Crosses
The shadow above you casts off it's shadow and bathes the area beneath it in a foul light. A dark chuckle echoes through the air around you and the sand under your feet blackens as a strange pressure weighs down on you from above. A voice like a death rattle echoes from the malevolent being hovering over the both of you. "I tire of this. Kill them and be done with this!"
A wave of negative washes over the badly damaged sniper and quickly heals it. Leaving it more intact to fight the battered Leon and Aurora. It also gains a dark shimmer about its person, something wasn't right. Then, with surprising quickness, it steps to Leon's left as it angles the pistol to shoot him just below the knee as Aurora watched how casually he performed the act. It reloaded before Leon could even react, it's movements were much quicker now. Much more precise now that it wasn't being toyed with...
AC 20, touch 19, flat-footed 17 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge +4 natural)
HP (damage dealt/max hp) 91/127
Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +13
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4; DR 10/ bludgeoning
and magic ; Immune undead traits; SR 21
Leon continues to shift out of alignment allowing the deadly rounds to miss him as he slashes into the sniper once again.
Aurora rushes back into the fight swinging her tonfa in at the snipper flanking it with Leon.
I move over to the man who withstood such pain: I doubt he still lives but even so, I would mark his passing and note if he has some other insignia.
AS you get closer you freeze in your tracks as a large man materilizes out of the gloom. A familiar knife glints wetly in his boxer sized hands as he approaches the downed man. You can easily se the blood that stains the man's uniform and behind him come several more men you've seen before...
They stand over the downed man who, shockingly, moves his head to regard them with one eye. "Come to finish me eh boys?" The voice shock's you to the core. It was Carroll...
The big man's identity sent you reeling metally, it was the man who savagely ensured that Carson was dead. The one who glared at Mir. The man kneeled down, looking at Carroll before you could react. "Ya, sometim' I'm thinking, but not yet you old bastard. Not yet." His grim looking companion's were covered in injuries, burns and one was even missing an arm. Substituting the lost appendage with a crudely made bandage.
Carroll chuckled before spasming in pain. "Why do you remain, flee now, you've got your chance... Take it..."
The man picks Carroll up, throwing an arm over his shoulders as he grunts. "Bugger that, we can't let anyone else kill ya. Now buck up you old bastard. We're gonna survive this..."
Mir
Your singler strike come as a surprise and shock to the newly awakened Tabaxian. She spins and hops back. A look of revulsion crosses her muzzle as she hisses.
She spreads her paws wide, speaking in a language you don't understand, summoning up something invisible that floats around her now.
Scavenger rubs his head, he looks more then concerned about divulging any information to you. He looks downright afraid. He walks up to his cabinet and pulls out a bottle labeled. Medicinal Spirits and downs a huge swig, exhaling with a satisfied hiss before moving and closing the doors to the infirmary. As he walks that way you note the rise in the echoes of gunfire, they were distant but it was more then obvious a serious fight was occuring.
It was quieter once the doors were shut. Scavenger turned and looked at you, he appeared to be afraid, sad and torn all at once. "You think things in this temple are strange... The funny thing is we've met before. So let me tell you a story... About how you die Cassian..."
He walks forward, the hairs on the back of your neck rise as he gets within a couple of paces of you. Standing there with his hands on his hips as he watched your reaction. "Trust me, knowing when you die isn't what it's cracked up to be. It hurts like hell sure, but it's over quick if your lucky. Maybe it'll help you. Me however I'm dead no matter how the War ends. In fact, the men here are all dead already. That's why I said it wasn't your fault. We were given a second chance, on the conditional terms of we avoid severe injury or suffer the same pain as before. Including death for those who were dying when the bargain was made. And that once the conflict was over we returned to our homeland, although thats where it gets fuzzy. There was no promise that we'd be healed on our return, only that we were going home."
He starts to pace back and forth, closing his eyes as he appeared to be recalling something. "Appeared suddenly, badly injured, disorientated and suffering severe electrical burns among other injuries. Nothing dulled the pain, patient concious long enough to speak his name, asked about his companion's and some detailed information on the Core. Cassian Vespertine. 'Lucky' Aelessear . Bera. Mir. Ant. Tyrn Jade. Never Identified Bera, Mir, Ant or Tyrn." He steps back and forth speaking in medical speak. "Injuries included. Ruptured Spleen, Collapsed lung from unidentified trauma, toes burned from exit pattern of electrical surge. Hands burned half way upto elbows, same cause. Multiple stab and claw wounds..." Realizing he is rambling he changes topic. "Reached core, encountered quill throwing beasts, hard to bring down. Muscle bound brutes wearing mechanical apparatus's and the walking dead. Tentacled beast and the Master. Assaulted core, nearly stabilized before being knocked off of Catwalk. Subject fell unconcious. Pronounced dead..." He snaps open a pocket watch in his breast pocket as he speaks. "... at two fourteen in the morning. Roughly 3 hours after appearance."
Feeling more solelm and humbled than she has in, well, as long as she can remember, Diyeana simply nods and begins to walk towards the exit alongside the weary priest. In her head, she sends out prayers for her City and it's people, all those who have been, and still are, fighting and dieing so valiently to protect them, and, last but not least, for the brave and inspiring souls of the Paladins who had sacrificed so much, sacrificed everything, for the protection of their home.
As she walks in silence, almost with a will of it's own and much more like a child seeking support from an elder, or a friend offering support to another than with any romantic intent, her hand glides over and intertwines itself in the much bigger hand of the High Priest of Morrow, giving it a gentle squeeze as they connect.
Remaining in a crouch, Miri glares at the female, wary of whatever magics she may have used. "నేను, ఏమీ ద్రోహం ఈ మీరు పోరాడుతున్నా ప్రజలు కావు. మీరు .. స్తంభింపచేశారు మరియు వారు నాకు మీరు పరిపూర్ణంగా ఉంటాయి."
She holds her attack but stands ready to defend herself or the soldiers helping her.
Cassian absorbed the medic’s words with absolute attention. He tongues at his lips momentarily before speaking, ”You know,” he begins, looking at the vial of “good stuff” in his hand. ”I normally prefer my mead straight and my herbs packed in pipes but – in light of circumstance – I’m willing to make exception.” He takes a delicate sip and immediately makes a repugnant face. ”Bah! Unacceptable! Hardly fit for a last drink. Go on and share with me your spirits, will you?”
He gives Scavenger’s Medicinal Spirits a fierce gulp and begins pacing back in forth in contemplation while rubbing his chin. After a quick glance at Ael, he focuses again on the foreign soldier. ”Suppose for a moment that the Cassian and Aelessaer you found originated from a timeline that didn’t include you in the temple. Evidenced merely by our presence here, space can be altered in this temple; why not time as well? If you and your men were brought here before the events leading up to my death, that timeline has been changed. I need to know how to effectively formulate a strategy to get to the core without ending in the same… setbacks. I need your help to finish what I could not.”
