The weather was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky. The lake was a good temperature for swimming, though the very thought of that made Sho squeamish. That wonderful breeze played with her hair, tugging a small piece it from the braid. It was just a good day.

She sat around the lake on a huge blanket for a little comfort. A black skirt of soft cotton, and a light, linen shirt with sleeves that fell off her shoulders completed her look of ease. Only the corset around her torso was at all decorative with a a red and black geometrical design.

Perhaps it was a silly idea, but the Syndicate had been a little dull as of late. Sure they were all doing their own little jobs, but as an entire guild they had seemed to be growing apart. At first, this had not worried Shoshanah in the least, but keys members had all but disappeared. If they were going to survive, something needed to be done. That is where she decided to step in.

She had set up a little meeting for all the guild members. This was not a war meeting, no need to be formal. She thought it would simply be a chance for everyone to get together and be themselves. There were still members that had not met each other, and it did not seem right to her.

Having planned the whole thing, she was of course the only one to have showed up as of yet, but she hoped that would not be the case for long. She had not brought any food or anything; she was unfortunately not very well off.

The meeting of the Syndicate was supposed to take place soon, and all Aloric could think about was his stomach. He hadn't eaten since the night before and it was starting to drain him. Despite his hunger pains, he was actually quite eager to get to the meeting place. It was something that the guild desperately needed.

Aloric was somewhat new to the Syndicate. He had heard about the organization and had been immediately interested. He was told who to get in contact with and meetings had been set up. It was after much deliberation that he had finally been accepted. But even after all of that, he had still not met many of the members. He had been sent on factfinding missions and intelligence operations, and had been instructed to study his responsibilities more. All of this was done without much help from the other members, and so he wasn't even sure of whose company he was in. He still didn't know who these people were. And it was time to find out.

Shoshanah, one of the higher ranking members of the Syndicate, had managed to set up a small meeting place for all of the members of the Syndicate. Whoever wasn't currently on assignment was told to make their way to the lake and join her for a little relaxation. Somehow he had been handed the message without ever meeting this Shoshanah. It was a secretive guild indeed.

Then why hold a meeting in plain sight? Aloric thought the meeting place was somewhat strange; it would have made more sense to hold it within the Syndicate's own territory in Lomedor. Perhaps the illogicalness of it was what made it so brilliant, but Aloric wasn't about to judge the merits of the decision quite yet. Nothing had happened yet.

He hadn't been given explicit instructions to the meeting place so he fumbled around a bit before he saw whom he suspected was Shoshanah, sitting on a large blanket near the lake. Aloric grinned. He was the first to arrive. Aloric didn't have the best people skills so the situation that presented itself was a little awkward, but Aloric would have to make do. He needed to make a strong first impression on all of the members he had not yet met.

"I suppose this is where the Syndicate meeting is taking place?" he called, hoping he would not catch the woman off guard. "I'm Aloric." He felt he needed to clarify further, "I'm with the Syndicate of Blades."

He was slightly late, even he would admit that...but once again, the blue fox-boy was now at Lake Aelin, a peaceful, relaxing place indeed, but perhaps one of his less favorite places throughout Arda. After all, he wielded fire, for the most part, so large bodies of water bothered him to an extent.

But still, a meeting had been called for the active Syndicate members, of which he'd been to a high extent since the beginning, and especially since the first assault on the Syndicate headquarters by two members of the Children of Chaos, including their leader, Tithdaeron, who he'd challenged himself. Twice now they'd faced each other, for that matter, both at the Syndicate's hall, and he was looking forward to doing so again sometime.

Looking around the area a bit as he got there, he noticed that only two people were currently here. Of course, he himself had also dressed up slightly...he was wearing dark blue pants and a white, open-fronted T-shirt, primarily simply because he felt like it. One of the people he didn't recognize, a somewhat newer member of the Syndicate...but the other he knew well enough as the guild's own fire elemental.

"Shoshanah...I suppose you must be the one that called this meeting," Kai said, looking over to the girl sitting on a blanket by the lake. She, like him, was one of the early members of the guild, before it was even divided into factions, of which the two of them were in separate ones. "You're...Aloric, you said, right?" he then continued, having barely caught what the man had said earlier thanks to his improved hearing, then turned his gaze to the man that was here, a human it looked like. "My name's Kai, the only vulpine in the Syndicate...pleasure to meet you," he finished, holding a hand out to the man in a friendly gesture.

"Hello boys! I am indeed Shoshanah, thank you for coming. It is nice to see you both." She was in a very chipper mood, odd for her. Hopefully, neither would take offense to her calling them boys.

Patting the blanket beside her, she invited them both to settle down. It was possible that they would be the only ones to show up, though she hoped that was not the case. She was not much a hostess; for that matter, she actually had no authority in the guild whatsoever.

"As you can probably tell, you are the first two to show up. If you are the last, then we will have a threesome..." She laughed at her own joke, hoping they would see the humor as well.

She silently hoped that at least one of the leaders would show up to validate her efforts. Garath would for sure not be there; he had gone on hiatus for an indefinite amount of time. Sho did not even know if she would ever see him again. The thought saddened her a little, but she kept up her smile all the same.

" Make it a foursome"

Melandro's voice preceded him to continue the initial tease as he made his revalation. The scene was certainly peculiar, far too joyful for his liking. That or perhaps it was the simple idea that he had always pictured meetings to be at the center of wilderness, void of civilization and in the middle of the night. The area appeared more to be a definite illustration of a picnic more than anything. It was certain however that he hardly minded. To actually be able to catch a glimpse of sunlight every once in a while might have been beneficial after all though he had wondered if Shoshanah had known that Sanzen was a vampire? The man would have been allergic to the sight of golden ethereal beams, it would be of no surprise if he did not grace the rest of the guild with his presence this day. After all, as far as Von Mortem's knowledge was concerned, this was the very reasoning why the leader of the blades was an absentee to the first attack upon the Syndicate's main hall by the Children of Chaos.

Orbs once glazed with the hue of sapphire seemed amber in the light of the day's joyous rays as soon as he had moved from the more appeasing shade of towering pines. For the length of his stay within the walls of the guild of Syndicates, never once had he been called to a gathering such as this. He could still recall how the note came, a maiden tasked to bring an chilled alcoholic beverage to his chamber with a piece of worn parchment tucked where casual hands could not reach left to the extent of playful imagination. The thought of course was soon dismissed from his mind to the memory of taking a glance at the note.

" A meeting by the lake -Shoshanah"

Ah yes, Shoshanah Melandro had recalled the name being introduced as the ball had ended only a few moons before though their conversation had merely lasted for a brief few moments.

