This is going to be an... interesting chapter. I'm including something here that really provides the twist on the story rather than just being 'Okay, but what if we insert a new character into the game?' and hopefully it doesn't seem to overpowered. If my vague explanations here don't seem to make sense, then I'll explain it better after you've actually read the chapter and seen what happens. Anyway, let's go!
Super hero time!
Lilith: Bauen, fight to save the Mascot! Aw, but that means you have to hurt the cute mouse...
Bauen: Lilith, bring down the corrupt ministration and save your friend! A warship is nothing with your friends behind you!
Lilith: This power is amazing! With this I can do Anything!
Bauen: Hold yourself! This feeling... was this what it was like to face me back then...?
B + L: Rider once more! FALL TO YOUR KNEES!
The quick trip along the ballast disposal tunnel had them within a dark murky room, clearly devoid of any cleaning whatsoever. Lilith had to supress a small scream when she felt the odd tickling sensation upon her foot; it was clear that the dirt and remnants of the cloud sea within the chamber that had yet to be removed had attracted a few unwanted visitors. Fortunately for her, it was easy work for Kasandra and Beary to slash and smash their way through any of the insects that wanted to get close to her and now that the grey haired girl was prepared, she too could stomp down as hard as she could and at least try to disguise her disgust.
Two more ladders and they were at the portside walkway, the sight of an Ardainian guard making their lives much harder. When it came down to it however, he was alone and that meant that as soon as Tora had his tools set up, a low powered stun bitey bomb sent the man into a blissful sleep. The sound did attract others however, the bullets flying by the time that Lilith and Rex were ever able to draw their weapons. Tora's shield though proved to be more than able to block the fire and no low rank soldier would be able to withstand the might of a flaming sword or giant hammer for too long.
"I think this is the way forward… going to have to break our way in though." Pyra remarked after the door proved to be as fruitless as they expected. Despite all of the Ardainian might, it was clear that their focus was more on the way technology than keeping their air grates up to date for its worn out state meant that with some force to the right positions…
"Poppi power: full strength!" the lilac haired robot, after a small bit of guidance from Pyra, barely hesitated with her punches, the metal flying to smash against the other side of the wall. This time though, there were no guards to catch them in the act after having dispatched the proper patrol, meaning that they were free to carry on exploring before the sudden freezing of a Blade had them all pause. "Masterpon, Poppi can feel there is Blade in the vicinity."
"But how can Poppi tell that?" Tora questioned. It wasn't a feature he had added specifically and while there were numerous different tweaks and abilities his Grampypon and Dadapon had added to the artificial Blade, he would've surely at least have been informed of something as useful as that.
"Unclear. Poppi feel other Blade like wave in the air."
"Huh. Well, not exactly sure I get it, but perhaps that means Dromarch is somewhere nearby!" Rex proclaimed and considering the number of heavily bolted doors before them, it wasn't the most unreasonable declaration.
"So let's get to work and open some of them then!" but as soon as Lilith actually approached one of the doors, she was quick to prove that determination and a lot of hard pulling wasn't all that was needed in order to get the heavily secured doors to bust open. "Okay then, maybe it'll be a little bit harder than that…"
"Um… maybe I could help?"
It was utterly boring. Nothing save for the cold metal of the walls to look at an naturally no entertainment whatsoever left Dromarch feeling rather…antsy. His future wasn't exactly clear at the moment, but for goodness sake, if it was to remain in this cell for the rest of his life (Which was a perfectly possible result considering how vicious Mor Ardain could be), the armoured white cat might as well just stab into his own core! But he couldn't, not when there was still a chance to reunite with Nia.
He wasn't a fool, he knew the people they had met before weren't just going to abandon the pair of them no matter how much Dromarch's driver wanted them to. They would come and ultimately they would cause a giant mess; how much of that mess was positive was something he couldn't exactly comment on at the moment but considering their company…
A sudden chill entering the cell had Dromarch's attention attracted towards the door, where it was slowly freezing over. Apprehensive at first, the cat slowly approached the gradually growing patch of ice that covered the metal, only to back away as it suddenly gave way to a rapid glowing heat. This process repeated back and forth, Dromarch watching fascination as after ten cycles of freezing and burning, the process suddenly stopped… only for a metal hand bursting through the door to send the Blade reeling backwards, a second hand forcing its way through helping the first to peel the door in half as if it were no more than paper Poppi carefully depositing the two halves on the floor beside them with a heavy thud.
