Please join, if anybody is interested. I think that this could make for an interesting RP, if people are willing to dedicate the time to this. XD

My first character.

Name: Katsu Toushin

Age: 32

Afiliation: Rengou member

Appearance: He is tall and fairly stocky. His hair is short and dark, always kept shaved as a number one buzzcut and never lets it grow long. His also trims his beard hair, only leaving a small goatee at the bottom of his chin. He usually wears warm clothing, as Earth has become much colder than humans have been used to, due to the weather in mountainous regions and change in the Earth's climate. He usally wears polar fleece pants, with inner linings, a warm, but non-baggy extreme weather jacket, as well as his sword. His sword is a typical Japanese katana, one of the last known famous blades, ones that had been made long before war came to Earth. It is extremely valuable to him, as there are no others like it left in the world.

Personality: He is a calm and reasonable man, one that usually follows a strong moral code and his very trustworthy in battle. Because of the way he grew up, and the things he has been through, he is a hard man - one that will keep going, even when others have given up long before. He is extremely determined to save his planet and defeat the Dragon King in battle.

History: His parents were enslaved by the Dragon King when he was 13. Since then, he has been fighting the armies of the Dragon King, along with the Rengou members. When he was 18, he learnt that he had a mysterious power - one that could possibly defeat the Dragon King's power. He spent many years training his power and growing stronger, and turned his body into a weapon in the process. Now he is ready to defeat the Dragon King and restore Earth back to the way it was.

Special Powers: He can use magic on any of his weapons, a special magic that can cut through dragon scales and dragon-scale armour. It is an anicent Dragon Slayer magic. His blade becomes a weapon that is specially designed to defeat a dragon in battle - the Dragon King.

Sounds Interesting.

Heh, it does look interesting, I'll have to get to this as soon as I'm through getting up to date with everything else.

Thanks, guys. I'll keep updating and making sure that all the required information is there. XD

Just for everybody's information, I am planning to write this as a short book - this general idea, with the same name and everything. If people are fine with that, then feel free to post whatever you like on here, providing it does make sense. :)

I'll work up a character this weekend, been thinking on it.

Okay, sounds good to me, dude. Thanks for making an effort on this one. I'm gonna write an introductory post tonight and get the feel for it, plus I may update the forum description and add another character.

My second character.

Name: Jinsoku Fusenmei

Age: 21

Affiliation: Rengou member/Master-swordsman

Personality: Jinsoku is a joker, a young man that loves to laugh and make jokes at all times, unless there is fighting to be done; all the girls love him and he is always the centre of attention. He is almost always good-natured and generally never loses his temper, or composure. While not unintelligent, Jinsoku can be a bit slow at times and dense, at least, when it comes to the opposite sex, or something not involving swinging his sword and yelling at the opposition.

History: His parents joined the Rengou when he was about 6. His mother died in combat when he was 10 and he has been looked after by only his dad since. He was allowed to join the Rengou when turned 16 and has been training in martial arts (karate and aikido) since then, while also balancing his sword training. When he turned 18, his dad was appointed the General of the Rengou, as the former General was killed in combat. It was also around this time that his father and many of the other Rengou members recognised his skill with the blade and his tactical skills, which were almost on par with that of his father's. Jinsoku is also the creator of newly disovered magic - that of enchanting inanimate objects (mainly weapons) with elemental power and even other, more complex, ones.

Appearance: His hair is long, messy and dark-brown; his eyes are the colour of magma and are one of the reasons why girls love him - they are unique and beautiful and give him the look of a very handsome, young man. He is not overly tall, or overly large, but he has built a lot of lean muscle on his skinny body and this aids his almost superhuman speed and reflexes in battle. He always wears the honorary Rengou robes, which were modified to suit him. These robes are black, with dark-blue trim and reach down to his feet - essentially, they are similar to kimonos, but somewhat more formal.

Special abilities: For many years, Jinsoku has trained and pushed his body to the limits - this aids him as a swordsman and he is unnaturally fast, and has almost superhuman reflexes that no other man has ever seemed to match. He is also considered as a Master-swordsman and is incredibly skilled as one. He is also a magic-user.

[To Be Or Not To Be]

-Hawaii, summit of Mauna Loa-

As the sun began to set in the west, it sent an unnaturally red colour through all of the clouds in the sky; blue, grey and white turned into red, orange and yellowy colours, which were mixed together with the colour of the clouds and complimented the rays from the sun. Everybody said that the sun had finally shifted into its Red Giant phase, where it had grown larger and put out a lot more heat than it used to - temperatures were often over 30 degrees in most regions of the planet and, often enough, sometimes soared over 50 degrees and some places had even had temperatures over 60. Not ideal weather for those that couldn't handle it.

The larger man looked over at the smaller man and grinned. 'This should be a good night for it, Dane. Our Master will appreciate our efforts, after we have found those Rengou bastards.'

Dane nodded. 'I agree. I have the co-ordinates right here. This is the location of their current base. Just make sure that my position with them is not compromised, if anything goes wrong. I would like them to be wiped out tonight, but if you fail to exterminate every single one of them, then I will need to be known as on their side, even if I am not.'

The other man, Gred, simply nodded once in confirmation. 'As you wish... It is your hard work that has gotten us this close to destroying the pests... I will try to kill every last one of them, just to honour all of the efforts you have put in. I am sure that our Master will also be appreciative.'

They shook hands, exchanged papers and equipment, then parted ways.

-Mount Everest-

On the slopes of the tallest mountain in the world was a palace - one that was carved into the rock and looked more like a cave; but it was always to be called the Palace of the Dragon King, otherwise, heads would roll and people would die. The Dragon King was touchy about his palace; it was law to call it as such, and to follow his word, otherwise the offenders would pay for it with their lives.

On the whole, the Dragon King was a boring man. He always yearned to hunt, as his Draconian instincts demanded, but there was little left to hunt these days and so he was generally in a foul temper. Not only that, but he was decidingly dull - one of those men that could make the most interesting of stories seem boring.

'Where's my fucking food, you useless fools!' Came the typical dinner yell from his quarters. The Dragon King was also highly impatient.

A slave scurried, as fast she could, with a full platter of meat and a goblet of wine. She knocked gingerly on the door, then waited for him to yell at her to come in. As anticipated, the Dragon King snarled. 'Hurry up, I said, you good-for-nothing slut! You'll join all of the others in the dungeons if you don't start getting things right around here. My word is law. You must follow it.'

'My sincerest of apologies, Master. It won't happen again.' She set the platter and goblet down by his eating chair, then scuttled off back to the kitchen.

'You're damn right about that, woman! It won't happen again, or you'll be fed rats and water in the dungeons for the rest of your miserable life' he yelled after her. Then he got up, sat down in his eating chair and began to tear the meat into pieces and swallow them.

'Fucking miserable planet this is... I hope Dane has sucessfully found those co-ordinates, otherwise I'll have to wait even longer to expunge it of these low-life human fools' he muttered crazily to himself.

-Rengou Base, New Zealand, two days after Hawaii exchange-

Jinsoku Fusenmei giggled, as one of the civilian girls fluttered her eyeslashes at him. For some reason, he felt out of place in New Zealand and biiterly wished that their last base had not been destroyed. In Japan, he felt at home - as, it had been home for many years. All this barely even registered at this moment, as the girl finally made her move and snuck over to him, planted a tender kiss on his cheek, giggled at his blushing face, then pressed her chest into him and tried to hug him with her breasts.

'Okay, okay... People are starting to stare at us. I'll see you later on, okay?'

The girl, Jasmine, nodded and then kissed him on the lips and ran off, a massive grin on her pretty face. Jinsoku stared longingly after her, secretly wishing that he had more spare time.

