Forum Thread

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Isla Greer

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The gates closed behind them with a loud CLANG. And finally, in the safety of her own four walls, Isla could stop and realise exactly what had infuriated her as it had.

Adrik's magic.

He had handled it.

But more than that, Puppet's touch was on it. They were with Adrik- helping him, when they were supposed to be on her side. She gave them life. She was their creator. And they worked with her enemies, undermining everything they had promised her.

She cursed loudly and kicked the wall. "Damn it all! Idiots! What do they think they're doing?"

Slowly, something dawned on her, and she turned to the Saint. She looked downright petrified, and a moment of remorse came over Isla. "Hey, it's okay," she said softly. "It wasn't... you." She grimaced. "Someone else."

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Aret nodded quietly and looked down. No eye contact. That might make it better. But Isla said it wasn't her fault. So she should be fine, right? She took a step forward and latched onto Isla, wrapping her arms around her protector's body. "Sorry..."

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Isla Greer

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Isla gasped, unable to stop herself. Slowly, tremblingly, she brought her arms around the Saint as well. "Didn't I just say it wasn't your fault...?" she muttered. "Idiot. You have nothing to apologize for."

She hugged the Saint closer. "...Thank you."

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Aret smiled and nuzzled her face into Isla's torso. After a few moments, she pulled away slightly. "Do you have anything planned for today?"

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Isla Greer

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Isla felt the edge of her lip quirk up in a smile. "Oh? Why do you ask, Saint? Should I know something?" she teased, then became serious. "No, I expected to be at Legion's a few days longer- my schedule should be quite clear."

Right now, she should be looking for the Rebels. Tracking down any and all who would dare oppose her. She should definitely do that...

As soon as the Saint was settled in. Isla owed it to her, after all.

Her Saint.

"Is there anything you were thinking?" she asked.

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Adrik Volkov

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"You left the coin behind," Puppet said.

"I know, we were both there." Adrik was beginning to hate its grating voice. Every time it spoke, he felt like his ears were being rubbed with sandpaper. "You know what Kubo wanted us to do. I could never betray Isla like that."

He stopped short.

Isla...

His heart ached. He wondered where she was. How she was doing. Was she okay? Was she eating well? What had happened to her in the time he'd been gone?

"You have a stalker," Puppet whispered.

"Yeah, the little girl? I've been watching her too, but she seems harmless."

Puppet laughed. "No such thing as harmless in Snavia, boy," it whispered. "And besides, look around you. Check out the streets."

Adrik hated the Puppet, always trying to turn him against people. But as he looked about the street, he realised-

"They're all watching me."

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"Its nothing... I was... Just a bit hungry." She mumbled the last part, face turning red at Isla's smile and looking away. "I assumed your schedule would be constantly full no matter what, but leaders need breaks too. Don't push yourself too hard."

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Isla Greer

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Oh! That was... unexpectedly cute.

She released the Saint, feeling oddly embarrassed. "Of course. We can get you anything you like- whenever. I want your stay here to be an enjoyable one. Please do let me know if you need anything specific. Or do anything you feel like doing-"

Why was her heart beating so fast?

"I won't."

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Adrik Volkov

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"Exactly," Puppet hissed in his ear, then vanished.

Adrik kept walking, but this time he noticed something different. Every time he moved, they moved closer. The head of the little girl's teddy bear was loose. A man was approaching him-

He made a quick right turn down the alleyway. A window was open, and a woman stared out at him. A gun was notched in the crook of her arm.

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Aret giggled and held her hand. "So, Isla, tell me about yourself. What kind of things do you like to do in your free time? What's your favorite hobbies and food and place to be? Who's your favorite person to talk to? Who do you look up to?" So many questions. She seemed a lot more relaxed and happier- even her wings were fluttering slightly.

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Isla Greer

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"What is this, twenty questions?" she joked. Isla laughed, shaking her head. "Alright, well I did say 'anything', Saint. My free time..." she thought. "I enjoy learning different forms for the sword. As for hobbies- well, that's about it, honestly. I don't have a particular favourite food, but sometimes I can't resist buying a muffin or two at the bakery. There's a nice place to practice, by the castle. I can show you if you're interested."

Then, the deep questions.

"My favourite person to talk to? Well, you're coming close to topping the list. My brother," she ceded, not sure which one she was referring to. Puppet's not exactly the best conversationalist. "And who do I look up to...?"

She took the Saint's hand and pressed a kiss to it. "I believe you already know."

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Adrik Volkov

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Adrik stopped in his tracks.

A hand landed on his shoulder. "You look lost," a male voice said pleasantly. "Would you like some directions back to the castle, Adrik?"

