Wait, I remember him! He’s a Saturate! Make him pay as well!” Jake squinted hard at the man. Where had he seen him? Now, normally a sane person would back off against a crowd of this size and anger, but Jake was not known for his common sense. So what he did next stunned the crowd.

“Oh right, I banged your wife didn’t I? Or was it your sister? Oh oh! I remember now, it was both of them! That’s where I remember you!” The whole crowd was shocked into silence for a whole three seconds before the man launched himself at him. Jake grabbed him by the throat, and held him up high for everyone to see. Looking over the man once more, he could see the fear and anger in his eyes. “No wait; it was definitely your mother!” Jake laughed again before throwing the man over three more people into the crowd. Jake took out his axe, and motioned with his hand for them to come to him. “Any other takers?”

A few hours passed with people flying through the air and the merchant taking off running before the madness unfolding before him. Finally however, Jake was brought down under the weight of bodies, and thrown out of the town. His axe did not show signs of blood, but many of the Therians showed signs of him breaking bones and smashing faces. The only reason he wasn’t killed on the spot was because they knew he would get back up, and actually use the axe if they dared to try and kill him. They had laid a few hits on him, but they would all heal, and he was still cocky. “Yeah, well I’ll be back! With some hookers and a lot of booze, then I’ll show you how much I can beat the shit out of you!” The Therians simply glared at him, and wandered off. As soon as they were out of sight, he smiled to himself. That was just downright fun, but now he was bored again; time to move to somewhere else where the magic was.

Wandering through the forests was just about as anticlimactic as a nuke going off then having tea with your mother. It had only been five minutes, but Jake was bored once more. He had nearly forgotten all the moves he had pulled off back there, but he knew they had been good ones. Why not, he was a Saturate, and he should be able to do such things. Walking through the trees, he nearly stumbled into a kid and swerved to avoid him. “Oopsie!” Jake cried as he did a 360 to avoid the kid. “My bad guy, didn’t see you there.” Looking back on the kid however, something wasn’t right. This kid didn’t look anything like what the other desperados, including himself, looked like. He looked completely out of place. Now, as arrogant and obnoxious as Jake was, he still did have a kind side to him. “Now, I may be totally on the wrong page, but I’m going to have to guess you are lost. Am I right kid? If so, there’s a village back that way with a bunch of beaten up old Therians that might help you if you don’t try to sell essence powered items!” Jake snickered at his own mini joke, then looked back down at the kid, awaiting an answer.

[Silvan Arrow]

‘People…always too many people…’

That thought, along with too many like it, played through Eri Kiryakov’s head like a broken record as she waded through the crowded town square of Calon. If it weren’t for the fact that she didn’t have enough supplies to last through the next 24 hours, she never would have even entertained the notion of entering this town. People always got in the way. They were far too noisy for her tastes, and they had this nasty tendency of bogging you down with all their wants and needs while simultaneously ignoring yours. And to make matters worse, these were Therians, the worst kind of human being alive. Therians shunned the Seedists. Therians despised the Goddess, may she rest in peace. And Therians had nearly killed her father. Although, she had to admit, she owed them one small piece of gratitude. Without the Therians, she never would have discovered her powers as a Saturate and been allowed to set out on this journey.

Eri loved the freedom that came with traveling, of being the master of her own destiny. She chose when she rose (usually at sunrise), where she went, what jobs she took, and where she laid her head at night. Such a lifestyle, of course, wasn’t for everybody, but it suited Eri just fine. And it wasn’t like she was alone, no far from it. Her companion of choice just wasn’t human.

A familiar tingle in the back of her mind brought Eri back to the present. ‘Mistress, I sense unrest in the townspeople just ahead. We should be careful.’ In her mind’s eye, Eri could plainly make out the silhouette of Arashi, her summon partner. The majestic white eagle, however, was clearly uneasy, judging from the concern in his eyes and the way he rustled his wings restlessly. His unease echoed through their mental link, and Eri slowed her pace as she cautiously approached the crowd that had gathered in front of one of the merchant’s stalls. She rested her right hand on her sword hilt, as if assuring herself that it was still there. One man’s voice reverberated above the restless murmur of the rest, speaking condemnation upon the merchant for selling Essence-powered tools. Eri started to back away as a fight seemed imminent, and then a flash of Essence struck her senses as clearly as if she had been slapped. She stumbled backwards in surprise.

“Holy…!” Eri exclaimed aloud. ‘How did I not sense that?’ Before she could see the Saturate responsible, a fight broke out somewhere in the crowd, apparently started by another man shouting obscene comments. A second swell of Essence added to the headache already growing in Eri’s skull. ‘Time to get the heck out of dodge.’

‘I couldn’t agree more,’ Arashi concurred. Eri took advantage of the confusion created by the fight and shoved her way back through the crowds, trying to put some distance between her and the other Saturates. Once she was out of the town square, she sprinted along the less crowded sidewalks, her backpack bouncing painfully between her shoulder blades, and didn’t stop until she was safely out of sight and deep in the forests.

Eri leaned against the nearest tree trunk and sagged to the ground, breathing deeply to regain her lost wind. ‘That was too close. It’s a good thing those other Saturates didn’t sense your presence, Arashi.’

‘Indeed, it would have been most troublesome to get caught up in that fight, especially with so many Therians around. We’ll have to be more careful in the future about which towns to enter.’

Eri sighed and scratched at the base of her head self-consciously, her fingertips brushing against the tiny black feathers concealed under her wavy dark-brown hair. She had a few pinfeathers coming in, and they itched like the devil. ‘Unfortunately, we might not have the luxury of being choosy about the next town.’ In her mind’s eye, Arashi cocked his head to one side in question. ‘I had to bail out of town before I could finish buying supplies. I’ve got plenty of medical and camping goods, but my food will only last a couple more days.’

‘If I remember correctly, Fuuren is located to the north, is it not?’ Arashi inquired.

‘Let me check.’ Eri pulled out a crumpled old map from the pocket of her black leather jacket and examined it carefully. ‘Yeah, you’re right. Fuuren isn’t too far from here, maybe a couple days’ walk.’

Arashi’s eyes took on a slightly mischievous glint, which was rare for the normally reserved eagle. ‘Does it say how long it would take to fly?’

Eri smirked, catching on to his idea. ‘Nope, so I guess we’ll have to find that out for ourselves.’ Standing up, she folded the map and shoved it back in her pocket. She drew her sword with her left hand and held it out at arm’s length, with the blade parallel to the ground and pointing to the right. Closing her eyes, she concentrated and focused her Essence into the blade, and dozens of white feathers made of Essence materialized, floating around her body in a lazy, circular dance. She snapped her eyes open and made a sweeping motion upward with her sword, and the Essence gathered in the blade combined with the feathers in a bright flash of white light that coalesced into the shape of a six-foot tall eagle. Arashi glided gracefully to the ground and folded his massive wings as Eri approached and cupped his face in her hands. A tender, loving expression came over Eri’s normally stern features, and Arashi closed his eyes and cooed contentedly. The affection and trust they felt for each other was total and absolute, and it would take a fate far worse than death to ever tear them apart. Arashi crouched lower to the ground so Eri could climb onto his back and settle herself on her knees between his shoulder blades. By wordless consent, he took off, arrowing through a gap in the forest canopy and making a beeline for the limitless blue yonder.

The wind whipped past Eri’s face, caressing her cheeks and whipping her hair. Her eyes slid closed in delight as a small smile crept across her lips. This was freedom at its finest, the ability to take flight and soar wherever her heart desired. As long as she had Arashi and this glorious freedom, nothing else mattered.

[Digital Muse]

Raewyn was tired and dissatisfied. It was late on the night of her 14th birthday and she hadn’t gotten even half of the things she’d wanted for gifts. It had been the single worst birthday ever. She lay in her bed with a dull ache in her head and slightly sour stomach from eating more than her share of the crème cake that her Mother had made for her special. It’s Mother’s fault that I ate so much.. Raewyn thought petulantly and turned to her side in her thick goose down mattress so she faced the wall, as if to give her parents in the next room the cold shoulder.

Her soft brown hair curled lightly against the downy pillows she rested her head on. Raewyn replayed the most horrible of birthdays again in her head. She had wakened to the smell of maple cakes, a breakfast her Mother knew she loved. But, she’d lain in bed until summoned by her Father. A large, bluff man with graying hair, a tickly mustache and pipe, Duncan Ardulten sold tools and hardware for a living and doted on his only daughter. Her whining complaints only made his blue eyes sparkle with amusement. He’d successfully cajoled Raewyn out of bed and kissed the top of her head before leaving the house to head to his store. But, only after promising to bring her a lovely hair ornament on his way home for dinner.

Raewyn had spent an inordinate amount of time bathing and combing her long brown hair, and dressing in her prettiest dress before appearing in the homey kitchen. Her Mother, Diana, had waited on he and she’d bolted her food down, excited for her day to begin. It was her 14th birthday and she had such a tingle. She knew, deep in her heart, that it was going to be an extraordinary day. She didn’t know how or why….but she just felt it!

Her Mother had soft brown hair, like Raewyn’s, with the same honey-brown eyes. And they both shared the same slender build, though Raewyn would likely be taller than her Mother’s 5 feet 5 inches. At the moment, they were the same height. Where Diana’s expression was soft and filled with a smiling, good-natured charm, Raewyn’s face always seemed closed and dissatisfied, if one caught her unawares. The corners of her mouth seemed to be perpetually turned down and pouting. But, if she thought anyone was looking, she was all charm and smiles. Even at an early age, Raewyn had learned how to get what she wanted.

As she finished her breakfast and her cup of tea, Raewyn begged her Mother to tell her what presents she’d bought. But her only answer was an indulgent smile and the dreaded ‘Wait and see, little Bird.” She hated waiting. She wanted her presents now and she wanted more at her party in the afternoon when her brothers would come with their wives and children. She really didn’t like her niece and two nephews, they were babies still and people always wanted to hold them and make foolish faces at them. A frown passed over her face, They better not ignore me today!

Even after using her best unhappy face on her Mother and failing to get more information out of her, Raewyn sighed heavily then demanded and got what money her Mother had in her purse so she could go to the shops to look for something nice to buy for herself. She spent the remainder of the morning buying a few trinkets for herself, but it wasn’t as much fun shopping alone, she’d decided.

The party had been a desultory affair with her family and a few of her friends. The gifts were all baby things, at least in her mind. She wanted nice clothes and jewelry like the older girls in school had. Not dolls and music boxes and a very cheap perfume.

The oddest thing was that most of those attending seemed to feel disappointed or that they’d failed her somehow. She’d begun to think about it now that the house was quiet and her parents visited with her oldest brother in the other room. Over the years, her family had grown immune to her tantrums and pouting lip. But today had been different; today her Father had looked ashamed of the carved wooden hair comb he’d bought for her hair. Her brother James’ wife had actually gotten tears in her eyes when Raewyn had set the little black-haired doll aside the minute she’d opened the package. Something had definitely been odd today…and wrack her brain as hard as she might, she couldn’t figure out why that was.

She thought and thought, well into the darkness of the night. Long after her thinking had given her a headache and her sour stomach had begun to feel better. Long after the Night Watch in the small village outside the city of Fuuren had called out the 10 o-clock hour. She felt tingly and awake and on edge, but why?

[Loki]

Marinik had spent the entire day blending into the population and observing Raewyn, studying her personality, behaviors, and her new ability. With experience and training, even Saturates have the potential to sense the abilities of other Saturates. It took him a good deal of time to pinpoint her ability since it was so subtle, but it became quite obvious once he realized that she had the power of mind manipulation. Marinik cursed himself for not realizing it sooner; he was so focused on the young girl that he had nearly overlooked the unusually empathetic reactions of those around her. With the knowledge of her ability and his years of training, he knew that he would easily be able to resist her ability since it was still in its infancy; that is to say if she was even aware of it herself.

Now that night had finally set and everybody had returned to their homes, he could make his move. Marinik stood below Raewyn’s window, once again wearing his government uniform rather than the civilian attire he wore during the day. With a short hop, a concentrated gust of wind lifted himself upwards through her open window on the second story. The surprise and alarm on Raewyn’s face was clear once Marinik’s feet planted themselves onto the windowsill and he ducked under the window and into the room. No sooner had he landed that he utilized his abilities to create a thin vacuum around the perimeter of the room, the most effective way to ensure that sound could not travel through this temporary acoustical bubble. This was more of an insurance policy in case she screamed out of reaction of the new intruder, but he felt that she would be able to clearly sense his ability and feel comforted by this link between them; even if she wasn’t sure exactly what it was yet.

“Don’t be alarmed, Raewyn, I’m here to explain why today seemed a little unusual. My name is Marinik and I am a Seeker Agent of the Rothmorian Government.” He spoke calmly and clearly in order to reduce any panic or alarm from the situation. After pausing for a moment to allow Raewyn to comprehend what that mean, he walked over to a chair leaning against the wall nearby and sat down. “The reason I am here is because your name is on a list of people who have the potential to become a Saturate…” Marinik intentionally avoided mentioning Goddess, informing her now has the potential of making their plan more difficult to carry out. “I must apologize, for I have spent the entire day monitoring you to determine whether or not these powers have emerged. As I’m sure you have gathered by my presence here, you do indeed possess an ability, one that is quite unique as we had suspected. You fall under the category of Manipulator; which has manifested itself in the form of controlling minds.”

