For what feels like years, the planet has been still, save for the skittering of feet in the tunnels, the shuffling of hope echoing in the darkness. Long gone are the great cities of Euthesaea, the technology that bound one world to the next. The great, glittering metals are nothing but rust, blowing away into the barren winds should even the smallest fly land upon it. This is our world now. Cold. Empty. Still. But in the clouds, something stirs. Someone. Hovering in the clouds, dangling almost eons away from the surface, is the planet's last hope. Within the weakening barrier, there is one steady heartbeat. Strong and sure. It beats with a ferocity not heard before, picking up speed. All around, another heart joins in. Two, Three, Four, Five!. Outside the planet's feeble defenses, a black being roars, glowing red with anger. The hearts are alive, they are pumping blood. Six, Seven, Eight, Nine - The sound is almost thunderous in the Entity's ears, and it pounds on the crystal-clear shield, and glowing cracks form on the exterior before re-sealing themselves. She is desperate, and wants to consume the planet; she wants to devour the succulent core and the rest of the life-forms that she knows are hiding in the tunnels. Yes, she can hear their heartbeats, too. But the ones in the ground have already dug their graves, allowing the black creature to slowly suck on their life force. Weak hearts, weaker bodies. The survivors are waking. For what felt like years, the planet had been still. Now she is waking up. The First opens her eyes, and the Entity gives the planet a mighty shake.
Kosima jerked awake, her eyes shifting violently from left to right as her joints popped. Her lungs ached, and her body was sore everywhere. She blanked on where she was supposed to be: looking at her surroundings, K found that she was definitely not riding a horse, on her way to Mirra-Monte, the esteemed capital of her homeland. K took in deep breaths, trying to assess where she was, but the noble girl found herself panicking - had the Entity finally left the borders? Glancing out the windows of the great airship, K saw that the sky was blue. For so long the sky had been gray and ashy, turning darker every week as the Entity grew, swallowing the planet and blocking the sun. She was seated in the pilot's seat, and K looked in awe at the control panel spread in front of her. The technology she was seeing was ancient, unseen by the eyes of anyone from her generation, and probably from the generations before, too. There were buttons and levers - not the usual touchpads and dials that K had been used to. Again, K looked to the distance, but she could see no more than blue and white - clouds obscured that majority of her vision. "Phenomenal," she commented, letting her fingers roam across the nooks and crannies of the control panel. Rising from her chair, K swerved around, to see what more of the ship she could explore. It was all fascinating, like the stories her mother told her of air-pirates and the Sky Navy. K stifled a yelp when she saw a quaint figure slumped over what looked to be a star chart, and she shielded her eyes, stumbling back so that she almost tripped over the chair. Slowly uncovering her eyes, K was surprised to see that the person was pale and pleasant-looking, not in the dead way of a corpse. Approaching the sleeping body slowly, hand outstretched, she placed a hand on their shoulder. Even from where she touched, K could feel their heart pulsing under her touch. Crouching a little lower, the blonde rubbed their shoulder, trying to gently stir them from their sleep. "Hello? Are you alright?"
Roland came to slowly, and with a stream of language that could've curled wallpaper. He had a headache that, a year earlier, he would have attributed to having done too much drinking the night before, but, seeing as the presence of alcohol had petered out a while ago, that couldn't have been it. He sat up, opened his eyes, and looked directly at the sun, nearly falling back over again at the sudden influx of light. Groaning, he rolled onto his front and stood, looking at his surroundings through the washed-out, splotchy vision of someone who'd recently had a pretty drastic change in lighting. As such, it took him several seconds to figure out where he was. In a state of utter confusion, he turned a slow circle, taking in the almost ancient-looking deck of the ship. "What the... how the hell... what?" Roland thought for a moment. The ship looked like it would be used by air pirates, but he had a feeling that if there were any air pirates, he'd be in the brig or whatever they called it on these airships. Then again, they could have just assumed he'd stay down. Well... I'll soon put a stop to that. Roland checked his pockets. He already knew he still had his knife, but along with it he found some food (well, candy, really), his tags, his wallet, and... Oh, thank god. The picture. Drawing his knife, Roland dropped to a crouch, and started working his way over to the wheelhouse, making sure to stay out of line-of-sight of the windows. He thought he heard someone talking, but it was hard to be sure with the wind. He half-walked, half-crawled his way to the door, and got ready to breach, hoping he hadn't yet been noticed.
