[color=chocolate][h3]Lugen[/h3][/color]

Lugen took another drink from his beer, still holding his hand above the candle, and grinned at his opponent. [color=chocolate]"Come on now, you know you're going to lose. No one can deal with pain better than I can. Cut your losses now and save face while you still can."[/color] The other bar patron, a rather large and ugly Ogeron merely snarled in response, the huge hand only slightly wavering over his own candle. Lugen shrugged. [color=chocolate]"Not my hand that's gonna be burned to shit and near useless when you lose."[/color] Another snarl, and the hand began to shake more. [i][b]Twenty-five minutes until Tower meeting.[/b][/i] PAM informed him. Lugen chuckled he didn't want to be too late to that meeting again. [color=chocolate]"Come on now, just give up. You don't want to look like a bitch [i]and[/i] a fool in front of your friends, do you? Not after all the talking up you did in front of them before this began."[/color] He nodded to where the Ogeron's companions were waiting, watching and talking amongst themselves. 

[color=chocolate]"There's no shame in losing to a Knight of the Tower. Plenty of other idiots have died trying to prove they were better. Just give up before you damage your hand and I have to beat the shit out of all of you because you'll be angry that you lost."[/color] The hand shook more, and for the first time uncertainty crossed the Ogeron's face. Much to Lugen's disappointment, he didn't give up though, forcibly keeping his hand above the flames. [i][b]Twenty minutes until Tower check up.[/b][/i]. PAM informed him again, her emotionless voice resonating through his skull. [color=chocolate]"Look, just slide me most of the winnings and I'll pretend to give up and you can save your reputation as the toughest bastard in this shitty bar."[/color] The Ogeron hesitated, then used his free hand to slide the lion's share of the coins on the table to Lugen. Lugen grinned, sliding it into his pockets. Winking, he leapt from his seat and started shouting and shaking his hand. 

[color=chocolate]"Fuck that shit! I'm not gonna burn my hand like some fucking Unvaris cleric just for some fucking coins! Elsindar's flaming cock, I don't need money that bad!"[/color] Still muttering curses and shaking his hand, Lugen exited the bar and started making his way towards the Tower, as PAM droned once more in his ear, [i][b]If you continue at your current pace, you will reach the meeting 4 minutes after it ended.[/b][/i] [color=chocolate]"That's fine!"[/color] Lugen replied cheerfully, whistling a tune. [color=chocolate]"Come along Scruffy, you annoying animal."[/color] The creature huffed in irritation, it's small feet scurrying as it followed.


[h3][color=crimson]Miriam[/color][/h3]

Miriam sighed as she turned off the simulator. She had been at it for three hours, running against the AI in a squad simulation. She had set it to the hardest difficulty and refused to leave until she had beaten it. It was not like she had anything better to do. There were no missions to go on, and she didn't have much of a social life with the other inhabitants of the Tower. Being a public worshiper of Overack and a well known ex-Blade didn't exactly endear her to the rest of the Tower, exemplary record of missions or no. It was also why she wore her armor and sword with her, even when walking in the Tower. She didn't want to run the risk that someone would attack her, and had ben forced to deter others early on through her fire magic. Thus she didn't make any overtures to make any real connections in the Tower. Most would scorn her at best and attack her at worst. 

She left the simulation room, icily ignoring the looks she got as she finally left. Walking her way towards what the cafeteria, she idly wondered if she had enough coin left to by more paint or another book. It seemed like that was what she'd be doing for the rest of the week, at least until she was given another mission to occupy her time. [color=crimson][i]Overack bless me with a mission to save me from this tedium.[/i][/color] She idly prayed, hoping it would work.