Ember heard the words and her heart beat rapidly at the voice, instantly recognizing it. "Kievaa! You little shit! Give me back my-" Suddenly her armor clanged with the force of a blow from behind, driving the small woman forward. She quickly rolled over to see her assailant towering above her.
Fifteen Omega overlooked the woman. She was clad in a suit familiar to Ember - the same diabolical suit Kievaa once had trapped her in. This one, however, was modified. Bright orange and red magma flowed in its seams, holographic shielding covered various points, while the dark black of the armor glistened like obsidian. The woman's face was completely covered, with a small pulsating red diamond in its center, an optical sensor of asuran design. She held a flame sword akin to Ember's own, with an ax of unstable bloodstone in her offhand. To say the figure was intimidating was an understatement. Even Ember, who was completely confident in her own abilities, was taken aback and stared up, frozen in shock.
"Ember! Get the hell outta there!" Harid ordered.
The armored woman reared back the ax, preparing for a killing blow, when a necrotic minion leaped at Fifteen's head, promptly exploding on a command from Paige. The green cloud left would have choked the Number, had the armor not sucked in the toxin, expelling it with a hiss. Kievaa's voice came from the suit. "Filtration system activated."
The diamond abruptly turned its attention to the source: a small puffy-haired woman. In an instant, Fifteen charged, her fire sword silently intent to slice the woman down.
Harid leaped in front of his daughter, shoving her back. He grunted as the flame sword clashed against his forearm gauntlet, began super-heating it. Harid grimaced, fighting through the pain. He tried to stand but faltered beneath the powerful being, finally succumbed wailing in agony as his skin began to bubble beneath the plate. "Now! Everyone, fall in; attack!"
The group had been in shock, frozen from the appearance of the being. Ari was busy comparing Ember's sword and the one Fifteen carried, as well as scrutinizing the asuran designed tech-suit. Ember, in turn, stared up in disbelief: had the asura cloned her? Paige was caught on the realization that this was a new Number: those extraordinary experiments Lennk made his puppets; their sheer power was beyond compare.
Sylas was the first to react, a bullet from her gun striking its mark precisely in Fifteen's helmet. She glided over behind Paige as the Lady brought up a shield of magical sand to protect them and the shadow team of a downed Tressa and nursing Kimura behind her.
"Father, it's too powerful! Fall back!" Paige shouted through the wall of magic.
Harid wavered. "I… I can't," he struggled beneath the armored woman.
"Then I can!" Ember bellowed as she landed upon Fifteen's back. She wrapped her small body around the armor, her arm intent on choking through the neck-piece. "Your flames can't affect me; I am fire incarnate," Ember shrieked as she again started to ignite.
Harid rolled away, ducking behind the protective shield, cradling his arm. The skin had melted, burned and fused to the now cooling arm-plate. The pain would have made a lesser person fall, but Harid had seen his share of injury in the field, did his best to push through. He stood, assessing the situation. "Ember, that's not going to work. You got to remove the helm to access the flesh underneath. Focus on her head!"
Fifteen suddenly flew straight up in the air, Ember holding on now for her own safety. She paused a moment at the apex, then pointed her sword to the ground. She descended rapidly, slammed into and cracked the floor of the lab, burying her sword in rubble. Ember flew backward from the force, landing with a loud thud; the others braced themselves behind Paige's shield. Where each crack had formed, came a magical cauldron of magma.
"Look out!" Ari yelled as she tackled both Harid and Paige, pushing them from away from a forming rift. The shield of protection fizzled, sands falling back to the ground.
"Uh oh," Sylas muttered.
"I gotta get her outta here," Kimura said, trying to pick Tressa's limp form. Paige saw their predicament, stood upright with Ariadne's assistance, then ordered her to assist. Without hesitation, the soldier gathered the assassin's unconscious body, hoisting the Black Rose over her shoulder and spirited her away with Kimura in tow.
A small voice screeched from a archway leading out of the lab. "Well, what the hell are you waiting for, Fifteen? Demolish them!" Kievaa irritably ordered. She continued hobbling through debris of golems, down the ramp leading to the central complex. "I'll collect the data later. There's more important things to do."
Fifteen Omega charged, barreling for the Lord, Lady and the engineer. She quickly jumped forward with her sword resolutely, ready to impale her victims. Her descent, however, was abruptly halted by a small woman, whose hair was on fire. Ember sprung up defiantly, sword clashing with the woman's replica sword and sent lava spewing and magical flames exploding from the impact.
The blade-lock lasted for only a minute. Ember pushed up, hell-bent on forcing the Number over, or at the very least, pushing her a few steps away from Paige and Harid and Sylas. So intent was she, that the woman didn't noticed Omega's ax. The hilt of the weapon came between them, striking the bottom of Ember's helmet, knocking it off, and sending the woman hurling back. She landed with a boom, barely breathing from the impact.
Harid picked her up clumsily, using only one arm. He regarded the woman a moment before slapping her. "Get up, dammit. The troops are behind that wall of golems; we need you here, Ember! Knock her damned helm off already!"
"Bolster others…" Paige whispered as Demitra's voice filled her mind. Her eyes lit up with an epiphany; She brought a dagger to her own hand and promptly sliced into it. She held her bloody hand over Ember, then clenched her fist until a drop of blood dripped from it. Where it landed abruptly rippled a soft green glow over Ember's body as the magical pact was formed, gifted from Paige. Ember felt her power restored; her body renewed, with strength and speed.
The woman was instantly on her feet, almost flashing to Fifteen Omega, where their blades met again with a loud boom. Ember dug her heels into the broken floor, the force of the clash sinking her. She looked up at the diamond-faced figure with a scowl. "I won't let a copy beat me!" she screamed. In one motion, Ember grabbed the ax-wielding wrist, forcing the woman's own blade into her abdomen.
Fifteen made no cry, no sound from the pain, infuriating Ember. Instead, a ghostly voice echoed within the suit. "I won't let a copy beat me!" Omega echoed Ember's words.
Ember blew up, her hand igniting. She brought the fiery fist to the woman's head, growling as she punched, over and over again. Sparks flew from the helmet, with each blow until it finally began to fall apart from the woman's fury.
Fifteen stumbled back, lost her footing on the rubble, landed substantially hard onto the lab's broken flooring, with Ember on top, still punching.
"She's going to explode!" Harid yelled. "Everyone, get to the main complex! Troops outside: fall back and let the golems die in the fire!" He stood upright with the help of Sylas, turned to see his daughter's vacant eyes. Her skin was a pale brown, sunken in making visible the bones beneath. Any amount longer transferring her vitality to Ember would surely kill her. He scooped her up, began making their way to the ramp toward the main complex and out of the lab. "Snap out of it, Paige; Ember's gotten what she needed to have the upper hand. Break the bond before you die… I… I can't lose you again."
Ember growled a guttural primal growl, continually pounding on Fifteen's face, until finally, the woman's helmet released its hold, went flying from her head. Ember's eyes grew wide, the fire of her hand and the fury she felt only moments ago dissipated. She stared down at the woman with shock.
"Shiera? What… You're Fifteen?"
Shiera was Kievaa's servant; the woman Ember had promised to rescue from a captivity that she herself had felt from the vile asura. Ember had looked for the woman to fulfill her promise after having reunited with Demitra. Yet, she had gotten caught up in the War in Kourna, and upon returning had been admittedly lost. Paige came to the woman then with open arms, embracing her and giving her a home. The memory of Shiera and their mutual captivity had haunted her dreams though, and now, here, when she least expected it, staring back at her was the red and black-haired woman.
Shiera's eyes were solid orbs of obsidian, hidden in the scorched blackness of her eyelids and cheeks, in stark contrast of her skin of ghostly white. Her expression was just as blank.
"S-Shiera?" Ember's voice wavered.
In response, a buzzing voice came from the damaged suit. "Ocular acuity compromised; seek replacement visor." Shiera's black eyes blinked. Her brow furrowed as she brought her arm up to cover her vision.