”I suppose the natural question is: who did you make this bargain with? What, precisely, did they want from you?”
”Where was I found? What about Aelessaer? Were we found together or apart?”
”Do you have any medical records or reports of what was said when you met me?”
”Have you adapted any of your defenses or strategy based on the accounts I gave before dying?”
Scavenger smiles at your hypothesising and even more broadly at your questions. Answering them in order.
"I can't say." He's blunt in his response to the first question. Dismissing it as quickly as he answered. "We were asked to fight, with most of us laying in mud dying it was an easy choice."
"Apart, you were found stumbling down the main hallway, Aelessaer was found unconcious in the lift."
"No, paper is a sore commoditiy here, utilize for more... Hygenitic use at the moment."
"Smart one aren't ya? Capt. Carroll Trained the Messer Squad personally, they are quick and nimble enough to counter the Brutes. The Walkers are countered by light infantry and close combat specialists. The Quills face the machinegunners and there supporting infantrymen. It forces us to split our forces but we have enough men to make a push, if we can establish a Fob then we'll have the advantage. Operation Exitus involves establishing a forward position, crush the entire level and prepare for the next push towards the core. Consider us your Vanguard."
Astonished, I slip through the darkness and follow the group.
”Interesting… I first found Aelessaer at the lift as well. Though she was not alone, Bera served as her loyal guardian. The three of us defended ourselves from waves of undead until Mir and Ant arrived at the flank and gave us enough advantage to crush the little devils. This was moments after the Mistress invaded my consciousness and moments before our first – and only – encounter with Sil. Empirically speaking, I would believe that it was around that time a divergence was made. ‘By whom’ would take more evidence to deduct; purpose, though, purpose is obvious: cleanse the temple and stabilize The Core.” Cassian reasons aloud, thought illuminated his handsome features as he makes another grand attempt to piece together the mysteries floating aboutThe Temple of Tranquil Ley.
" No, paper is a sore commodity here, utilized for more... Hygienic use at the moment."
”Sore indeed, I’m sure.” He replies with light amusement in his voice.
"Smart one aren't ya? Capt. Carroll Trained the Messer Squad personally, they are quick and nimble enough to counter the Brutes. The Walkers are countered by light infantry and close combat specialists. The Quills face the machinegunners and there supporting infantrymen. It forces us to split our forces but we have enough men to make a push, if we can establish a Fob then we'll have the advantage. Operation Exitus involves establishing a forward position, crush the entire level and prepare for the next push towards the core. Consider us your Vanguard."
News of the soldiers’ adapted plans was joyous music to Cassian’s ears. ”It sounds as if The Vanguard’s tactics are just as effective as one would have hoped. But! There is always more that can be done. Talmerren may be able to provide us better insight on the lapses in information we currently have. I – well, MoG – understands (understood?) the necessity of waking this troublesome priest. I, for one, believe there’s no such thing as too much ammunition when engaging in warfare.”
He regards the elf with eagerness radiating from his eyes. After two steps forward, he spins round on his heel to face Scavenger again. ”Why didn’t you tell us this earlier? We’re obviously pushing to achieve the same goal; surely you would agree that we should all be in equal standing to do so?”
Tyrn felt even younger still, being surrounded by females of all shapes and sizes. It reminded him of his youth traveling foreign lands while conducting his research. He spent many nights with many women, all beautiful in their own way. Fond memories of nights where he felt completely free and unimpeded by his native culture; experiencing hallucinogens and pondering the mechanics of the universe with a warm body next to his. He never thought he'd see his adventures go this far.
"Come my sweet little cherubs! Where there is music there are musicians! Let's see who's causing this racket. I will not let them run this temple into ruin!" He drew his pistol and his saber and turned toward the priest.
"Any blessings from you shall carry us further to success, good priest."
Whether blessings are received or not, the platoon of alien-babes and Tyrn follow the priest in the direction of the fighting.
==============Crosses=================
Pain twists in Leon's chest as the air literally burns with healing magic. The undead sniper appears to almost wilt under the heavy presence of such positive magic. Aurora was unscathed, the Skyblade hummed in her hands like never before and her injuries were completely healed now...
The hovering Lich Lord appeared completely unphased, watching the fight impassively as his champion failed it. Again. Unpleased by this it spoke with a voice that grated like metal scraping against bare rock. "Useless..." The Lich Lord waved it's hand and the Pale Sniper twisted with a death rattle as its lungs were crushed in an instant. When the Lich Lord closed it's hand into a tight fist the Snipers body exploded into blood and body parts. A pale green light moved swiftly upward and merged with the Lich's lantern that had been hidden at it's side.
It's terrible gaze fell on the Crosses then...
"Flies deserve to be crushed..."
It's voice stilled Aurora's heart as it moved its hand in a well practiced manner. Runes appeared in the air, burning a bright necrotite green as they hung in the air, thousands of runes that stacked on each other so quickly that Aurora could not follow them all and when they finally one appeared they started to move. As if alive and aligned themselves to form a multitude of arcane circles and symbols until they formed a great scythe that the lich lord wielded in one hand.
It raised it's magically crafted scythe, the blade aimed carefully at the crosses as if it intended to strike them down from so far away...
Then several things happened at once...
A massive stone spear came flying from the ramparts of the embattled city, the spear was the size of a two story building and flew with the ease of a real weapon. The Lich Lord deflected it with ease, batting it aside with his magical scythe before hissing in displeasure at what had interrupted its intended strike. It's head snapped around at the sound of a thunderous split the air.
====================Red Dogs=================
The Commadore was a massive cannon the mercs had stolen from a pirate vessel in years past. It was a favorite when things turned against them and a really quick way to blast a gate open. However they could hardly position it where it wouldn't kick back when fired, their aim was true as they fired the Commadore at the hovering Lich Lord, capitalizing on the momentary distraction the flying spear gave them.
As the Commadore thumped the air with a deafening blast it smashed through the main deck of their airship, falling a full floor before coming to rest half imbedded in the second deck. Barnabus never broke eye contact with the Lich Lords position and gave a roar when they scored a direct hit, knocking the Lich Lord from the sky. Temporarily at least...
His shout was short lived as some of his men starred googly eyed at what stood on top of the Castle walls. "What the HELL is that?!"