Marinik paused once more to allow Raewyn to process this life-changing bit of information before continuing. “Needless to say, such powers could be of great service to the nation… or it could lead it towards devastation. Due to this possibility, I have orders to escort you to Fuuren for Saturate Registration, which all Saturates are required to do shortly after coming of age. Unfortunately, the nature of your abilities causes some anxiety among the higher ups; as such, we cannot allow you to develop your abilities without guidance like most other saturates. Instead, we are offering you quite a handsome proposition. Once in Fuuren, you will be enrolled with top instructors to hone your powers to levels otherwise unattainable by normal Saturates. The government will provide you with food, clothing, and a comfortable suite to yourself. Once you graduate, you will be given the prestigious opportunity to work as a Seeker for the government. Many Saturates that train long and hard still have a 95% fail ratio for meeting the requirements for this position; you on the other hand will be given it on a silver platter. The pay is excellent, benefits are unparalleled and best of all, you get to travel all over the world looking for fellow Saturates who come of age. There is only one catch however; you must leave with me tonight to leave for Fuuren. Due to the difficulty of parting on such short notice, I cannot permit you to see your family before leaving, but you will be able to return once you become enrolled in the academy and are briefed; which will take approximately two weeks. We will provide your family with an explanation to your disappearance, as well as compensate them for their sacrifice. So please decide now if you want to take this opportunity which will open more doors and provide you with more opportunities than you could have ever imagined.”

All of that information Marinik shared was true, with the exception that it wasn’t his intension to take her to Fuuren. In addition, she didn’t have a choice in the matter as to whether or not she would be going. Accepting his offer would make traveling much more pleasant for the both of them and make his mission slightly easier; refusing his offer meant that he would have to use his tranquilizer gun and sneak her through the countryside, but that would still be easy since they will be traveling by car. Either way, Marinik wouldn’t be leaving the house without the young Goddess.

[Loki]

Loki had spent the next several minutes wondering where he was going to go since he knew he had no home anymore. With no possessions aside from the shredded cloths that hung from his back, he had no idea how he would make it through the week. It wasn’t until he was nearly plowed over by a muscular stranger that he was snapped out of his mind. Loki’s gaze shifted from the stranger to his surroundings as Jake spoke; the friendly voice eased his tension slightly; that was until he noticed the worn axe at the man’s side.

The anxiety was clear in his voice as he spoke with eyes locked on the axe. “I… I’m not lost. I just… uh…” Loki’s mind finally processed the meaning behind ”beaten up Therians.”

Oh God… Was he there? Did he attack the villagers? What’s he going to do with me?!

Loki took a slow step back with his eyes locked on the muscular man who could surely kill him without a witness in sight. In one quick motion, he turned and sprinted as fast as he could through the woods not daring to look back at what he had pictured as an axe-wielding berserker. After several hundred feet, Loki emerged through the underbrush and stumbled onto a dirt road, nearly avoided being hit by a large truck that swerved to a stop, kicking up large amounts of dirt in the process. The driver door of the vehicle opened and the merchant by the name of Mark stepped out of the cab.

“Holy shit! Are you okay kid? Wait a minute… you’re that one kid from the village, aren't you? What’s your name?”

Why does everybody insist on calling me kid?

“My name is Loki.” He replied in hopes that he could put an end to that trend, but knew the likelihood was not good.

“I was hoping I could get to meet you, my name is Mark Whyte. It’s good to finally put a name to the person who saved my ass back there. If it hadn’t been for you and him, there’s no telling how things would have turned out for me.“ Mark nodded in Loki’s direction, causing him to look back and see the large man casually emerge from the forest. His non-threatening demeanor suggested to Loki that he had just made a fool of himself. “Listen,” the merchant’s voice regained Loki’s attention, “I think it is pretty obvious by your presence in the middle of nowhere with nothing but those tattered clothes that you are now without a home. I can’t help but feel responsible for your situation, so please accept my offer to take you to Fuuren and look after you until you get back on your feet. In fact, hold on just one moment…”

Mark rummaged through the wares in the back of his truck, grabbed a folded garment, and offered them to Loki. “Here, as a token of my gratitude.” It was a long white cloak made of a thick material with a crimson sash and bracers. As Loki unfolded the cloak, he noticed two crimson leather sheathes with an unusual silver grip protruding from them. Loki glanced up at the merchant expressing confusion and uncertainty. Mark answered the question that was never asked, “They are katars, it is always best to be prepared for the worst in this world, even they are just for show. Not exactly a popular weapon, but it is perfect for somebody who favors agility over power.” Loki thanked the merchant and quickly changed into his new wardrobe.

“I’m headed to Fuuren, at the very least I could give the two of you a ride there. It is a day and a half drive from here, much much longer if you were to travel by foot.” Mark asked politely. After thinking of what few options he actually had, Loki nodded his head and accepted the offer.

Together the three of them traveled through the night in the surprisingly spacious cab of the truck. The ride itself was quite uneventful; Loki slept through most of the night, exhausted from day’s events and thoughts of his new situation. Around noon, Mark pulled over for a quick catnap and suggested that his two passengers step out and stretch their legs for an hour or so.

As the two stood outside of the vehicle pondering what to do from there, Loki couldn’t help that he had gotten things off to a bad start with this well meaning stranger who had introduced himself earlier in the vehicle as Jake Tyier. “Mr. Tyier… I just wanted to apologize for the way I behaved in the woods yesterday. I know now that you were not intending to harm me, I just panicked when I noticed your axe and you mentioned that you fought several of the people from my home town… Or what was my home town anyways…”

Several minutes had passed where Loki and Jake just chatted and wandered idly around the field where the truck was parked. The serene setting was broken by a loud metallic crunch and the sound of tires locking up on packed dirt. When Jake and Loki turned towards the source of the sound, they saw an elegantly dressed man standing on the hood of a vehicle with an unusual spear embedded deep into the now crippled engine. With the car now at rest, the attacker gracefully leapt from the hood to the ground in front of it with his spear held behind his back, but still ready to strike. A forceful, but still very composed voice could be heard clearly from Loki’s and Jake’s location even though they were a good fifty yards away.

“Get out of the car Marinik! I will not let you take that girl. By the will of the late Goddess, I will not hesitate to kill you if I must!”

[Digital Muse]

Raewyn sat upright, shocked by the appearance of Marinik in her room. She knew it was too high to climb to her room, she’d tried a couple of times during several attempts to run away from home. She took in the handsome uniform, his confidence and the word ‘Saturate’ before any fear could set in. She fixated on it, grasping at it as if it were a life line. She knew it! She’d known all along that she was something special. No one else had seen it. But she knew. She’d always known. Now, this man was here as proof.

She barely took in the greater portion of what he was saying. Her dazzled mind took in what she wanted to hear most. Unique, Manipulator, special training, silver platter, private apartment, excellent pay. She’d be important, shape the destiny of the nation itself. It made her positively giddy to think of it. The only qualm that intruded on her bliss was the necessity of leaving without telling her parents. Even that was brief and her naturally selfish mindset made that only a momentary blip. Two weeks was not so much really, she reasoned. The government would notify her parents where she was and they would understand. She was a Saturate and a rare Saturate! Lizzy McFadden would simply die of jealousy when she found out.

A soft smile bloomed on her face at the very thought. Then and there, she’d made up her mind. She’d have to go. Her birthday had become as wonderful as it had supposed to be after all. Raewyn slipped from her bed on little cat feet and twirled in place in her delight. “Of course! Of course I’ll come. Oh my goodness, what should I bring? A warm coat, my best boots and several fine dresses. I shall have to shop when we reach Fuuren, of course. I simply have nothing suitable to wear.” She was all a-twitter and danced back and forth between her bureau and closet and small bag as she packed for her momentous journey. Destiny had finally knocked upon her door and she had no intention of missing such an opportunity.

**edit**

Raewyn spent little time packing her best clothes and a warm coat. She’d never been on an adventure before and this one was the best ever. Marinik merely watched the small girl flit about packing a small bag, pleased he wouldn’t have to force his hand so soon. When she announced she was ready, he nodded and offered his hand gallantly to help her up to the window sill. A soft breath brought up a rush of wind nearly a solid as any floor and with only a little coaxing, they stepped off into seemingly thin air. The heavier air lowered them safely to the ground before being dispersed again by the man in uniform.

Raewyn was delighted. She brushed her tousled brown hair from her face and let Marinik lead her away from her home without a thought to her parents. After leading the girl to his waiting car, Marinik ushered Raewyn into the back and she settled right in. She kept up a barrage of questions about life in Fuuren, how special she was. What sort of clothes women in Fuuren wore and on and on. It was going along as smoothly as he ever could have wished for, until the car came to a sudden crashing halt caused by the spear thrust through the engine block.

Raewyn screamed in terror, sending waves of fear out in all directions around her.

“Get out of the car Marinik! I will not let you take that girl. By the will of the late Goddess, I will not hesitate to kill you if I must!”

[quakernuts]

Jake watched with mild curiosity as the kid stuttered then bolted from his sight. Normally, Jake wouldn’t give a second thought about this, but his good side was coming out today, and he decided to go after him. The kid was lost, as he said, and he was obviously not prepared for what was out there. Yeah, it wasn’t like everything was trying to kill you, but there were bandits around, plus a lot of native life that would love to have him for supper. Jake walked casually through the forest, looking every little bit like someone who didn’t have a care in the world. Whistling to himself as he continued to walk, he wasn’t worried about the kid getting away; he knew his way around here better then him. Ok, maybe not but he would still be able to find him if he wanted. He left a pretty obvious trail with broken branches, footprints and such. Jake was no hunter, but he would have to be an idiot to not be able to follow these clues. It wasn’t until he heard a car slam on its brakes that he picked up slightly to a fast walk. He didn’t even know the kids name, but it would be inhuman to say that he didn’t care if the kid got hit or not.

Casually emerging from the forest, he was surprised to see the merchant again. Not that he really wanted to see him again, he was just surprised. He watched as the merchant offered thanks to Loki, as he overheard the kid say, and offer him a cloak with weapons. Well, at least he wasn’t defenseless now; he should be able to defend himself accordingly now. Jake was about to turn and walk away when the offer for a ride appeared. Jake shrugged, and accepted. He was tired of walking everywhere anyways, and this way he would be able to tell the merchant what an idiot he was. As Jake got into the car, he looked right at the merchant, who was now Mark Whyte. “You’re an idiot by the way. Selling essence powered items in a Therian town is a sign that you want to get your ass kicked. Just so you know.” Jake shrugged his shoulders as he said the last line, and stepped into the truck. Jake then proceeded to lift his legs up on the passenger side seat and start having a nap. He honestly didn’t care what these people though of him, after this ride, he would probably never see them again, so what did it matter. However, when the merchant asked his name, he grunted partially before answering. “Jake Tyier, axe wielding badass extraordinaire.” Adjusting himself so he was comfortable, he fell asleep for a nap.

It was a little while later before Mark said something else. Jake stirred from his sleep, and yawned loudly. A nap? Could the merchant even keep his eyes open for more than two hours? Oh well, they weren’t going anywhere without a driver, so Jake stepped out of the vehicle, and stretched his legs. Jake started wandering around the field, and that’s when Loki started following him. The kid apologized for pretty much making a fool of himself. Jake took out his axe, and was swinging it around in graceful arcs absent minded. “Don’t worry yourself over the little things kid. It’s over and done with, the past is the past. In my mind, there is only the moment, and anything that happened before now doesn’t matter. That’s my way of life, and since you're now homeless too, I suggest you take it up as well. When you’re out here, among everything that the world has to throw at you, you need to look out for yourself and not worry about right or wrong. Also, don’t apologize, it shows you that you are succumbing to someone else; like a slave.” Jake listened to the kid talk, adding only small bits an pieces to the conversation so it didn’t seem like he was ignoring him, then the exciting part happened.

A giant crash; and Jake looked over in excitement. There, a good fifty yards away, was like a monk guy with a spear through a car. The monk guy then flipped off the car, and demanded the man hand over some girl. Jake was bouncing with excitement by now, and he pointed to the monk while looking at Loki. “That was totally badass! I was hoping for a fight!” Suddenly another emotion passed over Jake, it felt almost like fear. Jake hesitated to start running at the man, This was not him. Whatever was causing this fake emotion to pass over him, it was not coming from him. He looked at the car for a split second before shrugging his shoulders. No matter, he simply bounced in spot like a boxer for a couple of seconds, and started off. Jake swung his axe up in the air in front of him, and took off running. He didn’t know the sides of the conflict, but he would know soon enough. Catching his axe one handed and flipping it between his fingers, he quickly got to the car. Not caring just who or what was inside, he quickly inspected the damage. He gave a low whistle, and looked over at the monk. “You are such a badass!” Jake was almost like a child right now, a very dangerous and potential psychotic child, but a child none the less. Jake’s axe was tight in his grip, and anyone could tell he was itching for a fight, but against whom, that was the real question on everyone’s mind.

*edit*

[Silvan Arrow]

The flight to Fuuren was much shorter than Eri had judged, thanks to a strong tailwind and Arashi’s natural speed. By nightfall, they were flying over the city, with only the stars and pinpoints of the streetlights below for company. Even with her eyesight enhanced through her link with Arashi, Eri could barely make out the tiny shadowy blurs of people as they either hurried to their homes or went out to enjoy the nightlife.

