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 Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 2:31 pm
The only reaction she showed to him approaching was her hand gripping the e'shaton just little tighter. Her face face was still void of emotions, although someone entering her personal space unasked was something most unpleasant to her.
"Fate..."
Someone relying on fate, wholeheartedly believing in it, could do anything and legitmize it by referring to the 'great masterplan', or whatever one was to call it.
Her ears twitched again and she made a step backwards, her eyes wandering from one side to the other to check how many men there were.
"..." Lucind looked back at Victor. "Why am I here?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 2:53 pm
"You are here, because this... is where you were meant to be." He turned at a half-step, arms folding across his chest, even as steps began to echo in the distance. "I need your help... in order to realize my dream."
Slender hands placed the heavy coat around Victor's shoulders, covering him in black fur. The woman's hair was white as snow, and her eyes like a kalidescope of colors.
"No, not just my dream... an entire world's dream." His tone was sincere, betraying a softness that one wouldn't have expected to hear. It was hard to tell if he was truly genuine, or just misleading. "Please forgive me for the manner in which you were brought... but I'm strapped for time."
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Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:09 am
Ignoring his last comment, the Half-Siren glanced at the white haired woman, then spent another look on the room, or hall, they were in. She still had to find out where she was actually brought to. But first she took up his other statements.
"What is it the world is dreaming of? And how do you want to know this dream is also appealing to me?"
With her quiet voice a little lower she added. "Besides from the fact that, in your eyes, it might be only natural I'd like it because it's fate which dictates my dreams to me."
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:38 pm
Eyes locking forward through out the distant landscape of tan and golden memories of a long forgotten world. His mind would drift back through out his reign of power to a world similar to this area. Reflections of his past could be seen through his ice cold eyes as they sat behind fragments of hair that covered his eyes somewhat. His body was firm and built like that of a soldier who has seen his strech of war. His body was clad in black and strapped down with an officer style of coat. It flapped back softly in the wind as he threw his arm down to his midsection and ripped it off.
His chest was exposed. The scars drifting across his midsection as if he was cut open many times. His tan body tensed up as he rolled his shoulders and slammed his black gloved right hand to his forehead. He smacked it with an open palm as if he was broken. His once grim face soon lit up with a grin that reflected the sinister ideals that ripped through his sanity. His left hand would extend out open palm and clench closed as if he was grabbing at something.
Slamming his bladed heel combat boot forward. He threw his arms back and cracked his shoulders and drifted his hands behind his back. In a silver glare of the light a reflection of silver would come ripping forward. In his hands were two black hilted rapiers with razor hand gaurds. The blades were dual edged and about three and a half feet long. He snapped his wrists back and the flat surface of the rapiers flew back and smacked to his arms as he pointed the spiked hilts towards the ground. The rapiers coated his arms as if he was using a tonfa weapon of some sort. The rapiers were his most skilled weapon besides the baton and machete. He used them with such grace and skill that it would look more like a dance than an attack if he used them.
His eyes drifted up at his target and narrowed as he awaited his targets first movement. The wind blowing across his back softly, the sand feeling like a thousand needles running their points across his metal like spine....
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:48 pm
Chris wasn't in the mood for chatting, and was wearing a simple white tracksuit all over, with shin guards and a crotch-cup. He immediately charged towards Ertai at not exactly a fast speed, once he got within range, he jumped off his left leg and kicked with his right. Chris's right leg would swing upwards towards Ertai's crotch, and would hopefully end the battle there. If it connected, it would.
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:02 pm
His eyes narrowed as he watched his target. His right hand would move forward slightly as the boy came rushing forward. The distance between the two would be about twenty feet give or take. This distance would provide a good chance to set up. His right leg would extend forward through the sand and dig in slightly. His left leg moved back and bent down slightly at the knee as the boy gained his speed.
