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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2011 1:59:45 GMT -5
The Land of Dragons... it was a dangerous place for those who did not understand the area. There were threats no matter what way you turned. Enemies could come in the form of heartless, nobodies, and even Huns. All of them were corrupted to the bone, and would do anything to destroy the hearts of the light.
The area itself was filled with snowy mountains, a fort located at the foot of the mountain and surrounded by a stream, and lastly a vast city where the Emperor himself resided. It was a large world. For there to be so many kinds of enemies was not surprising to the people who lived there.
Defense came in the form of an army that would do any country proud. This country served their Emperor with pride. They were fearless warriors who would lay down their own lives to protect the people they loved. Because of the countless attacks from enemies these heroes spent most of their youths in combat. They did not have the chance to see their homes until they retired from battle.
It was a sad feeling for Warriors of the Sun, but they kept their heads held high. They held an important role in this world, and they would pay whatever the cost to continue this role. What the armies of China did not know was of the stirring trouble in the mountains.
The armies of China have not collided with any large forces of evil in a few months. They ran into a few small companies of heartless or even Huns, but no large scale attacks. This worried the commanders of the army. While some of the commanders thought that this was a sign that the enemies forces were dwindling. Others did not agree with said argument. They argued that the forces of evil were planning something. Why else would there be such calm?
Commander Xhao stood in front of a pair of maps in his high tent. He was donned in his plated armor with a samurai's kantana sheathed to his side. Four stars on the right of his breast plate spoke his rank. His gloved hand ran over his goatee in thought. "There has been no word from any of the sentries?" He asked the man to his right.
The soldier the commander spoke to was the captain. He was a tall man whose head was bald and eyes green in color. His armor was fashioned just as the commander's except instead of four stars he had three on the side of his breast plate.
"No word sir. The sentries we posted there have not returned. I went out myself to check for any signs of their whereabouts. There was absolutely nothing sir. No proof that they were even there at all."
The words troubled the Commander. Sentries had been going missing for a week now. Every time he sent one out, they disappeared. "Something is up in the mountains. I'm sure of it! My men would not abandon their posts!"
The word treason had not been spoken, yet it was obvious that the Commander was troubled by the word. Seeing as there was no sign of struggle, treason was something he had to consider. "Do we send out another search party sir?"
The captain's question was answered with a shake of the head. "I doubt one more search will turn up anything. I want to know what or who is taking my men!"
Before the captain could reply the flap of the tent flew open. "Sir!" The newcomer was a simple soldier. This was quite clear by his older armor. "A party of three suddenly appeared in our camp. We don't know what to do... They just appeared."
Commander Xhao struck his goatee again. Three strangers suddenly appearing in his camp? Maybe they knew something about what was happening to his men. "Lead the way." He instructed.
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Red was pissed. He stood in the middle of what seemed like a war camp with a bunch of soldiers in armor pointing spears at him and Jean. Things had gone wrong the moment they had entered the world.
They had appeared in the middle of the morning. Red hadn't expected a fight. He had thought that Annalese would have placed them somewhere away from people. Before he could even react, men had surrounded them with spears in their hand.
Eyes shooting to Annalese, he frowned. "This is the last time I let you teleport us anywhere." Red had his hand on the hilt of his weapon. He had not drawn it yet. If these soldiers attacked though, he would be forced into action.
Red didn't know if he could take all of the soldiers in the camp. But he was not going to let himself get captured by anyone. And so it seemed they were stuck in a stalemate. All he could do was wait.
It seemed that the weight wasn't long. Not a moment later three men walked towards them. The one that stood out to Red was the one in the fancier, cleaner armor. He had long black hair tied into a pony tail and he had a brown goatee.
If Red had to place his age somewhere, he would have guessed him to be in his mid forties. In addition to his overall look, Red noticed four stars on the man's breast plate. He didn't know what they meant, but he could tell by the man's armor that he was important.
"Maybe you want to tell me why you are in my camp? Know that if you lie, I will know." That was all the man said.
Red didn't know what to do. He shot a look to Jean. Perhaps she would be able to explain things to this man.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 8, 2011 15:34:04 GMT -5
Annalese didn't like the way things turned out. She had teleported herself and the two humans to Land of Dragons. Unlike Red's teleportation abilities, her's were different. Different in that she couldn't control where they ended up. One had to have a good concentration and Annalese wasn't that sort of person. She could only hold her attention span long enough to teleport them to where they wanted to go. Now that they were here, she really goofed up it seemed.
Standing there, taking a foot back as she looked at all the spears pointing at them suddenly, she looked around. "Uh...oh!" she stated. As she stood there, she inhaled the air silently to detect if the weapons before her were silver or not. Still, a stake to the heart wouldn't be pleasant.
Like Red, Jean was none to happy with where they ended up. Still, the vampire girl had at least managed to get them from one world to the next. She would at least give her that. Jean could've done without the army pointing spears at them though. Looking at the soldiers' faces, they looked quite surprised to see the three of them there. She couldn't blame them, they had just popped up out of the blue in their midst. It was no wonder they would react the way they did. She kept her calm as she waited for whomever their commander was to appear. After all, it was an army and they wouldn't kill for no reason.
Annalese frowned back over at Red, glaring at him. "I didn't see you teleporting us, now did I?! Just be glad I got your sorry butts here to begin with! Excuse me for not being able to consciously control where in the world I want to go!" she snapped back. The nerve of him! Annalese could've just left them there to die. "Hmph!" she scoffed, crossing her arms and gave Red the cold shoulder. Right now, her mind had been taken off the spears pointed at her as she glared at the distance, ignoring everyone.
Jean just stayed put, sighing to herself as she heard Red's and Annalese's bickering next to her. It didn't take long before the army's commander arrived on the scene. Blinking, she looked over at him as he approached. Hearing his words, she glanced over at Red and Annalese. Seeing the look Red was giving her, Jean returned her gaze on the commander.
