voxarnason

[voxarnason]

[akkey you should say no]

[voxarnason]

Vox had been watching from a distance, careful not to impose on his children and their reunion. He couldn’t help but crack a smile at Kendra’s excitement.

“We have an infirmary, sure.” He spoke calmly, hoping to counter the Commander’s tone. “I am sure the group wouldn’t mind showing you to it once we accomplish... whatever it is we came here for.”

His mind strayed, remembering that Dario would not be there. Though there was still remnants of guilt, he felt some of it alleviated in the presence of someone quite revered by his own.

“I won’t speak on the happenings with Vidar or Central; the former will get his regardless, and the latter is best left to Lila... but it seems like you’ve got some history with these two.” He looked again to the two young adults, feeling remorse that he couldn’t understand the connection due to his absence. “I would be happy to assist with whatever you might need.”

Dug Too Deep to the Right [pt 4]

[x]

Woah, hey there little human, no need for swords. You might hurt Alesha! Zsilelac chuckled as he attempted to pull more of his body out of the pile of dirt. I’m Zsil, though most people call me Guardian. He grunted as one of his legs dislodged from the rubble. Even without a head, the suit moved as though it was looking through the occupants of the tunnel. I’m afraid I don’t recognize any of you, you aren’t with Alrund’s forces, are you?

[voxarnason]

It wasn’t a perfect fix, but Kettil’s aid placed Vox in a far better position to proceed than before. He managed to get himself to his feet with the young man’s assistance.

“That’s won’t be necessary.” Vox jokingly hobbled forward with his hand on his lower back. “The next hit will kill me for sure, so we don’t need to worry about me getting hurt again. Just leave my body to the dragons.”

Dug Too Deep to the Right [pt 3]

[Part Two]

Kendra yanked her face up out of the ground and spouted mud, sticking out her tongue in disgust, while Liam carefully felt across his back, gritting his teeth as his claws snagged against a sliver of glass, and pulling it out with a grunt. Before he could remark on the possibly life-threatening experience, the sound of earth moving and stones grating drew their attention to the rest of the tunnel ahead, which, upon Kendra highlighting the way once more, led to another cave-in. The Whispering Death mother had zoomed forward, her babies gathered around her, and had begun to flee through the side of the tunnel even faster than before, sending chunks of damp soil scattering through the air. Her thorny tail lashed quickly back and forth before disappearing, and the sound of her teeth shredding through earth quickly grew quiet. She had fled.

“Great,” Liam complained. “Now what?”

[voxarnason]

Vox groaned as he turned over to prop himself up on his arms, feeling every strain and pain in his back. Between the force of his impact and his age, it was impossible to ignore. The bleeding from his head had slowed substantially, but it was still enough to leave him slightly lightheaded. He wouldn’t be getting to his feet on his own anytime soon. His spine had taken too much damage for him to be able to continue for the long haul without Kettil’s intervention.

“We put our hands together and thank the Gods that we didn’t die, Liam.” The scout looked over to his children, who looked well beyond superficial wounds. “Then we ask our daring leaders to get us out of this mess.” He glanced up at Jari and Lila, anticipating any sort of plan they could muster.

Dug Too Deep to the Right [pt 3]

[Part Two]

Kendra yanked her face up out of the ground and spouted mud, sticking out her tongue in disgust, while Liam carefully felt across his back, gritting his teeth as his claws snagged against a sliver of glass, and pulling it out with a grunt. Before he could remark on the possibly life-threatening experience, the sound of earth moving and stones grating drew their attention to the rest of the tunnel ahead, which, upon Kendra highlighting the way once more, led to another cave-in. The Whispering Death mother had zoomed forward, her babies gathered around her, and had begun to flee through the side of the tunnel even faster than before, sending chunks of damp soil scattering through the air. Her thorny tail lashed quickly back and forth before disappearing, and the sound of her teeth shredding through earth quickly grew quiet. She had fled.

“Great,” Liam complained. “Now what?”

