Clash of Wills

[Dreyfus]

♅ 4th of Glade, Year 121, A.o.s ♅
Company: Air Defense Soldiers| Thoughts: What an unimpressive bunch| Mood: Calm, Content

---

♅ A light breeze blew past the Reconciliator as the soldiers of the Air Defense force marched and frilled as they normally did. Dreyfus was accompanying his father to visit a friend of his, one among the man he had. The wolf was brought along to see the "Amazing Sentinels of the Sky" as his father would call them, though from what Dreyfus observed, they were overhyped.

His eyes rolled from body to body as he inspected the grounds looking for any sign of trouble, for some excitement. He was hoping that maybe one of the cadets or airman was an unregistered mage and would slip up and reveal themselves, allowing the wolf to hunt. today however would not be such a day, to Dreyfus' dismay of course.

Walking alongside his father the two were escorted to where soldiers were practicing sword drills or marksmanship with rifles and pistols. Some seemed to be able to catch on quickly, while you could tell others had never held a gun or sword a day in their lives. Part of him felt bad for them, but only for a moment, and it quickly passed. "Dont look so gloom and doom Drey, were are here to see our mighty air defense force in action."

His father's words caused piercing hazel eyes to roll in his head as Dreyfus did his best to put on a smile, showing his father in a mocking way. "I could be spending my time more productively father, catching mages, the piles of investigations on my desk, patrolling the city." the wolf moaned, listing off things he would rather be doing than wasting his time here.

"It won't kill you for a change of pace my son. you work yourself too hard at the order. As much as I love your passion for your duty one must find time to pour their energy into other outlets, and I think seeing your fellow compatriots working tirelessly to perfect their skills will do you some good. The last thing I want is for you to work yourself into an early grave is all."

He could only sigh and nod at his father's concerns, the man had always worried over him since his premature birth. Patting Dreyfus' shoulder the two stood in front of a field where some airman were training, watching the fresh recruits in action. ♅

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Brenner Dornkirk]

"High." Brenner instructed his attendant cadet, who nodded and called the instruction across the range to the traphouse as he handed a loaded rifle to the Air Commander. He grunted and checked the equipment, as the puller readied the pigeon. He hummed thoughtfully to himself, as he raised the firearm. He shut his left eye to gaze with the right across the rifle's barrel, finding his target zone in the sights. He shifted from jackboot-clad foot to jackboot-clad foot, finding a comfortable balance in his stance. He cocked the weapon, and remained stock still for a pregnant moment, before calling:

"Pull!" And with that, his mark glided from the traphouse into the air above. A thunderous blast pierced the air, and a cloud of clay exploded where the pigeon had flown moments earlier. He held his weapon aloft for a few seconds, as he watched the dust rain down over the well-manicured lawn below.

"Mm." He lowered the barrel, and regarded his handiwork.

"Beautiful shot, sir!" The eager cadet exclaimed. The compliment was received with slight snarl.

"Hardly." Brenner handed the rifle to the youth, "Take a look here." He tapped the rear sight. "You see how this is metal is worn on one side? It creates an illusion of asymmetry. One side is darker, the other catches the light... Rather counterproductive on the part of the weapon that's meant to help one aim, wouldn't you say?"

"Sorry, sir... I'll get you another rifle, straight away!" The young man turned and started to bound off, until a sharp,

"Halt!" Paused him in his tracks. "No, cadet. I'll keep the defective weapon, for now. These things happen on the field as much as on the range. One must train to account for them." He extended his hand and accepted the rifle.

"Now, then..." He clicked the breech open and held his free hand out once more, "Let's give it another go." He paused a beat, glancing into the uncomprehending eyes of the cadet. "I need to reload, don't I?" The cadet blinked.

"Ah. Yes, sir. Of course, sir."

Brenner chortled as the younger man rushed to oblige.

[Dreyfus]

♅ 4th of Glade, Year 121, A.o.s ♅
Company: Air Defense Soldiers| Thoughts: What an unimpressive bunch| Mood: Calm, Content

---

♅ He watched as many of the men practicing were pathetic. His father stood there watching, but not the cadets, as his eyes were fixated on his son. He ushered Dreyfus onward as they walked further along watching the men work and train.

"I brought you here for a simple reason, as I have a contact here within the Air Defense force. But with the Air commander here, he will be in my way, so I need you to distract him while I meet with my contact understand." he explained, taking his son's silence as an acknowledgment of his purpose here.

He was honestly used to his father using him as a pawn so this was no surprise to Dreyfus in the least. So it was clear his task here was to keep the commander occupied while his father met with his contact within the corp. With a nod, the two approached the air commander at the shooting range. As they got closer the two caught the tail end of the Air commander's explanation of working with faulty weaponry.

