Michael dapped at the sweat beating down from his forehead as he listened to the other would-be hunter speak. "Ah so you're one of those overachievers." he joked light heartedly. The same could have been said about himself though. Michael was here after hours after all. And while he might have been attempting for the A it had less to do about trying to get good grades. It was more a matter of personal pride and improvement than anything else. "A little bit of both," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "More so the latter tho," he added, taking the dampened rag and setting down onto the bench next to him. A moment of silence passed between the two of them as Michael examined the male more closely.
He looked just as worn out as Michael was. Which left him curious as to exactly how long he had been here. Had he really been so caught up in his training he hadn't noticed anyone else arrive? He'd have to work on being more perceptive if that was the case. That thought aside though something about the male's appearance rang familiar to him. Medium build, reasonable height, blue eyes, and dark green hair. It fit the description he had been provided about one of his future squadmates. What were the chances that they'd actually managed to just bump into each other before being properly introduced? Slim Michael imagined.
Michael walked to the nearby lockers, grabbing Ragnarok from its resting position against them. The chainsaw katana now in hand, and his back still turned to Xelvon he spoke again. "You wouldn't happen to be Xelvon Vanheart would you?" he inquired. In one swift motion of movement, Michael had turned himself around and darted towards Xelvon. Withdrawing his katana from its scabbard as he closed the distance between himself and Xelvon. The blade of the katana found itself dangerously close to Xelvon's throat. With Michael's own face mere inches away from Xelvon's own. "Because if you are I've been tasked with killing." Michael's tone was deadly serious. As was the look of pure murder mustered into his eyes. If it hadn't been for the fact he busted up laughing straight afterward. One might have been able to assume he was serious.
Still laughing he took a couple of steps back from Xelvon and held out his free hand for a handshake. "Hahaha! I'm just kidding man. The name's Michael Price, and if you're really Xelvon Vanheart. Then I believe the two of us are supposed to be in the same squad together." there was a smile plastered across Michael's face.
Not a requirement, but very much encouraged! We'd love to hear about your character, and how they came to be a part of the roleplay's story. If you don't want to provide a history, go ahead and delete this section, or change it to something else entirely!
Gabriel could feel that his brother was holding back strong negative emotions. His tone had been neutral but the hints of anger were hard to fully mask. Keeping that in mind; things at least seemed to be off too a good start. Caleb hadn't exploded in anger at him after all. Gabriel rolled his eyes, "It's barely been two minutes and you've already brought out the nicknames." Sparkplug was just one several that his brother often called him. It had been such a long time since he had heard them. So in spite of his protest Gabriel was actually slightly happy to hear the jab. This changed when Caleb mentioned how long Gabriel had been absent.
Caleb had said four years so casual, so dismissively, like the amount of time that had passed meant nothing at all. He followed it up with joke that made Gabriel even more uncomfortable. The distant look in his brother's eye told him the smile on Caleb's face didn't quite match with his true feelings. "Wow it's really been four years? I guess I've been so busy I barely noticed." he had been busy, he had been solely focused on rising through the ranks of the Forge. On proving his worth not only to his nation but to the man in charge of the organization. Even still he hadn't been expecting for four years to have so easily passed him by. It was a cold reminder of his obsession with progress. Gabriel's eyes drifted towards his sister to see her reaction. To his surprise he couldn't read her. So he moved the conversation forward, hoping to avoid the subject of his absence for the time being.
"Glad to hear that someone the keeping him in line is you. Caleb's right though, you'll have your work cut out for you." his brother had always been a free-spirit. It was something that Gabriel both admired and disliked about him. It meant that his brother would always be going his own way in life. Unswayed by the thoughts and opinions of others. Gabriel just wished that his brother would take things more seriously. An opinion that Gabriel wasn't afraid to voice either. Even if his brother wasn't going to follow his advice like he wanted. "I'm sure Caleb isn't always lazy, but he certainly needs to work on his drive a bit." once again his serious tone found a way to break through his calm.
