Fantasy Valsena Chronicles: Rise of the Hunters

[Ya Boi]

Prologue
The Bastion​

Lord Valtur watched as the room quieted down, every single person grew tense and unsure of the coming situation. It amused him to watch as dozens of his most trusted men stood still. It was almost like the room was lined with suits of armor and he was alone waiting for them. Like his men, Valtur didn't want to be anywhere near the Hunters but, alas, he drew the short straw on this one. The nobleman glanced outside the window. It was noon, he guessed. The Hunters should be arriving any moment now. Valtur let out a silent prayer to the All-Father, wishing that the escorts didn't do anything to agitate them.

Suddenly, the grand double doors to the Council Room opened and revealed the first of the Hunters. All two dozen knights somehow stood straighter than Valtur had ever seen them. Their hands gripped their spears tightly, ready to attack in case things went south. In that moment, Valtur understood why he was selected to welcome the Hunters to their new home. Only his silver tongue would have any chance of getting all parties involved through this orientation without any blood being shed. He let out one more prayer to the All-Father before standing, a warm false smile on his face.

"Welcome! I hope you and your companions were not troubled by the journey?"

 

[Ya Boi]

Ezekiel Forrester
Council Room​

Ezekiel entered the room and found himself greeted by the sight of two dozen knights each equipped with a spear in one hand and a shield in the other. He glanced at the balcony and saw several archers taking position. At the far end of the room was a tall man. He looked like a typical nobleman, tall, handsome, and he had an air of importance to him. The sight immediately got on Ezekiel's nerves. He narrowed his eyes at the nobleman, unsure of what to do next.

"Welcome! I hope you and your companions were not troubled by the journey?" the nobleman said.

Ezekiel shook his head and sat down directly opposite the nobleman. He crossed his arms and remained silent. Admittedly, he was curious about his new teammates. He'd never seen nor heard about any of them.

 

[NextGenRolePlayer]

Colt Lionel

Colt calmly entered the room everyone was supposed to meet in. The knights looked menacing, just like they’re supposed to. No one would take them seriously if they were jolly men. Colt took notice of the nobleman at the far side of the room, as well as an unknown man sitting on a chair. He looked pretty calm but Colt felt something unusual about him.

“Welcome! Come take a seat, I hope you weren’t troubled on your journey.” The nobleman said.

Colt nodded his head and kindly took a seat near the nobleman. He sat up straight and had calm expression on his face. He took a quick glance at the man on the other side of the table with curiosity. Colt looked back at the door, wondering how many people are about to join in and how well he can adjust to their personalities.​

 

[A Not So Wonderful Story]

Severynd Whinstek
Severynd was a fresh batch of stressed out, angsty, angry thoughts against the kingdom. He had been highly resistant against the guards the entire time, and was even escorted in iron cuffs just so he wouldn't make any more ruckus, especially with his new powerful abilities. The grand doors opened, and Severynd looked around the room with his gold eyes. Yes, he was normally calm, but its hard to be yourself when the kingdom who took your tax money for years on end decides to stick you with syringes for their own weapon. A guard removed his restrictions, and he rubbed his wrists.

"Welcome! Come take a seat, I hope you weren't troubled on your journey." The nobleman said.

That didn't make Severynd happy. He even let out a low growl that might've tensed the atmosphere, added to his golden glare at the nobleman. He stepped closer to the guards in their glistening armor, but not enough to be a threat. He scoffed slightly, looking around at all of them.

"R-Right... I feel very w-welcome..."

Severynd walked right up to the Nobleman and took the closest seat by him, and scooched it closer to him just to make him uncomfortable. He glared at that man like he wanted to kill him, regardless if he was responsible for his situation or not, he was definitely part of it. He leaned on the table before looking around the table, taking in the other hunters. He could tell that they hadn't shared the same hatred as he did, which didn't anger him, but it didn't make him like them any more. He took another look at all the guards. 'Welcome', tch, what a load of sh*t.​

 

[LumaThePhoenix]

Maya Misako
​

Maya's eyes were filled with curiosity as she entered the room. Her footsteps were light and quiet. She quickly noticed the knights and archers. They were armed and seemingly ready to strike at any moment. This made her a bit uncomfortable. A part of her saw this as some elaborate trap, but she was hoping that isn't the case. Not wanting to draw too much attention, Maya continued to look around the room. Her gaze struck every area she could use tactically in a worst case scenario. She kept this in mind as visual tour was interrupted by the sound of the nobleman speaking.

“Welcome! Come take a seat, I hope you weren’t troubled on your journey.”

Despite feeling a bit of tension in the air, Maya glanced at each of the people that were already there. She was curious to see how many people would be here and wondered if there were any more on the way. A smile filled her face as she responded. Her voice was soft and peaceful.

"No trouble here."

She picked out a chair at random and sat down.

 

[Danidify]

>Alyssa Durand​

Happiness? Annoyance? Anger? Alyssa wasn't quite sure which emotion to feel right now. She was thankful for having received a boost in pretty much everything as well as receiving the chance to become something bigger than a mere farmer. Alyssa could not, however, forget about the pure fact that she didn't have a choice in the first place. She said yes to a question that already been answered for her. Therefore she did not particularly know whether she should ignore the underlying greed for revenge and the release of bottled up anger. The internal confliction would not be revealed to the world soon anyway, since this was not the time to cause trouble. That did, however, not mean she would be keeping her mouth shut entirely. She could not stop her sarcastic remarks from coming out regardless.

