Before their very eyes was an oasis of magick and mysticism, in that the area along the outer wall was a circular road which would allow a pair of carriages to be driven side by side until they curved around towards the exit. Along the edge of the road, approximately a third of the way towards the centre, was a moat of crystal clear water that gave off the illusion of the bottom being closer than expected. Whereas all around the water, within and without, were all manner of creatures happily lazing about and playing. From small tigers to flying storks and winged canines, everything gave off the appearance of pristine happiness and beauty.

Within the centre of it all was a castle of white stone upon an island of rich greens and bright yellows and reds. Upon four corners of the island stood great statues of a young man with great muscles in a toga and a wild mane of hair holding a lightning bolt as though he were about to throw it at the circling carriages and Sedan. Of which had completely surrounding the moat, but none were stepping out of them.

Instead, they each felt the tingling of a spell beneath their feat, as their minds try to go blank. However, Karastak and his group were not a part of the System, and could therefore ignore it to a lesser degree. One that was evident by himself giving his body a shake as he pushed open the door and stepping onto the cobblestones which his vehicle stood upon. After which he leaned back inside to unbuckle Lupa from her seat and pulled her into his arms.

Her expression was one of doe eyed curiosity as she hugged his neck whilst ducking underneath the roof of the car. Once free, she stared about them with amazement at the world before her very eyes, as the others also exited the confines with Puella being carried by the maid who joined them, of whom called herself Annata.

“What's going on?” asked the younger child as she knuckled her right eye before staring about.

“I don't know, sweetling,” commented the maid, as her own ears, a pair of rabbit ears, twitched here and there.

“It reminds me of Rome, maybe Greece,” Karastak muttered to himself, as Lupa bobbed her head once. Louder, her sighed as he pointed towards the white castle, “We'll soon find out.”

Soon enough, the nobles themselves stepped out of their respected carriages, each turning in step towards the waters edge as though puppets on a string. There was even a space for Karastak and his group, which they filled with caution. Once they stepped into place, a loud and long ringing chime filled the air. When it finished, however, the nobles stepped onto the water, but did not sink. Instead, tiny ripples stretched forth from their feet, as placards appeared before the group's eyes just as the Living Armour under Zabartik's command were bade to wait by the Sedan.

has been bespelled upon you!

Description: Able to walk across any body of water

Duration: 1 minute

“Well,” commented Karastak with a shrug, “Let's start walking.” Immediately, he took a step upon the water, and found resistance beneath his feet. At this point, he set Lupa down upon the water, holding her hand just in case the spell didn't work and he had to lift her up quickly. It did work on herself, and she marveled at the water as she was led across it. Whereas her best friend in this world was allowed to run around them, giggling as she did so.

Once they arrived at the island in the Fourth Ring, they each heard the grumblings of the nobles of Stonewall as they complained at such a tedious and unneeded ritual as they branched out into their respected circles. Here, the group noted a few other children milling about their parents' and guardians' legs, and a few glanced at the girls near himself. Only a couple actively pointed in their direction, tugging on the adult's clothing as they did so.

Which then led to a pair walking over in expensive red dresses, too much makeup, blonde hair, and haughty expressions. From the direction they came from, Karastak was able to see that their parents were watching them as a cat would their next meal, and he could only frown as the first of the two approached. Before they could open their mouths, however, Puella waved at them with a, “Hi!”

Immediately, the pair paused in their step with a devious smile as one answered back with a, “Hello, and who might you be?” The inquiry came with a slow and deliberate voice that spoke of the difference in status and education, but was entirely lost on the raven haired girl.

“I'm Puella,” she smiled, and held out her hand which exuded innocent naivety.

Whereas the pair eyed the hand as though it were nothing more than a squished bug upon a pristine flooring, before skirting around her pouting expression in order to walk towards Karastak. Of whom only moved his eyes down towards the pair, subtly insulting them in their eyes as they glared up at him in return. “I am Rose, and this is Allana,” she gestured to themselves, “We're the daughters of Lord Lungren.”

The other, Allana, continued with, “Father wants to by your strange carriage, plebeian, and will pay you 50gp for it.”

“G...P, huh,” he sighed out slowly, his eyes becoming distant for a moment as an errant memory drifted through his mind.

