GambolMuse

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

They had technically been victorious today and escaped the Varuna yet again, so why did this victory feel so hollow? Perhaps it was the realization that, like before the Magi would return yet again to try and have them slain. And just like before they would be woefully unprepared no matter how hard they fought, the fact of the matter was they were outclassed in every way imaginable. It could also have something to do with the dismantled Cecil in the rear of the cart, having solely suffered the most during the entire exchange. Nymira's aches and fatigue paled in comparison to what the Machina had endured whether he could feel pain or not, and much of that had to do with her own inability. Had she not been so careless and left herself open he would not have had to protect her. Had Ethan not been so foolish perhaps things would have turned out differently but the battle hadn't relied on his prowess; of the Magi in their group it was clear she was the most seasoned, it had been her duty to ensure they escaped safely. Now instead of heading to their next destination with their heads held high there was a somber tone in the air, and the knowledge they were racing against a clock trying to repair Cecil before the next inevitable attack.

Ethan wanted so desperately to believe Amuné would be correct, that everything would turn out fine. Yet even an endless well of optimism eventually ran dry and after so many attacks on them it was impossible to not begin to waver. Cecil was gravely injured far as anyone knew and they had only made it out alive because of this woman and the Dimuran's help. What would happen if they were attacked again? Clearly none of them were strong enough to defeat the Varuna and he was hardly the only enemy they had faced. There was the old man as well from before, and while last time he'd fought for their sake Ethan would be hard pressed to call him an ally. The fact of the matter was if they were attacked again things would turn out just as they had now, or even worse. Just as he'd been lying to Amuné that they would find her parents, just as he'd lied to himself that Cedric would be found unharmed, he wanted to tell himself that they would be okay next time. He'd never been a good liar though not even to himself and Ethan knew the harsh reality that awaited them; they were likely going to be attacked again, and if he was so insistent on not attacking back with the intent to kill, if he valued his silly ideals over the lives of his friends, someone was going to die.

"We're safe for now... Let's be grateful for that much," Ethan muttered, a sorrowful smile pulling at his lips as he pulled Amuné close in a hug, "W-We should rest... We'll be okay. Cecil's going to be okay." Leaning back against the wall of the cart he laid his head on the wall and glanced skyward, watching as the clouds silently drifted by. How much of this was worth it, he wondered. The desire to see Cedric safe was burning brightly as ever and yet Ethan was being forced to realize how silly his quest had been. If people like that Varuna were the ones who had taken his friend then what was he ever going to hope to do? He couldn't beat them on his own and he certainly couldn't ask the others to risk themselves either, so where did he go from here? Closing his eyes as he felt his chest tighten up again he took a shaky, long breath and tried to will himself to relax and rest, figuring they still had a journey ahead of them until they arrived in town. Whatever he decided could wait, they would probably be in town for a while yet and he didn't need to make an immediate decision, he was too tired to anyways.

Mutebo was at last in view as the sun began to dip below the mountains, casting a long shadow over the valley below. Off almost a beaten path and without a guide there was a very real chance they may not have found the city on their own, and for that Ethan was even more grateful for their saviors. With Zander and Geoffrey no longer in their group they'd lost the few people who might know the area so having someone to help them along, even temporarily, was of immense help. Placing an arm on the back of the cart he pulled himself up higher to get a better view of what awaited them, awestruck by the size of the city. From the path high above it was clear it sprawled out for several hundred meters in all directions, and even more still could just be seen around the bend of a mountain beyond. Galloway and Warren had been huge on their own to be sure but they were just towns, this was a proper city. The first Ethan had ever seen, and perhaps the first for the others as well. In his awestruck moment he could temporarily forget their troubles as he took in the majesty of such a large place, wondering how in the world such a secluded spot ever came to be.