Kievaa's voice came from the intercom in the suit. "The one thing I expressly programmed you NOT to let happen! Get back to me and get your damned visor, Fifteen! I swear sometimes I don't even know why I keep bringing you back. Damned fookah!" The speaker buzzed with a few more obscenities before turning off.
"Help me take that monster out; she has my wife and my love…" Ember stopped abruptly, her words betraying her.
Shiera used the distraction to roll out from the woman, throwing her off. "Monster…" came the echo of her voice, before she turned on her heel, and hastily retreating further into the lab.
"Wait!" Ember called out, but the woman had already gone. She looked at the replica flame sword, then retrieved the real artifact. Her nose wrinkled as she walked, heavy-footed, toward the exit ramp. A fist and sword of fire blazing, leaving a trail of flames to decimate the lab behind her. The woman's hair caught aflame as her armor glowed as her namesake suggested. "I am Ember Naja Drakenfist, and I'm going to kill that little shit for all she's done."
With every pause Ember grew increasingly restless. It had only been a few minutes since the group followed Kimura and Tressa toward the abandoned facility, but it felt like an eternity to the fire mage. With Demetra still missing and her ex-lover also lost, she felt as though every passing moment was a moment wasted. Much to her chagrin, Kimura again stopped their advance.
Ahead stood two towers, asuran structures, with magitech laced within its stone pillars. Kimura examined them, came to a conclusion fitting of a thief with experience. "Most likely a trap," she muttered. "I got a bad feeling about this."
"When do you not?" Tressa said with a grin as she came to stand beside her. "But, agreed. If the defenses are active, this is no simple decoration." She knelt down, scooped up a fist full of lose dirt, then blew it at the space between the columns. Yellow orbs scrutinized the area. "There seems to be no signs of tripwires or detection lasers."
"Then we're good to go?" Ari asked, echoing her captain's unrest.
Sylas dismounted, came to stand beside the Black Rose. She knelt closely to the pillar, took out a small optical gadget, examining it. In time, she looked back at Paige and Harid. "It appears she is correct. It looks as though these have been deactivated and dormant for a while. I recommend caution, but I think we should be able to pass."
Paige raised an eyebrow, looked to Harid for advice.
The man simply shrugged. "This is your operation; you're call. You lead, we… I'll follow."
Despite the emanate threat and pending battle, Paige couldn't help but smile at her father's trust and confidence in her. She hadn't expected their talk in the small grove to transcend beyond it, and had been quite convinced it would have taken the old warrior longer to accept her role. But, he seemed genuine in his words and it was a much needed reassurance, given their current tumultuous situation.
The noble woman looked down the road ahead to a small outlying Inquest staging area appearing to be dormant. She glanced around at the overgrowth of vines upon the pillars and the dead diodes and lights upon both it and the depot on the path. "I don't like this, but I see little reason to doubt our findings. Everyone proceed, but do so cautiously. The pricking on the back of my neck is not without warrant. I don't want us to get waylaid."
The company proceeded through the pillars slowly. After several had pushed through, a light suddenly sparked to life, as did the outpost ahead. Lights sprang forth, whirls of gears turning, and the humming of machines booting up filled the silence. An electronic voice of Lennk buzzed. "Mark IX activated. Defense systems engaged. Kindly die, intruders!" Within the station, a wall slid upward, activating a large inquest champion golem.
"We've been found out!" Ariadne yelled.
Sylas shook her head. "The golem is a perimeter defense drone. That thing's going to initiate the rest of the defenses at the main facility. We gotta stop it!"
Paige looked at Ember. "Captain, on your mark!"
Captain Ember roared as her head caught fire and her sword blazed in the air. "Charge!" she bellowed. "Scrap that bucket of bolts!" Cinder leaped forward, charging at the automaton. He swiped his tail, tripping the golem as Ember leaped on top of it, her sword of fire finding its way firmly into the mechanical beast's forearm. It launched its other arm to the small woman, sending her flying.
Ariadne was already on point, catching her captain as Kimura and Sylas laid a barrage of bullets at the machine. Tressa leaped into the golem, denting its exterior armor with a dagger, shoving it into the champion's back.
Harid admired the women's efforts, then charged in with his troop, each landing blow after blow to the golem's hull. It rigidly stood, then began to emanate a high squeal. "Back! It's going to-"
Suddenly the golem began to spin, flailing its arms, creating a vortex of spiraling force. Almost all the combatants flew backward, some dodging, others having been struck by the machine.
Paige drew her scepter, casting an incantation to cause bone claws to dig into the golem's stubby legs, grasping to keep the monster from rampaging.
The Black Rose rocketed over the automaton's head in her own spiral, retrieving her dagger after turning it, widening the hole. She landed outside the range, looked to Kimura and nodded. "Pink Thorn; now!"
Without hesitation (though she would have scoffed at the moniker), Kimura bombarded the golem with projectiles. The shells bounced futilly off the machine's armor, only one bullet landing within the gaping hole. The golem paused a minute, stopped spinning, appeared to be dazed.
"Now!" Ember cried.
In unison, the group jumped into the fray, slashing, spinning, casting upon the beast. It toppled to the ground, but was not yet ready to give defeat. Both arms locked into place, began a rhythmic assault, forcing the group's retreat again. Fists flew, striking both Ariadne and Sylas, both knocked over from the blunt object, then turned its attention to the black and red sylvari and Harid, who both skillfully dodged out of range.
Ember looked around at the group, then at the golem. The fury building in the woman was a physical fire which radiated from her in waves. "No," she said as she stood. "You will not keep us any longer. Everyone. Back." She slowly walked forward, the heat the woman exuded multiplying with each step. Her hair caught on fire, her armor erupted into flame.
The company quickly exited the outpost, each turning to watch the captain. The small woman walked forward in glowing bright orange, super-heated armor. She reached out and embraced the golem in a hug that confused half the troops. Suddenly Ember erupted, exploding into an inferno of molten heat and magma. The machines, the golem, the entire structure combusting into a scorching pyre.
Several members were blown back from the blast.
Paige's hazel eyes reflected the fire. "Em-Ember! No!" she screamed. Her friend had always been attuned to fire, but she wasn't sure if a point blank detonation could be survived.
The inferno raged. Tressa looked at Kimura. "This group is most definitely the opposite of subtle. They undoubtedly know we're here, with this beacon of flames."
Kimura was hunched over, breathing heavily. "They are going to get us killed! This is definitely not my style!"
Tressa regarded the woman a moment, then pulsated a red glow with a smile. "Told you we should have just robbed her."
The masked woman looked exasperatedly up to her companion. She softly giggled at the joke. "Well, I just hope we're around long enough to spend what we're get paid."
Harid braved the fire, getting as close as he dared, mindful of future explosions. "I think I see her!"
Paige looked up, hope returning to her. "Em… Captain! Are you alright?"
From the fire emerged a being almost completely made of flames. After a few steps, it died down, finally extinguishing around the frame of a small woman. Ember's eyes however, were still ablaze. She walked slowly, methodically, her gaze cast ahead of the group, down the path and onto the main central complex. "I am done waiting," she said as she began to run toward it.
"Ember! Wait!" Paige called out, but the plea landed on deaf ears. "Someone stop her! She'll alert everyone!"
Harid ran after, grabbed onto the woman's shoulder. He yelled in agony, withdrew his burnt hand, seared from the woman's radiant heat.
"You're going to blow this whole operation!" Paige screamed.
"I'll melt them all," Ember defiantly retorted continuing toward the facility.
"Kormir's tits!" Paige growled, aggravated. She looked over her shoulder, beckoned as she spurred her raptor. "Everyone fall in, converge on the facility entrance!"
"Oh this is going to go well," Kimura scoffed frowning beneath her mask. She looked to her side where the Black Rose had been, but Tressa was already on the move.
Ari, Sylas, Harid, and the rest of the cavalry charged forward in a stampede of raptors, mounts and armor. Battle cries could be heard over the roar of the assault, with an occasional inspiration yelled by the Lady of the house. The group came to a ramp leading to the first small laboratory. They piled up at the entrance-way, where golems and automated defense turrets awaited them.
