Overgaze. (A Database Original Tale)

The locks of the suitcase snapped open, as Kuro looked cautiously at the door. Whatever Aidan's gift was, he didn't intend for Efari to know. He didn't consider the small woman a threat, but caution had served him well in the past. The suitcase's top struck his knees with a dull thud, and he looked down at the items inside.

His eyes raised, then opened wide. He reached in, wrapping his fingers around the handle of a pistol. It was a blaster, with a long, powerful barrel. It was lined with dark nickel, and a tight, comfortable handle. He lifted the weapon until it caught the light. A gentle smile spread across his lips.

"Hello, my friend." He brought it closer. The blaster looked like an antique, and had a weight Kuro found comfortable. The weapon reminded him of an Old World hand cannon. Its design template may well have been based on one. A single word was stamped across the barrel.

MatteHorn. The dark skinned squire didn't know what it meant, but it had a nice ring. Aidan seemed to have a fascination with old languages. Kuro reached into the suitcase, and pulled out two leather straps. One was clearly built to affix to either a belt, or around the torso and underneath a jacket.

The second was a strange, flat block. Kuro searched his own clothing for anywhere it could belong, but frankly, he didn't see any use for it. He put it back into the suitcase.

The last item was a knife. This interested Kuro as much as the gun. He could see rivets in the handle. The same metal as the gun. He reached for it, eager to see its quality. Before he could, he heard the door to the apartment open.

"EIDONNA!!" Kuro jumped at his roommate's shrill scream. He wasn't expecting 'Donna so soon. He sighed, and shut the suitcase. He had a lot to speak with her about.

_________________________________________________________

Jacala bit into a lumpy, purple piece of hard candy, snapping it with her teeth. She chewed it, then swallowed. Stradivar stared ponderously off into the distance, as the two of them relaxed in their apartment.

The massive, muscular man shifted in his chair, starting across the room to retrieve an apple from the bowl on the table. Jacala tossed another piece of candy into the air, and bit down on it. "Good to have a day off, huh?"

Stradivar grunted. Their repartee was sparing, and always one sided. The pair of them lazed about in their casual clothing, eating, sleeping, and enjoying their free time. Jacala gave Stradivar a sharp look, one that was enough to turn the man's head.

"You should start dating again. I have some friends who might be interested." She considered him a moment, sitting up. "You're built like a glacier, for Christ's sake. It's a waste for you NOT to be seeing SOMEONE."

"Mind your business," Stradivar yawned at the woman, and sat on the couch, biting into the apple. "Not enough time in the day to look after a lady anyway." Jacala shrugged her shoulders, then grinned.

"You're just worried Aidan would steal her." Jacala balanced a candy on her finger, then bit it. "You're boring, and he's on top of the world." She spoke as she chewed. "Or, if guys are your thing, there's the new kid."

Stradivar rolled his eyes, then, looked straight up, his grey eyes fixed on the ceiling as he scratched his jaw. "Squire, on his first day. What's special about him? Shere Khan has been stalking around for years."

"...You're very talkative today," the woman noted. She smiled. "I'm proud of you. Coming out of your shell." Jacala turned towards him, ready to seriously answer. "He's been ducking Myriad patrols for years, and hospitalized the majority of the soldiers sent to capture slash kill him. His combat and stealth prowess are clearly nothin' to shake a stick at."

Stradivar shook his head. "Surely. But SQUIRE." Stradivar grunted the last word as he straightened himself, meeting Jacala's gaze. "Most Squires are either young and promising men or women, selected by older Wars. Some are older men with more experience, which is a bracket Khan falls into nicely. Aidan's choice sets him apart pretty far. Bagheera is only a few years younger than him, and doesn't seem particularly bright. It's as if he picked a little brother with no job."

Jacala pointed her finger. "Wouldn't YOU pick ME?"

"Well yes. You're my cousin." Stradivar cocked his head to the side. "But between the Myriad Patrols sent by Dr. Fried to catch him, they don't seem to be familiar with each-other."

