Selina: The Flower of Carnage

The moment Jon heard Selina shout, he looked to where she, Ali and Samson were so he could guess what was going on. Everything became obvious, though. She had blond hair that was styled differently, though since he wasn't close enough, he didn't catch the covering on her facial marks. Jon found himself staring at her... It was a good look for her, really. He did like her snowy hair; it completed the image of an ice princess. Since her eyes were still that piercing, icy blue, he might as well stick by the nickname for her.

"Awh, you're still pretty," he said quietly to himself, wondering if her good hearing might have picked that up. Not that he really cared... It felt silent over here by himself.

He observed as Samson walked over to Selina. The old man was sitting in the grass with Alia and Nana, telling them stories from his past; good ones, sad ones, funny ones, strange ones... When he approached Selina, he made a toothy smile and spoke,

"Relax, missy. It's not permanent. We just hafta keep your identity hidden when we go to Oren, thassall!"

Samson expected her to react violently, though with words because she wouldn't dare strike him with her fists. Alia and Nana appeared next to Samson, the little girl's hand clinging to the wrist of her elder sister. She looked up to the blond haired woman with a childish smile,

"Selina! Pwetty!" she cooed, getting a giggle out of Ali, who nodded with agreement.
 
If there was one thing Selina couldn't do, it was to yell in front of a child. Selina bit her lip for the time being. She was so used to lashing out that one of her short fangs began to dig into the soft pink muscle. Some deep red blood began to trickle down her face but Selina quickly whipped it away on her shirt sleeve. "Fine." Was all that Selina said in response to Samson.

"I'm just takin' precautions S'elina. Ye know as well as I do, that there is an uneasy truce between Oren and the Kin. You wouldn't be welcomed into the gates if you com' blazing in like the mixed blood that ye are." Samson said, approaching Selina and placing his hand on her shoulder. Selina attempted to slap him away, but the old man proved to be a match to her speed. Her eyes then narrowed. "How the hell did you do that?" Selina demanded.

"Simple missy. My wife was one of your kind."
 
Alia held a couple of fingers to her lips when Samson said his wife was one of Selina's kind. She didn't know if he meant a half-breed or a full blooded Kin, but either way the was made her heart sink. The assumption made was that she passed away, maybe disappeared or even got executed. None of these thoughts were very happy...

Still, she had to know, "What happened to your wife, Mister Samson?" Samson looked at Alia for brief moment. It would have taken a someone with Selina's eye sight to notice that his face grew stern for half a minute. "Let's not discuss me past. We still have a while to go to reach Oren. I'll say by night fall at da latest."

She set her hand onto Nana's head and pulled the child close so she could keep track of her. Nana wasn't one to wander off, but you couldn't be too careful. A quick glance was made to Jon as he stood there in boredom with the snail, watching for danger. From the looks of it, all was uneventful.

End of Episode 4​
 
Episode Five: Into the Empire of Oren​



I remember the first few weeks after I fled from the Kin. I encountered an elderly woman that lived with many goats. She offered me food and medicine. While I was resting from my wounds that I received from the Beast, I would constantly stare at the scratches on my flesh. They were deep and if I moved in any direction, the wounds reopen themselves. For the first time in my life, I was distressed about my future. I felt like I was going to fall into a deep depression that I would never recover.

I had lost it all. My soldiers. My way of life. Respect of the Elders. I was a no body.

I guess that I'd openly admit that I'm vain. My entire livelihood has been based on out proving everyone else. That's just the way of the Kin military called the New Morghulis. As a half blood, it's about the only means of being someone or something.

However, my goals have changed. I am no longer going to be the weeping, useless soldier I've been living as. I have made it to Oren, the only place on this planet that the damned Legions of Edelweiss and Tager won't tread.

Iron-Grip-Marauders-Artwork.jpg

The fact is simple; the Empire of Oren has weapons that came from another world that are capable of leveling entire nations. While the Kin are a mighty military force, they don't dare risk sending their soldiers into battle against a foe that is well prepared to take them on by force. The New Morghulis is very lazy in this sense. It has been generations since the last major war between our own tribes. For the humans, it seems to be a nearly constant affair.

