Topic: The Tempest

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:02 EST
Adalia had spent a lot of time on that rock -- a lot of time thinking, and waiting, and just being alone. Most of the time, it was her choice to spend her time out in the Glen, staring off at something that holds a strange interest to her. And, sometimes, something told her she had no choice.

There was a lot of thinking that needed to be done. She had so many more things to consider. Her father had been gone for quite some time, now, and she had to decide whether she was going to consider him gone for good, or not. He had left her fairly specific instructions, even, but Ada had such a hard time following them. "Don't miss me when I'm gone, and when I'm gone for so long, it's for good." She was starting to believe they were getting very close to "so long."

She also had to consider that Ghent was becoming a pretty large driving force in her life; he wasn't just another person who stumbled into the realm. Her first step was making sure she helped him, even if it felt like she didn't want to, at times. She was honestly worried he might step through the portal she had alerted him of, and then never come back. What then?

A small sigh escaped her, and she dropped down from the rock, finally heading towards home. If he left, she would remember him, and most certainly miss him. But if he never went, Adalia doubted that she could stand the idea of him missing his sisters. And, for a moment, she even imagined what it must be like to have siblings to miss -- it was probably just as unpleasant as missing her father, minus that fact that she would have a solid answer to her questions when she finally decided he was gone for good.

Being honest with herself, she decided it would be so much harder to not know, than it would to know. It was likely better that Ghent tried to go back, even if he wouldn't be able to escape his land and come back through the portal. At least then they would be together -- a family united. And, there would be protection and hope, at the very least.

((This was written for play on November 20th, 2007.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:17 EST
Love. It took many forms. The soldier was not so naive as to think otherwise. Before he even attempted to get some rest, he thought about the final words he and Ada exchanged. She was beginning to mean a lot to him. He hadn't bothered to try and become familiar with most of the people and creatures in the city. She had just waltzed right up to him. It was odd. And yet, the memories of that day made him smile.

He didn't want to leave Ada behind. The love for his sisters was always there, but this was different. While he had been told that he was "gifted" or "special", sometimes he actually believed it, around her. His watch ticked quietly in the night. Once he actually looked at it, he figured he should try to rest. So, he neatly pulled back the blanket and sheet and laid down.

Sleep came in short interrupted periods -- almost not sleep at all. It was like forgetting he was awake. Dreams, nightmares to be more accurate, assaulted his senses every time he slept. Visions of his fears. Being kicked out of the service for going AWOL. His sisters dying. Stepping past the portal with Ada watching him. Isolation, in a dimly lit room.

The last nightmare is what shot him upright. He was breathing heavily and sweating profusely. His dark eyes immediately searched his surroundings. That allowed him to relax. He was still alone, but not in that room. Something about that nightmare frightened him fiercely. A few moments passed before he calmed down. He could feel his heart racing. Never had he experienced something so vivid. He heard no noise from downstairs. The other patrons must have left for the evening. He got dressed quickly and left the Inn in silence. The map was in his hand. Dark eyes followed each curve that it took. Something kept him back, though. In the middle of the marketplace, he stopped. Twisting his wrist, he flipped the photo. He stared at the child version of Ada. For the first time, the path between point A and point B was not so clear.

((This was written for play on November 20th, 2007, by the player of Ghent Tyn and posted with permission.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:23 EST
Her house seemed so big. Her house... it was so strange to think that after so many years of sharing a space with her father, she was finally putting forth the thought that the house was completely hers. While her father had lived there, they had lived a quiet, structured life. It wasn't a normal life, by any sense of the word, but it was structured in the fact that Ada had a routine, and so did her father. Neither needed to encroach on each other's space, and yet there was an understanding that nothing was off limits -- neither needed to set boundaries, because they were both part of what seemed like a working machine.

In an attempt to not feel so lonesome when her father had left, Adalia had allowed many of her father's things to remain where he had left them. However, the time had come when space was needed, and she finally had to let go.

She wasn't sad, though. Death was just another part of the strange journey that was existence. And, packing up the past was a necessity, if she was going to make room for someone else to move in. So, she had spent the better part of the evening wrapping objects and carefully placing them into boxes. Nothing was in any particular order, which was a lot more simple, since there was never any sort of commonality between the things her father had collected or created.

Very carefully, she picked up a pair of cracked reading glasses, and turned them around in her hands. Strangely enough, she knew that her father had actually etched the cracks into the lenses in what he had described to her as "a pattern that would allow him to see through the words to the code between the lines." Hm. Anyone looking in from the outside would have probably considered them both certifiable.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Ada took a book in one hand, and slipped the glasses on with the other hand. They were lopsided, and far too large for her face, but they were well-worn and felt like they could have been a hundred years old. Just for the sake of it, she flipped open the book and looked down through the glasses to the words. It was hard to focus; the lenses were meant for someone with poor eyes, and the etched cracks caught light from above, leaving trails over her vision when she blinked. Still, when she could focus long enough, she didn't see much of anything in the book, aside words and notations that weren't made by her. Maybe some day she would learn what her father had seen, but for the time being, the glasses were just another object that was in the way.

Both the book at the glasses were put away in a box, and as she continued to put things away, she wondered if Ghent would ever be able to be comfortable in such a seemingly strange atmosphere. The large house had such a withered feel to it. While physically sound, there were places where the walls bowed out for no apparent reason. The ornate wallpapers had been dulled by many years in the sun, and the decorative patterns were just barely visible over the backgrounds. And, yet, despite all of the misgivings Ada felt might make a difference in how he saw her, she still imagined that if Ghent would spend any amount of time there, he might feel the same comfortable appeal that she did.

Once she was finished picking up the last of the most frivolous objects, she closed up the boxes and began stacking them in her father's room. It was an improvement, to say the least, but there were still little curiosities that she couldn't bring herself to put away yet. Without those things, she doubted that it would feel much like home to her, and she knew that Ghent would understand why.

Despite the clutter in the rest of the house, she had managed to clear two of the larger bedrooms completely. The closets and wardrobes were empty, the linens washed, and the hardwood floors were drying. It had taken most of a morning to move everything out, most of the afternoon to get everything cleaned, and by evening, she had a hard time walking away to do other things. She had done it all for a reason, though -- more than one reason, when she thought about it.

Ada had done it as a sign of hope and faith; she had done it as a sign of love, and most of all, she had done it for him. One room for Ghent, and one room for his two sisters.

((This was written for play on November 21st, 2007.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:29 EST
It was late in the evening, before something got the best of Ada. She had spent the evening, thinking about the afternoon she had spent with Ghent, and in a way, she had been a little ashamed of herself for letting her emotions get the best of her. It was strange to think that she really wasn't effected by the situation with the girl who had overdosed on heroin -- no, she had dealt very well with that, considering all of her knowledge of medicine had come from books in her father's library. The prospect of some unlucky girl, dying on the porch of the Inn was just a moot point, in the grand scheme of things. If she had wanted to change her lifestyle, she would have. Instead, she had acted out, and done her best to look for pity.

"Find a way out."

Despite the fact that the words seemed harsh, Adalia believed that people did a lot to control their own position in the world. One choice could inadvertently change the outcome of a million decisions. And, even though she had little pity for the down-on-her-luck girl, Ada couldn't help but think that her advice would best be best served if she considered it herself.

While she didn't have to worry any sort of physical addictions, or the prospect of having to sell her body for a meal, she still had pressing issues that wouldn't allow her to concentrate on anything aside from the idea that Ghent would be leaving for the first time since they met, and perhaps for the last time as well.

She wasn't looking for a way out for him, or a way to stop him. No, she was looking for a way out of the mental train the followed the same track, over and over. What if he can't come back? What if it wasn't safe? What if he can't find his sisters? What if they aren't safe? What it something happens, and none of them make it back? It was a cacophony of questions with no solid answers, from where she was sitting.

