A Hero's Quest

((I'm going to go ahead and get the ball rolling. Others can feel free to join in. My OOC will always be in double parentheses.))

"Presenting her majesty, Queen Alia of Mesania, Lady of Mesa."

"Your majesty, welcome. It's an honor to have you here in my home." Desmond said, bowing respectfully as the Queen and her small entourage of guards entered the main hall of NorEaster fortress.

The Queen clearly had a different idea of what constituted a "home," but kept her opinions to herself. The Baron had insisted that she stop here on her way to the peace summit in Andraste, and she felt it would be wrong to criticize his choices right now. He was her host, and if he wanted to live in a cliffside fortress that was his prerogative. It didn't surprise her, the Baron was a military man to the core. "The pleasure is mine. I can't stay long, though. The sooner we see an end to this fighting the better."

"Please, your majesty, I really must ask you to reconsider. Andraste won't-" Desmond started, but was interrupted.

"I'm well aware of your objections, but I'll be going nonetheless. Thank you, however, for your concern." Alia said calmly, but firmly.

The Baron opened his mouth to reply, then stopped, reconsidered, and started over. "If you won't heed my objections, at least take some of my guard. They know more about fighting Andraste than many Andrasteans, and if things go wrong, there's no one better to have with you." He gestured out the window to where his personal guard trained, battling sparring partners clad in Andrastean armor.

"Again, I appreciate the offer. But I won't be taking any soldiers with me. There's enough distrust between our nations, and NOT for no good reason, I admit," she added, cutting the Baron off before he could talk. "But showing up with an armed guard wouldn't do anything to disarm the situation. I want to lay the foundation for a mutually beneficial, peaceful relationship with our neighbors, and walking into the room with an armed guard is no way to do that."

"With all do respect, your majesty, 'neighbors' don't march onto your property and try to forcibly take it from you. Sian is a neighbor. Galatia is a neighbor, and they're damn good ones at that, aside from all of that magical nonsense spilling out of the south," he cast a dark look i a generally southern direction. "Andraste is an enemy. And enemies need to be defeated, not bargained with. If the throne would just give me free reign to-"

"That's enough, Baron." Alia said, putting a bit more force into her words. "My decision has been made."

"Yes, your majesty. Forgive me. Um, let's move into the dining room so you can have one last taste of Mesanian cooking before you cross the border." The Baron could be stubborn man, but he respected rank and knew when to back down. It was time to drop the subject.

"Yes, that sounds wonderful. Thank you." Alia said, silently agreeing that it was time to discuss other things, and following Desmond down a side hallway to the dining room.

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Rihuul Took his hat off and wiped his sweating brow with his forearm as he stepped into the shade of a huge tree that stood alone in a grassy field. Nolaad was so flat, it was hard to get used to all the hills and valleys here in the north. He uncorked his canteen and took a drink of water, then glanced at the sun. It was mid-afternoon, and he'd been walking almost since dawn, aside from when a passing merchant trader had offered him a ride for a bit. That was where he got the hat. Rigid, dark green fabric with a red and a blue feather in the band around the brim. It actually looked pretty good on him, and the merchant had been willing to take some of his Nolaad coins for it. He said that foreign things like that sold really well in the bigger cities. Rihuul had to admit the hat helped keep the worst of the summer sun off of him.

He put his canteen away and resumed his trek towards the woods at the top of the hill. The road disappeared into them, and the merchant had told him if he hurried, he could reach an inn in the woods but sundown.

Whilst Rahuul climbed his way up the side of the hill, the faint sound of a musical instrument filled the air with a foreign, eastern tone. It was a flute, and sitting on the perch of a branch was a man clad in soft, loose clothes, a sword in sheath laying against his chest and shoulder. He played as softly yet as strongly as the wind itself, giving the air a tune of gentle and swaying sound. The man stopped and looked down through his uniquely snow white hair at Rahuul below him and smiled.

"Hello, fellow traveler~!"

He greeted from his perch up high;"What brings someone like you so far from the cities, or even a school of some sort? You do seem like the scholarly type after all~" He stated, raising an eyebrow at the man below him with his strange, non-matching foreign hat of mystic look and design. That or the design of a scullery maid on a color-high whilst making clothes for the homeless.

Rihuul stopped and turned, noticing the man in the tree for the first time. He glanced down at himself, rough traveling clothes, a pack containing some camping equipment, a bow and arrows, and a long, broad sword across his back, muscles and scars everywhere. "I'm not sure what your scholars look like, but they must quite different from the ones I'm familiar with," he said. Rihuul had always been a man of few words. He was a warrior, words weren't his strong suit.

((There's a description of Rihuul in the brainstorming thread, btw.))

The man raised an eyebrow and looked Rahuul over before smirking:"nope, you look like a general scholar to me...then again, that's dependent on which guild you come from or if you come The University...though judging by your skin coloration, I take it your from none of the above and possibly a foreigner...even more so when you said 'MY' scholar's~" The man then slid his sword into his belt and tied it off;" I am Hinote, self-proclaimed Blademaster extraordinaire, at your service~!", he stated with a bow to the man out of respect and kindness, he then stood once more and tilted his head.

"Per chance...would you be heading towards an inn at the top of this hill?"

The whicker of a horse interrupted the relative calm, followed not long after by a lazy thudding of hooves and the jingling that often accompanies tack, or a decked out rider. In this case, it was both, as a young woman and her horse topped the hill from the eastern side.

Both horse and rider looked annoyed. The horse, obviously of good bloodlines and fine breeding, was a large thing, with feathered hooves and clean mane and tail. With only the barest of white markings on his nose, he was crow black, earning his name of Rook. Mostly, he was annoyed because he was surrounded by thick, green grass and growing things, and his mistress had yet to let him have a bite of it. He was being led by the reins by his walking rider, as if she had grown frustrated with his constant pausing.

The rider herself seemed to be from class and bloodlines as well. If one good thing could be said for Alianna of Caul's father, it was that he had taken well to nobility. His daughters were as well trained in the noble arts as any ninth generation duchess. Whether they chose to use that training, however, was entirely another matter. She was a young woman, though she was surely older than marrying age, with heavy black curls and green eyes, dressed in the simplest of fine riding outfits. Brown leather boots that came past her knees to her thighs, over black breeches and under a forest green tunic, trimmed in a braid of deep blue and silver, the colors of the Caul fiefdom. There was a sturdy, well made bow and quiver on her back, but most of her things were carried in saddle bags on Rook's back. On either of her hands she wore strange, thick, leather gloves with oval shaped black opals set into both palms, the fires inside the gems almost seemed to move. She was annoyed, because the ferry had refused to let her cross with her horse. She had been told, a few days ride along the road, she could try to ferry at another place.


