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      Sleep was something that rarely graced the former thief, and tonight was no exception to that untold law. With the temperature having risen in the past few days, it would have been a waste of time for him to even bother trying. But the typical, mundane task he often took on to pass the horrifically long time until morning had already been completed by some new recruit who had yet to learn that stepping on the outlaw’s toes was a terrible mistake. Leaving him to linger somewhat close to the building that housed the members of the royal family in order to delude himself into the thought that he was doing his lord and master a favor by hanging around in the dead of night.

     Lips curling into what was a akin to a snarl, the man glared at the moonlight skipping about the various, disorganized statues that decorated the keep, and he had half a mind to shoot an arrow into the head of the nearest one in his growing agitation, but he resisted the urge. He had never liked those damnable things, and tonight they only seemed to grate on his already shot nerves more than normal.

     Gaze drawing upwards to distract himself from his unnecessary desire to ruin the nearest object, it halted at the disgustingly bright orb of the moon. Its light pouring out over the earth, and highlighting seemingly every aspect of this place he hated, at least enough to make his features twist in displeasure at the sight of it. His muscles tensed considerably more than what would have been natural, and his calloused fingers twitched about the frame of his bow; he wouldn’t have been caught dead without it.  His jaw clenched in order to swallow the sheer number of obscenities that threatened to leave his mouth in that very moment. It was probably the most raw emotion that had crept onto his roguish features in some time. And he had been able to, there was no doubt in his mind that he would willing strike down the moon. He despised it more than he had hated anything in his agonizingly long existence.

      His attention; however, didn’t remain much longer. The sound of footsteps making his eyes snap away from it in order to dance about the ground for the source of the welcomed disturbance. Fingers having wrapped about his bow, and ready to strike whatever had made the horrible choice of venturing far too close to him when he was already in a mood to rival the heat that engulfed the area. And he probably would have struck the woman had not she spoken his name.

     Lone eye squinting in the darkness, he could just barely make out the woman’s visage in the shadows, and allowed himself to place the weapon down at his side. “Didn’t your master ever teach you not to sneak up on someone so late at night, you could lose your head,” He growled. Truth be told, it would have been his fault; he was aware of that. And it was only his attempt to cover his incredibly foul mood.    

Moonstruck

Yuugiri couldn’t sleep.

It was a warm night, far too warm for her to be covered up in a blanket, and her mind was occupied by other things anyway.  She crept out of the women’s barracks, deciding to take a walk instead of tossing and turning about.

A slight breeze filled the air, cutting some of the effects of the humidity; she would have to tell Kamui to leave the windows of the women’s barracks open if only for ventilation.   She strolled the grounds, noticing the full moon’s warped reflection in the glass windows of the accessory shop, the moonlight gleaming off of the statues of particularly murderous members of the army.

She saw an out-of-place silver shimmer out of the corner of her eye.  A neglected weapon?  No, it was too big.  An invasion would be a problem, especially when she wasn’t carrying her weapon…

When she turned her head, however, she saw no invader.  She merely saw Zero staring at the moon.  “Zero?”

@nighxshade

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      To be frank, this man was aggravating. His unwilling to just take up his blade was frustrating, and his steadfast nature grated at Zero’s nerves. If he had any hope of completing this little mission in a timely manner he was going to have to be somewhat tolerable, as his attempts to crawl beneath the man’s skin had clearly gotten them nowhere. Whatever pleasure he could have gained from watching the stranger’s face wither would have to wait, assuming he would even be granted the chance to stab him the back. He was by no means an honorable man, but he held enough respect for his master that he wouldn’t so willingly bring disgrace to his name.

      Though Zero could have never claimed to know of the land this man had mentioned, he wasn’t entirely surprised either. He had always held his own suspicions when it came to his master’s other retainer, and that man’s homeland. He was not unwilling to entertain the idea that this stranger could very well have no backing in this world when the outlaw had already been exposed to others who had seemingly appeared out of thin air, and when his clothing was of such a strange make that even Zero’s vast network of connections couldn’t have placed if they tried.

      “I would recommend not trying my patience,” he growled. “I would advise you to use caution when addressing my lord, or I cannot promise your head will remain intact.” Agitation had managed to creep into his voice for the first time, and it was clear the other had stepped dangerously out of line with the archer.  

        “As for your question, no, and haven’t heard of that name before. You’re in Nohr, and it would do you good to remember that.” The playful tone he had been addressing the other with had dropped entirely. He might no longer believe the other man to be a threat, but he tolerated very little when it came to disrespect aimed at the young prince he served, and he had made that much painfully clear.

        However, he forced himself to relax slightly when Ike spoke again. He couldn’t claim to trust the other man’s claims, but he had little choice but to back down; lowering his bow. “How disappointing,” He breathed. “But I suppose I’ll play nice for now.” 

「➹」┊┊ Always blunt and straight-forward, Ike will continued to be as blunt as he began. He knew that it would be better to be that way here, especially since this archer was ready to kill him, or at least that is what it looked like. remained there waiting filled with caution. He knew that his situation before him was dangerous, even more so that he wasn’t aware of what was going on in this place at all.

❝That’s just the way I am.❞ He said to the other, hearing how he commented on how direct he was. Still, his eyes fixed upon the unwavering bow that was now pointed at him, his hand still failing to reach for his sword. He didn’t want to fight here, it would cause too many problems. ❝I am Ike, leader of Griel Mercenaries. I haven’t heard of this ‘Leo’ that you’re talking about, so my guess is that I’m no longer in Tellius?❞

His suspicions and worries had come true, and now the General had no idea what to do next. A way out would be good, but he didn’t even know where ‘this’ was. Perhaps the other would tell him when he heard his words, but little did he know that Tellius was no more in these times… This would probably cause problems.

