IK vs PA (Round 2) Multi-Battle Garden

[Enigmatic Immortal]

This battle begins at Midnight Monday evening!

The following match up is:

Aimer Haine Rogers vs Dalasi Yrene

[Enigmatic Immortal]

You have two weeks, GOOD LUCK!

[Aimer Haine Rogers]

Children are our future.

This was something I had been told all of my life. Children are our future. I suppose it made sense; for every generation that deteriorated away, there always had to be a new generation to step up and take its place. Every new wave of youth brought with it new idea and unique perspectives to solve the world’s problems. Perhaps that was why Lord Orlouge had decided to start this war; to provide a safer environment for his daughters when it was their turn to rule the world.

I looked to all the teenagers that I had been given temporary custody of. Lord Orlouge had wisely decided to split the children of Ixian Castle up; Lady Gran Gran (I really should have learned her real name by now) would handle a handful of teenagers, while predominantly taking care of the smallest children. Lady Gran Gran was far better with the toddlers and little kids anyways, whereas my niche usually came from taking care of the older ones. Maybe it was because I grew up close enough in age to my own siblings to relate, but far enough away to take care of them should the need arise. Whatever the case may be, people said I had a ‘gift’ with the older kids, which is why we were in the gardens.

Lord Orlouge had originally thought of disguising the teens in warrior garbs, in case Ixian Castle had been attacked. I remember how I protested such a strategy during the meeting. There were very few actual adults left in the facilities, and Lord Orlouge seemed to think an attack would be imminent in retaliation for our leader capturing one of their high ranking officials. It just lead me to believe that these people, these Phoenix Ascendant fellows, would be more inclined to attack people disguised as our soldiers, resulting in a loss of teenage lives, another bit of our future torn from us by war.

I decided that I would take the older children to the gardens in case the enemy had decided to infiltrate any possible route into the castle. Surely, the sight of these youths would deter anybody from attacking them, especially out in the open where one could very clearly see that these were just innocent kids. They had no part in this war other than what their parents had decided to do for their cause. If anybody stuck out as a casualty here, it was me. Maybe I gave our opponent’s too much credit, but I could not see them in good conscience spilling my blood in front of so many young people.

I tapped my rod against the dirt below, looking around at all of the flowers that surrounded us. A veritable rainbow of petals seemed to lie at our feet, filling the air with a scent that girls romanticized about and that boys pretended to romanticize about so they could romanticize the girls. I turned to the group, roughly fifteen or so kids stood around, picking flowers, educating others on certain plant properties, even hiding in bushes to scare others at certain opportunities. The shadow of Ixian Castle’s main tower shadowed us, though the shade from the building was only due to the time of day it was. I smiled as I thought of how peaceful today seemed to be despite the grave situation; this may as well have been a field trip.

Then it happened. A loud barking sound, like that belonging to a dog, sung out through the forest. I tried to look around to find the source of the noise, only for the lupine song to end as quickly as it had begun. I distinctly remember Sei mentioning something about a canine unit sent to scout out ambushes while we stayed securely inside the castle. I took a hard swallow and started to fear for the worst, not for myself, but for the children. I looked to two girls in particular.

The first was in a heavy black jacket, her brown hair formed into a bun, and her green eyes seemingly sharing my own scared look. She tightened the belt that had hung loosely around her jacket, pulling the leather coat closer and hiding her white undershirt and baggy green pants. This girl had to borrow a belt to keep her pants up, the leather hide of the accessory wrapped around her twice to fit her lithe form. She quickly threw something into the bushes, causing a few insects to leap from their resting area as a result. I could not afford to lose any of these children in this battle, but especially not her.

My eyes zipped quickly over to her sister, a hazel eyed girl who had put her ginger hair in two pig tails. Small spots of freckles were scattered around her cheeks, and the glasses she wore kept slipping off of her form. She wore a green v-neck top with laces around the collarbone area, and black long pants that caught on her heels. She also threw something into the bushes, though my mind could identify what the object in question was. The two girls looked off into the distance, my eyes soon following as I did my best to catch my breath and avoid a panic attack. These two sisters were of the utmost importance, and there was absolutely no way I could allow Phoenix Ascendant to take either of them. Because Lord Sei Orlouge had left his daughters, Anita and Emma Orlouge, in my care.

If Children are our future, then Emma and Anita would be the future of the Ixian Knights.

[Dalasi]

The soft breeze rolled through the courtyard gardens with a kindled serenity. The honeysuckle scented vibrancy spurned hope in Dalasi’s feverish heart. He stood motionless and deep in thought, his mind turned to the corrupting influence of war on even the strongest of minds. The swordsman, though experienced, was still young and was not yet tempered against its harsh reality. He closed his eyes to take in the atmosphere for a few moments longer. Soon, the gardens would be replaced with a battlefield. The peppercorn reeds, soft lilacs in shades of turquoise, and the fruit trees on the verges would become broken trunks, trodden beds, and burning bush lands.