For now, Ali made the inn her target for a well deserved rest.

Her ears perked, as she overheard something. Though Ali refused to admit it, she had been so greatly turned around on her trek away from the river that she wasn't quite sure she was even going in the direction she thought she was going on. "Pardon me, Gentlemen," She intruded, her voice was quiet but strong and level, "I'd like to be sure i'm going where I think i'm going. Is there an inn in this direction?"

((Hey, Hinote, think you could do us a favor and post a character description in the Brainstorming thread? It would be nice to have some details about your character's origin fleshed out. Hinote isn't really a Mesanian-sounding name, so I'm assuming he's from an eastern country?))

"Mm-hm." Rihuul said, nodding. He clapped his right hand to his left shoulder, a Nolaad custom similar to a bow or handshake. "There is." He added to the young woman who approached leading the horse. "I'm headed there myself."

((Sorry it took so long I've been a bit busy. Let me know if I need to fix anything))

"Hmm" the young man said to himself as his destination came into view, his brow dropping into a slight frown as he took note of the three people standing at the base of the hill and conversing. Lightly, he checked the horse with his knees causing it to slow from a canter to a walk. As he slowly closed the distance between himself and the group of what he assumed to be regular travelers he looked them each over, analyzing each of them out of habit. As a member of the thieve's guild he was used to doing this for two reasons. Firstly, he did it to find out how much of a potential threat a person could pose, and secondly he did it in an attempt to get a reading on a person's skills and abilities so that he could come up with a plan of action if he felt that he would need to defend himself. Often times he could accomplish the first goal with ease, but the second could be a bit tricky at times.

After he studied them for a few minutes he shook his head and sighed, then touched his knees to his horse's body twice and it sped once again to a canter, eating away at the distance between himself and the oddly configured group ahead. When he was within one-hundred yards he once again slowed his horse, this time to a trot. His horse's hooves made no noise as he approached the group, but he knew that in an open area like this he would be seen so he forced a smile onto his face to hide the slight bit of awkwardness he felt. He was never one for garnering attention, as a matter of fact, he hated it. He knew; however, that sometimes the situation was unavoidable and when that happened he had to be friendly.

His horse finally came to a stop a few feet away from the group. "What a gathering we have here" he said cheerfully as he adjusted the quiver of arrows on his back and slid down from the saddle. When his feet were on the ground he unslung the strung longbow from his shoulder lying it on the ground next to his foot. He then turned to his saddle and pulled a black square of what looked to be a type of fabric from it. He unfolded it into a bucket which he placed on the ground in front of his horse. Next, he took his canteen and filled the bucket with water, after which he pulled out an apple. The horse crunched loudly on the apple as it ate, then whinnied an tossed its head in appreciation and turned it's attention to the water bucket at it's feet. The young man gave the horse a couple of light pats on the mane then picked up his bow and slung it back over his shoulder, before turning back to the group.

"So, would you mind if I asked why you all are gathered here?"

Rihuul nodded to the newcomer, and gestured toward the woods at the top of the hill. "An inn." he said simply.

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A tall cart trundled along the road, pulled by a pair of donkeys who clearly couldn't care less what the cart carried, where they were going, when they would get there or if the man driving them held a carrot or a stick. Man in question had a similar attitude, and didn't even notice the stowaway almost directly above his head, cheerfully munching on one of his apples.

Heather, for her part, reclined happily in the back of the cart, her feet kicked up on the side of it, laying her head on a bag of fruit. Peering over the edge of the rumbling, creaking vehicle, she saw her destination approaching and rolled over, then hopped out, landing on her feet and tossing the apple core away. She shook out her long brown hair and walked the rest of the way up the road, pushing open the door of the inn.

It was quiet right now, and she walked across to the bar where the innkeeper's wife was cleaning out a glass and took a seat.

"Well, hello, Heather. What a nice surprise." The woman said with a smile. "How've you been? Staying out of trouble I trust?"

"You know me," Heather said with a shrug. The woman raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, what's on the menu tonight, See-see?"

"Cecilia! Another round for me and my new friends here!" Slurred a drunk loudly from the other end of the bar. Sitting next to him were a couple who clearly wished they had picked somewhere else to sit, but were too polite to just get up.

"Damnit, shut up you drunk lazy bastard! I know for a fact you've already spent all your gold, you're not getting another drop!" Cecilia yelled at him.

"It's not on me, it's on my buddy Johnny here." The drunk slurred, draping an arm across the shoulders of the guy next to him, who glanced uncomfortably at the woman.

"I'm sorry, hold on a minute dear," Cecilia said to Heather.

Heather waved her hand as if to say "do what you must."

Slamming the glass down, Cecilia stomped over to the drunk. "For heaven's sake you blasted drunk they're not your friends! You don't have any friends! Now get out of my inn you worthless layabout pig and stop scaring away all of my paying customers!" The hastily got up and stumbled drunkenly out, with Cecilia following him, shouting curses, insults, and threats the whole way.

She returned to the bar and turned back to Heather. "Sorry about that, dear. Now, what were you saying?"

"Just asking what's on the menu tonight." Heather replied as though the prior events hadn't happened.

"Are you sure you can pay for it this time?" Cecilia asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"See-see, come on, have I ever stiffed you?"

Cecilia just crossed her arms.

"Okay, right." Heather said. She pulled a bag out of her satchel and dropped it on the counter. It made the unmistakable sound of gold coins jingling. "There's enough there to cover last time, too."

"Uh-huh. And who, pray tell, did you steal this from?" Cecilia asked, picking up the bag and shaking it.

"No one." Heather said innocently. "I earned it."

Cecilia gave her a disbelieving look. "And I pulled this inn from my arse already built. Try again."

"I earned it," Heather insisted. "By selling some stuff I stole." She added with mock sheepishness.

Cecilia rolled her eyes. "You're a crook and a thief, but at least you're honest. What'll it be?"

The city of Gaul, Andraste, Feo's PoV

The dripping of water outside mixed with the constant clatter, ticking, and tocking from random noises inside my lab. I use the term 'lab' loosely, because it's not really a lab, if you look at the true definition of the word. I don't conduct anything scientific here. If you want some of that mess, you'll have to go next door. All my work is based on reality. If you want to discuss how to kill an animal using a stick that spits fire, you can talk to me. Now, if you're new in town and want someone to explain to you why all the clocks say it's eight am but it's still dark out, you're going to have to go next door, because I don't have time for that.

I was currently working on a Demand. I call it a Demand because the crap I work on generally isn't my idea, it's not fun, and a lot of the time it doesn't make any sense. I have a list of demands that I hang above my fireplace. This current demand was pretty extensive, one that had me working hard not only with the scientist next door, but also the weapons developer across the street.

