A fitful night's rest, if it could even be called that. Ran slept on and off, same as Outrider. Same as Stone and Valor. But not Thea.
No, she had been shouted into sleeping, even if it had come after she'd curled up and cried herself into exhaustion. Ran didn't blame the braixen for wanting to be up with them, alert for any kind of attacks on their position. She didn't blame the braixen for breaking down into tears when she heard the section of the city fall. And she certainly wasn't going to blame her for what she'd do when she finally caught sight of what Ran saw through that break in the wall.
The dust from the collapse had coated everything in a fine powder, giving the buildings beyond the makeshift window a look like they'd been forgotten in the back of a cupboard. Ran didn't know what to feel or how to look as she surveyed the destruction.
It was difficult to pick up fine details from here, but it reminded her a bit of the hole in Oracle's roof the night Nomad was attacked. Sunlight filtering down from above, cutting through a haze of what dust still hung in the air. Bits of buildings from above still fell, now and again. They seemed so small from here, up in this building, but if she could see them at this distance, they had to have been a decent size. She hadn't gotten to go and survey it - a foolish idea to try to, really. Outrider had told her that, and she agreed. Or, when he explained that it was the ideal place to spring a trap at night, she had agreed. That and there was no telling how unstable the surrounding area had become.
Ran shook her head.
How many lives had been lost? Scattered? Buried? She felt her stomach churn. Who was still alive? Down, way down, somewhere at the ground floor. With a piece of an entire city over their heads. Who had managed to hang on, and now waited beneath rubble for help that might never come?
And then there was this war. She felt the bizarre urge to laugh. They were still locked in a war against Octavian and the SDC forces he commanded. Perhaps even with the Children of Mother, wherever they'd gone off to. She frowned. Who had even done this? Surely it hadn't been the defense and reconnaissance forces. It couldn't have been - this was their city. They loved their city. Right? They wouldn't do this.
But then why would the SDC do it? Or the Children of Mother? Was anyone even to blame?
She snapped her eyes to the door as it flew open and revealed the sleepy eyes and tired face of Outrider. He had slept the least. She was sure of it. Whenever he'd found time to sleep, he'd pulled her close, and then gently sat her upright whenever he had to leave. She'd told him to wake her when she was needed.
"You never did," she said aloud.
Outrider rubbed his face and said in a distant sort of tone, "Hrm? Never did what?"
"You never woke me up. I told you to wake me up when you needed me to take over shifts watching for attacks and you never did. I had to wake myself up, and…" She hung her head. "I'm not very good at it. I got a few shifts in, but you picked up the slack didn't you?"
"There was no need for you, Stone, Valor, or Thea to lose sleep over this," explained Outrider, sitting down beside her. He put an arm around her and pulled her close. "That burden rested on my shoulders. That any of you wished to help is admirable. That you actually helped - commendable. But I wasn't about to rob you of a well earned night's rest."
"You're leading us, Outrider," said Ran, grabbing hold of his face and turning him towards her. "You should be sharp and well rested. Besides, now that I can see what happened, I don't think anyone was going to attack last night. Just look, you'd have to be crazy to even be out there."
"I had no idea you'd gone insane," said the lucario, smirking.
"Oh shut up," mumbled Ran, turning away. She chuckled, but her face darkened almost immediately. "Now what?"
Outrider sighed and gently banged the back of his head against the wall a few times. "We… continue this war. Pursue the SDC and deliver justice unto Octavian."
"Now you sound crazy," mumbled Ran.
"That is the nature of war. We cannot hold a day of remembrance for what happened now. Indeed, we should be looking to resolve this war to keep more tragedy from befalling the rest of Crag. We should be seeking as fast a resolution to this conflict as we can possibly manage so that we can investigate this hideous crime. If it even is one - Crag is not a natural city, and nothing about it is intelligently designed from a tactical point of view. About the only berry in its bag is that clearing it out of pokemon without completely leveling it is extremely tedious and costly. And we are experiencing that first hand." The faraway look in Outrider's eyes told Ran everything she needed to know, and the sad resignation in his voice only underscored it.
There really was nothing to be done - not when there was still a conniving dragon to bring to justice. She looked out at the devastation and frowned. What even was justice in Octavian's case?
"If that's the case," said Ran at last, "Then we need to get going."
Outrider yawned and nodded. "Doubtless that many will wish to see the destruction up close. We…" He hesitated and let out an exasperated sigh. "We cannot reasonably deny them that. But it must be swift. It is dangerous to be near that wreckage and a tactical misstep. But I also understand that morale is already low after what happened. I could see it in the eyes of the soldiers I passed on my way up just now." His face darkened. "I expect desertions. Many will wish to see if those dear to them still live. And I cannot tell them no."
He got to his feet and stretched. "We need to get moving. Lots to do this morning, and I came only to steal a moment's rest and be with you." He made his way to the door and held it open. "Stone is already outside, pacing. To say she regrets staying is an understatement. I believe she has somehow gotten it into her head that staying behind makes the collapse partially her fault."
"The last few days have been hard for her, Outrider. Are you really surprised? She probably thinks this is somehow related to her." Ran felt nausea roll over once in her stomach. "The only reason I don't feel the same way is because I know I'm not human."
"You never properly told me about this 'Karan'…" he began, frowning. "Alas, you probably have a lot of things we don't have time to discuss."
"We can have another chat in a haypile when this is over," said Ran, smiling.
