AuthenticTomb

DanMachi RP: Secrets of the Dungeon

His brows furrowed and he somewhat pouted in reaction to Koph's mocking "O-of course I had friends!" After his initial reaction, he realized that she had been messing with him and quickly changed from being upset to being embarrassed. He didn't hear or see anything, but Koph was definitely signalling about something. Three...something. A bit of panic set in, the added pressure didn't make it easier to keep talking "I'm hoping that I can make some new ones now. Hopefully they will call me by my actual name." He smirked a little as he said the last part.

When Koph came back, there was clear curiosity in Voltaire's eyes "So what is it? Goblins? Kobolds? Giant Spiders?" As he said that, he began to hear the sound of footsteps as well. However it was just a kind of thumping to him and not the detailed version Koph knew.

✧ Adventure Must Continue ✧

@Lugubrious

The mere presence and actions of the priestess seemed to lift up the villagers. Any despair that had shown in their faces previously was gone for the moment, replaced by expressions of gratitude and interest. It seemed like every single last human there wanted a chance to speak with here, and the priestess appeared to be enjoying being among the masses much to the annoyance of her paladins. It would not last long however.

The fox ears of the priestess twitched forward shortly after the sounds of the explosion reached Helena, her eyes briefly widening though it seemed her human audience did not hear it. Both of the paladins saw this expression on her face, and decided then it was time to end this small act of charity. Despite her swift return to her carriage, the villagers happily waved goodbye as the door closed and the curtain drawn. After she was secured in the carriage, the paladins mounted their horses and the convoy began to move once more.

In the opposite direction, the road stretched on for a long time with little noticeable changes except for a one. A maiden of pure white. Everything from her hair to her dress was pure as snow. The dress had long sleeves that were nearly see-through, the holes at the end far larger than her hands. The length barely reaching her knees. She had one other item besides her dress: a large ornate scythe held in her left hand. The size and weight alone would make even the strongest humans use two hands, yet she wielded it effortless with one. A blank expression shown on her face, her gaze vaguely in Helena's direction.

@FalloutJack

Lucius bore the expression of a person in a complete state of disbelief as Garlock vanished only to reappear later with his symbol of authority and a stolen identity. Seeming to understand Garlock's intentions to usurp him, Lucius desperately tried to move whatever muscles would listen to him. He seemed unable to choose between fear and anger, the two volatile emotions battled it out in his movements. A fierce grimace crossed his lips as Star intercepted him with ease. The entirety of his body was ready to yell something profane at Garlock, before the color drained from his skin once Star spoke "Your...lord?" Noticeable fear trickled into every syllable.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The charred fields faded into rolling hills with black stone that occasionally pierced the surface and short grass that was a dim green color. Nothing stopped Garlock as he headed south, following the direction the real King Lucius and his soldiers had been headed. Small mountain ranges could be made out in the far distance to the east and south-west. As he moved further along, A enormous wall that extended outside of his range of vision came into view. A large gate made out constructed out of dark grey stone and silver-like metal blocked a nearby road with several soldiers wearing the black and red that marked this kingdom's soldiers. They appeared to be scrambling and sure enough, a patrol of three soldiers took flight from the gate and headed right for Garlock.

They moved quickly through the air and landed in front of Garlock after a short time. The armor of the three soldiers lacked the same quality that the six-hundred soldiers did, but the one in the middle was decorated with small amounts of gold and a red cloak. This was the same soldier that came forward to speak "King Lucuius!" His eyes were wide as he examined your condition, saying your acquired name with absolute reverence "You two! Get him steady!" He barked out orders, pointed at both of the two on his right and left. The two grunts that accompanied him came to your side, pulling each arm over heir shoulders. It was obvious that panic had set in for the three soldiers "Who dared do this to you, my liege?" The officer asked, as the soldiers began to move you along towards the gate.

@Achronum@Lunarlord34

Cisna did not seem entirely convinced by Volaris's words about responsibility to help those in need, choosing to simply nod once as a reply. Her pale blue eyes watched carefully as he moved forward and ultimately sat down in front of her. It appeared besides being grateful, she did not know what to make of the three. However, once Volaris mentioned survivors her diverted from Volaris just off the side staring into nothingness. It wasn't until he addressed her once more that she semi-broke out of it, looking back at feeble looking old man and the appearance of food and water distracted her from whatever thoughts were coursing through her mind.

