[EVENT] Ambassador [Open]

[Roin Valor]

Roin walked along a small gathering of merchants among one of the clans of the Sacaen plains. It wasn't just them, however, that he hoped to appeal to. News of an old foe to Sacae's hero from the Bandit Wars had spread fast among the clans. So much so that even now, he walked with his father, the older Swordmaster tipping his hat toward a few women as they passed, smirking as they giggled and waved to him, clearly part of some Lycian band as they moved with a curious bunch of soldiers. The place was full of all kinds of people, mercenaries, Sacaens, travelers, and more. The place may be home to a small

"Why don't we recruit some nice ladies for defending the city? A little morale boost won't hurt."

Roin rolled his eyes, but he had plans for how he planned to start. An auction was going off, a Sacaen man trying to sell a horse. However, as Roin and Ronin approached the stairs, the lone tribesman went a bit wide-eyed and moved away. The two were quite the fearsome duo, Roin strapped with his armor and his father's stance indicative of quite the swordsman. Unlike Roin, he had mastered the sword. The auctioneer frowned at him, but Roin held a hand to him and turned to the crowd, taking only a moment to steady himself. After all, he knew honor of protecting a major Sacaen city would outweigh anything else. He just hoped more would join the fight for Kenshin that were visiting.

"Everyone, I need your attention!" Pausing, he ensured the crowd near the place had settled down, the air around the clan's stop going quiet and most eyes falling on him. A Sacaen didn't suffer stage fright after being through training like his own. "The City Of Heroes, where the warrior Kenshin from the Bandit Wars settled, is facing a grave fate! Word is that Hargus himself-"

"This is a lie, isn't it!?" One of the merchants visiting from Sacae by the looks of it had yelled out, but Ronin himself spoke up now, snarling a bit as he put on his old warrior face. "Shut it! My boy may be foolish and a roaming fool, but he is no liar! Sacae and the rest of Elibe will face danger soon enough, lest you join us and make for the City of Heroes!" The merchant paused, whispers spreading among the group. Sacaens that were near their tents began sharing looks, knowing full well what this meant. While Sacae rarely stood up, allowing one of their pivotal, few cities to fall would endanger their supply flow. Roin simply looked to his father, but finally pulled free his sword and raised it.

"If you wish to join, prepare and make haste for the City at once! Those who wish to aid my father and I should make haste to prepare! We will move quick and see to more allies! This threat will not end here, lest we defeat Hargus for good!"

Roin had not fought in the Bandit War, but his father had seen the worst of it and kept him in Ilia to hide from most of it. Sheathing his blade, Roin started off the stage, Ronin smiling and waving to one of the smiling women in the crowd. While his father was more interested in women, Roin's trot was more serious, leading his father toward the borders of the village. The border was going to be spotted with trading clans and he would see as much aid could be recruited as possible. After all, he had sent letters through many other clansmen to Ilia to try and recruit old friends of his mother. The more the merrier, after all.

[Rosa Blackthorn]

Fuzzy. That was the only way to describe it. Everything was unbalanced, and the world seemed to be spinning. Slowly, light trickled into Rosa's firey red eyes, and awareness and focus slowly returned to the young woman. The clacking of horses' hooves on soil stood out, as did the sound of creaky wheels turning. She was in a cart of some kind? Where... am I...? How did I get here? she wondered groggily, her eyes lazily wandering the small area. Wearily, the Myrmidon shifted to sit up- only to find that her body refused. No- that wasn't it at all! Rather, Rosa realized, she had been abducted! Ankles and thighs tied together, arms tied to her side, and wrists behind her back, she squirmed in vain, unable to adjust into so much as a sitting position.

Panic setting in, Rosa attempted to yell for help, but instead, only released a muffled grunt, receiving a pained twinge between her lips as fabric pulled against it. Unfortunately, she was tightly gagged as well, meaning that she wouldn't be flagging down assistance any time soon. Surrender wasn't in her nature, however, and despite the futility, she struggled against her binds in an attempt to find any weakness at all that might allow her to escape. Finding none, however, she angrily roared a disfigured array of curses into the cloth that suppressed her, grumbling in frustration and giving up only once she'd driven her voice nearly hoarse.