I held up the narrow pipe I had been working on for the past couple of days. Gazing into it, it looked okay. I was sure the factory workers could have some up with a way for me to do this same thing in at least half the time, but the damned Bureau of Intelligence wouldn't allow me to talk to them, not after the last time. I was still under the impression it was their fault and a cruel joke, but Intelligence didn't care.

I snatched the bullet that took me almost two weeks to get my hands on from the table, and slid it down into the pipe. Then, I turned the pipe vertical and watched it carefully as it fell through. I probably did this about ten times before my clock chimed. Annoyed, I glared at it and put the pipe and bullet down safely, then braced myself for the inevitable.

After a few seconds the wooden door to my lab almost fell out of its frame from someone banging on my door. I reluctantly walked over and opened the door to see a massive man armed with an axe at my door, dripping wet from the rain but not seeming to notice. He glared at me, and I just stood their waiting.

"Well, what have you got for me today, Theldon?" The man barked.

"What do you think, Trob? I've been working on the same damn thing for the last two weeks." I shot back. I was getting sick of this. Every day when work hours ended, this thug from the Bureau of Defense, Trob, showed up to see my progress. He would also make demands for something else if it was necessary (Demands, remember those? Get it now?). He was convinced that his name was supposed to imply he was a demigod somehow. My assumption was that his mother was either retarded or played a cruel joke.

"So, by now you should be done, right?" Trob threw back at me, and I winced. His stupidity was appalling.

"I'd like to see you make a rifle more accurate after this long."

"Watch your tongue, or I'll cut it off." Trob threatened, raising his axe slightly. "This request was made over three months ago. My bosses want results."

"Well, you're lucky I've gotten as far as I have. I'll be seeing the weapons developer tomorrow to work on this more." I muttered. I hated going to the weapons developer. Not because I didn't like him, but because it meant I was going to have to start something else soon, which was always harder than the process itself.

"You'd better be. I'm getting sick of your games." Trob growled before stepping back outside and slamming the door.

I sighed and fell into the big chair I had in front of the fire. The radio on the table not far away was tuned into the news, where the director of the Bureau of Defense was discussing the capabilities of the Mesan army that was gathering on the southwestern wall. I looked up at the old piece of paper with the Demand written in my own sloppy scrawl that had been hung and dated over three months ago. It was a simple statement, but a very complicated demand.

Make guns more accurate.

The City of Gaul, Andraste, Feo's PoV

The next day, I was granted permission to meet the Weapons Developer of the city, a man named Audry. he was a large, muscular man, but was one of the nicest guys in town. I was given permission to leave at noon, and knowing our business, we were given until curfew to work. Hopefully we would be finished by then; you didn't want to be caught out past curfew. Rumors tend to spread about what happens to people caught out after curfew, and non of them are pleasant. Personally, I think the Bureau of Intelligence encourages the rumors, because it helps keeps people from trying to disobey the curfew.

Noon for Gaul was 6am. Andraste doesn't have time zones. Ages ago, the Council decided that Andraste would have their own time, and as the country was so big, mid-day was a different time for many places. Some people say that they did it so it was easy to tell what time it was wherever you were. Others thought it was to unify the nation. I just thought it was some big egotistical bastard who thought Andraste was the most important friggin thing on the planet, so everyone should use the same time.

On my way to the meeting I walked passed the city school. Andraste schools worked differently than most schools. Instead of grading children on progress and giving them advice on a career path, Andraste schools would focus classes on subjects children excelled in. So, say you got a bad grade in Biology one year. Next year, you probably wouldn't even have it, but in its place you spent longer in Math, because you got a good grade in Math. It's pretty much a screening process, because the government appoints your job. So by the end of your schooling, you're very well educated in the subject of your field, but you don't have all that extra fluff you don't need from extra subjects. If you don't excel in anything, you're sent into the Andraste Army. If you excel at everything, you are accepted into the government.

I made it to my meeting and was greeted by a cheerful Audry who seemed to be looking forward to my visit.

"Feo my boy, how have you been!?" The man roared in greeting.

"Very well, Audry. And you?" I asked, cleaning off my glasses.

"Pretty good. Yesterday was a bitch, what with the rain and all. Today won't be much better. It's so sunny the heat and humidity will next to kill me. But alas, we must work. So, what have you got for me?"

"This." I said, and handed him my metal pole, and he examined it.

"Ok... what's this one for?" Audry asked, looking the pole up and down. "It really is annoying that you're never allowed to tell me much."

I ignored the disgruntled look Audry had adopted, and instead got down to business. I felt like I was being watched again. Of course, we were probably always being watched.

"It's the barrel for a rifle." I said.

"Oh-ho, they have got you working with the big boys now huh? Alrighty then, say no more. I'll have to do some work on it before it will be ready, but luckily I just got a shipment of new parts for rifles that I'm supposed to put together, and I can just use this instead of one of the other barrels. it'll still take me a little bit to get this one ready, so get comfy."

I sighed, already expecting this. I didn't know how to build a gun, that was Audry's job. Once he was finished I would have to take it to someone tomorrow for them to test it, because I sure as hell didn't know how to fire a gun, and if I tried I'm sure the police would be on my head faster than I could figure out how to pull the trigger.

So, seeing as I had nothing else to do and no way to help Audry, I took his advice, got comfy, and took a well deserved rest from working. This wasn't unusual for me to have nothing to do when I went to Audry, so I already had my favorite chair here; I went over to it and watched the few people walking down the streets. Women, going to the store. Travelers and merchants, milling around trying to sell their merchandise. I looked up at the blue sky, dark clouds in the west as the storm retreated with the wind. I stared at the telephone lines, which I had actually designed myself. I didn't come up with the lines themselves, that was some other man years ago. But after Andraste took over Gaul a couple years ago, they needed someone to update the city with telephone lines, and they recruited me for the task. It was actually my first Demand when I arrived here. I designed the poles, how to set them up so they wouldn't fall, and how to attach the lines to the poles. It wasn't a hard job and hadn't required much time on my part. It took them almost a year to finish the city, though. The Operator was down the road farther, about five blocks from Aurdy's place. I was proud of the lines though. It made me feel more important to the city.

When Audry finished, it was almost curfew. I half walked, half jogged back home, worried I would still be out past curfew, but I was only across the street, so I didn't need to worry too much. Even so, I could practically hear the police air-craft taking off, even though it was miles away. It was instinct.

Once inside, I placed the new rifle on the table. It was a beautiful piece of equipment, and I just hoped it would perform tomorrow. Once Trob arrived tonight, the Bureau of Defense would waste no time setting up a test for tomorrow. The Bureau of Defense never wasted any time.

I drifted off, the last thing I saw before falling asleep was the single bullet I was granted, sitting on the table next to the rifle.