He believed the task of sending a message such as this would have been less tedious as the laces of the maiden's dress if it had been sent as a vocal word. Nonetheless it was the very message that brought him here, the sheet still toyed by the workings of his fingertips that were hidden from view by the cloak provided by leather gloves. Truly it was about time that a gathering had been called for the guild lay dormant since the untimely disappearance of its leaders to the point that he too had been contemplating absence.

Nonetheless he proceeded to where the others were in an unhurried pace upon the vast carpet of grass. From his appearance, he seemed to have expected a less formal meeting, a fact made real by the manner his companions too were dressed as if they were all here in expectation of never finding a single trace of an otherworldly threat. As casual as he may have appeared, midnight trousers paired with a white garment whose long sleeves were rolled to the join of his forearm, he carried with him the tools of his murderous trade to ascertain the peace.

" I have always imagined a setting more discreet... where few would be able to participate..."

He continued in a tease, knowing full well the nature of Shoshanah's initial remark.

"Count me in." said Cypher, his face smiling. Cypher was not a strong fighter, but he served the guild well. Being one of th emost swiftest runners, for long distance. Able to spy on enemies, and get out, without being caught. He was usually used for spying on their enemies like the Children of Chaos. Typhus quickly found his place among the other members.
"So what are we doing now?"

wolverine turned into a cloud as he neared the meeting place and he saw several people there already. he had walked behind the perosn who had invited him. he said to the peson "Count me in as well. I don't know what is planned but I'm in." he then went around to behind the other people and said "I say hello to you too." he the went up onto a roof and turned into is orignal form and said "My name is wolverine. I was the best killer in my homland before they forced me to leave"

Silnimare walked up to the lake, as he had heard that it was to be a meeting place for the Syndicate. Silnimare wore his usual black cloak, and his face was hidden by his hood, save for his blood-red eyes. Silnimare movement was so smooth, some swore he was gliding. Silnimare was glad of some of the rumors of him. Some said he was a spirit of vengeance, some said he was a fallen angel, others that he was a demon without mercy. In a way, they were all right, yet they were all wrong. Silnimare was born a half-dragon, but he had become something more. Life had that effect on some. Silnimare had memories and nightmares that most could not even begin to imagine. Yet, with each new day, Silnimare had a feeling of new hope. It gave him balance, existing between the horror of the past, and the joy of the future.

Silnimare was an Acolyte of the Syndicate of Blades, and he devoted his life to Threnody and the defense and furtherance of Balance and the Peace it brings. Silnimare did not speak one word. He merely stood there, suddenly and silently by the other members. He wasn't much for Idle chatter lately, but he figured that the Syndicate might be able to further his goals, and grow in his studies.

Aloric shook the vulpine's hand firmly, genuinely glad to have met another member of the Syndicate. Despite his being uncomfortable around other beings, it saddened him when he came to the realization that there would be members of the guild that he'd never get the pleasure to meet, their secrecy keeping them away. Perhaps this meeting would seek to bring some of the members closer together.

Shoshanah also extended her welcome, throwing in a tease or two to lighten up the moment. Aloric had arrived tense and anxious, and anything that remedied that was appreciated. He nodded in Sho's direction and reminded himself to smile.

It was then that a fourth entered the scene. From what Aloric could tell, his physical characteristics matched those of whom some had referred to as "Von Mortem" - his distinct leather apparel gave him away. It was a fashion style that Aloric shared: recognizable, but not over the top. The man inserted himself into the meeting as if he hadn't missed a step, playing off of Sho's remark and effectively taking more weight off Aloric's shoulders. It was always the case that he didn't realize how tense he was until the tension drifted away. If nothing else, the relaxation would prevent him from receiving an ulcer that was surely due. His mind stopped racing and he was truly calm and focused for the first time in so long.

Aloric agreed with the man's sentiments on the meeting place but didn't voice his opinion. Sho had seemingly known what she was doing, or she wouldn't have gone through the elaborate details to bring them all here. But meeting out in the open hindered Aloric from fully recovering from his anxiety. He would have to be sure to keep one eye open at all times, as he was certain that he would not be caught unaware, even if the others were.

Others arrived. Cypher next, whom Aloric had not met. Cypher had sometimes been used as a spy, which would impede any casual introductions or meetings. Wolverine followed, and Aloric noted his quickness to revert to his shapeshifting ability. It was a quickness not shared by Aloric. He was always hesitant to use things he viewed as a curse and a burden moreso than an aide. He had near completely cut himself off from using the ability himself after incidents in which the outcome had been less than joyous. Yet he respected Wolverine's use of it and didn't dare enter into an intellectual debate on the matter. There may be a time and a place for that, but the Lake Aelin meeting was not that place.

Bringing up the rear of the recent attendees was a face that Aloric did not recognize. He turned to make sure the other Syndicate members were not alarmed that this was possibly an intruder. But they stayed calm and composed, and Aloric tried his best to blend in. The stranger said nothing, giving no indication of any emotion at all. The silent alertness made the Atani shiver, chills rising on his arms, and he concealed them. He may have kept one eye out to look for trouble, but he made sure to keep the other one focused on the silent onlooker.

The tension seemed to have no problem slipping back into Aloric's psyche. He desperately hoped the "meeting" would commence soon, and that all that worried him would be laid to rest.

Blushing ever so slightly, she nodded to Melandro who had just joined the party with his remark. Of course someone would play off her joke, but she did not think it would be him. She remembered their first meeting at the Goddess of Chaos's Ball; hopefully, the issues that were created that evening had been resolved. At the very least, his mood seemed vastly improved.

She hoped that the sun would not affect any of the members present. Truthfully, she liked the idea of this relaxed setting, but there was also no place within the Syndicate for a meeting of this magnitude. The library had entered her thoughts, but it would take too much rearranging and change was good. The other options were a tavern where things could too easily be overheard. True, she had no express intention of anything important being discussed, but you could never be too careful. This place was empty of all other sentient beings; she had taken certain precautions to make it so, though she would be surprised if anyone here noticed that.

So many people had showed up, she was having trouble keeping track of them all. Lucky for her, the Syndicate kept records of all its members, and she had studied them extensively. Without introduction she could now place a name with every face here. As she began to do just that, she was happy to know that so many of the members had decided to join them. She also could not help but notice that she was the only female present. This caused her to smile a little, looking around at all the men.

She cleared her throat, hoping to get every one's attention without flaming anything.

"Well, it is nice to see you all here, for anyone who does not know me, my name is Shoshanah, and I was the organizer of this little event. I do hope you all are not expecting me to spew out some plan of attack. This is much more informal than that. As you have no doubt noticed, the Syndicate is not thriving as it once did. We have gone through some rough spots, even lost a few key members. We are here now to stop the decay. New plans are being set in motion for improvement on our buildings and general activity. I can't say that I had actually planned on making a speech. If anyone has a question, or suggestion... or perhaps if we just want to talk amongst ourselves. Maybe I should have planned more, but this was somewhat last moment. Anyone else have something to say?"

