Futuristic [Archived] VOIB_ARC1_PART1

[Arkangel]

ValØrous Orde

r

ARC 1. THE PARADOX RAVE

N

The creation of the greatest empire, will harbor the greatest of threats.
The raven withers its feathers, to mock its predators. It drowns in its own confidence.

The peace that was enforced within the world of Empyria remained for approximately a decade, as the sound of industrial improvements echoed throughout the empire. But a story cannot begin without a villain that exercises the art of remaining sanguine. The world will soon echo its cautious behavior once more as the Arcalion Syndicate casts light on their own shadows, purposefully letting the world know that they are prepared to challenge the pillars of Empyria— the Collbrandes of Ophelia.

GM

PLAYER CHARACTERS

 

[Arkangel]

Cerberus

Kara Lazuli / Female / Unknown

Vigilante Data Collector

Chapter 0. Prologue | 131st Street, Seraphiel City, Aucteraden

Cerberus understood the dangers that came with the operation given to her by the directorate. The probability of death loomed over her shoulders like weights, knowing that a single mistake or unintentional sound could alert the hostiles, which would inevitably end with her capture and cause the entire operation to collapse. A single blunder could cost her life, and the thought of it had sent shivers down her spine.

Most would ask why a girl of her talents and age dives into trouble so willingly. It was an earnest question that many had asked her. From family to past associates that attempted to stop her addiction of searching for danger, all had tried to convince her that the life of an independent vigilante would end with shackles chained to her wrist, and have her freedom stripped away by the ruthless system that was the law. An obvious result, as it should have been.

But all it took was the realization of boredom and the eternal question that was the meaning of life. To be born into a higher working-class family, experiencing casual childhood that any other people would dream of having, and the nail in the coffin—the inevitable and mundane future of following the footsteps of her successful parents.

Cerberus shivered at the thought of the alternative future that was formerly offered to her. How anyone could find the casual lifestyle of the Empyrian dream enjoyable was beyond her understanding. As an Exhelian limited of her time on Agartha, was it so wrong to desire the bliss of an exciting adrenaline rush, by voluntarily being involved with the sweet drama of Empyrian law enforcement? Surely, there has to be someone that recognizes her decision to chase the adrenaline rather than to endlessly crawl the banality of the social ladder?

In the midst of the endless internal monologue, the data collector found herself staring blankly at the wall, despite the percentage bar on the device reaching the maximum width.

She had realized her lousy mistake too late, already behind schedule for the first time since her debut into the world of decryption. She blinked in rapid succession to wake herself up, embarrassed of her honest mistake. "Ah... Shit," she muttered silently in response to her stupidity and promptly shoved her work devices back into her bag, leaving only a single device to be held in her hand.

The data she had collected from the building console was now kept firmly inside her apparatus. Without delay, she sent the decrypted data to the leader of the team, Commander Remiel, and pocketed the equipment to now begin her escape from the hostile environment infested with agents of the syndicate.

She recalled the floor that she was currently residing on—105, as the proof was coincidentally painted on one of the walls. Then she routed her escape plan onto her other equipment and began her daring venture the outside, taking light steps as she avoided all possible red zones, stealthily leaving no traces of her intrusion. All she required was to reach the 60th floor without trouble. As the building was occupied by multiple corporations and entities, enemy presence was bound only to the floors belonging to the syndicate. Like she had done before, Cerberus continued forward to freedom, and allowed no additional mistakes to put a dent on her resume.

But even for the professional data thief, miscalculations were common in this field of career. Before being able to process the fatal mistake, the silver-haired girl bared witness to an explosive charge behind the exit she was attempting to reach, leaving nothing but burning debris and smoke to fill the room, as Cerberus herself was caught off guard.

Luckily, she was far enough from the exit to have experienced fatal injuries other than a faint scratch on her face. Her clothes were covered with dust and debris particles, but that was the last bit of her worries, as the masked agents from the other side of the door began to search the dust-filled room, their rifles aiming at the silhouette of the intruder behind the dust.

Cerberus wasted no time and recovered back on their feet, and activated her self-covering mask to shelter her identity from the syndicate forces. Whether or not it was too late to protect her face from being revealed, Cerberus equipped her pistol and aimed directly at the heart of the agents, and fired her shots without hesitation.

The gunfight lasted not a second, as the third shot was met with flames hurling towards her, severely injuring the girl, and launched her to the wall—critically damaging her internal organs on impact.

Blood leaked from her mouth, as a response to her body receiving damages requiring immediate medical attention. She groaned, clutching her wounds behind the burnt vest, that was made with materials that should have normally nullified all pyromantic abilities from being able to reach the wearer. How the firebolt was able to pierce through the enchanted vest was beyond her understanding, but from how strong the flames were, it was obvious to any that she was not dealing with the average pyromancer, but rather, someone who could use empyromancy.

Out of options and unable to operate, Cerberus prepared for the worst and gritted her teeth, wondering if her early daydreams were a sign of the incoming fate.

Lucael

Lucian Asher / Male / 31

Fifth of the Kaiser Knights.

131st Street, Seraphiel City, Aucteraden

However, as the sound of footsteps closed in at Cerberus' location, her most desperate moments were answered by a man who she was already familiar with—the Kaiser Knight Lucael, one of the operatives belonging to the Imperial Security Directorate and the investigation team formed by the Collbrande of Aucteraden under the imperial decree. Like a soldier fitting to be called a knight, he swiftly advanced towards the action and briefly clashed swords with his energy blade against the blazing steel sword held by the mysterious individual, and landed near the injured girl.

"Gah. It looks like we're late to the invitation." Lucael clicked his teeth, not being able to make it in time before the deliberate trap was triggered. Understanding the time limit on the girl's llife, Lucael pressed onto his tactical earpiece and spoke, "Pixie, I'm going to need you to come towards the 61st floor immediately. Bring the team, let the backup deal with the evacuation."

"Chief, I found the suspected target. I'll have Pixie care for Cerberus while I stall the target until the team's arrival." With that said, Lucael turned focused his attention back on the silhouette behind the smoke, and cracked a smile. "And so the rumored Sanguinum problem child found their way to the City of Opportunity. If only your family was still of the Collbrande nobility, I would be here calling you Lady Feuersturm... Fortunately, that isn't the case."

Lucael raised his energy blade and readied his stance. The Exousiarch mark on his back expanded nearing his wrist and neck, granting him the necessary power to go against the rogue noble. With the preparations ready, Lucael took the first step and dashed into his enemy, causing a gush of wind to blow the dust away to reveal the face of the target.

Their brilliant, crimson sword blazing with combusting flames clashed against his empowered energy blade, his Exousiarch giving him enough resistance to withstand the heat radiating from the heirloom saber. No normal commoner would be able to withstand the heat, and that was the fact that he could gather from his first swing. It was a miracle that Cerberus could survive direct impact, thanks to her magically enchanted vest, but even a high-grade defensive gear wasn't enough to face off against a sword fabled with a legend.

The skirmish came to an end after several minutes of clashing, as Lucael was quick to realize that his skills were not enough to match against the Feuersturm might. As his Exousiarch was still maturing, the heat-resistant passive it granted the wielder could only do so much to protect him from third-degree burns caused by empyromantic flames.

Luckily, as exhaustion was starting to get the better of the knight, the aid that was called forth was imminent.

 

[Panther]

Remiel

Thessia Tyrren / Female / 40

The Shadow Huntress.

131st Street, Seraphiel City, Aucteraden

Lucael’s dance with fiery death bought the summoned aid more than enough time to carry out what was highly needed of them. One of them being the aforementioned evacuation taking place in floors 59 and below carried out in a mostly orderly manner by a large number of standard emergency respondents mixed with uniformed personnel in a heavy tactical gear loadout consisting of enchanted armor that more than likely provided better protection than what the unfortunate cyber expert had on her person.

All usable emergency exits, staircases, and lifts, even those that weren’t originally designated such, were made available at all times for the building’s fleeing lessees and other tenants. The unmistakable and characteristic sounds of building-based chaos such as heavy foot traffic from brisk steps hitting the tiled floors and concrete stairs, the screams and cries of frightened civilians, and more filled the atmosphere but it further unsettled not the scared and nervous but nonetheless brave tactical soldiers of the Imperial Security Directorate and their city police counterparts that were making their way up through the now-hellish skyscraper using cleared stairs and designated lifts that could take them up to the 59th floor. Their concern hidden away behind their gas masks that protected them from the descending and ascending smoke. But this wasn’t all that was unfolding.

Outside, city police and other personnel of the Imperial Security Directorate had cordoned off the skyscraper with roadblocks on all avenues of entry and egress a fixed radius from the building, nobody was getting in or out except the evacuees. On the building’s roof came more help in the form of soldiers in the same general loadout as those in the building fast-roping from their dropships and helicopters before breaking into the top floor and getting to work. A portion of them rappelled down the building’s walls and broke into the floors below to assist the team coming through the roof staircase by kicking or blowing off the windows followed by the sounds of grenade explosions and assault rifle fire in a pincer maneuver, or it can even be the opposite with the gunshots first before breaking in to ensure they were going into a more clear room than before they fired. Those same dropships and helicopters from earlier now circled the skyscraper, providing close air support with their thundering autocannons and machine guns providing preliminary clearing for the enemy-occupied floors.

Lucael would hear the show being held for all eyes to see, help finally arriving from behind with specialized stun grenades rolling into the cloud of dust and going off as soldiers bearing heavy enchanted shields sprinted forward to cover him while the others that followed behind took Cerberus to safety for his teammate Pixie to reliably treat and spread out, providing covering fire against the enemy’s share of gunmen to briefly but carefully distract the draconic fire mage before them. Among those that came behind the shield bearers was the ‘Commander Remiel’ that Cerberus sent her acquired information to, a lithe feminine figure clad in a white uniform and black jacket that were both covered by a good amount of enchanted body armor. A specialized helmet protected the entirety of her head and concealed her face. She wasn’t one to play with swords like Lucael, a standard rifle in her hands paired with a sidearm but nonetheless had her katana sheathed in a scabbard on her left hip.

She gazed at Lucael, speaking bluntly with a hint of cold professionalism as the sounds of orders of a defensive posture rang around, “The cavalry has arrived. The rest of us should be here shortly. I brought everyone that can fight, the rest that can’t are downstairs helping out in the evacuation and area control. Cerberus will be fine and we’ll be taking it from here, the teams from the roof should be here in a few.”

She then swiftly looked behind her to see if the others had indeed caught up with her and the forward team, then back at Lucael, “Unless you can still fight, go downstairs. We’ll keep her contained to these floors until the evacuation is complete and take ourselves to a position that’s less of a hazard. We’re almost to getting the evac done and after the reposition, it’s all weapons free from there for both us and her.”

Afterwards, she got straight to work, firing her rifle from the safety of the shield bearers but kept a good distance from them in case a ball of empyromantic fire was to make its way to them. It would be obvious she was talking to someone else through radio, “Siesta, are you and your team in position to flank and crossfire? We’re going to need it. Fast.”

 

[Arkangel]

???

"Feuersturm" / Female / Unknown

???

131st Street, Seraphiel City, Aucteraden

The ecstasy of the flames enveloping the individual as she kept a placid expression was a sight none would expect for someone who was surrounded by dozens of elite operators. With no words to be spoken, the terrorist calmly gazed around the crowd, analyzing her situation for a brief moment. Several armed men and a team of skilled operatives led by a face she couldn't recognize. Either way, her situation had gone against her in a short amount of time. To fight a team of specialists in a tight room such as the one they were standing in would've been suicide.

Surrender was the obvious option for most. That is what they wanted, and that is what she had to give to save her life. Common sense would dictate that her chance of victory was an impossible feat that only suicidal daredevils would try and accomplish. But then one would come to the confusing question: why did she ambush an enemy in an area where she was locked inside a tight space? Surely, there was a reason⁠—and the terrorist was up to something sinister.

