[center][h2]Hyznia[/h2]
[sub]Hyznia Castle Square[/sub][/center]

	The throne room stood at the head of Hyznia Castle square, where the civilians gathered daily to trade and converse. Everyone made way for the Holy Guard and their luggage though, splitting like bugs that scurried away from danger. Nothing stood in their way as they strode towards the massive staircase that lead into Hyznia's main Tower, where the Throne room was held. The Guards ascended hundreds of steps carefully, and entered the tower through a pair of massive iron-set doors. A few twists and turns, and the group was in the king's chamber in a few minutes flat

	The room was adorned with red cloths. Most bared Hyznia's golden Lion crest. The Golden Lion was a mascot for their people, a symbol of power, wisdom, and eternal youth. Drapes hung from the ceiling, and light was allowed in through two frescoes behind the tapered throne, each depicting scenes that only the most elite could recite in Hyznia; Grand Arch-Knight Orson's battle against the black dragon Helzmut, and the union between Hyznia and Arcadia at the foot of the royal steps. The carpets sprawled out in all directions, red and blue pigments intertwined to create and uneven webbing that was rather difficult to walk on, and made footsteps particularly loud. [i]To dissuade intruders[/i] Sulfrax remembered, carefully keeping his balance.
	
	"You are in the presence of his highness, king Thrallmor the second. It is ordained that disrespect shall be punished without restraint," one of the elite guards bellowed from the king's side. Sulfrax, Rem and Senna had been lead to the throne hastily after their return to the city, and with very little explanation at that. The Holy Guard were concise, punctual, and above all else, a force to obey without question. Even Sulfrax knew this. Despite his unfathomable power, there were many Arch-mages and warriors within the Quadra powers, and even throughout the ranks of no-mans-land, who could challenge or outright match his abilities blow for blow. The holy guard was one of those forces. A unit of arch mages who work with utter fluidity. Although while separated from one another, they were less sightly in combat, there was no other team that worked together quite like them.

	"Sir Sulfrax. You've been busy," The king finally spoke, gesturing his overly-jeweled hand towards the visitors, prompting a bow. Sulfrax hesitantly bent forward. It was an almost unnoticeable gesture. "We're lucky to have you here so soon after your most recent departure. I haven't even had a chance to speak with you about what happened in Arcadia-"

	"Fools with power, far too boisterous for their own good. I was removed from the Scattered Shades Project for ill-supported reason. They were afraid of me, or envious- Whatever it was, it will not affect the relations between Hyznia and Arcadia, I assure you. Scattered Shades is no longer any concern to you-"

	"Oh but I'm afraid it is, Sulfrax," The king interrupted, gesturing his head towards the shadows. A figure made his way out and towards the group, aided by a royal guard in platinum armor. The king nodded, but caught Rem's presence a little later than he'd wished to. "But before sir Luke provides an explanation for my bold claim, I'd like to know exactly who [i]that[/i] is, and why he commands and [i]ironbristle[/i] so carelessly in my presence?" The newcomer from the shadows stared at Rem as the king said this, perturbed by a memory. Where had he seem that man before? Sulfrax glanced at him as well, but turned his head towards the third guest cautiously. It was him! What the hell was that monster of a man doing here??

	"You a diver, buddy?" Luke Juuno asked roughly, looking down on Rem with his overbearing presence.

[center][h2]Plains of Ire[/h2]
[sub]Around the Z-ATV[/sub][/center]

	A thunderous boom almost upset the balance of everyone on their feet. Both cannons fired simultaneously, cracking the very air around them as oxygen and nitrogen atoms were annihilated into raw arcane energy by the sheer force of each beam. The Lizzy, previously stalled further by Zay and Jager's previous assault, rushed towards the ATV once again, just in time for both lasers to delve deep into its relentless maw. A shrill, but short-lived screech echoed past the boom that each laser created. The lizard's armor was torn asunder from [i]the inside out[/i] as each laser passed through the roof of its mouth. Brain matter and bloodied flesh spewed upwards, and the Lizard veered a sharp left. It wasn't a clean collapse though. 

	"Shit!" Zay roared, grabbed Jager and suddenly surrounding the both of them in a layer of liquid steel. The darkness that followed blocked off what had happened, but there were muffled sounds of rending metal and earth. Zay kept the barrier up, regardless of what Jager Might've objected with, lowering it only after the sounds had stopped. 

	The reveal was somewhat horrifying. The lizzard's carcus lay immobile in the desert beyond them, but where the ATV once stood, there was merely a large patch of torn dirt. Thankfully, Haley stood stalwart near the edge of the small cliff, overlooking the damage with her back turned to the two of them. Buttercup was nowhere to be seen, nor was the ATV. "What the hell?" Zay whispered, a little too afraid to go over and get a closer look at the scene himself. 

[center][h2]Xena Rock fields[/h2]
[sub]The Sniper Nest[/sub][/center]

	Dom shrugged as Midge's gun was torn asunder by the newcomer's fireball. Wasn't his weapon. Hell, he preferred to be up close and personal. Midge on the other hand, shrieked in terror. "NOOOO!" That was he favorite gun- Well, he only gun. She'd even named it and everything! How dare he just destroy it like that! Then Jenso asked about the bounty head, and Dom being the nice fella that he was, nodded happily and answered his question without a single issue.

	"A bounty header from some Arcadian official. Really precise stuff, didn't catch the guy's name, and the bounty document doesn't reveal much more than what I could tell ya. It just detailed a 'clean up' job, that's all, man," Dom explained, to Midge's shock.

	"DOM! DON'T TELL HIM THAT!"