By wordless consent, Arashi wheeled to the left and flew away from the city towards the lush hardwood forests nearby. Eri never slept in a town hotel when she could help it. No, she much preferred to sleep outside and in solitude, where noisy people could not bother her and the beauty of nature surrounded her. Arashi tucked his wings and dived through a gap in the leafy canopy, alighting gently in a clearing on the forest floor with barely a rustle of feathers. Eri slid off his back and stretched her legs, which had become cramped from kneeling for so long. She sniffed the pleasant evening air and sighed contentedly. ‘Yep, this looks like a good spot to camp for the night.’

‘In that case, I must insist you dismiss me for the night, Mistress. We have traveled long and hard these past few days, and your Essence levels are too low for my comfort,’ Arashi advised.

Eri turned around to give him a fake exasperated look. ‘Well, aren’t you the perpetual mother hen?’ she teased good-naturedly. But deep down, she knew he had a point. She had made a lot of progress in controlling and managing her Essence over the past few years so she could Summon more often, but she and Arashi had been pushing hard for the past few days to get to the nearest town when her supplies had started to dwindle. A good night’s sleep would help her recharge her Essence levels before they set off for the next continent.

Eri cupped Arashi’s beak tenderly in one hand and stroked the feathers on his face with her other. Arashi closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. ‘Good night, my friend.’ Despite her coldness towards her fellow humans, she positively treasured her moments with Arashi. Therefore, it was with great reluctance that she stepped back and drew her sword. She concentrated her Essence, imagining it unraveling and dispersing back to the elements, and made a downward diagonal slash through the air with her sword. Arashi’s physical form dissolved and vanished in a cloud of white feathers that faded into the shadows cast by the trees. Once she was alone, she fixed a small, cold dinner from her dwindling food stores, crawled into her sleeping bag, and resigned herself to her dreams, trusting that Arashi would keep watch for danger.

The next morning found Eri lying on her back on a tree branch above her campsite. The back of her head was pillowed on her hands, and one foot dangled lazily off the edge of the branch as she stared mindlessly at the blue sky through the gaps in the leaves. She had woken up a couple of hours earlier and sent Arashi out to scout Fuuren from the air, a precaution the two always took before entering a new town. Normally she would go with him, but today Arashi insisted on her staying behind and resting a little more. However, their mental link allowed her to catch glimpses of what he saw.

Before she could even think to be bored, Arashi returned and perched on a thick branch above her. ‘So what did you find?’

Confusion rolled off Arashi’s mind in waves. ‘I did not detect any immediate danger, but I could sense an unnamed restlessness among the people with no source. We will need to be careful.’

‘Isn’t that basically the story of our lives?’ Eri mused, though Arashi’s observations puzzled her as well. ‘We don’t have much of a choice. If we don’t buy supplies in Fuuren, we’ll be in trouble when we try to reach the next continent.’ She swung down to the ground, dismissed Arashi, and headed towards Fuuren on foot.

Fuuren didn’t hold the same open hostility towards Seedists as the last one, but that didn’t mean Eri wanted to stay any longer than necessary. She moved briskly through the crowds and made a beeline for the market. She already had a mental list of what she needed, so it didn’t take long to buy supplies. After that, she took a break on an empty bench in the town square to organize everything in her backpack and check her map again. ‘Well, that was quick. Time to get moving.’ She stood up, shouldered her backpack, and shoved her way back into the throng. She exited Fuuren through the east exit and waited until she was far enough away to safely summon Arashi without being seen. ‘So the plan was to head north along the river until we reach Desh, right?’ she asked as she clambered onto his back.

‘Indeed it was, Mistress,’ Arashi replied as he went airborne.

Eri rolled her eyes, both mentally and physically. ‘Arashi, how many times do I have to ask you not to call me that?’

‘I apologize…Eri, but old habits are hard to break,’ Arashi replied good-naturedly. A comfortable silence fell over the two for about half an hour, when Arashi suddenly faltered in his flight, as if startled, and let out an involuntary screech.

Eri yelped and scrambled frantically to keep from falling. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?!’

‘Did you not sense that fear?’ Arashi asked in alarm, his calm demeanor now one of frantic worry. He changed directions abruptly and began a rapid descent.

‘Wait, where are you going? Stop!’ Eri shouted, but her mental commands fell on deaf ears, as Arashi threw up a mental wall to block her. As the ground rose up to meet them, Eri got a better look at what had caused her partner’s distress. In a clearing were two vehicles, one a pickup truck and the other unrecognizable because of a spear skewering the engine. A monk-like figure stood on top of the totaled car, pulled his spear out of the engine, and flipped elegantly to the ground.

“Get out of the car Marinik! I will not let you take that girl. By the will of the late Goddess, I will not hesitate to kill you if I must!” the monk shouted.

Standing near the pickup truck were two young men, the younger clearly terrified by the situation and the older appearing to relish to chance to fight. Three unique patterns of Essence blasted her senses, each one belonging to a different Saturate. Two of the presences were familiar, and Eri recognized them as the two Saturates from yesterday at the market. The third one, however, came from the destroyed car and was new. Focusing her senses, Eri could now pinpoint this third presence as the source of the fear.

‘We must help her,’ Arashi stated as he flew over the clearing, spiraling down for a landing.

Eri backpedaled mentally. ‘W-what? No! We don’t have to help anyone. And what are you thinking, flying in the open like this! They can see you! Go back!’ However, the mental wall was back, and Eri knew she had no hope of changing Arashi’s mind. Time suddenly seemed to slow down, as if it were a bad dream. The burlier of the two Saturates ran over to the demolished car, inspected the damage with the excitement of a kid in a candy store, and bounced in place, fingering his axe and itching for a fight. Arashi landed several yards away from the pickup truck, near the other Saturate, and let out an ear-piercing screech. Whether Eri liked it or not, Arashi had just revealed them both to a group of complete and potentially deadly strangers, and they had no hope of hiding now. “Crap, this day just gets better and better…”

[Loki]

Years of planning had overlooked this possibility; Marinik had not planned that The Temple would have already caught wind of the new Goddess. Things were going to get messy if he let anybody walk away from here, there was too much at stake to leave the outcome to fate. Although he never fully developed seeker abilities, it was clear that all of the people now looking at the lifeless car had Saturate abilities of some sort. Things would already be rough enough if it was just the monk, but if these others choose to get involved, I might find myself over my head. Then again, the others seem to be here by chance; it would be doubtful that they had any professional training with their abilities… Perhaps I haven’t lost the upper hand just yet.

Marinik looked over at Raewyn with a feigned look of concern. “Raewyn, this is why I was ordered to escort you. These people have set up an ambush; they wish to take you for their own devices. I will do my best to protect you. For now, you must wait for an opening, run into the forest at the edge of these plains, and hide as best you can, I will do my best to keep them from following you. Should anything happen to me and I don’t arrive in the city within the next hour, backup will come looking for you. Only answer to Agent Brycen Whyte, he will be leading the team and will not rest until you are safe.”

Now that he bought a little insurance with those instructions, Marinik stepped out of the car and analyzed the situation. The monk is the direct threat at hand, but this brawny man next to the car is just itching for a fight. Moreover, there is no way to tell for sure if he is actually working with the monk as well. Marinik glanced past the monk and noticed two other saturates and an obviously summoned creature. Both of them look like they don’t want to be here, perhaps they won’t get involved. Either way, it seems only one of them has any significant combat experience. I can do this!

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Tsume knew a good amount about this government imposter, The Temple of the Goddess had been tracking their plot for some time now. Normally Temple officials would bring this to the government’s attention, but at this point there was not telling who was on the level; as such the Temple inserted moles of their own. Tsume wished these other Saturates had not been present, but there was no choice but to act at that moment before there was the chance of disappearing into the city. This was the only portion of their plan that the Temple had uncovered, there was no telling if he would have gotten another opportunity. The monk knew that the one named Marinik was an expert at deception, there was no doubt that he had been feeding the young Goddess lies to further his agenda. He had no other choice but try to get these people to help. The fight against Marinik was not his concern, it was losing track of the Goddess in the ordeal that was his main concern; letting her run off to be picked up again would be worse than letting them into the city.

“You, with the brown hair, I need you to keep an eye on that little girl and make sure no harm comes to her! My name is Tsume Unade and I request this from you as a Monk of the Temple of the Goddess.” Tsume shouted to Jake, unsure if he would even listen.

“Back away from the girl!” Marinik shouted, not daring to give the large man a chance to act. With a wave of his hand, a heavy burst of wind struck Jake in the chest and threw him a good fifty yards away from where he stood. “I will not let you imposters harm her!” Marinik shouted out again to bring doubt to the monk’s words. He reached deep into his jacket to draw the pistol that was holstered against his side, but before he could get a grip on it, Marinik had to dive to avoid the sharp end of the spear. Tsume’s lunge was so quick that his feet seemed to hover over the ground kicking up dust as he dashed and attacked. With his free hand, Marinik forced another burst of wind at the monk who managed to thrust his spear into the roof of the car and into the backseat to keep him from being tossed away.

Instantly the air around Tsume rushed away from his body, forcing the breath from his body. The monk remained composed as he retrieved the spear from the car and swung it forcefully, though striking nothing. The disturbance in the air around the vacuum made it too difficult for Marinik to control it and the void was once again filled. “Your tricks won’t work so easily on me.” A smirk spread across Marinik’s face as both hands fell to his side.

“Is that so?”

With a roaring grunt, Marinik cocked back both arms and thrust them forward. The movement of air was so great that it created a sonic boom; such force was unlike anything that Tsume expected capable of his opponent and didn’t have the opportunity to anchor himself. His elevated position from atop the vehicle worked against him as the angle caused him to soar far from the field and a couple hundred feet in the air.

“Now to dispose of the others…”

[Digital Muse]

Raewyn gasped and panted in her fear. Marinik leaned close to her and hurriedly instructed her to get away from the potential assassin that had stopped his car. He was determined to save her. She was terrified for him and for herself. Nodding sharply to indicate that she understood his directions and repeating the name of Brycen that he’d told her, Raewyn forced the slightly twisted door open. When Marinik opened the door on the side of the clearing, she slipped out of the car on the opposite side.

Raewyn looked up at the sound of a huge bird approaching and her eyes grew gigantic with awe when she saw the Summoned Eagle and rider. A Saturate! She glanced back through the windows of the disabled car and blinked again, they were all Saturates! All different. What in the world was happening? The man that had killed Marinik’s car had accused Marinik of taking her. But that was just what Marinik had warned her would happen. They were in danger. She wished she could help Marinik, but she had not training! She had to get away, to find his counterpart Agent Brycen as soon as possible before Marinik was killed.

Turning from the car, Raewyn slipped into the trees to hide until such time as she could run away without being noticed.

[quakernuts]

Jake was watching the two men with all the excitement of a little kid. He loved fights, excitement, pretty much anything that got his adrenaline pumping through his body. The monk was badass, but the guy from the car looked like he could handle himself as well. He was still looking over the car when the monk decided to address him and his brown hair. Jake looked over at him with a curious look. Jake did not care to know too much things about society, but the Temple of the Goddess was something that no matter who you were, you knew something about it. Jake started to think of everything he had learned about them, and was about to ask a question. “You’re really from…” It was about this time Jake was tossed a good fifty yards away from the fight scene. Flailing through the air, he landed hard on his back, and rolled another good ten yards before finally coming to a stop. Jake lay there for a second before getting up quickly and bouncing on his feet. “Ok, now I get to kick your ass Mr. Windbag!” Jake demeanor switched from that of an excited kid to a man who knew how to kill. He still had a smile on his face, but it was anything but playful. In fact, it looked downright scary.

Darting back as fast as his feet would allow him to go, he saw the monk take a hit, and go flying farther than he did. Doubt started to cloud his mind as he saw this, the monk was trained to fight, and he had just lost. Jake shook his head, and continued forwards. He was a great fighter; he would not fall because this man could push air around. Even if he did fall, he was making sure he took that bastard with him. However, something that had appeared awhile ago caught his attention finally. It was a saturate on a giant summoned bird, how he had not noticed it before was a mystery to even him, but it didn’t matter. Jake gave an evil laugh. Just another person that, should she get in his way, to be beaten to a bloody pulp. Finally he was within charging range, and the man, Marinik was his name, turned towards him. By that point Jake’s axe was already in the air ready to chop him into little bits. Marinik quickly brought his hands up, and a push of air threatened to knock Jake off his feet. However, this is where his strength came into play. Jake dug his feet into the ground, and forced the axe downwards. Marinik was no longer there, rolling to the side to avoid being gutted. Jake looked over at the man, dirt covering his face from the force of the wind, and saw the pistol now staring right at him. Time seemed to slow as Jake brought up his axe just in time to catch the bullet and deflect it away from himself. The look of shock on Marinik’s face was priceless. Diving to the right, Jake managed to get to the car as several more shots rang out against it.

As Marinik started to edge closer, the car flipped on its side, and was violently lurched towards him. Just managing to get a weak wind push on the car, it hit him like a hammer, and tossed him to the ground several yards away. Jake stood there, happy with his maneuver when something hit him. Didn’t the monk say something about a girl? Jake looked around but saw no little girl. The only possible, decent hiding place would have to be the woods. Looking back at the prone form of Marinik, he was confident he wouldn’t get up. Jake started towards the woods, when all of the sudden, he could no longer breathe. Looking backwards, he saw that the man was up again. He had been playing possum. This angered Jake further, and he rushed Marinik with what little air he had left in his lungs. He was still a few yards away still when the edges of Jake’s vision started to blacken. He would not pass out, not before he got to this man. Just before he could pass out, Jake faked with his axe hand, and lashed out with his left, catching Marinik square in the face. Precious air filled his lungs as he took a knee, breathing hard. That was something he didn’t ever want to go through again.

