Thick and Clear [Open]

[Alesander Victarion]

Captain Alesander Victarion flicked his left arm out from his body slightly, and allowed his large, silver and gold shield to fall heavily into the deep snow, causing a small storm underneath it as it hit. He stretched out his back, the chinks slowly pulling apart from each other and the tenseness in his spine eased away, with a satisfying series of clicks. The secret fairy sighed and returned himself back to a more normal, and comfortable posture. He couldn’t wait to be out of this heavy, steel armour for the night.

Turning slowly on his heel, he quickly surveyed the battalion of Ice soldiers under his command erecting their campsite around them, due to the lateness of the hour. Well, in truth, it really wasn’t that late, but the height of the mountains around them made it so the sun was soon blotted out by the peaks and the valleys and lands were swallowed in darkness. Trekking through rough wilderness up here in the dark was heavily inadvisable, even to a local, and especially after it had been freshly snowing. The Captain held out a hand and watched as the snowflakes falling lightly onto him melted away near as suddenly. ”Reinforce your rigging soldiers!” he called out to racket of sounds, flesh and armour around him. ”The snow will soon be heavy on your canvas.”

Off to his left, a small group of Northerners were erecting their own private sleeping hutchies, staking the corners into the ground with sharp sticks uncovered from the forest floor, and hammering them in with the heels of their boots. Using long sinew which most soldiers had obtained from the intestines of the wild elk which roamed around these parts, they tied off the peaks to nearby trees, and sliced them to length using an innumerable range of hunting, cooking, throwing and battle knives available to them. It was one of the few things the Armed forces did not routinely give out to their soldiers; knives; and every warrior would carry a different blade, you could be sure of that.

More hutchies were being raised with skillful speed and grace all around him, and in the middle of the area where Alesander had called the halt, some Northerner swordsmen were clearing away a fire pit. They used thick shovels to pound into the earth and slowly dig away a shallow pothole in the earth, loading it with a pyramid of dry sticks (or about as dry as you were about to find them around these parts) and trying to light it with a flint and brimstone. The strike was almost rhythmical in the background, with spark after failed spark being struck.

Downwind, the unlucky Northerners who had drawn the short sticks were right now digging out the latrines and readying them for use, perhaps even christening their patch of earth. Out of sight, behind the thicket of trees closing in around them from every direction, scouts were moving in a methodical ring around the camp, digging out stake pits and laying the sharpened logs down for defensive purposes. Up here, the chances of being attacked were very slight, but it was better to be safe than sorry, and the last thing Victarion needed was a failure next to his name. If they ever were to have any suspicion of a contact up here, they would sound their horns.

Despite the fact that Alesander was a Captain, a rank which he had obtained solely from a particularly accepting battalion commander, his ivory skin colour still made him an outcast amidst the sea of albino soldiers before him, but an entire life of that fact had made him immune to the sideways glances and near-silent mutterings.

Victarion dropped his hand to his side and let the pack he had hoisted all the way up the mountains for their day long hike fall to the ground next to his shield. He picked up a canteen from the side pouch and inspected it quickly. Only a few mouthfuls left. Not that it really mattered, he was surrounded by frozen water. What mattered more was food, and he had sufficient of that he discovered as he rummaged through the salted elf meat, frozen fish, preserved olives and hard bread. His hands wrapped around the canvas which was his hutchie when he heard a victorious exclamation from the direction of the fire pit. The kindling had caught and a small flame was slowly burning into life.

Alesander grunted his amusement to himself only momentarily before he fully extracted his canvas from his pack, casting it aside onto the ground. He stood up and brushed his knees down when…

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The sudden horn blast echoed around the forest, shuddering through the air like a hammer, and every head turned in the direction it had originated from. Slowly, and with more thought, those eyes were then cast towards Alesander, for orders. Someone is out there…

[Serafina Naquam]

The Mountains of Frost had recently become home to a project that the Ice warriors seemed to have initiated, led by Captain Alesander Victarion. Serafina knew little of this Ice Warrior, but she has heard rumors of his unnatural skill at using a spear, a very ancient style of fighting, or so Serafina thinks, as she almost never sees someone skillfully use that weapon. However, Serafina had no fear. Her bow sling was wrapped around her body and the arrows' sack attached to the sling, the weight weighing down on her back slightly as she hiked up the mountain, pushing against the snow that was threatening her. She did not have her short sword with her today, but her two daggers were hidden inside of her shoes.

Her orders were clear and simple, spy on the Ice Warriors and see what they are doing in the Mountains of Frost. Serafina had to make sure that they were not doing anything slightly threatening to the existence of the Fallen Angels. The Fallen Angels still believe that Svëna is their lands, and they will more than likely think of the Ice Warriors as intruders until they are extinguished from the snowy lands. Serafina knew the risks of roaming through the Mountains as a Fallen Angel, but she had no fear of getting caught.