Elisdrasil, the enigmatic leader of the Phoenix Ascendant had promised two things to arise from the ashes of the day. The first was that Sei Orlouge would find no sanctuary in his lofty castle. The second was that Corone, no matter how the outcome of the conflict occurred, would remember for an age the acts of all those brave men, women, and elves. It had taken many weeks for the elves to come to terms with the elf’s reasoning for beginning a conflict, but now they had ratified the cause, they had slowly come to believe in it. Faith was the one tool a man could wield against even the most untenable of positions. It was the one thing Dalasi had to brandish against an uncertain future.

He keened his gaze across the verdant expanse to the gaping opening on the far side that lead into an unfamiliar beyond. It mirrored the pathway into the gardens the swordsman had emerged through, and both were half illuminated by the midday sun. The shadows cast by the overhanging stone stood in stark contrast to the dancing shade beneath tree bough and hawthorn heights. Though seldom found interested in the natural beauty of the surface world, even Dalasi found himself muttering a silent praise for the artistry in the inner grounds. He mused about what a waste it would be to ruin them, even if lives depended on its destruction.

Slowly but surely Dalasi advanced out into the maze of privet hedgerows, each one dividing off a different section of the garden both from entry, and eventually, from view. The soft breeze faded as the thick green shrubberies, carefully trimmed and trestle with pine wadding entombed the elf in a surround of life. He broke out into small courtyards lined with marble statues, small herb gardens that overwhelmed the senses, and finally out into the sunlight proper once again.

“Interesting…” Dalasi muttered, a wry smile crossing his stony expression as he stopped. His battered leather boots made their mark on the mulch covered pathway that wound through fern bushes and water features bubbling up through an underground well. It connected with a grand circle of stone, marble columns, and an unlikely sight. Though Dalasi was deep in the inner grounds of the Ixian Knight’s citadel, he had not expected to come across anyone so soon. He had expected rear-guard cavalry, house guard protecting fortified relatives, and creatures as deadly as their names.

“Not children,” he said louder, uncaring wherever or not he was discovered. He had no intention of launching a surprise attack on the group in the distance. He, like the Ixian Knights, had vows he could not break. The commanders of the house guard had clearly deemed the Phoenix Ascendant to be an insignificant threat to their operations in Corone if they foolishly left their future champions so openly, readily, and tantalisingly out in the open.

As Dalasi passed the final brook, and felt the soft ground beneath his nimble foot give way to the warm stone of the grand circle, he quashed the doubt at the forefront of his mind that this may well be a trap. From what little they had been told off the Hero of Radasanth, he would not stoop to such levels of frivolous morality, even in pursuit of his so called heroism. He would not, Dalasi assured himself as he rested his right gloves hand onto the hilt of his sheathed sword, contemplate using his own kin as a vamplates for his bitter heart.

“Greetings sir!” he bellowed, rolling his shoulders to limber up, and send his flaxen strands of silver hair swaying in the sunlight. It seemed to dance with a light of its own in his wake. His elegant features, though shrewd, were starkly contrasted against the etched, battle hardened, and well-worn plates of mail he wore seemingly always. The group of children, a huddle of ponytails, mottled chins, and mixed abilities seemingly froze, and the eldest of the group stood out to the swordsman like an archery target’s bull’s-eye.

An opportunity like this did not present itself often. Whilst Dalasi would harm no hair, bone, and legacy, using them as a tool to lure out someone more worthy of his attentions and objective was utterly in his cold, calculating, and militaristic mind. These were not a human shield, but a human sword, to wield strikingly at the heart of his enemy. “Make no sudden movements, children and your guardian here will remain quite,” he ran a pallid tongue over supple lips, as if salivating at the thought of killing, “functional.” He stopped when he closed the gap between them to two hundred or so feet, and leant on his left hip with a swagger.

His objective in the castle was not just to scout out the auxiliary forces ahead of the frontal assault. Dalasi Yrene’s place in Elisdrasil’s grand scheme to scour the Ixian Knights with the resurrecting flame was quite a lot more brilliant than that. He smiled brightly, and held out a flat palm as a gesture of good will. His place in the elf’s scheme was to prove to the Hero of Radasanth that his actions in Corone would have more far flung consequences in distant lands than he could have ever anticipated. When Dalasi had finished his assignment, the consequences of this bitter civil war would be burnt with relish into the memory of the Orlouge family forever.

[Aimer Haine Rogers]

Just great, I thought to myself as I noticed the pointy tips sticking out beneath this man’s gray hair, he’s an elf. Faster, more limber, probably stronger too.