"We came here looking for friends of our's. It was accidental on our part that we ended up teleporting here in your midst." Jean was careful not to show signs of deception. People that were battle hardened usually could tell when someone was lying to them. She just hoped he would believe them. It wasn't like she could explain it any other way. The word teleportation, he probably had no knowledge of. Jean was quite surprised to see the place was at war. Last time she had been here, Land of Dragons had been in a peaceful state.
That just goes to show peace never lasted. Almost always, a war was going on somewhere to protect the peace and freedom of the people. Jean held herself in a poised, prepared stance. The way she carried herself, it were as if another commander were speaking to the other.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2011 16:01:41 GMT -5
Red was to busy fuming over Annalese's words to hear what Jean told the commander. "Oh just go and ignore me then. I might not be able to teleport, but if I did I would at least make sure to get us somewhere where we would go unnoticed." The part of Red that drove him to bicker back at Annalese's words was the teenager.
In all honesty there was a lot more to worry about at the moment. They had spears pointed at them for goodness sake. Seeing as Annalease was probably not going to respond, Red turned to the situation at hand. The Commander seemed to study the three of them as he stroked his goatee with his right hand.
"You must understand that these are difficult times... My men have been disappearing, and now you suddenly appear in the middle of my camp. I can not simply let you go. Yet that doesn't mean I must treat you harshly."
The Commander crossed his arms as he turned and spoke to the bald soldier at his side. Red recognized how tall this man was compared to most of the older soldiers. He had to have been at least six feet four inches maybe even more. Red didn't know what they were going to do.
"Lay down your weapons." The Commander told them. "You will be brought to my tent where you can better explain yourselves. If you truly mean no harm your weapons will be returned to you and you will be free to go." Red recognized the wisdom of the Commander's words.
Red didn't give up his weapon very easily. After all he had been through, it wasn't easy to just give it up. Yet he knew that if he didn't things would not turn out good. Red let out a sigh aloud. What choice did they really have. Unstrapping his weapon and letting it fall to the ground, he raised his hands up in defense.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 8, 2011 16:53:50 GMT -5
Annalese just kept her back turned to Red as he bickered back. Her nose in the air as she continued to ignore him. She might've been far older than Jean and himself but she was still young for a vampire. It wasn't unlikely that she would be acting this way since her kind's standards, she was still the teenage level in maturity still. She just frowned deeply with her back turned having heard his words. It wasn't her fault that she had ADD. If she didn't, they probably wouldn't have this problem. Still, she just gave him the cold shoulder. She didn't want to give him the benefit of knowing her reaction.
Jean just sighed to herself more hearing them fight verbally. Red, she could understand. Annalese, she didn't understand. Her maturity was...off for someone that should've lived longer than they did. She had assumed maturity wise that the girl vampire would've been more adult in personality than she was. It just goes to show that age sometimes didn't matter with the way your heart acted...erm, figuratively speaking that is. Jean wasn't even sure if Annalese had a heart to begin with.
Looking back at the commander, Jean showed no signs of disrespect. Such a thing would be foolish at a time like this. They were surrounded and he could easily have them killed off for any insolence. Something told her that this wouldn't be the case. Where he wasn't pleased to find them mysteriously in his army's midst, he wasn't beyond reasoning it seemed. He was very wise. Jean could at least tell that much with the way he chose his words.
Where they were to relinquish their weapons, he wouldn't have them harmed. Not unless, she was sure, if any of them had tried to escape. Jean didn't have any intentions of provoking an unnecessary conflict. She just hoped their explanation would be enough to let them off. Their current explanation wasn't enough. Just how much did he want from them?
Having no other choice, Jean merely nodded as she unstrapped the belt that carried her twin swords in their sheathes. She didn't think the commander lied to her. Setting the belt with her swords onto the snowy ground, Jean stood up and held up her hands in surrender like Red. Annalese was the last to relinquish her weapon. Unlike Jean and Red, her's was a whip. In anyone's eyes, it looked like a simple whip but it had an odd resistance to magic. Her nose scrunched up, Annalese put it on the ground and stood back up. All the while, she kept her back facing Red so she could keep ignoring him.
Reluctantly, she raised her arms in surrender too to show she was being submissive to their situation. She could've easily thrown people aside with her inhuman strength but she wasn't in the mood right now. Red had angered her so she felt no need to give anymore help right now with how ungrateful he acted.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2011 19:05:39 GMT -5
Once everyone had laid down their arms, the Commander made a circle motion with his hand. The men around them moved at once. Three dropped their spears and snatched the weapons that they had let drop by their feet. The group in front of them separated while the guards behind indicated them to move forward.
Red took notice that they did not drop their spears. "I guess they're cautious."[/color] He thought to himself. He couldn't blame for the general. If he had been in his position, he probably would have done the exact same thing. Red could only hope that the man was smart enough to see that they were not lying.
As they walked through the camp, Red's eyes focused on Annalese once again. He felt bad for the comment earlier. He shouldn't have snapped at her like that. So she made a mistake. Red had made plenty of them in his life. Sighing aloud, Red sped up his footwork so that he could walk in tune with Annalese.
Speaking softly so that only those immediately around them could hear he said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you." All Red could do was hope that Annalese would accept his apologies. He had done all that he could.
While the walk continued, a tent larger then the rest came into view. Two men stood in front of the tent with spears resting on their shoulders. While the soldiers around them varied in size and looks, the two guards in front were twins. They stood at six feet tall and were overly muscled. "I wouldn't want to mess with them."[/color] He said to himself.
The Commander halted before the tent. He turned to his solders, "You may go back to your own tents." Red heard the thump of the spear tapping against the floor and Red could almost picture the men behind them saluting their general. The two guards opened the flap of the tent and the Commander headed in first. The tall bald man stood at their side. He motioned to Red for him to follow.
Once inside, Red's eyes fell upon a long table with a group of maps. In addition to that, there was a bed, a weapons rack, a book shelf, and a couple of things a commander might have in his tent but a normal soldier might not. The Commander took a seat at a chair in the middle of the room and turned to the three of them.