=====================Di=====================
You emerge into the Cathedral proper and are shocked by the sight of dozens of injured priests pouring in through the front doors, accompanied by the familiar report of longrifle's outside as your soldiers continued their barrage. Munro looked as the same priestess from earlier approached the both of you. "It's a Miracle! Morrow's hand guide and protect us!"
Your curiosity drives you forward as Munro claps the Battle Cleric on the shoulder. As you look out the doors into the Temple districts open courtyard you give a gasp of shock at what you see. A dozen statues of Paladins of the wall were trampling over the undead, breaking them like toothpicks between their fingers. The Brethren had arrived and none too soon, wielding the powerful magic of their faith and devastating the undead that dared to invade their city. Lightning strikes rained down from the grey sky's, shattering formations and scattering what appeared to be spell casters at the edges of the field.
Your riflemen were choosing their targets, as a spellcaster appeared they took aim and plowed them under. It seemed as quickly as they reloaded they were already firing again...
Victory was in sight...
=========================Crosses======================
The Lich Lord landed nearly a hundred feet away from you, creating a sizable crater in its fall and by the destruction of its magically crafted weapon...
With its baleful presence gone you were able to refocus and shake off the fear that had once gripped you both. However Leon was still staggered by the overbearing positive energy that filled the air.
As Leon struggled to right himself a massive form appeared over the somewhat distant castle wall. A tall and powerful statue lifted its hand , open palmed towards the weapon it apparently had just thrown and, shockingly, the two story tall weapon flew back to it's wielders hand...
===============Trenchers===============
Tears ran down the humble Morrowan priests face as he prayed fervently before a statue of his brother who had passed away nearly twenty years ago. The screams of the fighting trenchers on the steps of the temple filled him with terror and shame as he could do nothing to aid them. Parishioners and other citizens of Rennor huddled together in fear. Praying to Morrow for absolution and in the hopes that their god would protect them.
The roar of the Trencher commanders order to fight to the death echoed through the small church and a wail passed through the assembled citizens. Bleeding soldiers lined the alter and side walls, gripping knives and single shot pistols as they prepared for the worst. A chaingunner who stood at the main door held his chainer with one hand under the burning hot barrel and the other holding the trigger as he stared grimly through his closed helm. Counting the seconds until the enemy broke through. However a minute passed and the trenchers outside grew quieter but continued to fight valiantly on.
The Priest raised his hands, sobbing as his pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. He clasped his hands so tightly that his rosary cut into his skin, as blood speckled the floor he raised his hands begging for his gods attention with his eyes closed and tears streaming down his face. His elderly features were haggard from the strain of watching so many suffer, while he could do nothing, he had not lost faith during this crisis though. Firmly believing that Morrow would come to their aid... "I am not as strong as my brother! I know this but please I beg you take my life instead of there's! PLEASE MORRO...!!" Silence fell throughout the church as the priest froze, something warm touched his forehead and as his eyes opened he stared in utter shock as the statue of his brother looked down on him with kind eyes. It mouthed something silently to him before walking quickly past, it's robes moving as if he were flesh. Everyone stared in wordless shock and made room as the statute of the Fallen Priest moved towards the main doors.
The churches doors flew open by unseen hands and the Trencher commander gave a shout of alarm before the burst of light blinded him. The dead screamed in agony as the Statue Priest appeared with its holy symbol raised, standing in a great burst of light that emanated from the church itself. The light destroyed every undead it fell upon, annihilating scores of them in a mere instant and within moments the area around the church was cleared of all manner of undead save for a few necromancers who raised their hands in preparation to cast at the interloper that fouled their plans.
The priest vanished, appearing to the left of one necromancer and touching their forward. Which caused the necromancer's eyes to roll into the back of their head and dropped them to the ground convulsing. A similar fate came for the other necromancers until one remained, alone and now completely outnumbered. It turned its attack on the now mortally injured Trencher Commander, who stood defiantly in the face of his annihilation. The death magic rolled from the Necromancers hands, reaching out to end the Trencher in one fell strike...
The Necromancer and the Commander stared in shock as the magic slammed into the Statue Priest who interposed itself between the necromancer and their intended victim. The Necromancer cursed and before it could cast again the priest closed the distance. Placing its hand on the dark mages forehead they fell with little resistance, convulsing on the ground as the Priest turned away. It walked back to the steps of the church, raised its symbol of morrow one last time and bathed everyone within three hundred feet in the healing touch of Morrow. The battered trenchers, the citizens and the elderly priest were all healed, the elder priest was the first to recover and moved to the steps. Tears ran down his face as he couldn't find the words to speak to his brother who had returned to save him.
The Statue smiled, warm and welcoming before waving goodbye and turning away from its brother. It stepped down and kneeled before the front of the church, it's hands clasped in prayer and a stone rosary bearing the symbol of Morrow hanging from its hands. It's mouth moved wordlessly and as it finished it's silent speech a golden glow radiated from its body and fell upon the church, infusing it with such holy magic that all who resided inside of it felt safe. Protected. morrow had not abandoned them.
A symbol was carved into the back of his robes, a symbol of one who became an honorary member of the Paladins of the Wall. For services rendered for the good of the kingdom.
The elder priest fell to his knees, crying into his hands as he had to say goodbye to his brother for a second time...
The Trenchers, fully healed, gathered outside. Each of them touching the now unmoving statue and bowing their heads in respect before their commanders bark brought them back to the present. "We can't lose now! We must win! Reform and get ready to move, we will resupply at the brewhouse and kick some ass! LETS GO!" With swords drawn and closed helms they moved forward once more, the 221st's actions were burned into the citizens memory that night forever as they long column moved off into the darkened street once more....
=====================Family====================
He was finished, he'd lost count of how many he had crushed with his fists. The four time champion of the dockside ring was going to be undone by a mob of ankle biting undead. How pathetic. Blood clouded his vision from the split he had in his forehead from being clawed across the face. Not only had they tore him up by they had ruined his good looks! The Fiends! He slammed the closest dead man on both sides of its head, rattling its brain before following it with a jaw breaking upper cut. He dropped onto the palms of his hands as he pivoted and kicked the legs out from under the dead men and woman that surrounded him.
The recover far quicker though, these ones were much freshly dead then the first wave, and one grabbed onto his hand. Pulling him off balance as it bit into his forearm and spilled his blood onto the floor as it savagely tore into his tightly corded muscle. He gave it the old double tap with his free hand and kicked another that was advancing on him off him. But they quickly piled in.
It was all over...
Sorry girls... Looks like daddy wasn't strong enough... He tried not to scream as he was bitten all over, clawed and tore at. He punched, kicked and struggled but they had him...
