#RAAAAHS INTO THE DISTANCE

[seraphseye]

ヽ ⠀⠀* ₍   𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬,   accepting.   ╎   ♔.     ❛ it’s the only way ! ❜ … from @kwiisatz, for chani.

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘'𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 before , though it has always steered off into an entirely different direction , one that never left her heart feeling as though it might've been ripped from within her chest. she's lost count of how many nights she's spent at his side , how many nightmares she's held him through and how long she's spent whispering reassurances into his ear , drawing circles into his skin until he can manage to be whisked off into sleep once more. he has told her that he doesn't  want  this , that being a prophet only leads down a path to war and bloodshed and too many lives lost. he has seen it. chani doesn't know where that boy has gone , where  that  ghost  has  disappeared  to , but she finds herself frantically searching every inch of face as if she might find some sort of path that'll lead her back to him.

❝ is it now ? that's surely not what you told me before. ❞ her voice is far more calm than she feels , though there is a coldness there that feels almost foreign to her , a distance between them that she's not ever felt until now. it feels as though the air in the space between them has grown thinner , and she struggles to take enough of it in for her lungs to feel satisfied , to ease away the burning in her chest. quieter now , barely a whisper , too fearful of the trembling in her voice ⸻ the sting of tears welling in her eyes , tears that she will refuse to cry , ❝   you  promised.   ❞ but she supposes that they both made promises to each other , didn't they ? she had promised to always stay with him , and he'd promised to always stay who he was. both promises , broken ; a betrayal that leaves her very heart feeling as though it has been shattered into more pieces than one can possibly count. she'd once thought him to be different , but perhaps she  had  been  wrong  about  that ,   too.

[tiredfox64]

Hey! Can I request Bi-han and Tomas (separately) with a fem! reader who is a little taller than them? Preferably an established relationship.

They can be HCS, drabbles, whatever you feel most comfortable with if you want to do it.

Thank you in advance and I really enjoy your blog, it is very entertaining 🧚‍♀️ 🫶

Well, Ain’t You a Tall One

Prior notes: I did my best but mind you I’m someone who lies about being 5’4 because I’m not allowed to have that quarter of an inch added on to actually make me 5’4.

Pairings: Bi-Han x Tall! Afab reader, Tomas x Tall! Afab reader

Bi-Han (he might be 6’2 idk)

If you’re gonna talk to Bi-Han do it at a distance so he doesn’t have to look up at you.

*Ah geez something is out of reach for him. Oh what’s he gonna do-HEY! HEY! FUCK IS YOU DOIN TRYIN TO REACH FOR THAT OBJECT HE NEEDS.

Baby, you asked for it. You left yourself open he punched you I don’t make the rules. It was gentle at least.

Be a good girlfriend and pick him up so he can grab it himself. Don’t make him look like a fool in front of his clan. (He’ll allow it just look at the evidence I provided below)

If anyone disrespects your height Bi-Han will punish them. They wanna make fun of how tall you are well he will just stick their head to a large icicle. How bout that, how bout them apples.

You know what makes him feel like a man? Picking you up. Just because you’re a little taller doesn’t make a difference. He’s the man in this relationship.

He knows that people are staring at you because you are taller at him but he still gets upset that people are looking. You are his everyone should understand that.

Please, please, PLEASE, if someone ask you “how’s the weather up there” please say “it’s raining” and spit on them. Bi-Han will find it entertaining and even praise you for it.

No heels! Even on your wedding day. Any shoes that give more height are not allowed on your feet.

If one of his Lin Kuei assassins aren’t listening well he tells you to go up behind them and smack their heads as punishment. You won’t get punished and the assassin can’t smack you back. It’s funny don’t worry.

Bi-Han won’t tell you this but he is impressed by your height. Every woman he has encountered was shorter than him. You are a rare gem.

Tomas (I think he is 6’4 right?)

If he could he would wear a ‘I ❤️ my tall girlfriend’ shirt.

He is absolutely amazed by you. He has never seen a woman this tall before.

It’s a flex really, you are one of a kind.

May someone help the son of a bitch who insults your height cause Tomas will kick the fuck out of their back and bedrid them for five days

When he first met you he commented on how tall you were and you called him a baked bean for that. You thought he was being mean.

He really likes to show you off. Any chance he gets where he can take you out he will do so.

Do you mind being the big spoon? Just for him pleeeeeeeeease.

You have the perfect opportunity to give him forehead kisses. Do it, it will make Tomas happy :)

You wanna wear heels? Go for it! He wants you to feel confident and powerful in them.

Oh now he’s the one taking your hoodie and keeping it for himself. No givesies backsies.

Did he ever tell you how much he loves you? Bring your face a little closer so he can give you a kiss.

After notes: I’m sorry if this isn’t my best work. I knew a guy back in high school who was 6’7. That man is in the Air Force now serving this country RAAAAH 🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆…I have to sneeze now. Adiós!

[fallenclan]

"Okay, so I'm Bluefire and you can be my apprentice, Newtpaw. We're training to prepare for-"

"Apprentice? No. I want to be a warrior."

"Then what's your warrior name?"

"Newtscratch."

"Okay, Newtscratch. . . " Bluekit crouched, wriggling her haunches. "Then I'm an enemy warrior coming to attack you! Raaaah!"

Newtkit rolled out of the way just in time as Bluekit lunged for her, resulting in Bluekit pouncing face-first into the ground with a tiny oof! Newtkit snickered, swiping at Bluekit's tail. "Some warrior you are. Maybe you should be the apprentice."

Without warning, Bluekit sprang to her paws, slamming her head into Newtkit's chest and knocking her off balance. Before Newtkit could so much as open her mouth, Bluekit had pinned her to the ground. "Admit that I'm the better warrior, Newtscratch!"

"Never!" Newtkit squeaked indignantly. She swatted at Bluekit's face, jabbing her hind legs into Bluekit's belly at the same time.

"Ow!" Bluekit scrambled off of Newtkit, wincing. Newtkit stuck out her tongue, which only caused Bluekit to start giggling.

"Bluekit!" Rabbitkit, who had been haring around the camp with the other kits up until this point, scrambled to a halt in front of his littermate. "Can I play with you and Newtkit? Molekit's being mean to me again."

"No," Newtkit sniffed. "I only want to play with Bluekit."

"Bluefire," Bluekit corrected helpfully.

Rabbitkit turned a pleading gaze towards Bluekit. "Please?"

"I don't see why not. Playing warriors is more fun with three cats than two, anyway." Bluekit could have sworn she noticed a brief flash of hurt in Newtkit's gaze, but it was gone almost as soon as it appeared.

"Fine. Whatever."

"Don't be mad, Newtkit," Bluekit whispered. "You're still my best friend."

"Forever?"

"Forever."

...

Bluepaw padded into the medicine den and was immediately greeted with the soft smell of lilac. Silverbelly had taken to decorating the den with it in an attempt to block out the more unsavory herb scents, such as garlic.

"Bluepaw." Newtpaw's head immediately turned towards the other apprentice, ears perking. She had to fight to keep a smile off her muzzle.

"Hey, Newtpaw. I brought you a thrush. Caught it myself!" Bluepaw flopped down beside Newtpaw with a dull thump, shamelessly pressing her pelt against Newtpaw's in a way that made Newtpaw's heart flutter.

"Thanks." Newtpaw inspected the thrush instead of dissecting her feelings, picking feathers off its wings.

"Your wound has almost healed, right?"

"Yeah. Silverbelly says it'll probably scar, though."

"Cool!"

"I guess." Newtpaw took a bite from her thrush, chewing slowly.

"My ma says you were doing really well with your training. Your warrior ceremony will probably only be delayed one moon."

"One moon feels like an eternity," Newtpaw huffed, knocking her head into Bluepaw's shoulder. "And you'll be a warrior while I'm still an apprentice!"

"Only for a little bit. Maybe I should start flunking my assessments so we can be warriors at the same time?"

It took Newtpaw a few moments to realize Bluepaw was joking (she wasn't), and upon realizing she only rolled her eyes. "Just don't do anything stupid or exciting without me, okay?"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Bluepaw promised solemnly.

"Mousebrain," Newtpaw scoffed, but she was grinning nonetheless.

...

"--and this is the honey spruce," Bluefern announced.

"Why's it called that?" Evie tilted his head, peering up at the great tree. It stood out starkly in the meadow, despite there being plenty of other spruce trees nearby.

"There's a bee's nest. Can't you see it?" Newtscar flicked her tail towards one of the tree's highest branches. "Unless you want a mouthful of bees, I'd suggest you keep your distance."

"Oh." Evie's eyes widened. "Have either of you ever tasted honeycomb?"

Bluefern and Newtscar exchanged glances. "No," Bluefern replied. "Have you?"

"No, but I've heard it tastes really good."

"Good to know," Newtscar mewed sarcastically. "We should move on, unless you want to spend all day gawking at one tree?"

"I think I could get us some honey," Evie stated, gaze never leaving the bee's nest. "I'll just wait until all the bees are out collecting pollen, and then I'll sneak up and swipe some of it. They'll never even notice."

"That's a stupid plan," Newtscar retorted at the same time Bluefern exclaimed, "You're brilliant!"

Later, Evie was confined to the medicine den after receiving many, many bee stings. (He didn't manage to obtain any honey.)

...

"You like-e-e-e-e him," Bluefern cackled, causing Newtscar to swipe at her ears.

"You like him too!" Newtscar hissed.

"Well, yeah, but it's more embarassing that you like him."

"Shut up, Bluefern."

Bluefern did not shut up.

...

"Oh." Bluefern had only found herself speechless a rare few times in her life. This was one of them. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! I wouldn't have asked you to be my mate if I didn't like you." Newtscar was beginning to feel the telltale signs of panic. Does she not like me back? Why won't she stop staring at me with that stupid, dumbstruck expression?

"Uh," Bluefern replied intelligently.

"Do you not feel the same way?"

"No, no! I do. I want to be mates." Bluefern shoved her face so close to Newtscar's that their noses were practically touching. "You just caught me off guard."

"Why?" Newtscar flattened her ears but didn't move, secretly enjoying Bluefern's proximity.

"I thought you had a thing for Evie."

"I thought you had a thing for Evie," Newtscar fired back, suddenly defensive.

"I mean, I do." Bluefern leaned back. "I like you both."

"Can cats have more than one mate?"

"I think so. I mean, why not?" Bluefern shrugged. "As long as we're all honest with each other. You like Evie too, right?"

"Unfortunately." Newtscar sighed.

"Then maybe the three of us can be mates."

"Maybe," Newtscar assented, thinking for the first time that perhaps it didn't need to be two against the world. Perhaps it could be three.

...

"I like you both a lot. . ."

"We know."

"Shhh, Newtscar! He's confessing." Bluefern shoved Newtscar. "Please continue."

A playful smirk was beginning to tug at Evie's features, and the tom felt himself emboldened by Bluefern's encouragement. "So I was wondering if you two-"

"Yes," Newtscar interrupted. "But if you snore I'll change my mind."

"Okay. That's fair." Evie and Bluefern were both purring while Newtscar was doing her best to look indifferent.

She failed. (The three proceded to have a long discussion about what the future would look like, with all three of them as mates.)

...

Mistyfish's fever wasn't going down. She had been sick for moons, her symptoms only getting worse and worse. Surely, surely, she would recover. Bluefern couldn't let herself think any differently.

Outside, Newtscar and Evie were engaged in a hushed conversation with Stormsight and Silverbelly.

Mistyfish was gazing vacantly at Bluefern. "Ma? Don't come too close. I could get you sick."

"I don't care, sweetling." Bluefern wrapped herself around Mistyfish, around her precious kit. "It's going to be okay."

"Sweetling . . . ?"

"Your grandma used to call my littermates and I that, sometimes."

"Oh." Mistyfish snuggled closer to Bluefern. "I like it. It's nice." The smell of sickness wafted about the den in a thick, permeating cloud. Bluefern did her best to ignore it.

"It'll be okay, Mistykit," she repeated, not even noticing her slip-up.

"Okay, Ma. I believe you." Mistyfish closed her eyes, letting out a soft breath as she drifted off to sleep.

Mistyfish never woke up.

...

"His name is Sunnykit. He's sleeping right now, but I'll introduce you in the morning." Willowsplash's gaze was brimming with love, as if she had already spent a thousand lifetimes being this kit's mother.

