#oh and and i heard kodan is finally out!!

[pahrak-the-sinnoh-slizer]

Right of Law, Section XVI

(With Zaekura’s interview published, Yarion finds a very cross Angonce paying them a visit, and Emsar finds herself a bit shaken as the rebel forces march on Xia.)

Angonce paced back and forth, fathoming just how furious he was with the situation. Yarion sat quietly at their desk, watching the Great Being with a cautious patience, while Kodan trembled nervously in a nearby chair.

“I, just…why are we even having this conversation in the first place?!” Angonce finally said. “Both of you ought to know better, especially you, Yarion!  For Heremus’s sake, are all my favorite Makuta going to turn on me?”

“I have most certainly not turned against you, my lord,” Yarion said.

“Oh, most certainly! It’s not like you had someone from Nynrah right here—“ He shook his hands at the floor. “—and just let her go!  Wait a second!  That’s exactly what you did!”

“I questioned her, and verified that she had nothing to add to the Nynrah investigation.  The Toa representing her made quite a compelling case that continuing to hold her at that point would breed distrust amongst the people.”

“What Toa? Where are they now—I want them brought in immediately!”

“I’m afraid he’s gone, sir.  He was a recent transfer from Mahri-Nui, and departed with the accused once the matter was concluded.”

“So you let two criminals escape, then.”

“This Toa was trustworthy, my lord: when I contacted Mahri-Nui, the Makuta himself vouched for him.”

“And what of it?! Clearly a Makuta’s word means nothing anymore!”

Yarion sighed. “My lord—“

“And you!” Angonce said, whirling on Kodan.  “You found Zaekura herself, chatted her up like you were old friends, and then published and circulated her manifesto!  How is it possible that at no point in that process did you consider what you were doing treason?!”

“I-I-I-I was only doing my j-j-job, Lord A-Angonce,” Kodan stammered.  “The p-people need to know w-what’s going on, and w-without Zaekura’s point of view I f-feel our understanding of the issue would b-be left incomplete.  W-We’re only trying to understand the t-t-truth.”

“Truth?!” Angonce repeated, looming over the Toa.  “The only information you need is what the Great Beings provide you!  The only perspective you need is ours! ‘Truth’…it’s such a simple thing to grasp!  The truth is what we say!  Anything that goes against our truth is nothing short of blasphemy!”

Kodan could only shiver silently.  Angonce turned with a frustrated grunt, taking a few steps away.

“Yarion.  Find all copies of this interview and have them destroyed.”

Slowly rising to their feet, Yarion asked, “M…my lord?”

“I know you heard me.  See to it that this heresy is eradicated, before it has a chance to spread.”

Yarion glanced at Kodan as they thought.  “…If I may, my lord—“

“You may not!” Angonce cut them off.

Reluctantly, Yarion continued, “What will this accomplish?  It is too late to prevent the word from getting out—it will spread.  Worse, how will the people react to such an extreme action?  Would it not only breed greater distrust, greater fear? Such a retaliation would surely only lead to more people believing the validity of Zaekura’s words!”

Angonce glared over his shoulder.  “Well. If they decide to act upon that misguided belief, then I suppose their Makuta will have to set them straight.”

Yarion’s eyes wandered.  They saw their reflection in the wall, realizing just how troubled their expression was.

“Th-This…”

Yarion and Angonce turned to Kodan as he spoke up.  The Toa got to his feet, still shaking but not letting that stop him.

“This isn’t right. Hiding the facts, scaring people into submission, attacking anyone who disagrees with you…those aren’t the values Spherus Magna was built on!”

“Oh I can assure you,” Angonce said, “they most certainly are.  I am the one who built it, after all.”

“No.  The world you’re talking about isn’t the world that I see, the world I’ve been trying to serve.  I still feel that way: that my job is the truth, and not just what anyone says is true.  I cannot…I will not give the people what I know are lies! To do so would be to betray who I am!”

“Think very carefully about what you’re doing, Toa.  Are you going to cooperate, or are you going to continue your treasonous ways?”