Ember was already further in the lab, indicated by various columns of fire randomly erupting.
"Fight your way in!" Harid howled.
Ari's bo-staff slammed into one of the smaller golems. She growled, pushing it forward where the end dove into another behind it. Sparks flew as the machine's sizzled and quickly caught fire. She pulled her weapon from them, flinging the robotic corpses to the ground, twirled her now flaming staff toward the next group.
Tressa flew through the air, slicing a golem with an unseen dagger strike. She landed on the ground, sliding with both blades felling multiple automatons as she went.
Kimura couldn't help but admire the woman's prowess, but quickly came to realize her own marksmanship against these less armored golems was formidable. Her guns were blazing, mowing down several of the machines. A click of her gun only momentarily stopped her, as the woman threw magical shells in the air, which quickly found their way into her pistol, reloading within seconds.
"There's too many of them!" exclaimed a House Guard. No sooner than the words left the man's lips than did he fall from a turret's electrical bolts.
Paige witnessed the man's downfall. "No!" she shrieked, then pulled her torch to combine its power with her scepter and call upon skeletal hands to rise and root their opponents. What came was unexpected. The torch's power infused the woman's spell, and to her shock, smaller skeletal cadaverous hands of creatures pulled themselves from the ground, forming several putrid bone animations that let out ghastly, wailing howls. No matter how much her inquisitive mind wanted to analyze it, there was simply no time. Paige ordered the minions to attack various turrets. On command, they leaped upon the automated defenses, clawing, biting, and scratching until one after another exploded.
The woman's father saw the spell, was immediately reminded of Paige's mother, but Harid's look of disgust was fleeting as he engaged three more sentry golems with his steel. It was an issue to be tabled and compartmentalized, spoken about after the battle.
Lucia Sylas came to stand beside Kimura, both unloading their arms at the enemies. "Got a reload?" Kimura nodded, tossed the woman a handful of rounds. Both continued laying down suppression.
A larger golem approached Tressa from behind.
"Tressa! Behind you!" Kimura warned. But, it was a second too late. The golems armored arm slammed into the sylvari, sending her like a child's ragdoll across the facility. She slammed into a cylindrical tube, her head landing hard against the thick glass. Her eyes were closed; Kimura feared the worst, darted to the woman's side to pull her from the fray.
The liquid inside the tube began to bubble as the occupant stirred. Ahead of Ember and past the last wall of golems, a small figure could be seen hobbling toward a control panel. "He said there would be more time! She hasn't fully recharged yet!" The asura groaned. She reached the controls, and pressed a button. "Fine! Then I guess we'll just have to make due with a half-powered half-dead warrior." The chamber drained of liquid as the side of the tube opened with a hiss.
Lennk's voice came from the chamber, "Fifteen Omega, activated."
Sunlight beamed down from the treetops, casting an intricate pattern throughout the small sylvari plant-grown outpost. Merchants went about trading wares with various groups traveling through, and a few mount peddlers attempted goading passersby at purchasing overpriced mount adoption licenses. The entire outpost seemed busy, even though it was nestled in a remote corner of the Brisban Wildlands. Adding to their normal amount of traffic was a small group lead by a black and red sylvari and a puffy-haired woman.
Paige had sent for reinforcements via courier before leaving Lion's Arch and eagerly awaited her father's battalion to join them, whom was to rendezvous with them at the outpost. After their arrival and the initial provisions gathered, she had begun to wonder if her father even took her missive seriously. Harid was a stubborn man, not helped by the fact that he was mostly right. Yet, most recently, he had allowed Paige the freedom of governance without obstruction; she'd truly stepped into the role of a noble Lady of the Dejarin Estate. But the transition had been rocky and she'd questioned herself every step of the way.
Despite Ari's protest, Paige ventured a bit into the trees for quiet contemplation and to ease her nerves. She stared into the horizon, barely visible through the thick foliage as the wind picked up and stirred leaves and dirt of the forest floor. Paige sighed, knelt down, and said a discrete prayer. The answer came not from the absent Gods, but from Demitra, as the woman's words echoed in her head:
"You have shown me compassion beyond understanding and I am grateful. All of your people are. Being strong is not the easy path, but I believe you will find is the most rewarding when those you bolster wind up bolstering you."
Paige smiled, a single tear running down her cheek. "Thank you, Demi," she whispered.
It was some time before Harid Dejarin rode in, and while they may have had disagreements from time to time, Paige's face flashed a relieved smile upon seeing him and the small army he had in tow, much to her alleviation. She approached the cavalry.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show," she said, the hours leading to their rendezvous infusing her words with a bit more harshness than she'd meant.
Harid huffed, climbed off his raptor to regard his daughter. "Well, I had to round everyone up. I got a few friends from my time in the Guard, as well as most of the estate, as per your raven. Not entirely sure what we're running into here, but we're all seasoned vets of two major conflicts, minimum." Harid said as his troops dismounted and began to resupply. "Just tell us where to go, and we'll clear a path for you and your group to safe-"
"Father, no."
The man stood tall, raised an eyebrow. "No, what?"
"I will be coming." Paige said, her voice surprisingly and unwaveringly firm.
Harid masked his concern; he had gotten good at the subterfuge throughout his daughter's life, intent on raising her own self confidence. "What would you know about combat, anyway?" he said dismissively as he began to adjust his raptor's harness.
Paige didn't let the arrow land, as it had done so many times prior. "I'm more than familiar with it: I grew up not knowing if my father would come home from such carnage of the world. Well, I'm not that little girl anymore. I've seen combat, I've seen battles, and I've seen violence. And, father… I know love; I do this for it: to save one whom I love dearly." Paige clenched her fists, reading herself for a harsh rebuttal.
The expression on Harid's face as he turned was unexpected. His eyebrows turned upright in a furrowed brow of worry, concern, and finally, relenting acceptance. "Well, look at you," he said, in a voice Paige was unfamiliar with.
The tone immediately caused her eyes to well up. "Father, I…" She couldn't get the words out before the man embraced her. She wrapped her arms around him, softly sobbing.
"I'm proud to see who you've become, Paige," Harid whispered, with a squeeze. "And, you don't need me anymore."
Paige pulled away to look up to her dad. "I'll never 'not need' you, father. I just-"
"Want to cast your own shadow, rather than being under mine. I know this. It's just difficult…"
A warm smile came to the young woman's face. "Then, let's bolster each other."
----
More than once had Ember glanced back to the wooded area Paige occupied. "How much longer?" she mumbled.
Ari let out a chuckle. "Look at them; they're hugging. Give them just a bit, captain."
Her red eyes rolled. "Every moment we spend here in this plant village, the more likely we're going to miss Kievaa - and Demitra!"
Shrugging, Ariadne turned to a new recruit. "What's your name, new-blood?"
The woman wore a large red scarf which covered half her face. She was clad in light leather armor, with two modified pistols at either side. A belt of various tools and gadgets hung at the woman's hip. "Me? Oh, I'm Sylas; Lucia Sylas. I've been with House Dejarin for quite a few weeks. Been off helping Tallie with her armor experiments for the house guard."
"Oh? Well then I take it you're pretty good with armor and tech? That's good. We'll need it if the automated defenses are on."
"Yeah, that's why Harid pulled me. May I ask your name too?" Sylas asked.
Ari smiled. "I'm Ariadne, first lieutenant under Captain Drakenfist."
----
Further up, just where the darkness of the shade provided by the limbs of the taller trees ceased, sat a black and red sylvari. The overly large mushroom, in which she sat, swayed slightly in the breeze and Tressa found the rhythm of the fungus relaxing. It had been a long while she was in the company of structures not made of glass and stone and wood, and while the sylvari which occupied the outpost made her a bit uneasy, the serenity it provided was undeniable.
Tressa raised a thorny eyebrow. "Pink Thorn," she said with a slight grin, not bothering to open her eyes.
"One of these days you're going to have to tell me how you do that. I'm as stealthy as they come, but you always seem to know… And, stop calling me Pink Thorn!" Kimura said, dropping her attempt at covertness. She swatted a mosquito. "Three things," she started irritably. "One: This place is unbelievably humid. Two: There is far too much mud. And three: This many mosquitos can't even be physically possible."