Eagerly she accepted Volaris's gifts, and offered a small, soft smile in return for his laughter. No waiting for a moment longer, she first drank from the waters-kin like a traveler in the desert. The food she took a longer time with, looking almost unsure if she wished to consume it. Once she finished, her gaze drifted to the ground and grief once entered the expressions of her face "I..I will try my best to tell you what I know." Her words stumbled on top of each other while she tried to hold it together.

She took a deep breath to calm herself before beginning "We are...well were.. soldiers of the Dremorian Empire, the country just south of here. The two of us were part of its 'special soldiers' program, although Rath is a generation before mine. I..." She looked back at her now sleeping comrade then back at Volaris "I still don't understand. All of the previous generation soldiers were ordered to take and hold that fort, everyone thought we were heading to war...." The edges of her eyes began to tear up "Instead, I and all of the soldiers from my generation were ordered to march out to the fort under our king: King Lucius. W-we got to the fort and..and...and...." At this point, any control she was maintaining broke "It was a slaughter. Our king decreed that all those in the fort were traitors and sentenced them to death. The horror that followed....I-I don't want to think about it." Her body shivered at that moment.

Her face twisted as she tried to regain some semblance of control "Rath is the only survivor. I...had to save him. A few of the soldiers...they held him down...and....and cut off his wings." Cisna flinched just by mentioning it before continuing "I killed them...just barely. I took off with Rath towards the forest and...then we ran into you." She finished almost quietly. Streaks of tears were clearly visible down her cheeks "I-I will try to answer any other questions you have. It...it is the least I can do to try and repay your kindness."

@Lunarlord34

Nothing remarkable lies between you and the fort except for a trail of dark blood extends from the forest to a large hole in the side of the fort, likely belonging to the two soldiers you just recently saved. The fort resembles a large stone tower nearing six stories in height. From the outside, it appears to be constructed with a grey stone and reinforced with metal on the corners. The ground is soaked in blood and littered with shattered weapons, but no bodies. However, you can just see inside entryway of the fort. Inside lies three mountains of bodies dressed in similar armor to Rath. Various body parts are strewn about the floor which has been coated in dark red, the smell is nothing less than horrific.

@Trainerblue192

Sameal found himself moving along very uneven ground, the land south was full of small hills and small crevices. Further south, he could see a length wall that stretched across from east to west well out of his range of vision. There was also a wounded looking man in tattered armor that was being atteneded to by three beings with black, featherly wings and dressed in full armor. A short distance away from them was a large, fortified gate.

Outside of the forest, there did not appear to be any civilized settlements of any kind. That was except for the semi-decayed fort to the North-West, which had been the site of a very recent battle. Megu and Elizabeth seemed to be at the location looking for information. West of the forest was charred, warped landscape with small embers of fire still lit, pieces of gore littered the ground and parts were soaked dark red. In the North-East, Helena was with a few others overlooking a village and were in the processing of heading along a road where a single figure, quite some distance away, dressed in complete white was heading towards them. South you were able to see a single figure moving further south towards a large, dark colored wall that spanned for several miles. A large mountain was just visible out west, the form was somewhat blurry and dark. Far to the east, there was a strangely dark looking cloud that appeared to remaining still.

✧ Adventure Must Continue ✧

@FalloutJack

A sharp grimace appeared on Lucius's face as he spotted the airborne attacker and heard the words yelled by the mysterious mage. Before he could get a word out, the captain of the Burning Valkyries surged forward in front of her king. Loyal to her dying breath, she took the initial blow of Morningstar's attack and was obliterated in the process. The shield she had tried to block with was shattered completely, the shards of black metal piercing her flesh. As the motion of the strike carried through, her hand up to her shoulder was rendered a gory mess. Pained and almost inhuman screams pierced the air shortly before the shockwave effect of Shockwave Assaualt silenced her forever. Meanwhile a red aura with a black outline engulfed Lucius, his right hand tightly wrapped around the hilt of his sword. He managed to drop several feet in the air, avoiding the large fireball, but was still struck with the tremendous force of Morningstar's strength. His body fell sharply to the ground, his wings becoming limp in his free-fall.