"What's this about the headmaster's offer though?" he was curious, no one had told him anything about his little sister being invited into Cocoon Academy. Then again Gabriel wasn't Olivia. He didn't get access to every little bit of information that flowed through the city. Caleb was the one to answer his question if only partially. It took Gabriel a second to grasp what Caleb had told him. Ashe had not only dealt with a robbery but had gotten the attention of Cocoon's headmaster because of it. Gabriel was impressed and it showed on his face. "Impressive Ashe. If you keep on going like this you might even surpass me soon." his mind was racing with a thousand other questions. Like where Ashe had received her training. When he had left four years ago she hadn't been that strong.
Gabriel's brotherly demeanor began to fade as he folded his arms against his chest and began to stare at his sister. He was looking at her from the perception of a warrior now. As a man who fought, commanded, and trained others into elite warriors. He compared the Ashe in front of him to the one from his memories. So sweet and innocent. That Ashe had a softness to her that while still present in the one before him. It had certainly hardened a bit. The sister in his memories also didn't have as fit a physique. Being not only taller but having more muscle as well. She really had grown up since he had been gone.
His eyes fell upon the weapon at her side Acheron and the dots began to connect. "Abram..." it was a quiet mutter and a thought he hadn't meant to speak aloud. Of course he didn't know why it hadn't occurred to him sooner. Abram was and wasn't a lot of things but Gabriel would give the man his worth as a warrior. He had certainly earned that much. His worth as a father was something else entirely. Gabriel's inspection of his sister had been quick. Lasting long enough for him to zone back into the conversation as Ashe vented her frustration over Caleb's choice of footwear. Not that it mattered. His presence in the conversation was likely not missed. Not because of their dislike for him but because of how close the two of them seemed to be.
Gabriel found himself shifting slightly when the subject of his work with the Forge was brought up. He hadn't been expecting them to ask question about how he was doing. Not that he minded answering them. He just hadn't been prepared for it. "It's going fine Caleb. Though I suggest you stifle that imagination of yours. We're not working on anything quite so fantastic." he'd need to be careful with how much information he gave away.
After all a lot of what the Forge was working was top-secret. Only a select few needed to know. In fact, the Forge's reputation for secrets often made them out to be a sort of boogeyman within Cambria. "I actually just came from a meeting with the council. Believe it or not but there's a lot of red tape that comes with job." and he hated it. But things like that were not what his siblings wanted to hear. They wanted to hear about all the cool and exciting aspects of his occupation. Ashe in particular seemed excited about the details.
"We are working on something interesting though." as he finished speaking Gabriel reached into his pocket and pulled out a small transparent bottle. Inside of the bottle were several pill capsules, all of which were white with dots of red spread throughout them. Gabriel shook the bottle, "This is our latest project. They're combat enhancers made from a mix of several herbal plants and artificial medications." he popped open the bottle and took a single pill out. He held it out on display within the palm of his hand. "If it helps you can think of it like a steroid but it's in a whole other category." Gabriel paused and returned the pill to the bottle and the bottle to his pocket.
"It not only enhances strength and reflexes several fold but it also amplifies the user's chakra output." it might have seemed like he was giving away too much information but he really wasn't. The drug was already making fast tracks on the road to approval. "We don't have an official name for it yet but the boy's at the lab are calling it: Malice." it was a catchy name. Not one that he would have chosen but whatever fits. He doubted that was what his sister and Caleb were looking for when they wanted to hear about cool new weapons. But it was the only thing he could give them. Besides, the other thing they were working on no one was ready to know about.
Gabriel had been distract, his mind adrift, distance memories flashing into frame behind his closed eyes. He didn't often allow himself to have moments like this. A moment of relaxation in his otherwise busy schedule. Far too busy hoping from one task to the next, whether that be something for the Elias or continuing his training he always busy. Always moving. It had been like that ever since he had left home. He kept moving forward in order to put as much distance between himself and that man as he possibly could. He knew he had left the others behind in doing so but he saw it as a necessary sacrifice. Both to get away but also in order for him to further grow as a warrior and a person.