"And four: You complain like a newly-sprouted sapling." Tressa grinned a thin red-glowed smirk.
Kimura scoffed, swatted her neck. "Says the one who's not getting drained of her lifeblood. And, I'm sorry if I'm being too cranky. It happens when one gets mud in places mud doesn't belong!"
Tressa opened yellow orbs, glanced around. "I don't know… I rather enjoy it here; the shade it provides."
"You would! Give this girl the comforts of Divinity's Reach any day!"
Tressa's smile grew. "There are most definitely more places for concealment there. Still, I suppose we can both agree that both pale in comparison to the… pleasures of Southsun."
Kimura flushed, was as pink as her hair beneath her mask.
The sylvari hopped from the toadstool, stretched a moment. "I led the group here, as per your orders."
"Orders? We're partners; I didn't order-" A giggle from the normally stoic sylvari gave Kimura pause. She crossed her arms, lime-green eyes scrutinizing her, until finally arriving at the conclusion. "You're joking with me, aren't you? Since when do you have a sense of humor?"
"Since the island, perhaps," Tressa said with a bright red smile as she pulled off her hood.
Kimura shifted her weight. "Uh… yeah, so… I've been thinking about that actually; about you…"
Tressa tilted her head. "And you wish for things to return as they were beforehand?"
"No," the masked woman shook her head, thankful her hood covered the fact that she was biting her lip. "I mean… Look, we should probably just keep our heads in the game here; we can discuss this more once this job is done."
The Black Rose nodded. "Such subjects be more comfortable in the moonlight of the Reach, yes?"
Ember pranced up, still seated on her mount (as she had been the entire time). "How far out are we?" she grumbled.
Kimura glanced over her shoulder as Tressa pulled back on her hood. Both women using the interruption to defuse the uneasy tension. Paige came into the clearing wiping her face, walked around Ari and Sylas, who were in mid-conversation about the intricacies and advantages of the new house guard's armor in development.
"I know we haven't much time, but is everyone loaded up?" Paige was saying as she made her way through the regiment. "Father's given a list of what we likely need, but most things we've already provisioned having been here a while. And I'm," she came to look up to her mounted captain, "sorry it's taken this long. I trust you're eager?" A slight smile and a hidden wink came from the puffy-haired Lady.
Ember looked down, tried her best to look through her lover's charm. "I'm more than ready, milady."
Paige cleared her throat, her subtle attempt at flirting to easy the situation falling upon blind eyes. "Look, I know you; I've known you for a long time, Ember. A lot is on the line, but we are dealing with a dangerous and very smart foe. You rose to captain for your strength (to be sure), but also, your strategy on-the-fly in the field is unmatched, in this woman's humble opinion. I need you to look before you leap."
The captain's clenched fists loosened the reins as she listened to the noble's words. She nodded, never looking away from the woman's doe-eyed expression. Paige had always captivated her; now, after their night together, she felt their bond was stronger than ever. Yet it was a constant fight to stop the rage within her own fiery core. And, combined with her wife's disappearance, Ember was left to wonder if Lady Dejarin's wise mind had a right to worry: Ember would incinerate all of the Brisban Wildlands if it meant getting Demitra back.
Satisfied with the outcome of their conversation, Paige patted Cinder then made her way up on the grassy knoll. "Kimura. Black Rose. What can you tell us about the situation?"
Tressa took a few steps back, giving audience to her companion. Kimura softly giggled, knowing her friend's muteness. "I scouted the location, but I couldn't get too close. At first, I was concerned the defenses may be active, but I didn't see anyone coming or going. Lots of foliage covering the complex. I'm no expert on Inquest bases, but in all appearance, it seems to look deserted."
"Well, I'm not taking any chances on 'seems', not when my people's lives are at stake," Paige stated with conviction. Her people were of utmost paramount to the Lady, and she saw no reason to sugar-coat it.
"Never assume an enemy isn't prepared," Harid said from the crowd as he made his way to his raptor.
Tressa flashed her yellow orbs at the man. "I have never assumed," she growled. Something about this man's perceived cavalier attitude rubbed her wrong.
"I wasn't speaking to just you," Harid retorted.
"Then stop staring at me, fleshling."
"Father; Black Rose! Enough! We have enough fight to go around without you two getting into it."
Whether obeying his daughter or falling silent to not countermand her authority, Harid climbed atop his mount and nodded. The Black Rose raised her eyebrow, but said nothing further. She looked at Kimura, who shrugged. Paige rubbed her temples for a moment, and, without looking up, continued.
"Captain Ember, you've dealt with the target before. What dangers does Kievaa pose, if she's present?"
"In person? Not much. She relies on her tech trapping you. But, she seems to get off having control. Just… don't expect her to not have some kinda plan. I don't know this Lennk, but Kievaa's definitely a dangerous and slippery one. If anyone gets to her before me…" Ember paused, turned to look her troops over. "I want her alive!" she proclaimed.
Kimura rubbed the back of her neck. "You know, I'm really more of a sidelines kinda person," she admitted softly to Tressa.
Ember overheard. "Then stay out of my way!" she growled.
"Works for me," the thief shrugged. She looked back to her companion and gave a 'What?' look. Tressa simply plucked a stray petal, tossing it aside and winked.
Having staved her headache a bit longer, Paige looked over to the couple. "That's why you and Black Rose will be going with Guard Captain Ember in stealth. Sylas here," Paige motioned to the woman with a red scarf, "will be joining you group sneaking in. It's my hope she can bring down any defenses that may await us; she is quite a skilled engineer, and I thank her… No, actually, I think everyone for coming on such short notice."
Ari roared. "I like banging shields with many weapons, and I'm not the only one. We're with you, Lady Dejarin!" A few members randomly let out 'hurrahs'.
Harid glanced around with a slight grin of pride. "She really doesn't need me anymore," he mumbled. A guardsmen Harid had known for a long time heard the comment, he leaned forward to interject a few words of parental encouragement, but when Harid saw the man about to broach the uncomfortable subject, he spoke up loudly, directed at his daughter. "What will my detachments role be?" He asked, almost assuredly already understanding the play, allowing his daughter to take stage.
"You, me, Ariadne and the rest of the House Guard will be on the front lines; defense duty. Our job will be to distract, while the covert team moves in." Paige cast a glance at Tressa and Kimura, who were whispering to one another. "You two: we'll need your stealth to grab the artifacts, and Ember will protect you while doing so. If there's any mechanics involved, our engineer will see to it."
Lucia Sylas perked up from polishing her gun. She nodded. "At your service, Lady Dejarin," she said as she holstered it.
Kimura noticed the action, took her own guns out to inspect them. She hoped she wouldn't have to use them, but had been working on her accuracy and trusted in her ability. She twirled them, both landing upon her belt slots and gave a wink to the Black Rose.
Paige stepped up, looked over her forces. "We are House Dejarin: A noble line with heroes tied to its heritage. Though we do not draw direct lineage from the greats like Koss, we still carry greatness in service to the title. Koss defied Joko even after being turned into one of his Awakened. He defied him from death and then beyond it. Today, we take his lesson and apply it. We do this not for revenge or for conquest, but for rescuing some of our own. Six, my longtime friend and confidant, has been taken. Demitra, Ember's wife and my dearest friend has also been taken. Valandra, estranged my half-sister, has been taken…"
Harid thumped his chest to show his soldiers his pride and loyalty to the house and of his daughter. Yet, something in her speech shook the man, as the words, 'half-sister' rang in his head. He shook off the lingering anxiety, compartmentalized it, determined to deal with it later and focus on the task at hand. There were lives counting on him and he would be negligent to allow such distractions.
Paige raised a hand, spreading her fingers to catch the sunlight peeking through the trees, then clenched her fist. "We defy what's wrong to uplift what's right! We defy villainy, tyranny, and terror for truth, justice an honor. We defy our own fears because it is the right thing to do! Today we defy our enemies! Today we prevail! Today we are victorious! Today we take back what is ours!"
