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The meeting was becoming a rather boring affair indeed, seeing as how the intel involved drawning shapes on a piece of paper. He had seen things such as this before, and they bored him then too. If the stakes hadn't been so high, he'd probably still be sitting in his castle, wasting away eternity... ah who was he kidding, he'd probably be asleep again.

Turning his attention away from the briefing, Anuksu leisurely crossed the room to Lucind's corner. Something in the way she had blankly looked up struck him the wrong way, and some part of him was genuinely concerned. When he got within just a few feet of her, he smiled at her and crouched down to be at her eye level his eyes bore a look of untold kindness, appearing almost as how one would gaze at an injured child.

"You seem rather upset milady, are you alright?"

Twitch, blinking at the girl, wondered where she came from. She almost did the surface mental scan, but people had been looking at her funnily so... might as well do it the normal, human way and ask who she was.

"You be Guardian, I'll be Shattered. I'll let you guys largly handle the bloodletting, but I can definitely heal. Depending on your beliefs, I might even be able to resurrect you if you trip and fall into a pit of spikes."

Maximos watched as Damion lifted his hand, snapped his fingers, and then splayed his fingers wide in a poofing motion.

Ahh. They bounced.

He said with a smirk and a nod. If there was ever a perfect description of bouncing Damion had just made it. Theres a sudden pop, and then you feel like everything is exploding, while holding somehow in place. And well, the experience wasnt a positive memory, though he find himself recalling it, much to the rumbling dismay of his stomach. Or was that hunger? He entirely missed that he was being stared at for a moment. He hadnt taken a bite in bit. But before he could, his attention was brought back to Damion as the man spoke.

"You're a mess dude."

Max cocked his head to the side. He wasnt sure what a Dude or if he truly was one, but he trusted Damion's judgment on the matter. Max truly was a mess, and at times a mess is a frustrating thing. But remembering how he became so messy, and the irony flavor still in his mouth, Max grinned wide meeting Damion's eyes, he replied.

Indeed.

As he was becoming a bit proud of it. Sunstrike went to work. And just like that, the Firebrand Tavern was beginning to feel more and more like the Firebrand War Room. There was a large map out across a group of tables detailing enemy positions and individuals seated around being briefed, and clearly about to discuss strategy.

He was completely silent as Sunstrike spoke, instead leaning forward over the chair in front of him, both hands on the table taking the map in as it was created. Every word was important and he meant to catch it all. Max was still as Lucind offered the pen, only moving to watch Anuksu move toward her. He wanted to help, but did they really have the time? Was this really the place? Exactly how many heart beats would pass between the time it too Anuksu to try and hurt her, and his realization that he was very dead and being sealed away? He shook that last bit away, as someone very abruptly attempted to call the parties attention, and interrupt Sunstrike with a throat clear. Well that was rude.

Max immediately looked back with a cocked eyebrow, and a stern face, only to find a little girl! She had a cute little hood, and a cute little outfit and everything. And thats all he could see. As Reiyvian wasnt perceivable by anything other than the naked eye, Maximos saw....a little girl. Rudeness was forgiven.

Seems to me, like you could all use a Guardian Angel.

She said. Ah! She was here to help! Maximos smiled warmly and immediately followed through with a matching tone. It was sweet and kind, and everything a gentleman should be. He even turned around to face her proper as opposed to over his shoulder.

Indeed we could! Do you know one?

Max had met angels, Gaurdian, Seraphim, Choir, Avenging, he knew what they looked like, and while this girl had the garb, she clearly lacked some of the other magical elements. She had to be referencing something else. Clearly. And as she appeared mundane to the eye, she....a little girl...was clearly not meaning to fight herself.

Clearly. But Max stood true to the fact that all little girls are to be treated preciously as they are to one day become ladies. And lifted a finger, just before a response was phrased and said.

Infact, I think we'd all be honored if you could show us. But. Would you mind waiting until the...

He gestured over to Sunstrike.

...briefing, is over?

And then made a sort of fanning gesture to the tables residents.

All these fine people have been waiting ever so patiently for it.

It was all very clear. Maybe too clear, maybe he'd come to rely on the magic in his eye. Or maybe Maximos was just a simple man. Eitherway he'd kindly pat her head and turn back around, touching the godlings shoulder and gesturing toward the map. In a sort of universally obvious gesture.

You were saying, Sunstrike?

At which point he'd resume listening. Unless of course the young Lady needed to speak again. Otherwise, Max would wait until Sun was done before speaking his arms folded up across his chest, one hand risen to tap his chin. A friendly glance cast in the direction of the headphone wearing newcomer, and the young woman.