She hoisted her bow up, into a much more comfortable position, as she began to hear the sounds of dirt being pounded. She crouched down and tied her hair into a high ponytail, leaving the bangs hanging before her face. She edged forward and hid behind a fairly large rock. She easily peeked out from the side and saw hundreds of Ice Warriors roaming the area, clearing things away. It was a campsite, Serafina immediately recognized. She narrowed her eyes as to see better, the falling snow was making it difficult to see very far. What are they doing? she wondered. It didn't seem likely that they would try to build a new city in the Mountains, and the fact that the campsite was not nearly large enough to be considered 'home’, but if that were the case...

Serafina gritted her teeth and mumbled under her breath, "A military campsite... A fort." She shuffled behind the rock and leaned her back against it, watching the smoke of cold air escape her lips. She took out a piece of paper and a quill pen, which had almost completely dried out. She licked the tip, and ignored the not-so-pleasant taste, and wrote some observations on the parchment. Possibly building fort... close to a hundred of them, maybe... campsite currently... She looked up when she heard footsteps near the boulder. Her back stiffened and she held her breath, and to her relief, the footsteps faded away and she was safe. Her heart had stopped for a moment when she looked out from the boulder to the side and saw Alesander Victarion resting on the mountain, after carrying quite a bit. She took a sharp breath and rushed out from behind the boulder. Much to her dismay, she was wearing black, which against the white snow was very obvious.

This proved to be a huge disadvantage, when she suddenly heard the sound of a horn blowing. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath had ceased. Yet again, she found another large, snow covered rock. She hid behind it and prayed that she would not be caught. She looked around and saw no escape route. She bit her lower lip, which immediately cracked from the cold, and licked the blood off. She stood up from behind the rock and thought to herself, How can I get out of here without being seen... She could pretend to be an Ice Warrior herself, but posing as one may not be a good idea, and if she were caught, she would immediately be persecuted.

She had decided on two options: run, or hide. Either way, she risks being caught. However, if she runs, she has much more of a chance at being seen by a mass of people and it would be more difficult to escape from a surprise attack. On the other hand, if she hides, maybe she could kill her witness and hope that no one else would venture over in that area, seeing it is clear. She laid on the ground and covered herself in snow as much as she possibly could, her only hope of blending in. Her breath was soft and controlled, her heart was beating rapidly, and her skin was beginning to crawl, but she still felt no fear.

[Alesander Victarion]

Alesander turned on his heel swiftly, casting his eyes towards the horn blower. To his dismay, the Northerner who had raised the alarm was out of sight behind the trees, shrouded by an endless cloak of white snow. ”Battalions to your posts immediately!” The captain called out clean and crisp against the sallow air. ”Archers to the barricades! Now! First Rangers, with me!”

Alesander left his pack there, discarded in the snow, bending down for a second to pick up his spear and shield, thanking whatever god was listening that he was still wearing his armour. He stood up to see that the camp had erupted into ordered chaos as soldiers hurried to gather weapons and hasten to their posts. Amidst the sea of movement and echoing sounds of metal and voices, several bow-wielding soldiers rushed over to him. ”Rangers, to the alarm, by my lead” Their sergeant replied only with a refined nod and a sharp, “Yes sir.”

The campsite wasn’t that large in diameter, for the sole reason that a smaller wall area was easier to defend. It was easy to find where the alarm had been raised from, as a large group of engineers had clustered in one area in particular. ”Where is the soldier who raised the alarm?” The Captain asked loudly as he shouldered his way through the mass of warriors, who parted to let him pass.

”I am him, sir.” A young engineer replied quietly, but with his head held high victoriously. He didn’t look at Alesander though, not even a glance, for his eyes were fixed irrevocably outwards into the white, focused on a point Victarion could only guess on. ”A black ranger, my lord…” he raised his hand, in an unwavering point. ”… in that direction. Last I saw of him, he jumped behind a big rock over there after I blew the horn. I don’t think he’s left yet, but I can’t be sure.”

At the instant he had uttered the words, ‘black ranger,’ the white rangers had immediately moved to the barricade and vaulted the spike pits, moving in a wide, extended line formation to search for any sign of an enemy, about thirty feet between each soldier.

”Lieutenant Matherson, the camp is under your command until I return from the wire. Hold the defenses until further notice,” Alesander ordered, and then he followed the rangers out into the ‘red zone’ outside the camp stakes, spear ready, to search through the freshly fallen snow for any sign of… black…

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[Serafina Naquam]

At this point, Serafina did not know what to do, she was stuck, and knew that she was about to be caught. Alesander's voice echoed in her ears as he called out commands. Her stomach twisted and she sat herself down, staring at the snow, her mind cluttered with different thoughts. You've done it this time, Serafina... You know you cannot fight against hundreds of Ice Warriors, alone. Run... or surrender... or get caught and die. She's had to face situations like this before, but never were there so many enemies she would have been forced to fight against. Otherwise, the decision would have been simple: fight. Right now, that was not even an option worth considering.

