The instruments to draw blood. (The War 1.1))

[Enizo]

It felt like days since the fighting had stopped. In truth, it had been just two hours. The air was thick with tension and fear, just waiting to melt down to sheer panic.

Enzio sat up against a wall not to far from where Roxa was sleeping. Enzio's gaze watched the outside, seeing the small flames flicker was just a reminder to what had just occurred. Enzio knew what was coming, he knew what Roxa wanted and he had already taken the proper steps to getting it for him.

He had instructed Allorum Guardians from around the world to track down and warn those who have ever worked with the Allorum Guardians, Heroes or Kishu. He hoped they could build a small army that could just maybe give them enough power to defeat Duo and his forces...

...It was a long shot, but a shot worth shooting.

[King Roxa Hiaten]

"I've never been a pacifist." Roxa said. His eyes were open and he had sat up silently, his hands gripped the sheet covering him. Gensayce and Riliath had stripped his armour so that doctors could examine him, but they had gathered that he was simply exhausted and would wake soon. Two hours later, he had. "I've always killed people... Watched other people kill other people." His eyes narrowed as his grip tightened. For the first time, his black markings were on display to people other than Alessia, and he felt exposed. Black lines almost tattoo like in nature traced the bones of his fingers an hand, before becoming one thin, curved line that moved up his arm, before reaching a diamond like shape on each shoulder. From here, one line trailed along his collar bone and up his neck, where it stopped in a thin circle just under his Adam's Apple. Another line traced down his side before coming up from just above his hip, circling around the navel and then up in two ornate lines, ending in a large, intricate diamond on his chest.

"I've never hated many people though... Duo, definitely, but that's it. Everto annoyed me... And Trucido was evil, but I've never really hated anyone or even wanted them dead... Even Ave is important to me in some ways. But now..." His eyes appeared dull and defeated as he looked up. All those who had helped defend the City were here with him now as per the request of Enzio and Kazan, and he looked around in turn, that same sad expression on his face. His gaze finally locked on Enzio, and as his eyes held the young boys, they hardened, the colour was odd. It was like a very pale yellow, light blue mixed with a lighter green, almost unnoticeable, but there. His expression became more resolved as he spoke.

"He has her. And I want him dead. Bartholomew will die by my hand"

[Enizo]

Enzio didn't respond at first, it was somewhat shocking, to see someone he admired so much actually wish death onto someone. He didn't know why it shocked him, after all, they were all killers, they had all killed before in hopes of bringing about a better world.

But there was something different about Roxa, this was true blood lust. Roxa didn't want to see Barts bleed because he liked the sight of blood, he just wanted him dead. There was nothing complex about it.

Enzio stood up from leaning against the wall. He was feeding off the energy that Roxa was putting out, the lust for blood was in the minds of all who were in the room.

"I know, Roxa," Enzio nodded, "You have my blades and all those who follow me. We will find her, for there is not a place in the world they can hide from us."

[Kyros Forthe]

"And you will have the strength of the Crepusculum forces." Kyros said as he walked up behind him, "I know this is rough for you, but these are all test to make us better heroes and to show in the history books that we are the ones that will make the world the ideal place to live." He didn't know Roxa personally, but had heard good things about him, and had faith that him and his group would be one of the pillars that the perfect world will stand on.

[A.B.A.]

At last she'd arrived. With a mouth full of cotton and her muscles seizing up from the prolonged search A.B.A. had at last found where Roxa had been moved after the attack had been dealt with. She had cursed the undeveloped muscles of Velestia and more than once had been tempted to take her own form if only so that she needn't feel the discomfort of running across the empty ruination left by Duo.

Duo, her mind had juggled the thoughts and emotions brought on by both Duo and Roxa till her head hurt. Fear turned to anger before leaping back to determination and every once in a while something that was cold and sad every time her thoughts turned to Alessia. Was it pity? Compassion? Apathy perhaps. It caused her to become distracted each time she considered the fate of Roxa's lover, and she quickly shoved it to the side each time she lingered on it too long.

Were it not for meeting the wave of armoured warriors belonging to the Allorum Guardians she would have likely run herself ragged in the city for hours. Luckily a nubile maiden looking frantic was the sort of thing that turned the hardest heart into a puddle of chivalry and altruism. They had told her of Roxa's location with only a simple lie, and in no time she had arrived just outside the bed chamber of the newly crowned king.