*BAH-RA-TA-Ta-TA-TA-TA* The deafening fire tore through the dead, some of which moved away from their prey with a hiss. Fall back boys! She's got this!"" The pugilist didn't know what the hell these soldiers were on about as he kicked the dead man biting his foot off. Then a warmth fell over him and the dead people collapsed all around him, he sat up and shockingly found himself less battered then before.
He nearly struck out in surprise as a hand appeared before his face, however he restrained himself and looked up into the face of a priestess of Lyoness. "Patricia Del'Von, glad we made it in time. Are you okay?"
He gave the woman his best smile and silently delighted in the way she blushed as he took her hand. Which was far smaller than his meaty hands, allowing her to help him to his feet as he said. "Can't say I've been through worse but glad ya made it to the party..." An echoing boom made him look out as a massive stone foot appeared just outside his small apartment.
He picked his jaw off the floor as Patricia chuckled. "What the HELL is that?"
Patricia smiled at him. "Our Reinforcements... And your name sir?" She asked sweetly and he smiled for a moment before Giselle's voice froze the air like a snowstorm. "My Husband." He turned and his jaw fell again, she was clad in her tight leather armor. He hadn't seen her wear it in years and it made him want to growl like a wolf. However the look on her face made him reconsidered that course of action, but by the gods did she look good! "Hey Honey, meet Patricia..."
You follow them for a time until they are discovered by the same red flag bearing enemy soldiers. They surge up, seeming to spring up out of the earth itself, yelling in a foreign language and waving sophisticated looking rifles at the large knife wielding men. The big man carrying Carroll curses under his breath and drops Carroll roughly as he and his men charge the enemy. Their charge nearly surprises the enemy soldiers but they were ready for such an action and open fire the moment they make their move. The fight quickly escalates leaving you grasping for what you should do but surprisingly no one notices you. Then you see another man come from the gloom. A man with a high browed hat and a small nasty pistol with a large somewhat thin case that ran out in front of the trigger.
Carroll drew his sword as the man aimed the pistol with a cruel smile on his lips. "The."
German Word The = Die
However he never gets the shot off. A woman appears behind him and grips either side of his head, eliciting a silent scream as his skin begins to age rapidly. Within seconds he turns to dust in her hands, leaving nothing but a rotting, torn uniform and a rusted gun as evidence that he existed at all. She ground the remains into the mud before she noticed the sword levelled at her...
You see yourself smiling coldly at Carroll. "Lets make a deal..."
"Back off witch!"
Your other self regards the knife wielding man warily as he staggers back into view. Interposing himself between her and Carroll. He flipped his knife around and drew out another knife from the back of his belt. You smile smugly as she speaks with your voice. "Now now big guy, no need to get violent..."
He spits in her face, earning a glare as he chuckles. "Ya want a deal b+&@~, how about you sod off before ya get hurt.
Your other self glares at him and then something incredible happens, the rain stops, everything stops and for a moment you saw eight different possible events. Seven of which end with you dying at the knife fighters hands, quite brutally, the last even though leaves you shocked as his knives crumble into dust. The cruel smile on the other you's face still's your heart for a moment as she lays a finger on his forehead. [smaller]"Here's the deal we are going to make you and I. I'll introduce you to a feline that can kill you and you will Sod off." He collapses then, straight into the muck his skin grey and wrinkled, he was an old man...
She stands before Carroll who keeps his sword levelled at her. "What is this deal?"
You awaken again, pain coursing through your body.
You failed.
All of you failed.
Ant was turned against you, Cassian was thrown from the Catwalk, the Thoon Butchered Mir and Bera. Tyrn Jade, someone you can hardly remember, went down fighting the master and a half dozen Mechanical priests and machines were all slaughtered when you tried to retake the core by force.
You were unprepared for the nightmare that awaited you.
The shadow pinned you against the Core, the power of the core burned through your flesh and just as your life was nearly extinguished you drew on something so deep within yourself you never knew it had existed. You vanished. Awakening sometime later in terrible pain as someone peeled your clothing off where it had cooked to your flesh.
You recognize Scavengers face, the medic worked tirelessly to save you and you spotted Cassian's still form nearby.
He was dead...
You close your eyes and this time you awaken with a gasp....
Scavenger runs his hand through his greasy hair. Regarding it with a bit of distaste as he wiped it off on his leggings. "You weren't supposed to know, any of this, at al...." He trails off, his eyes growing as large as saucers as he stares past you...
Your eyes fall on Aelessaer standing behind you, there is a coldness in her eyes as she regards Scavenger. "I should have expected this... He was rather convincing with that honey tongue of his..." She raises her hand and you hear Scavenger step back in surprise.
"Look I didn't mean to tell him but...!" He was cut off as she spoke over him. "I know." She rests her hands on either side of Cassian's forehead, he found it hard to move as if everything but Ael was surrounded in a dense liquid. She moved with such speed that doubles and even triples of her appeared in the air around her moving form.
"You have a big day tomorrow, so get some rest..." She kissed the top of his head and the world melted away. His last thought was laying his head on the fallen Talmerren...
You don't remember your conversation with Scavenger...
Your memories are replaced with that of working on Talmerren. Make appropriate rolls please.
Also The calculation was the base DC would increase +2 for each roll you made to fix Talmerren, becoming more difficult the closer you got to having him at 50% operating capacity. >:) It's mean't to be tough.
However when you awaken you are refreshed despite the HOURS you spent working...
No wisdom damage, no hp damage.
When you awaken the memories you have are blurred and unfocused. You remember your strange dream, the fighting, seeing your self and may do with it as you wish.
Ael awakens first, finding Cassian with a small blanket draped over his shoulders and Scavenger asleep on his makeshift desk. Bera snores noisily nearby and Mir is bundled up in a corner nearby...
Mir
She glares at you malevolently as she hisses in outrage. "You were barely a gleam in your fathers eye when this happened! They brought their warships! They bombed us! Killed our people! Burned our Cities!"
Halloway holds his ground but his hand is inches from his pistol...
She glares at him but turns in shock as the Male Tabaxian moves to interpose himself between you and her. She looks at him in shock and utter crushing sadness before her anger flares up again. "Why do you protect her!?"
When he says nothing the shock returns and she starts speaking in a broken way. "No, No, NO! You've bonded with him!? HOW DARE YOU!"
She moves her hands and as fire emerges from her fingertips, he reacts in an instant, his skin changing completely black with a metallic shine. The fire dies on her fingers and she stares at him looking heart. "What has happened to you my mate? Why do you turn on me so?"
He looks back at you then. "Mistress?" The question in his voice is obvious.
At his actions her muzzle twists into a snarl and Halloway grabs for his pistol with a... "Oh S***!" As teh fire returns to her hands.
You sly fox bastard!!! Lol! ;-) All that work...