"Looks like we're grandparents. . . again," Evie grinned, placing emphasis on again.

"Newtscar is going to be so excited!" Bluefern exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement herself.

"I don't think Mom's ever been excited about anything," Willowsplash chimed in, causing Evie to snort in amusement.

"Well, she'll be excited about this," Bluefern decided firmly.

"We'll see," Evie replied, giving Willowsplash's shoulder a reassuring lick. "I'm proud of you, kiddo."

"Thanks, Dad."

...

"We have matching scars now." Sleepycloud chuckled. In truth, his face still stung where the ShallowClan warrior had raked her claws. She had missed his eyes by less than a spider-leg. Likely, she had been attempting to blind him. The thought was disconcerting.

"I wouldn't call them matching." Newtscar was inspecting her son's new scars, triple checking that they had healed right and weren't going to start gushing blood at any moment. "I still don't see why you won't at least describe the cat who did this to you."

"Mom."

"What? I just want to give them a 'matching' scar of their own," Newtscar sniffed, expression never changing.

"I don't even remember what she looked like," Sleepycloud lied, trying to get Newtscar to let it go, though he knew it was a futile effort. She was like a bloodhound when she caught scent of something she felt was important.

"She? So it was a she-cat?"

"Mom!"

...

"What mischief are you two plotting?" Newtscar narrowed her eyes, gaze flicking skeptically between Pebblefreeze and Evie.

"Us? Mischief? How could you accuse your loving mate and darling daughter of anything treacherous?" Evie gasped dramatically, feigning hurt. Newtscar was unimpressed.

"You both have your 'scheming' faces on. I know because you got it from your father," Newtscar grumbled at Pebblefreeze, shooting a pointed glance at Evie.

"Did she?" Evie drawled.

"She did."

"I did not," Pebblefreeze pouted, nose scrunching up in the same way that Newtscar's did when she was annoyed. "We haven't done anything. Yet."

"StarClan help me," Newtscar muttered. Evie shot Pebblefreeze a conspiratorial wink.

...

"I still think about them." Bluefern didn't want to cry. She couldn't. Yet she could feel her gaze watering as she stared up at the pelt of stars spanning the sky.

Newtscar pressed herself against Bluefern's side, and Evie wrapped his tail around both of them.

"What would their names have been?" Bluefern continued. "Would they have been warriors? Medicine cats? Mediators? Why couldn't we save them?"

"There wasn't anything we could have done, Bluefern," Evie murmured.

"Wasn't there? Why did we let Curly defend the nursery?" Bluefern's voice wobbled. "One of us should have stayed behind."

"Then maybe one of us could have died," Newtscar replied gently. "Who knows what would have happened? The past is past, Bluefern. It's too late."

"I know." Bluefern squeezed her eyes shut. "I know."

The three stayed there for half of the night, pressed together in their silent grief over the three that were lost too young.

Ravenkit. Icekit. Smokekit.

Three stars shining down upon three parents.

...

"So, you and Cherrydust, huh?"

"Dad!" Ripplefade hissed, mortified. "Lower your voice. Someone could hear you."

"What? I'm just saying. Being mates with the deputy is no small thing," Evie chuckled.

"She isn't my mate, Dad."

"You like her though, right?"

"Pebblefreeze likes her too! Why don't you go harass her?" Ripplefade kicked a pebble across camp. Where were his mothers when he needed them?

"Eh. Pebblefreeze doesn't fluster so easily. You're fun to tease." Evie nudged Ripplefade affectionately. "I could go talk to her for you, if you're too nervous. . ."

"No!"

. . .

"You drooled on my fur last night," Newtscar complained, running her tongue over her matted shoulder fur.

"Probable. I woke up with a mouthful of your fur, anyhow."

"Ugh."

"Guys, look. Cherrydust is calling patrols," Bluefern chirped. "Think she knows to put us together?"

"Of course. It'll always be the three of us. We're iconic," Evie grinned.

"Hm. Maybe she'll let us hunt near the Sky Pine. I hear prey's good down there lately," Newtscar spoke, finishing her pelt cleaning with a few final licks.

"As long as you don't get stuck up there," Bluefern purred.

"That was one time, Bluefern," Newtscar grumbled.

"Don't worry, Newtscar. If you get stuck, Bluefern and I will rescue you."

"Both of you stop talking."

Neither of them stopped talking.

Newtscar didn't mind.

-🐉

(whoop whoop, the polycule! last of the three requests. hope i did these guys justice in a collection of moments w/ them and their kits teehee

they're so silly i love them)

DRAGON YOU DID THEM JUSTICE AND SO MUCH MORE OH MY GOD MY HEART,,, THIS IS SO UNBELIEVABLY PERFECT HOLY FUCK.

"you like him too!" "yeah but its more embarrassing that you like him" ITS SO THEMMM ITS SO THEM IM ON THE FLOOR SCREAMING CRYING. google how to get a fic tattooed onto the insides of your eyelids

[not-noelle]

"ALERT:

EMERGENCY BROADCAST SYSTEM

THIS IS NOT A TEST

CIVIL AUTHORITIES IN YOUR AREA HAVE REPORTED AN OUTBREAK OF A HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VIRUS.

SYMPTOMS INCLUDE AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, LOSS OF MOTOR CONTROL, AND AN INCREASED APPETITE FOR HUMAN FLESH.

ALL CITIZENS ARE ADVISED TO:

STAY INDOORS AND LOCK ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS.

AVOID CONTACT WITH INFECTED INDIVIDUALS AT ALL COSTS.

USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING.

STAY TUNED TO THIS FREQUENCY FOR FURTHER UPDATES.

REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A TEST."

The day was Wednesday, 27 May 2048.

"Okay, no need to panic!! You've prepared for this!!" I repeated in an attempt to calm down. "Let's see...I should start by- p-packing!?" I continued while scrambling around to find a knife, non-perishable foods and bottled water.

Along with those items, I also packed my mini first-aid kit, my phone and portable battery. "Alright, it's now or never..." I mumbled grabbing a flashlight and mop (yk for jabbing at a distance :D) before running out the door. I felt my heart sink as I saw the city before me, overrun with zombies. I hear my heartbeat in my chest as I see familiar faces getting attacked.

I run towards a grocery store, I'm late so I'll be lucky if I find anything... I carefully peek into the open doors. The store is dim; with the only light coming from the flickering lights on the ceiling. I stepped quietly, gripping my flashlight even harder. As expected, I found next to nothing other than a few granola bars. As I reached for a box of granola bars, I heard a faint shuffling sound from the back of the store. I froze, straining to listen. The noise grew louder, more distinct. My breath caught in my throat. I turned around quickly; shining my flashlight into the dark room.

"Grrrrhh,"

There it was again!

Panic surged through me. I grasped the mop I had brought, gripping it like a spear. The zombie lunged forward. I swung the mop, hitting it squarely in the chest. The force knocked it back, but it quickly regained its footing, advancing again with relentless determination. My mind raced. I couldn’t let it get close. I swung the mop again, this time aiming for its head. The blow landed with a sickening crunch. But this only seemed to enrage the creature. It snarled, "Raaaah," reaching out with decaying hands.

In a desperate move, I kicked a nearby display stand towards it, causing it to trip and fall. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, I dashed towards the door. I yanked it open and stumbled outside, slamming the door shut behind me. I could hear the infected banging against the door, but it held firm.

Breathing heavily, I backed away from the store. That was too close. I needed to find a safer place to regroup and think. The encounter left me shaken, but I knew I couldn’t afford to give in to fear. Survival meant staying alert and always being prepared for the unexpected.

[youandme-and]

A blizzard some nights prior left a rather thick blanket of snow as far as the eye can see, the temperatures having dipped low enough to keep it there. Flakes float lazily from the grey sky above. Children have taken to catching them on their tongues, while others work together to roll up a snowman. It's a peaceful sight... To the unsuspecting gunman, that is.

.. For in the distance, beneath the snow drifts, the white begins to shift... Slowly at first, before something big suddenly zips forward, tunneling, and--!!

"RAAAAH!!" Out bursts Zenigata, tiger-like, an avalanche of snow exploding everywhere in his wake. The pounce takes Jigen down in seconds, right into the bright sea of powder, with the inspector then crashing onto him in a one man dogpile. Laughter follows, loud and victorious-- "TAKE THAT, SNEAK THIEF!"

Jigen had stepped out to smoke. And then, unreasonably, he'd started walking, made a plume of smoke behind him like a miserable, fuzzy faced train. But something was lifting his spirits, and maybe it was watching people that were happily careless. There were enough on the street and in the park he'd wandered into, to paint a pretty scene.

Until, a mound of snow started moving.

He expected that anything under the snow was not a corn-fed, radioactive groundhog acting six weeks early, and yet, like an aggressive, vengeful daisy, popping out of the snow was the fresh face of the detective. There were not enough milliseconds to process, shoot, or dive out of the way, now crushed under the weight of a man grinning above him.

He looked so damn happy, too. Jigen's smile grows to a chuckle, at this fool who was pleased as punch just to succeed, swiping at the snow beside him to send a light spray of powder into his face.How could he despise him, for wanting to get even on a small score? If this suit wasn't specially made to insulate him against the snow, then he would've escaped from beneath him as fast as it took a detective to back off of a muzzle trained on his face; though Zenigata did barely more than growl the last time Jigen resorted to it. He smelled pretty good, for someone who should be out of breath. That wasn't relevant, but it was a present detail at their proximity. " Alright, get off," His laughter was petering off, patting the snow-covered shoulder.

[brax-was-here]

Scarlet Briar: The Seeds of Life Chapter 11

Written by: Braxxus

Chapter 11: You Took My Life

Sometimes the weight is too much to bear

Ceara stood stunned at the glowing expanse that lay before her. The cave’s exit gave way to a vast open area filled with pooling leyline energy feeding from every direction. The very air resonated as the energy mists swirled chaotically before them.

“This…this is…” Liathlas stammered.

“Mordremoth’s lair.” Ceara finished her sentence. Her heart started to race as a feeling of anxiety started washing over her.

“Indeed, it is.” Malyck agreed, stepping to the edge of a rocky outcropping.

“This is where the ley energy converged.” Ceara muttered as she slowly brought her hand to her chest, feeling the scar. A constant reminder of what had happened to her.

“I believe that is our destination.” Malyck pointed out towards the remains of a gigantic tree on the far side of the field of energy.

“Have strength.” Ceara whispered to herself as she closed her eyes, trying to calm herself.

“I think I can port us over to it by using those floating rocks.” Liathlas pointed at a jagged piece of land floating above the pool of energy.

“How do we know it won’t fall when we land on it?” Malyck turned to her.

“Is there any other way? I think we would have to retrace out steps back into the jungle to find another way around this area.” Liathlas noted. “We would lose time if we did.”

“Noted.” Malyck responded. “Can your portals reach that far?”

“Well, let’s find out.” Liathlas conjured a portal in front of them. They could see the exit portal on the platform. “Let’s go.”

Stepping through, they found themselves on the floating rock.

“This rock is humming with energy.” Malyck noted. “I don’t think it’s actually part of the ground.”

“It isn’t.” Ceara knelt, running her hand over the surface. “It’s ley energy. Condensed so tightly that it solidified.”

“Energy in a solid form? Is that possible?” Malyck asked.

“Yes, it is.” Ceara picked up a small rock, inspecting it closely. It glistened in the light as she slowly rotated it in her fingers.  She grabbed another and put both of them in her satchel.

“What are you doing with those?” Liathlas asked.

“I’m taking them to study. It is not every day you find solidified ley energy. Who knows what secrets lay within these small rocks?” Ceara smiled at her. She drew a deep breath as she looked at the tree in the distance. “Let’s keep going.” Liathlas opened another portal that exited to the nearest platform. This one wasn’t as big as the trio looked at the curved edge of the floating mass.

“It looks like something took a bite out of it.” Liathlas remarked, looking at the jagged edge.

“It stands to reason that the dragon probably chewed on it at one time. The elder dragons feed on ley energy.” Ceara looked over the edge into the energy mists below. The field made it impossible to see to the bottom. “This was Mordremoth’s resting place.” She said solemnly.

“What do you mean?” Liathlas asked.

“This is where it slept, until I awoke it. This was all solid ground as he lay beneath the surface. His awakening caused the ground to erupt and the ley energy to pool into this pit, allowing him to feed.”

