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  • Towenaar Van Aarde

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    [Npc]Who... what are you? [/npc]

    The young mage uttered his final words as a heavy blade cleaved his skull and body in twain. [Towen]Be redeemed in the eyes of the Lord. [/towen]

    He had been watching the acolyte for a time. The boy was no more than 16, barely able to control his power under stressful circumstances. Regardless, Towen had shaken his faith by nullifing spells and mana use. Talismans were collected from the square trap he had sprung, then bound together with twine, and packed away. The sword was cleaned and re-sheathed.

    Towen, now composed once more, stepped out of the secluded area and into the park. He made his way to the rocks and laid the blade next to him, sprawling out on the sun-warmed stones. He had not been observed. The man was more than careful enough to ensure that.

    Towen closed his eyes, sunglasses layered over shut lids, and drifted off to a short but light sleep under the sun. About fifteen minutes in, the shriek of a police siren woke the sleepy agent of God. He was just another face in the crowd. Another man with a defensive blade in an age of constant threat. Towen chuckled to himself at the irony of blatant open carry in a world which had been so close to banning even concealed weapons.

    There was a police line set up at the crime scene, and ARMA officials started to arrive. The body had not yet been ID-ed, but in any case where seemingly abnormal phenomena occurred, ARMA were first response.

    Another 15 minutes, and the OFL's delegation arrived. The boy had been one of their new recruits. It was a shame he had been so easily swayed from the path of God.

    Towen sat and watched for a few minutes. He would leave shortly thereafter.

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    • 4 months later...

    Towen glowered across the park, watching the political circus as OFL and ARMA members argued whose crime scene this was. ARMA wanted it because it was New York. The OFL wanted it because it was their body. He just chuckled and stood up to walk away.

     

    Long strides carried Towen past the crowd which was gathering. Someone grabbed his arm on the way out. [npc] "Hey. You know what's going on down there?"[/npc] Towen shook loose and continued forwards, fishing a small top spiral bound notebook from the chest pocket of his jacket. A pen slid from his jeans and the top clicked. That was now one name fewer on his list. There was the crisp crunch of pen and paper as gel spread across the name. Another click and the pen went back in his pocket, other thumb deftly flipping the cover of his notebook back over before he stowed it again.

     

    Heavy boots thunked onto the concrete of the sidewalk and Towen headed into a crowded coffee shop. Just another man who wanted something to drink.

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    • 3 weeks later...

    [cassg]This argument is over. This is our body. Now, these two men,[/cassg] She motioned to a couple lower rank ARMA members, [cassg]will ask you some questions.[/cassg]

     

    The OFL had trouble letting go, which wasn't a surprise, though Cassandra was having none of their nonsense. This was her crime scene. Once the delegation were sufficiently away, and being questioned by the two ARMA men about the victim, she turned her attention back to the forensic examiner.

     

    [cassg]Get this body out of here as soon as possible and once you have something, contact me.[/cassg]

     

    Forensics had already collected what they could, though it was not much, and they had some people out gathering information from anyone that might have seen anything. The OFL guys had given them a name to work with and hopefully would provide more. Cassandra wasn't holding her breath though. They wouldn't break the law, but neither would they be the most forthcoming individuals. Being ousted from their previous position and replaced by ARMA was galling for them.

     

    Sucks to be them, she thought with amusement.

     

    Everyone left in OFL wasn't necessarily bad, but to her thinking they were being willfully ignorant and seeing the organization knocked down a few pegs wasn't unpleasant. She thought by now they'd at least get that this city was no longer theirs and that ARMA wasn't just some rebellious faction anymore. Perhaps next year they'd get it through their heads. For now, she headed off for the nearest coffee shop. She hadn't grabbed anything on the way out of the office this morning and was in need of caffeine after a rough night. Heading just down the street, she put her ARMA badge on her belt where it'd be evident where the hem of her yellow t-shirt met her blue jeans then slipped inside the shop. The line was long, and there was a rather hulking guy in front of her that prevented her from seeing the menu.

     

    Good thing she wasn't always a complicated coffee drinker.