He continued to watch the other as more troubling words escaped his lips. Still, it was nothing for the General, and he knew this. The other’s words didn’t cause any sort of expression to grow upon his face, nor any of his muscles to twitch from surprise or aggravation. He took those words well.

❝If you retaliate, then I won’t have any other choice myself, but I would like to avoid that, like I already said.❞

[nighxshade-blog]

You’ve seen me rp my current muse. Now send me what other muse you think I can/would be good at rping.

Note: Be sure to include the fandom if the character is different than the fandom my current muse is from!

[nighxshade-blog]

     “Oh my, how surprisingly obedient,” The former thief breathed, as the stranger halted. With his lone, golden eye, he picked apart man’s strikingly odd appearance in the darkness that coated the bridge. Clad in battle ready armor, and with a strange sword, not unlike the legendary blades a handful of Nohrian royalty held, adorning his person, this man was most certainly out of place in the dimly lit building. His clothes were not of Nohrian make, and he had any connection to the kingdom, Zero would have known him. After all, he knew the face of almost every single individual residing in the country of his master. It would have been terribly unlikely for anyone to escape his vat network. But at the same time, he was familiar with most of Hoshido’s customs, and the man’s attire was so far off from the country’s norm that it made Zero momentarily rethink any possible connections the dark kingdom could have to this stranger. That, and no spy would have been stupid enough to simply stay still when asked to do so. Not that Zero was complaining about the random stroke of luck.

       Climbing down from where he had been perched, the former outlaw’s leather boots smacked the hard floor with little grace; hands still clutching his bow despite the stranger’s cooperation. He was not the type of man to give a strange the benefit of the doubt, especially given the fact that he had sprinted out of the castle, which Zero knew for a fact, was not terribly ease to break into. Much as his pride didn’t allow for him to admit to that often.

        It was clear; however, that Lord Leo’s retainer was about as welcomed as the other man. The glares of the maids that had gathered about the scene burning holes into his cloak as he walked through the makeshift mob they had collected into, but if they intended to capture this man without his assistance, well, it would be entertaining to say the least. He ignored their stern faces, and grunts of disapproval, though. He had grown used to it over the years for the majority of the castle staff completely despised the outlaw. This time, though, they had absolutely no other option given that Zero was likely the only soldier stationed here who was still awake at such a dreadful hour. 

       Walking up to the man without hesitation, he leaned down for a brief moment to yank the arrow from where it had pierced the ground, before redirecting his attention back to the stranger; gauging him for a reaction, or lack thereof. If this man really had no intention of causing harm it would be a tad bit disappointing. He would have taken pleasure in watching such distinctive features twist in pain, and to be robbed of the opportunity to inflict such agony upon another was unfortunate.   

      “And here was hoping you would put up more of a fight to give me an excuse to pierce right through you,” He sighed, straightening himself; arrow still held within his calloused fingers, as he studied the other man. The air about him was unsettling, if only in the way it reminded Zero of the atmosphere that seemed to engulf the outlaw whenever he was around a member of the royal family. There wasn’t anything to indicate to Zero that this man was anything grander than a simply thief (aside from the wealth his appearance begged in contrast to Zero’s own), but he wasn’t so naive as to believe he was dealing with someone of little power either. Every inch of him screamed noble to Zero, and it made his lips curl in disgust.  

       “I trust you know where you are. Breaking into the Nohrian palace is a rather serious crime. I would know, and I very well could take you for it right here and now. But I suppose I’ll be merciful for the time being.” Ah, now he could place it; that sensation, It reminded him of Odin somehow. How the boy had seemingly been born from thin air in clothes that weren’t of normal make, and an air about him that was almost suffocating. “But you’re not from here, are you?” It was only a theory, and one based off of the fact that Zero prided himself on the knowledge he held of this world gained through the vast underworld that he called home, and as a result of the fact that he mostly exhausted every other option that had crossed his mind. He knew a thief when he saw one, and this man was about as far from a thief as one could get.           

Blue eyes flickered open as Chrom began to rise from what was…slumber? No, that couldn’t be right– he didn’t remember going to bed, much less in wherever he was now. His hand rose up to his head shakily and found itself to his forehead. The prince then looked up, studying the area he was in. Certainly, it was a castle, but not his: the building stretched far into the dark sky and was made out of purple brick. Nor was it anything of his realm, such a large castle and the kingdom it held could not possibly be there. If it was, he certainly would of known of it.

Where exactly was he in the castle? That was hard to tell– everything was so expansive and looked the same. To top things off, a headache came to Chrom, making it even harder to think. After some time spent laying on the-floor? ground?- he finally got himself up and ignored the pain. 

Being in an unknown place so randomly could only mean one thing– he was in the Outrealms. Unfortunately, the Outrealm Gate used by him and the Shepherds to travel was nowhere to be seen. Not often did they use the Gate, but when they did, it usually worked. Fate, today, decided that would not be the case. There was no reason why he would ever wish to be in such a deary place, especially alone. Whilst traveling, he must of been separated from the others. The realization of this made him incredibly worried.

As he walked down the corridor that he woke up near, Chrom looked around for something- anything-or anyone, that could help him find his friends and way back home. The coolness of the halls chilled him, despite being in the multi-layered outfit of his great lord classing. Darkness haunted the area, the red-orange torch lights only were able to be bright enough. Some shadows remained present and unwilling to budge. 