“So that tree… that tree was a marker in a way.” Malyck stepped up beside her.

“Yes.” She answered, staring at the gigantic trunk in the distance. “Let’s move on.” Liathlas opened the next portal and the trio passed through to the next platform.

“There is movement up there.” Malyck pointed at the upper portion of the tree trunk.

“It looks like a pact coptor.” Ceara replied narrowing her eyes.

“I guess the pact would be here as this is Mordremoth’s lair. The Priory is probably taking that tree apart to transport the whole thing back to Lornar’s Pass.” Liathlas joked. Ceara snorted at the thought.

“Sadly, you’re probably right.” She chuckled. She felt a little at ease knowing the Pact was here. “One more portal should put us there. Can you reach it?”

Liathlas stepped to the edge of the land mass. Taking a deep breath, she opened another portal. They watched as the exit materialized on the edge of the trunk.

“Go now!” she shouted. They leapt through quickly, exiting on the platform. Liathlas gasped as the portal faded behind her. “That’s the farthest distance I have ever portaled.” She looked at Ceara, who was frozen in place, a look of harsh terror on her face. Liathlas turned to see what had her so terrified.

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“More ruins.” Nafiona said out loud as her group reached a golden wall, tarnished and damaged by the awakening of the jungle dragon. “This matches the design of the city.”

“Built by the same beings. But if so…why so far away from the main city? Could it have been a secondary storage for whatever this supposed legacy is?” Ordhram asked.

“Perhaps we should explore inside? The seed may be there?” Caelan suggested.

“Indeed. Search for a way inside.” Nafiona commanded her followers. The courtiers dispersed around the ruins.

“M’Lady! Here!” It wasn’t long before one of the courtiers found an opening in the wall. Stepping through, they found a sizable complex similar in design to the golden city to the north, but no signs of life.

“It feels like death in here.” Caelan mentioned.

“Yes…it does.” Nafiona smiled. “Search through the ruins. Let us see what we find.”

The group spread out in various directions throughout the golden structure. Caelan wandered through a fallen archway that led to a courtyard overgrown with vegetation and thorned vines. He paused looking over the area.

“It must have been beautiful.” He thought. “And now it’s destroyed.” He stepped out into the courtyard, passing through the vegetation. He pushed one of the vines aside, snapping it off as part of it crumbled away from his touch.

“Destroyed.” He thought to himself. “Nafiona wants to destroy the Pale Tree and turn it to Nightmare. Scarlet wanted to awaken the jungle dragon to destroy Tyria. Both would allow the Sylvari to rule Tyria.” He picked up the broken vine that crumbled more in his hand. “Mordremoth would have enslaved us all.” He dropped the vine. “What would Nafiona do?” He felt a tinge of confusion wash over him, something pulling at his mind that he couldn’t grasp. He continued through the brush, reaching an open area that had been cleared of the jungle’s plants. An open archway in the far wall led out into the jungle.

“Someone or something has been here.” He thought to himself as he looked upon piles of brushed pushed aside. Unsheathing his sword, he cautiously made his way across to the archway. He paused before passing through the threshold, slowly passing the blade of his sword through. He held it out for a few moments before slowly stepping through the opening himself. He looked through the trees growing beyond the wall.

“Who is here?” He asked as he scanned around the jungle.

“Caelan.” A growling voice spoke from the trees.

Caelan’s heart jumped at the sound of the voice as he bounced backwards. “Uh…” he stammered. He could make out movement in the shadows of the vines. He turned his weapon to the approaching creature. “Mordrem…” he muttered as it entered into the view.

“Caelan.” It muttered again as it paused its advance.

“Who are you?” Caelan asked it. The mordrem looked down, pondering for a moment. Before raising its eyes to him.

“Be responsible for your own happiness, for then the dreams of your heart will truly open.” Its gruff voice spoke softly.

“Talmai?” Caelan gasped, recognizing the quote the mordrem spoke. “Talmai, what happened?”

“It took control of us, Caelan. We couldn’t resist. It made us attack anyone that wasn’t one of us.” It growled, grimacing as it held its forehead. “It’s so difficult to think.”

Caelan lowered his sword and cautiously approached the creature. It looked up at him. “Why did you leave us?” It asked. “You left us for nightmare.”

Caelan paused. “It called to me.” He answered, looking at the ground.

“Just as Mordremoth called to us.” It stepped forward towards Caelan, who in turn looked up at the mordrem, stepping back away from it. It paused again, holding its head.

“There’s mordrem here!” Caelan heard a voice shout in the distance as the sounds of battle could be heard.

“Talmai! Hang on. I can…I can get you through this. Back to the gr…” Caelan paused, realizing what he was about to say.

“RAAAAH!” the modrem growled as it charged him.

“Talmai! No!” Caelan dodged out of the way. “Stop!”

“You belong with us, Caelan. We all belong here.” It growled as it swiped at the sylvari, its long claws scratching his armor.

“Talmai, stop this!” He pleaded with the creature as it attacked him relentlessly.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Destroy them all!” Nafiona shouted as she blasted a mordrem in its face with dark energy. The creature screamed in pain as it grasped at its eyes. She clasped her hand in the air in front of her, summoning dark tendrils from the ground that ensnared the creature. Ordhram proceeded to decapitate it, its body slumping to the ground as the shadowy tendrils dissipated. Nafiona waved her sceptor over the corpse, causing it to erupt in a fountain of blood and flesh, bring forth a nightmarish creature.

“Time to eat, my fleshling.” She quipped playfully. The creature quickly ran towards the nearest mordrem and attacked, jumping on its back and sinking its jagged teeth into the shoulder of its target.

“Ordhram, we must be close.” She smiled as she conjured a cloud of locusts that swarmed another of the attacking mordrem. It wildly flailed as it tried to fend off the black swarm that engulfed it. A pair of Nafiona’s coutiers unleashed their clones on the creature as it was distracted, quickly dispatching it. Nafiona again quickly waved her sceptor over the body, bringing forth another horror from within.

“Feed.” She commanded it. It leapt off to the nearest mordrem.

“M’lady. The sword is ready.” Ordhram paused a moment, a far off stare upon his face.

“Oh! Excellent!” she quipped. “We should make haste then finishing off these creatures. Our destiny awaits!”

“Of course, m’lady.” He responded.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Talmai! Stop this nonsense!” Caelan cried as the mordrem grabbed him, tossing him to the ground.

“You belong with us, Caelan. This is what we are meant to be.” It grabbed the sylvari by his throat.

“No.” he coughed. “It’s not!” He swung his sword between them, slicing off the mordrem’s arm. The creature howled in pain, grasping its stump. It roared as it leapt at him. Caelan forced his sword forward with all his strength, running it through the mordrem’s midsection. The creature crashed into him, its momentum carrying them both to the ground. Caelan heard his blade snap as they fell. He felt the broken end of the sword pierce into his own armor as the mordrem laid on top of him. He slowly pushed the creature off to the side and looked down at his wound.

“I’m…sorry…” he heard the mordrem speak slowly. He looked to see the glow from its eyes fade away as it exhaled its last breath. Caelan covered his wound with his hand as he slowly got to his feet. A tear slowly ran down his cheek as he stared at the fallen mordrem.

“We were going to be scholars together.” He whispered. “Learning everything we could. Then nightmare called.” He paused looking at the blood on his hand. “Maybe it’s not too late.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I am your creator.”

“But I was born of the pale tree…”

“And the pale tree was born of me. Come, young one. Let me show you.”

“My name isn’t Ceara…It is…Scarlet Briar…”

“A giant spore plant…”

“I’m in your mind.”

“A marionette housing a fantastic weapon…”

“You're so cute when you're on the offensive.”

“It’s go time.”

“You think my death saves you? Too late.”

“I am forever!”

“Return to me…”

“You were my champion. My chosen one. Now you betray me as your mother betrayed me.”

“You will perish.”

“Mother…I’m broken!”

Ceara could feel her world cracking as she struggled with what lay before her. She gazed upon the visage of her tormentor, the elder jungle dragon Mordremoth, whose snake-like body lay entangled in the giant spires of the ancient tree.

“No…” she was gasping for air as her chest tightened like Mordremoth’s maw was closing around her heart. “No…make it stop…MAKE IT STOP!” She screamed as she slowly backpeddled away from the elder dragon.

“Ceara!” Lialthlas grabbed her before she stepped off the edge of the platform into the abyss.

“No…NO! LET ME GO!” Ceara screamed. She shoved Liathlas to the ground.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Ceara shrieked as loudly as she could. Unslinging her rifle, she fired every round she had into the silent unmoving dragon until she was out of ammunition. She screamed again as she slung the rifle at the beast, stumbling to the ground.

“YOU TOOK MY LIFE!” she screamed. Liathlas and Malyck both knelt beside her.

“What’s going on over there?” a pact member nearby inquired about the three sylvari that arrived moments before.

“The tormented...brought forth in front of that which tormented her.” A sylvari spoke softly nearby.

“You mean thats…?”

“Scarlet Briar.”

“But isn’t she dead?”

“No.”

“Shouldn’t we be doing something about her?”

“I think she has suffered long enough under the sway of Mordremoth.”

“But she’s a criminal. A terrorist. We need to report this!”

The sylvari turned to him. “Were we terrorists as well when we fell under the dragon’s call?”

The pact member fell silent for a moment pondering the sylvari’s words. He slowly looked up at the trio.

Liathlas gently put her arms around Ceara, who was crying hysterically. Malyck stood and retrieved her rifle.

“It made me do those things…hurt those people…” Ceara cried. “I just wanted to learn.”

“I know.” Liathlas whispered.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Orla sat across from Amaranda at her low table. “Nightmare calls…” Orla muttered as she closed her eyes, her brow knitting together. “Ordhram…” she whispered.

“What happened?” Amaranda asked quietly.

“He fell…he fell to the dragon.” A tear slowly rolled down Orla’s cheek. “My brother…he started to change.” She gasped.

“Change? How?” Amaranda rubbed her chin thoughtfully as Orla spoke.

“He started becoming…one of them…the mordrem. He grew in size and strength…his skin became like…almost like armor.” Orla shook her head. “It’s so hard to focus.”

“She is struggling to fight off Nightmare’s influence.” Amaranda thought to herself. Orla’s slowly opened her eyes.

“I felt…anger…anger towards the pale tree for keeping the secret from us.” She looked at Amaranda. “I can never forgive her for what she allowed to happen to Ordhram. He is just a shadow of his former self now.”

“You sought revenge.” Amaranda stated softly.

“I did.” Orla replied sternly. “Maybe Nafiona’s way is not the correct way, but I cannot follow the Pale Tree.”

“I understand. You have every right to make your own choices in your life.” Amaranda spoke softly. “It will not be easy. What lies ahead…” Amaranda’s voice trailed off as she quickly turned her gaze away from Orla, focusing on the wilderness outside.

Orla looked at her inquisitively, her brow furrowing slightly. “What is it?”

“Ceara…” Amaranda stood at walked to the door, looking to the southwest.

“Ceara?”

“She’s in great pain.” Amaranda turned to Orla.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ceara felt a hand gently touch her forehead. Her eyes stung from the tears as she slowly opened them. She looked up to see the vision of the young pale tree before her. It smiled warmly.

“You carry so much pain within you.” It spoke softly.

Ceara closed her eyes, lowering her head. “It hurts so much.” Her voice raspy through the tears. “I’m so…so sorry.”

“The vision knelt before her, placing her glowing hands on Ceara’s shoulders. Ceara looked up at its smiling face. She felt a small warmth envelope her.

“Have strength.” It spoke. “You are destined for greater things.”

Ceara looked at it. “Who are you?” she asked, trying to choke back the tears.

The vision smiled warmly at her. “To the south.” It spoke softly before fading away.

Ceara’s vision cleared to see the face of Mordremoth laying in the spires before her, a giant spike through its head. “You’re dead.” She muttered as she stared at it. “You can’t hurt me anymore.” She whispered.

“No, it can’t” Liathlas spoke softly before slowly releasing her embrace. She looked at Ceara in the eyes. “Are you ok?”

Ceara slightly nodded her head. “I will be. I have to be.” She snifled slightly. “I’m sorry. That was…that was very unbecoming of me.” Malyck held out his hand and helped her to her feet before returning her rifle.