Watching every detail and every motion. In an instant the boy had went through the air with his right leg aiming up towards him. The position of his body and the position of the boys would be at a difference from the original stance. The kick would be aimed towards the area of Ertais chin or upper chest. This would provide Ertai with the lower stance upon the ridged attack.
His left arm would come hooking forward as the kick came closer. His wrist snapping out and away from the body and index finger gripping the small loop like object inside of the handgaurd to let the blade spin out towards the foot. The blade would stop and slam into the foot, the edge was angled down so that it would not cut into the blade but slid under the foot and inbetween the area of the legs.
As the blade hit Ertai would cut his body forward and at an angle to avoid the foot while the boy was still in his kick. The momentum the boy would be travling when he sent a kick like this would most likely cut off any recoiling actions that would allow the boy to step and move because of Ertais position between the legs and near under the boys right leg.
The right rapier would go down at the angle it was sent at and slam into the ground and sharply Ertais right arm would come sweeping down and at the outside of the left leg. The blade would of been tilted at a slight angle because of the outward motion of his arm would cause it hooking up. It would of been aimed at the area right below the knee pad. If this hit contacted it would sever the bone at an angle and slice the leg from the knee down clean off.
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:16 pm
Chris, being the total ninja he was, had noticed that the rapier in Ertais left hand had moved, as well as his total stance. Once he realised what Ertai was planning, he changed accordingly. Instead of kicking with his right, he moved his right leg to the right a bit and stepped onto the rapier. Before Ertai would even be able to notice, Chris used his impetus to spin on his right foot (which was on the rapier) and introduce his left foot to Ertai's face.
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 10:04 am
Within Strata, a reunion of familiar faces occurs, during the rebuilding of the worst attack yet.
Images of Vahn spotting Tellus and Raven are seen, followed by Vahn standing over the ailing Tellus.
"I mean, we're only human." The voice would sound very familair to the both of them, as the figure came to a standstill. "Well, at least some of us are."
Ashy red hair spiked out, as arms held up a flamberge across the length of both his shoulders, yellowed eyes staring out. At his feet lay the slightly crumpled form of the men that had been put to sleep.
*Hono grinned happily at the voice as she turned and spotted the familiar visage of a stranger who was an old friend too..* Kas... See Tell, sometimes you just have to have a little faith.
"Mr Kasuga!" She had never been so happy to hear a voice in her life...well, except perhaps for Tersiel's but she was still rather thrilled and it showed as she turned around and flung herself at the figure, not thinking that normally he scared the living s**t out of her.
Sunstrike learns of Babel from Engel, who allows the would-be chief to escape back to Strata.
At the same time, in his bid to gain full access to Babel, Victor introduces himself to the siren Lucind.
Images of both devils, removing Lucind from her shop in Latent, and bringing her to Babel, followed by Victor kissing the back of Lucind's hand, whose gaze remains unmoving.
Her ears twitched again and she made a step backwards, her eyes wandering from one side to the other to check how many men there were.
"..." Lucind looked back at Victor. "Why am I here?"
"You are here, because this... is where you were meant to be." He turned at a half-step, arms folding across his chest, even as steps began to echo in the distance. "I need your help... in order to realize my dream."
"What is it the world is dreaming of? And how do you want to know this dream is also appealing to me?"
With her quiet voice a little lower she added. "Besides from the fact that, in your eyes, it might be only natural I'd like it because it's fate which dictates my dreams to me."
"It dreams of peace... nothing but peace." His eyes bored into her, even as he turned, leaving her with nothing but his words to ponder, amidst the echo of his footfalls.
Now, the four individuals volunteering to head to Babel have also set out.
Pictures of Vahn, Tellus, Raven and Sunstrike are seen.
Their objective is to reach the ancient structure, where they believe Victor is. From Strata, they head directly Northeast.
Now it begins.
 TOWER OF THE HEAVENS! THE GATE OF SONG.
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 2:53 pm
When Victor left - left her in this fairly large room and with nothing but hints - the Half-Siren mumbled:
"Nothing but peace? Huh. There can never be only peace. It cannot exist for itself."