“It's Gold Pieces,” Rose grinned, believing the one before her was a simpleton despite the garments he wore, “Are you going to take this generous offer? Father wants your odd carriage after all. Which, I guess, is generous of him, seeing how he doesn't usually talk to ple-”

“No,” was his reply.

“No?” Their left eyes twitched as one as the second girl spoke up, “What do you mean by no?”

“You disrespected my youngest, and therefore forfeited all rights to converse with me,” a small growl was released as he spoke.

His lips stretched into a feral smirk whilst they widened their eyes as Rose exclaimed, “Don't you know who our Father is?”

“No,” his head shook slowly as he noted the eyes of many were upon them, “Nor do I care if he and you act the same way. Now, remove yourself before you are removed.” After speaking as such, Karastak ignored them completely as he moved around them in order to lift a teary eyed Puella into his arms. Where he rubbed her back slowly, murmuring soft noises in order to calm her innocent heart after being rejected so blatantly from the retreating children who stormed off.

From a single glance, he could see a few disapproving glances as though he was supposed to accept the “kind” offer not many other commoners would receive in their lifetime. However, the rest were a mixture of poker faces and approving smiles as they turned away from the group and towards a pair of golden doors at the front of the castle. Doors that were swinging open, revealing a Human man being accompanied by a red furred Foxwoman who was moderately endowed and wearing a magenta coloured dress.

The man was the same as the statues near the water. One with rippling, tanned muscles with a mane of golden hair, and his outerwear was the same as the statues. A toga. Upon his face was a broad grin as he waved at everyone to join him inside, and to Karastak's own eyes, he appeared to be no more than 20 years of age.

Immediately, the crowd of nobles and their offspring moved into the courtyard of the castle, where many meats, fruits, cheeses, and drinks were laid out on expensive cloths and tables. The polymorphed Human pulled Lupa off to the side, with the rest of his group trailing close. Here, he knelt down so that he was eye level with the girls before stating, “You two are to stick close to either myself or the others, understand?” At their nod, he continued, “Don't take anything someone offers you, unless Annata or Brutus tasted it first. You two are our future,” he ruffled their hair as the pair giggled and smiled, “and we must protect our future at all cost.”

“That's our first Tenet, right?” Lupa asked, peering up from underneath his hand.

The Tenets of Karastak's System were the laws that all must follow, including himself. Each designating what they could and could not do as they continued to live and thrive under his rule. If one were to disregard these, then the penalties would be enacted and rendered them without sanity, and possibly their life as well.

These came in a set of three, which were as follows:

Tenet One:

The children are the future, and must be protected at all cost. For without them we are lost, even if we are eternal.

Tenet Two:

We are all family within The Black Parade. No matter our station in the System, we will strive to better each other until the end and beyond.

Tenet Three:

Home is where the heart is, no matter where we are. Once a home is obtained for us all, we shall defend it to the last. Even if the armies of the world come to claim it for their own, we will not give it up without a fight.

“Correct,” he nodded with a smile before standing tall once more. His attention wavered away from them as a man being trailed behind a familiar Wolfwoman trudged their way.

The man was about his own height with auburn coloured hair and taut, wired muscles beneath his own toga. A red sash was worn over the garment, showing that he had an important position to everyone's eyes, but Karastak didn't know nor care about it. Instead, his eyes trailed towards the female behind him. One who wore a military garment with the stripes of a Sergeant shown plainly to the world on her right sleeve.

Her expression was one of perplexity, whereas the polymorphed Human's was of hidden hatred for the female who had tried to take what was his and his alone in this world. Whereas Puella immediately ran over to her with arms outstretched, mewing, “Sia! Sia!” and latching onto her right leg with a great and innocent smile on her features.

“Uh?” she paused in her step as the man was bemused at the scene. Her eyes peered toward the other, expecting help, but none came as he turned away in order to resume his walk to the group. Just as he came upon them, Karastak pointed towards the illusory girl and Annata bowed towards himself before moving to extract the child from the Wolfwoman's leg.

“Which one of you is the hero Karas?” the man inquired with a light smile as his eyes scanned them in their entirety.

“You will need to introduce yourself before addressing our Lord,” growled Kirin, his hands on one of his sheathed swords at his waist.