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    Towen stood quietly in line, perusing the board though he knew exactly what he wanted. Half-Caf Americano, no milk, no sugar. The guy in front of him stepped back suddenly and knocked into Towen... who didn't budge. [towen] "You ok there?" [/towen] He asked, a hand on the back helping the hapless individual step back into his place in line. There was a slight strain to his voice, as though he were pretending to be concerned. It wasn't something a passerby would notice, but it would definitely be picked up by someone trained in interrogation or used to the signs of sociopathy.

     

    [npc] Yeah. I'm fine...asshole. [/npc] The man added under his breath. Towen just shrugged and stepped forward as the line advanced. It was moving rather quickly, and he had ordered within three minutes of that little incident. Paying the cashier, Towen stepped aside to the counter where they put drinks for pickup. His eyes spotted the ARMA badge on the woman behind him, but face remained blank. He was probably not even close to being on their radar anymore. A rogue mage who left the order in the chaos surrounding ARMA's formation probably didn't even net him a spot on their missing-persons wall...though he could have been wrong. It didn't matter. He'd keep up his efforts to purify the world no matter who tried to stop him. If he died in the process, that was one fewer wielder of magic polluting the earth.

     

    Blank brown eyes stared around the coffee house for a moment before the man's drink appeared on the counter. He remembered to thank the Barista, picked up the drink, and turned, back to the counter, looking around the room again, this time for an open table where he could still keep tabs on little miss ARMA. 

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    • 2 months later...

    The sword on the large man's back was noted absently. Such weaponry was not unseen in this day and age. There'd been a time where you couldn't even carry a gun and now they lived in a world where people carried big swords openly. Sometimes it made doing their job more difficult. The odd cases she was investigating had involved a few sword related deaths, but she wasn't the sort to go around pointing her finger at anyone carrying one. Not even the behemoth in front of her.

     

    Cassandra noted the kind way he helped the man after bumping into him. That was rare these days. Of course, the bumped man's response — just barely caught — was the norm. Of course, that voice at the back of her mind buzzed as if she'd missed. . . something. That would bother her all day if she didn't figure out what. When the large man moved out of the way, she stepped forward with a smile for the barista.

     

    "Coffee. Black."

     

    The order was simple amidst the more tailored tastes of others here. She had her warm drink in hand quickly. Stepping out of line now, she moved toward one of the tables near the window that gave her a view of the park in the distance with the entrance nearest to her crime scene. Time to observe for awhile and see if any suspicious individuals came through. Some killers did like to revisit the scene of the crime.

     

    Taking a seat, she wrapped both hands around her cup and waited quietly.

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    What an odd bunch ARMA was. This woman had just been at the scene of a gruesome murder, and yet she was now smiling, or at the very least, inured to the tragedy. That was to be expected--it was hardly the most brutal of even his own murders, let alone the carnage the world had seen since the sky erupted.

     

    The little coffee-shop was rather full, and it so happened that the ARMA knight had occupied a table with one of the few open seats still left. Towen approached, curious about what ARMA might know about his escapades. [Towen] Excuse me, miss. Is anyone using this seat? [/Towen] A soft smile crept across his face as he gestured towards the chair. Sword and scabbard were unslung from across his back, point set against the ground as he held onto the handle. [Towen] Any idea what those sirens were about?[/Towen] A feigned innocence--naivete obviously crafted for the purpose of hiding something. 

     

    People had a habit of assuming they could trust you if they caught you in a little white lie. He'd lie about knowing she was ARMA, she'd trust him, and he'd learn what they knew about the murders. Well, in a perfect world that would work. Hopefully the woman wasn't one of those ungodly brain scanning monsters the world had created nearly a decade ago.

     

     

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    The last thing Cassandra expected was for someone to ask to take the seat opposite her. That it was the giant of a man was even more surprising. . . and slightly problematic as he'd block part of her view. Manners though prevented her from saying no as she could see there weren't any other seats available, and it wasn't as though she was waiting on someone. A hand motioned for him to take the seat as she observed him and took a sip from her still steaming coffee.