The lucario smiled and beckoned for her to follow. The rooms they passed had emptied out, and when they emerged in front of the complex they'd spent the night in, it was to the sight of long lines of troops filing across the main bridge to the complex and out into trailing lines that ran along the walkways in front of the many buildings that surrounded them. Stone watched the movements alongside Thea a dozen paces from the entrance.
It was still early. The light that filtered into Crag was tinted orange, and much of the city remained dark. As Ran and Outrider approached their friends, she called out, "Where's Valor?"
Thea turned about and gave Ran a short nod. "He's helping Coal organize the troops."
"Is that wise? Valor has no experience organizing troops and no experience leading," said Outrider, frowning.
"And you do?" asked Stone, scoffing.
"I usually led the defense of Nomad when it was needed. That's managing troops and leading," explained Outrider.
"You mean leading Bastion's troops? Who Bastion led."
"It was a joint effort. And responsibility shifted to me after Bastion fell."
"And that's it. Your managing of-"
Outrider held up a paw. "Enough. I have experience beyond this. In a village far to the northeast of Nomad."
Stone stared at him. "You never talked about your time before Nomad."
Outrider's face darkened. "I try not to."
"Why?" asked Ran, looking up at him.
"The memories are mundane enough, but my amnesia has blocked most everything before that town. And what I did in that town, while mundane, was not good," explained Outrider, averting his eyes. He shifted uncomfortably on the spot and scratched at his neck in a nervous sort of way. "That's where I first looked at the death of restraint in the eyes." He sighed and looked at Ran. "I didn't want to tell you about it back when you asked me because I'd just gotten to know you."
"You've only known Ran for two weeks, Outrider," said Stone, stepping forward. "I've known you longer, and you're just now telling me this?" she said hotly.
"You didn't tell me you had amnesia either. Do you know how helpful that would have made some days in Nomad, when my mind began to wander into the realm of causes for my untimely death? An end met with no answers. I see it on your face - everyone does. You're upset. You wish you didn't have to remember your life, but you do." Stone let out a low growl and bared her teeth.
Outrider considered Stone for a moment then began, "I'll keep this short: I have neglected to explain myself because it is no longer who I am. I have reckoned with my failings and I have succeeded. But in that town, in Endless Autumn, I commanded troops. Not many, I'll admit. Perhaps twenty. Able and willing, and I sent them all to their deaths."
Stone stared hard at Outrider. "Explain."
"In trying to spare them, they all perished. I overestimated the strength of a group of wildlings, ordered a hasty retreat - but a rout is a rout, and you are easily picked off in one." He paused and frowned. "Beyond just livid, I was in some entirely new realm of anger altogether. I was ashamed and full of a righteous ire.
"Turns out, it was simply ire. I filled the meadow we were cut down in with my fury. Carried it like a torch to their den. Ended a dozen lives, and perhaps four dozen potential ones." A smile crossed his face, humorless and full of self-loathing. "And that was that. I was a failure and dedicated myself to learning about scouting and reading." He let out a long, low breath, as if he'd just put something heavy down. "That's why I speak so astutely. You have to keep practicing it or you lose it all."
"Everyone makes mistakes," said Ran gently. She reached out and put a paw to Outrider's forearm and gave it a very soft, careful squeeze. "Just look at me."
The lucario chuckled softly. "I don't think you were making mistakes," he said. "Regardless - you all know now. Well, except for Valor, but there'll be time for that after."
Stone crossed her arms. "We shouldn't have stayed," she said bitterly. "Just look at what it's gotten us."
"We didn't do this," said Thea, stepping forward and putting a paw on Stone's shoulder. "I'm confident no one that actually lives in Crag would do this. It had to have been some kind of desperate move by the SDC or the remnants of the Children of Mother. But it doesn't matter either way, we have a wreck to visit and a war to finish. I want Octavian's head."
The lycanroc threw up her arms in resignation. "Yeah, fine. Train's already movin', might as well see if there's tracks over this hill or the fucking Abyss."
"What?" asked Thea, cocking her head. "What's already moving?" Ran noticed that Outrider looked confused as well. The word made sense to her - but as she tried to say it, she realized she had no idea how to form it on her tongue.
Stone furrowed her brow. "Nuclear reactor." The braixen cocked her head. "Microchip. Black powder rifle."
Thea shrugged. "Black powder, what about it?"
Outrider shrugged as well. "Is there a reason you're speaking gibberish at us?" he asked.
"Let's get going," said Stone, shaking her head. "Outrider, we are visiting that pile of rubble that used to be part of Crag, right? They'll stage an insurrection to our own insurrection if we don't."
"Yes, we are. We absolutely are. And then we're continuing our march upwards." He paused. "If any of them decide they wish to go and find their kin or loved ones instead of fighting… allow them."
A voice coming down the bridge shouted at them, "Hey! Hey! When are we moving?"
Ran looked over and saw Valor rushing up to them. He came to a hat next to Stone and said, "The troops are ready to move. They're all organized and broken up like always. Stone, Thea and Coal get one set each. You, Ran and I get another. Still Grasses left but she wasn't too happy about it. She could barely walk too, I dunno she wanted to stay and fight."
"Thank you, Valor. Yes, we're ready. And, if any of the troops decide to leave after what we see, let them. Understood?" said Outrider. The quilladin nodded. "Alright. Let's move."