She stared at the white Mountains, watching the landscape continue on forever, much farther than her eyes could see. Running would take a very long time, and who knows how many possible Ice Warrior Camps there may be on this forest. She was sure that there were no Fallen Angel sites nearby that she could run to and hide for protection. The Ice Forest was just over the mountains, it wasn't that much of a distance away. Could she run there?

She took a sharp breath and again she looked out from the side of the rock, and saw the Ice Warriors all going to their stations. She was right, this is definitely a military campsite... Alesander was holding his spear and his shield, looking around for her. His eyes began to trail towards where she was. She quickly hid behind the rock once again and her breath was getting heavy. I am not scared... She thought to herself. I do not fear death... But then again, if death should come too soon, maybe there is something to fear.

Her eyes casted in the direction of the Ice Forest, although she could not see it. She heard footsteps coming towards the boulder. She knew that Ice Warriors had probably seen her and it wouldn't take them very much longer to reach her hiding spot. If she surrendered herself, that would destroy all of her dignity that she had built up, but then again... if she ran away... how much pride is there in that? Fighting would be the only thing, but she was not stupid. She gritted her teeth and crouched. She tightened her bow sling, she put her daggers in a much more comfortable position, and her eyes were glued on the mountains. However, suddenly, when she looked up, there were soldiers surrounding the camp. She cussed under her breath.

Now she had two options: Surrender, lose you dignity and pride, possibly not be able to go back home, and maybe you won't die or, run and fight those who get in your way, and more than likely you would get killed. This was an inner struggle for her, disappointing her Fallen Angels would be a worse fate than death, but if she were to die, she would be ridiculed even after death and disappointment would still be there. I can't admit it... she thought to herself. I am not afraid of death. What a silly thing to be afraid of. She got a chill, and knew that for the first time in many years, she had felt fear. She refused to accept it, however.

One of the Ice Warriors glanced in her direction and she had been spotted. She closed her eyes and reached into her shoes for her daggers, pulling them out. She stood up from behind the boulder and decided that this were to be her fate. She would not hide anymore and she was not going to run away: she would face them if she needed to. She faced Alesander and her eyes narrowed at the sight of him. She spit in the snow in slight disgust and held the daggers in her hands with a tight grip.

"Ah yes, here is your intruder," Serafina said rather sarcastically. "So what do you plan on doing... Alesander?" She slurred his name in disgust. She looked around at all of the Ice Warriors who had now surrounded her. There was absolutely no chance in running away at this point. Her fate was in his hands, unless of course she chose to fight back, but only would she do so if she was forced to. She crouched down in front of Alesander and looked up at him, his ivory complexion strong against the white snow.

If I don't return home, Father will not be pleased... and I would have dishonored Cailen. I would be just like Anchor, a traitor, only worse... because I would have been disobedient. Anchor left, but I would have stayed and only fought against Cailen's orders. I can't let that happen. Again, she looked towards the Ice Forest, and secretly she hoped that she would see another Fallen Angel come up from the Mountains, but she wouldn't get her hopes up.
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[Kevin Sage]

[[hope you don't mind another joiner ]]

It was a loud horn that brought Kevin Sage out of his dreams and back to reality. How much time had gone by since he had stopped and rested? As he sat cross-legged on the snow, he rested his back against a tree. Judging by his body's protest against getting up - let alone moving - suggested he had rested longer than he intended. The horn that awoke him faded off into the wood, echoing slightly against the mountains.

As he stood, Sage shook off the loose snow that had gathered on his cloths and in his thick hair. That horn was of the Ice Warriors. Wonder what the commotion is about..., Sage thought to himself. It wasn't likely to have enemies in Svëna.

As was his duty, Sage decided to find out for himself. He picked up his bow and arrow quiver from the snow before walking in the direction of the horn. The weather had gotten colder; clearly, night was approaching.

Sage never reached the culprit who sounded the horn. His direction led him to an onslaught of Ice Warriors surrounding another. Sage couldn't get a good look at what was going on, but that did not matter. They were so close to the Ice Forest, one could almost say they were in the White Wing's territory; though boundaries in Svëna had been dismissed since the treaty drawn up between Cailen and Ice.

Despite the technicalities, Sage approached the group of Ice Warriors. He held a hand up as a gesture of peace. "I heard the horn. Is there trouble here?" Sage asked casually, still trying to get a clear view of what the warriors had surrounded. To his dismay, he recognized a fellow Fallen Angel. Although he did not know her personally, Sage always made it a priority to at least recognize his fellow people.

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[Alesander Victarion]

Ooc: The more the merrier

Bic: Victarion placed his foot silently in the snow, his heavy steel boot sinking through the inch of pure white snow, unable to hold up his weight. Behind him lay a line of deep, easily visible footprints, but he couldn’t be bothered to clean them up. If there was an enemy out there, they knew were he was.

He had instinctively crouched slightly as he walked, lowering himself into a clumsy stealth position habitually. Then he heard movement off to his side, ”Sir! To your left!” The ranger who had called to him was roughly twenty paces away, and was already running over to his Captain. Alesander meanwhile, had not heard his opponent getting up out of her hiding position and whirled around to face her, his shield held defensively out in front of him, with the shaft of his spear resting along the metal lip, aimed directly at the… Fallen Angel?