While I know that it'll be extremely difficult for me to enter the general population, it'll keep me safe and out of harm's way. I will miss the adventure of the open road but I need a safe haven. I can't keep on running forever and ever.

I will not openly admit it, since I don't want them following me around for the rest of my life but with Jon, Samson, Alia, and that little girl I'll be able to blend in more with the populace of Oren. This is the one positive aspect of traveling in a group. I will admit that I have missed being able to communicate with other people…

From what my gut is telling me, things are about to get even harder before they get easier.
 
The snail mobile was abandoned by the spot Selina's image was changed. The group continued to Oren on foot, ever watchful of anyone who dared threaten them. Jon didn't yet know how he felt in this gang of his... An old man, a little girl, a demonic woman, a lady with prosthetic parts, and then there was him: the farm boy. In all honesty, he felt like he was the most useless, with the exception of Nana. At least Samson seemed to have faith in him, even giving him this gun that was strapped to his back. Alia, he assumed, had faith in him as well. She was always looking at him with adoring eyes, reminding him how much of a hero he was to her.

Nothing would mean more than trust from Selina, though.

Selina's attitude always angered him and he wasn't going to let himself be beaten by it. He sometimes even wished that he was rescued by someone else that gray, rainy day when that Mole Man attacked him. He hated to admit it, but he had feelings for this woman. Aside from the fact she was always coming to his rescue, she was just...different, from other girls. She was independent, she had a different image... Still, he doubted she'd like to hear that from him.

Jon was lost in his thoughts the entire way to Oren.

Ali pointed ahead, saying she saw a great city coming up. It was, without a doubt, the city they were searching for. She was excited to finally be going someplace to be accepted. Once she was settled, she hoped to find work and begin a new life for her and Nana. She was going to be this girls parent; the motherly elder sister. This child was her priority in life. They still had a long way to go, though. Nothing was going to suddenly get simple, not so soon...

They reached the front gates, where a pair of men heavily dressed with armour and firearms in their possessions. Samson, Alia and Nana were easily going to get through. They looked like a family... A grandfather with his granddaughters. It was easy to play out and there were some comparable features between the three of them.

For Jon and Selina, though, they were basically immigrants. They had to earn their way into Oren through a series of competitive events. Jon could not hear a word the men were saying, though. He was much too awe stricken by this city's technology; it was far more advanced than his home! They weren't even that far into the city and already, he was at a loss for words. If they weren't being held back by these dangerous looking guards, he would have ran right in to explore this new place, eager to learn more about it.

"...are you clear on that, sir?"

Jon snapped back into reality, blushing with embarrassment as everyone stared at him, Selina doubtlessly irritated with him. "Ah, sorry..." he muttered, nervously scratching at the back of his head.
 
"Yes, he understands." Selina then said in Jon's place, "You'll have to forgive him. He had a long night dealing with some rather rabid mole men." She then sighed, "Those beings are all rude to simple travelers."

The main guard then waved them on and soon Jon and Selina were now being escorted by a two men wearing bright armored chest plates and a spiked helmet. The hallway that the two were now marching through was made up of cheap wooden panels with an occasional painting or two.

"What about the three people we traveled with?" Jon asked. The guard raised an eyebrow, "Those three are citizens of this great nation. If you had been paying attention to the guard, you would have understood. You two are going to have the honor of becoming citizens by doing some trails events. Of course, you could always back down now. We're always looking for new slaves."

The helmeted guard had pointed this last comment to the blonde haired woman that Selina was masquerading as. "Is that so? Well, I keep that in mind once we find some pussies that aren't willing to fight for their proper place within society." The guard then blinked, he had never met someone that actually understood the social hierarchy in Oren.

"Well, you seem very much like a Spartan woman. Do you think that you have a right to be so bold towards men?" He asked while the kept walking forward. Selina responded, "Ask me again, once the world gives birth to actual men."
 