The fact that Octavian had not yet destroyed his office impressed General. The rampaging dragon was shouting up a storm that reminded the conkeldurr of his time as a terrified timburr, quaking beneath the hard eyes of a superior officer. General dropped his gaze down to the maps and myriad papers, reports and figures laid out on the table in front of him. He shook his head.
The fear that he felt then, when he was so tiny and easily broken, it was not something that ever went away. He held it in his heart across his entire time with the SDC, even as he rose in rank. Even as he became General. Even as the deal with Crag to be the proper Guard for the city became sweeter and more cushy. Even as it became more sinister. Even as it became a power grab - veiled at first, and now very much naked.
That fear was there for a reason, and he finally understood exactly why. You don't forget fear, even when you've become a General. No - fear is the greatest enemy and ally. And now, as General received report after report of the losses he'd incurred in a single day of fighting, that fear in his heart began to stir. The estimates shook it more firmly, threatening to rouse it proper.
But the news of the total collapse of an entire section of Crag, from cap to floor was what did it. The beast of fear raised its foul head and sniffed the air. A wind had picked up, and General was bleeding. The losses of civilian life couldn't be calculated properly, not with the information he had handy. Besides, it wasn't his place to care. But still, he was not heartless. They were innocents, and his soldiers were tasked with protecting them. But they could not protect them from the wrath of the city herself.
That was an enemy that could not be fought. And the soldiers that had perished in that section of city were never given the chance to even try. Though a sizable bit of his force had taken refuge in a different part of the city, several scouting forces had become lost when the collapse hit. Many hadn't been anywhere near the area, when part of a city falls while you're still in it… Well, that tends to push mission out of view and stick survival and fear front and center in the mind of even the most disciplined soldier.
That was the fear that had awoken in him. The fear that more collapses could come. The fear that he could lose very good men for very stupid reasons. The fear that the Superpower Defense Corps could cease to exist under his command. He would not have it.
So was it really any wonder that he found it so easy to open his mouth and say:
"Octavian. Stop stomping, ranting and raging and listen."
The dragon turned to look at him, eyes burning with blind fury. "What did you say?"
"Crag has suffered a tremendous loss of her citizenry. Today will be known by your people as one both tragic and infamous. For my soldiers and I, it is a day that follows one of the worst defeats we've ever experienced. A day that marks the loss of the greatest number of troops the SDC has ever suffered to something that wasn't an enemy combatant."
"Yes, I'm sure the SDC is very concerned about the loss in available troops, but you are still capable of fighting," spat Octavian. "Meanwhile, I have an entire section of Crag that must be rebuilt! A damaging blow to industry, the loss of housing accommodations, countless artisans and smiths, empty heads ripe for winning over and a primary support pillar was lost last night! I was supposed to seize power last night, and awaken this morning ready to see the last of these idiotic revolutionaries crushed!"
General shook his head. "Yes, you've inherited quite a mess. I'm sure you'll find a means to deal with it. My troops and I, however, will not be helping out on that front." General picked up a small wooden box sitting atop a stack of papers and opened it. Inside sat a folded piece of paper. Old, fragile and thin, General unfolded it and ran his eyes across its title. "SDC Contract, indefinite duration. Client: Octavian."
The druddigon's eyes went wide. "You wouldn't dare…" said Octavian in a deadly whisper.
"This contract was never amended to prevent termination for any reason from either party. A true drop-in, drop-out deal. It was lucrative, Octavian, and I will spread the word of your generosity. But I will not see my troops lost to unpredictable collapse or deliberate sabotage. Armor, weapons, provisions and a trickle of jewels will not be enough to keep me here in good conscience. I will not let the rubble of this city become the grave of the SDC. Not when that rubble already has too many good soldiers buried beneath it."
He tore the contract in half and immediately set about burning the pieces with a nearby candle. The earsplitting roar of unbridled hatred and rage that escaped Octavian's mouth left General's ears ringing.
"We're done here, Octavian. It was a pleasure. I am withdrawing my troops immediately. In the interest of acknowledging our lengthy partnership and showing my gratitude for it, I will not inform any rebels I come across about how well defended you are. In fact, I'll tell them you're still decently protected and there is still a good bit of fight left in you. How's that sound?" He paused and continued to stare the dragon in the eyes. Octavian appeared to be almost bulging out of his armor as every muscle in his body tensed more and more. "And if you wish for me to deliver them a message, I will do so. And then I will leave with the SDC."
There was a long pause. General saw Octavian's claws twitch, his chest heave, and plumes of fire escape from his nostrils. The druddigon's entire body appeared to be radiating raw hate. Even still, the fear over losing the SDC was greater than the fear of what this druddigon might try.
And so, General watched the dragon bristle, huff, puff and glare - but ultimately, nothing more. Instead, Octavian managed to struggle out, his voice noticeably shaking and overflowing with bitterness, "Yes. I want to speak to the leaders. Just them. Atop the rubble."
Outrider leaned against the crumbling facade of a building near the lip of the disaster zone. Pokemon were already present, looking in buildings adjacent to the collapsed area for potential survivors that had perhaps fallen simply one or two levels down, instead of straight down into the waiting embrace of a monstrously large pile of rubble. Beside him, Ran looked to be scanning back and forth, her eyes tracing the movements of small groups of troops. Outrider joined her. A pair here, a small cluster there, and the odd loner.
The energy that hung in the air was bizarre. Otherworldly. He had to admit to himself, it certainly was the strangest thing he'd seen. That he could remember, anyway. He got up and walked up to the very edge of the massive hole that punched through every layer of the city and peered down. The top of the rubble was near enough that he could jump down without much issue. He shook his head and called back to Ran, "How do you even repair this? We can't bring Octavian to answer for his crimes quickly enough."