"Who are these friends you three are looking for? And what do you mean you teleported into my camp?" The question was posted to Jean.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 8, 2011 21:31:02 GMT -5
This wasn't the place where Annalese had been hoping to end up. It was by complete accident that she and the others ended up in the midst of the army here. Keeping her back to Red, she did her best to give him the cold shoulder for now. That teenager was always treating her poorly. All she did was help them out and all she got was rebuke. She watched as their weapons were taken away from them. Next, they were being escorted into a large tent.
Obediently, Jean and Annalese followed the commander's lead into the tent. Walking before the guards, Jean and Annalese went where they were being beckoned. Jean was calm and level headed. She didn't like the fact they ended up here but she was glad their commander wasn't ill motivated. If they were, Jean and the others would have quite a problem here.
Annalese's eyebrows furrowed as she heard the teenager's footsteps quicken to walk alongside her. If he had intentions of being rude again, she would only ignore him. It surprised her though when he had finally apologized in a low tone of voice. For a moment, she looked over at him, blinking in surprise. "Apology accepted!" she replied in a similar, quiet tone. Her cold demeanor dropped now that she had received an apology from Red. Her mood less frigid now.
When they entered the tent, a pair of twins were seen which were overly bulky. A sure thing that they were not to be contended with. Watching the commander head through a flap in the tent, Jean followed Red's and Annalese's lead inside. Looking around, it looked to be the commander's personal tent. Annalese was tempted to go near some shiny things but did her best to refrain. There were too many humans with weapons for her to go and be herself.
Jean looked back at the commander as he spoke. Judging by how it seemed he was addressing her, Jean knew he was asking her these questions. How to explain she had come here to see her friends? He probably thought they were here for ill intentions. "I have come to find a few long time friends of mine. Their names are Sain, Rowen, Dyne and Ryu. They live somewhere in these mountains but aren't native to these lands. Last I knew, they were suppose to be living in peace but it looks like war has broken out here. They wore different colored armor and look like what you would call a ronin...Sain's is green, Rowen's a dark purple, Dyne's a black, and Ryu a red color. They're no older than myself in their mid-twenties. Did you happen to see anyone like that?"
Now, to answer his question about teleportation. At the question, Annalese had looked to Jean hoping she wasn't about to reveal they had come from a different world. If they did, it wouldn't be easy to explain. Not many believed such a tale. "Teleportation is an ability my teal haired friend here has. She is able to move us from one place to the next under a short period of time but can only move two people at a time. We were attempting to teleport out of anyone's way...but by mistake we found ourselves in your army's midst with spears pointed at us. We mean no one any harm."
While Jean had said all this, Annalese had begun to absentmindedly wobble front and back on her feet. Off in her own little world as the adults conversed. Her attention span had already gone else where.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 9, 2011 14:20:34 GMT -5
The Commander stroked his goatee with his hand. "He likes doing that doesn't he?" Red thought to himself. Red was actually surprised when Jean told the absolute truth. If it had been Red, he wouldn't have revealed their names... Or at least he would have made up different names for them.
Then again maybe Jean had done the right thing in telling the truth. "Ronin you say..." The Commander seemed to recognize the word. Red had no clue as to its meaning. "There is a problem you see.... If your friends really are in the mountains then perhaps they are the ones who are responsible for making my men disappear. I have had men stationed all over the mountain and all of them have gone missing."
Red understood the problem. If Jean's friends were responsible for the disappearance of the men in the army, it would make them enemies. "Or maybe our friends have gone missing too?" Red quickly pipped in.
The Commander turned his eyes on Red and studied him. "Perhaps..." He let his voice trail off. "This story of teleportation... is an interesting one. I have never heard of it before, but I understand that only a fool would blindly walk into an enemy camp. And I don't take either of you three as fools. Yet we still have a predicament you see? My men have still gone missing, and your friends could be the reason."
Red didn't like where this was going. Did the Commander plan on keeping them here? Red might have not had his cursed blade, but he still had an attack he could use that could help them in this situation. If it came down to running, he would create the distraction.
"This is what we will do!" The Commander proclaimed. "I will let you go to find you friends. But I am sending Captain Kira with you. He will question your friends." The Commander nodded to the bald headed man, who Red figured was Captain Kira. "Your weapons will be returned to you once you leave my camp." The Commander motioned for them to leave with a flick of the hand.
Apparently a distraction was not going to be needed. As Red was about to leave the Commander spoke up once more. "Oh. One more thing. If Captain Kira has not returned in three days, I will send the entire army after you." Red couldn't help but force down a gulp in his throat as he left the tent.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 10, 2011 0:54:02 GMT -5
Jean waited patiently as the commander stroked his goatee, mulling over what she had told him. As she stood there, she wondered what he could be thinking. When he spoke the word 'ronin' she had nodded to confirm it. All of her friends were adorned in ronin armor, well at least these pals of her's were. They weren't at all native to Land of Dragons. Where everyone here was Asian, they weren't. Nor were they Japanese. If anything, they resembled Jean's people in Gaia. Gaia had been their homeworld originally.
When the commander spoke, she listened intently. According to him, his men were disappearing on the mountain. It made him assume her friends had to do with the kidnapping of his people. Honestly, Jean wasn't sure about that. She knew her buddies well enough. They wouldn't do something like that without being provoked. Usually, they loved getting themselves involved in the thick of things but this didn't seem like them. It wasn't their way...unless something happened to them.
Red seemed to think that they too might've been captured. It was possible, now that she thought about it. Still, they weren't easy to catch. Whomever was able to had to be given credit for it since the four of them together were quite a handful. Still, she had no idea how to convince the commander.
In the meantime, Annalese just kept wobbling to and fro on her feet slowly. Her mind no longer in the conversation as she kept doing this. She seemed not able to really hold her attention for long. Jean heard the commander state that he would have let them go if circumstances had been different. He couldn't just let them go though. He would send them off with Captain Kira. Looking over at the bald man, she figured this was whom the commander spoke of. It was he who would question her friends.