Nymira wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to how... Green Adelon was. From the rocky, barren hills in the west to something like a lush mountain valley was about as big a contrast as one could find. It just felt so alien to her as they descended the mountain pass and began passing through farmlands, like they had stepped into a dream. Everything felt so detached from the rest of the world, the toils of their battle earlier almost like a bitter, distant memory. Almost. Her own exhaustion coupled with that of her companions was a powerful reminder of what they had just endured, as was Cecil's current state. At the very least being in such a place, so removed from the rest of the world, should grant them some respite. The Varuna wasn't likely to travel so far off the beaten path and into the mountains as it seemed horribly out of place for the likes of him, one who called water home. There was the river that ran along the city yet she doubted he would find it, or he would be so bold still as to attack. The woman and the other Dimuran who had saved them would be present as would doubtless other Magi, attacking them while here was tantamount to suicide.

Speaking of the other Dimuran though where did she know him from? In a striking sense of deja vu Nymira swore she recognized him from somewhere, even while so heavily clothed and wearing the goggles. She knew full well Dimurans didn't solely live in the western territories, she had seen far and few between in her travels, but she was certain she knew this man somehow. With enough on her plate though she decided not to pursue it just now and focus more on getting to Mutebo to rest. She was barely able to keep herself on the horse and her back and thighs ached from the constant jostling, her hands cramping from perhaps gripping the reins too tightly. The sooner they arrived and she could dismount the better.

"Well here we are kiddos, Mutebo! Gem of the Valley, or whatever the hell the people here call it!" One of the few places in Adelon that was removed from the nonsense of the Church, and as such proved to be an excellent place for people like her to call home. So long as she didn't bring any unwanted trouble to the city they agreed to house her and those like her, Magi who refused to join the ranks of the Church. In exchange for being allowed to live in Mutebo she and the others provided protection: protection to traders who traveled to and from the city, protection from the beasts which lingered in the hills surrounding Mutebo, and protection from bandits who might stumble upon it, thinking it defenseless.

They stopped halfway across the bridge that spanned the river, with the woman gesturing for everyone to stop for a moment. "Listen up kids! I know the world outside of here has been a shit show lately, but in Mutebo things are a little different. Magi aren't treated like trash so you can rest a little easy, got it? That being said don't go running around throwing fireballs and shit like you own the place either, otherwise we're going to have a problem. We've got a good thing going here and I won't have any of you messing it up for us. That especially means you, Ydran girl," she added in gesture to Asta, smirking as she pointed at her, "None of that summoning shit alright? There's Vazra that live in the mountains here among other things so its a real touchy subject with the folks here. Unless you want to incite a panic and give me a fucking headache no summoning, got it?"

"We won't cause any trouble, you don't have to worry about that," Nymira answered back, "We've barely the strength to stand now, never mind be throwing magic about carelessly." So this place was plagued by Void beasts as well? Strange since aside from her own home the Dimuran hadn't seen many places where Vazra roamed. The regions between the two couldn't have been any more different and accounting for the small pack they'd fought along the road before there almost seemed to be no rhyme or reason to where they could be found. Was it a result of people like Asta simply losing control? Or was there another Magi simply summoning them and letting them loose, as a sort of spiteful act towards the Church?

Ethan would have seconded Nymira's sentiment had he thought it necessary. Once they were finally settled in there was a good chance every single one of them would be out like a light, the only thing keeping him awake was the sense of impending danger. Hopefully that would fade once they were within the city itself. After hearing how the woman spoke to Asta he looked across at the Ydran and offered a sympathetic smile, hoping she wasn't feeling too ostracized. "For what it's worth I'm glad you're here... Things might have gone a lot different without your help," he said, looking down at Amuné as he placed a hand atop her head, "Right? Didn't Asta help us out?" They were all tired and the last thing they needed was to start at each other's necks. He wouldn't argue with the woman who had saved them but Asta had helped, Ethan didn't want her thinking otherwise.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