Upon laying eyes on him the young wolf was scrutinizing him down to the tiniest of details. He was maybe a few inches shorter than Dreyfus, his built lean but he seemed fit enough to handle himself in a fight. His face was unimpressive to the wolf but one he would remember to say the least. He needed to keep the man occupied while his father worked. "Are you sure its wise to use faulty weaponry? One could end up taking the backlash of the caster shell."

Dreyfus inquired, his father standing behind him. "I hope we aren't intruding Commander Dornkirk. We wished to see the fine Air Defense force in action as they trained. Being a former military man myself, it brings back memories of my military career." he stated pointed to Dreyfus. "This is my son Dreyfus." ♅

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Brenner tugged at one of his leather shooting gloves, whilst the cadet fetched more ammunition. His eyes cocked up as a figure stood over where he crouched, casting a shadow over him. He regarded the man with an arched brow and stood,

"As I told the cadet, the fault is in the sight." He replied, a bit bemused at the interloper's criticism, "Not in the mechanism." He tapped the little point of metal atop the barrel that served as the front sight. "A minor flaw, which obviously has no bearing whatsoever on backlash, but one which might effect the aim of an inexperienced shooter." The cadet returned with a case of bullets. Brenner nodded sidelong to the youth, and plucked one of the projectiles from its box.

He glanced to the elder of the two gentlemen who'd approached as he spoke. He seemed to know Brenner by name, which was interesting but not altogether unusual. The Air Commander pursed his lips and shook his head,

"Not at all." He said, sliding a shell into the breech of his rifle, before handing it off to the cadet and removing his gloves to shake the man's hand. He turned to the younger fellow introduced as well, and offered his palm.

"Dreyfus." He acknowledge the name and the man stoically, then gestured with a nod toward the cadet.

"This is Cadet Aalneck, and..." He returned his attention to Dreyfus' father, "I don't believe I caught your name..." A point which had stuck out pointedly to the Air Commander. The man knew his name, and was quick to introduce his son, whilst remaining mum on his own identity. He supposed Dreyfus might have been a surname shared with the son, but it certainly wasn't clear from their exchange, thus far. Still, he smiled at the mention of the as-yet nameless father's past service.

"Ah, good man. With which corps did you serve?"

[Dreyfus]

♅ 4th of Glade, Year 121, A.o.S ♅
Company: Father & Dornkirk | Thoughts: Just have to keep him busy| Mood: Stoic

---

♅ Dreyfus simply nodded at the Commander's response, as he regarded his stoic expression. His eyes drifted between him and the cadet. Dreyfus couldn't see the nervousness of the young man and wondered why he was on edge, but he would focus on the Air Commander. Ahh where are my manners. I am Dreymund Monteliyet, head of the Monteliyet Family. I served believe it or not, in the Air Defense force myself for thirty years, XO of the Airship Ashen Wolf. Unfortunately, it is retired now, but a day hasn't passed where I haven't dreamt of being back in the air again." he boasted.

"I know of you as I still have some connections within A.D.Fs top brass. They speak highly of your achievements. My son here Is a reconciliation, following in the footsteps of his mother. he mentioned, causing Dreyfus to move, realizing that was his cue to engage the Commander so his father could slip away and do what he came here to do.

From his hip he unholstered Mage Piercer, his custom sidearm of choice, loading the 3 shot pistol. "Indeed I am, but I also find myself to be an avid gunslinger, or at least I hope to be. Care for a contest? Your faulty sighted rifle, versus my no sight pistol. Let's see who can make the better shots." he said with a devilish smirk as he issued the challenge.

"Granted I only use Mage Piercer here for emergencies, as I am more prone to my blade than simply blowing someone away with a firearm." He added, spinning the revolving chamber and clicking it in place. Lining up his eye with the barrel of the gun, he turned his gaze back to Brenner. "That is of course if you are up for a little competition? I can understand if you don't wish to be outshot in front of your subordinate." he teased with an amused smile.

It was during this time his father saw his chance. Well I'll leave you boys and your guns, the sound of firearms causes a ringing in my ear. I think I'll go and admire the airships docked here for a while. he spoke, taking his leave. Dreyfus turned to his father and there was an exchange between them, a nonverbal one but he understood nonetheless what it meant. ♅

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Brenner Dornkirk]

"Good to meet you, sir." Brenner inclined his head in a respectful nod to the old soldier, "I've heard of the Ashen Wolf. As a matter of fact, our quartermaster served on her when he was younger. I'll be sure to mention I met you next time I see him." He glanced to Dreyfus as Dreymund's mention of reconciliation.