The crowd erupted in a roar with battle cries and cheer; several tapped their shields or clanged their weapons together. Miscellaneous remarks of excitement rang throughout.
Paige looked around, a confident, content, and serious expression upon her face.
"Being strong is not the easy path, but… when you bolster others, they wind up bolstering you." Demitra's voice softly whispered to Lady Paige Dejarin, daughter of the Dejarin line.
"Damned fookah," the small figure cursed. She had with her a limp, which in addition to her normal waddle, had already proven itself an annoying distraction when mobile. The asura paused a moment, leaned on the abandoned laboratory wall, inspected her leg. Her robe clung to her wet slacks, soaked with her own blood from the puncture wound. "Damned ice-bookah, blowing up my marvelous machine; blowing up my damned lab."
A tall human clad in black and red armor approached the asura. She wore a metal-linked visor over her eyes, her cheeks charred and seared from the gloves of fire which were embedded into her flesh. Her skin was pale, as was her faded red hair giving an almost otherworldly glow in the radiance of the moonlight. "Master Kievaa?" came her weary voice.
"That visor enables you to see and enhances your vision, and you're telling me you can't see me here. Why do I even keep you around?" Kievaa growled. "Just get over here and get me into this misbegotten facility already, pet."
The pale human approached her, both fists clenched. "My name is Shiera," she said with an authority neither had expected.
In time, Kievaa laughed. "Very well, then… Shiera. Come. Aid me as I made you to do. Help me in."
Shiera tilted her head a moment, staring at the blurry red shape that was her master. She knew Kievaa's complacency was fabricated, nevertheless decided to take the victory. Since learning her name, the woman had sought some validation - any validation - (even if it originated from the very captor she longed to be free of). She nodded, came forward, bent down, helping the asura upright.
Kievaa smiled devilishly, knowing Shiera couldn't make out the details of it. She reached up, put her arm around her servant, and pushed herself off the wall. Her other hand was brought to Shiera's breastplate tracing a claw upon it in a pattern. At once, a green glow began to emanate from her hand. "Your name was once Shiera - long ago." The sigil sparked to life, pulling forth the woman's life-force, flowing freely into the asura. "You have been and shall remember now that you are my experiment. You are Fifteen Omega, and it's time I finished the process I once interrupted…"
Shiera doubled over, her normally pale face becoming more so, with sunken cheeks. "P-process?"
A laugh came from the asura as her wound glowed the same bright green, beginning to close. "Indeed!" Kievaa stood more upright. "You have forgotten your programming; I encouraged this to see just how much of your mind would return. It is, after all, essential to my ultimate goal. This is why I left with you. It was premature; I can see that now."
The woman collapsed to the ground, her skin sagging on bones, her life almost completely gone, her visor falling free from its own weight. Kievaa slid her hand from under the woman's body, inspecting her own wound to find it completely healed. The asura grinned.
"And, here you are again, crawling back?" An asura said, standing amongst the cylindrical tanks in front of Kievaa. Behind him, a small group of human individuals stood, arms folded.
"L-Lennk?" Kievaa said. "Thought you abandoned this place!"
A grin of pointed teeth came from Lennk. "Oh, I had, but it's essential to what I have in store. Tell me: are you finally ready to see what my programming can do for our little collaborative side project? (Or are you planning to snatch her away again due to some fool-hearty resurrection scheme?)"
Kievaa approached the asura, disregarding his bodyguards. She stood directly in front of them, leaned forward, and pressed her lips to his cheek. "And you tell me: are you so willing to let me leave again?"
Lennk huffed, then motioned toward Shierra. "Ten, Three: go retrieve Fifteen. Put her back in her conditioning receptacle." He regarded Kievaa scrupulously, then shrugged. "Maybe you can be useful after all. I may just have a way for you to field-test our little experiment. And to create a much-needed distraction; interested?"
The smaller asura watched as the Numbers retrieved Fifteen's lifeless body, walked past her, then dumped it into a tank labeled Fifteen Omega. She raised her eyebrow as green liquid began to fill it, then cast a sidelong glance at Lennk. "Very well, love. We shall do it your way."
She ascended the stairs of the dilapidated laboratory with a slight limp as Lennk watched, a wide wicked smile upon his face.
There was a chill in the air. While the Mad King's festivities had come and gone, the wintery weather remained, awaiting a crescendo known as Wintersday in Tyria. The customers had thinned; merchants closed shops for the night. Most traveling through Lion's Arch would have overlooked the small entrance-way of The Private Whisper pub in the daytime, even less would happen upon it in the darkness. The bar was quite literally a "hole in the wall"; rather, it was a hole with various buildings creating its border. The entire place reeked of mildew and mold from the salty sea air carried upon the wind from Sanctum Harbor, and while the locals of Lion's Arch enjoyed the fragrance, Valandra much preferred the dulled aroma of the tundra and snow laden mountains of the Desert Highlands. "Stinks in here," she mumbled.
"Why don't you have a seat, Valandra?" Paige, ever the diplomat, implored. While she did not necessarily want the woman's company, or care for her comfort, Valandra was essential to freeing Ember's wife and her lover; thus, she attempted to give a courtesy that the ice queen, herself, had yet to exhibit.
Valandra was about to argue the point, when a waitress came to the table to take drink orders. She scoffed but sat down, murmuring Elonian curses the whole time.
Ember actually chuckled at the woman's irritation. "Just like old times… You're still as frigid as ever!"
Folding her arms, the woman ignored the comment. "Are you certain she will show? We have spent the entire day looking for this, 'Six'; how do you know she will arrive at this… less than savory establishment?"
Paige let out a breath, took a sip of her coffee and nodded approvingly at the waitress. Even in situations such as this, the noblewoman held herself with grace. She sat her cup down regally, waited for the waitress to attend to another table before speaking again. "She should be showing shortly. I know her; Mark stays in an inn here in Lion's Arch when he comes to visit Six. I honestly think they will be by here as the hour draws late. This is their favorite-"
"And Mark is?" Valandra blurted.
Paige slowly took another sip of coffee enjoying that the delay she caused irritated the interrupting woman. In her own time she finished the careful sip, sitting the cup upon the saucer elegantly. "Mark is… Six's boyfriend? Yes, I suppose that's it. I'm not really sure if that's the correct term, but that's close enough."
"Isn't she too young to be dating?" Ember asked, an eyebrow raised at the revelation. She hadn't known Six all that long and wasn't close to her, but in the time Ember had been in Paige's employ, she saw the young woman a few times. She looked to be no older than Paige, herself.
Paige's eyes turned to a nearby building wall for a moment. "I mean… She's old enough for… quite a lot. Though, I suppose the less said of that, the better."
Valandra raised a brow. "Regardless of the woman's promiscuity and conquests, does this Six know where we can find the vile rat, Kievaa?"
The noble's cheeks were a tad darker. She hadn't meant to insinuate, felt a bit embarrassed at her blunder. She brought the coffee cup up to her lips and hid behind it for a few moments. She finally cleared her throat, decided to work on the puzzle at hand. "Look, Six is our best bet. We talk to her and find out the location of Lennk's lab. That will lead us to Kievaa, your artifact, and finally, Demitra."
"And, are we to assume I am aware of just who this Lennk is?"
Paige almost face-palmed. "Listen, there's a proper way to ask: all you have to do is just say, 'Who is that?'. Not this negative-"
"Who is Lennk," Valandra again interrupted.
Ember chuckled accidentally.
Paige frowned, then shrugged. "Well, I suppose that ask is better than the previous. Lennk is… He is an awful monster. He tried to assassinate my father, Harid, and myself as well, all in pursuit of Six." She motioned to her captain. "Ember has as much a vendetta against him as I do. He was responsible for Snapper's death."
"Again, you assume I know your entire history," Valandra scoffed, then seemed to consider her words, pausing with a frosty exhale. "What I mean is… Who is Snapper?"
Both women fell silent, glancing at one another, until finally in almost a whisper, Ember spoke. "He was our pet, and our friend."