As if to test if those were truly his feelings the universe saw fit to place those he had left behind in his path.
He had head their voice long before he had noticed their approach. Caleb's voice and lighthearted tone were things that were almost impossible for Gabriel not to notice. As was the innocent that his sister Ashe held within her own. He was just barely able to make out what they were saying. They didn't seem to be too happy to have stumbled across him. He understood. It was likely difficult for them to understand why he was doing what he was doing. Or maybe they did, or maybe just Caleb did, and they just didn't care. Whatever it was that caused them to dislike him Gabriel couldn't fault them for it. He opened his eyes as heard them halt their approach. He had a moment of hesitation as he moved to stand himself up from the ground.
Perhaps it was best to just let them walk away? They obviously didn't want to see him and he had just been thinking of how he had left them. He couldn't go the rest of his life avoiding them though now could he? With the paths that they were walking it was only natural that they run into each other every once in awhile. Caleb was a hunter after all, and from what he could remember Ashe wanted to become one herself. Yes, he'd approach. Better to get this out of the way now rather than later.
Pushing his thoughts aside Gabriel made his way towards his brother and sister. It was an uncomfortable walk towards them. The restrictiveness of his suit becoming all the more apparent to him as he moved around.. He was going to have to take this thing off the moment he got back to headquarters. "Caleb." he nodded at his brother and then turned towards Ashe. She was a lot bigger than he remembered her being. Had he missed a birthday? Two of them, or was it more than that? He felt bad that he couldn't remember but he didn't let it show on his face. Instead the harshness that he had held previously seemed to soften slightly. An out of place smile on his face, "Ashe you've certainly grown since the last time I saw you." there was slight hint of pain hidden in his tone as he spoke.
"What brings the two of you out to Caelum Park so late? Surely Caleb's laziness isn't rubbing off on you Ashe." despite his attempt to make it sound like he was just joking, his tone surely came off as if he was serious. He didn't know if he was going to be able to do this. Interacting with them like he used too was going to be more difficult than he had thought it was going to be. Casual conversation had never really been his strongest subject either. Elias's words of how he needed to learn to relax echoed in his head. "I'm kidding of course but only partly." his whole body felt tense. Gabriel only hoped that his siblings would take it easy on him but somehow he doubted it.
Michael's breathing was heavy, his sweat soaked hair draped over his face as he quickly straightened himself out. His katana was gripped tightly between his hands, the blade was held low and to his side. Resembling a fairly common stance found in a type of Kenjutsu that favored swift and rapid moments. It wasn't a stance he was particularly familiar with but it was the only one he could think of to deal with the threat at the hand. The threat in question was making its way towards him at a rapid pace. He could see it off in the distance a creature large in size. It moved along the ground with four muscular legs, it's back covered in sharp and deadly needles. The creature looked like it was cross between a hedgehog and a black coated wolf. As it ran towards him, maw opened wide and splashing drool all over the white tile floor. Michael could see the hunger in its eyes. It wanted him for lunch and it wasn't going to stop until it got him.
He waited for the monster to get closer almost impatiently so. It had to have been several feet away from Michael when it began it's lung towards him. Lifting itself off ground and aiming it's sharp teeth to pierce into his flesh. Michael had been anticipating this, and thus reacted quickly. He ducked himself under the creature and made sure to quickly bring his sword upward, piercing into the creature's flesh. "Haaa!" he yelled with force as he let the creature's own momentum drag the blade across the underside of it's belly. Despite what should have been a rather messy execution of the creature no actual blood or organs was produce. Instead the monster broke apart into various bits of data. As it did so a loud, feminine, and robotic voice began to echo around the room.
"Simulation Complete."
There was a brief pause before the voice broke though again with another announcement.
"Completion time thirty five minutes and fifty two seconds. A total number of thirteen hits were received. Michael Price, your overall performance has earned you a B-."