"Is that right?" He looked the younger visitor over appraisingly as Dreyfus peered back from beneath his thick eyebrows. His features were angular-... almost severe. It was a look that favoured the sort of work he likely had to execute on behalf of the Order.

"Important work, that. Well done you." The statement sounded too matter-of-fact to feel like an outright compliment. The Order managed mages, but they also enlisted mages in the doing. He wasn't sure where this man fell in the hierarchy, nor how he went about his work, but he would offer the benefit of the doubt for cordiality's sake.

"You want to shoot clay with a pistol?" He inquired, with the hint of a smirk pulling at his lip. "Mm. I know my way around a blade as well, but rifling tends to be more useful in the air." Or it might have been if there'd been more combat missions, of late. The last season had come up a bit dry in the adventure department, so the range had become that much more important.

Brenner glanced to Dreymund as he excused himself. He nodded as the two men made eye-contact, and watched the father step away for a pregnant moment before returning his silvery blue gaze to the son.

"I'll let you shoot first." He gestured toward the traphouse. "Stand back here with me, Aalneck." The Air Commander instructed, as he backed away to give Dreyfus a bit of breathing room.

[Dreyfus]

♅ 4th of Glade, Year 121, A.o.S ♅
Company: Father & Dornkirk | Thoughts: Just have to keep him busy| Mood: Stoic

---

♅ "Indeed I do." he whispered as he took aim. After a moment, the clay disc was sent flying into the air, a thunderous sound of the caster shell firing. He watched as the bullet wized by the disc, causing the wolf to growl to himself a bit. "I guess I'll need to adjust my aim, I'm a little rusty."

He said taking a step back as it was now the Dornkirk's turn. Reloading his pistol, he decided to probe the Air Commander, get a feel of who he was as a man. "So tell me, how long have you been within the Air Defense Force? Was this a choice of your own, or was it more so already decided for you?" he inquired, finishing loading his gun and spinning the magazine back into place.

"I find that some soldiers join because of family, some join for patriotism. I joined the Order of Reconciliation because my mother was one. She died from a mage attack, the bastards torturing her while she was pregnant with me, at least that's what I was told." he paused for a moment, then continued.

"Ever since then I have had a fervent disdain for uncontrolled magic and mages, despite being one. I find that doing what we do takes drive, and I've always been curious as to what drove people to join our fine military structures." he said standing aside as he awaited Dornkirk to take his shot and to hear his response. In reality, he was genuinely curious as to what brought this man to join the Air Defense Force. ♅

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Brenner Dornkirk]

Brenner watched Dreyfus fire a bit afield of his mark, and pursed his lips. He didn't seem to relish the other man's miss, but he placed a hand on his cadet's shoulder as he spoke up, as to be instructive to the youth whilst replying to Dreyfus.

"Anyone would have trouble shooting a clay pigeon with a regular bullet from a pistol." He offered, with a good-natured smile. "People typically use shells of bird shot. Much wider area of effect. I'd say your shot was damned close, considering the handicap." He let Dreyfus clear the spot, before stepping up and checking his weapon to make sure Aalneck had loaded it properly.

"I've been serving since I graduated the Battle Academy at seventeen, so that's, um... Twelve years, or thereabouts." He cocked his head as well as his rifle, considering the next question. "Sort of a chicken or the egg thing, there. I've wanted to be a flyboy for as long as I can remember, and my parents have been encouraging of the path for just as long. Not sure where it started, but where I've ended up seems like a foregone conclusion regardless of the origin." Brenner lowered himself to one knee and lifted his weapon, closing one eye and peering across the barrel consciously accounting for the flaw in his sight.

"I'm sorry to hear about your mum. Mages are a bloody menace." He felt anger at the thought stirring his blood- Not an overpowering sort of anger, but the type that sharpened one's senses. Reflexively, he decided to take advantage of the boost to his blood, "Pull!"

At Brenner's call, a clay disc was loosed from the window of the traphouse. It soared into the air and seemed to hover for a moment, before a blast thundered from Brenner's rifle and knocked it to pieces, leaving a cloud of dust and a few larger fragments that tumbled down.

"Shit!" Brenner cursed in Kathalan, wrinkling his nose in annoyance. "That shot was worse than my last one. See, Aalneck? I overcompensated for the faulty sight. If that had been a regular bullet I would have missed the pigeon by a longshot." He held his hand out for a fresh shell, and reloaded.

"So." He glanced to Dreyfus with an arched eyebrow as he cocked the rifle, "You're a mage, then." He took a few steps closer until he was nose-to-nose with Dreyfus, peering into his eyes with a sneer painting his lips.