Ferralt eyes slowly open as they adjust themselves to the light or lack thereof in a room with strange levers and buttons in the front, he felt a hand touching his shoulder and almost shivered at the close hand contact.It has been a while since Verian even hugged him.He looked at the figure touching his shoulder and his breath was taken away.A girl who seemed to be in her 20's is asking if he's all right. When was the last time since anyone asked him if he was doing okay? Realising he just spent a few seconds staring at the girl, he quickly sat up and offered his hand towards her, remembering it was common courtesy to greet someone with this gesture as taught by Verian, and introduced himself. "He..Hello, my name is Ferralt Pelatine, apprentice to astrologist Verian Kuppanxix, and aged 16.Nice to meet you." He now noticed it wasn't just any girl, she looked like she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth,from her graceful poster she seemed to be someone born of royalty and not to mention she's not bad looking either unlike the common girls in the southern districts before....the thought that Verian is dead still etched into his brain like a knife through him.
Shinael stirred and slowly opened her eyes, the sky meeting her gaze just as it had before she'd fallen asleep. She wasn't on her picnic blanket anymore, though. The cold, hard surface beneath her told her that. Where was she? She rolled over and sat up, yawning as he pulled the flap of her bag open to check inside. Everything was still there, though she hadn't had much in it in the first place. Just her old compass, the laser pointer she'd been playing with, and the orange juice she'd brought along as a snack. Blinking, she surveyed her surroundings. It seemed she was on some sort of balcony. Nobody else was with her, and there didn't seem to be any way off of it. The remnants of a bridge connecting the balcony to a larger platform caught her attention. She couldn't jump that far, but she saw some people talking on the large platform. "Hello?" She yelled, though she wasn't sure her voice could be heard over the wind. "Can you guys hear me? Hello?"
Tallicia would yawn as she wakes, and rub her forehead. “It’s hot in here…” She would remark, standing up. She dusts herself off, getting the little bit of the dirt off her dress off, a futile effort, as her hands were dirty as well. She giggles and looks around the room, doing her best to see through the steam. She stumbles about, feeling for a way out of the hot, humid room. She’d let out a small scream as she touches a boiler on accident, and she backs away, falling on the ground whimpering, “Owwww! That huuuuurts! Owowow!” She holds her hand as she curses quietly to herself, hoping no adult overhears. Once the pain subsided enough she would stand up again, looking around for an exit. Any exit. She wouldn’t find any for a time, and eventually sit down, crying out for someone to help her. She didn't lick being alone in the hot steamy room and she had hurt her hand, She knew someone had to be around, and she hoped they'd hear her crying and calling out.
Xabi Yann's position wasn't that bad when he woke up. He didn't realize he was on a cold floor until he had slowly opened his eyes. His first thought was an angry one, why did he have to fall asleep with his clothes on again? However as soon as he realized that he wasn't home, he shot up, looking around. When he did that, he felt a pain in his muscles he couldn't place. "How did I get here?" he asked himself, rubbing his eyes as no answer came. He then took a moment to look at where he was. This was not a place he recognized, not one of the neighbors or drinking mates or the odd inn he slept at. Lining the wall in front of Xabi Yann were weapons. Neatly placed in their slots, each one with a defining yet simple design. Xabi Yann longed to pick up a black weapon that was long and had a sight, a clear friend in this alien place. He even stood up, letting out a suppressed moan, to take a closer look at it. Next to something pistol-like and something he did not recognize - the design wasn't alien, but Xabi Yann had never seen it before -, everything was locked behind a glass pane with thick metal bars behind it. He put his hand on the glass, and looked for a way to open this. All he found was a lock embedded in the wall, which on closer inspection was complex and not suitable for lockpicking with any tool. Xabi Yann tried to see how it worked, but the outside revealed nothing. Taking a step back, two walls were lined with ammunition. One kind that was clearly made to fit the weapons he was longing for, the other for some kind of large weapon. Xabi Yanns eyes scanned the room rapidly for ways to open it, hinges he could unscrew or design flaws he could exploit. But not as much as a glue mark was in sight; the room was well designed and crafted beautifully. He did see that the three locks were all different in shape and size, and the keyholes were different. He wondered where he was, why he was here. The ground suddenly shook. What was this place? He tried to deduce it from the ammunition for the large weapons. Was he in some kind of fortress or base? More importantly, was he safe here?