'Jinsoku! There you are. I've been searching for you, boy!' His father strode down the hallway, a serious look on his face. Jinsoku made as if to try and say something funny, then noticed the serious look on the General's face and decided against it. Something must have been up, if his normally relaxed father looked stressed and serious.

'What's wrong, father?'

'I'm sorry, Jinsoku, but I have reason to believe that we have a traitor in our midst. Our entire base in California was destroyed two nights ago. Dane has been nowhere to be found, since he left for America. Colonel Trei also informed me that Dane left for Hawaii three days prior to the attack. I suspect he may be betraying us to the Dragon King. I'm sorry, I know he is your friend, but this is too suspect.'

Jinsoku nodded, trying not to lose the slight smile on his face, knowing that he would cry if he did. Dane had been possibly his best friend for many years, since before Jinsoku's mother had died. They had been through a lot together, but Jinsoku knew deep down that his father was right... Dane had been different lately, more secretive and more grumpy and irritated. 'I know, father. I agree with you. He is one of my best friends. I noticed a change in him recently, so I think you might be right, even if I desperately wish it wasn't true. Dad... I have to go and see Jasmine. I'll be back later to help you with the plans for the next attack. Is that okay?'

Reini Fusenmei nodded. 'You could use some time away from all of this. I'll see you tomorrow, bright and early. Got it?'

'Yes, dad. I'll see you tomorrow.' Jinsoku hugged his father and then walked off to find Jasmine.

Name: Chihiro Imanara (Hooray for mashing random letters together! HOORAY!)

Age: 17

Affiliation: Slave

Personality: She is very quiet. She hates being scolded, so she never talks, not that it would make much difference. She has one of those personalities that makes her a nobody. No one ever notices her presence, except when finding fun in her misery. She hates being alone, and often finds comfort by imagining conversations that are way beyond realistic. She is also very shy. Despite that, she is kind and caring and will help someone who is in danger no matter what side they are on.

History: Not much is known about her history, mostly because nobody ever really cared enough to ask. Her parents, who went against the Dragon King, were slaughtered and she was taken as a slave when she was 5 years old and has served the Dragon King, or more specifically, his followers ever since that day. She knows pretty much everything about the castle. Since nobody ever pays any attention to her, she can pretty much move throughout the castle freely, but she has suffered so much cruel abuse as a slave that she has lost the will to try to escape. Even the other slaves barely recognize her existence. Nowadays, she goes from task to task, performing her duties quietly and efficiently for fear of punishment. Because of her parents actions, she is treated far more cruelly than the other slaves.

Appearance: She has long, beautiful grey hair that is messy due to lack of care. Everything about her is dirty and broken. She has very rough skin with a slight tan mixed with grime and filth that permeates around her, two big green eyes, the left one being noticeably lower than the right. Bare feet, and she only has a light red fabric covering the rest of her. she has scars all over her body which she tries to hide, but can't hide them all. She is actually quite tall, but the abuse she put up with makes her appear much smaller than normal people. All around, she's a terrible sight, and she never smiles which makes it worse. Though, if cleaned up a little, she is very beautiful.

Special Abilities: Other than being so unimportant that nobody ever notices her presence, she has no special powers.

How's that?

Heh, sounds fine, dude. Good stuff. Write an introductory post whenever you have the time to. XD

Name: Almana Nazarite

Age: 43

Affiliation: Slave

Appearance: Tall with an athletic build with a small chest, she’s always had a lithe frame and a strong physique. Her skin is an olive tone, though it has experienced a large amount of harm over the years, leaving her with cracked and calloused hands and feet, knees and elbows. Most of the remainder looks as though it’s been rubbed hard with salt. She carries three scars on her neck, one in the form of a pentagram, another in the shape of upside down triangle, and the third in the shape of a lightning bolt. Her red hair has a permanent, dirty brown appearance that is only facilitated by being placed in the most physically intensive and dirty jobs. It’s cut short but kept ragged by cutting her own hair. She wears mainly what’s provided to her by her owners, which is rarely more than a uniform of burlap. While is it believed that she has no personal items available to her, she does keep a variety of sharp implements that she has acquired over the years on her person.

Personality: Almana has a highly prickly demeanor, rarely showing the adequate subservience for one of her class. She’s always been an incredibly hard woman, and her time as a slave has done nothing to soften her. Multiple attempts to work with her fellow slaves have only gotten them killed, and she tries to distance herself from them emotionally and physically from them. Her desire to break her shackles is all engrossing.

History: Almana does not nor has she ever known her parents. She was born into an enclave of pseudomagicians who sought to ineffectually bring out magical talents in her that she didn’t have. None of them were powerful, though many of their contacts were. She made powerful friends, placing her with the most effective groups that resisted the Dragon King upon his arrival. She has been a slave ever since, as she was a part of one of the first resistance groups to be defeated and enslaved. She was immediately separated from her comrades, most of who have either become submissive with time or died in bondage. She has done neither. As a slave, she had racked up one of the worst track records among the enslaved. Each of the three brands in her neck symbolizes a different action she took that has made her less desirable, and as such, she has been relegated to the most difficult and brutal tasks. She constantly aims to escape, though multiple attempts have yielded little fruit, and her unwillingness to work with the other slaves has only hampered her efforts.

Special Powers: While she has no access to magic through her own abilities, she is said to hold secrets to a number of old magics, though none of them remain on her person. She is the only one who knows where they are.

Lol seems we both had the idea to make a slave character XD

I figured I'd use some characters that I had used for something aside from rps. I'm quite fond of them ^^

Isaac Rainsville

Age: 47

Affiliation: Dragon’s Teeth; Leader of Dragon’s Maw

Appearance: Isaac is always seen wearing a golden suit of armor with a red cape. His helmet is medieval style with long red hair extending from the top, reaching his thighs in length. Isaac carries a heavy five meter long lance and an Aegis shield with a dragon’s head on the front. On his hip, he has a custom-made broad sword sheathed on a belt. When he takes of his helmet, he exposes his somewhat handsome features, his pale skin, and dark hair.

Personality: Isaac is an assertive militaristic man who has no qualms with using force when needed too—and often prefers the use of it. He needs no reason to defeat an enemy and does not tolerate betrayal or insubordination. He leads the Dragon’s Maw with a heavy hand, disciplining his subordinates to follow orders and always uphold the laws that they stand for. Despite his harsh dogma, Isaac is willing to respect an opponent who displays loyalty and strength of spirit.

History: Isaac was practically raised to become the leader of the Dragon’s Maw. His entire childhood focused on him learning combat from several military leaders and building up strength that resembles a dragon. Some even say that the way he fights and his immense durability resembles what they imagine a dragon to be like—fierce, devastating, and powerful. Isaac does not know who his parents are or were—the earliest important memories he has are of leading the dragon king’s army across the Iberian Peninsula to conquer the land for the dragon king.

Abilities: Isaac’s armor and weaponry are enchanted to resist corrosion and weathering, allowing him to wear them constantly without worry. They are extremely resistant to damage and magic, which allows him to lead a charge head on without a problem. Isaac’s combat skill as a person is far above average, making him a feared name among the rebels.

Well look at that. Just noticed I'm making the first dragon's teeth characters. Hurray for being the antagonist! XD

Winslow Torchinovich

Age: 34

Affiliation: Dragon’s teeth

Appearance: Winslow is a Russian with pale skin, wispy blonde hair, and emerald green eyes. He wears a coat somewhere between a trench coat and a general’s jacket. He wears high boots, gloves, and a long scarf, so his face is the only visible skin he has. Winslow has a dry smile on his face most of the time, unless it’s replaced by a calculating expression.