Aly walked in right after another girl she had never seen before in a line of people wom she was not familiar with either. The young blonde, however, had yet to pay much interest in happily socializing with what seems to be people in the same.. situation as herself. Instead, her eyes were stuck gliding past the scenery from left to right, focusing primarily on the guards who all seemed slightly eager to attack. Her eyes then went up, tilting her face to flash a bright smile to the archers above. She did not feel any fear, and was not afraid to show it.

Upon hearing the confident voice of an unknown man, Alyssa turned her attention completely to the man as she almost subconsiously let out a chuckle. When the girl she had formerly walked behind answered, Alyssa couldn't help but swiftly add a bit of her own opinion to the rather slow start of a conversation. "Well, not until now at least." she started, moving aside to take a seat next to a black haired individual who had seemingly claimed the chair right to the opposite of the boring nobleman. "Don't you think all those lovely guards aren't a little.. what's the word? Extreme?" Alyssa lifted an eyebrow as she muttered the last word, planting her elbow down on the table before resting her head on her open hand. "There's no need to treat us as criminals now, is there?" Her glance shifted back to some of the guards as she spoke up, signalling she did not quite appreciate the armed individuals around them. And with that said, the now satisfied blonde ended her spree of light teasing and testing, waiting for a reaction to come.

 

[ApfelSeine]

Vijay Kulkarni
The Council Room​

Vijay positioned himself unobtrusively among the group, taking a seat beside Maya after the apparent nobleman had addressed the group. His gaze flitted briefly across the knights, counting 22... 23... 24 of them in total. As he counted each one internally, he flipped something over in his palm, small enough to be obscured from the others by his long fingers. For the briefest moment, his gaze shifted up to the balcony above, inwardly beginning a new count. 1... 2... 3... with each number he flipped the object in his hand once more, taking mental note of everyone in his surroundings. The setting held, from Vijay's perspective, an uneasy atmosphere. The stiffness of the knights and the position of the archers made that much apparent. They were prepared for something to happen, but what exactly they expected was unclear.

His attention shifted once more to those around him, to the unfamiliar faces whom he had been grouped together with. Perhaps, like Vijay himself, they had endured much to get to this point. It would not be unreasonable to expect some volatility given the circumstances, so that could explain why the guards had been put on edge. Vijay had not had an opportunity to familiarize himself with them, so he felt rather uneasy as well. It seemed that his sentiment was shared, given that the few who did respond to the nobleman appeared to be choosing their words carefully. Well, with one exception.

"I'm sure they have their reasons," Vijay remarked, his tone soft but even as he looked to Alyssa. His anxious feelings were not betrayed in his voice, though he continued to fidget with the object in his hand. He looked back towards the nobleman with a gentle smile. "That said, perhaps it would be prudent for your men to stand down. You already have us far outnumbered after all."

 

[Aeshae]

Evangeline Crescent​

Eva did not enter the room so much as she was shoved in. The knights escorting her already bore dented armor, and if one looked hard enough under their visors, busted lips and bruising eyes. While not strong before, Eva had been able to deal some damage before they manhandled her into this room.

"Fine, fine, I'm going!" She spat, her disdain evident. She moved her head as she paused at the entry way. Despite the blindfold covering her eyes, she still seemed to be examining the room slowly. With a very fake smile, she confidently began to saunter towards the table. On her way she stopped and regarded a knight who froze, prepared to lash out if she struck.

"I can see it. Your betrothed is cheating on you with the book keeper, you know the one."

At that she practically skipped to the table. Petty, she knew, but it helped her feel a little bit better. Especially when his face went pale and he looked positively green. She slowly made her way to an empty seat with the others. Few looked comfortable, all on edge.

“Welcome! Come take a seat, I hope you weren’t troubled on your journey.”

She stopped at this, and slowly regarded the nobleman. 'He'll be the first then.' Nodding to herself, she reluctantly sat herself down. Her newfound instincts writhed uncomfortably inside her, warning her that everyone sat around her could kill in some way or another. Then again, she supposed that qualified herself now as well.

 

[Ya Boi]

Lord Valtur
Council Room​

One by one, the Hunters entered. He couldn't help but chuckle uneasily as we watched the reactions of his men. He was particularly amused when the last of the Hunters walked up to one of the knights and said something Valtur couldn't hear. He could practically see the poor man shake in fear. 'So far, so good at least.' he reflected, 'As long as no fights break out, things were fine.'

He glanced at the Hunter who sat the closest to him. Valtur could feel the anger and disdain that the man felt for him. His smile faltered for a second before he looked away. He subtly shook his head before looking each Hunter in the eye and everytime he did so, he felt less confident about the meeting going well. Regardless, he continued on.

"Now, all of you may be wonder--"

"Don't you think all those lovely guards aren't a little.. what's the word? Extreme?" one of the girls interrupted.

"Ah, they are mere--"

"I'm sure they have their reasons," another one interrupted, "That said, perhaps it would be prudent for your men to stand down. You already have us far outnumbered after all."

"It's not like any of them can help keep us from killing every single one of them," said the man opposite of Valtur.

All of Valtur's men began growing restless, eager to do something. Whether that was to fight or to flee, Valtur did not know. He raised his hand and the guards quieted down and stood still once more. "Now, my friends, I know that the presence of my guard trouble you but don't worry," he assured them, "They're here just here in case things become... troublesome. I'm sure you can understand."