Michael clearly wasn't very pleased with this grade, the irritation written all over his face. He stood himself up from the ground and let out a heavy sigh sheathing his blade. He then headed out of the gymnasium and towards the water cooler area outside. He was thankful that it was too late for anyone else to be here. Otherwise he'd have been even more embarrassed by his performance. The youth poured himself a glass of water and began to drink. His thought racing about the mistake he had made during his fight. He shouldn't have been hit as many times as he had been. He needed to be more focused, and he really needed to work on his reaction time. There was Live but it wasn't something you just so easily pulled out in a fight. It had to be at the right time. Otherwise you risked too much with its side-effects.
"Alright. I'm going to give it five more minutes and then I'll run the program again, and this I'm all end up with A or I'll keep going until I get it."
It was a promise to himself, and one that he'd end up fulfilling by the end of the night he was certain of it. Of course that was all dependent on the person who had just walked into the gym's resting area. They instantly caught Michael's attention, as it wasn't often that he ran into people willing to train this late at night.
"What a surprise I thought I was the only brave enough to be awake this late."
Davina has a natural but wild beauty about her. While she inherited many of her father's combat talents, her looks strongly resemble that of her departed mother. She has raven locks that extend just slightly passed the midsection of her back. Her height of five foot nine inches makes her relatively tall. An athletic but lean build help to define the young woman as a warrior first and foremost. Her posture also gives the woman an intimidating aura. Standing firm and upright on most, if not all occasions. Davina's most defining feature is her eyes however. A brilliant ruby red that draws the attention of others, and highlights her more delicate features. It is within those eyes that one will find a warmth. A warmth that contrast with her hardened outer shell. When angered those eyes can easily be just as piercing however.
While the recent years of her life have had a heavy focus on combat and physical improvement. Her earlier years weren't. Thus Davina is very much aware that she indeed a beautiful and sought after woman. And she knows how to dress and style herself accordingly. Far more comfortable in combat attire than something like a dress or a skirt Davina can wear them. And wear them quite well. When dressing herself she much prefers to wear clothing in shades of black and red. As they not only look good on her but also compliment her eyes. Regardless of what clothes she happens to be wearing. Davina will always have a silver pendant around her neck. The only thing she has left of her mother.
Inari - A katana designed specifically for Davina's use. Inari is the length of your average katana, and is built in a similar fashion. There are, however, several key differences. To begin with the weapon was designed with the use of prismere in mind. One is capable of injecting vials of prismere into a compartment located on the katana's handle. The prismere is then released and sent coursing along the edge of the blade. This not only changes the color of the Inari's blade edge to that of the prismere color but lets Davina make use of its elemental properties. Either releasing waves of elemental energy with a slash of the sword. Or making direct use of the elemental energy by cutting directly into her target.
When the prismere has been used up it is automatically ejected from the katana through it's pommel. When Inari is within it's sheath Davina is capable of pressing a button on the sheath. This causes the katana to go launching, pommel first, at a target at astounding speeds. The force of the launch is similar to that of a bullet. Davina typically makes use of this function when beginning a fight or to catch her foes off guard.
VIGORS
Mimicry - Davina's signature Vigor. To put it simply it allows for Davina to temporarily copy the Vigors of others. There are, however, several conditions that must take place in order for this to happen. The first of them being that Davina must have seen the Vigor being performed. She cannot attempt to mimic a Vigor she has not seen and thus is not aware of. The second condition requires Davina to be in the presence of the person who's Vigor she is copying. The third and final condition is that Davina is only capable of copying a single Vigor at a time. She can, however, switch which Vigor she is copying. When switching from one Vigor to the next it takes a bit of time however. Worth noting is that copying a Vigor doesn't give Davina knowledge of how it works and the best way in which to use it. That is left entirely for her to figure out on her own. In addition to this she also gains whatever weakness the copied Vigor suffers from.