Upon his chosen patch of earth, he remained astride, greeting the other members in a casual nod. First there was the shapeshifter archer who called himself Aloric who was seemingly marked then with a degree of tension or so he had observed for the man said little. To him a warm greeting would be extended for further reassurance. It was then when the image of the comrade had left his view that he turned to Wolverine. Faint was his recollection of this figure apart from the heresay that he had once challenged Sanzen to a duel just as Kai had done soon after. Ah yes, and there was Kai, a member of the Syndicates who had never once been late in any occasion even in the onslaught of battle. Vivid were his memories of this fox-lad who never seemed to pass up the chance of being able to sharpen his blade within the bodies of his rivals. Truly he admired the young warrior's courage.

There were others that had caught his attention as well, Sil being the first soul he had encountered in his arrival to the lands of Arda upon that fateful afternoon when he had found the man mourning over the tomb of his spouse. However as much as he had willed to place equal attention to all, he had only spent a moment to cast a glance upon Cypher, one of the few he had yet to truly meet.

Only when he had become acquainted with the faces of his comrades that his attention returned to Shoshanah who had gracefully introduced herself to the gathering. Crossing his arms upon his chest, Melandro took note of every word she had spared to their ears that comprised of her overall message. Unable to keep his curiosity leashed in his mind, he began to speak his reply in a manner now somewhat marked with a serious air though still light natured as the atmosphere they were within.

" I certainly hoped that you knew that Sanzen was a vampire..."

He continued, casting a smirk combined with the arching of a dark brow.

" And that it would burn him to attend such a meeting at this very hour of the day."

He recalled his first meeting with the young captain of the blades then at the Annon Mountains. Sanzen then and to this day was a young lad whom he had not truly expected to be his superior. Aye there would always remain a certain degree of pride in those ancient pupils that nonetheless held a grave respect for talent. He remembered how the lad came to ask for directions whlist in search for his feline companion only to realize that the sun had begun to peer through the clouds. At the end of the encounter, the boy simply had to request for shade in order to 'maintain his complexion' or so Von Mortem jeered in his mind.

" On the other hand..."

Melandro turned to the others.

" What news of Garath? I have not heard from him for the longest time."

The first rays of morning sun had found Shar'si in prayer, though somewhere in the back of her mind a note was kept that there would be a meeting at the lake. The hours had slid on by so slowly as she rested in peace, allowing herself to think clearly in the absence of sound or activity. In fact, the hours had slid by in such a way that a number of them had passed before she realized that the sun was now high in the sky and she would be hard pressed to make the start of this gathering with the other Syndicate members. "Oh Goddess! I could stay here in search of words of wisdom for hours, but alas, I must go." She pressed herself up from the cool surface where she had been kneeling, a last plea for guidance offered before she turned towards the doorway to leave.

Soft footsteps carried her quickly away from her morning of peace and prayer, and off in the general direction of the lake, the place where the Blades would be meeting. She pushed herself to move just as fast as she could without wearing herself out before her arrival, the scenery slowly changing to that of lush greens and blue sky, and a gathering of people who had already begun to chatter. Yep, she was late, though she did not regret the fact that she had spent time in prayer, as it took such guidance to maintain peace without creating war. It was a thin line, which if crossed too far on one side would allow chaos to set in, and that was not something Shar'si would allow.

She slowed her pace some as she approached, not wishing to look like she was rushing right into the middle of the gathering, even though she really was. Upon coming in sight, she ducked into a quick bow, acknowledging all who had gathered to this point, before settling her knees to the grass and allowing herself to catch her breath. She waited until things came quiet, then spoke, "My apologies, as I did not mean to be late to this meeting. I had planned only to spend a couple of hours at the Temple, but found myself there longer." She gave a slightly goofy smile, made more of her discomfort at having entered the gathering late than anything else. She offered a slight smile to Aloric, the man she had met in a prior trek to search for storms in a most unlikely place. "Oh, how lacking of my manners... I am Shar'si, recently joined with the Syndicate."

Though the day was comfortable enough, the rush she had made to arrive here before the meeting had ended had left her a wee bit warm. To fix that, she opened her mind to the wind, allowing it to rustle forth as a soft breeze which quickly served to refresh her, and hopefully those around her. As silence settled in the air while waiting for the next speaker to pipe in, she took the chance to glance about and enjoy the greens and blues of nature's landscape. There was something truly amazing about the land about, making it a perfect setting for a group such as this.

Cypher quickly changed the topic. "It is aware to me fellow brothers and sisters in arms, that our enemy has attacked us. I perpose that we lead an attack at their homes and see how it is to fear the Syndicates!" Cypher paused to let the others digest the idea. "We cannot stay idle, they will attack us again. We must take the battle to them."

The addition of a member was nothing to go unnoticed, especially one of the female persuasion. Another face she had never seen, but somehow recognized. Sho nodded to woman.

"Thank you for joining us; I hope it was not too much trouble."

Melandro had brought up a question that Shoshanah thought needed to be answered, but for some reason, it seemed that Cypher did not agree. His interruption was unexpected, taking Sho aback. She looked at him, tilting her head a little in question.

She would address him soon enough, but for right now, things needed to be explained. And it was possible that she was the only one that could do it. Giving a look at Cypher as if to ask him to be patient, she began her explanation.

"First off, I am very aware that Sanzen is a vampire; however, I have spoken with him, and the chances of his appearance are minimal at best. If he were to wish to attend, we would be relocating to a place more fit. Now on to Garath... He will also not be in attendance. For that matter, I do not expect that many of you will see him again. He has decided to indefinitely vacate the Guild and go into a seclusion of sorts. Perhaps the life he led finally caught up with him, or things in general went ill. The point is he is gone. I know this will come as a shock to some of you who know how integral he was to the inception of the Syndicate, being its leader as well as the Exalted Acolyte, but for his sake, I feel it is our duty to keep it alive. Plans are in the works to make up for the vacuum of power that now exists."

She took a moment to let all that sink in before turning to Cypher. He had seemed quite worked up after his speech, and she wondered if perhaps this news had sobered him at all. She was part of the The Acolytes, but even her old ways told her that letting emotion get involved would only cause trouble in the end.

"Cypher, it is true that we have been attacked, but there is no reason to assume they will attack again. After all, we did not just roll over and play dead while they attacked. Not a one has left our doors unscathed. I do not speak for the Blades of course, but I believe that blindly attacking someone's home would be stupid on our part, especially when one of those attackers was the Goddess of Chaos. We need to not simply react without thought."

