Cassius Ado Virtus
Junior Member
Human
Yea though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil
Posts: 66
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Prayer
Jan 13, 2006 9:42:23 GMT -5
Post by Cassius Ado Virtus on Jan 13, 2006 9:42:23 GMT -5
" Blessed is the man, Who does not walk in the council of the wicked, Or stand in the way of sinners, Or sit by the side of mockers,
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, Upon this law he meditates day and night, He is as a tree planted by streams of water, Which yields fruit in season, Whose leaf does not wither, Who stands tall in the storm, Whatever he does prospers,
Not so are the wicked, They are like chaff, That the wind blows away, The wicked will not stand against his judgement, Nor the sinners against the assembly of the righteous,
For the lord watches over us, but the way of the wicked will perish " The great vaulted halls of the church echoed thunderously as a great voice filled the air, a voice that carried purpose, devotion, compassion and yet was as steel, commanding and forcefull. General Cassius Ado Virtus stood before the altar, his face raised to the rafters, following his mighty voice. His armour gone, he wore a simple red robe, pinned about the shoulder with a broach shaped like two oak leaves. The mark of a General. As the ecoes died down, Cassius lowered his head to look out into the pews. Few were gathered here this day, but it was to be expected. Many of the soldiers were preparing to leave, or already gone, and many men were hard at work on a mid week morning. "Brothers and sisters, children of the Lord God," He began, "Have faith in these troubled times, and do not be swayed. The Lord watches over us and protects us. We are safe in his service" he said, turning and bowing to the alter as he finished. Cassius stood again, and turned to leave. He moved slowly, but his heavy shoulders carried the grace and fluidity of a man of half his years. Without his armour it was clear that he was a well built man. His arms were strong and well muscled, and his hands were calloused with years of hard, physical labour and the scars of battle. Though these were not the only scars he carried. Cassius Ado Virtus - A name for his father. Cassius - 'Bringer of Virtue', that was what his name meant, at least as closely as it could be translated from the ancient language that once covered this land. The language from which all other languages were born. Cassius sighed and sat back on an empty bench in the far corner, away from the others in the church. He cupped his face in his hands, before sitting back to stare at nothing in particular, alone with his thoughts.
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Prayer
Jan 13, 2006 23:05:54 GMT -5
Post by Diala on Jan 13, 2006 23:05:54 GMT -5
Kalista had been standing in the shadows of the Church, her personal guard just outside the doors. She had told them that there was plenty of protection inside these walls and if she actually did need them, the door was but a few feet away and never locked.
She watched as Cassius sat and then saw that set of strong shoulders heave with a heavy sigh as he did so and so strode forward on silent feel, her long, blue cloak waving out behind her, the ruby and gold clasp holding it in the center of her chest catching the lights from the flickering candles that lined either side of the great walls as well the beautiful vaulted ceilings of this holy place.
A gentle and yet firm hand then placed itself on the right shoulder of the General and then a soft, known voice spoke.
“It is the nature of thought to find its way into action. Tell me Cassius, what weighs so heavily on your mind to give way to such a heavy sigh.” She asked, as she let her hand fall from his shoulder and then walked around to his front and then took the seat next to the Warrior, the keeper of peace in her Kingdome, her friend, the man known as Cassius Ado Virtus.
Kalista never liked it when she saw any of the close friends heave such a sigh of burden and thought. It usually meant a lot more than they would admit, or at the very least, confide in her as they all seemed to believe she had enough on her plate to not be bothered by their problems but this was just not so.
As she sat, she ran her hand over her silken gown of pearl blue and then rested the two appendages together on her lap as she turned her deep onyx eyes to Cassius and awaited his answer.
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Cassius Ado Virtus
Junior Member
Human
Yea though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil
Posts: 66
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Prayer
Jan 18, 2006 14:46:54 GMT -5
Post by Cassius Ado Virtus on Jan 18, 2006 14:46:54 GMT -5
Cassius frowned, turning slowly to meet Kalista's gaze. "Why is it I never seem to be able to escape you?" He almost smiled. "As times grow dark, shadows gather on the horizon, and men's lives lie in my hands once more." Cassius explained, holding her gaze. "My actions, my decisions, will decide the fate of thousands of men, and the lives of their wives and children, mothers and fathers will be altered for better or worse. All based on my decisions. I have won many victories, and lost many. . ." Cassius paused, stepping around a certain something that wasn't there. A topic he never discussed - and didn't intend to. "Friends. But i look to the future, will I make the right decisions? What will happen? Who will live? Will it finally be my time? Whose faces will I never see again."
Cassius sighed again, less heavily this time. He shifted, leaning forwards and placing his hands on his knees, looking away from Kalista to gaze forward, into the dimly lit halls of the great church.
