[center][hr][hr][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLmVhNzk0My5TMlZ6ZEhKbGJDQlRiV2wwYUEsLC4wAAAAAAAA/pwfluidhand.medium.png[/img][hr][hr][/center] [hider=A journey inspired by memory, guided with a fuse of heart.][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzKptJ9VIiE[/youtube][/hider] The steady gallop set by Kestrel doesn't wear out her companion, trailing up one of the main roads towards Six Corners, its glimmering visage in the distance. And with it, the clearly labelled signs of telltale destruction echoes like a beacon of danger. However, Kestrel doesn't fault in her advance. Pressing forward, she kicks Greg into high gear, pursued to find the truth in such a dangerous and heart-wrenching location. The smell of death travels not long after that of the desolate town before her, however, and soon the young woman finds herself coming to a halt; merely to breath, no less and no more, as the smell tears her mind from its previous convictions. Oddly, the reek of death shifts her mental focus back home. How her parents would cry if they heard their second daughter was going on a suicide quest to save the world! It wasn't as though she decided it on a whim, either - she knew the risks in doing what she was about to do. She remembered all too well. [hr] People still prayed, despite the current situation. Kestrel couldn't understand it one bit, believing in a God which had so clearly forsaken you an age ago. She didn't voice her concerns - she knew better of it than to voice her agnosticism when being taken in by the church. Asylum was hard to come by with the demons invading, Kestrel barely lucky enough to gain such a status, at least for a night. Alas, her night had come to pass, and she was out the door before they could kick her. She sympathized with the peoples behind the relief effort, working practically day and night to support various peoples whom couldn't find a home. She hoped that her spot would be put to good use. An eye out and around town, the young woman strolled in the early hours of the morning, just before the busy nature of the city would revive, like one big creature coming to life. Its citizens stumbled out of bed and into the stalls, shops and stores; fresh bread was to be made, its scent thick and sweet with perfection; the various merchants and traders tidied up their stalls and brought out new wares and items from out of nowhere, the routine of the day finally kicking in. For a place so close to danger, nothing appeared too out-of-place in the lazy city. It woke and bustled like any other day - comforting in a world of mortal peril, but not what she was looking for. No. What Kestrel wanted was far more valuable than a comfortable lifestyle in a world gone mad. A sister. Robin. She made her way to the barracks. If what she'd heard was true (and God knows she paid for it, cursed Dwarf), then Robin had been stationed right at the forefront of the conflict. It wasn't exactly hard to locate - the tower with the banners of Firen was key enough. The problem was finding out if Robin was, in fact, here. And if she wasn't, wherever else she could be. Apparently, her sister was pretty bad when it came to not leaving an impression, for it never really took her long to figure out where Robin had gone. Apparently, she was really good at making scenes or looking suspicious - something which went in Kestrel's favor. The barracks themselves were simple enough, with a general meeting space as soon as one entered, likely where prisoners reunited with their families. A reception for caged criminals, if you will. It even came with a front desk. Not quite knowing her way about discussing the matter to another, she walked up to the front desk and muttered a faint 'excuse me', to which the guard behind the desk barely registered. "Mmmh?" Her eyes darted to the floor. Normally she was alright when speaking to others, but since she'd never really spoken to someone with authority before... "U-uh... I was wondering if, erm... a certain new guard had been added to your roster?" "Are you talking about that Robin girl?" "Y-yes! That's her!" Kestrel's eyes lit up for a moment, however his complexion perplexed her. "... Something happened, correct?" "She's not here." Her heart sank. Just when Kestrel thought she'd found her sister, she'd escaped her grasp again. However, ever able to keep herself composed, she continued her queries: "Do you know where she went?" "She joined the Firen Guard stationed within the city, however we found all too late that she was simply using our transport as a ride. She ditched guard duty the moment she arrived, which caused quite the stir from the higher-ups." The young guardsman sighed. "Supposedly she went around town