Kodan swallowed his fear and stood tall, sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the right thing to do.  “I will not cooperate.”

Angonce looked past him, nodding once.  And then Kodan cried out in pain, falling forward lifelessly.  Yarion’s jaw dropped.

“What…” they tried to ask, but the words wouldn’t come.

A massive gash had appeared in Kodan’s back.  Behind the Toa was a strange distortion, and soon Yarion realized it was something imperceptible coming into view: a strange-looking being, nearly as tall as them and clad in gold armor with white speckles spread haphazardly across the surface. Folded wings hung from the being’s arms, which they drew back as they retracted razor-sharp claws into their fingers—on their back were numerous dangerous-looking spines, and behind that, Yarion could see a long reptilian tail swaying back and forth.  They wore a Mask of Adaptation, but Yarion could see there was no mouth behind it, and on the back of their head was a second set of eyes, blinking to reveal inner eyelids.

I suspected Lord Angonce did not come alone, Yarion thought.  But I never expected him to bring Vamprah…

Angonce beckoned. Vamprah stepped over the corpse and went to the Great Being’s side, his rear eyes fixed directly upon Yarion as he did.

“Makuta Yarion?” Angonce said.  “You have your assignment.  Get to it.”

Yarion could only turn back to Kodan, watching the Toa of Stone’s blood slowly pool around his broken form.

“Don’t worry, your staff will clean up the mess while you’re out.  Time’s wasting.”

Vamprah turned sharply.  Angonce turned in response, seeing Yarion with a hand over their face, shaking their head.

“This is…cruel,” Yarion said.  “How could you?  We were to protect the people—how can you ask that we now strike them down at the slightest provocation?!  I…I cannot do this, Lord Angonce…I cannot be a part of something so vile!”

Angonce rolled his eyes.  “Goodness…I’m grown quite exhausted of this nonsense.”

The Great Being turned around, and Vamprah took a step forward.  Yarion backed up into their desk, realizing just how little room separated them.

“You will follow my orders, Yarion,” Angonce said.  “And if you will not do so willingly, then I’ll simply have you recalibrated, so that you can return to your job with the right set of priorities in mind.”

Yarion’s eyes widened.  “B…but…”

“Decide quickly, Yarion.  My patience is entirely used up.”

A heavy silence filled the room.  Eventually, Yarion went down on one knee, hanging their head and muttering something.

“Speak up,” Angonce said.

“I…will obey, Lord Angonce,” Yarion said.  “I shall see to the destruction of Kodan’s treason.”

Angonce smiled. “Finally, one sees reason.  You made the right choice, Yarion.  Go on.”

Yarion stood, sluggishly walking towards the elevator.

“But ah, just to be on the safe side…I think I’ll have Vamprah remain in Civitas Magna for the time being.  Just, watch over you for a bit, on the off-chance you find yourself getting cold feet.”

Yarion didn’t need eyes in the back of their head to know Vamprah was staring at them.

“Best of luck, Makuta Yarion,” Angonce said as the elevator doors closed.  “I look forward to some truly impressive results.”

***

Rahkshi made their way through the outpost, each taking their own path but nearly all of them winding up just outside the gate.  Antroz stood atop the wall, monitoring the congregation as it formed, trying to shake off the anxiety that was weighing down her heart.

“Ready to go home?”

Antroz sighed as Krika walked up beside her.  “This is hardly a homecoming.  I’m returning as a conqueror…never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed this to be my future.”

“Sounds as though you’ve hosted boring dreams, then.  I’ve seen myself win battles far more threatening.”

Antroz didn’t answer.

“I say that because it is a lower bar than you seem to realize.  These are still your people, Antroz: surely they must have some lingering fondness for you that shall stay their hands, regardless of how devout you raised them to be.  And that aside, I can attest that builders rarely make the best warriors, especially as they shall be without your guidance.”

“They have Emsar’s guidance,” Antroz said.  “That alone worries me.”

“Emsar?  I’m afraid I’m not familiar with the name.”

“She’s a Vortixx warrior who operated as my right hand.  Her skill in peerless, and her mind is every bit as sharp as her dagger—under her orders, Xia has weathered several attacks where I was unable to defend it myself. We must not underestimate her.”