She tilted her head ever so slightly and her amber eyes travelled sidewards.
"Unless..."
What the hell was this all about?
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 12:34 pm
1 Now the whole Earth used the same language and
the same words.
2 And it came about as they journeyed east, that
they found a plain in the land of Shinar and
settled there.
3 And they said to one another, "Come, let us make
bricks and burn them thoroughly." And they used
brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.
4 And they said, "Come, let us build for ourselves
a city, and a tower whose top will reach into
heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name; lest
we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole
earth."
5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the
tower which the sons of men had built.
6 And the LORD said, "Behold, they are one people,
and they all have the same language. And this is
what they began to do, and now nothing which they
purpose to do will be impossible for them."
7 "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their
language, that they may not understand one
another's speech."
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there
over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped
building the city.
9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because
there the LORD confused the language of the whole
earth; and from there the LORD scattered them
abroad over the face of the whole earth (Genesis
11:1-9 NAS).
The birds were lively this morning, more so than usual. She has that effect on living things I suppose... Yellowed trailed after the small group, before turning back onto the path.
Babel's 'Sky Garden' was truly a testament to it's builders. To think that such a faux paradise could be created, a secluded oasis within the harsh desert itself, such as Babel... and yet be so self-sufficient in upkeep. The flora and fauna of the Garden had survived the test of time itself, in remaining sustained. It had only been for the past 50 years that Victor had occupied this place... and yet it never looked a day old.
He was by himself, as usual when he came to this place. He enjoyed the walks and the 'feeling' of freedom, that the Garden gave him. It also reminded him of home... somewhat.l
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Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 1:55 pm
If it wasn't for the fact that she was held against her will, Lucind would have been delighted to stay here for some time, in this wonderful garden. The quiet, the solitude - those were most welcome things for the Half-Siren. The climate was pleasant, much milder than at Magpie Valley, her birthplace. She felt, though, that this was an artificial masterpiece - it obviously had to be one, of course, for it was located in the huge tower. But everything was a little too perfect, too gorgeous. The birds' songs, it seemed, sometimes pondered about the question if there was another world beyond the glass dome which actually build the atrium. Lucind was surprised and glad to find the water resources, the waterfall and its stream, fully alive, accepted from nature and full of water spirits. Thus she was able to enter the lhor aven, to contact her aunt: Lucind asked Mildroa to send a message to Latent, after informing the Siren of her whereabouts and that she most likely was in serious trouble this time. But her staff didn't need to know the whole truth yet... Two days had passed since Victor's subordinates had kidnapped her and most of the time Lucind was in the atrium, gathering mental strength by 'swimming' in the lhor aven, meditating or doing her T'ai Chi like forms. The woman had all comfort she could ever dream of, every wish would have been granted if she had only asked for it. Every wish. Except from one. This was indeed a golden cage. * * * Sitting on a low pedestal carved out of stone, Lucind mused for the hundredth time over the aid Victor actually needed from her. But just like the 99 times before, it led nowhere for she simply didn't have enough background information. Only a few information she had got from her aunt...not containing any real clue. She wore clothes she had picked herself out of various pieces and garments one of the servants had shown her: a wide pair of trousers, made of dark green, light fabric, a simple beige longsleeved shirt and a kimono like coat - light brown with filigrane embroideries along the seams and even some raw pearls here and there. With the beige cotton belt and dark boots made of soft leather it looked pretty much like traditional Siren clothing. Her unruly blue hair, reaching down to her shoulderblades, was untied. A bird with blue spots on its chest landed on her knee. The little one was eager to tell the Half-Siren something: swittering excited he bounced up and down. Lucind smiled softly and carefully stroked its tiny head with her indexfinger.
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Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:12 pm
A soft thudd was heard, as something came rolling into view. It was enough to startle the bird, causing it to take flight abruptly.