"Forgive my intrusion, but I was told the King had been injured. I-" The words made a tight knot in her throat that she forced down. "I was hoping I could offer my magics to heal him. Perhaps I could be of some use to him Majesty?" Velestia humbled herself before Enizo, her eyes down as she wrung her hands. It was a practised tactic, and she swore she could almost feel Seigmand nod in approval, his lessons not completely wasted on her.

[Enizo]

"Huh?" Enzio's mind froze as she approached him. He looked over at Velestia and shrugged, "I mean, you have my consent but the King is right here, why don't you ask him yourself?"

Enzio assumed Roxa was running on rage right now and he was sure that he had some sorts of injury that probably did need healing. Now would the King let her heal him? That was a question relied on how stubborn Roxa would be at this time.

[King Roxa Hiaten]

Roxa gave a humourless chuckle and a grimace as he looked across at the woman who entered. Her magic felt familiar, but the image of who this person was appeared to have faded with time. He attributed it to the fact that the last time he had been in this person's presence, he hadn't been as adept at sensory work as he is today. His eyes narrowed as he spoke.

"If I were you, I'd keep your magic as far away from mine as possible." He looked down at the black lines on his hands and arms. "He's enough of an issue for me, I'd hate for him to get his claws into anybody else... He's dangerous enough as he is. Besides, relying in magic to heal your wounds... It keeps the flesh tender, the mind forgets the pain... I'd like to keep my scars, and know the pain. Let it be a boundary that I have crossed and will never have to fear again..." The last thing he wanted was for Ave to sense another output of energy and source himself through it, harming whoever this lady was. Two questions haunted his mind, but he decided to ask the less conspicuous of the two, and the most nagging.

"If you don't mind me asking... Who are you? Your magic signature seems familiar... But you're not one of the usually from Roccia. Almost like a ghost from the past..."

[A.B.A.]

The question cut deep past her facade, and for a moment Velestia's jaw hung open as A.B.A. feared what might come next if she answered wrong. She thought she could play her part for the moment. She thought she could fight past her own wants for just a moment if it meant she could...what had she hoped from all of this? Why was she standing over him, ready to heal him when she was so certain that when all was made clear she would need to kill him? Duo had complicated everything in her head. It had made everything murky and dragged the past to the forefront of her thoughts once more.

The past where a young Roxa had stood beside her as an ally. As a friend. The past where they had no qualms, no differences that would get in the way of their goal to vanquish Duo and his army from the world.

Velestia caught herself staring gawk-eyed and quickly replaced her blank expression with a small smile. "No, you don't know me. I don't know you either." The words held more than a tinge of truth, mainly because Velestia herself stepped in as A.B.A. had slipped her focus away from controlling her form. "I'm...sometimes the world works in strange ways, and I don't think it's a coincidence that I'm here in front of you this day. My name is Velestia Normire, and I believe I can help you find your wife." Stepping past Enizo she approached the bed where Roxa lay and placed a warm and comforting hand on his shoulder.

[King Roxa Hiaten]

Roxa started burning up almost instantly at the mere mention of Alessia's name, and for a brief moment, the markings on his body increased in temperature for a moment (no doubt felt by Velestia whose hand was on his shoulder) but he quickly regained his composure and let out a deep breath as he closed his eyes. When he opened them, he took in a gulp of air and quickly exhaled it again as he looked up to Velestia and shrugged her hand away from his shoulder. The familiarity was there, and he refused to let that go.

"I don't think that it's coincidence that I recognize you either, Velestia." He responded bluntly as he looked up at the woman and narrowed his eyes. "For a long time I have lived in the shadows, and I have grown to trust my abilities to read people... And I can certainly read you, or rather, I will at some point. I do know you, and you do know me, I shall not drop that, remember." He closed his eyes again. "Yes... Certainly familiar..." He opened his eyes again.

"But, you speak of my wife now... And I warn you of doing such... I am not in the most stable of moods, and I am not in the mood for jests. If you do know anything of my wife, I would ask that you tell me now... If you do not know anything of my wife, I suggest you turn around and walk out of that door now, because trust me when I say this..." He could feel his own anger building as he spoke, and it wasn't long before he wished that the world would swallow him up whole.

"I will not accept fools today. I will kill you."

[annabelle]

"Oh for pity's--you speak like my son-in-law!" a different voice harped from nearby. An old woman stood leaning on the staff she carried, staring Roxa down fearlessly.