Just as she ceased her struggle, however, Rosa found herself painfully skidding across the wooden floorboard of the cart as it came to a stop. The plop of someone jumping from the driver's seat was followed by their foot-steps, and before she knew it, the back-door flew open, revealing a small group of about four burly men, each of which were wearing ragged, worn out clothing. No doubt they were small-time bandits. Were they the ones who kidnapped her? She doubted it. They were likely just the muscle for the transport. "Alright, we do this quick, yeah? Grab the girl and we'll go quickly! Our client should be standing by at the ready!"

With that, one of the gruff men approached, and much to Rosa's fury, hoisted her over his shoulder with ease as she continued her pointless struggle. "Just give up, already, lass! You won't be getting out of those ropes anytime soon! I tied them myself, haha!" the thug stated smugly with pride, hopping down to the ground below once more. The impact jolted his shoulder into Rosa's gut, causing a sharp pain to shoot through her and knock the wind out of her. Wincing and gasping behind her gag, tears of agony from the impact involuntarily streamed down from her eyes.

Fear raced through her mind. What were they going to do with her? Where were they taking her? What had happened to her men? What if they were in on it!? At last, despair sank in, and Rosa allowed herself to go limp, willing what would happen to do so. At this point, it was likely best to conserve her strength as it was. Silently, the man made his way towards a tent, trying his best not to draw attention. What was fate's next move for her?

[Roin Valor]

Roin had been leading the way, but he came to a stop as he heard the footfall of his father come to a stop. The older Lorca tribesman was looking off to their right, toward a wagon. It was unusually thick for the base, the men standing near it appearing a bit more shady than the normal mercenary. Roin however, didn't see this until he moved back and looked to where his father had been gazing. The camp was rather noisy now, the brief speech the two had made moving many to action, but the activity was perfect for hiding something.

"Those boys look shifty to you? Like the kind of bandit ilk that we may face?"

"Perhaps...only one way to find out, father."

Ronin, the older of the two, started toward them, while Roin traced one of the more focused of the guards' vision, stalking as he moved through the camp. The wilderness and city streets were one thing, but in the plains and in clan camps, he was almost as graceful as a thief. However, he peeked around the curve of a tent to spy a limp woman being carried by one man. This was enough to make him clearly worried. It also, however, presented him a right moment. These were criminals, of the bandit sort, in the very camp he just preached about a dangerous bandit attack. Pulling free his bow, he raised an arrow along the small bow and pulled it carefully back. He was no fast archer, but a skilled marksman that took his time. As the person entered the tent, however, he released the arrow. The man's second, who had been right behind him, was struck in the neck, clutching at it but unable to speak as he wheeled about from instinct, rather than own choice. A sound of quick grunts and falling weight to his rear marked his father's success. However, as he neared the tent, a cry ripped through the camp.

"My boys! You're gonna pay for that, you old Sacaen dog! No one messes with my bandit cre-" He was cut off by a loud cry, Roin cursing as he quickly deposited his bow, drawing both of his blades and charging toward the tent. This woman would be saved, either for himself or to make a point, he had to ensure these bandits were stopped.

---

Back by the wagon, however, other Sacaen tribe members of the local clan came running up, finding Ronin standing among four fallen Bandits, each on the ground in a pool of blood. The man was wiping his single blade along the wagon, looking back to them with a small smile.

"These bandits real enough for proof?"

The Sacaens shared looks, moving to the bodies as many onlookers moved quickly to see the result of the skilled swordsman. It was the proof they'd need, no doubt, to spook some people into action and side with Kenshin, with a bit of luck.

[Rosa Blackthorn]

Before Rosa's terrified eyes, the man following behind the one carrying her fell in a pool of his own blood. Fear renewing her energy, the girl flailed about, mumbling incoherently through cloth as she once more tried to escape. I'm going to die! Oh gods, I'm going to die![/i] the myrmidon thought, sobbing uncontrollably now as the burly man whisked her deeper into the tent. Realizing that something was awry what with his compatriot's spattered blood and lack of breathing, the dumb brute had broken into a sprint, bouncing Rosa up and down, along with her internal organs, much to her displeasure. Then, without warning, they came to a stop again, causing Rosa's stomach to lurch. The poor girl swore she was going to vomit, but thankfully, there was no such luck.

