GrimAtescu

Chapter 1:  Renegade The man paced back and forth, his trenchcoat close to him.  Something was wrong, he could just sense it.  Perhaps it was the fact that the station smelled like fresh rain, despite the six-day drought.  Perhaps it was the fact that the trains that were supposed to be leaving at 12:30 were still waiting now at 3:15 PM. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the other person in the station with him.  He was wearing the uniform of Gelen-Seroton's own Imperial Riot forces, the small badges reading "EGS" in fancy gothic letters, "Mayhem Brigade" sewn in normal lettering under it.  He was also eyeing the man, albeit with one eye closed.

I Go Willingly To Face The Spray The magic lingered in the air as she stood, surrounding her face.  "I cannot leave the oceans for long," she whispered.  "I only take this form to see your world.  It is a world I have spoken to myself of in the middle of the night."  She shook her head.  I reached out to take her hand, quieting my heart as I did so. "Our words are only powerful when others hear them.  In the quiet of the night, when we whisper to ourselves… there is naught there."  I bowed to her then, and she smiled at me.  She released my hand.  "I release you to the sea… there you belong."  I smiled at her as I turned away, but she did n

Prologue:  A Question of Ethics The snow fell over the small, unassuming town.  A couple young women, out past curfew, rushed home through the streets.  They weren't trying to be out at this time, but their visits had lasted longer than expected.  As they ran through the streets, a man in a soldier's uniform stopped them.  "Excuse me, ladies, but you do know it's past curfew, right?"  They looked at him, frightened expressions on their faces.  "Wouldn't want anything to happen to you." "Please, sir," said the taller of the two.  "My sister and I, we were just…" "We were visiting our grandfather, and we had no idea how long we were there.