He smiled briefly, a poor attempt to diffuse the tension in the room. Another prayer to the All-Father before he continued. "As you all may be aware of, you were chosen by very powerful people to protect humanity itself. I need not explain the importance of this mission not just for your family and friends but also for the entire realm of Valsena.

"As such, you have been gifted with this stronghold that we are in. This--" he waved his arms-- "is the Bastion, a near impenetrable fortress that shall serve as your home. This entire fortress is now yours as well as everything within it."

 

[ApfelSeine]

Vijay Kulkarni
The Council Room​

Vijay looked around the room while considering Valtur's words. Knowing that he was among a group which could be considered dangerous was certainly a new experience, one which made Vijay rather uneasy. He was more accustomed to receiving admiration for his abilities rather than the fearful and uneasy response he was getting. Though undoubtedly the others posed more of a threat than he did, making the knights' trepidation understandable. However, this group had been chosen as saviors, and that fact left Vijay feeling somewhat amused. To think that those meant to save humanity would be welcomed with such fear... it was rather ironic. He kept this thought to himself however, with the exception of a quiet smirk.

"I see..." Vijay mused, breaking his silence to turn his gaze on Valtur. "I, for one, am grateful for such generosity. Though am I right to assume we will be under watch? I cannot imagine that such a vital project would go unsupervised."

He smiled at the nobleman, though the prospect of living in an impenetrable fortress was somewhat daunting. If nothing could get into the fortress, it stood to reason that nothing would be able to get out either. Vijay was not particularly keen on the idea of living in what could be described as a prison, so he would undoubtedly have to try rather hard not to think of his circumstances that way. They had been brought in to help people after all.

 

[NextGenRolePlayer]

Colt Lionel

The atmosphere grew dense with uneasiness, hatred, and uncertainty. Just like back home, Colt thought with a slight concern. Well, we’re all here for at least one reason. He hoped for the best and listened to the Lord’s words, at least the words that were able to be said. Colt took notice of the three who interrupted the Lord. A blonde lady with a flower, a man with black-long hair, and the calm guy on the opposite side of the table. He empathized with the three, in fact, everyone in the group since they were on equal grounds. Summoned to do something great for Valsena. The patriotic thought gave him a determined expression.

He was astonish by the bombshell Lord Valtur dropped. The fortress is now the group’s living quarters. Very different to what Colt was used to but he had to adapt. After the man with long hair finished speaking, Colt spoke. “I understand. I assume you will explain the details of our mission, right? Of course, I’m willing to complete any task that comes my way.” He gave a determined look at the nobleman.

If the group are living with one another, it’s best to get to know them. But from the looks of it, most of them don’t want to be buddy-buddy. Colt, however, gives the benefit of the doubt since they’ve been separated from home. It shouldn’t be such a bad experience with these people.​

 

[Ya Boi]

Lord Valtur
Council Room​

Valtur sighed in relief. It was nice to see that at least two of the Hunters were focused on their objectives rather than being a nuisance. With renewed confidence, he continued on.

"To answer the first question, yes you will be monitored. This whole fortress has been enchanted to allow me and my peers to keep an eye on you all.

"In order to keep the secrecy of your mission, we would like to ask you to leave the Bastion as little as possible. We cannot allow the common folk to catch wind of this program. Should you need anything more than what the Bastion can offer, you may use an Iris Message to contact us.

"As for your missions, I will personally visit you to brief you in. You will mostly be tasked with clearing out large gatherings of monsters that are causing problems."

 

[ApfelSeine]

Vijay Kulkarni
The Council Room​

"That seems straightforward enough," Vijay remarked, rolling the object he had been holding between his fingers, revealing it to be a smooth green stone about the size of a coin. He watched his hand as he fiddled with the stone, his movements almost absent minded in nature. "And what you describe is undeniably very rewarding work."

His gaze travelled towards the others, unable to help being curious about them. Vijay took care not to stare at any one person for too long, returning his gaze towards his hand whenever his attention lingered for too long to avoid appearing rude. It was difficult to tell how well he would be able to work with any of the people there, and it was unlikely those in charge would allow any one of them off alone, regardless of how loyal they did or did not purport themselves to be. He wondered if the group would be able to work well together, though naturally only time would tell. Vijay would simply have to remain patient to see how their circumstances would play out.

As he continued musing about the situation he was in, Vijay's attention wandered towards Colt, taking a moment to observe the other young man. Perhaps, once they were in more comfortable surroundings, he would make an effort to get to know him. After all, his confidence in an uneasy atmosphere was rather admirable. His gaze flitted towards Maya, who appeared to give off a rather gentle atmosphere. It would be the easiest to approach one of the others who would unlikely to respond with hostility. Though perhaps given the circumstances, he should get to know someone strong or powerful as soon as possible in order to have a powerful comrade to work with. With that thought, his gaze inevitably traveled towards Alyssa, who had not hesitated to speak her mind, and then towards Ezekiel, who had been brazen enough to make vague threats. He looked then to Evangeline, who he dared not look at for very long, and then just as briefly to Severynd, who he had noticed glaring at the others earlier. There were undoubtedly some individuals who he would have to take great care in approaching. Vijay briefly looked to the remaining few before returning his attention back towards his stone to pretend as though he had never been sizing them up to begin with, already weighing his options.