Ran walked up to him and made an indistinct noise in her throat. "I don't know. Didn't Thea say that the supports were magical?"
"Yes. Which begs the question - can anyone even make more supports?"
"Excuse me, Outrider." The lucario turned - it was Foremost. Behind him, a mass of pokemon, all of them looking distinctly anxious and even a bit ashamed. Eyes flit from side to the other, refusing to look directly at Outrider. A few appeared to be staring through the lucario, rather than looking at him. Still others did not appear engaged with what was happening at all, and stared instead into the scar that now marred their city.
"The pokemon behind you wish to desert, don't they?" asked Outrider, the ghost of a smile crossing his face.
The stantler looked taken aback, his eyes going wide and his entire body giving a start. "Uh, well, yes. They have friends and family that may have been affected. Perhaps even…" He trailed off and shook his head. "You understand."
"It is very interesting that you all would come up to me to confirm you can, in fact, desert. I believe I made it clear to my officers that it was permitted. I expected Stone would have told you, Foremost. And you would have in turn told them."
The stantler nodded. "I did. But they wanted to hear it out of your mouth. I think they find it too good to be true."
"An entire piece of a city collapsed," said Ran, stepping forward and addressing the soldiers behind Foremost. "Why would Outrider force you to stay here and not try and find your families?"
A tired-looking mightyena covered from head to paw in bandages spoke up. Her droopy eyes gave the impression that she was permanently sleepy, and her incredibly soft voice stood out in stark contrast to her scarred, but able, body. "Because this is war." She pawed at the ground in a guilty sort of way. "We're supposed to be bringing Octavian to justice. That's what everyone has been told. Fixing Crag itself. The Councils, the way things are done, everything."
Outrider frowned. The Councils? The way things are done? "I never…" He paused. "I see. Perhaps that factors in, but more to the point: this is indeed about bringing justice upon that traitorous dragon's head. But, as I've said, those that have worries to put to rest are free to do so. They will not be punished."
"You are a very unconventional leader, Outrider," said Foremost. Odd though the comment was, the stantler was grinning. "I see exactly why Stone kept referring to you whenever I had questions concerning leadership."
The lucario chuckled, and so did Ran. "I think that has more to do with the kind of pokemon Stone is…" said Ran.
"Indeed." Outrider looked out at the group of anxious soldiers behind Foremost and said loudly, "You are not bound to remain in this war. I will not drive you towards resentment and hate in the wake of a disaster that goes beyond the bounds of normal war. If you wish to find your loved ones in the wreckage and confusion that surrounds this disaster - you are dismissed."
The pokemon began to clear out almost immediately. Some walked numbly away, aimless and out of place. Others made a mad dash for the nearest staircase down. The mightyena, however, remained where she was, beside Foremost.
"Is something else the matter?" asked Outrider. "And what is your name?"
"Howl. My father kept things simple." She smiled, her droopy eyes becoming bright with joy for a brief moment, perhaps at some memory. "And yes. You see… this is within the bounds of a normal war." She closed her eyes and a grimace crossed her face. "When all this is over, we should meet again some time in the tavern this entire war started in. Please excuse me." She nodded at Outrider and Ran, and then walked off.
"Let's go find the others," said Outrider, watching the mightyena disappear down a set of stairs. "We have to get moving." He looked at Foremost and added, "Are you staying with us?"
"Of course," said the stantler at once. "This is a catastrophe, but I'm lucky. No one I know, family or otherwise, lived here."
Outrider nodded and beckoned for Ran to follow. The three made their way through crowds of Crag's defense force, many of them now mingling with civilians that stared at the devastation with far-off looks of hopelessness, hard eyes full of anger, or broken faces of sorrow. The lucario tore his eyes away from a particularly devastated looking whimsicott being comforted by a tangela and said, "The sooner we bring Octavian to justice the better."
Ran nodded and added, "Howl was from another town."
"She was."
"I wonder how many pokemon came to Crag from other places."
"Hrmmm. That's a good question, but not one we can answer at the moment. I imagine the walls certainly made Crag attractive."
"That's why we came, wasn't it?"
"We came because it was closer."
"How long ago did you arrive?" asked Foremost, looking back at them.
"Around two weeks ago," said Outrider.
"You've been busy. Motivated citizenry to fight and you're not even a proper citizen yourself. Impressive." The stantler nodded once and grinned. "Very impressive."
The lucario gave him a sheepish grin. "Call it a predisposition. Perhaps it runs in my blood. Or in my history." He threw a sidelong glance at Ran and winked.
Through the crowd of pokemon moving about the edges of the scar in Crag, they finally caught sight of Stone, Thea and Valor. All three of them were huddled together alongside a couple of other pokemon - Coal and Current. As they drew closer, Coal took notice and gave Outrider a nod.
"Here he comes now," said Coal loudly enough for Outrider to hear over the general conversation between soldiers and civilians around him. The huddle of pokemon parted just enough to make Outrider's eyes go wide. Sitting in the center of them all was a timburr. The lucario noticed Thea had a wand pointed at the pokemon's head.
Upon seeing Outrider's face, the timburr stood up and then jumped in fear as Thea jabbed the wand into his side and hissed, "Don't fucking try it."