"Woah, Ursula, it worked! I didn't know you could do that!" Lilith cheered, the ice Blade turning her face away with a deep blush as she lowered her hands.
"It's really nothing… I just thought… If we did it like this, we could control the effect range, we wouldn't end up hurting whoever was inside if we accidently made it too strong." Ursula explained as she twiddled her fingers though her quiet tones quickly changed to a gasp as a giggling Lilith embraced her. Dromarch could see it already, the metal glowing greater and greater by the second before he would have the entirety of his fur burnt off by a super powered heat blast; thank goodness they didn't try anything like that.
"It's good to see in you in… well, relatively good health I suppose." Gramps' remarked, hopping to the top of Rex's head. "I trust that you are fully able to move? The Ardainians aren't exactly known for their mercy."
"I feel fine Master Titan… though it appears things have changed since our capture. Forgive me, but who are your new companions?" the tiger Blade asked, looking to where the robot and the Nopon were cheerfully celebrating their success; the strength Poppi showed had already been an intense help and they proved that Poppi was able to access functions that Tora wasn't even aware of.
"Ah, Tora and Poppi. Tora helped us out when the soldiers were looking for us and Poppi is his artificial Blade." Lilith explained, the mention of their names having the two pause in their conversation with a wave.
"Right then, that just means it's time to save Nia! Dromarch, do you have any idea where she could be?" the blue dressed boy asked, the Blade remaining silent for a moment as his eyes closed.
"We are in resonance young Rex; I can feel her presence." Dromarch replied, immediately bolting forward with a tremendous leap, fire within the water Blade's eyes. "She's this way. Come quickly!"
Dashing after the Blade had them within the engine room, the complete lack of any sort of attempted stealth having the majority of the station and casually chatting guards taken by surprise. Fumbling with their weapons and spitting out half planned cries of battle, the soldiers charged forth, but a quick toss of Rex's sword had Pyra's inferno filling the air; no one was willing to attack when they would have to run through literal flames. Lilith held Kasandra's hammer forth, the blue shield section unfolding to block the incoming shots, only for the two armour clad guard to flee in terror as a literal polar bear smashed them into the ground.
"There's got to be a valve or switch somewhere, we need to stop that steam!" Pyra called out. Whether it had been a fault that they had prevented from being fixed or an attempt to force the group into a corner, great roars filled the air as steam superheated various sections of the stairways and platforms. Tora was actually pretty quick to shut the whole system off, a man leaving the necessary door open certainly helping, but it still meant they had to awkwardly leap over the incredibly hot metal that made up the floors and railings.
"This is like a novel, 'the great breakout of Gormott!" Kasandra chuckled as they strode up to the mid-ship walkway, following Dromarch's instructions wherever possible; his senses only felt a direct link meaning they had to somewhat luck their way around all of the staircases, floors and whatnot. With barely a thought to the odd sound at the back of her head, the black haired blade dashed through the first doors they came across. "It's almost too…easy…"
Olno's mess hall was one of the most cheerful places you could hope to get when you were in a warship of all vessels. With good company, good food and a chance to relax after or before you have to carry on your duties, there was an untold rule that there was to be no conflict whatsoever once you made it past its walls. This inevitably meant that quite a crowd gathered in there when there was a chance to, so when a group of clear invaders almost casually waltzed through the door, there was a beat of silence… before a veritable wall of guns began firing without mercy.
Each blade had their shields up immediately, but they would only be able to provide for so long before they succumbed and their drivers were put in danger.
"We've can't just wait until they've run out of bullets!" Gramps called out - if there was anything from their training that the Ardainian soldiers could remember, it was that wasting bullets could lead to harsh consequences; waves were taking their turn while others reloaded. "They'll alert the whole ship, we'd be swarmed in seconds!"
"Then we need to end this quickly." Rex answered with a determined frown upon his face. "Ursula, you can keep the shield up without Beary, right?"
"I can."