“I wasted all my ammunition.” She said looking at the weapon.

“You still have your pistol.” He spoke.

“Yeah. But it only has a couple shots left in it.”

“Will these work?” Malyck produced a few bullets from a small pouch.

“No, my pistol has been modified. It takes special ammunition.” She replied.

“Are we…are we continuing?” Liathlas asked.

Ceara turned to her. “Yes. What we look for what lies to the south.”

“To the south?” Malyck asked. He looked around the area, focusing back across the expanse of ley energy. “We’re going to have to backtrack a bit to find a path.”

“There is another.” Two pact members approached them. “There is a cave system under this area. Some of our members have explored down there. It will lead you to the jungle south of here. But be warned. That land has not been explored, that we know of anyway.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Ceara said, slinging her rifle over her shoulder. “How do we get there?”

“Um…well.” The human started before taking a deep breath. “You have to climb…” He turned his gaze to the remains of the dragon.

“We climb him?” Ceara asked, somewhat perturbed.

“Well, not on him. We have scaffolding set up over him to reach the inside of the tree. You have to travel down the inside into the roots.”

“Huh.” Ceara pondered a moment.

“If it saves us time.” Malyck stated. “We should get started.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Nafiona could smell the sea as they neared the end of the jungle path. She looked up the makeshift archway forged of twisted vines producing a nightmarish gateway to the beach ahead.

“Seems rather ominous, don’t you think?” she asked her subordinate.

“It’s as if someone is welcoming us.” Ordhram replied to her.

“Perhaps the dragon was anticipating our little journey to find the prize.” She laughed. “But still, we cannot let our guard down. We are deep in the dragon’s domain here.”

“I’m surprised we haven’t run into more of the mordrem here after our episode in the ruins.”

“I’m sure our dear Pact has been busy exterminating them. They do seem to like to kill dragons and their minions, don’t they?”

“Indeed, m’lady.”

“They even killed their own Marshal. Poor Trahearne. Fallen to the dragon.” She mused.

The path emptied out to a beach at the edge of the sea. Nafiona looked out over the water. Small waves crashed against the shore, provoking a feeling of calmness, a stark contradiction to the vine covered chaos of the jungle. Nafiona breathed the salty air.

“Strange is it not? Such peacefulness here in the jungle dragon’s world. Listen to the silence.” She spoke to her courtiers. “But let’s not waste time. We need to find out where the seed is. Oonagh, Sila. Port up to those ridges and see if you can find our path from here.

“Yes, m’lady.” The mesmers said in unison, bowing to Nafiona. They both teleported away, each to a ridge above the beach. It was only moments before they both returned.

“Back already?” Nafiona asking, somewhat shocked.

“M’lady. We believe we have found where our quarry lies.”

“Oh!?” Nafiona’s eyes widened. “Where is it?”

One of the mesmers opened a portal and stepped through. Nafiona followed. She appeared on a ridge. “There, m’lady.”

Nafiona stood in silence as she gazed into the distance, staring at the cloud of energy that swirled around the remains of the gigantic tree in the distance. She smiled widely. “Our prize is there!” she laughed. “Come! We must be off!” The mesmer ported them back to the beach.

“Our prize is near!” Nafiona announced to the group, pointing to the east, motioning for them to start travelling. “Soon, the world will be within our grasp.” She snarled to herself.

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The trio followed the pact member as they climbed the scaffolding around the fallen dragon. At the top was a bridge that allowed them to cross over into the inside of the enormous tree. They peered over the edge, viewing the hollow trunk that housed a spire twisted into the shape of a thorned helix. On the far side they could see a small pact camp set up on a ledge.

“What’s over there?” Liathlas asked inquisitively.

“There? Just a small priory set up. That’s where that leader of the Nightmare Court was killed.”

“Faolain?” Liathlas inquired.

“Yep. She apparently had turned into some kind of monster and attacked the Commander.” They reached the top of the helix. “Well, to reach the roots-“

“We travel down this spire.” Ceara finished the sentence as she looked into the murky depths below.

“Indeed. Good journey and be careful.” The member said to them.

“This…this is unsettling.” Liathlas said.

“No kidding.” Ceara replied. “I don’t like being here.”

“Oh, well…yes, but I was talking at how this thing is swaying. I feel as if it could collapse at any moment.” The proceeding to make their way down the slowly rotating spiral.

“This is almost dizzying.” Malyck fretted as they descended. Nearing the bottom, they came across another small pact camp that was sparcely populated. As they reached the roots of the great tree, the ambient light dimmed, and the air cooled considerably. Ceara instinctively reached for her small lamp in her satchel, only to remember she didn’t have it.

“Thorns.” She muttered.

“Is everything ok?” Liathlas asked.

“It’s a pain not having any of my gear. If I ever find out who took it, they’re dead. No questions asked.” They entered the caves beneath the roots. Torches were lit along the walls as opened crates were stacked in the corridors.

“Seems the priory is busy down here as well.” Ceara mentioned.

“Do they research everything they find?” Malyck asked.

“The inquisitive mind is a great asset…but sometimes, it could be very detrimental to oneself.” Ceara said solemnly.

“What’s over there?” Liathlas asked, pointing down another corridor that led to a well-lit area. “It seems open to the sky.”

“Let’s check it.” Ceara nodded. The group entered into the opening. Looking to the sky, they could see the swirling cloud of ley energy far above. A few priory crates lay stacked along the wall. The pathway was short as they reached a deadend. Ceara noted large burn marks along the walls and ground, centering on a focal point in front of them. A wave of sadness passed over her for she knew what happened here.

“Something exploded here.” Malyck said as he ran his fingers over a section of burned vine.

“Not something…” Ceara looked at the epicenter of the blast. She swallowed as she breathed deep. “Someone.”

“What do you mean?” Liathlas asked. Ceara knelt, slowly placing her hand on the remains of a vine.

“Trahearne.”

“You mean…this is…” Liathlas gasped as she covered her mouth with her hand, her heart in her throat. A tear formed in her eye and slowly ran down her face.

“My friend.” Malyck whispered as he knelt to the ground.

“I’m so sorry.” Ceara whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. “It shouldn’t have been this way.” Ceara thought back to the scholar she had met in her days as a sapling. While she thought his study of Orr was ridiculous, she admired his dedication to learning, to the art of studying. She remembered receiving a letter from him congratulating her for being admitted to the colleges of Rata Sum. “You cared. Even though I did not, yet you still showed compassion.” She spoke softly.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“It seems our only path forward is through that cave in the ridge.” Nafiona told her courtiers. She turned and looked at the rock wall in front of them.

“What about the dolyaks, m’lady. I don’t think they will be able to travel through there.” One of the courtiers asked.

“Pull what supplies you need from them.” The courtiers grabbed supplies from the pack creatures. Nafiona drew her dagger and moved it in front of her. The dolyaks let out a cry as they both dropped lifelessly to the ground.

“Problem solved” she spoke.

“You’ve been awfully quiet, Caelan.” One of the mesmers asked him. “Something troubling you?”

“Sila, when we were at the ruins. One of the mordrem. I knew who it was.”

“Oh?”

“It was Talmai. We met each other in the dream. After we were born, we agreed to become scholars together.”

“That sounds quite boring.” She refuted. “I think you chose the better path, Caelan.”

He glanced over at her for a moment before looking back towards the cave. “Maybe.”

“Are you questioning Nightmare?” She looked at him with a piercing gaze.

“No…no I’m not.” He stammered.

Sila looked at him, her eyes narrowed. “Caelan, did you truly choose nightmare over the dreamers?”

Caelan returned her look. “I made my choice. “

She slowly smiled. “Oh, you’re so serious, Caelan!” She laughed. He was taken aback by her sudden outburst.

“Well…yeah…” he forced a laugh.

“Just think, Caelan!” she put her hand on his shoulder. “All this! This will be ours! And over there!? That’s where I’m going to build a home! Overlooking the sea!”

“That…that sounds nice, Sila. But why here in the jungle?”

“Because this is a source of magic. Right there!” she pointed to the swirling cloud above them.

“Isn’t that dangerous?” He questioned.

“Not at all. I’ll be able to harness part of that and use it to better my skills.” She clenched her fist in front of her and looked at him with a playfully sinister smile.

He smiled and laughed a little bit at her silliness.

[highordinal]

When a Man Dies, It All but Fades to Black

“Give me the scythe.”

Kayn raised a brow as Jarvan stepped forward, the emperor’s arm extended outward. Although he didn’t feel threatened, he simply rolled his eyes; what a ludicrous request from the other. Now where had he heard this line before? Ah, yes, with Nakuri when his mind was clouded by Rhaast’s false promises. With the Syndicate that were lured in by the entity’s calls.

He had heard this all before but for someone so pure of heart, someone who cared not for the domination of the galaxy, someone like Jarvan, to demand this wretched steel from him… He must admit, he was taken aback. It was concerning and it left the Ordinal a little miffed. Had Rhaast been gossiping behind his back? Fraternizing with those around him and feeding them lies? It was impossible, with how loud and brash the dark star was, Kayn would have heard it.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, your majesty.” The Ordinal finally stated with a slight upturn of his lips; his voice shrouded in its usual sarcastic tone.

Rhaast screamed in the back of his mind, threatening him with a fate worse than death if he relinquished him to the emperor. Ah, so the demon wasn’t playing his usual tricks then? So then why was Jarvan so intent on obtaining the scythe? So many possibilities to ponder, but not enough time to narrow down any suspicions. As much as he respected his emperor, there was no way his naïve mind would have picked up on his little escapades throughout the galaxy. His tracks were covered flawlessly, those who dared to spill his secret were dealt with swiftly. He had put precautionary measures in place after every step he took, always making sure he had an alibi or a plan B.

“Kayn.” Jarvan’s tone became darker. “I will not ask again. Give me the scythe.”

Hm? Oh, right, his emperor was demanding something from him. With a dramatic sigh the Ordinal placed his hands on his hips, glancing off to the side. “As much as I would love to indulge your request, my emperor, I’m afraid I simply cannot deliver.”

The brunette’s frown deepened, azure eyes narrowing at his subordinates' defiance. He huffed before taking his polearm and slamming its end onto the metallic floors. A loud clang resonated through the room, afterwards the doors to the chamber were pushed open and a line of soldiers streamed in, cutting off any means of escape. After them a familiar, colorful crew stepped into the chamber, causing a momentary look of shock across the soldier's features.

A smile spread onto the Ordinal’s face, a curt laugh he couldn’t control passing his lips as he turned to look over his shoulder. “You called my own men on me?” He acknowledged in disbelief, golden irises trailing back towards the royal. “And you even sought aid from Demaxia’s wanted fugitives?”

“You left me with little choice.” Jarvan answered, earning a scoff from his friend. “This hurts me more than you would know, Shieda-”

“Oh?” The soldier cut in, turning to gaze at each of his men, “You call me in here under the false pretenses of friendship, demand I hand over my weapons, and then you cage me like a deranged beast using my own soldiers? Oh Jarvan,” He sounded amused, “You truly know how to break a man’s heart.”

“Enough!” The emperor shouted. “You have abused my trust for years, and it all started with that damned scythe. If you do not wish to lose your station, and by extension your reputation, you will hand over that weapon.”

“Reputation.” Shieda echoed, “As if something like that matters to me anymore. I’ve sacrificed everything I’ve worked toward to keep this weapon out of the hands of those that would use it for evil, and frankly I think I’m doing a rather swell job-”

“You think killing innocent people and harvesting their Ora is a swell job!?” Jarvan finally snapped, taking several steps forward. “You have done nothing but commit heinous deeds behind my back, hiding behind the excuse that it was in the name of the royal family! I never permitted such deeds and yet- yet you hid behind my name and tarnished Demaxia’s image!”

The Ordinal twitched, anger swelling in his chest. “Nothing? You say I’ve done nothing? While you sat there looking all pretty on your golden throne I was the only one scouring the galaxy doing your bidding! I conquered for you, negotiated for you, killed for you, and you say I’ve done nothing!?” His throat was hoarse with raw emotion, his shouts straining his vocal cords as he seethed in anger. “That blood is on my hands, not yours.”

“No.” Jarvan hissed through clenched teeth, “You wanted domination. I wanted peace. I’ve had enough of this- guards! Reprimand Ordinal Kayn and strip him of his weapons.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, boys. You know full well what I am capable of.” He laughed wickedly as they stalked towards him, “You’re no match for the one who trained you.”