"Can't help what you're born with, I suppose. At long as you're using it to serve the state." He said through clenched teeth, before settling back on one heel. "Best two out of three." He held out the rifle, "Try the next round with this." He eyed Dreyfus, curious whether he'd accept or whether he'd insist upon playing with a handicap.

[Dreyfus]

♅ 4th of Glade, Year 121, A.o.S ♅
Company: Father & Dornkirk | Thoughts: Just have to keep him busy| Mood: Stoic

---

♅ "Indeed I am." he whispered, taking his position. The Air Commander, offered his own rifle for Dreyfus' next shot, but he politely declined. "Pull!" he barked, the clay disc shooting into the air, Dreyfus raising the pistol higher than the disc and pulled the trigger.

The bullet actually hit this time. A smirk on his face as he turned to Dornkirk. "Seems I have better luck with this than a faulty sight rifle." he chuckled. Taking his place back he looked back over to where the other cadets were practicing swordplay, then looking to Dornkirk.

"I see the cadets are trying their best to wield their swords, does it not frustrate you to have such green men and women in your ranks? From what I observed many of them have never held a sword before, let alone killed someone with one." he spoke, spinning the last bullet within the magazine into place.

"Then again I guess fodder doesn't really need to know how to kill in order to be useful." his tone was rather cold on that statement, but realizing it he decided to turn his attention back to Dornkirk. In the time he had come to spend with the man, Dreyfus was starting to get a feel for who he was as a person. The wolf's eyes scanned over his form with a reconciliators scrutiny.

From what he gathered Dornkirk was a patriot, that was for certain, and that he was the same age as Dreyfus. To add to this he was always seeking to serve in the Air Defense Force. "I guess you could say the same for me. I've always been an inquisitive soul, and to add that my mother was one of the strongest State mages & Reconciliator of her time, my path had been set upon my birth."

His tone was lighthearted, but one could hear the pride in the way he spoke of his mother. "That and finding the mages responsible for my mother's death and my affliction and making them pay. Many people joined the order to serve, but I joined for revenge. As a state mage, I have the tools I need to collect the heads of the bastards who took her from me."

Realizing he had become to rant, he chuckled a bit and turned to Dornkirk. "I'm curious to know what your opinion on magic is? That is if you have one that is. Most people I ask tend to regurgitate rhetoric common among the rustbloods, but I'm curious as to what an educated individual thinks of it." he inquired, his eyes burning with anticipation and curiosity of the Air Commanders response.

He was certain that everything he spoke would cause the man to question his intentions, but Dreyfus was testing him to satiate his own curiosity of the man. ♅

---

"Common Speech"
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Brenner Dornkirk]

"Does it?" Brenner smirked slightly at the mage's cocky assertion that his luck was better, "I've shot twice with my faulty sight rifle and have yet to miss..." He trailed off, and glanced to the air beyond where flecks of powder still fell from the spot where the clay pigeon was hit. "Still." He pursed his lips and nodded, approvingly, "That last shot was bang-on. Well done."

Granted, Brenner hadn't hit the targets as cleanly as he'd have liked. The first shot had been centred a bit ahead of the disc, and the second had been centred a bit behind. Both had shattered to dust, as clay was wont to crumble with ease, but he'd have liked to have hit them more directly. Well, at least he was about to have another chance.

The Air Commander shrugged one shoulder as he reclaimed his position and took stock of the field before him.

"That's why they're cadets. Everyone's got to start somewhere, Dreyfus, and I respect any man who's willing to put his life on the line for the State. Even those who aren't as experienced as you and I." Brenner took a knee and aimed into the sky above the traphouse window.

"As to whether or not boys like Aalneck here will end up as cannon fodder or ranking officers? That's up to the Brass after they've graduated the academy and been properly assessed. I have faith that the State to render those sorts of decisions. If I didn't, I wouldn't be so blithe about turning my back on a mage. Pull!" A disc went careening into the air. This time, Brenner didn't even need to move the barrel- the pigeon went directly into his line of fire and shattered to pieces as birdshot burst into it like a concentrated, horizontal hailstorm. Dornkirk nodded with a smile.

"Better." He stood and handed his weapon off to the cadet, as he stepped away from the firing line and rolled his shoulders. "My opinion of magic?" He grimaced slightly and eyed Dreyfus, trying to decide whether the stranger truly sought candour from such a pointed question.

"I think it is a relic of a bygone world that no longer fits into this one. Power corrupts, and no power is so corrupting as witchcraft. It is a chaotic force endowed through meritless means that blights progress and stands athwart the advancement of the worthy." He tilted his head,

"In any event... I'd love to hear the story of what you did to those who slew your mother, if you'd be willing to share."