 

[LumaThePhoenix]

Maya Misako​

Maya watched as Lord Valtur was constantly interrupted. She felt bad for him as he seemed to want peace and teamwork among the group. On the other hand, these were people who are likely fresh off of the same type of torturous procedures that she went through. It would make sense for them to be so frustrated. Her lips poked out while she tapped her chin with her index finger, signaling that she is in deep thought. Normally, Maya would have already been trying to socialise with everyone. However, a part of her wondered if it would be better if she waited until everyone got accustomed to the current situation. Decisions, decisions.

One at a time, Maya looked at each of the people in the room. Some of them she would love to ride a roller coaster with. Others made her think she wouldn't want to come across them in a dark alleyway. Even though only a few seconds had gone by, it felt like centuries. Her heart was racing. She had to make a choice, and she had to do it fast. After taking a deep breath, her decision had been made. She would get up, stand in her chair and speak.

"Sorry for interrupting, but I'd like to make a suggestion. Since we're all here right now, I think it would be a good idea to try to get to know each other before everyone splits off to do their own thing. I understand if some of you aren't the social type. We don't have to have the roundtable of backstories here, but at the least we should introduce ourselves. Though each of us came here separately, we are in this room together. We're in this situation together. Everyone brings something helpful and unique to the table."

She points at the numerous guards and archers around the room.

"From what I've heard since I was approached about being a part of whatever this is, up until now, I think these noble soldiers need our help. Plus, if we're going to be fighting hordes of monsters, it would make sense to know who you're fighting with. After all, if we going to be living together in this place, I don't want to spend the whole time calling the people I'm living with 'strangers'. I'll even go first. I'm Maya Misako, and it's nice to meet all of you."

Maya takes a deep breath once more before thinking about what Valtur said about them being watched. She looks at him with a puzzled look on her face.

"I have a question, sir. When you say we're being monitored, does that include while we're in the bathrooms too? I feel like that would be an invasion of privacy."

 

[Danidify]

>Alyssa Durand​

A passive yet bold facial expression filled Alyssa's face as she looked right at the nobleman. Her ears enjoyed the various extra remarks made by other people around the table, save for the logical yet slightly iritating 'I'm sure they have their reasons' part. Of course they had their reasons to have so many knights around and the chances of them simply being sent away were very small, but Alyssa did not particularly care. Her self-appointed job was to make sure the poor nobleman knew there were people around that aren't afraid to stand up, just to keep him and his knights on their toes. Nevertheless, she was clearly not the only one that didn't hesitate to say some risky things, for the guy she was sitting beside chose a more direct approach in the shape of what sounded like a threat. Though perhaps slightly extreme and not quite her taste, it was interesting to see how some of the knights reacted.

Once Valtur finally managed to answer the questions and remarks made regarding the guards, Alyssa did nothing more than simply stare blankly at the man, frowning again upon hearing the word 'friends' being used and releasing a surprised shrug once he stated the guards were there in case things became 'troublesome'. The answer simply showed fear and an underlying lack of confidence, for a man confident and bold enough would've greeted the apparently dangerous group of youngsters alone as a sign of trust. After going past the faces of her new acquaintances, however, the blonde did somewhat understand that the presence of some might make it hard to believe no harm would be done.

Having not decided to interrupt, Alyssa quietly listened to what else the man had to say. His sweet words about them being saviours for humankind and such were all nice and dandy, but Alyssa had heard them before. Right from the start, actually, when she walked along the guards that came to her home. Alyssa's cold composure didn't change. Only until they were told the entire Bastion would be for them, an internal sense of happiness and curiousity invaded. She couldn't help but be slightly excited to live in a fortress, mostly because she had lived nowhere else than the crowded farmgrounds of her parents. Luxury would finally cross her path, but how long would it last?

Alyssa's eyes shifted to the first person to answer, listening closely to what he said before turning towards a boy that had remained relatively quiet for the past few moments. Their questions were interesting to say the least, though the feisty blonde wasn't much of a fan of how gratitude and obedience were rather obviously present. She wasn't planning on completely being a rebel against the cause, but making sure to stay wary was not a bad thing in her opinion. Perhaps it was best she lowered her guard a bit more than she had before, though. Alyssa simply listened for the rest of the conversation, waiting for her time to speak up since she did not want to interrupt the others all too much.

Needless to say, Maya's sudden shift of the conversation caught her by surprise. She wasn't sure what to think of the redhead, but there was no rush to make an opinion since they would be living together after all. When hearing the question she asked regarding privacy, Alyssa took it as her clue to finally open her mouth again. "I'm sure our kind sir is well aware that it's not appreciated certain enchantments are put in such places. He obviously made sure to keep our bedrooms private too so we can sleep peacefully, did he not?" Alyssa said, her voice confident as she directly looked at the nobleman. She then looked away, her expression quickly shaping into a gentle smile as she looked around the table, skipping past the nobleman. "As for introductions, my name is Alyssa Durand. I hope we manage to all get along." She stated, her tone now much more friendlier since she was not intending to make enemies of her new fortress-mates. The blonde took a slight break before quickly adding something to her introduction. "I'd like to apologize for perhaps coming off as slightly rude, I just wish for none of us to be harmed." A well meant apology targeted towards everyone. Well, everyone except the nobleman to be completely honest. She still didn't trust him all too much after all.