"They might be childhood friends."

"...Would Aidan really fill one of his most important personnel slots just to catch up with a childhood friend? The man who killed the last War, and his entire inner circle, with nothing but his wits, a sword, Shere Khan's support, and us? You really think Aidan's sentimental?"

"I think he promoted a childhood friend. That's proof enough that he might have an illogical side."

Stradivar's shoulders lowered, conceding potential defeat in the conversation. "Maybe he thinks Kuro is just that good. He went toe to toe with Shere Khan up close. Not even I'd take that challenge, and I'm 'a walking glacier.'"

"...I didn't hurt your feelings with that comment, did I, big guy?"

"A little."

Jacala stood, and gave her cousin an uncomfortable hug. She disengaged. "You know you're one of, like, ten people on earth that I like, right?"

"Even then you're a jerk. You have the worst possible personality, cousin."

Jacala picked up and threw a hard candy at Stradivar's forehead. He flinched, as it rebounded off of his brow.

Aidan wiped his brow, and smoothed his eyelashes, as he set his sheathed blade down beside his lap. His shirt was discarded, across the room as he practiced. A straight, meter thick slab of sheer, smooth marble sat imposingly in front of him.

He turned his eye to his sword, Arondight.

It was a weapon wielded by only him, and the Warlords of old. Arthur, the very first in recorded history, had wielded the blade. Passed from Atilla to Estrogen, and down and down the list of Warlords, it once rested in the hands of Nathan, the previous war before Aidan.

Aidan still had scars from Arondight's blade, where it had fallen on his shoulder and carved at his leg. His skill alone had bested Nathan, disarmed him, and he'd claimed the capricious, happy blade for himself.

The old sword had been modified, and bolstered with modern metallic folding. The modifications were in line with the quality of the blade, creating a devastating melee weapon. An extension of Aidan King's sheer willpower.

So long as he had the strength to swing it, it had the strength to cut.

Aidan's muscles tensed, and in an instant, he moved. His scabbard was seized by his right arm, and the handle of the blade with his left. His left leg straightened, and his right foot slashed across the floor as his arm swung, freeing the blade. Without a sound, his blade came around in a flash of silver.

The only sounds were a lash of wind, and a brief, smooth, metallic swoosh, both occuring faster than a gunshot. The slab of marble showed no damage, until the top half began to slide.

The blade had passed clean through, parting the marble slab at a ninety degree angle. Aidan stood up straight, admiring his work. He'd made the cut with his left arm, the sword completely undamaged, and the marble parted. It was a mighty swing, and took great effort and concentration, but it was still a testament to his mastery.

He was not left handed. Aidan shook the soreness out of his arm, and slid his sword back into the scabbard as a knock came to the door.

"Master Aidan," a Myriad soldier spoke loudly at the training room door, "the King demands an audience."

Aidan nodded, for a moment unaware that the guard couldn't see him. "Allow him in," Aidan said calmly and confidently. He raised his head and squared his shoulders, as the King of Andell's guards entered. They always came first, laying out a clean, straight path into the room.

The King, Llargo Lindocruz, stepped in second. Aidan saluted him, hand to forehead, feet touching, and his left hand behind his back. King Lindocruz grimaced at him with disgust, and...

Jealousy? The shadow of a grin appeared on Aidan's face. He was at a human being's physical peak. King Lindocruz was lacking in Aidan's physical ability. While Aidan felt a hint of embarrassment, caught with his shirt off, he could hardly hide his confidence in his physique.

And then the Princess stepped in. Aidan dropped out of his salute, regarding her. "Should I make myself decent for the lady?"

Aidan rarely went into a situation uninformed, but right now, he was flying totally blind. Why are these two here, and why in the Hell wasn't I informed? As he thought to himself, he hid all hints of uncertainty or chagrin from his expression. I'm never giving Jacala the day off again. Apparently I need my intelligence officer for SOMETHING. Nobody else will tell me when the MONARCH is going to come calling.

