Azadeth froze, unaccustomed to such an action. With wide green eyes, she stared down at the girl for a moment before lightly resting a hand on her back just as she pulled away. Letting her hands fall back to her side, the elf placed her staff on her back once again. "I can stay, though I do not know if that is wise, but it does seem like there is much that I should tell you from what I know." She then nodded at the girl to lead the way as she verbalized it, "If you would be so kind as to lead. I will keep an eye out for those that you may not wish to see. If I tell you to run, run, do not look back and do not try to help me for if you use your blood magic, or they see any sign of it, they will target you without relent. Ok?" Even though she was not completely sure as to how everything worked, the young elf did know enough as to keep the other mages safe. "Unless you wish to try and hide your blood magic and be taken away to a place where people are constantly watching you."

((I will post Aelyn once Black responds ^^))

(thats fine ;))

Naomi smiled and then said "Your going to have to explain that later", she grabbed her staff and placed it on her back and then picked up the bucket of water in one hand and grabbed Azadeth's hand in the other. She began to run back to her house through the trees following her burned hand print. When they reached the small clearing that her home was in the looked back at Azadeth and said "Welcome to my home". She let go of her hand and smiled walking to wards the house smiling at the few animals that live there and stoo by the door holding it open for her. She looked around the yard making a mental not to remember to water the small garden later.

Alexander leaned casually against the fruit stand, flashing the vendor a charming, dangerous grin. The young girl (she may have been sixteen, at best) giggled and lowered her eyes, a bright red blush staining her porcelein cheeks. She was too young for Alexander to even think about doing anything with her, but it was fun to flirt.

He opened his mouth to speak when something cuffed him sharply on the back of the head. With a muffled oath, he turned a death glare on the fool that had dared to hit him- and then relaxed when he saw it was his sister. "Ah, Lena, you're here," he said, turning to face her.

Helena gave Alexander a stern look, her arms crossed over her chest. She was quite shorter then him, and a few years younger, but that didn't make her expression any less stern as she stared down her older brother. "Alexander," she said carefully, as if talking to a child. "What are you doing here?"

"Talking to the locals," he said with an easy shrug, then looked over his shoulder and flashed the vendor girl a smile. She melted behind the stall, and Xander couldn't help but sigh contentedly; good to know he still had it.

Helena, on the other hand, was not amused. "Alexander, you have work to do," she said, one eyebrow raised. Alexander shrugged and picked up a green apple, examining it before biting into the fruit. Helena sighed and shook her head, handing the vendor a coin before grabbing his hand and dragging him away. "I swear, Alexander, you're such a pain in the ass sometimes."

"You act like I wasn't going to pay for that," he said innocently, earning a stern look from his sister. "Come on, Lena, loosen up and enjoy the sunshine, would ya? It's a gorgeous day."

"We're going back to the monastary right now. I really don't feel like getting in trouble for your shennanigans. Again." Alexander sighed; ever since their brother Markus (God rest his soul) had passed away, Helena had been more uptight then ever. Would it kill her to smile? He pulled her under his arm, surprising her.

"Come on, princess, gimme a smile," he said, with that charmingly wicked grin of his. Helena rolled her eyes at him, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and Alexander grinned triumphantly. "I wonder what that fruit vendor girl would think of the monastary. Now there's a fun place for a party, if you get what I mean."

"That's blasphemous, you pig," Helena said with a wry grin, pushing his arm off of her as the monastary came in sight.

[Enter Xander and Lena C:]

"I don't want anything to do with this!"
The girl's voice ripped through Sephiroth Creed's thoughts, and he narrowed his eyes slowly. "You should have turned away while you had the chance." Lifting his blade, the Templar Knight didn't so much as flinch as he drove the weapon into the mage's chest. "For the justice of the Templars." Blood magic - the girl had been using her abilities in such an area.
Flicking the blood from his long sword, Sephiroth inclined his head and ignored the destroyed form before him. There was another in the house - the girl's sister. She was even younger . . . her teens, at best. Tightening his grip on his weapon, Sephiroth listened . . . until he heard quiet sobs. There was no mercy for the corrupt.