"Okay then, everyone! Back up towards the door, but make sure it stays open!" the brunette shouted and ever so slightly, they began to follow his orders. Dromarch didn't need further instruction, lowering his shield as he fell back into an offensive position – some of the men had gotten cockier at the sight of their enemies 'fleeing' and hesitated in their attacks so when both polar bear and tiger leapt forth into the group without a single warning, the Ardainians were completely unprepared until they met their end. Lilith couldn't help the slight shiver that ran down her spine at the sight of such a ferocious animal tearing through men, only to pick up a young girl as if she was his child, and it certainly wasn't from the slight frost that filled the air.
Making their way through that little incident, the rest of the journey was relatively easy compared to the blitz of men that was the lunch area, by the time they reached the sickbay, there were only so many doors left and the two guards stationed outside one of them combined with Dromarch's senses made it pretty clear what they had to do. Smashing forward without any regards to their health, the men were unconscious in mere seconds, the door easily opening from the outside to show Nia curled into herself, a look of surprise upon her face.
"Rex, you…"
"My lady, Apologies for my late arrival." Dromarch spoke out with palpable relief to his voice, the tiger plodding into the cell with a smile to bow down before his driver.
"Don't mention it. I didn't think anyone was coming at all." Nia dismissed, her small frown morphing into a smirk with a shake of her head.
"Always help those who help you, the second rule of the Salvager's Code! As if we would've left you behind." Rex added, pumping his fist with the usual optimism practically plastered all over his visage. Clearly the yellow suited girl caught onto it, for she chuckled as she accepted Lilith's held out hand.
"Well, that's you all over, ain't it."
"Rex-Rex! Tora has found escape route! Hurry hurry!"
Their escape seemed as if it were going through perfectly, for once they brought Nia out of the cell, there was barely a man to meet them despite the numerous casualties they had managed to accrue. It lasted as long as the armoury however, the giant metal door unwilling to budge a spec.
"Looks like it leads to the Hangar, that's our way out." Kasandra somehow managed to speak out, her face shoved against the glass as she tried her hardest to see around the corner. "This kind of door usually has a switch nearby, right?"
"Um… could it be that?" turns out, following Ursula's finger a switch positioned upon the platform above them and thanks to the wires tumbling down to the ground and beyond, it didn't require Tora's genius in order to make the connection.
"Well, we don't have many options but to try. If it does open the door, then we will surely be able to go scot free." Dromarch remarked in response. "Doesn't seem as if there's a ladder though; we're going to have to make our way through the rooms."
"It not matter. Poppi!" Dromarch's suggestion was discarded as the robot Blade simply grabbed a hold of her Driver, Poppi preparing to leap as a vicious amount of flames built up around her feet. With a dramatic burst, the Nopon was on the higher level in seconds, a quick flip of the switch having causing the console beneath to light up, Lilith slamming her hand on a button to make the doors open with a shuddering roar.. "Save needless running! Now hurry!"
"Not so fast, my dear intruders." A pompous voice drew their attention to the final doorway they would have to make their way through in order to escape, Administrator Dughall strutting forth in what he thought was an intimidating form, the Blade behind him holding a much more terrifying image. Wielding a giant mace, the Blade was clad in thick roman armour of gold including a busy crest of red, blue crystals emanating light as it stomped forth on the unspoken orders of its driver. "Letting a terrorist from Torna out of my grasp would make me look very bad indeed. Ah, that emerald core crystal! You must be the Aegis! Much as it pains me to admit it, it seems Morag was right on the money."
"So, someone else who wants to take Pyra for themselves?" Lilith muttered, hugging herself with a shiver. She had been under threat by Dughall before and the purple haired man simply oozed 'stranger danger'.
"But of course. The most powerful Blade in all history, with the power to rend Alrest asunder? Only a fool would know of that power and not seek to claim it!" the Consul of Gormott cackled out with a flamboyant gesture. "I am no fool and thus, I shall claim her as my own – you cannot argue with such logic!"
"Poppi detects flaw in final step of logic."
"Sorry pal, but you made this a little personal; you've done all of the capturing you're gonna do today." Nia growled, her rings glowing with ether as they gently slipped into her hands. The move however only seemed to elicit a scoff from the man as he pulled a pistol of his own.