"Worry not, Aidan. I'm sure she's enjoying the sight. Everyone else is either in armor or insufferably scrawny." The King shot his daughter a sardonic, bitter look. Aidan was fascinated by their interaction. He'd never been nearby the two of them at the same time.

Paige Lindocruz. She was striking, to say the least. She brushed her long, dark brown hair away from her jaw. Aidan could tell natural features from padding, and the slope of her chest beneath the skirt was all natural. He admired her for an instant.

She felt impossibly alluring, and Aidan chided himself for allowing physical attraction to jam his authority over his thoughts, but goddamn, she was a sight. There was something beneath the beauty. Something he couldn't put his finger on, but he'd be damned if he believed in "love at first sight." He was a man of logic, and at least wanting to fuck a pretty woman was logical.

She was returning his gaze in turn. Aidan's eyes widened, then shifted to a half closed, relaxed gaze. He stepped forward, bowed, and kissed her hand. She turned away, although she'd offered the hand freely.

The motion wasn't embarrassment. She was inviting him to observe her unchallenged. Things seemed to be coming up well for Aidan's prospects.

"AHEM." The King cleared his throat. "There are things we must discuss."

Princess Paige Lindocruz. Aidan bookmarked that name in his mind.

____________________________________________________________________

Kuro stepped out of his room, and threw his arms out. "'DONNA! Whatcha doing on the shitty side of the country?"

Eidonna turned to Kuro, a bright smile on her face. Her red hair was cut much shorter than her younger sister's. The two were still locked in a hug. "Sorry to show up unannounced. THIS ONE wasn't answering my messages."

Efari stared at her feet, ashamed. "I've kinda been lazy lately. Sorry, sis." She quickly rallied a defense. "I've only been here less than two days. It's not like I dropped off the grid for a week."

Efari gave Kuro a glance, as he approached Eidonna. The two of them hugged warmly, Eidonna giving Kuro a familiar, chaste peck on the cheek.

...What're you playing at, Bahggy? Are you and my sister an item...?

Kuro looked over Eidonna's shoulder, as if reading Efari's thoughts. He mouthed three syllables, answering the question and giving Efari a shiver down her spine.

PLA-TON-NIC. Platonic. Efari breathed an internal sigh of relief when she realized what it meant, then felt a pang of shame for worrying.

She knew nothing about Kuro, other than that he was willing to share his apartment with a noisey, nosey, weird foreign girl, and that he was not in bed with her sister. All were relatively likeable traits.

Kuro went to the kitchen, and immediately began pouring water for the three of them. "So, Eidonna, I've had several potential prospects in the recent past, and I'm not entirely sure if your little sister is...well, cool. Can I discuss private matters with her around?"

"Has she gotten into your room yet?"

Eidonna's voice was calm and cool, like the water Kuro was pouring. He turned to Efari ponderously. "She ate some of my food, and I hardly noticed, and she has all sorts of welding, key-making, and self defense equipment in her bag. I'm not sure if she's been in my room, but she's got enough gear with her to breach a Myriad safehouse." Kuro rolled his eyes. Efari puffed her cheeks with rage. Who was he to accuse her? "Well, I don't know what you're capable of!" Kuro responded to her offense. "You've been alone in my apartment."

Eidonna chortled, and turned to Efari.

"Nope. Wasn't in your room." Efari settled on a chair, as Kuro offered her a glass. "Didn't want to invade your privacy."

"Don't lie to him, Efari. He's smarter than he looks." Eidonna chugged her water, leaning her head back. She put the glass down, and Kuro swept it into the sink. "So, discuss. How did your meeting with Aidan go?"

"He gave me a job," Kuro said, giving the table an absent stare.

Eidonna smiled. "Well, he IS your childhood friend. I told you not to worry."

"You told me to bring a gun just in case."

"Cautious optimism." Eidonna smiled. "Offer one hand, arm the other. So, what job? A desk job?"

"He's the new War. He hasn't gone public. You heard about Nathan Maine's assassination? It was him. He turned the entire Myriad on its ear in a month, just like I thought."