The Elite had barely managed to avoid Viral's assault by leaping backwards, his speed not quite on par. But how long could he keep up the evasions? It was too risky to attack Viral up close with how he was, he was much too unpredictable and violent. Ki blast didn't appear to phase him much either and flight meant nothing if Ki wasn't an option, so how would he fight this? There was no time to consider as the Elite had to back off again in a panic and watched the ground where he'd stood explode as Viral smashed his claws down and tore the ground to shreds, ripples of energy leaving long gouges in the earth. What kind of attack was this? Since when was the Beastman capable of such a thing? Aghast by the revelation he remained light on his feet and had to continually dodge blows, several of the energy waves coming within centimeters and a few managing to nick his skin and singe hair. If Viral was capable of attacks like these then what other unknowns were there? How did he conceal abilities like these from them for so long?

"Even if you win here the Empire will live on! Your fight is moot!" the Elite shouted, dashing behind a vehicle as Viral swung again, the waves cleaving clean through and tearing it into four large pieces. Trying to bide his time the Elite grabbed one of the pieces and threw it at the Beastman only to watch as it was cut into shreds in seconds, his jaw shut tight in frustration as he backed off again. "You'll never win, you can't hope to defeat the King! You're all only signing a death warrant, give up and fight for him!" It was the only way anyone was going to make it out of this mess alive and yet the rebels insisted on squabbling. Why would they cause problems when there was so much at stake? The Saiyans could keep everyone alive if they had their way, it may not be the best rule but it beat dying. Narrowly dodging another attack the Elite had had enough and decided to try and attack, again focusing Ki to his legs and dashing away in the blink of an eye, reappearing just behind and above Viral, a Ki blast in his hand as he was poised to fire point blank and try and kill Viral, or at the very least bury him in the resulting blast.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Left a thing on the front page. WIP.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Who is right or wrong doesn't matter anyways, what matters is that as many people survive as possible," the Elite shouted towards the building, frowning as he waited for Viral to return, "The King can ensure that, you rebels just run around trying to give these people 'freedom', but it's that freedom that will kill them. You were in our ranks, are you so blind to that obvious truth?" Had the Beastman slipped away after being struck? No, he'd always been the sort to go head on, stealth or surprise attacks had never been a tactic of Viral's. Furrowing his brow after a moment of silence the Elite's head swiveled when he heard stone crumbling, watching a beleaguered Viral climb out of the rubble, presumably to keep fighting. Of course he wouldn't go down easily, as much was to be expected from a former commander. Charging a Ki blast to try and bury him again he fired, and no sooner had he fired did the Beastman rush forward, a wild look pasted on his face. "What?!" Aiming to defend himself the Elite watched instead as he was ignored, turning his head and watching as Viral went for his partner instead. "Look out!"

"Pathetic... Utterly pathetic," the Elite muttered, sneering as he pressed his boot down atop Yumi's head, "Why the King ever wasted time on you is a mystery, you're nothing compared to us." And now what was his partner screaming about? Tearing his gaze away from Yumi the Elite's eyes widened seeing Viral before him, his mind unable to react in time as he was slashed across his face. One eye was immediately blinded and deep gouges were left as he stumbled away, screaming in pain as he covered his face. "You bastard! I'll kill you! I'll tear your insides out!" he screamed furiously, peering through his fingers with one good eye. Before he'd even had a chance to retaliate however he was knocked clean off of his feet, a chorus of pained grunts and shouts as he was assaulted wildly by Viral. Trying to lift his arms to protect his head he winced as claws dug into his flesh, only finally being given relief when his partner at last knocked Viral off of him. Partially blinded and some parts torn to literal ribbons the Elite groaned and blindly tried to move away, unsure of where he was even going at this point and only caring that it was as far from Viral as he could get.