The object in question... was a bread roll. It seemed out of place, even in this garden and surely would make the siren glance about. At which point she would see Victor, pushing past some undergrowth.
"Oh, sorry." Yellowed eyes settled on the woman. "I dropped it without thinking." His tone of voice was sincere enough and it didn't seem as if he was just putting on an air.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:24 am
Her smile became thin, yet not unfriendly when she recognized Victor. It was the first time Lucind saw him after arriving here.
Picking up the bread roll and sitting down again, the woman imitated the birds twittering and ripped off a little piece from the roll, clamping it between her fingers. Then the woman slightly extended her arm, offering the back of her hand. She fell silent and only a few seconds later the bird came back to try the snack. It didn't last long, though, and more of his companions appeared, so Lucind threw crumps on the ground.
"Why me?"
Victor would surely understand what the Half-Siren meant.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 7:37 am
He silently watched her interact with the bird, captivated by the mere presence of the Siren. He mused silently to himself, even as he began walking towards her. The birds continued to peck at the bits of bread, undisturbed by Victor.
"This place is overflowing with life." He stopped, looking down at the birds, and the surrounding fauna as well. "Every single life here is irreplaceable. Yet, some day, each of them will die."
The fish swimming in the river. The bee's pollanating flowers. The sunlight that poured through the glass dome and against the trees.
"You and I, as well. Life can't run away from death. They spend a short amount of time and die like trash." He stared upwards, looking past the artifical sky.
"And just because somebody has died, the world won't change at all." A small sound, as a bit ways off, a deer and her newborn were grazing.
"Why is it so? This is what I asked myself again and again. Even though they are irreplaceable, these lives are consumed somewhere. In the end, I had no other choice but to think it was natural."
The deer lifted it's head, staring towards Lucind with it's placid eyes.
"But, I couldn't accept that. Then, I though again and again. And the answer I found... life itself has not much meaning."
A smile came across his face, even as he lifted his own arm. "What has meaning, is what this life creates. Yes. Dreams." The same bird that Lucind had fed alighted upon his outstretched hand, twittering softly.
"During their lifetime, men embrace different forms of hope. The stronger it is, the stronger their power to live through it becomes. Even I have a small dream. It is nothing great, but... For the sake of that dream, I can withstand the pain and harshness of living."
He stared down at the bird, which he held closer to his body now.
"Perhaps you know a man that found such a dream for himself." Images of Kraun. "Perhaps you are not confused, or sad, but jealous of that man who has found a dream."
He turned to face her now, the bird long since fluttering away.
"A one-sided dream is just a desire. And it can bring sorrow to others, dragging them into it."
He smiled down at her, a tenderness in his voice that was unheard of. "What do you think everyone should do to get along?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:43 am
He hadn't yet answered her question, but maybe this was just the introduction finally leading to the explanation why Victor needed her. Therefore, Lucind quietly listened and thought about his words.
"Well...living with the double-edged gift called consciousness which lifts you on another level than, for example, mainly instinct driven creatures like animals, means you're thrown into a system of rules and bounds...categories, and such. And those are derived from the principle of morality. Moral standards. To be able to distinguish between good and bad is the crux of our life." Lucind was still looking down on the birds.
"This and the dialectic of flesh and spirit, the fact that men actually witness the struggle between...matter and soul. Those things evoke self-inquiry: 'What is it all good for?' - or, 'Isn't it better to not live?'
So, what shall we do to get along?
When you look around, you see people choosing different paths. Some try to ignore any philosophic concerns, any questions concerning transcendence and just live in the present, day after day, holding on to what they love, like other beings or material objects, status symbols. They strive for the satisfaction of their needs so at the end they hopefully can say they've had a fulfilled life with the usual up and downs.
Other people have more difficulties with just living, looking at the others around them and wondering why men are the way they are. Those strange motives and their contradictionary behaviour. Committing so called sins or acting like a fool just for the sake of gaining a little bit of happiness. Craving for intimacy and placing their heart at stake although they know chances are they're going to lose.
