Sophos stared at the images inside the gate, her arms crossed and her feet still. If she didn't know any better she'd have sworn they were being tested right now. This entire situation was strange. The part of her mind that demanded to know the insides of the sausage was going mad.
She focused instead on the six locations and what they could possibly have in store for them. After deliberating she settled on either the first location or the third. The malicious looking forest seemed as if it would provide the most challenge for them, and since this was a game they could expect great rewards in turn. The other option was the one she was most curious about personally. A vast field with nothing of note but a sea of sunflowers, calm flowing brooks, and a lone house. An important event was surely waiting at that location, game designers don't go out of their way to highlight something this much otherwise. That said...
Sophos voted for the forest and turned to the gathering of players. Some of them had split off into groups, that was inevitable really. Crowds of people in any casual setting will eventually create groups. Yet here she was voting on her own. It would have been a good excuse to socialize, but she wanted to vote without being influenced. She wondered if they would even be splitting up once they went through the gate, what if that wasn't an option? That was something to worry about if it happened, for now there was no harm in finding party members.
"Pro thief here looking for a party, any takers!?" Sophos proclaimed in a boisterous voice. It was only after she said it that she remembered that she'd just sold her high level character. Too late to take it back now.
Robin was so excited to log into WEO that she'd opted to simply throw on a large shirt, bottoms and nothing else as she'd gotten out of the shower. As she took a hairdryer to her white hair she scrolled through the VR MMO's official forums. The forums weren't as active as they'd once been but there was still the occasional bit of interesting news posted every now and then. Today there didn't seem to be anything new. In the sub-forum dedicated to theories and future game content there was a thread created by a user named Sophos, it was full of people talking about a mysterious shrine in the game. Most people thought the OP was trolling, some telling them to prove it with screen shots, a few just telling them to 'kys.'
A screen shot had in fact been posted, but it was quickly dismissed as being fake. The area did look far different compared to the rest of the game for sure, Robin had been there herself and even she had a hard time believing it. The publishers hadn't put out anything regarding new content, especially something as significant as a new area. It was unlikely to simply be unused content, as it would have been found a long time ago as well.
Robin clenched her teeth and put the phone away. She was hoping to have learned something new by posting the thread, but it seemed as if the area really was a secret for the most part. She turned off her hairdryer and moved over to her bed. She quickly booted up her computer and put on her VR headgear. From there the interface was hands free, within moments she found herself inside Worlds End Online as her dark elf avatar Sophos. As soon as she had control she opened up her menu and accessed the teleport menu. Among the many listed locations was an out of place blank space, the shine she had visited by chance the other day. Selecting the blank menu item her vision was filled with stretched light of various hues as the game simulated moving through space to mask loading. It reminded her of when spaceships moved through hyperspace in science fiction stories.
The game quickly finished loading as Sophos found herself at her destination, at least she thought it was the right place. She looked around for the shrine, but as far as she could see there was nothing but grass, a white expanse, a strange red gate, and an even stranger maid with bunny ears. Other players were here as well, so she figured she hadn't entered some weird debugging area by mistake.
The bunny suddenly began to speak, using lines that sounded like rehearsed company jargon. Sophos looked at the scroll in front of her, at least this was as normal as everything else. She quickly read through the scroll just in case anything strange had been mixed in, and then accepted it. With that out of the way, Sophos approached the bunny maid, a mischievous grin on her face.
"I've never seen an NPC like this before, are these real?" She reached out with her hands, lightly grabbing the floppy ears. "Ohhh~" The ears certainly felt real, they weren't simply fancy accessories. She resisted the urge to rub them any longer and stepped back. Before she stepped into the ominous gate she assumed the bunny had more to say.
Personality: Painfully bored, sarcastic, and sardonic. Robin has a general distaste for much of the world. People bore her, annoy her, and anger her. She has no interest in any worldly affairs, as every time she hears of an issue she simply becomes annoyed by how petty or "simple to solve" it is. She can't help but speak in a condescending tone to most people and as a result isn't on friendly terms with anyone in real life.
Background: Robin grew up a child prodigy, possessing an intellect that far surpassed her peers. She skipped several grades, but even still school felt more like a chore than anything else. She graduated high school at the age of fourteen, afterwards deciding not to pursue further education. Instead Robin immersed herself into VR. In the virtual world Robin felt as if she could fully express herself and be whatever she desired. People were also far more tolerable, so she even managed to make actual friends for the first time in her life. Aware that she would need a source of income at some point she began dealing in rare game items, selling them to the highest bidder for real currency.