"Find a way out."

It was the only statement rattling around in her head that wasn't a question. It was part of a solution that would, at the very least, relieve some of the stress the circular thinking was causing. She had to find a way out of the cycle -- out of the pattern of thinking that might jeopardize the trip she know Ghent needed to make. It wasn't fair to him or his sisters, if Ada was standing on the sidelines, unable to deal with the consequences that haven't even come about yet.

So, she sprung into action. It was late already, but if she could get answers to at least some of her questions, she knew she could start working on the rest. Grabbing her coat off of the back of the couch, she pulled it on and headed out the door, leaving the lights on and not even bothering to lock up.

The rain was coming down hard, and even though it was a particularly warm November night, she gave a shiver. This was a way out -- a way out of a cycle of thoughts that just didn't seem to go well with the real Ada. She had become something so different from the norm, that she wondered how Ghent had ever recognized her. Life wasn't about waiting, or mourning, or sitting on your thumbs and waiting so long that you can't even do anything to help. No, it was about helping loved ones, and finding the little spaces in between questions that led to the answers.

As she crossed the windswept grounds and passed the manor, she was already soaked and feeling the weight of her waterlogged clothes, but she knew that she could only get so wet, before the rain wouldn't soak in any more. She had a vague idea where she was going, but only because she had taken the clues she had given Ghent, and put them together with the knowledge that Dodd Hills only went so far. She just wished that she would have found some magical horse among the clutter in her house, that would have gotten her there faster.

It was nearly an hour of fast-paced walking on slippery grass and muddy ground, before she got to the top of the largest hill, and another twenty minutes before she found the clutch of maple trees, long past the point where their leaves would have been fiery red. The marble mausoleum stood in stark contrast to the barren trees and the dark night. There were no markers, or flowers, or anything that would suggest that someone had been there to pay their respects -- just a padlocked door, and the name "Dodd" chiseled precisely above it. It didn't even list who was buried there, which was likely how it would remain. All that mattered was that it was on the property, and suitably marked because of that.

Ada pushed her sodden hair out of her eyes and stepped around the side of the building, using what senses weren't drown out by the rain to look for anything unusual. Her fingers traced along the cold, wet marble, and she squinted into the darkness, until finally she came upon a spot that seemed much colder than the air around her. There was a some sort of distortion in the air, and when the rain fell past it, it almost looked like it was shimmering.

This was it -- she had found the portal. She knew the placement, and she could tell him; he wouldn't have to go looking. Now, all that was left was to test, was whether it was safe or not. So, she carefully reached an arm out, hoped for the best, and plunged it into the portal.

-----------------

The note was delivered in an envelope to the Inn after three in the morning, by a sopping wet girl. From the door outside in the back alley, she had given specific instructions that it was to be delivered as soon as possible, and tipped the tender well to make sure that everything was followed through properly. And then Ada turned around, on her way home, glad she had found at least some answers to the questions that had been plaguing her. She had found a way out of the pattern of thinking -- she had put quite a bit of her mind at ease.

-----------------

Inside the envelope, there was a handwritten letter. The writing was an unsteady script, written in green ink, which was smudged and faded in spots where the rain had fallen on it. It was readable, though, which was all that really mattered.

Dear Ghent,

I found the portal. I didn't go all the way through, but there's definitely something -- or somewhere -- on the other side. I think it might have been snowing, wherever it was. I don't know for certain if a whole person would come back, but I do know that my whole arm came back, and there doesn't seem to be any adverse effects.

I've drawn you a map on the back of this letter, so you'll know where to go. I'm also willing to take you there, since my cartography skills leave something to be desired. In any case, I had to employ my own brand of strategy, which I'm sure you'll both understand and appreciate. By helping you, I think I'm helping myself.

Love Always,
Ada

((This was written for play on November 22nd, 2007.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:38 EST

Day 1 : The Return

Ghent awoke early. A mere few hours after he had said goodbye to Ada. The room in the Red Dragon Inn that he had been renting was left empty. None of his personal belongings remained. His pack held the majority, such as his clothes. The mug and clothespin figure of himself were also taken. Some food, mostly dry edibles like crackers, and a few bottles of water were at the top of the pack. He couldn't take a whole lot with him, so he was hoping once he made it back to his world, it wouldn't take long to find someone from his army.

The sun wasn't shining. The sky was almost completely dark, though there was no rain. His boots kept a steady rhythm as he passed through the city. He had never used a horse, so he didn't bother to rent one. Besides, how would he get it back to the owner? Time plodded by. He had been following the new map that Ada gave him. It was fairly simple to understand. It seemed the closer he got to his destination, the more the weather responded. Lightning streaked across the sky. Then a clap of thunder. Water began to fall from the sky. It wasn't gentle, more of a downpour. He kept up his pace as best he could. It took him awhile to finally arrive at the portal.

His eyes were squinted, due to the rain. They gazed upon the portal with apprehension. He stood unmoving in the rain. Once he went through the portal, there was no telling what could happen. He could die. It could go to a completely different world. If he went through that portal, he might never see Ada again. The thought made him turn around and look back, as if he expected to see her. He simply shook his head afterward. He was glad she didn't come see him off. He never would have been able to leave. So he turned back to face that mystical gateway, completely soaked by this point. He remembered what Ada told him. To be sure he knew where he wanted to go. So he thought of home. "I want to go back."

The words were not said as strongly as usual, but his features steeled. His resolve returned. Dark eyes fell to his watch for a moment. 11:26. He simply started walking into the portal and never stopped.

The sensation was strange, he imagined it's how a fish felt when they were being reeled in. He could see all sorts of strange energy, but was being pulled in one particular direction. It was slow at first. Gradually, it sped up. Eventually, he couldn't think clearly, because of the speed at which he was traveling. The feeling seemed to last for hours. He was able to see something, just when he thought he could take no more. Like an open window to another world. It was where he was being pulled. He went through the open rift and crashed into solid ground, on his stomach. Snow. It was everywhere. He spit the crystallized water from his mouth and rose to his feet. The signs of a battle were apparent. Corpses littered the ground. Most shot, others seemed to have died from explosives. He didn't hear anything. The terrain of this area was hard for him to recall. He recognized some of the tree types, since they were coniferous. That must have meant he was in the northern hills.

His army's camp was in the southern area, near the plateau. Or was, last he knew. He glanced to his watch again. 11:30.

The stars weren't out. He had little to tell him which way was north. The pines littered the area in all directions. He knew from previous memory there wasn't a river in this area. He sighed. Then, he had an idea. "Maybe.." He reached into pocket of his coat and withdrew the compass. He felt the metal pressed into his hand. "Work, please. Just once." The compass didn't respond of course. However, after a moment the usual wiggling and jumping around that the arrow did ceased. Then it pointed directly north. He was relieved. A mental word of thanks and he started heading south.

While he was a brilliant strategist, he was no tracker. He hadn't the slightest idea that he was being followed. Every once in a while, he thought he heard someone whispering. Each time he looked, he could find nothing. The next time he looked at his watch, it read 1:30. The snow was slowing him down a little. Plus he had to go different ways when he found a set of fresh footprints. He couldn't risk running into the enemy out here, with no backup or way to contact his commanding officer.

He heard loud laughter up ahead, as well as screaming. No gunfire. Least there was that. He was going to go around, but mixed in with all the noise, he could hear crying. More like sobbing. It was time for him to investigate. He stayed low and between the trees, approaching the small camp. Enemy uniforms were worn by the four men laughing. It made his eyes narrow. There was a man at their feet, getting kicked around in all manner of way. The screaming was from a woman, watching the man get beat. The crying, was from a little one. A family probably. He didn't give away his position just yet.

