Out of Character:
All of McKinley's dialogue written by loves.blessing. All of Josh's dialogue written by Breaker.


Joshua “Breaker” Cronen paced along the woodland path through the great forest Concordia. Scattered loam crunched beneath his black metal boots, and a gentle breeze smelling of blooming lilacs rustled his equally black sifan clothing. Light drizzle patted his broad shoulders and dampened his short brown hair. He wore a smile that dimpled the Y-shaped scars on his cheeks and drew gentle lines at the corners of his eyes.

The demigod journeyed toward The Weeping Willow, an out-of-the-way tavern where he had arranged to meet a contact about financial backing for a local tourny. Josh had spent some time compiling ideas for the competition, and felt ready to move forward with the project. After competing in so many tournaments, the prospect of organizing one excited the martial artist.

As he rounded a bend the path forked, a smaller offshoot meandering away from the main conduit. I’ve got time, Breaker thought, and he followed the thinner fork. Branches brushed at his shirt and small burrs clung to his pants as he moved along the slightly overgrown trail. Through the birdsong that filled the forest and the gentle creaking of trees shifting in the wind, he heard a strange sound. Like the whimpering of a dog, only deeper and more full-throated.

Breaker paused and cocked his head, listening. He stepped off the path and moved through the underbrush toward the whimpering. It grew louder and more insistent, and soon he entered a small clearing and saw the beast making the noise.

A great dire wolf towered over the frail, unconscious form of a small woman. Messy auburn hair shrouded her face, and sickly red stains marred her clothing. A severed hand sat in the loam next to the wolf, adding a fresh level of strangeness to the bizarre scene.

The wolf seemed no threat to the woman, but it growled at Breaker’s approach, baring wicked red-streaked fangs.

“Easy now,” Josh said, taking short, confident steps. He reached out with both hands. “Easy girl, I’m not here to fight. Just to help your friend.” The wolf’s growl trailed off to a whimper and the beast backed down, nuzzling the bloodied woman.

Breaker knelt at her side, examining her torso where the blood originated. Through her torn clothing he saw a nasty stab wound in her lower abdomen, which still seeped crimson slowly. Josh placed his hand over the wound and an icy poultice formed, stopping the bleeding and sealing the cut.

The woman gasped and awakened, attempting to sit up and crying out in pain. Her hair spilled away from her face, and then it was Breaker’s turn to draw a sharp, surprised breath.

“McKinley?” He said, cradling the woman’s head. I should have recognized her bone structure. She’s like a little bird. The pair had met some weeks earlier, at a club called The Flesh Failures in Radasanth. Josh smoothed the woman’s auburn hair out of her eyes. “You’ve been stabbed,” he told her, “don’t try to move. It’s alright now. I’m here.”