Winds Blown Differently

"Ahhh, sh*t, so there's nothing to do today."

Rexial stepped into the room, stretching his arms. "I was actually hoping we'd get started right away. I'm pretty bored, to be honest, just napping around the house. Well, if it's clear that it won't be a problem if I go out... who wants to go into the city? I keep missing all the crazy antics when they happen in here."

"What do you think Samson?" Filia asked her demonic hair excitedly.

"Why not? We should celebrate you not being thrown out on the street!" Samson laughed victoriously.

Kristen found herself locked in combat. She was blocking most of her adversary's moves quite well. She slipped up, however, and felt a blow to her left temple.

"Damnit!" She fell to her knees, and felt a pistol touch her head. She fumbled to grab her pry axes, and swung one into the man's knee, and brought him to the ground. She then swung the other pry axe into his stomach, using that one a support to get up, and pulled out both of them...

And swung them into his chest. She then ripped into his flesh, revealing his ribcage. Kirsten then broke each individual rib, even the floating ribs. The redhead used the improvised pickaxes to break the sternum and stab her foe's still beating heart, ripping that out. She then put the organ in her hand. Her combatant's comrade watched in horror. Kirsten took a bite out of the aorta, and pointed at the other, giving him a look that could wipe the whole squad out.

"What's your name?"

"E-Eric!"

"Well,Eric, may I suggest you run, lest I do the same to you."

Eric let out a cry of panic and began running, only to feel a pry axe enter his back. He slammed into the earth. Kirsten pulled out her weapon and rolled him over, a kick making contact with his ribs.

"I lied- you don't deserve mercy." She then ripped open his chest, and went onto her next victim.

"No no no no NO! Someone, anyone, help! Don't leave me like this!" Eric began to sob. "I don't want to-"

Those were his last words. Eric went into shock.

[Passive ability- Pierce proficiency: Spears, daggers, rapiers- if it can stab someone or something, Kirsten's a pro at using it.]

Aleri lay in his bed, arms to the side, staring at the ceiling, his eyes-half-closed. Whatever was so interesting about the ceiling, it wasn't bringing a smile to his face.

"...The smell of blood. Why?"





"Yes! I get to hang out with the cute one!" Rexial cheered, pumping his arms in victory. "...Er, I didn't just say that out loud, did I? Sorry."

He scratched the back of his head - a strange sight, considering the shape of his hair - and looked around the room. "Hmm, since my wallet's been mostly cleaned out thanks to a certain gladiator taking advantage of my generosity, I'm afraid I can't do anything too extravagant. Oh! I know, there's this building, a skyscraper! We can go to the top of that and look at the whole city from there!"

As terrified soldiers retreated from all around him, running for their lives in fear of the mad woman, a lone young man stood with a healthy smirk on his face. Pale skin and jet black hair was accented by a yellow scarf and plain clothes. An aura of smoky misted drifted away from him as he spoke in a surprisingly chipper tone.

"You know... I've known a lot of people. Some pretty big assholes, too. But, no one I've met has been monstrous like that." The youth folded his arms surveying Kristen with a sweeping glance.

"So, tell me where exactly do you get off with this whole rip out his beating heart and eat it shctick?"

Kirsten acknowledged the man.

"Everyone else is running away from me therefore they're not my problem. And that's a long story." She then interlocked the two pry axes and opened her gear pack. Kirsten pulled out some rope, tied it to the end of the weapon, and in a pseudo-lasso fashion, corralled another soldier into his demise.

The flash of steel severed the line dragging the soldier to his death. Then, with a second stroke, the pale boy decapitated the wounded soldier giving him a merciful death in most regards.

The young man stood with a long blade in his hand that gleamed with moonlight shining against the sky.

"Now, I suggest you stop this meaningless slaughter and start answering my questions. Or your time will come, it doesn't truly matter to me." The man's words echoed with a vast tone of wisdom beyond his years as his calm smirk faded into a plain grimace.

Kirsten looked a bit upset.

"You want to know why I kill my victims so brutaly?" Her expression grew more filled with anger.

"Because people hate."

Ryoji covered a laugh with the back side of his free hand, "Yes. People experience a wide variety of emotions, tendencies, and actions throughout the course of one's life time. That is how life works. You live and you die. The parts in between vary quite greatly."

Eying the young woman as his returned to his casual position, sword to bear, "So, what exactly is it about people's hatred that drives you? Do you not realize you act much like the monsters you claim to despise with these actions?"

Athez started for a second at the mention of the city and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Uh, sure. Heading into the city sounds like a fine idea. I'm assuming that we'll just follow your lead?"

Rexial shrugged. "Actually, I'm still not very familiar with the place, either. I think I can find the building I was referring to, though..."