"How's that feel, ya piece of garbage?" Slam. The lieutenant's boot made that noise as it descended on the helpless man's head. He could tell the man's rank by his hat. It made the other three enemy soldiers laugh uproariously. The man didn't seem to be able to speak, but they questioned him anyway. "Ya got one more chance. I'ma kill you regardless, but if ya let us take yer supply wagon, mebbe we'll just have some fun with the lady, and then let her and yer kid go." The man moaned loudly. More laughter. "C'mon lieutenant, let's just kill him and keep the chick with us til we get bored of her and sell the kid. Everybody wins." This was said from one of the lower-ranking men. A corporal or private perhaps. Ghent couldn't tell from that distance. One thing he did know, was that he had heard enough. The woman was still screaming desperately, but the child had quieted.

"Sounds like a fine idea, corporal." The lieutenant grinned widely and moved to pick up his handgun. It was foolish of them not to stay armed, Ghent thought. "Oh well, old man. We have a better idea now. Guess you need to die." The standard enemy sidearm was usually a Colt 1911. This didn't look like that gun, though. It was larger. "Goodbye." The lieutenant grinned as he leveled the firearm with the helpless man. The woman screamed "No!" at the top of her lungs.

Bang.

The lieutenant was still grinning. The problem was, his body didn't know he was dead. Blood trickled down his face. When the other three men realized the man on the ground wasn't dead, they looked at their lieutenant. "Oh shit!" The corporal exclaimed, once he realized their officer was dead. The body fell limp into the snow, as well as the unidentified gun. "Where did it come from?!" They were desperately searching for their weapons now, in a panic. The source of the shot soon became apparent. Ghent emerged into view from a nearby tree, Jericho lifted. Bang. Bang. Bang. In quick succession. His face was twisted in an expression of repulsive hatred. He would never treat any civilian as they had. All three remaining enemies had received shots to the head.

His gun was quickly holstered. He moved toward the man who had been beaten. "Sir, are you all right? Can you speak?" He got a groan in response. Too much pain for a proper answer, most likely. He went to the woman and little girl, both of whom were restrained. He untied them from the tree they had been put against. The girl ran to the man on the ground, yelling, "Daddy, Daddy!" the whole time. Ghent seemed to have been right. They were a family. "Oh my god, I can't believe someone just saved us. What a miracle.." The woman seemed very much shaken. But she could speak. "Ma'am, I am with the Heor Republic Army, 2nd Infantry Division. Major Ghent Tyn." He provided his identification so she could look at it. "Oh thank goodness." She said quietly. "My name is Sara. That's my husband, Greg. And our little one, Gina." It only seemed polite to introduce the family to their rescuer, in Sara's mind. "From what I heard, it seems they wanted your supplies." His dark eyes were on Sara the entire time he spoke. "Yes, Major. We were on our way to the Heor camp to deliver water and food. No one was supposed to know." She said, looking rather distressed. "Ma'am, someone always knows. I'm sorry they didn't provide you an escort. I'll speak to Colonel Serai about it when I get back." Sara looked at Ghent. She hadn't initially realized how young he looked. "Let us give you a ride, it's the least.." Then she froze and started
to back away. "Major, look out!"

Ghent turned in time to see the knife coming at him. His follower seemed to have made themselves known. He wasn't fast enough to completely evade it, but he moved enough so that the slice only caught some of the skin on his side. Immediately, he reached for the masked figure and wrenched their arm behind their back. It was followed up with a kick directed behind the knee. His attacker rolled with the hit, forcing Ghent to release his grip, for fear of going to a ground grapple with the knife wielder. He reached for his gun as quickly as he could, afterward. It got kicked away, the attacker had already gotten to their feet. He slid his own knife from its sheath and watched the other person. The look in their eyes made him think they were enjoying this. The figure feinted a slash at Ghent, getting him to lift his guard. "You're dead now!" It came from his opponent. The voice seemed to be female. She lunged directly at him. "Fool." He said quietly. She played right into his trap. His guard appeared to be too high to stop that attack. He waited. Her lunge stopped just short of him. He had leaned back slightly when she charged. Her eyes suddenly
went wide. "Too late." And then his knife was buried in to her stomach. Without a second thought, he ripped it free and dispatched her with a slit of the throat. She had been too stunned to react. Amateur in their black ops, he figured.

At least he knew the enemy was looking for him now. She likely caught sight of him when he came out of the portal. Sara had finally managed to get Greg to his feet. Ghent was busy wiping the knife off on the dead woman. "Please, Major. Come with us. You won't survive on foot." It didn't hurt to have someone of that skill around either, she thought. Ghent took a moment to consider it. "I think you may be right. Let's go." He helped get Greg settled in the back of the wagon. It was a little archaic, considering horses pulled it. But it would faster. He sat in the back, keeping an eye on Greg. He glanced to his watch once again.

3:23.

((This was written for play on November 22nd, 2007, by the player of Ghent Tyn. Posted with permission, and only edited for formatting purposes.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:43 EST

Day 2 : Missing in Action?

Sara rode the horses harder than usual. The closer they got to the Heor base, the better she would feel. Ghent had stated in the back with Greg. Gina sat with her mother at the front of the wagon. Sara hadn't slept and was beginning to feel the effects. Ghent had slept for a bit during the ride. He figured if something happened, someone would wake him up. His watch said it was roughly 6am. The one time they had stopped, he was already rested. Everyone was hungry and Greg needed his injuries taken care of properly. They had spent probably nine hours doing all of these things, plus sleeping time. Ghent had merely stood watch outside the family's camp.

Ghent was fairly certain they were nearing the Heor base of operations. He began to hear noises. People talking. Sara sounded like she was getting annoyed with the male voice. He stepped off the back of the covered wagon and to the snow laden ground. As he approached Sara, he suddenly felt greatly relieved. The blue and white colors of the Heor Republic flew on a flag further inside this fortified area. They were outside the gates. "Ma'am, I'm sorry but you don't seem to have your order paper confirming these supplies were to come here. I have no way of knowing this isn't a trick by Galmae." Sara let out an exasperated sound and stamped her foot in the snow. "I'm telling you, these were for Heor! One of your officers is even in the back of my wagon!" By the look of his uniform, Ghent figured the soldier was a private. The private sighed loudly, his eyes leveling with Sara. "Look, ma'am, I've heard that one before. I can't let you in." Ghent kept on walking, right up to the pair. "It's all right, Private. She's telling the truth." The man looked puzzled, until Ghent provided his identification. "..Major Tyn?! Sir!" Immediately, Ghent received a salute from the guard. "At ease." His military tone would have sounded much different to someone who had casual conversation with him. "Major, Colonel Serai has had search parties looking for you for over a month. Everyone thought you were dead!" The guard's eyes were wide, staring at Ghent. "Long story, Private. I need to you to allow Madam Sara and her family through. And to direct them where to go to be paid for their services." Sara smiled brightly at Ghent's words, watching the young officer at work. He was different. "O-of course, sir. Please, just sign this." Ghent took the offered clipboard and did just that. "Keep up the good work, Private."

He knew he wouldn't have very long before the Colonel found out he was here. He bid his farewells to the family who had given him a ride and continued on into the base. It looked a little different. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, though. Like many of the officers actually physically present with the troops, he had his own quarters. By the time he got there and put down his pack, his door was opening. His head turned, so his dark eyes could examine the two men. He recognized them. Two sergeants. They usually guarded the Colonel's door. "Major Tyn! Colonel Serai would like to see you at once, sir." Ghent sighed a little. He knew this was going to be bad. It was the general consensus of the troops that Colonel Serai only yelled at the people he knew well and valued. Ghent was at the top of that list. On this base, he was third in command, only Lieutenant Colonel Jad was between he and Serai. "All right. Lead on, Sergeant."