Her eyes burning like a flaming orb, the terrorist's Exousiarch expanded further throughout their body, signaling an incoming attack. Lucael notified the team immediately upon the faint sight and ordered the others to take cover behind the shields deployed by the armored forces⁠. A powerful explosive spell was imbued into the tip of her longsword with power enough to bring the entire skyscraper into ruin. An attempt to take out herself, including everyone within it? Whatever her plan was, the danger was all around the corner as she stabbed the blade into the floor, causing a massive explosion to occur that would catch everyone off guard.

The entire building was under the threat of collapsing at any moment. From the common soldiers of the law to the elite operatives that had found themselves in the midst of becoming a victim to the imminent breakdown, Lucael and the others present on the floor used whatever abilities they had in their arsenal to reduce casualties, focusing on survival first before turning their attention back to the terrorist as they had no choice but to put their trust on the ones stationed outside the streets.

With a burst of flames engulfing her body like a protective thorn of armor, the last visuals of the terrorist they witnessed were their pair of scorching wings that had sprouted from her back, confirming her racial identity of a Phenex origin. It had granted her flight, and before anyone could stop their target from escaping, the majestic wing of flames flapped towards the glass panels and used its pressure to break through the windows, freeing the terrorist from their dire situation.

Her momentum in the air would last no longer than a few seconds as she was determined from the beginning to settle the score. They had absolutely no intention of eluding from the situation at hand, and to prove that she was not one to cower from a fight she had started, the terrorist landed at the center of the police camp, destroying and blowing away multiple vehicles from the meteoric impacted created by their ferocious landing, causing thousands in properties damage in a matter of seconds.

From there, the Feuersturm straightened her back and faced forward, scanning her eyes across the hundreds of forces that had their armed weapons aimed at their target.

The cursed Exousiarch blessed to her since birth awakened once more to cause havoc beyond control. A storm of scorching flames was imminent and those who held their ground from the impact knew of their demise. Their Exousiarch illuminated bright through the fabric of their clothes, revealing the crest of the Feuersturm nobility, confirming her identity as the "Phoenix of Sanguinum".

An enormous, fiery phoenix then emerged from the very Exousiarch, soaring through the skies majestically like a tamed beast of destruction.

END OF PROLOGUE
BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 1
14 DAYS AGO​

 

[Arkangel]

CHAPTER

1

THE FORMATIO

N

Lady Bismarck

Evelyn von Bismarck / Female / 26

Collbrande of Elesrith

Chapter 1. The Formation | Grand Alcazar von Bismarck, Imperius, Elesrith

The indoctrinated soldiers of the great Empyrian Empire all knew the Philosophy of Valor, as it is the driving force of those who choose to serve their grand nation. As such, the empire's first economical plannings heavily influenced the growth of its military forces, introducing multiple doctrines to ensure the loyalty of its soldiers and the ultimate agenda of the Empyrian supremacy.

It is simply what Empyria strives to become for the next centuries of its towering existence. To expand their will and persuade the other worlds of the shared galaxy, simultaneously warning them of the impending doom if they dare raise their swords against the empire and to follow the general law of the Aeterna Imperium, written and introduced by the First Empress Eleanor to assure the eternal existence of her great nation.

To follow and safeguard the heavenly words written in the Aeterna Imperium, was the primary responsibility tasked to the Collbrandes of Ophelia since the beginning of the Empyrian sovereignty. And to break their oath was the most treasonous crime one could commit against their beautiful empire. That is how Evelyn von Bismarck saw her sacred duties as the leading individual of the prestigious Collbrandes. The immovable force that was the Bismarck name, together with the title as the Collbrande of Elesrith, she would allow none to corrupt the empire, even if it meant having to turn against the members of your bloodline and especially those who used their surname to commit crimes against the Empyrian glory.

Her rage could be felt through her blank expression. The silent, blazing aura she emitted when discussing the crucial developments of the world with the Collbrande of Aucteraden and Anteräs, was not to be taken lightly, as it secured her involvement with their future plans to form a team of capable fighters and detectives to combat the unlawful group that was the Arcalion Syndicate. The fifteen Vanguards of Imperius, beloved and cherished by the Collbrande of Elesrith, understood their next priorities during their active duty as the bodyguards for their master.

"The Vanguards will cooperate with the Kaiser Knights and combine forces with the Imperial Security Directorate to ensure the end of the underworld's reign, as we have always done."

The Collbrande's words remained true. In honor of the triumvirate agreement, the Bismarck nobility selected four of her fifteen trusted vanguards and prepared to have them sent to the western provinces to join the effort to exterminate the criminal conglomerate. With their hours limited on the golden province, leading the force was the first of its command tree—Saranna Virelius, formally known as simply, Siesta.

Upon their arrival to the balcony of the estate, the Vanguards would greet and respect the distance between their Herrscher, kneeling before the Collbrande as Siesta announced the last of their preparations.

Evelyn viewed the scenery without much attention to her noble soldiers, allowing her blonde hair to be seen breezing against the soft wind, highlighting the beauty of her composure. The occasional sip from her scarlet wine in between her tapping fingers on the glass table suggested that she was deciding to be mindful of her next words, carefully constructing what needs to be said to make certain that only favorable news would return from their journey to the west.

As the clock reached its second hour of the afternoon, the repetitive tapping stopped, and only the silence of the wind accompanied the atmosphere until the Collbrande's next words.

"I suspect that someone of tied affiliation will attempt to sabotage the forces organized by the western Collbrandes. Perhaps the individual will be among your new teammates, or will surely join the forces when their time is right. No matter how deep you find yourselves involved with the group, I will leave one piece of advice to ensure that you understand my desires."

"Trust absolutely no one. Return from the operation the moment you suspect that the [Order of Eden] is involved with the syndicate. From that point onward, I shall personally wreak havoc against those responsible."

Khocolatte (Siesta), kasigi (Grimoire), The One Eyed Bandit (Klauss), Paltajayd (Fleur)

 

[Arkangel]

Claudwin

House Liberalis / Male / 240

First of the Kaiser Knights

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

The Invicta Angelas, a bar privately owned and operated by the fifth Kaiser Knight, Lucian "Lucael" Asher. It was first built under the desire to fulfill his hobby of mixing drinks but after a series of events, the bar turned from a private establishment to a secret meeting area for the selected agents of the ISD and the rest of the Kaiser Knights that were involved with the new decree issued by the Collbrande of Aucteraden, involving the official hunt for the masterminds behind the Arcalion Syndicate.

The bar remained spacious for the time being, occupying its guests with soft drinks until the arrival of the rest of the agents that were going to be cooperating with the joint effort. The Vanguards and the Iscariots, as much as Claudwin preferred not to have mercenaries involved with private investigations, had little to no choice but to comply with his Collbrande's wishes to gather the most capable individuals for the sake of maximizing the success rate of the operation.

It pained him so, to not be able to guide his fellow Knights through the hardship that would inevitably face against the syndicate that had recently been seen operating on the surface. Organized crime was not a revelation for the City of Opportunity and its father province, Aucteraden, but he was able to understand that this group, in particular, was not to be taken lightly, as he has had his suspicions on their origin and goal.

Only an hour left until his flight to the eastern province, Claudwin Liberalis cleared his throat, garnering the attention of both the knights and the field agents who were unaware of his upcoming appointment.

"Originally, I had plans to lead this operation as the commander, however... It seems that my appearance is demanded elsewhere for the next few years. The situation has worsened in Zhenra, and from what I've gathered, the Darkblades are planning to end the century-old skirmish with the aid of other professional combatants around the globe."

The news had made Lucael cease his movement, shocked by the sudden disclosure. "That can't be right. But you're the head of the Aucteraden division for the ISD! They can't just have you be involved with matters outside your designated province, especially during a crisis of our own!"

"Lord Kaiser had already tried assisting with my attempts to excuse myself from the invitation. Unfortunately, the Darkblades' decision to hire operatives from overseas is backed by the Symbol of Revelation and has made it a [Cardinal Directive]. Not much I can do but allow myself to serve the Symbol's desire, as much as I'd love to decline the offer."

Claudwin sighed, finding the matter to be more difficult as he saw Lucael's face of disbelief. There were those who relied on his wisdom and leadership, but alas, this was a situation difficult to properly handle as Empyria was beginning to prepare for a war against the dark underworld that was organized crime. His experience in this field was undoubtedly unmatched by most in the empire.

"Before I leave for an undisclosed amount of time, I'd like to at least leave you all with a gift that may assist you in your honest endeavors. She won't be introducing herself until her first task is given, but I've already signed a contract with Aucteraden's best cyberhacker. Some of you may already know her, as she goes by... Cerberus."

KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), _Line 213 (Darklight), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint)

 

[_Line 213]

Aizu

"Darklight" / Female / 21

Sixth of the Kaiser Knights

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

Birds chirped quietly overhead, the sun glinting against the exterior banister and down upon the planting boxes lining the small exterior space. All except one, the longest, positioned upon the floor against the far end of the small sitting area, were empty. Small twigs, tied together into small crosses, protruded from the soil, ribbons wrapped around the two forwardmost markers. Small buds had only just begun to poke upward through the soil, decorating the spaces in front of some with small spots of green.

With a barely there smile, Aizu squatted down carefully, placing a finger beneath the budding leaf in front of one of the two forward crosses. "Hi mom," she said, before glancing over to the marker right next to it. "Hi dad." Her eyes turned outward to the rows staked just behind, fanning out within the planting box. "Hi everyone."

She took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as her eyes turned down to the concrete beneath her feet. She fell entirely silent, letting the ambient sound of life and the city below fill her thoughts for a time.

"It's my first day today, I guess," she eventually stated, "I'm...feeling some kind of way about it. It's as if everything's just so close and so far away at the same time." The crosses stood, unmoving, the young plants sprouting around some twitching briefly in the low breeze. "The more I think about it, the more it scares me; I don't know what to do next, I'm all the way out here without a plan and it's just..." She trailed away, pausing as she noticed a few fresh spots of moisture dripping down into the soil. Pulling in a deep breath, she clenched her wrapped fist, her fingers still deeply numbed and sore from yesterday's vigorous practice.

"...Keep it together," she whispered, clenching her jaw, "keep it together, Aizu."

---​

Tugging down on her hood, the demonoid made her way toward the elevated maglev, wired earbuds dangling down from her long, pointed ears. One hand held tightly to the strap of the messenger bag slung over her shoulder, while the other repeatedly traced the outline of the badge in her pocket, stopping only to wrap its fingers around the attached lanyard over and over again, merely to return to its nervous outlining. Her gaze rose just enough for her to follow the path of the upward stairway as she peeled off of the main foot traffic, shifting alongside countless others toward the station hanging above the street. The flash of electronic billboards no longer drew her eye like they once did, their glowing overpromises having become worse than routine over the years. Her surroundings had ceased to be alien, yet had simultaneously never become comfortable, hanging instead in a strange, discomforting purgatory. The station itself passed by in a blur, details and faces unremembered as she tapped her transit card to the terminal, one figure among hundreds as she stepped out onto the platform.

The time she had waited was little more than a footnote in her day, the train rocking back and forth as it accelerated away. Aizu jostled lightly amongst the other straphangers, shoulders tapping shoulders as she kept her hand firmly around the bar above her. Every so often, she readjusted her grip, barely able to feel her weakened hands slackening. The light of the sun flickered in through the windows every half a second as the train blitzed past buildings, slipping the freshly-minted operative into a sense of hypnotic calm as her eyes lidded. The sound of her home, far away on the opposite end of space, echoed through her mind.

"...Aizu, you can't sit there, your father needs the counter to prepare the fish," came her mother's voice from the edge of her thoughts.

"Okay!"

"If you're going to be in here, can you at least set the table?"

The clink of plates and silverware; a brief, fleeting image of her favorite of the forks, wider than the rest of the set, which meant more food with every scoop.

"Aizu, come here, daddy's gonna teach you how to season these," came her father's deeper tones. She remembered the smell of his clothes, a mingling of the moisture from a fresh ironing and the dry sweetness of the incense from his office.

"What are these!"

"Spices; black pepper, here, paprika, cumin--"

"What's that one?"

"This one? This is four-forty seventh street, Seraph avenue."

The young girl blinked at her father. "What?"

"Stand clear of the closing doors, please."

"Shit!"

