Awaken. The word that woke Ash, the bead of ichor that gave her life, had pervaded her mind. Curled upon the cold stone, her body slowly unfurled. It was an unfamiliar feeling. The harsh ground seemed to grind into any bit of skin exposed to the stones. Recollecting what little she could, her body rose. She struggled to get her footing, her strength drained from whatever slumber she had awoken from. Her body intuitively straightened as she regained her lost strength. Where this place was, however, could be nothing more than an empty guess. She was not alone, and those who were in this odd room seemed to be sharing her experience. It didn't quite matter, however, as two men had entered the room to interrupt slow process of awakening.

Without so much as a word to them, the man gestured for them to follow and follow she did. Without any knowledge of what was happening, Ash decided that it would be better if someone who seemed to have his wits about him lead her. She left the odd room without much hesitation, following the two men. As she walked down the dirt path, the noise of merriment and festivities seemed to preclude Ash from thinking. The loud noises had made her feel noticeably uncomfortable. Cheers and music seemed to swell to a feverish pitch that churned her empty stomach. However, the feelings of sickness became mitigated as the crowds parted for the guards.

As they crossed into a silent part of town, Ash's nerves calmed. They were headed towards the sole building that still burned the midnight oil. The large sign was the only clue to what this place was. A recruitment office? For what purpose would she and the others need to be recruited for? Noticing the flyers, her eyes quickly darted from word to word.

What little concentration she had on them was shattered by a quick order. Without so much as a complaint, Ash entered the wooden doors. Her lungs instantly became filled by a thick miasma of tobacco. She couldn't help but cough, covering her mouth with both hands as to not disturb the others. The man at the desk seemed more of the scholarly type. He was quick and harsh with his words—the first of which insulting every child in the world. However, he seemed to be willing to at least help them with his knowledge. He asked for any questions, something Ash had many of.

Though many of her questions would have to come later as she didn't want the others to have their questions unanswered, Ash asked the scholarly fellow a hastily worded question.

[b]"Why are we here?"[/b] She said, her soft voice cutting through the brief silence.