Colin's posts

"Off we go!" Lanston declared.

After they made sure they had everything, they entered the door, and made their way through a complex system of hallways and corridors, with Mira noticing all of the Ancient Greek symbols and writing around. It was as though she'd stepped into the past.

Overall, it took them about 10 minutes, but they reached the room in question, and when it was illuminated, she saw MANY old weapons laying around, or on display. Swords, shields, spears, halberds, a few axes, bows, remnants of arrows.

This really seemed to be a weapons stockpile room.

"Feel free to explore to your heart's content." Lanston told her.

"That's what we like to hear!" Dr. Lanston declared with a laugh.

"Glad to have you aboard!" he told her.

"Has Dr. Remmington filled you in about everything here?" Dr. Johansen asked her.

"He has, indeed." Mira responded.

"Then, considering the time, shall we venture back in?" he then suggested to the group. "I don't know about you lot, but I am eager to find out more about these weapons." he added with a smirk.

"I'm game if the rest of you are." Dr. Lanston chimed in.

"I am as well." Vincent said.

"Ladies?" he then asked Dr. Vienn and Mira.

"Of course." Vincent responded.

With that, the two of them made their way to where there was a smaller group of people, near the base of the mountain, and when one looked over and noticed them, they waved, causing the others to do so.

Vincent waved back, and when they were within speaking range, Mira noticed the small group was comprised of 2 males and 1 female. 3 and 2, with them joining them.

"Mira, these are Doctors Johansen, Vienn, and Lanston." he introduced them, gesturing to the first male, the female, and then the second male, respectively. "Everyone, this is Agent Mira Greyson from The Unit in San Diego." he told them further.

"Nice to meet you." the one with short black-hair and green eyes stated. This was Dr. Lanston, and he looked to be about 5'8'', with a bit of a slim build.

"Charmed." Dr. Johansen greeted her, pushing a longer brown bang away from his eye, and bowed to her slightly, his shoulder-length hair drooping forward slightly. He seemed to stand at 5'10'', and had a bit more muscular build. Nothing too much, though.

Of the three, the tallest seemed to be Dr. Vienn, who stood just shy of 6 feet, and had long naturally red hair, tied back in a ponytail, and she was the only one that wore glasses between the three as well.

"Like myself, when my sister needs someone to fill in for her." Vincent responded.

"I keep the place from collapsing. I am NOT the person for the job, though." he then muttered. "I'd be miserable if that were ME as Head of The Council." he went on, but then shook his head.

"But enough about me." he then said.

"We'll be at the site shortly." he told her.

"I'll introduce you to everyone when we get there, and you may get people looking at you or they look like they're staring, but I assure you it'll be because you're a new face, and nothing more." he assured her further.

Vincent merely smirked.

"Sounds like him." he said.

"He's a softie for hard-luck cases." he went on. "And he runs an organisation where one of its primary functions is to HELP people down on their luck, like you were." he continued.

"He's a perfect fit for the job." he said further.

"Can't really see that place functioning without him." he admitted.

Vincent merely shook his head in response.

"Ah, Dr. Finnegan." he recalled.

"Yes, he's... he had an aura of smug superiority to him." he agreed. "...still does." he muttered. "He does not have many friends in the scientific community, to the surprise of nobody." he told her further.

"He is NOT one I enjoy working with." he went on, looking odd to the side a bit.

"Regardless, I think you'll be a much better fit for this particular site and expedition." he then said.

"You seem much more humble. Less arrogant."

"You'd be surprised how few weapon experts there are in the mage community." Vincent responded.

"Among those that are aware of mana and such things, it's almost becoming a lost art. Forgotten knowledge." he told her. "Now, that's not to say weaponsmithing for mages is in danger, no, no, no. But the knowledge of ancient weapons forged from, or with mana, or those relating to Gods? It's dying." he admitted.

"Sadly, the prevailing attitude seems to be that there's really nothing we need to learn about them, as all we need to do is move forward, and leave the past as... well... the past." he sighed. "For weapons, specifically." he stressed.

"And I admit, we DO know of some people that we could get out there, but... well... to be frank, I don't like any of them." he admitted to her frankly. "They are uppity, they are full of themselves, and think of themselves as superior because they are, in their words, 'preserving a dying art, so show us some damned respect, you foolish plebs'." he then grumbled.

"However, from what Agent Sharp has told me about you, you have the farthest thing from that attitude, and are the perfect person to have here." he then added in a lighter and happier tone.

"Ahhh." Vincent responded.

"Well... see, we all know about how fragile artefacts can be. However, weapons... especially those made with mana, and those made for... or perhaps BY... Gods... are very different." he went on.

"The last thing we want to do is disturb the weapons and potentially break them, or incur the wrath of a deity." he reasoned.

"We do all we can to preserve these sites, and what is contained within." he went on.

"If we cannot take them out and study them, we can at least have an expert tell us what they know, without harming the weapons."

"Well, Agent Sharp recommended you." Vincent laughed.

"We need someone in the mana world that has intimate knowledge of weapons. Not just swords." he told her.

"I know of a few that are into swords, but I've been told you deal with all kinds. Swords, axes, shields, spears, halberds, the works." he went on.

"And this is an exciting opportunity for you, is it not?" he then asked.

"It's once-in-a-lifetime for most people."

Sure enough, it was very different from what she was used to. It was like it was another culture! However, the place she was staying at was quite lavish, and extremely comfortable. Most likely she'd be appreciating it more and more after days at the site. She made her way to where Vincent was, and he greeted her again, before they made their way to their ride to the site.

"All right." Vincent said.

"We're off!" he declared with a laugh, as they drove off.

"How're you feeling?" he asked her. "All right from the trip?"

Vincent nodded in response.

"I shall inform them of such." he told her.

"It shouldn't be a problem anyway, we've had young professionals accompany us before, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to make sure." he then reasoned, finishing his tea and looking at Hal.

"Thank you for your time, Agent Sharp." he said to him.

"And yours as well." he told Mira.

Vincent nodded, before taking a metal card holder out of his pocket, withdrawing a business card, and scribbling something on the back of it. He then handed it to her with a small smile.

"My number." he said.

"Personal one as well, in case you cannot get ahold of me through official channels." he told her further.

"Once you have everything squared away with Agent Sharp, and have other affairs in order, let me know. We'll discuss your travel if need be, or we can just head out when you're ready." he went on.

"For now, just concern yourself with making sure you're good to go... whenever you're good to go." he said.

"I'll inform the others we have someone coming to help us with the weapons."

Hal thought for a moment, before snapping his fingers.

"Ah! She's working in the PR department today." he remembered.

"Basically making sure their hardcopy documents are organised and such." he said. "That and running to the cafeteria for those that are working through lunch and such." he went on.

"So you'll find her there." he assured her.

"I can call her to the office if you'd prefer." he then offered.

Savra and Ryker looked at each other, and the latter sighed.

"I'm going to get some more drinks for him." he said.

Savra just nodded, and made their way back to the RV, briefly changing into the human form so they could get inside. Once they did, they looked over towards Eke.

"Ryker will be here shortly." they said.

"He stepped in to grab more drinks for the road."