Silnimare, being an Acolyte of Balance, was rather disturbed at the news that the Exalted Acolyte had left. Truly Garath was a valuable part of the guild, and this would be a wound that would take time to heal. But just as scales always level with balance, through the careful consideration of Threnody's will, the Syndicate of Blades would recover. Apparently, some were desirous of attacking those who had attacked the guild. Silnimare pondered this for a moment, but he mentally nodded when he heard of the nature of one of the attackers, Ita the Reckless. He had encountered her several times, and Silnimare never really did care for her prescence, being that she was the very Incarnation and Deity of all that Silnimare opposed. However, Silnimare held ill will for no God or Goddess. They were who they were, and thus would they be.

All these thoughts ran through the mind of Silnimare as he stood there silently. What was being proposed was far from the guild's nature. An attack of revenge would not solve anything.

However, Silnimare spoke no word, nor moved an inch. He simply continued to stand there, gazing at them from beneath his cloak with his peircing blood-red eyes. Then, without warning, Silnimare spoke for the first time since his arrival at the meeting.

"Also, would such an attack not be motivated out of revenge? Revenge is about self-gratification, where as True Balance leads to Peace. The syndicate of blades cannot fight every battle that comes. Some battles and threats must be allowed to run their course. Such is the nature of Balance. Nature itself is ruled by Balance, and when that delicate balance is tampered with, Chaos ensues.

Chaos is like a virus. To strike back from revenge, whether at Ita or not, would be to allow the virus of Chaos and War to infect us. If we are to obey the principles of Balance, we must seek Threnody's directions, over our own plans of vengeance. I suggest that some go to the Temple of Balance to seek the path that is best."

More and more people were arriving, only three of which he recognized: Wolverine vaguely, from Ita's first attack on the Syndicate, though he hadn't played much of a part in it; Silnimare, leader of the former half-dragon guild of Arda; and of course Melandro Von Mortem, aka Obsidian Nocturne, a warrior he'd seen both at the Battle Royal and Ita and the CoC's combined attack on the Syndicate, during the time that he himself had been busy once again fighting Tithdaeron. Although one thing he heard hit fairly hard...Garath was gone. The one who'd accepted him into the Syndicate, who'd allowed him to fight Tithdaeron the first time, and who particularly he would've liked to spar against sometime. It certainly was disappointing, but he'd move on easily enough.

Then talk started about retaliating against the Children of Chaos, or as they were called now in part the Templar of Pandora, for whatever reason. He never really could understand their actual motivations for...well, anything, really, but he did know that they had to be stopped, especially from attacking the Syndicate again. If that were to happen, then he'd naturally be on the front lines once more, but that was still likely far off.

"Also, would such an attack not be motivated out of revenge? Revenge is about self-gratification, where as True Balance leads to Peace. The syndicate of blades cannot fight every battle that comes. Some battles and threats must be allowed to run their course. Such is the nature of Balance. Nature itself is ruled by Balance, and when that delicate balance is tampered with, Chaos ensues," Silnimare spoke out for the first time since he'd arrived, to at least Kai's surprise, and he looked over to him with some interest, listening to what he had to say. "Chaos is like a virus. To strike back from revenge, whether at Ita or not, would be to allow the virus of Chaos and War to infect us. If we are to obey the principles of Balance, we must seek Threnody's directions, over our own plans of vengeance. I suggest that some go to the Temple of Balance to seek the path that is best."

"I definitely have to agree with him there...while it's true that Ita and the Children of Chaos, at least as they were formerly known, have attacked us on a few occasions, effectively decimating the main hall of our guild's headquarters if nothing else, and they can easily be considered our direct enemy...but to directly attack them wouldn't make us much better. True, I've proposed a battle once, but an organized one, one that both sides could know about and be ready for, and those few that know me here, one of the things I'm really about is honor in battle," Kai finally spoke out to the group as a whole, looking significantly more confident than he generally would've while speaking to a group and essentially becoming the center of it, at least temporarily. "But anyway...as someone that's been involved in defending the Syndicate hall against each of the three attacks it's received, I can definitely say that it won't be an easy conflict to resolve. In fact, I still think it might work to formally challenge them in a group battle to end the whole thing, but that could easily work both ways..."

Vianca had been in the library at the Syndicate while Shoshanah was writing all of her notes. The two of them had quickly become friends connected by their love of reading. Vianca had personally delivered two of the invites, one to Ploay, her faction leader, and the other to Sanzen. Both of them had been pretty sure that they would be unable to come. However, a last minute notice had made Vianca late.

She hurried over to Shoshanah, kneeling beside her as she whispered something in her ear. Of course, she could have made the announcement herself, but she was not outspoken enough for that. Instead, after she finished relaying her message, she headed back in the direction she had just come, not saying a word to anyone else.

The smile on her face widened as she listened to Vianca's news. Rising to her own feet, she straightened out her skirt. She looked around at everyone, true it was a little bit late, a few hours had passed. However, better late than never.

"I hate to stop the conversation here, but we need to stop the conversation here for just a moment. There is a pavilion set up not far from here. If you will all just follow me, there will be some refreshments there as well."

She began to make her way towards the large tent that Vianca had gotten set up. Inside, pillows were strewn across the floor to allow for lounging, and a small table was covered by a punch bowl and some finger foods. Nothing heavy, but enough for everyone to snack.

Many people would no doubt wonder how it had all gotten here, well, that is what money can do. It was not hers of course, but Garath had left her a nice fund.

As Shoshanah announced to the assembled beings the nature of the informal meeting, Aloric spotted Shar'si making a late entry. He remembered her from his strange and completely unfounded journey into the desert, a journey that hadn't gone exactly as Aloric had expected it to. He had been driven by an intense need to do some personal soul searching, oblivious to Fate's own plans for him. He should have known that nothing he set out to do ever reached its end the way he liked it, gift wrapped for him and deleivered to his lap; he always had to work for it. He was gladdened that she remembered him as well, offering him a small smile as she saw him. It was another reminder that he was unaware that some of the people he had met were also in the Syndicate. Was it his own ignorance, or the secrecy of the guild?

But the thing that struck the mightiest blow to Aloric's somewhat cheerful disposition was the news of Garath.

Gone? As in, for good? Aloric's demeanor became gloomy as the reality of the situation hit him. That was why Sho had called the meeting, and not Garath. That was why the Syndicate had seemed about ready to fall apart. That was why Garath was not present. All of the members surely had been affected by the news, but perhaps not all of them as deepy as Aloric. It had been Garath, inadvertently, that had set him upon the course to finding the Syndicate of Blades, and to joining it. It had been Garath that had given him newfound hope in things he had long thought dead. It had been Garath that had quite possibly changed his life, for the better.

