Maverick

He never would have thought that he would see Kuratel, much less after the Whispernight had occurred. Exchanging pleasantries to both old and new friends was, of course, his first priority, greeting them warmly, before standing still to admire the surroundings. Hunter was a man that exuded an almost ethereal kind of calm yet at the same time his presence was imposing and authoritative. His eyes moved from side to side, deep contemplation and analysis always a thing on his mind. His Royal Dragoon uniform was stylish and practical, his cavalry jacket a perfect fit and gilded with his rank and regiment badge while his caster gun and runic long sword hanged from his belt ready to be used in the occasion. Hunter scanned the area with a somber look in his eyes, his gaze paying respect to what once was a great land full of life and activity. He stood right next to his friends and fellow officers as Elilah explained the situation at hand, following the same script of feigning obliviousness to past meetings. A steely gaze followed her movements, but his mind was occupied processing and creating plans for any eventuality that could occur. After her explanation was done, he raised his hand to interject. “My lady, if I may…” He said, retrieving a backpack and revealing it’s contents to the group. “Since we are separating, I believe these will come in handy. I brought them in case we got lost on the way, but I believe this is a much better purpose.” Hunter gave every party member a flare gun, a clip on belt with 3 spare flares hanging from their grips. “If anyone in any group needs any assistance, shoot a flare so we can pinpoint your location. Hopefully we will be able to send some help your way. It could also work for additional light sources or even distractions. Be creative.” He spoke politely, like addressing an audience. “I’ll go with Sancroix and Faulkner, I believe my abilities will be much more handy in the retrieval of the airships. In any case, do not hesitate to shoot a flare, as I will be on the lookout for any signal.” Without further ado, the colonel walked towards Cazarosta and gave the man a friendly pat on the back and shoulder, a friendly smile on his face. “Those dragons have one hell of a challenge going their way, eh Caius? Take care of yourself dear friend, make sure Caterina hits the mark too. And don’t be too much of a hero or I’ll have to go and save your skin, and we all know your pride won’t be happy with that. Plus you have Campos there and if the reports are correct, his skill is legendary.” He said, giving a nod to Campos with the last words. With a chuckle, he then moved towards the airship team, standing with them with pride. “Captain Elson, ‘tis good to see you are eager for this mission as well. I’m sure your abilities will be of much help.” He said respectfully to his fellow officer before looking at the rest. “And here we are, walking into danger together once again, like old times.” Hunter had nothing but the utmost respect for these men, and he was already feeling quite confident in their success.

Same here! Good to see you here Grizz. Haven't written with you since Skies of Fire xD

Indeed, I'll be posting in a few

Little had passed before more people arrived to the Inn. Ellyna watched the captain stand at attention in front of Llewellyn, an act she found endearing if only to be able to copy such formal movements. She smiled at the man, name and rank already stated, before she hastily patted him in the arm and waved at him in an exagerated motion. "Hello Captain Gareau... Did I... Did I say it right?" She asked. "I'm Ellyna Garniel, I hope we can be good Blackwatch siblings!" The inn suddenly fell silent for a few seconds as another person, this time a girl, stepped into the building. From her position, Ellyna could not identify her very well. As she started moving forward, however, her optics focused on her face, a near inaudible zoom-in sound breaking the monotonal whispers of the surroundings. She giggled as the positronic part of her brain brought up the information stored... Her uncle's words only confirming her data that this girl was in fact Princess Novalie of the Corvinite Empire. Ellyna was going to say something to her before being interrupted by Captain Llewellyn. The plan seemed simple enough, the girl assimilating and gathering all information necessary about the quest in hand. She paid attention quite firmly as a matter of fact, going from peppy to focused in a second. A hunt was a quest of many stages, but her job there was a simple as it came. Watch, learn, and follow orders. "The Blackwatch never fights on it's own..." She repeated after the captain. "Yes Uncle... I mean... Captain!" She answered firmly, with a slight smile on her face. Ellyna then turned towards Novalie. "My data says you are Novalie, daughter of Emperor Corvinus." She said rather matter-of-factly before returning back to her overexciting self. "A real life princess right in front of me! And we get to be family too!... Sort of." Ellyna hugged Novalie's arm affectionately before jumping back and extending her hand. "Sorry... A little overexcited. I'm Ellyna Garniel, your new sister from now on." She continued, giggling happily. "Can't wait to begin learning from AND with you." Hopefully, she thought, they wouldn't find her as annoying.

