Guardian's Resolve

Ascended Mystic Rep! : 17

Castiel Angelum Lucis
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Attributes: Average [+0.0]
Theme: Lost Memories

The things that had happened on their journey was out of this world. First dealing with while beasts, demons, and then a encounter of the past, one of which Castiel was not able to recognize or even was aware of. The trip into their dreams and the dangers that presented made the travelers well aware of the danger they were in, and in order to protect themselves from this new threat, the crew had to get stronger. Along the journey, Vera was injure to a point where she couldn't travel with them for awhile...this was due to the connection that they had with their dreams, and within it, Castiel was unable to protect her from getting her. Luckily she wasn't fatally wounded, but she still couldn't travel with them. Now the Party was cut down to just Castiel and Athena, though they kept themselves occupied throughout the travels. Athena had became more so like a right hand gal to Castiel, learning from him like a student. He was teaching her to fight, utilize ranged projectiles like relic weaponry even though he didnt have any in his possession. Castiel used his hands to give an idea how they would be held and possibly look like, that way when they did get their hands on them, she wouldn't be so noob with it. He refused to allow what happened to Vera happen to Athena. Now the group was making their way to Medius, having traveled great distances from the village that they left Vera at. Both seemd in good condition, though the exhaust began to show itself within Athena." How are you holding up ?" Castiel asked with a concerned tone. Athena turned towards him and gave him a thumbs up, still possessing a decent amount of stamina in her." I still have energy ". He was worried that she was pushing herself a bit to become stronger, but he wouldn't push the subject on her like many figures did with their companions. The two would close in near the desolant city of Saichishigai, a place where memories of many, including Castiel remain buried in the rubble, not obtainable by those that fate didn't deem worthy.

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Guardian's Resolve

There were a lot of unexpected things happening in Alicia's life about now- the discovery of magic in the world being the largest of which. One would think that the prospect of her tribe leaving their homeland- the land they had dwelt in since the beginning of their memories- would have a bit more impact on the Knight; however, she was so preoccupied with the thoughts of sorcery and how useless her blade would be in a battle with an experienced caster of any kind- she could hardly dwell on anything else.

What other thoughts did come into her head were fleeting and vague; appearing for an instant before being buried under the mess of witchcraft and wizardry that dominated her mind for the moment. Maybe it was because she was alone once again- without a goal other than returning to her tribe with a few small bartering items and news of thaumaturgy- or maybe it was because the discovery was so shocking to her as a physical combatant. Regardless of the reasoning behind her thought processes, she was constantly preoccupied with it- the idea of it- the possibility of learning how to use it and bend it to her will. After all, if magic could be used to heal, it could also be used to destroy, right?

Reaching the precipice of the small mountain she was scaling, Alicia's gaze was drawn by the appearance of two roughly humanoid-shaped figures on the horizon. She ducked back under the clifftop almost as soon as she saw them- aware of the fact that demons could sometimes pose as men- just as they posed as beasts and monsters, and she was not taking any chances when it came to the denizens of Hell. Luckily for the Knight, the figures were far enough away that she could barely make them out- so the chances of them having seen her were slim to none. She would wait for a few moments- biding her time before peeking over the clifftop once again to further study the duo.

A man and a woman, the man older in appearance than the woman. She couldn't make out much beyond their genders and vague colors of their clothing, but it was enough. And while it was suspicious that a man and a woman were traveling alone on a stretch of wasteland into a ruined city- it was more suspicious that Alicia, a single (albeit, well-armed) young woman was traveling alone and spying on other people traveling into the city. They didn't look too dangerous- especially not the girl- and it was Alicia's sworn duty to protect the meek. With a short sigh, she climbed over the peak of the mountain and hailed the odd couple, waving at them as she walked.