Personality: Winslow appears to have a pleasant attitude on meeting, but it’s usually merely a front. Winslow acts kind and polite with people regardless of how well he knows them. In reality, he is a cunning and sharp man with a very objective view of things. He thinks things through deeply before taking the most efficient and cleanest action to finish things quickly and properly. Winslow does not think much of taking a life unless he suspects it may possibly change the outcome of events. He lacks pride, so if it comes to it, he will not hesitate to retreat with his tail between his legs or capitalize on an opportunity presented before him.

History: Winslow comes from Russia in a place where the ice is melting severely. The same weather that had destroyed many invaders before was warming quickly, proving to be ineffective in fending off the army of the dragon king that would eventually attack the massive country. Rather than preparing to fight, the Russians surrendered and pledged their allegiance to the dragon king, ultimately saving the country from ruin. Winslow fully supported this decision, believing that it was smarter than losing lives in war. Winslow quickly became an important high ranking officer in the dragon’s teeth, specializing in tactics and strategy. Winslow has the secondary task of keeping an eye out for magic users and provide the best strategy to recover them in whatever way he can—killing them if it proved impossible to take them even by force.

Abilities: Winslow is proficient in combat, particularly in Systema, and has a pocket knife hidden within one of his boots. But more importantly, Winslow is capable of using elemental magic. He’s well practiced with lightning magic, able to manipulate electrical currents and the weather at will.

Nice characters, everyone! I'll edit the description again and add them all onto it and also add any NPCs that are in the RP. I don't suppose anyone is planning to control the Dragon King? Lol.

[Eyes Closed]

Darkness was the life of the disobedient slave, and so darkness was Almana’s life. She hadn’t seen the sun in years, and the magical orbs borne by her overseers were a rare sight.

She would rather that they never came. The world around her was black sharp edges and platforms. Salted rock jutted out from the walls in pointed bits that pierced her skin and left her hands and arms littered with scars. The rock was one of the main sources of jet, and despite the importance of the stone to the Dragon King and his soldiers, Almana had no idea what it did. She hated it. She hated every round stone she withdrew from the sharp edges, and yet she had no choice but to continue. She would be beaten if she didn’t meet her quota.

But the light revealed other things. Ocean water was rising and sinking in the cavern, sweeping away any slave caught unawares. The older ones were too feeble to hold on, and died with the rest. Corpses littered the cave, all slaves from places the world over. She had recognized one once. The blank stare of her former commander, a man she had believed to be the strongest alive, had haunted her long after his corpse was swept out of view.

Not that the dark world was much better. The sound of waves and rising tides echoed permanently in her ears, and the silence was occasionally punctuated with screams, sobbing and cries of anguish. Her sleep had often been interrupted by calls for help.

They would get none. No one was leaving here.

Somebody… anybody…

The croaking voice of another female slave came from below, another lost soul who would likely fall victim to the rising waters tonight. Both of them would die down here; escape was impossible.

Not that she hadn’t tried. Almana had successfully escaped from her bondage 3 times since she got here – not that that mattered. Twice, she had been recaptured shortly before escaping the cave in which they were housed. The last time, she had gotten inches from seeing daylight. That’s when she had gotten the lightning bolt, and the plate.

She touched it gingerly with her left hand. The tissue underneath and around it had long since been rubbed raw. If she left her designated zone, it would send a strong electrical shock directly into her spine. If that happened when the waters beneath her rose, she would be swept away and die, leaving nothing but a battered and bruised corpse. What a terrific end to a miserable life.

She reached into another crevice, ignoring the pain that arced through her hand a rock sliced into her palm. After several minutes of searching, with no round object forthcoming, she withdrew her bleeding hand from the salt-encrusted alcove. There were still so many to search, and she hadn’t found one today. Chances were that she would be beaten within an inch of her life tonight.

Her arm reflexively reached back towards her neck, feeling the grooves in her flesh where she had been branded. She had received the other two on her first day. The pentagram was a result of her silence during interrogation. The upside down triangle was a consequence of what she had done to that guard, and so many others after him. Few of those lived to tell the tale. That’s why she was known as an unruly slave, one who did not know her place.

That’s why she was here, alongside other slaves, most of whom had done far less than her to warrant these confines.

She reached into another cleft, and it was then that the sound of rising water echoed in her ears. She knelt down, grabbing hard onto the edge of the platform on which she stood. A scream came from below and disappeared down the cavern, another lost soul. She took a deep breath as the freezing waters drenched her from head to toe, water filling her ears and nose. She felt the platform wobble beneath her feet, grimacing as she was forced to grab strong hold of the sharp rocks before her. She could do nothing as the waters tore away her clothing. She tried to ignore the pain and wait for the waters to recede, sucking in air as he feet sought out another platform nearby. She found one, and set down carefully. Only then did she allow herself to succumb to the cold, wrapping her arms around her naked flesh. She could do nothing but shiver with cold, her teeth chattering, and blood running down her hands and arms and painting her body red. The pain was nonexistent to her.

This was her life now, an endless struggle to hang on for god knows what reason. She would lie here cold and injured for hours before help arrived in the form of an overseer who would reveal her pain in full color to her, beat her for her lack of results and for losing her clothing, and likely rape her if he could stomach her appearance. Death would be a welcome alternative.

She should surrender. It wouldn’t take much – only rolling a few feet, falling onto the jagged rocks below and disappearing beneath the black waters.

But she didn’t. She just listened to the cries of anguish around her, silently it in. They might as well be dead.

Not her. Not now. Not ever.

Interesting stuff, Whiteflame. It was a great post!

[Magical Runes! The Art of War]

Katsu Toushin drew his overcloak around himself, gathering the warmth to his shivering body and then began to move again. It was almost night-time, and he still had a little further to go, before he reached the base of the Dragon Slayers. Although it was separate from the California base and the New Zealand base, this base was still technically a part of the Rengou, just a segregated divison - one that dealt more with magic, than combat itself, though they still advocated it. It was always deathly cold in the Himalayas and perhaps that was why the Dragon King's base was located on Mount Everest - dragons seemed to love the cold and hot... It was as though they thrived in the extremities of the climate, but tolerated the inextremities too. It made it difficult to deal with, since the Dragon King's palace was in a difficult-to-reach place. As he closed in on the nearest ridge, he finally spotted the white roof of the building, which was a slightly darker shade of white than the snow surrounding the building and which acted as a camouflage to the eyes of the enemy. Katsu banged on the gate and anticipated entry to the building. A voice answered via the micro-telecommunicator halfway up the gate.

'Who is it? What's the password?' came the reply.

Katsu waited for a second, then answered. 'Katsu Toushin... The password is: The Dragon Dwells On Everest.'

The voice replied nonchalantly. 'Oh, you're back... I'll open the gates now.'

The gate opened with a creak, and Katsu entered swiftly, awaiting the much warmer climate inside the base. It was outfitted with some older technology, called climate air control, which regulated the temperature inside the building and kept it nice and warm in the cold air of the Himalayan weather. Katsu thought it was quite brilliant, but it was still nothing compared to the technology that the Dragon King and his minions had stolen from human beings and their ruined cities. Inside, the building was just any other building that you would have seen on the continent of Antarctica - it was highly insulated, so that warm air was kept inside the building and not lost through the walls. In addition to that, it also had an air filter, which would filter the old air for cleaner, fresher air.

Suddenly, he bumped into his superior officer, a man named Armand Renault, a Frenchman, who was also a Colonel of the Rengou. 'Evening, sir.'