It was pretty clear that there was nothing left to do here. Rihuul turned his attention away from the others and stalked up the hill. The sun was starting to set and even though the immediate area had even terrain populated by trees and grass, this region in the south of Mesania, the Southern Highlands, had some of the highest elevation in the country, and at night it got cold.

The trees at the top of the hill were thick, and it was like the sun set instantly as Rihuul stepped into their shadow. He could see the lights of the inn just ahead though, and allowed himself to relax a bit. Finally, he could get a good meal, clean himself up, and have a night in a real bed. He had come a long way, through a lot of wilderness. Through desert, over ocean, and through forest and field. Civilization was scarce in those parts. It was nice to be back around people.

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"So, will you be spending the night, m'lady?" Desmond asked.

The queen speared a chunk of meat on her fork and dipped it in the thick sauce the Baron's cooks had prepared. "No, Desmond, I'm sorry to leave so soon after dinner but I really can't waste any more time. Every moment wasted is another chance for an Andrastean airship to be shot down or a bomb to go off and completely ruin what little diplomatic progress I've made." A series of cannon shot sounded in the distance, as though to underscore the point. The Andrastean border was a violent place.

"As it is, it's taken a month just to get them to agree to this summit." She popped the beef in her mouth. The Baron's food was a strange blend of field rations - bare bones nutrition with flavor and presentation coming second - and royal cuisine. Somehow, the cooks made the two work quite well together.

The baron decided to keep his opinions on the matter to himself. The queen's mind was made up, and arguing with her would only serve to annoy her. Instead, he decided to focus on more long-term things. "So, what do you have planned for the spring festival in Mesa? It's scheduled for just after your return, isn't it?"

"Yes, well, while I would love to stay and chat," Ali drawled, in her most polite Lady voice, which was very clearly a sham. She nodded at Rhiuul's retreating back, and she settled her body into the saddle as if it were a comfortable seat she melded to, "That one's got the right idea. Well met, merry meet, all that." She nudged her feet against Rook's sides, and the horse snorted and brought up his head in annoyance.

He had finally stopped to crop at that lush grass under his feet, and now the lady wanted to move on. He could have rolled his eyes at the whole thing. But she pressed a knee against his side, and he did not fight as he started up the hill at a trot as she told him. Jingling quietly, with the rhythm of the thud of her mount's hooves, Ali headed toward the inn.

It would be good to get some rest, and a meal that she hadn't been carrying in her things for days. She could have hunted, it was true, hunting was a talent of hers but she had instead decided to spend as little time as possible doing anything but traveling. She looked forward to a bath, a bed, and a hot meal and she was sure Rook looked forward to grain and hay and a stall.

She passed Rhiuul shortly, and she gave him a short nod as she passed simply to be polite. She was not sure if this was a journey she wanted to spend making friends, though all of her other adventures had provided her with plenty of friends and acquaintances all over Mesania. For now, she would keep to herself and see what all these others were up to.

On reaching the inn, she was quite glad to gracefully swing a leg over her saddle and drop to solid earth. She handed Rook's reins to a stable boy, who stared with wide eyes at the coin she flipped him. "See he gets a little honey in his oats, boy, and don't skimp. We've had a hard journey and my boy needs to eat." She rubbed an affectionate hand over the tiny blaze on Rook's nose, "And I'll give you another bit of silver if you bring my bags up to my room." As he nodded and went to do as she bid, Ali nodded her approval and slid inside.

She was careful to scan the whole room from the door, the best vantage point she had. Her father had shared a few of his tendencies, including a need to constantly be aware of any and all possible threats. It was a habit that had served her well, and she was sure it would again. Once she had gotten a feel for the place, she turned her attention to the serving maid and walked with purpose to where she stood.

In a quiet, polite voice she procured herself a room and a hot meal to be brought up to it when she headed up there. With that done, she awarded herself a victory drink, and plopped herself down at an empty table with a glass of the priciest brandy the inn had to offer. Though she was not one for grand displays, public finery, balls and the like, Ali's upbringing had instilled a sort of taste for the finer things in life where and when she could get them. She swirled the glass in her hand before drinking deeply from it, leaning back in her seat with her feet up in another one, crossed at the ankle.

The City of Gaul, Andraste, Feo's PoV

I was right when I thought the Bureau of Defense would waste no time in setting up a test. However, I wasn't quite prepared for what they had in mind.

I pondered this as I stood in the middle of a field in the dead of night, surrounded by lit torches with a target about 50 feet away with torches around it to light it up.

Not long after I had fallen asleep, Trob, the fat brute had barged into my lab, grabbed me and the new weapons, and marched back out again. When we arrived at this field, Audry was already standing there with two more Bureau goons standing threateningly close by.

"So, now that we're all here, let's get started. What is this thing supposed to do, eh?" Trob growled, holding up the new weapon.

"In theory, this weapon should be able to shoot a target much more accurately than previous rifles of similar quality. As to how much of a range improvement there is, I'm not sure, as that knowledge would be reserved for testing results, but my guess is somewhere around five times more accurate. This increase could also go up with trial and error, perfecting the design of the barrel of the gun." I spoke up. I had learned long ago that delaying the inevitable lead to nothing but pain with the Bureau of Defense.

Trob nodded slowly. I knew he had almost no idea what I had said beyond "five times more accurate", but that was my little happy moment.

"Ok, so how does it work?" Trob asked, turning to Audry.

"The gun has received some minor improvements over the weapons we use now. Most of these improvements are so small most people won't even notice them, but the main difference is the reloading procedure has changed. Instead of inserting the bullet and gunpowder down the barrel, there is now an opening at the base of the handle which is were the bullet and gunpowder will be inserted. The new method is easier, less awkward, and faster than the older method." Audry explained.

Trob nodded, pondering this fact, before he nodded and handed the gun to me. I looked at his with raised eyebrows.

"Test it." He said.

"Umm, I'm not so sure that's a great idea." I said, butterflies quickly filling my chest. "You see, I may design guns, but I don't use them. I've never shot one in my life. Someone might get hurt."

"Yeah, someone might get hurt. But not me. Now fire the gun or you'll be thrown in prison for attempted murder." Trob growled.

I heard this, but it went through one ear and out the other. Attempted murder? It all seemed to come together. The Bureau thought that I was trying to sabotage the weapons. I don't know why they would think that though. Maybe this was punishment for taking too long, or for the disastrous end to the demand fulfilled a couple months ago. I'm not sure, it could be anything, the stupid bastards always assuming that-

"Feo, test it." Trob growled in a low voice, very threatening.