"Hello, friends. Need an extra sword-arm on your travel into the city?"
xp: 524 # 524 xp

Ascended Mystic Rep! : 17

Castiel Angelum Lucis
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Attributes: Average [+0.0]
Theme: Lost Memories

The two did not have any idea of what they were in for. Still they continued onwards without hesitation. Moments would pass before something would catch both of their attentions. It was a female hailing to them and calling out. Both Castiel and Athena came to a complete stop and turned around to see her, wondering what was up. She walked and as she did it became a little easier to distinguish certain features about this person. Her words became clear, which got both of them thinking for a split second. (Hmmm...I don't trust her! She has a better body figure than me! though that may just be her attire thats giving that appearance. We don't need any help from anyone else) Athena had basically caught the Vera bug, getting the negative idea of Females that encounter Castiel. It was an insecure factor, which was strange because Athena didnt have it until the episode her and Vera had sometimes back at the pond. (Hmm...she don't seem to present a negative feel...and with Vera down we're down one hand.) After processing it, Castiel would answer for the both of them." Yea! that'll be very much appreciated ". His reply caused Athena to arch a brow at Castiel, but she didnt say anything against it." We're kind of new to these strange lands ".

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Guardian's Resolve

Noting the distrusting gaze from the female, Alicia gave a slight nod and a friendly smile, offering her hand to the couple.

"Name's Alicia Landis Murdock. I live up in Rockland- which is a bit of a walk from here- but I'm relatively sure of where I'm going around these parts. Can't make much of a living if you don't I suppose."

Regardless of whether or not either of them took her hand, the Knight nodded and adjusted her armor for a moment, glancing around the surrounding landscape as she did so. "The thing about Medius and the surrounding," she began, laying a hand on her sword and beginning to walk away from the two- leading in the direction they had originally been walking in- "is that it's full of everything you don't want somewhere to be full of. Booby traps, collapsing buildings and buried sinkholes to name a few, and those aren't even the biggest issues."

"Bandits are a constant issue around these parts. While weak, they come in large numbers wielding some rather odd, deadly weaponry from time to time. Then there are monsters and wild animals- whose cunning and deadliness can lead to the deaths of even the most seasoned of warriors. And, finally," she turned back to the two, stopping in her tracks and leaning in close to whisper to them. "There are demons about. Some in my tribe believe they come out of a hole in the ground somewhere around the center of the city. Regardless, most of us are of the firm belief that if they even hear you referring to them it draws them... hence the whispering right now."

Regaining her previous posture, the Knight turned away from the two again, marching. "Superstitions aside, they aren't exactly the easiest things to deal with. I'm relatively sure we've only had to deal with lesser beings like that- but even the weak ones were able to kill several men before being subdued." She smirked and cocked her head so she could see the duo again. "Sure you want to keep going? There are much less dangerous places to travel, I'm sure." She turned her head back to it's original position, scanning the road before her for any signs of trouble. With a hint of bitterness in her voice, she muttered, "I hear Mare Maris is a particularly nice place around this time of year."
xp: 448 # 972 xp

Ascended Mystic Rep! : 17

Castiel Angelum Lucis
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Attributes: Average [+0.0]
Theme: Lost Memories