Serai's office was a building in itself, though not exactly huge. Inside the front door was a waiting area, plus the Colonel's secretary. She was a second Lieutenant, fairly young, and beautiful. Ghent had his suspicions about why the Colonel had picked her. She smiled sweetly at Ghent. "Hello, Major. All of us were glad that you came back safe and sound. The Colonel is waiting for you. Prepare for an earful." She grinned slightly at Ghent. "Thanks, Faine." He said that a little more quietly than usual. He always addressed Pera by her last name. His left hand balled into a fist and wrapped lightly on a wooden door. A polished brass plaque on the door had "Colonel William Serai" in black lettering. A gruff voice was the reply he received. "Who is it? Tyn, that'd better be you!" Ghent offered nothing further before opening the door and stepping into the Colonel's office. He shut the door. He didn't think it'd matter much, though. The whole base was likely going to hear this. "Major Ghent Tyn reporting as requested, Colonel." He snapped a salute at Serai. The Colonel was older. Probably in his fifties, taking into consideration his silver hair and many facial wrinkles. He was also big. Much bigger than Ghent. Six feet and three inches, maybe more. And easily over two hundred pounds. The big man was in the Major's face almost immediately. "Where the hell have you been, Ghent?! It's been almost eight weeks! You just up and disappeared while the soldiers had to fight! Casaulties have been enormous!" Serai, despite his harsh tone, was simply concerned about Ghent. He knew that. He'd been serving under Serai since he came out of training. "I apologize, sir. I have no excuse for my abscence. I'm prepared to accept punishment." He didn't think explaining what actually happened would have gone much better. Serai looked at Ghent very carefully. The old man wasn't necessarily as intelligent as Ghent, he knew that. He was however, quite perceptive. Serai knew Ghent wouldn't have left without some excuse. The Colonel stepped around Ghent and opened his office door. Faine and the two sergeants almost tumbled into the room. They'd been listening through the door. "Out! All of you!" Serai roared that order, pointing to the exit. Ghent knew Serai hadn't meant him, so he just stood there. Faine and the two guards scurried off. There was a long moment of silence?

"Ghent, what really happened, son? I know you wouldn't just abandon your duties like that." Serai's tone was still gruff, but more concerned. "Colonel, it's unlikely you'll believe me if I tell you." Ghent's expression remained neutral. He simply watched the old man. Serai chuckled. "I'm at least three times your age, Major. I don't think anything you can say will surprise me." Inwardly, Ghent laughed at that. "Have you ever seen a dragon, sir?"

A couple hours of discussion passed. Ghent's watch said 8:17. He had relayed almost everything to Colonel Serai. It had taken the man aback. There'd been rumors of some undiscovered energy source near the area where the portal was. A major battle was fought there and Ghent just happened to be present. There was one thing he hadn't told the Colonel yet. And it was very important. "I still don't understand most of this, Ghent, but I highly doubt you'd waste my time or yours spinning some fairy tale. We need to secure that area." The Colonel began to talk about various plans and things they needed to do to prepare an assault. Ghent sighed softly. "Colonel, I'm taking an indefinite leave of abscence." Serai's blue eyes were on Ghent only a moment. "..What?" Ghent finally broke his posture and moved to sit in a comfortable leather chair. "I'm leaving, sir. I'll stay long enough to take that ground and secure the portal, but I have to leave. I need to go home and get my family before all of this starts." Serai slammed his hand on the desk. "Major, that is not an option. We need you here. What could be so important that you need to go back to that..strange place?" Ghent folded his hands together and spoke quietly. "You wouldn't understand, Colonel. I already anticipated you'd want to secure the area and made a plan. The enemy seems to be looking for me, so me being bait seemed the best option." Serai looked at Ghent with a steeled gaze. Ghent offered forward a notepad, explaining his plan in detail. Serai didn't bother reading it. He knew it would be sound. "I'll have a chopper here in fifteen minutes to take you home. Get out." Ghent saluted Serai. As he turned to leave, the Colonel spoke again. "Ghent, tell me why." The young soldier didn't turn to look at the Colonel. "I found something precious, while I was gone. Two things, actually. Love. And my humanity." Serai said nothing in response. Ghent walked out of the Colonel's office without another word.

((This was written for play on November 23rd, 2007, by the player of Ghent Tyn. Posted with permission, and only edited for formatting purposes.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:47 EST
There was something rather cliche about what Ada was thinking, but she couldn't help but feel like it was at least somewhat true. Standing at the top of the steps, she looked down into a steam-filled muggy basement in complete awe, her head shaking back and forth involuntarily. The hissing was so loud, she couldn't even hear herself think, and in a moment that was very uncharacteristic of Ada's normal attitude, she swore.

She had been sitting upstairs, folding some clothes, when it had started. First, a metallic knock, and then nothing. It couldn't have been the door, so she passed it off as being fairly unimportant. And then there were more knocks, in quick succession, and she was starting to think that maybe there was something strange going on. But, before she could even dig herself out from beneath the unfolded clothes, the knocks stopped and there was a loud bang, followed by incessant hissing.

Of course, at the top of the stairs, she still wasn't sure what she was looking at. So, after letting out an expletive or two, she slowly started to descend the stairs, already feeling a bit like she was walking into a dense rainforest. Almost instantly, her skin felt damp, and her hair started becoming more of a puffball, instead of her usual slightly wavy styling.

What was she dealing with here? Very cautiously, she stopped about halfway down the stairs leaned against the railing to try to peer through the steam. It didn't sound very good, whatever was happening, and the steam was far too thick for her to be able to identify what was going on. So, she had to continue on. Maybe some strange creature had made their home in the basement, and now she was stumbling into some fight scene between mystical creatures. She doubted it, but at least she could still hope.

At the bottom of the stairs, she took a step down and felt her sock soak through with warm water, and without being able to hear herself, she let out a groan. From what she could tell by leaning down beneath the blanket of steam, there was at least an inch on water on the floor, and it moved like it might be more of a lake than a river -- she even though, for a moment, that the water could have it's own wave action, considering the large footprint the basement had. Without another thought to her socks, she stepped down into the water and tried to push the steam away with her hands, but it did little good. The hissing was starting to sputter here and there, and Ada wondered if that was a good sign. Considering the situation she was in, she doubted it.

The farther she got away from the stairs, the hotter it seemed to get, and by the time she had made her way around the various spots of clutter on the floor, it felt like she was in a sauna. Already, her heavy sweater was clinging to her uncomfortably, and the cuffs of her bluejeans were soaked. On the bright side, she wasn't cold anymore.

When she finally reached the far corner of the basement, it started to dawn on her what was happening, and when she made it to the interior wall, she actually set her arm against it and rested her forehead on her hand. Maybe the cliche was right and ironic: when it rains it pours.

It took Ada a moment to compose herself and start thinking of what she could do, but once she decided there was no alternative, she stepped into the boiler room and started looking for the shut-off valve. There was a lot of fumbling around in the cloud of steam, and it seemed like everywhere she put her hands to feel along the way was boiling hot. It wasn't even a whole minute before she started to think about just leaving it and moving everything over to the main manor, but the thought of doing it alone and without any heat seemed to keep her pressing on.

When she finally found the shut-off valve, she was relieved to find that some very smart soul had just left the pipe wrench connected to the valve, probably in case of the exact situation she was in. She looked up and mouthed "thank you," to whoever, and then grabbed the wrench, using her weight to pull the valve closed.

