middleofsomewhere | The Will to Fight: Conclusion

The Will to Fight: Conclusion

The battles rage loud and ferocious at the gates of the city and off in the ruined wastelands of Erda, and on the walls a struggle of a different kind occurs. The team who stayed behind at the towers are small but determined as they move stoically across the walls to right the stones that have become misaligned, even as their friends battle not too far away.

The city begins to hum. It's a quiet hum, not loud enough to be heard out where the others are fighting but it vibrates even through stone. The recovering monks assure them that it is done, the wards are back up and no demon will be able to enter the city.

Eventually the battle is won, all three battles. The demons fought back and killed, a major blow to their gate system that will keep them back for hopefully a long time. Those waiting in the caverns return to the city and by the time they get there the illusions are gone. Everyone can see the world for what it really is.

But despite the ruins of their world the people are relieved, the adrenaline of the fight coursing through their veins and the mood is one of hope. They will build again, their people will survive.

All Voidtreckers please return to the Voidtrecker Express. Departure will be in a few hours

It has landed not too far from the city, cloaked to make it unnoticeable to the citizens, for all the good that does. No one has been particularly subtle this last week. People can begin regrouping, packing up the camp and getting any wounded not already healed to the train.

However roughly half an hour later another message appears on their SCA.

Passenger Persephone has requested we remain on system System #86525656412355 for an additional day to further assist the people of Erda. The Voidtrecker Express will depart on the morning of Day Fifteen of the month of Kazoo.

The train remains where it is, so the voidtreckers can use its facilities. There is definitely a lot that can be done to assist those of this world and the citizens will welcome any helping hands.

After an extra day they finally depart, returning to the void once more.

(OOC Note: Once the wards are up any characters who are demonic in nature will not be able to enter the city either!)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Kind of... I was either fighting or asleep. I didn't pay a ton of attention to the talking on the communicator." Only here and there, and even then it was usually while he was groggy. "I'll probably go back when most of Red team does. We're a smaller team so there's a better chance I can get a shower."

"I'm not entirely sure how long it will take to locate the missing Void traveler among the refugees, but I will be along once I've found and spoken with them. Otherwise, I think we would both do best to leave breaking camp to people who were less involved in today's battles."

He, for one, is in no condition to be exerting himself further. Perhaps his magic could be helpful, but it might best be saved for healing. Particularly if others are still suffering the side effects of necrotic magic.

"If you take too long I'm coming to find you and drag you onto the train." Please sleep, Vexen. He's worried about you.

He scoffs at that, as if the notion is absurd.

"I do intend to wash this filth off of me sooner rather than later. Besides, even as worn as I am, I've my doubts you would be capable of dragging me anywhere."

"Me, no. But I know some people who can." He has friends, okay? Or. Acquaintances. He's not sure.

"And here I thought I would be spared that experience with Aeleus not here." He rolls his eyes, in a clearly exaggerated fashion. "One of my close friends back home made the same threat."

"Yeah, well. Someone has to look after you." He pulls out a familiar-looking sandwich from his bag.

This is fine. This is good. This is not talking about his shitty combat performance.

"Aha, I was wondering which of you busybodies was doing that."

He points at the sandwich accusingly.

"I suspected it was either you or Lea."

"Look, I know you're strong, but you have to eat. And I'm gonna keep doing it until you remember to do it yourself."

He folds his arms, not quite hiding a smile.

"Technically, I only require caloric intake. As my body is based upon magic rather than matter, nutrition is irrelevant."

He folds his arms in return with an indignant huff.

"Okay, sure. But eating's a human thing. It reminds you that you're still a person." And he knows Vexen has issues with that, given... everything he's been told.

"...Eating is not the difference between being a person and being an empty shell masquerading as a person. The difference is feeling."

He taps his chest, right over where his physical heart would be if he properly existed.

"And I feel much more strongly about my studies than I do about my meals."

"You know what I mean." His voice is firm as he rubs his forehead. "And you can't do your studies if you don't have any energy, and you won't have any energy if you don't eat. ... You're looking after me. I get that. But... it's not like it goes one way. I don't want to see you hurting if I can help it."

As much as he's being firm, there's fear around him. His body feels suddenly cold. He can't let Vexen get hurt or sick, he can't... he's put too much emotional energy into the man and started to care, he can't have that ripped from him again.

"I do eat enough to remain functional. But...fine." He sounds somewhat put out, as though prying himself away from research for long enough to eat a proper meal is a significant sacrifice. "I will set aside a period of time in the evenings, with an alarm, for dealing with things that aren't related to work. Will that make you feel better?"

He relaxes immediately, though he's till tired and tense from the fight. "... Yes. I just want you to be okay." Normally he wouldn't push so hard, but... well. He's supposed to eat more, and Vexen has about the same body type as Ken which isn't a great sign, even if Vexen is vastly physically stronger.

He frowns as he feels something in his shoe and takes it off to tip it over. It's just some bits of gravel. "Why are there - oh, from when I went skidding -"

... Probably shouldn't have mentioned that in front of Vexen, shit.

Skidding? He raises an eyebrow, and it's his turn to take a serious tone.

"That wouldn't happen to be when you expended that spell I put on you, would it?"

"I -" Ugh. Shit, he can tell? Mm. "I... y-yeah. A... after I got grabbed and slammed, I... got caught by its claws and thrown across the ground... after I'd taken damage..."

His voice is low, and shame permeates every word. He feels awful about it, about how he'd just... ultimately not done enough.

"Well..." He sighs. "I knew this would be a dangerous ordeal. I had hoped the spell wouldn't be necessary, but at least you are safe."

"I... it... the way it grabbed me it looked like... like how Mom..."

He lets out a shuddering breath and looks away. He can't... can't really explain it. Not in any words that matter.

"Ah." His tone is one of complete understanding, and he reaches out to put a hand on Ken's shoulder. "It was as if you were back there, and you felt helpless and afraid despite the fact that you were not actually powerless."

“... I was, though. My spear got stuck in it and I couldn’t free my hands. I... I couldn’t do anything but get slammed down and caught by its swipe after.”

He rummages in his bag and pulls out a bundled up red towel. He opens it and there’s his other pair of pants, nearly completely cut to ribbons from the mud-thigh down. Blood coats the fabric, and Ken looks away.

"Well...learning magic may help with future situations like that. Spells ordinarily use hands or a held focus to guide them, meaning it is easy to channel them into freeing a captured limb."

As long as you have the magical energy for it, anyway. He'd scarily helpless when grabbed while out of magic.

"... Yeah. I'd like that. I want to be... to not be so helpless..." It's an awful feeling and he's so tired of feeling it.

"I know...it's the worst feeling in all the worlds." The way he felt when he couldn't protect Ienzo all those years ago, or when Axel had him cornered while he was already barely standing. It's a special sort of terror.

"I'm glad I was at least able to be there for you when you needed me, even if not in person."

"... Thank you." He folds up the towel and pants and tucks it into his bag again. "I'm... just... upset that I had to use it."

He takes a deep breath. "I kind of lost control. It... almost felt like Nemesis was moving by herself for a minute there."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Will to Fight: Conclusion

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

cw: blood

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject