An open field, muddy with the recent rains and the tramp of guardsmen's feet behind palisades. A cloudy sky sat stagnantly overhead, the clouds occasionally parting to allow a few shafts of sunlight to illuminate the grim scene. Two walls, one of solid stone, the other of logs and magic. Several people walked the length of those walls. This is the story of these people, how they lived and fought for king and country, or not. The clouds parted for a few seconds, and the walls stood forth in all their glory. The banners of the Red Hawk and Gold Lion flapped weakly. The watching had lasted for a few weeks now. Something was bound to happen soon. . .

"Akane run!" Isei demanded as he engaged Ferro. Struggling to block his strikes.

 

"O-okay!" Akane took her chance and continued to retreat back to the Gold Lion.

 

Orion was able to block one of Ferro's downward swipes and redirect himself under and toward Ferro. Too close to get him with his claws, and an ice spike from below would take out the both of them. Orion gave a split second smirk as he brought his wrist blade toward Ferro's chest.

Ferro had been waiting for his opponent to recover. As the wrist blade plunged toward his chest, Ferro stepped through the mazes of Maladomini, disappearing and reappearing in a burp of flies behind Orion. Ferro lashed out with a tentacle to knock Orion off balance, then brought his claws plunging down.

Isei quickly drew his blade and just barely blocked the claws. The two warriors pushed against each other. "You are a mighty opponent Ferro." Orion complimented. "But your end will be brought about by no other than Orion Isei!" Orion angled his sword as to redirect Ferro's momentum downward, exposing his back. Isei spun out of his and began to bring his blade down to Ferro's neck.

Ferro ducked and rolled past Orion's downward stroke, coming to his feet behind him. He did not turn and attack, however, but continued running toward the Gold Lion wall. He used teleports to gain distance, then gestured with his hand. He wasn't through with Akane yet. Tentacles grabbed her arms and legs, forcing her into the air and restraining her. Ferro used more tentacles to lift himself up next to her, and held a claw up to her throat. "Anything to say before a kill the girl?" he asked Orion gleefully. If he couldn't have one corpse, he would have another.

"Orion!" Akane cried.

 

"Let her go!" Isei snapped. He threw his windmill shuriken ( which he got back while no one was watching ), opening a gash in one of the tentacles, freeing Akane right arm. She switched her bladeless weapon around to a back hound grip and with the push of a butting, it extended at a blinding speed to piston Ferro right in the jaw.

A hand caught Akane's before she could make the hit however....

 

"Stop this." Avurel Teirul was nothing if not to the point. As he held Akane's arm in one hand, his other one became enveloped in a magical gauntlet emanating from the bracelet he wore.

 

"Ferro," he turned back to his comrade behind him. "What in the hell do you think you're doing? All out fighting at the walls? You disgrace us all with this level of bloodlust." He turned towards Orion as well. "...and you. You choose to fight out of what, boredom? Have you no regard for human life. This foolishness stops right here, and right now."

Edited November 11, 201311 yr by MDSVeritas

"So enlightening to see one with some sense in his self," Seishirou observed from afar, his katana sheathed. "If I could choose, he would be far from being an enemy of mine." He sighed disappointingly. Despite having but a single weapon, he was skilled to an unmatched degree with it. A versatile weapon, in the least, but there really was no point in fighting. Seishirou came down and walked up to Akane and the others. (Hardly a reason at all to be here. Both countries very seldom have some who think like I do. I shouldn't be here with the Gold Lion-- nor the Red Hawk. Regardless....) Seishirou cut off his thoughts as he reached the others. "Akane, Isei," he began, "Neither of you should be here either. This conflict is meaningless. Isei, and Ferro, was it? Both of you fight of your own volition-- what do you hope to achieve? A sense of triumph for killing another living being?" He looked at Akane. "And Akane, I believe you want only to be involved in these battles, to protect Isei, and to actually serve with significance. Believe me when I say war is something you shouldn't want to be involved in."

Ferro's face darkened as the people spoke, until it was livid. "You- you dare tell me my cause is a poor one!?" Something seemed to click behind Ferro's eyes. Or maybe snap is a better description. "The masters are calling. They are calling for your blood. And I will have it. . . Soon." Ferro quickly teleported away, the tentacles retreating underground and the ice disappearing. Back at the safety of his wall, Ferro entered a trance-like state, going rigid and mumbling under his breath occasionally.

 Noticing the brawl was over for now Kat retreated back with the other members of the Gold Lion. She was confused to how the fight suddenly ended since she was busy fighting with Yassen but she decided to ask later. Kat looked at Avurel who seem to be involved stoping the fight. 'Is he part of Red Hawk? If he is, then why did he stop the fight?' She thought. 

Orion sheathed his sword. "I thank you for your assistance. But our countries are at war regardless. Next time we meet, it shall be on the battlefield." He turned and left. Quickly forgetting everything that had just ensued. The battles would continue. And what of her? Akane had retreated to the wall by now, her face a crimson red.

"We may be enemies..." Avurel spoke to Orion, "but do not think that nessecitates killing and death." The magical gauntlet around his hand dissipated. He walked towards the Rew Hawk great wall.

 

Where had Ferro gone?

A bald man watched the proceeding from his perch on a parapet of the Red Hawk wall. He wore a black cowl, and perched as if he were some kind of bird. His nose was rather hookish, lending itself even further towards giving him the look of a raven. "May God send a blight of ravens to eat the crops of the wicked." he intoned in a dull voice to himself.

"But are you certain, that who you believe to be wicked, truly is?" Asked Dante, walking near Baldr at the wall of the Red Hawk. "Because war and death should bring euphoria to no one— not even to you— and even when it is the wicked whom are at defeat. That is disregarding those of great misanthropy, of course...." His voice trailed off, but his point remained clear to his comrade. "Keep in mind that God sees and knows all, but does his best not to bring divine intervention for or to anyone. A holier than thou mentality is a poor one to have. I look forward to seeing your mentality and morality on the battlefield."

"I am holier than no one. Only less of a sinner. It brings me no joy. Very little brings me joy." Baldr continued to look across the field. "I am as an instrument in the hands of God, playing the music of his will." He held the cross he wore underneath his robes in his hand.

I find it unconvincing for anyone to be any more or less of a sinner than another. Everyone is an angel. Everyone is also, a demon. Such is how I've always liked to describe humanity." Dante's heterochromic eyes were blank, yet somehow bold and in a way, divine. "As you very well know, you are far from the only one with ties or strong faith in God, our creator." Dante then turned and left, muttering in Enochian, "...Faaip de Oiad."