Welcome to Gaia! ::

Issildia was slightly surprised at the human's gamble in choosing to merely charge at her. Certainly a great deal of damage could have done had she remained where she was standing, but contrary to the human's intentions her form immediatly dissipated into shadow as his weapon passed through her former position.
Though it seemed that it was not a perfect escape as a scant few drops of blood now clung to his weapon.
Issildia reappeared in a subtle flicker of darkness a few yards opposite Osric where she now stood on a rocky rise; her hand slowly comming to the narrow cut that ran along the left side of her face...

Issildia's expression at first was once of surprise...but then it turned to a light smirk as she ran her index and middle finger over the small wound, a slight hiss of energy was emmitted as the wound quickly healed over.
Her hand then lowered as she sheathed her sword.

"I look forward to our next encounter human...perhaps your kind are not as without true skill as we previously believed..." She said in a manner that surprisingly, was devoid of sarcasm and any form of insult.

She then looked to the battlefield and the retreating forces on both sides.
"I doubt that I will have long to wait."

At that her body suddenly sank into it's own shadow before all evidence of her presence faded as if she had never been.
Only the fallen corpse of the denizen remained, serving as proof that an envoy had intervened, and perhaps only aided in creating a greater conflict between her people and the humans of Mehtu.

*A short time later
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You deliberately disobeyed my orders! You were to merely take out their line of command, but instead I am receiving reports of you granting a human aid from our own troops! The carcass of a denizen now sits outside our gates, it's defeat commendable by some...is not so here!" Prince Kurzick uttered with venom as he glared down at the kneeling form of the envoy.
The audience chamber was completely silent, for the prince had sent the court away as word had reached him of the battle.

"And now the human's have made an advance..." he stated grimly as Issildia's eyes remained lowered.

"The denizen became the primary threat upon entering the battle...I had little choice but to contend with it before it reached the city. And the human you mentioned aided in the denizen's destruction...it can be assumed that he does not consider his brethren of Mehtu allies." Issildia said flatly as she remained frozen in position.

"I do not operate on assumptions, I can assure you of that." he countered swiftly.

The prince was silent for a brief moment before he spoke again.

"You will be dealt with later, presently you and other Envoy's stationed here are to retrieve a messenger of the Rudeva from human territory. Try and make yourself useful, otherwise I may no longer have a need to keep your kind around. Dismissed."

Landon Moseley returned home to his small apartment, unlocking the several bolts of protection as he stepped into his dark apartment, shutting the door behind him. Habitually he started through his house, not needing the light because he knew his way around the small household. Movement caught his eye. He hesitated in his reaction, completely off guard and he knew it was to late to prevent an attack. He grabbed at a forearm just as it locked in place around his throat, the hand covering his mouth. His eyes wide in fear and surprise. He stood there completely in darkness caught tightly his captor's rough embrace. He felt at the skin of the forearm trying to fidn purchase for release to no avail. He took notice of the blistered and scarred skin after a moment, a name suddenly running through his mind and escaping his lips into his captors gloved hands. "Rayner?"

The grasp lossened suddenly confirming the man's accusation. Flicking the switch, the lights suddenly came on shining brightly over his old friend, or what remained of him. Rayner grinned at him, the bone of his jaw showing through the strings of skin that stretched over it. "By Derasai, You nearly scared me out of my skin."

Rayner chuckled weezing lightly, "Oh, we wouldn't want that now, one person is enough for a fate such as mine."

"How have you been?" changed the subject quickly, always feeling uncomfortable when Rayner's condition was discussed, even if he was poking fun at himself.

"...Fine. But I've come to ask for a favor, that would leave me in a state much better than my current."

Landon grinned, "Everytime we meet, its always a favor you ask of me. But I am happy to help out an old friend. How can I help."

Rayner withdrew a wrinked and dirtied piece of paper from his pocket, unfolding it into a much large size as he spread it onto a nearby table. " I need help with this."

He gazed at the sketchy diagram of some device, "Well, you know I'm rotten at mechanics and I wouldnt have parts for the creation of such a thing either. What is it anyways?"