Krika shrugged. “Alright, duly noted.  But you know this army well now, Antroz.  Taking into account the abilities these Rahkshi possess, not to mention that there will be three Makuta assisting them, do our chances really seem so grim?”

“You forget our handicap, Krika.  Of course we could level the city if we wanted.  But we must win without using lethal force.  Emsar surely knows this, and will use it against us.”

“My word, you are simply impossible to cheer up.”

Antroz became aware of Bitil as he strolled along the inside of the wall.  At his side was a handful of Rahkshi who had been chosen to stay behind to guard the outpost, and he babbled nervously as he went over their defenses for the dozenth time.

“Well,” Antroz said, “Zaekura’s interview should be available to the public now.  I am hopeful that will sway at least a portion of Xia, so long as Makuta Yarion hasn’t snuffed it out before the flame has a chance to spread.”

“I’ve told you, they’re not a threat,” Krika said.  “I was very clear with the ideas I implanted in their head when I defended Miss Carna, and the fact that she was released is proof enough that they will be sympathetic to our cause.”

“…That’s been bothering me.  You said you posed as a Toa to defend her, but given how meticulous Yarion’s records are, I don’t understand how you were able to fool them.”

“The urgency of the matter played to my favor.  I simply said I had recently been transferred to Civitas Magna, and that my bumbling superiors had neglected to send in the paperwork.  Yarion didn’t have time to verify.”

“Transferred from where?  Once Yarion inevitably contacts that place—“

“Not to worry, Antroz.  The Makuta himself has spoken on my behalf.”

Antroz turned towards him slowly.  “…How do you know that?”

Producing a small scroll, Krika said, “I received a message from him while we were in Ga-Koro. He informed me that he would play along for now, but he wants to meet soon.  But we should focus on Xia at the moment, don’t you think?”

“Krika.  Where did you say you were from?”

He took a very long pause, rolling the scroll between his fingers as he scanned the horizon. “Mahri-Nui.”

Antroz’s wings twitched.  “Mahri-Nui?!”

“I understand your concerns—“

“And now he thinks we owe him…Krika, what have you done?!  We cannot work with someone like that!”

Krika smirked. “On the contrary, dear Antroz: I believe he’ll make the perfect tool.  We’ll have to tread carefully, no doubt, but he knows working with us will be the best way to achieve his ambitions…and, isn’t this better than having him as an enemy?”

“I greatly doubt it will be!”

“Fine, fine, but can we at least agree it’s best to cross that bridge when we get to it?  Our forces have enough on their minds with this upcoming battle.  Why burden them any further?”

Antroz turned back to the Rahkshi with a grunt.  “We must tell Bitil, and Zaekura as well.  They need to know what’s coming.”

“Oh, very well. Are we to do that now, or…?”

Antroz was already moving.  With a roll of his eyes, Krika fell into step behind her.  They caught up to Bitil as he neared the watchtower, where Zaekura stood talking to Carna, and waited for an opportunity to speak.

“Can’t you just command them from here, Zae?” Carna asked.  “You don’t have to put yourself in danger!”

Zaekura shook her head.  “I told you, Mom: if they’re risking themselves for me, I want to risk myself for them.  And we’ll be fine!  We have insider information, a bucket of tactics to use, more troops than we’re ever likely to need—I’ll be back in no time!”

Carna grumbled something as she hugged Zaekura.  Regardless, she ultimately went inside, and Zaekura turned to the Makuta.  “Are we ready?”

“Nearly,” Bitil said.  “Erad took their squad out for some last minute target practice, but they should be back momentarily.”

“Also,” Antroz said, “there’s something we must discuss before we depart.”

“Does it have to with Xia?” Zaekura asked.

“Well, no—“

“Then it can wait.”

“Zaekura, this is a very serious matter.”

Walking past her, Zaekura said, “Then tell me on the way if it’s that urgent.  But I gotta say something before we leave, and I don’t need anything psyching me out.”