Her eyes snapped open as she forced her way to the door, shoving past disgruntled passengers as she began to fight her way to the exit. Her head jerked to the side slightly as her horns caught on someone's shoulder, prompting a sharp shout of pain from one of the other passengers. "Watch your damned horns, demonoid!"

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" she replied, not even checking over her shoulder as the doors began to close. Lunging forward through a group huddling around a pole, she slipped her foot between the doors right as they closed, causing the passengers to quarrel as they were forced to make way for her. She placed her hands against the doors, pushing back before they automatically reopened in an attempt to remove the obstruction. Stumbling out onto the platform, she briefly glanced behind her, catching some of the angry glares peering out through the windows and the doorway, before briskly jogging away across the platform as she made for the uptown line on the other side.

She'd over-shot her station.

---​

"...A bar?" Aizu asked herself as she lowered her phone, gazing up at the establishment in front of her. It was the address she was given, that much was clear. Pocketing the device, she took in a sharp breath, patting both cheeks with her palms. With an emulation of confidence, she made her way toward the entrance, shifting her way in through the door as if she were afraid someone on the outside would see her enter. It clicked into place softly behind her; as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, her ears adjusted to the sound of conversation.

"...And from what I've gathered, the Darkblades are planning to end the century-old skirmish with the aid of other professional combatants around the globe."

She took up a spot near the rear of the gathering, mostly hoping she hadn't been spotted--or at the very least, she wouldn't be outed for her late arrival. Not the best introduction for the newest of the Knights, after all.


GM // Arkangel
KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint)

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Shiro

"Breaker" / Male / 32

Secundus of the Kaiser Knights

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

In the darkness of a small room, one man was illuminated by the ceiling's luminous tile. A viscous liquid pitter-patters against the epoxy resin floor. The man is lurched over, bound to a metallic chair with unknown bindings. The dripping sound isn't from this man; his precious lifeblood is too busy hugging the body or staining his trousers. It comes from someone or rather something else. Obscured in the darkness, a pair of orbs that look like they're filled with vermillion wine stared at the man; knuckles wet with sanguine fluid. The thing stepped forward to the beam of light, enough to be described. Barely. The beaten man dares not lift his head. "... Around 87.65% of all captured individuals accept the first offer they're given..." There is a pause in his speaking, the formalness of his tone never faltered. "Except creatures like you." It did not change though the eyes became wrathful as the man reflexively looked up. The unmistakable mask of a fiend. A pale surface, smoothened by machinery and decorated with steady hands. Tiny fragments ebbed and flowed around it before reattaching.

"Fanaticism. The righteous indignation of the true-believer." He reached over with a hand further into the blackness, wheeling over an impeccably clean cart of steel. "You are only delaying the inevitable." His hand nimbly selected a scalpel from the tray and began to move it towards the man's chest at an agonizingly yet purposefully slow pace. The man began to murmur, increasing in volume. "Yergh, Imperia 77th Street, Buil—" Before the man could continue, the shadow completed his sentence. "The abandoned Horizon Void building on the right, largely decayed though its blue arc is still visible." The man's face contorted into feelings of unease and distraught. He knew... All this time?

A cut was made across the man's right arm over a vein. The scalpel was flicked to remove the stain then returned to the tray. Then Shiro moved his bloodied hand over the recent wound. His shadow enveloping it. Then his opened palm began to elegantly move as if it was riding an ocean's gentle wave. His red eyes flared up and the shadow wavered like it was being torn apart by something beyond the veil, moving rhythmically as if it were alive. Until it siphoned itself in the wound, travelling up the vein—expertly avoiding blocking the path for the blood flow. Into the right chamber of the heart then the pulmonary arteries and finally splitting off into the two lungs. The alveoli burst, causing the man to gasp for breath... Before Shiro twists his arm and closes his palm. The shadow began to rapidly expand uncontrollably, the lungs and heart stretched uncomfortably to their maximum. Then popped. The man dies with blood dripping down his face.

Wiping away the stains on his hands with an absorbent towelette, Shiro stepped out of the room. He was approached by an agent. "Microexpressions and bodily language reveal that the information we had beforehand is correct, you can mobilize your forces with certainty." The blonde agent nodded. "Get a clean-up detail in there." Shiro ordered whilst throwing the towelette into a nearby garbage can. If he dillydallied any longer then he'd be late for the briefing at Lucy's bar.

His trusty car waited for him outside the building. Sleek, black with white stripes, reinforced plating, and anti-tamper sensors for those pesky saboteurs. With it, Shiro didn't take long to arrive at the meeting place though the traffic was annoying as always in the City of Opportunity.

Before he stepped out, Shiro's gloved fingers danced across a screen in the car's panel, seems the Breaker is making last-minute trades. With his Kurian K-45 concealed at his side, Shiro had been the first... Or rather, the second knight to arrive at the meeting. Fitting. Refusing any drink offered by the bartender, the Breaker patiently waited for it to begin.

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

During Claudwin's briefing, Shiro happened to notice the Sixth Knight's late arrival. No problem, a simple nod to acknowledge her existence. Claudwin mentioned that he would be departing for an unknown amount of time and leaving in their care one of Aucteraden's best cyberhackers. Shiro found this odd but nevertheless chose to accept it once the Symbol's demands were known. "Fret not, Lucy. His absence won't even be noticed with our work in front of us."


GM // Arkangel
KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), _Line 213 (Darklight),
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint)

 

[voracity]

Pheles

"Anthem" / Female / 33

Third of the Kaiser Knights

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

Pheles bit back a curse just as she was locking her door, tucking her keys back into her pocket, she hurried back inside, eyes looking every which way for - "there you are," she breathed out, grabbing the ear-comm-piece that she so frequently left behind.

She could have gone straight to The Invicta Angelas from the shuttle terminal, but she had a feeling showing up with all the phamlets she had collected from earlier in the day would just set herself up for some ribbing and teasing that had no place in the important meeting. It also gave her a chance to freshen up and extinguish the sterile clinical scent that had no doubt clung onto her after all the medical instutitions she had visited in the day previous.

With a determined gaze, she left her home, fearlessly traversing the streets still shrouded by night, glaring at every inch of the darkness that she couldn't perceive with her eyes, much alike the dark entities nipping at the heels of the order established by hardworking enforcers and protectors of the Empire. Knowing that the Knights alone could not stop the oncoming storm was a sting to her noble pride, but if these third parties, these mercenaries, could offer what the Knights could not, she couldn't envision denying the services. All for the Empire.

*****​

There was a cozy window seat, padded with fine black leather, and though it was the perfect size to fit three people, Pheles had commandeered it all for herself. As was usual, when their groups gathered in Lucian's private little utopia. The curtains had been drawn - though she did not care to wonder if it was to excersize the privacy their group so prized or to deter the rays of the morning shine - but the warmth of the sun peeked through regardless, and Pheles was all too happy to soak in it alongside a glass of milk tea, judgmentally served.

From her position, she had immediately taken notice of the arrival of their newest Knight, but Claudwin's announcement was grave enough that she turned her full attention aside from the girl and to the man.

"... You've prepared us with the help we'll need then,"she followed up, after hearing all that the First Knight had to say. "Have you also prepared your stand-in? For the next few years? This is ... a lot to suddenly take in, why weren't we informed at the earliest opportunity?" Pheles asked. Although Shiro was her senior, Pheles was no stranger to being privy to the few details and secrets that ran all the way to the top. Losing the First Knight, for a few years to a battlefield away from home, was a loss that they would have needed to plan around, carefully and exquisitely, to make up for in the loss of manpower and influence. Why weren't more of them aware of this before Claudwin made his announcement?

Setting her stewing aside, she crossed her arms and leaned further back in her seat, oddly petulant, "while you're still here then, why don't we bring our new recruit up to speed," turning to the ISD agents the Knights had selected for this, she waved a hand, presenting the girl standing at the doorway awkwardly to them, "this is a new recruit of ours, Aizu, she'll be taking the mantle of the Sixth, and ..." she paused and then retracted her hand, pinching at the bridge of her nose, cursing at the lapse in her memory which was only filled with medical jargon at the moment. "Sorry ... uhm, her callsign ... slipped my mind ..." she murmured turning to her fellow Knights for help.

KKO // Arkangel (Lucian, Claudwin) _Line 213 (Darklight), pomme (Jammy), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint)

 

[pomme]

Nina

"Jammy" / Female / 31

Fourth of the Kaiser Knights

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

The past few days of constant, dull boredness had worn Nina down, and despite her lack of sleep, she had set upon her way to the meeting and was determined to arrive with some semblance of a living being.

In the back of the bus she squirmed in her seat to the loud music from her headphones, trying desperately to somehow align her energy with the noise. She sipped idly at an overpriced smoothie she'd snatched on the way to the bus stop, leg already jittering from the sugar that tried to but couldn't cover up the taste of old, soft fruit. Sofia, the girl she had just come from tutoring, was one of her favorite students—incredibly smart, and a thorough supporter of Nina's less professional side—but she worried her parents had impossibly lofty expectations for her, considering the girl's Exousiarch was destined to be useless in combat. Oh well. Sofia would accustom herself to it eventually.

She clambered off the bus and tossed her half-finished smoothie into a trashcan outside of Invictas, slipping inside unceremoniously. She didn't need to check her phone to know she was suitably early. She grabbed a soda from the bartender, someone she considered almost a friend—asides from work obligations, Nina was a common face in Invictas Angelas for the drinks alone—and plopped down, letting the sticky sweetness of the drink revitalize her before the meeting.

*​

Nina pursed her lips. Her soda, long finished, left rings of condensation on the table beside her chair. "It's 'Darklight'," she said, choosing to address Pheles first. In truth, she was closer to the bartender than any of her comrades, but she did know their nicknames almost as well as she knew the drink menu. "Nice to see you, Aizu. Did'ya get caught up with the transpo?" She giggled. "You totally have that look about you. I have no idea if you're actually new here or not, but you sure look like you are, and they can be a bit tough. One guy threw his granola bar at me once, got so many crumbs down my shirt I had to go home and change." She leaned back and squeezed Aizu's hand.

She cleared her throat and, despite the effort, her words sounded just as light and joking when she turned to Claudwin. "You gotta do your stuff like the rest of us. Just be safe out there." Nina grinned and sprawled her legs over the chair's arm. "Anyways, our people are good. I don't know much about Aizu or Darklight or whatever, and this new friend you were talking about, but we can totally handle it. Hey, when are we gonna get to meet her? That hacker doggie girl?"
GM // Arkangel
KKO // voracity (Anthem), _Line 213 (Darklight), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint)

 

[_Line 213]

Aizu

"Darklight" / Female / 21

Sixth of the Kaiser Knights

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

As she slowly pulled her hood down, the first figure in the room to notice her turned. Aizu flinched ever so slightly, partly because she had been spotted, but mostly because she had been expecting a face to be part of what greeted her. Her eyes locked immediately to the slightly-shifting mask, jaw tightening slightly as she repressed any greater reaction or potential comment. She had seen the man's appearance in some of the orientation materials she had been given, but in person it was...different. At the very least, he hadn't commented on--

"While you're still here then, why don't we bring our new recruit up to speed."

Oh. Aizu resisted the burning desire to shrink back as she was outed so thoroughly, instead clenching her hands around her bag's strap as she vented some of her nervous energy. At the very least, this new voice had done the majority of the introducing for her, giving Aizu's mind a bit of space to breathe as she surmounted the first of her nervous shocks. There was a bit of a slip-up when it came to her callsign, but as far as the demonoid was concerned, that was understandable--after all, the turnaround time on her recruitment likely hadn't given the others a great amount of time for file-reading, busy people that they were.

"Oh, um--" she began, briefly fishing around in her pocket for her badge, as if the item could answer that question better than she could.

"It's 'Darklight'," said another Knight at the bar, assuaging Aizu's second bout of nervousness. If anything, the Sixth Knight was surprised that someone else in the room had actually cared to remember. The newbie blinked at the other woman's words; did she really seem that out of it? A hand reached up reflexively, smoothing out some of her slightly-discheveled hair.