Ingame Personality: Robin becomes an entirely different person in the virtual world. As Sophos she is outgoing, friendly, and often downright silly. She's made a name for herself in WEO as a bit of an eccentric, but a top class player nonetheless. She used to run a guild that hunted for rare items and trolled the more serious guilds that always tried to complete new raids and dungeons before anyone else. It was basically a guild for anyone that didn't quite take the game seriously. As the game's popularity died down the guild was disbanded.
Class: Thief (Having sold her last character after changing it's name, appearance, and keeping the cosmetic items, Sophos is at a relatively low level at the moment.
Notable Skills: Pilfer Sight: Allows the user to 'steal' a target's perception of a PC, NPC, or game object, rendering it invisible to them. If the target inflicts or takes damage from the invisible object then it will become visible again. The effects of the skill go away after five minutes if it is not canceled. This skill can only be active on one enemy at a time at her current level. The target must be touched for this skill to activate.
Double Jump: Allows the user to step upon the air and perform a second leap, may be used to move in any direction.
Lag Spike: An ability that can be toggled on and off. By activating Lag Spike, any player or NPC that sees Sophos will perceive a .25 second delay in her actions, resulting in a slowed reaction to her attacks. While this skill is active it consumes her stamina at a moderate rate, only allowing it to be used for a maximum of one minute at her current level.
Overdrive (toggle active): Perception of time for the user is slowed by 20%, while movement speed is increased by 15%. Stamina is drained at a rate of 1% while this skill is active.
Equipment: Steel daggers School uniform and earrings - Obtained from WEO's anime event, and equipped in Sophos's cosmetic slot. Grappling hookshot
Personality: Painfully bored, sarcastic, and sardonic. Robin has a general distaste for much of the world. People bore her, annoy her, and anger her. She has no interest in any worldly affairs, as every time she hears of an issue she simply becomes annoyed by how petty or "simple to solve" it is. She can't help but speak in a condescending tone to most people and as a result isn't on friendly terms with anyone in real life.
Background: Robin grew up a child prodigy, possessing an intellect that far surpassed her peers. She skipped several grades, but even still school felt more like a chore than anything else. She graduated high school at the age of fourteen, afterwards deciding not to pursue further education. Instead Robin immersed herself into VR. In the virtual world Robin felt as if she could fully express herself and be whatever she desired. People were also far more tolerable, so she even managed to make actual friends for the first time in her life. Aware that she would need a source of income at some point she began dealing in rare game items, selling them to the highest bidder for real currency.
Ingame Personality: Robin becomes an entirely different person in the virtual world. As Sophos she is outgoing, friendly, and often downright silly. She's made a name for herself in WEO as a bit of an eccentric, but a top class player nonetheless. She used to run a guild that hunted for rare items and trolled the more serious guilds that always tried to complete new raids and dungeons before anyone else. It was basically a guild for anyone that didn't quite take the game seriously. As the game's popularity died down the guild was disbanded.
Class: Thief (Having sold her last character after changing it's name, appearance, and keeping the cosmetic items, Sophos is at a relatively low level at the moment.)
Notable Skills: Pilfer Sight: Allows the user to 'steal' a target's perception of a PC, NPC, or game object, rendering it invisible to them. If the target inflicts or takes damage from the invisible object then it will become visible again. The effects of the skill go away after five minutes if it is not canceled. This skill can only be active on one enemy at a time at her current level. The target must be touched for this skill to activate.
Double Jump: Allows the user to step upon the air and perform a second leap, may be used to move in any direction.
Lag Spike: An ability that can be toggled on and off. By activating Lag Spike, any player or NPC that sees Sophos will perceive a .25 second delay in her actions, resulting in a slowed reaction to her attacks. While this skill is active it consumes her stamina at a moderate rate, only allowing it to be used for a maximum of one minute at her current level.
Equipment: Steel daggers School uniform and earrings - Obtained from WEO's anime event, and equipped in Sophos's cosmetic slot. Grappling hookshot
Step. Step. Step. Kusari looked borderline shell shocked as she walked along, the only thing on her mind being the rhythmic patter of her feet on the ground. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, what any of them were meant to do. As she was zoned out she flinched as she heard Callan speak to her. She hadn't even noticed her walk up to her. She was carrying Allison in her arms, when did she pick her up? She really was out of it.
"Are you okay?" Callan asked, her tone seeming as if she wasn't sure now was the time to speak. At least that's what Kusari took from the hesitation in her voice.
"Ah..." Kusari opened her mouth but hadn't thought of anything to say back. There was a lot she wanted to convey, but she felt words wouldn't suffice. She slowly shook her head. Would anyone be okay after what had happened to her?
"Are... are you... Okay?" She asked, feeling as if the question was just as obvious. They both knew the answer, but it was the act of asking that mattered, at least she thought so.