 

[NextGenRolePlayer]

Colt Lionel

The atmosphere warmed up over the gloomy emotions a few moments ago. With his question answered, he took a quick glanced of the long-haired man. He seemed to be in the same boat as Colt, his polite attitude breaking the mold. Maybe after the meeting, he could get to know the man a lot better. Fortunately, the conversation shifted into introductions. Colt made sure that he’ll have to thank Maya for breaking the mold. Certainly, it was best for everyone to at least know their teammate’s names. He did have a slight chuckle at her question, doubting that the nobles would be perverts. But, he composed himself since it would unkind to act like a child at something trivial.

It was the blonde girl’s turn to speak. Having to introduce herself as Alyssa and apologize for her rudeness. Colt had a smile on his face then looked around the table for anyone else to speak up. But, he started to introduce himself. “Hello, my name is Colt Lionel. I’m sure we’ll all get along even if it seems like we won’t.” He cleared his throat, feeling like he should say something else.

For some reason, he did feel a type of vibe from the nobleman. Whether it was good or bad, Colt wanted to address the subject. So he stood up. “In all honesty, I don’t feel any anger towards you, noble sir. But I must say something about the experiments. While each of us may have negative feelings about the experiments, do you think we would stand a chance against these beasts with just our own strength? For me, even though they were stressful and exhausting, they just boosted my determination. In the end, I won’t argue with any of your feelings or opinions about the task at hand.” He finished what he wanted to say and looked at the rest of the group.​

 

[ApfelSeine]

Vijay Kulkarni
The Council Room​

Vijay considered his soon to be comrades' remarks on the security, nodding slightly in response to their very valid concerns. Although he did not particularly want to view their circumstances as imprisonment, he still found himself unable to deny that it was unlikely that those in charge would leave even a small gap in their security. Despite Alyssa's optimistic remark that their privacy would surely be respected, no prisonesque setting would give them that much freedom. Or at least, he highly doubted that they would. If it was anticipated that there was cause to monitor them in the first place, he would have to assume that they intended to monitor them fully. Perhaps he was being overly cautious, or even paranoid, but he felt it would be very foolish to leave any area unmonitored if they feared conspiracy or rebellion.

He watched carefully for Valtur's response. Vijay's expression was unperturbed, but he was focused in on picking up on even the slightest hesitation. With the knowledge that they would be watched through enchantments, he had to wonder what these enchantments would allow for. His knowledge on magic outside of his own abilities was limited, so it would be difficult to figure out through inspection or even assumption. Could they see visuals? Or merely sense where they were within the fortress? If they could see visuals, how detailed could those visuals be? Would they be able to read a note, for instance, or would they have a less detailed view? It might even be possible for them to hear what was being said. Without knowing what the extent of what they were capable of, Vijay had to believe that they could be capable of very in depth monitoring. Though it could also be true that their ability to monitor them was limited, and his concern unfounded, but he felt it better to air on the side of caution. Perhaps he could find some literature on magic or enchanted security within the fortress, though it was unlikely that the information he wanted would be so easily precured. It would be something to consider more in the future.

For a brief moment, his attention shifted to Colt as he made his introduction. It appeared that he was an individual who wore his heart on his sleeve, speaking openly about his opinion, as well as remarking on the experiments they had gone through. Vijay felt himself tense involuntarily, preferring not to dwell on the subject. However, it was useful information that the others had undergone similar procedures, and found them unpleasant at the very least. It was a bit of an understatement, in Vijay's opinion, but he made no remark upon that. It was also potentially useful to learn that the effects on Colt had, at least as far as the other man knew, been fairly minimal. From Colt's demeanor, Vijay felt no reason to suspect that Colt was minimizing his experience. Or at least, if he was, it was surely not out of anything other than politeness and humility. Either Colt underestimated his own strength, or the procedure was not as significant as the program was likely hoping for. Vijay rather hoped it was the former, as it would be a shame for such a bright young man to be cut down in battle. He cleared his throat quietly before speaking up.

"I expect our capacity to succeed will become apparent in due time," Vijay remarked before placing a hand on his chest and smiling softly towards the group. "Ah, and please do pardon me for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Vijay Kulkarni. It is a pleasure to meet you all, I am sure."

 

[Ya Boi]

Ezekiel Forrester
Council Room​

Ezekiel watched the meeting closely. He went over what the nobleman had said and the slight nervousness about him. As much as he disliked the presence of the guards, he understood the reasoning behind it. That didn't mean that he had to act nicely about it, hence the threat that he muttered out. Brazenly threatening everyone's lives was a bit too far, he realized. After all, he and his new comrades were the only supposed hope that the realm had. It wouldn't make sense to just suddenly kill them all. Satisfied with his rationalizing of the situation, Ezekiel relaxed.

Just as he did, everyone suddenly began introductions. He glanced at each person carefully, sizing them up one by one. Maya had been the first. She looked rather friendly albeit a tad too naive for Ezekiel's liking. Alyssa was next. He didn't really know what to make of her other than she seemed like the type of person to find the light side in most situations. He turned to the next person, Vijay who didn't really stand out much in Ezekiel's eyes.

Not wanting to seem like the broody quiet guy, Ezekiel stood next. He looked at each person once more and spoke loud and clear, "Seeing as we're all just suddenly friends, let me introduce myself next.

"My name is Ezekiel Forrester. I'm looking forward to working with all of you."