"...Wow." Eidonna liked to stay well informed, but Myriad activity was hard to track. News regarding its leadership was often vague. Transparency wasn't the norm, and the only news one would get was spread by word of mouth, or came directly from King Lindocruz.

Efari listened quietly. Is Kuro into politics?

"So, no more patrols hunting you? No more fighting?" Eidonna appreciated the news, but Kuro's face made her happiness wilt into the expectation of danger.

"Well, no more patrols, but there may be a lot more fighting. The job he gave me may likely involve more combat than just dealing with scientist roundup crews." Kuro leaned forward, sipping his water. "Aidan's assassination of the previous Myriad boss may have made him the new Warlord, but it made him a huge target. With Nathan Maine dead, other countries may attack us."

Efari's mind raced. First, she assumed he was a criminal. Now she didn't know what to think. She just listened, and tried to take in the material she was being presented.

"So, you're being deployed as a soldier?" Eidonna asked.

"I don't know, but as it stands, I'm Aidan's Squire. His right hand man. So, that means I stand to be up against enemies of Andell, and maybe even Andell itself, if Aidan tries to make a bid for power."

"A bid for power? By the MYRIAD? That's unheard of."

"It isn't unheard of for Aidan. He killed the last War. He even has his sword. He might be vying to rule the entire country."

Eidonna leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Would that be good?"

Kuro smiled. "It'd be VERY good for me, and subsequently, it'd be very good for you. As for the rest of the country...maybe. Aidan's smart."

Eidonna exhaled. "That's a lot to take in." She sighed, and asked the obvious question. "Is Efari safe living here?"

Efari stood. "YES. I think I'm safe here."

Kuro, interrupted by Efari's outburst, turned to her. "I was going to say 'maybe.'"

"I'd perfectly happy living here. Kuro's a good cook."

"...That's why you're staying? Your sister's a better cook than me by a longshot." Kuro turned to Eidonna. "You sure you're okay with her being here for now? It might be safer to take her off my hands."

Efari leaned back in her chair. "I'd prefer to stay here. You said I could stay. It's exciting." Efari looked at Kuro with envy. "Political scandal, intrigue...Eidonna's apartment probably isn't nearly as cool."

Eidonna, a bit scathed by the comment, nodded in ascent. "Fine, but you come live with me if things get dangerous."

"No." Efari's response was succinct and sharp.

"...Alright then. I'll put some soup on. Eidonna, feel free to stay the night, since you took the gondola all the way here." Kuro placed a pan on the stove, and started cooking.

____________________________________________________________________

"What was it like, Aidan?"

King Lindocruz looked Aidan in the eye as he spoke. "To slay Nathan Maine? To turn to his soldiers, and demand their loyalty?"

Aidan smiled. "Exhilarating," Aidan put his hand to his chin. "Imagine cracking a particularly tough seed, then eating the nut inside. It's that, on a far grander scale. Working towards a goal, then having it pay off."

"Nathan wasn't a nut. He and the scientists you killed were part of MY inner circle. My peers. I trusted them with my life, and you killed them."

Aidan looked at King Lindocruz cautiously. "Nathan's time had come. He should have known that, and made you aware. I apologize if his defeat inconvenienced you."

"I trusted him to protect me. He stayed in line." The King looked Aidan in his red, proud eyes. "Can I trust YOU? Did Nathan trust you before you killed him? Can I trust you with the protection of the royal family?"

"You CAN trust me," Aidan spoke. But I wouldn't advise it.

"I'm inaugurating you formally into the Council as the leader of the Myriad. A show of good faith, in the wake of Warlord Maine's death." Lindocruz leaned forward, speaking with his chin over Aidan's shoulder, whispering straight into Aidan's ear.

"Know this. If you come for me, I'll make you regret it." The King hissed. "You Warlords are hungry dogs, tearing at any power you can. I'm a reasonable man, but you will NOT rise any father in Andell. You'll die trying, if you try to reach for the next rung on the ladder."