"Think you can take me?" the fight was on. The trembling giant behind Dughall stomped forward, the warship shaking ever so slightly with every movement it made. Kasandra was quick to raise her shield when it was clear who the Blade's target was, but the sheer force behind it sent the unlucky girl flying backwards, Lilith distracted by the sight soon to follow with a second bat. "Look at you, children and a Nopon; you wouldn't even be able to fight your way out of a bag if it weren't for the Aegis!"
"Don't worry, we've got this!" Pyra called out to Ursula as the fire Blade grabbed a hold of Rex's sword, swirling around to send forth a flare of fire that battered against the armour of the Blade. It continued surging forward, Dughall letting out a sharp laugh until, ever so slowly, his Blade's movements became harder and harder until eventually it was forced to stop scratching at itself in agony. "Rex!"
"Got it, let's do this Nia!" the catgirl was more than happy to brandish her rings in attack, the enemy far too focused upon his superheated armour searing his skin to properly defend against the slashes that came furiously upon him. Dughall, cowering at the back, fired his rifle as much as he could afford to with the limits his magazine afforded him to, but Rex was far too nimble with his sword to let a single centimetre of steel touch any fighter. "Dromarch, do you remember what we did to break through your door?"
"…I understand. Move back!" as soon as Nia finished her mad barrage, the girl flipped backwards, releasing her grasp of her rings just as she landed upon Dromarch's back. The two weapons held themselves before the beast blade's mouth, a single roar having a torrent of freezing water splashing upon the Blade and while it may have served to cool down the searing feeling, it also meant that the metal held weaker against the might of Rex's slower and more powerful strikes, cracks appearing before pieces started to shatter entirely and reveal the flesh behind it.
Lilith wasn't always standing back however. As soon as Ursula healed the wounds that had appeared upon the grey haired girl, she was rushing forward with her hammer in hand, swinging wildly in an attempt to get a shot in on Dughall himself while the aggro remained off her. For whatever impression the man's rather rounded body gave however, the consul was far nimbler than he really should've been, darting around like a headless chicken while occasionally shooting at the shield the girl put up.
"If we got rid of this rifle, the man wouldn't have any way of fighting back at all. The only thing the coward can do is hide behind his Blade!" Kasandra cursed, Dughall chuckling like mad from behind his veritable wall of a Blade.
"Why, does common sense allude each of you? Why would you not use your Blade to their full capabilities, they can recover from any kind of wound!" and sure enough, the shattered armour began to rematerialize before their very eyes, white light slowly growing before it took on the same sheen as the metal that had been there before, even down to the rust and lack of shine caused by age. "Besides, it's not like there isn't an incentive for it to defend me – if I die, my Blade will just return to a useless core!"
"So that makes it okay to use them like living shields, is that it!?" Nia retorted, a growl escaping the Gormotti. "You absolute weasel! Even if they can regenerate, that doesn't mean a Blade can't feel pain!"
"Aw, how cute! The fleabag thinks we should care about Blades' feelings!" Dughall mocked, cocking his rifle once more with a cocky smile. "Well, let's see how you deal with pain then, seeing as your so unwilling to let your Blades shield you!"
A giant wind whipped them all back, Tora raising his shield to block the fire that came from the purple haired man. With Poppi grabbing a hold of him from behind, the Nopon wasn't planning on going anywhere thanks to the might of rocket boosters, the full force of a drill being shoved forward at incredible speeds making itself known to Dughall's Blade. With the raised hammer to act as a shield, it was a battle of brawn, yet with an increasing amount of flames coming out of the jet boosters, it didn't take long until the mechanic and his creation was pushing it back. With the Blade at the wall, it left Dughall free, much to the man's fear.
"You huge jerk!" Lilith cried as she jumped upwards, Beary dissolving into claws as Kasandra, hammer in hand with Lilith standing upon the face of it, a single mighty swing sending Lilith flying once more. This time however, it was to meet Dughall face to face, the man letting out a cry of utter terror as he saw the way the claws sunk into the metal of the war ship. Cornered as he was, there was only Lilith's lack of experience that prevented him from being beaten in that very second, her shots just sluggish enough for the fairly sprightly man to weave and duck away from each one. "Using Blades like weapons, acting as if they have no life of their own…! Horrible people like you should just learn when to quit!"