 

[Aeshae]

Evangeline Crescent​

Eva shifted her head to listen to each at the table. The way each spoke, their accents, the way the air shook slightly with emotion. A lot of different perspectives cluttered in one room. Of course, with plenty of soldiers to keep them at bay should something go wrong. Things tend to go wrong in delicate situations. The red haired one, Maya, recommended they all introduce themselves. Initially, Eva scoffed at the notion. What was the point? They weren't working together, they weren't comrades. They were prisoners, plain and simple.

Then again, a fortress was similar to a castle, was it not? Eva smirked at this thought, content in being it's "princess." As childish as it was, it seemed the only way for her to make light of such a doomed situation. Eva wanted to live the high life, and that was what she had been working for. But to be brought into it like this? Well, money and power came hand in hand, and the nobleman himself seemed nervous enough to give her some courage.

The first to introduce themselves was Maya. She seemed to be... Thoughtful, if that was appropriate, to try to dissect such a heavy atmosphere. Next was a blonde haired girl, Alyssa. When she spoke, Eva could smell the soil and vegetation on her. Was that what she was before this? Next was the oh so knightly man. This... Colt. When he spoke, Eva sneered, dismissing his so called patriotism. She couldn't imagine the two of them getting much along at the moment, not when the so called country has to install magical incantations to watch their every move. Then was Vijay. He spoke softly, sweetly. A good attempt at remedying this atmosphere. It seemed to be working, as Eva could feel the guards shift behind them. This group went from monsters lashing out to monsters having a conversation then? Ezekiel spoke, the violent one from before. His response was still angry, but not false all the same.

Eva stood next. "Well then, I am next. My name is Evangeline Crescent. I-" She staggered slightly, holding one hand to her head. Blinding light seemed to erupt from behind her eyes, and a white sound deafened her. Almost instantly, she stood outside of the walls. Looking down, she nearly vomited as she realized she was missing a leg. Missing being generous, and ripped from her body more accurate. Before she could scream, she back inside of the fort. The guards looked uneasy, as her stumble seemed out of place. "Ugh..." She held a hand to her mouth, forcing back vile. Was this a side effect to the ritual? Was she... seeing her own death?

"That is all." Eva finished with a grunt, not sitting down in her chair but more of falling into it. Whatever she just saw, it drained her greatly.

 

[ApfelSeine]

Vijay Kulkarni
The Council Room
​

The suggestion of the group being friends, though apparently disingenuous, piqued Vijay's interest. He wondered if the standard for friendship in this place was set so low as to include cordial acquaintances, having found the atmosphere thus far to consist primarily of a cold and strained politeness among those at the table. Friendship was a more pleasant prospect than being mere comrades in arms, or worse still, merely being fellow prisoners brought together entirely by force. If a friendship could truly blossom in such bleak circumstances, it would be quite precious. Currently, Vijay felt no attachment to those sitting at the table with him, though he did feel sympathy knowing that they had likely endured similar procedures to what he had experienced. Vijay had formed friendships based on sympathy before, though considering how such things often played out, perhaps it would be best to connect no deeper than on a superficial level. It was easy to mimic genuine loyalty after all.

As Ezekiel finished speaking and Evangeline chimed in, Vijay allowed his attention to shift towards her once more. The blindfold was rather unnerving, particularly given how it obscured the most easily readable feature of one's face. After all, it was often said that the eyes were the window to the soul. Whether she had covered them because they were damaged, or for some deeper reason, Vijay could not be certain. He watched as she stood to give her introduction, taken aback as she appeared to falter. While Evangeline's hand went to her head, as though on the verge of fainting, Vijay instinctively began to rise to his feet, the chair scraping slightly at the sudden movement. He paused as she appeared to steady herself, though his brows were knit together in concern. She appeared ill to him, and it was with quiet reluctance that he sat down once more.

Vijay felt conflicted as he observed Evangeline, wanting both to help, and to avoid increasing her discomfort by causing a fuss. She was no child after all, unlike those Vijay had spent his life looking after. Ill timed concern could potentially come off as patronizing, particularly if the young woman was used to dealing with her own condition. Still, it was clear that somethat had come over her as she fell back into her chair, though just what it was he could not be certain. Did she have a weaker constitution that it appeared? Was this some side effect of the experiments? Or perhaps she possessed some sort of magic ability that had momentarily overwhelmed her. A clairvoyant perhaps? Or potentially a medium? Vijay had seen those who claimed to be connected to spirits, though whether they were anything more than convincing actors was difficult to say. And this was like nothing he had seen, manifesting both in, from what he could see, lightheadedness and queasiness. Unlike those Vijay had seen who claimed supernatural or psychic abilities, Evangeline's nausea appeared genuine. More importantly, her state appeared to be cause for concern.

"Are you... quite alright Evangeline?" Vijay found himself saying, in spite of his own better judgement. His racing thoughts of trying to better understand her had only left him feeling more concerned, and he simply could not help himself after seeing her collapse into her chair. While Vijay managed to remain seated, his fingers curled tightly around the stone in his palm, feeling the smooth surface shift ever so slightly under the weight of his emotions.

 

[NextGenRolePlayer]

Colt Lionel

Sitting back on his seat, Colt continued to listen to the rest of the meeting. He turned his gaze to Vijay, appreciating his positive response and kind introduction. The man on the opposite side of the room spoke next. Quite odd that his introduction was in a friendlier tone than his previous threatening remarks. Though, Colt wanted to give Ezekiel the benefit of the doubt by believing he was just acting tough and angry. Then the girl with the blindfold introduced herself. The blindfold was pretty mysterious, was she a blind person? If not, why wear the cloth around your eyes? Her introduction suddenly stopped short. Observing Evangeline, he was puzzled by the fact she was about to faint. No other human would look healthy in one second then suddenly be sick in the next.