[voxarnason]

His son was a blur in his vision, and before Vox could turn and see what Liam was so desperately running from, the blast caught the scout from behind in a terrifying assault on every sense. His body was launched forward, and with a stroke of luck, he managed to angle his body to impact evenly against a ragged wall of the cavern. He crumpled to the floor; the idea of moving and harming himself further was out of the question. Though stiff, he managed to pull his hand up to his head, feeling dampness on the back of his scalp. His perception to pain was dulled heavily by the fact that his ears were ringing wildly, along with the probable shock.

“L-Liam!” Vox coughed heavily, fighting his lungs to function adequately enough to communicate. “Are you two alright? Jari? Lila?”

Dug Too Deep to the Right [pt 2]

[Part One]

Kendra was amused, but sympathetically put her head on his shoulder as the hatchling in her lap curled up, making a rather horrifying gurgling noise that could be vaguely equated to purring.

Meanwhile, the mother dragon continued her thunderous tunneling, her body spiraling quickly back into the ground in a hooked shape around the loose earth of the cave-in. Clouds of drier dust billowed out of the large hole she left in her wake. The noises paused, echoing for a moment, and then a hiss crawled out of the dark, damp hole, indicating that she was finished. 

The Arnasons got to their feet, and Liam leaned over and tapped Virion on the head, who had been twittering excitedly the whole time at the excitement surrounding it. “Everything good over there?”

[voxarnason]

The scout kneeled to inspect the canister that brought back a flood of childhood memories; they were few and far between, as much of his life prior to leaving High Central was a blur after the events of the Rebellion. He ran his fingers along it’s shape, gently removing some of the mud to get a better look. Vox motioned to Liam and Kendra to join him.

“Your grandfather knew about these sorts of things far better than I ever could, but I can remember being so terrified of these blasts going off when he would take me to a work site.” He laughed at how frail and frightened he was as a child compared to his own son. “I definitely feel a lot of nostalgia here, and that probably isn’t a good thing. High Central already had these mechanics worked out over forty years ago -- who knows how advanced they are now when it comes to masonry and construction.”

Dug Too Deep to the Right [pt 2]

[Part One]

Kendra was amused, but sympathetically put her head on his shoulder as the hatchling in her lap curled up, making a rather horrifying gurgling noise that could be vaguely equated to purring.

Meanwhile, the mother dragon continued her thunderous tunneling, her body spiraling quickly back into the ground in a hooked shape around the loose earth of the cave-in. Clouds of drier dust billowed out of the large hole she left in her wake. The noises paused, echoing for a moment, and then a hiss crawled out of the dark, damp hole, indicating that she was finished. 

The Arnasons got to their feet, and Liam leaned over and tapped Virion on the head, who had been twittering excitedly the whole time at the excitement surrounding it. “Everything good over there?”

[voxarnason]

He watched in horror as the vile offspring refused to release itself. He leaned to assist Liam, pulling at the dragon’s mouth just enough for him to free his leg.

“Gods... no, never again. I’m done.” Vox stood, wiping off his pants. He was visibly panting from the panic and struggle. “I’m too old to go on adventures anymore. Your mother is a smart woman.”

He walked back over to where Kendra remained with the rest of the horrid beasts and sat behind her, hoping she would distract them enough to leave him alone.

Dug Too Deep to the Right

[Main Thread]

Kendra strengthened her light to shine as far down as it would comfortably go, and as the larger group began trudging through the mud, keeping an eye out for anything of note. The Whispering Death watched them move for a moment, and then folded in her wings and began snaking after them on her belly to stay by their side, and her hatchlings came with, zooming overhead in loop-de-loops and zig-zags, squealing to each other the whole time. But they had barely walked what felt like a minute before Kendra’s light began refracting off something in their line of sight, and as they drew closer, they saw that it was the foot of what seemed to be a massive mound of earth, sloping up from the wet ground to fill the entire width of the tunnel. Most of the mass seemed to be boulders, and they were too regularly sized to be something coincidental. The tracks led straight under the enormous pile and disappeared; they had been regularly used before any kind of blockage existed.