As her captor panted heavily, another, thinner man whose skin was ragged but whose face was concealed by a long hood approached. "What's going on out there!? Did you fools draw attention!? This girl is key to getting Blackthorn on our side! She's our leverage! Daddy's little princess is worth more to him than all of his hauls! Ugh... Let's be quick! My carriage is ready and waiting out back! Load her up, and let's be on our way!" he hissed, scurrying out his back entrance. The burly man followed as Rosa glanced around through her tear-glazed eyes, wasting not even a moment.

"The Sacaens will be on us any second, sir! We have to go now!" he exclaimed, popping open the carriage door with his left hand and throwing Rosa in with his right, regarding her as much as a sack of produce. The Myrmidon landed with a pained thud, reeling. Now, a faint trickle of blood traced her forehead, running out from a minor cut she'd incurred in the madness. It stung, but it was barely noticeable with the nausea and pain that Rosa's insides felt. Despite the sheer pain, however, the girl was still as desperate as could be, and struggled through fear and pain, fighting against her binds. Unfortunately, her efforts still proved futile, but she couldn't just give up, right?

"Tell me something I don't know, you damned ape! Get in the carriage and let's go!" the eerie man screeched, berating the daft subordinate of his. As he whipped the horse to go, however, the man was horrified to see that the reigns hadn't been properly secured. The horse took off without the carriage, fleeing into the plains. "Blast! Get the girl! We'll have to make a run for it!"

"But sir! We'll never make it away from these confounded Nomads!" the burly man griped, moving to retrieve Rosa from the carriage, only to trip and fall flat on his face. Surely fortune smiled upon Rosa now, though it may not have seemed so in her crimson eyes.

[Roin Valor]

The man never made it up. A sword went through his upper back, aimed perfectly to be a mercy kill. Roin pulled his sword free as quick as it struck, the signature "pink" of a swift strike evident on his sword. "They won't need to give much chase."

Roin raised one sword toward the eerie man, eying the captive briefly out the corner of his eye. She was a fair-enough woman, no doubt attractive to more, but her look said clearly she was not from here.

Looking back to the man, Roin slowly lowered his sword to his side, the other sword evenly weighted as he moved between the man and the woman, smirking as he rolled his armored shoulders. As if on cue, more Sacaens arrived, their hands on the hilts of their blades as they spoke up.

"Do not worry! We have our eyes on him!"

Roin lowered his blades as the posse soon encircled the man, keeping their distance but keeping their blades sheathed. Ronin appeared not long after, casting a gaze at the tied up woman with a smirk. The similar looks of the two prompted the obvious "Father-Son" bond between them, Roin sheathing his swords and turning to the woman.

"I'll see that you're untied in a moment...but I'm going to remove that gag so you can say how we deal with this stranger."

He reached out, grabbing her gag and, with a bit of effort, pulled it free. He didn't mind the dirty, no doubt invasive move, but he knew she wouldn't mind if she were any the wiser. The merchants were moving into view as well, all of them now in shock. A mere bandit team slipping in was one thing, but a kidnap victim made it a whole other. Roin's cause would be successful here, gods willing, but he knew it wouldn't be more than rumor until he had time to go elsewhere to speak further. Not to mention he had to hope this woman was actually a kidnap victim and not some strange Ostian noblewoman with weird ideas.

While Roin wasn't watching, however, Ronin kept his eyes on the man, his hand resting on the top of his sword rather laxly. Unlike the many Sacaens, both men carried themselves with a higher level of skill, though their stances suggested even they fought different from one another. A Sacaen is as unique as both their sword and themselves, after all.

[Rosa Blackthorn]

Rosa shook, descending into shock as possible rescuers came into view. How did she know they wouldn't be hostile though? How did she know they weren't aware of her pirating ways? For all she knew, they could be ready to turn her in for a handsome reward. As the new man drew near, the girl recoiled, moving away in terror, sobbing still. "I'll see that you're untied in a moment...but I'm going to remove that gag so you can say how we deal with this stranger," his surprisingly gentle voice came. With some difficulty, pain, and a small break of skin on her upper lip, the gag came free. With one final gasp of pain, Rosa inhaled deeply, then coughed harshly, still dealing with the shock. With one more deep inhale, the Myrmidon calmed herself slightly, though she still found herself sniffling as light tears streamed down her face.