Viral had been so close to defeat and yet somehow he'd managed that attack? How? There almost didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to what he'd done either and it had been comparable to a wild animal charging its prey. Watching the Beastman warily the Elite frowned at his expression, something was very clearly amiss here. "You're nothing more than a wild animal, Viral. The king tried to tame you and he failed, there's no hope for you or your friends." With Ki in both hands the Elite threw both blasts at the Beastman, backing off promptly to avoid being torn apart as his partner had been. Why wasn't he just lying down and accepting his fate? That even if they somehow won here on Lioma it was all for naught? The Saiyans weren't going to be stopped, not by them or anyone else. It was a futile fight they were taking part of.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

"Hey you know better than I do Kensen, whatever you say," the woman uttered as she laid Cecil out in the back of the cart. "No clue why those kids are so bent out of shape over it, or why the hell they even named the thing. Never seen anyone so connected to a machine like they are." Then again she'd never seen a machine quite like Cecil either, so lifelike that she might mistake it for living. Combat model or not whatever this Machina was clearly wasn't a regular unit, it was like someone had gotten a special order made. Did it belong to them? Odd since none of the kids seemed to have money really so chances of that were slim. A bunch of young Magi being hunted by the Church, an unusual Machina and a Ydran child. What in the world had they wandered into this time?

"Hey! I got here when I could you little twerp, be glad the rest of you ain't dead too! Show a little fucking respect will you, it's not like we knew this was going on!" Rolling her eyes as Amuné broke down into sobs she rubbed the back of her neck, giving a shake of her head before walking over to one of the horses. Definitely spooked out of their minds even now as they stood almost petrified, their nostrils flaring and their hooves still stomping uneasily against the dirt. Probably useless to try getting them to move now, so with a reluctant sigh she reached up and stroked the horse's mane to attempt and soothe it. "Besides kid he's not alive like you and I are, he's a machine, not living. He'll be fine, few new parts and he'll be good as new," she added, glancing back at Ethan and Amuné, "So quit acting like it's the end of the world will you? He'll be fine once a machinist takes a look at him."

That was an understatement if Nymira had ever heard one. They were lucky that the Vazra had been kept under control, otherwise contending with both them and the slimes would have been an utter nightmare. At least Asta wasn't so prideful that she couldn't acknowledge her own mistakes and for that she would have to give the Ydran some credit, even if she'd still tried to overstep her boundaries. "Yes, well... A Thistrun might have been a bit much, we're lucky we weren't set upon," the Dimuran reiterated, "In the future do be mindful of what you bring into battle, will you? I'd prefer not to have to kill your summon and fight our enemy at the same time."

"We should get moving... Cecil needs repairs and we're all worn out, staying out here is dangerous." It didn't need to be said of course when everyone was feeling the fatigue of their encounter and it was all some could do not to collapse. Unsteady on her own legs as she tried to stand she arched an eyebrow at Asta's astonishment over Cecil, nodding and heading towards the carts. "Yes, the worst kept secret in our group. Perhaps only second to the fact we're all bloody Magi," the Dimuran added with a thin-lipped smile, "Like us he seems to be pursued for some reason or another, so try keeping that secret between us will you? As if we need more cause to worry..."

Where did they go from here? What should they be doing? Moving on and trying to find Amuné's parents was important, as was his finding Cedric. Then there was Nymira and her mission to find allies for her clan, they couldn't overlook that either. No one was still certain why Asta had tagged along but if she had something to accomplish then it was only fair they try and help her too. And then Cecil- He had to be repaired. Everything else was placed on the back burner in light of their friend's injuries, injuries which Ethan couldn't help but feel solely responsible for. Why was the Varuna so adamant about attacking them? What had they done to incite his anger? So far they had so many questions and no answers and were bumbling about blindly, running to and fro trying to complete whatever goals they had set for themselves. Clearly something more had happened and they had offended the wrong people in some way and now were paying for the price for it.