Both of them started to rise at the same time, and Jake readied another blow, but the pistol came into play again. However, due to the nature of pulling it so fast from his waist, it was aimed upwards towards his shoulder, which Jake managed to barely dodge with a roll to his right. Then another push of air sent him airborne, flying towards the wreckage of the car. Jake landed and managed to get a glimpse of Marinik pulling his arms back. If he remembered correctly, this is what sent the monk flying as well. Even with his essence-powered reflexes and strength, he only managed to flip the car on its side in front of him before it hit him. It had enough strength to push the car and him into the air. The car went flying, but Jake only got about half of the burst, sending him on a collision course for the summoner and her eagle planted on the ground a few yards away.

[Silvan Arrow]

The bad dream only kept getting worse with time. At first Eri sat numbly on Arashi’s back, unable to move even if she wanted. She could only watch as one of the Saturates engaged the stranger – Marinik, if she had heard correctly – in battle. The fighting lasted for several tense minutes, and eventually it looked as if the Saturate had the upper hand as he punched Marinik in the face.

‘Marinik is a Saturate as well, a User who wields air,’ Arashi warned, confirming what Eri had sensed watching the fight. Before Eri could reply, Marinik flung his arms back and unleashed a powerful push of air that sent the wrecked car and the other Saturate flying into the air. Eri realized with horror that the Saturate was heading straight for her and Arashi. Trying to avoid the collision, Arashi lifted into the air, but he reacted just a half second too late. The Saturate struck Arashi’s legs, and the force of the impact combined with the remnants of the air push sent him flipping over backwards mid-air. He screeched in surprise as Eri yelped and clung to his back for dear life.

Arashi managed to right himself and dug his talons into the dirt to come to a stop as Eri jumped off his back, landing in a crouch. The other Saturate had landed several yards away, looking rather beat up and bruised. “You idiot! Are you trying to get us all killed?” Eri shouted at the stranger. “Tch…careless…” she muttered under her breath. This was exactly why she hated being around people. She turned her attention to Marinik, who was sauntering across the field toward her with a cocky smirk. That expression irritated her even more. Thanks to that careless blockhead, Marinik now saw her as a weak target as well.

“I suggest you leave now while you can, young lady,” Marinik taunted. “This is not your fight.”

Eri returned his expression evenly. “I just made it my fight.” She held out her left hand as if gripping a sword hilt and concentrated her Essence. “Gale Cleaver!” Black and purple Essence swirled seemingly from thin air and concentrated in her hand into the shape of a sword. The geometric angles and purple color immediately identified it as a summoned object. ‘Let’s go, Arashi!’

At the mental command, Arashi shrieked a battle cry and launched into the air with a powerful thrust of his wings. At the same time, Eri charged Marinik head-on with Gale Cleaver. He dodged her initial downward slash by stepping nimbly to the side. A one-handed air push sent Eri flying backwards, but years spent traversing the skies with Arashi had taught her how to anticipate and move with the wind rather than fight it. She landed on her feet and skidded backwards a couple of yards, but not before she saw Marinik whip out that obnoxious pistol. ‘Heh…perfect.’ Before he could fire the weapon, Arashi dive-bombed him from behind, talons outspread and beak open in a war cry. Marinik leaped to the side and rolled along the ground just before Arashi’s deadly talons connected with dirt. However, Eri wasn’t done yet. She took advantage of Marinik’s distraction to charge him again. If she could just lure him into close-range combat, he wouldn’t be able to use his pistol as easily.

Marinik got to his feet just as Eri swung for his head. Once again, he managed to dodge a fatal blow with lightning fast reflexes. Clearly he was much more experienced than Eri had anticipated. Then, without warning, all the air in her lungs left in a whoosh, as if someone had punched her in the gut, and she realized with horror that she couldn’t breathe. Somehow Marinik was directing the air in such a manner that she was literally drowning. Spots danced in front of her eyes as Eri’s attack turned into a desperate attempt just to stay on her feet. However, Arashi came to her rescue by dive-bombing Marinik again. His talons managed to lightly score Marinik’s back before he got out of the way. At once the air rushed back into Eri’s lungs, and she doubled over coughing as she struggled to regain her lost wind. However, Marinik managed to fire off a shot from his pistol in the process, which connected with Arashi’s right wing. Arashi screeched in pain and instinctively climbed to gain altitude, though his pain was masked by his fury at Marinik for what he had done to his mistress. ‘Are you all right, mistress?’

‘Yeah, but this guy is tougher than I thought. We’re going to have to use that move.’

Wariness echoed across their mental link. ‘Are you sure? If we try that now and it fails, you may pass out and we’ll be finished.’

‘It’s the only chance we’ve got,’ Eri stated grimly. Without waiting for Arashi’s consent, she drew on her last reserves of Essence and concentrated them into Gale Cleaver’s blade. At the same time, air swirled around Arashi and coalesced into blade-like shapes that surrounded his wings and body in a dizzying, constantly shifting array.

Marinik sneered, his interest piqued. “Interesting…” He flung both arms back and prepared to unleash another powerful burst of air. Arashi shrieked in defiance and flew low to the ground in front of Eri, meeting the burst head-on. Air met air in a fierce tempest that created a mini-tornado in the middle of the field. For several moments, Arashi hung in the air motionless, unable to move forward, while Eri stayed behind him and concentrated her Essence to sustain his attack. Then the tornado abruptly collapsed, creating haphazard waves of air that sent Marinik, Arashi, and Eri flying backward to land in crumpled heaps on opposite sides of the field. Marinik staggered to his feet, breathing heavily and bleeding from the wounds on his back. However, the look in his eyes indicated that he was still more than willing to keep fighting. Arashi and Eri, however, were spent. After that last burst of energy, Arashi’s body finally caught up with the fact that it was wounded, and he trembled violently from the pain in his wounded wing as he struggled to remain upright. Eri forced herself to one knee and drove the tip of her sword into the ground, holding desperately onto the hilt with clenched hands as she fought a losing battle to hold onto consciousness…

[Loki]

Marinik pulled himself from the ground, kneeling and working hard to catch his breath; he winced from the deep gash in his back and could feel a portion of his face begin to swell from where he was punched. He had underestimated the other Saturates in the area, a mistake that left him injured, exhausted, and nearly depleted of Essence. Damn them… he thought as he realized just how close he was to Fuuren. Pulling himself back onto his feet, he felt confident that he was going to be the victor of this fight. They have reached their limit, granted I am nearly there myself, but I have one clear advantage; I can finish them from a distance without using what little Essence I have left. Marinik walked a few paces until he stood next to his pistol, which had been knocked away from him in battle and retrieved it with the smug smile returning to his face. Jake was the first one in his sights since he was the one who had a little more time to recover. Before he could pull the trigger, however, movement in the distance caught his attention.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Wind roared past Tsume’s ears as he struggled to catch his breath from that attack that had removed him from the fight and most likely broken a few ribs. He could tell that he had reached the apex of his journey as he felt himself descend to the earth. Trees sped below him at blurring speed, indicating their potential lethality should he descend the remaining hundred feet to their canopy. By this time the monk had regained his bearings and returned to a calm state of mind as he focused his Essence. “Alce! Come to me!” In an explosion of violet smoke, a gryphon the size of a horse came into existence. Without a moment to waste, Alce dove into an intercept course for his partner and skillfully placed himself between the monk and the tree line seconds before impact. Tsume landed gracefully on his creature’s back with both feet planted on its shoulders and one hand with a tight grip on its mane.

Back to the clearing my friend, and hurry!

Powerful wings carried the two back to the battlefield minutes after the monk had been forcefully cast from it. Tsume had been worried for the others knowing that Marinik would not allow any witnesses to live. He was glad to see that the fight had continued without him, meaning that he had not gotten away with the Goddess, but became concerned again once he realized that the young girl was nowhere to be seen and that Marinik was the only one moving. Shit! Alco, evade! The gryphon didn’t need his master to point out the brilliant green streaks of light that were fired at them. Erratic flight paths were effective at preventing the exhausted Marinik from landing a hit on either of them as the distance closed rapidly.

Tsume had summoned his spear once again and held it firmly in his hand with the intent of skewering his target from upon his steed. Realizing their intent, Marinik dove away from them, but not quick enough as he felt the spearhead lodge itself into and through his left bicep. The pain caused him to pull the trigger to his pistol which nearly hit the monk in the head. The near miss startled the rider who released his grip on the spear as his mount carried him away. Tsume leapt from Alco’s back and landed only a few yards away from the other Saturates while Alco made a wide arc and redirected his course back towards Marinik.

While that maneuver was being performed, Marinik howled in pain as he pulled spear out of his arm. The rage and frustration was clear in his eyes as he watched the gryphon make another approach with its claws outstretched. As the predator swooped in, the agent reached into a utility pocket along his hip and withdrew a long and wide black belt with several large rectangular bulges along its length. Diving backwards as the remaining distance was closed; Marinik swung the belt against Alco’s neck which automatically fastened itself around the creature. This move prevented him from getting low enough to the ground to avoid the attack, allowing the gryphon’s claws to inflict a vicious wound along his torso causing him to yell in agony yet again. As Alco began veering for another strike, Marinik lifted his battle worn body to his feet one again.

A majority of his body was covered in his own blood from the various wounds, but the victorious look never left his eyes. Reaching into his pocket yet again, he retrieved a black cylinder that fit comfortably in his palm; with a flick of his thumb, the top popped off revealing a red button which he immediately pressed. It was the master detonator switch to the explosive charges that were fit in the demolitions belt, the very same one that was fastened to Alco’s neck. With a thunderous boom, the upper portion of the gryphon was obliterated while the lower half fell to the ground, gradually decaying into white mist. At that same instant Tsume folded his arms around his chest as he crumpled to the ground, barely able to maintain consciousness.

With his confidence restored, Marinik approached the collapsed monk with his pistol drawn and ready to tie up the remaining loose ends.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Throughout the entire ordeal, Loki remained paralyzed with fear. All of the other Saturates were far more experienced in battle than himself, in fact, he couldn’t ever remember actually getting involved in a fight of any magnitude. To see all of the others fight so valiantly, yet still fall to this threat gave him little hope for success even though he appeared to be near his physical limit. The only good Loki had been up to this point was keeping an eye on the little girl until she disappeared into the woods. He had run up to the monk as he collapsed, unsure of what happened to him, but stopped a couple feet away once he noticed the agent approaching. Loki hoped that one of the others would be able to get up and fight again, but with Marinik’s pistol at the ready, he knew their battered bodies would find it difficult to avoid the shots.

Marinik noticed the boy who had obviously been too terrified to fight, but still knew better than to allow for another surprise. He pointed the gun at Loki and fired a shot which hit him in the center of his chest, the sensation of which caused him to fall on all fours. It was not the feeling that he had expected; instead of pain, it was more similar to the clouded mind sensation he had back at the market when he touched that cube. Looking at his chest, the small hole in his clothing that was caused from the laser burn was now emanating a white glow; his wings had protected his body and absorbed the energy. This time he had managed to keep his wings under control at the expense of his hands releasing some of the unrefined energy by burning the ground on which they were planted. That was not removing the energy fast enough to keep up with the rate his body metabolized the raw energy, Loki could feel the haze in his mind grow further; he knew he had to get rid of it some other way and soon.

Cocking his head to the side slightly, Loki was able to see Marinik smiling haughtily at Tsume with the gun hovering only inches from his head; it was clear he didn’t give the boy a second thought, expecting him to have perished with that first shot. Before the agent could react, one of the tendrils of light pierced through the back of his robe and wrapped itself around the pistol. Loki could feel the pistol’s energy source once contact was made; he used that to dump the unrefined energy along with a small portion of his own. The result of which caused the gun to become overcharged and the battery pack located on the back of the gun burst, sending several crystal fragments flying back at Marinik, a few of which managed to leave cuts along his face.

This was the last straw; Marinik had become frustrated with these surprises and was determined to end it without hesitating any longer. Loki felt himself lift upward as a short gust of wind shoved him a few feet from the ground. Marinik once again had his arms cocked back and ready to send Loki flying into the next territory. I can’t fly! If that hits me, there is no way I can survive the landing. Acting impulsively, the remaining tendrils sprung out from the back of his robes and wrapped themselves around Marinik’s wrists just as he brought his arms forward. Loki felt the full force of the burst hit him in center mass, it felt as though he was hit by a car. This time around, Loki fell back to where the agent stood rather hard as he used all of the strength and control he had in his wings to throw Marinik. All of that momentum that was intended for the boy was instead diverted back to the source, plus a little extra, as the agent became the one who went soaring far away from the battle and completely unsure of what had just happened.

It had only taken a few moments for Loki to catch his breath and look to make sure the others were alright. Although they were all clearly exhausted, it was clear that they would be alright. Not knowing what else to do, Loki approached the monk who looked as though he had run a triathlon in under a minute. “Uh… Mr. Unade… I saw the girl head into the woods over there.” Loki said as he pointed towards the woods to the east.

Tsume replied in labored words, “We must… find her… before… the others… arrive.”