"I'm coping. After all I have God, and. . well." Cassius coughed uncomfortably, falling silent.
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Prayer
Jan 19, 2006 21:21:28 GMT -5
Post by Diala on Jan 19, 2006 21:21:28 GMT -5
Kalista simply smiled at his first comment. She was about to reply and then put aside her quirky comeback and listened to him instead. As he continued, she caught certain pauses and mannerisms that he probably wished she wouldn’t but all the same, she had. Being alive for more than 2000 years didn’t make her a silly addle brain, but a rather wise and quite observant person. Besides, she had been with Cassius from his beginning and who knew him better than the very woman sitting next to him this moment. She, of course, wouldn’t pry, it wasn’t her way of doing things, she didn’t need to, and she understood more than he knew.
“ I would much rather have regrets about not doing what people said, than regretting not doing what my heart led me to and wondering what life had been like if I'd just been myself.” She stated calmly her eyes still gazing at her old friend. “Cassius, you are perhaps the greatest leader one could possibly ever dream of serving under, and as well, ever had the pleasure to rule beside…” She grinned slightly and then sighed herself and turned her gaze to the altar standing not all to far from them. “Yes, people will die, there is no doubt about that, and yes, it pains me to no end to know that we will loose some of those we hold so dear to us however, they do not go into battle without the knowledge that they are as such under the eyes and hand of such a great man as you. They all love Karador and they love you, each one knows you will not make the wrong choice for no matter the choices you have to make, you will inevitably make the right ones, I know this because I know you, you do not make decisions based on what you see with your own eyes, but they come from your heart and so therefore, you can never go wrong, not in their eyes, not in mine, or in Kiara’s…” She trailed off her expression unwavering, showing not but care for the man, the general sitting next to her on the bench.
Kalista was silent for w while allowing her thoughts to slip over the words that seemed to trouble Cassius, and the things that troubled her as well. She loved her people and she loved the man she sat next to as well, loved him like he was her own brother. Each time she sent him out there to fight for their Kingdome was like putting a part of herself out there, she knew how he felt, she knew how hard it was to rule over and make choices that one knew could end up in the deaths of those they held dear to them As well, she knew the pain that came along with making those choices, the burden of commanding so many to fight for one cause to maintain the livelihood they all deserved, but unlike him, she was not the one who ultimately made the decisions of deployment, when to retreat or move forward, she did not have to make those ones and for that, she was grateful, though still, she was the one who ultimately decided to send them all out there.
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Cassius Ado Virtus
Junior Member
Human
Yea though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil
Posts: 66
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Prayer
Jan 25, 2006 4:00:47 GMT -5
Post by Cassius Ado Virtus on Jan 25, 2006 4:00:47 GMT -5
Cassius cupped his hands in his lap, shifting his heavy shoulders forward as he did, "Yes, you are right, as always." He almost smiled, "But I will still need to prepare myself for the times ahead. Hard times, grim days as evil makes its way back into the hearts of men, and it is here I will prepare. With the help of the lord I shall steel myself against the darkness, and do what must be done." Cassius explained, his deep voice low and quiet in the great vaulted halls of the church. "We all have our ways, and I suppose this is mine." Cassius turned to Kalista, looking at her briefly, then back towards the altar, his eyes taking in every detail as his mind worked. silently taking in everything that she had just said, and everything he could see. This war would be a means to an end. A means to end evil, once and for good. He would see to that, if it was the last thing he ever did.
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Prayer
Jan 26, 2006 0:29:56 GMT -5
Post by Diala on Jan 26, 2006 0:29:56 GMT -5
Kalista grinned. “Well, of course I’m right.” She replied in a jovial tone, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. “I haven’t made it this far for being wrong all the time.” She winked at him and then took a deep, cleansing breath, the smile fading from her lips. “Yes, you will need to be prepared and I am certain that when the time comes, you will be.” She responded, her onyx gaze moving again to fall upon the General.
Kalista was quiet as she looked at him, watched him as he gazed over the altar before them, her face was most unreadable that of the perfect poker face, showing not emotion or thought and then, she laid a soft hand on his shoulder.
“God will help you through this that is certain, but never forget, there are others right under your nose who will always walk beside you, no matter where you may venture in the world.” She said and then once again, allowed her hand to slip back onto her lap, her eyes moving to look about the Church, only to find, yet again, the altar being the point at which they returned to.
Kalista became quiet then, nothing more did she have to say, she relaxed and allowed her thoughts to drain away for the moment, as well, allowing Cassius time for his own. She knew he had many things to work through, a major war effort to decide upon and perhaps something else as well, though she would not interfere in things she was not invited to.
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