The name was quite an interesting name, though fitting to the appearance of this individual, or at least Castiel thought so. Athena head the name and didnt react much to it, thinking it was two long with the addition of the middle name, though she wasnt one in the right place to judge another due to her name being Athena Lacrimae, which was someone long even being consisted of two words. Castiel saw Alicia's hand extend out, which he would accept the friendly jesture by bringing his out to meet hers." It's great to meet you Alicia. Im Castiel Angelum Lucis, and this dear traveling companion of mines is Athena Lacrimae ". Athena looked to Castiel with an even stranger look than before, never hearing his whole name before. It was really strange and didnt fit him at all, though she shrugged the thought out and turned to Alicia. From her words, it appeared that Danger was a high chance with heading into this area. Booby traps though less dangerous than Demons, were still quite dangerous in it's nature. Bandits were dangerous as sometimes an aspect to the human race that made them unpredictable also made them just as lethal. Some you could read like a book through abilities or mere psychology but sometimes that didn't help. They followed behind Alicia while she spoke, at least until she came to a stop and began to whisper to them. The ideas of Demons being in there caused Castiel to regret heading in this direction a little bit, but it didnt seem to phase Athena." Im sure Cas here can handle them ". This caused him to turn his head to her quickly, wondering where in the hell did this come from. She was displaying the sheer confidence in him like Vera did back then, and like then, Castiel had to correct her." Don't say that. I don't know where you and Vera are getting these ideas from, but Im no where near indestructable, so stop making me seem like that ". His tone was serious, but still low to where only Athena and Alicia could hear. Athena remained silent after that as Castiel eye's lowered slightly." From what I can remember, I've never fought a demon before. " He rubbed the back of his head in light of the dangers ahead. When Alicia asked them if they were sure if they wanted to go, Castiel nodded." Yea Im sure...I can't help but feel I should come here ". Athena nodded too, though something was on her mind." Hey, in the midst of this place, is there some kind of shop or armory ? ". That would be great if the group could gear up just incase they by some chance came in contact with these lesser demons.

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Guardian's Resolve

Alicia gave the girl a quizzical look as she spouted off about how this Castiel character would be able to protect her if demons turned out to show up. "I hate to break it to you, but Sir Lucis would most likely be torn to shreds- as would you and as would I. Even if we weren't- we'd be terribly wounded, most likely- and unless either of you possess magical powers of some sort," (she said this while waving her arms in the air in a comical manner, signifying that she still didn't quite believe in magic), "Then we're probably boned either way. Don't dwell on it- the fiends are few and far inbetween. In twenty two years as far as I know we've only fought around three. Personally, I've only ever dealt with one... but that's a story for a different day. I'd be more worried about bandits and monsters, personally."

Changing the subject as soon as the girl mentioned getting outfitted, Alicia snorted a bit at her question. "An armory?" replied the Knight, turning her head to the girl. "Out here? Clearly you're not used to Medius- or at least this section of Medius. Either that or I'm clearly sheltered and don't know what I'm talking about; but I'm about ninety-nine percent sure that there wouldn't be a store out in the middle of nowhere." She stopped and reached down to her belt, removing two of the three daggers she had set there- sheathes included. "If you're really that worried about getting attacked and not being able to protect yourself, use these. They aren't much good to me for anything other than throwing, and I already have my trusty Nyla right here," she said, patting the sword at her hip.

At that, Alicia turned back and trudged onward- bracing herself forward as they came to the lip of the valley they were walking through. "Once we get up here, we should be able to see a good portion of the city. The ruins of Medius are gargantuan though- so hopefully you at least have a slight idea where you're going in case my sense of direction fails us. Plus, I should probably get back to my tribe first... but that'd add at least another day or two of travel from here." She fidgeted with here armor and sighed as she moved onward. "It'd be nice to not have to wear this all day, after all. And we could probably stock up on rations and potentially equipment there- though I'm not sure how happy they'd be with outsiders..." Reaching the top of the valley, she turned back to help the other two up over the lip. "What say you? Are you in that much of a hurry that you don't have time to stock up on potentially life-saving items? I've got enough rations to last myself about another week or so- so I am set. This is all on you guys."
xp: 532 # 1504 xp

Ascended Mystic Rep! : 17

Castiel Angelum Lucis
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Attributes: Average [+0.0]
Theme: Lost Memories

