"Those two seem to have gotten close."
"Looks like it. I can't believe her." Karin scoffed at the sight.
It was noon and the bright sun and the bright sun out did itself in making everyone thirsty. Kento and Karin were standing next to the hearth located at the middle of the Harmatia sect of the village, each with a leather bag of water in hand. Around them were other people, about their age, that surrounded the hearth in chatter. They whispered into each other's ears in little murmurs. Even so Karin and Kento could easily yell what those murmurs were about. They'd gotten the same heat just the previous day and not much was going to change in one day.
"Well, well what do we have here." a voice, whinny and creepy, said approaching the two.
Karin groaned. She had seen this coming but never thought it would come so early.
"If it isn't the fallen house Himo." The voice continued.
Just some distance away Cilia and Lozo were talking. They seem to be deep in conversation at times Lozo staring deeply into his hands then to the ground. Then Cilia would make a gesture with her hands and Lozo would try to mimic. The two were oblivious of the pressure Karin and Kento were currently receiving.
"I didn't know traitors were invited to this festival. If I did, I would have not come." The bony boy standing in front of Kento said.
Kento twirled the ring on his finger daring to remove it. But he didn't. If he did it would farther soil the already muddy and bloody name of Himo.
"What is it that you want?" Karin asked not wanting to condone the attitude.
The boy standing in front of them hand medium sized gray hair. His face had a sharp structure almost bony in its angular shape. He wore similar clothes to all the other fifteen people there but his head a sash running through his waist. At the end of that sash was a symbol. Probably a family crest and his symbol of being marked.
"Oh nothing. I just want to make sure you realize that you are not welcomed here. Even if you were invited any family that makes deals with domains…"
"Danko stop!" a sudden deep voice called.
The deep voice had two short blades dangling on his waist and a scar through his chin. He was fully draped in armor and was essentially the only one there with armor. The rest were in casuals but with something on to keep the sun out of their eyes and dirt far from their clothes.
"Hostility is not how we do things here." His voice warned. Danko walked away from Kento and Karin but not before giving them a "watch your backs" look.
"Okay every one, listen up." The man shouted to gather the attention of the people gathered.
Their heads tilted and faced him.
"My name is Woga Osoro. And I'm going to be your supervisor during the stay here."
[Character: Woga Osoro]
Murmur stirred deep in the crowds.
I can't sense any Natural Energy from him.
Wait is he a?
"Yes, in you terms I'm a Normal and I don't expect it to be a problem." he said his tone dropping.
The murmurs died down but still prevalent in their minds.
"I'd like to first remind you that none of you is needed on the other sect. I've got it under control and I don't need children messing things up for me."
Danko stood next to a wooden pillar at the back. His eyes schemed at the other people congregated there. He could easily tell what they were thinking yet didn't want to say. I guess they needed a push.
"Hey, hey, know. What makes you think we need to listen to you." He shouted trying to incite the others.
"Huh?" Osoro turned to him.
"Oh, it you again. Well one, Danko, I have more experience than any of you here. "Osoro began.
"Yeah, we don't have a problem with that but…" there was a lag in his voice. He peered through his glasses to watch the others there. "You're forgetting one thing though."
"All of us here are Harmatia and you are a Normal. In my view we should have a powered Harmatia lead rather than some old normal soldier."
Osoro clicked.
"I have protected this village ever since… Forget it. This is not a matter for discussion. You either follow or walk away. The village is way more important than a childish game." He said dismissing Danko's preposition.
Danko shrugged. Most of the people there were Harmatia yet none of them wanted to take the lead. They'd rather follow than lead.
'No wonder they are stuck in second rate missions like these. None of them are fun.' He thought.
His eyes swayed through the many npc's as they attentively listened to the man, the so-called Osoro, in his banter. As he searched, he came to a stop at an interesting group.
It was a group of two who were far from being aware that they were in a meeting. A silver haired girl and a boy with a strap bag on his back. They were busy addressing their hands rather than listening at the lecture.
"Tch, look at them. They aren't even listening." Karin standing some distance away complained as she watched Lozo and Cilia talk.
Danko heard her and immediately took interest. Those two seemed odd and given that they knew the Himo girl they were bound to be fun.
Danko smirked before diverting his attention back to Osoro.
[Character: Danko]
***
"Okay listen up. I assume all of you know of the rule about the forest that lies north of the village. That rule exists because the forest is only inhabited by Domains and Domain beast. The beasts are kept trapped in that forest by a barrier veil. Hence the reason for the talismans in your hands right now."
There were approximately nine people, each Harmatia, and the only Normal, Osoro, making it ten. Each had a white piece of paper in hand etched with red writing.
"Those are the barrier talismans that keep the veil up. You are each to pair up into two and head out to an assigned station where you'll replace the barrier talisman there with the new ones in your hands."
Just as he finished most of them started to pair up dodging those they didn't want to be associated with. That was the four Himo vassal, Karin, Kento, Lozo and Cilia and the two other character's who seemed trouble, Danko the odd one and Mr bossy pants Osoro.
After a while four pairs were formed with most from the same family grouping together. The only two that remained were Danko and Osoro.
The two gave each looked to one another. A tense look from Osoro and a cheeky one from Danko.
Finally, the five teams were formed, with Lozo and Cilia pairing, Kento and Karin and the finally the odd one's Danko and Osoro.
"Please make sure to paste them exactly where the other ones are." A slow voice said joining the group. It was granny Metti.
She strode along the earthen path with her walking stick and refusing any help from the two boys walking behind her.
"It's important to place them exactly how the first one's were or the veil won't hold." She added.
"Yes we understand Granny Met." Osoro affirmed before turning to the rest and signaling for their disperse.
The groups murmured away extremely unpleased by his demeanor.
Well not everyone seemed to dislike him.
"It's a pleasure to work with you." Danko said with a wide smile.