Jon didn't really feel prepared for what would soon happen. His strength and wits were going to be challenged, neither of which he knew he had. Living on a farm, where he just worked on plantations and raised animals, he had no special skills.

Selina was making him feel better, though. The attitude she often denied having was making him smirk, his laughter difficult to contain. The slightest snicker escaped him when she talked back to these guardsmen. Jon had nothing to add, really. Actual men really were scarce... Actually, he saw more masculine figures back at home. Some of the people he's seen thus far really were sad excuses for men. Not that he really considered himself anything special.

He allowed himself to get distracted by this new environment. Not a single thing, from the ground to the tallest building, looked like his home. This was so advanced in comparison! There was a sparkle in his eyes, like a child would show when they entered an amazing toy store.

"Mister Samson, will they be okay?" Alia quitely asked the old man, holding Nana close. She was concerned for Jon, mostly. She knew very well that Selina could handle herself.
 
"This is the place that you'll be calling home for the next few days." The guard mentioned as the group reached an empty space that looked more like a storage room than a place suitable for living. "There's a washroom behind the curtain over there. Straw mattresses are in the corner. Food is severed twice daily. When not in combat, you must always wear this green patch on your person. These are our laws." The guard then handed Jon and Selina two wool off green patches. "The first assembly of combatants will begin at 1:31 PM tomorrow. In the mean time, you will be required to stay in your quarters. Good luck bitchy girl and bitchy girl's friend." The guard then saluted them and walked away.

Selina then tore the patch up, "Screw that bullshit." Selina then pulled a piece of paper from her pants pocket. "While that prick was chatting with his buddy, I stole his papers." She then handed it over to Jon. "They'll question you walking around than me. I am a poor defenseless woman, after all. Ohhhh boy, I love this society. Makes it so easy for me to wander around."

"I don't know Alia. I'm thinking we might have to speak to one of the officials too see if they can stay with us at my wife's old house. That's why I have a citizenship paper. Selina's journey is almost parallel to my wife's. I think that's the only reason, why I keep 'er around." Samson then said to Alia. "Now how about we focus on you two gals for once? Selina can take care of 'erself. Jon, maybe not. But e's got Selina to save his sorry butt." He then placed his arm around Alia's shoulder, "You'll be like the daughter I 'ever had. Same for Nana."
 
Jon made a face as the guards left them, not too keen on them referring to Selina as a bitch. It was true, she had a short temper and didn't talk in the sweetest of languages... Name calling wasn't necessary, though. He kept those feelings inside, not letting them affect his facial features, albeit his heart was racing out of anger.

"Don't let it bother you, Selina. We both know you aren't poor or defenseless," he assured, rolling his eyes.

He watched as Selina tore up that patch she was handed. Jon decided to just slip it into the back pocket of his jeans, since there were laws here that required its use. If it came down to it, he'd sacrifice it to Selina... As to why, he hadn't a clue.

"Paper for...what?" he asked, looking down at what she handed to him. He began to read the text, though really, it didn't explain a damn thing to him. Jon knew how to read, he just never learned how to interpret anything beyond a fiction novel or factual pieces of work that involved agriculture. This city alone was foreign to him!

'She thinks I'm an idiot.'

"You never had any children?" Alia asked Samson, surprised and curious. Nana mimicked her sister's look of shock, mostly to be silly since she didn't quite understand the situation. All she knew was she had to stay by her 'family' at all times.

She made a feminine giggle as he set an arm around her shoulder. "Then you will be like the Father we've never had," she replied, smiling.
 
"Oren's government is a system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement. It's a meritocracy, more than it's a true democracy. Appointments are made and responsibilities assigned based on demonstrated talent and ability of a citizen. Full rights are only granted to those, whom have willingness to sacrifice themselves in the common interest of the nation. People are divided into two classes, the Registered and the Unregistered." Selina said when she began to alter the soldier's paper after she grabbed it from Jon.

