"Hey! Like! It's an on-going thing, it hasn't ended!" Iteral gives
a little wink, she's not usually one to correct grammar... but
using the wrong time might spark that in her. "Anyway, glad to hear
that I'm your best friend too, hihi!"
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
She nodded, straightening back up. "Right. Now, it shouldn't be
much longer before Illaoi returns, right? I can't wait to finally
go places with Rhulk, other than the cambers in the Pyramid and
such!" Auspice had quite a happy mood right now, as if her
traumatic past never existed.
"Yeah, she's just waiting." Iteral raises her hand and Illaoi
returns with her idol strapped to her back, laughing again in her
own way. "Hah, if it was not for you
being married and you being lonesome, I'd say you two would make a
good pair." Illaoi smiles, waving for them to follow again.
The idol was faced towards the two, even it gave off a weird
energy... as if it smiled as well.
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
Auspice flusters more yet again. "H-Hey! I-It's not like that...
Witness damn it..." She grumbled as she follow Illaoi, keeping
close to the tall, muscular woman. As she kept behind, she watched
the idol, observing its every move with a small tilt of her head.
Iteral was also blushing again, looking away and keeping her head
low. Illaoi didn't look back but the idol kept "staring", as she
spoke. "You know... my god might not
follow you on all of your adventures but it can see into your
souls. A fierce warrior with allegiance to darkness and a loving
husband. And now you have the time witch as an ally. You can do a
lot more now. A lot of change, a lot of flow. My god is...
impressed, to say the least."
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
Auspice smiled, nodding slightly. "Thank you. Of course, all that
I've accomplished was never easy. Barely any of it came free. I
mostly did the things I did because... well... I just want the
people who judged me to see my true power. To correct human error.
I hope I will accomplish what I need to finish."
"A really devoted soul. I am
proud." Illaoi smiles but suddenly, a clock of Iteral's
rang. Taking it out, she whispers to Illaoi first, who understands.
Then to Auspice: "Commander Zavala... they met their match in a lot
of timelines. I, eh... am sorry." Both did not say a word, it was
like a silent minute of respects. Even though they did not meet
her, well, Illaoi at least did not, they knew to pay respects.
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
Auspice stopped in the tracks the moment she heard this. She looked
down at the ground, closing her eyes and taking in the words. She
knows what it feels like to lose their class' commander. Back to
when she was apart of working with the Vanguard, she had lost
Cayde, the Hunter's Vanguard. She takes deep breaths, thinking of
what the Titans, such as Ender, may be feeling right now. For once
in eons, she felt sympathy for the Vanguard with their loss. She
then reopened her eyes, looking back up at Iteral, then Illaoi,
then Iteral. "I wonder how Ender is feeling..."
"I know you have been banished... but if you like we can go back
after this." Iteral said, her voice a lot softer and more
considerate now. "If we tell them you are there to mourn, maybe
they will do an exception. I'll accompany you too, to make sure you
get in." Her thought was simple, pay respects in person. Even if
banished... emotions aren't.
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
Auspice gave off a small smile, nodding. "That... that would be
great, Iteral. Though, I think I should just watch from the
shadows. I don't want Ender, Alis, or any other of my former
clanmates noticing me. They think my heart is still cold, but even
I have sympathy for those who have lost important people in their
lives."
Iteral looks at herself, then sighing. "I can disguise you, if you
like." She puts a hand on her shoulder. "I know you have been
exiled... but even exiled ones deserve a chance at saying
farewells. Even if it is under different circumstances."
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
Auspice take in another, sharp inhale before replying with an
exhale. "You are right. I don't need to hide away or sneak
around... but just pay my respects fully with no hiding. I wonder
if I could bring Rhulk... wait- thats a bad idea- he'll just
probably end up killing the Guardians-" She let out a joking
chuckle, looking up to the clouded sky. "I will always remember the
commander."
"Look." Iteral scratches the back of her head, the concept of death
and loss was pretty common for her... with her being unbound by
time, she saw a lot of people perish, born and all in-between.
"Rhulk... and you. I can look in my old spellbook, maybe I can
disguise him into a more human form. But only if you talk to him
first and ask him, if he can restrain himself and pay respects.
Okay?" Iteral hands Auspice a note.
Remember. I am not bound by time. I can take you back, we do this
real quick and then reappear here with just a few minutes passing.
Just say the word.
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
Auspice thinks for a moment before responding. "Sure, I guess that
is fine. Could you take me to the Pyramid real quick? Then you can
do your... spell, and then head off to the Tower. Then we could
come back here right after and continue our mission." The poor girl
had a lot to ponder about, but this was quite easy to plan, thanks
to Iteral.
Iteral nods and gives Illaoi a nod, who nods right back and, a few
seconds later, they found themselves back in the pyramid, right
where they disappeared before. "You talk to Rhulk real quick, I'll
check in on the Caretaker. Should I tell him too?"
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
Auspice nodded. "Yup! I'll go talk with him, while you go tell the
Caretaker. Adios~" As soon as she finished her sentence, she
saluted to Iteral before teleporting away, similarly to how Rhulk
teleports. Once she teleported to Rhulk's domain, she immediately
started to tell him about everything, just like how a kid would to
their dad after having some fun with their friends.
Meanwhile, the Caretaker was watching the young Scorn play in the
Incubation Room, an open room with amber and sorts formed into the
walls.
Iteral came into the Caretaker's room, waving and signing to him.
Even her signs were a little less enthusiastic than before and a
little off-focus, as she said Hello, caring taker. Can we talk?
I have not good news.
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
The Caretaker turned to Iteral, giving off a small, slow wave
before speaking in sign: "Hello, time witch. I would be happy to
talk. What is the problem, bearer-of-bad-news?"
Iteral signs again. Commander Zavala, I think was their name.
They... are no longer with us. She signed, then doing a
respectful gesture to show sorrow. I don't know how your
relations are... but Auspice seems very upset by it. I thought you
had a right to know as well.
You know the first rule in combat?
Shoot them before they shoot you.
The Caretaker let out a heavy sigh, along with a purr before
responding. "How unfortunate. I cannot help but to feel a little
sympathy for the fallen Vanguard Commander." As it spoke
'sympathy', it pointed to where it's heart would be, showing that
the Caretaker was being very general about this situation. "But
why are you coming to tell me? I cannot do anything about
this..."