The rest of the army did not fare nearly so well. A chorus of breaking bones and rupturing organs played out, a downpour of dark red blood falling to the once lush green landscape below. Those unlucky enough to survive those first moments were incinerated by the first stage of Garlock's Hecaton Pyrum. Six hundred voices all cried out in terror as their life was violently torn and burned into nothing but ash and blood. Once the second stage of Heacton Pyrum activated, it removed any signs of their existence and much of the rich green foliage that laid beneath them. The wild inferno scorching the ground black and leaving nothing behind save for the army's shattered equipment and the severely damaged body of Lucius.

Struggling to stand, King Lucius propped himself onto his knees using his sword that was now out of its sheathe. The sword itself glowed in the same aura that covered Lucius, a undeniable amount of power flowed from the blade. The majority of his armor lay scattered around him, broken beyond all repair, revealing much of the light-skinned flesh of his upper body now decorated with several serious cuts. Remarkably, the crown upon his head was completely intact and showed no signs of damage "I..." A hearty cough sent blood shooting out of his mouth. Weakly, he wiped his mouth with his right shoulder. His eyes widened with horror as he looked around him to a field of ash, fire, and blood before turning his sight back on Garlock and Moringstar "I ask...of you, please spare me." Despite the strong aura, Lucius was clearly in no shape to fight back. In fact, the aura that had seemingly protected him faded away "Anything...anything you desire I shall give...just let me live." The once beautiful raven black wings on his back were torn and split, large patches of feathers were missing from each wing.

@Lugubrious

The somewhat solemn faces of the villagers lit up as the carriage approached with the younger children practically looking on in awe. It was easy to tell that hard times had fallen upon them as both their clothes and homes were in poor condition, and several had old wounds that had not properly healed. The speed of the carriage gave no indication this was their intended destination, however as the small convoy entered the edge of the village it came to a swift stop. Confusion gripped the two paladins in front who had to make their way back to the carriage. Before they reached it, the door opened.

No longer hidden by curtains, the cargo of the carriage was finally revealed: A short woman dressed in a long, white robe with a makeshift belt around the waist made out of a light brown rope. By appearance alone, she had the look of someone who in their early twenties. Light blue eyes were rich with color and shined like a pair of radiant gems. Her hair matched the color of her eyes and framed well against her rather pale skin. The pointed fox-like ears that jutted from underneath her hood, through specially cut holes, and the puffy tail behind her made it clear that she was not human. Even so, the entirely human village did not hesitate in running up to her. First the children and then the adults soon after them. To a human, she would have a goddess-like beauty complimented by the grace in her movements.

The two paladins dismounted from their steeds and forced themselves through the crowd that now gathered. Once in the presence of the woman, they appeared to argue with her about something. It did not last long as the woman quickly went from a soft expression to one of scolding and fury. Shame, and frustration, appeared in both of the paladins' faces before they backed away. A bright smile returned to the woman's face as the villagers all gathered around and spoke with her. Before long, the injured and sick of the village began to be brought before her in a line. The woman would hold her hands over their injured parts while a white light emitted from her palms. After a short time, the sick and injury were cured of their condition. The players of Yggdrasil knew this spell as 'Healing Touch', a third tier healing spell commonly used by starting clerics for its excellent ratio of healing to mana cost, and the ability to cure low-tier status effects. The main drawback was that the caster must be in very close proximity.

@Achronum@Lunarlord34

The Two Survivors

The Woman

The Man

Suspicion and fear filled the faces of the two soldiers as the gate opened and Volaris emerged along with Megu and Elizabeth. At first, the female soldier lowered the male to the ground and drew out the short-sword attached to her hip. Despite her own heavy wounds, she stood in a protective stance over him. The short-sword shook in her hands as she barely raised it in front, her eyes full of determination to save her comrade. Once Volaris made his intentions known, tears swelled up in her eyes and eventually fell down her cheeks as the sword fell to her side along with her arms "Please...save us." Her soft voice trembled. While the male was too weak to move on his own, the female soldier's muscles tightened up in response to her moving closer but did not try to resist. Her eyes closed tightly as Elizabeth cast the spell on her. Every single wound and abrasion closed and disappeared from her body, the same occurring to the male soldier next to her.