Castiel knew of that also, considering that he never faced a demon before, or at least he couldn't remember facing one. Athena believed in Castiel even in the worst of odds, which was something good that she picked up from Vera amongst other things. She couldn't allow herself to lose her faith now due to words, no matter what. It could be considered foolish, but could also lead to greater things. Athena looked to the weapon handed to her by Alicia and she held it tightly. Castiel wasn't a huge believer in the Magical arts, but over the past few days some of the most fucked up stuff had happened to him and his party, so unlike Alicia he couldn't exactly dismiss it. What happened to them in the cave could be explained with simply moving wrong while sleeping, but what happened to Vera was something that couldn't be ignored. The party of Castiel and Athena followed right after Alicia as she moved onwards, taking in the info as they moved. It would be in their best interest to head to the tribe that Alicia belonged to and stock up there given that neither of them was in any kind of a rush to walk into a dangerous territory. Medius pulled them in some way, like as if they were fated to come this way for something, though both Castiel and Athena didnt know what." No Ms.Murdock, neither of us are in a rush. Maybe I'll also find something that I can use effectively in battle, as my fist can only get me so far ". His tone right there was that of a jokeful individual, though he himself wasn't the type. Athena nodded, not saying a single word.

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Guardian's Resolve

Surprise filled the Knight's features as she realized the man was indeed not carrying a weapon. With a slight nod, Alicia mentally battered herself for not noticing sooner- and offered another dagger to the man. "Sorry for not noticing sooner, friend. For some reason I assumed you were armed."

"As for the tribe- they will probably be just as happy to be rid of you as they will pretend to be when they see you." she muttered, frowning. Nevertheless, she diverted her course to lead them to her home- talking as she went. "It wasn't always this way, you know? The people in the village used to be more than happy to help wanderers and merchants. Dorn was an amazing leader- a true hero in a time where there were few left to be had. Those were times of prosperity and growth... though not necessarily peace, I suppose- what with bandits and monsters being a constant problem and whatnot." She drew her weapon, flipping it around in her gauntletted hand by the hilt and offering it to Castiel.

"He found me Nyla- my blade- and taught me everything I know about the way of the Sword and what it means to be a Knight. I am but half the teacher he was- and even less than that as a warrior- though he would be proud of my continued growth..."

Taking the sword back and sheathing it, she sighed a bit and continued onward, killing up a small cloud of dirt before starting again. "You know how I mentioned that the demon would be a story for a different day? I'm feeling that instead of passing two days in silence, I may as well tell you- and then perhaps glean as much information from you two- stories or not- as I can, provided that's not an issue. What say you?"

xp: 334 # 1838 xp

Ascended Mystic Rep! : 17

Castiel Angelum Lucis
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Attributes: Average [+0.0]
Theme: Lost Memories

Castiel rubbed the back of his head when she apologized for not noticing that he was unarmed. Many people get the idea that he's armed sometimes due to his stature and the outfit he wears which appeared to be like a bullet vest, and belts that would carry other things within them. His size as well often gave the idea of a fighter, but the truth of it was that Castiel often fought without utilizing weapons, though his opponents up to this far had been humans and feral beasts, both of which he could subdue alone with close combat. He accepted the dagger and placed it somewhere on the belt on around his waist just incase he came to need it. He nodded as a sign of acceptance and appreciation for the weapon that they could use. She then began to speak about her village, which upon hearing caused Castiel to question a few things now, though he would get to them later, most likely after the story of her subduing the demon. ( What could have happened between that period that would cause the villagers to become disliking of outsiders ? ) Athena was thinking the same thing, and wanted to ask now but didn't." Im game " That was Castiel way of saying that he's up for it, plus it served many purposes. Not only just to pass the time, but they would get to know each other through these stories.

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Guardian's Resolve

With a short intake of breath, the Knight cocked her head to the side as she walked, slowing her stride to walk alongside the two rather than in front of them. "Mostly straight sailing from here. I'll point out things when we need to divert course. At any rate- here goes nothing..."

"I come from a village in Rockland- a portion of Medius where a lot of people have banded together into small tribes and villages rather than face the dangers of living so close to the Core District of Medius alone. Twenty years ago- after everyone forgot everything- my father banded together a relatively large group of people, over two hundred strong and most of which being healthy young men and women. As far as I know, I had no mother. No one remembered why they were in Medius, and few could get their thoughts in order enough to think of a plan for survival- so my father, Dorn, was a savior of sorts to them. Upon successfully banding together roughly two-hundred men and women, he was simply accepted as their leader- a mantle he took as his job rather than his right for helping them. He was a great man- and the tribe grew and prospered under his guidance and wisdom.