Callan seemed caught off guard by the question at first. Up until she realized how tightly she was gripping Allison. Not enough to hurt her, but it was obvious she was still tense. "I'm fine," she said finally, a sharpness to her tone as she averted her eyes. She could hear Zoe walking a ways behind them. Even as she'd approached Kusari, she hadn't let herself lose track.
"I... I just want to know if you're okay," she said, her voice softening. Amethyst eyes looked her up and down. She winced. "It... it doesn't still hurt, does it?"
Kusari turned her head form Callan for a moment, a quivering hodgepodge of a smirk and a frown on her face. Callan was still Callan, it seemed like she'd maintained the charming empathy that made her so attractive to Kusari. "It um, it doesn't hurt anymore." She said, straightening her face back to neutral and facing Callan. It was technically true, but the pressure in her chest was still there, the type of wound that couldn't just be magically healed away. She wanted to mentioned what had happened to her, how she'd seen her own still corpse from above. Perhaps if she could be alone with her.
"Thanks, I'm... You know, glad you're here." She mumbled, not quite sure what implication she was going for, but she knew it was true.
"I'm glad you're here, too," Callan said, freely oblivious to any implications from either side, "For a second there, I seriously thought you might be... well... " She went quiet, turning her eyes forward again as they walked. Her expression was despondent. Kusari was glad she was here? She hadn't done anything. She wasn't able to stop Zoe before it happened. Didn't help any of the staff that had tried to protect them. Didn't save anyone in D.C. Definitely couldn't save Sav....
She pushed the thoughts aside. Now wasn't the time. Kusari had just gone through hell. She recalled again the last time they'd spoken. Back in La Plata. Her invitation to stay at her room. She glanced down at Allison, who still had yet to move. Remembering the awkward encounter, her face turned a shade pinker. "Anyway, it's a good thing you're both okay, right?" she smiled.
"Y- yeah..." Kusari let out a cough and averted her eyed from Callan's smile, instead glancing at Allison. Having her there made things a little awkward, but it wasn't as much of a bother as she thought it would be. She told herself she wouldn't regret that night, that hadn't changed. Besides, at this point she was sure her chances with Callan were firmly at zero.
"But what do we do now? Wherever we go I have a feeling things will turn into a disaster. I can't believe I'd miss the regimen at that farce of a school..."
Callan noted the lack of response. She still wasn't sure about what was going on between Allison and Kusari. And even less sure about why she was so curious to find out. Kusari's business was her own. Same for Allison. Besides, she had plenty of other things to worry about.
Callan shrugged, careful not to jostle Allison. "We just need more training," she offered, trying to be optimistic, "And less surprise attacks...." She muttered the last part as if the thought had just occured to her. "Can't help but wonder what the Director plans to do with us... I mean... I guess we weren't even supposed to even be in this fight, right? Or the one in D.C. But... I couldn't just leave."
Kusari clenched her teeth and balled her hands into tight fists. "That primped up bitch, she plans to keep using us until none of us are left, or until we end up like Unit A. I wouldn't be surprised if she already has backup plans for a Unit C." Kusari's breathing was becoming heavier, she was growing more upset by the second and she wasn't sure why. "Sending kids to their death and acting as if it's just fine as long as it's for the greater good. This is her fault, her and the bastards she answers to." She let out a frustrated groan. "Why should we have to take this?... I can't, I can't do this anymore Callan I..." She caught herself, realizing that she was a moment away from losing it. She relaxed her body and pointed her eyes at the ground.
Alarmed, Callan felt her own breath catch in her throat. "Wh-wha...? She's not sending us to our deaths," an uncomfortable smile formed on her lips, accompanied by a small. incredulous laugh, "W-we're... we're not..." She didn't know how to respond. She found herself hugging Allison a little closer to her chest. Like some sort of barrier between herself and what Kusari was trying to say.
The memory of an old conversation that had ended before it began.
"Were you in Unit A?" she asked suddenly. "Mr. Francisco said it... 'fell through'?"
"Shane's unit?" Callan could immediately recognized the shift in Lawrence's tone.
"That was reserved for the best of the best, and I wouldn't have been considered in a hundred years- I'm not even sure why I'm on this one. I knew someone who wanted to be on that team though, and threw their life away because of it. Let's drop the subject."
She stared up at the pale arbiter, eyes wide and searching.
Kusari let out a sigh, Callan's optimism could be a double-edged sword. "Think about it, what did we go through as soon as we got to the school? We were sent out against a horde of monsters with no proper training and little in the way of equipment. And has Zhang ever looked even a little remorseful to you? She doesn't care about us any more than you would a pawn in a game of chess."
Callan frowned. She certainly had thought about it. She thought about Padma's death often. And all the bodies in Wisford and D.C. Bodies of citizens and military workers. Mothers, fathers, friends, and children.... People without power.