My confidence in my abilities was quite lacking, as I had never even been proficiently trained in using my rod; it had just been a nifty looking weapon I picked up at a market. Sure, I knew how to swing it like a bat, or bludgeon somebody with it if the situation called for it, but in an honest-to-Thayne battle? I would be no match if this elf attempted to attack me (though I did feel slightly insulted that he was using me to threaten the children, and not the other way around).

I rose my rod up, sleek black metal cool against my hands. I could hear the kids stepping forward, as if trying to defend me. I was supposed to be able to protect them. I was their guardian. One of my hands left my weapon, extending outwards to stop the advancement of the children. I could hear the footsteps halt under my physical instruction. This strange elf’s eyes seemed to take note of the way the teens seemed to obey me like sheep to their shepherd. I would not allow him to hold such an advantage over us.

“This is not your fight, guys,” I always found that calling them ‘kids’ distanced us, whereas talking to them as equals more often than not persuaded them, “if this is going to happen, it will have to be between myself and him. There is no reason for any of you to get yourselves hurt on account of me.”

“But Aimer,” I recognized the smooth, sing-song like voice as that of Emma Orlouge, the girl wearing the faux glasses, “You know what w---“

“Elena,” I spoke out Emma’s ‘name’ to try and still the girl’s tongue, “You and Anna are too headstrong. One wrong move and this guy will run you through. Look at him; he is obviously not going to spare your lives because you’re young. There’s no need to take unnecessary and silly risks.” My eyes continued to focus on the lanky warrior before me, intent on trying to catch any sudden movements.

I slowly began to kneel down, the hand that still held onto my weapon lowering at the same level as my chest. It’s funny how situations can change ones perspective of things. One moment you’re smelling the beautiful scent of a plethora of beautifully arranged flowers, and the next that same sweet smell has caused a rumble in your stomach, a pang of guilt you’re sure you may never be able to make up for. I had been given the task to protect these children by Sei Orlouge himself, and that meant doing anything I could to ensure their safety.

I laid my rod on the soft dirt below, my body rising up, both arms held high above my head. “I do not know who you are, sir, but I surrender. I will make no moves against you or your ilk as long as you are on these castle grounds. In return, I ask that you grant the people behind me a parlay. Just as I will cause you no harm, I must be promised that you will not touch those in my care. If these terms are acceptable, then you are free to do with me what you will.”

“Aimer, No!” the voice of Anita, Sei’s second oldest daughter, rung into my ears. I closed my eyes, hearing several of the more emotional kids sobbing for my possible sacrifice. There were even a few hushed whispers questioning my actions, and if our would-be captor would even agree to my conditions. I opened my orbs and shifted them back towards the kids, happy that so many little lives cared about me so. The guilt pangs in my gut were slowly starting to vanish, though that still left me at the mercy of the elf.

An elf that as far as I knew, was better suited and more likely to engage in combat than any other soul here.

((Just a quick note, as the children for both Gran-Gran and Aimer's stories in this battle are important to their characters, I would ask that whoever wishes to use the children for anything other than basic discussions please get with me first about it.))

[Dalasi]

Dalasi listened to the man’s parlance with interest. Sacrifice, self-importance, and honour were all regal ideals to the swordsman, but from the man’s black cane, the soft sunlight, and the scared expression on the youngest of the group’s faces, the elf did not think the man’s pious defence would afford them much leeway to retreat. Whilst he had no intention of harming them, not for vow’s sake, but for his own morality, he was surprised to be taken so seriously.

“That is an altruistic and an honourable gesture, sir.” He smiled weakly. The name the man had spoken started to weigh on Dalasi’s mind.

“Will you grant me that request?” Aimer asked as he turned back to the elf. His pallid orbs were fearful, and Dalasi could only sigh at the prospect of having to fight someone so woefully unprepared for the skill of his blade.

“Yes,” he nodded.

Elisdrasil had instructed the Yrene brothers on the history and lineage of the Orlouge clan before they had departed for the castle. The high elf sought to prepare the duo for the trials ahead by equipping them not just with purpose, but with knowledge too. As the butterflies danced from fuchsia blooms to effervescent bulbs, Dalasi recalled the long list of names that he had compiled before he agreed to the assignment. There was Sei Orlouge, and Kyla, and many more. In that list, he remembered another, one of the younger siblings.

“Anna...” he said softly, not loud enough to be heard. He moved his gaze from the plucky sister to the red head and freckled visage of the girl stood next to her. He assumed that she must be Emma Orlouge. “Emma Orlouge?” he cocked his head. The long lengths of silver hair moved with him, dangling in a straight cut above his robust shoulders.

The expression on the girl’s face turned sour, shocked, and suspicious.

“He is with the Phoenix Ascendant...” she barked. Aimer, hesitant to respond rashly, looked back and forth between assailant and sister. “Aimer, do not do this; let us flee!” the tone of her sincerity grew exponentially. Dalasi could feel the tension grow in the air, smothering the spring dance of the castle gardens with autumn’s bitter respite.