The hissing started to slow, and as the wrench rounded the bottom and she had to shift her weight to push instead, she wondered if Ghent was having a good time in his world. She hoped he was somewhere with his sisters that was warm and dry. She hoped they were having a nice meal and talking about how much they missed each other, because that was what she would have liked to be doing, instead of emergency boiler repair.

She could tell that the valve was almost closed, and the tension on the wrench started at the worst possible spot. The wrench hung there, somewhere between seven and eight o'clock on the dial, and no matter what angle she stood at, Adalia just couldn't get a good grip on it -- not tall enough to reach over and pull, not strong enough to push. Finally, when it seemed like all was lost, she tucked her shoulder underneath the wrench, held on, and used her legs to turn the valve closed completely. It certainly didn't do her any favors, and when she stepped away, she placed a hand on her compressed shoulder and made a face. "Wonderful." It was all she could manage at the moment.

-------------------

Since everything had essentially been put to a halt, she had been able to wait for some of the steam to clear and assess the damage. From what she could tell, there hadn't been a problem with the internal mechanisms of the boiler, but with one of the pipes. One of the seams had corroded, and for whatever reason things happened, it had decided to give out on a day that Ada didn't really want to deal with it.

So, she needed to make a trip into the marketplace before it got too late, and too cold in the house. It couldn't wait until morning -- if it was put off too long, the plumbing would freeze, and then she would have more problems to deal with. Better to just get it done.

Without bothering to change, she grabbed her cream peacoat and a pair of slip-on shoes, and headed for the marketplace. Her pace was steady and as she passed the Inn, she couldn't help but feel a little put out by the laughter and cajoling that was going on inside. Idly, she wondered if any of the people she had seen frequenting the Inn ever had to deal with such mundane things as broken boilers and flooded basements. She had never heard anyone mention anything like it, and that just made her all the more frustrated.

Although, when she really considered the situation, she was glad that the pipe had burst while Ghent was away, because it not only gave her something to focus on, but it also happened before he and his sisters had shown up -- she doubted they would have appreciated having to deal with no heat for a while, and who knows how they would have felt if they thought that the house was falling apart. No, it was definitely better that she could fix it before they came along.

It was a quick stop in the marketplace, where she had to pick up supplies. There was the replacement pipe, wire brushes, a propane torch, the solder, and various odds and ends she was sure she could have probably lived without. In the end, it was just another time she was glad that her father had made sure they were well-off, money-wise.

The walk home was considerably less pleasant, and when she finally unlocked the front door of the house and lugged her bags inside, she could already feel the chill settling in the house. Her peacoat was set aside, along with her shoes, and when she made her way downstairs, she was finally able to look over the partially flooded basement. It could have been worse, considering, but she could already tell that when she got the chance, she was going to have to do some pretty extensive cleaning and salvaging.

-------------------

Ada was surprised how quickly and smoothly the soldering had gone. She had done some more artistic things with pipes and solder, like sculpture, but she had never had to use those skills for anything that would actually have to last. The two joints seemed fairly secure, but she was worried that she hadn't managed to get the copper pipes hot enough for the joint to hold and not crack.

Carefully, she ran her finger around the two spots that she had just finished, and decided that her work was definitely more secure than some of the older joints. When the weather finally got warm again, she would probably have to come down and replace the rest of the pipes and joints, but until then, she was fairly confident that the boiler and all of its pieces would make it another winter.

Before attempting to test her work, she looked around at the mess she had made while fixing the problem. There were soggy towels all over the place that she had used to draw the excess water out of the pipes, and all of her new tools and hardware where laid out on a small dining room table that had been lost to the ages. With all of the water in the basement now, she figured that if she left them behind, they'd be just as useless as the rest of the rusty, old tools that were stored down there. So, she gathered her things up and packed them back into the bag from the hardware store.

And, then, it was the time of truth. Ada was a little wary of some kind of complete system failure, because she imagined she wouldn't be as lucky a second time. "Listen, you... If you do something stupid and Ghent finds me down here with a pipe through my skull, you'll have some trouble on your hands." Really, it was an idle threat, and she wasn't even sure if it was true, but for some reason she felt better for saying it.

Very carefully, she started to pull at the wrench, wincing more and more as it moved. And, by the time it was perpendicular to the floor, she could hear the water circulating into the pipe. There didn't seem to be any leaks, and when the valve was fully opened, she was fairly certain that the solder would hold. She would check it later, when the water was heated enough to expand the pipes, but for the moment, she was very happy with her work. So, with her head held high, she grabbed her bag of tools and headed back upstairs.

When the water was warm again, she'd take a shower, and then she would find some time to start the cleaning process in the basement. Until then, she was happy to sit down and relax under a blanket and wait.

((This was written for play on November 24th, 2007.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:53 EST
Day 3 : Reunion

The ride on the helicopter was about an hour long. It had been fairly uneventful. They landed in a base that was a short drive from Ghent's small hometown of Astca. It was a railroad town, tracks crossed through every few streets, leading far away. He was sitting in the passenger seat when they drove through. People didn't stop to look at the military vehicle. They'd become accustomed to seeing them. "Corporal Mills, I want to to drop me off at the motel. Take a left here." Ghent didn't look at the man who was driving. He was busy staring out the window. Mills was probably in his twenties, not a whole lot older than Ghent. Blue eyes peered at the Major when they reached the stop sign. "Yes sir."

The motel was comfortable enough. The owner and his wife were always kind to Ghent. They used to let him stay for no charge, to hide from his father at the worst times. Then he joined the army and got away permanently. Either way, the stay gave him time to prepare for the situation he would likely walk into. His parents were there, obviously. Emma, his older sister, still lived at home because she didn't want to leave Lily, the younger sister, alone with their parents. Ghent sighed softly. He and Lily were always really close. She looked up to her older brother, even in the difficult years of being a teenager. Ghent always striven to set a good example for her. More time passed. It was easy to get lost in the prison of one's own mind. Once he had finished his musings, it was fairly late. 10:20, according to his watch. He took a shower before actually settling down for the night. The small ponytail he usually wore was down. His red hair hung slightly below his neck, still damp. It didn't bother him. He was soon asleep.

The third day began with Ghent slowly sitting up. He turned his body so that his feet touched the floor. 8:43. He'd been out awhile, it seemed. Corporal Mills had long since gone back to the base, but it really didn't matter. The house he grew up in was only a few blocks down the street. He pulled his hair back into the ponytail, gathered up his pack, and left the motel. The key to his room was left on the nightstand. No one in this town would go in and steal it, that much he knew. He also left the usual note of gratitude for the older couple who owned the place. The walk home was boring, until he had started thinking about Ada. He missed her already. How she made him feel. He managed not to sigh. When he lifted his head again, he was standing on the sidewalk in front of the house. It was a split-level. Mostly green, though it looked as someone had tried to paint blue at some point. It looked like they had replaced the window the broken window near the front door while he had been gone. "Emma probably did it, actually." He spoke those words in a mutter.

His boots tapped the entire way up the asphalt driveway. He kept his pack slung over his left shoulder. Once he got to the front door, he knocked on the cedar door, a little louder than he usually would. Inside the house, Jerald, Ghent's father, lazily looked at the door. The middle aged man scratched at the unruly hair on his chin and got to his feet. He'd been watching television. Outside, Ghent patiently waited. He expected to see one of his sisters open the door. Jerald pulled the door open and looked at the figure outside. They both stared at each other a long moment. Jerald finally stepped away from the door to allow Ghent to pass. The gesture wasn't even acknowledged by the Major. His pack was set against a wall, out of the way. Walking straight ahead, Ghent went through a doorway that had no accompanying door. Once in the kitchen, he looked around. Nawei, his mother, was sitting at the two person table, in a green folding chair. One look at her and it'd be easy to see where Ghent got his looks. Dark eyes turned to the other figure, who hadn't seen him, since her back was turn. Emma always liked to cook, she was humming as she prepared breakfast. "Hello mother." Ghent said the words without a smile. "Back finally, then?" Nawei looked at Ghent for a long moment. She loved her son, but she had done many things to get his disdain. Ghent was about to speak, but there was a clatter of a pan onto the linoleum floor. Emma turned around quickly to see Ghent standing there. He did, however, smile at her.