O and by the way: HO-LEE-SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT! I did NOT see that coming! Keep up the good work, brother!
Cassian slept comfortably despite the position he was found in. An educated observer would imagine that he was used to sleeping in confined spaces or in environments best suited for anything but sleeping. His dreams were peppered with carnal images and situations involving the many women and creatures which resembled females throughout the looooooooooooooong, harrowing day. Needless to say: they were a much desired relief.
:-D !!!
"ఆమె ఆపు!"Miri shouts, instinctively knowing that the male before her would follow her instructions.
"Hallow-way, try not to kill her." she calls to the Lieutenant and his men as everything explodes into chaos.
Looking to see the reactions of the others that had just been freed, she prepares to attack if the need to defend herself or the soldiers arose.
"These men did none of that.They are not enemies!"
I wake with a shudder and rise up, blinking back tears that just flow and flow and flow in complete silence. I whisper forlornly to nothing and no-one, "We failed and we're doing it again. We're doing it again."
The tears begin to dry and an angry fire burns inside me: I know it won't last but while it's there I decide to make use of it. I stomp over to Scavenger and shake him awake by his lapels,
My composure snap and the rage drains out of me. I bury my face in his chest and the tears flow again, "And you saved me. Do you remember this? Did it happen yet? Are we doing it wrong again?"
Aelessaer's screams immediately shattered the snoring bravo's dreams.
Gods!!! Bera can't have left a pierce of my consciousness in Ael's brain as well!
Cassian's fears were extinguished before their spark had finished its eruption. He snapped to a sitting position and watches quizzically as the scene unfolds. "Sweet Aelessaer, what are you talking about?"
I look up at Cassian, snot-nosed and tear-streaked, and a memory flits across my mind, "I'm not always so sweet."
Then I look down at the Scavenger, "He knows some of it: they recognised me, Cassian, when we got here. They'd seen me before."
"But there's more, I think. Time's river just flows and flows for most people but I... well..." I take a deep breath, "Sometimes, I can swim."
"And, I don't know for sure what I've seen but either we've fought this whole battle before and we died, we all died, or we're taking a walk down death's dark alleys this time."
I shrug, "I'm not sure if I'm feeling the future or the past: it's strange but maybe if this guy starts talking it will make a bit more sense."
"So, old friend or old foe, why do you know me? What happened?"
Cassian’s concern of the grave news the blossomed the further Aelessaer went on; cemented at its peak by an overwhelming sense of Déjà vu. He thoughtfully shifts his attention from Aelessaer to Scavenger. ”My friend, you’d do well to answer her questions.”
Ael & Cassian
Scavenger looks rather taken aback by Ael's claims, rising quickly to his feet as he shakes off his drowsiness. Placing his hands on Ael's shoulders he looks her in the eyes studying her pupils as he speaks. "Ma'am! Calm down miss! My tonics can cause ya to dream something wicked so please take a breath, your not making much sense! How could I know you when we just met?"
He's telling the truth he is honestly confused by your words and appears more concerned for your mental state then your claims.
You see something floating around Scavenger, something you hadn't noticed before...
It reminded you of the moments where you stole a moment of time to improve a situation. Perhaps...
"Well, maybe not you then, but some of these men knew me: and Carroll as well."
Cassian, now on his feet, was genuinely concerned for Aelessaer's state of mind. He could foggily remember some budding hint of a suspicion towards the soldiers but was unable to conjure any context of it; even stranger seeing as his brain felt absolutely rejuvenated by the night's rest.
"To revisit your metaphor, how far can you 'swim through time's river,' Aelessaer?"
The abilities of those summoned to this temple are as fascinating as they are disturbing. With unmatched relentlessness, each of them in a persistent campaign to redefine my interpretation of the word: unnatural.
=====================Di=====================
You emerge into the Cathedral proper and are shocked by the sight of dozens of injured priests pouring in through the front doors, accompanied by the familiar report of longrifle's outside as your soldiers continued their barrage. Munro looked as the same priestess from earlier approached the both of you. "It's a Miracle! Morrow's hand guide and protect us!"
Your curiosity drives you forward as Munro claps the Battle Cleric on the shoulder. As you look out the doors into the Temple districts open courtyard you give a gasp of shock at what you see. A dozen statues of Paladins of the wall were trampling over the undead, breaking them like toothpicks between their fingers. The Brethren had arrived and none too soon, wielding the powerful magic of their faith and devastating the undead that dared to invade their city. Lightning strikes rained down from the grey sky's, shattering formations and scattering what appeared to be spell casters at the edges of the field.
Your riflemen were choosing their targets, as a spellcaster appeared they took aim and plowed them under. It seemed as quickly as they reloaded they were already firing again...
Victory was in sight...
=================
Giving a huge WHOOP and HOORAH, Diyeana's grin is larger than it had ever been before. Well, except for maybe that one time when she was still a wet behind the ears recruit and the 1st gunnery squad and her...well, that was another story. Anyway, the magic weilding gunslinger could barely recall a time she had been more happy, relieved, thrilled and excited. Turning back towards the priest she yells "Munro! Munro! Have ya seen this! We...those statues o' yours, are KICKING A$$! We're WINNING and we finally have those undead bas#@%d's on the run!"
Without waiting for a reply Diyeana runs back, launches herself into the air and lands on the big, strong priest of Morrow. Her arms wrapping around his neck, she moves her face in close to his, whispering "Munro, you've saved us! And I think you may just be my HERO, big boy, and Hero's always deserve their reward." and with that, she plants a kiss on the unexpecting high priest that even weakens the knees of some of the other priests and priestesses just watching the scene.
After what seems like an inordinately long time, she finally comes up for breath. Murmuring deep in her chest, her eyes hot as flames, she purrs "Mmmm mmmm mmmm son, you and me? We have some business ta finish later, cuz we're gonna git ta know each other a whole lot better n' we do right now."
Then, pushing herself off him, she spins in the air landing gracefully as she runs back towards the door. Pulling her rifle off her shoulder as she goes, she looks back, s#!t kicker grin still in place as she laughs, saying "But fer now, we still got some other kind o' business ta have! Cuz I'll be damned if'n I let all those statues take all tha fun!"
Raising her voice even louder she whoops "So c'mon all y'all! We got some undead ta kill! Let's send ALL o' those undead f#@cks back ta HELL!"
With that, she was out the door. All within the temple can still hear her though, whooping and hollering, her rifle blast joining those of her squad, sounding for all the world like she was having the time of her life.
And she was, she most definitely was.
[
Ael & Cassian
You reach out and draw the energy that hovers around Scavenger into yourself and you gasp as you are assailed by memories not your own.