"Understood. I don't blame you for resorting to such measures." In fact, Jean would've probably done the same if she were in the commander's position. When he motioned for them to go, she turned to leave. Annalese blinked, looking at the others starting to leave, she turned and sped up to keep up with them. "Don't leave me!"
Jean looked back over her shoulder when the commander stated that he would send the entire army after them if Kira wasn't back in three days. "Understood." Heading outside, Jean breathed. Well, at least they weren't kept as prisoners for the time being. The commander was giving them a chance to prove themselves as well as her friends. She didn't know who was capturing his men but it was unsettling to know.
Like Red, Jean didn't find the idea of the entire army chasing them a pleasant thing. She just hoped nothing unfortunate took place or they were screwed. Tramping through the snow, Annalese trailing closely behind the others, Jean started heading for the edge of the camp. "I hope they're not really behind this..." she murmured to herself.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2011 1:24:23 GMT -5
Red could tell that Jean was troubled by her thoughts. Hearing her murmur to herself simply confirmed Red's suspicion. "I'm sure they have nothing to do with it." He couldn't see Jean hanging out with anyone who might kill people without reason. Jean wasn't like the assassin. She had morals and her friends most likely did as well.
Where was the assassin? What had become of Ogre? These thoughts filled Red's mind. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen. He doubted that they had seen the last of the assassin. "The only one to be killing him will be me."[/i] The assassin's words echoed in Red's mind. Their dealings with the assassin were not over yet.
When the end of the camp came in sight, Red was surprised to see Captain Kira waiting for them. "How had he beaten us here?"[/i] Red thought to himself. They had moved in a straight line for the most part.
The Captain held their weapons in his hands. As soon as Red walked up to Kira, his weapons were handed back to him. Getting out of the way so that Jean and Annalese could retrieve their weapons, he threw his sheath over his back and reattached the belt so that it was snug tight. Once the Captain had handed out the rest of the weapons, he turned to face the mountain before them.
Red gazed up at it as well. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. However there was no mistaking the feeling that things were about to change. He couldn't help but feel that by the time they walked down the mountain things will have changed. "Let's find those friends of yours." Red said to Jean. He waited for her to take the lead.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 11, 2011 2:02:47 GMT -5
Annalese looked about the camp as they passed the many tents and soldiers it contained. There was a slight skip in her step, as if she were merely striding down a playground without a care in the world. Obviously, the seriousness of their situation didn't really bother her. Either that or she was oblivious to it all. Which, if anyone knew her problem, would've known she was merely entertaining herself and in her own little world again.
Jean trampled through the snow in thought. She knew for a fact her friends wouldn't intentionally do anyone else harm. Of course, Sain and Dyne were the more...argumentative sort but never without reason would they abduct or attack someone.
Were they captured then too? She wasn't sure what to think. Jean just hoped they would be alive and well. She didn't want to think her friends would be taken away from her too. When Red spoke up, Jean looked over at him when he spoke. "I'd like to think so..." she trailed off and sighed again. Jean had enough faith to know they wouldn't just do anything without reason, not unless they were controlled by some unknown force.
"I just hope they're alright." She didn't notice anything strange about Captain Kira until they finally reached the edge of the camp with him already standing there, waiting for them. Blinking, Jean wondered how it was possible for him to have gotten there before them when the entire time, she had almost been certain he had been walking in stride with them. Annalese seemed to wonder the same thing as she piped up. "He's a swift footed human!" she stated just out of his ear shot upon approach.
Jean and Annalese stood before him curiously as he handed them their weapons. Annalese strapped her whip to her waist, ready to leave as Jean put her belt back on with her swords in her sheathes. Confident with her weapons back at her sides, Jean looked up at the mountain and her eyes narrowed a little as if to try and draw out her answers from the depths of the mountains' peaks. As if her eyes alone could bore right through the mountains and find her friends somewhere on them. When Red spoke, she looked over at him as if she were coming out of a trance.
"Yeah, let's go before anymore trouble takes place." she agreed. With that, Jean headed out of the camp with a respectful nod in Captain Kira's direction. She wouldn't do him any harm. She just hoped they were able to solve whatever was going on before the entire army was sent after them. Three days was all the commander had given them. Luckily, they were very close to the mountains otherwise this would've felt more stressful.
Quickening her strides, Jean breathed in anticipation. The thought of her friends being in trouble worried her. Still, if there was anyone that could get them out of a sticky situation, she certainly could. Jean had been their former general. Anything they couldn't handle together, she certainly could. Jean was determined to get to the bottom of this as she focused straight ahead at the tall, snowy mountains that looked down at all that lay about them undisturbed by the events taking place in the world.
Annalese just merely skipped about, following. Yes, she really was a childish vampire alright. She couldn't care any less though. Her attention span wasn't the greatest. It wasn't long before she took note of the snow under her feet. A thought struck her about making a snowball but not right now. She would have to suffice with just kicking the snow before her up into the air. Since she wasn't near anyone, no one was in danger of getting bombarded by the particles of snow that got sent flying into the cold air.
"Do you want me to tell you about the keyblade now, Red or do you want me to wait until everything's settled?" she questioned Red in barely a whisper so that only he would hear as she walked the same pace as he.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2011 12:31:38 GMT -5
As the adventure into the mountains began, Red's mind was preoccupied. The subject of this preoccupation was of course the assassin. His words continued to trouble Red to the greatest degree. What had happened to going their separate ways? Was he still working for the hooded figures?
There were just too many questions, and not enough answers. Despite everything Red had learned in the Enchanted Domain, he was as far away from answers as he always was. The only reason they had come to this world was because the Enchanted Domain was dangerous. Red didn't have much hope in finding any new information here at all.
The climb up the mountain was largely uneventful. It seemed to Red that they were keeping a steady pace and by the end of today they would reach the middle of the mountain. He had no idea where Jean's friends were exactly, but he doubted they would reach them today.
As walked, Jean's question caught him off guard. He had forgotten all about that question. Maybe he would learn something new on this world. Not being able to hide a smile Red responded. "You can tell me now. We don't have anything better to do."