No... He had done something. It had to be his doing since he couldn't imagine anyone else being responsible for all of this. Nymira wasn't even from these lands and probably had no reason for the Church to pursue her so long as she hadn't done anything serious since arriving. Amuné was a child and hardly a threat to anyone given her magic was nothing more than Sight, leaving her out of the equation too. Asta had only just joined so it couldn't be here, they had been attacked before. Cecil was the only other person left and he had trouble believing that the Machina was worth all of this trouble. Or rather, he had trouble believing that Cecil had done anything to warrant all of this. So that left him, and with that acknowledgement a wave of guilt crashed down over Ethan. For all the fatigue in his body this weight was far worse, and after setting himself and Amuné down in the cart he all but collapsed, his chest rising and falling as he fought to hold back tears. Was this because he was pursuing Cedric? Had something happened with his teacher, and now chasing after him had somehow made him a criminal? It was no secret the Church was pursuing Magi but those were only Magi acting violently or causing trouble, they'd done nothing aside from the encounters with the Church. So it had to be him, there was no other explanation. And because he refused to kill even in self defense, because he'd refused to kill to protect his friends now Cecil might be injured, or worse. What if he'd tried killing the Varuna earlier? Cecil wouldn't be hurt and they wouldn't all be running on fumes. Or back on the ship, none of that would have happened either. Everything that was wrong seemed to lead back to him somehow and it was smothering him with a blanket of guilt.

"Hurry up and get on kids! We've got to get moving before that bastard decides to come back and try finishing the job," the woman shouted, gesturing for Nymira and Asta to hurry, "If you can't ride the horse then get in the cart, we'll get your asses back safely." If they hadn't been attacked by a Church Magi then she'd just as soon leave them on their own, write it off as a bandit attack and not give it a second thought. Yet they'd been very specifically targeted and she wanted to know why, clearly there was something among these kids that made them special. Why else would the Church waste time sending a Magi after them? "Kensen? Take the cart with the horse and follow in the back, make sure they're not harmed alright? I'll lead, just in case that Varuna comes back." Watching as Nymira struggled to perch herself atop the lone horse she rolled her eyes, walking over and giving the Dimuran a push in the back to help her up. "You've all got some explaining to do when we get back, but for now just shut up and take it easy alright?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Unbelievable, how had Viral gotten his strength back so quickly? They had anticipated Rebel interference on Lioma to be sure and had planned for the worst, but this? The Beastman shouldn't be as strong as he was, the collar's removal should have crippled him beyond repair. So how then was he fighting with such fury? Forced into a corner the Elite had no choice but to discharge more quills from his body, relieved when Viral ceased the pounding and he had a chance to get up. A dull throb in his skull, one eye slightly swollen shut, his chest ached and one of his arms was nearly dislocated. Reaching up and popping the limb back into place he frowned as Viral began spouting nonsense, scoffing before shaking his head.

"And who will defend the planets who cannot defend themselves? You? The rebels?" the Elite fired back skeptically, "Korian 'liberates' worlds then leaves them vulnerable, he's hurting them. Sacrifices must be made to ensure as many people survive as possible and that's what we're doing, we're trying to protect as many as we can. I know what I fight for, Viral, do you?" The Saiyan's methods were without a doubt vicious, he would never argue that. He and his own had been on the receiving end of their attacks until he and a handful of others agreed to conscription, in exchange their world was protected. The Rebellion had no such offers, they simply wanted to undo whatever the Saiyan empire had established. Fools, they were dooming the worlds that would be saved. As for worlds like Lioma, worlds that threatened to unravel everything they had worked for, well, this was what they got. It was what they deserved for threatening everyone so callously.