Nothing came up, even with all of the walking though the hallways he had done. Chrom eventually came up upon a stairway and decided to take that, the floor he was in giving no help to his situation. It was a long walk, but he remained determined to climb the gloomy stairs. Certainly, being on the top floor would help him to figure out where he was. Or maybe get him some help.

Once he arrived at the top floor, he begun to walk down the bridge that was before him. On it stood a single maid. She didn’t seem very busy, so Chrom approached her with an embarrassed smile and a question to ask.

Before he could speak a word, she turned around, eyes widening. Obviously frightened by his battle armor and sword, she yelled as if he attacked her. He wasn’t seen as a visitor, no, but rather an intruder. Out of nowhere, more like her came out, forming a group that circled around the lord in an attempt to…do something. He began to walk backwards, trying to escape. To make things worse, an archer of some sort had seen him, sending an arrow that skidded by his foot. Shocked by the attack, Chrom grabbed the handle of Falchion and began to pull it out, but stopped once he heard the archer speak.

“…Alright.” he said, following the stranger’s orders. He was hesitant to do so, but fear had finally gripped him and held him in place.

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    Somehow he had expected this little vacation with the prince to be a tad bit more relaxing. This; however, was far more interesting than lounging around on the horrifically questionable beach the other had chosen. Admittedly, the outlaw was likely one of a very small handful of people able to find enjoyment in being completely lost in some strange, dark cave. The amusement of it, though, did came with quite the price, for there was no doubt that one of the prince’s siblings would take his head should he allow something ill to happen to their dearly beloved brother here.

    “Oh really, I never would have guessed, your highness,” Zero breathed. The words were less of insult, and more so the result of the outlaw’s ruthless teasing. Admittedly, the former thief couldn’t have told the prince where they were, and he sincerely doubted that if he couldn’t figure out where they were that the prince would be able to. Not that being lost was something the man was terribly concerned about. It was an inconvenience at its worst. 

     “I suppose,” He began, “Hmm, but I wonder what the odds are of someone becoming trapped in here forever.” He could hear the attempt confidence in the younger man’s voice, and found it increasingly amusing, and he was, perhaps, being a bit cruel, but if he was going to be wandering around in this gloomy cave with the other for who knows how long he might as well at least make it entertaining. For himself, of course.

      For the time being, the outlaw simply followed the other’s lead when he took a step forward. He couldn’t claim he was in a rush, but the chuckle that vibrated through the cave walls made his skin crawl. He had never been superstitious, and dealing with Odin on a daily basis made him even less so. Leading his initial thought to search the deep caverns of the cave for lingering bandits, though even he had to admit this cave appeared completely devoid of life aside from his own and the prince’s.

     Still, it presented an excellent opportunity to further harass the poor soul who had chosen to take the outlaw along on this little misadventure. He should have felt bad, truly, but he didn’t. Leaning in carefully, he blew on the back of the young prince’s neck just as another unsettling chuckled filled the otherwise quiet walls. 

@nighxshade

Everyone needed a break every now and then; that much was obvious. It was at his siblings’ urgings that he caved in and sought out a vacation, finding his own protests to be futile (four against one already seemed like a losing battle just with number of opinions alone), though he… admittedly had no idea where to start.

What was meant to be a simple escape alone turned into a misadventure for two. The prince had admittedly lingered behind as long as possible, hoping his siblings would change their minds and allow him to stay, but alas, that opportunity never came, and he figured if he was taking any sort of leave, he might as well invite someone else with him.

❝ I’m so sorry, I just… Alright, I have no idea where we are. ❞

His apology came out uneasy to the outlaw, and he can only imagine how stupid it seemed to be the one to invite someone only to take them to an unknown destination only learned about by a random passerby. He… probably should have planned this out further. He also probably should not have entered a cave once he had seen that the beach looked desolated, but regret took one nowhere.

❝ Surely the exit has to be somewhere. We were just there after all. ❞

Though he tried to sound confident, he gulped, and he blindly took a step towards where he could have sworn they had come from before a low hum pierced the air that sounded vaguely like a ghastly chuckle. He turned sharply in the direction of the noise, stopping in his tracks, waiting for another noise to confirm what he had heard.

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@andrismos | Starter Call

    Darkness had crept over the small camp some time ago, but with thick clouds overhead nothing could be seen within the foggy, damp skies. Sucking in a deep breath, the sleepless outlaw could still taste the musty smell of the storm that had passed only a few short hours ago, and feel the wet grass through the worn soles of his fabric boots. His clothes had at least dried, even if his silver hair still managed to cling to his forehead where his hood hadn’t managed to protect his head from the rain. Normally, he wouldn’t care much for the poor weather, but with the camp fires barely able to maintain even the faintest of light in the misty air, scouting had been made rather difficult.  

      “How gloomy,” He sighed, heaving himself back onto his calloused feet. Rough hands brushing over his shoes in an attempt to wave off a bit of the water that had collected within them. With one hand wrapped firmly about his bow, and the other full prepared to grab an arrow should anything of interest catch his lone, keen eye, he began to trek away from the collection of tents rooted into the earth behind him. He could gain nothing from lingering outside of the army’s camp when sleep would be a rarity to the majority of its members tonight as a result of the humidity clogging up the stuffy air. The least he could do was something useful to pass the time until morning came, for the outlaw spent as little time sleeping as was possible. 

