By the time the Assassin felt herself leaving the Elders' embrace as she landed in the gathering hall, she could see that she wasn't alone.
The Mindbutcher, the Warlock, was already standing off to her left. He looked just as confused as she was to see her there. Though, they must've continued along the same train of thought, because they both looked to the last spot.
The Banehound, the Hunter, was missing.
"Typical," Jax-Rai spat. "The Elders summon us urgently and he deigns to defy Them."
Fal-Mai felt herself sharing a bit of the Warlock's contempt. But there was something... strange, about Ref-Il's absence. It wasn't out of character for him to be missing, no, but he'd never shirked a gathering before, assuredly because the punishment would be worse than him speaking out in front of an Elder. What was this feeling in the pit of her stomach, as well?
She closed her eyes. She longed for the ability to call upon the Commander's knowledge in times like this. The Hunter may have been the Elders' greatest tactical creation, but Eliza was greater. Stronger. Maybe even more cunning. The Assassin supposed she would attempt to draw the Hunter's location out of the Network.
She sent out her query. Where is the Hunter?
The answer she got back screamed in her mind.
LOCATION: UNKNOWN. Last known location: Inner Sanctum, in combat with XCOM.
The fact that she got a comprehensive answer at all sent a chill down her spine. Normally Ref-Il was monitoring any queries relating to himself on the Network, prone to shutting down one's access if the matter was even tangentially related to him. He seemed like he thrived off of being a nuisance. If the Assassin was able to inquire and get an uninterrupted response...
Last known status?
A flood of data entered her consciousness. Of the Hunter facing off against XCOM, being forced back into his sarcophagus. The Commander's forces firing upon it, breaking it. Ref-Il coming back in, mocking the Elders as always, taking his ground, the psion of the squad taking him over—
Then, nothing. Nothing as the only access the Network had into the room was... Killed? The vitals data she got indicated that he was still alive up until the link was cut. He could still be dead, but usually the Network was able to confirm death status as whoever was hooked up to it sent out a last packet. This was... something else.
She found herself speaking aloud as she opened her eyes. "He's gone."
Jax-Rai looked at her strangely for a second, before dipping into the Network himself. He opened his eyes before wearing a wicked grin. "Oh, how the impotent fall. Take heed, Fal-Mai, for his ignorance at the Elders' true glory, he has been slain—"
He stopped shortly, as did the Assassin's current train of thought. The file they both accessed was being updated by a Codex, furiously uploading new data. They both dipped back into the Network, accessing the rest of the status report as it was provided.
The room was different—it was his Stronghold, a room where light shone through a gaping hole in the ceiling. Blast charges. From a door that was in-focus on screen, movement emerged. An XCOM SPARK, rebalanced to walk on its hands, a gun on its back, a leg missing, the socket blown out. A soldier, carrying the psion from earlier slung over his shoulder. Two more soldiers, carefully navigating the doorway—
With the Hunter carried in their arms, limp and unmoving.
Data popped up as Ref-Il was hoisted by the two operatives. He was alive. Unconscious, and the Network identified his status as a psionically-induced comatose state that the psion shared.
The gathered squad walked to the middle of the light in the room. Four black cords dropped down from above, each awake operative grabbing ahold of one. The SPARK set itself into a sitting position and seemed to almost gingerly take ahold of it, while the two soldiers carrying Ref-Il did a careful balancing act to keep him held between them. The ropes retracted, taking the squad up with them, out of sight. A few more seconds and the feed concluded.
The two remaining Chosen returned from the Network. Now the Assassin's gut was burning, but she couldn't identify what exactly was trying to work its way up her throat. Alive. Captured. The Hunter had been taken from them, just as they had taken soldiers from XCOM. Taken. The fire burned harder.
She was brought from her thoughts by the sound of the Warlock's laughter. It echoed in the open space, sharply ringing off of her sensitive ears. He never laughed. "Captured!" Jax-Rai Tessura ceased his laughter quickly, as if aware of the fact. "Not only shown his incompetence, but taken in by XCOM!" He grinned, all teeth, extending a hand to Fal-Mai. "Is this not justice? Is this not the Elders' will in action?"