"Its somewhat of a mechanical respirator.. to help better the air for my condition. Its a much more compact version of the one in my suit. Although there are several significant differences. I know you studied and practiced a little bit of the new mechanical surgery, so I was hoping you would help install it." Rayner weezed.

"Oh Derasai, there's no way I could deal with something like this. I havent done much like it before. Plus, we you don't have the parts for it. Maybe if we had the resources it could be arranged but--"

"Landon you know me a lot better than to come to you empty handed. I already have the parts and the medical supplies you need. I also already have the device complete for the most part." He pressed upon the paper, gesturing to the sketch. " Both of which have been gratefully donated by the Military." He gave a mischevious grin hinting to his stolen goods.

Landon shook his head with a smile, " I should've known. You want my help with a drastic procedure, involving stolen military parts. You realize if you or I were found out, we'd both be at the mercy of the Military. And you known as well as I, that much doesnt exist."

Rayner weezed, letting out a series of coughs along with it. He didn't have much time left to spare. The light argument was frustrating him. Since his accident, he lost his temper alot more easily, as if most of his emotions had burned off, with most of his blistered skin, leaving only anger. He gave a moment after his coughing before speaking once more, " ..Will you help me or not?"

Landon shrugged, letting out a sigh. Rayner had always been there for him through their childhood, watching over him as an older brother would, "...Of course I'll help you.. Despite how much I hate your little favors." He gave a soft chuckle as a smile spread across his face.

Rayner smiled, patting his old friends back and tousling his hair as he had done to him during their childhood. "Good. And thank you. I Will see ya in a day or two then, I still have a few adjustments to some of the device's mechanics." He grabbed the wrinkled paper from the table, returned it to his folded state, and then to his pocket. Rayner turned to leaving, limping softly as made for the door.

"Meet where?" Landon asked curiously.

"You know where, my friend." He made for a wink, but only his brow and cheek made for each other, making the gesture seem odd, without the eyelids. Rayner was gone within moments, disappearing from the door as he made his way into the night.

((whoa))

Osric's desk was on par to none in clutter; maps, papers, bills, covered the hard wood completely like snow on the plains. On top was Mehtu's official declaration of war, and a map of the world. Chewing on the end of a pencil, Osric wracked his brain over his strategy proprosal for the Grand War's first operation. The Rudeva was would bated him the most at first, but he believed he had arrived on his plan.

At night Troop 18, the most highly decorated troop in the army, would siege the Rudeva's capital. Their objectives were to knock out communications, and take all leaders in the capital hostage. Troops 01 and 08, allready stationed at the border would be supplemented by 04 and 07. The league would form at the mouth of the bridge, and hold off any hostiles with long range weapons and shields exclusively-- when the enemy made a push for the bridge demolitions would destroy the bridge supports. Amidst the confusion, the new zeppelin squad would cross over and secure the border from Des'Ilren's side. This would be Mehtu's first true breach on their country's soil, surely they would panic and oversend troops to fight at the border. Infantry dropped by the zeppelins would deploy remote explosives and shields to keep the enemy away as troops 01, 08, 04, and 07 would send volleys of artillery at their rear. This alone would decimate their morale, but at the same time if Troop 18 succeded they'd have a naval port on Des'Ilren, and go around the back with troops 02, 03, 05, 06, and 09. All other troops would be kept on reserve to react immediately to whatever Des'Ilren counteracted with. Osric set down his pencil and gripped the table edge with both hands, breathing out slowly and letting a wry chuckle escape from his lips as he looked down at the map-- imagining the small figurines scattered on the paper to be moving, his plan in action. Osric nodded slowly to himself, feeling confident.

A rap on the door came, snapping out of his stupor he welcomed the person to come inside. In his usual olive drab, Vick walked in and hung a black bowler onto the coatrack by the door before settling into a chair across from Osric. Settling back into his chair, Osric appreciated the interruption "Business or pleasure, Vick?"

Smiling genuinely Vick outstretched his black-gloved hands, he had burned them handling artillery early in his career and was self-concious about the scars, "What's the difference? I will say though, it's important. I planted a tracker on the exo-suit just as you asked-- but it's gone still. It's owner must be off on...Business?" "Or pleasure? So, you think he may have noticed it allready?" asked Osric. "It's possible, but listen to this-- infantry spotters saw him making off with military resources, very delicate items indeed. I believe he's going to use them to supplement the exosuit."