That's all it took. Emma was a few inches shorter than he and weighed less, but that didn't stop her from rushing up to her little brother and hugging him as hard as she could. "Oh my gosh, Ghent! You're so big!" Two years ago, they'd been about the same height. "I think you mean tall, sis." He smiled a little more at her. It was the kind of tone and expressions he used with Ada. She just gave him a pretty grin in response. "Where's Lil?" He was pretty curious. If Lily had been there when he came in, she would have gone crazy. "She's out with a boy. They went to have breakfast together." Ghent looked a little suspicious of that. It prompted him to ask something in a nonchalant tone. "Oh? Where did they go?" Emma was moving to pick up the fallen pan. A piece of French toast fell to the floor in the process. Emma sighed, but before she could do anything about it, Ghent had gotten a paper towel and discarded the the now bad food. He then wiped the floor with the paper towel. "I'm not telling you where they went, Ghent. I know you just want to spy on Lil." Emma was grinning at him again. It was an odd thought, but he felt his sister needed a boyfriend. She was pretty, she could do all sorts of things. Most men rejected her when they found out her living arrangement. The ones that didn't just wanted a free place to stay. "I'm sure if I really wanted to, I could figure it out." Emma just rolled her eyes at him.

Slam! The front door, Ghent figured. "I'm hoooome!" Lily was grinning ear to ear as she announced he return to the humble abode. She hadn't seen Ghent. Lily was a pretty little teenage girl. Red hair like her siblings and a bubbly personality. She froze for a moment, examining Ghent when her blue eyes looked up. It was like the sight of him hadn't registered yet. She loved her older brother. He was her hero. Two years was a long time for the person closest to you to be gone. "Ghent!!" He walked a little further, so he was in the living room. Lily had some tears welling up in her eyes. She was a fairly small girl, but she managed to very literally tackle Ghent. "Whoa!" It was all he had time to say before his back hit the carpet. He couldn't help but laugh. "I'm glad to see you too, Lil." She sat up a bit and got off of him. Her hand swept past her eyes to wipe away the tears that hadn't fallen. "Em and I were so worried, GC." Lily only used his initials like that when she was really serious. Ghent brushed himself off a little when he got up. It resulted in words from Jerald. "What, my house not clean enough for you, Mr. Army Man?" Dark eyes regarded his father for a moment. "It's just fine, considering you have no hand in cleaning it." Ghent glared directly at Jerald. Daring him. The older man glared back with the same intensity. And the same dark eyes. Nothing else was said. Lily looked relieved.

Nawei vacated the kitchen and went to sit with Jerald. Ghent had no desire to be in the room with his parents, so he went to the kitchen. He took the seat closest to him at small table. Lily had followed and took the other. They simply sat and talked for awhile, all three of them. How Ghent was doing, what had happened while he was gone, many things were talked about. About Rhydin. The sisters seemed pretty shocked and even felt some disbelief. Luckily, he had that picture of Ada when she was small. He had offered that as proof. There were pauses to eat and to clean. Ghent finally brought up his idea. "Em, Lil..I want you to come to Rhydin with me. I'm going to be leaving..indefinitely. I told Colonel Serai already. I agreed to help drive back the enemy before I left." He was always straight to the point. Emma took the idea the best. Lily wasn't so sure. She really liked the boy she had been dating. Ghent said nothing to discourage her. It was her life.

He only stayed one night. Emma had packed her things sometime after dinner. The rest of the day had been fairly uneventful. Lily's reluctance made Ghent pretty much keep to himself. The next morning, he stood at the front door, waiting for his elder sister. "Corporal Mills will probably be here shortly, sis. I told him 07:00." Emma offered a nervous smile and just nodded. She hadn't packed a whole lot. Her favorite clothes, little odds and ends she would miss if they were left behind. That was all. Jerald was sitting on the couch again. He stood up, glancing at Emma's pack. "Where the hell you think you're going? You aren't going with him." He pointed at Ghent. Emma just tried to ignore her father. Ghent moved so she could go outside. Jerald immediately went to follow her, but he walked right into Ghent, who had blocked the path. "Get out of the way, you piece of shit." Ghent looked down at Jerald. His father didn't seem to be drunk for once. "She'll do as she pleases. She's an adult." Jerald slugged Ghent on the left cheek. It wasn't enough to make Ghent's whole body move, but it did make his head turn a good bit. Slowly, he turned to face his father. "You can hit me all you like, but if you come after Emma..I'll kill you." And he meant it. His dark eyes glinted dangerously. Jerald looked taken aback. Ghent never stood up to him before. When he was small, he'd just accept the beatings his father issued. There was the beeping of a horn. Ghent turned a little. Emma was already getting into the jeep. "Wait, wait!" Lily was yelling as she came flying from her bedroom, carrying far too much luggage. Ghent smiled a little. He took two of her bags. She smiled at him and took off after Emma. "I won't see either of you again. Goodbye." Nawei turned her head, so no one would see the tears. Ghent probably would have hesitated if he had. Jerald said nothing. The Major turned away and headed for the jeep.

No one said a word as the engine revved and they took off down the street.

((This was written for play on November 24th, 2007, by the player of Ghent Tyn. Posted with permission, and only edited for formatting purposes.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 05:56 EST
Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Ada was starting to realize that there wasn't much else that she could do. She had been trying so hard to make things at her home more comfortable for when Ghent and his sisters showed up again, but after a while it felt like she was just running over the same things over and over again.

While the basement cleanup had taken a little longer than she had expected, it still didn't fill up enough of her time for her to work consistently all day and then go to bed. Instead, she had been stuck with part of the afternoon, and all of the evening with nothing more to do aside from wait and wonder. It had been several days since she had said goodbye to Ghent, and while she was worried, each day that passed seemed to put her more at ease. Surely she would have known if something had happened. Someone, or something would have tipped her off, if he wasn't coming back, right?

As she sat on the couch, curled up in front of the large fireplace, she picked at the fluff on her sweater and tried to listen for any clues. There was nothing. The past several nights had been clear and cold, and the moon was nearly full, so it illuminated the grounds of the manor quite well. There were no keys rattling outside, or even footsteps coming down the lane. Perhaps for the first time, Ada was almost unnerved by the quiet. She was anxious for there to be some life in the old house, aside from her own.

Several times Ada had considered visiting the portal. An almost impish part of her wanted to follow -- to see what was on the other side. But, there were so many variables. How could she know that the portal would send her to the same place it had sent Ghent? And, even if luck favored her and she did end up in the right place, there was always the possibility that the war was still raging -- or, worse yet, that Ghent's side had lost.

She let out a sigh and stood up from the couch, heading into her father's study, which doubled as a library. Maybe she could find a book that would take her mind off of the situation at hand. Two of the walls were stuffed with books, most of them untouched for many years. There was a section on Rhy'Din law, which Ada felt fairly certain was of no use anymore. Another part was dedicated to healing in its various forms, but she really didn't have much interest in the magical end of things, and anything based on solid medical practices seemed like a bore.

Finally, after spending several minutes perusing the shelves (which she was hardly paying attention to, anyway,) she flopped down into the dusty leather chair behind her father's desk and pulled her feet up with her. She twirled around several times, and smiled, imagining that Ghent would have probably chided her and told her to be careful. But, instead, he was somewhere else, likely having to worry much more about his own well-being than anyone should.