"Look at the poor thing. Whether or not you foolishly presume you know her, she's trying to help," Annabelle nodded towards Velestia, "we all know what's happened and you can't just not speak about it. To avoid the truth only shows weakness, but accepting your burdens and finding a rational way to resolve them shows strength. It makes a man respectable."

Annabelle narrowed her eyes at Roxa, a king by title, but clearly not in terms of respect from what she'd just seen.

"In a time when you need allies you turn the help away. A foolish 'king' you are, young one, yet you say you are not accepting fools now. You're creating your own enemies, this doesn't have to be this way."

Because really, after all the shit Annabelle's lived with and seen in her lifetime, this was a treasure chest full of 'pearls of wisdom' she was throwing about. And she was never usually that nice.

[King Roxa Hiaten]

"I-" He went to launch another barrage of words, before he caught himself. This woman made sense, and even he had to admit that... He took a moment to compose himself before nodding slowly, the woman fit the description of Annabelle Fraus, given to him by Gensayce... A wise woman by the Ice Wolf's words, but also fiery. He lowered his gaze, relatively ashamed.

"You are right..." He admitted with a size. His grip tightened and loosened in succession as he tried to piece his words together in his mind. "Perhaps I am being too hasty here, but... No matter what I say, my wife is still missing... The mother of my children is still missing..." He frowned. "I need to find her no matter the cost, my dignity, my sanity, peoples respect for me. None of those things matter if losing them means getting her back." He looked from Annabelle, to Velestia and then back to Annabelle.

"But even so... I suppose I shall need all the help I can muster..."

[annabelle]

Annabelle grinned.

"This is a time for unity, we all have a common goal here. We''ll find your wife. Your children will have their mother. I'll see to it."

Annabelle really hadn't wanted to get involved with much more adventuring. She hated to admit it but it was getting to be that time where she was looking into retirement. Jasmine learned just about everything she could teach her, it was up to the girl to continue her practice alone.
But this was a threat large enough not even Annabelle could sit and watch. She sympathized with the queen and her children, she knew and valued that relationship. Alessia had to be found.

[Enizo]

"Alright..." Enizo began with a clap of his hands, "You think this Bartholomew has her?"

He stepped over to a map and stared at it for a moment, "Our soldiers are tracking their movements as we speak, I hope to have a predicted movement soon." Enizo couldn't help but frown as he looked back up at Roxa, "It's... weird, the fact that it's so easy for us to track him is disturbing."

It could have been a trap but in the end, what was the difference if they got him in the end or not? Could one man really fight off all of them?

Enizo pushed those thoughts away as he found himself leaning back against the wall, "One thing is for sure, we'll need more people than this if we're going to declare a war on Duo."

[Bang Shishigami]

"If men are what you need, then look no further," I called as the guards who escorted me swung open the large double doors, permitting me entrance to the chambers. 

"I, Bang Shishigami shall be more than willing to offer my services in bringing these cretins to justice," I announced as I strolled into the room, taking in the faces of all present. 

"Enizo, my friend, I only wish we could have met under a more favorable situation. All the same, it is good to see you again." I informed my young friend with a firm and reassuring pat on his back. 

"and my apologies to you, young sire, that your coronation and wedding could not have been more favorable, but rest assured  that upon the names of my lost brethren, I swear to see things put right." I exclaim with passion and confidence, hoping my words might quell even the scantest hint of anger that I could see ready to billow forth from the young Roxa. 

In truth, I was there to assist the King in any matter possible, but I too was well acquainted with the loss of those I cared for, and feared that a campaign to rescue his bride and exact justice upon the guilty might be twisted into a personal war in the name of vengeance, and I, as a hero of justice,  could not let a man venture down that road. I only hoped that I would not have to interject on such a personal matter, but was ready to if it would save a man from his own demons. 

[Enizo]

=_=

Enzio couldn't believe it, not only did he have to deal with Kazan but now Bang had appeared. Between the two giants he looked like a small child.

"Hello Bang..." Enzio said, his voice was on the edge of a hiss. Honestly sounded like his throat was raw or something. Enzio cleared his throat to speak again, "It's, uh... good to see you again."

The very least he could say was that Bang was strong and they needed all the strength they could possibly muster. Really, his annoyance with Bang was nothing big... well that's exactly what it was, Bang's height annoyed him.