AI came to a start, blinking when she realized that she was no longer walking upon the miserable surface of Euthesaea - no, she was in what looked like the navigation room. Maps of unknown lands lined the walls, and AI studied them with a sick fascination. Her eyes took in every form of information, and she walked further into the room. A single candle laid in the center of the room, on a table with a great globe on it. Taking a few steps forward, AI tried to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness. In the palace of her mind, she fumbled around with the brightness of her vision, still walking around the room. Something brushed the top of her head, and AI backed up, slicing just above where she felt something graze her scalp. Maybe it was a 'spider'. She had read about those in her database, and was engrossed in their abilities and numerous species. AI held out her hands, ready to catch what had fallen. A key. It plopped into her hand, and AI squeezed it, the nerve receptors in her hands telling her it's every curve and crevice. Blinking, she looked up again. Yes, maps lined the walls of the navigator's room, but keys hung from strings at various heights. Keys of all shapes and sizes, of all metals and materials. How curious that they should all be in this room. AI wondered what they might open, and what the purpose of the room was. Lighting her hand out, as if to stop a runner in his tracks, AI's skin seemed to open from her palm. After the shifting of parts, here and there, a pulse of light came from her hand. Inspecting the barrels along the walls, AI found more keys. She found sets of key rings on hooks, and keys in the drawers. Finally coming upon a door and turning the handle, AI observed that the handle was, indeed, locked. Surely, one of the keys in the room would unlock it, but AI knew that she could just as easily pick the lock with her fingers. She would also be able to scan the inner mechanism of the lock, and be able to tell what the key would look like. So many ways to cheat - but AI knew better. She would play the game by the rules. Keeping her palm light on, AI's index and middle finger turned into scissor blades as she began the mighty task of cutting down keys, while simultaneously scanning the maps and blueprints that she stumbled across.
K's face was one of elation when the boy woke. She hardly noticed that his eyes lingered on her face for more than a second. She gave him a smile when she heard him speak, relieved to know that he could, in fact, speak. "He..Hello, my name is Ferralt Pelatine, apprentice to astrologist Verian Kuppanxix, and aged 16.Nice to meet you." "The pleasure is truly all mine," K said with a sincere smile. She was hardly one for science - the name meant nothing to her, though she had heard of this man's discoveries before. "Please tell me, Mister Pelatine -- Do you know where we are?" K hardly expected him to know much about where they were - at least, no more than she knew. Standing straight and patting down her dress, K peered out of the glass just by control panelling once more, her neck craned to see if she could spy anything further. Nope. The clouds were thick and white and dense, and showed no sign of lightening up. Not waiting for Ferralt, K reached for her glasses, gently placing them on the bridge of her nose as she inspected the controls once more. As she read over the few buttons and levers that had labels, K let her mind absorb the information, soaking it up like a sponge. That's the barometer, and this is for checking the altitude, she noted mentally. Both of the gauges were cracked, and K traced over the splintering glass with her finger. Someone did this intentionally.