Vijay caught Colt's eyes once again, instinctively getting up and looking worried at Evangeline. While she seemed to be fine, Vijay still looked concerned as he sat down. It did raise some questions for Colt himself. Was this a side effect of the experiments? Are there exclusive side effects for each person's experiments? Are there ways to treat these side effects, like a sort of medicine? Colt took suspicion on the nobleman considering he would know this information. He heard Vijay questioned Evangeline's health; genuinely looking concerned, possibly overly concerned about the whole issue.

"I'm sure you shouldn't be overly concerned about it, Vijay." Colt kindly reassured with a smile, in an attempt to calm his thoughts. He turned his gaze back to the nobleman and continued. "However, I must ask, Lord, are their any side effects to the experiments? If so, how bad are they and can they be treated?"​

 

[Quillicious]

Arlech
​

An overwhelming sensation of panic flooded Arlech's senses like a crashing wave as he approached the Council Room. Detecting too many people to count without giving himself an anxiety attack, the Hunter hesitated as he reached the passageway into the room where all the action was. Several fellow Gifted were already in there, most likely already in the middle of a grave introduction, but Arlech wasn't able to identify any of them by their Traces. Training that part of his Gift was troublesome, for sure. Then again, everyone had issues with getting their Gifts in order once in a while, right? Snapping back to the issue at hand, Arlech swallowed hard in the realization that he was indeed quite late. The young Hunter frantically tidied his cloak, fastened it tighter, and attempted to remain his normal complexion's color as he glanced to the guards at either side of the doorway. His cheeks flushed rosy when he very carefully opened the door, embarassed at his negligence of time and attention. Should've just held it... Arlech prayed to any and all of the gods that his silent footsteps weren't detected by everyone in the room.

The sheer number of people whose precense he felt was debilitating enough, and he definitely didn't need to interrupt an important conversation about the safety of the entire country. Pulling his hood futher over his face to conceal the clear shame written all over his expression, Arlech quickly took a seat even though he absolutely knew that all eyes were scrutinizing him, judging harshly and accompanied by cruel thoughts. A brief nod in each direction was all he could do to try and quell the intense burning he felt on the flesh of his face. In contrast, a bitter cold radiated off of the girl next to him, chilling his very soul. Now, Arlech had no difficulty knowing what her Gift was.

 

[Aeshae]

Evangeline Crescent ​

Evangeline waved the two men's concern from her, bile still fresh in her mouth. While their concern was appreciated, she doubted they should be worried about her. Eva was never necessarily strong or gifted, so if someone who relies on tricks and illusions felt repercussions, she could only guess how these people would be affected. Then again, was it her weakness that she displayed symptoms? No one else seemed to be feeling ill, yet here she was unable to even stand.

Eva snarled in the direction of the nobleman, quite content to let this Colt person take the lead on questioning for a cure. She paused momentarily however, and felt someone watching them. She turned her head slowly, still weary to move much, and felt a young man moving towards them. As he took a seat, she could almost... See? No, maybe sense that he was also like them.

Sweat began to bead on her brow as Eva bit her lip. What is this? As if taking in each person for the first time, she could almost feel that they all have shared something. They are sitting by a campfire, an uncomfortable silence. They are climbing some rocky terrain and she had slipped. They were breaking bread at a table and Maya had begun cheering loudly. Were these memories? That didn't make any sense, Eva had never met these people before. Yet the more she tried to focus on these fleeting images, she felt a stabbing pain in her head. This ritual... It seems like it will be a real pain after all.

 

[A Not So Wonderful Story]

Severynd Whinstek
Severynd watched in silence as he tried to stay invisible. It was clearly working too. If there was one thing he had learned before, during, and after the experiments, it was that no one is your friend. Not until they prove it. He was studying them all very closely, trying to learn what would be the best way of going about the situation. He smirked beneath his mask at all the interruptions. It was rather comical. Although his thoughts might prove to be incorrect, he knew time would tell. For example: Colt seemed to be the type of person to shout 'hazah!' before battle to 'boost moral'. A sort of hot shot, if you will. Severynd's theory was that he would overestimate his abilities in battle, using a cannon to open a door, if you will. He was an overkill already in his eyes, but brutes had their uses. He would have to learn how level headed the man was. NextGenRolePlayer

Maya on the other hand, seemed like a strong thinker to him. She was the first to propose introductions, which impressed him and unsettled him at the same time. She was a natural leader in sticky situations, such as a room full of angry and rambunctious power heavy soldiers. Not even the nobleman proposed introductions, and he was supposed to be guiding them! What a joke! But at the same time, he didn't like talking... so an introduction would be rather challenging. He made a mental note to approach Maya on a later note. There was no harm in offering an alliance, and she seemed rather friendly. He wasn't exactly a follower, but guidance was always appreciated. No one's the best at everything, y'know. LumaThePhoenix

Next came Alyssa, who took a rather sudden twist in mood. She was awake about the whole situation, and a fool would think otherwise. She sees the problems, and she knows how to prevent future confrontation. She's a sharp one, but she might be a bit harder to communicate with. She sort of reminded him of himself. Not a follower, and definitely not dragging weight. She would be someone he wants to keep on his good side. Danidify