“Oh, where are my manners?” the man bowed slowly. Upon standing tall once more, he smiled, “I am Magistrate Rosenfall. Now, which one of you is Hero Karas?”

“That would be me, Rosenfall,” rumbled Karastak, whose eyes were more on Puella as she was forcibly detached from Sia's leg.

The child was creating a scene before them, with her mewing out a, “Nyo!” as she was taken away from an exasperated Wolfwoman. One who was still confused as to what was going on.

Upon her return, he lifted the child into his arms, his eyes trailing towards the Magistrate. Who then shrugged at the group as he motioned for them to follow, “The Regent would like to speak with you, Karas. You are a hero to the people and in his eyes.”

“I and we are not 'Heroes',” he deadpanned, but the other did not hear it. Or perhaps, didn't acknowledge it.

“No need to be so modest, Mr. Karas,” Rosenfall waved the words away as the group turned towards the castle's steps which led towards an iron door for the inside. However, just as they were about to begin the climb, the doors burst open to reveal the young man once more.

His eyes glanced around the crowd, many of whom stared with perplexity as he pointed towards Puella and Lupa, shouting, “Loli! Get!” After which he charged off towards the group, his hands outstretched as his face took on a hungry wolf's.

Two things occurred within a few moments after the shout. The first being Karastak and Lupa recognising the word and understanding what was happening as he moved the girls behind his body to shield them from the wild mane of a man. Whereas the second was of him shouting at the Living Armour and pointing to both the children and the Human rushing at them, “Zabartik! Defend!”

In less than a heartbeat, the Spartan armoured Hoplite appeared in front of the trio. A round, iron shield two thirds his size appeared upon his right arm as he spun completely around whilst calling on one of his skills. “!”

The sound of an iron gong erupted throughout the First Ring of Stonewall, which could be faintly heard within the Third Ring. Within the Ring they were in, all commotion stopped as all eyes watched as the toga wearing man flew backwards and through the door he just came from. Inside the castle interior, a woman's disgusted sigh rang out in the silence as the girls peered out from behind the polymorphed Human's legs.

What is more, the woman's voice was heard from within, “I told you not to do that, Michel!”

“But there were a pair of adorable girls out there that I've never seen!” whined a more masculine voice that squeaked.

“You do this every time, and every time we have to pay reparations of some kind to the family. And with this being the Hero's children? He could just turn around and disappear for what you just did!” This time, the man's voice was not heard, but hers was and it was accompanied by a loud and painful slap, along with the accompanying crash of something valuable, “No. You didn't think, and don't apologise to me, you idiot! Tell that to Hero Karas and his children!”

Within moments, the Foxwoman from before emerged from within, and behind her, being dragged out by his ear, was the disheveled lunatic who was bashed away by Zabartik. Of whom was still in front of them with his large shield, but was bid to remove it and take up a position that would shield the children as Karastak moved forward.

He was fighting back the urge to give into his desire for carnage. To summon up Little Mother and her Swarm from their new home in the Third Ring, allowing her to lay waste to all before his person. Not only this, but his eyes blinked a few times, keeping away the red glow that always accompanied his anger since gaining a System of his own. Instead, he climbed five steps towards the pair and stopped. His right hand was then flung outwards, and the crowd noted with a few gasps as his diamond-spiked staff erupted into being.

Once the pair were within a few feet of him, the toga wearing man was pulled forward by his ear before released. “As the Reagent of Stonewall,” he began, bowing and rubbing his ear, “what I did was atrocious to you and your children. For that, I apologise.”

More gasps ensued from the crowd, and when the Reagent peered upwards, his own eyes widened. For the tip of the staff was centimetres away from his nose, and the centre of the diamond held a black light which pulsed dangerously. What is more, Karastak growled a dangerous growl of an animal ready to slaughter its foe, “Do not come near my children, EvEr, do you understand?”

The man nodded, his eyes continuing to stare at the staff's diamond spike as he gulped audibly. With a growl, it was retracted, and left them alone. However, only the Foxwoman had noted their “Hero's” eyes, for they were glowing a baleful red which did not wash over their bodies. Because of this, her body gave an involuntary shiver as her eyes watched him smile and lift the girls into his arms with a thought of, 'That one is very dangerous,' as she turned her attention back to Michel. Whereupon an audible slap of her palm striking the back of his head was heard throughout the First Ring.