Kayn watched as they continued to advance forward, their weapons drawn, beginning to circle him as if he were an animal. And perhaps they were right. A primal urge to kill awakened within, one hand reaching up to draw the scythe sitting snugly against his back. Rhaast hungered for rendered flesh, something the ordinal was all too willing to provide.

“Oh, Rhaast.” He sang sweetly, “It’s time to play.”

“Yeeeess…”

A low rumbling shook the room; frantic eyes darting around the space in confusion and fear. Jarvan yelled over the commotion and readied his weapon, quickly closing the gap between himself and the Ordinal. There was no use in hiding Rhaast’s sentience now, and so he decided to embrace it.

Hearing the clanking of armor behind him, Kayn dropped low just in time to dodge the emperor's spear. He deftly kicked the royal’s feet from under him, watching as the bigger man stumbled to the floor, barely able to catch himself. As the soldiers began closing in all around, the Ordinal jumped back to his feet and raised Rhaast, swinging the neon blade in a wide arc. Those who blocked the attack were pushed back, those who didn’t had a nice new gash across their chest.

It was at this time that he noticed the crew of the Morningstar begin to act, Captain Yasuo unsheathing his blade, the crazy girl pulling out a plethora of guns. He sneered at them before turning his attention back to the fight.

One by one they got up and charged him again, only to be knocked back down into pools of their own blood. A few of them managed to get a few lucky hits in on the Ordinal, but those were nothing but minor scratches that healed up instantaneously due to the Ora running through his veins. He ducked under steel, weaving his way through the men with a grace so deadly they dropped like flies.

As he regained his footing he felt a presence appear beside him, a white blur rushing past. Thinned steel was brought down upon him, giving him mere seconds to react. After dodging the slash, flittering gold locked with the Captain’s hazel irises.

“Lookin’ a little tired there, Ordinal. Might wanna throw in the towel before it's too late.”

Annoyance bubbled within the Ordinal and the Captain smirked, unleashing a flurry of blows before Shieda could put some distance between them. He managed to deflect most of the attacks, however, a well placed strike caught him off guard and he staggered back.

“RAAAAH!”

Kayn’s head shot towards the thundering stomps as Malphite dashed toward him. He cursed under his breath, diving out of the alien’s path. Before he could recover the barrel of a gun was shoved in his face. Looking up he saw the crazy girl tightening her grip around the pistol, an apologetic looking grin on her face as she pulled the trigger.

The Ordinal swiftly evaded the shot, shooting his hand up to grab her wrist. With a tug and a twist she grunted in pain, the gun falling from her fingers. Using his weight he yanked her down, jumping up and spinning around to drive the butt of the scythe hard between her shoulder blades.

“Oh just kill her already!”

Kayn raised Rhaast and readied to strike the ginger and end her pathetic existence.

Seeing his crewmate’s peril, Yasuo maneuvered himself toward the Ordinal and set forth a wall of cyan energy, forcing the man to back off. Kayn ended up being pushed back into a precarious position, yet again surrounded on all sides. He was feeling sluggish, exhaustion starting to lock his limbs into place. He panted heavily, blood and Ora spattered across his uniform. His hair had been cut loose and hung disheveled over his face.

He waited until the foot soldiers pounced before emitting an animalistic snarl and hoisted Rhaast, heavy in his hands, up and tore through his former compatriots. Rhaast reveled in the bloodshed, and for a time Kayn did too, that is, until he saw the faces of his more recognizable men staring in disbelief as their own Ordinal raised his hand against them.

He shook his head, he shouldn’t be thinking of this now, they decided to get in his way so they are to face the consequences. And yet his memories of his time with these soldiers flooded his mind. Images of his senior disciples goofing around during training, taunting their master as they sparred, enjoying the merriment of bonded brothers.

The thought made him hesitate.

Rhaast noticed immediately, “What are you doing, fool!?”

But it was too late, Kayn felt a ripping sensation in his side as Jarvan drove his spear into his flesh. The Ordinal shrieked in pain, twisting partly around and jamming the butt of the scythe against the other’s clavicle. A delightful crunch emitted after it impacted the royal’s body, yet the other stood firm, instead gritting his teeth and leaning all his weight on the Ordinal, driving the spear further in.

“N-No!” He gasped, the searing throb caused one of Kayn’s arms to lose its grip on Rhaast, the weapon clanging against the tile as his now emptied hand came up to try and push Jarvan's off.

Captain Yasuo had strode forward and plunged his blade through the Ordinal’s thigh, rooting him in place, another soldier piercing his other calf. Golden speckled sanguine spilled from his mouth as he watched the soldiers take advantage of this moment of vulnerability. One sprinted forward and slammed his boot against Kayn’s hand, breaking some fingers and knocking Rhaast completely to the floor before they all forced him onto his knees. The others surrounded him, guns aimed directly at his head.

The dark star howled in fury, reverberating on the cold tile as Malphite callously swatted him away from the Ordinal's reach.

Kayn thrashed around as much as he could but the steel only cut further into his skin, drawing more blood which drained his energy further. He was starting to become lightheaded, his breathing becoming ragged and labored, lungs struggling for purchase from the pain.

“Let me go! I’m not done- I’m not-” Fear overtook him as he continued to strain against the emperor's hold, Ora streaming from his eyes and down his cheeks.

“Shieda.” Jarvan pleaded against his ear, “It’s over. It can’t control you anymore-”

“Unhand me! Only I can handle the power that thing wields-!” Kayn protested, his voice shaky as he choked back reddened sobs.

“That thing has killed many of our own and has brainwashed you!”

“No!” Kayn screeched, “With the voice of Ora we can become unstoppable! Finally the Empire will have the strength to carry out what it’s always dreamed of-”

“Listen to yourself Shieda!” Jarvan cut him off, desperation evident in his tone, “It has blinded you with delusions of grandeur- the Empire doesn't need that power, you don’t need that power.”

The emperor freed one of his arms and slowly wrapped it around his old friend, pulling Kayn’s back flush against his chest. “Please… It’s over…”

When a man dies, it all but fades to black. But when someone like him succumbs to fate, why does he see gold? It’s dull, unimpressive and looks worthless, but it’s gold none the less. The excess Ora pulsating through his veins- he watches as it trickles down his skin from open wounds. All that hard work was wasting away, all those souls he’d collected scattering back to the earth. Rhaast had even gone quiet, stewing in his own frustration for having entrusted his life to such a feeble mortal.

“Why did you stop me?” He asks, voice low and raspy. He began to shake, the Ora withdrawing from his system so quickly he body couldn’t keep up. He leaned his head back against Jarvan’s shoulder, lolling his head slightly to look into his eyes. His injuries were numb, head dizzy and vision unfocused. “I finally had the strength to give you everything.”

“Shieda…” The royal’s face twisted in pain, “The day you became Ordinal and stood at my side- that was when I realized I did not need anything more.”

Kayn’s body went slack at his words. The soldiers backed off and watched as their emperor cradled their Ordinal in his arms, slowly removing the spear protruding through his flesh.

“You will live, Shieda,” Jarvan demanded, “We will destroy that scythe and you will live. We will make the Empire prosper through our own means, not that of monsters.”

Live. Prosper. No, not any longer. He had thrown all that away in the pursuit of power, and now he lays incapacitated before his men who have lost all respect for him. Everything he had worked for, his station, his pride, gone in the blink of an eye. It was a risk he took and it backfired. Surely Rhaast blamed him for being unable to fulfill his side of the deal, and surely his emperor held some resentment for his actions. His plans were put to a stop before they ever truly began- how humiliating.

“Live.” The word tasted bitter on his tongue, “And what could I possibly live for now?” His words were hollow, devoid of fire.

Jarvan stayed silent for a moment, hands pressing hard against the gaping wounds in the other’s side. “We will find a reason together, but for now, live for me.”

All the Ordinal could do was scoff before his vision became spotty and he was forced to shut his eyes. The sounds of shuffling feet filled the room as soldiers filtered in and out, medics being called and special units moving to carefully collect the cosmic weapon. At some point he was removed from the emperor's warmth and onto a stretcher, but his body shut down before he could comprehend any more.

His vision faded to black, but it was not the reaper he saw on the other end. No, He was still so stubbornly alive, denied the sweet release of death and forced to live among his sins. He didn’t want that, and yet when an angel bathed in light extended their hand towards him, he foolishly took it.

When their hands touched, his eyes fluttered open and he was greeted by a blindingly white room. He felt a hand clasped over his own, a welcomed warmth contrasting heavily from the plethora of frigid needles piercing his skin, syphoning out the extra Ora in his body.

A muffled voice spoke beside him, although he was unsure if it was addressing him or not. Blurry shapes passed his view, coming closer for a moment before disappearing again. As his eyes adjusted to the light, a figure came into his line of sight, Jarvan, who sat loyally at his bedside with a gentle smile.

“Shieda.” The other said his name so sweetly, so full of relief that his heart throbbed, “Good morning.”

The Ordinal exhaled slowly, careful not to aggravate any of his wounds and reached a bandaged hand up before resting it against Jarvan’s cheek. No more words were said, just tired eyes coming to a silent understanding. He might never be granted the title of Ordinal ever again, but knowing Jarvan's generosity he still may be permitted to advise on the sidelines. Even so, he wouldn’t be permitted to do that so soon.

It would take time to heal, and probably months of therapy and reflection, but it would happen. Slowly but surely it would happen, and as his emperor demanded, he would live. No matter how much he struggled and protested, he would live.

[megamanxfanfics]

S.IV - Ep. 1: The Sky Lagoon Incident

Written by Metal Man X

—————————————————————————-

INT. BERKANA LABS – Recycling Research Division – DAY

—————————————————————————-

-fade in-

Caption: June 1, 21XX – The Day of the Erasure Incident

Gate looks at a computer monitor completely awestruck.  He stands with Metal Shark and his colleagues STEVE, TOM, JAMES and NIGEL, who all have their arms folded.

GATE: This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen at all!!

Metal Shark raises his hands, apologetically.

METAL SHARK: I’m sorry guys.  I was just following orders.

TOM: She ordered you to Kill!??

NIGEL: ALL THIS TIME we’ve been experimenting with the DNA of retired Mavericks!  You never said that we were bringing them back to life.

JAMES: YEAH! And what about those poor reploids, who just got their Souls ripped out of them!?  How’re we gonna get them back??  I want answers.  

METAL SHARK: There is no getting them back..  Their souls will assume the new identities of their hosts.  This is what Berkana wanted.  There’s nothing more that I can do.

Nigel slams his fist against a nearby table.

NIGEL: THAT’S UNACCEPTABLE!!!

STEVE: YEAH!!  I don’t care WHAT the Woman upstairs told you.  We have to make this right.

METAL SHARK: There is no making it right…  It simply is.

JAMES: Damn it, Shark.  DNA Resurrection is ILLEGAL!  Do you have any idea, how much SHIT we’re gonna be in for this.

METAL SHARK: I don’t care…  

ALL: Well WE do!!

-Flash-

NIGEL: …Whatever we do, we bury this.  Here and now…

STEVE: That’s right!  No more DNA Resurrection.

JAMES: No more Soul Erasures…  

TOM: And no more Sharks on the Team.

GATE: (nervous) Uh, guys…?

Suddenly, they all smother Metal Shark in the corner of the room, and they attempt to give him a beat down.

GATE: Stop it!  Leave him alone!!

Gate runs over to the pile-up and pulls Tom off from the top.  He punches him in the face.

METAL SHARK: /RAAAAH!!

Metal Shark easily overpowers all the Researchers. They all fall to the ground when he forces himself up with two heavy fists in the air.

He pulls out a Metal Anchor from his arm.

METAL SHARK: You want some?  Come get some!!

GATE: Sharky, no!!

Metal Shark dives after the researchers, and swims across the tile floor, as if it were water.  His vicious teeth make all of them bleed.

NIGEL: Aghh, noo…

Nigel reaches for a com-link from their console on the ground with a bloody hand.

NIGEL: Weapons Testing, we need you here now.  It’s an emergency.  Bring everything you have.

METAL SHARK: HRAH!!

Suddenly, an anchor smashes against Nigel’s head and shatters half of his face into a bunch of tiny pieces.