"W-well we lasted a lot longer than those soldiers!" Callan argued. She could feel herself getting defensive. Frustrated. Reaching for what accomplishments she could-- the ones she tried to remember whenever she felt especially discouraged. " And what about all the people who died in Wisford? The whole town would've been dead without us! Besides-- what kind of hero just gives up and sits on the sidelines?"
She'd stopped walking, too invested in the debate. She had her share of complaints about their first day at USARILN. The kids who she saw die that day would haunt her memory forever. They never got a chance. But she still had hers. She wasn't in a position to control that, anyway. She had to follow orders for now. Director Zhang was in many ways cruel... but she did let all those staff members stay in her mansion. Tucked away from danger-- supposedly safe until today. Not at all like the life Callan wanted.
She had to save people. That was why she was here-- she was certain of it. No other reason made sense in her mind.
Kusari stopped walking along with Callan. Her words... stung a bit. It felt as if she were digging her finger into her. She wasn't always this easily rattled. Kusari avoided looking Callan in the eye, she gripped her arm close to herself. She didn't like seeing her like this, she understood why she wanted to believe Zhang and the government had their best interests at heart. The alternative was hard to accept after all.
"You're a good person Callan, but you're no-" Kusari shook her head, choosing to rephrase. "You didn't choose to do this, to be shackled and forced into battle. You're a tool. We've fought in multiple battles but not once have I felt I was where I belonged. Killing disgusting monsters didn't make me any better a person, being sent into Wisford under the threat of death or worse didn't make me any more noble. Heroes have a choice, and it's choosing to do the right thing when a way out is behind them that makes them special."
Kusari bit her lip as she remembered what happened in D.C. "Those people in D.C wanted us dead the moment things got bad, I had to... Had to kill people just to keep them away from Sophia. But that's just an excuse, a hero would have found another way. All this time we've been thrown into chaos and made to deal with it. We have wills of our own but in the end it doesn't matter. Weather you're drugged up like Hazel and just following orders, or playing along just to stay alive it's all the same in the end." Kusari looked at Callan, her crimson eyes not angry or upset, but sad and tired.
"Tell me Callan, do you feel like a hero?"
'A tool.' Callan flinched. 'Heroes have a choice.'
A choice... she had a choice. She'd made choices. She chose to turn herself in. She chose to stay and fight in D.C. They'd told her to stay, but she went. She chose to try and save those staff members. She'd tried. She chose. She failed. She failed over and over again, but she still chose to try. But nevertheless, there was some truth to Kusari's words; it was the inalienable fact that somewhere along the line, something chose her and no amount of kicking or screaming would have done any good.
Her train of thought came crashing to a halt. 'Had to kill people'...? The news hadn't said anything about that. If Kusari had killed people-- people who weren't monsters or mages-- it would have been on the news. What was she talking about? Her mind was whirling a million miles a minute, her expression complete and utter shock. Kusari wouldn't do that. She was an arbiter. She had no reason to.... She barely registered the question for a moment, staring at Kusari like she'd grown a second head. A very gross and evil second head.
She exhaled a shaky breath.
"No," she answered finally, a slight quiver to her voice, as she stepped forward, "But I'm gonna be."
She looked like she was about to cry. And she was. Her stomach felt sick and something inside her was beginning to panic. What the hell had happened in D.C.?
"Better than you've been anyway," she hissed before pushing back the tears and continuing on her way, content to leave Kusari behind for all she cared.
She should have kept her mouth shut, but that was basically the story of her life. Kusari felt her throat gulp as she watched Callan start to walk away. The way she looked at her, it was as if she were a monster. Not you please. Don't look at me like that. Not you. Kusari suddenly felt cold, as if she had been placed inside a dark freezing cave. She didn't want to lose Callan as a friend, she didn't have anyone else she could be comfortable with after all.
"Y-you're right!" She stammered out, a bit louder than intended. she caught up to Callan. "I'm not a hero, but watching you I felt like I could at least pretend to be. But after D.C I... I can't be that kind of person. But you can! Which is why it's so painful seeing you used like this. Sooner or later they're going to turn you into something that you don't want to be, and I don't want to see that." Kusari's voice was uncharacteristically pleading, maybe she felt desperate. "I'm. I'm sorry. Don't hate me, please."
The moment Kusari shouted, Callan slowed. She couldn't help it. She was frustrated-- disgusted even-- but... she was her teammate. They all were. Even Zoe, for all her imperfections. When Kusari crossed her path, Callan looked away, but listened. She sighed heavily. "I don't hate you," she grumbled, still feeling queasy.
