Welcome to Gaia! ::

Alexander kept an even pace, walking from the woman with a boy. He wasn't sure of their names, but he knew that if/when they next meet that they'd get each other’s names.

Upon arrival, Alexander sighs, needing a drink from a bar. He was planning on going to a bar that his ride suggests, but he merely chooses the first bar he finds... seeing as he walked to town and felt it would be easier on him to choose this bar than walk around in search of the next one.

Alexander pushed open the door, walking into the bar with arms crossed and eyes squinted slightly, due to the lighting, as he glanced around. His presence caused a minor stir in the room, receiving a few glances and starting a couple people to murmur, but the room resumed its normal chattering and such by the time he reached the counter. He knocks on the wood to draw the jumpy bartender's attention. “What can I get you?” "Just get me something strong..." he says to the bartender, who's eyes seemed to wish to wonder elsewhere, but then nods and walks away when Alexander spoke what he wanted. He glances around once more to spot what had, perhaps, been what the man wished to look to... a woman and a man sitting next to one another. The woman seemed like a beauty, but also deadly... while the man appeared quite injured and/or beat, though not as recent as to suggest it was anyone in the bar. His attention was drawn away from the two when the bartender set his large mug down in front of him. He looks in to see the mug containing a darkened drink, to which he smirks before sipping the drink. Before glances back to the two for a moment and then shakes his head and looks forward, having had enough of looking to the two for little reason other than the jumpy bartender had eyed for them.

"Random or not, they're still not yours," Garthen answered, moving down one of the book-lined walls, their binds gray from layers of dust.

"No rules on books I travel with, right? These are mine." The man opened a book he had pulled from his pack, a tune vibrating off his lips.

Garthen moved the back of the chair, its shadowed form solidifying into a large mass of smoky black as he dared to look over Xerxes' shoulder. "What is it?" He squinted at the words.



Agrona's gaze snapped to the door as it opened with enough vigor to gain the temporary attention of those sitting closest to the exit. She eyed the large sword hanging at his side, the weapon out of place.

Instinctively, her hand went to where her own sword usually hung, the weapon now laying unused in her chambers within Exitium. She pulled her attention from the newcomer and back to the task at hand.

"Has the cat gotten a hold of your tongue?" she asked the Peacekeeper in a lazy tone, his emotions displayed in his eyes. "Or have you found yourself succumbing to the truth of the matter?"



Chaim found he couldn't share the girl's smile.

"This is more than a matter of an invaded territory, dear girl," he replied, his voice grave as he held Eve's gaze. "It's a matter of life and death, of freedom and slavery for humans and creatures alike." He paused, glancing to the horizon. "As for why... Why else do battles arise? When one nation wishes ill upon men, another shall rise against them."

"It would be only a fool who would partake in a battle without a solid reason," Chaim agreed. "And everyone who puts forth great effort into such a thing are fighting for something of great meaning and power to them. This war, a war between those who wish to see the downfall of humans and those who desire to save them, is being fought for the sake of all that is good. If the others succeed, then the world as we know it shall fall into chaos."

Chaim gestured for Eve to look to the ocean. With a silent command, a large globe of water pulled itself from the rest. Images began to swirl around within, animating Chaim's next words.

"Towns will fall to decay while mortals are tossed to the lions," he began, his voice filled with hatred and distress. "Fights shall arise from within the families of supernaturals and many will be sentenced to death for opposing the reign of evil. Those resting on the fence will be obliterated alongside any who have sided with the Defenders, else they finally choose to rise against the new rule."

Within the orb of water, flames erupted from buildings within a city, the dead bodies of creatures and humans alike littering the streets. The concrete flowed red with blood as the sounds of screams from humans being torn to pieces floated to the two pairs of ears resting safely on the sandy beach. The image shifted to show a young neko, her face twisted in fear as others of her own kin advanced upon her unarmed body with weapons drawn and sadistic smiles resting across their faces.