Liam stopped short when he saw the cave-in. “Oh shit. Now what?”

Kendra moved further and walked a few paces up the slope, facing her palms this way and that over the crumbled dirt and tiny cascades of water dripping over the stone faces. She pressed the side of her face and her ear to one of the boulders, frowning in concentration as her hand drifted across it, feeling. The baby Whispering Deaths were gleeful at the sight of so much loose debris; they took turns swooping down and scooping up fist-sized rocks and playing tug-of-war with them off to the side of the tunnel. 

[voxarnason]

Vox hadn’t had enough time to move away from the dragon before it clamped itself around his ankle; one protruding tooth slicing through his pants with an audible rip. The scout fell onto his side, afraid to move his leg and possibly lose another appendage.

“Gods, Liam, get it off! Get it off!” His voice did not carry far, as his “yells” were more of a pathetic whine. “It’s going to kill me!”

He began to shake his leg, watching as the dragon kept it’s grip and flung around in the same motions that he did.

Dug Too Deep to the Right

[Main Thread]

Kendra strengthened her light to shine as far down as it would comfortably go, and as the larger group began trudging through the mud, keeping an eye out for anything of note. The Whispering Death watched them move for a moment, and then folded in her wings and began snaking after them on her belly to stay by their side, and her hatchlings came with, zooming overhead in loop-de-loops and zig-zags, squealing to each other the whole time. But they had barely walked what felt like a minute before Kendra’s light began refracting off something in their line of sight, and as they drew closer, they saw that it was the foot of what seemed to be a massive mound of earth, sloping up from the wet ground to fill the entire width of the tunnel. Most of the mass seemed to be boulders, and they were too regularly sized to be something coincidental. The tracks led straight under the enormous pile and disappeared; they had been regularly used before any kind of blockage existed.

Liam stopped short when he saw the cave-in. “Oh shit. Now what?”

Kendra moved further and walked a few paces up the slope, facing her palms this way and that over the crumbled dirt and tiny cascades of water dripping over the stone faces. She pressed the side of her face and her ear to one of the boulders, frowning in concentration as her hand drifted across it, feeling. The baby Whispering Deaths were gleeful at the sight of so much loose debris; they took turns swooping down and scooping up fist-sized rocks and playing tug-of-war with them off to the side of the tunnel. 

[voxarnason]

The scout’s face went pale, swinging his head towards Jari. There had to be something lost in translation.

“Absolutely not. No. Not happening.” He crept away from the group, distancing himself as much as he could from the Hel spawn. “Good luck to you all. I’ll be over here.” He mumbled angrily to himself as he found himself as far away from the dragons as he could be without losing light.

Dug Too Deep to the Right

[Main Thread]

Kendra strengthened her light to shine as far down as it would comfortably go, and as the larger group began trudging through the mud, keeping an eye out for anything of note. The Whispering Death watched them move for a moment, and then folded in her wings and began snaking after them on her belly to stay by their side, and her hatchlings came with, zooming overhead in loop-de-loops and zig-zags, squealing to each other the whole time. But they had barely walked what felt like a minute before Kendra’s light began refracting off something in their line of sight, and as they drew closer, they saw that it was the foot of what seemed to be a massive mound of earth, sloping up from the wet ground to fill the entire width of the tunnel. Most of the mass seemed to be boulders, and they were too regularly sized to be something coincidental. The tracks led straight under the enormous pile and disappeared; they had been regularly used before any kind of blockage existed.

Liam stopped short when he saw the cave-in. “Oh shit. Now what?”

Kendra moved further and walked a few paces up the slope, facing her palms this way and that over the crumbled dirt and tiny cascades of water dripping over the stone faces. She pressed the side of her face and her ear to one of the boulders, frowning in concentration as her hand drifted across it, feeling. The baby Whispering Deaths were gleeful at the sight of so much loose debris; they took turns swooping down and scooping up fist-sized rocks and playing tug-of-war with them off to the side of the tunnel. 