     

    She still couldn't quite put her finger on what felt off about this man. Something brushed around the back of her mind, but she was still not able to process everything yet. Maybe after some more coffee.

     

    His question though had one brow arching as she lowered her cup to the table.

     

    [cassg]Another day in New York, I'd guess. I wouldn't be too concerned.[/cassg]

     

    One thing Cassandra didn't do was discuss work cases with people that didn't have clearance. This man was a civilian. Plus she was aware that such slip-shod actions often cost the police cases even before Resonance happened. Instead she followed procedure carefully. However, taking an opportunity to ask discreet questions was never passed over. Sometimes people saw things they didn't even realize.

     

    [cassg]Nice day out. You walk here too?[/cassg]

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    Towen set the sword down, laying the scabbard on the floor so as not to block anyone's path before sitting down. The woman gave him a non-answer, bringing a slight scowl. [Towen] Ah, well. I guess you're probably right. [/Towen] The slight lilt of a South African accent had been unusual enough in New York before the resonance. Now, nationality was just another thing to ignore while people worried about what their next twenty-four hours would bring.

     

    [Towen] Yes. It was unseasonably warm, so I figured I would head to Central Park. A very nice day. Saw a bunch of those magical-type people standing around, arguing before I left. [/towen] The man gave a slight smile as he took a deep draught from his cup. [Towen] And you? Just out for a walk as well? [/towen] 

     

    Brown eyes carefully observed Cassandra's face, watching for any signs of awareness. It was unlikely she knew who he was, but he was still being careful, even if being this close were completely reckless.

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    • 2 months later...

    That scowl was as noticeable as the accent, but Cassandra didn't comment on either. She watched him settle the sword and scabbard out of the way. It didn't concern her though. Hands wrapped tighter around her cup of coffee to enjoy its warmth — her hands holding a bit of a chill even on a nice day — as she took another sip. If there was one thing she loved more than anything in the world it was coffee. With her view partially blocked, she contented herself with looking out at what she could see and did it as casually as possible.

     

    [cassg]Mhm. . .[/cassg] She responded to the first part with an amused note to her voice. Those magical-types were always arguing. She imagined that he'd probably witnessed the argument between the OFL and ARMA magus. [cassg]I'm on a break from work. Just stopped in to get some coffee and enjoy a little leisure time before going back to the office.[/cassg]

     

    Not the truth, not a lie. It was just in-between. She knew revealing herself as ARMA could shut people up as effectively as saying you were the police. If she wanted to learn anything that this guy might know that wouldn't work. If he knew anything at all, of course.

     

    [cassg]You hear what they were arguing about?[/cassg]

     

    She lowered her cup to the table again.

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    Towen's face remained a mask as he smiled internally. She had no idea who he was. [towen] Terrible coffee at the office?[/towen] he asked with a slight knowing laughter in his voice, as though he were in the same situation. [towen] There was this company I worked for long ago, and I'm fairly certain they used instant coffee powder like filter coffee. [/towen] Of course, that was a half-lie. The coffee at the OFL branch where he'd trained had been absolute shit.

     

    Ah, there was the question. Had he heard the unholy bastards arguing? Obviously. Did he know about what? Absolutely. Would he tell her? In what world could that be a good idea? None.

     

    [towen] I was too far up the hill to hear them. They were probably concerned with something idiotic like territory. [/towen] Another drink from his coffee. 

     

    She was probing for information still, and even watching for someone to return to the scene of the crime. How amusing. 

     

    [towen] The world got along just fine with police before that portal to hell opened in the sky. Not sure why we feel the need to glorify magic overlords now, instead of just embedding anti-meta measures in police forces.[/towen] Time to test her response to some slightly anti-mage rhetoric. He paused. [towen]Ought to have all these magic freaks locked up so they can't cause trouble.[/towen]

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    This one was neither the first nor the last to rant about "magic freaks". The hatred humanity had for people that were different was still prevalent before Resonance. Afterward the targets of that hate had just changed. The hate speech and rhetoric was easy to see, hear, and feel; helped along by groups like the Vanguard. Cassandra wasn't surprised by such behaviors and attitudes — just continually disgusted.