-Flash-

GATE: Metal Shark, stop!  Please! STOP!!

Metal Shark continues to pummel everyone in the room, save for his creator, who stares at the horrific scene in shock.

Finally, Infinity Flea and his crew of weapons testers arrives.

INFINITY FLEA: What the Hell is going on here?

GATE: It’s Metal Shark.  He’s gone berserk!!

-Flash-

Infinity Flea creates 4 copies of himself, and has them surround Metal Shark, floating by Gate’s side.  They all fire their weapons, which stun Metal Shark, forcing him to take a few steps back.

INFINITY FLEA: Now guys!!

One tester aims a large gun and fires lava plasma at him.

-Flash-

Another Tester fires an Ice Cannon at the other half of Metal Shark’s body.  Metal Shark instantly freezes and falls to the ground.  When the ice shatters, what’s left of his body is shaking and sizzling out.

-Flash-

Two more Testers walk over to Metal Shark as they fire their acid pistols.  These weapons truly affect Metal Shark as his insides seem to melt away completely and rupture his core.

-Flash-

METAL SHARK: I… didn’t… do anything… wrong…!  Gyaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!

Metal Shark explodes as Gate frowns with an annoyed scowl.

He walks away from the Testers and stares at his monitor.

GATE: This wasn’t how it was supposed to be…  I wanted to change lives, for the better!!  I wanted to… to reunite Reploids with their Dead Kin.  But this!??  This is just a Horror Show!

INFINITY FLEA: You’re welcome, by the way.

GATE: Hmph…

-fade to white-

Over the white screen, a voice is heard.

MAGMA DRAGOON: (o.s) So… this is how it’s gonna go.  

-fade in-

—————————————————————————-

INT. SOUTH EASTERN KENYA - Illegal Warehouse – DAY

—————————————————————————-

Caption: November 5th, 21XX – TODAY

Inside a warehouse full of crates storing numerous weapons and ammunition, Magma Dragoon sits down with Burn Dino-Rex, who is tied to a crate.

MAGMA DRAGOON: You and me are gonna be good friends from now on.  Is that understood?

With a muzzle over his mouth, Burn Dino-Rex turns away and grunts in defeat.  He’s been found out and captured.  He had no choice but to cooperate.

MAGMA DRAGOON: Because I know all your secrets.  And at the press of a button, your entire operation is shot!  With just one phone call, all of this could be gone.  And we don’t want that, right??

He smiles, wickedly as Burn Dino-Rex slowly nods.

MAGMA DRAGOON: So this is what I was thinking.  ..In exchange for keeping your illegal weapons trade a secret…  I’m gonna join your little Repliforce.  And the Maverick Hunters won’t even need to know about it!  It’ll be our little secret.  They won’t know any of your business..  And you’ll know nothing, but our business.  So really, you only end up benefitting from this juncture.

Burn Dino-Rex widens his eyes in shock as he stares at Magma Dragoon with awe.  This was his best chance out.  He had to take it.

MAGMA DRAGOON: Do we have a deal?

Burn Dino-Rex eagerly shakes his head.  And through his muzzle he is able to utter the word.

BURN DINO-REX: …Deeeeeal…

[Insert Title Card – The Sky Lagoon Incident]

MAGMA DRAGOON: (smiling) Good.  That’s what I thought.

He undoes his muzzle and unties the containment bond wrapped around the whole crate behind Dino-Rex.

Once free, Burn Dino-Rex slowly rises to his feet and looks down at Magma Dragoon, a head taller than him.

BURN DINO-REX: Hmph…  I just have one question.  …Why?

MAGMA DRAGOON: I’ve had a… change of heart since coming here.  This whole secret op could be really useful to me.  So I decided that I want in.

BURN DINO-REX: Hmph… Fine.  I have no choice, I guess.  And the façade of cooperation would be really good for PR…  So let’s go.  This is a good move.

MAGMA DRAGOON: Great!  I’m so glad you see things my way!!

BURN DINO-REX: We’ll get you registered into the Repliforce today.

-pan to-

—————————————————————————-

INT. BIO LAB – NIGHT

—————————————————————————-

Sigma watches Dragoon’s progress through the Bio Laboratory monitor, pleased as he smiles through his black hooded cloak with folded arms.  Nearby, his lab partner Isoc is working on a large Mechaniloid with Split Mushroom.

SIGMA: Hahahaha.  Excellent.  It looks like everything is starting to work in my favor once again.

Isoc stops what he is doing and turns to him with an evil grin.

ISOC: Yeeees my lord.  And once our latest creations are finished, I dare say we’ll have a good foot to stand on once we do capture the Repliforce into our grasp!

SIGMA: Hahahahaha.  The best part about it is that once Dragoon does my bidding, we won’t have to do anything!  The incited Repliforce will act of their own accord and do all our work for us!!!

ISOC: Hehehe. Yeees!  I love it.

He turns back to his work, where we see a large dragon-themed mechaniloid near completion.   Isoc and his lab assistant, Split Mushroom continue to use their spark guns to meld the armored plating together.

-fade to-

—————————————————————————-

EXT.  SKY LAGOON - NIGHT

—————————————————————————-

Caption:  November 15th, 21XX

Pan to a beautiful night view of an elegant city in the sky.

NARRATOR: (v.o) The Sky Lagoon - the Reploid Research Foundation’s greatest achievement.  It is an aerial colony where only the most dignified Humans and Reploids live to conduct their work.  Scientists, Scholars, Doctors, Lawyers, Professors, Stock Market Analysts and top Business Associates the world over live there.  It is what makes our Modern Economy thrive.   And unbeknownst to them, their entire Community is about to be shattered.

Magma Dragoon teleports in with a large team of Repliforce soldiers known as Knot Berets.  They carry their pistols and run in with extreme force.

MAGMA DRAGOON: (ordering, furious) Go, men!  There is a dangerous terrorist somewhere in the city, and we have to find him!!!

He runs with a slight grin as he hears the roar of large dragon mechaniloid, thrashing about from the distance.

The Knot Berets gasp as Magma Dragoon points in the direction.

MAGMA DRAGOON: (gasping) There’s the culprit!! Go after him and take him out before he does any more damage!!

KNOT BERETS: Yes Sir!!

His new team, diligently does as he commands.

MAGMA DRAGOON: (v.o, thinking) Hmhmhm..  Perfect.  With them out of the way, now I can look for this city’s generator.  Heh.  That should get the Maverick Hunters’ attention…

-cut to-

—————————————————————————-

MAVERICK HUNTER BASE – Control Room - NIGHT

—————————————————————————-

X stands by Captain, who is at his center console when an incoming message comes from their HQ Tracker.

COMPUTER: Mavericks have been found at point 5567!  The Mavericks occupied the Sky Lagoon using the most advanced weapons available!  The army appears to be the Repliforce.

X is taken aback at the news, but does not hesitate to respond.

X: Roger that. I’m on my way now!

X runs over to the teleporter as Captain calls out to him.

CAPTAIN: Damn it! I can’t get a visual on the threat.  Should I send in the rest of the Elite?

X:

No.  Keep them on standby. There’s no time to waste!

X teleports out of the room.

-cut to-

—————————————————————————-

INT.  SKY LAGOON – Breaking City – NIGHT

—————————————————————————-

X teleports into the scene and is awestruck by the damage done to the area already.

X: (v.o, thinking) Whoa…  This is horrible!!

He looks at the huge chunks of broken glass from the large tunnel he is standing on.  Below and around him, the city still seems to be thriving, but it is unsure as to how long that will be the case before further damage is inflicted.

From a short distance, a Knot Beret spots X and com-links to Magma Dragoon.

KNOT BERET: Sir!  Maverick Hunter X has teleported into the area.

MAGMA DRAGOON: (o.s, filtered, gasping) Don’t be fooled.  He is the enemy.

KNOT BERET: Huh??

MAGMA DRAGOON: (o.s, filtered, dark, forceful) Why do you think I switched sides!?  ATTACK FOOLS.  ATTACK!!!

KNOT BERET: (nervous, excited) Haaaaaw. Yes, sir!

Pan back to X, who retracts his hand into his buster after a swarm of flying Tonboroid mechaniloids fly past him.  He has never seen dragonfly mechaniloids like these before, and the sight of them is unsettling.

He fires a fully charged X-Buster at a portion of the swarm as the rest continue to fly past him and away from the area.

X: Huh!?  Damn it.

X refocuses his attention on a Spike Marl mechaniloid, which hides itself into a protective shell, which rests on both shoulders.  Once in a balled-up form, the Spike Marl protrudes spikes from it’s red-spotted shell.  Then it rolls after X, who jumps over it with an annoyed scowl and quickly charges up.  When the Spike Marl opens up it’s shell, X blasts it to death with a level 2 charge shot and runs on.

He spots two more Spike Marls walking ahead and decides to quickly shoot them down with level 1 pellets, before they can attempt their guarded spike attack.

They each explode as a Tonboroid tries to go after X, who simply punches it and grabs it down with a slam to the ground.

Pan to the Knot Beret, who engages X with fear.  Holding his grenade out, he prepares to throw it at X.

KNOT BERET: (v.o, thinking) Oh man.  Whatever he’s doing here, he really means business!

He throws the grenade, which catches X in the chest with a small explosion.

X: (hurt, annoyed) Ah!  So it’s true!!

X immediately blasts him to death with a charge shot.

Just behind him, another Knot Beret pulls out his gun and engages with X.

KNOT BERET: Hey!! /gyah!!!

X blasts him down with multiple level one shots and a /level 2 shot through the heart piece.

X dashes and runs ahead to a broken piece of the glass tunnel, where a large green Dragon Mechaniloid known as Eregion can be seen, closing in from his left.

X: (wide-eyed) What the!?

EREGION: RRAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!

Eregion comes after X with a huge claw out and breaks the wall before him.

X: Oh man!!

X charges up and takes aim at the beast.

It smashes down a large claw as X dashes out of the way and blasts his hand, inflicting heavy damage.

Eregion swats at X again, but he dashes away and fires at the half-closed wall ahead of him, so as to flee further away before engaging once again.

From a short distance, X turns around and fires pellets at the beast, which seem to be completely ineffective.

X: Damn.  /Agh!

He charges up once again and fires at it, upon it’s next slash.  It quickly /catches him in the side as he dashes away.

With another charge, X turns his torso while fleeing, and takes another shot at Eregion.  This one landed in the chest, and seemed to affect it much more.

With outward electrical currents, fizzling out of his joints, Eregion takes a deep breath and fires a blue flame attack from it’s mouth.  At heavily damages the tunnel floor as X runs away toward the next half-closed gate.  He shoots it down and spots a final closed gate ahead of him.

With narrow, determined eyes, X charges up, gets to the last gate, turns around and waits for the dragon to come after him.  He focuses on it’s movements and takes a good shot at the dragon’s head.

EREGION: GRAAAAHHHH!!!!!

The dragon is knocked back as it lightly explodes and flies away.

X watches it fly away with wide eyes as he wonders.

X: Did I get it???

Then he turns to the closed gate.

X: Hmph.  I’d better question the Repliforce as to what they’re doing here…

Open blasting through the closed gate, X runs a short distance before the tunnel opens up into a Central Terminal.

-pan to-

—————————————————————————-

INT. SKY LAGOON – Central Terminal – NIGHT

—————————————————————————-

X stops short at the sight of an armored bulldozer, modified to have spikes in front of it’s large scooping shovel.

X: What the!?

????: Can you stop the might of the Mad Bull!??

X: Mad Bull, huh?  (charging up)  I think I’m up to the challenge.  /HAH!  //YAH!!!

At the first dash X fires a /Charge Shot, blowing off the entire spiked scooper.  At the 2nd dash, X uses a quick level 2 shot and rapid pellets to finish off the remainder of the Mad Bull Mechaniloid.

X dashes ahead as the corridor to the Terminal leads X on a downward slope.  Three Repliforce Knot Beret Bombers wait for X and throw their grenades at him without hesitation.

Annoyed, X immediately retaliates with quick rapid fire to all of the traitors.

X: What the Hell is this!?  Why are you doing this?

They each explode before he can get an answer.  He is too powerful for them.

As he reaches the end of the corridor, another Mad Bull mechaniloid rolls it’s tank treads after him.  X blasts it to death and spots three more Repliforce Knot Berets standing behind him.

X: (serious, upset) Hey guys!  What gives??