By that time, the Ice Warriors had formed a neat circle around the Angel, and were aiming their bows at her, when they too recognized her as an ally. The Captain couldn’t suppress a chuckle of exclamation as he raised the steel blade of his spear away from the Fallen Angel, leaning on the shaft in a much more relaxed pose. ”Stand down Rangers, she’s one of ours.”

Alesander turned his head to the Sergeant in command of the Rangers, distinguishable only by three black bands around his left arm. ”Take the rangers back to the camp, and give the Lieutenant orders to return the base to its preparation status.”

”Yes sir. Rangers!” The white-cloaked bowmen eased their wooden quarrels out of their bows and replaced them into their plentiful quiver stocks. Alesander meanwhile returned his attention to the friendly face in front of him, noticing that she indeed did not look very friendly at all. One of her brown eyes was shielding from view by a long, bang of sleek, black hair, but her right eye was clearly visible, and in it all he could see was disgust. Why? He also sub-consciously noticed how pale her skin was, like everyone else up here in the north. Except me…

He turned his light eyes back up to the slope in the direction he knew to be where the Ice Forest was, to see yet another traveler walking up, raising his hand in a sign of peace. Alesander returned the gesture quite willingly, replying ”Hail traveler. No trouble, just a simple case of mistaken identity.”

The Captain turned his eyes back of the Fallen Angel, ”I plan on doing nothing to you, friend, why would I think of anything else?” he frowned. ”How do you know my name? And I would dearly like to know yours.”

[Serafina Naquam]

Serafina's mind whirled into a world of nothingness, her thoughts uncontrollable and unrecognizable, she didn't know what she was thinking. But, one thought caught her attention and spoke the loudest, I hate you... Her right hand grabbed her dagger and she held it up next to her head, the tip pointing to the snow-clouded sky. Her eyes darkened and her heart beat slowly, regaining its normal pace, but her adrenaline was rushing and hot anger flooded through her. She pressed her teeth together and her eyes narrowed at the captain, glaring at him devishly.

She noticed another Fallen Angel there, but she ignored him completely, feeling no purpose or importance to show him any recognition. Right now, she was focused on Alesander, someone who, within only a moment, she loathed. Her throat burned with frustration as the cold air scraped against her skin harshly, the snow falling gently upon her black hair. Her hair was soaking wet at this point, after falling into the snow, and it stuck to the sides of her face. She continued to glare at the man before her that had not harmed her in any way, but she refused to do anything that showed higher gratitude. Her voice almost cracked as she spoke, as a result of not saying a word for quite some time. It was sharp, and cold-hearted, shallow and deep, cutting through the once-friendly air.

"You call me friend... you say I am an ally... and yet, there you stand, as an Ice Warrior, the people who took my land years ago. The people... who took away my..." her throat choked and she was unable to utter the words 'wings', and instead she said, "took away all that we had built." She stood up swiftly, but she did not take her eyes off of him. Serafina's father had inflicted that Cailen was wrong for making a treaty with the Ice Warriors, because the Ice Kingdom did not belong to them in any sense, and her thoughts and values were set in her heart, and her mind. She turned around gracefully, looking at the Ice Warriors depart from the scene, returning to their posts, as the Fallen Angel stared at the two of them. With all of her strength, she held back from glaring and hissing at him under her breath, but he was of her kind and that would be disrespectful.

She turned back to face him and stood up straight. Her dagger stayed in her hand, and with her left hand, she angrily punched the boulder to the her left with all of her strength. The snow fell off gently, although the rock had not moved. Her hand ached, and her knuckles bled, but she felt no pain and could think of nothing else but him. "Serafina Naquam," she said with pride, rather unexpectadly. "A Fallen Angel... a warrior... a fighter." Again, she glared at him. "I am no ally... nor am I a friend... of anyone who is an Ice Warrior." The pain in her knuckles finally hit her, and she quickly removed her hand and glanced at it, sucking the blood away and rubbing it softly, to help sooth the wound. Her disappointment and frustration was difficult to control at this moment, and she wanted nothing more than to stab the man before her with the dagger she still held in her hand. With a quick motion, she took a single step forward and the dagger was faced at him. She had no intention of killing him, but the image was rather pleasing and she couldn't help but smile to herself.

Devilishly she may be, but her father had raised her to think like this, and act like this. She fleetly turned to face Kevin Sage, the man whos name she finally could recall. Her facial expression was unreadable, but her eyes expressed slight sorrow and disappointment in her comrade. Subconciously, she knew she was being irrational, she was never sent from Cailen on this duty... Her father had lied to her, she knew, but she liked to think that they were not allies with the Ice Kingdom. She was lying to herself. She quickly shook her head and her breathing had gotten heavier. The snow was gently falling on the campsite, large, dusty clouds overhead. I will never understand why Cailen had done this... and I will never agree with it...

