Home Plot: Day 2

[verynaughtymutant]

The Askani were a warrior people, their armed rebellion was in many ways the thing that defined them, that marked the clan from outsiders. And so when an Askani camp was attacked, all of its members joined in the defense because all of it's members knew how to fight.

In this case, nobody was quite sure who the attackers were, whether it was the Chaos Bringer or forces from the Cannanite government but they were warriors, they knew how to fight no matter the enemy.

There had been a bombardment, first, bombs and shells falling onto the camouflaged camp and then attack from several directions, by flying vehicles and soldiers suited up in combat exoskeletons. And nearly every man and woman in the Askani camp was trying to repel them.

The anti missile auto-systems were in full flow, shooting down the shells and everywhere there was hand to hand battle and gun fire. Here a robot man was dispatched with a psimeter, there a giant mutate who looked practically reptilian was shocked by an electrical bolt tearing through her skin. To the north a towering black man was commanding an artillery barrage that was driving off the attackers, while to the south two askani priestesses, Aliya and Hope, were leading another force in hand to hand.

But of the two leaders of the fight, Cable and Stryfe, the Askanisson and the Chaos Bringer, there was no sign at all.

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[verynaughtymutant]

And she soon had it. It only took a few more blows before he stopped struggling, the blood from his wounds dripping down his side and across his exposed neck. And shorn of his armor, and with his helmet removed, he looked exactly like her brother would have done without his metal parts as he lay there waiting for the killing blow.

This was, he thought, all life was, pain and misery and everyone doing their best to dish it upon somebody else. In the end his only real regret was that he had caused too little and received too much.

"Perhaps," he whispered with the last strength he had, "you were family after all, Rachel."

She acted like family, at least.

[starchilde_lost]

She should have paused. Maybe she did when she saw the familiar face. But there was no familiarity in the gaze, there was no friendliness, no love, none of the things she saw when she looked in her brother's eyes. Sneering, her voice was almost a growl, "Blood isn't everything, Stryfe." With all her strength, she thrust the spear into the space between his ribs. "Family isn't blood. This is for mine."

[spirited_hero]

Zell walked over and stood next to Rachel and watched Stryfe die. She'd just killed him. Though Zell was often kind-hearted, and most of the time he simply left his enemies unconscious, Zell didn't have any qualms about what Rachel did. Zell was also a trained mercenary and knew sometimes things had to be done. Stryfe couldn't be allowed to keep on spreading the hate he'd felt.

Zell wasn't about to interject himself into a family matter now that the fighting was over. He waited there standing next to Rachel.

[starchilde_lost]

It feels hollow. Empty. The only thing she feels is a feeling of... finality. Like crossing the line at the end of a long race. The anger was still there, the guilt, after all, this wasn't a "real" world, just an echo. An alternate timeline. But maybe, just maybe this timeline would be a little safer now.

"Nathan probably felt this. We need to find him and finish this battle. This has to end."

[spirited_hero]

Zell turned to face Rachel and nodded his agreement.

"I'm with you, Rachel. Let's go."

Zell hoped she'd be okay later after she'd had time to think back and process what just happened here. He made a note to mention to her, but later, that he thought she'd done the right thing.