Your lesser self was laying on the bed, Cassian was passed out leaning on the fallen machine priests inert form, Scavenger was backed up against his desk watching you. It was so easy. You could reach out and extinguish your lesser self in an instant, you could be the only one that survived. You would be whole again.
You reach out, summoning up the greatest of your ability and prepared to snuff out your lesser half forever. The click of a pistol made you growl in rage, damn the British for their honorable conduct. You turn and Scavenger has a pistol leveled at you and a grenade in the other hand, the pin was pulled.
"What's your problem Scavenger?" Your words dripped with venom as he regarded you coldly. Despite his profession he was a trained soldier after all and you had underestimated his resolve...
"I was wondering the same about you missy, make a move and we all go nice and loud like."
You growled at the brazenness of this lowly creature. How dare he think he could best you. "She's weak..."
"So were you miss, you laid in that very spot once and I am not about to let you harm my patients. Ya got the drop on me but this is where it ends."
He keeps a firm grip on the grenade and his pistol was trained at your chest, despite wearing the same armor as your lesser self he foolishly believed his tiny weapon could penetrate it. You smile savagely, remembering the way Cryxian's toyed with their victim's as you shed your aggression and stood normally. "You forget Scavenger, I was the one who had no one to rely on. I survived, fine then have it your way but this one..." Your fluid motions were beyond his ability to react as you grip Cassian's head and shredded the recent memories of his conversation, rewinding his memory to before he had spoke with Scavenger at all.
The medic cursed and squeezed the trigger just as you finished your work. Raising your hands you smile more broadly at him as you speak quickly. "FINE! Fine, hands off see! He's fine, he'll be groggy and won't remember a thing."
Scavenger growled, clearly he had seen through your ruse as he spoke. "I thought you wanted them to help you!?"
Your smile never reached your eyes as you stepped forward, twisting time and space to your command and moving so quickly that you were whispering in his ear before he could even manage to blink. "I changed my mind. Besides I think it would be fun to watch her kill you..."
You twisted time and space again covering Scavenger in a veil of time that, if disrupted, would render what you had done so far null and void. It would cloud his memory as well, it was perfect...
Cassian watched as Ael gasped and within the span of a blink of an eye Scavenger staggered, crumpling to his knees as blood spilled to the floor. He'd been shot and his exit wounds were the source of the major bleeding, blood was already trickling from his mouth. He had maybe a minute before he bled out before your very eyes. Scavenger starts speaking to Ael, seemingly oblivious to the terrible injuries he suddenly had...
You were back on the battlefield like before, except you were watching a group of soldiers threaten Scavenger. He was speaking to them in a tongue you couldn't understand, his voice was pleading but they had their rifles leveled at the injured. Some of which were their own. Finally the arguing reached its conclusion after they had pulled their wounded out of the line of fire.
They shot him, three times at point blank range, the bullets punched through his uniform in a spray of blood from the brutal exit wounds. The wooden medical cart behind him was poked with holes as the three rounds impacted. In that instant he staggered but still somehow drew his pistol. He fired three shots with lightning speed and deadly accuracy, shooting two men in the head and one in the chest, crumpling his three opponents to the ground.
He never recovers from his stagger, falling to his knees as he gasped for breath in the driving rain. Before you rush over to his side you see something in the corner of your eye, a figure watching the events same as you, however when you turn to look for it its no longer there. Your reach him and he doesn't even look at you just coughs up blood as he leans back to look up at the dark clouds in the sky. Wordlessly you touch his forehead and invoke the same deal as you made with his Captain.
The world fades and you both arrive in the fallen temples lowest floor, in a wing you had fought hard to secure alone. Capt. Carroll helped Scavenger to his feet and the medic's shock was replaced by wariness for the individual that had saved him. You smile at him then. "Better get to work, you all have a lot of work to do. And little time..." As if the temple was responding to your words the lights flared up and the whole temple shook violently.
You smiled at their shocked faces, amused by the fact this was your third attempt at this. Would they fail you as well?
Ael
You come out of it completely, your whole body was shivering as you looked down to see Scavenger looking up at you. Smiling despite the blood that ran from the left side of his mouth already. "Right as..." He coughs into his hand, dismissing the blood that drenches the backside of it now. "Rain now. Good. Ya take..." He coughs again, more violently this time. "... care now. Ya know who you are up against. *Coughs* She's crafty... Especially because she's you..."
Leon clenches his teeth his mind reeling from the overbearing energy flowing around them. His body visibly shaking, Le..let's j..just get t..to the ship..but first.." He stammers as he staggers over to the remains of the sniper checking for its rifle and necrotic rounds. Thinking he might be able to make some use of such a powerful weapon.
[dice=Fort]1d20+3
Leon clenches his teeth his mind reeling from the overbearing energy flowing around them. His body visibly shaking, Le..let's j..just get t..to the ship..but first.." He stammers as he staggers over to the remains of the sniper checking for its rifle and necrotic rounds. Thinking he might be able to make some use of such a powerful weapon.
Aurora feels a small wave of panic course through her every fiber as she watches her husband quake from the whole ordeal. Leon was not one to be shaken. "But first what my love" she answers in an anxious manner.The metallic taste of fear began to nestle in the back of her throat much like a sip from a tea with a bitter undertone: subtle but present. As Leon scans the remnants of the sniper so does Aurora. She knew exactly what her husband was thinking and hoped in some way to assist him.
Leon reaches out and brushes a stray lock of hair from her face caressing her cheek as he does. "Never leave mi esposa." He says as he leans on her shoulder after collecting anything useful from the remains.
Leon reaches out and brushes a stray lock of hair from her face caressing her cheek as he does. "Never leave mi esposa." He says as he leans on her shoulder after collecting anything useful from the remains.
"I would never mi amor." She says gently in return. "And besides, no else gets your crazy. I am the only one who understands it and you are the only one who gets mine."She tries desperately to soothe the dire feeling that clings to the air. Who in the seven hells would know that you like your tea strong and sweet, eggs well done with a pinch of salt and herb or that you talk more in your sleep then when awake? You are a very particular man mi amor! You are stuck with me.She makes sure to keep Leon supported, afraid that if he fell he wouldn't get up as easily.
Crosses
As if in response to Leon's thoughts the liches glass dome begins to glow once more. Flaring brightly before its terrible voice slammed into their minds once more. "DAMNED MAGGOTS!" Green flames lanced from the lich's fingertips as it sits upright once more, the beach sand turned into glass from the burning intensity of it's rage. It's burning gaze sweeps over the Crosses before falling on the Red Dog's airship below. "A Thousand years I've lived and you think a mere cannon will be my death!? I'll add your souls to my furnace WRETCHES!" The green flames twist and contort around the lich before lancing down towards the airship below in a massive plume of intense flame.