As she looked from face to face, peering into more gentle, concerned eyes, the tough little pirate princess broke out into an all out bawl, completely losing her composure. Sobbing uncontrollably, she quaked, racked with far more emotional pain than physical at this point. "Please... don't hurt me..." she whimpered softly through her sobs, rolling herself onto her other side so that her gaze was away from leering eyes. "Please... no more. I can't take it anymore! I don't know where I am! I just want to go home! I just want to go home! Papa... please...!"

As best as she could with her restraints, Rosa balled herself up, crying into her knees. "I don't know where I am! I woke up in this dark place- I think it was some cart of some sort- and I was tied up and gagged, and then those... thugs just threw me around like a ragdoll, saying I was going to be delivered to someone. Where am I!? I want to go home! I want to go home!" Rosa wailed, unable to restrain her volatile emotions.

"You little brat! You keep your trap shut! I'm an honest businessman! How dare you go accusing me of abduction and assault!? You can't lump me in with those brigands!" the man contested, much to Rosa's fury.

The Myrmidon lashed out, suddenly fighting ferociously against her restraints. Her ruby red eyes were on fire as she gazed outwards toward the man, as if a mother tiger had just stumbled across a rabbit. "The cuts, bruises, and tears on my body tell a different story! I suggest you pull your head out of your posterior before I plant my foot up it, followed very swiftly by my steel!" she howled, tears still streaming down her face. "I'm not some rag-doll, cur! I'm a living, breathing, furious woman! You'd best pray you don't get to taste my wrath!"

[Roin Valor]

The mouth on the girl had made Ronin grumble nearby, but Roin simply smiled in a bit of laughter. She had quite the spirit, despite her circumstances. It was one of the few times he had laughed in quite some time. However, he looked back to the man and put on a far more serious face.

"See to it that the man is locked up. I'll see him brought back to the City to try and interrogate him."

The Sacaens nearby seemed to hesitate, but Ronin moved forward and grabbed the man's color with a smirk, the old swordsman motioning toward the bandits had used to transport the woman.

"Let's see how roomy that compartment is...shall we?"

With a heavy grip, he began to guide the man away, the Sacaens nearby keeping their sword hilts gripped as they served as armed escort. Roin, however, turned to the woman before finally smiling and pulling free a knife from his belt. It was his trusty, multi-purpose blade. Putting it to the bindings, he sawed at them briefly before snapping free her arms, then her wrists before pulling away and sheathing the blade back to its sheath on his belt.

"You sure are interesting, you know. The name is Roin. You're in Sacae and before you ask, I don't know where your home is, lest you tell me."

He offered her a hand, seeming a bit amused. It was more that she was quite comical, despite the situation, and her anger was certainly justified, but a Sacaen's gut was always good to trust. And she seemed like a good spirited warrior if there ever was one. The only issue was that he had no idea if she was just some hapless noble's daughter or some assassin. It was a danger of saving people, but the image of being an honorable man was more important to him than most things.

Carefully, he pulled free a bottle of elixir and offered it to her, his voice picking up one more time. "Take only a small sip. It'll slowly heal the pains and any other small cuts. Quite useful to carry a vial of it and use it sparingly."

[Rosa Blackthorn]

Rosa scowled at the man as he was taken away. What sort of sinister plot had the man been scheming? Who were his associates? Would they make additional attempts to kidnap her and do with her what they had originally intended? To say was simply... impossible, unfortunately. Knowing this left Rosa with a deep sense of anxiety. On top of that, who exactly were these people who were apprehending the man? Were they a threat, or were they simply good Samaritans doing a just deed?