"I'm a runner. I walked up to you all with my hands raised and a message to deliver. Is that so hard to accept?" said the timburr, exasperated. His voice betrayed a hint of fear, and as Outrider drew closer, he noticed a burn on his right leg.
"What is your message?" asked Outrider, crossing his arms.
"Direct from the General himself." He looked around at the pokemon and added, "Leader of the Superpower Defense Corps, if you're unfamiliar."
"I guessed as much," mumbled Outrider. "What's the message?"
The timburr held up a folded piece of paper and offered it to Outrider. The lucario took it and promptly began to read through it. His eyebrows drew higher and higher as he continued, and when he finally made it to the end of the letter he had to work to keep himself from going slack jawed.
The courier chuckled. "Yeah, it's all true too. No jokes, no tricks."
"What did it say?" asked Thea.
"Yeah, what's going on?" asked Valor, eyeing the timburr with obvious suspicion.
"The… SDC is calling in its status as a mercenary company," said Outrider slowly.
"The fuck does that mean?" asked Stone, raising an eyebrow.
"It means they're leaving. They've terminated their contract with Octavian. He's still defended, so assaulting the topmost level of Crag is still an issue, but with the SDC marching out…" He looked at the timburr. "Why did this happen?"
The merc rolled his eyes. "What do you mean 'why'? You're standing in front of fucking why." Outrider looked over his shoulder at the maw in the city behind him.
"Of course. Losses. It's suicide for your company to stay here."
"Yep. General knows what he's doing. We're not losing the Corps in this shitheap. No matter how nice that dragon makes things. We're not your problem anymore. Just him. Speaking of which, he wants to talk to the leader of your little uprising. Guessing that's you." He pointed at Outrider. The pokemon around the timburr all murmured in agreement. "Great. He wants to see you on top of that pile of rubble that used to be a slice of the city. Didn't say when, so I'd head out now and wait for him if I was you. And you might wanna be prepared for a fight. Now, can I leave?"
Outrider stared into the timburr's eyes for a long while. The world washed out and the mercenary's aura sprung to life. A plain, pure white. No sparks danced in it. No anger, no deception, no worry. Perfect clarity. As the world regained its color, he nodded. "You're free to go. I'm sorry for your losses."
"Nah, you're not," said the timburr, laughing. "No one ever is. We're mercenaries, you don't have to butter us up. But we cut the best deals compared to you soldier types. If we wanna pack up and leave - there's the door. Open as always." He shook his head and made his way towards a nearby staircase further up in Crag. "You all have to shit where you eat."
Thea watched him go with a scowl on her face. "We should have killed him."
"What would that accomplish?" asked Outrider, throwing her a reproachful look. "Focus your anger on the head, not the claws."
"The claws destroyed a piece of my home," she shot back through grit teeth. "We won't know the death toll for weeks."
"And it will be unacceptable regardless of how many or how few perished. Your anger at the SDC is understandable, but the fact they're leaving Crag to sort her own problems out means it was unlikely they're the reason for this collapse."
Thea breathed a gout of flame through her nostrils. "As if I needed more reasons to hate raiders."
"Octavian let them in," said Valor, looking at Thea. "Outrider's right, if you're going to be angry at anyone-"
"Yeah, yeah. I know. But you heard that timburr. Octavian wants to have a chat with the leader. So I don't think I get to have my own words with that fucking dragon," snarled Thea.
"Are you really going to go out and wait for him?" asked Coal, looking up at Outrider. "That sounds like suicide."
"Yeah, you can't do that," said Current, chiming in. "It's probably what he wants."
"Perhaps, but it also saves us all the trouble of having to fight our way up to the top of Crag," said Outrider, rubbing his chin. "We've suffered losses, either through death or through departure. We don't know the size of Octavian's own defense. We don't know what he's capable of. But I do know that the rubble is only a short drop behind me. And that means that reinforcements are close by if he attempts something underhanded." He turned about and walked to the edge of the walkway and peered down at the wreckage below.
"And everyone gets a front row seat to watch this shit finally resolve," said Stone. "Lucky you, Outrider. You get a nice little stage to show off."
That was too much.
"Show off?" repeated Outrider, his voice a deadly whisper. "Is that what this is to you, Stone?" He stepped up to the lycanroc and seized her rock-tipped mane of fur. "Do you genuinely believe that I welcome this offer? Do you think me stupid? Obsessed with glory over all else?"
His eyes widened and he added, shouting now, "I do not care about showing off! I care about ending this war now. Octavian's offer may be dubious, but this city has already suffered her scars, so are you suggesting we give her a few more instead of letting me supposedly seek glory?" He let go of the lycanroc and threw up his arms in exasperation. "Then we shall. Go. Tell the troops to assemble and ready themselves to march. Tell them we're heading straight to the very top of Crag and that they'll be expected to throw themselves into the waiting maw of whatever it is that Octavian has prepared for us. Go! Tell them in your own words, that you wish to see them all fucking die."
Stone dropped her gaze, looking thoroughly embarrassed. "Sorry. That- that was too far. I just-"
"It doesn't matter now," said Outrider, his voice regaining its characteristic calm. "The pokemon that left our ranks have the luxury of dictating what is too much to bear. We do not. Not until this is over can we sort things out. I am willing to hear criticism, Stone. But I am not willing to hear accusations. If you do not wish to wait for Octavian atop the rubble, then I ask only that you wait at the lip of this pit so that you can jump in if needed."
The lycanroc looked Outrider in the eyes, her own wide. "No, Outrider, I-" She stopped and then sighed, her head sagging, and added in a quiet mumble, "I'll be watching."