[voxarnason]

Vox stood next to Kendra, also taking in the state of the tunnel. The initial view felt ominous, but there had to be more than just accepting that this was the end of the line.

“Do we... try to get through it?” He tapped on some stone that was more firmly rooted in the debris, hoping to have some sort of indication of the amount they would need to shift in order to progress. He had no luck in doing so. “I don’t imagine that we want to waste our time, but we got here quick. Who’s up for digging? I’ll be sure to...”

He directed his eye contact straight to Liam, adorned with a menacing grin.

“...lend a hand.”

Dug Too Deep to the Right

[Main Thread]

Kendra strengthened her light to shine as far down as it would comfortably go, and as the larger group began trudging through the mud, keeping an eye out for anything of note. The Whispering Death watched them move for a moment, and then folded in her wings and began snaking after them on her belly to stay by their side, and her hatchlings came with, zooming overhead in loop-de-loops and zig-zags, squealing to each other the whole time. But they had barely walked what felt like a minute before Kendra’s light began refracting off something in their line of sight, and as they drew closer, they saw that it was the foot of what seemed to be a massive mound of earth, sloping up from the wet ground to fill the entire width of the tunnel. Most of the mass seemed to be boulders, and they were too regularly sized to be something coincidental. The tracks led straight under the enormous pile and disappeared; they had been regularly used before any kind of blockage existed.

Liam stopped short when he saw the cave-in. “Oh shit. Now what?”

Kendra moved further and walked a few paces up the slope, facing her palms this way and that over the crumbled dirt and tiny cascades of water dripping over the stone faces. She pressed the side of her face and her ear to one of the boulders, frowning in concentration as her hand drifted across it, feeling. The baby Whispering Deaths were gleeful at the sight of so much loose debris; they took turns swooping down and scooping up fist-sized rocks and playing tug-of-war with them off to the side of the tunnel. 

[voxarnason]

Vox knew next to nothing about dragons - partially due to a lack of interest growing up, but soon would evolve into a genuine discomfort around them. He could never verbalize what about them caused this, but the feelings remained as he watched Juro venture dangerously close on the left side of the tunnel. His skin crawled at the sight, and he almost felt a twinge of jealousy at the man’s ability to take action.

The scout chose to take the route that would place him farther away from the dragons, despite the difference being nearly imperceptible to the human eye. He stepped lightly to follow the path of the groove, veering to the opposite side of Juro and beckoning for Kendra to continue shining her light. He placed his hand on Liam’s shoulder, giving him a distressed look.

“If the dragons come for us...” he whispered, “...throw me to them. Save yourselves.”

Dug Too Deep [pt 2]

[Part One]

She shook her head with a grin and saluted the others with her free, glowing hand before stepping through, right in front of a mud-splattered Liam sitting up with Vox’s help. He squinted and threw up a paw at the sudden light, and she lessened it, making it more diffused and ambient versus a beam. You look great, she teased. Need that rope, still?

Piss off. Liam stumbled to his feet, sloughing mud off his arms, and his ears flicked as he attuned to the darkness, feeling his senses spread through the immediate area. Between that and Kendra’s light, it revealed that they were standing next to a huge, curved wall, and it sloped right up over their heads until it was interrupted by the opening they had fallen out of. They couldn’t see the other side, but from the shape of things, they could surmise that they were standing in a massive, dripping wet tunnel carved of simple earth and embedded with boulders and straggly roots, larger than anything they could have expected. The dragon’s growls came again, a bit closer this time, and the Arnasons whirled around, searching for the source but seeing nothing yet. 

[voxarnason]

He ran his fingers over the stone, stopping to take in what was obviously a dwelling prior to the flooding. He had seen a location specifically pointed out on the map, but chose to ignore it for his own sanity. With a swift motion, he strained to pull at the stone, revealing a hole with no signs of light coming from it. He remained crouched as he stared down into it, unsure of whether this was a blessing or a curse.

“Uh, does anyone feel like exploring?” He peered into it once more before looking to the group behind him. “I’ll go if someone wants to lower me in.”