Valandra glanced around the bar again, tapping her fingers upon the table, each fingertip leaving a small thin slate of ice as it touched. Despite her purposeful prodding, she hadn't meant to bring up tragedy; the ice queen had seen her fair share. She reckoned a subject change be best in the uncomfortable silence. "It was a place similar to this, wasn't it, Ember? Within Lion's Arch, where we first met."
Ember nodded. "Yeah, if by 'met' you mean 'fought'. Oh, and let's not forget the kidnapping…" Her nose wrinkled at the reminder.
"It was a good fight, indeed. Well fought-"
"We're not starting a bar fight here, Valandra!" Paige scorned like a mother stopping a child from a enacting ill-contrived plans.
Valandra laughed out loud, hardily. "Would it not be fun though?"
Ember folded her arms. "No," she said dryly.
"I do not recall you being this… cold, Ember Drakenfist. Or, is it Ember Naja Drakenfist now?" Valandra concealed her feelings by letting loose an ice arrow.
"It's just… Ember. And, I'm like this when I'm stressed, okay? Losing your wife (again) will do that to you." Her red eyes never left her glass.
"I've seen you stressed (also, extremely excited)…" Valandra attempted to lighten the mood. It fell upon deaf ears.
Paige sipped her coffee again. "Should I give you two a moment of privacy?"
"We've had that," Valandra tried to be humorous again. Both Paige and Ember rolled their eyes simultaneously.
Paige opened her mouth, but then shut it, letting the silence continue. While she wanted to ask Valandra about their mutual heritage and relation, she was almost certain how the conversation would be played out, and didn't have the energy for another battle of words.
Ember also remained quiet, filled with overwhelming guilt at having caused the situation. The woman could blame nobody but herself, and cursed her stupidity at every possible moment. If she'd only listened to Demitra and left the bracers alone…
Valandra's sapphires had a difficult time not staring at Ember. When last they spoke, they had both professed their love for each other. It was something felt by both; something deep and primal, shining through the bitterness of lifetimes of suffering. Their meeting had been somewhat turbulent, as was the adventure they had found themselves on. Yet, there was an intimate sharing; a bonding, which had softened the ice around Valandra's heart. Now however, emerging a year later, she'd been wrestling with the realization that not only had the world changed (with Joko seemingly defeated), but that Ember had also changed, and by all accounts, appeared to have moved on in her absence. And, if there was any doubt, the reminder resting upon the Ember's finger, kept pulling Valandra's gaze.
Ember worriedly and absently fingered her ring. "Where is she anyway? Shouldn't she have shown by now?"
"Be patient; I'm certain we'll find her and get everything worked out," Paige said, almost as if to convince herself. "We… have to…" she exhaled the last statement without meaning to. Truthfully, Paige's heart felt as though it hadn't beat since learning her lover had disappeared, and while she tried her best to present a steadiness one came to expect from a leader and Lady of a noble house, she'd been shaken to her core and struggled with her feelings.
A woman in a short frilly skirt approached the table. She wore a top-hat over hair of blue, and a top which was barely a top at all. She was no older than Paige and a bit thinner, with fair breasts and narrow hips. Her exposed mid-rift showed the woman to be quite fit and the smile she wore was friendly with a tinge of apprehension and caution as she looked upon the three women, settling on the unknown snow-capped lady.
"Ah! The help; good. I need a drink which doesn't freeze. Perhaps straight alcohol? Yes, an Elonian spirit would do." Valandra waved her hand dismissively at the woman without including anyone else in the order.
Paige sighed at Valandra's rudeness, and in the same breath exhaled with relief at seeing the woman. "Six! There you are!" She gestured to the seat in front of her, sliding her coffee cup and saucer aside. "I just knew you'd be around eventually!"
Six looked to Paige and Ember nodding respectfully as she did. She took her seat, glancing at the white-haired woman. After a moment, she offered a slight smile to her friend, Paige. "You have found me! What's this all about though?"
"Oh Six, there's… there's simply so much to catch you up on. Where to even begin?" Paige tapped her chin, leaned back in her chair. "Actually, I suppose introductions. This is Valandra Thaljia," she said, gesturing to her. Six nodded to the woman, not offering up her name or anything more than simple acknowledgement. Paige paused, waited to see if either women wished to speak. When the silence wasn't interrupted, she continued. "Well, anyway, it's a long story but-"
"Where were you born?" Ember blurted.
Six twitched her head, shaking the question away like a fly. "Where was I… What… What is this about?" she asked, a sudden and reflective guard up.
"I… I tried to 'Ember it'. An now, my Demi is gone; we gotta find her!"
Valandra chuckled at Ember's bluntness.
Paige closed her eyes a moment, gathered her thoughts. "Listen, Six. We are tracking down someone and was hoping you could point the way. It appears… Well, it looks like… the professor is involved somehow."
"Lennk," Valandra interjected.
Six blinked, shocked by the news. "Lennk?"
"He doesn't deserve to be mentioned by name. But, Six knows who I mean. Dear friend," Paige said, reaching across the table, taking the young woman's hands. "We really need your help."
Six nodded then raised an eyebrow. "And the rest of the Twelve?"
Both Ember and Valandra said in unison, "The Twelve?"
Paige called a waitress over, ordering the group a snack. "This may take a while, so, we should have a light bit of sustenance while we talk," she explained. The waitress returned with a plate of fried potato slices, along with a bowl of small cinnamon sprinkled squares - a staple of the establishment.
"I have… suddenly lost my appetite," Six mumbled, the news still sinking in.
Clearing her throat, Paige retrieved a few potato slices and decorated her plate with them. "The Twelve and their numbers, as they were called by the professor, were - and correct me if I'm wrong here, Six - created to be magically empowered soldiers. Six, here, was one of the lucky ones. Father saved her."
Six only slightly nodded.
Paige reached out offering her hand to Six. When she took it, Paige gave it a squeeze. "Ember or Valandra can tell you more about how Valandra came to… replace Demitra, but what matters now to us is that Lennk is involved. We believe he's held up in a lab with the asura we need to get to so we can free Demitra."
"One skritt or two, it matters not; they shall both freeze."
Six removed her top-hat, set it aside gingerly. "Skritt? What do they have to do with this?"
"She means asura," Paige offered, then cast a sidelong glance at Valandra. "And, they can definitely be dangerous and shouldn’t be underestimated!"
"Inquest: the worst kind of asura."
"I have dealt with her before. She in nothing except vermin, of which, I shall crush beneath a glacier," Valandra clenched her fist beneath the table. While she was not necessarily at fault, it was her deal with Kievaa which had caused all this.
Paige sighed. "Well, be that as it may, we need to attempt retrieval of your artifact, so no squashing the asura until we have it." Paige returned her attention to Six, noticed her perplexed look and offered explanation. "See, there's this sword of ice, Valandra's artifact or (what she calls) her vessel. It was stolen and we have to get it back; it's vitally needed to save Demitra."
Six nodded slowly, expressionless. "I see. And where would this sword be?"
"We saw a… (vision? Yes; let's go with that!) a vision of Kievaa, the asura that took it in a lab. I think it was the lab where you were…"
"With all the numbered tubes," Ember added, dryly and matter-of-fact.
Six pulled her hand slowly from Paige's, grumbled for a minute. "The lab was abandoned not long ago, when I returned there. However, in the time since, Lennk may have got back to retrieve any specimens, documents, experiments. And, if he's brought the lab back to full operation, it's likely it has been trapped. This… This will be dangerous," her words carried with them a tinge of regret for not having stopped Lennk yet.
Paige nodded. "Most likely. I remember when he threatened father. How he had contingency plans and the 'deal' he made. Lennk is… despicable."
"And he might not be alone. The Twelve, what's left of them, may be with him. You know what they're capable of. Are you so sure of this vision? Doesn't seem the most concrete of intel. We are so willing to risk our lives on this vision?" Six tapped the table a few times, her eyes lost in a far-reaching gaze, likely formulating various outcomes. In her short life of freedom, the young woman had developed a talent at this, and in a very short time, she had come to be a strategic confidant to Paige.