"He was still one of us." She averted her gaze, looking into the middle of the room. The circular opening housing a bright purple flame, burning low for now. She hoped the Elders would come soon, and give guidance. "Unfit for ruling, yes. But no child of the Elders deserves this fate—if the Elders willed it, They would have severed him Themselves."
The Warlock's face fell, taking in her words. "Even among the Elders' children, there can still be disgraces to Their name." He joined her in looking to the flame. "No mistakes, yes, but they can still stray from Their path. His fate was sealed the moment he thought of Them as anything less than his saviors."
"But..." Her face twisted. There was something she couldn't place. A feeling of loss that tugged at her gut, only making that sick fire burn harder. "He still belonged to the Elders. Stood beside us." Even if the Hunter was uncooperative just like Jax-Rai, even if he was insufferable, Fal-Mai was... distraught.
The Warlock didn't answer, eyes catching the firelight. How long were the Elders going to let them wait? The Assassin's hands balled into fists. She was getting emotional. "Perhaps... perhaps these crude emotions are blinding me in regards to the situation."
Jax-Rai looked at her, and there was something in his expression she couldn't place. "They very well may be. If you're looking for council, I would remember what the Elders intended for you."
What the Elders had intended for her... She took a deep breath, letting the air come in and blow the flames away. An icy, chilling wind, cutting down unacceptable notions. She would be the Elders' blade. Unquestioning. Unmoving. Unemotional. She was nothing but Their will. She offered the Warlock a glance of appreciation before gazing back into the fire.
They didn't have to wait much longer. The phantasmal flame started to grow in height, and the braziers at the four corners of the square platform alighted. The two Chosen kneeled respectfully as the voice of the Elders filled their minds.
"Our children, We are sure you have learned the fate of your sibling."
The Elders' presence washed over them like a wave; strong, yet soft; commanding, yet comforting. Fal-Mai relaxed in Their company, reinforcing her notions.
"Even now We feel his absence. A voice... silenced. Taken from Us."
Even deep in her concentration, the Assassin could hear the flames of the braziers burn higher as the Elders' presence grew among them. She dared look up, watching as the form of one of Them took shape.
"You are born of Our power... does not Our very life force flow within your veins?" The Warlock and Assassin could feel the Elders' very being spread over them, mingling with their thoughts, their form. "We feel such... loss."
The outline of the symbol of the Chosen glowed a foreboding red where the Hunter would have stood. Doubt began to creep. The Assassin was beginning to feel dread. Loss. She had felt it! She had shared with the Elders' grief, but... that was earlier.
Before she remembered what They wanted from her.
"Yet, within you, We sense something else."
Their anger was starting to permeate the area, making the spectral flames burn violently, almost threatening to lash out at the Chosen. She could feel Their attention turn to the Warlock.
"Arrogance."
Jax-Rai looked... confused, stunned, even. He quickly averted his gaze to the side, frustration evident in his visage. Frustration at himself and... The Assassin dare not think it, not when They were so close.
"And..."
She could feel the full weight of Their judgement upon her. Taking ahold of the empty state she had presented Them with, clutching it, resenting it.
"Emptiness."
For just a second, she could see the Warlock spare a gaze her way. He was unreadable again, but just for the tiniest second, she thought she saw a flicker of something. Apology. Before she could get too close a look, she bowed her head in submission to the Elders.
"There can be only one explanation."
Thanks to her hearing, Fal-Mai could pick up on the sound of the Elders' mask coming slightly open just before the Elders enacted Their wrath.
The torrent of overwhelming psionics crashed down on the both of them, starting at their backs and them spreading in an instant. Fal-Mai gave a guttural cry as the air was forced from her lungs, buffeted by the Elders' force, until all she knew was pain. The roar of Their power filled her ears until they were overwhelmed, doubling her agony as the Elders seemed to take advantage of her weakness, forcing it against her as punishment. Whether by her intention or not, the pose she took as she was being pushed to the floor was supplicant. Begging for the Elders to stop. Her eyes were squeezed shut and if she had any more sense, she'd likely be sobbing. All of her being felt like it was being destroyed, cell by cell, until there would be nothing remaining.