       If he recalled their frantic marching from earlier in the day, there was a town nearby, though the name of it he couldn’t exactly recall. They weren’t in Nohr, after all, and the lands outside of it were mostly unknown to Zero, who had never set foot outside of the dark kingdom in his lifetime. Though, they had allied themselves with Hoshido’s forces, the former thief was skeptical man by nature, and wouldn’t have been caught anywhere without a weapon within his scarred hands. 

       Slowing his pace slightly, he could begin to smell the stench of sweat and alcohol, and soon enough he could make out smoke filtering out from a nearby building as it rose up into the dense clouds above. The town was small, and Zero was made aware of that the moment he stepped upon its dirt-covered roads. Consisting of only a medium sized pub, inn, and a collection of small shops and homes. At such an hour, its confined streets were nearly empty, save for a few that resembled the outlaw in their own way. The town wouldn’t have been interest to the rest of the army, but Zero could waste the next few hours wandering about it.

      Turning into the pub, he slipped inside to the poorly lit, and messy interior. It was surprisingly full despite the lack of people residing in the town, but he cared little one way or another. Perhaps he could have a bit of fun listening into the mundane conversations filling the building. For now, though, he made his way over to the only table with an open seat. A grin stretching across his roguish visage, as he greeted the other man, “Would you mind terribly if I joined you?”

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I’ve had every promise 𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓀𝑒𝓃, there’s a n g e r  in my heart

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The beasts that had followed the woman smelled of rotting flesh, and bile. He couldn’t even begin to claim that it was most unpleasant thing to have ever reached his nostrils, though it was most certainly high on the list. And while he would not normally have been so kind as to assist her, he would for now, for these disgusting monsters were of a far more pressing matter than the stranger who had trekked a bit too close to the camp for the outlaw’s liking.

“Then you would be sorely mistaken, but I suppose for the time being I’ll play nice,” He hissed from the shadows. Slipping another arrow from his Quiver, and taking aiming at another walking corpse, he studied the stranger’s movements for only a soft moment before releasing it from his bow; striking one advancing in his direction in the head with ease. He could question the woman about the beasts later, and about her own motives for creeping this close to the army’s camp.

Despite being an archer, shooting down something in the darkness that stretched out over the land was a simple task for the man. He was used to it. After all, an archer worth his salt should be able to pierce an enemy with his eyes closed. And without wasting another moment, he was preparing another arrow. Waste too much time between strikes, and he would allow these filthy creatures to invade his lord’s camp, and that simply wasn’t an option.

“I do hope these friends of yours aren’t as good a shot as yourself, though,” He hummed. Admittedly, these creatures appeared to have little to no capacity for thought, and they appeared to be rather weak. They were; however, numerous.  

Robin ran through the woods followed by a hoard of Risen. She had set a trap earlier to get rid of most of the Risen and Chrom and the other Shepherds would be there when she arrived. She kept running forward until a strange light appeared and she ran through it.

She went tumbling to the ground in a strange forest. It was colder there, and had an eerie feeling towards it instead of the bright Yliesse. She didn’t have much time however, the risen hoard had just appeared with her. She got up and started to run. She only had a few seconds to come up with a plan. The risen weren’t the strongest she faced but it would be a challenge with this many of them.

Suddenly, an arrow flew past her and she heard a voice. “I don’t think 1 arrow will finish me off” She said. She was offended by his rude words but was grateful for the help. She pulled out her tome and began to attack a risen and finished it off with her sword.

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The emotions that wrinkled the young prince’s pretty face were not any that Zero was unused to have directed towards him, and the expression they managed to create was far more entertaining than the threat that followed. With his rough lips pulled back into an unsettling grin, he easily dismissed the royal’s words. “Perhaps,” the outlaw almost growled. Whoever had spreads the bold rumor that this child was anything like Lord Leo had been sorely mistaken, but he supposed riling the other up had produced amusing results.     

To be frank, the former thief lacked any trust in their so-called Hoshidan allies. His priority, regardless of who happened to be leading his army, would always be his master. And if remaining cautious would help to ensure the safety of Nohr’s royal family, Zero would gladly suspect even those closest to them. As vicious and unkind as such thoughts might be, but betrayal was human nature, and wickedness ran in the blood of even the most humble of men,

“I’m honored,” he breathed, swallowing the hollow laughter that threatened to bubble up in his chest at the prince’s claims. To call him a spy or a thief was, in the outlaw’s so very modest opinion, an understatement. It this boy believed he was dealing with such a low-level rat, he was sorely mistaken. Oh yes, Zero was something far worse than simple spy or thief could ever dream of becoming. He was a murder, a filthy street rat, a wanted criminal, a cutthroat, and the list went on for miles. The sins he had committed were so vast in number that he doubted even the kingdom of Nohr could name every single one.

“I’d hated to be the one to inform you, your highness, but to my Lord Leo surrounds himself with far better than the likes of miserable spies and thieves.” His tongue clicked playfully against the roof of his mouth. “My kind is far more savage.”     

Takumi hadn’t heard him coming. Though they both trained with the bow, he was not skilled in the art of stealth and shadow. His face was a mixture of surprise and outrage, and deep insult. He snapped at him. “Is that a threat,” he snarled. This wasn’t Takumi at his best (sneering and the like), but for many Nohrians, this was the only Takumi they’d ever known. “I could have you killed for that!” 

In fact, there were a multitude of hoops in Hoshidian law that one must jump through to carry out executions - but it was technically true. And if there was any of the royals who might have been interested in such a show, it was he…but as short-tempered and nasty as he could be, he was not the conniving sort. Takumi simply felt he was in the right. If this Nohrian thought he could interrupt him at such an hour, whispering nonsense in his ear, he had another thing coming. 