Sephiroth's blue eyes shot open, and his breath caught in his throat. The images of his past kills never left him. Every time he closed his eyes for a bit of rest, the images floated in the darkness. Women and men, even some youth . . . whatever the commander demanded, Sephiroth did. His specialty came to destruction and death. Though the tall man wasn't very good with being completely obedient, he was certainly a force to be wary of.
Slowly pulling himself from bed, the scarred man blinked away the blood that he couldn't forget. The only way to rid himself of the past was to forge onward into the future. As a Templar Knight, he would be sent forth to track more of the rebellious mages down . . . and that didn't trouble him in the least. Perhaps someday he'd catch his sister. She deserved more pain than any of the others for what she'd done.

After splashing his face with water, Sephiroth prepared for the day. It was when he strapped his long sword onto his back when he finally left his room. The silver-haired male didn't bother meeting the gaze of any other Templar. Instead, he snagged an apple and went to observe the mages who were being filed in for trials.
Icy blue eyes narrowing in disgust, Sephiroth fought down a wave of feral rage as magic drew his instincts forward. There's nothing I hate more than your disgusting kind.

Helena led the way to the monastary, pushing open the heavy door to the monastary. "I'm due to watch over the trials," she said, glancing back at her brother. "Can I trust you not to make any trouble?"