And he had not been given the chance to say goodbye. The respected leader had taken off, And Aloric was hearing about it secondhand. Maybe it was better this way. There had been no uncomfortable goodbyes. It was just... the end. And now he was at peace with it. He was sure Garath knew what he was doing when he left in the manner that he did, and Aloric was not one to question his intentions. It was what it was, and Aloric would miss the esteemed leader of the Acolytes, but life would continue.



Aloric had blanked out for some of the conversation that followed, but he gathered that he had not missed much. Cypher, Sho, and Von Mortem had spoken, on the matter of Garath as well as the recent attacks on the Syndicate's halls. It was not until the silent acolyte spoke that the meeting once again had Aloric's interest. The man had entered without a word, and now, he let his mouth say all it needed. He held the floor for some time, arguing against an attack sprouting from revenge, and Aloric agreed, but he was more intigued by the manner in which the man spoke. He spoke with authority and wisdom, and with care to the deities of Arda and their plans. Aloric had kept his eye on this one, seeing the man silently and intently focus his full attention on each speaker. This one was all business, indicating no emotion. He believed in the words he spoke, but no extra passion had been added to his speech. He was a man that commanded respect, and he had Aloric's.

The rest happened in a daze, as Kai spoke his views on the war situation, and Vianca emerged to arrive at Sho's side. Shoshanah invited them all to an open air tent, spacious and accomodating. Beverages, snacks, and comforts were lain out in a kind of informal perfection, setting just the right tone for the occaison. Aloric felt like he was less at a meeting and more at a social event, and that's what this needed to be. That's what the Syndicate needed in order to get back on track.

Things were starting to come back together.

(I have no clue where we are now, so I do this.)

Wolverine listened to everyone talking about what should happen. He then waited for his chance to speak. When he did, he had said to everyone, “I think on behalf of most of the mercenaries of the guild, most of what should be done should be done undercover. This way, there will not be anything against us. I on behalf could go on more co op missions myself. I have not seen any action for a long time.” He then got off the tree and then walked forward. “I know that we should have peace, but to keep most of our members alive, we need to make sure that there are more killers on hand to silently kill those who oppose us. I might have been a great killer in other lands, but this is the only place now that I could get a challenge. I know we are in somewhat of a crisis here. But I’m sure that I could round up a few people that might join to help our cause.”

he then turned into a panther and climbed the nearest tree and layed down on the lowest branch. he waited to see if anyone would agree with him. this way he could be off and doing something with the guild.

Silnimare the Acolyte watched and listened intently to Kai and Shoshanah as they spoke. He did not incline his head, or make any motion at all to indicate that he was listening, save that his blood-red eyes were gazing unblinkingly in their direction as each one spoke. Then, Shoshanah directed everyone to the pavilion. Silnimare, however, remained behind, silent and unmoving as ever. His gaze was fixed on the lake, as if he was in a dream. Slowly, he walked over to the edge of the lake. He spoke no word, and made no sound.

When he reached the edge of the lake, he stood there silently for a moment, looking beyond space and time. He reached up with both of his hands, and lowered the hood of his cloak. Now, Silnimare's face was visible. He had a very unusual appearance. His skin was the normal shade for a humans. His hair was medium length, and covered a portion of his face. His hair was shock white, whiter than the whites snow, yet he showed no other signs of age at first glance.Silnimare appeared to be in his early twenties, although he was truly much older.

Stooping down, Silnimare reached out his hand, which was covered by a solid black glove, and gently touched the edge of the lake with his fingertip, creating a ripple. As the ripple slowly grew, Silnimare just looked at the water distantly, as his mind wandered. Scenes flashed through his mind, like a movie.

---

Fire. Destruction. Mayhem. A small village was burning. Silnimare stood at the door of his home, his dead wife and son laying on the ground, blood forming pools on the floor, and staining Silnimare's own hands. Tears ran down Silnimare's face as he stared at his dead family. Then Silnimare turned and ran.

In the next vision, Silnimare was sitting on the beach next to the half-dragon Chrono, as they watched the sunset together. The steady sound of the waves moving up and down with the shore seemed to be almost the only sound.

Now, Silnimare was sitting beside a hospital bed, Chrono laying there with several broken bones and more. The doctor slowly walked in, and gave the diagnosis. Silnimare winced as Chrono cried from sheer agony and pain from her injuries.

As the scene faded into the next, it was pouring down rain. Silnimare was standing at the base of the Ered Annon Mountains, and in front of him stood a grave. The tombstone on it said thus, "Here lies Chrono, a half-dragon and a true friend." Silnimare stood perfectly still and silent, as tears streamed down his face, putting even the rain to shame. Then, Silnimare fell to his knees, broken-hearted, crying throughout the stormy night, mourning Chrono.

---

All of these thoughts flashed through Silnimare's mind as the ripples spread on the water. Why? Why did you have to leave me here? I want to be where you are. I miss you. One day, I'll die. And then my black rose will join with your white rose. One day. Hurry, Death. A mortal can only bear so much, and I weary of this burden. Even as Silnimare thought about all of these things, he spoke no word, and made no sound.

Just as the ripple from his finger had almost faded, a drop of what seemed like water created it anew. But it was a tear that fell, not water. Silnimare was beginning to cry, as he thought about Chrono. Wiping the tear, he rose, and stood like a sentry looking over the lake. His arms lay motionless by his side, and his gaze was far away, as he was lost in his thoughts. A gleam of sunlight reached over the horized as it slowly set, and Silnimare's shock-white hair gleamed in the sunlight. Festivities are for those who have hope. I have no hope. I wait for my death, and journey through the vein of mortality until that day. If Threnody be served, so much the better. As long as I am alone, no one else can feel the pain. I will serve the world, so that perhaps something will remain behind me.

Melandro watched as the news unfolded before his eyes, the visage of every individual within the gathering. It was undeniable that all were suddenly faced with a moment of shock as if never expecting the sudden disappearance of their respected leader. Ah yes, Garath, he remembered. The man was the very reason why he had been drafted into the company of the Syndicates and the sole mortal he had perfect confidence upon in the land of Arda, capable of dispelling any threat upon the guild. He was a master of a thousand talents and it would have been an honor for Von Mortem to have one day learned from the old wolf's ways. Even he himself could not imagine the Blades' loss of such a great leader, one who had unselfishly devoted his efforts to seeing through the glory of the guild's future.

