Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was awkward walking in a formation he was unfamiliar with, and was yanked around many a time when the man he assumed was Hykoshi gave specific handsignals to his troops. His new friend had a stoney, almost emotionless face, as if he had to spend the time to mentally prepare for the conflict that was soon to come. His comment, however, bothered him.

"Boy, neither of us will survive this, so listen well to everything I say, and everything our leaders say."

He frowned towards the response, nodding accordingly. the young-looking Striker had indeed met with death many a time, but in no way did he really die. That was only one moment in his life until he was reborn, almost like that of a phoenix, just lacking in the flame and ashes department. What mattered was that he had lived for over several lifetimes longer than the average warrior, and yet here he stood, fighting with people like himself, veteran warriors. Yet still, even they seemed to welcome death so soon.

"How saddening...do you find death to be that easy to hug, old man? Perhaps I should see to it that we both survive this conflict, only at one cost; I wish to know your name, and I shall offer mine." He said, empathy flew clearly in his words. But determination had shown brightly within his darkblue eyes, glowing like that of the flaming essense of a Phoenix. His eyes shifted when, who he guessed was Hykoshi made another hand signal to other commanders. Archers took formation at the base of the hill, soon earth mages or earth proficient warriors took stance beside them to create barriers to protect the Archers from any return fire. Chimera watched closely as they continued setting up their formation, almost surprised by how well-made the formation was being set up. The earthen warriors even made a catapult from rock and mud.

Another familiar face returned from the crowd of warriors and delivered a message to the leader, probably a status report on the formation. Soon, her returned his gaze to the old man, seriousness soon following.

"You needn't worry, I'll listen well to your words, as well as our superiors. I don't look it now but I was accustomed to following orders."

"It's an honor fighting by your side, my name is Chimera Striker." He said, enjoying the calming sensation that washed over him. Both his body and his nerves relaxed as he placed his hand on the scabbard to his borrowed broad sword. Waiting patiently he knew it would be awhile until he had to ready his grip upon the Frozen Edge.

"Four fingers? Understood." Chimera said, following Gerdad's gaze to Hykoshi. He shifted uncomfortably underneath his cloak, wincing from the aching pain of his old wounds as they responded to the sudden changes that could be felt in the air. All he released was a pained sigh, observing Hykoshi's actions as he gave new commands to another troop, one of them bound in green. After the group had dispersed his brow twitched, understanding the meaning of it all.

"Something happened...."

Chimera peered over at his old friend, noting his response towards their leaders apprehension towards the changes in the air, or his assumption. It was bothersome indeed if the old man was unnerved. Perhaps something major had happened, and his senses weren't playing tricks on him. In response to Gerdad's 'doomed' comment, he liet out a weak sigh before returning a comment at the same level that his friend had muttered, "You're a strange one old man. First you say neither of us will survive this conflict, and now you say that if Hykoshi is nervous we are doomed. If that were true, would we not have been doomed the moment we arrived here?"


It did indeed seem a cynical remark, though true. His friend was reacting in an odd way, or at least a way that he had never experienced before. What bothered him more was the thought that he hadn't even been able to meet the man who led this clan of broken swords in person. Being from a faraway land he would hope that some of his knowledge could be put to use, or perhaps the leader would find it appropriate to save it for a later time. It was a baffling thoguht indeed....

Issildia along with Kyrion and the unit of Iliriya arrived only moments in time to watch as the scene transpired.
"Take the units have made it to Natori and secure the Celeste perimeter Kyrion." Issildia said in a flat unreadable tone.

"What do you intend to do?" he questioned, regarding her orders with little interest.

"There is little of my intention that is in need of translation..." she said darkly as she stood from where she and the unit had been concealed by the tree line.

"I thought so..." Kyrion answered grimly as he also stood. "I doubt there is anything I can say or do that with persuade you otherwise."

"Not in the least." she replied in the same flat manner before her form was consumed in a twisting column of darkness. Immediately a narrow winged falcon shot out of the smoke-like shadows and taking to the skies to follow the one who had taken Azure towards Celeste.

Kyrion frowned slightly at this before turning back to the Iliriya unit to give them their orders. Within moments the area was silent and no sign of the Iliriya's presence remained; the unit along with others that were arriving from their journey across Atazoth, now began securing the Celeste perimeter. Waiting for a sign as to what their next course of action should be.

As all the pplayers took theri prospective positions on the field, something more sinister was transpiring within the walls of the city. The large man named Tyranius had delivered Azure to another general bearing the same insigna as he. They obviously fought under the same banner, but something disturbingly wrong with this picture. What kind of person does it take to defeat a warrior of Azure's calibur? Something indeed powerful...but at the same time...it would have had to have been someone with similar ties to life and death as he. The man Tryanius, most likely the largest warrior on the battlefield, opened the gate to Celeste...and stepped out if its borders. The sound of a War horn echoed throughout the area, as he marched out with what seemed to be an army of large Swordsmen...the same in which Azure had encountered within the forest. As they left the city, they seemed to spread around the perimiter of the city, seeming forming a wall of around the city. This formation was usually used to protect something, or someone for a period of time. Whatever they were protecting, they were prepared to give their lives to ensure its survival.

Silently a small winged form descended into the city until it disappeared into the amassment of buildings at Celeste's center. Out of a narrow darkened alley stepped a cloaked form that remained in sight for only the briefest moment before slipping back into the shadows that clung to the street edges once again.
Most of the enemy soldiers had moved to the perimeter of the city to fend of the opposing troops, though a few still roamed the streets, to few it seemed to fend of a singular attack from within.

Issildia's cloaked figure moved out of the darkness once again, her movements causing not a sound as she advanced upon a lone enemy soldier that remained on that particular street. Without any apparent sign of effort she caught the warrior at the neck with her left hand; her gloved hand deftly seeking out a cluster of nerves that with a subtle application of pressure forced the warrior into an unconscious state. This avoided any dying cries that would alert any others as Issildia wordlessly severed the spinal cord with a kunai moments before the soldier hit the ground. Until she found Azure it would be imperative that she refrain from revealing her presence by using any of her more inhuman abilities. But this would do little to slow her progress, for she did not require her powers to make a swift kill.

She could only silently berate herself for actually leaving her comrade to deal with the enemy on his own, but in reflection they may both very well have been captured had she been present at that particular time. Still such logic did little to erase any guilt that she took upon herself for her actions. As Issildia moved onto another street, systematically searching the city as she headed towards the perimeter, she could only be thankful that she had not been totally inconsiderate of the paths that the situation had happened to take. A message now traveled across the seas to her homeland bearing her personal insignia and commands for the current regent council of Larovia. Though the tide of battle here in Natori seemed to turn only for the worse she did not intend for it to remain as such...