Just then, another swarm of Tonboroid Mechaniloids fly past them as a huge explosion emits in the Terminal walls around them.

KNOT BERET 1: (suspicious) Hmph.  We could ask you the same thing.

KNOT BERET 2: Get him!!

KNOT BERET 3: Yeah!!!!

They all prepare their weapons as X quickly takes them down with a Charge Shot.

X’s eyes widen in shock.

X: (v.o thinking) What the Hell is wrong with them!?  And what is that-

X enters the gateway before him only to see Magma Dragoon of the 14th Unit standing before an exploding Power Generator.

X: (shocked, confused) Dragoon!  What the Hell is going on here??

MAGMA DRAGOON: This isn’t good, X!  That Maverick just destroyed the power reactor!

X: What?!  Then the Sky Lagoon will… come crashing into the ground!

MAGMA DRAGOON: It’s too late, X!  It’s time I made my escape.  I suggest you do the same…  Don’t do anything reckless on the way out, okay?

With that, he teleports out as the explosions in the room only become more violent.

X: (shocked, scared, nervous) The city below will soon become a sea of flames.  Many people will perish…  I have no choice but to escape from here and head to the city below!

The explosions become more wild and rampant as X teleports out of the Sky Lagoon.

-fade to white-

—————————————————————————-

INT.  MAVERICK HUNTER BASE – R & D Lab – NIGHT

—————————————————————————-

- fade in-

In Doctor Cain’s former Research and Development Lab, Zero sleeps in a pod, tired from another day’s work.

Pan down from the rafters as we zoom in on Zero inside his pod.

Light shines in and glares against his pod causing him to wake up.

ZERO: Huh?

The surrounding white light is blinding the entirety of the room as Zero opens his pod and immediately sits up, curious and interested at the silhouette before him.

He has seen this old man standing before him, but he cannot place where, or how.  The Scientist in the shadows looks at him with his hands in his pockets, as his distinct hair waves in the wind.

????: Zero…

ZERO: Who are you?

Pan back to the old man.  His baldhead only allows for his long hair to stick out at the sides, making him look like rather ominous, and mad for that matter.

????: (admiring) My masterpiece...

ZERO: (nervous, shaken) Wha..? Who are you?

Frozen at his mere presence, Zero is fixated on the scientist.  He needs an answer!

????: After him! He is my nemesis. Our rivalry is what gives me motivation in life.

His pronounced moustache utters more nebulous words, which only serve to taunt Zero further.  He gets up from his pod and stands before the Scientist, a mere few feet away.  The blinding light in the background.

????: Now go! Destroy him! That's an order/.

The blinding light behind the scientist’s shadow only makes him seem more iconic.  God-like even, to Zero.    At the dash, /all of the white light fades away leaving Zero confused and curious, back at the Lab.

ZERO: Huh... ? Wait!

A sharp ringing sound is heard, which causes Zero to fall to his knees and scream, in pain. He flashes back to a more detailed view of the old scientist, Dr. Wily in a very familiar lab. Then he hears and sees Sigma v1 scream in a room full of destroyed Reploids.  He shivers as he recognizes them as the original Gamma Unit that he was responsible for obliterating.  Then, he sees his own blueprints and an image of blood covering his hands.

At last he wakes up to an alarm.

CAPTAIN: (ongoing, continuous announcement) Emergency, Emergency! All Maverick Hunters on call should assemble immediately!

He sits up in his pod with closed eyes as he takes a deep breath and places a hand on his helmet.

ZERO: The same dream... again...

Zero runs out of the room to assemble as he has been ordered.

Zero takes a look at his gauntlet and opens up a holographic briefing dossier from Captain.  It reads:

           “Mavericks emerged at the point 5567.  They’ve occupied and destroyed Sky Lagoon!  This looks like Repliforce’s doing!”

ZERO: (surprised) Repliforce?  …OK.  I’m on my way.

He does not hesitate for a moment to teleport to the coordinates.

-fade to white-

—————————————————————————-

EXT. POINT 5567 – The Fallen Sky Lagoon – NIGHT

—————————————————————————-

Sounds of flames, ash and smoke erupt as the white screen fades to orange.

We see X standing in awe at the destruction of the city that he failed to save.

X: …Wha?!  The city has been completely destroyed.  

Just then, Zero teleports in.  He gasps at the sight of his best friend.

ZERO: X!

X turns to his partner, incensed as he shakes his head, irate.

X: They were innocent people…  I won’t forget this!

X dashes ahead as Zero looks on.

ZERO: The carnage…  It’s… horrible…  Those Mavericks will pay for this!

Zero dashes right after, following X’s lead.

At a nearby mechanical hill, two trap blast mechaniloids pop out from the rocks and fasten themselves to the terrain in order to fire at Zero and X.

X pulls up his buster as Zero takes out his saber.  X handles the one at the bottom, while Zero jumps and slashes the one at the top.

The two kick-jump up the hill.  As they run down the hill, metallic obstacles form from the debris of the destroyed colony around them.  It is as if the metallic structures were coming alive, almost.

X: Huh?

ZERO: Be careful!

He takes out another trap blast and leads the way with a dash.

The two blast and slash their way through the varying falling boulders amidst their path.  Then they both take out two more trap blasts and kick-jump their way up a larger solid structure of metal.

Upon dash-jumping off,  they spot familiar bee mechaniloids, which they have faced on Laguz Island.  X grimaces as he blasts them to death.

More crazy metallic structures serve as obstacles in their path, either lowering or raising the terrain before them, as X destroys two more waves of bee mechaniloids.

Zero focuses on the trap blasts that they pass, while X angrily dashes through the obstacles.

X dashes ahead only to fall into a large gaping trap, once the terrain below him explodes.

X: Whooaaa!!!

ZERO: eeeeX!!!!

The walls slowly begin to close in.

From a distance, X calls out.

X: I’m okay!  Don’t worry about me.

-pan below to find X just fine.  He fearlessly kick-jumps at the wall ahead of him focusing only on what is above him, not behind him.-

-pan above the closing wall gap-

Zero looks ahead with a slight grimace.

ZERO: Hmph.

He dash jumps safely away from the closing ground, having full faith in X that he will get himself out of the trap.

As Zero runs on he is shocked to find Iris on the ground.  She looks hurt as she turns her head toward him.

He immediately dashes to her.

ZERO: Iris!  What are you doing here?  Are you OK!?

IRIS: Zero…  Did you come to save me?

ZERO: Yes.  Hang on!

IRIS: A huge Maverick appeared and…

ZERO: Stay here Iris.  I’ll handle it!

Zero stands before her with clenched fists as he stares ahead.

ZERO: (v.o, thinking) Is this really one of Repliforce’s?  I don’t have a moment to spare!  I have to defeat him or else…

Just then, X catches up to them.

X: (gasping) Iris!

Zero looks at X with furious eyes.

ZERO: C’mon, X!!

X nods as he looks down at Iris with a frown and then follows Zero’s lead.

Just ahead of them, the Giant Mechaniloid Eregion returns.  He seems to have self-repaired.

ZERO: So, it was you who caused all of this!

X: …I thought I stopped him.  Damn it!  All of this could’ve been avoided.

Zero turns to X with an annoyed glare.  Then with a grimace he slowly takes out his Saber.

ZERO: Well…  Let’s finish the job!!!  Hrrr/AH!!!

Zero jumps and slashes at Eregion across the chest, while X fires a full-charged blast right at his sternum.

EREGION: Grrooooaaaarrrr!!!!!!

The beast takes a step back and swats at Zero.  Then it fires blue flame from it’s mouth once again.

X: Rrgh.  No!!  No more!!!

X charges up again and fires right at his head.

Zero fearlessly jumps up and slashes him three more times along the chest and lower ribs.

The cutting slashes open seams where a lot of electricity fizzles out of the Mechaniloid.

X takes another Charge Shot directly at the chest, which exposes it’s inner core.

Then Zero capitalizes with a swift jumping slash directly at the monster’s core.

EREGION: NGGYAAARRR!!!!!

The Dragon Mechaniloid violently explodes before X and Zero as they both stare it down with stern faces and slowly put their weapons away.

Then, Colonel of the Repliforce teleports into the area.

COLONEL: (perturbed, firm) X and Zero!  Long time no see!

ZERO: Colonel… What are you doing here?

COLONEL: I’ve come to save my sister. I only hope she’s okay…

ZERO: (defensive) She’s fine! I just rescued her.

COLONEL: (passive-aggressive) Oh? Thanks Zero! I owe you one…

ZERO: Colonel.  We have a question for you.

COLONEL: Hm?

X: Has the Repliforce been occupying this area?

COLONEL: What!?

ZERO: …Did your unit attack this place?

COLONEL: What are you talking about!?  I only came here to save Iris.  The Repliforce came here to help.

X: (disbelief) …Really?

COLONEL: The army responsible for all the violence in this region is not the Repliforce!  We weren’t involved in this attack!

X folds his arms and looks at the annoyed Colonel with a half-grimace.

X: Hm…  Nevertheless, I want you to disarm and follow us back to HQ.

COLONEL: Never!

ZERO: They suspect you’ve become a Maverick.

COLONEL: What!?  Why!??

ZERO: We don’t know why.  Disarm and come with me to HQ.  We can figure this out together.

COLONEL: (defiant) …I’m afraid I can’t.  You’re asking my soldiers to drop their weapons without giving me a proper reason.  Soldiers NEVER drop their weapons!

He passionately states his firm belief.

ZERO: Colonel!!  Would you drop the rigid soldier act for 2 seconds and just sit down with us???

COLONEL: I won’t do it. Not even for you, Zero!  The only time we’ll drop our weapons is when we aren’t able to fight any longer!

ZERO: Then they’ll think you’re a Maverick!

COLONEL: So be it!  The Repliforce prefers war over dishonor and shame!

X: You’re men attacked me tonight, Colonel!

Zero and Colonel both look at X in shock.

X: If we do not sort this out right now, you will be regarded as a Maverick and treated as such.

COLONEL: Do as you will!  The Repliforce would sooner fight and die than discard our pride!

X: YOU FOOL!!!

ZERO: Don’t DO THIS!!!!

COLONEL: Consider us Mavericks if this is what you wish!

X: Wait! Calm down Colonel!!

COLONEL: Good bye, X and Zero!

ZERO: Wait! Colonel!! Listen to me!!!

At that moment, the Colonel teleports away from them, never to be seen as an ally again.

X: What the…!

ZERO: Damn! This isn’t good Colonel!!

X: Something’s got to give.  Otherwise the entire Repliforce will be considered Mavericks!

Zero looks at X with a serious frown on his face.

ZERO: It’s already been decided…  The entire Repliforce is a group of Mavericks!  And we couldn’t stop it from happening!!

Zero turns his back on X and teleports out of the area.

X frowns as he watches Zero’s thin red beam trail off into the crimson sky.

The he follows suit as his blue armor glows and teleports out with a thin beam that travels up and dissolves away into the night sky.

NARRATOR: (v.o) The Repliforce has declared War on the Maverick Hunters!!  But from their perspective, it was the Maverick Hunters who betrayed them with a false-label. Who is right? Who is wrong?  Should one fight so valiantly in order to attain the truth?  I think so.  But what truths or untruths lie ahead for these Reploids in the future?  Only time will tell…

[ayma-nidiot]

The Ride - Sylvix fic Chapter 25

Also on AO3.

Chapter 25 – Proud Citizens

“Your Majesty!” One of Edelgard’s generals ran up to her as she contemplated in the throne room. “The Kingdom army has defeated Lord Hubert! My lady, what are your orders?”

“They are here…” Edelgard watched as the first Kingdom soldiers breached the palace gates. “But I won’t let you stop my progress… There can only be one true ruler of Fódlan, and you’re looking at her… Dimitri.”

“Emperor Edelgard! Orders!”

“A full head-on assault; use any means necessary, even the demonic beasts!” Edelgard took a deep breath, and even a woman as strong as her could hardly contain her nervousness. “I don’t want you to stay here… I can’t guarantee your safety if you do.”

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”

“Ngh…” Edelgard grunted as she tapped into a dark power from within, slowly transforming her appearance. Hardly able to stand this painful process, she ordered, “Go! Now!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

As she stood in the throne room alone, and the power of the demonic beast had nearly taken her over, Edelgard declared, “This is nothing… compared to what my people have gone through… For all of Fódlan… For an equal future for everyone… Dimitri… Come to me. Come to me so I can destroy you, and finally bring Fódlan’s people the equality they deserve.”