Barnabus bellowed orders as the lich rose once more. The merc's scrambled to abandon ship as the flames rose over the lich, one merc however held his position at the Chaingun. Unleashing a barrage of rounds that flashed across the dark beach towards the distant lich. "EAT LEAD MO-!"
Leon has barely enough time to scrap up the dead snipers rifle and a handful of rounds out of its jacket. Burning his hand in the process
The flames slammed down on the airship like the wrath of an angry god. The entire ship burned and as you both gathered yourselves the Lich Lord's eyes fell on you. "I'll deal with you craven traitors next..." It raised its hand, aiming towards you just as a shadow fell over you all.
The Lich Lord dashed back, twisting as a massive stone foot slammed down where it once was. Your both left choking as the beach sand is sent spiraling upward by the impact of something massive. As the sand settles your eyes fall on what could only be a moving statue, emblazoned by the symbol of morrow on its chest and backside.
"Tsk You test my patience Morrowan, flesh or not you will all be consumed!" The Lich Lord began to move skyward, only to get slammed back into the earth by the statues massive lance. The statue moved far more swiftly then one would expect, spinning the lance around expertly as it brought the tip to bare on the downed Lich. Just before the impact though the Lich disappeared into the sand. Leaving the Statue to stab futile into the sand...
The Skyblade feels as if it were pulling you towards the city, a sense of urgency drifts through your thoughts, away from this battle.
”F~~&ing Hell!!!” Cassian exclaims, his surprise completely voiding his penchant for wordplay. ”Mierda!” the swordsman curses again as he rushes past Aelessaer to Scavenger’s side. Despite an untrained eye, Cassian knew there was little he could do for the medic. ”Mierda! Puta Mierda!” Frustration ignited his every uttered word. He darts to the medicinal cupboards and hastily shuffles through its shelves fruitlessly.
”Aelessaer,” his voice leveled to a reasonable yet still urgent tone, ”You need to undo what was just done. I can’t say how, for that is beyond my familiarity, but this must be done nonetheless. Quickly; before our luck should somehow plummet any further and one of Carroll’s men should see what has happened.”
Still cautious of “Lucky” Aelessaer’s potential or true purpose, Cassian stands at opposite lengths of the room while he waits for her reply. In his hand, the last item he had pulled out of the cabinet; a small unassuming vial with a handwritten label: ’Good Stuff’.
"She's not me. Not in any way that matters."
Coming soon to a skyfall near you~ Tonight I promise!
Mir
"Wait!" One of the others who had been freed spoke up but far too late to halt what happened next..
The male Tabaxian nods at your command and rushes the out of control female. She unleashes a gout of flame that washes over him but does little to stop his forward movement. She gasps as he slams into her hard, driving her into the wall. They struggle for a brief moment before something strang happens. You notice they weren't grappling. It was as if he were washing over her, his flesh more liquid then solid and soon his own features dissappear as he coveres her in a black outer layer. She struggles futile her movements slowing quickly until she no longer moves, she appeared to be mouthing something but it's unknown what as her mouth was completely covered.
She appeared as if she had turned to stone, a black metallic layer now covered her from head to toe. Even her unclosed eyes were covered now. What happened however your unsure and the others who had been freed approach slowly, one falling to her knees in tears.
Halloway and his men gather together at the entrance as another of the freed females approaches Mir cautiously. A sad look in her eyes as she looks on there encased sister. Speakin in Tabaxian they talked to Mir quietly. "Tis a tragedy, they were once a bonded pair. His mind faded, until nothing remained but a tool and she lost her mind to madness. Paranoia ruled her actions until the day she attacked the High One's and their allies. The bombs were her own magic going awry, she killed hundred before being restrained. He however didn't fight, he just stood there. Still, filled with life but lifeless..."
The speaker looks around the temple and regards the ill-maintained place with a critical eye before asking Mir. "What has happened here? My memory has yet to fully return, I remember the time of Dark Sky but little else." Each of the freed prisoners speak with the same dialect of the city born, if not with a higher more clear tone. It's clear to Mir now just how far the city born have degraded compared to these ancestors who now stand before her.
Di
Munro smiles as you depart while collectively the other priest's and priestess gasp at your brazen actions. A lot of humphs and oaths are made, a general grumbling that passed through most of the cathedral as you departed swiftly.
You press into the temple district's open grounds, taking cover behind whatever debris you can as you and your men take up position's and unload on the dead that were being scattered by the Brethren. It's during the chaos you notice four blackships hanging around the central castle, the heart of the city and seat of power for the King of the nation. From the fire that burned in several of the windows and the flashes of light from all over the castle you could tell in an instant that a fierce battle was being waged.
Your riflemen don't wait for orders as they take action against the remaining threats, unloading rounds into Lieutenants and obvious casters within range.
Some time has passed as you remain steady and holding your position, finally as if a sign from the heavens you spot a battered but familiar looking airship coming into view.
Smitty and Joey had finally returned...
Giving Halloway a look that asked his patience, Miri addressed the freed females in her language, aware of how primal she must sound to them.
"Madness caused by war is a tragedy. I am sorry it had to end that way. I am not sure of all that has happened since you were....suspended. It seems it has been centuries. Back in my homeworld even the city born seem far distanced from you, yet you are of my kind."
She looks back at Halloway and his squad." These men are allies, we are all fighting against the dark creatures in this place. Now is not the best time for exchanging stories."
Having more fun blasted away at Cryxians than was probably fair or proper, Diyeana is overjoyed to see her dear friends alive and returning.
Glancing back over her shoulder at the temple, a little moue of disappointment shows briefly on her face that Munro and the other priests hadn't come out and joined in the fun. The feeling is brief though, for the mercurial gunranger has much on her mind. Like killing more $%&^%#$@ Cryxians, for example.
Looking back towards the approaching airship, she pulls out a special cartridge from her bandolier and loads it into her pistol. Pointing the gun straight up at the sky and pulls the trigger, sending a flare shooting up into the sky, a signal Smitty and Joey are sure to recognize.
Waiting for her friends to pick up her and her troops, she recites a mantra silently to herself 'I am Not looking back at that damn temple again. I am Not looking back at that damned temple again...'
Ael and Cassian
Ael
You feel a burning in your chest as you take hold of whatever power had been swirling around Scavenger. Its a powerful struggle to maintain control and for a moment it breaks free of your grasp and the walls of the temple shatter. Replaced by the muddy battlefield, the overcast skies and the rain like the tears of a thousand angels over the wholesale slaughter occurring beneath the heavens.