He grinned. "Glad to see you're on board, too, Athez!"

"Well, if I kill my victims in a brutal way, maybe it'll show them the error of their ways."

A small pause occurs between the two.

"... But that won't work, will it?" She chuckles nervously.

"Yeeeeeeeeeaaah, I'll tone it down a bit. They'll still most likely be closed casket funerals, but still not as brutal."

The pale man nodded. His sword gleaming in the dull light of the night that had suddenly encroached on them.

"Very well. I am sure that you'd appreciate the same kind of vengeance exacted on yourself then, no?" Ryoji cocked his head, his fingers drumming against the handle of his blade.

"For if one is to practice what they preach... You must be taught the errors of your ways in the same fashion."

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Meanwhile.

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After a short argument with Samson, Filia managed to convince her unruly hair that a trip back into the city while potentially dangerous would be a good way to relax.

Looking at Rexial, Filia nodded, "We should be able to find something working together. Three brains are better than one after all."

"Hey!"

"Samson, you share mine. So, quiet."

"Well, I was thinking of this skyscraper with a view of the whole city. Maybe we could go there first, then think of where to go next?" Rexial suggested.

<He's not talking about the building that they found Filia in, right? It's kind of off limits at the moment for plot purposes.>

<Nah, he means the skyscraper that's actually in the city. And not the tower that's completely separate from it. Remember when Felix(?) was introduced and started for the House in a car, and Rex landed on it?>

<Oh, ok. Solid.>

Filia nodded, "Some sight seeing wouldn't be a bad idea. If we're going to be protecting the city, we might as well see what we'll be dealing with." She began to walk for the door with a slight wobble to her step, "I'm still not quite steady from that zap..." She laughed uneasily and tried to push away the pained expression with a smile.

Rexial looked at Athez. Should I let him be the hero here...? Ah, the hell with it, I'll help.

"Mind if I lend you my shoulder?"

"Since Samson is being uncooperative, that'd be incredibly helpful." Filia smiled appreciatively, "I shouldn't need it for long."

"Hey! Lightning doesn't sit well with me. Not my fault!" Samson quipped.

"Y'know, I know this great product that's perfect for dealing with mouthy hairdos." Rexial quipped, helping Filia up and putting her arm on his shoulder.

Filia nodded, "Trust me, if you've heard of it, I've tried it. There's nothing quite as unruly as Samson."

"Hell yeah!"

"You aren't supposed to be proud of that..."

"Oh, you already tried cement? Well, I'm out of ideas that don't suck."

Chaos. 

The world for them was nothing but screaming and panic, rushing, moving bodies, and pain all around them. This was their job, and they did it well. 

Gavin started off with a slow but high-pitched nocturne that pained the pilots and knocked Land of Jordan soldiers down on the slow portions. Robin stepped forward to defend the short, blind man, and cleaved through two bum-rushing, huge men. Pell stayed calm behind them, shooting down aerial threats that came near. 

Their intent was to keep the miners safe until they could relieve the mine shaft of the resources and head out, but something was amiss. One ship, despite everything, was advancing towards the hole, when suddenly it dropped a payload and sped off. 

The huge mass fell straight on top of the hole, and after the dust settled one could make out the shape of a large, curled up man lying down in the entrance. Any attempt to extricate him was met with a swift death, as the man would lazily swat whomever was hurting him away, with enough apparent force to send people skyward. 

And the miners were trapped.

Kirsten cracked her knuckles. "Alright, if I need a lesson, lemme take some notes." She readied herself for combat.

Meanwhile,  Blake and the others were springing into action.

"You have a plan?" Will asked this to Blake.

After a moment of analysis,  Blake responded.

"You ever hear of the biblical tale of Sampson? "

"Yeah, why?"

Blake pointed out two ledges, ideal for chaining up the beast.

"It'll be hard, but imagine a larger version of Sampson chained up." Blake  then armed himself with the blade that has brought him this far.

"Alright, Will, you're with me!" Blake yelled this and carried on,"You two, stay here in case we get ambushed from behind!"

"Right!" The other three agreed.

"FORWARD!" Blake and Will then charged into the fray, catching up and then leading a pack of soldiers.

<https://youtu.be/4TKO0-w9_iI

Amon Amarth- Cry of the Blackbirds>

<Sorry about the inconsistency .-. Work was crazy today, and I haven't done any writing outside of persuasive papers in a while, but I'll try to bring my a-game after this!>

<Ok, what. What just happened? Last I checked, Kirsten was outside the mine and talking with Ryoji.>

Filia laughed defeatedly, "Yeah... He broke straight through it actually. Why don't we get going?"