Thoughts of Glass [Open]

..the sun was shinning brightly as it climbed it's way a top the horizon, making Lightning's violet eyes gleam as he trotted his way into the royal capital, Kreine. It was a site to see as dawn broke and the city was just beginning to to awaken from the night time slumber that had begun just the day before. The shadows cast by buildings stretching along the stone paved seemed endless due to the current position of the sun. Lightning made his way though the city quietly, and without sound, only to glance at a human that passed by him to either move goods or just to run simple errands.



"Hmm...I wonder where he might be. This city is large, and he could be hiding out in any number of places," Lightning spoke softly to himself as he scanned over notes and information he had removed from a folder in his pack after making himself comfortable several hours after his arrival. Glancing at a picture, he surveyed the newly amassed crowds moving among the city streets. "No sign of him here.. I suppose I'll walk around instead. I need to stretch anyways, I've been sitting here for quite a bit."

Lightning tucked the information back into his pack and slung it over his head, placing the strap on his left shoulder so not to pinch his fur between his shoulder plates and the padding. Rubbing his arm, he made sure nothing was caught in his fur that might knot. He stretched, making the sound dim slightly and his muscles tingle as blood rushed to ends of his body making his tail straighten and twitch.

Regathering himself by exhaling loudly, Lightning made his way through the city of what part seemed to be the bazaar. By now, which was afternoon, the bazaar was filled with citizens shopping, making deals, and hauling goods off to wherever they may be needed. Looking over the stalls, he found musical instruments, some oddly shaped sculptures, and multiple types of food in a range from fruits to vegetables.

Reminded of his memories of playing the piano, Lightning gazed off into the distance towards the larger structure of the castle. Shaking his head, the memories shattered like that of glass fallen onto stone. His grin faded to a blank unreadable yet determined expression as he turned his attention back towards the task at hand. To search the man that he was sent after in the first place.

"I have to find him, but Good Lord it seams pointless searching when I have absolutely nothing to go on besides a picture and some notes I've taken," Lightning sighed as he sat next to the fountain. The sound of water filled his ears as they twitched to the melody. He placed his right forehand on his collar, running the tips of his fingers along it's edge until reaching the crescent moon pendant hanging from the collar's silver beauty. The violet stone glistened on the tips of his fingers. He dropped his hands to the fountain seat, and looked up towards the clouds and asked in an nearly inaudible empty voice as if someone was listening, "Why..?"


[[I hope this post is long enough, Fourth. I'm a bit rusty D:]]

(You're fine man. I'm more so about quality over quantity and you're awesome in my book XD Even though I just started typing and posted a crapload... ._.)

Cassius had only been awake for a few hours, but in that time he had already encountered what he felt like would be the day's worst offerings. Not more than two hours ago, Cassius was called into a matter involving a traitor that had been suspected of selling information out of Kreine to whomever had the money to afford it. Having finally been captured, the soldiers interrogated the civilian to strip her of any information she knows, like what secrets she knew, who she was selling them to, and any other relevant topics.

Cassius was en route to report in for his assignment for the day as his prior mission was completed a few days ago. Simply a product of being at the right place at the right time, Cassius was asked by his superiors to help out with the interrogation as at least one of his superiors knew the man's skills in white magic. Cassius would not turn down such a mission given to him by his superiors, but he did not like the sound of what he was being asked to do.

Making his way to where the jail was located, he found the soldiers physically abusing the woman tied to the wooden chair within the cell, one soldier screaming at the top of his lungs. All of the soldiers around this woman had faces of digust, not understanding why this woman would betray humanity and hating her for it.

Cassius cleared his throat loudly, gaining the attention of the soldiers, waiting for them to acknowledge his presence. They all shot a glance in his direction and saluted him, discontinuing their actions but wondering what Cassius was doing here.

"I have orders to help with the interrogation. I'm going to need all of you to vacate the cell immediately. She will talk to you when I'm finished." His voice was matter of fact and he purposely started to take off one of his gauntlets and focused his eyes on this process, not making eye contact with any of the soldiers as he spoke. The soldiers didn't move at first, a little confused as to what Cassius was talking about, but as soon as Cassius looked up at them and made eye contact, they could see something behind his hazel eyes; something that made them want to move right then and there.

With the soldiers gone, Cassius moved into the cell where he found the woman, bruised and bloody, but grinning, as if satisfied that the soldiers could not remove any information from her. Cassius was slightly angered at her facial expression, but felt pity for her at the same time; what he was about to do to her was something he only reserved for those who needed to be cleansed of their evil ways. He walked around her a single time until he stood in front of her again, neither Cassius or the woman saying a word. Cassius then reached out and placed his bare palm against her forehead, closing his eyes and looking upward as he began to murmur words that could not be translated properly.

It only took a moment for the white magic to enact itself. Cassius' hand erupted in a silent white flame, which instantly engulfed the woman's entire body. Cassius opened his eyes and stepped away while the woman erected her spine violently, through her head toward the ceiling, and began screaming with her eyes rolling back into her head. The white flame burned neither the chair or the ropes holding the woman down; it simply clung to the woman as if she was the only source the fire wanted to deal with.