Armand smiled back. 'Good evening, Katsu. Your scouting mission was a success I hear. I woyuld like you to write up a report and leave it in my office later.'

'As you wish, sir. I will go and do that now.'

'Much appreciated. I will see you later on. We are having a few drinks later and a late dinner.'

Katsu nodded. 'I will certainly attend.'

Katsu headed back to his room, a set of events in mind for the report.

[The Banter Under a Clear Sky]

Isaac Rainsville grimaced as he stared at the ugly land that had once been the proud country of France. The earth had been dried to the point that it seemed to be cracking and flaking. A large volcano was sticking out of the landscape, scraping the sky higher than Mt. Vesuvius, though no lava or ashes filled the sky this time.

Isaac recalled when he had been on this very same soil, fighting those who opposed the rule of the dragon king with their last breathe. It had been a war for purging that surpassed even the crusades, only far more one-sided. The French hadn’t stood a chance of holding up against the Dragon’s Teeth, especially the Dragon’s Maw.

The Dragon’s Maw. It was a faction of military soldiers strong enough to represent the fiercest side of the Dragon’s Teeth. Most wore red armor and carried rectangular shields resistant to magic. Their combat ability was superb and the men held allegiance second to none. Isaac had the honor of being the leader of this frightful group.

The fearless leader. The unshakable commander. The man said to resemble a dragon himself, in the way he fought and his ferocity. These were all titles that Isaac never wanted. No matter his rank, he felt he was still a warrior. Just like this land. No matter what part of France, whether it was the rich Paris, the very borders of Normandy, or the out of the way Bordeaux, the volcanoes had destroyed the landscape indiscriminately. It was the same for the battlefield. No matter the rank, title, or strength, Death would take the life or anyone who wasn’t able to defy him with their own willpower.

“I’ve never seen a dragon make such a miserable face. Did you put your suit of armor on backwards again?”

Isaac’s face shifted the smallest inch, returning to its stone cold expression immediately. Behind him, Winslow Torchinovich observed him with a sly grin. Both men were covered from neck to toe, one in armor, the other in a modified trench coat, with only their heads visible. Despite this, neither seemed to be bothered by the hot climate.

“Do not call me that.” Isaac muttered as he put his helmet back over his head and shut the visor. The long red hairs from the helmet blew gently on the hot winds. “I’m not dragon.”

“Well, no one means literally. After all, only our king is the half-dragon, and some people doubt even that.”

“To think that dragons have become such a myth that they can be used metaphorically…”

“What do you think, Rainsville?”

“About what, Torchinovich?”

“About our king being half dragon. Do you really believe it? Or do you think that he just made it up?”

Isaac glanced back at Winslow, but he Russian’s expression was just as coy as it had been a moment before. Isaac was unsure of whether or not the man was saying this just to provoke a reaction or if he was actually looking for an answer.

“Our king says so, so why should we doubt it?”

“Don’t you think it’s strange? If he had said he had draconian descent, that would be one thing, but it’s been too long since the last dragon has been sighted. Besides, ‘half-dragon’? How would that even work?”

“That kind of speculation makes a traitor, Torchinovich.”

“I’m just wondering aloud, not criticizing. Honestly; there is nothing wrong with a little free thinking every now and then. It does make one wonder, though. If His Majesty was really half-dragon, why would he need an army of us mortals? It would be smarter to father several hybrid children before conquering the world…”

“Torchinovich!”

Winslow merely smiled in response, unconcerned with Isaac’s warning tone.

“Fine then, I’ll stop speaking of His Majesty if it makes you so uncomfortable. How about this for a change of topic: Who would win? We mortals, or a dragon?”

Isaac sighed bitterly as he glared up at the towering volcano. It really didn’t seem like there would be any ashes that day.

“Ridiculous, Torchinovich. Is there any animal that can defy the food chain? We’d be crushed in an instant.”

(I only just now realized I accidently made my characters name so similar to Bp's. I changed it randomly. XD)


[The Bottom]


"Bah! what filth!"

The one speaking was a low ranking officer in the Dragon King's army. He was far from important, and even further from intelligent. He lived to obey his superiors. Though that didn't stop him from barking meaninglessly. He was eating with several people who were just as loudmouthed and worthless as himself. They all roared their agreement and threw down their forks, though they had been eating without complaint for several minutes.

The officer spat to prove his point and his eyes glanced over. They settled on a slave that was being put to work cleaning the tables. She had several fresh bruises on her face, which she had received after dropping some food. The officer smirked and whistled. "HEY YOU! Slave! Get over here."

The girl, who was named Chihiro Imanara, hurried to his side. She was a young girl of 17, almost 18. She bowed low to the man. The officer may be worthless, but it was nothing compared to the girl. She was just a slave. An object to be used for ones enjoyment. Whether that meant cruel punishments, sexual gratification, or humiliation, she could do nothing to stop it.

Most of the slaves would consider being stuck here to be a relief. Not having to do much of the truly dangerous work, but Chihiro knew better. It was like being stuck in the deepest layer of hell, forced to work at the side of the devil. Though, thankfully, she had never laid eyes on the Dragon King.

The officer waited for her to ask him what he wanted, but she remained silent, her upper body bent low, awaiting instructions.

Officer: "How the hell could you serve us this filth, eh? Look at it!"

The slave looked at the food as ordered. It looked amazing. The meat was rough and dry, but it was so much more than she ever received. She tried to keep her mouth from watering and her stomach from growling. For it would surely just cause her to be punished.

The officer snorted. "I demand that you take this rubbish back and feed us something edible!"

The girl obeyed, though she knew that it was a hopeless situation. If she brought back a meal to the ones who cooked it and said that it was bad, she would be beaten to within an inch of her life. The same would happen if she refused. She picked up the plates, and slowly started making her way, but another of the officers grinned and stuck out his foot, making her trip and come crashing to the floor, the dishes smash and the food rolled everywhere.

The first officer laughed. "Can you not perform even the simple task of walking?"

The girl picked herself up off the ground and slowly began to pick up the glass by hand. There was a particularly large piece embedded in her forearm. She paid no attention to it, though it hurt. She was used to pain, but that didn't dull the feeling, in fact, it made it worse.

She managed to pick up most of it with her first trip and returned with more food for the officers. Afterwards, she was put to even more work, this time in one of the lesser used corridors, where large amounts of grime and filth had accumulated. She sighed. She was given a bucket of water and expected to clean the whole wall, without any supplies.

She tore off some of the cloth she was wearing and dipped it in the water. Then she got to work, scrubbing at the wall. While she did so, she began to imagine a scene in her head.

(*In her mind*)

Chihiro was standing over the officer from earlier, who was prostrating himself before her, begging forgiveness. Chihiro laughed at the man and withdrew a whip from the depths of her long, beautiful dress. The dress was blue, with many various frills. It attracted the eyes of everyone.

Chihiro: "You think I want to hear your pathetic apologies? No, you deserve much worse."

Officer: "Please, please forgive me! I beg of you!"

Chihiro: "Not good enough!"

She swung the whip as hard as she could at the man, as it hit him, it created a loud snapping sound, but another snapping sound came, seemingly from all around her. Her eyes furrowed in confusion.

(*Outside her mind.*)

A man was snapping his fingers in her face. She had zoned out so far that she had forgotten to work. She was about halfway done with the wall. As the man snapped again, she instantly jumped into attention and stood up, she clumsily bowed and waited for her punishment.

It never came. The man just walked away without a word. Chihiro watched him leave for a second, then returned to work. That was odd. Why would he do that, and not punish her. It must be some kind of trick to lull her into a false sense of security. That happened far too often to far too many slaves.


(That took way too long to write....)