"...I'm not used to coming this far downtown, sorry," she admitted, "everywhere I've had to go beforehand was pretty local. That granola bar guy does sound pretty tough, though; I'm glad I didn't run into anyone like that..." It was strange; some of them were stern in their own ways, but there was an odd sense of invitation all the same. Quite plainly, it wasn't what she had expected, butting-in as an outsider. The light squeeze she received from the woman at the bar felt nearly motherly.

"Anyways, our people are good. I don't know much about Aizu or Darklight or whatever--"

Ah.

There it was. Aizu deflated slightly, lidding her eyes and letting out a slight breath through her nose as she pursed her lips. And yet, just as quickly, she rationalized the woman's words, watching her for a moment. They weren't going to take her in, some stray kid off the street, just because they were told to. She recognized the woman from the pages she had been given, just as she did all the others; Nina Liess--two time participant in the Tournament of Valor, managing to climb half-way up the ladder at a young age, before coming into her own as a semi-finalist in one of the more recent matchups. No small feat--she had expected someone more vicious, perhaps, to be able to claim such a thing. There was something soothing about the thought that not everyone who could place so high was a monster, at least not in the emotional sense.

Her attention traveled in the reverse of their speaking order. The woman taking up an entire booth on her own seemed as serious in person as she did in her dossier image, even if she hadn't bitten off Aizu's head right then and there. Pheles Vasilev--that was the name she remembered. Practically the definition of an "unstoppable force" by temperament alone, to say nothing of her combat capability. A twinge of curiosity shot through her mind for a moment--how would she stack up next to Nina? Between the two of them, there was probably enough talent and firepower to take down the entire roster of the local security forces with enough time and energy left over to wipe the floor with a few illegal tournaments directly afterward. Aizu clenched her jaw; if she was truly going to fulfill what she came there to do, she was going to have to be capable of standing up to both of them someday--perhaps even at the same time. It felt like an impossible bar.

Banishing her momentary nervousness, her eyes shifted to the back of the masked man's head--Yamagata Shiro. The most noteworthy thing about him was just how much of his file was covered with black ink, entire paragraphs barred from viewing by even those who were supposed to be working alongside him in the closest of possible senses. There was one thing that was certain--one didn't become the Second Knight by smiling and asking politely. Whatever was beneath those redactions--whatever was behind that mask--had to be something of exemplary seriousness--something deadly.

Her gaze then slid to the Fifth Knight, likely the most knightly of those among them, coming complete with his own sword. Lucian Asher--his name even sounded like one belonging to some sort of storybook hero. Upstanding, in terms of temperament, and seemingly quite polite, while no doubt being a talented duelist in his own right. For a brief moment, his higher number made her feel a sense of camaraderie with this man she had never met; yet, the demonoid was quick to remind herself of a simple fact: their numbers spoke only of their time of joining, not their skill. The distance between her and him was likely no more easily surmounted than the gaps between her and any of the others. Still, the strangest thing, at least to Aizu, was the idea that this bar was his--as much as it could be while serving as a secret governmental meeting place.

Perhaps that wasn't too bad. After all, she had expected a lifeless, grey-walled office.

And then, finally, there was the First Knight himself. Claudwin Liberalis--an enigma, if ever there was one. Practically, all Aizu may as well have received was his picture.

The slow dawn of a final realization turned into a stab through the heart; many of those present, even those that felt welcoming and warm, had her homeworld listed in their service records. She felt her still-numb hand clench slightly; how much of her blanketed past was known to the Order was a mystery to her, yet it was nonetheless clear that her own origins would be best left unmentioned. A kid from the backalleys by way of a commonwealth world--a half-truth.

A deep, calming, steadying breath. Her goals refocused sternly in her mind. Even if her exterior wavered, there was always one inner voice that never did.

That's okay. I knew I'd have a lot of proving to do. I'll do it.

Her hand finally relaxed, and she did her best to manage a steady smile. "...Anyway, yeah; I'm Aizu Emaril. It's nice to meet you all." She took a small step back, ensuring that she had enough space to avoid any potential horn-related accidents, before bowing plainly with her arms at her sides. "I'm looking forward to helping out however I can, so hopefully I'll be able to do just that. When we get out there, just tell me where you want me, okay?"


GM // Arkangel
KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint)

 

[GasMaskie]

Sain

"Glint" / Male / 27

Imperial Security Directorate

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

The gloomy man had spent much of the previous day sleeping during his flight. He had gotten up early, leaving the small apartment in downtown New Yurtivel. Then, upon waking once the aircraft had begun its final preparations for landing, he spent the next few hours simply gathering his luggage and checking in to retrieve his rental. Expenses forwarded to the ISD, of course. After settling in to the small hotel room that would serve as his lair for the duration of the operation, his gaze fell upon the skyline of Seraphiel. His mind had begun to wander - not too far into the past, thankfully.

The last few months were uneventful, to say the least. Perhaps the directorate had intended to see just how he'd adjust to his new position. As the newcomer, he had been passed over for several assignments in favor of desk duty. Sitting at meetings and taking notes. Making a few calls here and there when a senior operative requested it of him. Days passed by like a blur in a matter of seconds as he brought a hand to his chest.

He had climbed to the highest peak, unwillingly, and all that awaited him was a frosty reception and a period of dullness. His mind wandered - perhaps if he had stayed... No. The past was the past, something that should remained buried lest they become shackles. He sat up now, bringing his attention to the watch on his left wrist. The meeting was tomorrow at the Invicta Angeles. Even someone as green as him had heard the chatter about it - how said bar was a meeting place for agents in the province. One of many, presumably. He set an alarm - there'd be time to practice his swings after all.

*
​

Sain had taken a booth to himself within the small bar, surreptiously bringing a small flask to his lips to take a sip. His gaze fell upon the assembled knights. This was their province and they were simply here to render aid. He simply had no reaction to the newest of their number arriving late nor their short exchanges and their introduction. His vision flickered between the knights and their visages to the accoutrements on the wall. Perhaps if he stared hard enough at it, he'd be able to meld into the background.

He considered the situation at hand once more. Liberalis's departure was unexpected, but Asher's presence likely meant not much would change regarding the ISD's current position in the matter. Furthermore, hiring a contractor to assist them - and a hacker no less. There was no shortage of talented white hats within the ISD, but this 'Cerberus' was likely more familiar with both the network infrastructure and security protocols in Aucteraden. Perhaps even moreso than in-house talents at the division here.

The Revenant glanced over at the other ISD agents who had been assigned to the operation. Naturally, the agent from the Sanguinum division was unfamiliar with either of them. His mouth barely moved - just enough to form the most subtle of smirks. If they really went through the trouble of assigning him to this case, it was surely because they needed more muscle. After all, he was a bloodsucker. To outsiders and other races, that was all they were good for, right? Sending them in to make a mess of things. Darker thoughts accompanied by another sip.

Perhaps he was wrong. Being on either side of a law still lead to the same fate for a Revenant. Maybe it was simply the manner of dying that differed. The man's gaze fell upon the sheathed katana seated next to him in the booth. He'd do as much as he needed to and return home. As he always did.

GM // Arkangel
KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint)

 

[lunar_moth]

Delpher

"Zenko" / Male / 23

Iscariot of Solarian

Synedriaseon - Room 402, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

A black taxicab pulls up to the side of the road with a hiss of its tires against concrete. Delpher's ear shifts to track the noise as he straightens from his recline against the building wall. He lives in one of the apartment units on the building's uppermost floor -- admittedly, it's not the most luxurious of residences, what with this being the big city and him being on a budget, but it gets the job done. All it needs to be is somewhere warm and dry to sleep between jobs. Besides, he likes living so high up he can see the rest of the city out his window. It makes him feel untouchable, in a petty way. Separated from the masses. It's also a good reminder that if everything goes to shit, he's got an easy way out (or, well, down. Ha.)

Delpher pockets his phone after a quick glance to confirm the time (still early, no problem) and he moves to lower himself into the backseat of the car.

"The Synedriaseon building." His pointed nails click on the door handle when he pulls it closed.

The driver glances at him in the rearview mirror, and Delpher shoots him a wry little smile. "Don't worry, I won't scratch or shed. I'm less mutt than I look." And then he slips a pair of earbuds in his ears and makes a show of flipping through his phone. End of conversation. The driver grumbles something about kids these days, or maybe he doesn't, Delpher doesn't really care, because the car pulls forward anyways and then they're off.

He counts down the streets in his head until they get there, great big building rising into frame. Upon stepping out of the car, the feeling he gets might've been called apprehension by some, but he refuses to put a name to it. He's not sure just what the meeting is about yet, but whatever it is, The Hierophant's sure that he's more than capable of handling it.

...

“Pixie, Zengren, Zenko, and Sterling, you four will be assigned to take down the Arcalion Syndicate with some assistance from the ISD and the Vanguards of Imperius.”

Ah. Of course.

Frankly, he shouldn't be surprised that after trying so hard to get away, he's ending up right back in Zhenra. It's probably for the best, though -- he's already familiar with the place and, dare he say it, he's one of the better choices for a covert, high-stakes mission like this. What? Not his fault it's true. He can be pretty sneaky when he wants to be. It's in his blood.

The other three Iscariots, though, who are coming with -- he's not really familiar with them. He's heard their names before, at least, but beyond that? Yeesh. That's a problem. If they're gonna be a dream team then he should probably work on that.

"...I’ll be counting on you four to be on your best behavior, okay?" Commander Vritra finishes. "There’s a transport waiting just outside for you, and you’ll be sent out within a few hours, so get ready while you can."

That's quick. But no time like the present, he supposes. After all, professionals like him need to be prepared for anything. (If he had sunglasses, he'd be putting them on for dramatic effect right now.)

He's already making a mental list of the things he needs to do to prepare as he rises from his seat to stretch his arms over his head, tail curling like a housecat, before sauntering over to meet his three new teammates.

"Heh, excited to work with a bunch of glorified cops? They must've needed our help pretty badly if they agreed to this too," Zenko chirps, hands propped behind his head in a casual pose. "Figures! Guess it's up to us to save the day." (If he had sunglasses, he'd be peeking over the tops of them for dramatic effect right now.)


GM // Khocolatte (Vritra)

IOS // simj26 (Pixie) Huntertabbysandshark3 (Zengren) azenva (Sterling)

 

[simj26]

Pixie

The Chariot / Female / 26

Iscariots of Solarian

Synedriaseon - Room 402, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

Wake up.

Get up from bed, shower, brush teeth, iron out her clothes, straighten her tie, pour out milk, scramble eggs, eat scrambled eggs, drink milk, check messages (no updates on her Ascalon or missions), go out, buy groceries, chat with neighbour and wife, change out, train, shower, put on some music, maintain guns, check messages (still no updates), check them again (still no updates), hit up forums and threads to pretend that she had some semblance of interaction with the outside world even if she merely lurked around the threads, watch some videos, go to sleep.

Wake up. Repeat.

Wake up. Repeat.

Wake up. Repeat.

It wasn’t to say that she had no variation in her life. There were some changes she could afford to make. She could replace cleaning her guns with cleaning her home, or take out groceries from the list entirely. Every now and then there would be a contract slid under her door, or a message on one of her burner phones, detailing a hit, allowing her to fit that in the empty space where her groceries used to be or change it out with her training sessions. Even then, the small thrills of ushering yet another soul to the afterlife were often short-lived. Even after she had stopped accepting hits from spurned wives and emotionally-disturbed teenagers, and pursued much more challenging hunting grounds, the fact of the matter was that none of them came even close to making her feel as if she earned her paycheck. No, that wasn’t it. It was more like she didn’t feel as if she was improving any, as a person, and as a soldier. Kicking chumps to the curb was easy, and easy opponents barely taught her anything. She would have bothered Vritra for some tips, but she didn’t think she was close enough to the Commander, or anyone else for that matter, to even warrant asking her for that much. One of these days, she supposed.

