[h2][b][color=fff200]Sir Aurelian Asellius[/color][/b][/h2]

Aurelian rode along a path of the patrol's approximate route, visor raised as to better see his surroundings.  He'd hardly be able to keep up with a Pegasus Knight like Kyra, but on the ground he'd be able to see things that she could not, so far up in the air.

It wasn't much of a choice for Aurelian to participate search for the patrol.  Paladins were not meant to be idle when there were people in need.  Even if this wasn't potentially a ticket to gaining an audience with a very powerful man, there were people that were missing and needed to be rescued or at worst, recovered.  Other things like visiting Sol's temple or exploring the city could wait.

Judging from what the guards had been saying, it sounded like Nuniel's Warforged soldiers had the locals pretty scared.  He couldn't blame them- even many among Nuniel's forces were unsettled by those mechanical men.  From what he had heard, they weren't anywhere close to the intelligence of a human, but were nonetheless obedient, fearless, and tough.  They wouldn't lose heart if several soldiers next to them were skewered on a ballista bolt, they wouldn't stop fighting if a limb was hacked off, and would not disobey even the most suicidal or immoral orders.

It would be important to remember, however, that they were weapons, not warriors.  If the person wielding them fell, they would not have the creativity and initiative to adapt to the situation as a mortal soldier might.

Aurelian glanced around the area as he rode.  He wasn't much of a tracker- he had done some hunting in his previous life, sure, but it wasn't anything like this.  However, he was familiar with the military capabilities of Nuniel, and should be able to recognize any telltale signs of a scuffle with his former nation.  Even if there were no bodies left behind, the marks from stray magiarm fire or fragments broken off from a Warforged could remain behind as damning evidence of Nuniel's involvement.  There was also the possibility, however, that Nuniel had nothing to do with this, it could be a third party taking advantage of the kingdom being occupied by the war.  It also was possible that the patrol had simply deserted, having been worn down by the horrors of fighting this war.

The paladin looked up and watched Kyra fly about in the sky.  He recognized the pattern- it was a searching pattern used by Nuniel's airships.  He had not served on one, but he had seen them make that same pattern in the sky above them.  His younger brother- or rather, his vessel's younger brother- was in fact an airship officer, having jumped at an opportunity to be at the forefront of the Empire's new technology.  The younger Asellius was probably still up there, serving Nuniel faithfully.  Aurelian wondered if it was easier serving in the sky, distanced from the horrors of war on the ground.  In correspondences between them exchanged during the war, his brother's only grievances shared was of his uniform not providing adequate warmth against the cold winds, although who knew what was an officer might have been compelled to leave unsaid.

[i]If we meet again, it's likely to be as enemies,[/i] he thought, saddened at the prospect of finding himself at odds with someone whom his vessel clearly cherished.

He couldn't allow himself to be distracted, however.  He had to keep his eyes open for any sign of the patrol.  Additionally, if something made this patrol disappear, it was possible they could still be lurking around.