"I'll help!" said Valor, nodding his head - and much of his body along with it.
"You're staying by Stone," said Outrider. It was harsh to sound this final, but it was necessary. "We lost you once to less dangerous forces. I will not see Nomad's only true son lost forever atop the rubble of a foreign city."
"I'll be there," said Thea. Sparks of flame sputtered out of the end of the wand she held at random intervals. "I don't give a fuck what you think."
"I didn't plan on barring you," said Outrider, nodding. He looked over at Ran.
"You didn't have to look here," said Ran, offering him a brief smile. Her eyes became hard and lined with worry. "I'll be right by you."
He nodded. "Let's go wait for a dragon."
Ocatvian stared down from the uppermost layer of Crag, deep into her wound. So much planning. So much careful consideration. So many lives snuffed out, bribes passed around, and pieces set meticulously upon the political game board of the city.
All for naught.
He snarled down at the rubble somewhere far, far below. How quickly things had slipped out from between his claws. The miserable Children of Mother had done this, no doubt. But blame had to be assigned to the insurrectionists. The other councils needed distraction from the carnage in the chambers of the Elder Council. It would be possible to convince them that raiders had made it to Crag's most heavily guarded chambers in the midst of a civil war and slaughtered the Elders, but that explanation would raise suspicion. Without the SDC or Illusionist, quietly "dealing" with problems would be impossible. He'd need to work to discredit them.
He let out a roar of anger. There was so much to do when these miserable rebels were dead, and he had worked tirelessly to ensure that he would not be dealing with the fallout of a drastic change in power. For nothing! For absolutely nothing! It had gone up in a plume of dust along with that section of Crag.
The sunlight soaking in his limbs, normally a source of pleasure, now only served to stoke the flames in his belly higher. The work that had to be done when this was over…
The work! Endless work, endless maneuvering and politicking to keep himself upon his rightful throne when he should have been so assured of his power he could sleep on it! "You miserable bastards!" he shouted down into the pit. "You ruinous, Abyss-bound FOOLS!" He leapt from the edge of the pit and dove straight down towards the rubble below.
He would show them why Creakwood had called him Ruiner.
Ran was getting anxious. The chunk of door she'd been using as a seat to watch Outrider pace back and forth along a relatively flat piece of wall had been distracting enough to keep her from thinking about what was coming. Had been. It no longer was. They'd agreed to "speak" with Octavian, but she was certain the conversation would, if it happened at all, be brief.
She looked over at Thea, who stood ramrod straight, her eyes skyward. She clutched a wand in her hand that appeared to be made partially of stone. "Rockmelter?" said Ran aloud.
Thea snapped out of her focus and looked over at the weavile, then nodded. "Yeah. If it has to give out against someone, I want it to be that fucking dragon."
Outrider ceased his pacing and snapped his gaze upward, shouting, "Here he comes!"
The three immediately bunched together - claws raised, wand presented, and paws glowing with cyan light. The sun had turned the approaching figure into a black blob, and when it landed two dozen feet away, the impact kicked up a plume of dust and sent bits of rubble all around them tumbling away.
Through the haze of dust, Ran saw it - the outline of a druddigon drawing itself up to its maximum height. A low growl met her ears and made the fur on her body bristle. She swallowed hard and looked over at Outrider briefly.
"Octavian," said the lucario, his tone neutral. "You summoned us."
"I did," spat the dragon. The dust began to clear and revealed the armored form of Octavian. Runic symbols covered the many plates all over his body. Every plate appeared to have been carefully placed to cover up vital zones, and the armor even bore an expertly shaped collar to protect his neck. Perched on his head was a diadem made of equal parts silvery metal and inscribed Runestone. It was extravagant enough to almost call a crown.
"So, why are we here?" asked Outrider. "A runner from the SDC said-"
"I know what those traitorous bastards told you. I was the one that composed the message," snarled Octavian. "You are here so that the rest of your miserable little resistance can bear witness to how I deal with traitors."
Thea bristled and screeched, "You sacrificed defense and recon forces to raiders, betrayed the trust of Crag's citizens and-"
"Shut UP!" yelled Octavian. "An entire section of Crag lies in ruins thanks to your foolish little civil war, and I intend to cut the head of this misguided resistance loose today."
"We have proof you betrayed everyone in Crag," shouted Ran, pointing an accusatory claw at him. "What do you mean misguided? You're the one that -"
"I don't know what possessed you all to spread lies and slander," boomed Octavian, "But I will purge those that continue to echo them when I'm done scattering your entrails across this sad monument to your hubris."
He stomped once, and the rubble beneath him began to crumble away as it swallowed him whole.
Ran jumped atop a section of wall and scanned around, looking for signs of any of the wreckage around them becoming disturbed. Octavian was somewhere below them digging about, and the sooner they could identify where, the better.
Outrider sprung away from where he stood as rubble exploded up into the air and Octavian came along with it. The dragon landed heavily in front of Thea and threw a vicious slash at her. The braixen managed to back up in time, but lost her foot on the uneven rubble she stood upon and fell back, rolling several feet down the pile.
Ran's eyes widened as Octavian let the swipe swing him around to face her. A jet of flame rushed at her, and cut through air and out of the way with less than a second to spare. She tumbled forward as she hit the ground and winced as the uneven rubble bit and scratched and poked her all the while. She sprung up to her feet and wheeled around in time to see Octavian flying directly at her.