The Nocturne's eyes were cast ablank, void seemingly of emotion as he listened for the replies of all the others, sharing their own plight with regard to the recent attacks upon the Syndicates. In his mind, he questioned the reasons as to why they, though a coalition of servants of balance, must always remain dormant. Why they always had to be the ones to repair their guild's halls due to another siege. Was it not by now the hour to strike in vengeance before any other method of surprise came to obliterate their entire existence?

" I do not see why a counter attack against them would be rendered merely out of revenge. Our success upon their first arrival into our halls had clearly not disuaded them for pursuing us the second time. Why must we always wait until our walls lay battered and risk the unexpected death of comrades when we can force a truce within their very guild. When the time comes and if leadership has come to a final settlement, I could only suggest a full assault upon the Templars to offer them our terms."

Confidence was spelled in those orbs glistening with the lake's placid waves as he spoke, characterized even further by the stern might of determination. He was convinced in every well composed word in faithful proposition knowing full well the outcome of the last siege. Two attempts upon the Syndicates and both had been warded off. Clearly their military strength was far superior without requiring a full blown battle. Peace can only sometimes be found in the other side of war.

He carried on with the others within a tent seemingly supplied by Shoshanah's newly amassed wealth. He would not have been surprised if the lone wolf had left her the greater half of his possessions for Melandro was acquainted with the idea that both individuals had shared a certain degree of closeness that perhaps he could never fathom. For now he could only thank the lady for providing him a new pair of bracers, those that now protected his forearms in succeeding battles. From where such prized tokens had come from, Von Mortem merely chose not to ask.

He cast a final glance upon the lake, capturing the view of a lone silhouette lasting in his vision. If only he had the power to read a man's thoughts he would have if only to seek the troubles that seemed to have come upon this companion of his. Melandro could have intruded, beckoned the man to be received into the meager form of shelter that had been provided but found it best to leave the man in his silence. He too had these moments, moments in recollection of his past experiences. If this were to be one of those dedicated to the woman who lay buried in the mountains, the grave that he had happened upon that fateful afternoon then Melandro would simply not be faced with any emotion of surprise. He was a widower as well. Only upon the acceptance of this thought, he turned to the realities of the present. The meeting must continue.

Into the spacious shade provided by the large makeshift room he entered, observing the presence of carefully prepared food laid across the smooth surface of a polished table that wasn't nearly as finely crafted as those found within the guild's walls. For a moment he had wondered how the two ladies had managed to arrange such a meeting with their bare hands unless of course with the aid of the many man-servants hired for assistance. A sly smirk came to replace Melandro's smile of appreciation to her thoughtful gesture for the Syndicates. The entire arrangement merely reminded him of the typical lady's quarters where pillows lay scattered in various unplanned patterns across the floor. Definitely not the architecture of a man-servant he teased in silence in fear that he may unexpectedly be turned into a flaming torch after observing Shosahan's abilities when playing with fire.

(Not sure how to make my entry, so here goes)

These types of events were a mystery to the vampire. It was good that such a meeting was called, and that the invitations were personally delivered by a good standing member, but he couldn't help but let out a smile. The setting was on a clear land, in the midday sun. Most of the guild know him to avoid the sunlight, but lately with his coming of age things have been different. It was as good a time as ever to make himself known again, but this time he had a lot of things to accomplish.

The most recent developments in the guild have shaken all, but nothing like what Sanzen had. With nothing but a simple message the entire organization was entrusted to his hands, the path of the guildmaster now laid down for him. It was a duty he had not prepared to fulfill, but it was entrusted to him so as a sign of respect he had to follow the wishes of Garath. His leave was unexpected, but knowing the wise wolf, he had his reasons. They have been on a good number of adventures, most of which paired them against each other. But in recent times the old rivalries have past, forming a good friendship that could have lasted as long as time itself. Now that he headed the guild, Sanzen had to return from his travels, and accept his new role.

It was rather fortunate that arrangements have been made to accomodate his 'unique' condition, and that because of this he was able to attend the meeting. The earlier setting was unfit for him, so he proceeded earlier to the tent set up. It was neatly organized, with food and drink to go around. The particular tastes Sanzen looked for were not served, but he was not one to complain. His arrival was supposedly a surprise to the guild, as it would seem impossible for him to arrive. He had his ways, and this mystery would surely raise a few eyebrows once his presence was made known.

Making his way to the far corner, he went down and sat on the ground, using his hands to support himself. The members would supposedly meet elsewhere, then proceed inside for a form of celebration. As if not wasting any time faint footsteps could be heard from outside. With his guildmates nearing the entrance to the pavillion, he quickly stood up, as if a steward awaiting the arrival of the guests. As people started going in the pavillion, he uttered in a loud but soft-spoken voice, "Hello Syndicate. How has the world treated you?" He was not really pertaining to anyone, but his quick statement would be enough to catch their attention, at least.

Shar'si simply listened as the others spoke, taking in each bit of news, information and suggestions to think over them. She never was quite one to speak up without much consideration of all available information, though when she did give her speeches, they were well thought out and she rarely backed down. The whispers of chaos throughout Lómëdor had become much more noticeable. It had come to the point that those under the Goddess Ita were now gathering their numbers, and not all of it was being done in secrecy. This news had not set well with Shar'si, which had kept her in Lómëdor much longer than she would have usually remained in order to search for information. So many weeks of stone all around here, in the form of the streets and buildings of Lómëdor had caused her to become quite restless. She had been so deep in thought that she had to pick herself up and hurry along to catch up with the rest of her guildmates to make it to the tent with them.

"I would have to cast my opinion in agreement that we are well within our means to make the early strike against Chaos and her minions - these Templars," Shar'si stated, while attempting to stay amongst the traveling guild members. "It would be in the best interest of the Blades, as far as I can see it, not to allow them to gather their numbers and make the first move. Revenge is not the issue here, nor is peace itself. Peace alone is not balance, it is but one aspect of balance. To have only peace tips the scales completely in one direction. In their own strange way, War and Peace must be had in equal parts to maintain balance. These Templars appear to seek chaos without consideration for the other elements involved, and as such they have made themselves a target for the Blades." She left it at that as the gathered members began to enter the tent, needing more time to further consider her thoughts in relation to the information that had been shared thus far.

She was just making her own way into the tent when a new voice caught her ears, causing her to tilt her head in a curious gesture. A quick glance ahead brought to sight a man who had not been with them while they had been gathered outside, leaving her only to name the man as Sanzen. She had not had the opportunity to meet the man in the past, which had left her with a certain bit of wondering over just who he was. That curiosity had been strengthened by this new ascension to the title of leader over the Blades, as she felt it was important to know who was at the head of an organization that she had given her loyalty to. Being one of the newer members, however, caused her to pass on by without a reply right that instant, as she was sure that the more senior members would wish to greet him and discuss formal business of sorts. Instead, she made her way to one edge of the tent, gathering up a couple of the pillows to soften up a spot for her to settle down.