“Is that true?” the guardian questioned. Dalasi could not help but admire his charismatic appearance. His skin was almost tanned in the radiance of the Corone weather. The two men began to remind the elf of a silver statue and a gold statue staring one another down in an ancient and eternal vigil.

Dalasi could only nod. No words were needed to ratify his current alliance with Elisdrasil ragtag band of self confessed freedom-fighters.

“Then why are you here, and,” Aimer thought quickly on his feet, suggesting to Dalasi that what he lacked in skill with a blade, he made up for in intellect, wit, and diplomacy, “what do you want?”

“I am here to deliver a message; I mean you no harm or malice.” He slowly reached into a small pouch that rested on his left hip, tucked into the moulding and shape of his armour, and held it at arm’s length.

The motion caused a sudden spike in the density of the tension, but it did not take long for Aimer’s curiosity to override the duty in his lithe form.

“For me?”

“No,” Dalasi nodded at Emma. “I am here to deliver a message to Sei Orlouge.” He advanced a few steps, which caused Aimer’s cane to rise. “I am to deliver this message via any member of the Orlouge clan.” He paused, looked to Emma, and remained motionless with the envelope extended. He took a deep breath of the dew and pollen laden air.

[Abomination]

((Draug arrives from Outer Gates))

The green scent of life enveloped Draug's senses, threatening to engulf him were it not for his apathetic disposition. In his previous life, he would have appreciated the charms of the marble statutes, the art of the hedge maze, and the beauty of the flowers. Not anymore. Never again. When his mother gave him this form, she took away everything that he held dear, everything that he would give his life for. Now, all that meant nothing to him. He was reborn to serve.

He watched the exchange between the man and elf, his body halfway shrouded by an apple tree. There was tension in the air, although Draug had missed much of the conversation. Apparently the elf was from Phoenix Ascendant, and he was here to deliver a message to Sei Orlouge. This is what could be gathered, but whether it told the whole story was still a mystery. An idea formed in his mind, a piece of inspiration granted to him by The Dark Mother. He stared at the trimmed hedges, at all the children behind Aimer, and his strongest emotion of joy only ended up as a weak grin on his face. The older kids were there, that means it was likely that his target was in that disguised group.

He stepped out from behind the tree and started walking slowly towards the group. Raising the gun, he aimed it at Aimer.

"Good work," he said in a commanding, yet monotone voice while staring at Dalasi. "You got them close enough." Putting his finger on the trigger, he aimed carefully at Aimer, threatening to fire if he showed any indication of resistance. He wouldn't make his move yet, but he watched the situation unfold from his interference. "Get Azza and let's go."

[Dalasi]

In that moment of revelation, horror, and sickening nauseas, the gambit came to life. The Hummel betrayed the Phoenix Ascendant. Dalasi smiled, curling his lip into a half-moon that split allegiance from honour.

“I will do no such thing,” he turned slowly to face the creature, unsheathed his blade, and rested his aching haunches and spread legs and tender hooks. Dalasi had no idea who the ghoul was referring to, or whatever it was. He examined the corrupting influence, the flaccid skin, and the malefic aura of the intruder, and decided, with a scent of almonds in his nostrils, that he was to be judged. Emma skittered forth, took the letter with a snatch of her hand, and retreated.

Aimer tried to object, but his voice went deathly silent, his heart racing, and his rod wavering between action and ignorance.

“You really think the Hummel, guardian of the Underdark, would harm innocent, defenceless, and naive children?” Dalasi’s left eyebrow peaked with interest. Of course, the swordsman did not know the Dovicarus named Azza, and if he had, he would have refrained from slighting her plucky, driven, and zealous nature.

The wind rolled through the lucid gardens, tearing away the mists of adrenaline, and letting the beauty shine in the butterfly strewn hearth of the castle.

“Do you think I would sully my name, nature, and morality with your sycophantic self-loathing, foul homunculus of arrogance?” he cocked his head, levelled his armoured form at the shifting creature, and swung his blade in three concentric arcs; left rick, snicker snack, twirling forth and rolling back.

“Good sir, who are you?” Aimer asked, heart racing, eyes shining with tears and indecision, and body, weak and feeble, twitching with excitement and fear.

Dalasi curled his lip. His eyes pierced Draug’s form, and his light shone at the heart of the castle courtyard. Not even the beauty of the delicate wings of the butterflies that began to swarm the fuchsia bushes, thick holly trees, and well groomed geraniums could match his clarity.

“I am Corone’s true Hero. We are Corone’s salvation, its silent guardians.” He levelled the tip of his sword, Syndail, at the creature’s neck, and cocked his shoulder with a left directed slouch.