Osric leaned foward, propping his elbows onto the table, "Well that's some very skilled labor..What side of the city did he leave the suit?" Vick pointed to a spot on one of the maps on Osric's table. "Hmm..That's very near to some shady businesses...Akiba district..I want a paper on every man in the Akiba district who works in engineering and electronics, send out the informers and secret police. Put a vice grip on that little rat..But I want him taken alive, I think I can make him see the light yet.."

"One of our contacts in Mehtu has been sending in reports of the military mobilizing...no true evidence of this claim as come to us yet but I doubt that even rumors should be overlooked considering the most recent attack on our lands." Arian said coolly as he turned from the balcony that overlooked the city below.

"Prince Kurzick seems oddly worried over a Rudeva messenger...and wishes for us to retrieve him from Mehtu. Strange for Virgil to concern himself with foreign powers, perhaps his clandestine unit actually came upon some useful information..." Issildia said in an almost distant manner as she finished cleaning her sword of the grime acquired from battle and sheathed it.

Dante laughed dryly from where he stood leaned against the opposing wall of the room.
"As if those fools could find anything of note without tripping over it first...I would assume that they were fed the information by a corrupt contact."

"That much can be assumed" Arian answered as he stifly crossed his arms.
"I will see what can be learned of the matter. You two should probably get that messenger out of harms way for the moment. Even if it is a ploy I'm sure that you both will manage well enough."

Issildia nodded as she stood slowly. "Then it can't be helped until you get the intelligence on the situation. See what you can learn in Mehtu, Arian. Dante you and I will leave within the hour to see about this rudeva messenger..."

Osric slowly examined the youth in his office, something about his appearance irked him, but he was unsure why.. Standing up he circled around the desk. "Hmph, this frustration must be akin to those envoys. Beings of awesome potential and power, sent around by the administration as mere lapdogs.."

Flinging on the dark green overcoat he reserved for travelling, he holstered two pistols and grabbed a long knife-- he'd be travelling light. "I will be waiting at dock 06 for sortie into the field by speeder. Retrieve two of the blackguard and meet me there." Exiting his office and shutting the door behind him, he marched on to dock 06. 'This is Dichon's doing..That kid was not a messenger, his eyes were too keen...An assassination attempt? I must stay vigilant."

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

Inside the office Vick also crossed his way to the door, but not before shooting one last glance at the messenger. Speaking lugumbriously, he asked; "Tell me boy, have you read the bible?*" after hearing the messenger's response, he left the room.

(* = a code within Meh'tu to weed out spies, the correct response would be "Only the title, my friend." It's up to you whether or not Arian knows it.)

The large exo-suit lumbered slowly through the desert valley. His eyes rolled about in their lidless sockets drowsily. He was slowly drifting into Unconsciousness from the wounds he had neglected. He had lost a considerable amount of blood before his wounds finally stopped bleeding, and the blood finally clotted. He had been on the move for days now, pushing past exhaustion. A grin appeared weakly across his face upon the dream-likethoughts of his future surgeries. They would help to better him. He had nearly become addicted to the surgical mechanics that we're already scattered scarsely across his flesh.

His legs continued to pedal the exo-suits forward, despite their wounds or his nearing unconsciousness. It had become a habitual task, because he was always on the move. A ring began in his ears, which he batted away drowsily with sudden jersk of his head and neck. His brow lowered, annoied as he slowly became more alert. The ring he had heard had been a small beep that emitted from the suit's small radar. He gazed upon the small broken glass screen. He wiped the dust away fromthe shattered glass fragments with a gloved thumb. Instantly his hand ran across the console, turning off the various lights that beamed forward. The color of the portal before him flickered as he enhanced intensity range to give him better vision through the darkness.. He gazed at the target on the small broken device, hoping it wasnt another malfunction. Rayner pedaled the large mechanical beast forward towards the next rise, Making slowler movemnts,to lessen the noise of the Exo-suit's equipment. He stopped upon the the hill, flicking on the infrared vision as he gazed out over the plain. Three figures out against the cool desert. A grin flickered across his the scarred part of what remained of his lips.

"Well well, what do we have here?"