And yet, she wasn't worried. Less and less worried every day, because the more she thought about it, the more she realized that he had quite a lot of talent, and he knew what he was doing long before she had met him. Ada thought for sure that she knew, somewhere deep down, that he would come back, and he would be all right. When she would least expect it, the door would open and the three of them would step through.

Of course, knowledge of that aside, she still had to get up and take a peek back out into the livingroom, just in case she had missed them. And, when she realized she hadn't, Adalia figured that it was better to be up and about, and decided to go shopping once again.

------------

It was several hours before she returned to the silent house. The fire in the fireplace had burned itself completely out, and almost the whole house was dark, save a light in one of the front windows. It was, at this point, that she started considering that maybe a horse wouldn't be a bad idea. She had gotten around without any need for one for so many years, but the trips back from town with armfuls of bags were beginning to frustrate her a bit.

Most of the things that she had bought were necessities; things she wasn't sure Ghent and his sisters would be able to bring back. With the war possibly happening, Ada didn't know if they would be able to bring anything at all. Ghent had said that he didn't have much of anything at his rented room, so she could only assume that it would be the same for his sisters.

So, she began setting out the things she had bought, arranging them in the girls' bedroom in a fashion that might make the room seem lived in. The hairbrushes were placed on the vanity, along with hand mirrors and different little trinkets and ribbons they could use if they wanted. Extra bed linens were put away in the linen closet, while fluffy bathrobes were draped over the backs of the two reading chairs by the window. Ada had tried to think of everything a person could need to live comfortably, but without actually knowing Ghent's sisters, she wasn't completely sure of the details.

When she finally finished with the girls' room, she moved over to Ghent's room and followed the same procedure, for the most part -- just small little every day things that would hopefully make his stay, permanent or not, more comfortable. Everything ran fairly similar to the steps she had taken before, except at the very end. As carefully as she could, she coiled the chain of a silver pocket watch into a swirl, and placed a short note on top of the ticking watch in the middle. It was more symbolic than anything, but it seemed to make a difference in her mind.

The note read:

"I miss you more each second."

((This was written for play on November 25th, 2007.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 06:05 EST
Day 4 : The Battle

The rest of Ghent's previous evening had been uneventful. He let his sisters sleep in his quarters, while he slept out in the bunks with the soldiers. Judging by many of the looks he received, they were wondering exactly what the whole situation was. Inside the armed forces, Ghent was pretty well known. Even outside, at times. He offered no explanations, though. He kept his notepad out for a few hours, so he could go over his plan inch by inch. It was midnight when he finished. He could barely make out the clock on the wall. Someone had left a lamp on. It gave off just enough light for him to see the clock. The notepad was placed on the hard wooden floor. The attack would commence at seven AM. He knew he had to be rested.

As was usually the case right before a battle, he had no trouble sleeping. If all had gone according to plan, the Omega Squad had already tipped off the Galmaeans about where the Heorians would be examining. The strategist had layed a trap. He only hoped it had worked. Omega Squad was not supposed to report back to him. The squad captain had done Ghent a favor by accepting the task in the first place. He sighed and returned to his quarters. Emma and Lily were likely still asleep. He knocked a couple of times on the door before Lily answered. Much to his surprise, it seemed his sisters were ready to go. Emma smiled slightly at Ghent. "I made sure Lil got up on time." He simply nodded. Normally, those words would have warranted a smile, but not now. "You'll be in the back with a special squad I chose. They won't escort you to the portal until I give them the word." Lily didn't say anything. She was still slightly shocked by what it was like to be on a military base. "Don't worry, either of you. You'll be safe with Omar and his group." Lily lowered her eyes
from him. "We're worried about you, not us. We heard from some of the soldiers that you were being the bait for this plan." His little sister then looked up at him fiercely. "What good's it going to do everybody if you die?" Ghent really didn't have an answer, besides the one she wouldn't except. "None. But I'm the only one who can do this. They're looking for me." The silence lasted a long moment. Ghent was the one that broke it. He took the picture he had of little Ada and gave it to Emma. "If I don't come five minutes after you arrive at the portal, I want you to go through it. Just keep thinking of going to Rhydin. It will appear. When you get there, look for young lady that looks like this girl. She's much older than this picture, but the hair is the same color. And she wears a scarf. There's a map on the back of that photo that shows where her home is." Lily was still being a little stubborn, but Emma just smiled a little at Ghent. "All right. I don't think we'll have to do that though. I hope not.." He managed a half smile for Emma and stepped forward to hug her. "C'mon, Lil." Dark
eyes were watching the youngest, who finally gave in and walked into the hug. "I love you both. Stay safe." They both wished him the same sentiments and then he left his quarters.

The troops went on foot. He accounted for this in his plan. Bringing loads of vehicles to get everyone in place would just give away their position. Ghent went further ahead, past the area with the portal. He intended to lure the enemy back. And he was doing it all alone. The King of Galmae was rumored to know of Ghent and his strategies, so even if he was captured, he figured they wouldn't kill him immediately. The day was much warmer than previous ones had been. Most of the snow on the ground had melted. A few patches of white could still be seen here and there, though. If all was according to plan, the majority of the Heor forces, including Colonel Serai, should have been about a mile behind him. He kept his eye out for the enemy, but really if someone was following, he'd have no way to tell unless they were completely obvious about it. The march to the portal took about 2 hours. They were maintaining radio silence until Ghent returned with the enemy. If Ghent didn't come back within an hour of the army setting up, they were to leave. Colonel Serai had complete confidence in Ghent and thus let the order stand. Ghent stopped at a crest of a hill that was probably a quarter of a mile from the portal's location. He started searching the area, as if he knew something was there. Also, he pulled the pin on a device he had in his pocket. It only took a few moments of this before he heard a voice. "Red hair, youthful..ah yes and a Major by the insiginia on your fatigues there. You must be Ghent Tyn, famous hero of Heor." The man who addressed him had six bodyguards, all armed with assault rifles. Immediately, the clicking
of hammers locking in the rifles was audible. All barrels were pointed at Ghent. He had no outward signs of fear. "And we hear you found something very valuable." The man in black was grinning at him. "And just who the hell are you?" That question got laughter from all seven men. "My dear boy, I am the King of Galmae, Rudius Asce the third." Ghent looked over the man. His look of surprise was genuine. He didn't expect a king to be so foolish. "Now then, you'll be coming with us. Take him." He gestured to his guards. Once they began to move after him, Ghent pulled the object from his pocket, slammed it on the ground, and immediately began to run back toward the portal's position.

The guards leveled their weapons, as if preparing to fire. "No, you fools, you.." Rudius had no time to finish. The flashbang went off right in middle of all seven of them. Ghent managed only to receive a temporary loss of hearing from the explosion, he hadn't seen the actual flash. He ran at full speed. His desperation was very real. He drew the Jericho from its holster and checked the clip as he went. He could hear screaming behind him. And a roar of an engine. It made him curse, mentally. Ghent figured he was about halfway back to trap zone. Rudius was standing in the uncovered jeep, pointing at Ghent and screaming. The driver punched gas, upping the acceleration. Looked like he'd made them sufficiently angry at least. He turned to see the jeep coming right at him. There's no way he'd be able to hit a tire at that angle. It'd take too long to run to a tree and hide behind it. He did the only thing he could think of, and boy was it a long shot. Standing completely still, he waited. He thought he heard rather manical laughter. "Hit him! The fool has accepted his own death!" The jeep kept on coming. Ghent put his arms straight up, then fell
backwards to lie flat on the ground at the last possible moment. The vehicle roared over him. He let a gulp go down his throat. He didn't feel any pain and was able to see the sky again momentarily afterward. Quickly, he was on his feet, heart racing the entire time. The driver slammed on the brakes and started to turn to come back. It gave Ghent a good view of two tires. Five shots rang out in the air. One hit its mark. The speed at which they took that turn, plus the tire suddenly get shot out, made the whole thing do a flip. Rudius was ejected from the jeep in the progress. Ghent smirked. He was going to advance on the fallen king's position, but heavy gunfire rained down toward him for the top of the hill. He darted into the trees and used them as cover to return to the portal area.