shoplifting before leaving; the reports were not accurate, however someone certainly did go around taking the food off some of the poor folk in this town. We're letting people know about her since she's broken the law, but we don't expect anyone to go beyond the borders of the city for a mere theft." Kestrel's eyes narrowed, nerves spiked. "She went beyond the city walls?" His nod caused her to become visibly upset, and she certainly felt it. Beyond the borders, she could have gone anywhere - how was Kestrel to find her sister in a world so impossibly large? "In the direction of Six Corners. Where The Wizard is having that meeting to recruit able-bodied men." Six Corners? Wizard? "U-um, excuse me..." The guard perked up at her humbled approach. "W-where is this Six Corners...? And if you don't m-mind me asking, what's this about a wizard?" From her face he could tell she was genuinely curious. Growing up in a small town all her life meant she didn't know much of the outside world, barely beyond the borders of town. It was a comfortable form of lifestyle - one she sorely missed. She hoped she could get Robin back and that the war would end so they could all return to it, together. "Six Corners follows the Southroad: a road which leads directly to Six Corners from the city. It's the central hub of trade around here, with plenty of major roads leading in and out of it. However recently our scouts suggest its been ransacked. By cultists. The Grand Wizard of the realm has set up a meeting place there, calling to arms anyone willing to support him on his quest. From what I've heard there's nothing for you to get involved, so not a lot of people are rushing over there." Now [i]that[/i] sounded like Robin! Hesitant, the young woman quizzed: "S-sir, are there any prerequisites to go on this perilous journey?" He shook his head. "As far as I can tell, so long as you can swing a sword, you can join. I haven't had the luxury of finding one of his special flyers myself, however, so-" He cut himself off when he found himself talking to thin air. He would call out to the young woman, however she was gone before he could stop her. It wasn't often youth so readily raised a sword in the face of danger in today's world; he just hoped she knew what she was doing... [hr] And Kestrel hoped she knew too... Their pace slowed after their pause, from a lively gallop to a more evenly-paced canter, steadily approaching from the North. The closer they got, the more their pace slowed, till finally, the very outskirts of Six Corners was beside them. Or what was left of it. Greg couldn't suppress a whinny, for which she couldn't fault him for, however she gently stroked his neck as a means of calming his nerves. "Shh, easy there, boy... Let them rest in peace..." The stench of corpses was enough to make her sick, and the sight made her eyes watery against the metallic colour. Their bodies littered the floor like a trail of suffering, and the further into town she got, the harder it was to navigate around them. The debris from the buildings and embers from the fall didn't make things any easier, either. All about was a sight Kestrel had never witnessed before, never truly experienced before first-hand. And for once, she hoped Robin hadn't come this way. An entire bazaar barren. It was eerie, considering the previous city had it's center bustling in the early hours of the morning. The sun's light was well beyond morning at Six Corners, and the stillness of the place unsettled her. Smoke poured from dying embers, like the end of the line for some of the poor folk caught in the slaughter. Guards, civilians, merchants, husbands, wives, children; all were equal among the corpses strewn about the bazaar. Lifeless and equal. A terrifying thought to bear about the future of the world. But she wasn't here for them. As much as she wanted to say she was, her goal was to find someone in a town full of no-one. Their demise had come earlier than she could've hoped to save. However, if it was not too late, she could find Robin somewhere around Six Corners. And to do that, she would need to find the mystery wizard. And the first place of intrigue was around the bazaar. Without any clear direction, however, she opted rather to stand around awkwardly until something happened. She didn't even know if or when people would arrive, but if they did, perhaps they could guide her to her target. Little did she know, the Wizard for which she sought was in a building around the bazaar, extra company included. The whinny of Greg the horse may have attracted their attention, though. "Shh, Greg, quiet...!" She whispered harshly, however he gave another loud neigh, before finally calming down. "Shh... There we go, boy... There there..."