"There's actually a precedent for visions leading to great deeds. Look at the fall of Zaitan in 1325, I believe…" Paige paused, seeing Six's distant expression. "Look, I think that we should take it seriously. Our artifacts collectively showed us this path."
"The Djinn spoke of one who had such visions. I believe they hold truth. And, if Ember is to ever be reunited with her… wife… again, we must retrieve my artifact." Valandra tried not to put too much emphasis on the word, yet it seemed to happen regardless.
Paige tried again. "I know it's hard. And you know I would never ask you to go back to that horrible place. But, I also know that we can't let Lennk or Kievaa have a Djinn artifact long enough to learn how to exploit it. They'll turn it against the people of House Dejarin and Gendarran Fields, Applenook… whoever he can just to get to you."
Six took a sip of her drink. "Is that what happened to the mansion? Was wondering about the hole."
Paige deadpanned. "What? What hole; what happened to the mansion?"
"There was a break-in. A hole in the side of the main estate. You didn't know about it?" Six tilted her head, then glanced to Ember. "Seems your room may have been the target."
"But what could possibly be in Ember's-" Paige suddenly gasped. "No!"
Ember blinked, her face immediately drained of color. "The bracers? Demi?" The words came out like the squeak of a mouse.
Valandra shared the expression, her already pale complexion becoming more so. "My… Our vessel…" For the first time either women could tell, Valandra looked terrified, suddenly remembering the Djinn's cautionary tales about possibilities which could happen when a mortal bears a Djinn's vessel. Frost began to collect on the woman's shoulders as her fist clenched tighter.
Paige was beside herself, threw her arms in the air. "Why? Why is the estate not better defended? Is it just a revolving door for villains? This… This complicates everything! How are we going to retrieve both the sword and the gloves without-"
"Gloves? There did not seem to be any gloves present." Six said, recalling the ransacked room.
Valandra suddenly slammed her fist on the table, freezing the end with a blanket of ice. "That damned rat!"
Six removed her hand from Paige's. She pulled her arms from the table, almost drawing them into an offensive stance and raised an vigilant eyebrow at the ice queen's reaction. "What are these bracers?" She asked Paige, never removing her eyes from Valandra.
"They are… It's complicated; suffice-it-to-say, we gotta get them back! Demitra's in them!"
Ember hadn't flinched, remained as still as a frozen ice-sculpture. "My wife… I lost her again…" she said, absently. Paige reached over placed her hand on her captain's shoulder; after a moment or two of silence, Ember finally looked up, her red eyes flashing furiously. "I need directions, Six. Now! I will burn everything in there!"
"And freeze them," Valandra added.
Six sighed. "You may have faced your asura, but you've not tangled with mine. One does not storm into an Inquest lab, especially Lennk's, without a plan. There will be no saving Demitra if you are dead. What we need to do is get our heads on straight. You all are too emotional (however rightly so) to go in half-cocked."
All three women looked at each other, realized what the younger woman said was correct. Ember was beyond distraught at losing her wife again and losing her due to her own ineptitude. Paige was mortified her lover was not only detained, but stolen, from the very manor she was in charge of. Valandra was scared of what Kievaa could do now that she had both her currently bound artifact and her future-bound artifact.
After a minute of unsuccessfully clearing her mind, Paige instead cleared her throat. "Then, what is it you recommend, Six?"
"Well, that depends," Six said, rubbing her head. "If the lab is in the same state it was in when I went back, it wouldn't be hard to infiltrate, at all. It was quite dilapidated. But, I doubt it will be so if Lennk's there. If he has activated the lab's self-defenses… well, that would not be in our favor. And, I must say, I'm a bit worried. We (the Twelve and I) were used as instruments… (I can't tell you how many times I've wondered if something was still left implanted in my head.) But, if that's not even the case, I know the greater danger is from the Twelve, collectively. While I may be the most powerful of them, I cannot best them all, together."
"You won't be alone," Valandra said, encouragement slipping through her cracks. "I am formidable; as is Ember."
"Or… we could just offer what he wants. The only thing he's ever wanted… We could trade me for the sword and gloves."
"Absolutely not!" Paige protested.
"A monster which holds dominance over you when you are in his captivity. Of this, I can relate," Valandra let out a frosty breath.
Ember shook her head. "We can offer me. It's my fault anyway that we're in this mess. I may not be elementally attuned to everything as Six is, but I have her fire… and more. I could be a worthy trade."
The words hit something deep within the icy woman. She regarded Ember seriously. "You would… sacrifice yourself for her?"
"Not just for my wife. But for Six and Paige… And you," Ember's voice lowered on the last word.
Valandra blinked. "Me?"
Six took Paige's hands to try to drive her point across. "Lennk does not plan for a singular outcome. He never did nor will he. I am with you all the way Paige, you know that, and I will do as ordered, but be sure what you are willing to risk is worth it. I think that we need to get as many…"
Six's voice faded as Valandra's thoughts became paramount. After a moment of internal deliberation, she knelt beside Ember. "Me," she said with a resolute earnestness. "What if you hand over… me?"
"No," Ember said without further explanation. Her eyes stayed on Paige and Six's back and forth, but her focus was the ice queen. It was easy to let Valandra's cynical, sarcastic, and sometimes spiteful attitude become the embodiment of the woman. But it was difficult for Ember when the woman seemed to genuinely care; it was much easier to live in the distain her off-putting temper created.
"I am… not really welcomed anyway. And, I am used to living under the foot of a monster. I believe I am the best equipped to-"
"Just stop," Ember whispered.
Valandra leaned closer to the statue which was Ember, and kept her voice low for her ears only. "You love her. I can see that. I have seen that look from you… once."
Ember slammed her fist upon the table, barely restrained from incinerating it. "You were dead! Stop acting like I just dumped you. You literally fell into a fucking volcano!"
"I lived," Valandra said coldly. "I lived… in that tent… and… on that rooftop. This can restore your love. 'Like you always dreamed. Settle down; start something new' Those were your words to me a day ago, Ember."
"Enough!" Ember shouted, infuriated. She stood from her chair, shoved it behind her.
All three women looked up silently at the short woman with a smoking head, then at each other. Valandra was as flushed as Ember, both looking shaken by their conversation. Paige's eyes narrowed as she studied both women's expressions. She intuited their embarrassment, could see something she'd never seen written on Valandra's face: hurt and sorrow. "Is… everything alright?"
Ember frowned. "Fine; peachy."
Valandra feigned a rigid response as she stood.
Paige continued scrutinizing both women, picking up on obvious tells. It was the same pain she'd seen reflected back to her after she and Nalla had broken it off; it was look of hurt and heartbreak. The noble sat back, sighed and rubbed her temples a moment, working out a way to segue the conversation from what would most assuredly be a passionate debate.
Six came to her rescue, whether inadvertently or on purpose. "What are your orders, Lady Paige?"
"I do have to make the call, don't I? Then tell me, if the Numbers are unthinking machines, can we exploit that somehow?"
Six knew Paige hadn't meant it as an insult and tried her best to see through it, but as a Number herself, the comment struck like an arrow. She folded her arms, sat back in her chair, taking in a few breaths before responding. "They… We… are not unthinking. We were all taught tactics, hand-to-hand combat, insurgency, and the programming Lennk implanted in our heads. No, I would say we're definitely in for a fight if they are there. The only way we may be able to win is if we divide and conquer. Individually, I can overpower them. And, if Captain Ember and her companion's power levels are as high as they claim, they should be able to defeat their foes as well."
"Then maybe I can use the sands to transport into the facility, grab what we need, and get out. That… That may actually work." Paige tapped her chin, perhaps for the first time with hope.
"If there's defenses though…"
Paige shrugged. "I'm no asura, but Nalla taught me some code to reinforce what Ruijai had started teaching me. I know enough to be dangerous."
Six fingered her top-hat absently. "We could use the air vents. If you can override their controls, I can create a diversion; draw out the Twelve - possibly Lennk, himself. I think that may be the easiest way to sneak in there. Because, if we go in there… I know Lennk. He plans for contingencies upon contingencies. We charge in there haphazardly, we all die…" A slight spark came from the woman's fingertips to illustrate the point.