Ferralt looked around his surrounding properly for the first after standing up.There wasn't much to look at other than the obvious buttons and levers in front of a chair.From what he could gather this seem to be a ship of some sort, an air ship perhaps? judging by the controls and levers instead of a wheel like a pirate ship or something similar. "Perhaps this is an air ship, from what I could gather this would be the control panel of the room judging by the many buttons in front of ,what I would assume, is the captain's chair.And also, not to be rude but you still haven't told me your name yet." Ferrralt replied back with his hands tucked behind his back and he peered behind the girl's back and also noticed the barometer was cracked. Perhaps they were kidnapped? And what for, and he uncomfortably squeezed the strap of his bag tighter.
"Perhaps this is an air ship, from what I could gather this would be the control panel of the room judging by the many buttons in front of , what I would assume, is the captain's chair," observed the boy. I had already noticed that, but thanks for pointing it out. Again, K told herself. Had she spoken aloud, the evidence of her sarcasm wouldn't go unnoticed. Since her hair had become a curtain, shielding her face, K took the opportunity to roll her eyes. Her fingers still ghosted over the glass of the gauges. If it had been an accident, the glass wouldn't have splintered as violently as it had. There was dent in the glass from where the weapon had kissed it. "And also, not to be rude, but you still haven't told me your name yet," he added, interrupting her thoughts. K swiveled toward him, sweeping her golden hair out of her face, and offering a smile in recompense for her insensibility. She had, of course, assumed that he had already known of her, but apparently hers was not a face so easily recognized. "My apologies," she said, all contempt erased from her voice. "I am Miss Kosima Antra," she replied politely, bowing her head and giving a slight curtsy. "Daughter of General Vance Antra-Redmo and the Lady of the Northern Cities." K hardly spared anyone of her rather long title - it's length fed her already-growing ego. Her father was well known about the realm for his victories, and her mother for her pioneering efforts in preserving the history of the planet. "Please call me K, Mister Pelatine," she said with a meek tone, though her hand was already extended towards Ferralt. K fully expected him to lay a kiss upon her knuckle, as was so customary amongst the higher-born folk. It didn't strike her that it might not be such a welcome custom among the commonpeople.
Roland took a deep breath, tightened his grip on his knife, and eased the door open. In a welcome stroke of luck, it didn't make a sound, gliding open with little more than a whoosh of air. He quickly took in the scene before him, and his training kicked in, designating a target and taking note of any environmental hazards to look out for. Dropping to a crouch, he circled around to the back of the girl, then, breaking into a sort of hunched run, put a boot solidly into the back of her leg. He caught her with his free hand before she fell, putting her into a (fairly conservative, in his opinion) headlock that left her room to breathe and speak. He brought his knife arm around and let it rest at the edge of her throat. Roland took another deep breath and started to speak. "Okay, listen up, because this is a life-or-death situation for both of you, got it? I am going to make one thing very clear. I do NOT like being abducted. So it is in your best interests to be as polite and helpful as possible." He pointed the knife at the hooded guy for a fraction of a second, then brought it back to its original position. "If you try something, if I even think either of you are going to try something, you are going to need a fucking mop and bucket to get your friend off the floor, and I'm not gonna stop with her, got it? Now, why the hell am I here?"
Ferralt was about to shake K's hand when a man in military fatigues instantly came out of nowhere and immediately disabled K with a handlock. "Okay, listen up, because this is a life-or-death situation for both of you, got it? I am going to make one thing very clear. I do NOT like being abducted. So it is in your best interests to be as polite and helpful as possible." He pointed the knife at the hooded guy for a fraction of a second, then brought it back to its original position. "If you try something, if I even think either of you are going to try something, you are going to need a fucking mop and bucket to get your friend off the floor, and I'm not gonna stop with her, got it? Now, why the hell am I here?" Taking a short breath, he quickly observed the situation as calmly as he can. He appeared to be wearing a military uniform so he assumed the man would be very hard to take on in close combat and he already got the drop on both him and K so direct combat is in no question. Seeing no other choice he replied curtly " Perhaps you should the owners of the ship that instead of us, we are about as lost as you are in this situation, and by the way that lady there is the daughter of General Vance Antra- Redmo and the Lady of the Northern Cities. Perhaps it would be in our best interest if you release her?"