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Unknowingly to Red and the entire company, a single man dressed in white camouflage watched them. He was a skinny man, and the only thing one might have been able to see was the small slit of his eyes. His head was wrapped in a snow cap and mouth covered in a white scarf. He watched the company above, his eyes studying their every move.
He did not know the purpose of their journey up this mountain. He did recognize the bald man beside them though. Captain Kira was a nuisance. Because of Captain Kira's traveling with the party, the man couldn't help but associate Red, Jean, and Annalese with the Chinese Army.
Slowly backing away from the ledge he watched from, he moved without a sound. If Jean, Annalese, or Red were to see them, they would have had to focus on the very ledge he had been laying on. Even so they most likely would think him simply an animal.
Once he was sure he was out of view of those below, the sentry stood. He then sprinted off until at last he came to a cave. Once he was at the cave he slowed his pace. He was safe now. Unraveling the scarf off his face, it was quite clear that the man was a hun.
His venture into the cave was uneventful until he came to a certain corridor. Tapping on the wall to his right he was not surprised when the wall opened like a door. Walking through the open crevice the sentry found himself in front of a large open area with a small pool of lava in the center. The room he stood in was huge. It had to be to fit the several hundred tents that were scattered around the area.
The sentry passed several huns who all greeted him with a nod. Making his way through the camp, he came to a stop at a large tent. Two small men with giant clubs stood in front of it. "I have news for Ellac." He said. The two huns nodded and he proceeded inside the tent.
Ellac's tent was set up similar to the Commander's tent down below. There was a map of all the underground tunnels laid out on a table that Ellac stood in front of. Ellac himself was every bit the hun that his father was. Large and bulky, and eyes as dark and penetrating as his fathers. Unlike his father he had a clean shaven face.
Dressed in the same gear of his father, he even wore the same sword on his back. "Sir." The sentry said with a salute. Ellac had been conversing with the same stranger as before. The strange was dressed in a robe and cowl that completely hid his face and features. The sentry couldn't help but feel two things towards the stranger.
The first was a feeling of hatred. After all the reason they were here was because the stranger had promised Ellac the revenge that he sought. The second was a feeling of immense fear. The man gave off an aura that would have sent Even Ellac's father running for the hills. "A new party has ventured out into the mountain. Captain Kira leads the group, but the soldiers with them are.... odd."
Ellac's eyes perked up at that last word. "They are not dressed the same way as the other warriors. There is a boy with a scar on his face, a woman with white hair and two swords, and a girl with green hair."
A small smile crossed the leader's lips. "Thank you. Leave." The sentry did so. Ellac turned to his hooded companion. "These are the people you seek? Then I will get my revenge?" The hooded figure nodded.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 11, 2011 17:14:10 GMT -5
Jean wondered about the assassin too. She didn't see any benefit of him getting himself involved in their situation back in Enchanted Domain. Did it really mean they would be dealing with him again? Jean didn't like the looks of things. Why did he go and let those damned fiends control him? She thought she had made a break through with him. Just goes to show she was proved wrong. No matter, she would deal with anyone threatening to do her friends harm. She didn't care who they were.
As they walked, she waited to hear Red's response. If he wanted to hear it later, that was fine. She was just trying to find something for them to do while they traveled. Maybe they could learn a little about Captain Kira too while they were at it? Then again, he probably wouldn't want to really talk with them much. Still, it wouldn't be good to just ignore the guy. They weren't bad people after all.
Annalese just skipped through the snow again. If there was an opportune moment to let loose a bit, she just might cause a snow ball fight with Red for the hell of it. Sure, he'd probably get mad but she didn't think twice on that right now. She was too caught up in the idea of snowball fighting. He had quite the temper on him, that was for sure.
Jean smiled a little when Red confirmed that it was fine to go ahead on the keyblade information she knew about. "Alright, a keyblade is a blade in the shape of a key. The weapon itself is very unique and very powerful. Anyone lucky enough to be chosen by a keyblade becomes its wielder. With it, one can either save those of the light from the Heartless, Nobodies, or Unversed and darkness....or they can throw the worlds into chaos and let the darkness consume all." Pausing as they climbed a rather steep portion of the mountain, Jean breathed.
"It's not easy to fight someone with a keyblade ebcause their hearts are so strong and the weapon makes them so pwoerful."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2011 19:10:52 GMT -5
Red didn't like Jean's explanation. He didn't like it one bit. The reason for this dislike was obvious. They were up against someone who did wield such a weapon. Jean seemed to revere those who had such a weapon. And it was rightly so if her explanation was to be believed. But what would cause someone to let "darkness", as Jean had put it, run free?
It was quite clear that Red was deep in thought on the manner. Hand going to his weapon he liked the comfort of feeling the hilt. It made him feel safer. "What would cause someone to turn against the light?" It was a question that many people often asked. For the most part, everyone's answer was different.
People did certain things, look certain ways, because of the experiences in their lives. Experiences made people what they were. "How evil does someone have to be to so easily kill another?" He asked himself. The words were loud enough though that Jean could most likely hear the question.
Of course the question was about Big Mama. Ever since the events in the Enchanted Domain she remained fresh in his mind. She had mouthed something to him that final day. At the time, he had clearly thought she had mouthed the word "run." But now he wasn't to sure. If only he could have read lips. Maybe then he would have understood what she said.
All of a sudden the company was forced to a halt as Captain Kira motioned for them to stop with a raise of the arm. He had his hand on his sword and his eyes focused on the path ahead of them. Red looked from him to where he the Captain was starring.
He couldn't see anything on the rising path ahead. Just more and more rock. Some vegetation here and there, and as his eyes followed up he could even see some snow. "I hate the cold."[/i] He thought.
"Why are we...." Red never finished the sentence. A firecracker raced their way from above. Red didn't have much time to do anything but react. He grabbed Jean, who he was closest too, and pulled her back as he leaped.