She dropped the eggs onto a plate, and shuffled towards the mahogany dining table. She set her plate on the table, laid out the cutlery neatly, and finally set down. She glanced at her front door. No mail had slipped through the cracks underneath it. She sighed deeply. Another normal day as Sasha Dupaulis for Sasha Dupaulis. She picked up her fork and stabbed lazily at her eggs, and was about to raise it into her mouth when her phone vibrated beside her. She dropped her fork and snatched up her phone. There were only a select few who knew of this number, namely, the office that she worked at. She scanned through the message, and a rare smile crossed her face. Finally. She shoveled the eggs into her mouth, chewing and swallowing as quick as she could, then gulped down her milk in one go. After a quick wash of her plate, fork, and glass, she grabbed her coat and hurried out of the front door.

“Mornin’, Sasha,” her neighbour greeted her, with a nod of his head, as she locked her door. She waved in reply, settling into her shoes. “Finally back to work, then?” he remarked, noting the look on her face.

“Aye, that I am, Mitchell. I won’t be back for a bit, I’d think. Could you…?” she wanted to ask if he could take care of her apartment for the meantime, but choked on her own words. She wasn’t in the habit of making requests, even though she had tried to do it more than once already.

“No problem at all.” Mitchell laughed. She breathed a sigh of relief. At least he knew what she was going to ask. That saved her the effort. “Take care of yourself now, neighbour.” he waved as she started towards the elevator. She waved back in reply, before disappearing behind the closing doors.

---​

Vritra made her closing statements for the day’s briefing. The room was filled equally by sighs of resignation and cheers of jubilation. Some of those gathered that day were excited to be cleaning up wild beasts, instead of picking up scraps behind the Impsec and the Vans. Pixie tapped her pen on her notebook, having wildly different opinions than them. On the off-white pages, the words ‘monster infestation valeria - others; good luck!’ was scribbled with no particular respect for the margins, flanked by a big circle and the word ‘BORING’ written in bold alongside a small round, angry face with horns sticking out of either side of its head. Underneath it, was another scribbled note, with similar regard, or lack thereof, for the margins: ‘ascarion arcale arcalion si syndicate - zengren zenko sterling & me! impsec vans 3 colls (probably kko) coming with’. Beside that one, the footnote ‘no ascalon’ was jotted down, with a small caricature of a sad face. She missed being in the cockpit of her Ascalon, but she only had herself to blame. Crashing it straight into another Ascalon to deliver the coup de grace, after having pushed her lady to its limits already, had not been kind to her wallet or her mechanic. Arthur had spent the good half of the hour lecturing her about how to treat her Ascalon with care. She twirled her pen and shut her notebook, tucking it into her coat’s inner pockets. She stood up and nodded to Vritra, then turned to the rest of her assigned group. She watched as one of them spoke, animatedly, about their deployment. She made no comment. A good few of the Iscariots had their strange habits and mannerisms, but they tended to back that up with the skills to survive as long as they did in the line of work. If she wasn't wrong, the Hyzurian was Zenko, Hierophant. The constant shifting of titles made it hard to keep note, but she was confident she was right about this one. “Good to be working with you,” she announced curtly. She paused, trying to search for other things to say. They were not Mitchell. She was doubtless that they would not be interested in chatting about the weather or having conversations with thinly-veiled euphemisms about their work. After a solid five seconds of awkward silence, she finally spoke again. "You're right," she directed this particular remark to the young man who had just spoken. "Impsec, Vans, Colls, and us? It will be a rough one." she said stiffly, eyeing the other members. If her memory continued to serve, the shorter Demonoid was Sterling, Hermit. By process of elimination, the other Demonoid would be Zengren. She didn't have any notes for that particular name. She glanced down at her phone, then at Vritra, then finally returned her emotionless gaze back to her team members. "We should go prep as soon as possible. I don't want to give the Impsec any reason to make complaints."

@GM // Khocolatte
@IOS // lunar_moth Zenko Huntertabbysandshark3 Zengren azenva Sterling

 

[azenva]

Lilianna

"Sterling" / Female / 25

Iscariots of Solarian

Synedriaseon - Room 402, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

On most days, Lilianna had no trouble waking up early. This wasn’t most days. Having already “investigated” the upcoming joint operation, she was dreading even the thought of being deployed. The Vanguards and Knights were a problem of their own, but even the ISD was a concern for the ex-criminal. They might be trash at their jobs, but they kept detailed records. Even a broken clock’s right twice a day—if they had some high enough quality security camera footage or a police sketch and used their brains for once, it would be over for her. She was doing mercenary work to get away from law enforcement, and yet here they were.

Forcing herself to get up, Lilianna’s mind nevertheless continued to whirl as she stumbled through her usual morning routine. She was out of coffee beans. Stress was doing a good enough job keeping her awake anyways, more stimulants and her tail swishing about would knock the apartment complex down. There wasn’t anything immediately edible, and trying to cook, with her hands shaking more than an earthquake, would burn the place down. There wasn’t a need to clean, and there wasn’t anything that needed constant attention. She resigned herself to buying a mediocre breakfast from some overpriced chain, pulled on her oversized blue jacket, and left her apartment for…she tried not to think about it, but it could be the last time.

The sun was still rising, and the early morning weather was cool, both at odds with the mercenary still sweating bullets. While she did bring her phone and earbuds, she opted to not use them, instead listening to the sounds of the city awakening. Birds chirping, the sounds of more high rises in construction, cars buzzing past…The quiet cacophony of the City of Opportunity was comforting, in a way. Simply walking peacefully, taking in the urban sprawl, it was almost enough to forget about what was to come.
Almost.

…


In a way that could be described as merciful, the cause of her foreboding was addressed quickly. As Vritra named the first three operators sent to assist, Lilianna breathed a quiet sigh of relief…that promptly turned into deflating like a balloon as her codename joined the lot, causing her to physically slump over and cradle her head in her hands. Quickly picking herself up, she instead leaned way back in her chair, practically far back enough to tip it, examining the ceiling.

The meeting soon came to its close.
Steeling herself to not look like the nervous wreck that she was at the moment, she pulled herself out of her chair to go meet her colleagues. She had gathered a little information on her now teammates, enough to match names with faces. The Hyzurian, Zenko, didn’t seem concerned about the upcoming assignment with his casual comments and relaxed posture, contrasting with the Exhelian, Pixie, who was all business.
“It’s absolutely going to be rough,” she mumbled in response to a statement from the latter of the two.
Lilianna turned her attention to the other Demonoid, Zengren.

GM // Khocolatte

IOS // simj26 (Pixie), lunar_moth (Zenko), Huntertabbysandshark3 (Zengren)

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

Klauss

"Wayfarer" / Female / 34

Vanguards of Imperius

Grand Alcazar von Bismarck, Imperius, Elesrith

It was quiet inside of Klauss's apartment. As high above the city streets as it was, the only noise that penetrated its walls was the occasional, brief woosh of a hover-shuttle passing it by, while the only sound that intruded upon the veil of silence from within was the constant whirring of an antique desk fan. The room was small, and hardly furnished. A desk sat at its centre, flanked on all sides by bookshelves and filing cabinets. It entirely lacked the creature comforts, the bedroom having been stripped down entirely and converted into a walk-in closet. Honestly, it was a stretch to even call it home. Klauss had purchased and furnished the dingy little abode with little more intent for it other than having it severe as a workplace away from all of her fellows, with all that prattling about they did.

Klauss sat reclined in her office chair, slunk down as far into its depths as she could, as she always did on days like this where she had something she wanted to avoid. The young lady Collbrande was a darling, really, she was, but the Demonoid could hardly say the same for her associates. She'd spent about a decade in her position now, and yet Klauss still wasn't used to the smell of them. She bore no particular resent for the blue-blooded lords and ladies of the Empire, but how could she put it?

They were oil, and she was water. Occasionally she'd be able to form an emulsion with a particularly personable member of the nobility, but individuals like that were few and far between. For pete's sake, she still didn't see eye-to-eye with all of the Vanguards, let alone every Bo, Peep and Pip that had been born with silver in their mouth and magic in their veins. Playing the recluse at times like this was just for the best.

A smattering of files lay before Klauss, all worn out and crumpled after a night through investigation. She'd managed to catch wind of her upcoming assignment beforehand and had meant to do some investigation into the Arcalion Syndicate in preparation. The files available to her, however, were rather dismal. She wasn't sure what exactly the ISD had been doing in their fight against the Syndicate up until this point, but it was pretty obvious from her sniffing around why they were being called in to help.

Outside of her window, the merry honking of a horn intruded upon the peace and quiet of Klauss's apartment. The Demonoid within sighed at the provocation, and then hauled herself out of her chair.

"Time already, is it...?" She mumbled, stretching slowly as she headed towards the apartment's balcony. Just beyond the edge, a hover-shuttle floated patiently, the driver absentmindedly flipping through his phone while he waited for Klauss to board the vessel. Klauss caught sight of the street below as she hopped into the transport, the distant bustle of terrestrial traffic drifting up from the streets. Klauss would never understand how they did it, spending so much of their time with their feet planted on stiff, unmoving soil.

The driver was a private one, one of the many personal contractors that Klauss had managed to wrangle into her employ. He spoke to her with no more than a curt nod as she plopped down into the backseat, and then the shuttle's engine flared to life as it sped off towards its predetermined destination.

~▲~​

Klauss knelt before her Collbrande quietly, her mouth overtaken with the same uncharacteristic silence that it always was when matters involving the young lady were involved. While she didn't share the woman's pure-hearted passion for the Empire, she still found it admirable and had grown to respect both it and her over the years.

"So no different from normal, then?" Klauss joked when Siesta and the Collbrande's briefings came to a close. "Honestly, when are these people going to figure out when all these schemes and betrayals of theirs are never going to work out? It's embarrassing, to be quite honest."

Klauss's attention had been fixed on their leaders for the bulk of their briefing, but now she'd turned it to her fellow Vanguards. Or, rather, the three that she'd be working with for the next few months. Her two adorable juniors still sat quietly, their thoughts known only to themselves. She'd still not had the opportunity to work too closely with either of the young gentlemen, so this was honestly an exciting prospect for the Demonoid.

In the short time that Fehlek had spent with the Vanguards, he'd already proved himself to be of much more upstanding sort than Klauss was herself. While she'd been busy dirtying her hands with matters of espionage and investigation, he'd been making what seemed like an earnest attempt to give back to the community. Open-heartedness like that was beyond a woman of Klauss's demeanour, but much like with the Collbrande, just because she was unable to have something did not mean that she was incapable of admiring it from the sidelines.

Émile was a bit more of an enigma, despite having spent more time with the Vanguards. He was exactly the sort of no-nonsense individual that Klauss had a hard time dealing with. She'd dealt with his family on occasion, as it was honestly hard to not eventually have to do so with the power and influence they held, and she was glad that he had at least not inherited their tendency towards having their heads stuck up their asses. All-in-all, he was a hard man to read, but the text that Klauss had managed to decipher seemed agreeable enough.

"When are we moving out, then?" Klauss spoke, finally, to the last but certainly not least of her collaborators, Siesta. "I'm sure everybody just giddy, for our arrival, right? I hate to keep them waiting like this."

GM // Arkangel (Lady Bismarck) Khocolatte (Siesta)
VOI // kasigi (Fehlek) Paltajayd (Émile)

 

[Arkangel]

Claudwin

House Liberalis / Male / 240

First of the Kaiser Knights

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

Claudwin observed his fellow juniors with a soft smile, occasionally permitting his soft laughter to escape from his system. To have the sextet gather for an imperative procedure was a rare occasion, as the last time Claudwin was able to spend time with Draigh's subordinates was before Lucael's inauguration. Even then, it was only brief to celebrate the announcement of his Lord Collbrande's adopted daughter's first birthday.

To see Aizu, the newest of the recruits struggle to make themselves see equal with the others, was a sight not uncommon for the Exhelian-Demonoid hybrid. Her nervous aura had reminded him of hundreds of memories from the past, ever since the days of the Kaiser's commencement into the seat of power in Aucteraden, removing the now inferior House Zervictus from their former influence after the conclusion of the Second Great War. It showed how old he truly was, despite his young appearance, thanks to his hybrid blood that granted him access to ideal immortality. But even with his ageless body, Claudwin couldn't help but feel out of place, as all those who served after his introduction as the First Knight were long dead.