"I'm not a child, Helena," he said with a smile. She rolled her eyes at him, turning to leave. He reached out and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer and smacking a kiss to the side of her head. "Have a good day," he said with a chuckle. She gave him a look, then rewarded him with a smile before heading off to the trials. Alexander watched her head off- when had she grown up so much? He shrugged, then turned to find whatever trouble he could in the halls.

~~~~~

Helena headed for where the trials were being held, having successfully delivered her brother to the monastary. She figured it wasn't a good idea to leave him alone in the monastary, but it was better then leaving him alone in the town.

She spotted another templar watching the mages file past, a disgusted look on his face. She bobbed her head in acknowledgement, stopping to watch the procession. "There's a lot of them today," she commented, as the line continued to trudge past. Some of them didn't look very happy, and one or two of them- younger women around her age- looked like they had been crying. There was a twinge of pity for them, her blue eyes following the line.

They did this to themselves, Helena, she reminded herself. You can't afford to feel sorry for them.

Sephiroth didn't so much as speak when Helena approached him. He was rather . . . anti-social. Eying her for a few moments, he took a bite of his crisp apple and turned his frosty gaze back to the mages. "There are." The Templar growled as he took another bite of his breakfast. "Curse them." Bitterness raked through his voice and features before he sighed.
Instead of pursuing conversation, Sephiroth let his pale blue eyes trail over a few more of the mages. The wretches deserve less than what they are getting. A growl rumbled in his chest as a magic user stumbled closer to him, and the tall male righted the youth with a stern yank to his collar. "Watch it, cur." Pushing him back into the shuffling line, Sephiroth took another crisp bite of his fruit. Glancing at Helena out of the corner of his eye, the Templar Knight chewed slowly. "Do you hunt them, or watch over them?" His occupation was the only thing that interested him, it seemed. Death, battles, and destroying the ranks of magic users - it was the one image he always kept in mind, no matter what time of day or night.


((:XD Sorry it's so short! Gotta go!))

((Bad Esmme! XD))

----------

Azadeth followed the girl named Naomi, though it wasn't like she had much of a choice seeing as the girl grabbed her hand with her free one. She was being pulled back the way she came, rather quickly at that as the girl had decided to run back to where ever it was they were going. When they had reached the clearing and finally slowed down, it allowed the elf girl to regain her disposition as she took the view in. There was a little building sitting all by itself, similar to the small buildings that she had seen from the monastery windows, though she had never been in one. She didn't even know what it was seeing as her people did not use such things.

Naomi had called the building 'home', that meant it was safe; the elf knew that word and that was what it had always meant. The Templars though, she was still unsure as to if she were being followed and she did not want to run the risk of this girl getting discovered because of her. She had heard the knights telling stories to one another about maleficarum that they had killed so she knew that they would not be nice to this girl, not matter how nice she was to them. Azadeth didn't like blood magic either, it was wrong to her, but the girl was also a healer for the most part.

The animals that were there were odd too; wild animals did not act in such a manner and that was primarily what she was used to. Granted she had seen cats, dogs, and birds from the windows, but that was really it.

Naomi saw that Azadeth was looking around and then said "You don't get out much do you?", she smiled and then said "Their all friendly so they wont hurt you". She turned and then opened the door saying "Come on", she walked inside and left the door open for Azadeth and placed her staff beside the door. She walked into the open room and got the kettle and put some herbs and the water into it and walked over to a small fire place that was in the middle of the room. She placed the kettle over the fire pit and then used Flame blast to make the fire, she pulled the rope that opened the vent on the roof. She then walked over to where the kitchen would be and picked up two cups then brought them back over to the fire pit and sat down beside it.

It wasn't so much that the animals had scared the girl, it was more to the fact that it wasn't natural for them to be acting in such a manner. She continued to watch them while slowly walking by and entering the small house. Unlike the human, Azadeth kept her staff on her, that was just how she was. Looking around she just took in the limited, yet new sights that it had to offer. "One doesn't get out much when they have spent many years within the confines of the monastery." She then paused before watching the smoke billow out the middle of the house. "I used to live among nature, before the Templar Knights came and attacked my clan in search of mages."

She didn't say anything, but the smoke did make her cautious. Her people had used it to communicate with others that were close enough to respond. The dark clouds were also good at attracting attention, which was something that the duo really did not need. She didn't say anything though, the girl would probably think she was worried about nothing.

Naomi looked back at the girl and said "A monastery? What is that", the kettle began to boil so she stood up and grabbed the kettle and poured it into the cups. She then placed the kettle down and picked up the cups giving one to Azadeth smiling, she turned and then sat down by a table and then looked up at her and said "They don't really sound like very nice people". She took a sip from her cup it was the tea her mother always used to make for her, she smiled some more and looked out the small window then said "You can sit down if you want". She took another sip and then looked back at Azadeth and then said "So what else is it like where you came from?".

(hey guys... hold up a bit so that Backllash doesnt have to read so much k? I kinda feel bad)

(Alright)

((*cough* I made a bit of an edit to my last post. It's longer now. :3))

((I planned on waiting no worries XD))