Suddenly, Serafina froze. She narrowed her eyes, only this time she was being observant, her eyes sharply glancing around her. She felt someone unwelcomed nearby, but she could see nothing. It might have been her nerves acting up, uncomfortable with the situation. She did not like expressing her anger like this, she would have rather just killed Alesander, but something held her back, and it was aggravating her beyond imagination as to what it was. She would not allow her dignity to be destroyed like this. Her pride had been threatened, and it cut her deeply. She took extreme offense to each word he had spoken, which only caused her blood to boil hotter. Mentally, she cussed at her father, regretting his training after all of these years. She truly, truly, despises Ice Warriors, and she never realized how much until she had a confrontation with Alesander Victarion.

"How do you know my name?" The question repeated itself in her head a few times, and she couldn't find the words to answer his longing question, that she had long delayed upon. She looked at the ground, a sudden warmth rising to her cheeks. Her eyes grew wide at the disturbing, and unnatural feeling, having never felt embarrassed before, or at least she never expressed it in the public, but for an unknown reason, her cheeks flushed. Her hair was covering most of her face, or so she hoped, so she had reason to believe that nobody had seen her sudden weakness... she gritted her teeth and closed her eyes tight. I hope nobody saw that... She dispersed herself from her thoughts and felt the sudden discomfort once again, that they were not alone. She let it pass unnoticed.

She looked at Alesander once again, locking her eyes on him and not taking them off. His ivory skin was dark against the white snow, and his body large and experienced, but she did not let that intimidate her. She couldn't tell him how she knew of his name, for this was not the first time that she had spied on the Ice Warriors, a duty her father had set to her quite often. She had overheard one of the Ice Warriors talking about him, calling him Captain. Back then, she felt sick to her stomach at the title given to an insolent warrior of his allegiance. She decided to ignore the question. The pressing feeling of someone else watching remained in her conscious, and her stomach, but again she would not lose composure in front of anybody. Especially not a pitiful Ice Warrior.
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[Kevin Sage]

The girl's outburst surprised Sage slightly. Naquam... where have I heard that name before? Sage struggled with his memory as he noticed the band of Ice Warriors return to their specific locations. The name suddenly stuck, and the knowledge of the Naquam family returned to him. This girl, Serafina, was born as a Fallen Angel, stripped of her wings by the Ice Warriors themselves when she was very young. Of course the girl would have some hatred for the Ice Warriors, but then again, it was a very long time ago. The world has changed since then.

Before Sage could even bring himself to speak some sense into the girl, she thrust her weapon toward the Captain. Sage closed the distance between them quickly, but realized she wasn't going to kill him - at least not right away. He was beside her now, and he placed a hand upon her arm, trying to coax her to withdraw her blade. The last thing the Angels needed was another enemy.

"Serafina," Sage spoke her name firmly, "Cailen made peace with these people. To break a treaty makes you a traitor to your own kind." To be honest, Sage himself disagreed with the treaty, but he trusted Cailen for the most part. And during the war, Sage fought alongside the Ice Warriors like a comrade. Perhaps there was something to this peace idea; or perhaps the time is not yet right. In either case, Sage could not allow Serafina to lose her grip and let her anger take over.

Sage stole a glance at Alesander, though he couldn't read the expression that had crossed his face. He looked back toward the girl, hoping her good sense would kick in.

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[Alesander Victarion]

Alesander did not move once during the Fallen Angel’s outburst, instead, he just stood there, impassive, listening to every word she uttered, to every movement she stirred, waiting. Despite his actions of peace, the girl had fully abused him, and the Captain was not one to take slights very well, especially upon where his loyalties lie. He looked down at the knife thrust at him, which was the only indication he gave her that he was still paying attention. That, is it.

”Whatever the Ice Warriors did to you, it was before my time, and not personally by me. Your anger is misplaced!” His voice methodically began to rise in volume, until it could have been classed that he was now yelling at her earnestly. ”Learn your place in the world, girl, and learn some damn respect!” He took the shaft of his spear out of the inch-think snow, stopping himself from leaning on it, and transferring his weight back evenly. In one quick, fluid movement, he took a step back from her, out of range of her knife, and twirled the blade of his spear until it was touching the skin of Serafina’s neck, but not enough to pierce it… yet.

”You are no friend, no ally of mine. And I will not accept neutrality from the likes of you.” Without taking his eyes off of Serafina, he raised his voice to the camp, ”Alarm! Enemy contact on the wire! All Rangers mobilize for assault!” He glared at the Fallen Angel in front of him, pushing slightly harder on the shaft of his spear. ”Kill the girl!”

Without a care for the look Serafina or Kevin gave him, he had interest only for her eyes, staring into them with a cold abhorrence. ”I will accept no offence, no abuse, no affronts.” He whispered to her hotly. The Rangers who had already had their weapons ready were at first confused by Alesander’s calls, but they knew better to disobey, and within moments they were turning, running back towards the dangerous situation, and amidst it all, Alesander simply added, ”Fight your way out of this, warrior...”