I glared at him, and took the rifle I had been working on for so long. Hands shaking, I looked over the rifle, getting a feel for it. It was about four feet long from the tip of the barrel to the end of the handle. It looked devious to me, but ultimately, it was a hero, defending us from the wrath of Mesa and its allies. I took a moment to get a feel for its weight, how it was supposed to be held when fired. I looked down the sight, getting an idea of where the projectile was supposed to go.

When I was ready I looked back at Trob, who handed me a single bullet without speaking. It took me a second to figure out the loading mechanism, but Audry didn't make it complicated. I carefully inserted the bullet and gunpowder. The gun was heavy so I crouched down on one knee. I took aim, pulled back the hammer, and got ready to fire. From watching other riflemen in my lifetime, I knew the basics. Don't fire unless you're ready for it. Keep your aim steady, take a breath before firing and fire on the exhale.

I did just this, and the force of the blast sent me sprawling on my back. Surprised by the power, I cried out, and the three Defense goons all ran around me, chattering.

"We were right, it did backfire."

"Good thing we didn't test it ourselves."

"Good idea."

"Definitely."

"Wait, no, he's not hurt." Trob said, silencing them.

I got to my feet shakily, gun at my side.

"Go see where he hit." Trob ordered. One of the other goons ran off.

"Well, it works then, but is it more accurate. I guess well see. Good work Feo." Trob said grudgingly.

We all waited for a few seconds before the other goon shouted from the target.

"I don't believe it but, he hit a bullseye!"

Trob's head snapped to stare at me, eyes burrowing into me.

"Fine then. We're going to the Wall." He said.

The Baron watched from the gates as the Queen's carriage trundled away, toward the huge wall that separated Mesania and Andraste, and the smog cloud that hung over it from Andrastean war factories on the other side. He turned and stormed back inside. At a gesture, the gatekeeper slammed the gates shut with a crash of metal. The fortress guards snapped to attention as he passed.

Inside, in his office in one of the towers, the Baron began writing up orders, and called in a messenger. "I have a very bad feeling about this." The Baron said. "Take these orders to the line commanders. We need to reinforce our defenses. If this goes sour, and I'm sure it will," he paused, glancing out the window toward the wall. "It will likely mean war."

The messenger nodded, took the sheaf of papers, and hurried out. When the line commander got them, he set to work immediately. Canons were loaded and scouts were dispatched. Mages and witches began shoring up defensive spells, and Blue Moon Shadow Masters began summoning creatures to reinforce the troops. The troops themselves cleaned and sharpened weapons and prepared armor, readying themselves for battle.

-----------------------

The Queen's carriage approached one of the sets of gates that allowed passage between Andraste and Mesania. The doors had locks all up their height, as well as powerful protective spells barring passage. As she drew closer, a horn was blown, its tone signalling to open the gates and allow the Queen to pass. She didn't like all of this open hostility toward her neighbors, but Alia couldn't deny that it was justified. All the more reason for her to take this mission. It was high time for the fighting to stop.

One by one, the bolts were drawn back, retreating into the walls, and mages and witches on the battlements above chanted softly, undoing the spells that blocked the gates. Flashes of light signaled the removal of the spells. The gates groaned and creaked open and the carriage rolled through, and the gates quickly slammed shut behind it.

On the other side, an airship waited. It had two massive gasbags with armor plating on them floating above it, attached to the metal fuselage by ropes and chains. Four props high on the fuselage spun slowly as the machine idled. The courtyard itself was fortified, clearly built to repel an attack through the gates, and Andrastean soldiers looked down with disdain from the battlements.

The carriage stopped near the airship, and the driver stepped down and opened the door.

The queen stepped from the carriage and approached the airship. She could feel the hateful eyes of the Andrasteans on her as she walked, but she didn't let it phase her. Should understand, to an extent. The two nations had been at war for a long time. She was indirectly responsible for the deaths of many of their friends and comrades, she was sure. But she had a job to do.

The airship pilot stepped out of the side hatch as she approached. He bowed respectfully. "Queen Alia of Mesania," he said. He was polite, but he never took his eyes off of her. "This airship has been chartered by the Bureau of Defense. You will be meeting with the Council in Aora. They're looking forward to meeting you."

Alia nodded. "Thank you. I am eager to get these talks under way myself. I think this fighting has gone on long enough."

At a gesture from the pilot, Alia walked up the gangplank and stepped into the airship. The pilot followed, slamming the hatch behind them.

------------------------------

The airship soared over the Andrastean country side, along with several others. The wall was a busy place, so it was fitting that ships would be coming and going often. The placement of the windows didn't give her a very good view of the ground, but much of what she could see was industrial buildings, spewing smoke into the sky and weapons into the landscape.

Farther away from the wall though, the landscape looked remarkably like Mesania. Mostly fields, though it was easy to see where vast swaths of forest had been chopped down for construction materials and furnace fuels. Here and there, columns of smoke rose into the sky on the horizon, presumably from distant cities. From up here, Andraste didn't see to be a bad place exactly, but certainly different. One notable feature was the networks of electrical wires stretching across the landscape. Mesania didn't have much need for electricity.

It was a long trip, and Alia soon saw what she felt was all there was to see, so she settled in with a book she had brought. An interesting book that discussed what the would may have been like had Andraste and Mesania met on good terms.

------------------------------

Aora was a large city. The pilot announced that they were approaching, and Alia looked out of the window eagerly. She was astounded at what she saw. The city was walled, and had built right up to the walls. It sat amid an expended, dried-up landscape devoid of anything resembling life. Just mud and dirt and garbage all around.

The wall itself was a huge air port, with airships moored all along its length. Some were small, single person craft, some small passenger craft like the one she rode in, some were huge, obviously built to carry many people or cargo. Some only had one gas bag, some had two or more. She saw a couple that had the gas bags mounted under the fuselage instead of above it.

High above, huge armored airships patrolled, obviously military. Gun ports dotted their sides and search lights on the sides and bellies scanned the skies and ground around them.

The airship drifted into a berth along the wall, and clamps extended out to secure it in place. The pilot stepped out of the cockpit and opened the hatch, allowing Alia to exit first, before he stepped out himself.

Four men in full Andrastean clockwork armor stood at the base of the gangplank. "Welcome to Aora," said one. His voice was deep, and distorted by the grill in his helmet. "We're here to escort you to the Council's diplomatic meeting chamber. Please, come with us."

"Thank you," Alia said. She was still a bit awed by the city around her. Mesania didn't have anything like this. They passed into the wall, which had the hustle and bustle usual of ports, except instead of the seafaring garb she usually saw in those places, the pilots all wore long woolen coats, hats that fit snugly on their heads, and goggles. Their crews wore leather pants and coats. Some had goggles and scarves, most had gloves. Clothing more designed to keep one warm at high altitude, rather than dry on the oceans. They stepped onto a platform, then stopped. Alia started to ask what the point of it was, when at the pull of a lever, the platform began to descend. She stumbled, but managed to catch herself before she fell. She had never seen an elevator before.