Lerieh looked down to the mage who had been giving her follow a bit of trouble. Leriah of coarse did not say a thing. Thing gave him a certain look. A simple narrow of eyes, raise of head, and slight arch of back to make herself appear slightly bigger than before. And even far more intimating. She looked to have no weapons on her body. Even her sword, which normally were right on her back were not there. But with the Drow, they could have simply been hiding. The scary thing was, they could have been anywhere on her body.

Lerieh did not even pass a glance as Aelyn shot an arrow. Although she did pause. Almost listening with a superior hearing. "You should go check." Lerieh suggested. Already knowing the young knight did not make her kill. With so many Mages around, any one of them could have healed the girl she just struck.

Her bright gleaming eyes looked up to a few more Templar's. Sephiroth, Lena, and Xander. Each of which brought something new to the table. Which Lerieh enjoyed.

She suddenly felt something tighten around her neck. At first Lerieh did not react, but after a few seconds of not being able to breath, she turned. Pulling a dirk from the side of her breast and shoving the male mage from before against the stone wall. "Release your grip on me at once," Lerieh said to him sternly. Knowing he was the one using some sort of paralysis on her breathing. "Or I will end you here and now."

Lerieh out of most of the Templar's in the room was going to be the one to be attacked. Of coarse you would take out the commanding officer out of the bunch. Although not completely the brightest thing to do, it was good for a last attempt to get out.

The feeling of discomfort didn't last long, for the small wizard that bit him teared herself away, as if what she was doing even terrified her. While he was a bit doe-eyed from the encounter and pressing his hand onto his wound, he wasn't all that...sheepish.

He looked over to her, seeing her distress, and any form of shock just slipped away, and the yearning to comfort swept in like a wave. He stepped over to her, waving his hands.

"Ah, no, I am fine." he said, trying to keep her calm. She'd make a scene if she did. Not that an elf mage with blood dripping past her lips wasn't distracting, but no one really seemed to notice since he didn't make that much of a commotion. Takeing her hand, he slipped into a nook between two houses, silencing her. "If they see us without our templars, we'll be taken." he whispered, looking around to make sure no one was there.

Aelyn let a slow breath out once the arrow went flying through the air, and when it hit, a satisfied smirk came across her face. The ground started to shake and the young Templar was nearly thrown off her feet; the mage she had been yelling at was now acting as her support as the shaking knocked her into his chest. Seeing that the shaking knocked her arrow loose caused her purple eyes to narrow.

Her superior didn't even have to tell her twice to go after the girl. Once the ground had settled and the neko girl had taken off again, the brunette was right behind her. The smaller girl had ducked through crowds and other people and the Templar was yelling at people to get out of her way and for other Templars to get the girl. They were coming to a wall, Aelyn knew that, and on that wall was a window.

Not seeing the neko doubling back there was only one possible thing the girl had done. Rather than taking the time to head back, the rambunctious Templar jumped out the window as well. Once her feet hit the ground, she placed her bow back on her back as she slowly straightened herself. "Now where could you be hiding little mage?" She asked out loud to the open courtyard type area she was in. It was the center of the Monastery, a decent greenery square; a usually peaceful area.

Shiloh had jumped through the window of course and hid but it wasnt before long that the woman had figured out what she had done and did the same thing. She froze as her dizziness finally subsided and the girl yelled out asking where she was hiding. The courtyard had enough coverage that she could run and the Templar not see her but she was sure that the woman would definitely be able to hear her. What if she climbed the wall using her claws and escaped that way, jumping from rooftop to rooftop? No... Knowing her she would probably do a face plant in the ground.

It was so hard to choose what to do but she could see the door just a head of her. The bush that was covering her covered overhead too but the Templar would probably be looking for that. She tried to figure out what spell to use, then she remembered it. Blood magic was against the laws in the city but if she used it on this person when no one was around it would be totally harmless and right now there was no one but her and the other woman in the place. It was time to stand her ground for all the mages who were kept under watch and put on trial.

The neko girl stood up showing the Templar that she was only a couple Yards away from her. About 10 to be exact. She walked out onto the pathway of the courtyard and stared the woman down, holding tightly onto her staff. "Wow.. you Templar dummies learn quick." She stated as she started to use the spell Blood control in order to change her enemy into her ally.

Kane had been even more surprised when he felt someone get shoved into his chest. He almost steadied the girl before he caught himself and let her pull away. No need to help her when she was just going to accuse him of trying anything. Templars were so temperamental. And they called him out on being all kinds of things. Why the hell had he been picked up by a mage instead of a Templar? Maybe then he could've had a somewhat more peaceful life. Too late for regreting it now though. Being a spell caster had it's uses. All of a sudden after the girl left, there was a blur and the next thing he knew, the mage next to him had been pinned to the wall by the giant woman.

He looked confused before groaning. "Idiot." he muttered, indicating that the other mage was now just acting desperate enough to get out of there. It was obvious that the female was high ranking. She could make quick work of the other mage in no time. Not wanting any sort of bloodshed or damage done, he simply closed his eyes and narrowed his eyes, concentrating the last of the magic he had recovered during the time waiting. Most of the mages would be happy that there was some damage done to the templar, but.. it could backfire on all of them. Once he felt he had it, he focused his energy and eyes on the female, dispelling anything that the male had had on her. Of course, this just made his hearing a bit worse. Hopefully, the female would just think it was the pinned mage taking off the spell. Of course, with the hostile look it didn't seem likely.