He folded his arms. He had let his hair free, as he usually did before bed; it hung far past his shoulders. “I know who you are,” he said. Takumi had seen him around. If he had to guess, he was a retainer to Leo, seeing as he was stuck to his side, like glue…not that he’d ever bothered to figure out for sure. But he was definitely in cahoots with him. Leo, and the rest of his siblings, were still enemies in Takumi’s eyes. It didn’t matter what Corrin said. “It figures your Lord Leo would surround himself with your like. Spies and thieves.” 

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   The muddy, mushy earth that spanned the entirety of the forest floor quivered beneath the thick fabric of his filthy boots. Each step he took beneath gloomy trees that loomed far above his head, coated his clothing in a new grime, but the outlaw didn’t bat an eye at the uncomfortable sensation of chunky, wet dirt creeping in through the worn soles that failed to protect his feet, as if he had grown used to it long ago.

     Without the clunky noises created by the army that had been scouring these lands not too long ago, the roguish man could hear even the fainest of sounds that echoed through the nearly silent forest. Known for the beasts that lurked within, the area was not one a Nohrian would willingly take; a thought that made an eerie grin slip onto his rough features, as his stiff fingers wrapped tightly about his bow. Perhaps he could have a bit of fun yet.

    Tracking was among Zero’s numerous talents; most of which were questionable at best. When the army had failed to locate the spy that had penetrated the country’s border, they had been oh so willing to shove the task into the outlaw’s hands. While they might have feared such a dreadful place, the former thief fit right in; just as filthy and violent as the forest tended to be.  And if there was a possible threat to the safety of the master he had sworn himself to, Zero had few qualms about pursuing it into a possibly monster-filled land.

      Lone eye having adjusted to his dimly lit surroundings already, it danced along the deep shadows that slithered between the trees. Their slowly wavering forms of interest to him, as he watched them stretch across the forest floor. He didn’t bother to hide the vicious grin that slipped onto his cracked lips, or the shudder of excitement that crawled down his spine at the sight of one, unique shadow. Its shape just ever so slightly different from the others.

      Without hesitation, he took hold of an arrow from his Quiver, and drew his hood over his fair hair before slinking deeper into the dark woods. Boots not making a sound as they slid along the earth; each step taking him closer and closer to his target. His eye narrowing slightly to make out the details upon the figure he could see coming to light as he drew near. Distinct orange hair, and dark clothing that did appear of be of either Nohrian or Hoshidan make. Not that it mattered much to the outlaw. He had been cautioned to eliminate the threat.

     But the outlaw took one step too many, and his foot came down upon a twig. The soft sound almost deafening in the quiet forest, and alerting the stranger to his presence. Zero instinctively prepared himself for an attack, but that attack never came. Instead his eye met the stranger’s. Both guarded and tense, but neither one had struck the other.

     Clicking his tongue against the rough of his mouth in mild agitation, Zero straightened himself slightly, but his hands still remained tight around his weapon. He supposed he could just shoot the man here and now. Wouldn’t it be far better to just end this little game as quickly as possible, after all those bright eyes would look ever so pleasant contorting in agony. But drawing out this little charade could be even more exciting, he mused.    

    “Ohoh, aren’t you interesting,” He purred. “Perhaps if you state your reason for invading Nohr, I’ll show you just a bit of mercy by penetrating you slowly?” 

.:Intruder:.

[Starter for @nighxshade] 

     He didn’t know how he managed to get himself into these situations, but alas, here he was, running for his life yet again. The moment he accidentally stepped into this world, he had been branded as ‘Hoshidan scum’, (whatever the hell that meant), and chased across the border. 

     Luckily, thieves were good at avoiding unfavorable situations, and Gaius’ feet were renowned for being nimble; there wasn’t a situation the thief hadn’t managed to escape and so this skirmish shouldn’t be too different from the rest, he surmised.

     As he came to a fork in the road, he paused for a moment before making a mad dash to the left once he spotted the thick woods that loomed over the horizon. Surely, the thicket would keep him safe from his assailants and so he would dash into the underbrush, slowly maneuvering his way through the mossy interior and into the gloomy forest.

     He held his breath and stayed silent as he listened for the sound of the stampeding army to pass. Minutes turned into an hour before a sigh of relief breezed past his lips once he realized that the men who had relentlessly chased him had lost his trail. Good, that meant he could now focus on how to get the hell out of this place and back to Ylisse. He knew nothing of the kingdoms he had been chased across, nor did he know of a way back to his own homeland, but sitting around and doing nothing would help no one.

     Unwrapping a lollipop, Gaius stuck it into his mouth before standing and making his way further into the woods. Green eyes curiously drank in the sight of the gloomy forest and every nerve in his body stood on end; he didn’t doubt there were countless monsters lurking within its shadows.

     The snap of twigs behind him caused his hand to fly to the hilt of his blade and whirling on his heel and was greeted by the sight of a man with a hood thrown over white locks and an eye-patch adorning his face.

     The two stared each other down, Gaius’ eyes narrowing in suspicion once he noticed the other man grin almost teasingly at him. This stranger didn’t look like a soldier, and based on his rugged exterior, Gaius was willing to bet one fat bullion that this man was an outlaw like himself.

     But why was he here, grinning like he was at Gaius? Was he perhaps running from those Nohrian soldiers too? Regardless of this man’s reasons for tailing him, Gaius new better to attack without provocation; his skills lay in fleeing, not fighting. For now, he would settle on warily eyeing this stranger who leered at him so.