After a few years and the emergence of bandits and more monsters, my Father- who had been teaching himself swordplay in this time- thought it would be a good thing to begin teaching the willing of the tribe how to defend themselves and their families. He formed us into a sort of militia- a small, yet terrifyingly competent force of men and women- which he lead into battle after battle with bandits, slavers, monsters and beasts- never provoking a fight and only defending what was ours. Our tribe was quickly recognized as one of the strongest in the area- and other smaller tribes joined us for safety or would pay for small units of men to leave and clear out various problems that could only be solved by force. We were mostly left alone by brigands and the like- as they always incurred massive losses by our hand- while we usually only left with a few dead. We were feared, respected- almost revered by some. Relative peace reigned for about ten years and all was well.

Once I was old enough, my father began teaching me the way of the blade as well- showing me what it meant to be a Knight and to protect others over everything else. I was referred to as him, a man who rarely gave praise beyond what was necessary, as a prodigy, and joined my first scouting group at the age of thirteen. I had already killed my first man before another year had passed. Nevertheless, I proved a useful and endlessly resourceful swordswoman, which got me into the ranks of the militia as a lieutenant by the time I was fifteen.

Three years later, there was a great battle between a large group of bandits who had gathered under the flag of Gelmoth and our tribe. Many of our own died, but we still secured victory with much less loss than the bandits garnered from our blades, even with their more advanced weaponry. But the fog of battle had barely cleared before something else came- a being brought to our tribe from the sounds of our conflict ranging across the city- what many of our tribe now believe may have been a Demon of Rage.

Regardless of what it was, it tore through our men as if they were made of little more than parchment, turning them from men to mincemeat in mere moments. My father clashed with the beast, somehow matching it in strength and speed despite his mortality. While I was unconscious for most of the fight- thrown aside by the beast's unfathomable strength- many recant the battle as being little more than a blur. Some even claim Dorn had sprouted angelic wings and that his weapon became something else entirely- but this is, of course, little more than overexaggeration on foolish men's parts. At any rate- I woke just in time to see my father pierce the beast's black heart- and to see the fiend punch through steel-plated armor and tear out his stomach. The man who had, by that time, united a thousand to his name, who had created one of the most feared military factions in all of Medius, my Father- the greatest man I have ever known and will ever have the privilege of knowing- was felled by the monster.

There was a short period of mourning before I was thrust into the position of the new chieftan. Our ranks, which had once swelled to that of over a thousand, was now little more than five hundred- most of the deaths coming from facing that one- single devil. Nevertheless, I proved to be less of a leader than my father and I eventually stepped down after about a year, nominating a triumvirate instead. It's been three years since I abdicated as leader of my tribe- and now they are speaking of leaving Rockland, of leaving the land my Father died protecting and lived cultivating for as long as he could remember. Needless to say, I am more than a bit bitter at these ideas... but very few are still willing to stay in a place where demons can cut through five hundred men without any issue- especially without Dorn alive to still protect them."

Throughout her entire tale, Alicia stared before her- mechanically spouting the words from her lips. She portrayed little emotion other than hate for that which took her Father from her- which was indicated with a shaking timbre to her story as she recanted it. Now that she had finished, she turned to face the couple again, making eye-contact with Athena as she did so. "Do you still think that Sir Lucis here can handle a beast such as this, Miss Lacrimae? Because I know I could not... and I highly doubt you could- no offense to you."