Dug Too Deep

Lila looked out over the groups of rebels who had volunteered for this exploration mission. The numbers in each group varied but there was at least 5 in each group and each group had at least one engineer, a medic and a soldier each. The Half-Breed cleared her throat before she spoke loud enough to be heard by all. "Thank you all for coming today. One of our allies recently informed us there is something under the jaw but was unable to supply it's nature or location. So today we will be venturing deep under the Jaw to find what it is, reclaim it, or neutralize it if necessary. Above all be careful. We do not know what traps may be employed if any, so take it slow, and if you see something suspicious have an engineer investigate it before touching anything or moving on. Don't be afraid to turn back if things get too dicey. Lastly, if you find anything you have permission to investigate just be smart about it. Your lives are more important than whatever we find down there. You all have your assignments, dismissed."

The group's began to disperse as they went to fulfill their assignments. Lila came down from the stairs she was speaking from and found her group. "Are we ready to go?"

[voxarnason]

The scout had spent much of the night before being filled in on the events regarding Dario, and only left the healer after he was assured that they would be fine for the time being. His return to the Jaw with Juro was essentially silent -- he did not want to pry about what the man saw, and if he was being honest, he didn’t want to hear the specifics. The idea that he wasn’t there already hurt as it currently stood.

He noted Liam and Kendra’s presence, hoping for just a few more moments to collect himself before putting on a brave face for the two. He couldn’t help but wonder how the stag and goat were faring back on Haligan.

Dug Too Deep

Lila looked out over the groups of rebels who had volunteered for this exploration mission. The numbers in each group varied but there was at least 5 in each group and each group had at least one engineer, a medic and a soldier each. The Half-Breed cleared her throat before she spoke loud enough to be heard by all. "Thank you all for coming today. One of our allies recently informed us there is something under the jaw but was unable to supply it's nature or location. So today we will be venturing deep under the Jaw to find what it is, reclaim it, or neutralize it if necessary. Above all be careful. We do not know what traps may be employed if any, so take it slow, and if you see something suspicious have an engineer investigate it before touching anything or moving on. Don't be afraid to turn back if things get too dicey. Lastly, if you find anything you have permission to investigate just be smart about it. Your lives are more important than whatever we find down there. You all have your assignments, dismissed."

The group's began to disperse as they went to fulfill their assignments. Lila came down from the stairs she was speaking from and found her group. "Are we ready to go?"

[voxarnason]

“Ignore him.” Vox glared to Dario for a second before returning his focus back to Tree. “They are fine, and I’m not just saying it. I would have brought them with us, but they’re doing great work back at the Jaw. You would be very proud of them.”

He coughed into his hand, unsure of how to transition the topic.

“We are actually going to be heading back, but Dario... Dario needed to talk to you. It’s important to him.”

He pushed the deer forward, who stumbled over his hooves against the wood floor. He felt perspiration forming on his head, and his already racing heart was on the brink of exploding in his chest.

“Y-yeah. I wanted... I was hoping to talk to you about... the whole ‘being gone’ thing with Vox and I, and some things that I didn’t tell you before.”

Steady Hands

There was something about the familiarity of Haligan that felt wrong, given the circumstance of the past week. Taking a deep breath of cold air, Dario relished in the lack of wartime that the island provided, even if it was just temporary. It was eerily silent, as a good portion of it’s populous was back at the Jaw.

“It’s strange to be back… so soon, at least.” The stag, welcoming the calm as a light breeze wisped between the three figures that had arrived just moments before. “Do me a favor, Juro. If anything goes wrong, you know, during all of this…” He looked to Vox with a nervous grin, understanding that the scout knew better of what to expect from Tree. “…please tell Milae. Alive or dead, I’m sure he would love to hear about what is about to happen.”

“You know it’s not going to be as bad as you think it is.” Vox tried to give a reassuring laugh, but he himself hadn’t had the best interactions with her prior to this day. “You’ll feel a ton better when you get this all off your chest.”

[voxarnason]

The realization hit him has hard as her tone did -- the perception was not good.