[Serafina Naquam]

[I'm sorry that this isn't very good but I'm a little peeved right now....]

Serafina's eyes darkened, as she stared intently at the Captain. Her thoughts were no longer in a rush of excitement, but rather had settled down. After letting her anger out, she felt a bit more at ease, and Kevin's touch had probably soothed her as well. But, it had already been too late for her to recover for what she done, for he reacted in a way that Serafina had expected. Of course it caught her off guard, and when the blade touched her neck lightly, she didn't feel a rush of fear, but rather exhilaration. The thought of her own death was not soothing, nor was it welcoming, but the image of his was exceptionally pleasurable.

However, something did startle her, and this time, she had no way to hide it behind her hair. His words, "Fight your way out of this, warrior...", was much more contemplating than she had anticipated. She felt a rush of relief and happiness when he had said that, for nobody has ever openly called her a warrior, simply a killer, however, it was quickly diminished as she knew immediately that his intention was to kill her, was to fight her. "I don't fear death," she whispered to herself, not to prove a point, but rather to reassure her own mind that it was not something to fear. Her eyes, however, could not deny it: her eyes quickly changed, only slightly, to something like that of a slightly frightened child. She whispered the words to herself a few more times, but her heart had still sped up to a faster-than-normal rate, and her blood was not pumping adrenaline.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, as she stood there, motionless, with his blade just a moments' away from slitting her throat. She dropped her dagger into the snow slowly, and hesitantly, and her hands were next to her head. She opened her eyes and, without turning her head, she looked at the blade. The Spear was much longer than she had imagined it to be, and the blade was sharper than she had expected, as well. She put her hands down by her side, but they quickly twitched. She has never hesitated this much before, she has never been afraid before, and she has never surrendered before... Her body shuddered at the thought, but she was careful not to let the blade prick her.

She took a very deep, but cold, breath and her eyes met with Alesander's. She wasn't going to try to sweet talk him out of his decision, but she wanted to understand his motive. "What will you get out of killing me, Captain?" she tried her best not to slur his title, and it came out almost as if she had respect towards him. Her facial expression still had remained blank, and cold, but her eyes were darting nervously. She felt Kevin's strong presence next to her, when suddenly, his words "traitor" hit her. She quickly moved away from the blade and crouched down, picking up on of her daggers, as she stared at Kevin with harsh eyes.

"Traitor? Me?" Her voice was sharp. She refused to hurt this boy, he was a Fallen Angel, and he too had lost his wings, he was well aware, but the pain and humiliation it had caused her within her family was agonizing. Serafina could not help but feel extreme hatred towards the Ice Warriors, and again she cussed under her breath, respect for her father slowly disappearing. She chuckled slightly. "I don't think the Fallen Angels would miss me much, maybe it would do you guys some good to be rid of me." She wasn't expecting a compliment in return, or anything for that matter, as she glanced at Alesander slightly. She stood up cautiously and shook her head. "Kevin, I'd advise you not get in the way: this has nothing to do with the treaty, Cailen, or... anything..." she looked at him. "He raised his blade at me, and he decided on a fight. And I can't refuse a fight." She was only half telling the truth, but she did not want to get him involved, when none of this was his fault.

Her hand grabbed the hilt of her short sword, and she pulled it out swiftly. She had no intention of even bothering to grab her bow and arrow, which she would have preferred, however Alesander was not the only Ice Warrior at this campsite, and to go at a distance would probably not be the best of ideas. She did not raise her blade, rather kept it at her side with ease, as she steadied her breathing and the rush of death flooded through her. She pictured him on the snow, his skin slowly turning a sickly grey as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. It was a typically gruesome, corrupted thought, but she allowed her mind to wander. She didn't know what was goign to come out of this. Her shoulders relaxed, but she did not put her short sword back in its rightful place. Maybe she had taken it too far, but she would let him choose the path this... "argument" would go on.
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[Kevin Sage]

Sage took a stance next to Serafina, his own silver spear now drawn. He would not allow one of his own to fight alone, whatever the reason was for the hostility. His eyes shone with anger toward this captain, and he feared for his companion not to mention himself in the current situation. Ice Warriors were flanking all sides.

Of course, if it came down to it, Sage would stand and fight should the aggression continue; but there must be some other way to soothe –if no resolve- the issue.

Serafina questioned the captain, but before Alesander answered, Sage found himself the object of question. "All of the Angels play a part," he replied shortly. "And I will not 'stay out of the way.' This fight is pointless." He was now speaking to them both. The Angels and Ice Warriors were allies. They had their differences in the past, but today, here and now, they were on the same side. The day will come when the Angel's and Ice Warriors would face each other once agin, but for now, they needed to maintain their alliance with each other.

"Cailen would be furious to know of this conflict, and I doubt Ice would be pleased, Sir," Sage said now looking at Alesander. "Swallow your pride, and cease this childish game."

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[Alesander Victarion]

Alesander never moved his spear from the stubborn Fallen Angel, and in his mind he was resolute in his determination to hurt her, to punish her, but after hearing Kevin’s plea, he had to admit that killing Serafina might be an action that was a twinge too… zealous.