"I'm alright, I'm okay," she said, before realizing none of the Andrastean guards had moved to break her fall, or even help her up. That miffed her a bit, but she decided to chalk it up to Andrasteans having different ideals from her.

Floor after floor slid by them, all pretty much the same as the last. When they reached the bottom, they stepped out and walked out into the street. There weren't a lot of people out. That was odd, it was the middle of the day. Well, maybe this just wasn't a very busy part of the city. Still something felt wrong.

The few people they did see gave them a wide berth, or even outright ran away. The whole while, her escort in their ticking armor remained impassive and mute.

After a short walk, Alia realized they hadn't actually been on a street, but rather a walking path. The street was quite a bit busier, and also wider. People still went out of their way to avoid them. She understood why when someone, obviously preoccupied reading something, strayed too close. One of the armored escorts, with surprising speed considering his armor, drew his sword and slapped the pommel into the man's head. The man collapsed, badly dazed.

Alia gasped and dropped to her knees next to him. "What did you do that for?!" She shouted at the guard, who had stopped to watch her.

"Your majesty, move away from him."

"Not until I make sure he's alright! Why did you do that? He was just walking! Are you Okay?" she added to the man.

Holding his head, the man looked up at her. He got a strange look, like he couldn't make sense of what he was seeing, then looked at her more carefully, at her face and her clothes, then let out a shriek and got up, running away and shouting about Mesanian witches.

Alia watched him go, baffled.

"You are a dignitary from a hostile nation. There are a lot of people here who would like to dead. We can't take any chances. Let's go." said the guard, sheathing his sword.

Alia continued on with them, and after a moment they came to a motor car. Alia had only seen pictures of these. Never one in person.

"Get in." Said one of the guards, opening to the back door. These guards' blunt way of speaking with her was starting to irritate her, but Alia calmed herself. They had bigger things to worry abut right now. She decided to chalk their lack of manners up to their being soldiers. They weren't royal guards or anything. As soon as she climbed in, the guard closed the door and the car started. There was a panel separating her from the driver.

From inside the car, Alia couldn't see the streets outside. The windows were tinted almost opaque, and all she was able to make out was shapes and shadows. After a short ride, though it was one at a good speed, the car slowed and stopped, and the driver got out and opened her door. Stepping out, she saw a carpet laid out before her leading into the building the car had stopped in front of. The building was tall, looming over everything but three other buildings that were nearly as tall and were all clustered in this area. Spot lights traced up and down their heights, and a few airships drifted overhead. There were small crowds on either side of the carpet, held at bay by a velvet rope. They took pictures with Andrastean cameras and spoke into voice recorders, and wrote on notepads. As she stepped forward two guards took places on either side of her. They didn't wear the clockwork armor that the soldiers had, instead wearing cloth uniforms. Alia wouldn't deny that she felt less intimidated by them.

She was lead inside the building, and over the stairway ahead of her she saw a motto. "Protect, provide, nurture, thrive." She was lead up the stairs and through a pair of double doors. Inside was a long table in a lavishly furnished room. It appeared to be a court of some kind, but with the table where the throne would have been. She was lead to a seat at the near end of the table, then the escorts turned and left, closing the doors behind them, leaving her alone in the dimly lit room.

When no one else entered, she called out. "Hello?" Her voice echoed through the high-ceilinged chamber. A door was heard opening, then a second, and four figured filed out and sat at the opposite end of the table. The only lights in the room were behind them, making it impossible for Alia to see their faces.

"Are you the Andrastean officials I'm here to meet with?" Alia asked. This whole thing was very unnerving. It felt...wrong. True, she wasn't accustomed to Andraste's traditions, but Mesania had hosted Andrastean ambassadors before. Certainly Andraste should make some effort to make a foreign dignitary comfortable.

"Indeed we are." Said one. Each had a small plaque in front of them, and in the dim light, Alia could just make each one out. From left to right they read Minister of Justice, Minister of Defense, The Left Hand, and Minister of Information. They were clearly the heads of the three Andrastean bureaus. Though what was The Left Hand?

"Yes, well, I would like to get down to business if we may? No need to get wrapped up in formalities," not that any formalities had been taken, as far as she could tell. She was getting nervous. This place made her uncomfortable. "I'm here to work out an...a lasting, mutually beneficial peace agreement between our nations."

"Does this mean that Mesania is ready to submit to Andrastean rule?" The Minister of Defense asked.

"N-no. Absolutely not." Alia said, sitting even straighter, if that was possible. "I don't anyone to submit to anyone, I want the fighting to stop."

"The fighting will not stop until Mesania submits to rule by Andraste. Nothing less will suffice!" The Defense Minister said.

"Minister, calm yourself." Said The Left Hand. "I'm beginning to wonder if we haven't been looking at this wrong. Perhaps we've misinterpreted the scriptures." There was silence for a long moment. "Yes. This woman has come a long way to plead this case, and she would not have done so if she were not confident in its credibility." There was just enough light that Alia could make out The Left Hand resting his chin on laced fingers, studying her. "Were this meeting so pointless, surly God would have given her a sign. Something to indicate that her mission would fail."

"Your holiness, if I may," said the Minister of Justice. "Her Gods are not the same as our God."

"Yes, but simply following another God does not change who the one true God of this world is, and he surly would have given her some sign that her venture was sure to fail, if it were. Maybe we should consider her proposal." Said The Left Hand calmly.

Alia was becoming increasingly irritated with the way the were discussing this like she wasn't present. "Ah-hem," she said. "Can we please return to the issue of a peace treaty?"

There was a moment of silence. "Very well," said Defense. "What do you propose?"

Alia had come prepared and produced a map from the bag she had brought. Normally an attendant would carry such things, but the Andrasteans had insisted she come alone. "I've prepared this map. As you can see, the only change we request to the current borders is that the city of Gaul and all land west of it be returned to Mesania."

"Absolutely not! That is simply outrageous." Said Defense. "How does she think we can take her seriously, making these requests?"

The Information Minister spoke for the first time. He drew a breath, then exhaled slowly through his teeth, making an eerie hiss. "M'lady, Alia, you have to understand, Gaul has become a...a very important place for Andrasteans. We have literally brought that city out of the dark ages and made it a model of industry and the potential inherent in Andrastean society and way of life. We can't just give it up." He said.