“Okay, uh, this probably looks bad, now that I think about it.” He put his hand on the back of his head as he watched his wife’s demeanor grow more impatient by the second. “They’re fine! They are doing just fine.”

“Yeah, they’re good, I promise Tree.” Dario interjected, feeling a compulsion to try and justify their absence. His words were frantic. “Kendra’s leg will be good as new in no time, and I don’t think Liam had anything too bad happ-”

“Dario, please, shut the Hel up.” Vox stepped towards him and grabbed his arm tight. He leaned close to him to whisper. “You’re making this so much worse. Please, Gods, just stop talking.”

Steady Hands

There was something about the familiarity of Haligan that felt wrong, given the circumstance of the past week. Taking a deep breath of cold air, Dario relished in the lack of wartime that the island provided, even if it was just temporary. It was eerily silent, as a good portion of it’s populous was back at the Jaw.

“It’s strange to be back… so soon, at least.” The stag, welcoming the calm as a light breeze wisped between the three figures that had arrived just moments before. “Do me a favor, Juro. If anything goes wrong, you know, during all of this…” He looked to Vox with a nervous grin, understanding that the scout knew better of what to expect from Tree. “…please tell Milae. Alive or dead, I’m sure he would love to hear about what is about to happen.”

“You know it’s not going to be as bad as you think it is.” Vox tried to give a reassuring laugh, but he himself hadn’t had the best interactions with her prior to this day. “You’ll feel a ton better when you get this all off your chest.”

[voxarnason]

Vox had been resting his head against Liam’s for a few moments, feeling nearly each emotion the young man tried to stifle. He turned his head to give Liam’s a kiss, and nestling his head under the scout’s chin.

“It was... but I’ve never seen more bravery than what I saw today from the two of you. This Rebellion would not have been able to do it without you.”

Letting another moment pass, he squeezed Liam’s neck. Despite the circumstances, he never wanted this moment to pass. He stared at Dario’s eye with a wave of guilt; his feelings hadn’t shifted too much since that night back on Haligan, but his methods of dealing with them were unfair. The scout would owe him a conversation about it later.

“I guess... we figure out what we do next. Any ideas?”

A Different Breed of Broken

The commotion had all but settled after the fall of the Construct – separate groups had congregated, and the feeling surrounding the events leading up to this point were scattered as they could be. Many were cautious of how to proceed, and others were thankful for their lives. For a stag, it was a blend of relief and grief.

Dario, standing a few feet away from the Arnason family now, routinely shifted his gaze over to the goat, taking note of his mannerisms as he spoke, and held his gratitude close. He was not sure how close he had come to losing Milae at multiple points during the fight, and he didn’t let a moment pass without acknowledging how lucky he was to still be able to look upon him in an upright state.

“What’s got him in good spirits?”

The interruption of the deer’s thoughts by Vox’s voice caused Dario to jump. He flashed a small grin; where the two stood was still an unknown.

“Your guess is as good as mine… but I guess it’s the same as any of us.” Dario looked around to the Construct ruins and the disorganized pockets of Rebellion members, taking in the numbers that were still too early to understand. “Thankful to still be here.”

He watched as Vox’s eyes moved back to his children – Liam was looking over Kendra once more. Even the scout had an unmistakable look of worry.

“How’s her leg?”

“Gonna take some work, but she seems at peace with it. For now, at the very least. We’ll see how things go once we get out of here. Jin is going to kill me in my sleep.”

“That’s… something, I suppose.”

Dario kicked at some small bits of debris near the two old friends. He couldn’t stop thinking about their last interaction, and the idea that it could have been their last if things had gone differently.

“Hey, I need you to know I’m sorry. I should tell the-”

Vox reached out to grab Dario’s arm before he could finish the sentence. The look he gave the deer wasn’t one of anger, or of frustration. He just looked… exhausted.

“No. Not now. It’s really not the time.” He shifted his head to watch the half-breed children, while still addressing the stag. “You and I both have a bigger responsibility to our family. That’s got to come first.”