Looking up into Kusari's eyes, her voice became more firm, "I won't pretend to understand why you killed those people. And I don't want to know the details.... But you've got to know-- I chose to be here. I'm sorry if that wasn't the case for you, but... I'm just making the most of what life's given me. What's the alternative? Life on the run? Joining people like the Amigos? Living on an island for the rest of my life?"
She shook her head, smiling sadly, "Heh, I can't do that, Kusari. I want to make a difference-- make things better. And if... if I gotta follow orders from someone like Director Zhang to do it, then that's what I'm gonna do. I don't know what you think I'm gonna become, but have a little faith in me." Her gaze fell from Kusari's eyes to her elbow.
Please." Even as she spoke, Callan was clearly more distant than before-- still recovering from Kusari's revelation and somewhat perturbed by the implications of everything else she'd said. Sander had mentioned she was dangerous... was he right? Or was she justified? She hadn't been there. She didn't know what happened. But at the same time, she didn't want to hear about it. Didn't want to even think about it. Chalk it up to a freak accident and move on. But it was hard.
"Let's just go," she said defeatedly.
"Yeah... I get it." Kusari said, following after Callan. If she really did want to make a difference, then turning herself in really did seem like the best of the worst options. She herself had been running before she was caught and lived in terrible conditions because of it. It wasn't fair, but what could they do?
"I'm going to consider that a promise then, that you won't let anything change you for the worse." She said. Maybe she wasn't giving Callan enough credit, just because she was a terrible person didn't mean Callan was. She didn't say anything else, it was obvious that Callan didn't think very much of her at the moment. If she said anything else she'd just make it worse.
She gave Kusari a hopeless look. "Sure," Callan said simply, "It's a promise then."
Callan continued the walk in silence. Somewhere along the line, she realized she'd lost track of Zoe, but she didn't care. Her stomach grumbled. She was hungry, but entirely without appetite. The exhaustion was catching up to her, too. She always felt this way after using her ability in excess, but their conversation seemed like it had added a good deal of extra weight. Even the sky seemed a little darker...
What else didn't she know?
But Callan didn't dare ask. She'd heard enough for now.
The unmistakeable sound of gunfire erupted from somewhere deep in the woods. I looked down at the young girl who sat on the bench next to me in the darkness, her coat a tattered, puke green thing that seemed so large as to swallow her whole. Her hair, a short, tangled mess of blonde strands caught with dirt and leaves, was, almost fittingly, the only proof of her existence outside of the coat in that moment.
A single nod from her was all I needed. It was too late. We had taken too long. They were here. I forced myself to stand, staring at the silent child who I may very well have just sentenced to death. Her eyes seemed hollow. Maybe that's just how I remember them. I doubt my expression was any better. Despite my worries, I grabbed her hand and ran into the woods.
I seemed to catch on every branch and trip over every root as I ran. My lungs burned with every strained breath, and my grip on the girl's hand was burdened by sweat. That only caused me to grip tighter, though, as if letting her go meant my own death. The forest around us was infested with lights that flooded in from every direction, as if the trees themselves were giving birth to more soldiers. We couldn't outrun them forever. You can't escape an uncountable number of armed men right on your heels. If they caught us, we were dead. Running was our only option, even as the trees parted into an open park, we kept running.
The flashlights poured from the woods behind us, threatening to surround us. They didn't shoot, not yet. Maybe it was because they knew they had us surrounded. We were stopped in our tracks. Cold metal pressed against the back of my skull. A loud voice told me to stop moving. The endless lights made the world vague and dreamlike. My hand itched. I could have done something. I didn't move.
Her arms were forced behind her back, but she kept struggling even with an endless number of guns trained on the both of us. I'm sure I heard a threat to shoot me if she didn't stop struggling from somewhere beyond the haze. She stopped moving and screamed a haunting, endless scream that refused to leave my mind.
A storm of small, furious bodies erupted from the treetops and fell upon the soldiers. Gunshots filled the air, sending birds falling to the ground, though some managed to peck at the faces of the men. It was useless. A soldier fired a single shot. The birds immediately fell to the ground, each creature feeling the girl's agony. The scream never ended, but it seemed empty of anything but pain. Not even desperation filled the air. Only suffering.
One of the writhing birds had picked itself from the ground. A single raven. In the blink of an eye, the bird shifted to the form of a young man, struggling to steal the gun from a soldier. A single shot was all it took to annihilate their struggle, leaving only endless screams. Those painful shrieks seemed to meld in the air into something much worse. A ring of soldiers and blinding light blocked their bodies from my view.
The gun at my head was taken away, and it's operator shifted around me and stared my face, blinding me with his light. His eyes shifted back and forth over me, sure that they were missing a mark. Of course, there was nothing to see.
"Leave. Now." The voice seemed indistinct. The words of a pawn. Just another goon.