It wasnt until all was said and done that Maximos considered speaking. Ichigo he couldnt not answer. But Lazenca raised an interesting question, and Max phrased a sort of answer.

Thats a good question Lazenca. Unless you...

His gaze shifted to Sunstrike, and then back to Lazenca.

...Sunstrike, know exactly what we will be facing at each location, we cant strategise who's unique talents will serve best at each encounter. We may be better split into teams, each carrying essentials. A healer, a heavy hitter, so forth.

It was a obvious fact of course. But it gave window for a discussion about strategy, on top of the definition of the X's on Sun's map. And perhaps a discussion of what unique talents were available.

Sunstrike touching her shoulder was answered with the tiniest nod before she stepped back.





Her eyes were fixed on the table, following the lines and signs Sunstrike was drawing.

"...you feed off of it, don't you?" It was a thoughtful whisper - those across the room probably thought she was muttering to herself -, but it would reach Anuksu's ears as if she was speaking out loud. "People suffering. The pain of all beings."

The Siren didn't even turn her head to look at the vampire.

"But aren't even those like you are fed up with all this after a while?"

Slowly licking her lips, she added:

"When I look at them here...I can't help thinking...

Weird.

How...strange."

Katie was listening to Sun, keeping up with what he had to say. When he asked a question about enemy lines, she glanced up to meet his look and nodded. She thought he had a good plan, but Laz made a good point. Who goes where?

"I agree that we should possibly consider splitting up."

A woman cleared her throat, which brought Katie's attention up only briefly. She was about to look back at the drawing when she noticed a man standing near her. You could clearly hear the music from his headphones. It wasn't Rage, but it looked genuinely like Rage. She had almost concluded that it was him. She glanced at Rage briefly before looking back at the drawing.

Madison took the question right from her mouth. She was about to ask who the Forgotten One's were. She could only assume that the Forgotten One's were the shades that everyone had been speaking of.

"Is it going to be similar to what you all faced at the stadium?"

ALPHA!

She had distant look as she had a momentary flash of Athan and Vahn screaming out that name after they had been burned by the shadelord. Even the smell of burning flesh seemed to be around her.

"Alpha.."

She mumbled quietly what she'd been thinking about.

A blink and the moment was gone as quickly as it came. She was once again focused on the map in front of her.

"That? That, my friend, is a force that even the undead can't get past. They started setting up home there during HoH. Deity's made the whole place a freaking fortress. You have to get permits to even get inside now..."

He jabbed at the X's, patiently drawing focus back to what was important.

"These three are all we, us, need to be concerned about. Believe me, it'll be trouble enough as is. See, this is us, Isle of Gambino, all the way to the north, here. Look how close this one is. That's a little place called Reen on the Barton border. Cute town really, good ruins...quaint, might be the word for it."

He looked to Damion and Wulf next, tilting his head, then looking down at the map and scowling, as if it should be able to tell him what they were headed for.

"I don't know? Seriously. I suspect it'll be shades, more then likely looking for the same information, or guarding said information. There could be undead as well, the closer we get the their border, the more animated evil things there will probably be...I'd LIKE everyone to stick together, but in some area's it might be next to impossible for a large group to travel...not without drawing a load of unwanted attenti-"

Damion pointed out the large island and Sun went red, reaching up and quickly rubbing it out. He hadn't realized he'd put that up there.

"Ice! Loads of ice, and snow, s'not really habitable, believe me, I've stayed-been, been there." He looked sideways at Wulf, then shook his head.

"People can't go there."

He finished rather lamely, searching around, seeing that people were getting distracted, seeing...he looked a bit in panic at Rei, then Max spoke and Sun quieted down a bit, and Rage spoke, to which he pointed to Reen.

"We go here, we find what we need to find, then we go to the next. There'll be people, half people, and people that'll never be the same again on the way. To which we direct to Gambino, and Latent, hoping that the cities hold out."

Sun finally straightened up and rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, that's probably the best, split up into teams and then head out. If we all meet up in Reen, we'll find out what we need, and then go on from there. Going at different times means that some of us can hold the fort until back up gets there. Depending on how badly the situation has gotten."

His attention jerked to Katie, and then he rounded on Max.

"You guys met HIM?! THERE?!" Sun, of course, wouldn't have known Alpha had shown up, too intent to get Teira to where she needed to be. "Was it just the big guy? Or were there more?"

He shook his head. "Wait, no, nevermind. It's okay. No, the islands moving, they move with the island..." I hope. "I don't think we'll be of much consequence to them. So pick teams of three, I'll draw smaller versions of the map and hand it out to the groups. Whoever's feeling perkiest can go first and scope it out. You'll be backed up by the rest, and then so on til we get to the last."

One last look around the table.

"Agreed?"