A loud bang sounded as the firecracker hit the earth. Red blinked as smoke covered where the firecracker hit. He hadn't been hit by anything, but his ears rang and he could not hear anything. He couldn't help but wonder if Jean and Annalese had dodged the blast.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 11, 2011 22:48:32 GMT -5
Jean wondered the same question when Red asked her that. Who would ever want to cause such turmoil? It was strange that anyone would ever go to such measures to cause such a thing. Still, everyone had their experiences in life, that could be why anyone would ever consider such a thing. Then again, you'd have to have gone through a lot for you to even consider it. When you did, it meant you were insane. At least, that was how she saw it. Anyone had to be crazy to want to go and do that.
"That's an answer everyone's been trying to figure out, Red. I wouldn't know the answer to all of it myself. Everyone has a different path in life. Different experiences...not all good." That was the only real answer she could think of. When Red went on to ask how evil someone had to be to even think of it, she shrugged.
"I tend to think someone is off their rocker by then. Or their perception on what they think should be is off." That was all she could really think of and nothing more. Then again, what was right and what was wrong? Who were they to judge? Then again, who were the others to destroy all that lived? It was crazy! As they walked, she didn't notice they were being watched. She only noticed when Captain Kira suddenly stopped.
Pausing as he held out a hand, Jean looked around. Her hands immediately went to the hilt of her swords as she frowned slightly. What was wrong?
Annalese had to be the only one oblivious as she merely gave Captain Kira a confused expression. "What's the matter?" she asked. It wasn't long before that question was answered. Without warning, something came flying out.
Before Jean knew it, Red had knocked her to the ground. Everyone, that had been aware at the time, had dived to the ground. Annalese, even though her reaction had been a little delayed, had managed to just barely drop down at the sight of the firework flying at them.
"The hell was that?!" Jean exclaimed. Annalese was already on her feet again flailing a fist in the direction from whence the firecracker came. "WATCH IT!"
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2011 23:35:31 GMT -5
The ringing in Red's ears slowly subsided. Once it was gone, Red became aware of Jean's voice. Hers was the first that spoke. Slowly getting up, Red drew his sword from its sheath. He needed to be ready for another attack if it came.
Hearing Annalese's voice next Red figured that everyone must have made it out alright. "Are you alright Captain Kira?" Red asked aloud.
Red didn't know what to do when a response wasn't returned. Backing away from the small cloud of smoke, he noticed Jean and Annalese. Despite the small explosion they looked alright. Perhaps a little shaken up, but that was expected. Even Red was having a hard time keeping his head straight.
As his eyes flowed across the small crater the firecracker had created, Red found Captain Kira near the wall. Apparently the blast had thrown him into the side of the mountain, but he seemed okay for the most part. The Captain had a kantana drawn and ready.
It seemed they were all ready for an attack. As the smoke cleared Red prepared for another attack. He waited, sword at the ready. After three minutes had passed, Red felt a bit foolish. Was that really it? "If they really thought that would kill us they must be stupid." Red commented out loud.
Placing his weapon back in its sheath he turned to the rest of the company. "I think we should be careful." Red had no clue as to who just attacked them, but form now on he would be careful. He would look for any sort of attack from any direction.
Seeing no other reason to keep waiting here he turned to Jean. "How close are we to your friends?" Red asked Jean. He began to continue on the path again. He would let Jean take the lead of course, especially since she knew this world better then he. But he wanted to continue moving.
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The hooded figure watched from a secluded area. To his side stood Ellac. He was restless watching the scene below. "I thought you wanted them dead. Isn't that the point of all of this?" It was clear to the hooded figure that Ellac was restless.
"Patience is a virtue my friend." It was all the hooded figure said. Ellac began pacing. He was a restless one. The hooded figure could tell it was due to the man's youth. He believed he had waited forever for his revenge.
The hooded figure had been planning his revenge for hundreds of years. This man new nothing of patience. He was a complete idiot to be honest. The hooded figure turned around abruptly and began walking away. True it had been on the hooded figure's orders that the attack had been made, but he had not made the attack.
Seeing that Ellac wasn't going to be settled with no reasoning behind the hooded figure's request, the figure responded again. "It is always good to test the waters before going for a swim. Who wants to swim in freezing water?"
Even though Ellac couldn't see the figure, the person was grinning.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 12, 2011 2:09:40 GMT -5
Annalese frowned at where she had seen the firework come from. Not that she saw anyone there though. Her senses were stronger but the smell of smoke and the snow and scents of her friends prevented her from detecting anything else. She was on the alert before finally calming down a little. "Guess they left?" she suggested with a shrug. Seeing that the other humans were alright, Annalese wasn't worried. Captain Kira smelled hurt but when she looked at him, he seemed okay. It was only a few days since she last fed so anyone bleeding wouldn't bother her all that much. She would be able to resist.
Jean had her swords out too as she looked around in silence. Nothing else seemed to take place but it was obvious there was someone out here. She knew her friends wouldn't randomly shoot at her with a firework like that. There was definitely someone here that shouldn't be. Someone that had a problem with the whole lot of them.
Calming down a little, she nodded in agreement at what Red said. Her nerves had been on high and she slightly shook in her surprise and from the adrenaline rush that had resulted. Steadying her breathing and rapidly beating heart, she looked toward the others. Everyone looked alright. "My friends shouldn't be too far. Their home though is not easy to find. I'll have to give a code name once I get there." Annalese just tilted her head and looked at Jean funny. What the hell was a code name?
Turning, Jean gestured for them to follow as she kept a look out for anything else that might signify danger. "They're just over the right pathway. A temple embedded in the rock wall." As she said it, she grew worried. Had they been discovered and captured? If not all of them, had some of them been captured? She hoped not.
Another good thirty minutes of walking passed before Jean stopped and looked up at the rock face. There, no more than half a football field away, was the temple. It was red inc color, the roof shingles a dark, dull brown. "That would be their home...but are they home?" she stated to no one in particular at that last sentence as she made her way right up to the temple.
"Who goes there?" came a sudden voice that seemed to hold no body to it. Jean gave a start as she looked around. "My name is Jean. I've come to find my friends, the ronin here." she stated. Her hand going to her sword hilts carefully.