"The only thing that is pathetic is you, Viral. You've fought for both sides, committed atrocities and still claim to be a better man? I know what I do and I do not always agree with it," the Elite continued, wiping blood trickling down his eye with the back of his hand, "But at least I have been loyal to one cause, and everything I do is to ensure a better future. And I will not allow you to endanger everyone because you believe your path is the only way." Against Yumi his speed had become ineffective, but against Viral he might have a little more luck. The commander was powerful but not the quickest, so long as he could outpace the Beastman he would be victorious. Lowering himself down slightly he let his Ki channel through his body and to his legs, the muscles in which tensed before bulking out as they gained mass and strength. Then, with a single kick off the Elite dashed across the way at Viral and attempted to deliver a single powerful punch, using the momentum of his run to send the Beastman flying.

Yumi had heard Viral loud and clear but that didn't make abiding by his wishes any easier. He probably would win against the Elite on his own but there was always a chance something went wrong too; Viral could die if he made the slightest mistake. Unable to live with herself at such a prospect Yumi struggled to get off of the ground, getting to all fours and trying to follow the fighting before her, hoping she could get an opening. Seeing the Elite kick off and charge down her friend she attempted to gather Ki and blast him away again, gasping and instead falling back to the ground as something pulled her leg out from under her. Rolling onto her back she saw the other Elite grabbing and holding onto her, kicking down and hitting him in the face until he let go. Trying to crawl away then she let out a yelp as he threw a Ki blast into her back, collapsing again and staying against the floor for a good moment. Her body just wouldn't listen to her, no matter how much she pushed her arms felt as heavy as steel beams, no amount of sheer willpower was going to get her up. To make matters worse her leg was grabbed again while she was down and she was lifted up, hanging upside down haplessly as the Elite held onto her.

"If you think we're so easily beaten..." the Elite began, sneering as he drove a hard knee into Yumi's stomach, "Then you're bigger idiots than we thought! I'll teach you to underestimate us!" Lifting her higher still he laughed as her face crumpled in pain from the strike earlier, throwing another punch at her face and dropping her in the process, kicking out and kicking her away as she fell to the ground. "You're nothing against the might of the Saiyan empire, nothing but dust in the wind, insects beneath our feet! Let me send you off to Otherworld, it's the only thing that can still be done for someone as pitiful as you."

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Welp I made a teeny, tiny post. Just a little thing to help move things along. No skip yet, figure gives time for characters to settle and talk.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

They... They were saved? But how? Who were these people? They had been overwhelmed by the Varuna and his magic in every way imaginable, utterly outclassed and without a hope of survival. What were the chances then that they might be saved? Awash in a sea of both humiliation and relief Nymira collapsed forward and caught herself on her hands, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to calm her breathing. They should be dead, that man could easily have killed her and the others yet here they were, alive and well. At least, most of them were. Hearing the cries of Amuné she lifted her head and watched as the girl tried to piece together Cecil. The idiot, sacrificing himself like that. Seeing the girl trembling and her hands shaking as she worked on the Machina was a little too much for the exhausted Dimuran and she had to look away, closing her eyes and shaking her head. She should have been strong enough to protect them, it was now a second time her ineptitude had seemingly cost the life of her retainers. No, she'd cost the life of one of her friends this time. Inexcusable, what kind of leader allowed those under them to die so meaninglessly?

"Cecil...? Hey... Cecil..." Ethan muttered, crawling over to where Amuné worked to try and piece together their friend. No, no, no no no... There was no way he could be... He couldn't have... Kneeling at Amuné's side he looked over Cecil and let out a choked sob, unsure of whether or not he was even with them or not. As a Machina he couldn't really die could he? Yet if anyone saw the state Cecil was in right now it was hard to imagine him being alive, or as alive as a machine could be. Reaching down he grabbed his friend's legs and tried to put them back in place, blinking back tears as they refused to set back in the sockets. Was he actually gone? Cecil had shut down before, having run out of power, but this felt different. Looking to Amuné he reached out and gently grabbed her hands to stop her, shaking his head and looking back at their fallen friend. "He... He's..." Ethan began, clearing his throat and forcing a smile, "He just... Sh-shut down, like before. We'll get someone to f-fix him again, he'll be o-okay, he'll be... He will..."