     

    Here? She just continued to smile politely. Sip her coffee as if nothing offensive had been uttered.

     

    [cassg]If we locked up everyone that could be dangerous then all of humanity would be in cells including yourself.[/cassg]

     

    It was a simple statement. Quite clear too. Before they would've locked him up for carting that sword around; possibly could've gotten shot too. But that was the way of the world before and some things had improved. At least ARMA didn't go around harming people unprovoked.

     

    [cassg]And even before Resonance the cops didn't have a stellar reputation for being equipped to handle things.[/cassg]

     

    Cassandra tilted her head to the side, one brow lifting, as she dared him to consider spouting his hateful, misinformed nonsense. Of course, her words were truthful and pointed when she spoke again.

     

    [cassg]Actually, we have great coffee at ARMA. I'm just not ready to go into the office yet.[/cassg]

     

    There wasn't any point in continuing the charade. She'd gotten plenty enough from this one, but he wasn't going to give her anything useful on the murder in the park. Even if he'd seen anything? She wouldn't be able to trust a word that came out of his mouth. He was playing a game with her, and though she wasn't sure why Cassandra was aware enough to know when someone was screwing with her.

     

    She signaled for the waitress and when the woman came said, though her gaze remained coolly upon him, [cassg]Another cup, but to-go, please.[/cassg]

     

    The waitress headed off while Cassandra finished the last swallow in her cup.

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    Towen nodded. She was correct on most fronts. Her eyes had lingered on the sword long enough for him to know what she meant. [Towen]I should be locked up. Not for something like the sword, though.[/towen] He sipped his coffee. [Towen] Apparently being altered isn't enough to get you taken out of general society, though.[/towen] He watched her face for a response to that revelation.

    [Towen]I was on the inside for a while. The things I saw people do- create pyres of flame from nothing, open portals to the nether-verse, summon otherworldly creatures, bound to them by unholy contract.[/Towen]

    His arm moved quickly as he touched the chain of his cross necklace. Without drawing it out, he could at least be in contact this way. [Towen]So I left. And for all your pretty rhetoric, ARMA is comprised of the same ungodly mages.[/Towen] He scowled. He'd just revealed his history. Would ARMA bring him back by force? The OFL certainly would have.

    [Towen]All I can do at this point is hold on to the little humanity I have left, and pray it's enough to keep me out of hell.[/Towen] The religious rhetoric, true as it was, was also an effective shield against scrutiny. No one believed a man of God would murder in cold blood.

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    • 2 weeks later...

    Watching silently, Cassandra let the man go on. She didn't interrupt him. Instead she took mental notes about his words and actions; watching the way he moved or his features shifted, and noting the inflections in his tone. This one was someone to keep an eye on for sure. For all his talking her face remained a mask of placidity. Nothing about what he was saying made her feathers ruffle. Perhaps at one point that might've been the case, but she'd come far from that point. When he revealed enough of his background to make it clear that he'd been part of the OFL? Well, all she did was tilt her head to the side. The waitress brought back her coffee, Cassandra reaching into her wallet to hand her the money listed on the receipt along with an extra tip.

     

    Once the waitress stepped away though and this man stopped speaking?

     

    She rose to a standing position to give him a cool look now.

     

    [cassg]You misunderstand. Powered, altered, or not? By your flawed logic everyone should've been locked up even before this happened.[/cassg] Pausing now, she let that sink in before adding, [cassg]And if ARMA was anything like the OFL then we'd still be OFL.[/cassg]

     

    She looked down at his coffee then back at him with a polite smile, [cassg]Perhaps you should have another cup to clear your head. Good day.[/cassg]

     

    As she headed for the door, she pulled out her phone and dialed the number for her office. Shoulder pushing it open as she stepped outside, and left a message on her machine.

     

    [cassg]Look into tall, large man around six feet with brown hair and thick beard. Carries a sword. Used to be part of the OFL. Reach out to others within ARMA or to the OFL itself to see if any information can be provided.[/cassg]

     

    Pocketing the phone, she made for the direction of the ARMA headquarters. Giving him one last glance where she could see him inside through the window.

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