Aidan smiled. You're scared of me, is that it? He could feel the heat coming off of his skin. He simply smiled, as he glanced past the King towards the Princess.

"And you're not touching my daughter. Look all you want, but I'll cut off your hand before you touch her."

The King backed away, and the two formally parted ways. The guards ushered King Lindocruz out of the room, as Aidan, still shirtless, watched the Princess walk away.

She turned and looked over her shoulder at him, giving him a searching, longing look, before she exited.

Challenge accepted.

He leaned his sword on the wall, and yawned. He'd been up for quite a while, pondering his new partnership. Kuro's armor was complete, and he'd been given his service weapons.

Aidan was about to make a bold move, and quite soon. It was nice to have another friendly face on his side. That, and Kuro's raw skill, were his only real reasons for picking the squire.

He hadn't regretted any of his other choices thus far. He quietly hoped that it would stay that way.

You used a meme in one of your stories!

My life is complete!

I can imagine Aidan folding his arms, his lip thrust proudly forward as he decides to bang another man's daughter, and probably kill/usurp him.

The meme is hilariously fitting. :D

"Master Aidan," a Myriad soldier rapped on Aidan's door, as he rummaged through his walk-in closet.

It was a day until his inauguration as the Commander in Chief of the Myriad (a position that Wars filled almost by default), and he was in the planning stages of what he would wear. He didn't know why he was considering what to wear. Clothing was never his specialty, and the King had provided a set of robes and armor for him to wear during the inauguration. The important questions were on his mind. Who he would talk to, and what ambitions to further during the party, were at the forefront of his mind. Something, however, bothered him about wearing the King's assigned robe.

The robe bore the colors of the Royal Family, green and gold. Aidan had no opinion of the goddy wear, but he did note that the shoulder paldrons were smaller, and the chest armor sleeker. The gauntlets smoothed towards the wrist, despite the thickness, giving his wrists a thinner appearance. The armor was made to make him seem more slender than he was.

Sad. The King wants me to look small. Whatever. Aidan shook the dull veil of minor annoyance from his mind.

He'd decided to do one, simple thing: get Kuro used to his new life as a noble. The fact was very slowly dawning on his new team-mate. He still didn't trust Aidan completely, and was unwilling to leave his life as a renegade and a commoner. Despite Aidan's cold demeanor and red irises, he could be quite considerate. For Kuro to trust him more, he may need to show the young man to the finer parts of life; a facet of life Aidan himself was unused to.

Shaken from his thoughts, Aidan turned towards the door. "Come on," he husked, raising his eyebrows as a pair of military scientists entered, escorted by an armed guard.

"Our testing on the Death Scythes remains inconclusive. In order to use them...high prices are required." Aidan nodded solemnly. "Deathscythe Zero Zero Four's replication was unsuccessful. The power output on the weapons we based on its template were...meager, at best. We've been finding workarounds, and humane ways of payment to the Deathscythes, but we cannot replicate the effects using conventional energy. And we certainly cannot recreate the weapons themselves, or the way they receive energy."

Aidan rubbed his jaw. "So...human life is still required, and we cannot make Deathscythes of our own. We're at square one," Aidan's eyes narrowed, burning a single, piercing beam of focus on the scientists. "So why are you bothering me? I'm preparing for a celebration."

The scientist nervously gathered his words before speaking. Aidan's kindness was reserved for soldiers, women, and children. Worthless men, or worse, annoying men who uselessly climbed corporate ladders with unoriginal ideas got no quarter from Aidan King. If you weren't inventing, or changing things for the better, you may even turn up missing.

"The weapons have been giving off strange readings. Some have been erratically outputting spurts of energy. We've managed to contain them, but Deathscythe Zero Zero Two went off during a test. We lost four testing personnel, and there was incredible damage to to the laboratory."

"...You got it to fire?" Aidan's eyes widened.

"No. It fired on its own."