"Ah, young Lilith, quite the troublemaker yourself, aren't you?" Dughall mockingly answered, a dark look appearing on his face. "A petty thief with dreams of joining the army. Couldn't amount to anything useful and so joined up with a terrorist, is it?"
"Nia isn't a terrorist! Rex told me everything, she's a good person!" the grey haired girl screamed, her attacks becoming more and more wild. The messier her attacks became, the easier it was for the consul to dodge them, so much so that eventually he slipped away from the corner, a massive laceration appearing upon the wall where his body would've been. Unlike before however, her claw slashes were now leaving a trail of ice around the edges, digging far deeper than they should've been able to.
"Of course, believe the friend of the terrorist when he says that the terrorist isn't a bad person. Considering how many times you've avoided arrest, I would've at least thought you had some brains in you!" Dughall admonished, punctuated with a gunshot to the stomach that Kasandra was quick to block. Beary took form once more as Ursula went to work on the girl's wound, Lilith taking up the hammer instead.
"Lilith, calm yourself!" Gramps called out from the safety (or at least, relative safety) of Rex's helmet, the boy pausing in his actions against the enemy Blade to look at the mad rage that overflowed from Lilith. "Rex, something's happening to her, something incredibly abnormal! You need to stop her immediately!"
"On it Gramps. Lilith!"
Kasandra wasn't quite sure what was happening to her driver as she battled Dughall – the girl was built more towards speed and yet the attacks that managed to hit metal were causing tremendous dents and what had once been focused sounds of concentration devolved into little more than primal roars of rage. A residue of dark energy remained fizzling upon any surface she struck and the Blade could quite literally feel a difference through the bond that connected her and Lilith; it was as if she was being drained of something different than just pure ether… like her very being was being slightly absorbed.
For Lilith herself, all she could think about was how much of a monster Consul Dughall was. Sure, he could play the part of a pleasant man, but she was good friends with an information dealer – she knew of the various bribes, plots and schemes the man had conducted in order to get where he was and stay there. The thoughts of how many people had suffered under his hands, lost what they had all in the name of power…
It made her absolutely furious!
KILL THE MAN! LET HIM BURN IN THE FIRES OF HELL! HE'S A MONSTER, A DEMON! HE'S CRUSHED PEOPLE BENEATH HIS FOOT TO HOLD POWER HE DOESN'T DESERVE! HE ARRESTS THE INNOCENT AND LETS GUILTY MEN WALK FREE! HE GREASES THE PALMS OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE WITH BLOOD MONEY! OBLITERATE HIM! DRAW OUT HIS GUTS IN FRONT OF THE PEOPLE! SEVER HIS HEAD AND TOSS IT INTO THE CLOUD SEA!
"Kasandra, your mask…!" the unlucky Blade wasn't able to properly see it, but the mask was practically oozing dark energy, the yellow eyes aglow as it lightly trembled, almost wanting to leap off the back of Kasandra's head. The only time Pyra had seen that sort of reaction from the mask was when they had fought Brighid, and that had sent the darkness based Blade into a… frenzy… "She's somehow drawing power from that mask! Cut your connection, now!"
"I can't! It's almost as if she's the one in control!" at that point, Dughall was crawling upon the ground, feverishly trying to escape the utter monster that was hunting him down. This wasn't like dealing with a soldier or a mercenary; those were the kinds of people who would end things in a single, merciful strike. This nightmarish demon of a human looked for little more than to dissect Dughall and display each part of the man with pride upon the Gormott titan, her hammer causing sparks to fly up from the ground as she gradually approached with a horrific aura surrounding her.
No, I can't die here… I will not die to a mangy fleabag and a bunch of stinking kids!" Dughall sobbed, the purple haired man uncaring for his dignity as he tried fruitlessly to flee. His Blade had collapsed to the ground, its driver's weakness preventing it from even drawing enough ether to keep itself at battle capacity. "I was meant to make a triumphant return to Mor Ardain… with the… Aegis…"
The man may have collapsed, a combination of fear and fatigue, but that didn't mean that this oddly possessed Lilith was going to pause. No, her actions might've gotten even stronger, the girl lifting the man by the neck squeezing tightly, choking noises escaping the consul as she raised the hammer… only for a pair of hands upon her shoulders to make the girl give pause.