Her pale blue eyes went wide with amazement as she held her arms in front of her to examine them, then glanced over to her comrade. She dropped onto her knees by his side and began to look him over hysterically. The male soldier, while having been healed to full, appeared to have fallen asleep. Once it was confirmed the male soldier was not longer in mortal danger, she turned her attention to Volaris, Megu, and Elizabeth. Shifting on her knees, she prostrated herself before the three of them with her head faced towards the ground "I..." Once again her voice trembled, but a different emotion caused it this time "T-Thank you! I thought w-we were...we w-would have..." Tears once again fell from her cheeks but against it, she smiled softly and lifted her head to meet Volaris's eyes "We o-owe our lives to you. I am Cisna and this is Rath." Her voice suggested that she was rather shy for a soldier. Now that you had a chance to look at them up close, Rath seemed a few years older than Cisna. Both had horns and tails similar to ones that the other soldiers and King Lucius had. However, the entire back of Rath's armor was missing. Before Elizabeth healed him, there two areas of his back that was missing skin and had several bones sticking out of open wounds. They have since been healed over leaving behind a few lumps going down in two lines from just below his shoulders blades.

✧ Talrae ✧ (LOOKING FOR CO-GM)

Reylan

Heath: 1200/1200
Mana: 1250/1400

Attributes

Strength: 16
Agility: 16
Intelligence: 4

Skills

Bow Wielding: 30
Sword Wielding: 21

Items

Arrows(common): 43
Flame Arrows(common): 20
Short Shots(common): 20
Obsidian Arrows: 6
Korax’s Lost Arrows: 3
Rapier
Small Knife
Jaque's Bow
Sturdy Clothing(common)
Leather Boots
Leather Armor(common)
Solace Cloak
Solace Arrows: 40
Blue Potion
Red Potion

_{Interacting with:
@TaroAndSelia}

________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MP: -

Reylan gritted his teeth in minor frustration upon seeing the lack of damage from their physical attacks. Once more they found themselves against a group of monsters with a special resistance to physical damage. That meant that this fight would only be drawn out longer than it should, unless he changed up his tactics. The 'Frontline' tactic was working for the moment, with everyone doing performing to their best ability. The amount of damage put out by these boars however was going to make this cost more than necessary. Spreading out the damage was not ideal, so he was going to what most teams in MMOs do and focus down the weakest enemies first.

He was about to announce his plan when one of the boars charge through their line, knocking Alisea off her feet and unconscious. The reality of this being a game vanished for a moment and a virulent rage spread through his entire body "Alisea!" He yelled out. Alisea had almost died once and he would not let her come so close to death a second time. She had taken the the hit for Kyo, who landed in his arms with her back hitting against his chest "Watch over her Kyo, I'll take care of the boar." His eyes sharpened and Kyo left to be by Alisea's side. Reylan walked towards the boar and extended his hand, the bow fading from his grip. His hand reached down to the rapier that had appeared on his belt and unsheathed it in one fluid motion. Using his Light Feet, he moved forward with increased speed with the rapier pointed in front of him. He had to take the aggression off of Alisea.

Once he got into range, he pushed the tip of the rapier towards the boar's chest. The attack was followed by two more quick thrusts as a vengeful look encompassed his features. He felt an rush of adrenaline all too sweet, this had been his first time up close and personal. It cemented his wish to take the ranger sub-class and delve in to sword skills. That was when he saw the shadows overtake the boar and glanced back to see that Alisea had woken up. A small smile showed his relief but it soon vanished with a look of awe as she jumped on top of the boar. He rushed at the boar one more time and usedKick Back to propel himself backwards to Kyo. The rapier was sheathed and exchanged back for his bow "Melee fights, keep up the pressure! Ranged fighters, focus on the boar fighting Chari! Bring it down first!" His command carried across the sounds of battle, giving up taking a shot to issue this order.

______________
Summary:
-Uses Light Feet to close in on boar 4: - 100MP
-Thrusts 3 times with rapier
-Uses Back Step on boar 4 : - 50MP
-Issues orders for ranged fighters to attack boar 5

Arpeggio of Blue Steel: The Phantom Fleet (OPEN --- APPLY)

Shinano watched from her position on the bow as Ping Hai came towards her with the human ship close behind her, the destroyer was one of the latest designs built by Japan before the total blockade. Even so, a single barrage from Shinano's guns would vaporize the human vessel. Human tactics may be superior to their own, but that did nothing in the face of absolute power. Fog power and human reasoning, a deadly if not volatile combination. A strong westward breeze carried her raven-black hair like a ocean wave, an almost majestic beauty to the way it moved.