The scene shifted again. A group of beaten creatures, both humanoid and otherwise, sulked forward, their wrists and ankles chained together and to the being in front of them as they were pulled onward. A couple began to pull and fight against their bonds, their efforts rewarded with a loud crack as a nine-tail was thrust above them in warning. They continued to struggle until a muttered spell sent them to their knees, withering in pain.

"If the other side wins," Chaim continued in a whisper, "we will lose something far more precious than land; we will lose our lives, our freedom, and our future."

He paused as the orb of water sank back into the ocean, one final image crossing its surface before it disappeared; a tall, slender woman in a shimmering green dress stood atop a mound of corpses, a tyrannical and victorious smile resting on her lips and residing deep within her cold, unforgiving eyes as the sky behind her shone red and black with fire and smoke.

"It's no problem at all. I've seen more than enough of children to understand their stomachs."Bebinn sighed, and gave a -ineffective- disarming smile. "What I'm calling that favor in for is nothing big. I need information. Until a few years ago I stayed in one solitary place for literally centuries, and even then, only left occasionally. I'm a little, how would you say it, providential. However, I'm looking for something on a specific topic. Do you know anything, anything at all, about the disappearances and deaths of the peacekeepers?"

Oh, how the topic made her rely on the mask she perfected. If she could help it, no one would know how extreme the pain behind the mask was. Many friends had passed beyond the veil of mortality. This was something she had to stop.

((It's fine. I understand.))

Dontee looks to Salem as she asked several questions. He then looks forward to think of how he will answer. After a few seconds he looks to her to say "Well, I guess you could say I have some part-time jobs, here and there, but no full-time jobs. I do have some friends that are ladies, yes... though, no girlfriend if that is what you're asking. I don't have kids of my own... and... I am 21." He lied, of course, about his age... but he kept everything else relatively true. He then shrugs his shoulders. "How about you?... Job? Lady fr--... or er... Guy friend? Kids? Age?"

Theodore ignored the door as it snapped open, disregarded the man who stomped purposefully towards the bar and ordered. The barkeep seemed only happy to fill his order, giving the man a mug full of “Something strong” as he asked.
Theodore had his eyes locked on the woman, even though the woman did not look at him.
There was something about her, something that drew him in. His Peacekeeper side told him to slay the woman, but the rest… well…
If he didn’t have obligations, a duty to fulfill…
The woman seemed to think the man was dangerous, her hand falling to her side where a weapon used to rest. The movement was practiced, subtle – the only reason Theodore noticed was because he was watching her so intently.
Had he ever been so practiced? He didn’t think so. Even before… all this, he wasn’t the best. The only reason why he was good was that he had always been able to get what he needed through the sweat of others. He could make people do things, or he used to be able to. The older he got, the uglier, he supposed, the less likely people were to do what he said. He was all alone now, but he wasn’t sure if that was because people didn’t do what he said, or because they did. It was a horrible thought.
The Peacekeeper took another deep draught of his mug as the woman turned those eyes back on him, a cat-like expression on her face. As if he were the mouse, and he was caught in her trap.
"Has the cat gotten a hold of your tongue?" She said, her tone as satisfied and slow as a cat that has got the cream. "Or have you found yourself succumbing to the truth of the matter?”
Theodore stared at the woman, trying to break the awful spell. Everything she had said so far was the truth, and he knew it to be true in his very heart – the heart that he had kept secret from everyone for years. He tried to speak, to say something! He couldn’t give up, he had a duty. A path set before him since before his parents. This was so wrong, but it felt like this was what was meant to happen. That this woman could release him.
He started to shake.

Salem nearly beamed. He was paying her a compliment! Well... maybe, anyway. "Maybe you're right," she conseded and pulled her hands out of her pockets and began twiddling her fingers. Then he asked her a question and she looked up at him, a look of surprise plainly visible on her face. "Oh! U-uh yes, I can keep a secret but mostly I don't have anyone to tell. What is it?" she asked curiously, wondering if it was something delightful.