Jon focused on her handwriting, the first time that he had ever seen it. For being a rough and tumble sort of person, Selina had rather surprisingly artistic flow to her penmanship. It was as if she had once had taken calligraphy...

"It was set up as a means of regulating resource distribution amongst the residents during the Rift Wars. Especially the fuel known as Star Rifts. The stupid members of the Oren upper class believed that it was made from the Kin's blood. It's really funny if you ask me. You humans are the aliens to this world, while us Kin are natives and yet you act like we're the ones from the stars." Her tone was less demanding than it normally was. It was how Jon believed that the characters in his favorite novels would have spoken to each other. A mentor teaching...Something like that.

Selina finally dotted her i's and crossed her t's. Even these looked pretty fancy.

"To get back to point...Registered Citizens are officially sanctioned residents who are able to receive healthcare, schooling, welfare, and other amenities from the government. Unregistered Citizens, on the other hand, cannot receive municipal healthcare or many of the other amenities offered to Registered Citizens. While the Unregistered Citizens are not illegal occupants of the city per se, they are often regarded, both officially and effectively, as the lower caste among the residents of the city. Many live in the older, run down parts of Oren. Our skill in the upcoming days will determine our ranking within this society."

"We had two children," Sasmon said while scratching his beard, "Though, I'm not one to focus on the past. This is the present."
 
While observing Selina's amazing penmanship, Jon was awe struck that she didn't punch him in the head, or scold him for asking what the purpose of the paper was. Instead, she explained it to him, even though he most likely wasn't going to remember all these details. He did pick up how Kin were natives and humans were aliens, though. Jon honestly did not know that... Then again, there was a lot he didn't know. His knowledge of history only involved his family.

"True," he commented. "Glad I'm not like the rest, though."

Jon really couldn't be if he tried.

He made a nervous smile when she said that their skills would determine their ranking in Oren. Without a doubt, Selina would be living in the high class areas... Jon believed that nobody would be able to overpower her in a battle. Someone like Tager, perhaps, but he hasn't seen enough of that man's abilities to judge. From what Selina has told him, Tager wasn't someone you wanted to deal with. Jon was pretty hard-headed, though...

Jon looked around the quarters they were expected to stay in. Really, he wasn't one to follow all of the rules. He wanted to escape and explore the city, but kept that in his thoughts. Selina wasn't treating him like an idiot, so he preferred not to risk that attitude change. Maybe she really wasn't as cold as he thought...
 
Selina folded the paper up and put it into one of her breast pockets.

"I wouldn't know." She said. "My experiences with humans has been a mixed blessing. It mostly tends to end with what you saw at Swamptown. Tager or Edelweiss comes in and burns everything down. I have had people, whom I've considered friends killed before my very eyes. This is why I want you to really think about what you want to do here."

She then stepped towards a broken down mirror that hung near the proposed bathroom. Selina then played with one of the blonde curls that Alia had added. It was weird not seeing the black markings on her face. It was the first time in her life that those signs of caste were not present. It was a feeling of discomfort and happiness. Of course, she would never reveal these feelings to this boy that kept following her everywhere she went.

"Which leads me to my question. Do you know what we're going to face in the days to comes?"
 
Jon wanted to say that he understood what she was talking about, but that wouldn't be the right choice of words. Having lost a friend to enemies was something you had to experience, in order to understand. In any case, he could tell that it was hurtful to her. She didn't show emotions relating to sadness or weakness, though somehow, he could still sense the grief resulting from those troubles. All she wanted was somewhere to be accepted, and probably to stop running away from Tager and Edelweiss.

From now on, he felt like he should give her less trouble. Argue less with her, too.

He watched as she looked closely at her new image in a broken mirror. Jon admitted, he missed the snowy hair of hers. All things natural about her were beautiful in their own ways. At least her eyes were unchanged; those cold, cold eyes. The fact she was different was likely a reason he was so drawn to her. He wasn't sure he liked it, though. Love is... Fickle.