Even if Dario wanted to continue his thought, the lump in his throat at the mention of family would have stopped him dead in his tracks. It was a welcomed development; a temporary armistice that couldn’t come at a better time.

“…okay.” He gripped Vox’s arm, expanding on the smile from before. The two turned to make their way over to Liam and Kendra, hoping they would find a similar silver lining in the two young Rebels. They both took to a knee in unison.

I’d be happy to look at your leg, Kendra. Only if you would want that, of course.

[voxarnason]

The scout and stag watched the conversation unfold, trying not to be obvious of their intrusion. It wasn’t until Vox noticed Kendra’s concern that he fixated on Liam’s face... he was more than just tired. His chest continuously rose and fell at a pace that was far too quick. Without a second thought, Vox shifted his weight to sit next to his son.

Vox placed his arm parallel to Liam’s spine, letting his hand fall into the dusty mop of hair atop his head. His fingers gently ran along his scalp while pulling the half-breed to lean against him. Every bit of him anticipated some level of resistance, and he was surprised to find that Liam wasn’t fighting back. He matched his breathing as closely as he could with his son’s, and slowing his own pace in hopes that it would motivate Liam to do the same.

“You know, I just had a thought...” Vox spoke very softly, while Dario took a moment away from tending to Kendra’s leg to begin signing for her. “Your mother and I were fairly close to your age in all of those stories I used to tell you when the two of you were so very small. Although, I will say... the pair of you are far wiser and capable than we ever were. It brings back a lot.”

He reached out to Kendra to allow her to grab onto his arm. It had been too long since the three of them were able to exist in a passive manner, and he tried to let the moment hold a larger place in his heart over his regrets.

“Whatever needs to be done from here on out, you have your Uncle Dario and I in your corner... always.”

A Different Breed of Broken

The commotion had all but settled after the fall of the Construct – separate groups had congregated, and the feeling surrounding the events leading up to this point were scattered as they could be. Many were cautious of how to proceed, and others were thankful for their lives. For a stag, it was a blend of relief and grief.

Dario, standing a few feet away from the Arnason family now, routinely shifted his gaze over to the goat, taking note of his mannerisms as he spoke, and held his gratitude close. He was not sure how close he had come to losing Milae at multiple points during the fight, and he didn’t let a moment pass without acknowledging how lucky he was to still be able to look upon him in an upright state.

“What’s got him in good spirits?”

The interruption of the deer’s thoughts by Vox’s voice caused Dario to jump. He flashed a small grin; where the two stood was still an unknown.

“Your guess is as good as mine… but I guess it’s the same as any of us.” Dario looked around to the Construct ruins and the disorganized pockets of Rebellion members, taking in the numbers that were still too early to understand. “Thankful to still be here.”

He watched as Vox’s eyes moved back to his children – Liam was looking over Kendra once more. Even the scout had an unmistakable look of worry.

“How’s her leg?”

“Gonna take some work, but she seems at peace with it. For now, at the very least. We’ll see how things go once we get out of here. Jin is going to kill me in my sleep.”

“That’s… something, I suppose.”

Dario kicked at some small bits of debris near the two old friends. He couldn’t stop thinking about their last interaction, and the idea that it could have been their last if things had gone differently.

“Hey, I need you to know I’m sorry. I should tell the-”

Vox reached out to grab Dario’s arm before he could finish the sentence. The look he gave the deer wasn’t one of anger, or of frustration. He just looked… exhausted.

“No. Not now. It’s really not the time.” He shifted his head to watch the half-breed children, while still addressing the stag. “You and I both have a bigger responsibility to our family. That’s got to come first.”

Even if Dario wanted to continue his thought, the lump in his throat at the mention of family would have stopped him dead in his tracks. It was a welcomed development; a temporary armistice that couldn’t come at a better time.

“…okay.” He gripped Vox’s arm, expanding on the smile from before. The two turned to make their way over to Liam and Kendra, hoping they would find a similar silver lining in the two young Rebels. They both took to a knee in unison.

I’d be happy to look at your leg, Kendra. Only if you would want that, of course.