"That stinky bastard ran away! The fuck's wrong with him, stinking up our roads and then scooting off like that!" The nerve of those damned Church dogs, they left ruin wherever they left and blame it on someone else. Scumbags, the whole lot of them. "Kensen! Make sure none of those slimes are left, give the area a once over and make sure there's nothing else around!" the woman shouted up, frowning as she walked over to the embankment and looked down it. Coward, running away like that. Spitting on the ground she turned and moved towards the cart, arching an eyebrow seeing a boy and girl huddled over one of their friends. Machina, judging by the wires and metal parts strewn about. What was anyone so bent out of shape over a broken machine for? Moving closer she paused when she sound of metal sliding against leather grabbed her attention, turning her head and smiling in amusement at the Dimuran girl struggling to her feet.

"Stay back, you will not touch them," Nymira growled, staggering as she rose to her feet, holding her dagger in both hands as she tried to keep the woman at bay. She didn't seem phased in the least by her threat, and when she took another step forward Nymira tried to lash out, her arm easily being caught long before she could ever strike. Staring up at the woman fiercely she wanted so desperately to fight back, but even keeping on her feet right now was a battle in of itself. Her arm was released and she yanked it back, barely holding onto her weapon as she tried to remain upright. "I don't know who you are, or why you're here, but if you lay a hand on them I swear-"

"Well no shit you don't know who I am, I haven't introduced myself. Though I'd be flattered if you did know me," the woman interrupted with a grin, "And relax, I ain't your enemy. If I was here to kill you then you'd be dead already, I wouldn't waste time flapping my gums like that stupid guppy that ran off. So put down your damn knife and relax, you look like you're about to collapse." Waiting for Nymira to relent she rolled her eyes and moved on to the next group, to where the children were sat and huddled around their friend. Definitely not the healthiest looking Machina she'd ever seen though perhaps the strangest looking one; so lifelike that if it wasn't for the wires she might swear the boy was a living being.

Who was this woman? And why was she helping them? None of this made any sense, not why they were being hunted or why they had been helped, nothing made sense right now. If she had come to their aid though and driven off the Varuna then she was an ally right? Maybe... Maybe she could help? "P-Please... Do something, save him..." Ethan pleaded, looking at the woman before back at Cecil again, "He's... He's not dead right? He's just... He shut down, he... Ran out of power or something, right? Tell us he's just shut down."

"What, you want me to lie to you, tell you everything's probably all hunky dory? The truth is I have no idea what the fuck is wrong with him kiddo, I'm no machinist, no clue how to work on one of those things," the woman answered, watching as Ethan's face crumpled and he began trying to gather up the broken Machina. Sighing to herself she placed a hand on her hip and glanced down the road in the direction of the town, tapping her foot and biting her lip on thought. "Look..." she began again, looking back at the children at her feet, "We'll get him to town, there's people there who work on Machina. It's going to cost you but they can probably fix it, if you really want it fixed. Could just get a new one."

"Cecil is not an it, he's out friend," Ethan muttered, finally managing to gather Cecil up enough to lift the fallen boy into his arms. His entire body cried out as he struggled to his feet, sluggish from his expending of magic and aching with the smallest movements. Trying to then carry the Machina to the cart he nearly fell over, gasping as the woman caught him, and Cecil, taking the broken boy from him. "Please... Help him. We don't care what it costs, just save him, please. I'm begging you."

"Fine, fine, quit asking me, you're giving me a fricken headache. I already said there's people who can fix it," the woman said as she began moving to the cart. What a mess, a broken Machina, a bunch of kids in shock and some nasty Varuna running around. Why was the Church after them? Other than the obvious fact they were Magi she couldn't imagine they had done anything to earn themselves their ire or attention. Seemed like overkill too to send someone after inexperienced Magi like them, even one or two decent Magi would probably be more than they could handle.