Rosa wanted to believe the latter, but was wary nonetheless. Cautiously, she stared down Roin from the corner of her eyes, glaring with distrust. As he moved in close to saw at the bindings with his knife, however, Rosa felt relaxed and at ease for the first time all day. As the bindings fell away, the Myrmidon grunted in surprise, but then stretched out her arms, yawning lazily before rubbing her wrists gently. The rope had been so tight it had left indentations in her skin.

"You sure are interesting, you know. The name is Roin. You're in Sacae and before you ask, I don't know where your home is, lest you tell me," the stranger said, echoing in her mind for a few moments. Rosa wasn't sure what to say, really. All she knew was that suddenly, she felt hot. The girl's cheeks turned red, and she couldn't bring herself to turn and face her own savior. "I'm Rosa. We're in Sacae, you say? I'm a long ways east from home then. I should probably go ahead and start headin-" she started to explain, facing Roin, only to find his hand extended. Meekly, the girl took it, rising to meet him. Awkwardly, she stared for a moment, just gazing into those eyes before she realized what she was doing.

That wasn't the first time she'd make that mistake, however. Almost immediately afterward, Roin retrieved an Elixir from his stash, sharing it with her. Looking to him like a lost puppy that'd been beaten, Rosa whimpered slightly, then reluctantly followed his instructions. Almost instantly, the girl felt much better, and handed the excess back. Again, her voice was soft and tender as she bowed in thanks, tears streaming down her face when she rose, smiling. "I don't know what would have happened to me if not for you. Thank you so much!" With that, Rosa hugged her new acquaintance fiercely, arms wrapped around his neck as she leaned in.

Whether it was the stress, the kindness of this stranger, or some other factor, Rosa found herself bewildered and feeling... unusually impulsive. Unsure of whether or not it was acceptable in this man's Sacaen culture, she took a risk and quickly tilted her head, kissing Roin on his left cheek before releasing him and scampering off. Without explanation to either him or even herself, Rosa darted off, digging through junk like a squirrel digging for nuts it had hidden. After a few short moments and an, "Aha!" the girl emerged with her Iron Sword and its scabbard, strapping it neatly around her waist. With no other business left to tend to, she then turned her attention back to her rescuer.

Gazing curiously, Rosa turned her head to the left side, peering much like an owl at the man. "Where are you heading, if I may ask?" That sword- that hair- there was no doubt about it. He was the real deal- a Sacaen Nomad proven in the way of the sword. That style, those stances, that face those techniques had to be hers.

[Alizarin]

So many towers. So many towers. Spiraling helixes and branching fractals danced towards the pitch-black not-night sky. Ghosts and spirits and phantoms of past/present/future and shadows everywhere and Alizarin cannot find it in his heart to care. A tall many-limbed figure darted from the corner of his eye. Then, a scream.

HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HELP ME HEL-

He blinked.

The visions vanished.

Shining glass and twisted metal and polished crystal became wood and earth and grass, and he was all alone in the middle of a - camp? He removed his glasses and rubbed his sleep-deprived eyes.

He was horribly lost.

Again.

[Roin Valor]

Roin was a bit shocked, first at how close she got, but then by the hug and kiss. He didn't blush, but he did give a stunned blink before sliding the elixir away as well. Her question, however, gave him pause.

"I...er...am heading to a nearby camp. I'm seeking allies to join in the defense of one of Sacae's few cities, the City of Heroes to be specific..."

The strange way she watched him, almost like he were some sort of trophy, had him quite concerned. His gut hadn't often lied to him, but it was as if this woman wasn't so innocent as she prompted. Her sword marked her at least as an adequate swordwoman. She'd have seen his wyvern-like tattoo over his birthmark from how close she was, but the moment was interrupted as Roin's father, Ronin, raised a brow at the odd fellow stumbling around the camp, speaking up rather loudly.

"Hail, who are you, stranger? Are you ill in the head like my boy over there? Has a pretty woman and he won't even see to his own interests!"

The comment drew laughter from the other Sacaens, but Roin turned to spot a strange man stumbling about, frowning. It wasn't from his father's comment, which seemed not to effect him at all, but the fact the fellow was so...distant. Looking to Rosa, he raised a brow.

"Why not come along? Perhaps we can test that sword arm while we recruit others to join Kenshin?"

