middleofsomewhere | 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

"And I didn't even get around to the undead fellas, which can also be done with Eldritch magic I gathered but I don't think Krugarr was big on whatever that involved."

At least the utter disparity and strangeness that happened made him less nostalgic for the Lem than usual. He really needed to find a place with a team again now that no one here was judging him. Sure, not many people knew why they should. He was damn lucky Soldat found out and chose to remain his friend.

Kept a little bit of that particular heartache at bay, even if it did nothing to keep the voices in his head from scolding him.

"Alright, so. If you ain't matter, then what exactly has happened to all of this-" He gestures up and down at Vexen. "Honestly someone was a real dick to you if they made you somethin' that can't enter this city but still needs food an' coffee."

"My inability to enter the city seems more associated with with the fact that a thoroughly corrupt and malevolent individual has implanted a fragment of his heart within me. My own will is far too strong for him to overwrite my identity so easily, but the city's wards have no way to be certain of that."

He shakes his head as he opens the energy bar. It's a heavily complicated situation, and he knows he would have made the same call about Xehanort vessels in general terms.

"Though, your point holds, as it was that same person who made me into what I am. The first time, at least. I willingly sacrificed my humanity the second time, to place myself in a position to oppose him. And as for your question, my body is composed of a mix of magic, a balance of light and darkness, and the manifested concept of Nothingness. My physical body has faded away, as I should not exist according to the typical laws of nature."

There's a bunch of words there that he doesn't know what they mean, but also context clues fill in helpful gaps based off what Vexen's already explained in the past.

"Are you made from the same stuff your kids are or are? Can they go in?"

He's genuinely curious now. Mostly 'cause Vexen is his buddy, and he doesn't want him to just damn well poof out of existence if somebody's good and pure spell kicked off the wrong reaction.

"No, they are true living beings." And he sounds incredibly proud of that fact. "Demyx and I are the only actual Nobodies aboard this train, and Demyx is already rid of his parasitic hitchhiker. But as we are not intrinsically creatures of darkness or destruction, I can see no reason why our unusual form of non-existence would bother the city's defenses."

Although, he wouldn't be surprised if the Riku Replica couldn't enter the city, either. The boy leans heavily enough on dark powers that he might be mistaken for a demon, too.

Yondu grunts, covering his mouth as he considers. It's not really fair, and worse yet it shows something that some asshole could really take an advantage of should they get a wild hair. Not that he expects Vexen to make a lot of enemies; people like him fine. But what if someone new sniffs him wrong? Someone as strong as Sanzo or worse.

Not much he can do about it, but suddenly he's real concerned. That same level of concern that comes with people offering to whoop ass on any Kree that comes on, not knowing what nightmares some of them come with.

"For the record it's real messed up in there. You're not missin' a good time. I think you helped enough, Hoss. You pulled enough resources the last few days. You just need to eat an' rest up. I hate that it's happenin' but the city's doin' you a favor."

It's not fair, but it's a price he knew and accepted when he chose to infiltrate the Organization. He may be dealing with parts of it for longer than he'd anticipated, but he'd have made the same decision even if he'd known. For the sake of his atonement, some sacrifices are not only necessary, but more than worth it.

"It being a mess in there does not make me feel better about being stuck out here, but...you are right. I am not a combatant by profession, I am a researcher and a surveyor. Spending so much time fighting with little proper rest has taken a toll on me."

When Yondu pats his shoulder this time, he's a little more careful with it. Like he doesn't know where all that scarring he caught a glimpse of goes and he doesn't want to make it uncomfortable, but he wants to be supportive.

"You oughta go back to the train. Have a real rest. Get you a real cooked meal when you get up. Get you a coffee. Put yourself together. I was inside for days, I can handle this. I still got energy to spare, even if I near got a mind-whoopin' out there. You've been wrung dry."

And he sounds legitimately concerned for the guy, like he's actually made a friend, just not put the association quite together in his head between 'buddy' and 'guy I'd willingly hang out with for the fun of it friend'.

There's a slight tensing at the pat on his shoulder, but the sort of a person who's lukewarm on physical contact rather than anything that would indicate pain. He doesn't pull away, but does frown.

"The ether I drank during that battle restored much of my magical energy, but...loathe as I am to admit it, you are probably right. It did nothing for the physical exhaustion I have endured."

"So we acknowledge I got a point. You still gonna be out here if I come back in an hour or so?"

He's already worried about him spreading himself too thin. At this point Vexen must be hanging on by threads.

"Seriously they got a ton of hyper strong people in there doin' their part an' gettin' their weight trainin' in. You're good."

"If I am, I fear one of my children might conspire with you to physically carry me back to the train." He snorts. "As if he has not been pushing himself, as well."

"Yeah, I saw how bad one of 'em took a hit durin' that fight." Demyx, he means. He hadn't caught his name, and was only loosely aware of him being related to Vexen's brood.

"I think y'all could use the rest. I'll try to get whatever blue team kids to take it light if they can, but honestly we didn't get asked to do that much. Meant us an' Orange team are less spent."

"Demyx? He did give me quite the scare, though I doubt he realizes it." The poor young man seems to have resigned himself to the idea that no one is inclined to worry about him. "Though, at least I have little worry about him overexerting himself. He's rather disinclined to do any more work than is demanded of him."

"If I see any of 'em that I know of while I'm out, I'll tell 'em you went back to the train to rest an' they ought to get there too, alright? At least you ain't gonna have to worry about 'em bein' riled up for a few days."

'Cause other than Demyx, it seems, they'd be wore out after this mission.

The Will to Fight: Conclusion

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