Aidan's jaw torqued. The words spurred a bad feeling in him. A very bad feeling.

"...Up security on the King's Palace during the hours of the inauguration, and get an update from Jacala. Contain the Deathscythes, and prevent any further damage. Put vine corks in them if you must. If I hear that our facilities suffered any more damage due to incompetence, or mishandling..." Aidan took two steps towards the scientists. "Success, or regret. The choice is yours, gentlemen."

The scientists nodded, and saluted, hustling out of the room. Aidan motioned for the guard accompanying them not to follow.

"Have Jacala bring Kuro his suit. Make sure no one follows her. Kuro's living quarters are to remain secret, at his request." Aidan wondered if Jacala appearing at Kuro's home would anger him, but bending rules was a hobby of Aidan's. He never knew until he tried, and he expected the consequences would be minor, at best. Kuro would gnash his teeth, and Aidan would pretend to be sorry for a few moments. If anything, getting NO reaction would be more displeasing.

"Sir, which suit? His armor, or his formal wear for your inauguration?"

Aidan's eyes flashed with surprise. "...His FORMAL WEAR, of course. Keep his armor in storage." Aidan rolled his eyes. What if he'd arrived at the party in his armor? That would have been...odd.

"I'll leave you to your pondering, sir. If I may," the soldier looked towards Aidan's closet with a casual glance, "the dark crimson formal cuirass would look better than the one the King provided." The soldier smiled lightly under his helmet. "We know you're not the King's pawn, and we'd like you to show him up."

The soldier saluted, palm to forehead and heels clicking together, as his Commander gave him a sidelong glance, taken aback by the comment.

That remark was treason against the King. Just to compliment me.

"How many of you feel that way?"

"We, sir. All of us." The soldier held his salute. "You have the Myriad combat division's FULL support." The soldier nodded, lowering his hands. "We all know who the real Kingi is."

...OOOOOOH. Aidan King. What a terrible pun. Aidan nodded, his demeanor relaxing a bit. "That will be all, soldier."

The soldier marched out of the room before Aidan could think to thank him. Aidan stepped into the hall, and saluted the man back, as the soldier joined his compatriots. They all smiled in appreciation, the bolder ones waving and wooting in approval of their Master.

He'd been the Myriad's leader for a long time. In wrangling the support of the higher soldiers, he'd never considered what the actual troops thought of him. He knew he had their support, but was their loyalty so easy to gain?

Aidan stepped back into his quarters, sat down, and simply thought.

The formal cuirass does look impressive.

Hm. Something about this chapter feels bogged down with explanation. That's the pain in the ass that comes with making a story from scratch. But it's necessary, so I'm keeping it.

Blech.

"...Mom..." Kuro mumbled into his pillow, a soft trail of drool pressed against his pillow. He rolled his face to the side, his cheek rubbing against the soft, warm surface, his eyes pressed closed.

He was having a good dream. Something he had few of, and far between.

Jacala almost regretted having to wake the young man, as she slowly stepped into his room through the windowsill.

The sound of hushed breathing was enough to shift Kuro's position on the bed. He clenched the pillow tighter, and began to stir, as Jacala stepped towards him, her shadow falling over his face.

"Yo."

Kuro's eyes jerked open, and his hand shot for the knife on the table by the bed. In a sudden burst of sound and motion, the two clashed. The sound of a boot slamming down on metal, and the bursting rustle of blankets being tossed across the room.

Advantage, Jacala. She'd stamped her foot down on the blade before Kuro could bring it around. She stood proudly on the bed, her foot dug into the pillow. Kuro looked up at her, weary, and well aware that she could have drawn a weapon and killed him in that short exchange.

"You're not here to kill me," Kuro mumbled.

"You sound disappointed." Jacala stepped off the bed, and walked to the window. She dragged in a large bag. "I don't have a lot of time to brief you if you don't know. Aidan has summoned you to be present for his-"

"Inauguration. I know." Kuro rubbed his eyes. "You only won that one because I was sleeping."