Fool's Paradise - Deadly, devastating, and bittersweet Fool's Paradise is a dastardly Vigor. With it Davina is capable of manipulating the minds of others. It takes but a touch and Davina is capable of pulling her victim into a world of illusions. A false reality crafted not by Davina but the target's own mind. While what the victim sees is entirely up to them, it's always of what they desire most. These illusions are strong and encompass all five of the victim's senses. Depending on the strength of the desire and the amount of chakra used Fool's Paradise can put one in a catatonic state. Where the victim is pulled even further into the illusion crafting an entire world out of their inner most desires. A paradise of perfection. When done on a sleeping target this level of strength is almost always produced.
Fool's Paradise is highly unlikely to work during the heat of battle. As the target's mind and defensive will be at a natural state of alertness. This means the best time to use Fool's Paradise is when the victim is relaxed and unaware. The length of the Vigor is also not indefinite. The duration of its effect are dependent on not only the victim but the amount of chakra used to initiate it. A target who becomes aware that what they are seeing is an illusion is capable of pushing the influence from their mind. Doing so takes not only a considerable amount of willpower on the victims part but chakra is also required. Davina must also make physical contact with her desired victim in order to initiate the Vigor. How long that contact lasts is irrelevant as long as it is made.
Fool's Nightmare - Cruel, malicious, and heartbreaking Fool's Nightmare is a twisted Vigor. The opposite of the false paradise promised by her previous ability. With just a single touch Davina is capable of pulling her victim into a world of illusions. A false reality crafted not by Davina but by the victim's own mind. What the target sees is entirely up to them, but it's always of a nightmarish and twisted nature. Their darkest fears given shape and form. These illusions are powerful and encompass all five of the victim's senses. Depending on the strength of the fears and the amount of chakra used Fool's Nightmare can put one in a catatonic state. Where the victim is pulled even further into the illusion crafting an entire world out of their inner most fears. A hellscape of nightmares. When done on a sleeping target this level of strength is almost always produced.
Fool's Nightmare is highly unlikely to work during the heat of battle. As the target's mind and defensive will be at a natural state of alertness. This means the best time to use Fool's Nightmare is when the victim is relaxed and unaware. The length of the Vigor is also not indefinite. The duration of its effect are dependent on not only the victim but the amount of chakra used to initiate it. A target who becomes aware that what they are seeing is an illusion is capable of pushing the influence from their mind. Doing so takes not only a considerable amount of willpower on the victims part but chakra is also required. Davina must also make physical contact with her desired victim in order to initiate the Vigor. How long that contact lasts is irrelevant as long as it is made. Things created by the Vigor cannot actually harm the victim. They might perceive themselves as being cut or damaged, and they might certainly feel that pain. But in reality nothing will have happened to them.
Sarah is an attractive young woman of average height, standing at roughly five foot eight inches. Her delicate facial features are further highlighted by her pink hair and blue eyes. Her is rather long in length easily reaching down to the middle of her back. Typically allowed to hang freely most of the time, she has been seen on occasion wearing it in a ponytail. While she doesn't place a big importance on her appearance Sarah does know how to take care of herself. Always making herself look presentable, especially when dealing with important matters. Sarah lacks in the physical attributes commonly associated with most hunters. Sarah is however lean in build, but underweight for someone of her size and age.
Sarah has spent the majority of her life striving toward an ideal of goodness taught to her from an early age. You are to be kind to strangers, and empathic towards the problems of others. Turn the other cheek when faced with conflict but remain resolute in your own ideals. She was to put the needs of the group above what she herself desired. Such teachings left her with a rather black and white view of the world around her. It has also left her with a rather lacking sense of self-worth. Often viewing herself as only as good as the assistance she can provide. As such Sarah is often taking on far more than she is actually capable of handling. Frequently working herself to the point of exhaustion because of this.