[Digital Muse]

Raewyn couldn’t see the majority of the battle as it was being waged in the small clearing from her hiding place in the forest underbrush. When Marinik sent the car flying several times against the gathered attackers, Raewyn’s eyes widened in shock. Someday she’d be that powerful too. First the girl with the Eagle and the brown-haired man with the ax took serious beatings at the hands of her would be mentor. Everyone here was a Saturate! She couldn’t believe it. Why were they all fighting? As Saturates, shouldn’t they all be allies? Great gusts of wind sent the car flying again to slam into the brown-haired man once more.

Raewyn saw the monk fly back into the battle on the back of a magnificent griffon, but before she could shout a warning to Marinik, it’s talons raked his back gouging deep wounds. He was in danger! With everyone so focused on Marinik, Raewyn knew it was time to run as she’d been instructed. She hated doing it, but she had no choice. She turned from the battle and ran, crashing through the underbrush in her rush to get away. The sound of an explosion made her look back startled and she fell to her hands and knees heavily with a cry. Her lovely dress! It was ruined!

Raewyn kept running, the branches and underbrush tearing at her clothes and hair, and scratching her mercilessly. She had to get away, Marinik said those people would hurt her, tears stung her eyes when another heavy branch snagged her coat and whipped her around and off her feet. She had to find Agent Brycelyn. She repeated it over and over in her head like a mantra, Find Agent Brycelyn. Find Agent Brycelyn. Her fear and frustration and anger roiled inside her head and unbeknownst to her, waves of the harsh emotions radiated from her in all directions.

[Silvan Arrow]

Eri clung to her sword hilt with trembling fists as she willed herself to stay conscious, despite the blurriness of her vision. ‘Stay awake, Kiryakov. You will NOT fall asleep, you hear me?’ If she passed out now, Arashi wouldn’t be in any shape to protect her from these other Saturates. Sure, they had all fought against Marinik, but that that he was out of the picture, she still had no way of knowing whether the others were friend or foe. Now that she had seen them all fight, she could tell that they were dealing with a Manipulator, a User, and a fellow Summoner. The burly, brawl-loving Manipulator was on the other side of the clearing and slowly regaining his strength, while the User had gone to the other Summoner’s side after the battle ended. However, right now her sole concern was for her beloved partner.

‘Arashi, you need to rest. Let me dismiss you.’

Before she could even try to gather enough Essence, Arashi interrupted her. ‘Please wait, mistress,’ he said, defaulting to his usual polite manner of speaking. ‘First we need to find the girl.’

‘Again with the girl?’ Eri snapped mentally with more frustration than she had intended. However, her anger was not unjustified. She was beyond exhausted and on the verge of collapse, Arashi could barely move, and they were both incapacitated in the middle of a battlefield filled with potentially deadly strangers. ‘Why are you so adamant about finding her?’

At the same time, Eri heard the Summoner, who had collapsed after the fight, say to the User, “We must…find her…before…the others…arrive.” The User had surprised Eri. He was definitely the least experienced fighter, judging from his body language during the battle, and yet he was able to dispatch Marinik using those odd-shaped wings hidden under his cloak. And the Summoner had definitely intrigued her when she saw his griffin. Clearly the two had been fighting together for a long time. However, she couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the Summoner after his creature was defeated. She could only imagine the pain she would feel if Arashi were killed, even though it would only be temporary.

‘I can’t explain it. All I know is that she must be protected,’ Arashi replied, confusion radiating across their mental link. With a pained screech, he forced his injured wing to move and expanded his wings to their full span. ‘Please allow me to search from the air.’

Eri gritted her teeth, biting back a string of curses. ‘Fine, but make it quick. I don’t trust these people at all.’ Without another word, Arashi lifted into the air, albeit clumsily because of his injured wing. Through their mental link, Eri could sense an echo of his pain and let go of her sword hilt to grip her right arm in the same place as Arashi’s injury. She watched, still on her knees, as Arashi flew low over the forest in the direction the girl had gone. Then she felt it. Waves of tumultuous emotions – fear, frustration, and anger – blasted her senses through her link to Arashi until her spine went rigid. In her mind’s eye and her real ones, she could see Arashi’s flight falter as he felt it too. Normally Eri could block the emotions that so easily reached him, but these came from someone with a great deal of raw, uncontrolled power. ‘Oh great, another Saturate?’ she grumbled. She was in no mood to deal with yet another one and another possible fight.

‘No, it’s coming from the girl. She’s the Saturate,’ Arashi replied.

‘WHAT? Are you kidding me? How many of them are there in this one little area?’ Eri asked in exasperation. By now, her fatigue was slowly melting away as her frustration – due in part to the emotions she was getting from this little mystery girl – fed her enough strength to stagger to her feet. ‘Do you have a fix on her location?’

‘I have a general idea of where the emotions are strongest, but the forest canopy is too dense for me to see the ground. Someone will have to enter on foot. I’ll track her as long as I have the strength.’

‘Okay.’ Now came the hard part, Eri realized with reluctance. Now she actually had to talk to these people and hope they didn’t turn on her. So she turned to the other Summoner, who seemed to be the safest option at the moment. “Hey, you said we needed the find the girl? My partner knows roughly where she is if you want to search.” She yanked her sword out of the ground and held it loosely in front of her, subtly warning the others that she was still willing to fight if they gave her any trouble.

[quakernuts]

After being thrown through the air, hit by a flying car, nearly colliding with another saturate, and then slamming hard into the ground several yards away, there was only one thing going through Jake's mind. Well that didn’t go as planned. Even with his enhanced strength, the difficulty in picking himself up was enormous. He had taken a hard hit, and he was just naturally resistant to injuries, but he doubted he got off easy with that one at all. Dirt, soil, and strangely blood, covered him from head to toe, to the point where it looked like he was just another homeless man who had been in an alley shoot out. Jake managed to get to one knee before he was forced to stay there for a moment. He might have broken bones or a collapsed lung or anything. He didn’t really know, all he knew was that he had to force himself to his feet. Suddenly, he remembered he had been thrown towards the other saturate, and managed a weak glance back towards her. She seemed to be yelling something, but he couldn’t hear her. He had gone deaf? It had to do with the wind powers or something, hopefully it wasn’t permanent. Jake managed to watch as the other saturate started her fight with Marinik.

It was like a beautiful ballet of death really. She had some pretty neat stuff up her sleeve; things that made Jake feel slightly inadequate in comparison. He simply had super strength and reflexes; she could summon a blade and bird to help her fight. Bah, I do not need someone else to help me fight, Jake thought to himself as he breathed heavily in order to right himself. Suddenly the bird had knives or something, and she was charging towards Marinik. It looked like she could possibly have him, take him out due to Jake leaving him weakened. Then there was a tornado from nowhere, and then they were all flying. Everyone wants to be a pilot now-a-days! Jake was still on his knees when Marinik started his confident walk across the field to finish the job. Jake was powerless to do anything, and he hated himself for it. He should not be in this position of vulnerability. He would have punched the ground if he felt he had the strength left to do so.

Then, like an angel from the sky, the monk came flying in, avoiding the gunfire from Marinik’s pistol like a plane avoiding AA fire. It was simply awesome to watch, and only solidified Jake’s thoughts about the monk being a total badass. Watching slightly from a safe distance away, Jake felt a slight sense of disappointment. He should be there fighting that guy as well, not lying here. For some odd reason, fighting to get to his feet was as exhausting as actually fighting someone else. His body barely moved with every inch of strength he had, and he was not used to this weird sensation. It pissed him off to be frank about it, and that gave him slightly more strength to try and get to his feet. Then, it seemed like no one could take this man down as Marinik again, defeated the monk. He could tell that everyone was down for the count, and he knew that he would finish the job. Then, Loki seemed to appear from nowhere, and was swiftly shot by Marinik. Anger rose even more from Jake, causing him to climb to his feet, take a couple steps, and fall to his knees again.

Jake looked up, fully expecting Loki to be lying on the ground with a burning hole in his chest. Shock filled Jake as he saw that not only was he standing, but he was diverting the energy back somehow into the gun. The look on Marinik’s face when the gun exploded was hilarious, and Jake would have laughed hard had he had the breath to do so. Then, Marinik tried to do the same thing to Loki as he did to everyone else, and wound up his arms, only to be backfired by Loki’s…cords? Whatever they were, they worked, and sent Marinik flying farther than the eye could see. A sly smile painted itself on his face as he saw that Marinik was not going to be able to come back from that one. Loki, however, was a mystery. He knew he was a saturate, but his powers were definitely different from the normal user. He had never seen anything like that on any other saturate. It seemed like the worst was over, or in Jake’s mind, the best. If only he hadn’t been injured like this, he could have enjoyed the rest of the fight. Oh well, there would be lots more where this came from.

Struggling to his feet, he saw the girl’s summoned bird take off, and she wandered over to the monk. Jake did his best to wander over there, stumbling around slightly, and holding his chest. He didn’t know exactly what was injured, but it hurt to breathe. Finally, after a long ordeal of stumbling, limping, and stopping so he wouldn’t fall over, he managed to reach the others. Dropping to one knee so he could save his energy, he looked around at the others. He felt somewhat out of place. All these people had badass essence powers, and he was just a manipulator. The feeling of inadequacy showed up again, but Jake quickly shunted it out of his mind. Soon, he was normal self again.

“I would like…to start off with saying…you are a badass my friend.” Speaking to the monk, Jake’s breaths were ragged, and he desperately tried to get rid of them. Also, he seemed to be talking louder than normal, his hearing had yet to come back to him fully, and he felt like his head was underwater. He looked around at everyone, and gave the girl a once over. She seemed a little too harsh for even him; everything about her just gave the impression of a cold hearted bitch. The way she held herself, the way she decided to show others she would still fight if provoked considering they had all fought the same person, and the fact that she looked completely awkward even talking to them. Jake gave a smirk, and then turned his attention to Loki.

“I’m going…to take a blind…guess and say…that’s why I…found you out in the…forest. It was still…pretty cool anyways.” Jake gave a big smile, in spite of the obvious pain, and then looked at the monk again. Normally, he didn’t take orders from anyone. However, in this case, and if he was right, then this was an exception. He had only one question.

“Ok, before I do…anything that you…ask, I have…one question…Is she the…new goddess?” Jake knew it was quite a blunt question, but he was not as stupid as everyone often labeled him as because he loved to fight. He could easily put two and two together just like everyone else. This monk was from the Temple of the Goddess, which meant he was always doing things for the Goddess present or future. “If she is…Yeah, I’ll find…her, but if not…then you’re on your…own man.”

[Loki]

Tsume felt his entire body burn from the lactic acid that invaded nearly every muscle in his body. He felt pity for Alce, but knew it was pointless to mourn since his creature would be able to return to this realm after he had a chance to rest and meditate. Unfortunately that would have to wait, the window of opportunity to find the Goddess and keep her protected was rapidly closing.

Marinik had already lured her away from the righteous path, I’m the only one here who can guide her back. Tsume hesitated only for a moment with a grimace, but ultimately knew what he had to do. Reaching into a pocket in his sash, he withdrew a tear shaped glass vile that held a brilliant silver liquid. The container was completely enclosed with the only flaw in the glass being an etched ring around the tip. The monk firmly placed his thumb and index finger on the tip and snapped it off. As though he was taking a shot of liquor, he quickly brought the vile to his lips, tilted the odorless contents into his mouth, and felt the metallic tasting liquid burn his throat on the way down. Almost instantly, his body was revitalized, though the bruises from combat remained.

The vile contained a very precious substance that only an experienced Goddess can make, refined Seed. The obvious benefit from consuming the liquid is that it instantly replenishes a Saturate’s essence supply, as well as hastens the body’s recovery time. There is a price that comes with those effects, which is how the substance works in the first place. Refined Seed doesn’t actually supply the body with essence; instead, it allows the body to produce it more rapidly through a process that is the very nature of Seed. The essence is created by using the user’s life force as a catalyst. To put it simply; the more essence that is created by using refined Seed, the more your body ages. Typically, the effects of this substance lasts for only an hour, but the youth is never returned to the body. As such, one must be very cautious when using refined Seed, especially User class Saturates; it is not uncommon for such a person to age twenty years over the course of that hour simply by using the more basic techniques of their abilities.

Tsume effortlessly rose to his feet, knowing that he had already aged a year or two just by restoring his body. He had no intention of using his powers for the next hour and prayed that he would not find himself in another conflict between now and then. I have underestimated the power and skill of this organization… He thought for a moment before looking at the other Saturates around him, I will need their help getting back to the Temple.

Tsume looked at the large man that had asked him about the girl and addressed him loud enough so that the others could hear his predicament. “That little girl is the new Goddess, but she is in danger without even realizing it. A group of has formed under the governments’ noses to use the Goddess for their own devises. As for what that entails, I am not yet sure, but I know for certain that we cannot take a chance of allowing another Goddess to become corrupted. The Temple has been aware of this organization’s movements for some time now, but were unaware as to where the new Goddess would appear. Because of which, several monks, such as myself, had been dispatched across the land to locate her. It is fortunate that I found her when I did, but it will be several days before my brethren will be able to help me. I’m not sure I will be able to do this on my own. Please wait here for me to return, I will certainly need your help; but for now, I must go to her on my own to convince her of my origins and gain her trust. Chasing her in numbers will only make things more difficult for us.”