Jacala's face was devoid of any tangible emotion as she threw the bag on the bed. "Competitive type?"

Kuro shook his head. "I try not to be. Just don't go telling people you 'kicked my ass.' I'm just not a morning person."

"I'm not very competitive either. If I wanted to kill you, I'd have sniped you through the window."

Kuro's mouth curved into a grave smile. "Then I'm glad you're not here to kill me." Kuro looked up at her. "Did Aidan wake you up to get you to come here? Is that why you seem so angry?"

Jacala shrugged. "I'm not a morning person either. Hurry up and get dressed."

Kuro opened the bag, and Jacala politely turned away. There was a simple bodysuit to start with. Kuro stepped into the bathroom. "I'm going to wash up before I get dressed. That alright?"

"We've got plenty of time." Jacala spoke louder. "I figured you'd be angrier. Aidan promised he wouldn't give out your home address, but here I am."

"Eh." Kuro shouted from the bathroom. "I was being a little harsh, but I'm going to pretend to be angry to lay down the law."

Jacala chortled. "You're taking this more in stride than I thought." She sat on the edge of his bed, inspecting her own formal armor. It was more functional than decorative, the metal grieves, shoulders, and chest plate streamlined and provided with extra joints for movement. The metal was a deep silver, and the cloth underneath was dark green, her family's color. She rather enjoyed her formal wear.

"Aidan seems to genuinely want me to work for him. I'll save me being an asshole for if he ACTUALLY deserves it." Kuro ran a brush across his teeth, then spat the powder and water into the sink. He splashed water against his face, and inspected his jaw for stubble. After sliding a razor across his jawline, he deemed himself ready. The young man began pulling on the bodysuit. "He was my friend when nobody else was, so I should cut him some slack and try to be friends with him again. I'll admit, I missed him."

"Speaking of which, where did you come from, anyway? How do you know Aidan?" Jacala wiped her nose. "I haven't heard it from YOU."

"The old Myriad scientists needed someone to test a few things on. The tests were successful. Then they tried to kill me, so I took exception with that, and escaped. I've been running from then ever since, until Aidan seemingly KILLED the old science team." Kuro stepped out of the bathroom, and started fastening his formal armor. He expected Aidan to give him formal armor that made him look bigger, complete with platform shoes for added height. Kuro was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong.

The armor was dark blue and black. It brought out and excentuated the features in him that he liked. Although he had no family, and no family colors as a result, the suit made him feel like his own person. He fastened each metal piece, the shoulders, chest, grieves, and boots, and admired himself in the mirror. He turned vainly to Jacala, expecting her to marvel at the suit of armor.

Jacala was staring at the door into the kitchen and living room. "Someone's outside, listening in," she husked. She cracked her knuckles, and took a few steps towards the door.

"That's probably my room-mate, Efari." Kuro grumbled. "She's living with me until her sister figures out something else for her."

With a hard, reproachful expression, Jacala opened the door, and sure enough, Efari was a few steps away. The two locked eyes for a moment, Efari staring daggers at Jacala.

Jacala softened, her face showing surprise at the woman in front of her. She then lowered her eyelids, leaving them half shut in interest, looking down at the shorter, red haired girl. She stepped into the kitchen, and shut Kuro's door behind her.

"...Me and Kuro are going to an important Gala. Somewhere nice." Jacala lilted the words pleasantly. "I'm Jacala Sasha. What's your name?"

Efari backed away with each step forward Jacala took, and flinched in surprise when her back hit a wall behind her. "E-Efari."

"Pretty name," Jacala leaned forward, and down, until their eyes were level, and their foreheads were touching, "for a foreigner."

Efari's nostrils flared. Despite her fear of the strange intruder, she leaned her head back, and butted her forehead against Jacala's, her hair bobbing. The taller, dark skinned brunette backed off, rubbing her head. "I'm a CITIZEN. All my papers are in order. Besides, all the people I see on the street have light skin and black hair. You and Kuro look just as foreign as I do."