As the woman screamed in madness, the soldiers came rushing in as their blood curdled with the woman's screams. Her words were slurred and almost incoherent, but as she screamed something about telling them anything they wanted to know, Cassius walked out of the cell while placing his gauntlet back on, not even making eye contact with the soldiers as he left the establishment.

"She'll tell you what you want to know now. The flames will die in a moment; you can speak to her then." The soldiers looked from the woman, to Cassius, then to the woman again in sheer disbelief. Cassius exited the jail and made his way to the bazaar, his conscious slightly heaving from what he had to do. Being a traditional man, Cassius minded less when he had to use that technique against an evil man rather than an evil woman, despite the fact that he only really used that technique on people that were very deserving. He didn't know if that woman was deserving but because of how much pain she was in, she was definitely evil.

It was then, upon entering the bazaar, that Cassius took sight of a familiar. He watched the familiar for a moment and decided that he should follow this being. It wasn't that Cassius was prejudice against familiars and followed each and every one of them, but this familiar seemed to have a single goal in mind by his facial expressions and his body language, like he was searching for something--this made Cassius want to follow him. At first, Cassius tried to blend in with the early morning crowd, doing his best to seem as though he wasn't following this familiar, but when the familiar stopped at the fountain and Cassius could not simply follow anymore, he approached the familiar by the fountain, his one hand resting lazily against the hilt of his weapon while the hung at his side. Cassius tried to make himself sound authoritative but not opposing.

"You there. Forgive my intrusion, but what is your business today in the city of Kreine?" Cassius was dressed in his armor, having reported in for duty this morning, expecting some other assignment worthy of using his armor. His stance was neutral and so was his facial expression, not wanting to alarm the familiar into a sprint but he didn't want to be unprepared for a bad reaction either.

"You there. Forgive my intrusion, but what is your business today in the city of Kreine?" the knight said as he approached Lightning, hand on the hilt of his weapon. Even though Lightning was dressed in armor, it did not matter. Throwing yourself at a knight is absolutely ridiculous, and being for the better good it wasn't an option. His stance was neutral, but Lightning's mind ripped through every possible option available to him at that very moment..

Lightning eyes dilated and he pulled himself to his feet. Moving his bag so that it was against his backside and his weapon, so to show him that he was not a threat. "I beg your pardon, but I am just looking for someone, and have yet to find them after looking all day up until now. Your intrusion is nothing to ask me to forgive you for, you are just taking care of your duties as a knight, and I respect that," Lightning spoke, hoping his lack of speaking to authorities or to anyone for that matter was not noticeable.

"Not that it matters all that much, but what was it about me that made you come up and ask me of my business?" Lightning questioned in a monotone voice, that was balanced, yet not too determined.


[[Sorry for the delayed and short post.. I have a lot of schoolwork to do at the moment.]]

(Hey that's cool, I'm kinda late on the post as well <.< Working 12-13 hour days w/homework sucks ass.)

Cassius didn't notice Lightning's eyes but he did notice his attempts at showing the knight that he wasn't a threat. This gesture made Cassius wonder whether or not Lightning was making the non-threatening gestures so the knight wouldn't hold him suspicious or because Lightning was being respectful of someone in an authoritative position. Cass didn't move a muscle and stayed relaxed yet focused on Lightning and his movements, something that has been ingrained in him since he was a young boy. Some guards might have instinctively moved their hands a little closer to their weapons, preparing to draw if anything were to happen, but Cassius knows that can be seen as a threat, and makes certain that the wrist lying lazily on his weapon does not twitch. Plus, Cass doesn't see Lightning as a threat just yet--he was merely satisfying his curiosity by following the familiar.

"I beg your pardon, but I am just looking for someone, and have yet to find them after looking all day up until now. Your intrusion is nothing to ask me to forgive you for, you are just taking care of your duties as a knight, and I respect that,"

Cassius didn't notice anything out of the ordinary with Lightning's tone or words; he actually thought Lightning spoke rather well.

"Not that it matters all that much, but what was it about me that made you come up and ask me of my business?"

Cassius has always been a person of intellectual honesty, speaking his mind but not to the point of disrespect or malintent; he merely told people what he was thinking without giving them too much information and without being offensive unless offense was needed. He told Lightning exactly why he had questioned the familiar. His gaze was not intense, but it was unwavering; to someone uncomfortable meeting eyes with another, Cassius made it that much worse when he was being authoritative.

"I happened to see you when I walked into the bazaar. You looked more determined than everyone else around you, as if you had some sort of alterior motive of being in the marketplace. If you're looking for someone, I may be of service. Who exactly are you looking for?" Cassius didn't know if he was actually going to be of service to help find whoever it was that Lightning's search encompasses, but he could at least extract some information from the familiar just to satiate his concerns about this stranger.

(Sorry Lightning, gotta pull my character out of this thread...doing some plot-driven stuff right now. We can pick this up some other time if you'd like. Just let me know!)

[Exit]