"YOU HAVE SUCCUMBED TO THE FAILINGS OF YOUR HUMANITY. YOU SQUANDER OUR GIFT TO YOU."
The torrent continued even as the Elders spoke, Their voice twisted with rasping fury. The Assassin couldn't process anything anymore, so overloaded with pain and agony. She couldn't even formulate a single thought as all she could perceive was the unimaginable suffering being forced upon her. She had no breath, yet she had to scream, jaw dropped in silent pleading.
"WHAT WAS GIVEN CAN BE TAKEN AWAY."
Even though it was mere seconds that went by after that before They ceased Their onslaught, it felt like another eternity. But eventually, the blasting of psionics subsided. Fal-Mai took in a pained gasp, not daring to open her eyes yet, still bowed and shaking. Their punishment was done but she could still feel the pain, could still feel it coursing through her body. A blow that left no marks that could heal.
Her hearing returned just in time for her to pick up Jax-Rai's own gasp that quickly turned into pain-wracked coughing, hearing his voice gently rise as it seems he was getting back to kneeling. Despite how every nerve in her body screamed against it, she too started to rise again, trembling with the phantoms of pain. She gingerly started to open her eyes, but kept her head bowed, hearing the Elders' headdress close.
"Destruction awaits us all if you fail, and this pain is but a fraction of that." She could feel Their attention sweep over the two of them, now no longer furious, but contemplative. "But there is still something to be done."
Even though the pain had largely subsided, Fal-Mai refused to let herself relax. She knew that nothing could truly prepare her for another round of punishment. Is this what Ref-Il felt every time he was at the Elders' mercy? Why did he even act out, knowing that was in store for him? Even with his disrespect, there had to be a reason...
She cleansed her thoughts before the Elders spoke again. "It would pain Us greatly to lose another of Our children, and even greater to know they were falling into the enemy's hands. We will not sit by and let another one of you be taken."
The Assassin dared a look over at the Warlock. He was still slightly trembling from the onslaught he went under as well, but he seemed to have largely recovered. He looked somewhat calmed by the Elders' words but there was a ghost of something underneath even as They continued. "Our eldest, Jax-Rai Tessura. We know that you will never succumb to the assault that the Commander's forces put upon Ref-Il Mordenna. Leave, but know that We love you."
He bowed his head, eyes lidded. The Warlock flashed another glance to her before the braziers flared, and he disappeared in a fog of psionics. That left her as the sole audience to the Elders. At an earlier time, she would have laid herself low for the chance to be the sole recipient of the Elders' attention. But now...?
She dashed her thoughts, slowly looking up at the Elders' projection. She felt as if They were looking down on her. "Fal-Mai Neylor, Our youngest. Your potential is still yours to grasp, even if We are disappointed in your failings."
She bowed her head again, unable to meet Their perceived gaze. She desperately tried to cleanse her head of thoughts, even as doubts and worries scurried around her skull like bugs. "Please forgive me for my mistakes..." Her voice was hoarse. Even if she was unable to scream, her throat was still raw from the effort.
"We love you, child. If you are willing to make amends, We are always willing to forgive." Calm spread over her, projected by the Elders, soothing her, making her relax her muscles a bit. "You are Our blessed creation. The product of Our greatest efforts. We do not wish to see you stolen as your sibling was. We wish for you to feel honored at Our efforts."
She nodded. Deep down, she wasn't. "I am. Thank you, my Elders."
A warm glow of feelings suffused her—the Elders' pride. "You will always have a place in Our design. Now, We must take precautions to make sure you are not stolen from Us."
Fal-Mai counted herself lucky she was able to return to her state of emptiness before the Elders surged into her mind. She felt as if every stone that made up the foundation of her consciousness was being turned over and inspected as They washed Their power over her, feeling Them fortify her in a manner she couldn't quite grasp. She desperately thought nothing, felt nothing, was nothing.