"I really have no idea," he answered honestly, smiling wryly. Once again, he felt like an idiot. Jon was well known to take actions without much thought, but nothing has steered him wrong thus far. Where he was right now was an accomplishment!
 
"I see." Selina said.

She just left it at that. Jon was still a young man that was looking to see the world, not a soldier. Maybe she had been too though on him. However, Selina could only draw on the time she had spent as an officer in the Kin military, as a member of the White Wolf Militias.

"I know I said it already, but I want you to be careful. As a former officer, I cannot allow a member of my Clan to be killed before he's even seen the elephant of war. Of course, it'd help if you were armed in some fashion." Selina said, "I can't just get up and steal you one from a vendor since Oren has it's own versions of Relic Guards, though a little more advanced."

She then looked around. "I've got it!" Selina then walked over to were she had placed her pack. She then handed him her trusted firearm. "This will be your tool for survival. Love it, like you loved your sister. If you don't have a sister, then someone else you cared about. From now on, she'll be your love and bridesmaid. Just try not to slobber all over it." All Jon could do was blink.

Why was Selina giving him a weapon????
 
Jon wanted to laugh at Selina and congratulate her for making a joke, since she never seemed like the type to have a sense of humour. No matter how much he wanted to do that, he knew deep down that she was serious. Why was she gifting him her precious weapon? She and this gun were inseparable! Yet, she was giving it to him of all people.

Silently, he took the weapon from her, looking down at it as he held it in both hands. Well, not it... Selina was calling this thing a her, for some reason. Jon didn't see how something inanimate could have a gender, but didn't question it. He couldn't love it like a sister since he didn't have one. Besides, even if he did, the sister would look down on him just like everybody else. Thus far, Selina's been the only woman he's genuinely cared about.

"I, uh..." Jon looked up from the firearm to look at her instead. "Thank you. I'll guard this with my life, like she'll do for me."

Selina made a nod, seeming to trust his words. They did nothing but stare for a moment until she went back to her pack, turning around with a spear in her hands. It looked like a very simple weapon that someone could make just from resources in the forest in order to survive. This had Jon wondering why she'd not give him that, instead of her beloved gun! Then again, someone with her skills and experiences could put a spear to maximum use, whereas a gun just needed to be pointed and shot.

The room got dark as purple sparkles fell from the spear, a surge of power shattering the light bulbs in their little...home. Jon clutched the firearm close to his chest as he watched this unfold. Obviously, this has happened before, because Selina wasn't making any kind of reaction to it. He assumed this had to do with her Kin powers... She must have some sort of bond with this other weapon.

So many more questions flooded Jon's mind.

End of Episode 5​
 
Episode Six: Wayfaring Stranger​



It has been well over 48 hours since we last came across my sweet little antagonist, Selina Orion. It amuses me a lot that she hasn't changed very much in all the years that I've known her. I guess it is about time that we reveal more about just whom she is.
Her father, Dimitri Orion, was a close associate of mine. We both were considered radicals a decade ago, as we supported greater rights for the half bloods of our peoples. For generations, the Elders had decided that they simply didn't exist. And this is even after hundreds of years of interactions between our people and the aliens. To ignore the plight of our relatives was something that we couldn't stand for. So we spent hundreds of our hard earned currencies to influence the notion and finally it gained an universal acceptance amongst most of our lower classes, whom have the greater amount of interaction with humans than someone like Edelweiss ever had.

Dimitri was even more radical than I was. He fell in love with a human woman named Elaine Kiril. From what I remember about her, the human had long black hair and the brightest blue eyes I've ever seen outside of my kind. Elaine was an interesting anti-thesis to her daughter. Unlike the ice queen that Selina had turned into, Elaine had a calm aura, compassionate, tender, generous, selfless...