Interesting post, Wantadog. The life of a slave would have to be so horrible, but you captured it well. XD. Oh, and merry christmas.

Thanks XD and merry Christmas to you as well.

Alrighty, I shall post my next post up in a couple of days, before I go away. I shall also update the forum description, for anything else I feel that I have missed. XD. Merry Christmas to everyone!!!

Today was the last day she would live. How many endless days had Almana thought that same tired thought? And how many times had she told herself that today would be different? It wasn’t anymore true today. Her tired body and pain-wracked mind said otherwise, but then they had said nothing else since she’d arrived. It was the sole voice that argued with her interminably, shaking her awake at night to tell her its sad story.

That today was the end, and that the end would be a sweet release.

How long had it been since one of those round, black stones had come into her possession? She could hardly recall. Her beatings had seemed endless since then, and the lack of meals was sapping her strength. The choice of survival was quickly going out of her hands.

Her eyes stared blankly into the black world around her. She hardly had the strength to stand or move any longer, and feared that any further bleeding she would suffer from her endless search would deplete her of any remaining strength. Still, she stood before her task, facing it with a determination she did not feel.

After several hours of this, she sank to her knees. She felt the urge to join in the cries of anguish around her. They had dwelled within her soul since the moment she was captured, a whisper that had turned to screams in time. And yet, she had kept them in the back of her mind always, fighting them to the periphery of her thoughts. But she couldn’t hold them back any longer. She opened her mouth, intending to give in to her most hated of urges.

Yet, when she opened her mouth, barely a croak came out. She coughed piteously, throat dry from lack of water. She couldn’t even cry in her despair as she collapsed to the cold platform beneath her.

So she whispered soundlessly to herself instead, her last effort to try and dispel her despair. She said the words without thinking, without even knowing what they were.

Almana: Equitare a luce ad opacare… equitare a luce ad opacare… equi feri… equi feri…

Ride from dawn to dusk… wild horse…

Those were the words of a life she had long since stopped living. That was a different Almana, a woman who had known freedom. Freedom from pain and anguish, freedom of thoughts and mind, freedom to live. She had died, and those freedoms had died with her.

Almana: Cecidit ex equo… ad nunquam resurgunt.

Fallen from the horse… to never rise again…

Those last were words she had heard a long time ago, from a source she had deemed likely to be from her squad before they were captured. She no longer remembered his name, but the words lingered. Words of endless despair. Words that she felt now more than ever.

The sound of water rising quickly filled her ears, but she could no more manage to grip the platform beneath her than she could sprout wings and fly. As water filled her nose and mouth, she reached out for something, anything, to hang onto. When she felt something, she gripped it with all her might, hoping for once to feel pain shoot through her hand. But what she felt was smooth, a large and dark pebble of pitch black color. Jet. It figured that, in her final moments, she would find what she had spent so long searching for. She would have laughed and cried at once if she could suck in the necessary air to breathe.

The world was burning salt and freezing water, her body thrown clear of the wall. She felt the sharp stone of the walls bite into her pain ravaged body, but the numbing of the water had left her incapable of feeling more than that. Her blood stained the dark waters, but vanished as quickly as it blossomed forth.

She would die here and now, her world of endless pain and torment thrown asunder by the rising tides. All thoughts of survival vanished from her mind, and she allowed her body to go limp. Her arm slammed into something hard, shattering along its length. But she no longer cared. Death would take her soon, and her struggle would be over.

The last thing she remembered was opening her eyes to a dark world once again, and seeing a brilliant white light before her. And a smiling face.

[Apocalyse! Cold Vision of the Great War] - Part One

[Start Music]

Katsu nodded, the idea certainly had its merits, though he wasn't entirely sure of the authenticity of the supposed psychic; as far as he was concerned, none of that sort of magic interested him, whether it was right or not. Either way, it looked as though he was to be sent off again. The idea of fighting and spying seemed like second nature to him now. As it had been since the death of his parents. 'Sir, I suggest that you send a squad with me. They can be my back-up. With what little technology we have left, the Mechanist seems to have found a way to replicate the technology of cellphones, like back in the 21st century. In short, we have ten available of these units, that we can use to keep in contact with different squad leaders on a mission. Also, I thought that we could have the next lot hidden in certain locations in our base, so that we can use them as emergency beacons, so to speak.'

Armand seemed to like the idea and his grin changed into a smile. 'That is good news! Your efforts as a fellow Commander are admirable, Toushin. Are you sure you don't want to be a Commander at this base, as well as a Dragon Slayer?'

'I'll see. Being a Dragon Slayer means a lot of time spent training. Often, I train for near eight hours a day, and sometimes a little less. But, I still have been working with the Mechanist. My ideas, and his, seem to mix as a brilliant concoction. These latest Telkoms, as we've become accustomed calling them, are going to be useful in the days to come, I can just see it. That is one thing that I enjoy doing at this base, though being a Dragon Slayer also has its merits. Either way, I enjoy it here, so I can see myself being here for a long time. Perhaps I may take you up on that offer, Colonel.'

'You know you will always be welcome to it. Anyway, I think it is time to begin. Go and choose a squad leader to command. I will be waiting with the transcriptions.'

'As you wish, sir.' Katsu opened the door and slipped out, heading straight for the barracks. Going to the barracks from the Colonel's office was always a queer walk - the stairs, leading down to the barracks, were spiral and they descended about 150 meters. He always enjoyed walking that way, though, even if he could never seem to expend the effort working out why. When he finally came to the barracks, he immediately entered, seeking the one squad leader he usually worked with. Dan Summers was an extraordrinary man - he was a brilliant tactician, excellent listener and was an expert with a Dark Lance, the customary weapon that the Rengou used. Dark Lances were dangerous and rare. The Rengou had discovered a way, seven years ago, to work large amounts of energy into the tips of a lance, the essence of which was fuelled by the last of the world's uranium, which they had stockpiled in the current [Himalaya] base and then stored in a quarantined building, following several deaths from radiation exposure.

'Dan.' Katsu called, nodding a couple of the others in the barracks.

Dan turned around and nodded to him, his face sweating from the heat-rich air of the building. 'Katsu. What brings you here?' as he walked over to greet him properly.

'Well... The Colonel wants us to go on a mission, to see some psychic. I'm not sure why, but he seems intent on it, so I said I would go. Since he asked me to choose a squad leader, I decided that I would like you to accompany me on this mission. I anticipate that we may meet Ravens along the way, as the Dragon King typically has all around this part of the world.'

Dan nodded. He evidently didn't care, one way or the other, because his face didn't seem to betray any feelings at all. 'As you wish, sir. I will summon the squad immediately. Where is the assembly point?'

Katsu laughed. 'You always think of everything. Assembly point shall be the Hangar... I think we shall fly to the edge of the mountain we are looking for. Walking takes ages around here.'

'I am on it, sir. Meet in 30?'

'That's right!'

Katsu made his last plans. He had to go and see the Mechanist quickly, in order to ascertain one last thing with the Telkoms. So left the barracks and headed back up the stairs. It took a little longer on the way up, but that was okay. When he reached the top, instead of going right towards the Colonel's office, he took the left turn and headed to the Laboratory. He knocked on the door - it was better to knock on the door, just in case the Mechanist was in the middle of a potentially precarious experiment - he didn't just fiddle around with the dying-out technology, he also practiced chemical experiments and sometimes biological ones.

'Come in!' Was the short, sharp reply.

Katsu entered. 'It's Katsu! I have one last question of you, Mechanist. Is there a way that I can contact base, if anything goes wrong on this mission?'

'Yes. We have one here. All you have to do is remember the two different channels that they operate on. The ones for you and your sqaud operate on on e frequency, while the others, here, operate on another frequency entirely.'