With a quick bow to the others, Tsume sprinted with exceptional speed into the direction that the Goddess was last seen heading. His renewed vitality allowed him to close the distance between him and the girl quickly. The monk figured that she was a mind manipulator the moment he skewered the car to stop Marinik, but he didn’t need the fear she was emitting to locate her. Once he knew he was close and could tell that they were alone, Tsume slowed to a walk to keep from alarming her. Slowly, he stepped around a large tree that was several feet away from her, allowing the girl to see him, but did not approach. Instead, he crouched with his hands raised to show that he meant her no harm and spoke in a calm voice. “Raewyn? My name is Tsume Unade, I’m a Monk from the Temple of the Goddess, and I’m here to help you. I didn’t mean to scare you earlier, but Marinik was not who he said he was; I had to act quickly before he could get away with you.” Tsume figured that his word alone would not be enough to convince her. “Here, let me show you how I was able to find you.”

The Monk held out his right arm with his wrist upturned and slowly walked closer to her until he was just out of arms reach. From that distance, Raewyn could see an odd tattoo on Tsume’s wrist. It was a series of three concentric circles with a line dividing the one at the very center. The thing that was most fascinating about it was that it seemed to move as his arm did; the entire time the straight line would point directly at Raewyn. “This is a marking that nobody other than a Goddess could make and is reserved for those that serve her. It is a gift that she bestows upon us to allow us to find her whenever we need to do so. You see, the color of this outer circle gives us an idea as to her mood incase if she is feeling threatened or in danger, which is why it is black now. This middle circle tells us whether she above, level, or below us; it’s green because she is on the same ground level as me. And this one…“ Tsume emphasized by pausing shortly to meet Raewyn’s gaze. “This one always points to her so that we can find her whenever we need to do so. As you can see, no matter where I move my arm, the line always faces you. Raewyn, you are our new Goddess and it is my sworn duty to protect you at all costs.”

Tsume took one more step towards the girl and held out his hand to help her to her feet. “Now please young Goddess, come with me. There are those out there that wish to take advantage of your gift, I must take you to the Temple where you will be safe.”

[Digital Muse]

Her face was smudged with dirt, her skin scratched by the branches as she’d crashed through the trees. Raewyn’s pretty dress was torn and sullied. Ruined. She was angry and frightened and so very tired since she’d yet to sleep at all that night. Rivulets coursed down her cheeks showing the path her tears had taken through the dirt on her face. She barely registered the sudden silence that had fallen over the forest in the wake of the fight. She was completely self-absorbed.

When Tsume emerged into the small clearing where Raewyn had fallen, her eyes widened with intense fear. She crabbed backwards hastily as he spoke to her gently and approached her. Her fear radiated out in all directions from her. “Get away from me! I won’t let you stop me….uh…” Her eyes flitted back in the direction she’d come from. “Where’s Agent Marinik? You’re going to go to jail!” She really had no idea what was or wasn’t possible. But, she had to try something.

Wisely, Tsume paused a few steps from Raewyn and explained who he was and his mission. Despite his gentle words and showing Raewyn the tattoo, she remained sullenly suspicious of the monk. Her eyes dropped to the tattoo as it changed and appeared to point at her. Her frown only grew as he continued to explain his purpose and her alarmingly dangerous true role.

Raewyn’s brain was buzzing, her head hurt. In fact, everything hurt. “No. No. You’re trying to trick me. I’m not the Goddess. I’m…I’m…” Her voice caught as the realization sank in, ”I’m nobody.” With that, she broke down into heart-breaking sobs, ignoring the monk’s offered hand. “I just want to go home.” She wailed and buried her face in her grubby hands.

Tsume could well understand the girl’s confusion and fear, but he had little time to spend coddling her. As gently as he could, he crouched in front of Raewyn and took her hands in his. “I promise you, Raewyn. You are definitely not nobody. You are the new Goddess and while I wish it weren’t true, many factions will try to influence everything you do. I’m here to make sure you get the help and protection you deserve and need.” He rose to his feet, urging the girl to rise with him. “Come on. You’ve had a lot to take in already today.”

Raewyn rose to her feet stiffly under the monk’s guidance. She just didn’t know who to believe, Marinik had told her she was special and offered the excitement of going to the city. But he hadn’t claimed she was the Goddess. Tsume promised nothing but protection. But, he said she was the Goddess and the center of her world’s life and showed her a amazing sign that he spoke the truth. But was that a trick too? How could she know? She let him lead her back through the trees to the scene of the battle where her eyes took in the other Saturates more fully. Her deep suspicion, fear and exhaustion leaked out from her.

[Silvan Arrow]

Eri watched numbly as the monk got to his feet and took off into the woods after the girl who had been the source of all the trouble this afternoon. Her mind was still reeling from the information she had just been given. ‘That little girl is the new Goddess? No way!’ Then a thought occurred to her, and she turned her attention to Arashi, who was still scanning the ground below. Did you know she was the Goddess? Is that why you were so insistent on helping her?

Arashi hesitated before answering. I had my suspicions, but I had no way of knowing for sure without closer investigation.

And that “closer investigation” nearly got us killed, not to mention I’m currently stuck here with a bunch of strangers, Eri replied grouchily. Anyway, you should come back so I can dismiss you. That monk can find her easily enough, and he did say that having a massive search party would scare her.

Understood, mistress. Arashi wheeled around and headed back toward the clearing. And by the way, you might want to sheath your sword. I believe you are unnerving your fellow Saturates.

Huh? Eri looked down at her hand and found that she was still holding her sword out without even realizing it. Blushing self-consciously, she glanced around at the two remaining Saturates. The younger one, the one with the wings, still seemed timid and unsure of himself. The more muscular one wasn’t bad looking, she had to admit, but something about his personality rubbed her the wrong way. He seemed cocky and overconfident, and she hadn’t missed that smirk he had given her earlier. Luckily, she was saved from further embarrassment by Arashi’s landing. Muttering a quick “Excuse me” under her breath, she turned her back on them and went to Arashi’s side to inspect his injured wing. As she got closer, the physical pain he had tried to block from her leaked across their mental bond, making her cringe. Laying a hand gently on his wing, she said, This is worse than I thought. I can’t believe you actually insisted on flying with an injury like this.

It is only a temporary thing, mistress, and you did not have enough Essence left to dismiss and re-summon me earlier. It will heal as soon as I have a chance to rest.

Eri started to unravel the Essence needed to dismiss Arashi but hesitated. Something troubles you, mistress?

What are we doing here, Arashi? I never intended to get wrapped up in something like this. Now all of a sudden we’re supposed to help protect the new Goddess? I thought the purpose of our journey was to fly freely and live independently.

Arashi turned his head so that one of his clear blue eyes met hers. Even the strongest bird of prey must come home to roost eventually. Perhaps ours is with these people. When Eri didn’t respond, he added, We don’t have much of a choice right now except to follow them. You’re still not recovered enough to fight a solo battle.

I know… Eri replied reluctantly. Sighing, she cupped Arashi’s beak in one hand and dismissed him, his majestic form disintegrating into a shower of white feathers. She also returned Gale Cleaver to the elements, letting its form fade away into Essence. Wordlessly, she walked back over to rejoin the other two Saturates, mulling over the bleakness of her situation. Her Essence was utterly spent, she was exhausted physically and emotionally, and Arashi wasn’t here physically to provide a basis of familiarity. Just then, the monk returned to the clearing leading the girl who was supposedly the new Goddess. In her weakened condition, the girl’s feelings of fear and suspicion battered Eri’s senses like a sledgehammer. ‘So…what now?’ Eri wondered.

[Loki]

Tsume knew that finding the Goddess and getting her to trust him was just the first in what was most likely a long line of obstacles. They were a long way from the Temple and it wouldn’t be long before Marinik’s collaborators became aware to the interruption to their plan and would begin searching. The monk looked upon each one of the Saturates that had helped him in his time of need; their exhaustion was clearly displayed in their postures and faces. We have to lay low for a while and rest, somewhere in the city to help blend into the crowd.

“Again, I want to thank each of you for your help with Marinik, I am eternally grateful for your efforts. Unfortunately, he was just one among dozens, if not hundreds, who will be looking for this young lady.” Tsume said frankly, as he gestured towards Raewyn. “The path ahead is littered with dangers in many varieties and to come along could very well mean that you will be putting your life at risk.” The monk paused once more and focused his gaze at Loki, “If you do not wish to join me then I will not force you, but you should understand the importance in getting Raewyn to the Temple and out of the clutches of this organization. If this is your decision then you may go, but I warn you not to speak of what happened today; to do so would surely attract their attention and hostility.” The monk waited several moments for the others to weigh their options and come to their decision.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Loki watched as the monk and the proclaimed Goddess returned from the woods and was surprised by how innocent and scared she looked. The years under his father’s teachings had led him to get the impression that the Goddess was some sort of monster or demon who craved power above all things, the very antithesis of God. Brick by brick, his father’s implanted perception of the outside world was falling around him, revealing a much more pleasant and yet terrifying reality. At this moment, he was surrounded by others that shared a gift who were far stronger and more confident than himself; yet they didn’t seem to look down at him as the scared and weak child that he felt he was.

As the Monk began to speak, Loki’s reflection was put on hold as he listened intently. The way Tsume looked at him as he offered a reprieve from this journey suggested whom the offer was really directed towards. Loki’s confidence wavered, as he felt belittled, even if it was on reasonable grounds due to his lack of experience with fighting and being in such situation. Looking around at the others, their expressions remained strong in their determination that was much unlike his own nervous mind; the contrast only made his confidence fall even further. Then his eyes met with the young girl who stood next to the Monk whose expression felt more comparable to his own. The realization of her predicament hit him like a wall; she had no real choice in this matter, even if it was for her own safety.

Both of us are away from the safety of home and friends, surrounded by people whose powers and experience far exceeded our own, and are now looking down a long road that hides many things along the way. The only real difference between our situations is that I have a way out, something that she isn’t so fortunate to have.

After a moment of thinking and putting himself into her shoes, his determination returned and Loki was able to return his gaze to Tsume free of doubt. All things considered, it seems I am the only one among the group that can come close to empathizing with her. Plus, it’s not like I have anywhere else to go…

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Tsume’s brow raised with surprised, he expected at least one of them to leave. “We should head to Fuuren and find an Inn to recover and come up with a plan to bring young Raewyn to the Temple safely. It’ll be about an hour’s walk from here since whoever was in the truck at the beginning of the fight decided to leave sometime over the course of the battle. That isn’t all bad news; it’ll give me a chance to help Raewyn gain some control of her powers which I am sure you all can feel quite clearly.”

Tsume reached into his pouch and retrieved several portions of cloth that turned out to be sleeves and a hood for his outfit. With them on, all of the tattoos that clearly display his affiliation with the Temple were covered. “Keep an eye out for suspicious people and avoid being pulled into conversations when we travel through the large crowds that will be full of peddlers. Our adversaries will have no idea what we look like and would find it difficult to identify Raewyn unless they have already seen her. We will be traveling to the heart of the city to The White Horse Inn; the owner is a good friend of mine and will offer us shelter for as long as we need it.”

As the group traveled, Tsume spoke kindly to Raewyn while teaching her meditation techniques to help her gain control of her mental abilities. The short trek came to an end without incident as they stood before an opening in the large stone walls that surrounded Fuuren; the skyline was filled with towering structures glistening of bronze and steel in the sunlight. Two guards stood at either end of the doorway observing the people, as they traveled in and out, never giving a second glance to Tsume and company. After navigating the pedestrian streets of the city, they stood at the edge of the city’s bazaar. The large open-air market, paved light grey in cobblestones was buzzing with the activity of peddlers, entertainers, shoppers, and citizens going about their day. “The Inn is just at the other side of the market place.” Tsume said as he addressed the group, “ Try not to get lost in the crowd or pulled in by the merchants.”

[quakernuts]

Jake watched as the monk took out some sort of liquid, and downed it. Instantly he got to his feet, and was walking around as if nothing had happened. “You wouldn’t happen…to have anymore of…that stuff?” Hoping for a reply that he didn’t get, Jake simply sighed, and fell to his back. Instantly he regretted it as the force from even such a light fall to his back caused him to lose his breath for a few seconds, and he fought to get it back. Soon however, he was as comfortable as he was going to get. Listening to the monk, his suspicions were proven, but Jake still didn’t stir. He was tired, injured, and hungry. Luckily, he wasn’t forced to move as Tsume said he would go after her alone. Jake held thumbs up, and then let his arms drop to the ground. He really didn’t want to move, but he knew he would have to get up sooner or later.

Watching the monk suddenly burst into the forest, Jake stared for only a moment before looking to the others. “I taught him that.” Jake gave a chuckle as he laughed at his own joke, and then went back to resting. He found he could talk normally as long as he was on the ground, but he would require healing or medical attention before he got back to his awesome ass-kicking status. Jake looked up at the woman once again just in time to see her sheath the sword. Jake looked like a child looking up at her from the ground, and he just gave a smile. “About time, I thought you were going to skewer me or something and feed me to your bird.” Jake’s voice was sarcastic and light at the same time; the one he always used when really didn’t give a damn about anything, which was almost all of the time. “Name’s Jake by the way,” Jake motioned towards Loki, “and that kid over there is Loki. I’d offer a handshake or something, but I really don’t feel like moving right now.” Jake simply went limp for a second, breathing hard still, and wished one of his powers had been healing or something. Saying nothing else, he folded his arms across his chest and forced himself to lie as still as he possibly could. Hopefully, he would get over the injury soon enough that it wouldn’t affect his ability to fight.