My legs carried me faster than my body could take. My lungs burned, my mind reeled, and my limbs felt like lead. Still, they didn't stop till I found myself in a small clearing, where they dumped me onto a bench made of rotting wood. It had no reason to be in such a place. It was just something left there to rot, left behind and forgotten where no one could find it. Fitting.
I felt numb. My body refused to move, and I wasn't sure if I wanted it to. I'm still not sure...
Maggie and Jason Holmes, I may never speak your names again...
And with that realization, I screamed.
A scream erupted from the body in Callan's arm. It failed to make any movements other than forcing the shriek from it's vocal cords. The wail of pain and sorrow pulled Allison from darkness. She was being carried. She half remembered various portions of a conversation, as if she had heard part of it whilst floating in a terrible nightmare. Her own scream still buried itself in her ears, mingling with those long since ended.
Some part of her mind still lingered in the far past, another portion pulling apart the fragments of that conversation between Callan and... Kusari, it was probably Kusari. Allison didn't move her head to check. Though, as reality pushed itself back into her mind, her priority returned to her mind in full force.
...Then Allison realized she was still screaming. The noise came to an abrupt end, her hoarse voice forcing out an urgent question.
"Wh-where is Angel?" Her memory answered her own question. "We need to save Angel! Where are we going?" Her voice increased in volume, ripping at her throat. If she was in a reasonable state a mind, she might have felt bad for the girls who's ears she was likely destroying.
Callan jumped as Allison started to scream, heart pounding wildly when it didn't immediately end. Wh-what the hell was wrong with her? Didn't Christmas heal everybody? She grimaced at the noise, leaning her face away and wincing as through Allison had suddenly turned into a raging fireball in her arms. Geez, she really wasn't holding back, was she? Nightmare or night terrors?
"Allison!" she tried shouting over the noise, but one couldn't so easily compete with such a desperately loud sound.
Just when she was beginning to consider the idea of clapping a hand over the girl's mouth, it stopped.
Where was Angel? Probably dead.
"We still don't know," Callan replied, exasperated. She glanced around for any sign of movement. Her voice lowered as she continued, her tone a cocktail of concern and exhaustion, "There are still Amigos around though. So no more screaming, okay? We're regrouping in town. Can you walk?"
Kusari flinched as Allison screamed, she awkwardly reached out with her hands wondering what to do, eventually having to just wait for her to stop herself. A Nightmare? It had to be, she had every reason to be disturbed right now. Kusari hung her head as Allison as where Angel was. She was gone, it didn't matter if she had died earlier or if the Amigos had taken her. Either way she wasn't coming back. Callan answered her, Kusari didn't have anything to add. She could say she was sorry, but what good would that do? She kept quiet and continued walking.
Allison made some attempt to keep herself calm. Of course she needed to do something about Angel, but there wasn't much she could do right now. It wasn't likely that she'd get much help from everyone else, either. Still, she couldn't just let Angel die. She wasn't dead. She couldn't be. Allison would need to make a move as soon as she was capable of it.
"Probably. Put me down please," The aberration clearly strained to keep her tone reasonable, though her voice now seemed barely above a whisper. It felt as if she was only half registering the world around her, most of her mind still lost in a haze, screaming at nothing. Her limbs still felt like lead, though she was able to at least seem capable of walking when Callan put her down. Allison's walk was little more than the uncomfortable shuffle of a half-awake zombie, barely aware of those around her.
"Uh," Callan exchanged a look with Kusari, expecting her to do something. "Do you need help?" she asked, eyeing Allison warily with her hands tentaively outstrethced.
Kusari saw Callan look to her, as if she knew what to do right now. She just shook her head and looked away. "Our way off the island is gone, there's nothing we can do but try not to get killed."
Callan leered over Allison's head, back up at Kusari with a scolding expression. Allison was clearly upset and that news wasn't at all helpful. "Nah, don't worry. We'll be fine. I'm sure the worst of it's over," she offered reassuringly, doing her best to force the fatigue out of her voice.
"I'll be fine," Allison half-muttered. The lie was obvious, but it was better to stumble than burden Callan any more than she already had, though a reminder that things existed outside of the feezing dampness that pierced every fragment of her being might be nice. The exhausted girl ignored Kusari's remark, though she wasn't really wrong in what she said. She was less wrong than Callan, at least. The worst hadn't even begun yet.
Allison let silence hang for a few moments before conducting the excercise in futility that was filling empty air with empty words, speaking to no one in particular. "Sorry about the screaming. Did I interrupt a conversation?"
"No, you didn't." Kusari simply said, noticing that Callan wasn't speaking up. They were close to a motel now, one of the few buildings that seemed fit for refuge. "I just want to get some rest, you can do what you want." She said, speaking to the both of them. She felt entirely useless at the moment, she didn't get physically exhausted, but she wasn't exactly in the best shape mentally.