'I see. I will remember. Anyway, I have packing to do. I have to meet Dan in twenty minutes, then we are off. I will see you when I get back, Mechanist.'

The Mechanist smiled. 'Indeed. Safe mission, Katsu Toushin!'

[Freedom Last]

Almana awoke to a dark world full of pain. For a moment, she believed herself to still be in those caves, or perhaps in some black hell where her torment would be interminable. That was, until she heard a voice.

“Don’t move, or you’ll undo your bandages. I can’t guarantee that I could save your life a second time.”

The voice was male with a harsh and grating tone, yet there was a certain warmth to it. She flexed briefly and came up against restraints, relaxing.

“Not that you’re allowed much movement. I apologize, but I can’t risk you moving. Your life is no longer your own to lose.”

She tried to speak, but even her vocal cords were restrained by something. Almana couldn’t tell what this man wanted, but she was at his mercy.

“The extent of your injuries was quite severe, and your malnutrition was extensively damaging. Your system was breaking down muscle in order to survive – I doubt you would have lasted another day down there.”

The room was warm and her skin was mostly covered in some soft material she could not identify. She felt no wind, leading her to believe she was indoors. Still, she couldn’t see a thing, though she couldn’t tell whether it was due to deficiencies in her eyes or some external reason. He seemed to sense her thoughts.

“Your eyes work fine, though they would take a while to adjust to the light. However, you suffered a terrible concussion and injuries to your face and head. Those aren’t my main concerns, but I would rather not exacerbate them. Besides, I’m quite certain that you’re not ready to see the outside world as of yet. As for your throat… well, let’s just say that your esophagus was a mess and leave it at that.”

Was this man the same one that had rescued her? She could still see that brilliant white face and that pristine smile, though no recognition dawned on her. The voice didn’t kick off any memories either.

“Don’t worry, you aren’t anyone’s prisoner. You wouldn’t be here if you were. Not sure what they see in you to have put so much effort into your recovery – it’s not every day that they invade the Jet Lode – but I’m not one to pry. Never have been, don’t plan on starting now.”

She heard shuffling around her and a pair of fingers touched bare skin on her arm. She instinctively twitched and pain shot through her whole body. If not for whatever was clamping her throat shut, she would have screamed.

“I told you not to move. The trauma you’ve suffered will leave you laid out for a while yet. It’s not the worst I’ve seen, but then I cater mostly to soldiers.”

The fingers came up to her wrist, checking her pulse. She resisted the urge to twitch again, trying to calm herself.

“Your blood pressure’s high – that’s a good sign. You’ve been hypotensive ever since you arrived here, and I was concerned that the cold and dark had permanently altered your physiology and health. This may be the result of your concerns with who I am and what I might have planned for you. Obviously, I can’t give you solace through promises alone, so I’ll give you something else. My name is Leonard Knox, and if your profile is correct, we’re of an age with each other. However, I wasn’t a part of the initial resistance groups that stood against the Dragon King. I suppose I should regret it, but I can’t help but feel that my indecision saved my life.”

His fingers left her wrist and steps echoed across a wooden floor. He set something down on nearby and she could hear him sitting back in a creaking chair.

“Not that you should feel any better from hearing that. You were obviously willing to risk your life on the frontlines, and – it would appear – multiple times since then. Unfortunately, I can’t remove that plate from your back; it appears to be connected directly to your spinal cord, and any attempt to remove it would more than likely kill you. I imagine that would be an ignominious end to a life spent fighting.”

His chair creaked and as he leaned forward. His voice was quieter than before as he spoke, making her think that his chair faced away from her.

“You’ve been out of the world for so long, and now you’ll be thrust back in. I can’t say I envy you. Whatever plans they have for you… sometimes, I wonder if working for the Dragon King wouldn’t be so terrible. But then, I remember what his soldiers did to the hospital in which I had worked for so long… I wonder, do you have any images that haunt you quite as terribly as the ones that haunt me? All those children…”

The chair creaked again as he rose out of it, moving further away from her and opening another creaking door.

“I would suggest you rest, but I imagine you’ll continue to think yourself in danger. I don’t believe I could dissuade you of that – not at the moment anyway. But just know that while I may have joined the conflict late, my fervency is no less than your own. I will see that dra- demon dead if it costs me everything I am. And I imagine that when you rise from that bed, you will do the same.”

The door closed, and Almana was left in silent darkness.

Nice post, dude. I'll leave you a message before I head out, because I've been thinking of a cunning plan, that I would love if you could join in with, too. Obviously, it is your call... But it would be awesome if you could help me out on this one. Anyway, I'll leave a detailed message about it. XD

[Apocalyse! Cold Vision of the Great War] - Part Two

They met in the Hangar. Dan had his troupe with him and they all looked to be ready, so they began a quick maintennance check on the aircraft, to make sure that it was in order mechanically, then, they started loading their gear onto the craft.

'We don't know what will happen on this trip. We have to get to a location about 90 miles southwest of this base, so we will all have to be ready to move at any given moment, understood? Right. I am commanding this mission, and Dan will act as coordinator, and Captain of the Rengou forces.'

'Yes, sir!!!' The squad members echoed loudly.

Dan nodded and then jumped onto the craft, following suit with what Katsu was doing. The otehrs eventually followed, trying not to waste any time. Once they had all boarded, Katsu sent Dan to fly the craft, as he was talented in using mechanical vehicles, such as the craft. Katsu took the next seat to act as navigator, since he had the chart with the location firmly set. Finally, they lifted off. The Hangar door opened, after Katsu pressed the remote control button, which controlled access to the Hangar.

'Alright, are you ready?'

Dan nodded. 'I'm always ready, sir.'

It was a rare sight to see, being able to see such wonders as the Himalayas from a bird's eye view. They were such beautiful mountains and one of the few sources of beauty left in the desolate world. The Dragon King's presence in this world was so utterly chaotic, that a huge proportion of the planet itself had become a barren wasteland from the massive resource consumption of the Dragon King and his troops.

'The location is close to Everest, so we'll have to be extremely careful. We can't risk being seen, so we'll have to use Stealth Mode soon, otherwise we may be picked up by Ravens or a patrol. When we arrive there, I will take half our forces into the location to confer with the psychic. Dan and the rest of the troops will guard the craft, in case of an attack while at the due location. Is this all heard and understood?' Katsu explicated to all of them.

'Yes, sir!' Came the anticipated reply.

'Alright. We should be there in about twenty minutes. Make sure all your weapons are ready to use at any given time, and please make sure that you brought enough ammo and medical supplies. This mission cannot fail, understood? This is an imperitive mission that Colonel Armand specifically asked me to take charge of. According to him, this psychic knows a Prophecy, one that will foretell the end of the world for good.'

Dan shuffled in his seat. 'Sounds like a load of bullshit to me, sir.'

'That makes no difference. The mission is still important. If this Prophecy comes to past, then Earth will be no more - no humans, just a barren hole of a planet, incapable of supporting any human life. That is why we need to hear it for ourselves and try to defeat the Dragon King.'


-To Be Continued-

I will post the last installment for this post over the next couple of days.

*Bloodshot eyes* "Must.....catch up on.....RP's......must.....write....post...­.&q­uot­;

@Wanta. Lol, you sound suspiciously tired, dude. XDD

(Been writing too much without sleep?)

(Well I have been without sleep, but writing is only one of the reasons XD Busy week.....)

(Heh, you sound like me, then. Except, I'm just writing, watching anime and contributing to new clubs. XD)

I will post my final one later tonight. XD

(Okay. Quick post.)