Perhaps, this was for the best. The Symbol of Revelation had granted him the chance to put faith in the next generation, instead of guiding them like he normally would have without the third-party interference. Whether or not this was a choice made by the physical manifestation of eternal wisdom that was the Symbol of Revelation to help accelerate the growth of the Knights, was not known to him. Nevertheless, his deep thoughts were only suspending his limited time, being able to shake himself out of it before his departure would be demanded by the flight's administrators. Briefly checking his watch, he still had half an hour to finish preparing the group.

Pheles' question was the first to strike his ears, answering after a quick thought. "Fortunately, the Collbrande and I had come to an agreement to rearrange the positions to compensate for my permanent absence in the operation. We thoroughly analyzed the files of the operators involved and we've come to a conclusion on a commander that is more than suitable to replace my anticipated role. As for the identity of that said person..."

Claudwin noticed that the clock was mere minutes away from reaching the second hour of the afternoon. As per the message he obtained from the Ashen Ember executive hours before, the person he mentioned would arrive at any moment. "I'll allow them to introduce themselves once they make their presence known in the establishment."

After a momentary pause, he continued to respond to Pheles' question, "Zhenra is an anomaly in itself. I take it that none of you folks have stepped foot in the province of the subject, yes? Though that may change in the future, depending on the conclusion of the war that the Darkblades are waging against the Sishen Yakuza. Regardless, the truth is, I was nominated to become a part of the assault force weeks prior to this team's formation. I just... didn't expect to be chosen. As you know, I'm not exactly the most combat intensive guy, even with my Exousiarch having already reached its fifth phase."

Unlike Lucael and his bestowed Exousiarch, the First Knight was a noble-born inheriting the Liberalis name, one of the Houses of Divinity serving under the Aeterna Imperium's absolute constitution. His age would indicate the obvious evolution of his Exousiarch, having unlocked its fifth phase shortly before the end of the Second Great War. Although not classified as something lethal, his Exousiarch was one of few that reached its final progression in the empire, and thus, he was an important member of the small society.

He listened and answered Nina's question regarding Cerberus, "You'll find her competence to be shocking. Despite her fragile looks, her proficiency isn't something to be scoffed at. It's rare for me to personally hire unaffiliated professionals to aid in investigations as the ISD has plenty to fill in the role, but I believe her addition to the team will be far more efficient than the other standard candidates from the directorate. As for her initiation, the girl isn't exactly known for being... too interactive. I'll leave her contact information to the assigned commander for them to decide whether or not Cerberus makes a deliberate presence. And if that becomes the case, treat her to a nice meal for the sake of it. I'm sure she'd appreciate the hospitality." Claudwin chuckled.

The First Knight checked his watch again—repetitively noting the number of minutes he has left. He took this moment to glance towards the others involves, more specifically the decorated agents of the ISD. As far as he could tell, the field agents endorsed by the Chief Director and assigned directly by Draigh were filled with diverse talents. Nothing to worry about from them as a few had already proven their qualification in the past. Sain "Glint" Chorite, a Revenant of silent words, was especially someone whose abilities were needed according to the troubles that the team would have to endure in the near future. His experience in the field infused with his professional take was an invaluable trait, baring similarities with perhaps only Shiro, who shared complementary traits.

Desdemona "Guts" Vaughn, another cryptogram that he was only able to research after the verification from the Chief Director. Her documented background did not dive deep into her personal life, leaving most of it blank—unusual for the ISD who are usually adamant in documenting their field agents' history in every detail. Aside from her barren history in the documents, her abilities and profession were far from inadequacy.

Hikari "Windshot" Kaze. The name and callsign were certainly familiar with the First Knight. He was a ferocious warrior whose history dabbled in achievements in the Imperius Tournament of Valor, more specifically their world record victory, which was an admirable honor all around. With the skills he possessed, the team's strength would drastically increase no doubt.

And the last of the assigned ISD agents, Akiba Suzuko, otherwise known as "Dove". This agent was an interesting one. Her documented history indicated a high likeliness of ambition motivated by revenge, but the mental evaluations state that she was within the stable level to pass. Having talked to her prior to the Knight's arrival to the Invicta Angelas, she seemed normal and without trouble. He could only pray to Agartha that she would remain cooperative until the extreme end.

So far, the team available in the bar was more than suitable to lead the fight against the Arcalion Syndicate.

With less than 20 minutes to spare until the arrival of the other agents, Claudwin sat patiently on the couches available in the lounge, alongside the Knights and the agents of the ISD.

SGM // Panther Khocolatte
KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), _Line 213 (Darklight), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint) Funnier President (Windshot)

 

[StorybookParagon]

Akiba

Dove / Female / 33

Imperial Security Directorate

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

Bitter.

The coffee was mostly an excuse to get outside. Most of her questions she figured out for herself. They were simply waiting for the last trickle of operatives that would join them. It might have helped to mingle with the others, but with the growing sensation of being overwhelmed in the bar, she opted to see herself out for the time being.

Now she stood in the chill morning of city, in the world waking from a bleak night, for a way to let that overwhelming sensation settle.

It was not because of the Kaiser Knights. No, they were hardly even the second thing on her mind. From the masked giant to the short, but still somehow taller than her, demonoid that walked in minutes ago didn't spark that sudden rush of emotion. Neither did Director Claudwin or Knight Lucael; she had seen their faces and knew their names long before meeting them here.

Instead, the very idea of almost gleeful revenge rooted itself in her head. Akiba waited a long time to properly take action on the Arcalion Syndicate. She had been careful and cautious in her constant investigations. Some could call it obsessive, but she called it justified. It was finally the time to spill the right blood of wrong people, to rip out an eye for an eye.

Akiba stood in silence. Bitter and cold.

It was time to head back inside.

---

Silently, the usually squeaky door opened as if it was brand new. Akiba slipped in with a touch of subtlety, trying not to disturb any conversation that might have been happening. "Sorry. Excuse me. I was outside longer than I thought I'd be."

With the coffee cup set down, Akiba made her way to sit down.

"Haven't seen any others coming, which is slightly troublesome considering your... time constraint." When Claudwin mentioned that he would be pulled away elsewhere by the powers that be for reasons not wholly known, Akiba could only offer a sympathetic sigh. It was common for ISD operatives to be moved around, even in their own province. Being higher ranked just meant that the ones that shuffle the operatives around it changes. At least she was given a chance to participate in something that she so dearly yearned for.

Close. It felt so delightfully close to begin the campaign.

"Although, I'm confident that even what we have here is capable for what might come. More than capable. The Arcalion Syndicate will shake and tremble when we step into their proximity." She gave a small smile at the others in the room. Some of them she already somewhat met through the brief meeting beforehand, then stopping at the newcomer. Akiba holds out a hand to shake the Demonoid's hand. "I saw you come in, but I never properly introduced myself. You can call me Dove. It's an odd name, but names are an important way to get to know somebody. I'll be in your care."

With the introduction out of the way, she made her way towards the group. No weapons on her person. No observable tics. Akiba almost seemed normal enough. The pink hair and eyes clashed against the professional attire and mannerisms that pervaded her steps. A great hunger tied with lawful reasoning.

"Glint." Akiba nodded before she sat down next to her fellow operative.

She quickly reexamined the ones she would be working with. It would be hard to gauge the abilities of the others without field testing, but she wasn't lying when she believed the group here to be capable. The Kaiser Knights had a fearsome reputation for a reason after all and the ISD were reliable like silent guardians. For now, they were most likely to be doing a preliminary investigation or something close to the sort for a way to force cooperation... unless of course something much more interesting required immediate attention.

"Has there been any word on the first assignment to come? Or will we be waiting on the others still?" She asked, eagerly.

SGM // Arkangel
KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), _Line 213 (Darklight), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint) Funnier President (Windshot)

 

[kasigi]

Fehlek

"Grimoire" / Male / 22

Vanguards of Imperius

Imperius, Elesrith

How many repetitions was it now? It was a bad habit of his: losing count. As the adrenaline dulled his clarity, he continued to push himself to the point of exhaustion — his muscles screaming out in agony from the intensity. — Clang! — The floor, reluctantly, endured the dense weight as the bar simultaneously reverberated with a metallic shrill, dancing across the sound-absorbing grooves that lined the walls of the tiny building. This building was a personal gym of sorts, recently obtained by Fehl after he purchased the property. It wasn't anything particularly grandiose, yet put the frugal apartment he called "home" to shame. He planned on moving into something a little more presentable soon enough, but couldn't scrounge together the time to look due to the extensive responsibilities that filled his plate. While he wasn't trying to hide the gym from anyone, his goal was to utilize the space as his personal kingdom of solitude. Going to a public gym really didn't cut it for him. However, considering Fehl's current predicament, solitude was a rarity no matter where he was. Inebriated by the endorphins, the voice that scratched at the walls of his mind struggled to break through to him. Eventually, of course, the wall began to crumble.

Fehlek.

Completely ignored. Unheard. Fehl was busy. Yet, it persisted.

Wake up. Go, now.

Go? Go where?

Fehlek. The Collbrande.

Light finally began to pour into Fehlek's eyes again as he returned to reality, letting the bar fall to the ground one last time. He paused for a moment, a puzzled expression laid upon his face. Shit. I gotta go. His chest rose and fell as droplets of sweat trickled down his body, standing shirtless in the middle of the room. The process was muscle memory at this point, his hand reaching towards a towel that hung on a wall after stepping away from the weights. Wiping the sweat from his forehead and torso, he tossed the towel over his shoulder, seating himself onto a bench that looked over the rest of the room's equipment. It contained all of the necessities for core exercises: a squat rack, a bench, a pull-up bar, and the recently used dead-lift bar. Oh.. uhh. Thanks, Vheros. I can't believe I let myself get so involved while I knew we'd be going out today. It was peculiar, the way they communicated. He didn't have to talk out loud, but it didn't feel like he was simply talking in his head. It was beyond comprehension, like trying to imagine a new color or third arm. There was no response afterwards — Vheros must have slipped back into their slumber. Fehl was grateful, if not a bit surprised at Vheros' consideration. The notion that he was friends with this thing that resided within him was kind of appealing, though he had no clue if these feelings were reciprocated — or if the concept of "friends" was something that Vheros could even conceptualize. At the very least, they were connected as partners. Fehl could recall back when Vheros was completely incapable of true communication; the raw emotions of the entity were all that Fehl could feel as it attempted to communicate. Vheros was learning.

After showering and donning his standard attire, he grabbed his third calorie-dense shake out a tiny mini fridge that rested near the entrance, kept nice and tidy due to its frequent usage. While an outsider would claim his actions gluttonous, barely any of the calories went to him. If he didn't absolutely inhale as many meals as he could within the day, he'd collapse into bed with a void in his stomach, devoid of proper nutrition. Strength training was a no-brainer, considering how much he was forced to eat anyways: 6000 calories at a bare minimum. He tried not to think about it too much. It's not like he got sick of eating. He was stuck with an eternal tapeworm, preventing him from ever getting full. Adjusting the brim of his cap to fit snugly on his head, Fehl stepped outside. His lungs appreciated the fresh air, especially after his training. Fehlek's car was probably the most expensive thing that he owned — it was honestly more of a home than his own house, considering the amount of time he spent riding around in it. The vehicle was painted a sleek black, possessing a lithe design and minimal seating. Clambering into the driver's side, he couldn't really hide his haste, the thud of the closing door was the siren's call signifying his departure from solitude. He was getting lonely, anyways.


***

Lady Bismarck, somehow, always managed to leave Fehl in awe. He had already removed his cap, clutching it dearly to his chest as he knelt before her. His devotion was genuine, an unwavering passion that could only be strengthened with time. Fehl's selection for this task in particular filled him with child-like glee, as he considered it an honor — more than that, a chance to prove his worth. "Trust absolutely no one." Wise words — ones that Fehl definitely agreed with. The only individuals who he could truly trust, at least for now, were the other Vanguards. A keen eye was mandatory, as any clues could lead to a swifter apprehension of the syndicate. This was for the future of Empyria, and all of her people.

As for the others he was working alongside with, he was curious about them. Incredibly so. His time interacting with the other Vanguards was bare minimum, which was something he hoped he could turn around.