Valandra suddenly looked sick, a completely uncharacteristic terrified expression on her face. "Something… Something is… wrong…"
Ember looked at the woman. "What are you worried about? You've died already, so you shouldn't be fearful."
Paige's nose wrinkled. "Ember, that's incredibly insensitive," she scolded.
Valandra began to shiver and a cold sweat rolled down her pale face. She held both arms outward. The air molecules above each palm began to glow a vibrant white and blue, spiraling snow from her hands to create two blades of ice. Her expression was fearful; her eyes wide at her own actions. "I can't…" Without warning, she swung one of the ice blades, slashing at Ember's stomach, caused a rip in the fabric, a dent in the armor.
"Th-the hell?"
"Valandra, what's gotten into you?" Paige exclaimed rising from her seat.
Six was already on her feet, watching the scene unfold. She didn't know the woman, but watched vigilantly.
The ice queen promptly spun backward, one of the blades finding its way to Six's shoulder and slashing it in an explosion of ice shards and blood. Six tried to dodge the blow, fell over backward after it landed. She held her wound tightly, then pointed the bloody arm toward the ice queen, ready to channel rock and stone from the ground to counteract and contain her.
Ember shook herself back from the shock, pulled her sword of fire, launched herself at Valandra to tackle her. Valandra topped over with Ember on top, the small woman's knees pinning both the ice queen's blades to the ground. "What the hell are you doing?" Ember screamed in frustration.
Valandra's slowly slipped her hands from the handles, releasing the blades. She brought them up to Ember's chest, resting both palms upon her armor. "I'm sorry," she whispered as a surge of cold and wind propelled the small woman off her. Ember crashed into the table behind her, breaking it in two.
"Fight it!" Paige screamed. "Valandra, I know you're in there. Fight it!" Paige already worked out the puzzle, knew Valandra to be not of her own volition. "She's being controlled!"
"Always with the ice," Ember groaned as she picked herself up dazedly. Her armor's top was almost completely covered in ice. She quickly began to reignite her core to melt and evaporate it away.
The ice queen had no hesitation. She flew into the air, spun and sent shards of ice from her wingtips blasting the women. Ember's armor mitigated the impact and Paige was able to narrowly escape the assault, using sand teleportation, with one sliver grazing the woman's arm. Six rolled out of the way, and with a quick glance to Paige and a nod, proceeded with her rock prison. Paige, in turn, weaved a spell which would cause boney hands to appear and subdue the adversary. Valandra looked to both of her sides as the conjured rock and bone claws covered her, compressing to restrain her. It closed with a loud stone thud.
After a moment, all women looked at each other. "Is that it?" Ember finally broke the silence, standing from the rubble of table and chairs.
"Dammit! I think she's being controlled by Lennk or Kievaa! They've figured out how to use the artifact!"
Paige was interrupted as a bolt of lightning struck down through the makeshift roof of the establishment blasting into the rock and bones, sending them flying, freeing Valandra. Both Paige and Six were both struck by the flying debris, a wood splinter stabbed into Paige's side. She fought through the pain, began to summon forth a shade, which coalesced into form and launched itself at the foe with a ghastly wail.
The shade passed right through her. Valandra looked at her incorporeal arm with shock and surprise. She looked back to Ember with the expression of a lost drake. "I… can't… hold… on…"
Six regained her ground, having been knocked over by one of her very own conjured stones. She shook her head, forced her blurry vision to refocus. When she saw the scene, she immediately assessed the magical disturbance. "She's going to mist form!"
Valandra began to break apart and turn into a white cloud of mist and frost. "I… am… sorry…" her voice echoed as it faded. The smoke cloud that was Valandra darted out of the establishment, following an unknown path.
"Dammit Valandra!" Ember growled.
Six applied heat to her shoulder, searing her flesh to close the wound. She winced slightly at the pain, but nodded to a concerned Paige. "I'm fine; let's just go after her!"
Paige nodded, ran out after the fog with Six and her captain closely behind her. They rounded the corner of The Private Whisper to see the mist coalesce into shards of ice and chunks of frozen glaciers. They combined into a humanoid form which stood towering over the trio. "I can't… stop… they want… her! Stay… back!" The creature swiped the air in between them, creating a torrent of hail and ice upon them.
All women dug in their heels. Ember turned up the heat to melt through the blizzard. They could see only feet in front of them. And, when Ember did see a jagged arm of ice spikes, it was too late. The elemental slammed into her sending her flying backward.
Another arm was brought to Paige, who barely pulled up a sheet of hardened sands to act as a shield. The force of the blow cracked the layer, shattering the shield and cutting Paige's lip. She doubled back to avoid another fatal blow.
The small woman of fire was back on her feet. She threw a fireball forward, which hit the ice monstrosity hard, steaming the entire scene. A loud growl could be heard from the monster, even though the steam had diminished visibility further in the storm. Ember exploded, radiating heat to dissipate the rest of the storm, as did Six. When the fog dissipated, a small electric spark was where the creature had been.
"She's turned into a damned lightning elemental now? You've got to be kidding me!"
The electrical spark scurried with lightning speed to Six, leaping onto the woman with sparks and electricity. Six, who was expecting an elemental of ice was attuned to lightning, was planning to explode the glacier, but the sudden appearance of a lightning elemental took her by surprise. She defensively attempted to use the same magic of the creature. Both blasts of lightning arced culminating to an implosion which rapidly overwhelmed and overloaded the woman. She screamed in convulsions, collapsed onto the ground, small arcs of electricity still sparking off and on her unconscious body. A tendril made of flashing lightning wrapped around the woman, began to drag her away.
"Oh no you don't! Ember! Get her!" Paige commanded.
Ember leaped at the creature of lightning, flame sword held backward to come down upon it. Valandra suddenly erupted in a sphere of electrical mayhem, sending Ember back and a bolt of lightning directly into Paige's chest. The noble woman flew backward, shouting as she slammed into pillar knocking her unconscious. Ember landed upon a bolder several feet away losing her breath as she landed. The last thing she saw, before the world went dark, was the lighting spark transforming back into a creature of ice, hoisting Six over its shoulder, and walking away. Her head went limp, she collapsed, and let the darkness take her.
---Later---
Paige's body was a mishmash of injuries, wounds, slashing and burns from the electricity. Had it not been for a thorny finger touching her wound, she may have remained out. Her eyes sprung open as she gasped, shouting, "Six! Where? Where is she?"
Tressa was already a step back, with a dagger at the ready. She hadn't expected the woman's abrupt and excited revival. "Calm yourself," the assassin suggested.
Paige's head pounded from a swelling she'd received due to the wall. She tried to make sense of her surroundings for a moment, tried to get her bearings as she sat up. "You? You're the Black Rose."
Tressa nodded slowly. "I am."
"You don't understand. They took her! We need to go after her!"
"Who?" Glowing eyes blinked confusedly at the woman.
"Six, Valandra, and… Oh Gods! Six didn't tell us where to go!" The realization made Paige's stomach turn.
"You make little sense. There were six of them? Or, are you speaking of the creature you fought?"
"Six was the one taken. Wait… you were here?"
"Aye. In the darkness."
Paige held her head, still trying to move past the battle, but it was difficult. She felt the weight of the entire mishap, even if she hadn't actually caused it. "I… couldn't save her. Either of them. I couldn't…"
The Black Rose tilted her head. "Then we should."
"But… Where?" Paige's eyes filled with tears. "I don't know where they've gone to and Six didn't tell us where to go."
Tressa retrieved a gadget from her side, held it up. "Kimura. She's following it. We have asuran tech; I can locate her. We can find your… Six?" Tressa's yellow orbs blinked, as though this was a simple matter of tracking a mark, something the assassin was completely at ease with.
Lady Paige pulled herself up, rising shakenly to her feet, while Tressa simply watched, offering no assistance. "Well, then… I think we should get going. Help me get Ember to her feet, please."
"Very well." Tressa turned on her heel, took a few steps toward the other woman, then paused, looking over her thorny shoulder. "Call me Tressa."
