Of Love and War

[Jovian]

With the war dwindling down over the last couple decades, it seemed that maybe there would be peace coming around afterall. However, that was just what the humans thought. The Seraphim and Valkryie knew better, knew that if they came in contact with each other it was liable to lead to another skirmish. They were not ready for peace, because there was still something at stake for them. What was in store for the winners who went to the island was unknown, but it was still something to fight for. A fight over territory.

Vaerin was grocery shopping and reminiscing. He hadn't gotten a chance to really experience the war, because it was dying down when he was a kid. He had heard stories though, and considered who he would have been on the side of had he been able to choose a side.

It didn't matter now though. Even the humans that had taken sides were finally tossing aside their devotions and becoming one again. Vaerin had been witnessing marriages between men and women that were supporters of opposite sides, realizing that they had a lot in common and were only separated by a war that had ended. Few people realized that this was only a pause in the fighting.

Even Vaerin did not realize that the fight was far from over.

Getting to his apartment, Vaerin put away his groceries and looked around his small apartment. It wasn't much, but at least he could afford it. He worked at the rather large grocery store he shopped at as a night stocker. It paid well enough for his standards.

He sat on the only piece of furniture in the living room, a large comfortable recliner, and picked up a book his brother had suggested to him. His mind wasn't on literature, though, but on the war again like they usually were. The war had been what had taken his father from him, and he had been too injured to be saved.

"Wonder how Ardin is doing..." he mumbled as he closed his eyes. A nap would be nice...

 

[Kitti]

A peal of laughter rang through the air and it was as if it opened a floodgate of sound. Suddenly, children were chatting, laughing, yelling, and crying all in a rush of noise. When Eridia came closer to where the children were playing, she could see them running around, playing games with bouncing balls and sometimes the odd doll. It made her happy to see, it was the same sight that she had come to watch since she could remember.

When the children spotted her, a familiar figure by now and trusted by even their parents since she'd played with some of their parents when they were young, they ran to her side. In seconds, she was flanked by a pair of little boys tugging on each of her hands. All of the children were clamoring to get her to play games with them, which brought a smile to her face.

Here, Eridia felt loved and part of the group. The children were beatifically innocent of her faction in the war, they did not know that their companionship with her could label them enemies of the valkyrie. This was something that Eridia vowed to avoid at all costs. Should it ever be discovered that these children were friends with a seraphim, it was possible that they might end up collateral. The thought scared Eridia all the time, but she was thankful that the war had come to a pause, even as tense a one as it was.

Drawing her attention away from her somber thoughts, Eridia realized that the children were begging her to play some game with them involving bouncing the ball around squares while people stood in these squares. The children loved that Eridia did not understand their games but played a long to humor them. With a broad smile on her face again, Eridia bounced the ball and one child gleefully yelled "No, no, Eri, that's all wrong!"

Eridia picked the ball up once more and bounced it again, trying to understand what the point of this game was.
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[Zalia]

I placed my whip away before i flew up into the world of humans. I put away my wings before they where noticed. I started walking and walked into this diner. I sat down and ordered a slice of pie. I ate the pie enjoying it. It was so delicious. I finished it and sat there staring out the window.

I was just sitting there staring out the window. I was thinking about what i was supposed to do now. No one wanted me around anymore. The only place i belonged was my place. I figured i would jsut stay here for a while. I decided to go for a walk. To just think.

 

[Effort]

The day was going along well. The city gates were strong, the walls were almost completely finished and there hadn't been a raider attack in a while. But there had been plenty of recruiters. Like the ones that were at the gates today. Sam heard the guard approaching and was already on his feet. "Sam! Seraphim recruits at the west gate." Samuel leaned over and grabbed up a staff with metal bands all up and down it's length. "Did you already tell them that we refuse to affiliate ourselves with either of them?" he asked the guard. "Yes sir, they asked to speak with our leader directly..." Which is me.... Samuel made his way downstairs and outside and eventually was standing outside of the western gate. "I lead these people. We will not have anything to do with the Seraphim or the Valkyrie. I've told you this before, we will never change our minds. Now please leave and don't come back." Sam stood there and watched, holding his staff loosely in his hands and his chosen squad of dealing with potential threats standing behind him.

As a reply the lead Seraphim follower unsheathed his sword and started running at him while another waved his hand about and sent a spurt of fire at him. There was an explosion of small events. Samuel took in a deep breath, twirling his staff as he did so and dissipating the fireball before it could reach him. When the swordsman came closer Sam blew all the breath he held in his lungs which hit the man in a concentrated blast and sent him flying backwards. Two of Samuel's squad gestured with their hands while another two ran forward with clubs and a staff. Two of the opposing men had their feet sink into the earth up to their shins and could not remove them. Another man's feet were frozen together and he toppled to the side. The man who cast the fire before rose his hand and pointed at Samuel for another try as the man with the sword started getting back up. Samuel swept his hand sideways and a hard gust blasted the fire man off his feet and prevented the swordsman from getting up. The earth swallowed up the sword and the fire man's hands became covered with frost. The two men of his squad were already taking care of the disabled recruiters, generally it went that they beat them senseless and left them be. The two others standing behind Samuel came forward then and also joined in the clubbing of the intruders.

Samuel pinned the sword man down by putting his knee on his chest and leaned down so he could growl in his face. "We are not involving ourselves with ANYONE. If I see you approach this town you will not be able to crawling away. The buzzards and crows will have at your eyes as you lay on the ground with broken limbs." Samuel struck the man until he was unconscious. After all of the recruiters were unconscious there legs were unfrozen and released from the earth, what ever weapons they had were stripped from them and taken to a guard post inside the gate. The gates closed once again.