He didn't know much about any of them besides their names and their general roles within the Vanguard, truth be told. It was probably something he should've dug into a bit more, but Fehl figured things would be a bit more interesting if he learned as he went.

Turning his attention to the Demonoid woman, her words seemed rather nonchalant. Fortunately, it de-escalated the intensity of the situation. "Not your first rodeo, huh? I feel better knowing we've got a pro on our team." A tiny smile formed across his lips. Fehl was, admittedly, amused. It wasn't often that Fehl interacted with a Demonoid, let alone befriended one. Throughout the many years of his youth, he interacted primarily with other Exhelians. She was a veteran, that much was obvious.. But by how many years? It would be rude to ask, right? I've heard that before, I think. A single finger reached up to scratch a non-existent itch upon his nose, breaking his gaze from the woman momentarily while his mind wandered in thought.

The man, Emile, was someone who he was equally unfamiliar with. Both an Exhelian and Noble, like himself. However, they were still so very different. There were so many questions that Fehl wanted to ask him: What was life like for him, growing up? How passionate is his loyalty to the empire? If given the choice, would he remain as nobility? Questions for another time, of course. They had work to do, and idle chit-chat wouldn't get them very far. In any case, the man held seniority over Fehl as well, automatically earning his respect.

Finally, his eyes laid upon Siesta. The one who would be leading them. She carried an air similar to Bimsarck herself.. Like a mini Bismarck. They were both leaders, after all."Right. Don't want to keep them waiting. I'm looking forward to working with you all — let's make this memorable."

GM // Arkangel (Lady Bismarck) Khocolatte (Siesta)
VOI // The One Eyed Bandit (Klauss) Paltajayd (Emile)

 

[GasMaskie]

Sain

"Glint" / Male / 27

Imperial Security Directorate

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

Scarlet orbs fell upon the agent when she addressed him before flitting away. His eyes shut soon afterwards as he took a small sip from the flask. From this close, perhaps she'd be able to catch the metallic scent that emanated from the metal vessel. Drinking something like that on the job was normal in his province, after all. He slid the container into one of his suit jacket's inner pockets before glancing over to the agent once more.

"...Dove." He knew nothing of the pink-haired woman outside of what the dossiers had covered. The barest minimum regarding skillsets and proficiencies along with appearances. At the very least, she seemed to carry herself to a similar degree of professionalism. Well, he had expected her to perhaps take a seat on the other side of the booth, but communication was more efficient this way. A gloved hand moved to his chin.

"Nothing regarding the specifics of our first task, I believe you were still here when Liberalis mentioned that he hired someone named 'Cerberus' for additional support during this operation... Perhaps you'd know more about her - this is your province after all. It seems like we're waiting on the actual commander for this operation to arrive as well." He pursed his lips, catching the faintest scent of caffeine now. Though he never really drank it, it was always a mainstay within the offices in Sanguinum. His eyes met hers now.

And the woman's strange contrast struck him moreso. It was easier to notice that driving force when you lacked one, after all. He was reminded of his own emptiness in that moment. Just what did the Revenant feel then - envy? Sorrow? His eyes shut as he turned his head away for a moment. Perhaps, at least for this operation, he might be able to partake in some camaraderie. Or a rare chance to observe other agents working towards the same objectives. Even years after the fact, he wasn't quite sure if he had truly started to live. But maybe he'd be able to grow into a proper person if he had better referential material.

GM // Arkangel
KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), Worthlessplebian (Breaker)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), Funnier President (Windshot)

 

[Panther]

Remiel

Thessia Tyrren / Female / 40

The Shadow Huntress.

Invicta Angelas, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

The bothersome ringing of an alarm clock resounded within the barracks quarters followed by a slightly annoyed grunt characteristic of a person disturbed from their slumber. A hand reached out to the bedside table that it rested on to tap the top of the alarm clock to silence it, giving the sleeper some semblance of peace before eventually completely coming to with quite the day ahead of them. It was 3 AM and the winds were blowing like a calm ocean current against the breakwater that is the gray walls of stone and steel of the Cinereous Citadel, a massive castle complex situated leagues above sea level within the titanic mountains on the outskirts of the capital of the western Province of Anterås that serves as the seat of power of the province’s current ruling House, House Cineris, and residence of its Collbrande, the shadowy Luria Augustine Cineris, the Collbrande who materialized out of thin air.

Of course, due to its massive size, it was impossible for one family alone to fully occupy its many rooms and stockades. As such, the Cinereous Citadel’s wings serve as the residence of a singular retainer, the barracks for its garrison, and even the headquarters of the House’s elite paramilitary element and household guard, the Ashen Embers Special Task Force. One member of it in particular whose rather eventful day is about to begin starting with the alarm clock from earlier – Elite Operative Thessia Lara Tyrren, Codename Remiel. She is the current Collbrande’s right-hand man, the primary eyes, ears, dagger, and shield of her liege among other duties.

However, later today would mark the start of not being at her liege’s side for she has an assignment of considerable length ahead: to lead a team composed of another two House’s paramilitaries of equal or greater renown, the operatives of the Imperial Security Directorate, and the mercenaries bearing the indistinguishable mark of the legendary Iscariots of Solarian.

Thessia rose from her bed with her hair a mess, sitting on the edge to elicit a sigh before fixing her hair and finally standing up to tidy up her bedding. She then helped herself to a plate of breakfast consisting of reheated leftovers from dinner the previous evening, leaving an almost empty fridge consisting of just a single tumbler and a now empty pitcher of water. As soon as she was finished with her meal, dishwashing, and final cleaning, it was her turn to get herself cleaned, swiftly showering to remove the smell of the bed and to maybe help in waking up some more. A short bout of tooth brushing, drying, and a change into her uniform later, she made the last preparations for her departure, shutting off the refrigerator and then the power to almost everything else through the circuit breaker in her room except a few light fixtures. Having already packed her things and tidied her room beforehand, she would just take hold of her backpack and pair of suitcases and left her barracks quarters, locking the door behind her after leaving only a single light on. Immediately, she was greeted with a patrol of consisting of 7 guards that were armed to the teeth, both parties giving nods at each other before going off their separate ways.

She makes her way to the citadel courtyard where numerous guards wearing their signature Anteråsan Steingrau or Schwarz field uniforms were goose-stepping, their rifles facing upwards in a tight grip and the buttplates resting on their left palms and their right arms swinging in accordance with the movement of their legs, in preset patrol paths after standing on guard for hours. The guards standing at the door would present their arms to her as she went inside the main keep, leaving her heavier luggage there before using a lift that only people of her security clearance level were allowed to use to ascend to the keep’s residential levels where the Collbrande’s penthouse is located.

It was not too long a walk on the desired floor from the lift to her liege’s office, knocking on the door before opening it to see the gray-haired Collbrande wide awake, a red folder in her hand that meant it was classified and eyes-only. With her in the office was the aforementioned singular retainer, a Hyzurian male in his 70s, a high-ranking official in the provincial chain of command. Thessia would respectfully greet the two, closing the door to be given a short briefing consisting of information sharing and a final set of general orders that went as follows:

“Lead your team well with what you have and apprehend the lackeys of the Syndicate. If necessary, kill them. Furthermore, trust no one. If even one member of the team is found to be affiliated with the Syndicate, kill them and their allies as well if necessary. No mercy is to be spared for these wretches once it is proven that they are undeserving. You have all the information and assets you’ll need to discern your course of action, if it’s not enough, contact me.”

The briefing ends, Thessia saying her temporary goodbyes to her two superiors before leaving the office, then the keep with her things in tow, then the Cinereous Citadel as a whole. Upon her exit, the Collbrande would toss the red folder into the dancing flames of a lit fireplace in her office. Thessia’s flight to and stint in the neighboring province of Aucteraden was about to begin.

---

Thessia’s military dropship would land in an Aucteraden military installation some hours before the designated time of the meeting, the rear cargo ramp opened to reveal a sizable black SUV with her as its driver, dismounting from the dropship with the relevant paperwork and documents on the dashboard that she would submit to relevant authorities, and reclaim if part of the process, on her drive out of the installation and into Seraphiel, the City of Opportunity.

Daybreak was nigh, the dark bluish skies above about to be graced with the light of the planet’s parent star. The tall skyscrapers of metal were reflecting some of the light and the shadowed roads and sidewalks being illuminated with the street lights automatically switching off as Thessia drove through the already bustling streets of the lively city that served as the immigrants’ introduction to the Empyrian dream, or well… Empyrian nightmare in the eyes of someone who has seen both sides of the coin. She eventually arrives at the hotel she would be staying at for the duration of this mission, parking the SUV herself as she could not bring herself to trust a valet, after all, she would not ask others to do what she can do herself, bringing her luggage included.

Following a swift confirmation of her reservation in the lobby, she was immediately shown to her room. Accommodation was nice indeed, being granted a spacious first-class room with the House funding her stay much to her chagrin. This was looking to be a future possible rendezvous point for the team she would lead, maybe even the House’s assets stationed in Aucteraden, on off-hours or dead days where no progress was due or worse… parties. This made her scratch her head with a sigh but now was not the time to think of that, and hopefully none of her would-be teammates would think of the same. She sprung into action, opening a suitcase that contained all her gear to take hold of a few scanners and went to work, scanning her entire room to see if it was bugged or wired, even taking apart some of the fixtures, furniture, and appliances and putting them back together once cleared.

Fortunately, her room was clean, she informed her superiors that she had already 'arrived' and then settled down before arranging the contents of her backpack and suitcases which took about an hour. After that, she made a number of calls to the assets in the province to get together for another briefing on the wire which took another couple of hours before she could finally have her second breakfast from the hotel’s room service that she also checked for anything suspicious, while it was definitely a thing of her job, it was also a habit and habits are well-known for being difficult to eliminate.

Thessia glanced at the digital wall clock in her room to see that it was now 10 in the morning. She took some of her gear and left her room locked, explicitly instructing the hotel staff that no room service is to be given or sent to her room unless she was physically present within. She took out her SUV for a drive again to survey the city for the next two hours, including the building where the venue for the meeting is. A stopover at someplace for lunch and a brief bout with some mouthwash later, she was now on her way to the venue as her assembly time was nearing. She would come to be early by over 10 minutes, nearing 20, making her way to the venue afterwards.

Not too long after, the bar’s door would swing open with a creak and then a thud as it gently taps with the wall. The person that Claudwin was speaking of is here, and everyone would have stopped everything they were doing, even if only for a moment, to look at the uniformed woman who stepped in with a stern and serious expression that scanned each and every face in the room, emanating a cold and professional aura. Shadow magic users in the room would likely sense that she was a fellow one as well, befitting of an operative under the service of House Cineris, the House of espionage, subterfuge, and intrigue. Thessia walked into the bar and then towards Claudwin, “Hm. I’m early, and it looks like almost all of the others had the same idea.” She was definitely quick to notice that the Vanguards of Imperius and the Iscariots of Solarian were missing still, she had read every single file of every single teammate in the room that she could have access to as part of the agreement between Anterås, Aucteraden and Elesrith, but conversely, almost none of the others have ever gotten a file about her.

She turns her head to face the bunch that were present after potential replies from Claudwin and maybe some others. She proceeds to introducing herself, “Ashen Embers Elite Operative, Codename Remiel. I will be your temporary superior until this mission is finished or until Lord Liberalis’s return. I look forward to working with you.” Less sociable-looking than Claudwin by not even bothering to give her name. Kind of a shame given her looks. Understandable probably given her line of work, but if she was hand-picked for this job, they can bet that she was good.

GM // Arkangel
KKO // voracity pomme Worthlessplebian _Line 213
ISD // StorybookParagon GasMaskie Ghostiiys

 

[Paltajayd]

Émile

"Fleur" / Male / 28

Vanguards of Imperius

Grand Alcazar von Bismarck, Imperius, Elesrith

Unaware of the uproarious movements in the clogged city by that time of the day, Émile sat under the casting shadow of a grapevine as the breeze from the vast prairie lifted his cape. The cold snow-white rooms of his home were excessively good at retaining the freezing inner microclimante, and its mahogany wooden floors with a built-in heating system weren't going to do the trick for him in minutes. Sunrays were an incomparable source of energy. The warmth they gave, the colors they produced. He had a privileged view of the Great Mountain of Agartha, the masiff that had collapsed over millions of years to form the majestic white peak, a natural power source of the world and stimulating scenery to the foreign visitor, all visible from his backyard. The clearest testament to his thoughts without a doubt.