“Will you join us?” Emma enquired, looking up only briefly from the content of the peace offering he had given her. It outlined the Hummel’s intention to keep the island peaceful, democratic, and without tyranny. The tenets of Dalasi’s station were at its heart – no one power would grasp the heart of the island.

Dalasi shook his head.

“Then why fight?” Emma enquired her voice almost buoyant with the vibrancy of spell song. The air seemed to tighten around the ginger haired youth’s form. Her previous nerves were shot, tempered, and cast aside as she found her calling.

“For Althanas I fight.”

Dalasi’s words shattered the rock of the courtyard walls.

The Thayne Yrene stirred in his crystalline tomb about the necrotic corpse of Xem’Zund, the Forgotten One.

“For the Old Laws and the new Ways.” He nodded politely to his new found opponent. “Run, all of you. Take the letter to Sei. Leave this charlatan, this mockery of life to me.” He cut an x in the air, and rolled is spine, neck, and jaw. Unlike his brother, who would waver at the thought of killing even a mindless beast, Dalasi Yrene held no such qualm about death.

In the dancing, rolling, and sweet and sickly scented grove of the Ixian Gardens, the Swordswane of the shadows would test his mettle against the most foul of beasts.

“Come,” he snarled, testing the homunculus’ loyalty, strength, and ferocity.

[Abomination]

If Draug could wretch, he would. The display was nothing short of disgusting. Guardians of Corone? The Old Ways? His memories were filled of such loud-mouthed heroes. They never lasted long when their skills couldn't keep up with their words. He didn't expect that the Phoenix Ascendant delivery boy would be a traitor. It mattered little to the Homunculus, as a simple matter just became slightly more complicated. He didn't wait for the speech to end as he dashed after the disguised children the moment they started moving. He fired the gun at Dalasi, then discarded it. Swords ripped through the flesh of his forearm and extended out to the hilt, which he clasped in his palms. The bloody longswords carried his poison, putting all the kids at risk if he came closer enough. Hands started to rip through the fabric on his shoulder blades, serving as the start of the growth of two new arms. They carried with them bloody longswords as well, but Draug still needed some time before the arms would grow out long enough for combat.

He ran at the children, intending to sort out which one was Azza even if it meant cutting them apart.

[Aimer Haine Rogers]

It all happened so quickly, my mind barely had time to process it all. First, the elf managed to identify Emma, then an other worldly being came into the scene, his stench almost off setting the succulent smell of the various botanical wonders around us. Before I had time to speak up (I was planning on telling the creature that Azza was not with us regardless of whether it was true or not), the elf turned on the beast, pointing his sword towards the things neck.

As this commotion went on, I kneeled down and picked up my rod, the black steel feeling cool against my hands once more. I looked back to the children, jerking my head back to indicate that they run. Anita and Emma nodded, taking the hands of the other kids and running out of harm’s way. Before they could make a secure escape, however, the beast dashed towards them, firing off a shot at the elf and apparently growing extra appendages as well as weapons.

“What the hell are you?!” my voice cracked as I asked the question, the genuine fear in my voice obvious. I had never encountered anything like this before, and it was just too surreal for me. However, I could not let this hideous being harm the children; I had to fulfill my duty.

As he sped towards the kids, my body reacted the only way it knew how when my students were in danger. I jumped in the path of the deformed monstrosity, gripping my rod tight in my hands; I raised the weapon, prepared to strike the thing in the face as it approached. However, I found that the closer he had gotten to me, the more my fear enveloped me. By the time this horrible thing was a few feet away from my form, my legs were trembling, my palms were sweaty (causing a looser grip on my weapon), and tears began to fill my eyes in anticipation of coming death.

I thought of my life, how my parents raised me while constantly bickering between each other, how my own feelings for someone who did not reciprocate them had caused me so much emotional and physical pain, and how happy being a teacher to all of these kids made me. At least I could cover their retreat for a minute or two. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, thinking one thought the entire time. At least the kids will be safe…

And then I heard the glass shatter.

[Silence Sei]

“You will not touch them!” Sei’s voice boomed in the head of Draug. The mute had arrived from the outer gates, out of breath from so much running, just in time to watch Draug’s attempted attack on the children. The Mystic did not understand why the homunculus was firing upon an elf (an elf Sei had never seen before, and thus had to assume was part of the Ascendant), but an old proverb about enemies of enemies being friends quickly came to mind. Thus, when the bullet was fired, Sei reacted quickly by casting Mystic Protection on the elf.

Then, when the bastard son of Cassandra Remi was intercepted by Aimer, the mute cast the same spell on the daycare worker. As Draug’s sword attempted to pierce Aimer, the tip of his blade was stopped just inches from the man’s form, the very air around his body forming cracks, and then shattering into dozens of glass shards. Sei could not hear Dalasi’s own spell go off, though this may have been due to the fact that so many loud noises were now going off so close to one another.