"Code name?" was the only response. "...Code name is..." Jean sighed and rolled her eyes. "Do I really have to say it?" she stated grumpily. The voice laughed a little. "Of course you do, it's the password. You don't say it, we can't let you in or even see us!" Jean planted her forehead and face into her right hand at this and sighed in exasperation. Her face colored a little bit.
"...P-Panties!" she said, a little red. The other voice snickered before quite suddenly, a man appeared as if out of thin air, clad in dark purple armor. From what they could see, he had a hint of light blue hair peeking out from under his helmet and deep brown, mirthful eyes. "Can't believe you actually said it, Jean!" he mused, looking at her and holding his sides as he laughed. Another armored figure came into view and shook his head at the previous one. He was clad in green armor with bright blue eyes peering out at them. They seemed more calm but serious than the previous guy. Looking toward the others, he just shook his head. "Don't mind Rowen, he's...a little twisted." Rowen ceased laughing before frowning over at the green armored male. "C'mon Sain1 I twas all in good fun!" Rowen retorted.
Sain just shut his eyes and lightly frowned. "Rowen, I can't believe you told General Jean that was the code name!" Rowen just shrugged before looking at the others. "So sue me, Sain...anyways, nice to see you again, Jean~. And who might these friends of your's be?" Rowen finally questioned the lot. Sain had opened his eyes then to look more fully between them, his eyes settling curiously upon Red after he took note of Annalese and Captain Kira.
"These are my friends, Red" *She indicated Red by looking over at him, then to Annalese. "Annalese..." she trailed off before glancing over at Captain Kira next. "And Captain Kira."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 2:35:56 GMT -5
Red spent the majority of the journey to the temple in silence. His eyes constantly scanned the areas in front of them and the areas above. Where was the enemy? Had the firework really been an attack? Or was it some freakish occurrence?
The chances of it being a mistake was low. When soldiers were disappearing with no traces of their existence the chances of there being an enemy increased. That firework was no mistake. Someone had attempted to hurt them. But why? And why stop at simply one?
No answer came to Red's mind. Red's hand never left his blade as they traveled. He was on edge, that much was clear. If Annalese had decided to throw a snowball at him, as she had thought about earlier, she would find Red retaliating with a weapon not another snowball.
Red truly hoped that Jean's friends were safe. If they had been captured.... He didn't even want to complete the thought. After what seemed like to long, the temple came in sight. Red had never seen a temple before and he found it interesting.
What did one do at a temple? What was its purpose? As they grew near, a sudden voice made Red draw his sword. He could not see the originator of the voice. Sword resting at his side, Red was prepared to attack at the slightest thing that moved.
Surprising to Red, Jean answered the voice. Glancing at her as if she was crazy. Did she really expect the voice to answer back? Apparently she knew what she was doing because the voice answered back.
Code name... Red understood the purpose of a Code Name. They were often used back in the Enchanted Domain. When Red heard the code name, he almost dropped his weapon. "Really... really? Panties?" He said to himself aloud.
It was the sort of code word that Ogre would have made up... Ogre." Sadness overcame Red at the thought of his former best friend. He had trusted Ogre with everything. They had been brothers, and he threw that all away.
Due to Red's grief he missed the appearance of Sain and Rowin. He hadn't watched them appear from the temple. In addition he missed the conversation between them and Jean. It was only when Jean introduced Red that he was pulled out of the grief and back into reality.
Placing his weapon back in its sheath, Red glanced at the two mercenaries. With just one look at Rowin he could tell that he was a hooligan. Sain seemed to be the more mature of the two. Red didn't say anything about it being nice to meet them. He wasn't about to trust someone he just met. They would have to earn his trust.
"I thought you said there were four." It was something that perhaps Captain Kira would have asked not Red. It was impolite on Red's part and he knew it. Yet he couldn't help being impolite when jealousy began forming.
Looking at Jean and her companions he saw something that he never had. Jean cared about these individuals. And these individuals cared for her the same way. He had never had that before. Growing up he had one friend. And now that friend had betrayed him. Red had no one now.
Captain Kira simply watched the happenings. He too seemed to be waiting for the appearance of the other two. Once he saw them, he would question the ronin about the disappearances on the mountain.
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Post by Sprow on Apr 12, 2011 3:22:16 GMT -5
Annalese was a bit startled to see the humans just appear out of thin air before them right after Jean had said the code name. Like Red, Annalese had been surprised to hear that had been the code name. "Panties?!" she exclaimed with a scrunched up nose. Just what in the world were they dealing with here? "How the heck do you even do that? I didn't even sense you!" she stated in amazement.
Sain looked briefly over at the teal haired girl. "It's the ancient powers embedded in the walls of the temple. No form of detection is able to penetrate these walls, not even supernatural senses. A worthy dwelling for those like us." He looked back over at Rowen whom nodded his head in agreement.
"At the mention of the code name, like I had Jean so kindly speak for us..." he trailed off, smirking deviously at Jean whom frowned at him.
"Don't make me strangle you." Rowen just chuckled in response before winking at her playfully before continuing.
"The password or code name allows those to finally see through the detection barriers put up and allow you entry. Anyone who doesn't know it never know we're even here."
They were suddenly cut short by Red's voice. Ignoring how rude the remark seemed, Sain exchanged glances with Rowen then. Rowen rubbed the back of his helmet and sighed. "Well, Dyne's inside chilling...any ideas where Ryu is, Sain?" Sain shrugged before adding "He could be in the meditation chamber." Rowen shrugged before looking back over at the lot of them. "Well, where are our manners? C'mon inside!" he gestured.
With that, both headed inside the temple. It was an indication for the party to follow them. Jean, glancing over at Red with a raised eyebrow questioningly, headed in first after them. Annalese stooped down low, scooped up some snow and took that opportune moment to take aim at Red's turned back. She wanted to at least cream somebody with a snowball before making her way into the temple. Unfortunately for Red, she picked him out of the others to attempt this on.