"Minister, I think our terms are quite generous. Additionally, I think enough people have already died, don't you?" Alia said, narrowing her eyes. The longer she stayed here the less she liked it. The room felt very closed in, even with the size, and she didn't like these Ministers. She was starting to serious doubts about whether NOT fighting Andraste was a good idea or not. "Ministers," she said. "If you aren't ready to consider peace as a viable option, perhaps it's best if we both simply agree on a cease-fire until such time as we are able to come to an agreement. I see now that this was a waste of time. You are not ready for peace, and I am not willing to give what you demand. I apologize for taking your time like this. Good day."

She stood to leave, but as she did, one of the Ministers, Defense, said, "very well, then. I had hoped this wouldn't be necessary, but since she won't cooperate, well, we can't pass up this opportunity."

"What? I-" Alia started, turning back toward the table, when two long mechanical arms descended from the ceiling and took hold of her. "What are you, what's the meaning of this?! Let me go!"

"Your majesty, don't struggle. You'll only hurt yourself," said Information. He stepped out from behind the table, his face still hidden in shadow. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a long syringe.

"What...This...Let me go! Let me go right now! If you continue with this it will be war, do you understand? This will never lead to anything good!" Alia screamed.

"Your majesty, Alia, do stop." Said Information, then jammed the needle into her neck. Instantly something cool flooded her system, and she felt herself losing consciousness. Her vision became blurry and she found that she couldn't remember what she was trying to say. After just a couple of seconds, darkness consumed her vision and she collapsed.

------------------------------

Rihuul entered the inn and smiled. It was small, nearly imperceptible, but it was a smile. There was music coming from the corner, where someone strummed a string instrument that he'd never seen before, but the hearty twang of it was comforting. He sat down alone at a table near the bar where the woman behind it was talking with a young girl.

"...so he puts this knife in my face, like this HUGE knife!"

"Well of course he did, you were robbing him." The woman said.

"No, not him, the other guy! I was already around the corner, remember?" The girl said.

"Okay, so a thief is trying to steal the money you stole, and then what?"

"I faked left and went right, he went left, and I got him in a choke hold, stole his knife, and ran for it!"

The woman shook her head. "When you were a girl I never should have told you my philosophy about belongings. If I knew you'd take that whole 'if you can't keep it you shouldn't have it' thing to heart I never WOULD have told you."

The girl just laughed and kept eating. Sensing that the conversation was over, Rhiuul raised his hand. The woman at the bar paused, did a double take, then came over slowly. "Good evening stranger. Where you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

"South." Rihuul said simply.

"Uh-huh. Well, this close to the border we get a lot of Galatians in here but uh, never seen one that looked anything like you."

Rihuul shook his head. "Farther south. I am from Nolaad. Beyond the Diamond Sea."

"Oh, I get it. Way out of town then."

Rihuul just smiled and nodded.

"You comin' around for business or pleasure then, stranger?" Cecilia asked.

"Starting over." Rihuul said.

"I see. Mind if I ask what happened to the first try?"

Rihuul was silent for a minute, then asked, "what kind of soup do you have?"

Cecilia nodded. Not a chatty one. "I just made a fresh pot of beef stew. I'll get you a bowl."

"Thank you very much. If you have one, I would like a room for the night as well."

"You got it. A lot of adventurers here tonight. First that mage, now some dark guy from Nolaab or wherever..." Cecilia muttered, disappearing into the back.

Rihuul turned back to the rest of the inn, watching the people go about their business. At one table were a group of men, they looked like traveling men, like maybe merchants or something, drinking and laughing. In a corner, a large group played a game with marked stones and a couple of metal discs. The girl that Cecilia had been talking to minded her own business at the bar, occasionally stealing glances toward other patrons. Rihuul gathered the girl was a thief, and apparently a good one. He made a note to keep his valuables close, not that he had many.

Cecilia came out of the back with a steaming bowl and a spoon and put it down in front of Rihuul. "Here you go, hon. First bowl's on the house with a room, so eat up."

"Thank you," Rihuul said, bowing his head to her.

"Any time," Cecilia nodded.

Just then the door opened, loudly. "Honey, I'm home!" A man shouted, followed by loud laughter. Cecilia swore and Heather lowered her head.

Four men entered. They looked a bit like travelers, but not the kind like the men sitting at the table. They looked rougher. Bandits or mercenaries, maybe.

"Who are they?" Rihuul asked.

"Some third-rate bandits that think they run these parts. Go running with their tails between their legs as soon as they see a soldier though. The leader's name is Gad." Cecilia said.

Three of the men strode into the inn while the fourth stood by the door and reached into his bag.

"Yeah, but I don't see any soldiers around right now love, so how about fixing me and my mates here something to eat? You see, we've been working hard, and we're hungry." Gad said. "Hey, what the bloody hell are you?" He shouted, looking at Rihuul.

Rihuul remained silent.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!"

Rihuul looked up, looked into Gad's eyes for a moment, then went back to his stew. This bandit was no threat. He was far from a worthy opponent, and Rihuul had nothing to say to him. He wasn't worth Rihuul's time in any way.

"Are you ignoring me? Hey! You see this fucking weirdo ignoring me? Do you have any idea who I am?" Gad shouted.

Rihuul continued ignoring him.

"Just leave him alone." Heather muttered.

"What was that?" Gad said, rounding on Heather.

"Gad you son of a bitch you leave-" Cecilia started, but gad drew a knife and pointed it at her.

"Now, now, now, just wait. I think I recognize you." He said, walking slowly toward Heather, who still had her back to him.

The man by the door pulled a hammer and something else out of his bag. He pressed the thing to the door frame, then gave it a solid smack with the hammer.

"Yeah, I know you! You're that girl, that thief what took my gold earlier today! What luck boys, I'm gonna get my gold back!" The other three cheered.

As the thing came away from the door, Rihuul saw that the hammer strike had left an impression in the wood. A circle with an inscribed triangle. The man pressed two fingers to the mark. There was a sound like wood grinding on wood, and then thick wooden bars grew out of the door frame, blocking the doorway.

Heather swore under her breath and tried to run, but Gad grabbed her. She bit his hand and he swore and let her go. "Get her!" he yelled.

Rihuul was up in a second and standing between Heather and the men. They were blocking the steps to upstairs, and the door was blocked. The girl was trapped.

"Listen hero, you'll get yours, but first, she has to make up for all the inconvenience she caused me."

"You won't touch her. She is a child." Rihuul said. His voice was different from the one that had asked for stew. This one was a deep, rumbling growl, and it seemed to shake the very walls.

Gad faltered a bit. "She's a-a thief! She stole from me!"

Rihuul remained silent and unmoving.

Gad swore. "You want to be her body guard, fine! Get him!"

Gad's men looked at each other.

"Did I stutter? GET HIM!"

All three men ran at Rihuul at once. the first to reach him was a short, stocky man, who Rihuul quickly kicked aside like a ball. The next was the tall, slender alchemist. Rihuul grabbed him around the neck, his fingers easily meeting around the back, picked him up, and threw him bodily into the third. In the chaos, Heather ducked around them and ran upstairs. Maybe someone up there could help.