However, since we were radicals, a certain element of the Elders decided that Dimitri and Elaine should not remain a couple. Like all those that broke the Codex of laying with a human, Dimitri was shipped off the camps were he hasn't been seen since. I managed to keep the human woman safe, along with her child. However, there was a price that Elaine had to pay. And that was to surrender her child to me when she hit the age of 12. She reluctantly agreed to this. And one her 12th birthday the child was handed over to me. I have never seen a creature weep like Elaine did. It was almost heartbreaking.

I have not seen her since that day. But I know she hasn't moved from her home. Hoping that one day that her child will return. It's been five years. I can only wonder if she still keeps up her wishes...I could use this to my advantage.

Since Selina is an expert of partisan warfare, she'll avoid contact with our kind. She's smart enough to lay low and move about at night. While I know that she's somewhere in Oren, simply invading the Tsar's domain isn't something I can do. So I have come up with an alternative. As I've been watching Cathy resting, I've realized that she's roughly the same age as Selina.

My plan is simple. Cathy will take the place of her beloved child. And now I'll have the leverage to force Selina to surrender herself to us.
 
Elaine has lost track of just how long she's been traveling. She left out of loneliness, because ever since Selina was taken away, there was nobody left to care for. No one except the family's Caucasian Shepard dog, Tynee. He was rightfully Selina's dog, since he was a birthday gift for her when she turned eight. Like many other children, she wanted a dog for a pet, with the promise to care for it everyday. Tynee grew to be an enormous, fluffy dog, about the size of a lion, and has protected Selina and her Mother very well. His loyalty to them is undying, so he's traveled with Elaine with no problem of carrying her belongings or defending her from harm.

The two sat down to rest nearby a stream. Elaine really was the young age of 37, so twenty years older than her pride and joy. Nonetheless, she's maintained a surprisingly youthful image thanks to her healthy lifestyle. Some of the women her age already had wrinkles, or something nasty happened to an organ because of smoking, if not some other bad habit. Elaine was certainly glad for her morals and wanted to remain a positive influence, should she ever be reunited with Selina.

"Oh, Tynee... Maybe we should just go back to our house soon. I'm getting tired," she said to the giant dog, stroking the thick, dark fur of his arm. Tynee was drinking from the stream, evidently thirsty from walking nonstop the past hours. She could tell he hungered as well, but knowing Tynee, he only did things on command unless he sensed aggression from someone.

"Go ahead and hunt," she told him. With that, he was up and sniffing about for food. While waiting for her companion, she shifted her weight to her knees and looked down in the water. She combed some fingers through her long, black hair while humming a song to herself.

When she looked up, a tall man with long hair and a thin woman with brown hair were walking towards her. She was silent, taking in their features... One was recognized to be a Kin; a very familiar Kin.
 
"Hello Mrs. Orion. It's been too long." Tager said as he and Cathy walked down towards Elaine.

Like with Selina, Tager had Relic Guards spy on Elaine for years. While she was his best friend's wife, she was still a potential danger to the political world of the Kin and he was never fond of allowing anything, distasteful happening to people whom he considered important to strengthening his causes.

"Yes, it has..." Elaine said. She then examined Tager's face owlishly.

"How are things going for these past years?" Tager said informally. He too examined Elaine's face with a dubious glance.

"No complaints." Elaine said.

"I have matters to speak to you about. If you don't mind my intrusion but it is critical that we speak on this subject matter as quickly as possible." Tager then put his hand on Cathy's shoulder. "Please wait a few minutes over near that ledge."

Cathy then blinked owlishly at Tager but did as she was told. No point in arguing with your savior.

"Go ahead. I'm not in a hurry." Elaine said.

"This deals with your daughter of all the people in the world.
She's gone and done something, to put it bluntly, will put the peace between the Kin and Humans in danger. That is if the wrong variables play out in the right order." Tager mentioned, flashing Elaine a superior grin.

"Oh dear... What happened? That doesn't sound like something she'd do." Elaine then rolled her eyes.