He didn't wait or offer her a hand, starting off toward the man with a steady pace. While Roin was a kind man, it was clear her figure had no hold on him like the common man. Or, perhaps, he was just good at hiding it. Point is, he made his way over to the cart that the new hostage was now bound and bumping around within the compartment. Roin grabbed the guard rail, climbing up onto the wagon a moment before his father went to the back and dropped onto it with a sigh, kicking up his feet to relax while Roin carefully grabbed the reins for the wagon's horse. The bandits had been cleared, no doubt taken away, but Roin motioned to Rosa to follow along, looking to the strange man before putting on a small smile.

"Come along, stranger. This clan has no healer, but the next one aught to just over the next two hills."

Just how trusting was this Sacaen, inviting a stranger along? Was he gullible or just confident in his abilities? Only one way to find out.

[Rosa Blackthorn]

A stunned blink? Not the reaction Rosa would have liked, but she supposed anything else would have been irrational. As much of a die-hard romantic as she was (much to the contrary of the air she tried to put on), the girl was patient, and knew that any prize worth claiming couldn't be won in a single moment. Roin, it seemed, was definitely a man of such a caliber. What if he knew the truth though? What if he discovered Rosa's piracy? That would likely change everything. Such a time would come though, she supposed. For now, an invitation was extended, and with a face and sword skills like that, Rosa wasn't going to say no, her father's worries be damned.

With passion and flare, the young woman waited as Roin stepped out of reach, then, in a flash, drew her sword. With grace and agility, the Myrmidon nimbly demonstrated her skills, testing her body to make certain that no undetected injuries remained. With a multitude of dazzling twirling motions followed by a flurry of combos, Rosa eased through the motions, reconnecting with her inner blade, as she liked to call it- the part of her being that was the sword. "Careful, Roin," she called out, smiling and winking. "Testing my sword arm might leave you without one."

Truth be told, she knew that wasn't true. She could tell with a single glance that Roin was far more experienced and skilled than she was. Engaging him would likely result in a defeat faster than the blink of an eye. "Regardless, count me in for your saintly little hero mission. It'd be a pleasure to save your skin, Green." Or to just lay one hand on it...

Quite in contrast to Roin, the newcomer that he'd approached was rather disorriented. It seemed that the poor chap didn't have the faintest idea of where he was or that he could be seen as a potential threat. Judging by the air that he gave off, Rosa guessed this one to be a magic user. They always had some sort of... portion of their presence that seemed different.

They had a job to do now, though. Without hesitation, Rosa hopped into the wagon as well, leaning over the front like a little kid, peering over at Roin. With a huge, dreamy grin on her face, she lay her head sideways, trying to figure him out. Some might have considered the Sacaen only average in appearance, but Rosa was more concerned with his heart. It seemed the swordsman truly had genuinely noble efforts at the forefront of his mind. With a content sigh, Rosa turned back to the newcomer, taking a look. It was kind of amusing, in a sad sort of way. He was just kind of bumbling about until he collapsed on the cart. "He doesn't look so good."

[Vicktaria]

Vicktaria grunted, having finally reached the gathering he had heard from one of the riders his group had passed. He and his pirates were a rather hilarious sight in the rolling plains, dressed out in chainmail and armor that in general would not work too well for nomads. Vicktaria turned to his crew, barking out a few orders as they nodded, preparing their own small camp. Vicktaria then turned back around, walking towards the central parts of the camp.

As Vicktaria reached the middle of the camp, he noticed a green haired nomad, a purple haired, somewhat familiar woman, and a strange strange as hell man. He shrugged, simply walking to the green haired man, beginning to speak.

"Hail. Me and my crew heard of the gathering to get some defenders for this... City of heroes. Where could we sign up a contract."

He spoke rather bluntly, already wanting to return to his ship.

[Roin Valor]

Roin simply smiled at Rosa's teasing and jokes. She was quite lively, but he was more concerned with the current matter. At her comment of it being a "saintly" task, however, he stopped and looked to her in a bit of disbelief. Before he could speak, though, a gruff voice of a new arrival brought his attention, Roin looking toward the man. He seemed far rougher than the average crowd, but his question made him hesitate before finally speaking up again.