Without moving his spear from Serafina, but without pushing any harder, the Captain allowed the Rangers to again encircle his ‘acquaintances’. When one moved, raising his sword methodically to take off the Fallen Angel’s head hesitantly, Alesander spoke up. ”Hold for now, Corporal. Let her make the choice whether she lives or dies here.” The Ice Warrior was noticeable pleased at not having to kill an aligned soldier, and exchanged a quick glance with Serafina, before stepping back into the line of soldiers.

Alesander nodded towards his men, whilst talking to Serafina. ”A hundred Ice Warriors. That is your odds. You will drop the sword now, and we will escort you back to The Ice Forest where Cailen will decide upon your punishment for spying on a neighboring ally.” He could taste in the air that if Cailen had indeed sent this Fallen Angel to spy on Ice Warrior military activity, then the alliance could be closer to breaking point than he had originally thought. ”Or fight, and die. I will not accept neutrality from the likes of you.”

When Kevin took a stand beside Serafina, he couldn’t help but have a certain respect for the soldier. He had nothing personally against Kevin, as he had not so blatantly insulted him as his kin. But his words did not meet welcoming ears nonetheless. ”Swallow my pride?” Alesander scoffed at that. ”Look around you! I could give the order and you would be riddled with forty arrows each before you could blink. I do not need to swallow my pride here. I do not need to do anything. You have to swallow your arrogance, or swallow your lives.”

After he had let off that steam, he returned his gaze to Serafina, the spear still cold and sharp against her skin. ”Perhaps Cailen will be forgiving. Perhaps…”

[Serafina Naquam]

"This was not Cailen's decision," she said sharply, her voice a bit arrogant. However, she was not going to tell him who she was following. She bit her tongue and let out a breath. "Whatever Cailen decides, it's our business... I don't think it should concern you, with all due respect." It took all of her nerve, all of her strength, to utter the word 'respect' to him, and she quickly regretted it afterwards, but she had not taken it back. She stared at him, again, coldly, but this time, she would no longer fight against his words. She did not want to get in trouble with Cailen, and even worse, her father... She would have to come up with a lie for him, something convincing, but she knew she was going to pay for this mistake later. She decided not to think about it.

She looked at Kevin, expecting him to be gone by this point, after what the captain had said, but there he was, still standing next to her. Her eyes narrowed in confusion, as she stared at him, bewildered. Why was he still there... why is he still here...? She looked at the captain once again. Did she have a choice? Yes, she did, and he gave her two options: swallow her pride, or die. Both were rather agonizing. She groaned in frustration and felt her hand ache again. She clutched it and stared at the ground. Most people would have immediately surrendered, but Serafina's pride was what she lived for. Her pride came from her home, her family, herself.... if she let that go, what would her father think? That's what worried her most.

She looked at Alesander with angry eyes, although that must have been expected. She loathed this man, she didn't even know him, and she felt no guilt for it, either. He more than likely returned the feelings. She smiled slightly. She was suddenly amused. She dropped her sword slowly, never taking her eyes off him. She took her bow off and dropped it into the snow, regrettably. The two daggers rested next to her weapons and she stared at the captain. She didn't want to give up. She would not fight him, she had decided on that, but she would not swallow her pride. She refused to. Her inner struggle began.

"Tell me, Captain," her voice was sincere, calm, and gentle. She was surprised that she was not shaking with anger. "Let us pretend, that your armor, your spear, and your shield are a part of you that will make up who you are completely, but you had to work very hard to get it. Now, when you are a baby, the chances of that ever happening, is taken away from you. What worth would you be without your spear? You could not fight. Without your shield? Nothing could block you from being stabbed. And your armor? Who would you represent then?" She closed her eyes. "Those people were not your allies. But eventually, they became that..." She looked up at him. "Can you truly blame me... for being angry with all Ice Warriors? Whether it was your intention or not, you are part of that group that destroyed your hopes of a future that was worth living."

She didn't want sympathy, but she wanted to be understood. Either way, she wasn't sure if he could quite relate, or what his reaction would be. She gritted her teeth and felt sick suddenly. Her skin crawled, she felt disgusting, lower than dirt, as the next words mumbled out of her mouth, almost inaudible, but she hoped that he could hear it: she would not repeat it again. "I should not... blame you... for what happened..." She wanted to look at him and quickly recover herself with something, but she put her head down and put her fist in her mouth, biting down hard. She had to keep herself from saying anything else that might spark a nerve.

She fell to the ground on her knees, and she stared at the snow again, her bow in front of her. She was angry, at everything, everyone... herself. She took a deep breath. She was not kneeling before him, never would she succumb to something as low as that, but rather in front of her bow, her family emblem embedded into it. She was whispering softly to herself, "I am sorry, I am sorry..." The snowfall had gotten a little heavier. She tried to ignore it, but she shivered, icicles forming in her damp hair. She stood up with pride and stared at Alesander straight in the eye.