Jacala wiped her forehead. "Learn to watch your mouth, and with looks like yours, you might be a noble someday." Jacala's growl was none-to-pleasant, but Efari still found herself strangely cooled by her words. Something about Jacala took the wind out of her sails. She was a fierce introvert, and took little flak from people if she could help it, but as long as Jacala left her in peace, she was willing to let the bigger woman have the last word.

"Maybe I'll take you to the next party I go to. It'd be fun to dress you up." Jacala noticed Kuro in the doorway, giving her a curious glare.

"If you're done terrorizing my roommate, let's go." Kuro walked to the door, his formal wear giving his footsteps a bit more weight than usual. Efari watched the two of them leave.

Jacala took one more glance over her shoulder, waving to Efari.

"Ciao~."

And the door shut.

What's up with the text? The sentences begin new lines halfway through...

Anyways... I'm started to get the feeling that nobility is restricted to a certain skin colour.

DOWN WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT!!!

Argh. That's wordwrap. I'll fix it. >.<

Anyway, the nobility in Andell tends to consist of the country's typical demographic: light skinned, dark haired people. Aidan (red eyes aside) and the Princess Paige are the country's norm (despite being very physically attractive.

Jacala and Kuro from a country that Andell integrated, so within Andell, there is a percentage of dark skinned people with black hair, but most of them are mixed raced and poor. Jacala and Kuro lucked out by Aidan recruiting them.

Aidan, despite being War, isn't racist, as long as you're useful. :P

Despite being War?

I don't mean to sound pessimistic but it's usually the negative things in life that display positive qualities.

For example... Sickness affects all men equally regardless of their race, religion, social status, finances, etc.

War is no exception either. And if you were comparing him to Walter, that War isn't racist either.

I know, I know. I was just taking a dig at Walter to press your buttons. :PWally tends to like humanity equally, and minimizes damages to humanity in favor of engaging his true enemy.

In those ways I emulated Walter through Aidan. Even in my stories-hold on my cat is licking my hand.

Anyway, even in my stories of Walter, he has standards and practices. Aidan is the same. He aims to give all men and women a chance to stand and fight their own battles, and to boost technology and progress in his country through war. War does tend to create the necessity for change.

Aidan may have to murder a few Kings, or seduce a few murdered King's daughters, but he's doing it to help humanity, and he'll always remain loyal to his crew, black, white, or whatever Stradavar is (haven't decided on his country of origin yet).

Andell, as a country, is gonna need to be strong. The other Horsemen are about, and one in particular isn't very fond of War.

Banging hot chicks for the sake of Humanity? What a guy, that Aidan.

If only we could all be so selfless.

On a more serious note... You talk about the good of Humanity. Does that imply there are other sapient species who would seek to destroy the glorious master species?!

There are SLIGHTLY sapient species, capable of reason and simple problem solving, such as Helium Dragons (Immense, dragon like creatures who travel by inflating their back sections, and lean down to eat anything less than the size of an elephant), Stretches (Humanoid creatures with several meter long arms and legs, who frantically scramble towards anything in their field of view), and Ants (human sized, insectoid creatures that live in groups of near a thousand), but mankind's biggest threat is itself.

People live in the Countries because the world is very big, and there are creatures that can pretty easily kill and eat people. Aidan wants to wage war against many things. One is the world itself. He wants to travel the earth with an army big enough to colonize and tame the planet.

His other adversary is human stupidity. His Andell's neighboring country, Populae (where Efari, Eidonna, and Stradivar hail from) is on the verge of collapse due to revolution. Another country not far from them, Niponn, is utilizing nuclear energy in a way that could threaten the planet. And worst of all, Andell's King isn't doing shit about it. Aidan wants to stabalize and unite humanity.

And, here's a spoiler, so click at your own risk.

OH GOD IT'S A SPOILER.:

So, the short answer to your question is no, there aren't Aliens, or Orcs, or any rival species. There are animals, humans, magic, and the horsemen. Those are all more than enough to keep Aidan occupied.