Hunter stands ready to plunder o/

[Slaps the "More Moons" button]

The sounds of a busy camp where sort of a song by themselves. The joyous laughter of soldiers, the sharpening of sabres, the roll of dice and the relaxed huffing of grazing horses all combined to create an ambiance unlike any other. While most would see it as the most mundane, for the men and women wearing the green and gray of the Royal Dragoons it was like a leisure day at home. Besides the busy harmony of the camp, rows of tents lined up in orderly fashion, culminating at a bigger, more spacious command tent. Inside, the figure of a young Lieutenant Colonel sat behind a worn foldable table with maps and other papers strewn across it’s surface, the scent of tobacco still in the air. At his side, a sheathed sword and a rifle rested, just in case an emergency arised. The man sat in tranquil silence, a cigar of apparent excellent quality on one hand and a book labeled “The History of Mounted Warfare” on the other. Only when another man enters the tent does the officer takes his eyes off his reading. He was a tall, hardy man sporting a magnificently well groomed mustache and the golden chevrons of a Colour Sergeant on his uniform. “Good morning Commander Hunter, sir.” The casual intruder said, standing at firm attention in front of his commanding officer. The other man smiled and put down the book before standing up to greet his subordinate. “At ease Sergeant Lanzerel.” Hunter answered with a slight chuckle. “And good morning to you too.” The Sergeant gave him a friendly nod and retrieved a couple of letters from his lapel, Hunter sitting down once again. “May I offer you a drink, perhaps a cigar, Lanzerel?” Hunter asked, taking a sip of his own glass. The Sergeant smiled at the same time he presented the letters to the Colonel. “It is bad luck to refuse good tobacco sir, many thanks.” Lanzerel responded. “The courier came this morning with these letters, directly from Aelindra. He said it was urgent so I decided to bring them to you personally.” Hunter opened a small, oaken box to retrieve a neatly wrapped cigar, passing it to the sergeant which quickly took it with a grateful nod. “Thank you Lanzerel. I presume our troops are well?” Hunter asked. “Lively as always sir, if eager to march into something more than a common patrol mission.” Lanzerel answered. Indeed, the talents of his division were being wasted on common patrol routes. Hunter frowned at the thought, but at the current stagnant state of Aelindrian politics, guard duty was the most exciting thing they could arrange. With practiced finesse, Hunter opened the letters and began sorting through them. The first one was from his parents, with heartfelt regards and the usual compliments before delving into family matters. The second however, was a very discreet envelope, bearing no sign or heraldry. Hunter scanned the message for possible hints until arriving at the end of the letter, bearing a vague signature reading “A.S.”. His eyes sharpened and a devious smile formed on his lips. “Well well, it seems that things have been busy in the capital dear Sancroix...” He whispered, neatly folding the letter and quickly burning it with his lighter. “Everything alright sir?” Lanzerel asked. Hunter nodded and threw the burning paper aside before. “Times are changing Sergeant. I believe it’s time for us to rush into the future.” “Sir?” Lanzerel asked in puzzlement. “You will see… Tell the troops to saddle up. We return to the capital at the earliest.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It had taken the Dragoons about a day to reach the Aelindrian capital, enough time for the troops to settle down and accustom themselves to the city once again. Hunter, however, had more things to attend to. He wore his high collared dress uniform, with all decorations and insignias polished and in their place, his hair elegantly framing his face and his trusty rune sword and caster gun hanging from his hip. The door to the Sancroix manor opened softly, the imposing figure of Marion greeting him at the door. The two men shared a handshake and smile. “Ah, Marion old friend. It brings me joy to see you at tip top shape.” Hunter said, a friendly pat on the bat-man’s shoulder following the handshake. “Likewise Commander, likewise.” Marion answered. The two walked slowly towards the study, sharing a short conversation before finally reaching the room where the gathering would take place. Many familiar faces, and some new, awaited inside. It was a relief to see his old friends in there as well, his heart growing fond of the ambiance as he silent greeted each before Alfonso arrived as well as giving a friendly nod to his new acquaintances. Alas, it was time for presentations, and Hunter’s turn was up. He faced the group and gave a small, polite bow. “A pleasure to be in this room with such esteemed people, old and new. Enrique d’al Hunter, at your service.”