Shaking her head, she looked away from the duo, frowning. "Apologies- I am more than a little bitter about that whole situation..." She looked up to the darkening sky and sighed, scanning the ground before them. "Looks like your story is going to have to wait until we either put up camp or until tomorrow." She stopped walking, dropping the small pack she was carrying near a wall of a ruined building. "I'm going to go look for firewood and something to eat. You two are welcome to do as you wish until I get back, I suppose. If you leave, be sure to come back here- all right?"

xp: 1237 # 3075 xp

Ascended Mystic Rep! : 17

Castiel Angelum Lucis
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Attributes: Average [+0.0]
Theme: Lost Memories

Alicia's story went to the hearts of both Castiel and Athena, though Castiel wouldn't express it much like Athena who had a depressed expression. She was never fond of others getting injured, and Alicia's story of Victory, Loss and anguish just hit her. Neither of the two figured that there were such a thing in existence that could wipe out so many all by itself. This demon must have been something remarkable in the eyes of some, and a true monster in the eyes of others. The Part regarding the loss of her father though is what they took notice of the most. It began to make sense a little, a great man no longer amongst the living, and with the departure of this great man so does go the departure of what he stood for and what he brought to the people. Alicia was a Warrior, while Castiel was a guardian. He couldn't express sympathy for her and her struggles, for in a sense it was disrespectful. It's because of this that after the end of the story he didn't say anything really. he wanted to avoid the whole ' Im sorry for your lost ', even though he felt it. Athena also sensed this, and though didnt come with the same thought process like Castiel, also felt like saying she was sorry for the lost wouldn't have been right at the moment. There was silence between the two until Alicia asked Athena if she still thought that Castiel could still handle such a beast. It was very intense for her because Alicia had stopped to face her specifically, and Athena didn't know what to say at that moment. A clear thought couldn't form in her head and so she couldn't answer at the moment." I..." Castiel looked to Athena and closed his eyes while placing his head on her head. He didnt say anything though the expression on his face spoke so many things. Athena released a sigh, even though Alicia was the one that apologized, Athena felt like she should have been able to say something since having spout her mouth off earlier about her sheer confidence in Castiel. Was her faith beginning to falter a little ? or was it something else. Castiel nodded to Alicia when she advised that if they left, to return here, though his intentions wasn't to leave at all, as venturing into unknown area where it is known to be dangerous wasn't too much an option. It wasn't his safety, but Athena's safety he was worried about." Alright Ms.Murdock, be careful while you're out there ".

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Guardian's Resolve

She returned from her jaunt after roughly a half an hour, carrying a load of firewood and with two decent-sized rabbits slung over her shoulder. "It's not much," she began, dropping the wood and pulling one of the small creatures off her shoulder as she did so, "But it should get us through the night, especially with some of my rations to supplement it. Afraid I don't have enough water to share though- but there seemed to be a stream a few miles North."

Motioning towards the logs, she tossed Castiel some flint and steel, as well as a small pouch containing tinder and what appeared to be some sort of powder-based fuel source. "If you know how, set up those logs to make a campfire. Miss Lacrimae can help you- unless she'd rather go get some water or set up the rest of camp." It hardly occurred to the Knight that she was issuing orders to two people who could hardly be considered more than strangers to her- but she certainly wasn't being forceful about it either. Regardless, she began to clean one of the rabbits with particular gusto, quickly removing it's hide and insides before putting it onto a spit and jamming said spit into the ground so the flesh didn't touch anything other than the stick it was impaled on. She repeated the process quickly with the other rabbit before pulling out a decent amount of nuts, salted meat and berries from her pack as well, making a small, neat pile of food off to the side before stopping to see how the others were progressing.

xp: 297 # 3372 xp

Ascended Mystic Rep! : 17

Castiel Angelum Lucis
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Attributes: Average [+0.0]
Theme: Lost Memories