Again you take hold of the power.
The Muddy battlefield falls away, replaced by golden fields of corn and squash patches. You hear the laughter of children and see a women drying her laundry on a clothesline. Scavenger was still on his knees, bleeding out, his wounds unchanged and his life fading quickly away.
The woman pauses in what she is doing and looks towards where you once were but you're both gone.
You've returned to the battlefield, the loud rapport of rifles and the cries of the injured seem louder this time. Its then you notice Cassian is with you. you felt right, the power was tamed for now within your grasp. You approach Scavenger and move to use it to save him and in a last moment of desperate strength he grabs your forearm, forestalling you as he sputters out. "There'll be... No goin' back love... If you do this... you'll be changed... I'd rather die... then see you become... that."
Cassian
The room falls away and your surrounded by a black void, where everything meets and everything that began ends and begins anew. The end of the old world flashes before your eyes and then in the same instance you see its rebirth. A great cascading wave of energy flowing over the dying world...
It happens so quickly your unable to take everything that happened in...
You find yourself standing in a battlefield, men rushing back and forth. Men who look just like the ones you met in the temple. They're shouting and yelling orders as multiple rapid rapports of heavy gunfire fill the air. You quickly spot the source of their panic as a line of strange metallic vehicles rolls towards their entrenched lines. These vehicles unleash a withering hail of explosive shells that tear through the trench lines and in a moment of desperation severa infantryman break rank and charge the vehicles coming at them. These men are simultaneously gunned down by the chaingun that line the sides of the vehicles, catching the poorly defended infantrymen in a brutal crossfire...
The world falls away again and you find yourself in beautiful farmlands, the only thing that marr's this moment is the fact that Scavenger is on his knees before Ael still. She appears to be winning some sort of unseen struggle and just as she rights herself you find yourself with a shock back on the battlefield once more. Three men lay dead at your feet and before your able to react Ael steps towards Scavenger and you witness his attempt to stop her...
The hairs on Cassian’s arms erected in uniform as the Temple disappeared from sight. The battlefield which replaced it, he quickly surmised, was not a part of the world he knew. The sensation… He felt he had already been acquainted with it before. Mog had dragged him through what is naturally meant to be the intangible – places designed by and revisited only in thought; this, however, felt uniquely real (real – being a word to serve as placeholder until the swordsman could amend his lexicon with something more appropriate). Moreover, the mode of travel was harrowingly familiar.
While the sights and sounds he witnessed were a source of irrepressible interest, Cassian was struck by implications of a grander scale. Aware, now, to the fact that this shift in space sourced back to sweet Aelessaer, Cassian drew connections between the powers shared by his mysterious companion and that of the Elves who had ruled the temple. The conundrum, he began to speculate, was to whether Ael had received this ability from them or they from her. Cassian chose to entertain the former in his preliminary argument. Coincidence, as used as explanation, was something to be avoided at all cost, suffered only when all other avenues of thought have been exhausted or (unlikely though not unheard of) converge together neatly in proof.
She struggles to control it. Perhaps for the better, power of this nature is beyond the limits of what a single person should be responsible for. Best reserve this for the Gods; of course, when was the last time the Gods felt inclined to get off their blessed asses and take action on behalf of men? So, what is your gain, Aelessaer? What do you want? What will you do with this power, should you harness it?
Silently, Cassian waits and watches Aelessaer with a measure of focus far beyond anything he’s displayed thus far.
Staring into the Scavenger's eyes, I feel a wave of emotion and frustration: So many brave men summoning up the best of themselves, so many dead.
The temptation to pull someone so noble back into the world is almost overwhelming but a horrible image of my past life rises to my mind and pushes it away.
I speak to the Scavenger but also to myself, putting together a line of argument, "I have known men who would have ignored your warning. Who knew, were certain, that they could master any power. I will not become one of them."
With a sigh and a heavy heart, I step back from the Scavenger, "I will hold on to this force, keep it from others and hold it in reserve for times more desperate than this," I look around the battlefield and shake my head, "even than this."
Then I step back and reach out a hand toward Cassian, "Too many good men... let's go back, Cassian. Let's find a better way."
"I have known men who would have ignored your warning. Who knew, were certain, that they could master any power. I will not become one of them."
The words Aelessaer spoke resonated in Cassian’s mind. The hours spent at the Temple spurred more self-reflection than years of chasing the fairytales he had endeavored, in varying success, to build his life around.
Could she be referring to me? Even if she hadn’t meant to, her proclamation carries advice I’ve dearly needed to consider for some time. If ‘knowledge is power’, I am a tyrant in its pursuit. There is much I don’t understand about the precarious position I find myself; perhaps I should be thankful of this. The digging in name of research has rewarded me only by lowering me deeper within the inescapable hole I’ve constructed. The important question now remains to be: should I continue to dig until I breach light or do I attempt to cut my losses and abandon this path in an attempt to establish a new mode of thought? A master in tactics but a fool in strategy – you are, Cassian. You’re aware of your allies and your enemies but neither is fully understood. Press on; but be mindful of the repercussions of your cause. Be mindful, too, of the implicit dangers in anchoring foundations in unstable grounds…
"Too many good men... let's go back, Cassian. Let's find a better way."
”I agree. There is much work to be done upon our return,” he replies coolly; obviously having drifted off in his thoughts.
These soldiers were destined to die. Aelessaer rescued them from one enemy only to subject them to another... To Hell with her visions! I choose not to be believe in fate, destiny or any other cosmic force designed to tear away a man’s natural right to freedom. I will not die as she predicted. I will die when I am ready, or, at the very least, take whatever brings an end upon my life with me so I can slaughter it again and again in the furthest depths of whichever Hell I find myself.
Before taking Ael’s hand, he casts his eyes to the impossibly brave Scavenger. A mix of sympathy and admiration cross his consciousness as he searches, in vain, for something comforting to say to him. ”What name did your mother call you by?” he asks after a pause.
”We thank you with our utmost sincerity, . While I cannot promise you success, I promise that we shall endeavor to ruin the predestined path forced on us. We will strive to break those chains and give chance that some of us may survive to see our worlds prosper in better times.”
A sense of urgency cuts through Aurora's battle haze. Seemingly imparted by the Skyblade. It seemed to be drawing her away from the beach and towards the city. She cracks her whip causing it to wrap around her body where she leaves the handle in easy reach. "Come on my beloved wolf there is something in the city....I don't know what but I am drawn to it."
"Then lets find what it is." Leon says as he finishes pocketing the necrotic rounds and slinging the rifle over his shoulder. He gently brushes his prosthetic hand against her cheek a strangely tender gesture from one so cold. "Lead the way my panther."