"About two years ago, someone attacked a unit she was in charge of. Her force was completely routed and shot to pieces. She fled the scene and is assumed to be the only survivor of the raid because of cowardice. The more conservative elements of my race have decided that she needs to be punished for being a failure and are currently trying to hunt her down. I've tried to reason with her to stay under my watchful eye. As a high ranking governor, I have enough influence these days to keep her out of harm's way. But she is, a rather stubborn child." Tager said.

"Yes, she is stubborn." Elaine then smiled curtly. At least even after all these years of being separate Selina kept at least a part of her mother within her. "Why does she flee from you then? Do you know where she is?"

Tager now walked over towards Cathy and nudged her forward.

"Tager, don't try to pull that girl off as my child." She could read him like a book. "She is from the Rice Grower stock. If you have forgotten, just like you Kin, us humans are not all of the same tribe." Elaine said.

"What? I'd never do such an awful thing…" Tager said. He gritted his teeth. The human had foiled his original plan. Luckily he always had a plan B.

"This is Cathy."

"Hello, Cathy. Is this girl your new pupil, or...?"

Tager now raised one of his eye brows quizzically.

"I found Miss Cathy freezing on a mountain passage way. Her family has Kin ancestry, as you can tell by the blade that she carries on her back. I try not to let my fellow Kin die, if I can save them. So I guess that you could call her a pupil."

Cathy gave Elaine a sheepish grin and then smiled like a saint at Tager. She could feel her toes curling in her shoes. "I… Met Selina…"

"Who's Selina?" Elaine asked.

"Oh!!!! I meant to say…Margaret! I'm so sorry, Miss! I meant Margaret during my travels at a swamp inhabited by goblins! I'm helping Tager find her! She seems like a very smart lady and I think it would really bad if anything should go wrong! Yep!"

Cathy was acting like the proverbial cat that ate the canary and Tager knew this. So he quickly intervened by placing his hand on her shoulder again. Cathy's eyes were widening innocently. She had always been a very bad liar.

"I can confirm Cathy's statements because some of my Relic Guards picking up her movements in Swamp Town. She must be very desperate because she was travelling with a young man and the Soldier. I've never seen her go out of her to stick around with companions. As to how she encounters the Soldier, I don't know. But it disturbs me, after all these years that the old man should appear again."

The soldier was Samson. While Elaine had only met the old partisan once or twice, she knew that Dmitri found the man to be a remarkable fighter. Of course, it helped that his wife was just as bad ass with her skills.

"She's really getting around, then. Do you know if she's okay? She's so young still; she must not know what she's doing." Elaine asked.

"That I do not know. The last communication I had with her myself was via Relic Guards and she attacked them."

Elaine then sighed, "I see." She knew damned well that Tager had probably sent those steam powered machines to capture her.

"And she didn't move as quickly as she normally does in combat. Margaret is generally a quick fighter and doesn't resort to using her elemental powers. That's why I'm concerned. She could be starting to lose hope." Tager said.

"Well Kin are hunting her down; of course she might lose hope!" Elaine snapped.

"Which is why I need your help; as I said, she's playing a big gamble! She's headed toward Oren, since Margaret was last seen in the swamps." Tager snapped back.

"Oren? What does she intend to do there?" Elaine asked, knowing well why Selina would head there.

"It's the only human population where the Kin won't go. She wants to blend in and become "one" of them."

"Oh, of course. At least she's safe for now." Elaine said.

"Yes, but if we're not careful she could wind up causing a war between the Kin and Oren. And you know what happened the last time Oren went to war with another nation. The world itself cried out in pain."

Tager was referring to the nuclear war between Oren and the Forgotten Kingdom where Jon was born.

"Yes, you're right..."

"So I have proposal. I will allow for you to see your daughter. On the condition that you convince to abandon her plans to live in Oren. I will take her away from this continent. There's more like minded Kin, like myself that'd gladly allow for her live amongst them."

Elaine didn't trust this plan…But a chance to see her beloved Margaret again…It was too good a chance to pass up.

"I will try, Tager. I can't promise she'll listen to me, though." Elaine said.

