[center][color=FFA824][h2]Hwei Iosusa[/h2][/color]
[sup]Dogfall | [@HyliaIncarnate][/sup][/center][hr]
Far before the bells began to toll, Hwei was awake. In a nook of the soldier's barracks, as far away from chaos as one can hope, he sits, head bowed, before his altar. He's been at it for a few hours; he sleeps rarely these days, preferring to spend his time in fervent meditation than unaware in sleep. The younguns need it more than him. Instead, breathing in rhythmically the scent of heady incense, mantras whispered beneath his breath, Hwei asks the gods once again for mercy. 

When the bells toll, he is ready. Putting out his incense and rolling up the contents of his altar - a tiny carved figure, an incense holder, a mat, a tiny book of prayers, and two smooth, dimpled stones - into a small pouch, he gets to his feet, passing by others as they prepare their equipment for the battle ahead. He, however, has precious little to prepare. "Earthly things are but a burden," goes the saying. Still praying, he arrives at the gates just in time to watch Algrimar's flames light up the night sky.

Hwei takes a moment to reflect on such a sight. Surely, the flames of eternal punishment must be similar to these flames of pure evil. In order to escape such judgement, Aleathen's directive is clear: fight on the side of the light. Hwei focuses his energy, priming his body for battle. His senses, heightened by his spiritual state, catch the conversation happening at the side gate, left unguarded by the sigil. A traveler, begging for protection? 

No. Hwei would be foolish to disregard the way his skin crawls at the voice of the stranger outside their gates. Assuming the stance of speed, he darts towards the gate, vaults his way up the wall, and throws himself down to the other side with his leg outstretched, intending to hit the Grim (for what could it be, but a Grim?) square in the face. He doesn't know if his kick connects, but what matters is that the darkness is kept out. 

[color=FFA824]"Strongholds aren't strongholds if they are opened, you know,"[/color] he says, feeling the goddess's blessing filling him, spilling over the brim, heart as sturdy and peaceful as the walls at his back. [color=FFA824]"Aren't you a sneaky one, though? It almost worked, too." [/color]