"If you ride to the city, tell them you were sent by me. Your won't be paid much up-front, friend, but I promise you that you'll find plenty of loot to shift through once we have brought the bandits to their knees and won the day."

Roin was no leader, but the more he talked the more he felt like the very people he disliked. To lead wasn't anything he had ever wanted, as it put lives on his conscious, but he knew sometimes one had to stand up to guide others to a right moment. The protection of the City of Heroes would ensure Sacae wasn't crippled without a supply hub to visit.

"If you can, why not see to it that you round up some of the shadier crowds as well? I know you and your...crew may not be enthusiastic about the idea, but the more soldiers we can acquire the more sure our victory and the more sure your prize afterward."

Carefully guiding the reins of the wagon, he started the horse off, the wagon's wheels turning slowly. The man kicked at the compartment, but it was sealed nice and tight, Ronin and the strange guest now resting in the back. Vicktaria would be able to follow along, but for now Roin had one clear goal. He had to see to more Sacaens being called to the cause. He had sent word to Ilia, but he doubted they had the time for such a trip to recruit mercenaries. As the wagon got onto a nearby road at the border of the camp, Roin finally spoke up, though, referring to Rosa's comment earlier.

"Don't think of this as some "saintly hero" mission...a Sacaen must know when to follow their sword. My father taught me that, despite how much of a sloth he is..."

A chuckle came from the older man, but Roin simply sighed and added on one more bit.

"I don't care how hard I have to try...evil is the only true villain to Elibe. Criminals are not always evil by choice, but rather by circumstance. Even the worst man can be righteous given the right light."

Making a face, he didn't speak his mind on how he heard himself. He sounded like the old men of faith who went through his camp in his youth. They always spoke of bad men turning their lives around, but he had never met many bad people who turned themselves around. Most would rather die at the sword than to return to a more noble and proper way of life...

[Rosa Blackthorn]

Rosa gawked, eyes wide as she gazed at Roin. As the Sacaen spoke, first to Vicktarian, then to herself, she felt a variety of profound feelings welling up inside of her. There was something about Roin's words that stirred a passion in her unlike anything she had ever felt before. There was strange and alluring wisdom to his words, shrouded in a mystery she lacked the ability to yet understand. "Know when to follow your sword..." Rosa repeated, gazing solemnly into the distance.

On he continued, speaking of the evil that plagued Elibe- something that even she had witnessed first-hand. There was an interesting nuance to his words, for sure. Thinking on her own past and of her years of piracy, Rosa wondered if there was any truth to that. Anyone could turn themselves around, huh? That was the gist of what she gained from what he was saying. Perhaps she was worried about his opinion on her for nothing? Perhaps, but the woman elected to bite her tongue for now, waiting for a more opportune moment to converse upon the subject. "Even the worst sort? You really think so?"

A light giggle escaped Rosa at that moment- not laughing at Roin, mind you, but at herself. This was foolish, letting her heart and mind be whisked away by some stranger who happened to be in the right place at the right time. "You're the real deal, eh, Roin? You're not just some drifter hiding behind some tough-guy mantra. I can't stand that kind of bravado, myself." It was true- Rosa hated few things more the masks people wore.

"Don't ever change, Roin. The world needs more men like you. Consider my sword yours," the young Myrmidon chimed, turning her gaze outward to the camp, hiding a blush behind her long, purple bangs. "Maybe you could shine a bit of your light on me? I could really use it. Truth be told, I'm kind of a checkerboard, really."

[Vicktaria]

Vicktaria was about to turn around, before slowly deciding to follow the wagon. His crewmen had heard what Roin said, and they could get to this city of heroes alone. He had talking to do. Vicktaria ran up to the wagon, beginning to walk next to Roin.

"I'm one of the few rare folk who enjoy being a criminal. I'm a pirate, someone who has sailed the seas since I could walk. Raping and pillaging are my professions, taking multiple slaves as breeding partners is my joy. I have bred many sons, who are all ready to take their own ships. My father was a pirate before me. His grandfather too. His grandfather as well. Being a criminal can be in someone's blood. Someone's mind. Someone's lifestrings are just attached to being the people who spin this miserable little world."