[Silver Knight]


Several slaves walked by hurriedly, glancing over at Chihiro as they passed. She had slumped against the wall an hour ago and fallen unconscious. Luckily for her, nobody had found her. She was in bad shape. Her left eye was swelled up and there were red marks covering a good portion of her body. She had been whipped mercilessly on the whim of a soldier that was bored.

The other servants had tried to move her to a more secretive location, but it turned out not to be necessary. People walked right by her without even noticing her presence, which was a luxury the other slaves couldn't enjoy. Chihiro just had that gift. She hated it, but being invisible was the dearest wish of all of the slaves.

Because of this, the other slaves never showed too much kindness towards her. After all, she never even entertained the thought of escaping. If she wanted to, she might even be able to walk right out the front door, but she was too cowardly for the thought to even cross her mind.

A couple of the servants watched as a young man walked down the very hall that Chihiro was in. Unlike the rest, he stopped right beside Chihiro and looked directly at her. The servants gulped and immediately made themselves scarce, not wanting to see what happens next.

Five minutes later, Chihiro's eyes twitched as she slowly regained consciousness. She opened her eyes with a low moan and looked directly ahead to find that there was a face only a few inches away.

It took Chihiro a couple seconds for the implications to sink in, then her face paled and she gulped.

"Oh crap! oh crap! oh crap! oh crap! oh crap!" Chihiro thought frantically. Her mind was reeling. She was caught. This was bad.

The man stared at her and moved his head back about a foot. now that Chihiro got a good look at him, she recognized him as the man from earlier. This time she was able to get a look at him. He had snow white hair with silver colored eyes. He wore a standard soldiers uniform, but held himself like a high ranking officer.

"How come every time I see you, you're either zoned out or unconscious?" He sounded like he was making a joke.

Chihiro didn't respond. He noticed this and he smiled at her, but Chihiro never put much stock in smiles. She had pretty much grown up as a slave. To her, smiles meant that they had come up with a particularly gruesome punishment.

Chihiro hurriedly got to her feet. The man looked curious and slowly stood up as well. The moment he had stood up, she bowed hurriedly, once again waiting for reprimand, but like before, it never came. Instead, the man continued speaking.

"There's no need to be embarrassed. You must have been pretty tired to fall asleep in an uncomfortable position like that."

A bit of sweat dropped from Chihiro's forehead. Now that he mentioned it, her back hurt like hell. He noticed her trying to hide it and smled.

"Come with me. We'll go somewhere where you can sit down."

Twenty minutes later, Chihiro and the man sat in chairs facing each other, only a small table between them. Chihiro looked around nervously. This guy was weird. Why not just punish her and go on his way?

"Well then. This is comfortable."

He glanced at her when she didn't answer and frowned.

"Hmm...not the talkative type I see. So what's your name? Even slaves must have names, right?"

There was still no response and he sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Will you tell me if I order you to do it?"

The girl slowly shook her head, a tremble coming from her fingers.

"It might mean punishment."

Another shake of the head.

"Do you at least know HOW to speak?"

A nod.

"That's good. Well I'll probably be seeing you fairly often anyway. We'll work on the whole talking thing then, okay?"

The man looked at her. She was shaking slightly, but was trying to hide it. She probably thought this was some prelude to a vicious beating, which sadly, probably happened quite often.

"My name is Roland. There's no need to tell me yours. You can whenever you're ready. In the meantime, let's get something to eat."

He smiled, but the smile faded when she nodded and stood up.

"I didn't mean that I wanted you to fetch me some. Sit back down."

She looked confused, but sat. Roland smiled and called over someone to feed them. Chihiro looked at him as he talked to the person. Why was he being nice? A trick? She didn't think anyone would go this far just to trick her into letting her guard down, but why else would he show kindness to her, a simple slave?

Roland sent the man on his way and turned his attention back to her, but she stood up abruptly. He frowned as she bowed low and ran off. He sighed.

"She sure is a feisty one."

Interesting post, dude. XD

(In the end, I didn't quite finish the post the way I wanted, so I may delay a couple of days and make it an awesome one, I think.)

Is everyone interested in continuing this? I will post in a few days, so if you guys are, please let me know. Thanks.

I'm still interested, though we do have to talk about plans for Almana with your characters.

Sweet as man. I think that was my fault - I was supposed to message you about it... I'll get back to you on that one, because I spent a bit of time away and need to re-read this forum, so I can remind myself of all the plans I had made for this. XD

I'm still having trouble figuring out what my plans for my character are.

Hmmm, message me and I'll help you out, dude. I am having a bit of writer's block myself, but Iwll post my next one when I can. I know I've been saying that a lot, but things have been busy lately, so I'll do my best. XD

^Indeed. I'm not even sure if she's gonna be a good guy or a bad guy.

Lol. Well, I'm sure you'll think of something, man. There's certainly no rush, anyway. Just take your time and think about it and see how it turns out. XD

[Talons of the Genius in Denial]

Much of Eurasia had been turned into a sea of rocky mountains and earth ever since it had been conquered by the man known as the Dragon King along with his large army of soldiers. Though they had technically been conquered, many people had yet to given in to the rule of the tyrannical ruler. Of course, everyone was aware of the Rengou—the resistance group that was receiving more support than the Dragon’s Teeth would have liked. However, there were also other, more insignificant groups that attempted to pointlessly fight against the Dragon King with rebellions. The Dragon King’s response to them was short and simple; smother with force to stamp out the embers of mutiny.

A small force of Dragon’s Teeth had been dispatched against one such group closer to the country known as Mongolia. They were armed and certainly passionate, but they stood little chance against the dominant spirit of the Dragon’s Teeth, only getting mowed down far too quick to even call it a skirmish.

“Well, they may damn well have asked for a death sentence.” Lieutenant-General Corbin sighed as he watched the fighting from atop a rocky cliff above the valley. Corbin was a tall man who wore thin armor that bared his thighs, stomach, and arms and had long black hair thrown in a wild fashion, giving the impression of a jungle man. He put his hands on his hips as he shook his head back and forth. “Their tactician and general must not be the brightest to have let themselves get trapped so easily. When facing military might, you need a proper strategy to win with, right general?”

Corbin looked back toward the woman in full armor who stood right behind him on the same cliff. She had long red hair with a hairband shaped like dragon’s scales holding her bangs out of her eyes. Strapped to her back was a long spear that was taller than her when held up right. She was the infamous General Ilia the Valiant, the genius military tactician and war goddess loyal to the Dragon King.

“Do not be so shallow, Corbin.” Ilia chided disapprovingly. “The enemy did not engage in combat without a plan of any sort. They planned to remain within the valley and hope that we would be too wary to enter. Any fool knows that putting your cavalry on low ground leaves them open to the snipers. It was a fairly thought through and thoroughly average plan.”

Which was why they had been so easily countered by the military might of Ilia’s force. Though this was a small portion of what she normally commanded and the enemy was a half-assed group of idealists, she did not hesitate to thoroughly crush them as she would any other enemy. In many ways, she was crueler than even the Dragon King himself.

However, she was still considered second in military prowess when Isaac Rainsville was involved and Winslow Torchinovich was still known as the best tactician. Even so, people still tried to praise her for her genius for being so close to them both at once. She didn’t want to hear anything of it, though. Genius? Prodigy? Blessing? She worked herself to the bone in order to be what she is and people tried to pass it off as mere luck bestowed to her by some god? She’d deny this with every fiber in her body.

“Corbin, begin to have the army retreat. Leave only enough to finish this meaningless fight so we can move on more quickly.”

“Huh? But why? Are you planning on showing mercy?”