Pulling her arm back, after taking careful aim, she tossed it at Red in attempts to hit him behind the head with it. It was void of ice or rocks so the snow hitting him wouldn't hurt. If anything, if it hit, it would surprise him. Probably even anger him, now that she thought about it when she realized last minute what she just did. 'Uh oh!' she thought.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2011 14:52:22 GMT -5
Listening to Sain's answer Red said nothing in return. The faster they got inside, the faster they could figure out what to do and get out of here. Maybe coming here hadn't been the greatest of ideas... Red knew that thought wasn't logical. Coming here had probably been the best thing for them. Jean's friends would most likely help them in anyway they could. Red just wasn't in the greatest moods.
When Jean shot him a questioning look, Red's head turned away. He tried to hide the look of guilt on his face. His being rude was not going to help convince them to help. They came here for their help, not to treat them rudely. Trying his best to let his anger slip away, Red began to follow Jean inside the temple.
It seemed though that Annalese had other plans in mind. Red had not expected the snowball, but he could feel the change in the air. He could hear the sound of it as it neared the back of his head. Red let his instincts do the work. His sword was out in a second as he spun around and sliced the incoming snowball straight in half.
His face was filled with seriousness as he noticed Annalese. He understood that she was most likely just trying to have some fun. Yet he was not in the mood to have that kind of fun. He said nothing to her. He simply returned his blade back into his sheath. However his face had said all that he needed to. "Try that again." It had said with scowling eyes and angry lips.
Normally Red would have taken the action as a challenge and a snowball fight would have broken out. Blame the mood, blame the seriousness of the situation, whatever the reason Red was not being his usual self.
As he entered the temple he heard Captain Kira, who had entered before him, ask one of the two mercenaries, "I was wondering if I could perhaps ask you and the rest of your party a few questions? I have been sent by my Commander who has made camp on the base of the mountain."
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Post by Sprow on Apr 12, 2011 22:12:07 GMT -5
Jean, unaware of what Annalese had just tried doing to Red, had already gone into the temple. Annalese blinked as Red sliced the snowball in two with his sword with relative ease. His reflexes were amazing for a human being, that was for sure. She didn't see that many humans with interesting reflexes. "Wow!" she replied in amazement.
The look on Red's face though said she was in for some trouble. Wondering what his problem was, Annalese just tilted her head as she looked back at him. She was quite used to his fits of anger by now anyway. She had gone through many sides of it and knew by now that he wasn't the sort to take things lightly. Did this kid ever get out and live a little? Even still, the somewhat friendlier mood he had back at the camp was gone. Hearing his words, she let out a sigh. "You don't really get out and live a little, do you?" she stated.
Rolling her eyes, she just let it go for now. Obviously, Red was the moody sort. Better to leave him alone right now and not go and push anymore of his buttons. This thought, however, wouldn't remain in her mind. Annalese's attention span was terrible and as soon as she thought of leaving Red alone, it wouldn't last for long. Somehow and some way, she would annoy him by some other means. Most of it was unintentional but there would most likely be a time where she might purposely do it.
Entering the temple after the others, giving Red his space, Annalese looked around the given area. It was an ancient temple but the further in they got, the more modern it became. The wood inside wasn't as old as it appeared on the outside. It was coated in a nice shade of red and looked as if time had never touched it. Lanterns were hung lining the hall they walked down. All held up by hooks that were embedded in the walls.
A largely lit room soon opened up before them and they were in what appeared to be a lounging area. As Rowen and Sain entered, the others would not notice immediately the dark armored one sitting upon a cushion away from the others peering up at them curiously. Unlike Rowen and Sain, he hadn't a helmet on his head revealing dark brown medium shagged hair. His eyes were hazel and looked quite bright and alert, mildly curious about the sudden arrival of company. Across his throat, a thin scar ran from the top right of his jawline to the bottom left of it just over the vocal cords. If anyone were to see it, they'd notice at the vocal cord area, the neck seemed to have received most of the damage there. A possible implication that this man was mute.
As Jean walked in, she looked around. "Nice place you guys have here." Sain merely nodded while Rowen just smirked.
"Of course this place is nice, you didn't expect anything less now did you?" he retorted. Jean rolled her eyes while Sain merely put his face in the palm of his hand in response to Rowen's arrogance. Making his presence known, the black armored figure came off the cushion and walked over, helmet in hand as he peered over at the company curiously. Looking back over at Rowen, he made an odd series of hand gestures.
Rowen appeared to know what he was saying...until he actually worded what the other was trying to say. "Yeah, Dyne. It's Jean and her friends. No, you can't take her into your room and d-!" The next string of words had gotten Rowen knocked over the head by an upset Dyne who looked absolutely livid that Rowen would say such a thing. Shaking his head, finally focusing his attention on Jean, Dyne gave her a shake of the hand with a smile on his face. There was a faint coloring to it out of embarrassment from what Rowen had been implying earlier.
Jean smiled back at him. "Good to see you too, Dyne! Nice shot, I couldn't have done it better myself!" she mused. Dyne's smile widened as he nodded. Making a gesture with his fist, he pointed at Rowen as if to say 'I'll knock his lights out if he tries that again.' Jean chuckled at it as Rowen cursed, rubbing the top of his head where Dyne had hit him.
Sain looked at the other who might've not understood why Dyne wasn't speaking. "Sorry for not explaining earlier but Dyne cannot speak, he is what you would call a mute." Dyne nodded at this as he looked to the rest and shook the other's hands, who would let him, in greeting and smiled at them all in a friendly manner.
All of them paused as Captain Kira finally spoke, surprisingly in a well mannered fashion. Rowen made to speak but Dyne covered his mouth and shook his head at Rowen as if telling him not to. Sain laughed a little at that before turning to Captain Kira and nodding in agreement. "Sure, you may. Let me just go and get Ryu from the meditation chamber." With that, Sain turned and headed off. At that time, Rowen had managed to slip free of Dyne's grasp and give his dark armored companion a slightly disgruntled look.
"The hell was that for?!" he growled before looking back to the others. "Well, make yourselves at home. Ryu might be a minute." Once that was said, Dyne gestured over at a set of cushions for them all to sit upon.
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