Around him, the people from before were crowding. The little girl lifted up her bear, and Adrik caught a glimpse of the gun inside.

"I suppose so," he whispered.

He almost heard the man smile. "Always glad to be of assistance to a traitor."

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Aret nearly fainted on the spot from the kiss. Her wings fluffed up in surprise, and her face was beet red. "I-I see... What an interesting character you are, Isla. I'd love to... to see the spot you were talking about." She didn't pull her hand away from Isla's grasp, instead carved the feeling of the kiss into her head.

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Isla Greer

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Isla looked up at the Saint, gently blowing her bangs out of her face. "Whatever you wish." She released her hand and took a step back, wondering why her fingers now felt cold. She missed the gentle warmth of the Saint's fingers.

A shadow crept along the floor, eyes set all over it. Each and every bloodshot orifice stared at her- she got the sense that if a mouth were attached, it would be grinning.

She chose to ignore the hallucination, crediting it to lack of sleep. "Would you like to eat before we go?"

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Adrik Volkov

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Adrik was flung into the centre of the street. Around him, all the people crowded, boxing him in. Each had an empty look in their eyes- completely hollow. The life sucked out of them.

The man who'd grasped his shoulder knelt before him. Waves of strawberry blonde hair. Handsome, model-like features. Piercing blue eyes.

They were dead too. But the smirk was new.

"Adrik Volkov," he hissed. "Child of Legion. Traitor of Snavia. The Rebellion's pet Magician."

He stared at the man, utterly petrified. He could kill him. He could almost certainly killed him. But Adrik had to say something. "A-Ah-" he wet his lips. "I- I'm not-"

A hand shot past his face, slamming into the ground. The rocks splintered and shot in multiple directions. One had cut his cheek.

"You must think me a fool, to deny such simple truths."

I'm not a magician! I don't even have magic! Adrik wailed internally. But he was too focused on that hand- the one hovering over his face, ready to shatter his skull, as easily as it'd crushed solid gravel.

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"Yes!" She answered right away, not even bothering to hide how hungry she was. At the castle, it was different. She refused to eat whatever vile poison was made for her, but that eventually came back to bite her when she was taken in for hours, sometimes days at a time for testing.

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Isla Greer

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Isla laughed, unable to contain her amusement. "Alright, alright! Let's get going." She smiled down at her and hooked their arms together, like the schoolgirls she'd spied. "The kitchen is right down this way. How do you feel about a feast, to welcome you here?"

That was probably unrealistic, but the thought was beautiful.

She was hosting the Saint at the castle. Her! Isla!

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Adrik Volkov

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"You have betrayed her Majesty. You have conspired with the enemy. You have fled justice, destroyed Snavian property, and are accountable for various acts of treason. For that," the man's hand began to glow. "is a very serious sentence indeed. I'm sure you're familiar with the punishment for treason, no?"

The man smiled with all his teeth. "Don't worry. I'll make it slow."

Adrik could only watch as the hand drew nearer. For a minute, he was back with his family- sitting among the blackberry bushes and laughing at their own little jokes. His sister wrote a song.

He closed his eyes as tears began running down his cheeks.

They're dead. All of them.

And soon, me too. No one to remember them. No one to care.

It was getting harder to breathe. Aspyhixation, perhaps? Or was he just too choked up to even try? Three minutes to death with no oxygen. Ten minutes to brain death. Maybe that'd be quicker than what this goon had planned for him.

Three minutes to live.

Three minutes to say sorry.

I'm sorry mom. I shouldn't have left. I should've stayed and died with you. Legion, Snavia- it doesn't matter, it all ended the same for me.

I'm sorry dad. I'm sorry you had to deal with a magicless failure like me. I'm sorry I lied- I'm sorry for every time I lied to you.

I'm sorry Hannah. I wish I had been someone stronger, who could've protected you.

Isla...

There was nothing to say to her. He'd said it all already. Soon she would be dead, after him. And she'd hate him for dying here.

At this point, he wondered dizzily, what did he have to live for? Isla was dead, mom was dead, dad was dead, Hannah was dead...

Who else was dead?

Me...?

A face flashed through his mind. "I'm not heartless. I'm not gonna murder a kid like you in cold blood. I don't like killing."

Don't like killing...?

The face of a man flashed through his mind.

He had never heard of a worse lie in his life.

Except maybe... Adrik's eyes opened, and suddenly, the entire world was shrouded in colour. The man had his hands on his throat now, but the blue glow was extinguished, sucked up by Adrik and swirled into his core.

"What the-" the man tried to pull back.

Adrik seized his shoulders and slammed him onto the ground. The two were sent rolling. Everywhere, the world was coming alive. Each touch of his fingers set a new ripple of colour through the world.