Should they be trusting this woman? She had just saved them but they had no idea who she was, why she had come or even from where they had come. And what was with her outfit? It looked almost like a bandit's clothing with how it was all thrown together, scraps and pieces of other outfits seemingly mashed into one. What's more Ethan had noticed the marking on her chestplate, a strange hand print that probably meant something to those familiar with it, though to him it was just a random mark. Looking down at Amuné, a sad smile on his face, he pulled her close in a hug and ran his hand over her hair in a comforting gesture. "Cecil's going to be okay, we'll get him help. He's tough, you know that, it'll take a lot more than this to beat him."

"Cecil's strong, we just have to get him repaired and he'll be alright, don't worry child," Nymira added, smiling through her fatigue as she carried herself along. They had to trust this woman for now, she was clearly more powerful than they were and they were in no state to fight, they had no other choice. She'd be wary of them for a while yet but until given a reason otherwise they were tentative allies. The woman and that other Dimuran, a man who she considered even more concerning than the woman herself. Did she know him, or his clan? Given the Rumia clan's long reach it was likely, and it was just as likely he was not a fan of hers. Perhaps it would be best to keep her heritage a secret for the time being, until they secured Cecil the help he needed.

"Asta, how are you faring?" Nymira called over, looking to the Ydran woman as she made her way across. None of them had sustained any serious injuries during that entire exchange, the worst being some scrapes and bruises that would heal in a few days. Other than the overwhelming sense of fatigue, both mental and physical, they had gotten off miraculously unharmed. "A Thistrun? I see you're a summoner then..." she spoke with a frown, sinking down into the grass besides Asta, "Dangerous magic you're playing with, you'd not be terribly loved in my clan. But... I suppose you did help us with it, so I shall overlook it this once. Impressive, being able to summon a Thistrun. Though it seems like your control of it was... Wanting." Not that she meant to be critical of an ally but there was a point that needed to be made with this: the use of Void beasts in combat was never a good idea. Even seasoned summoners could lose control if their focus waned and would be turned on in an instant. Or, worse still, their allies might be slain by the very beast summoned to protect them. Asta needed to understand her magic was not to be used lightly, not if it put them at risk.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

MOG speaks the truth, I am at work xD I'll be home probably in an hour so I'll get working on a post then

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Huh, so much for Yumi being beaten by his partner. Though it did look like throwing errant blasts would be the extent of what she could do as she lay there on the ground all but broken. He'd have to deal with Viral and then her, and by then he should have time to handle the remainder of their ragtag group too. Being blown away the Elite tried to stop himself by reaching down and grabbing the ground, flipping himself over and landing on his feet just in time for Viral to pounce on top like a wild animal. Going to the ground he grit his teeth and took a hard blow to the side of the head, reaching up and catching his fist with a scowl. "You don't even know why you fight us, other than you're told to. You know what the Empire is trying to do so why do you resist it?" he questioned, catching the other fist and struggling to hold Viral back. For all of his own strength it appeared that Viral might be even stronger still, somehow having gained immense power since their last meeting. "You and your friends are fools, you'll doom everyone. The Saiyans are the only answer to this threat, stop resisting us!"

With his hands occupied the Elite could do little as Viral smashed a knee into his gut, losing his grip on the fists and taking another strong blow to the head. Promptly the Elite's arms rose up to cover his head as the blows continued to come and he tried to think of a way out of the mess he now found himself in. If they stayed like this then there was no two ways about it, he'd be crushed by Viral. While unable to strike back with his own hands now there was a way he could retaliate, and it was all but guaranteed to hit Viral at this range. Absorbing another blow to his arm the Elite glanced through them and sneered at the Beastman as his fur bristled, firing off quills from his forearms at the man attacking him. At the very least it would force Viral to back off, and there was a good chance he would be struck quite a few times given their proximity. If Viral still would not cease after that he would try to kick him off and get some distance, clearly being in a brawl like this wasn't going to end well.