There were only minutes left before the helicopter would turn on its engines. "A meeting with her majesty..." he muttered. The Syndicate's activity had grown in the last couple of weeks, as the reports on the current state of the empire showed. And it seemed that, based on the limited data handed to him previous to the royal reunion, he was going to partake in some kind of operation. An orchestrated maneuver by the Collbrande herself perhaps? It seems the ISD bit more than they could chew.

Not that they were the cavalry coming to save the day anyway... the syndicate's criminal record gave off a clear warning that they weren't just a bunch of revolutionary thugs. Just by reading the archives on their acts of coordinated terrorism, anyone could tell their sole movement as a whole was already a red flag for the empire.

He himself knew the impact of this, by how the public opinion drastically changed every time there was an attack or a too-late dismantling of their temporal headquarters in some faraway city. The birth of criminal schemes within the social network became a reason to protest, for example, for the expulsion of increasing immigrant populations in the region. Needless to say, data showed and proved countless times the locals, in proportion, were the perpetrators of their own demise. He had the numbers to prove it. They'd been published everywhere. But they kept vociferating nonsense. Not even Empyria, one of the most advanced nations in the galaxy, had been able to eradicate that malign cancer able to spread conscious insanity, ignorance.

His associates hadn't even crossed his mind at this point, not because of a proud ego taking over the scene, but because of a simple lack of knowledge from their current affairs. And the paradisiac landscape he had at sight, for which he rarely had time to gaze upon. Out of the four individuals he would encounter today, Lady Bismarck was the one he was most familiarized with. Gatherings within those social hierarchies made it relatively easy to meet her unstressed, in a less dutiful manner as it used to be with any government official, particularly those in the high commands.

From the rest of the groups he could only recall a couple of people outside, being able to recognize them in an instant, let it be by their voice, visage, or aura. Some of them definitely intriguing, but inevitably, there's always a black sheep. Or a beast... to say the least.

The sounds of a motor in the distance interrupted the dominating tranquility in his estate, as its pitch started to rise to uncomfortable frequencies and birds in the distance decided to fly away from the departure zone. The manservant behind pronounced himself before the environment became inaudible.

"Sir, it's time."

His blue cape followed him, as the synchronized clomps of his boots led him through an open hallway onto the outside perimeter of his beloved home. The blade vortex interaction had made it impossible to hear anything else than the metal eagle ready to leave at once. Words wouldn't come out of his mouth, but his gaze was sufficient to give Thalos a clear order to bring his spear. Heeding the call, the houseman promptly ran towards the weapon held over its metal holders, making sure not to step on the narrow stone canal that held a continuous stream of water. It was the master's optimum design to circumscribe his training space, a modified living room, into a both physical and hydromancy adapted area. Hurriedly making his way through the wide-open picture window with the weapon in hand, in time and distance to feel the pull from his master's incarce.

*****
​

Keeping up with the mandatory procedures, as it was the custom in front of Elesrith's second-in-command, kneeling in front of the Collbrande gave him a few seconds to scan the atmosphere. Based on the current state of things, it wasn't going to be some sort of warm welcome from the Collbrande and Siesta. But this was ten times better than having to withstand the fury of the Bismarck's representative.

As he sat next to the rookie, legs crossed, pinching on his glass of wine from the stem, the vanguard gallantly swirled his glass for the beverage to display its features. The tonality and transparency were first sight signals of a lack in tannins and greater acidity, more than the regular sugared reserve wines stored in oak barrels.

His nose reached the border of the glass, close enough to avoid contact with the crystal and smell its aroma now that the swirls had oxygenated the liquid. The protagonism of the fruit content, red berries, and a tinge of red apple had him reduce the grape options to those of Pais, Cinsaut, Aladasturi, and others inside his memorized wine catalog. Wood was completely absent from the mix. He paid close attention to the words of his superior, shrugging his shoulders to accompany Klauss' effort to lighten the mood.

Its temperature was around the ideal cold that wouldn't freeze his lips, making it flow soundly with the heat of the sunny day, an unmatched equilibrium he could foresee once he'd feel the first drops touch his impatient taste buds.

The words of the Collbrande resonated within him. Willpower and emotional attachment wouldn't be a problem for Émile, as he was confident in his neutral judgment. But what about Fehl? Or Klauss? An investigation procedure within the ranks of their fellow organizations wouldn't help them find the turncoat, or the potential turncoat. Since cooperation meant further involvement with the rest, it would be wise to have one of them on which to rely. Partially.

Trying to recall the last scents from wine, even stretching out his imagination through adding an orangy fragrance to the list, his first sip made sense with his first intuitions. Weightless. Light-bodied, as if it was some kind of fresh juice without any perceptible alcohol in it. Zero astringencies, thanks to the lack of tannins and the youth of the product. Its persistence in the mouth was close to a few seconds. A trusted choice to start for long night chitchats with the old chums, or a soothing delicacy under the blazing sun's hug. Her majesty's connoisseurs had hit the bullseye indeed.

"Has the Symbol of Valor changed her mind on protecting the empire, Herrscher?"

GM // Arkangel (Lady Bismarck), Khocolatte (Siesta)
VOI // kasigi (Grimoire), The One Eyed Bandit (Klauss)

 

[Huntertabbysandshark3]

Zengren

KARIKO MORINRA / Female / 35

Iscariots of Solarian

Chapter 0. Prologue | Synedriaseon - Room 402, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

standing alongside the other pilots a figure that stood out like a sore thumb with their height, along with there distinctive armour seemingly heavy and well insulated completely obscuring who they where form view leaning upon a massive breaching hammer that they had. behind the helmet they had an expression of annoyance as they listened to their commander speak. they where dishearten by the fact that they hadn't been put on the Valeria contract, meaning they'd be stuck with whatever footslogging work had been scrapped up. uninteresting in engaging with such work, much like everyone else. only for their commander to call the Armoured one out alongside three others. Pixie, Zengren, Zenko, and Sterling... right the others likely new bloods much to Zengren's chagrin.

apparently, they would be dealing with removing some group called Arcalion Syndicate and having to work alongside the ISD and the Vanguards of Imperius. many others seemed to be rather relieved about managing to get out of this job Zengren hoisted their hammer up giving a little nod. "got it, commander, you can count on me at least" they'd reply sternly the meeting now over Zengren was left with the others that had drawn the short straw on this contract. "right this should be an interesting time hey? well you heard the commander lets just be on our best behaviour maybe we will get a medal or something for our assistance as scary cops" they'd comment to the others chuckling lightly to themselves Zengren lifting there hammer over there shoulder fully now ready to head to the transport and get this job started.

GM // Khocolatte

IOS // simj26 (Pixie), lunar_moth (Zenko), azenva (Sterling)

 

[simj26]

Pixie

The Chariot / Female / 26

Iscariots of Solarian

Synedriaseon - Room 402, Seraphiel, Aucteraden

"Interesting." Pixie repeated Zengren's comment with as much sharpness as a smooth pebble, studying the hammer in the Demonoid's hand. Almost like natural instinct, her hand shot into her coat, and drew her notebook before anyone else could blink. With a click of her pen, she jotted down the callsigns of her colleagues, leaving some space between each name. Under zengren, she made an additional note- strong, carry hammer breaching tool? demolotions? She paused, then struck out the last word, and scribbled the corrected version of it. She hesitated, then drew a frowning face underneath Zengren and Sterling’s entry, and a question mark next to Zenko’s. With a sharp snap, she shut her notebook, returned it into her coat, then whipped out her phone to replace it.

She didn't think she could contribute much else to a conversation that was grinding to a startling halt. She glanced across the four of them, then at her phone again, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. She wasn't entirely sure about their wavelengths, but she had no doubts that each of them were on a completely different one than she was. Zengren and Sterling did not seem to be particularly interested in their current contract if the looks on their faces were of any indication, which was already far and away the opposite end of the spectrum that she herself was on. Zenko, on the other hand, was piling a lot of emotions onto his words and movements, and Pixie couldn't see if he was being genuine or simply clouding his real emotions underneath the facade. She exhaled audibly. She had worked with worse. After a moment of silence, she looked up from her phone and looked straight at her colleagues. "If you're not interested in the contract, you could just pull out now, you know that, right?" Pixie spoke quietly, but her tone was clear and sharp, almost like jagged ice. It was a startling contrast to her previous murmured comment. "We have others to cover for you. We're not Impsec, so you're not forced to take missions you don't want to. These aren’t deployment orders." Her voice betrayed no emotion- she had simply made a comment that was nothing more than a matter of fact, and she meant it. They were mercenaries who hunted men and beast alike for money. If they didn't want the pay, someone else did. If no one else did, then there would be more greenbacks in it for her. It was a win-win situation. Given the amount of manpower the Impsec and Vans were expending, surely they could still function with just one Iscariot. The IOS weren't one of the more prestigious collections of headhunters for nothing, and Pixie believed that, even if she had much more to learn, she could put quite a number of the Imps to shame.

She went silent again, dropping her attention to her phone's lock screen- a slightly off-focus and skewed picture of her posing with a peace sign in front of her Ascalon, the smallest hint of a smile present on her face. The first day she met her second gen sweetheart. Her closest ‘friend’ was a robot. It would be funny if she didn’t remind herself often enough about it. She gave a quiet 'Hm,’ before she tucked her phone into her pocket. "Think about it, but not for too long. I’ll save you some seats in the transport if you don’t change your minds.” She nodded curtly to her colleagues, then raised a hand to Vritra, signalling her departure. “Auf weidersehen.” Her coat fluttered around her as she spun around. Her footsteps a measured tempo, she made her way out of the meeting room. Time was money, and she could be spending it settling her equipment before deployment.

@GM // Khocolatte
@IOS // lunar_moth Zenko Huntertabbysandshark3 Zengren azenva Sterling[/I][/I]

 

[Arkangel]

Lucael

Lucian Asher / Male / 31

Fifth of the Kaiser Knights.

131st Street, Seraphiel City, Aucteraden

A hobby born from his innate desire to serve the honorable people around the world, Lucael had dreamt of occupying his own bistro since the end of the Raignork War. From the blood and lives he had claimed during that terrifying conflict, he sought to build something that would help him confront the forever doubt he held in his fragile mind. He partook in no wicked actions, such as when his own empress declared that absolute extinction of the Rythen name, both its people and influence. And yet, despite being able to escape the wrath that was karma for being a part of that bloody battle, he stood forward and continued his services, for the sake of his lifelong dream since childhood.

And yet, Lucael found himself laughing alongside his comrades, almost as if they were reunited childhood friends from their deep, forgotten pasts. Despite being known as the least active knight of the bunch, Lucael integrated himself into the group without problematic issues, proof that he was still in one piece regardless of the war that shattered him.

He wanted nothing but to protect this scenery. If he couldn't protect his sister from the addiction of war, he could at least use his talents to make certain that this family would never shatter. From his old friend Shiro to the newest recruit Aizu, he was prepared to fulfill his dream of becoming the knight of justice.

"Bethlehem," he called out to the individual standing behind the refectory counter alongside him, distanced from the others that were socializing while waiting on their quick meals. "you should get familiar with the new Knight while the chance is afloat, don't you think? From here on out, after the arrival of the others, it'll be rare for us to gather like this and relax. Besides, Lord Kaiser asked you to watch over the new girl, didn't he?"

Lucael formed a soft smile, reassuring them that her presence behind the counters was not required. "Don't worry about the preparations. I prefer to work alone, anyway. Nothing that has to do with disliking cooperation, I just... prefer the space when I'm trying to focus on mixing drinks and make appetizers."

SGM // Panther Khocolatte
KKO // voracity (Anthem), pomme (Jammy), _Line 213 (Darklight), Worthlessplebian (Breaker), Rielaix (Bethlehem)
ISD // StorybookParagon (Dove), Ghostiiys (Guts), GasMaskie (Glint), Funnier President (Windshot)