~*~ The Gentleman Officer ~*~ Enrique d'al Hunter Hunter Commander Hunter Profile Blood Type AB+ Height 195cm Weight 92kg Hair Color Onyx Black Eye Color Amber Age 30 Gender Male Affiliation Aelindra Occupation Cavalry Officer Aelindrian Noble Weaponry Rune-Blade Caster Gun Armored Officer's Uniform Personality & Character____________________ Enrique d'al Hunter is the eldest son and heir to House Hunter, an Aelindrian family of fair standing among the nobility. A highly educated, charismatic and driven man, Hunter was always said to be the perfect fit for a leadership role, his parents encouraging him from an early age to hone his mind and body to the level such a role would entail. As an intelligent man, with a keen strategic mind and a voice made for command, Enrique decided to enlist in the military where his skills would prove to be tested time and time again. He turned to be a proficient horseman, a talented spellblade, and most importantly, an inspiring, capable commander, rising through the ranks quickly until eventually becoming the commander of his own Cavalry Division. Enrique carries himself with utmost galantry, a true gentleman in both shape and manners. He is polite, charismatic, and cares deeply for the people under his command and the common citizenry, earning the respect and sometimes the admiration of his subordinates and peers. Socially, he is man of passionate conversation, sweet words and quick wits, fond of wine, tobacco and a good hand of Poker. However, other nobles have started to see him as a man of controversial views, mainly thanks to his sharp commentary on nobility laws. He is a staunch believer of "Merit over Birthright" and will stand in defense of anyone deserving of respect, be it the highest of nobles or the lowliest of commoners. Likewise, officers and peers that prove to be of rotten morals or devoid of honor are met with derision and pity from him. He's been known to frequent the company of his close friends and fellow officers, Caius d'al Cazarosta, Alfonso d'al Sancroix and Virgil Faulkner, the local tavern usually having a table reserved for the 4 of them for when they decide to appear. Skills & Capabilities______________________ SpellbladeThe Azure Blade Hunter is capable of using rune magic to imbue his personal custom longsword with elemental effects like Fire, Thunder and Ice. Both on top of his horse and on foot, he is a skilled fighter and field commander, not only using his sword to cut down his enemies but also to rally his troops and signal his orders with it. Due to his magical signature, elements conjured by Hunter's blade appear in a bright blue color, earning him the moniker of "The Azure Blade". Cavalry OfficerStrategy and Leadership An Officer who leads from the back has no right to call himself a leader, and Hunter embodies the tenant almost to the letter. He is widely known to lead his men in battle, galloping at the head of his Cavalry charges and fighting side by side with them until the job is well and truly done. Due to this, loyalty in his unit is unbreakable and his presence in the battlefield gives them hope, keeping morale high. Outside of combat, Hunter is a highly talented strategist with a truly deft management of the war-room. However, he is open to ideas from other officers and is quick to accept a better strategy when proposed. Gear & Accouterments______________________ Rune-BladeLongsword Caster GunRifle ThundererPersonal Horse