Eventually They receded from her mind. "We have done everything in Our power to ensure that you will befall no psionic force that befell the Banehound. This is Our love for you. Now, go."
She nodded, and felt the pull of Their power at her. She didn't resist, letting the tide of Their strength wash her away until she found herself back in front of her sarcophagus.
Once she was sure she was alone and that there were no remnants of the Elders in her mind, she allowed herself to collapse, shuddering out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Now that she was certain that she was not being monitored, her suppressed thoughts came back in full force. Punished for doing what the Elders had asked of her. Punished for adopting Their will unto herself. Her thoughts went to the Warlock. Punished for being proud in the Elders' will.
Involuntarily, she curled into herself. This had to be some fault of her own. She must've misinterpreted Their will, or at the very least, misunderstood what Jax-Rai meant. The Elders were infallible, beyond reproach, above sin. Should she have attempted to cooperate with the Hunter more, to prevent this? What was the Elders' intentions for him?
How was she supposed to act if she was being punished for what she was expected to do?
There was no honor in this. There was no honor in being reprimanded for just attempting to please her masters. There was no honor in any of it.
The Assassin's hands were on her head now, starting to swim in the pain that she had nearly drowned in. Such a brutal punishment. Such overkill on display. Despite herself, her heart went to Ref-Il, of his many times under that maelstrom of power.
Yet, what was she to do? Run? She almost laughed at that. The Elders were all-encompassing. She would be caught and likely flayed alive. Rebel? She thought of being punished again and shuddered, drawing further in on herself.
A single thought wormed its way into her head and refused to go away until it was acknowledged. XCOM. No... there was no chance. XCOM would never harbor the likes of her, who has slain so many of Resistance, so many of the Skirmishers—and yet...
She drew herself into a sitting position. There was nothing to be done. The Elders had the fate of the universe in mind. Anything done was justified against total annihilation. It didn't calm her feelings, but it gave it something to grasp onto, attempting to rationalise her whole life.
The life the Elders forced upon you, spoke an intrusive thought.
She didn't think about it.
The Assassin settled into her favorite sitting position—legs crossed, arms on her knees, palms up, thumbs and index fingers together. Such a position was always comforting, allowing her to slip into a calmer state of mind, even if her thoughts tried desperately to brew like a storm.
Though, annoyance sprang on her when her head Priest came into the room, her presence standing out in the Assassin's senses, waiting for permission to enter further. Fal-Mai took a deep breath. "Come."
The Priest walked calmly in, coming to stop in front of the Assassin and kneeling. "My Chosen, there has been word of XCOM coming closer and closer to your Stronghold. As you were meeting with the Elders, two of their ranks and one of the Skirmishers encroached upon your territory." She looked up at her Chosen, whose eyes were open, but lidded. "They... they are still in the area. Forgive me for presuming, but do you want to move upon them?"
"Do not fear for suggestions." The Assassin looked at her Priest, voice soft. "If I was not willing to hear them, I would not have invited you in."
"Thank you, Nightmaiden."
Fal-Mai tilted her head downwards in thought. The image of the unconscious Hunter being lifted into the sky entered her mind's eye as she contemplated what to do. If XCOM encroached upon her Stronghold and she proved victorious in pushing them out, the Elders would look upon her with true pride, wouldn't They?
If she failed... XCOM were successful in taking Ref-Il. The Assassin knew the Commander's way of thinking. Even if Fal-Mai's mind had been hardened against the psionic overload she had used against him, what was to say she wasn't going to attempt something else? After all, Eliza had adapted to their strengths and weaknesses well. The thought she had observed before came roaring back.
This time, she didn't squash it, despite her best thinking.
"Let them observe." She let her mouth form into a knowing smile. "Let them come. Let them fight. If the Commander wants to test her troops against me... that will be its own punishment."
"Yes, Nightmaiden. I will let your forces know of the possible incursion."
The Assassin nodded, the Priest taking it as dismissal, venturing back out of the room.
As she returned to her meditation, clearing her mind, she allowed herself to muse over a single thought before she went back to the breath.
What were XCOM going to do with the Hunter?