Eva immediately peaked his interest. She was going to be an important role in whatever was to come. He could feel the power within her from across the table. He would definitely approach her later. He just hoped he won't mess up first impressions. Aeshae

Vijay was an entirely different story. He was a team player. A well rounded, strong individual who thought rationally and acted decisively. When he talked, he showed kindness. When he moved, it wasn't sloppy. Theses were all very important to Severynd, and would determine his opinion on him. As soon as the fatigued Eva incident happen, Severynd was sure to note Vijay's reaction of care to the stranger he didn't know. Admirable, but a weakness. It would most likely be the death of him. ApfelSeine

Once Colt spoke again, Severynd silently scoffed and shook his head. To tell someone to stop worrying about a blind person who practically collapsed in their chair seemed... ignorant. Severynd had half the mind to confront it, but decided it would be best to keep as may people on his good side as possible, or at least neutral. Well, now that everyone had gone, it would seem angsty not to introduce himself. He slowly stood.

"My n-name is Severynd Wh-Whinstek."

He looked around to everyone, including the embarrassed newcomer who entered the room. He looked around with golden, slightly glowing eyes.

"Apologies f-for my speech, th-the experiments were r-rather harsh, as I'm s-sure you all know... To th-those I assist in b-battle, you will n-not perish. To th-those I befriend, I w-will stay loyal. A-As for this foolishness of 'S-Saviors', I see no n-need to pretend that I agree w-with this imprisonment. W-We are weapons. It is obvious. I appreciate th-the optimism of you all, b-but must we ignore that? I know th-this is all for the g-greater good, but I am n-not inspired by a 'w-welcome' of swords and bows..."

Severynd looked around the table. He didn't want to play tea party and become besties with everyone. This was a real problem that he felt the need to adress. He didn't want guards telling him when he could leave his own home.​

 

[Danidify]

>Alyssa Durand​

Alyssa eagerly looked around the table as the fun little round of introductions moved on, attempting to memorise each of the names mentioned. She had always been bad at keeping track of names when meeting strangers. Luckily for her, most people sitting at the table had a plethora of reasons to stand out, making it less likely for her to forget about them.

Every time a new person would speak up, Alyssa would simply look into their direction with a curious expression set on her face. She kept her cool, but internally she had questions that wanted to come out as quickly as possible. Alyssa wanted to know more than just names. She wanted to hear their past, their interest and, more importantly, their abilities. Not only was she just plain curious, It was also helpful for her to know who she could hide behind in a fight. The blonde still didn't feel immensely safe, especially because her trustworthy bags of plant seeds had been taken from her by one of the guards. Even though she didn't think she was in much danger right now, Alyssa always felt a little off whenever she wasn't around at least one or two plants. It made her feel defenceless, and that obviously wasn't a thing she particularly enjoyed. There was no way for her to get them back now though, so she would just have to be patient.

In all honesty, the young blonde already figured out for herself who she liked and who she did not. She was slightly judgemental perhaps, but that was something she couldn't help. Vijay and Colt both came off a polite and kind guys, but Alyssa was of opinion that they were a little too formal and cooperative towards the nobleman. Alyssa was well aware that, sometimes, such a rational reaction is necessary to avoid conflict. She just felt like it could've been better to be a bit bold, especially after all having gone through rather unpleasant experiments. At the end of the day, though, she wasn't going to flat out dislike them for that. They would simply have an increased chance of being teased if she ever felt in the mood to unleash her impish plans.

Next up was the boy she was sitting next to, Ezekial. He had made somewhat of a good impression on her, considering the more rebellious nature of his responses to the nobleman. Despite the more... elaborate threat he had made, he managed to pique Alyssa's interest thanks to his seemingly confident composure. Evangeline did so too, having initially made the impression that she was far from a pushover.

Slight confusion arose when she suddenly saw Evangeline behaving in a somewhat odd manner during her introduction. Was she feeling nauseous? Was she in pain? Alyssa didn't know, a sense of concern shifting her expression. "Can't one of your guards at least get her a glass of water?" She said, looking back at the nobleman. Her focus then changed, however, when a new face entered the room. The young huntress intently gazed at him as if trying to figure out who he was. It became clear that he was in the same boat as the rest of them when he took a seat as well, causing her to avert her slightly impolite stare.

The flower whisperer had already kind of forgotten they were doing an introduction round until another furthered it. This stranger, Severynd, quickly managed to intrigue the shorter girl. Although the first few words made it seem like he was simply someone with a hero complex, what he said regarding 'saviours' and being weapons made sense to her. Alyssa mostly agreed with his little speech, believing that they were indeed more a weapon than volunteering heroes. The fortress was their armoury, and the guards were their sheaths. One thing the blonde did seem to disagree with Severynd on though, was the fact whether they should ignore these facts or not. For in her opinion, it was best to just not pay too much thought to it.

Releasing a sigh, the huntress once again placed her elbow on the table and rested her head on her relaxed fist. Looking at Severynd, she replied in a steadfast tone. "Well, we can keep thinking about the grim details, but I don't think that'll change anything at all really. Whether we call ourselves saviours, hunters or weapons doesn't matter. All that does is that it's our job now, so we might as well embrace it and enjoy ourselves while we still can." Alyssa kept her eyes on Severynd once she was done speaking, waiting for some sort of reaction to come.