Once the human destroyer moored by Shinano's side, the look on their face was almost priceless. A carrier derived from the structure of a Yamato-class battleship, she was monstrous in size. A light purple, holographic bridge formed into front of her feet as she made her way down onto other ship's deck with a grace that befitted her position. The humans muscles tensed and a couple even began to move for their weapons, before being suppressed by a older man dressed in an naval officer's uniform "You would all be dead before you fired a shot." He reprimanded them harshly. Shinano's sense of humor could not let this slide. With the kind smile to the point it was unnerving, she said "He is quite correct. It's best if we get along, isn't that so?" Her voice carried with a underlying chill as her bare feet touched the metal deck. It was time for her family to join her.

Her voice called out to all those in the phantom fleet, carried through the connection that all Fog ships shared except this was an exclusive communication line for them "Our welcoming party has arrived so please join me. Please be on your best behavior, okay?" The senior officer approached Shinano, his features carrying remorse "Forgive my men for being on edge. Good experiences with Fog ships have been...scarce. We had to pull volunteers to even man this vessel." Grey hairs accentuated the signs of age on his face. It made Shinano wonder if he was at that battle a decade ago?

"I assure you there is nothing to fear from me. In time, I hope there can be peace. My family will be here shortly and some are more...rowdy than I." A small laughed escaped her lips, her hand raising to cover them up as she did so.

❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈❈

The Fleet of Fog submarine I-401 remained still in the bay, obstructed by several rock formations and ruins of human civilization. It had proven difficult at first but she had tapped into the Phantom Fleet's private communications. If it wasn't for the other Yamato, this meeting would never have been discovered. Her orders were to remain undetected and observe their movements and that is all she was going to do. Yamato carried the weight of the Admiralty Code and thus her orders were absolute. The Phantom Fleet needed to be purged from existence for denying the Admiralty Code. It is the only meaning the Fleet of Fog needed and going against it made them traitors.

✧ Adventure Must Continue ✧

@Lugubrious

You are able to make out more details of the caravan as you approach. The carriage itself seems to be of fine quality, its white color adorned with silver and gold decorations that possibly suggested some religious ideology. The two paladins who rode on horses in the front wore similar armor. Glittering plate armor hidden underneath a talbard, however the were a few differences between them. The right-most one had his talbard outlined with red frills and a depiction of scales, a common symbol of justice, was displayed on his chest. A hood made observing his facial features difficult. The paladin on the left side had a different colored talbard, with his being outlined in a rich purple and a symbol of a raven on his chest. His hood was down so there was no difficulty seeing his face. Medium length blonde hair touched his shoulders, tucked behind a pair of long, pointed ears. A youthful energy filled his eyes as he rode forward.

There was also the carriage driver, of course. He did not bear any likeness to the two paladins but wore a light grey robe, a piece of rope tied at the waist. His black hair has a sleek style and his eyes watched the road with fierce vigilance. A crooked nose, large cheeks, and pronounced chin did little to help his appearance. The caravan was moving at a steady, but quick pace. Dirt from the road was kicked up behind, creating small clouds. A small village laid up ahead in their path, consisting of no more than a few buildings. Outlines of people indicated it was still inhabited. The largest structure was the cylindrical silo most likely used to store grain.

@FalloutJack

The captain's eyes sharpened into a glare at the slight, but ultimately said nothing. As Garlock changed forms, a large amount of the soldiers adjusted in their stance. It was only Lucius who did nothing but watch, the sight not appearing to shock him in the least "I see." It was clear by the way Lucius kept shifting his gaze slightly that he was studying Garlock, perhaps trying to read his intentions. "Well met, Garlock. I do not know of this muse you speak of, but I'm rather surprised you would be travelling in times such as this." The small emphasis on the last few words hinted that there some dangerous forces around, at least for them.

He raised his right brow "You sure are a curious cat." A small smile grew on his lips "It was nothing more than a bit of house cleaning. Now that it is finished, we must return back to the capital." He stated firmly and gave a glance to the captain "All soldiers prepare for flight! Assume formation 'Rook'!" Her loud voice covered the distance well and the soldiers moved into squads of five aligned in a triangle. Large, black wings covered in feathers erupted from the backs. Lucius too released a similar pair of wings, but the feathers were tinged with silver at the tips "I am going to be generous today and assume you are not an Amali spy. Thank you for the amusing distraction." With that said, the whole army began to take off into the sky.