A light drizzle fell upon the small village, the young girl's steps splashing audibly on the cobblestone of the main street while the harsh sound of the travel case followed behind her. She held her free hand high to her chest trying to cover it with the oversized sleeve of her ensemble, a cute, frog-motif raincoat covering her white blouse and leggings combo completed with stylish black boots. It felt strange for her to be using her mother's clothes, but it was the only inheritance she could take with her on the journey. Luckily, her body proportions weren't too different. Her eyes scanned around for the inn described on her father's notes, looking through some strands of her unnaturally colored turquoise hair. It was at this moment that she noticed the common gentry of the place staring at her in puzzlement, doubtlessly because of her exhuberant appearance combined with the pair of blades sheathed on her back looking mighty out of place for a girl of her size and apparent age. She took it in strides, however, and tried to give every single idle stare a cheerful smile, with mixed but mostly positive results. Finally standing in front of the large inn, she took a deep breath and walked to the entrance. Two menacing looking Blackwatch Knights stood in front of the entrance, eyeing her diminutive figure approach them. One of them looked apathetic to whole situation, while the other looked confused beyond words. "Hello!" She began with a cheerful melodic voice. "Are these the Blackwatch headquarters?" "Uh... Yes?" The confused knight said. "What is your business?" The girl raised her arm for a handshake and smiled. "My name is Ellyna, I'm your new sister!" She exclaimed nonchalantly. The apathetic knight released a chuckle while the confused one gave the girl a wide eyed stare, most likely because of how this is the strangest thing to happen to his day since their arrival to the small town of Frostfall. "Are you lost girl? Do you need us to look for your family?" The confused Knight said. "Shut it Wedge, the girl is carrying swords bigger than your head." The other knight pointed out to his innocent companion before continuing. "Who sent you miss? We can't just let you in without a reason." The girl blinked cutely to the pair of knights, a little puzzled, before materializing a letter neatly wrapped in official looking signs. The knight read it closely and nodded. "So you are looking for the boss." He asked rather coldly. Ellyna nodded happily and smiled. The knight sighed and moved away from the entrance. "It's official business then. Just don't look into his eye too much... And, don't tell her I told you that." The girl stepped into the inn with a happy step, the ruckus of her travel case against the wooden floor giving her away. She gazed around the room until finally finding Lewellyn in the long table with the strategy map on it. She walked to the table promptly and with spring in her step, smiling all the way until she was standing before the man himself. "Hello sir. I believe you are my uncle Lewellyn!" She said. "Father has sent me here to be under your care. Though I assure you, I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself!" She extended another letter, this time a more quaint looking one, like one someone would send to a penpal. If the Blackwatch Commander would read it, he would read the following. "Esteemed Commander Lewellyn Penderghast. I realize that my previous letter stating the arrival of my daughter to your service has already arrived to your hands, but I believe I owe some explanation. I am currently being chased by a group of people obsessed over my previous work for the Alterion government. Right now I cannot fully unravel the reasons of why or who exactly is after me, however, rest assured that your generosity will not go unrewarded. I know that we haven't spoken in a long time Commander, and that however brief it was our work together, you are the only one I can trust right now. Ellyna is very naive, overly cheerful and perhaps too curious for her own good, but her combat abilities are outstanding and she has other abilities that I'm sure will prove useful to your organization. The only favor I could ask of you is for you to protect her and teach her while I cannot, like any father would. It is a massive burden I understand, but I swear on my honor that I will be forever indebted to you. I still remember that Ale I owe you, don't think I have forgotten. Once again eternally grateful for your help. Dr. Eliazar Garniel." The girl remained silent, but smiling in front of who she considered her new caretaker. "Let me know if you need some music to be played, Uncle." She exclaimed, bobbing softly as if enjoying a tune only her could hear.

"Are you sure about that?" Whispers asked, trying to hold back another yawn. She hadn't noticed her weariness until now, and some sleep seemed like a rather fine idea. After making sure Aygis wasn't bothered by it, Whispers got a bit more comfortable under the makeshift blanket and closed her eyes. It took her a few moments before she finally drifted into sleep. A tiny hint of a snore could be heard from the lizard girl as she moved slightly, looking for a more comfortable position to rest in. Eventually, she would settle into laying on her side, her arm laying right under her cheek for support and her face shifted towards Aygis. Whispers was accustomed to sleeping in the wilderness, sometimes having to do it in her days as one of her tribe's hunters when she was tracking the movement of wild game, so her rest would probably go uninterrupted until morning. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The sunrise peeked through the canopy of the tree, the sunshine waking Whispers up slowly. Aygis was still at her side, sleeping peacefully under the cover, a few hints of a cute snore leaving her snout. She smiled softly and moved out of the cover, carefully as to not wake up her companion. Opening her backpack, she rummaged around it for a few seconds before retrieving a small flask of clear liquid, the cork popping out easily without much forcing. With a few looks to her side and making sure they were still alone, Whisper sat by the remains of the fire and carefully removed her top clothes, revealing her bare torso to the elements before procceeding to softly apply the liquid to her scales. The liquid seemed to seep into the grooves between her scales and her skin, removing dirt and other debris from it and letting her clean it up with a clean piece of cloth. The liquid had a very subtle scent, perhaps hard to perceive at first but it was definitely there. It was a pleasant scent, like a combination between lavender and chamomille. Finishing with a gentle dab on her face and satisfied of her clean state, Whispers put her clothes back while singing a soft tune in the language of her people. By now, Aygis would be either already awake or nearly so, or so she thought, so she expected for them to be moving in a few hours at the latest.

;w; I hope you come back soon

It was kinda hard trying to come up with something for Alexa's personality change. Marigold's actions also have consequences! Though poor Alexa now has to try and control herself.