He reacted quickly, leaping towards the ground as Aimer’s Mystic Protection launched, sending glass shards straight towards the face of Draug. The man did not waste any time turning tail and running, the kids under his care already several hundred feet ahead of him. The safest place in the castle at the moment was the tombs or the dungeon, a fact that Aimer surely knew of himself, and would probably usher the children towards.

He could feel the glass shards tearing at the clothes on his back, though by the time they had reached the mute, the pieces of crystal had been spaced far enough to not cause any real damage to his being. Regardless, Sei had buried his face temporarily into the dirt, to avoid any cuts to his features. When he did look up, however, the mute saw that he was only an arms length away from the gun that Draug had dropped just moments before his attempt on Aimer’s life.

Sei Orlouge was never the type to approve of guns. He had always been against firearms, despite some of his closest allies using the weapons themselves. As far as the mute was concerned, guns were for cowards who did not posses the skill, patience, and finesse it took to use real magic. To use such a weapon against a normal person was despicable, and the Mystic would never try something so low as to use a firearm at a human under normal circumstances.

But Draug was not normal, he was not a person, and Cassandra Remi had made sure that he was no longer human. To execute the beast here and now would be doing the whole world a favor. It would be quick, painless, and Draug would have never seen the death coming. The Mystic began to reach for the weapon, the ease of squeezing a trigger and ending it all in his mind, but three things stopped him from actually taking hold of the pistol.

The first was Draug’s disease. Sei had been briefed by his niece, Aislinn, about the properties of Draug’s internal virus when the telepath had returned to Ixian Castle with a dagger coated in the monster’s blood. Just touching anything the fiend had touched would cause someone to contract his sickness, most likely resulting in the same unbearable headache that Sei had suffered days before. Touching the weapon could have very well ended the war, but it would be uncertain who the victory would go to if he did so.

The second thing that gave the Mystic pause was Kyla Orlouge. His ‘daughter’ was still missing, after all. He had spared Victor Callahan for the sole purpose of allowing the gunslinger to help find the girl. He was uncertain if Victor would search Kyla out, but Sei had hope that the man was not as cold at heart as the Mystic had originally thought. Maybe underneath all the gruff and grime, Victor Callahan was a good man. If his search proved uneventful, however, Sei would need someone who knew exactly where his little girl was; who better than the creature that kidnapped her to begin with?

And the last thing, the thing that burned in Sei’s mind the most, was the mercy. Sei did not wish for Draug to have a quick and painless death. He wanted the monster to suffer, to beg his mother for help that would never come. He wanted Draug to know that Cassandra Remi would abandon him just as she abandoned everyone else in her life. He wanted him to die knowing that the one person he loved did not return the same affections. He wished death upon Draug, but only after he had taken every shred of hope from the abomination that he could.

He retracted his hand, his nose filled with the combination of sweet smelling roses, allergy-inducing dust, and Draug’s own wretched stench. The birds had stopped singing, possibly migrated to an area where there was less turmoil. Everything would soon return to normal, or as normal as Ixian Castle typically was.

He rolled into the bushes, hoping that the beast would not see or care about the movement. With any luck, Sei would be able to get the jump on Cassandra Remi’s child, take from her what she took from him. The Cult of Blessed Torture would lose one of its most powerful members today. Just as three things stopped Sei from grabbing the gun seconds before, three things now motivated the mute to carry on.

Draug would be captured. Draug would tell Sei where Kyla was. Draug would die.

[Abomination]

As his two blades struck the glass, Draug heard the voice. He only had moments to react, and turned around, nearly falling as he propelled himself onto the soft grass. He hit the ground, placing his arms over his head as the shards from both Dalasi and Aimer flew at him. Due to his integrated armor, his primary hands and back were mostly okay, but many shards embedded themselves into the back of his legs and shoulder-blade arms, which were now fully grown. The slight sensation of pain filled his mind as he pulled himself up immediately after the attack and looked back at the children, now making good distance from the Homunculus. He had to adjust his priorities on the spot, turning around and hopping from foot to foot, swaying from side to side in order to preserve his momentum. He was well aware of Sei's abilities at this point, especially the strange binding seaweed that nearly killed him not long ago.

Sei's involvement was not part of the plan. He figured that he had more than enough time to capture Azza, but somehow the Ixian leader was on his tail the entire time. Did Kyla get to him immediately? Did she tell him the whole story and leave it in his hands? Either way, it was reasonable to protect his servants from Draug's attack. It did not indicate a motive to harm the Homunculus in such a way as to put Kyla's child in danger, simply that he couldn't run around killing everyone in the castle. Still, he played it safe. Blood trickled down his extra arms as they hung in the air on either side of his head, holding the blades up and slightly inward. His absorbed lizard hide prevented the shards from going too deep into his body, leaving his musculature intact. Many of them slid out of their entry points and fell to the ground.