These people are known as the Syndicate of Blades. They are a very large group and are growing. I have already taken the liberty of arranging for you to join. So, go meet your kind, Axle Revera. The wraith named Rotuc seemed almost mocking as he forced Axle's body to approach the tent. "But I work alone! I don't need the assistance of other's, let alone their company!" Axle protested but still his feet took slow steps towards a tent where people were entering. Hopefully no one saw him yet and he could break Rotuc's spell to make a run for it. For the task at hand you will need these people. Within their deepest ranks is a group called the acolytes. They, like you, wish to give balance to the world and serve the goddess of balance. Once again the voice in Axle's head was taunting and anything but sincere.

Within twenty paces to the tent Axle felt his body come to a halt and he could feel control return to him. This is where I leave the choice to you. They can help you accomplish your dreams. They are at war with another group bent on spreading chaos. You can truly become part of the bigger picture Axle! But I will leave you when dealing with the group. I doubt they would accept a wraith. The voice began to fade near the end of it's message as did the figure floating on Axle's shoulder did. They small wraith that looked more like a torn sheet with orange glowing eyes faded away until Axle was truly alone.

"I hate that wraith..." Axle mumbled as he approached the tent.

Entering awkwardly he did his best to avoid the other members, putting himself in the farther corner from the entrance and simply observing with his red eyes. He had never felt so out of place in his life. He had been an outcast for the past two hundred years, and to suddenly be thrown into a new group was an extremely new ordeal that didn't settle well in the pit of Axle's stomach. He mumbled a single phrase under his breath.

"If that wraith wasn't already dead I would kill him..."

This day was truly a day of surprises. Sitting in a corner of the tent that Sho had set up was someone completely unrecognizable and yet so completely and without a doubt the new leader of the Syndicate: Sanzen. Aloric had not been expecting to meet the new leader this day, or any day, for that matter. Von Mortem had mentioned that the man was a vampire and did not show his face in the daylight, and Aloric had a peculiarity with darkness, so the two paths would have been hard pressed to ever cross. There he sat, though, in perfect contentment under the protection of the tent's covering. Sanzen's words had caught Aloric's attention as he had been heading for the spot designated to accomodate the members as they relaxed and discussed the future of the guild.

That discussion became all the more prevalent with the arrival of the new leader, Aloric knew. Throught the course of the day, Sanzen would surely have to make known his plans and direction for the future. What to do with the constant attacks that faced the Syndicate's territory, the redistribution of power, and the individual assignments that would be carried out by the members. The day may bring some much needed rest and relaxation, but it would also be a day of hard deliberation, and some tough choices would have to be made by the people in power. ALoric would be content to listen for the most part, making sure that everything decided upon did not stray away from the Syndicate's goals, which he had been required to keep at the front of his memory, being a member of the neutral sect.

He had never met Sanzen before, but he was sure the vampire knew of him. Garath and Sanzen had worked close together, and Garath was well versed in the inner workings of the Syndicate. The wolf had more than likely discussed all the personnel with Sanzen, so that even if they had not met, Sanzen would be aware of them and their accomplishments. He smiled as warmly as he could to the man, and said, "Welcome, we weren't expecting you to make it. I was pleasantly incorrect."

Squall Lioheart, the son of a half dragon, and an Air elemental, Had joined the Syndicate of Blades awhile ago. But upon joining he had left on a journey through Arda to find his past. Now he had found his mother, the air elemental, and was ready to go back to the Syndicate of Blades. Squall had heard of a meeting of the blades at Lake Aelin so thats where Squall headed.

The young, half elemental seen some of the members enter a large tent. He finally smiled as he felt he was home, with his real family. Squall was then in a little shock as Sanzen appeared. Not wanting to make a fool of himself Squall waited outside the tent for a little while to calm himself. After all this was really the first time he had met any of the Guild... atleast as a fully member. Before entering the tent Squall made sure that everything was their, that he still had both of his blades.

He let out a small laugh seeing that Destruction and Salvation were still by his side, these were the names had had given his twin blades. He then let out a small sigh and walked forward entering the tent. His long knee lenght blue hair flowwing softly behind him as he walked in. Their were a few others within the tent as well. Most talking to Sanzen. Squall smiled and nodded a little as he looked at the others.

He then softly said to them "Hello everyone.... Im home. You might not know me. I joined a while ago, my name is Squall Lioheart. But now I am here, and I shall never leave the Guild for that long again..." He then looked at each one in turn as he went on to say "Also I am sorry to hear about Garath as well." he continued to look at the members and thats when Squall began to get the feeling he was not wanted here. This was a common thing from Squall, he either felt unwanted or felt like the people around him were to nice. Although deep within his mind Squall wanted to get by these feelings so that he could infact settle within the Guild.

His hands rested upon the hilts of Destruction and Salvaltion once again, his lips curling up into a very small smile. The Guild seemed to have grown somewhat and seemed to be getting larger each and everyday. This made Squall more happy, also they all seemed to be rather good warriors, or in some cases... Mages. Yes the Syndicate of Blades was the perfect home, and Squall would do all within his power to help them battle with the Templar.....

Cypher watched as more members showed up. It was a great gathering. He decided not to say anything but lsiten. He as not sure where the guild was going, and he was eager to find out. He grabbed an orange juice and sat down, listening intently what the others have to say. He looked back and forth. Surely soemthing will come up for them to do. A mission? A task? Does not matter, Cypher was bored, he wanted soemthing to do.

What a dull time he'd been having so far, even as he walked with everyone else to the tent, the apparent new site of this meeting, with Sanzen already there. There wasn't exactly much going on here, just a few comments thrown out and people greeting each other. But what could he have expected, really? Even so, he did want to actually do something, not sit around idly chatting.

Standing around the edge of the group, near the entrance to the tent, he looked back to the entrance thoughtfully, trying to think of something useful he could say or do right now. He was a member of the Neutrals, the more...academic sect, one could say...he should've been able to come up with something. But for a few moments, he simply stood there, staring into space and faintly listening to what everyone had to say.

Finally he sighed to himself and looked over to the group, hoping that nobody would object to him leaving. If they even noticed or cared, however, that would be the first step toward it, and he somewhat doubted they would. After all, he wasn't exactly all that well-known in the guild despite his high level of activity in it.

"Well, sorry to leave early, but I have something I have to do...I should be back in somewhere over an hour, so don't worry about saving anything for me," he said, and turned around, walking out of the tent and out in the direction of the coastline. Well, they were talking about attacking the Templar guild hall, after all...so why not pay it a visit. He had plenty of confidence that he'd be able to handle whatever turned up there and return safely, or at least in one piece, though he wished to simply do this alone.