Castiel thought about it for a second before saying anything. Alicia said that there was a river some distance, a few miles to be a little more accurate from here. From what was said about this place, Castiel was dead against having Athena go out for water. He knew that Athena could set up a fire herself properly from their first encounter, so it would be best if He left her with Alicia, as he couldn't exactly rely on Athena to be able to defend herself properly with a dagger even though Castiel was teaching her combat. It was far too early in the game to rely on a short period of training so he decided what had to be done. He would hand the what Alicia handed to him over to Athena." Actually, I'll trust you to handle the fire. I'll take the trip a few miles to get the water. I'll bring enough ". Athena accepted the stuff needed for the fire, and looked to Castiel, already knowing why he decided to go get the water instead of her. She didn't argue against it and simply nodded before looking to the Material." Alright Castiel...Please be careful ". He had began walking away before giving her a thumbs up in the air with his back turned to them. Athena lowered her eyes before she began to work on getting the fire started. Castiel had what was needed to contain the water, as amongst the very common items he possessed, containers/jugs were some of them. Some time passed and it was just Alicia and Athena for the moment, and a fire up that was created successully by Athena. There were a few things to be done, and while doing them she kept her attention to the north for signs of Castiel.

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Guardian's Resolve

Eying the man as he exited the small camp, Alicia nodded and muttered, "Well, all right..." to herself before pulling out a small bedroll from her pack and unrolling it. "Guess it's girl's night out..."

She began to remove her armor- starting with the plates on her arms and storing them in a neat pile nearby her bedroll. "You seem awfully distracted with some fresh water," she said, moving to unclasp the plate on her back before taking that and her breastplate off. "He left a little bit ago- and a few miles is no short distance to walk," continued the knight as she pulled off the plates donning her thighs and her greaves. "Looking in that direction repeatedly isn't going to make him get back any sooner," she finished, unbuckling the armor that protected her abdomen and placing it with the rest of her suit. She quickly removed the chain shirt she was wearing as well- revealing her somewhat shapely (though relatively unremarkable) body, albeit, with a close-fitting (or perhaps sweat-drenched) black undershirt overtop it. Her body was more taught muscle than anything, though it would have to be considering the amount of weight she lugged about on a daily basis- but all of it appeared to be necessary- in place on her body rather than forced onto it.

Stretching and cracking her back before taking a relaxing breath, leaning back against a nearby wall. "Any particular reason you're worried about the man? He seems plenty capable of handling himself to me." Her blade still hung at her side, and she rested the palm of her hand on the hilt of the blade- more out of habit than anything. She was clearly quite comfortable- at home in the "wild" of the gargantuan city rather than out of place.

At this point, the fire was blazing merrily, and The Knight moved the spits closer to the flames, leaning the rabbits just close enough to allow them to cook evenly on one side. After that was done, she distributed her field rations into three small, even piles before nodding and turning her gaze back to Athena.

"Though-" she started again, "I wouldn't mind if he got back faster than I'm anticipating him to. Wouldn't mind getting washed up after having to smell myself for the last few days. Unfortunately for me, I refuse to travel any large distances without my armor if I can help it." She stretched again before realizing her gauntlets were still on- at which point she quickly removed them and placed them with the rest of her armor.

"What's your story with him anyway? He seems pretty... Uh..." she tapped her chin, looking to the sky before deciding on the word (she was clearly actually stumped rather than trying to fudge words in Athena's favor), "Charismatic, I guess is the word I'm looking for- but certainly not the type to attract a delicate flower like yourself. You don't exactly seem like the traveling type- much less the type to travel cross-country with an unarmed hulk like him- especially not alone." After this statement, she frowned and shook her head, bowing slightly to the girl after doing so. "Apologies- I'm prying a bit too much. We've got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow- and I'm sure I'll hear plenty about it then."