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     His dry lips remained curled in an ugly grin, as the man’s blunt words reached his ears. Formality was a stranger to the outlaw for the most part, and while others may have been put off by the other man’s harsh demeanor, Zero was delighted by it. If only for the reason that his manner of speech would make the retainer’s job all the easier. Though, as much as he desired to thrust an arrow into this terribly straight-forward individual, he restrained himself. To kill might have been his desire and his very instinct, but if he shot a man who claimed to not be seeking a fight, it would mostly certain return to haunt him. After all, his actions were, at times, a reflection of the lord he served.

     “How direct,” He breathed. His hold upon his weapon not wavering, as his gaze remained glued on the other man. “I’m one of Lord Leo’s retainers. I expect you to return the favor with who you are. I can’t guarantee your safety if I don’t know with whom I am speaking, now can I?”  Of course, if he didn’t like the man’s answer, he would destroy him. A promise was never sealed if it came from the outlaw’s mouth. 

     He had his suspicions about the man, though they remained bottled up in the back of his mind for the sake of his better judgement. The stranger had yet to take hold of that pretty little sword of his with the intention of striking, and Zero was obligated to return his courtesy, even if he lacked the desire to do so. Truth be told, if not for the Prince’s words binding his actions, he would have engaged with this man long ago. But out of respect for his lord, he would wait.   

       Bred by society to be distrustful, Zero was never willing to take someone’s actions or words at face value. No matter how much this man claimed he didn’t wish to fight, even if his actions aligned with those words, the former thief would never dare hold faith in them. He would not suffer if his judgment was wrong, for death had always been a comforting thought for him. However, there was someone far too important to suffer relying on him, and he would not be the one to bring harm upon the Nohrian royal.      

     “Perhaps.” The word fell from his edger lips with ease. “I will gladly plunge an arrow into your body, if your reason for being here doesn’t satisfy me.” And that was the last chance he was willing to offer the stranger. Should he fail to meet the adventurer’s expectations, Zero would no longer show him mercy. And, admittedly, he wanted the man to fail. To see such a stoic, and rough individual wither in pain was an exciting thought. Oh, the expressions he wished to see that rugged face contort into.               

「➹」┊┊ Lost? This was an understatement. This General seemed to be in a time not belonging to his own, and that meant that not only was he misplaced, but his family comrades were nowhere to be seen. His blue eyes scanned around him cautiously, taking in all that could be taken in. His breath could be seen curling up into the air as it hit the cold, fading once it hit the same temperature as his surroundings. Where is this?

Ike had seemed to tread on somewhere where he shouldn’t have. All that could be heard was the crunching of snow under his feet, and his shaking breath from adrenaline increasing within him as this silence filled the air in a deadly way. He knew all too well what this meant, being in battle enough times to know. This camp had been wiped out, but by what was another story… Well, that was until a person spoke to him. As much as it surprised him, his cold expression remained upon his face, not even having to ask question to know that this guy was suspicious.

❝Who’s asking?❞ He finally said to the other, replying to his words. It seems that the other could be looking for a fight, so it was a good thing Ragnell was here beside him to be able to defend himself. ❝I’m not looking for a fight, but I won’t hesitate to fight if I have to.❞ He said to the other. Honestly, it seemed to him that he was being threatened, but he could be reading the situation wrong. Either way, at least the other knew where he stood now… right?

The other was acting too strange to him, and it seems that he wasn’t quite sure how ti approach this. Either way, he was ready for just about anything, but whether or not the other would answer his words was another story. He needed to at least know where he was, but that wasn’t coming yet until he knew whether this guy was an enemy or not. Ike did prefer to make allies, but if this was unavoidable, then so be it. His hand gripped around the handle of Ragnell, ready to react to the other’s actions if they came along.

❝I’m guessing that you’re referring to me? Sorry, but I can’t fall here. I have things to do.❞

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@regalisdux | Starer Call

    Chaos had engulfed the dreary palace, making it uncharacteristically filled to the brink with hurried bodies and a cacophony of panicked voices. The stench of sweat and burning wood filled the dimly lit halls, only serving to further had to the headache that had already been brewing at the back of the thief’s head. With rough lips curling into a thin-lipped frown, Zero made every effort to tune out the obnoxious presence of the butlers and maids scurrying about. Despite darkness having fallen long ago, the castle was far from asleep, and the silence that normally gripped the old building was nothing more than a distant memory for the aggravated outlaw.

      A scarred, calloused hand dragged itself through his silver hair, hoping to, if only for a moment, to shut out the near constant noise around him. Sleep was something he desperately avoided when possible, but the awkward sense of peace that normally gripped the night had been completely trampled over the past few days, and he was certain he couldn’t have fallen asleep even if he wanted to. With a harsh sight, he leaned his head back against the window positioned behind him. The voices that had been slightly muffled by the wind, and the tightly sealed glass began to leak back into his ears in the form of coherent sentences instead of the gibberish they had been moments ago.

      Lord Xander’s coronation would not be an organized one at the rate things were going, but the war had left it sudden, and offered little time for recovery before the process had began. Thankfully, at least in Zero’s ever humble opinion, he had to play no part in preparing for it. If only for the reason that his terrible attitude made him an awful choice, and as well as  the result of the kingdom’s needs for his services in this so-called time of pace. That didn’t; however, mean that he escaped the disarray entirely. Not when all of Nohr was overwhelmed with it. 