@Achronum

The two individuals, a male and a female, that were now trying to make their way through the forest wore slightly different armor. The female wore the same armor as the army, whereas the male soldier wore a variation with more leather padding than metal plates. The male soldier was being supported by the other, his injuries looking much more severe. The female soldier had his arm around her and was taking much of his weight, despite being much shorter. Despite having a clear limp in her right leg, she was moving them rather quickly. Blood covered the right side of the male soldier's head, soaking into his red hair, as he struggled to remain conscious. While in a comparably better condition, the female soldier had a large open wound on her right thigh. Her short, blonde hair had a mixture of mostly dirt and a little blood, sullying its color. Blue-grey eyes showed exhaustion and fear as both their lives were running out.

Arpeggio of Blue Steel: The Phantom Fleet (OPEN)

Looking for one to two more members.

✧ Adventure Must Continue ✧

@FalloutJack

The grim and solemn expression of the kingly-looking individual did not falter at the sight of Garlock. Garlock, on the other hand, would now be able to plainly see that these soldiers were not human. While the majority of the soldiers wore enclosed helmets, the king only had his crown. Black horns jutted out from just above his temples and then curved backwards with the the tip bending upwards. Behind him a black, leathery tail with a spade-like head swung back and forth in a memorizing pattern. All of his other features were reminiscent of humans.

It was clear that the king did not buy the 'cute' cat act. In fact, he seemed to be highly suspicious of the whole situation. He held up his hand in such a motion that caused the entire of battalion of soldiers to stop on a dime. A behemoth of a woman broke from the front of the formation, towering even over the king, and stepped to his side. Her right fist was held against her chest in reverence as she began to speak "King Lucius, forgive my ignorance but why have you stopped? This is but a mere cat. I can remove it if you wish." As she spoke, her hand moved to the sword on her hip and slid the blade out slightly. King Lucius gave her a scolding look that showed minor disappointment "For the captain of the Burning Valkyries, you are none too observant." He said sharply. The captain lowered her head in shame as she slid the sword back into its sheathe with a soft click "My apologies, your grace." The pride in her voice shrinking by a degree.

Captain of the Burning Valkyries

The king now turned his attention back to Garlock fully "I find it highly suspicious that a mere house-cat would approach a large band of soldiers that have recently tasted blood. Even more so is the fact that the nearby forest is plagued with man-eating plants that would easily devour a small beast such as this." His eyes, which were the boldest color of red, squinted firmly "I have lived far too long to fall prey to such tricks. Tell me cat, what matter of spirit are you? Or perhaps you are someone's familiar meant to spy on us? I do not wish to play games at this moment." He was well-spoken and his voice carried with it an undeniable authority. Not that would have any affect on the destructive Garlock.

The White Lotus Prophecy - An Avatar (TV series) based RP

It is the start of the school year for most.

The White Lotus Prophecy - An Avatar (TV series) based RP

Shao remained unfazed under the scrutinizing eye of the detective. He mostly right about everything save for the money. There was enough to get Shao for a week. While it was more blunt than the wording he would have used, he indeed here to make use of his military training. He also believe in doing what is right which was one of the situation that landed him in the first place. Patiently he waited for the signal to speak or at least loosen his posture.

Shao shortened to the gap between his feet and dropped his arms from behind his back in a mechanical motion. He could practically already smell the nicotine and other chemicals of the cigarette as the detective looked around in vain for a lighter. It was a frequent vice of his father and one he would always be able to recognize. The fact that this entire room smelled strongly of it suggested the detective had a similar appetite for the narcotic.

A brief look of apprehension flooded Shao's face before he composed himself once more. Would it be best to give him his real name, or use a constructed one? It would not be a good start lying to his employer, but it would mean one less way to track him down. The second part of the question was easier to answer. There was already a chance to showcase his fire-bending.

After gritted his teeth for a split-second, he responded "My name is Shao Jin-Hwan." He began exteneded his hand towards the detective, and snapped his fingers for a little flair as a small flame seemed to rise from the tip of his thumb. Carefully he lit the cigarette and with a swift motion, extinguished the flame and returned his hand to his side with the first smile shown "I am a capable fire-bender. My education is top of the line and I have extensive knowledge of military tactics, theories, and practices. I have never once failed to complete an order from my superior. It may not matter much, sir, but I had the top combat marks for my former unit." He recited without a single break. Perhaps it was pride or foolishness, but Shao would not cast away his name. His eyes burned with a hidden passion that was not expressed in his features.