He still had one thing left to live for.

"Stay down!" he yelled, seizing a knife from the man's belt, and with a strength he didn't know he had, slashed the man's throat right open. His eyes widened, and immediately began to gurgle and writhe beneath Adrik. But Adrik held him down by the shoulders, fighting with everything he had to LIVE!

The blood went blue, then green, then red again. It was a rainbow of colour, of power, of magic.

One thing he'd awaken his magic for...

"I hate you," he whispered. "Die."

And the man did. He stared at Adrik, eyes trembling, bulging- and then, slowly, his eyelids slid shut, and he became still underneath Adrik's grip.

He released the man's shoulders.

Not him.

"I will fulfill my promise," he whispered. "I will kill him..."

A name went through his mind.

"I will kill Kendo."

And far from the gruesome scene in the town square, Isla's magic gave a stir.

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"Yes, absolutely! That sounds like a great idea, as long as you'll eat with me!" She didn't care who would watch or join them. She would eat like it was her last meal. She laughed and followed Isla, spreading her wings out.

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Isla Greer

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"Hm." Isla couldn't help another smile at that. The two entered the kitchens, which had been forsaken, as part of her plan to root the traitors out. She gave a whistle, and in an instant, a spirit melted up from a puddle of blood on the floor.

The creature was a mass of visceral and blood, gooey and dripping.

"Prepare a feast," she ordered. "The Lower Spirits are in charge of prep." She put a hand on the Saint's soldier. "And use discretion, understood?"

It nodded, and a pile of goop hit the wall, then disintegrated. It melted back into the floor, and left, presumably to fetch the other spirit servants of the house.

"Sit," Isla told the Saint, gesturing towards a row of chairs set against the wall. "We can wait here, and you can see to it yourself that the food is safe."

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Adrik Volkov

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All around him, the people were returning back to life. The girl checked her bear and cried when she noticed the injury on its neck. The woman with the gun dropped it with a clang and a gasp. The only person still dead was the one at Adrik's feet.

He glanced down and gave the body a final kick. "I will live," he told him.

"What's going on?"

"Where am I? Alice?!"

"Oh god- is that a dead body?"

Adrik touched a hand to his chest, and immediately the colours began to rippled again. In a minute, his hand, and the rest of him were gone, invisible.

He left the square in pandemonium, ducking and dodging each person rushing to the street. His whole body was tingling with power. He felt like he could set the world ablaze if he could.

And he would.

He paused in an alleyway. The wall was ancient brick. Old, dusty.

Adrik put his hand to it, and at each point of contact, it went shades of reds and oranges, and when he blinked, blues and purples.

He'd never known magic would feel so...

Alive.

He felt his face. He was smiling. Tears were still running down his cheeks.

And oh god, he was so happy.

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She nodded and sat still with her hands in her lap, watching the place around her, and the spirits move. How interesting! She had never seen such magic before, she smiled as they cooked for her.

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Li li nodded, taking a large scroll from the corner and laying it on the table. "Macedon is the most infested currently, along with quite a long list of other kingdoms. Lumina's army alone will not be able to claim any back. There are some kingdoms that haven't been taken over. We could look to them for support and troops. Perhaps we could let another general or captain join this posse. Then we'd get more powe-"

"Li Li?" The hooded figure poked his head through the door. Silver eyes shone from underneath the cloak. "Li Li, I need some help with these scrolls. Would you mind..." His gaze fell over the others. "Oh. Apologies. I hope I am not interrupting something."

"Father!" Yue leapt out his seat immediately and started zooming around the figure. He was speaking in Chinese so rapidly that no one could comprehend it. The hooded figure made a face, a mix of fondness and tiredness. He put an arm behind Yue and swept him out of the room. He mouthed something to Li li who smiled and nodded.

"Well... Yue's going to be occupied for a while." She laughed a bit before turning to the map.

"Selaphiel, you seem more educated about Macedonian culture, Legion's capabilities and their issues. What is your take?" Lean looks at the plans and, while she does have some ideas for recruitment or counterattacks, it is best to share them for now. She does give Yue and her father a slight wave though, to be polite and bows down.

A small note appears in Yue's hand. The one that is facing Yue said "Enjoy some time with your parent!"
The other side said "Thank you for raising such a great child."

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"We don't have any more time to waste. Macedon is a place of many traditions and cultures. Legion has one trick up his sleeve, I know it. That nullification, paired with his crazy strength and control over the Saint Deity. He'll be hard to beat."

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"So we can't beat him with magic. What about technology? He can stare at my shotgun all he likes but that won't stop it from shooting." Lean offered.

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