“Their spirits have been broken and they won’t be foolish enough to challenge us again so long as they breathe. We’ll leave the survivors to tell the story of the might of the Dragon’s Teeth; as if there needs to be more stories added to what has already been told.”

“But what if they don’t get the message? Some people are hard to break, you know.”

Ilia sighed as she focused her eyes on Corbin and the young lieutenant-general raised his arms in submission.

“Alright, alright, I understand.”

Ilia turned her eyes back toward the bloody battlefield as Corbin spoke to a few nearby soldiers, giving them new orders. Ilia was impatient to move on from this. She didn’t mind putting down rebellions on her free time, but she was in an unspoken competition with the other generals to find the Rengou first. Her wonderful spear—named Gungnir, after the legendary spear of Odin—would be the one to pierce through the throng of rebellious fools who dared to stand against the Dragon King.

The problem is finding and dealing with them. Ilia bit down on her thumb nail as she thought, turning her back to the fighting as she grimaced. From what we know, they are not a single military faction, so simply finding them won’t lead to a straight confrontation. They would strike from behind or below…somewhere those who stand on top wouldn’t bother looking. That is the type of people who would perform a coup d’état, after all.

“…Hah…hah…hah…I finally…reached…hah…you!”

Ilia’s thought process was broken by the sound of panting and she turned her attention to a ragged looking Asian standing before him in what looked like a military uniform from the last era, before the Dragon King’s rule. He held a hand gun and knife and looked physically fit, but his shirt was matted with blood and he was clearly exhausted from having made it up from the valley. Even so, he pointed the gun in Ilia’s direction as he struggled to catch his breath.

“You’re…the general…aren’t you?” The man continued panting. “If I get rid of you…we’ve won!”

“I do not understand your language, but I’m sure I can guess at your hostile plans.” Ilia responded without much expression as she stared coldly at the man before her, showing no fear toward the gun. “I’ll praise you for making it this far alive, but you are unfortunate. A person at your level would not be able to scratch me while in top form, let alone wounded. Return to the battlefield; your proper resting place awaits you.”

The Mongolian soldier just ground his teeth as he aimed his gun directly toward Ilia’s forehead. The Dragon Teeth’s general sighed as she raised one hand toward the shaft of the spear casually. But before her fingers could do more than stroke the shaft, a figure slammed into the soldier’s side, knocking the air right out of him. His eyes widened in shock as a pair of jaws gripped his chest and crushed his ribcage before he even hit the ground.

Corbin wiped his bloody mouth on his sleeve with a disgusted expression as he stood straight over the shuddering body of the soldier he’d attacked with an animal-like move. Ilia’s hand lowered from her spear as she saw this.

“Sorry for not killing you in the first blow.” Corbin apologized as she frowned at the croaking soldier. “Either my teeth or your own bone shrapnel pierced your lung, so you won’t last long enough to even bleed out, probably.”

Corbin regarded the man’s pained expression a moment longer before sighing and clamping his jaws around his neck. Corbin’s teeth were noticeably sharper than a normal man’s—as if he had the orifice of a predatory animal. His abnormal reflex and even appearance were also an indication to the man’s unique traits.

“We’re all set to go.” Corbin reported to Ilia as he stood up once more. “The rear guard is prepared in case anyone tries to pursue for vengeance, which seems likely.”

“If they refuse to stand back and stay their arms, do not hesitate to take their lives.” Ilia ordered firmly as she walked off with long strides. “They’ll learn to value a life properly soon enough.”

Nice post! I think that might be the motivation I needed to start writing again! XD

Can't have a king who conquers the world without his reliable generals >:D I may add another who leads the naval forces if I end up feeling like it.

General Ilia the Valiant

Age: 39

Affiliation: Dragon’s Teeth

Appearance: She has long red hair that extends down to her hip and has her bangs held out of her eyes with a hairband that resembled dragon’s hide. A hairpin is placed on either side of her temple and resemble leathery dragon wing. She has fair colored skin and a tall and somewhat imposing body. She resembles a woman who was once a beautiful and popular athlete and had yet to completely lose all the signs of former youth. She wears armor specially made to be light while also being able to defend against the sharpest swords and most dangerous guns. On her back is a long spear that she names Gungnir.

Personality: Smart, beautiful, athletic, and fiercely loyal, Ilia would most definitely have been an ideal and successful person in the previous era where peace reigned through the illusion of democracy. She is merciless when it comes to war tactics and does not hesitate to crush a cockroach, sheep, or wolf all at the same full strength. She will swing her spear in any direction so long as it is for the sake of the Dragon King and does not care for a person’s lineage or past, so long as they would do the same. However, she does avoid meaningless bloodshed, preferring to gather more loyal subjects for the Dragon King rather than simply killing off all of his enemies.

History: Simply put, Ilia is an overachiever, which is ironic considering her attitude toward blessings. He was born in a family that had always supported the Dragon King, which made it one of the few noble houses that sprung up with the Dragon King, which gave Ilia an advantage as it was. However, she denied her blood when she saw what special treatment she was being given, refusing to accept what she had not earned personally. After casting aside her family name, she strove to become the best through personal achievement and effort. Even with that alone, her genius led her to be the best spear wielder among her fellows and she joined the Dragon’s Teeth at an early age. She rose through the ranks rapidly, like a low leveled character in an rpg who had defeated a high leveled boss alone. People have called her a genius and said that what she had was a blessing from the gods, but she vehemently challenged these claims, insisting that her success did not come from something so unreasonable.

Abilities: Ilia is a peerless spear wielder and is an expert when it comes to using the sword, axe, bow, and even more modern day weaponry such as gun. However, her preference is the spear as it feels the most natural for her. She uses fire magic along with her close combat skills and rides a unique mount granted to her by the Dragon King as a reward for her valiant success and loyalty on the battlefield.

Morgan

Age: Unsure; probably 17

Affiliation: Dragon’s Teeth

Appearance: Morgan is a young girl with short black hair that reaches her neck, showing signs of being wavy in nature. Morgan has a thin and lithe body, wearing a sleeveless jumpsuit and boots. However, her body is nearly completely hidden by the cloak she wears over her body, hiding her whole body, including her face when she pulls up the hood.

Personality: Morgan is ironically quite cheerful and has an almost childish enthusiasm. She enjoys playing games of any nature, especially difficult ones that require critical thinking and physical application all at once. She is the most shamelessly self-driven in the army and will willingly display her blunt attempts to impress others, especially those who are known for their own talent and rank. Her chipper attitude tends to make it difficult to realize she is a skilled killer who has been desensitized to bloodshed and death in general. Even when on the subject of war and famine, she takes a naïve and playful tone despite her rapt comprehension of the situation.

History: Morgan was a child somewhere an eastern European village that was trampled by the advancing Dragon’s Teeth army. The villagers were promptly slaughtered, but the children were spared and taken into the army to be trained into soldiers—a basic and typical, yet efficient method to increase one’s military size. Since Morgan was not even two years of age when she was taken, she does not recall her family of anyone in the village or where it was. Since she does not know of her exact day of birth or place of birth, she just randomly chose the same birthday as the person she respects the most—i.e. Winslow.

Abilities: Morgan is an accomplished fighter, able to use swords and spears and fight just like any other soldier. However, her talent with stealth and tricks was too much to ignore, so she was trained to snipe and use knives expertly along with several other means of killing someone easily from the shadows. Morgan wears arm guards that sprout three long curved spikes that curve back up her arm, able to block blades and dig into a body to prevent them from moving, resembling actual dragon’s teeth in both shape and function.

Interesting characters. I think I may add another at some point - but I'm not yet sure. It will depend on when my next bout of inspiration comes on. XD