"He's already down for the count, we don't need to do anything more." Kasandra whispered, closing her eyes as she hugged her driver tightly, the same as Ursula who placed herself before the mad fighter.
"I don't like this… I don't like seeing you like this!" it was the most confident the young Blade got, Beary dragging Dughall away while Lilith was distracted. Eventually, the power ebbed away ever so slowly, the aura that had gathered around her dissolving until there wasn't a single trace left, the unlucky Blade catching her with a gentle grasp.
"What was that all about?" Rex asked as he looked over Lilith's body, a shiver running down his spine. "That felt like Gonzalez was staring me down for a second there."
"Energy the same as Kasandra's energy. If not for sight, Poppi would believe that Lilith was Kasandra for moment." The lilac haired robot remarked, fingers to her head in confusion. "Database suggests that the incident is unique – no prior recordings of similar event."
"Poor thing… at least we managed to save Nia from execution though." Pyra breathed out, a confused look appearing on said girl's face.
"Excuse me, execution? The man was trying to take me back to Mor Ardain." Nia corrected, hands on her hips, a moment needed before her expression became much more alarmed. "Do you know what this means? Rex, this is a trap!"
"A trap? So they weren't ever going to actually execute you?" the boy spluttered, but Tora was quick to use his wing to tug on Rex's arm.
"No time for talk-talk Rex-Rex! We need to escape now! Hurry-Hurry!" the Nopon exclaimed, looking to the open doors sitting so invitingly before them.
"Masterpon is right! Chances of reinforcements high."
"Well let us make haste then. Getting out of town would be a good start." Gramps suggested and in no time at all, they were all running as if their lives depended on it, Ursula gripping Beary's neck for dear life as she rode his shoulder while Dromarch carried a limp Lilith upon his back. The group was only as successful as getting out to the Torigoth relay base however, a torrent of blue flames blocking their way out as the group drew their weapons.
"These flames again! That means-!"
"It's her!" Rex finished for Pyra, the silhouette of Brighid clear from the other side of the firewall. She was not brandishing her whip like swords however; this time they sat in the hands of a dark haired woman dressed in Mor Ardain's finest commander-wear, armour sitting upon the front of her hat and the shoulder, extra metal decorating her boots and waist. It was rather minimal on the armour to be honest, a traditional sign of the Special Inquisitor – they were usually so strong that there was little need for any more.
"Looks like she's got her driver this time." Nia spat, the cat girl reaching for her weapons.
"Special Inquisitor Morag, the Flame Bringer." Dromarch stated, knees bending into battle position. "The most powerful driver the empire has to offer, wielding Brighid, the most powerful Blade. Together, there have been none who have ever claimed victory over them."
And it seems they've been waiting for us this whole time. I suppose we did manage to escape through all that with a bit too much simplicity." Gramps sighed, trying to get the best view he could of Morag without making himself too much of a target.
"I suppose it was too great a task for Dughall; I don't know why I ever expected him to slow you down at all, considering the news we've received from Indol." The Special Inquisitor mused, casually rolling her neck as she stepped forward. "You certainly proved useful in luring out the Aegis and her driver, the fact that the girl is now wanted by Indol as well simply makes this so much easier."
"Wait, Lilith's wanted by Indol? What could they want with her!?" Rex asked. Indol was one of the most peaceful countries that existed at the moment save for the Leftherian Archipelago; for them to set a certain person as wanted meant that the person named was a serious criminal. "She's admitted to doing a bit of thievery, that isn't anything major!"
"Let's just say the rumours that they've heard have decided to spur them into action. Besides, this simply matches up to my original intentions." Morag answered, closing her eyes. "The emerald core crystal is the sign of the Aegis. If that Blade truly is the Aegis, then there is something I must do. The power to sunder Alrest itself, I cannot let that be used again."