Ploay looked back at her shrine sadly as she tread across the temple of nature, for she hasn’t left her shrine for so long. Part of it was from fear, fear of how people would look at her, she was so different then the silver haired and orb guardian she once was. Now her mind changed into thinking differently, and her appearance, would anyone but a deity even recognize her? Shoshanah sent her something, about a guild meeting, and it seemed like there would be a crowd, or a small set of people to discuss issues. One, that she hoped wouldn’t come up would be her absents. The wind lightly blew in the loose black strands of hair, tickling her cheek to the point Ploay felt she must tuck her hair behind her head. None the less she let the hair do whatever it wanted in the wind, knowing it would settle back down when the wind passed.

Ploay unfolded her black wings, then made a huge flap, causing a small sound of thunder from beneath then pushed her up in the sky. With each flap she arched her wings and flapped, and sound she could fly easily with these new found wings. The lake wasn’t that far away, but Ploay never went there to relax, she preferred the cold when she wanted to relax. In the cold there were less people, easier on the nerves that is for one thing. There were many people to deal with as is, between the shrine, and being in the natural leader of the guild. Each time she would support one of her duties, the others would suffer greatly.

Looking down she spotted the lake and quickly settled down, and ending with folding her wings back behind her. There was a tent so she walked up to it slowly but stopping just a few feet when she heard something. "Well, sorry to leave early, but I have something I have to do...I should be back in somewhere over an hour, so don't worry about saving anything for me." Kai? Ploay thought, as she started to head in his direction, “Kai, do you have a moment?” The wind guardian wanted to talk to him, she wasn’t sure what about but she needed to say something. But then at the last minute, she remembered that he wouldn’t recognize her, in fact no one in that tent would. Despite this sadness, she tried to keep on a light smile at all times, and hide the sadness from down in her soul.

“Kai, do you have a moment?” he heard someone, a girl, call out to him, though in an unfamiliar voice. Looking over to where the voice was coming from in curiosity, he didn't even recognize the girl...but she was here, and she clearly knew his name, so she had to be from the Syndicate, right?

"Suppose so, what I have to do isn't particularly urgent," he said, looking to the girl thoughtfully. Finally he came to a conclusion of the only person she could likely be. "Ploay? You're...different..."

This was probably somewhat of an understatement, though...her physical form looked somewhat different overall, and what once was white now appeared to be black. Something had obviously happened to her, but he certainly wouldn't have had the heart to ask what. He was a relatively curious type, but didn't like to ask people anything very personal, or that could be sensitive.

Ploay looked down at the ground as a soft cool breeze tickled her tan, smooth arms which were wrapped in a silk brown ribbon. Her head stayed down to the right, but slowly her violet eyes looked up at Kai. Instead of bearing the look of lost emotion in her eyes; they bore the look of passion, compassion, and another but undescribable feeling. Ploay’s fox pupil seemed to seem her, but it appeared her had to look way deep. He was the second person to have seen her like this, after seeing how she looked before. “Nice to see you too Kai,” Her voice was close to a whisper. Then suddenly the wind seemed to change, in a more stronger force as she lift her head, and gave a small smirk. “I trust your wind training is going well?”

Sorry for the shortness I'm just so jackd up about getting my learners!)

(eh...don't know what that means and not going to ask... x.x; )

“Nice to see you too Kai,” the girl said, proving in effect that she was indeed Ploay, despite the strange change in appearance. Then she lifted her head back up and smirked lightly, as the wind began to change, becoming more forceful. “I trust your wind training is going well?”

"Naturally...the whirlwind of mine that you saw me develop is still probably my strongest ability, but I have picked up on a few other things recently, that'll likely be an asset to me where I'm going at the moment," he said, looking around a bit for something that didn't weigh too much and finding a moderately big rock, then flicking his fingers back lightly and twisting his arm around so he could catch it in his hand as a gust of wind propelled it in the direction he wanted it to come.

Ploay studied Kai’s rock for a moment, not really paying too much attention at first, but a bit surprised that he came so far so soon. “That was good Kai,” Ploay spoke in a calm voice not showing excitement in her tone in the least. “Where is everyone else?” She continued as a thought of why she came her. Before she would allow him to finish she spoke once more, “oh and I am calling a Neural meeting, I’ll give you the details later and when it is. I just wanted to make sure you would be reachable for the next few days.”

“That was good Kai,” Ploay said, and he tossed the rock back to the side. “Where is everyone else?” Then before he could speak out, she continued quickly with one more statement. “Oh and I am calling a Neutral meeting, I’ll give you the details later and when it is. I just wanted to make sure you would be reachable for the next few days.”

"Of course...I'll probably be out training a lot, but I'll still be around as always, so whenever you decide to have it feel free to contact me," he said. "Anyway, though...right now I should get going, I have something I need to do. I should be back around an hour or so, though...and everyone else is in a tent a short distance that way, now that I remember it," he continued, pointing a finger back in the direction of where the meeting had been moved to, and silently walking off, not willing to tell anyone currently where it was that he was going. It was his own business, and they wouldn't like it anyway...they might even try to stop him, or go with him, two things he really didn't need.

Ploay turned her head to see where he was pointing and spotted a tent which looked big enough to hold quiet a lot of people. As she whipped her head back around to say bye, Kai was already walking off. Which all the pauses in his speech, Ploay wanted to ask where he was going, or even follow him for a short distance. But she thought against it, neutrals needed their space, it was understandable. Ploay just hoped he wasn’t going to do something that would end up getting himself killed. “Kai, just take care of yourself.” She said rather loud, yet in a calm voice with a hint of concern. I’m tired of people I know getting hurt, dying, or changing. Ploay waited a few seconds to see if he replied, then turned her back to him. With hast she moved quickly towards the tent.

With a solemn movement of the hand, she pulled the flap of the tent back and stepped in. Quickly gazing around she spotted a few people she knew, and a few she didn’t. Ploay walked further in, everyone she did know seemed to be talking to others. The guardian stretched her back, then walked over to where some of the finger foods were. Ploay took two crackers and but cut cheese, and cut meat in between to make a sandwich. Ploay turned back to the crowd, and before s he took a bite, she said, “Oh hello theres.” She smiled with a chuckle then took a bite of her sandwich.

"I am wondering Ploay, Is there anything that I could do right now? because it seems like I barely have a say here." said wovlerine as he started to pace to try and control his anger. "And Sorry if it seems rude but I just don't think that I should be at this meeting anyways becuase of me being a mercenary. so if there is anything that i could do for the gild right now that you could think of let me know so I could be on my way.."