Sarah has been raised to never think of herself first. As such she has never stopped to think about the things that she herself might want. This fractured understanding of desire puts her in a rather complex situation. This complexity is given further emphasis when one realizes that Sarah has recently begun to explore wanting things for herself. The concept and feelings of desire and want leave her feeling confused. Yet this confusion also beckons her to explore it further. Helped along by her naturally curious and inquisitive nature. This does not mean that Sarah isn't afraid of the unknown. In fact, she is quite scared about exploring the world outside of Advent. She does not let that fear stop her, however. Being of an iron-will and almost stubborn in her resolve. Sarah refuses to let something like being afraid of the unknown stand in her way.
When it comes to most of her interactions with others Sarah is very much a kind and generous person. A soft and charming aura that makes it quite easy for others to let their guard down around her. When conversing she is very respectful especially to those of high-ranking positions. She will use proper ranks and titles should such things be required. While she attempts to make a connection with everyone she meets she often finds herself struggling. Her sheltered upbringing and protection from the world outside Advent have stunned her social skills. As most of her interactions were limited to the nuns and priests that taught her. It can be hard for her to pick up on things like social cues. This has resulted in her a being a soft-spoken or even timid when first interacting with people.
This aspect of herself often tends to fade away the more time she spends someone. When it does Sarah is revealed to be a rather goofy and lighthearted person in her relaxed state. Being both easily flustered but not afraid to crack lighthearted jokes at the expense of her friends. While certainly friendly towards anyone she meets it's hard for Sarah to label just anyone her friend. Due in part because her life of isolation hasn't given her a chance to interact with others her age. With this in mind if someone should become her friend Sarah would most certainly care for them deeply. Sarah very much falls into the role of a mother hen in social circles. She is protective and worrisome about the people that are closest to her.
Sarah's black and white sense of right and wrong, of good and evil, also puts her at odds with others. She grew up without seeing or being able to understand that there are shades of grey in the world. That no one is purely evil or purely good but rather a mix of both. When these situations and people are presented to her she struggles to comprehend them. She is afraid of them but that very fear makes her interested. She hasn't seen much grey in her life so far. What she has seen has caused her to question her place in the world. A struggle of an internal nature that she hopes to find the answer for. An answer that she hopes to find soon because she does not have much time.
Sarah is dying. The very magic she was told was given to her to help people is the cause of it. The news of this is what triggered Sarah's desire to leave her isolation behind. Everyone's time on earth is limited but Sarah's is more so, and she wants to truly live while she still can. A testament to Sarah's strength of will is in her ability to not let her sickness devalue the joy of being alive. Instead seeking out everything she can before her time runs out. She is, however, very afraid of dying and is terrified of how painful those final moments will be for her. Until then though she will keep on moving forward.
▸ BATTLE INFORMATION
Starpiercer - This medium length custom-built lance/bow hybrid is Sarah's weapon of choice for dealing with various threats. When Starpiercer is in its lance form it's design is similar to that of a traditional jousting lance. There is a chamber located underneath the bottom of the lance's guard for inserting vials of prismere. Depending on the type of prismere currently loaded the tip of the lance changes color. This also causes a variety of effects to take place when the tip of the lance makes contact with a surface. All of which are dependent on the type of prismere being used.
Sarah changes the weapon into its bow form by twisting her hands at a specific location on the handle. Starpiercer's bow form doesn't make use of typical arrows. Instead it crafts arrows of pure energy by using the prismere located within the bow's central chamber. As one would expect these arrows have various elemental effects depending on the loaded prismere. In addition to being able to fire a single large arrow, Sarah can fire several smaller arrows from the bow at the same time. Despite her small frame Sarah is capable firing the arrows at astounding speeds. Something that is mostly thanks to the bow's assistance.
Magic
Stardust - As a descendant of Escanor Pendragon, an ancient and powerful templar, Sarah has been gifted with magical prowess. Much like her ancestral father Sarah's magic connects her strongly with the stars and space above. She has spent years of life practicing her magic. Studying and harnessing it's potential and power so that she could better help humanity with her gift. This solitary focus has resulted in Sarah having a remarkable level of control over her magical capabilities. While far from perfect given her young age, it's still enough to make her a dangerous opponent.