He couldn't see Sei, but he doubted that the Mystic just decided to leave. There was also the traitor to contend with, and possibly the man with the kids as well. He didn't know how many more reinforcements were coming, likely to trap the Homunculus. Due to his blood link with Cassandra, if anything happened to his life then she would know. Akiv's life was at risk. Draug's mother would likely keep true to her word, because nothing would bring her more pleasure than to instigate a situation where the Ixians would blame themselves should anything happen to the child. A son for a son was a fitting punishment for Sei's recklessness, should he go so far. Ultimately however, Draug did not know what she had in store. He merely followed orders, even if that meant putting his very life into the line of fire.

His perpetual dull expression, with mouth slightly agape to expose a row of sharp, filed-down carnivorous teeth, scanned the garden for any trace of the Mystic. He could've been anywhere, either in the hedge maze, behind a statue, in a bush, or just crouching low behind the flowers. While he didn't want to walk into a trap, he had no choice but to keep moving. Carefully, he sprinted toward the exit of the garden, back to the outer gates, his beady yellow eyes looking for any movement out of the ordinary. The Homunculus felt no desire to waste words with the Ixian, for the longer he spent here the farther Azza would get away.

[Dalasi]

Dalasi curled his lip, dropped his blade to his side, and waited.

As the glass tinkled, sparled, and shone in the ether, and enemies gathered, fate aligned over the Hummel.

As he melted through the stone, to sanctuary, safety, and solitude beneath the earth, he felt a wave of relief.

War waged in the gardens, but all he left in his wake, was a peace offering.

A letter.

A sparkle of hope.

The kin of the Thayne Yrene had done their duty to guide the conflict to a likely end they desired.

Althanas desired...

The gods desired.


Conclusion

[Aimer Haine Rogers]

Even though my interactions with the man were few and far between, I could practically see the heroism radiating off of Lord Orlouge. He had managed to not only protect me, but the elf that had turned on the attacking demon. I was the only one to notice the elf’s sudden disappearance after his glass shield shattered outwards, cutting through the leaves of bushes, chipping the bark off of trees. The debris and chaos that ensued provided me enough of a cover to make an escape, the fear in my heart causing me to scuttle away into the foliage of the gardens.

I had come so close to dying. My heart felt as if it was pounding in my chest, nearly distracting me from my goal. The beast that had pursued us would no longer be a threat. Lord Orlouge would easily be able to take care of that hell spawn. The children were of no concern anymore as well; if anybody knew where to elude enemies, it was the kids that played their various hunting and tracking games in the gardens. I was confident that the vile fiend would no longer be able to locate any of us.

I moved silently through the greenery of the garden, my eyes catching glimpses of fallen glass shards, as well as torn shrubbery. I was careful not to make a whole lot of noise, just in case that monster was still on the loose. Luckily, the children and I had made a back-up plan in case we were separated. Lady Gran-Gran had the smaller children with her, and in case of separation, my own students were to make their way into the tombs and join her. Lady Gran-Gran could have a head count just as easily as I could, making her the perfect back-up chaperone.

As I snuck past the altercation between my boss and his temporary nemesis, I carefully positioned myself on all fours, crawling towards the outer gates. During my crawl, a glimmer of something shined into my eyes. Despite the fighting, my curiosity got the better of me, and I crawled further into the fighting in the middle of the gardens, closer to the shimmering object. I could feel the various limbs scraping across the back of my clothes, telling me that I was hidden well from the eyes of others. I got within eyes reach of the object, and reached for it, my eyes widening in shock.

It was Emma’s sword. A simple steel long sword the girl had gotten after she had come back from the Istein University. My hands touched the cold metal as I remembered Emma throwing something into the bushes before everything went to Haidia. It must have been the sword. I smiled to myself, turning from the action and attempting to crawl back towards the outer gates. Admittedly, crawling became harder now that my left had been holding my rod, and my right hand was holding Emma’s sword.

However, I knew that as long as Lord Orlouge kept the beast distracted, I would have plenty of time to escape. Once I got far enough away, I would stand and make a run towards the gates, making sure to wrangle up any straggling children in the process, and continue on to the Tombs.

((Aimer moves from the Gardens to the Outer Gates))

[Silence Sei]

A wounded animal would always try to escape its hunter. Draug proved that he was more animal than he was man in the moments he spent trying to elude Sei. The mute, however, had spent months in this garden, often finding the docile and strange quiet of the area to give him the clarity he needed to formulate strategies. It was here that the mute had decided to strike at Corone, to claim it for the people, before Phoenix Ascendant and the Cult decided to stick their noses where the people did not want them.