Dimitri and a few of his soldiers were plenty strong enough to hold back the Adrestian soldiers that tried to enter the palace. After slamming the gates and locking them in place, the Faerghus prince was disappointed not to see Edelgard right away. “She must be in the throne room…”

“Dimitri, I know you want to battle her, but please be mindful of the surrounding forces,” Sylvain warned. “Especially the mages… They don’t look ordinary, and they certainly don’t look Adrestian.”

“I know, Sylvain, I know.”

“Not to mention the demonic beasts…”

“Sylvain, I will fight her with every bite of my lance, just as I’m sure you will with yours.” Dimitri braced his army right as the Adrestian troops rushed to greet them. “Now onward, my proud friends, to our final battle!”

“Hehehe… I’ll have lots of stories to tell the ladies when I get home.”

“I can’t believe you have the audacity to make japes at a time like this,” Felix spoke as he ran down the corridor with Sylvain. “But that’s how you keep up morale, and as odd as this is going to sound, I think I like it.”

“Oh?” Sylvain and Felix now stood back to back with their weapons at the ready. “It doesn’t make you jealous?”

“Of course not. I know you’re loyal to me as I’m loyal to my sword.” Felix scanned the area briefly before deciding on a maneuver. “I’ll take them from the right and you’ll take them from the left.”

“You got it, love!” And with that, Sylvain took off, using a combination of magic and lance attacks.

“Soon…” Dimitri thought as he charged on. “Edelgard, you will be gone… and I won’t have to see my loved ones killed again.”

“Dimitri! It’s a-”

Before Sylvain could speak anymore, Dimitri stabbed his enemy from behind. “Demonic beast, I know.”

“You boar, it’s not just any demonic beast!” Dimitri’s attack had done considerable damage, but was not yet enough to kill the beast, and Felix managed to hold it down by himself. “The beasts on this battlefield are unlike anything we’ve ever seen.”

“And so is… this!” Miklan lunged forward to protect Felix from an oncoming shadow ball. “Where did this dark magic come from? A dark mage?”

“If it is, it’s not a spell I’m familiar with,” replied Annette.

“It’s coming from the throne room…” Sylvain noted. “Could it be?”

“Sylvain!” Dimitri took after Sylvain after the redhead began to run. “Wait! Don’t just charge in there by yourself! I’m here, right beside you.”

“Your Highness…” Sylvain stopped in his tracks. He had hardly noticed the dark mage who attacked him, but managed to slay this enemy just fine.

“You two go on ahead! We’ll hold them off!” Miklan shouted as he swung around a full 360º to clear enemies around him.

“I promised Lonato that I would survive through this battle… You can count on me.” Ashe ordered his horse towards a demonic beast while shooting it with a Parthia arrow.

“May the goddess guide you…” Mercedes cast a spell, surrounding the two in a white light that healed all of their wounds.

“And here’s a little present from me, too!” Dorothea led the Opera Volunteers into a special dance, invigorating the two friends.

“Felix…” Sylvain shook in his boots, knowing full well his fiancé could fend for himself, but desperately not wanting to leave him.

“Go, you dolt! The boar’s already there!” Felix ran up to Sylvain, cutting down an enemy to his left, and gave him a kiss out of the blue. “We will live through this… or did you forget that we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together?”

“Felix…” Sylvain held Felix close to him for one more kiss.

Felix broke away to kill a couple of mages coming at him – but not before pushing Sylvain through the throne room doors. “Get going, now!”

“Ah!” Sylvain nearly fell on his butt – and right in front of the emperor, no less.

“Hahaha…” Edelgard finally showed her face – her dark, warped face – to Sylvain and Dimitri. “So, this is the graceful heir of Gautier, hmm? How shameful.”

“Edelgard…” As far as Sylvain was concerned, this was not the Edelgard he knew from the Battle at Gronder. She was demonic beast with maybe a shred of what the emperor used to be. “So, you’d become a demonic beast for your people and your ideals… I guess the time of trying to woo you over is long gone.”

“You are… disgusting.” Edelgard held a dark ball of energy in her claw. “Just like Dimitri, the Church of Seiros, and the Agarthans!”

“But the Agarthans were helping you eliminate the Church! I thought you were allies!”

Sylvain didn’t know why, but these words set off Edelgard so badly that she launched a barrage of dark ball attacks at Sylvain. “Scum! How dare you compare me and my proud citizens to those filthy Agarthans! It’s because of them… that I… my siblings… The experiments we had to go through…”

“Just like Lysithea!” Sylvain exclaimed as he dodged these attacks. “I’m so sorry, Edelgard. You and your family didn’t deserve any of that.”

“Sylvain, we cannot afford this woman – this creature – sympathies anymore. This is the true final battle, after all,” Dimitri declared, pointing the Areadbhar at Edelgard. “I had hoped to avoid it coming to this, but… the time for deliberation is over. Raaaah!”

“Hah! Your Crest is no match for my twin Crests. Now, who was it that said that yours is a fourth-rate Crest?” Edelgard teleported behind Dimitri and would have attacked him, had Sylvain not blocked it. “You… Get out of my way!”

“I… will not.” Sylvain didn’t expect a bony-looking monster like Edelgard to possess this much strength.

“I said get out of my way!” Edelgard pushed Sylvain out of the way. “You’re not the one I’m after! And if you dare to get in my way, I’ll kill you, too!”

“Sylvain!” Dimitri was distracted for a brief moment but didn’t let it stop him from impeding Edelgard’s next attack. “Ugh… This is why I didn’t want you to come here with me. This witch is for me and me alone to defeat!”

“I will protect my prince – no, my king - with everything I have,” Sylvain declared as he jumped back into the fray.

“Oh, my dear, dear Sylvain…” Edelgard chuckled as she readied another dark ball. “You have clearly picked the wrong side. If you had sided with me, if you had joined the Black Eagle house all those years ago, you would have lived for a better tomorrow! Hiyaaaa!”

Sylvain stood his ground as he blocked this attack – only this time, the shadow expanded, turning into a shield-like weapon. “Really? You call ignoring the suffering of the poor and killing innocent people a ‘better tomorrow?’ Like hell I wanna associate myself with such twisted ideals!”

“You…You know nothing about me, you toad!”

“Don’t touch him!” Dimitri wanted to protect Sylvain from the full force of the attack – and he did, but was unable to parry it effectively. He fell to the ground as the dark magic started to sear his back.

“Your Highness!” Sylvain tried to heal Dimitri, but Edelgard’s attacks wouldn’t let him.

“Have I… Have I failed?” Dimitri tried to reach for his lance, but the pain radiated throughout his entire lance arm.

“By the looks of it, I would say so!” Edelgard smirked. “Now say goodbye-”

“The only one who’s going to say goodbye is you!” Sylvain charged at Edelgard again and successfully hit her this time. That’s it… Come on, just a little more now.

“Urgh…” Edelgard winced for a spell before continuing the fight. “You’re going to regret it… Your Crest may be superior to Dimitri’s, but now… Now it’s time to show my hidden Crest…”

Sylvain watched as the Crest of Flames appeared above Edelgard’s head. He would have attacked her, too, if an invisible barrier had not protected her. “That’s the same Crest that our professor has!”

“Yes, and it’s all thanks to those who slither in the dark! I may not be proud of their experiments, but I am thankful for one thing…” Edelgard paused to charge up more dark energy. “It’s thanks to this Crest that I… can defeat… you!”

“Aaah!” Sylvain doubled over as the even larger dark ball knocked the Lance of Ruin far out of his reach. He could barely lift his index finger, and in a moment of desperation, he tried to draw a Seraphim sigil.

“A little pretty magic isn’t going to save you now, Sylvain.” Edelgard raised her arm. “Not from this death blow, and not from your eternal damnation!”

“You’re the one who will be eternally damned… Haha.” Even in this moment, Sylvain managed to let out a laugh, droplets of blood on his lips.

“Shut up… Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Edelgard shrieked higher than ever before.

Sylvain closed his eyes, hoping that someone – anyone – could save him, if only so he could uphold his promise to Felix. In the distance, he could hear the clattering of metal. At first, he thought that more enemies started to trickle into the throne room – that was, until he heard Edelgard say, “No way… You?!”

“Hands off my baby brother!”

“Miklan…” Sylvain teared up, not hearing Miklan call him that in many a year.

“It’s not possible… You don’t even have a Crest!”

“Oh, but I do… For once, it’s a good thing I do.” A flimsy version of the Crest of Gautier appeared before Miklan as he yelled, “Let me show you what it can do! Ruined… Sky!”

“No… way…” Edelgard could feel her strength leaving her.

“Hehe… Pretty cool, huh, Dimitri?” Miklan turned his head to the slowly rising Dimitri. “Though my Ruined Sky could never match up to Sylvain’s… Why don’t you do the honours?”

“With pleasure.” Dimitri shed a tear before declaring, “Atrocity!”

“Ah…” This attack ripped Edelgard’s demonic wings clean off and left a giant gash in her back. “So… Is this how it ends…?”

“She’s not dead?” Dimitri stood still, watching Edelgard’s demonic features crumble to dust.

Edelgard didn’t say another word; she only looked to the ground in front of her – and to the hand Dimitri held out for her, as if it were one final attempt at parley.

“El…”

Despite everything she had done to him, Dimitri still had a mind to show his stepsister mercy – a mercy which the emperor did not accept. And in the blink of an eye, more blood had been shed as Edelgard threw her dagger at Dimitri’s shoulder.

“Dimitri!” Sylvain called out, thinking that his liege had been seriously injured. “You’re okay! But how?”

Without so much as a grunt, Edelgard lurched forward as Dimitri removed the Areadbhar from her chest, and at last she had died.

“I’m sorry it had to be this way.”

“Save the sympathies, Sylvain…” Dimitri sniffed, feeling a headache coming on.

“Dimitri… My friend, it’s okay to cry. I know how necessary this war was, and I know you have to be strong for the Kingdom… but it doesn’t mean you can’t cry.”

“Hehehe…” Dimitri let the tears flow now as Sylvain consoled him. “Some king I am, right?”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough of the male bonding already!” Miklan tried to lighten the mood. “You have newly freed citizens to greet, Your Majesty.”

“Miklan…” Dimitri stopped crying. “I’m sorry for what you had to go through in your youth, and how all of Faerghus has treated you… I’ll be sure to make it up to you in the days to come.”

“But it still didn’t give me any excuse to treat Sylvain as horribly as I did.” Miklan could feel a tear coming on. “H-Hey, don’t get me teary-eyed now!”

“Hahaha! For once, Miklan Anschutz Gautier sheds tears of joy!” Though he wanted to get caught up in pleasantries, Sylvain knew that this was the perfect opportunity to bring up an important subject. “Your Majesty…”

“Come on, Sylvain, you were just calling me by my name a handful of minutes ago. You’re my friend; Dimitri is just fine!”

“O-Okay, Dimitri…”

“Sylvain, what’s wrong?”

Sylvain took a few more deep breaths before continuing, “Dimitri, now that Fódlan is free, there’s a confession I have to make… Now, this is going to sound a bit crazy, but-”

“There’s nothing crazy about wanting to marry your best friend,” Dimitri said point-blank.

“You mean… You knew this whole time?”

“Well, yeah! Did you really think that I wouldn’t find out sooner or later?”

“But I was afraid that if you found out, you – and all of Faerghus – wouldn’t accept it.”

“Why did you think I wouldn’t accept it?”

“Because my father-”

“The margrave is just a little old-fashioned. As long as you have the respect of Gautier – and you do – then what’s the issue? In my new Kingdom, I’ll see to it that everyone gets treated equally, no matter if they’re gay, or Crestless, or whatever it is.”

“Th-Thank you…” Sylvain began to cry without warning. “For the longest time, I thought that you would force me into exile, just like that one noble from King Loog’s time.”

“Oh, come now, that’s nonsense! And for the love of the goddess, stop crying! I’ve had enough of it today. Now come, your father is going to want to see you. He probably wants you to take over House Gautier, soon if not immediately.”

“Oh!”

“Is there something else on your mind, Sylvain?”

Sylvain smiled. “No… I mean, yes, but it can wait until that special day.”