At least that is the way it could be perceived from the outside. In truth, Sarah's magical power is far more supportive in nature. She is capable of casting reflective barriers crafted from light. These barriers have amazing defensive qualities, displaying remarkable feats of endurance. While not unbreakable it takes a great deal of force in order for them to shatter. In addition it's worth noting that despite being made from light the barriers sparkle in a swirl of various color. Much akin to a galaxy of stars.
These barriers are not Sarah's only feats of magical prowess. She is in fact capable of using her magic to heal the physical wounds of others. What separates Sarah's healing from that of chakra-based healing is the rate at which the wounds are healed. Small wounds are healed almost instantly, and the more severe ones could be healed with several minutes of focused healing. In order to heal the wounds of others Sarah must place her hands above or directly on the location of the wound. Pulling magical energy from within herself and pushing from her hands and into the injured persona's body.
Sarah's healing doesn't come without it's own share of consequences though. Like all things in the natural world it comes with cost. That cost being not only Sarah's stamina but also pain. When healing a wound Sarah is connecting herself with the injured person. Thus she shares in any feelings of pain or anguish that they would be feeling at the time. Also the more severe run the risk of draining Sarah to the point of death if she isn't careful.
The offensive aspects of Sarah's magic while rarely seen are truly devastating. Put simply Sarah is capable of exploiting her connection to space and stars to increase the gravity being exerted onto objects. Useful both for restraining but also enabling her to crush something should she expand enough magical energy. The problem with this is that for the most part Sarah has zero control over this aspect of her magic. In fact often times this effect is brought about purely during moments of extreme emotional duress.
Every aspect of Sarah's magic comes with a cost, but no one ever speaks of the cost of the magic itself. The price that one pays for having access to incredible gifts. As a byproduct of her strong magical connection Sarah is slowly dying. The very magic that has come to define most of her life is eating away at her body. The more power and experience she gains with her gift the quicker it kills her. Despite being a descendant of Escanor Pendragon, her body was not strong enough to inherit his power.
Gabriel let out a heavy sigh as he slumped himself down onto the park bench. His usual loose fitting attire having been released with restricting and somewhat uncomfortable black suit and tie he often wore on important meetings. He loosened the tie around his neck and felt his previously tense body relax slightly as he tilted his head towards the stars above. Caelum Park was quiet tonight. Typically when he came here this late it was filled with couples. All trying to capture some fleeting sense of romance that the starry sky seemed to produce. Gabriel himself didn't quite understand it. He was just glad that for once he didn't have to put up with the moronic sounds of wooing or making out.
Over the course of him time with his nation's capital city, he had come to rely on Caelum Park as a place to help escape from his more stressful moments. The park had a natural beauty to it, especially at night. The large pine trees that circled around the park reminded him of home oddly enough. A strange comfort considering how much distance he put between himself and that place. It had been an unreasonably long day for the Forge Commander. His entire morning, afternoon, and evening having been taken up with pointless meetings, and useless bureaucracy. He couldn't help but feel that it was idiotic. You had to cut through so much red tape in order to get anything of meaning done. He was just thankful that it was all over.
"Soon." but not soon enough if he was being honest. The Forge had such big plans for the future but if things like red tape kept getting in the way they were never going to make much progress. Elias, the leader of the Forge, and a man who like a father to Gabriel, had said it was going to be like this. He had suggested they proceed without the blessing of the right officials but Gabriel had refused to listen.
Maybe he should have.
He let out another heavy sigh and took his gaze off the stars and towards the glowing lights of the city in the distance. It was about time he got going. He had an equally busy day planned for tomorrow. He had already spent a lot longer in the park then had meant to today. Yet as he tried to lift himself up from the bench he found himself unable to do so. The idea of actually heading towards Forge Headquarters suddenly felt so heavy. "Perhaps I'll just sit here a bit longer. Who knows, maybe something interesting will happen." he slumped back down and closed his eyes. Taking in the smell of the pine trees.