Gad pulled out a sword, and the other three drew weapons as well.

Rihuul looked behind him and saw the blocked off doorway. He took a steady stance, feet apart, arms spread, welcoming the attack.

The attack came, and it was no challenge. Full of fiery energy, but uncoordinated. These men clearly did not know anything about fighting. Instead of fighting as one, they fought like a disorganized group. They didn't coordinate attacks or target the openings made by others. They were little more than an annoyance.

Rihuul deflected weapon blows with the metal braces on his wrists, drove his elbow into Gad's stomach, punched the stocky one in the face, and then grabbed the most muscular one by the shoulders and hurled him through the wooden bars. They cracked and splintered and Rihuul turned and followed him outside.

The other three followed, and took up positions surrounding Rihuul. He surveyed the situation. "Very well." He rumbled. He reached behind him and drew his sword. For a long moment, the only sound was of the sword scraping against its sheath as it slid out, until with a loud "chink" sound the tip struck the ground.

Rihuul widened his stance, gripped the sword, and prepared for the attack.

The Wall, Andraste, Feo's PoV

I looked around myself with several feelings swelling in my chest. Probably the biggest feeling I had was fear. Although the Bureau of Intelligence was very good at keeping true information from passing very far, rumors still spread like wildfire all through Andraste about The Wall, the boarder of Andraste and Mesania. Completely dominated by military outposts, it was said to be home to Andraste's most powerful and devastating military weaponry. And looking around, this did not seem to be an inaccurate interpretation of The Wall. The entire thing, as far as the eye could see, was a bustling military base. Weapons I had never seen before in my life, and certainly never developed, were scattered around seemingly randomly, and military personnel walked or ran or jogged all around me, handling weapons invented for the sole purpose of killing or injuring or destroying. Although there was one incredible thing about The Wall, and that was the thing that had given this place its name. The Wall itself was a massive marvel of Andraste labor, towering some thirty feet into the air, and had to be at least ten feet of solid stone. I was speechless as I took it in, completely at awe of such an amazing piece of human engineering.

They had brought me in a car, which was an event in itself. I had never traveled in a car before. They were reserved for the rich and important, and therefore the travel here, to this place, had already given me more a sense of patriotism than sadness. I was leaving my home, and although I had no family, it was still a lot of give up. But; I was leaving in a car! I was important, for the first time in my life. It excited me, and upon arrival, and seeing the incredible device of my people, I knew that I had to do what I could for my country.

I was led into one of the small buildings in the area. It looked just like any other building that was spread out under the shadow of The Wall, but inside I found a very close replica of my home back in Gaul. My superiors have obviously done a lot to make me feel at home. I was instructed to rest, bathe, and prepare myself for the morning, which I did.

When I awoke, I was lead to a training facility not far from my new home. Once I arrived, the men there began to outfit me. I was told that I was being enlisted in the military, in a special unit for important missions. I would meet my team soon, but for now, I was to practice with my assigned weapon and get used to the new clothing I would be assigned. The clothing itself was amazing; a material I had never felt, which was tight and hugged my body, covering all my skin. I was given boots and gloves, and even a mask to wear, which, although it covered all but my eyes, nose, and mouth, didn't reduce my sight or make me uncomfortable. Once they placed me in front of a mirror, I knew if I was in the right place, I would be nearly invisible.

They next brought me to a shooting range, where other men where already practicing using various weapons. One of the men who was practicing with the newest model of rifle, other than my own design, was wearing a set of Clockwork armor that was almost never seen by civilians. It intrigued me to learn how it worked, as I hadn't made it myself, or helped in its design. However, I wasn't given much time to take in the set, as within minutes two carriers arrived with my rifle, and a large ammo case. When they opened it, the men explained that production had already started on the new gun and ammo design. However, new models would still not be released for another few months at the soonest. The box was filled with the very first batch of ammunition, and I was told to practice until I felt I comfortable to shoot even the smallest of targets, or until I ran out of ammo.

And so I practiced. As I did, I would occasionally catch glances of the other soldiers practicing, looking at the weapon I was using, much in the same way I had glanced at the Clockwork armor, but with a different kind of intent in their eyes I couldn't quite place. However, I practiced. I practiced until the box of ammo was empty. Overall, my accuracy increased only slightly, but the trainer that was instructing me told me that it was more important at this point, with my little experience, just to become comfortable with my weapon. And by the end of my first day, I felt I was.

I went back to my house that night, feeling satisfied, as well as being allowed too carry the rifle with me and hold on to it for the night. The trainer promised another ammo box for me when I returned the next day. Although I was scared and apprehensive, I still felt more patriotic than I ever had before; I felt like I was finally going to be able to make a difference.

Things seem to be pretty lively in there Arciere thought as he walked up to the front door of the inn. I wonder if I'm too late to join the party. After letting out a light chuckle he walked to the front door and attempted to open it. Much to his confusion the door didn't budge. He tried again, this time giving the door a much more solid push aided by his shoulder, but still it didn't move. With a sigh he took a step back and examined the area. Not too far away he spotted a lit window next to the branch of a nearby tree which grew over the top of the inn. Within seconds he climbed up the tree and inched his way carefully along to the tip of the branch, his longbow still slung over his shoulder.

As he peered through the window a frown slowly crept onto his face and he swore silently to himself. Once again his eyes scanned over the surrounding area, and they fell upon a dark window on the second floor. With a nod climbed the rest of the way up the tree, and silently made his way onto the rooftop, then with light steps he stealthily moved across the rooftop and then leaped into another nearby tree. From there, he slowly dropped down from branch to branch until he found himself level with the window he had been looking for. As he approached, he noticed that the window was closed, and when he finally tried to open it he discovered that it was locked as well. I'd hate to break in he thought. but things could get a whole lot worse if I don't. I'll just be sure to apologize for it later. With another nod he reached into his pocket and produced as small bag of tools, then set to work on the window.

After a few minutes of fiddling the window swung open and he once again stowed the tools. Cautiously he slid into the room, his feet making almost no noise as they met the floor. He took a deep and silent breath, then eased the window closed again. After it was secure, he propped his longbow against the wall, and walked swiftly to the door. He popped his head around the corner to look into the hallway, but as his head became visible he saw Heather moving hastily down the hall and quickly ducked back inside of the room. He wanted to maintain the element of surprise, and he couldn't risk the possibility that the girl could scream and alarm everyone. He gave his teeth a light suck at the thought then ducked a little further into the dark room. With closed eyes he sat against the wall, and put his ears to work, listening intently for a sign that the young lady was moving back down the stairs.