Jake’s hearing had finally come back fully by the time Tsume and the girl reappeared. Looking over, he really honestly couldn’t believe that someone that small was actually the most powerful person on the planet. He simply didn’t understand it, and for some reason, he was scared. Why was he scared? He had faced people twice her size and strength and only felt excitement. This feeling of fear, this scared person inside him, it was not him. These were not his own emotions, and he quickly glanced at the girl. He couldn’t quite place it, but he had a feeling that these weird sensations were coming from her. Today was a day of seeing new things, so he wouldn’t have been surprised if it was. By the time Tsume and the girl reached them from the forest, Jake climbed to his feet. The pain had dulled by now, but that wasn’t always a good thing. He could breathe normally, and could only relate to the fact that all essence users share some sort of minor accelerated healing. It had happened a few times before, but the time always differed depending on the injury. He doubted he would be full strength before seven days time.

Tsume started talking, and Jake was instantly drawn in. The moment he said that their lives would be at risk, Jake was with him. Nothing better than showing someone else you were better than them, and nothing worse than turning down such an opportunity. "You got me for this wild Ride T!” Jake was a master at turning even the most dismal of occasions into either a laughable one, or a worse one. Either way, he loved watching the reaction from the people around him. As he mentioned the girl’s name, he also mentioned a power they had already seen apparently. So he was right, it had to do with feelings and emotions. So she was a manipulator then, great, something that reminded him of a politician. He shook it out of his head; he would simply have to guard his mind more closely from now on.

As they walked, Jake didn’t talk much, which was very unlike him. He was simply tired, and his chest throbbed. He didn’t feel like talking, but he did manage to get one little bit out. “Nearly had that bastard back there myself, but it was still worth it to see Loki kick his ass. Nice job kid, remind me not to piss you off.” Cocky as he was, he always gave credit where credit was due. The rest of the way, Jake remained silent. He fell behind a couple of times, and summoned the strength to jog back and catch up. Reaching Fuuren, he remembered that he had been here before, but that was it. He never stayed long enough to get the layout of the city. Walking past the guards, Jake looked inside. Yeah, he had definitely been here before, and all he remembered was getting kicked out of a bar. A smile hit his face, and he nearly laughed but stopped himself just short.

Reaching the Bazaar, Jake was surprised at the amount of people. He started to feel slightly claustrophobic, but reminded himself of who he was and what he did for his life. It would be really easy to get lost here, which made his mind start to turn to mischief. He turned towards the harsh woman, and his mischievous side took over. “If you feel like you’re going to get lost, you can always take my hand.” Jake had that same non-caring smile on his face. He looked her in the eyes for a second, and then laughed. He didn’t expect her to take up on the offer, but to him, it was still funny.

Hearing Tsume, he gave a smartass salute. “Yes sir, it shall be done sir.” Jake wasn’t stupid enough to yell it, lest it draw attention to them, but he knew that sometimes his being a smartass rubbed people the wrong way. He didn’t care, as long as there was fighting to be done, and excitement to be had, he would always be there; always with the action, and never with the boredom. With that, he quickly went quiet and followed them without question. To him, this was a huge game, in which he was the biggest piece on the board.

[Digital Muse]

Raewyn kept up with the group as best as she could on the trek to Fuuren. She also tried her best to pay close attention to the lessons the monk, Tsume tried to impart to her in controlling her emotional ‘leak’. But she was dragging in exhaustion by the time they passed through the gates into the city proper. The crowds and the cacophony of sounds and smells did little to lift her from her haze of heavy-lidded sleep deprivation. She took Tsume’s advice to heart and even mustered a smile for the joking of Jake towards Eri. She wished her Papa were here to hold her hand. She felt completely at sea and even more miserable because she couldn’t enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the bazaar.

She often found herself looking toward the young man Loki along their way. He was so quiet, almost lost-seeming. She wondered what his story was, how he came to be with them. Was he with Jake? It was impossible to know and he hadn’t volunteered anything. Raewyn wondered if he’d been shell-shocked by the combat or if something horrible had happened to him or if Jake just did all the talking for the pair.

As Tsume began to lead the way through the crowded bazaar, Raewyn nervously reached out to grab hold of his tunic, for fear of getting separated from the group. In the thick crowd, she could barely see anything other than human torsos and all too brief glimpses of bright silks or shining gold jewelry or stacks of spices. It was all very dissatisfying. She would come back tomorrow, she vowed to herself and see it all and buy something for herself.

[Sunwolf007]

Owen began the day in a rather comfortable bed in Fuuren. The scar on his left arm didn’t hurt in the morning which to him meant a good day. It was the scar where his brother’s bullet had wounded him, while his shot had killed his brother. He had been left handed until that day. This day had started out somewhat normal for him. He cleaned himself up for the meeting he had with a weapon shop. His families company already had 2 weapon shops buying from them in this town but with the market size of the town Owen wanted three. That way it was good exposure for the product. Word of mouth was the best advertisement and Owen knew that with 3 shops they would have almost 20% of the market which would be the same share as the other 3 major weapon manufacturers.

The meeting had not gone as well as he had hoped. The weapon’s shop owner was clearly in the know about the market percentage. The owner was looking to make a deal that only favored him and not Colston Weapon’s manufacturing. They ‘negotiated’ on price for nearly an hour and after that was the amount of the first shipment of weapons and types of weapons. All in all the deal was made and it ended up being a slight win for Owen. He had finally gotten terms that only slightly favored the shop owner. In Owen’s book it was a win. With that deal he was half way to doubling his self imposed quota for the year.

Maybe it’s about time for a vacation. I have been at this for months straight without a break. After seriously thinking about it he made his way to the post office of the city. He sent a letter to his father detailing the deal with the weapon shop owner and at the end put in for a few weeks off. He knew that he would be granted the time off and was already planning on what he was going to do in his free time. As he exited the post office a small group of people looking rather beat up walked by. This normally would not have attracted his attention but he swore he saw a monk with a bandage around the area the tattoo identifying him as a monk would have been. Something is up. A monk would be welcomed in this town so why hide? Owen fell into step behind them as the group retraced his steps toward the market area of the city. He was careful to keep a decent distance between him and the group but he also was close enough to see what was going on.

No doubt about it. He is a monk but why hide? Is he on some sort of secret mission? The only reason for that would be something involving the location of a new Goddess. His eyes only slightly widened at that thought. If I could assist them in the location of a new Goddess and attach Colston Weapon’s name to that it would be of immense commercial value. It would far outweigh the value of any manufactured good given to them for free by me. Hell anything I buy for them would still outweigh that advertisement value. Now I just need an in.

It was at that moment that he felt a wave of confusion hit him. He knew it wasn’t his senses but something different. It was about then that he noticed the young girl almost clinging to the Monk. The might already have the Goddess. This is likely the last great opportunity of my life. He quickly fought his way through the crowd to a point ahead of the group. He didn’t want to appear like some crazed stalker. His only in was as a weapon’s salesman. He knew that if the monk knew him it might be all over but he had to try. The enormous potential gain far outweighed any potential risks.

“Excuse me Ladies and Gentlemen. I happened to notice that you lack proper weapons for this day and age. If you would like I could get some advanced weapons at a great price. I am James Colston of Colston Weapon’s manufacturing. We make superior weapons at today’s prices. Might any of you be interested in a new weapon?” Owen spoke with his regular salesman pitch hoping to be non-threatening. He also hoped that the monk didn’t recognize him. That would make this a lot harder. He knew that the order would uphold their end of the deal and not disclose any details dealing with the death of his brother but the monk himself might have a personal grudge. I hope I speculated right.

[Silvan Arrow]

Eri had met quite a few annoying people in her travels, but this one guy was already pretty high in the rankings for most annoying. She didn’t need Arashi’s emotional sensitivity to see that the taller Saturate was definitely too arrogant for his own good. “I taught him that,” he remarked from his spot on the ground, referring to the Summoner dashing into the woods. After dismissing Gale Cleaver, she looked down just in time to see him glancing up at her with an almost childlike gaze. “About time, I thought you were going to skewer me or something and feed me to your bird.” Eri bristled inwardly at the sarcastic tone of his voice but kept her expression neutral. The last thing she wanted was to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had gotten under her skin. “Name’s Jake by the way, and that kid over there is Loki. I’d offer a handshake or something, but I really don’t feel like moving right now.”

Now that she at least had names to pair with the faces, Eri figured she might as well give out her name as well. “My name’s Eri, and don’t worry. Arashi doesn’t eat people,” Eri replied simply. ‘Yet,’ she added mentally. She might convince him to make an exception for Jake if he kept up with this attitude…

After the monk, whom Arashi had learned was named Tsume, and the Goddess, apparently named Raewyn, returned, Eri listened as he explained the situation and the importance of getting her to the Temple. Her first instincts were to flee as quickly as possible and not give it a second thought. She had no ties or obligations to these people and simply wanted to get back to traveling on her own agendo. But what would she accomplish by doing that? She was in no condition to travel alone, and would need to rest for at least a day or two before she could summon again. Like it or not, she had to rely on these people for now. But what about afterward? Arashi’s words echoed through her mind: ‘Even the strongest bird of prey must come home to roost eventually.’ And more importantly, her pride was at stake here. An edge of fear bloomed in her heart, but she couldn’t tell if that was her own fear or Raewyn’s. What she did know was that if she left now, the others would surely see her as a coward. And the absolute last thing she wanted was to show weakness, especially to that over-confident Jake.

‘Well, I guess that settles it. I’m going with them,’ she resolved silently. She would not allow this fear, whether hers or someone else’s, to dictate her actions. And more importantly, this was her chance to get back at the Therians for all the crap they had put her through over the past few years. What better way to put them in their place than by helping ensure that the new Goddess came to power?

The walk to Fuuren was mostly uneventful. Tsume spoke mostly with Raewyn, gently instructing her in techniques to control her powers. Good, that would give Eri a chance to sort out her own emotions without having someone else’s confusing her. Loki mostly kept to himself, and Eri couldn’t help but wonder about his story. He seemed so lost and subdued, yet kind as well. Regardless, Eri figured she would get along with him better than most of the others. Jake was also surprisingly quiet, except for a brief compliment of Loki’s battle performance.

Eri cringed inwardly as they entered Fuuren. She had just been here, and she certainly wasn’t looking forward to dealing with the pressing throngs of people all over again. As they reached the Bazaar, Jake once again decided to get on her nerves. “If you feel like you’re going to get lost, you can always take my hand.” She shot him an icy glare as he burst out laughing. His previous comment about skewering him was looking more appealing by the second.

“As if any girl would actually fall for that cheesy line,” Eri retorted and shoved her hands in her jacket pockets for emphasis. She returned her attention to navigating the crowds and noticed how Raewyn clutched Tsume’s tunic, as if seeking security. Her expression softened momentarily as memories of her father flitted through her mind’s eye. How many times had she done the same thing as a child when he took her to the market? A brief pang of homesickness clenched her heart, but it ended abruptly at an alert from Arashi.

‘Mistress, we are being followed. I don’t sense any hostility, but be alert nonetheless.’

‘Got it.’ Eri let one hand drift down to rest on her sword hilt, but she decided to keep the information to herself for now. Better not to attract any more attention to their group than necessary. Plus, she hadn’t yet gotten a fix on who exactly was following them.

Her question was quickly answered as a young man – a merchant by the looks of it – stepped casually in front of them and launched into a sales pitch. “Excuse me Ladies and Gentlemen. I happened to notice that you lack proper weapons for this day and age. If you would like I could get some advanced weapons at a great price. I am James Colston of Colston Weapon’s manufacturing. We make superior weapons at today’s prices. Might any of you be interested in a new weapon?” Eri glanced over at Tsume and waited for his reaction.

[Loki]

Tsume and company had traveled halfway into the marketplace before they were inevitably accosted by a merchant, an arms dealer to be precise. Most of the sales pitch fell on deaf ears; only the name lingered for a moment. There was a slight familiarity to it, but he couldn’t recall from where or when and simply dismissed it due to the more pressing matters.

Tsume muttered in a cold voice, "We're not here to shop, simply to pass through. Now if you'll excuse us..." After which he motioned to step around James and proceed to their destination. Before they could make it past, however, the merchant spoke in a lower tone that was meant to address the group alone. "Listen Monk, I am offering my services in friendship. The way your group looks I would think you wouldn't want to turn away someone willing to help you out. I say we set aside our personal feelings and take a look at the bigger picture."

Those words were spoken in a tone that were more dire than in the earlier pitch, though still having the same air of business. The monk’s muscles tensed as his identity was called out, but was still uncertain what James meant by ‘personal feelings’. Clearly our paths had crossed before in one manner or another, but when and where? Tsume worked hard to figure out why the name was so familiar, but decided to keep up his bluff in hopes of discovering something more from this unknown man.

"...And what makes you think I am looking for help in the first place, friend?" The tone of his last word was said in a way that contradicted its meaning.

“A few things. You are hoping a simple sleeve will sufficiently hide your mark. This either tells me you are bad at your job, which is unlikely, or that you were caught unprepared and are now out in the open. Judging by the lack of hostile responses from the group you are the only monk here. If you needed assistance from the general public you must be bashed up pretty bad or going against a stronger enemy. In this case I think it is both which means that if you use temple money to pay for anything it will be a short stay, maybe shorter than you like. With me paying for everything you will remain hidden, at least for the time being.” Owen spoke softly and with the best neutral voice he had.