They were hot on his heels when Ghent made it into the clearing where the portal was. His troops were in the trees and behind the various large rocks and such, he hoped. He ducked down against one himself. He hadn't taken a submachine gun or rifle. He hadn't wanted the Galmaens to think he was expecting them. A large force of men came charging down the hill. Ghent lifted his shirt a moment. He had taped his radio to his stomach, so it wasn't outwardly visible. He yanked the tape away with a wince flipped the radio on upon catching it. "Major Tyn reporting. All forces prepare to attack. Wait until they're fully in the clearing." Serai's voice came in clearly in response over his radio. "Roger that, Major. Infantry standing by." Ghent lifted his head over the rock, just enough so they knew he was there. He heard a bullet ricochet right off the front of his hiding place. "Everyone, get that man! I want him alive!" Rudius' voice got much more annoyed after his trip out of the jeep. His head was bleeding, too. The
Galmaens charged forward directly toward Ghent's cover. The Major spoke into his radio again. "Commence attack. Pattern V-5." Before they could make it all the way to Ghent, the Heorians stepped from their hiding places and opened fire. Bullets, grenades, even the occasional rocket went by. A few Heorians got too heroic and advanced too quickly. They were killed. Once the Heorians had fully circled and surrounded the Galmaens, Ghent left his hiding place, gun still drawn. Colonel Serai emerged to walk in front of him. Now that the plan seemed to have worked, the Colonel was back in command. Ghent was at the Serai's right side as they approached what remained of the Galmaen forces. "King Rudius, have your men lay down their arms. You will be negotiating a term of surrender." Rudius looked livid, but he motioned for his men to drop their weapons. Some of the Heorian forces broke off to search for stragglers, but what remained far surpassed the number of Galmaens left alive. "This changes nothing. Even if you take me to negotiate, I have more soldiers willing to fight. More willing to fight, so that my supremacy can reign over this land!" Ghent simply shook his head. He said nothing. And he had no idea he was being watched. Someone was looking directly at Ghent. Through a scope. The man made the mistake of shifting positions. He was spotted by an observant Heorian. "Sniper!" Rudius looked directly at Ghent and grinned. Serai followed his gaze and shoved Ghent to the ground.

BANG!

Ghent sat up and was about to question the Colonel for his actions. He was on the ground. Ghent scurried to get up and took the few short steps toward Serai quickly. Ghent said nothing, intially. Serai was dead. The bullet passed right through his heart. The youth crouched beside the old man. "Sir?" It was spoken softly. He received no answer. No one on the battlefield moved in that instant. Ghent had just lost the only father figure he ever had. Memories flooded his mind, at such a inconvienent time. Serai had taken Ghent under his wing. The first month Ghent had been there, Serai discovered his unusual mapping talents and strategic ability, mostly through chess games with the teenager. In a gruff way, he always looked out for Ghent. Always took pride in his accomplishments. Always was there. Ghent had made a promise to himself before he joined the army, that he would never cry again. Like he did when he was a boy. But at this moment, he could stop the tears. His whole body shook with sadness and rage. He told himself "This is war. These things happen." But he couldn't accept it. He reached over and pulled the Colonel's eyes
closed. "God damnit!" His fist plowed directly into the ground, after he pulled it away from Serai's body.

He was silent for a few moments after the expletive. "Sir, what should we do with the sniper?" That came over his radio. "Shoot him in the head," Ghent responded hoarsely. There was a pause. "Yes, sir." Then a gunshot. His orders had been followed without questions. The Galmaens seemed to be in shock. Ghent walked toward them slowly, withdrawing the knife at his back. Heor was a peacefully land and preferred to negotiate once they had an enemy at their knees. Ghent wasn't in the mood for negotiation. He pulled Rudius away from his men roughly, dragging him out to where all in the clearing could see. The King was shocked, he wasn't sure what Ghent planned to do. "This war is over." Ghent said softly. Rudius began to respond, but Ghent's knife slammed directly into his windpipe. The man gurgled on his own blood a bit before finally succumbing to the lack of air. "All of you, go home." This was said to the enemy soldiers. They looked at Ghent for a moment, but did as he said, turning and going the other way.

His sisters had gone through the portal after the battle. No one really said anything to Ghent the entire way back to the base. And he offered nothing in return. Once they were back, he wrote his report, addressing it to the Republic Council. It gave a detailed explanation of his previous abscence, what happened when he returned, and his request to resign. He was done with this place. A land of war and strife, that stole what you held dear. Corporal Mills was the last person to speak to Ghent before he went to the portal. It was midnight. "Please take care, sir. I'm sorry you aren't staying for the Colonel's funeral." He smiled slightly at Mills. "He would have told
me to get back to work, anyway. I hope Jad will do well in his place." The corporal simply nodded.

Ghent stepped forward to the empty space and spoke. "Take me home." The portal shimmered into view and the Major entered it with no hesitation.

((This was written for play on November 25th, 2007, by the player of Ghent Tyn. Posted with permission, and only edited for formatting purposes. Subject to change at a later date.))

Adalia Dodd

Date: 2008-01-07 06:08 EST
It felt good to have people in the house again. Ada had considered that it had been so long since she had lived with anyone else, and now she was living with three other people. From what she could tell, Emma and Lily were settling in, but she hadn't had much of a chance to sit down and get to know them. For that matter, she hadn't even had the chance to see if Ghent was properly settling it.

There seemed to be such a great bond between the three of them. Each seemed so protective of the others, regardless of age or any other factor. She honestly couldn't imagine what it must have been like growing up with siblings. She didn't think that all siblings got along the way the three of them did -- but it was kind of nice to see, and know, that there are good family relationships, outside the one that her and her father had.

Ada listened to the sounds of people moving around the large house, and couldn't help but smile a little bit. Most nights she slept on the couch in front of the fire, but it wasn't as if she didn't have her own bedroom. After her father had left, Ada had gotten used to sleeping by the door, waiting and expecting him to be back at any time. Now, though, she had others to consider, so she was in her room, sitting on her bed after finishing with dinner and taking a shower. Silently, she sat indian-style, staring at the window opposite her bed. It wasn't raining anymore, and she could feel that it was going to get cold again.

She thought about the house -- she had turned the paperwork over to Ghent, and she was glad of it. She wasn't trying to get rid of the house, or anything like that. Instead, she had considered that he had needed to give up so much to come back to Rhy'Din, even if it seemed to her that he was ready to give it up before he even went back. It was hard to make a lifestyle change; to go from thinking about war, to thinking about anything else. Maybe it wouldn't be as hard for him as she imagined it would be, but if he always had a place to fall back on, then maybe it would be all the easier for him.

On top of all of that, the house was given to them to ensure that they would always have somewhere to go -- not just Ghent, but also Emma and Lily. They were all so very important to Ada. And, since Rhy'Din was such a peculiar place, and it was easy to get on the wrong end of things without any sort of backup plan. Sometimes, even with a backup plan, there wasn't a way out.

Now, all she needed to do was make sure that everyone was comfortable. It just didn't feel right relaxing without knowing for sure that everyone felt at home. So, she spent another moment enjoying the sound of people around, and then got up to do some chores -- mainly cleaning and laundry, and thinking about the next day's meals.

((This was written for play on November 27th, 2007.))