The weavile didn't have time to stop herself and dodge again, but as Outrider met the dragon's lunge with a flying kick, she didn't need to. Octavian was hardly deterred by the kick to his side, and caught himself in mid-air with his wings spread wide and set himself down onto a large chunk of destroyed rooftop. He raised a foot and stomped down with a furious roar. An ominous rumble filled the air as long, snaking lines of cracking and crumbling rubble sped off towards Ran, Outrider and Thea.
Slice. Slice. Slice. Ran was out of the way in three cuts through space itself, trying to size up how best to approach Octavian. Outrider came into view from above, bringing a diving kick down upon the dragon's head. It did not connect, and instead Outrider was knocked aside with a swipe from Octavian's tail. He bounced and banged off chunks of debris and ended his journey against a small piece of crumbling wall.
"Outrider!" shouted Ran, rushing over to him. As she sprinted towards him, a brilliant orange light filled Ran's peripheral vision. She turned her head in time to see a fireball the size of a wailmer streak at Octavian and strike him. The explosion of flame that followed brought with it the most intense heat Ran had ever felt in her life. She made it to Outrider and offered him a paw to help him up, then turned to see Thea standing upon a chunk of door that jutted out of the rest of the rubble, her chest heaving and wand raised.
"I'm fine," groaned Outrider, standing up and rubbing his back. "Focus on attacking Octavian."
"Right. I'll get in and distract him-"
"No. You strike, I'll distract."
"Outrider I can-"
The haze and smoke from the explosive attack cleared all at once with the beating of Octavian's wings. His face, set into a wicked snarl, was distorted by the waves of heat radiating from the melted rock and burning wood all around him.
Thea's wand was aptly named.
Ran heard the braixen scream at the top of her lungs as she flicked the wand in Octavian's direction once again. No fireball came. Instead, a tiny point of light flew from the wand, up behind Thea and then, with a flourish from the braixen and a purple glow in her eyes, the point erupted into seven thick gouts of flame that all shot straight at Octavian.
The dragon took several of the blasts in the chest, but managed to leap away from the rest. He continued bounding clockwise, away from Ran and Outrider. Thea continued to track him with her wand, even as the point of light died and the flames began to explode out of the wand proper. Twice she interrupted the stream of fire to launch fireballs into the path Octavian was taking, and each time they exploded with little visible damage to the dragon.
Ran and Outrider both rushed towards the dragon as he continued to trace his wide circle around Thea, but Octavian noticed them and instead leapt directly towards the braixen. The flames that struck him did little to deter him, even as they grew more intense.
And then, they stopped. Over the sounds of the shouting, a loud snap echoed. Ran looked over at Thea and saw the braixen no longer holding a wand. The wand was out of the loop on her belt and pointed at dragon before Ran properly realized what she was doing. A blast of force knocked Octavian off course, sending him sailing harmlessly past Thea, and giving the braixen time to hurry towards Ran and Octavian.
"Out of wands," she said, panting. "I'll do what I can without them."
Ran tossed the wand she held to Thea and said, "Just keep him off us if it looks like he's gonna land a hit." The braixen nodded.
"I'll drop down on him," said Ran to Outrider.
"Then I'll keep his attention on the ground," replied the lucario.
The two took off towards Octavian. The dragon mimicked them, stomping towards them, claws raised and roaring. Jets of flame flew at Ran and Outrider without logic. The dragon was simply desperate to hit them. Ran closed with the dragon first, and cut through the air to leap out on the other side of him. She raked claws coated in ice against his back and earned herself a scream of pain and a direct hit to her chest from his tail for her troubles. Right before impact, however, she saw it. One of the runes on the armor plates faded away and the plate crumbled.
Pain filled her body as she tumbled away from Octavian, end over end. She lost her sense of direction and wondered just where it was she'd landed when her back finally slammed against a wooden beam.
The world spun and her vision was filled with stars. Her chest ached something fierce, and as she stood, her torso screamed up at her. She felt her ribs gingerly, and while it hurt to prod and poke for a broken bone, it did not hurt so much that it confirmed a fracture. She hurried back to the fray, watching as Outrider ducked and dodged the furious assault that came out of Octavian.
Huge swipes, overhand slams and sweeps from the dragon's tail sailed past the lucario harmlessly or were met with a loud shout and the clear ringing of his shin guards as Octavian's attacks impacted them. Outrider ducked a swipe and retaliated with a flurry of kicks at the dragon's stomach. They seemed to have little impact as far as Ran could tell, and Octavian managed a half-laugh, half-roar as he punched Outrider in the chest and knocked him back several feet.
Ran leapt into the air and shaped a pointed platform to crash down onto Octavian beneath her feet. The dragon turned in time to loose a stream of flame at the weavile, and she had to abandon her attack and land into a messy roll on the ground. She was already aching and she'd only been hit once. This terrain was awful to fight on, and Octavian didn't care - the armor made sure of that.
The armor. The rune. It had crumbled when she struck it with claws. She could destroy them.
Ran formed a large icicle in her claws with a sharp exhale and chucked it at the dragon. Octavian caught the projectile with another blast of flame in time. And the next. And the next. But not the fourth. That one hit home, striking the druddigon's shoulder and destroying the plate that protected it.