Callan was quiet, chewing the inside of her cheek uncomfortably until she realized they were nearing what looked like a good place to stop. Sander and Christmas were a ways ahead of them. And Zoe.... She looked every which way, eyes searching in alarm. She thought to say something, but ultimately decided against it, figuring she'd radio her after they found shelter.
"Let's try that motel," Callan suggested, again trying to mask her voice. She wasn't happy about she and Kusari's conversation. She didn't like her attitude, she didn't like hearing that she'd killed people without powers, and she didn't like the idea of Kusari going off to sleep when there was still work to be done. Hopeless as it seemed, she'd help Allison look for Angel if she wanted. It was worth a try. She might even still be on the island somewhere, right?
She sighed, wiping at some half-dried sand on her cheek. One thing at a time.
Lahana clutched her saber in her hands as she sat in a rumbling shuttle. This was going to be her first real battle as a jedi, but it wasn't her first time on the battlefield. She tapped her foot quickly on the floor of the vehicle as she thought about what she was about to do. She would be scolded for even considering this, but if she succeeded then it would be worth it. "Ideon Donnall..." She whispered the name to herself. The traitor behind this farce of an organization, she was going to kill him. That would prove that she was worth taking in, that this was where she belonged. She'd be accepted finally.
The side of the shuttle was opened as they prepared to land amidst blaster fire and explosions. The sound resonated inside of her like a bell struck by a cannon. She clenched her teeth, fighting the images of death and suffering crawling into her consciousness. None of that mattered, none of it mattered at all, she kept repeating to herself mentally. Before the shuttle touched down she stood up and jumped out prematurely. As she fell through the sky she aimed herself towards the temple. She knew Ideon was inside, she could feel it. At least she thought that's what this feeling was. A few blaster shots flew towards her from the ground, but at her height they had little chance of hitting her.
Lahana landed right on top of the temple, using the force to offset her descending velocity while at the same time blowing a hole in the roof. She fell through and landed inside. "Ideon Donnall!" She shouted, igniting her verdant saber as a piece of rubble as large as a jawa raised around her. She dashed towards the man, flinging the rubble ahead of her. She knew such an attack would be dealt with, so she followed with a fierce thrust of her lightsaber aimed at the man's chest.
As the real battle began, it lit the ruins ablaze with blaster fire and clashing lightsabers. Okussus' soldiers hollered as they sprinted forward, taking up defensive positions. The Force users on the cult's side entered the fray as well, man alighting their lightsabers with deadly intent. Ideon's eyes caught sight of one the more bold cultists taking on his former padawan. He almost laughed out loud, Vasha meant serious business, he could simply tell by how the Force flowed around her. It seemed she would not let anything stand between her and the Republic's mission. His eyes shifted rapidly as someone loudly tore a piece of old rubble from the ceiling, rocketing down behind it.
A female voice hollered his name and he blinked, staring at the Jedi who had just made a bold entrance. As she barreled towards him, he lifted his free hand and tossed the chunk of rubble to the side effortlessly. A few of his loyal soldiers stood behind him, pointing their blasters at the darting Jedi. He clenched his raised free hand, silently telling them to stop. He had it taken care of.
"You're quite bold, young Jedi," Ideon said with a smile as he blocked the jab, settling into a defensive Djem So stance. He parried the initial attack, then swung powerfully downwards, his lightsaber blade moving with fierce speed and he aimed to carve Lahana into two diagonal pieces. This aggressive Jedi was quite tall for a woman, a few centimeters taller than him but far more inexperienced.
Lahana let out an annoyed gasp as her strike was blocked, she tightened the hold on her weapon and prepared to attack once more, but her foe was already a blink of an eye away from bisecting her. She hastily swung her saber to block, then took a leap back. "Why are you smiling?" She said with disdain. "Don't you know what's happening out there? Because of you? I know you can feel it." She grit her teeth and sent a punch at him from four meters away, using her projected fighting to try and land a punch at his jaw.
"There is more going on in this world than you can possibly comprehend." Ideon stated vaguely as the Jedi shifted backwards, then punched towards him from a distance away. He reached out with the Force, quickly grasping onto the piece of rubble she had flung at him before. Then he pulled it towards where he was standing, trying to time it perfectly so Lahana would crash right into it. Then Ideon leaped upwards, doing a backwards flip in the air as he landed a distance away.
"Tsk." Lahana's punch was easily blocked, not surprising but still annoying. "Oh? And you can? Nothing could possibly justify the bloodshed you are causing!" Lahana rushed him once more, this time enhancing her speed with the force. She swung her saber horizontally to his right side. This attack would likely be blocked or parried, but that wasn't all. She quickly reached into her robes with her free left hand and ignited her other saber. She sliced upwards with the white saber speckled with black, going vertically.