"First Indol wants Lilith and now you're saying Pyra holds the power to destroy Alrest? What are you going on about!?" Rex cried out, grasping at his head. None of this was making any sense whatsoever!
"Didn't you already know? Five hundred years ago, back in the Aegis War, the Egis sank three entire continents to the Cloud Sea's bed. It is basic historical fact." The Special Inquisitor explained.
"You just want to use Pyra like some sort of weapon, don't you? I'm not going to let you do that."
"Did you not hear my words? That is precisely the kind of situation I hope to prevent."
"And what if we resist?"
"Then I shall have to restrain you by force." A breath had Rex calmer, looking to where Lilith was being safely deposited in the corner to be guarded by Ursula and then to where Pyra refused to meet his gaze, the redhead simply twirling her fingers around one another.
"Look, I'll only tell you this once, okay?" the brunette declared, his stance casual beforehand reached around to pull his sword out from the small of his back, just as his friends drew their own weapons and prepared to join the incoming fight. "You. Will. Never. Take her!"
A messenger bowed his head as he left the golden halls, a man letting a sigh escape his lips. The brunette woman beside him let her confusion show upon her face, turning to her higher up with an inquisitive look to her eye.
"From what we've heard, this girl is little more than a petty thief, and even that is due to circumstance rather than a purely selfish desire. Is it truly okay to be lacing such a hefty bounty upon her name?" she asked, sadness tinging her voice. The man's stern expression remained however, his job meaning he was unable to let even a second of weakness show upon his features.
"You've heard the reports on the Aegis, correct? She takes the form of a young woman and yet holds a power that could destroy this world. Sometimes, you cannot afford to be lazy and judge by appearances." He answered, looking out over the city surrounding. It wasn't a particularly big population on their titan, but the people here were all shared a single desire – to find their own enlightenment and follow the will of the Architect. If it wasn't for his actions, then they would still be wallowing around in the dark, hopelessly trying to find some sort of direction in their lives.
"Is what this girl holds truly the same as the power of the Aegis…?" the woman breathed out, clutching her staff closer to her bosom with a shiver. "If it is, then who knows how much damage could be done. Has the Aegis not fought for the side of justice and righteousness?"
"Yes, but we must make sure that the power never falls into the wrong hands. Now excuse me, my body betrays me and I'm feeling somewhat tired." With a bow, the woman left the exquisite chambers and left the man to his own thoughts, what had originally been quite the pleasant visage morphing into something much darker.
This girl somehow managed to gain the powers that had been only known to one person, a Blade at that. How was it possible? Had there been another Blade that had gifted her with the ability? Was this the natural evolution of Blades and humans? No, it couldn't be possible – the way that humans and Blades were born differs far too much for that possibility and any Blade that shared the ability would surely have been noted by this point.
"None of this matters. Soon enough she will be in our hands and we can find out just what makes her so special. This power is one that has been fated by the Architect to remain in my hands, no others should ever be able to control it! She will either join the services of Indol or fall before she could ever become a threat… hopefully it would be the former; the only other to share her power has become such a nice figurehead for the people of Indol to place their trust in."
Of course, with the girl's power in tandem with the Aegis', getting a hold of her would be no easy task. Fortunately, he hadn't taken on his role without being able to deal with some very sticky situations. Thanks to the labour of Indol he could practically morph the world to his wishes simply with a few spoken orders – given enough time, the girl would be led directly towards him and she would be none the wiser until it was too late. If that meant some low worth bandits and bounty hunters lost their lives trying to get something they clearly weren't prepared to handle, then that was their fault rather than his own.
It was time to return to his usual figure, smiling as another entered his chambers. The issue of the Aegis and the girl would deal with itself given time, now he had to make sure that there was none who could challenge him and with enough honeyed words, there would be none who would even want to challenge him, let alone actually attempt to do it. After all, he was chosen by the Architect himself, he was doing the Architect's will!
That meant he could have at least some secrets, right?"
And we'll end that here for now. I really wanted to get an idea of what Kasandra could possibly go through whenever she actually dons her mask and goes crazy; do you feel bad for using her level 3 so many times now? What will happen from this point out? How will the world change with the introduction of this new power and how will it evolve? Please, leave your thoughts with a review!
Super hero time! See you next time!