        Dismissing most of the hustle and bustle to avoid getting dragged into it, Zero’s gaze tore away from the castle’s interior to the massive bridge that extended outwards from its entrance where the forgotten supplies for the celebration had been abandoned in favor of tiding up the castle, which, for all the outlaw knew, looked as orderly as it always had. But otherwise, it remained empty, though tomorrow he was certain it would be bursting with life, and a bigger pain in the ass to babysit than it already was. A frown slipped onto his features at the thought.

       But it was discarded in a moment the voices within the castle began to rise into panicked screaming, and he quickly climbed onto steady feet. His attention torn away from the bridge only long enough to hear the maids shout ‘intruder’. His jaw clenched in frustration; after all, guarding the castle at night was most often his task when Nohr’s prince was residing there. Reaching out to fling open the window, and climb in, he hesitated when the screaming increased in volume; a strange scent creeping upwards towards him on the wind. His piercing gaze was forced to return to the bridge where he could spy a stranger caught in the middle of a group of frantic maids. 

     He couldn’t have possibly heard the conversation taking place below, but the blade at the strange man’s side was all he needed. Without hesitation, he pulled an arrow loose from his Quiver and positioned it upon his bow; letting it fly. Instinct and desire would have made him shoot to kill, but the soon-to-be king had been rather clear when it came to his wish for soldiers to express mercy if the situation hadn’t been clear to them. And instead of aiming for anything relevant, the arrow had been intended to strike at the outer edge of the man’s boot, to avoid striking through to his foot. Only hoping to keep the other in place until Zero could join the group himself.

      “I would stay still if I were you. Move, and I might just hit something vital.” He called, as he slid down into the chaos.  

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@gentilhxmme | Starer Call

   Slick, damp fingers wrapped tightly around the drenched fabric of his dark hood, yanking it up over his head unceremoniously. Silver locks already plastered to his rough skin, and every piece of his clothing might have well been glued to his body, making the effort it took to pull his hood up mostly worthless. Leaving the nearly permanent frown apparent upon his dark features, as he continued to trek through the thick layer of mud and slush that now made up the formerly dirt path he had been following. Boots sinking into the watery earth, and coating their fabric in grime.

     Storms weren’t a rarity in Nohr; they were quite common, but there was never anything one could do to prepare for the country’s often very sudden, and extreme downpours. And Zero, even with his cautious personality was no exception. With the skies above dark more often than not, the storm had offered little to no warning, and now he was stuck, trudging down a path he had used a million times before on far nicer days with clothes so wet he could feel the rain through to his very bones.

     So much for the task he had been assigned. As clever as he may be, tracking a few dirty merchants through a storm was both impossible and a waste of time. They were lowly criminals, and posed no threat to the general public, but their backhanded deals had been causing a stir among the citizens of Nohr. While the outlaw would have thoroughly enjoyed hunting the group down, and riding the country of them to ease the mind of Nohr’s young prince, he also wasn’t willing to sit through the lecture that was very likely to follow such actions if Lord Leo learned he had done so in the middle of an awful storm. He supposed he could let them live one more day.

       Dismissing the cracking of thunder, and the bright surges of lightning dancing across the dim sky, he dragged himself out of the forest. If he recalled correctly, there was an abandoned fort hidden somewhere in the rocky slopes that expanded out beyond the trees. Though, he had only been there once, and very briefly during the war, it had since lost its value, and Nohr lacked the resources to continue maintaining when it no longer served any strategic purpose. And without much thought, his feet were able to trace the uneven, slippery route to the crumbling building with ease.  

    Slipping through the cracked, rotten door, it took a moment for his lone eye to adjust to the deep darkness that covered the interior of the almost empty fort. With fingers lifting to pull down his drenched hood, a golden iris expanded to absorb the shadowy figure tucked away within the shelter the old building provided. Tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth in mild annoyance, he took a step forward in order to make out a handful of details about the other. Taking only a moment to realize it was the son of one of the draconic prince’s glorified servants. 

    Heaving a sigh, he cursed his awful luck for only a moment. “Lovely weather, isn’t it?” He forced out for lack of anything better; it wasn’t as if he knew the other well at all. To be frank, if he didn’t make it his job to be privy to everything (and one) that surrounded his lord, he likely wouldn’t have even known the kid for all of the times they had had the chance to interact.  

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He did this -   

                                 took all you had and left you this way

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@thedaughterofgrima | Starter Call

     While the dread and exhaustion that hung over the camp had been typical over the course of the past month, it was nearly palpable tonight. With the majority of Nohr’s soldiers, and royals tucked tightly in the safety of their temporary beds, Zero was free to wander the site without unwanted company.  Night watch was a rather common task for the outlaw, as few others would volunteer for the job, and his own restlessness was better spent wandering than making even the smallest attempt to sleep on days when his mind was clogged with discarded memories of a past he he had tried to toss aside more times than he could count.

      The soil his boots pushed into as he walked had been left with countless imprints etched into its surface from the previous rounds he had already made. The normal layout of the campsite stored away in the back of his mind, he could name the person each tent belonged to based on where it was positioned alone. Such knowledge was mostly inane, but the nights were as long as the days they spent trekking, and it gave him something to think about, if only for the brief moment it entered his mind. Though there was nothing that happened around Nohr’s young prince that the former thief wasn’t privy to.

