Divinity's Reach

The Vidells were walking down the ramp from the Upper City gardens. They are on their way to a hidden and abandoned section of the southwest side of the city, which they use as their base of operations. Queen Jennah allows them to be there, as long as no crimes are being committed. They have been in prison for breaking that rule before. Citizens walking past them keep a safe and cautious distance.

Kira is still fuming over what happened in Lion's Arch. "I don't know who I hate more. UHoT or Logan."

"I say we kill Logan first," Engie said. "He's always sticking his nose where it doesn't belong."

Alexis still can't believe Selene is alive. She's more concerned about that than Logan. "I saw Azeena deliver the final blow. There's no way she could have survived!"

"We all did," Kira added.

They stopped at the halfway point with a flat surface. Next to one wall is a portal gateframe in the middle of being constructed. A small portable generator is powering the device but its energy output is fluctuating. A portal has actually opened but is unstable. It could close at any time.

"I'll bet you UHoT put the Asurans up to this," Charsi pondered.

"Asurans? Why you say that?" Alexis asked.

"Think about it. They have hologram technology. We were looking at a projection of Selene."

"Holograms are transparent. What we saw was clearly solid," said Kira.

Engie's attention was focused on the portal itself, partially listening to the discussion. The other side looked like a dark reflection of the ramp section they are currently standing on. Out of curiousity, she slowly stuck her hand through the portal. The air on that side was colder. She pulled her hand out. After a brief pause, she decided to enter all the way.

"Assuming that was actually Selene," Alexis said, trying to make sense of this, "could Azeena be alive too?"

"If she is, she hasn't attempted to contact us yet," Kira told her.

Charsi noticed a wandering patrol guard watching them from further down the ramp, standing there watching them with his hand on a sword handle. She tapped Kira on the arm and directed her attention towards him by pointing. Alexis looked as well.

Charsi often enjoys using sarcasm when dealing with potential enemies. She took a couple steps forward to address him. "Oh, so sorry. We were not aware it's a crime to have a conversation in public." She paused before continuing. "Don't you have anything better to do?" The guard simply walked away. Charsi turned back to Kira and Alexis. "Men... I swear, the world would be much better off without them."

"Hey girls, come over here. You got to see this," Engie said. Her voice sounded slightly echoing and distant. The others saw her on the other side of the portal. They went inside, one at a time. It looked exactly like where they just were, only mostly in darkness and shadow. Even the sky looked evil with unnatural cloud formations swirling around.

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

A child-like voice spoke out from the shadow.

"Divinity's Reach."

They faced the direction of her voice, pulling out their weapons.

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

Two female Asurans stepped into what little light was present.

"Kira, take it easy. It's just us," one of them said. She appeared to be wearing elementalist attire.

Kira looked confused. What are Asurans doing here? And how does that one know my name?, she thought.

The other Asuran was a ranger, staring at Alexis, surpsied to see her. "Alexis, you're alive. How is that possible?"

Alexis was puzzled by that statement, along with the others. "Of course I'm alive. And who are you?"

The duo looked at each other, not knowing what to make of this. The first one got out what looks like a guild communicator.

"Ellie to Kira."

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

What kind of sorcery is this?, Kira thought. This has to be some sort of trick!

She was starting to get angry and the one called Ellie is noticing it.

"Um, where are you right now?" she continued.

"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," Kira said, pointing one pistol at Ellie and the other at her friend, "Yours!"

Without hesitation, she pulled both triggers in rapid fire mode, filling their bodies with bullets. They ended up falling down by the opposing wall. Kira then shot the communicator itself. She turned to the others with a smile. "At least I finally got to kill someone today."

All four laughed briefly. Kira then heard footsteps running to their location from further up the ramp.

"Someone's coming. Get ready."

They assumed a battle stance towards the upper ramp and waited. Moments later, the footsteps of the other group reached the halfway point. The Vidells pointed their weapons at them and were shocked to see who it was.

Reflections of themselves. Three of them. There are now two of Kira, Charsi and Engie. But the armor colors of this second quartet were not red-abyss. And there was a purple skinned female Sylvari mesmer with them. They were pointing their own weapons as well.

A standoff. Like the second Asuran, the colorful Vidells were surprised to see Alexis.

"Alexis!" Kira's blue-black twin said.

The red-abyss Vidells looked at each other briefly, not knowing what to make of all this. Kira then recognized who the Sylvari is.

"Chancellor Violett? What are you doing here? You know Sylvari are not welcome in our city!"

The colorful Vidells looked at each other in confusion. They then noticed the dead bodies of the Asurans laying on the ground by the opposing wall, covered in bullet holes.

"No!" 'Violett' yelled out.

"We should go. Now," Engie said to the others of her group.

"Good idea," said Kira. The four slowly backed up and into the portal. As she was stepping though, she raised up her pistols, quickly blew away smoke that was coming out of the barrels and then smirked directly at the Sylvari before turning away from her. The portal was starting to close.

'Violett' screamed in rage, raised up the greatsword she was carrying and swung it in her direction. Kira turned around, pistols ready to fire. The portal had closed with what sounded like something striking stone.

"All right, what just happened?" Kira wondered.

"Hey! Put those pistols away!" a familiar child-like voice said to her.

They quickly turned to the source of the voice. It's Ellie, holding a toolkit in her left hand. They all lowered their weapons and are puzzled even more. Kira just killed her or so she thought.

"Wha... what the..."

"Portal vortex energy is highly vulnerable to ignition flares and high speed projectiles, which would result in a gateframe explosion. What are you trying to do, blow up at least half the city?" Ellie said.

Kira paused a few moments before saying anything else. "Come on, girls. Let's get out of here."

They swiftly put away their weapons and headed down the ramp, walking past Ellie, even glancing back once or twice. The second Asuran approached Ellie from the upper ramp with a cube shaped device in her hands. Ellie turned to face her.

"Lynni, did you see what just transpired?" Ellie asked.

"Yep, all of it. We really need to be more careful with humans or they will be the death of us all." She set the cube down, looking at the generator, which stopped functioning. "Oh, come on! I thought I had that thing fixed!" She sighed then opened a panel, exposing some circuitry and began working on it.

Ellie looked back towards where the Vidells went to. "Skritt-brain bookahs."