Tsume’s eyes narrowed as he finally recalled the story behind the name. An exile! Acting almost instinctually, the monk quickly pivoted his body so he stood between the man and the young Goddess. The sudden movement jerked his robe free from Raewyn’s grasp and suggested to the group that there might be a potential threat.

Loki noticed the expression on the young girl’s face as her security blanket was torn from her hand and caringly slipped his hand in her free one, giving her a reassuring smile when she looked to see who had done so. He wasn’t sure what to do should things get out of hand, but knew that he had to look after her. It was a mindset based on his moral beliefs and had nothing to do with the fact that she was the new Goddess. To him, she was just a nervous girl in need of comfort and friends; Loki decided to forgo the comparison between them this time, knowing full well that he was very much in the same situation.

Tensions between the monk and James were high for a brief moment, but Tsume felt that if this man was indeed a threat that he would have acted rather than introduced himself outright. He pondered the situation for a moment and concluded that it would be better to bring him along for the time being rather than let him walk away with the knowledge he had. “In that case, I think you had better come with us. This is not the place to discuss such matters. Stay by my side and make no drastic motions or address the others in this group until we get a chance to exchange words.” Tsume’s tone was stern, but not entirely threatening. If there was a chance for a peaceful resolution, it would be much more beneficial than having a conflict in public.

Once again, the group progressed through the market towards their destination. A migraine formed in Tsume’s head as he forced open a telepathic link to the other summoner in the group. Such a technique is best compared to rerouting a call using a summoned creature as the intermediary. It can only be accomplished between summoners since they all share the telepathic abilities, the ease of which is mostly determined by familiarity of the pair and the distance between them. Arashi, I need you to relay a message to Eri. Tell her to keep a close eye to the man at my side. If he makes a motion that can be regarded as a threat to any of us, she is to strike him down. With the message sent, Tsume broke the link and the pain in his head subsided.

It only took a few more minutes for them to worm their way to the other end of the plaza and back into the city streets. After a few more blocks, they found themselves standing under a wooden sign reading “The White Horse Inn” with old English lettering and a small bust of a steed. They walked through the heavy door and into a room with several tables and stools laid out around a long bar. The interior was quaint in a simple sort of way; the floors and furniture were all made from unfinished wood that was sanded from any rough edges. The walls were painted in textured beige with forest green trim along the edges with several small windows to bring in warm sunlight and a set of stairs that wrapped around the back corner of the room. Overall, it was nothing fancy, but had a very cozy feeling about it. Behind the bar was a tall lean man with dark grey hair and a five o’clock shadow on his face. Shallow lined edged his facial features suggested his age to be somewhere in his sixties, but his deep brown eyes still shimmered with a youthful passion for life.

“Tsume!” He welcomed in a very friendly tone once he was able to identify the hooded figure, “It’s been so long!”

“Indeed it has, Sam. We need one of the big rooms for tonight.”

Sam paused for a moment, knowing that whenever the young monk jumps straight to business that it isn’t a leisurely stay. “Understood,” He started in a more professional tone, but was still friendly in nature as he reached under the counter and tossed a metallic object to the monk, “room 412 is where you will be staying. Nobody else will be in the neighboring rooms, so you’ll have all the privacy you need. You know my standard fee.”

The monk smiled back and let out a chuckle, “Indeed I do. I’ll return down here before the night’s end and regale you in tales of my adventures and the like.”

“Excellent! I’ll be eagerly waiting to hear what you have in store for me.”

With that, Tsume turned to face the group and paused for a moment as his eyes went to Raewyn, then to the coupled hands, then rested upon Loki; his facial expression enquired of whether he had missed something. At first, the boy wasn’t sure of the reasoning for such a look. Once he realized it, Loki freed his hand from Raewyn’s and put it at his side with a sheepish smile and reddening face. Although his intensions for holding onto her had were entirely innocent, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed about Tsume’s assumptions.

The monk cleared his throat, allowing the awkward moment to pass and continued. “Anyway, you heard Sam; let’s head upstairs where we can sort this out. It is time we hear Mr. Colston’s story.”

[Digital Muse]

When the salesman accosted the group in the bazaar and Tsume’s reassuring presence was snatched from her hand, Raewyn’s irritation peaked and flowed through her thin control. During a brief exchange between the salesman and the monk, Loki had stepped forward to take her hand. The small, almost-unconscious act did more to derail her flash of temper than anything else could have. After a few moments of tense conversation, the group continued on and arrived at the inn the monk had designated as their temporary base.

Once in the hired room, Raewyn headed directly for the most comfortable-looking bed and flopped onto it with a boneless, exhausted sigh. She was dirty, itchy, and hungry. Her scrapes, bumps and bruises all hurt and she was tired. In other words she was grumpy. “I need a bath and some food….and I want to stop hurting.” She whined softly. “I want some new clothes too.” Indeed, her one outfit was torn and muddy from her flight through the forest during the battle. “Something pretty.” Even more softly, she added, “And I want my Poppa.”

Her displeasure voiced, Raewyn rolled to her side to examine the other girl in the group more fully for the first time. Eri was a bit of a mystery to Raewyn. Though in a different way from the others. She didn’t seem all that happy to be with them at all. Raewyn sensed an innate tension within the Summoner and a strong distrust of people in the city. Sitting up stiffly and with only a few winces, Raewyn asked Eri, “How come you’re out all by yourself? Where’s your Momma and Poppa?” After a moment’s thought she added, “Why are you here?”

[Silvan Arrow]

Eri watched guardedly as Tsume attempted to lead the group past this odd James character. At first he seemed simply persistent. However, the conversation quickly took a dangerous turn when he addressed Tsume as a Monk. His offer of financial support was tempting, but Eri had seen too many cases where people would come off as helpful only to disguise an ulterior motive. Was James a Therian? Did he have some personal vendetta against the Monks? Was he also looking for the new Goddess? Just then, Tsume pivoted to place himself protectively between Raewyn and James. From her position at the rear of the group, Eri instinctively went into a slight crouch and reached across to grip her sword hilt securely with her left hand, ready to draw it if necessary.

To Eri’s surprise, not to mention chagrin, Tsume instead decided to bring the merchant with them. ‘Greaaat…another freeloader…’ However, a slight aura of tension still hung over the group. Nobody in this group knew each other very well, and already they had picked up one more suspicious character.

As they continued through the market, Eri was surprised once again to see Loki walking hand-in-hand with Raewyn. Despite Tsume’s recent lessons, a few tendrils of Raewyn’s emotions leaked past the young girl’s barriers, and Eri could sense her relief and genuine gratitude. It made no sense. Loki barely even knew her, and yet he was trying to offer compassion and comfort. Once again, Eri’s memories flashed back to happier, more carefree days, when she was a child in her tiny village and the whole concept of Saturates and Essence was little more than a fantasy.

Eri was brought back to the present by a slight tingle in the back of her skull, followed by a pressure similar to a headache. She sensed an intrusion into her mind and instinctively started to throw up barriers, but Arashi intervened. ‘Calm down, mistress. It’s only Tsume. He asked me to relay a message to you. He wants you to keep a close watch on the merchant and to strike him down if he makes any motion that could be a threat to anyone in the group.’

Eri’s eyes narrowed as she fixed her attention on her target. ‘Understood. Tell Tsume we’ll both be watching James.’ The pressure in her head subsided moments later, indicating that Tsume had broken the connection. She filed away that information so she would know the next time he needed to communicate with her.

After arriving at the hotel and arranging for lodging, Eri followed as Tsume led the group upstairs to their room. She grimaced inwardly as she realized that they would all be sleeping in the same room. ‘I don’t suppose sleeping on the roof is an option,’ Eri muttered inwardly. She felt Arashi’s sympathy echo across their link. He knew all too well how much she disliked sleeping in hotels. Even so, her conscience wouldn’t let her leave Raewyn alone as the only female in a room with three grown men and a teenage boy. Eri made no move toward any of the empty beds but instead took up a position near the door that let her survey the entire room and keep watch on the others, James in particular.

As for Raewyn, she quickly staked a claim on one of the beds and flopped onto it, clearly exhausted. Her discomfort was understandable, but Eri’s annoyance at her complaining evaporated when she heard her whisper, “And I want my Poppa.” For a few moments, Eri’s emotional walls lowered as genuine compassion showed in her eyes. She had been a daddy’s girl growing up and frequently missed her father as well. Eri quickly regained her composure when Raewyn addressed her for the first time that day. “How come you’re out all by yourself? Where’s your Momma and Poppa?” And finally, “Why are you here?”

Eri wasn’t exactly looking to strike up a long conversation about her past with this girl but decided that it couldn’t hurt to at least answer her questions. She moved closer and leaned against the wall beside Raewyn’s bed so she could speak more softly and not attract too much attention from the others. Crossing her arms over her chest, she replied, “I became a Saturate when I was your age, and I started traveling two years later because I wanted to see more of the world.” She shrugged noncommittally. “I suppose I enjoy the freedom of traveling alone. My parents are back home in Renrir. As for why I’m here…” Eri gave a quiet, thoughtful sigh, letting her gaze drift downward momentarily. “I’m still trying to figure out that one.”

Eri didn’t really mean to be so talkative. Maybe Raewyn’s curiosity was affecting her more than she realized. And it was true: she still didn’t know why she was here. At the moment, she didn’t have a choice given her physical condition, but she still could not pinpoint what emotion or motive was compelling her to stay even after she was recovered. The emotional climate today had been so raw and tumultuous that she could no longer tell who was feeling what.

Pushing off from the wall, Eri looked down and met Raewyn’s gaze, letting her expression soften before adding in an undertone so only she could hear, “I know what it’s like to miss your father.” That said, she moved closer to the rest of the group, placing herself between Raewyn and James. She wanted to hear his story before determining whether or not he could be trusted on any level.

[quakernuts]

Finally, Jake had gotten underneath her skin as Eri shoved her hands deep in her pockets. He was going to enjoy driving her absolutely insane with all his smart-ass comments. However, his pleasure quickly drained as the crowd from the markets started to close in on them. Jake had to remain a low profile, so he couldn’t just push his way through all these people like he usually did, he had to simply slide by. He made a mental note that he really hated crowds, and found he had made similar mental notes in the past. Merchants tried coming up to him, mainly because he was the biggest person in the group, and tried selling him weapons, food, and clothing. Anything they could to grab his attention, they did. One man made the mistake of grabbing Jake’s overcoat, and was quickly dragged along the ground as Jake didn’t even break stride. The merchant finally let go, and the merchant barrage was over. At least, he had thought it was over.

Yet another merchant came, this time addressing the whole group. Jake’s hand casually drifted to his axe before he was conscious of what he was doing. He quickly let his hand drop to his side, but slowly made his way towards the merchant, there was no need to behead an over-eager merchant. At least, that’s what Jake thought until he heard the low tone that the merchant used to address the monk. Now his hand was on his axe, ready to be used within a second, and the merchant was well within arms reach. Jake listened and looked very much ready to strike. However, the excitement from the other battle was not there. There were innocent people around here that might get hurt or killed if they were to start fighting right out here in the open. Jake didn’t like this situation, and his hand slowly slid off his axe as the monk and the merchant made an agreement. He didn’t like bringing the guy along, but everyone probably thought the same about him. Jake shrugged his shoulders; he didn’t care what they thought. Looking down at the goddess, he noticed that someone had stepped in to comfort her while Tsume was talking with the merchant. Jake gave a smile, and shook his head. Had Jake been in Loki’s position as his younger self, he probably would have done the same. The group continued through the markets, this time Jake simply barreled through anyone that got in his way, until they reached a hotel.

It was cozy, that was about the only word Jake was willing to let describe the building. It wasn’t overly expensive, but it was still in good condition and probably used regularly. As they walked in, it was obvious the monk came here quite often. The keeper was all smiles as they walked in, and offered them a room. As Tsume got the key, he turned around and saw the kids holding hands. As the awkward moment came to a close, Jake gave a laugh. He knew Loki better than anyone here. Yeah, they had only talked to each other for two hours or something like that before the fight, but that was still more than anyone else here. Jake knew one thing, the kid was innocent in his intentions; something the monk didn’t see. Jake rubbed Loki’s head like a big brother, and smiled. “Don’t worry Loki, happens to the best of us.” As they passed the keeper, Jake gave a two-fingered salute to him, and continued up the stairs.

The room was large, eight beds and enough room for a table and chairs in the middle. This was probably the best room he had slept in, no wait; there were no lady friends in barely any clothes in this room. This room sucked! Jake watched as Raewyn went to one of the beds, and flopped down on it. Jake felt like doing that as well, but was more careful so as not to start up a flare of pain. As he sat down, he listened to Raewyn as she started to complain about everything. Jake was about to comment on something about her not having to fight Marinik, but stopped short as he heard her whisper she missed her dad. Just that little comment, whispered by a little girl missing her parents brought up images that Jake had thought he had shoved out of his mind. The picture of a burning village, the corpses piled up and set on fire; therians chopping men, women, and children alike into chunks. Jake sat there, one of the few times that his constant smirk of cockiness was gone. He quickly shook his head, and sneezed to make it look like he had just been preparing to sneeze. Looking over at Eri, he decided now was not the best time to insert smartass comment. He simply got up, and gave a smirk as he walked by. However, the smirk lacked anything but content as he walked by. The cockiness in his posture and face had left for the moment. Checking the door to make sure it was locked, he leaned against it. This way, if someone tried to get in, they would have to move him as well. “We’re good to go T.”

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