Closing Doors, Opening Trials

Two entities.  One felt relief in the form of a cold focus and realistic nature.  The other felt damaged, weakened and hurt as if it had just lost a vital part of it's being.  The first twisted darkly through the ethereal essence of it's existance, bearing down upon it's wounded cousin. A brief flare of brilliance exuded from the second entity as it fought to retain it's existence in the ethereal. Fought for a war that had slowly been lost within the avalanche in which time had become. Just as swiftly as the battle had begun, it ended. The first descended upon the second smothering it in it's embrace as if to say: 'Shh, it's okay.  You'll find true strength in this.'

The sound of Throm's tent flap rapidly parting woke him suddenly. He blinked several times, the shadows of sleep and...something else slowly receding from his vision. The middle aged man clad in a uniform identifying him as a Lieutenant within the Tripower Army stopped cold in his tracks his mouth agape.
'Yes?' Throm rasped, clearing the sleep from his voice as well.
'Your eyes?  I thought?  Nevermind.'
Throm frowned as he rolled onto his side, sitting up in his bed. He was certain the man would not have woken him for the mere sake of looking into his eyes. He noted the man's name on the ID plate he wore over his light armor just in case.
'Well Lieutenant...Nils. What can I do for you this fine morning?'
The man looked rather sheepish for a moment causing Throm to wonder if truly the man had burst into the wrong tent accidentally. Suddenly the man seemed to remember where he was and stood to full attention on the spot.
'Sir! Battle Patrol 27 responded earlier this morning to a sighting by Scout Patrol 4 on the North Gate of Kefkaburg. Bodies sir. Hung by their necks from the wall. A family of Espers.'

Throm's frown deepened. The boldness of the Vectorian's had been growing steadily, this much was apparent in the ever increasing taxes and imprisonments without trial. But open slayings of it's citizens was too much. He stood up, noticing for the first time the letter still held in his hand. Last night he had read it once, then twice, then again. Then this morning it's contents no longer brought conflict within him.  He casually tossed it into the blazing brazier which burned at the edge of his tent and walked out.

Preludes to War

The breath of the chocobos and their riders steamed in the cold morning air. Rising up it vanished into the gray sky above, which cast down a gloomy light upon the outskirts of Kefkaburg. It was a quiet morning save the crunching of the morning frost beneath the feet of the birdlike mounts as the patrol moved purposefully towards the North Gate of the city. Atop the walls of the city, magenta armored sentries stood next to their equally magenta banners which sat just as still as their sentient counterparts in the windless skies. No movement came from above, no demands to turn back. The Vectorians wanted the patrol to be there it seemed. Wanted the riders precisely where they were. A single gesture from the foremost rider brought the patrol to a halt just within range of arrow fire, yet still the magenta figures looked down impassively from above. The lead rider, clad in heavy armor of bright red and blue, swung down from the saddle both hitting the ground heavily and eliciting a quiet 'wark' of relief from the chocobo. As he looked up to the gate a small gasp escaped him, echoing through his helm far louder than he had intended.

It was exactly what it had appeared to be according to scout reports, but worse. A man woman, three children, even what had probably been the family pet had been strung up by their necks and left for the crows  Espers by the look of them, a Vectorian favorite. Removing his helm in reverence the patrol leader, a youthful looking elf with a copper mane of hair, motioned for the other riders to approach.
'Soran, Julie. Stay behind and keep the crows off of them. Bradin, Tohl. You will  accompany me into the plains to look for something to build a ladder with. We're not going to leave them up there. Nils, I want you to ride back to the Blockade as though the Dragon Queen herself were on your heels. Tell them what we've seen.'

The elf stared above the bodies to where the Vectorian sentries still stood as magenta rocks sprouting from the top of the walls.
'yabraguoph'
His eyes suddenly jumped into focus as though someone had placed an invisible telescope to his eyes. Blinking he looked up again, both anger and dread filling his very soul at what he saw.

They were smiling.