"I personally have done nothing of the kind, my young Jedi. Perhaps the news you heard was inaccurate." Ideon stated clearly as she charged back towards him, intent on landing a blow on him.
The woman was quite aggressive fo a Jedi, it almost seemed she had a personal grudge of some sort against him. That was not the Jedi way, but the idea of it intrigued him as he quickly smacked away her first attack, then noticed the second lightsaber emerge from within her robes and ignite. He was suprised to see her reveal another weapon, but he had faced opponents in the past that had chosen to use wield two lightsabers. Ideon rapidly manuervered his own weapon and blocked the second attack. In the defensive form he had taken he continued to backpedal slowly, keeping his stance sturdy. The former Jedi Master then decided to test Lahana's defenses as he swung his lightsaber at her, slashing right, and left back at forth at a blazingly quick speed. His weapon twirled and danced as he expertly swung it, darting and hitting rapidly from different angles with each alternating blow.
Lahana should have expected this to be a challenge, she was facing a former jedi master after all. Even as she struggled to deflect his attacks she wouldn't regret coming here. She'd killed so many innocent people in the past, her master told her to put it all behind her but how could she? Did she even deserve to a peaceful, happy life? No, she didn't, not yet.
Gripping her sabers she began to rapidly form a barrier, swinging them until the green and white were a blur around her. Instead of backing away, she stepped forward, intending to slice her foe apart as if he were in a blender.
Ideon had continued his powerful, rapid swings as he tried to break through her defenses. Just when he thought he was going to break through she went into her own offensive, whipping her own dual lightsabers at an intense speed. He blinked in surprise at the action, then launched himself backwards with the Force, creating a safe distance. Then he rose his free hand upwards quickly, the fingers tensing as a blue aura shimmered on his palm. He felt the pure power flow through his arm, then launch out his fingertips in the form of chaotic Force lightning. The electric stream shimmered and crackled as it flowed dead straight towards Lahana, Ideon hoping to give her to shock her right out of her offensive trance.
Lahana stopped her barrage as Ideon jumped away, just as she was about to press the attack once more the man shot lightning from his hand. Startled, Lahana was unable to dodge or block the attack as it arced towards her. She'd heard of force lightning before, but she'd never seen it in person. For Ideon to be using such a power, he really had fallen far.
She let out a breathless gasp as the current hit her, causing her to stagger on her feet. The pain was intense, but she'd felt worse, much worse. Mustering up her strength she raised her lightsabers into the path of the lightning, causing the attack to be directed into them. She pushed forward, rushing towards him until she was close enough to send a kick towards his stomach.
Ideon kept up the storm of lightning, it arcing from fingers with furiosity and hitting Lahana hard. Just as he thought the fight would end and the Jedi would crumble into a heap she started toresist, raising her lightsabers and blocking his Force assault. As soon as she closed the distance and got some momentum she kicked hard towards him, he started to backpedal but felt the boot strike his gut, causing him to slide backwards with a gasp. He didn't expect the young Jedi to actually land a blow, that surprised him. Beginning to get annoyed at his young opponent he held his lightsaber horizonatally, over his head, then dashed at her with nearly blinding speed.
He slammed hard towards her, battering and switching hands as he channeled the Way of the Vornskr, more commonly known as Juyo, his most used form. Ideon could recall using it against Sith in the war all those years ago, he had even seen those wicked Sith use the form themselves. He adapted his own style and ways with it after encountering Sith warriors proficent in Juyo. His lightsaber seemed to move effortlessly with grace and fury as he hammered Lahana with no predictable pattern to his strikes.
Lahana narrowed her eyes as she noticed Ideon's form change. She raised her sabers to prepare for his attack, but she wasn't quite as ready as she thought. The blows came hard and in a seemingly erratic pattern. She began to back up as she struggled to defend herself. Had she made a mistake? Was she going to die here? Beating this man in a duel no longer seemed possible. Should she escape? She doubted they'd allow that to happen, between Ideon and his mercenaries ready to open fire on her, she'd be dead before she even made it to the entrance. "Dammit!" She used the force to push herself backwards, and then quickly put away her weapons. She extended both of her hands to her sides and let out a force wave, rocking the foundation of the building. She pushed herself to keep it up until the entire place began to crumble.
Ideon broke out of his attacking stride as Lahana retreated. As she turned off her lightabers and pushed herself backwards the building around them started to crumble. Then it fell apart, old rock and brick crashing down between the two of them, ending their duel. The fight was finished, Ideon stared at the Jedi as the rocks fell, then moved away as the battle around them continued.
Taka
AlteredTundra
