Divinity's Reach

The Vidells arrived at the main gate leading inside the city. It is partially torn down in pieces so getting in will not be a problem. All were armed and on high guard. Only six of them but there is now ten of UHoT... and they don't know that yet. The odds are not in their favor. Charsi didn't look like she was feeling well at this point. She had a faint trace of sweat on her face.

"Please tell me you're not getting sick on us," Kira asked her.

Charsi paused before answering. "Remember the idea I told you about back at the swamp? Well... I need to get it started rather soon... don't know how much longer I can stay focused."

"We will find UHoT as quickly as we can. Just hang on," Violet said, trying to comfort her. It didn't seem to help. She then had an idea of her own. "Ellie, Lynni, scout on ahead up the ramp. Stay in the shadows whenever you can and don't get separated."

They both looked back and nodded before taking off up the ramp leading to the Upper City, where the Queen's gardens once were. The others went to a portal doorway that was surprisingly still active that leads to the banking area and went through.

Halfway up the ramp, it levels off to a flat section of ground. Off to one side against a wall was a portal gate that was, at one point, in the process of being moved to another location. It is also somewhat active, even though fluctuating. Ellie and Lynni got to that area, still hidden by shadows, and saw something they didn't expect, besides the portal being on without a connected power source.

Engie.

However, there was something different about her. Her armor colors are normally yellow and black but the yellow colored sections are red and the black is now abyss. And how did she get in front of them so fast? She turned around to face the portal. "Hey girls, come over here. You got to see this."

As she looked around some more, staying very close to the portal, three more individuals emerged from it. Kira, Charsi and Alexis.

The Asurans couldn't believe their eyes. How is Alexis alive? All four of them had red and abyss armor colors. And this Alexis appears to be human, not Norn, despite still being tall and menacing looking.

"Where... are we?" Alexis wondered out loud.

"Divinity's Reach," Lynni said from the darkness. The quartet faced the direction of her voice and pulled out their weapons.

"Who's there? Show youself!" Kira said.

The duo slowly came out into the light, even though there wasn't much of it to begin with.

"Kira, take it easy. It's just us," Ellie assured her. Kira looked confused.

"Alexis," Lynni said. "Y- ...you're alive! How is that possible?"

The former Norn looked a bit puzzled, as well as the others. "Of course I'm alive. And who are you?"

It then dawned on Ellie that this can't be right. Something was wrong in a major way. She activated her family-made guild communicator. "Ellie to Kira."

There was a brief pause. "Yes, Ellie?"

The Kira in front of them was not the one speaking but a temper is beginning to show in her face.

"Um, where are you right now?"

"We're at what used to be the city bank. Why?"

"I need all of you up here at the halfway part of the ramp right now. It's an emergency!"

"Actually, it's a funeral," the red-abyss Kira said, pulling out dual pistols, pointing one at each Asuran, "Yours!" Without hesitation, she pulled both triggers in rapid fire mode.

Violet and company first heard Kira's own voice, followed by a series of gunshots. The communication channel got cut off on Ellie's end.

"What was that?" Kira shouted.

"Come on, let's go!" Violet ordered. They took a shortcut to the top of the ramp, running as fast as they could, and downward. Moments later, they reach the halfway point. The hostile Vidells turn their weapons towards them on approach as they did the same to them, but without attacking. Everyone is in disbelief over what they are all seeing.

There are now two of Kira, Charsi and Engie. What's even more disbelieving is the one with the red Vidells who is supposed to be dead.

"Alexis!" the blue-black Kira said.

The red-abyss Vidells looked at each other briefly, not knowing what to make of all this. Red Kira ooked at Violet. "Chancellor Violett? What are you doing here? You know Sylvari are not welcome in our city!"

It was now the blue-black Vidells' turn to look at each other in confusion. They then noticed the dead bodies of Ellie and Lynni laying on the ground by the opposing wall. They are covered with bullet holes.

"Noooo!" Violet yelled out.

Red Engie spoke out next. "We should go... now."

"Good idea." Red Kira said.

The four slowly backed up and into the portal. As she was stepping though, she raised up her pistols and quickly blew away smoke that was coming out of the barrels. Red Kira then smirked directly at Violet as she turned away from her. The portal was starting to close.

Violet screamed in rage, raised up her greatsword and swung it towards her but struck the stone behind the portal. She was a split second too late to hit her. With the gunshots and a Sylvari's echoing scream, UHoT now knows the Vidells are somewhere inside the city.

From a distance in the shadows, the same figure from the Grove with soft glowing yellow eyes watched on.