"Forgiven or not... I am not falling at the hands of Ice Warriors." She didn't want that to sound harsh or rude, but it might have come out that way. She shook her head. "I wouldn't take that offensively. After all, I'd rather die fighting a real enemy, not my own personal one." Her eyes had a light twinkle in them, slightly humorous, although she did not smile. She took a deep breath and turned her back on the captain. She stared at the mountains and looked at the sky, letting the snow fall on her face. She immediately thought of her father once again. His voice echoed in her ears, "You had better succeed.... don't you dare get caught... and if you do. Then fight. And kill."

She narrowed her eyes. Maybe it would have been better to fight... and surrender last minute... I would suffer the pain of a blade through my skull if I had to, in order to prove to my father I had succeeded... I sure hope I can outgrow him. She looked at the captain again with softer eyes, ones that she hadn't intended on showing. "And if you don't mind me asking... why are you building a fort here? It seems to be in the middle of nowhere. Not a very reasonable place." She had to bite her lip from insulting him. Still, even after her sudden... "confession", she still felt slightly hostile towards him.

[Kevin Sage]

"Choosing peace over fighting (especially for one's own personal gain) is not arrogance. The only arrogance I see, Sir, is yours for thinking the death of a mere two Angels would benefit the Ice Warriors in some way," Sage replied with mock respect. He wasn't sure of the expression that crossed Alesander's face just then, for it was interrupted with the words of Serafina.

Sage himself knew Cailen would not send a spy, and therefore had no idea why this girl would be spying on them. A matter to look into... he noted to himself. But for now, he waved the issue aside. Serafina had dropped her weapons. Following her lead, thankful some of the tension had been expelled, Sage re-sheathed his spear behind his back alongside his bow and quiver.

Listening to the questions, clearly rhetorical, from Serafina, Sage began to understand her intense resentment toward the Warriors. True enough, he knew her plight already, but hearing her speak it out loud gave him more of a personal insight. Although, how he felt about it was merely an understanding; he'd given up pity a long time ago.

Serafina's final question was not rhetorical like her previous ones. And it was actually a fair question. The same inquiry had crossed his mind, though he had bigger issues on his mind the last fifteen minutes. Now that the question had been raised, Sage arched his eyebrows in interest and looked toward Alesander for his answer.

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[Alaria]

ooc: hope you dont mind me joining,


Alaria had been watching from afar. Ice had sent her to watch over this production, and so she would. Her discs in hand, she stood stone still and watched, outfit blending in with everything all around her. Her white cloak concealed her face and her white armor and leathers. Turning ever so slightly, she glanced at the two White Wings.

Something was happening, and she needed to know. Moving from her spot she dodged the trees and bushes, ducking behind the big rocks. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest and she tried to still it. Alaria narrowed her eyes and kept them focused on Alesander.

He had ordered all men to aim at the White Wings, and then stepped down to point his spear at the throat of the woman. Anger welled in her. Cailen and Ice had worked so very hard to make this treaty, and now these two fools would try and break it? If Alesander killed her, the two clans would be at war, and if one of the White Wings, particularly the woman, should attack, then that would be over and done with. Ice would not allow it in a million years.

Shaking her head, she stood up and walked towards the fort, her uniform medals decorating her chest. Alaria pulled down her hood and watched again. The male White Wing was Kevin, her partner in the Amythset War. They had gone after the gem itself. And they might be considered friends, maybe not. But the woman, she didn't know him.

And the woman was fiesty. She had lots to say about Alesander, things that nobody would dare say to a Captain. A smirk spread across Alaria's features as she listened in. From her back she pulled her sword quiet as can be, and she lifted the two discs. They silently fused together, the halfmoons becoming whole.

The wind began to pick up a little, and her cloak billowed out around her, dusts of snow swirling around everyone. Her full uniform was visable, and she walked hurriedly to Alesander. Stopping beside him, she cleared her throat. Not many civilans knew this, but Alaria was a deep asset to Ice, one of his closest partners. One of his most trusted. But of course, most of the Captains might know. Hopefully Alesander did and wouldn't take her apperance as a threat.

Alesander, lower your weapon. You know the consequences if you kill either of the Fallen Angels. Lifting her hand to the men, she nodded her head and they lowered their weapons slightly, knowing that she had higher rank than them. Alaria turned to Alesander, a friend of hers, and touched his spear shaft with her hand.

My friend, if any are to die here today, another war between our kinds will break out. Ice and Cailen will not tolerate this kind of behavior! She turned to Kevin, unsure of what he would do. He seemed to be trying to make the woman back down, and it didn't seem to be working. Well, she didn't look as angry anymore. Her disc, properly named Shakr'am, rested in her hand lightly, itching to be thrown. It has a mind of its own.

Ice sent me here to watch and make sure that nobody gets entangled in emotions and then do something irrational. Alesander, please, let them go. She is angry at our people for her own reason, and its not your right to take her life for that reason. Let her be! Her eyes showed signs of worry, for she had heard that calming the great Captain might prove to be....difficult.