Alexa held strongly as the two Saevions charged. The deafening sound of their hooves rattled her every bone as the massive creatures approached with unrelenting ferocity, her shield glimmering around the allied Saevion in a barely visual bubble effect. It was only when she felt the arms on her waist that she finally managed to concentrate in any other thing than her powers, Maira pulling her off the charging creature before a blast of energy impacted full force into it. With a loud Thud, the pair of women fell down to safety, alive but not unharmed. Maira seemed to had lost the use of one of her arms, and Alexa had felt the impact on her body as well, a rib or two cracked by overexertion. However, her physical damage was not a shadow in comparison to what her mind was going through at the moment. The psychic link between the Saevion and her had been forcefully broken... "What... Has happened... Not, strong... Betrayal?..." The last echo of the Saevion's thoughts ringed around her skull. The creature was hit directly by the bolt of energy, and her shield dissipated when she stopped concentrating due to Maira's life saving lunge. The Saevion blasted back, crashing against the soil loudly. Seriously injured, the creature quivered and moaned in pain, the mind link severed out of sheer stress. As Maira clutched her arm, she would feel a slight fluctuation of energy in her limbs. Everyone in fact, would begin to feel something wrong, a pressure coming from the direction of Alexa's inert body. The girl began to sit up, her hair covering her face. Her hands shot up to her face desperately, like trying to contain something. Green-white energy particles crackled over her figure. "Maira..." She whispered, her hands moving down from her face, her eyes glowing so bright her pupils were no longer visible. "... Please move away." Alexa looked completely different from what she usually was, her usual unsteady expression now brimming with a strange look of determination. She stood up and looked directly at Marigold. "You won't be dissecting anyone today." She said, her voice distorted and otherwordly. She raised her metallic arm, pointing it towards the Mad Doctor, slowly closing her fingers. The world seemed to become silent as a massive kinetic wave shot out from her arm, aimed directly at Marigold. The wave crushed everything on it's path, and the doctor had only a few seconds to react to it or else... Alexa on the other hand, trembled slightly, her body obviously strained by the unexpected use of her psychic powers.

Whispers chuckled at the kobold's comment, finding it funny that someone like Aygis would be so eager to die. However, a tinge of concern crossed her mind, as if such fatalism was a strange sight where she came from. She quickly waved it off however, and continued eating her food. The fire crackled comfortably, casting shadows on the soft soil where they were sitting. Looking up, the stars could be seen through the openings in the tree's canopy, and the lizard girl found herself very relaxed, her lids growing heavier. However, she had enough energy for a few more rounds of conversation, if Aygis wanted so. "I sure hope you don't die this time though. Would be hard to carry all that loot back by myself." She said, smiling warmly. "... And to be honest, I wouldn't want anything bad happening to you. You deserve more than a sudden death in some flooded ruins." Whispers finished her morsel, bone and all, and threw a few more pieces of firewood on the bonfire to keep it alive. She retrieved a piece of cloth from her backpack and dabbed it with some water from her waterskin, cleaning her muzzle with it with a few swipes. It was too dark for birds to be awake, so she figured that if she wanted to clean her teeth, she would have to wait until morning, as cryptic as that may sound to outsiders. Looking Aygis, she noticed that the kobold girl had a small piece of food over her lip she hadn't noticed. "Uh, you have a... Hold still." She asked softly, using the cloth to softly wipe the bit of food from her companion's upper lip. "There. You can use the cloth if you want too." Whispers smiled before stretching a bit, a yawn instinctively escaping her mouth as the night progressed into a more peaceful lull.

"Not much, mostly what the traders told us when our people went to the towns near Bloodstone Marsh..." Whispers says, finally taking the food out of the fire and offering Aygis her share. She blew on it slightly before taking a big bite, her reptile teeth easily ripping the tender meat from the bone. "... There used to be great cities and towns here, full of life, magic and relics beyond knowledge. Even where we are resting now was supposedly busy with people, even at night. Then, it... Fell. Father never told us what happened, said it was bad luck to talk about such things." Whispers couldn't avoid but to reminisce about the past in that moment. The 7 children of her family, huddled up around a small fire sharing stories, rumors, legends... "My brothers and I used to tell stories about the lands outside of the tribe. The Lanternway was among them, really. At first it was about what kind of relics and people walked around the streets, what kind of animals they hunted. Then, in our late teens, I remember talking about the spirits with my eldest brother. He is a warrior smith you see, and he always talked about how so many marvels of metalwork were lost when the Whispernight happened. I never knew what he meant until I read about the Cavern of Blades. He said the rumors told about specters and ghosts haunting the formerly hallowed streets... So I figured that someday I would return with a weapon from the Cavern for my brother." Whispers stared at the fire for a few seconds before resuming her eating. "I miss my brothers..." She said, biting into the meat once again. She gazed back at Aygis and gave her a melancholic smile, as much as a lizard could give anyways. "What about you? Is not every day someone is eager to face death in some gods-forsaken ruins. What brought you here Aygis?"