{LOG} no more goodbyes
CHARACTERS: Khrista, Heitor, Marcus, Kakali, Fia, Nero and the rest of the Exercitus.
WHEN: Early SD 798. A few months after this.
WHERE: Castle Aquaria.
SUMMARY: The Exercitus has recovered from their losses, and has made substantial progress in the alliance's plan to launch an attack on Greeton. But there are forces on their way to Elicoor that ( Read more... )
WHEN: Early SD 798. A few months after this.
WHERE: Castle Aquaria.
SUMMARY: The Exercitus has recovered from their losses, and has made substantial progress in the alliance's plan to launch an attack on Greeton. But there are forces on their way to Elicoor that ( Read more... )
As she left, she looked back at Nero - the man of her dreams, as he'd always been. But, like her, he'd been ravaged by the war, too.
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It was still quite early in the morning, so they didn't have to worry about the rest of the inhabitants of the Castle being awake. Those who were in the habit of getting up early were mostly the soldiers, and they were out on the field, training. Still, for good measure, Fia waved her hand and sketched an odd symbol in the air - she had quite a lot of those, making her runological powers rather mysterious and legendary - before walking into the throne room to await their guest.
"I'd like to think he's bringing good news," she told Kakali, "but somehow, it doesn't feel that way."
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That actually made it sound creepier, but she didn't seem to realize that.
She'd barely crossed the room when their guest arrived.
She'd never met the Heitor in their timeline - not until then, anyway. She'd seen him when he was younger, in the other world, and there he was naive and idealistic and generally unsure of what he was doing. But the one she was coming face-to-face with now... he seemed like a quiet individual, but one that radiated with an unsual inner resolve and strength.
And sadness.
It was the war at work again.
"Heitor Valeros," she identified as a manner of greeting.
He nodded. "Yes. Forgive me for the inconvenience, but there isn't a lot of time. There's something you need to know."
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Fia pursed her lips together, and muttered under her breath, just low enough for Kakali to hear, "I don't know of a Commander Priabis..."
"Working with him are two of the Federation's best supersoldiers - André Valeros, and a woman named Verneuil. That's apart from the fact that Priabis has an entire fleet at his disposal, plus Torfos and his men, and a group of renowned Fed scientists."
But that was about the time a second Offworlder appeared - someone Kakali and Fia were more familiar with. "You're missing the most important part," the newcomer interjected, her expression grim; apparently, she'd been listening in. "In the pantheon of Elicoorian 'gods'... he's the one they call Apris."
The newcomer was Khrista.
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She shook her wings out a little before fixing Khrista with a stare uncomfortably reminiscent of an eagle trying to decide if what it was staring at was the right size to try to eat. "You're back."
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Heitor had turned around to face her. "I told you to stay in the ship," he said, a little louder than he'd intended.
"I'm fine," she assured him, reaching out to touch his arm. But although it seemed like an affectionate gesture, to Khrista it didn't mean anything at all. It was just another part of the plan - the world didn't need to know who the real father of her child was, most especially when the gods were crashing into the Exercitus' backyard to play.
I have to stand firm. For all of us.
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Now Fia had to speak up. "With all due respect... you are putting too many lives at risk with your plan, Khrista." She couldn't understand how the other could afford to be out there fighting, considering her state. And the plan was reckless, most especially with their weapon still unfinished. Even with the Sacred Orb, they couldn't possibly win, at least if they march into enemy territory unprepared.
Surprisingly, Khrista couldn't look at Fia in the eyes. Or maybe it wasn't really surprising; it was clear who'd assumed the place she'd left behind, perhaps even unwillingly. "Then let's hear yours. I haven't met Priabis, but if he's Apris then he's got to be stronger and more powerful than all the other god wannabes."
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"What is clear here," Fia said in polite interruption, "is that we need to hurry. We've known that a confrontation will soon pass, but it appears that it's sooner than we expected." She sighed. "Kakali, I think we need to round up everyone else."
Heitor reached out to give Khrista's hand a squeeze of assurance, and he knew she needed it. Her hand was cold.
"In the meantime," Fia continued, "we need you to tell us everything that you can. Their technology is superior than ours, but just how superior is it that we can't combat it with runology and brute force?"
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"I'm not going to ask for an explanation. Or any difficult questions," the younger girl said in a surprisingly stern tone. Her voice was even louder, which led Heitor to assume that, however she'd done it, she'd just soundproofed the walls. "Just... don't make this any more difficult than it has to be."
She didn't give them a chance to reply to that as she turned around and started for the next room, where their conference hall was. "This way. I have a feeling this is going to be a long talk..."
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Demetrio wasn't surprised to find Kakali bothering him so early in the morning, but something seemed to be wrong. "Is something the matter, kid?" he asked, turning to face her.
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After a moment, she relaxed the hold she'd been keeping over herself. She suddenly seemed a lot smaller, and her voice trembled a little. "And... Khrista's pregnant," she said softly.
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Then there was Kakali's statement, and he was at a loss for words. For a moment he just looked at her, not knowing what to say or do. Finally, he resorted to asking, "And the father?"
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