Empires of Ashes Reboot

Justin closes his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. he stops trembling, as he reopens them.
"Of course you did...You're the strongest person I've ever known."

Appius, wondering where this is going, just watches for now

Diana: "You know yourself... I can't believe that after all that time you kept looking for us."

*A few minutes pass until he puts the sword down, content with his progress*
“Appius! Just the man I wanted to see”
*He turns and runs his hand down a small stand holding several swords, all of which are in varying states of completion before picking one up and looking Appius*

Justin: I...I couldn't just leave you. Couldn't bare it.

Appius: Looking for me, sir?

Mordred: “Yes, yes I was” *He examines a sword not too dissimilar to his own, 40 inches long, with a slightly tapered straight double edged blade, ending in a tapered head, and gives it a few experitmental swings* “You don’t have a decent sword”

he chuckles
"Beg to differ sir"

"It wasn't your fault justinian.. I made the choices myself."

Justin: Choice?! *he's about to have a bit os a spiel that she had no choice when they dragged her off... but stops himself. he takes a deep breath, collecting himself* Sorry. Old scars eh?

Diana: "Old scars, yeah. Long time ago."

he doesnt say anything. just smiles. she can see in his eyes... he's seen things now. things he'd rather not have seen

"Hey. Chin up." She smiles back. Not the way she used to. The young, full of life smile, he remembers. She still smiles wide, but more in defiance to the world, than in awe of it.

"Sorry." he offers her a hug again

She stabs her spear a bit deeper in the sand, so it stands on her own, and pulls him into a tight hug
"Nothing to be sorry for."

"I dont think you'll ever convince me of that" *he holds her tight*

She squeezes him tight, then lets go. "Alright big guy, let's look professional."

he lets go, wiping his eyes quickly
"If we must"

"I don't want to get you in shit... Gods know you've got in enough for me."

Justin: I'm sure the consul wouldn't mind. He's...unconventional

"I meant the Invicti"

"We're allies. Nothin they'd disapprove of here."

She shrugs, and looks over her shoulder. "Still..." She looks back at justinian. "Sorry... Probably not the reunion you were hoping for."

"You're alive, safe, and we're on the same side of this war? considering the odds of a reunion of any kind, I'd say thats a fucking miracle."

Mordred: “Your gladius does well in the shield wall but! Outside of the formation it leaves you with no reach at all” *He walks up to Appius sword in hand* “So I made you a new sword”

Appius: thankyou Mordred....but I have little idea how to use this.

Mord: “That can be easily rectified, but take it, see how she feels”

he does, getting the feel for it

*The sword is a touch heavier than what he’s used to but it feels balanced in his hand, with minimal discomfort from the grip*

"on the same side for now."

Justin: *slight pause, it clear he doesn't want to think about the fact this might be temporary* Do you want to come into the camp? I could introduce you to the consul if you'd like, I'm sure he'd be delighted to meet you. I was meaning to check on LI tonight anyway.

Appius: it's very well made.

Mordred: “That cos I made it”

Diana: "I'm not sure i should... My men... *she gestures behind her* and Prince Ket'Verahi might not approve... And the demon... really?"

Justin: We're allies, Diana *smiles* Far as we're concerned, don't steal anything or attack anyone, and you can come and go as you please.

Appius chuckles at that

Diana: "Its not that Justinian... its... its this." *she lifts the black veil back up to cover her nose and mouth.* "The rest of your legion... they won't be... comfortable."

Mordred: “Come on, I’ll show you how to use it”

Justin: we're going to be fighting together. Killing, bleeding, alongside eachother. We're not going to do too well if we're uncomfortable to have a stroll around eachother's camps, are we? Besides. *smiles* You're the immortals. Your reputation is better among the 4th than you think.

appius nods, following after him.

Diana: "The whole... undead thing? No worries there?"

Justin: The fourth is the consul's own. Tend to get better intel than most of the others. We know that's just superstition.

*He leads Appius out into the camp and towards a makeshift ring*
“The sword is blunt so don’t worry about hurting me”
*As they draw closer Appius sees a pair of men sparring in the ring, with the crowd quite eagerly placing bets on who will win*

*she raises an eyebrow.* "How do you know?"

Justin: I've had a hell of a lot of my old superstitions broken in the last few years. If the clavae aren't undead demon monsters like I once thought, I'm pretty sure you lot aren't undead either. *chuckle* You don't have the advantage of being seven foot tall and mute.

The upper half of her face makes it look like shes smiling, but the veil, so, he can't quite be sure. "I'll tell you about it some time."

Appius: I'll try not to hit too hard.

Justin: do I have to get all official on you? *smiles*

"Really wouldn't matter if you did."

Justin: Come on. The men won't mind, Trajan'll be elated to meet you... what's the worst that could happen?

Diana: "Could die i guess." She shrugs, and picks her helmet off her shield's rim, sliding it on, justinian notices that unlike ket's sand-gold plume, hers is white and black alternating stripes.

Justinian: I'd kill any man who tried.

*Mordred chuckles and watches the two men spar, it doesn’t take long for the fight to end and both men laugh as they leave, with no one fighting the crowd look rather expectantly to Appius and Mordred*

M: “Do Dracians have arena’s like this in camp?”

Appius: in more permanent camps, yes.

Mordred: “We have one in every camp, it helps to keep the men entertained”
*He pushes Appius in and picks up a sword and shield from the edge of the arena*

"Like you'd have to. Come on, lets go meet us a consul."