"I understand." Tager said.
 
Before departing with Tager and Catherine, Elaine straightened herself up and whistled for her dog. Tynee came charging towards her, his giant tongue hanging from the side of his mouth. The giant dog stopped beside Elaine, and warily eyed the other two. A deep growl drummed in his throat, as if threatening to bite their heads off. Unlike other dogs of his kind, Tynee had more self control and acted less hostile. Nothing stopped him from at least warning strangers, though.

"Do not worry," Elaine cooed to the dog, petting the thick fur on his side.

Cathy seemed to be slightly intimidated by the dog, but she hadn't seen anything like Tynee before in her entire life. Tager had to pat the girl on the shoulder to bring her mind back to reality, and let her wrap her arms around his bicep as he led them to Oren. The sight was adorable to Elaine, but at the same time, puzzling. Tager never struck her as the type to let a woman cling to him. Then again... He did like attention.

Smirking at this memory, she followed the two Kin to Oren, rarely speaking a word. There was not much to talk about, honestly. Life was boring without her husband and daughter. She also just didn't feel social... The Mother was deep in thought, anxious to see Margaret again. Or... Selina. That's what she called herself now?

Thinking about it, Margaret never did like her name.
 
Down the road, a young man wearing a green cloak was hiding behind a rock. He was paying close attention to the woman with the dog and what the male Kin had addressed to her. He had been following Elaine for several days now. The young man had heard about Elaine from an anonymous source. He had learned that her husband was a very liberal Kin and that she might hold the key to saving Oren from the Tsar. He got these revelations from his dreams. It was clear now, on just what that key was. A young woman named Selina...The male Kin had put great emphasis on this character and if a mixed blood was going to enter the Tournaments, this was something that would send shock waves across the world. The young man then grinned. Maybe his plans would be easier to obtain than he thought.

This man's name was Tybalt Delgado. He had dark black hair and passed for being from the same region as Jon. However, unlike Jon, Tybalt looked like had seen a lot of events in his life. There were heavy bags under his dark green eyes; although this did little to detract from his handsome features. His hand remained grasping the fancy Cossack inspired kindjal sword that he kept on his person at all times. While he knew that he probably couldn't defeat a Kin in battle, if he was spotted he'd be ready for the fight of his life.

His thoughts were shortly distracted by Herold, a small black cat that was resting on his shoulder....

"Oh, oh...I can harass that little girl with the Kin? Can I boss? Can I?" Herold smiled as it started to nudge the side of Tybalt's head.

"All in good time. We cannot risk getting spotted by the Kin. They use machines, not magic, remember?" Tybalt responded shoving the cat away from his head.

"No, no, no, no! Everything is always about you! I wanna have some limelight for once, boss!" Herold protested.

"You're going to cause a scene. No, means no." Tybalt said.



"Nya...You're no fun! So you know what? I'm gonna go after her anyways!" The cat then gave a very human like grin and then began to change it's form, slowly becoming more and more human like. The being that now stood in Herold's place was a small humanoid creature with wings, red and black colored hair draped over its pale white face, and green dress that was made from a leaf. Its eyes remained very cat like, large and yellow and they stared intensely at Cathy. Herold was in fact, a brownie.

"Nya~" The brownie then flew down to Tybalt's hand and rubbed her small hands on his fingers. "She's just so cute. I could eat her up! Can I?"

"No." Tybalt quickly said, "Remember, that's exactly how you ended up a slave to my father. Fallling for cute girls....What kind of fairy are you?"

"Nya...I'm the best damned fairy you've ever met Mr. Prince of Cats. So how much longer are we going to waste time following the lady with the scary lion dog? I'm getting bored stalking her. She's like an old lady...Not hot like that really cute girl with the Kin man."

"Hush." He then cuffed the pixie in between his hands when he saw several Relic Guards fly over head. They were painted red, black, and white. These were the Colors of the House of Edelweiss, a war clan.

"Come we don't have much time."

He stood up and began once again on his journey....
 
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