The sound of moving leaves cause the girl to turn around quickly to come face to face with the mage. She was young, that was for sure, but she was also cocky, not confident, cocky. Aelyn's hand moved back, not for her bow, but for a single arrow. There was no need for the other weapon at the moment. Her face was serious, no emotion playing on it, save for the hatred she held for these creatures. She calls us dummies? We aren't the ones that choose to run, the ones that go against the Word.

It was at that point the girl felt a sharp pain his her gut. Her elbows jerked closer to her sides, the arrow almost falling from her fingertips. Her vision was starting to go too. She will die for her crimes. Her mind sang out to her as she doubled over in pain. "You untrustworthy sleaze," she said through gritted teeth as she forced herself to stand up pulling the arrow full from its quiver.

Aelyn's lips rolled in pain as she felt herself slipping farther and farther from what she was. As her breathing picked up, she cocked her arm back before releasing the arrow in a direct line to the girl. It wouldn't hit, but her hopes was that the mage wouldn't realize it until it was too late for her. A few moments after the arrow was released, she let out a War Cry in hopes of not only knocking the girl off her feet, but to gain the attention of the Templar Knights inside the monastery. Soon after that had happened, her mind went blank, her body crumbling to her knees as she awaited for the girl to speak.

The sound of commotion hadn't moved him. It was the cry from another Templar that finally brought Sephiroth to action. Long blade in hand, he shoved away a lingering mage in order to head towad Aelyn and her prey. The unruly magic user obviously wasn't giving her an easy target. Seeing one of the woman's arrows not far from their position, the silver-haired man quickened his pace. He wasn't bothering to wait for others. He would be there before nearly anyone else had reacted anyway. It hadn't been long since his last battle, but Sephiroth was ready for a fight. Again.
He neared the side of the building within moments. With a snarl, the broad-shouldered man stepped up behind the neko that had harmed the Templar. Snatching her by the back of her shirt, he lifted her from the ground. "Try anything, and I swear you will die most painfully." Blue eyes following the gaze of the mage, he found Aelyn laying not far from them. Instead of worrying about her Sephiroth slammed Shiloh against the building's stone. "What did you do to her?" Oddly enough, he didn't sound worried . . . but feral, that was a given. Rage began to rise up within him, and the Templar Knight felt his breath coming more quickly as that anger took hold. Blue eyes filling with malice, he seemed intent on just killing her and getting it over with. This girl was obviously going against the righteous laws of the Templars - she deserved this sort of justice.

Helena watched the scene in silence, her face betraying nothing. The man gave off an aura of... deep hatred. That was what she was sensing. She looked back at the mages, blinking her crystal blue eyes slowly.

"I used to watch over them," she said, her melodic voice softer then before. "But my orders have been changed." With all the recent trouble, she'd been pulled out to join the holy crusade. She wasn't sure how she felt about it; she hadn't even discussed it with Alexander (but like there was anything he could do; she would go, whether he liked it or not.) "And you, sir...?" She glanced up at him, realizing she didn't even know his name.

"Forgive my rudeness. I never introduced myself," she said, studying him curiously. "I'm Helena." Something in the back of her head whispered that she shouldn't expect an answer; she shooed it away, although she half agreed with the voice. The man really didn't seem to want anything to do with her. She turned quickly when she heard the commotion, her eyes narrowing. she followed Sephiroth back at the sound of the war cry, going to Aelynn as he dealt with the mage.

"She's still alive," she confirmed, looking up at Sephiroth and the girl. The look in his eyes chilled her, and she felt vaguely afraid for the young mage. She shook her head and returned her attention to Aelynn, deciding to let him deal with the girl.

[[edited.]]

It took Shiloh by surprise when the woman cried out in what seemed to be a war cry or even just a painful cry. In the Templar's last attempt to get her, she had thrown an arrow at the neko girl. The wind coming off of the arrow was very noticeable to her catlike ears. She watched in shock as the woman crumpled to the ground again. It was hard to think that anyone was coming up behind her but before she knew it, the back of her shirt had been crumpled up and she was being held in the air by it.

The man that was holding her sounded cold and unable to control himself when it came to punishment. Not only punishment but enjoying the punishment he gave. She gulped as he spoke of her dying in the most painful way. When he slammed Shiloh against the wall, she went wide eyed and opened mouthed from how hard he had slammed her. "EEEP... LET ME GO. LET ME GO." She hoped that her cries would make her new ally come and help her get out of this man's grip but she doubted that he would let go.

There was just something in this man's eyes that said he hated mages enough to kill them. "Let me go so i can heal her." She said calmly as the man held her against the wall. The only real reason she wanted him to let go was so that her toes could touch the ground again. Hanging in the air could be fun and all but not when your pinned by a big hulking guy.

((*snorkle* <-- snort/giggle Oh mah.))

Sephiroth was vaguely aware of Helena approaching Aelyn. She said something about the girl being alright . . . and his blue eyes narrowed. Though the tip of his long blade was still trailing on the ground, he was very tempted to let his control slip - not that he had much of it in the first place. Slowly letting Shiloh rest on the ground once again, he gave her a vicious shove in the other Templar's direction. "Then do it." He was going to kill her when she finished. . . .
Fighting back the rage that filled his mind, Sephiroth slowly seemed to cool down a bit. He often found himself overwhelmed with darker emotion - commonly anger and feral instinct. It was the one thing that made him hard to kill; he never stopped coming. There were too many times to count during which he'd been nearly dead, but too stubborn to fall. If a mage attacked, he wouldn't let them win. He did everything to bring them down with him.
Watching Helena and Aelyn, Sephiroth prodded the neko with the tip of his blade. "Repair what you have done," he said. Shaking slightly with the effort to keep himself calm, the man's cold gaze locked on Shiloh like a predator eying his prey.

((Oh, and he heard Helena . . . he just never replied. :XD))