If you feel this war within yourself, the crux of mankind and maybe decide for yourself to live alone, that is, to not risk your emotional wellfare you will still be bound to face lonelyness. You can tell yourself that nothing's forever anyway and 'convince' yourself it's better to not to set your deepest love on someone by only seeing how good we are in hurting each other - you still can't live alone. And then..."
Lucind stood up and stretched a little. "One possibility you have then is to accept this paradox of life and become a man of sympathy, compassion and kindness, feeling for all living beings. You can even give up this worldly life to only serve the will of a god or goddess, thus your dream is to be worthy of his or her grace. ... I guess having a strong faith is a good way to soothe this pain in your heart a little, knowing that there's indeed someone or something else beyond this world, or at least hoping so.
On the other side, faith can even blind a man's heart and tell him to harm or kill others. And even without having anything to do with religion or cult many people despair of the 'Why?' and 'For what?' so that even deepest love can turn into hatred - against oneself or others.
When there's nothing to strive for, to hope, to dream of, why then go on with living?
So it seems, you can accept the ambivalence of life, accept that your yearning soul is stuck in withering flesh and give your best to realize your dreams, embracing all this pain and grief for you know only dark moments give you an idea who much peaceful moments actually are worth.
Or you end up stuck in despair and darkness before you find release in death."
She crossed her arms in front of her belly, loosely gripping her elbows. The woman was in fact quite relaxed. She was used to get needed information through words instead of fists.
"But you know, maybe it's far easier for me to talk about such things for I have a wholly different understanding of those problems. I know what a soul is capable of, how strong it can be or how easily destroyed. And when I die I'll do it knowing that everything I did or said won't be forgotten and that my soul won't just vanish.
We Sirens don't have control over other people's souls once they have lost their connection to this world - but by only telling someone who's the prisoner of his own dark thoughts that he won't ever be forgotten because we never forget can help him to find enough strength to go on.
Well, this is our destiny, to protect mind and soul.
Ah...but I deviated from the subject." Lucind smiled and turned towards him.
"Like I said, there're mainly two ways to cope with life: fight or give up. But I've got the feeling that you have something else in mind. So, what other options are there?" The Half-Siren almost sounded as if this was a tricky chess problem to be solved.
"I suppose you agree with me when I say that the 'main problem' is the awareness of existance and thus the ability to feel and the need to justify your deeds. Therefore, if you annihilate this factor what do we have then? Men living like animal and not being able to bring forth language and with it culture.
Or you create something like a Golden Age, an original, natural world of peace and prosperity, leading men back into a state of innocence. Assuming you have somehow the means to provide them with enough food and whatnot to satisfy their basic needs, maybe you can really create such a...new paradise. Maybe you even find a way to switch out human needs such as hunger or sleep." The woman stopped here for a moment, as if something occured to her. As if images of her latest past flashed in her mind. Then she continued, running a hand through her hair.
"But can you call that peace - when peace can only be defined by its opposite? And people of such a paradise, or nunc stans, would be rather like...puppets. I mean, are you actually able to feel real joy when you never had to wish for something? If there was a god or any other outerworldly being to make your soul rejoice by his presence alone you might really call it another Eden or whatever term you wish to use.
But else I suppose men would rather live in a state of indifference and..."
Where she had looked at him until then, spoken like a professor of philosophy and stressed her words with gestures, Lucind now hesitated to go on. Again, young memories flooded her mind. She turned away, seemingly to watch a squirrel running up a tree. Her arms hugged herself just a little tighter.
"We'd be like puppets...without emotions." Lucind frowned. "Maybe it is a better option instead of all this useless pain. Maybe..."
The woman cleared her throat and inwardly kicked herself for losing contenance. Facing Victor again, she shrugged and even grinned a little.
"But this useless pain is actually the reason for the existance of my people. And in the end I'd always choose the difficult path."
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