         Reaching the end of yet another circle around the circumference of the camp, he halted for a moment to roll his shoulders back to ease a bit of the tension that had gathered in his taught muscles. Lone eye glancing out through the thick trees of the forest that consumed them. Rare was it that they would settle down in such a place, but now upon Hoshido’s borders, they had to take whatever they could get. Though his vision was hardly the best, as one might think given his talent with a bow, it could still pick out the distant lights that danced deep within the darkness of the forest. And with them came that all too familiar stench of rotting flesh.

       A hand wrapping tightly around his bow, he ventured away from the camp, as his fingers eased back to grab hold of an arrow. Massive trees, and thick branches obscured much of the path before him, but his feet still easily climbed about the uneven earth. Uneasiness welling up inside of him, as he neared the strange light. But its presence didn’t remain for long, and it was instead replaced with the form of a young woman, and numerous, disgusting creatures. Gritting his teeth, he moved closer to the group, taking aim at the seemingly undead monsters. He cared little for the woman’s life, but he’d be damned if he would allow such beasts to tread near the camp.   

    “I would suggest you watch yourself, stranger,” He spoke above the low groans of the lingering beasts. “You wouldn’t want to get hit by mistake, now would you?”

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@shrinkingmaiden/ Starter Call

     Zero’s patience for Prince Leo’s orders was almost unyielding. There were no crimes he wouldn’t commit for the sake of the young prince’s safety, and no length he wouldn’t go to to ensure he carried out every command without flaw. His loyalty knew no limitations, though his attitude was generally poor to those outside of Leo’s small circle, but, for the most part, the thief had become an exceptional retainer. However, for the first time since he had come to serve Leo, Zero had considered attempting to weasel his way out of one of the prince’s commands. 

      A deep hatred for both those outside of Nohr, and for those of noble birth ran through his veins. And old habits were hard to kill, especially when the outlaw held little desire to bite his tongue, even when in the presence of certain royals. Distrust made the bitter taste that lingered in his mouth towards Hoshido and the far more fortunate all the worse. Comrades they may claim to be now, but Zero refused to dismiss the fact that they had once been enemies. Suspicion towards the other country would always remain rooted in the back of the thief’s mind, if only for the reason that protecting the prince took priority over peace.

     For now, though, he would simply have to swallow his pride until he could find a way to convince his lord that having the outlaw play bodyguard for Hoshido’s youngest princess was likely the worst idea to ever cross the prince’s mind, even if it had been intended as display of good faith. And for the life of him, Zero would never place why the young lord had chosen him over Odin for the task the mage, or anyone to be frank, most certainly would have been better suited for. But instead, here he was, aimlessly escorting the child around in an attempt to please a master that was nowhere to be found, and to protect her from an enemy that had yet to make themselves known to him.  

    “With all do respect, Lady Sakura, I have far more important things to do than babysit you.” He sighed. Agitation clearly beginning to outline his roguish features, as he finally forced himself to pose the question he had been dreading knowing the answer to. “Would you mind telling me where we are going?” Because if she intended to drag him to another makeshift hospital, he may very well lose his mind. While he might have a rather surprising talent for quickly patching up a wound, he was not a man of mercy or kindness. 

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@princefujin / Starter Call

    Illuminated by only the shallow light of the moon, the creases upon the outlaw’s scarred face had been carved into deep caverns that made the thick, permanent lines beneath his eye all the more apparent. Forcing his lone, dry eye shut, he ran a rough hand through his hair in a pitiful attempt to relieve just a bit of the dull pain that nipped at the back of his head. With the mild headache the course of the day had induced growing worse with each passing moment, his already easily irritated personality had become all the more deplorable.

    Sleep was a rarity for the thief, and the reasons behind that were numerous, but with the countless soldiers from Hoshido lurking about the joint camp of a certain draconic member of royalty, he had all the more cause to remain restless. Trust was something he did not grant easily, not even to his Nohrian allies, and he would be damned if he would give it so easily to those who had once been his lord’s enemies. Peace, while it might have been something others valued, had never been terribly important to Zero, but if Leo believed following his wayward sibling would result in the world he most desired, his retainer had little choice but to follow and obey.  

     Agitated and tense, the outlaw dragged himself away from the massive tent the Nohrian royals had been stationed at for the horribly long night. Boots making not a sound, as they were dragged rather lazily through the damp grass surrounding the maze of tents and supplies scattered about the grounds of the army’s current camp. Able to distinguish the tents by their make, he felt his lips curl slightly in distaste whenever he passed one of Hoshido origin.  It was an unintentional, instinctive reaction that Zero would not have noticed if Leo had not warned him to remain peaceful towards their ‘allies.’      

     Dismissing the lecture, he returned his attention to finding some sort of distraction from his raging thoughts. If sleep refused to come, he could at least kill a bit of time, and burn off just a small portion of his hatred through shooting. For an archer of his caliber, light was not be needed to hit a target; moving or otherwise. After all, he was far more accustomed to taking aim beneath the dim stars than making a shot in the middle of the day. Murder was, for the most part, a hobby best practiced in the late hours of a quiet night.   

     But as he drew further away from the camp, a muffled sound began to reach his ears. One he recognized without needing to hear it twice. The slight aching of a tree, as the head of an arrow buried itself into its thick surface, and the almost muted thump that followed. Drawing near brought the young, silver-haired prince into the outlaw’s view. Lips curling into a grin, as he approached the other.

     “Are you all alone, your highness? Hasn’t anyone warned you of what unfortunate encounters your actions might result in?” And one those words from the retainer’s lips, they were most certainly a thread. Respect he might have held for the royal family of Nohr, he did not offer the same to the siblings from Hoshido. Not yet, at least.