And this raging beast thought he could maneuver out of a part of the castle Sei had grown so accustomed to spending hours in? The thought brought a smile to the mute’s features. He watched the sinister son of Cassandra Remi try to make his way out of the gardens, though he showed no real signs of injury in his escape. That would change soon. Draug would tell Sei Kyla’s location before the mute drained the last bit of life from his eyes. Draug was a tainted soul, he had been birthed into this world through malice, and he would be taken out in the same fashion. Cassandra Remi would revel the irony there, no doubt.

As Draug got closer to leaving the gardens, Sei decided to send the monster a warning. Jumping through the various bushes and trees, parallel with the creature, Sei reached to his side. He grabbed one of the chakrams from his hip, the one that possessed acidic qualities. He knew of Draug’s ability, and if he were to touch that chakram in the wrong way in order to learn the dark secrets of the Ixian Knights, his hand would burn as if it were being eaten away by acid. This would also negate any of Sei’s inner memories from being unlocked by picking the bladed ring up. All that Draug would get from touching the chakram would be the memory of a giant red gelatinous blob named ‘Hans’.

Worst case scenario, the ring would miss completely, but still whiz past Draug, making the beast think that Sei was sealing off his retreat and forcing him to find another exit. Best case scenario would end with the ring firmly embedded in the homunculus’ chest, the burning effect entering every organ in his system. Perhaps then, with his dying breath, Sei could get a confession out of the bastard child.

While he had intended to stay and kill Draug, Sei’s mind was suddenly elsewhere the second he heard a gun shot ring out across the castle. There were only two people using fire arms on the grounds (three if you counted the deceased guard. Sei did not.) Either gunslinger using their weapon of choice brought worry to Sei’s form. Taking one last look at Draug, Sei began to run towards the outer gates, making sure to dodge any limbs or bushes that would shake, and make Draug wise to the Mystic’s escape.

As the wind and falling leaves whipped past the telepath’s face, another thought began to stir. The hunter could be on the verge of being stalked by the animal. Cassandra Remi would appreciate that irony as well.

((Sei moves from Gardens, to the Outer Gates.))

[Abomination]

As Draug moved toward the exit to the gardens, his opponents started to disappear one by one. The elf-looking guy had completely disappeared, and the man who guided the children went ahead and escaped as well. He did not think long about this however, as he focused on his own goals. Less opponents meant less to worry about, which just gave him more opportunities to capture Azza Ambrose. As he ran however, he knew that he was not completely alone. He doubted that Sei would let him roam free in the castle, but the Mystic's speed and aim was good. While he spaced his movements to avoid the Mystic's Octopus Garden attack, he couldn't avoid the chakram. By the time he noticed it, it was too late to change his momentum- he practically ran into it.

It flew in an arc from Sei's position, at first moving away from Draug and then towards him, finally striking him in the ribs. It stopped his movement immediately as the weapon's blades pierced through his chest, slicing some of his organs and giving him the sensation that he was being burned by acid. While he was a creature that felt little pain, even he couldn't ignore the numbing effects of the chakram, causing his organs to send distress signals to his brain. He stopped and dropped to both knees, letting go of his swords in his main arms and putting his hands on the chakram to try pulling it out. He couldn't think, as strange new memories flooded his mind.

In the memory, a giant red gelatinous blob appeared before him. He couldn't understand why he was seeing this, and what's worse the blob appeared to slither along the ground, moving over to him in his recollection and engulfing him, giving him the sensation of drowning. He shook his head to snap out of it, the chakram's blades cutting into his hands as he struggled to remove it. Despite no actual acid being present, his organs were reacting as though they were burning, unable to function as they normally would. If it wasn't for his pain tolerance, this attack would completely incapacitate him. Since that wasn't the case, he had the strength to pull the chakram out, throwing it into a nearby bush. His breath was hoarse, and blood poured out of the wound in his chest. His ribs were likely broken from the impact, meaning that any further chest damage would be far more effective on him than before. He stood back up, hearing the gun shot and subsequently seeing the Mystic dash out of the gardens.

Great, more of that sound. It was like he was back in that village all over again. There was no way to tell who was making it, but judging from the fact that Sei found it more important to address that than capture Cassandra's son, it was likely not a friendly gesture. The mission was becoming quite muddled, but ultimately it was Kyla's job to retrieve Azza. The fact that Draug attempted to take matters into his own hands did not change that. He retrieved his dropped swords and made his way to the exit, breaking into a sprint once more. He couldn't quite go as fast as before, since his ribs were poking into his organs with each step. While Sei's retreat could indicate a trap, the fact that he had no other way out of the garden made him think otherwise. He was already trapped. The outer gates would provide him an escape route. Then again, maybe letting Draug go was part of the plan, in order to follow him back to the Cult. He made a mental note that he couldn't go back home after this, not for a little while.

Last time Sei let him out of sight, Draug took his daughter. This time, he risked his friend's daughter.

((Draug moves from Gardens to Outer Gates))