Octavian roared and rushed at Ran. She didn't have time to make more icicles, and instead cut past him, disappearing into the space between spaces long enough to come out on the other side of him. She landed and immediately raked her claws against his back. Again. Again. She leapt into the air to avoid another retaliatory tail strike and landed heavily a dozen feet away. Her knees ached and the pads on her feet felt like they'd been cut open. A jet of flame streaked overhead and sent her scrambling for a large section of wall that stuck out of the rubble. The heat of the stream of fire impacting the chunk of debris was overwhelming, but it stopped as a shout filled the air.
She peeked out from behind the wall and saw Outrider launching an onslaught of kicks and punches at Octavian, punctuating them now and again with shining spheres of cyan light. Many of the blows failed to connect, but a few found purchase. One such strike, a punch directly to Octavian's unprotected shoulder, staggered the dragon. He roared and swatted Outrider away then blew a stream of fire at the lucario immediately after.
A stone fell from above and stopped the oncoming flame, lodging itself into the rubble and cracking all the while. Ran looked up and saw Stone's distant figure hurl a boulder at Octavian. The rock fell short, but then a blast of wind launched it directly at the dragon. It struck him center mass and sent him tumbling back. As he struggled to his feet, Ran sprinted at him and raised claws coated in ice, ready to strike. She ducked a wild swing from his tail and slashed furiously across his chest, breaking apart several more plates in the process.
This was working. They could win.
Her vision went white for a moment as a punch connected with her forehead and launched her into a door somewhere behind her. She fought down the urge to cry out as her head throbbed and her body protested the very act of remaining conscious.
She struggled to her feet, blinking back the tears in her eyes. Gods above, this hurt. She willed herself forward, back into the fight, and watched as Outrider kicked chunk after chunk of wall at Octavian. Far behind him, Thea launched more boulders tossed down by Stone at the dragon. Beside her, Valor stood at the ready, his shields raised and ready for incoming fire. Literally. A gout of flame meant for… Thea? Why Thea?
It didn't matter, Valor blocked it dutifully. When had he even joined? Ran rubbed her head. She couldn't afford blows to the head.
Wait. That was it. A blow to the head. She could keep trying to wear away the dragon's armor - but for what? To burn through his constitution next? Outrider did manage a good set of blows to Octavian's chest that nearly paused the dragon's own onslaught of vicious swipes, gouts of brilliant red and purple flame and furious headbutts. Nearly.
She set off towards him again, then stopped as Octavian successfully landed a headbutt against Outrider's chest and sent him flying towards Ran. She sprinted towards the lucario and caught him out of the air.
This was a terrible idea. The following rolling stop across uneven rubble ripe with shards of sharp wood and stone made that much clear. As she got to her feet, groaning, she said, "That was dumb. But I have an idea."
Outrider struggled to his feet and nodded. "Let's hear it." He was covered in cuts - most of them shallow, but the one that ran from his clavicle to the spike in the center of his chest worried Ran. One of his eyes had swollen shut.
"This nail." She formed an icicle in her paws. "I go low, you go high. Last second, I cut my way high. You drive the nail."
Outrider nodded. "Go."
"Hey. If this fails, we die. Probably."
"Go."
Ran sprinted at Octavian as fast as she could manage. Her heart screamed in her chest. The icicle in her clutches felt heavy. Octavian stared her down and roared, then fired off fireballs.
That was new. One by one they struck around her as she dodged left and right. The rubble was uneven, and it was slowing her down, but she was just barely fast enough. She hoped. A ball exploded against a post jutting from the debris beside her. The heat wave that came off it nearly made her lose her nerve, but she was almost there.
Step. Step. Step. She raised the icicle like a spear, and Octavian's weight shifted. His claws lowered, and he readied himself to receive her attack. That was all she needed. She could hear Outrider panting, his own footfalls thundering behind her as he tried to keep up.
She leapt diagonally through the air and cut through the gap between her and Octavian. Not more than a few feet, but it was enough. The dragon's gaze had snapped up to look at her.
Fire began to form in his mouth. Ran's grip on the icicle shifted to an overhead hold. She had to drive it down. Outrider had to drive it in. As she fell, the flames rushed at her in slow motion. They struck her right elbow.
The fury that erupted in her elbow nearly broke her hold on the "nail" but still, she gripped it. She would not let go. Even as the impact of the icicle striking the diadem on Octavian's head coursed through Ran's arms and she screamed in pain, she did not release the icicle. Instead she whipped her head around in time to see Outrider bringing a diving kick onto the flat end of the icicle.
A sickening crunch and metallic snap filled Ran's ears as she released the icicle and fell heavily onto the ground in front of Octavian. She heard Outrider land beside her as she watched Octavian's body go slack and tumble backwards. It rolled down a slope of uneven debris and eventually crashed onto a flat section of roofing where it laid still.
Ran took Outrider's outstretched paw and got to her feet, wincing. She looked down at the angry burn on her elbow. The fur had been completely burnt off, along with a layer of skin. Perhaps even a second layer. Outrider looked at it grimly. "That won't heal correctly."
"Doesn't matter, as long as Octavian's dead."
"He is."
"Let's make sure."
Together the two made their way to the unmoving dragon. Shining in the light of the sun overhead, glistening with moisture as it began to melt, was the half-destroyed icicle jutting from Octavian's forehead. Blood seeped out of the wound around the icicle, running in irregular trails down his scaly head.
"He…" whispered Ran. She dropped down to the relatively even floor of the destroyed roof they stood on and stared at the dead dragon. "He is dead."
Outrider knelt down and picked up the broken crown laying in pieces near Octavian's head.
"We won," he said.