She turned the rabbits- which had cooked almost perfectly to a slight brown color with a few black streaks throughout the flesh. She reached once more into her seemingly bottomless pack and withdrew a small, sealed container with some form of powder in it. Dumping a small amount of the contents onto her bare hands, she rubbed it into the meat, stopping often since it was still rather hot and cooking on the other side yet. "Seasoning- so it's not so terribly bland. Most people go without it- but why suffer while you're on the go?" Taking her canteen, she rinsed her hands off before taking a swig of water and offering the container to Athena. "We'll refill on water again in the morning- so I'm not too worried about using all of this up tonight yet. It'll add a bit of travel time to our little adventure, but we should still make it to the village by nightfall tomorrow."

xp: 810 # 4182 xp

Ascended Mystic Rep! : 17

Castiel Angelum Lucis
Health: 100%
Stamina: 100%
Attributes: Average [+0.0]
Theme: Lost Memories

Athena sat there and watched the armored woman take off the armored, revealing and confirming Athena's suspicions earlier. It was saddening that it just wasn't the armor, but she didn't express much besides just looking at her. Alicia's words were on point, as even Athena knew that he constantly looking in the direction wouldn't cause him to come faster. There was something deep within her that believed it would though, but she would bring herself to stop the repetitive process and nod slightly. With that followed a question on why she worried about Castiel. Athena really didn't know how to answer this one either, as it just seemed like something natural to her, to worry about someone you care about. She knew Castiel was far more than capable of handling himself but still, should a woman not worry about someone going out into potentially dangerous areas even after they've had so much experience with danger before ? Athena would reply with a simple answer towards that." I don't know to be honest. I know he's capable of handling himself, but still..." She couldn't say much for that, but something else would come her way in which she didn't know how to answer. Why someone like her was traveling with someone like him, or as she said Charismatic. Alicia displayed above average observational skills, having taken quite a bit just from appearances. Athena however wasn't ready to answer that question yet, though when Alicia apologized for Prying, Athena shook her head quickly while looking at Alicia." No no no you're not prying ". She accepted the Canteen a little afterwards, though her expression displayed that she had quite a bit on her mind.

Words :: 333 Exp
Gains :: 1 TEXP [Earn at 250 EXP in a day.]

Intern Rep! : 12 Location : The Living Room Couch

Guardian's Resolve

Alicia nodded, prodding the roasting rabbits on occasion while watching Athena for the most part. After a short bit, the Knight sighed and moved a bit closer to the girl- shaking her head as she did so. "What ails you- Miss Lacrimae? Or, rather- Athena, if I may- you seem rather preoccupied for someone traveling about the wilderness. Clearly whatever you two are after is either weighing heavily on your mind or there's something else that's bothering you." She tapped herself on the head with two fingers, sitting cross-legged across from the young girl before continuing- "Gotta keep your mind sharp out in areas like Medius. Worrying about stuff is for when you're at home or have time to rest in places that aren't generally filled with monsters, bandits or fiends from the underdark."

She quickly turned back to the rabbits and moved them away from the fire- close enough to remain warm, but far enough away to not cook any further. Wiping her hands on her pants, she stood up- offering a hand to the girl and grinning slightly. "And I find that it's some good ol' fashioned swordplay that will take your mind off of the things that trouble you."

Whether or not Athene took her hand, Alicia drew her sword, dropping into a relaxed stance with both hands on the hilt and holding the blade out before her at a slight angle. "You see-" she began, hoping she had the girl's attention, "your stance is the most important part of swordplay. With it, you set your footing- the ways you can attack from said stance and your overall aggressiveness at the same time. The stance I'm in right now is slightly more defensive- allowing me to bat aside weapons and the like to make myself an opening in which to attack." She said- going through a few slow motions with the blade before breaking her stance, tossing Nyla into the air and catching it backwards from the hilt- which she offered to Athene. "Care to give it a shot? It'll take your mind off of things. I can spar with you with one of those daggers, if you would like."

It surprised Alicia a little bit how nice she was being to the girl- but considering there wasn't much else to do inbetween waiting for Castiel to come back and right now (as it was rude to eat without everyone there), she figured it was as good a way to pass the time as any- not to mention the fact that she wanted to see what the girl was capable of in a fight.

xp: 478 # 4660 xp