Bitil eyed Krika, but Krika drew his fingers across his lips and followed Zaekura.  With a scoff, Bitil did the same, and eventually Antroz went as well.  They exited the outpost and went around to the eastern side of the Rahkshi army, finding Charla waiting for them as she tried to keep her siblings organized.

“Ah, there you are!” she greeted.  “Erad and the others have been spotted—it shouldn’t take them more than a minute or so to join us.  We can depart at any time.”

“Great,” Zaekura said.  She took a deep breath.  “…Alright. Everyone, listen up!”

The crowd gradually went silent.  Zaekura swallowed hard, and then stiffened her spine as she prepared to speak.

“It’s time for us to march on Xia!  They’re our nearest hostile, and using the extensive intel we’ve got on them, we’re going to capture their city and the resources they’ve got access to, leaving the loyalists without their primary manufacturer of weaponry!  Despite this edge, do not take this battle lightly!  There are two things you need to remember above all else: don’t kill anyone, and don’t get yourself killed!  You’re all gonna remember that, right?”

A short but decisive cry of affirmation answered her.

“Good!  Do that, follow the orders of your squad leaders, and this time tomorrow we’ll be celebrating our victory!  This is the first brick we pull from the wall of the Great Beings!  Starting today, we give our all to tearing it down!  Let’s go!”

Cheers echoed as the army moved out.  After a while, Zaekura finally released the tension in her body, and turned to Antroz.

“Alright, Fangs,” she said, “is that thing important?”

Antroz thought for a moment.  “…You are certain you would rather wait?  I do not wish to withhold information from you.”

Zaekura smiled. “I appreciate that, but right now I really do just want to focus on one thing at a time.  We’ve already got a lot riding on this.”

“Then…it can wait. For now, we will give all our attention to Xia.”

“Okay,” Zaekura said with a nod.  “…You gonna be able to do that?”

Antroz faced forward.  “Most certainly.  I haven’t been able to think of anything but.”

***

Emsar paced back and forth through the bottom floor of Xia’s central tower.  Lying on the table was an unrolled parchment, its title drawing her attention again and again no matter how hard she tried to look away: “EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ZAEKURA, SURVIVOR OF NYNRAH INCIDENT.”

I truly hoped the rumors were nothing but lies.  It would’ve been easier that way.

Alarming as the contents of the interview were, talk of them had spread near-instantaneously. While physical copies of the publication had all disappeared before they could be distributed beyond Civitas Magna, a Vortixx living there had smuggled a single copy out just in time, telling Emsar it was something she needed to read.

When it rains, it pours…so this is what they mean. Running Xia without Antroz has been difficult enough, especially now that Chirox has tasked us with training those things, but learning just how murky this situation is just as Zaekura advances towards us…

Indecision was something Emsar had never experienced.  Only now did she fully appreciate that fact.  But as she continued to pace, the doors were pushed open, and in walked a very grim-looking Ehrye.

“Um…they’ve arrived,” the Toa of Ice said.

Emsar gritted her teeth.  “Hmph. How close exactly?  Have we engaged?”

“No.  They, uh, they’ve stopped quite a distance away from our gates, actually.  Zaekura’s at the front…she…”

Growing impatient, Emsar made her way outside and headed for the gate, leaping onto the sides of nearby buildings to gain height as she went, ultimately perching just above the gate itself.  Sure enough, around two hundred Rahkshi were positioned across the sands, with Zaekura at the head waving a white flag emblazoned with a wavy vertical line separating two small circles.  Emsar sighed.

…Well…perhaps this will clear things up for me.

She dropped down to the street, nodding to another Vortixx nearby.  Hesitantly, they handed her an identical flag, and she held it high above her head as the gate opened to let her through.  Seeing this, Zaekura, Antroz, and Bitil slowly walked forward, meeting Emsar halfway as both sides planted their flags in the sand. Emsar crossed her arms and stood there silently.

“Emsar,” Antroz said.

She didn’t answer, instead staring at Zaekura.

“Um…hello,” Zaekura said.  “You probably know who I am.  And you probably know why we’re here.  But, I’d like to settle things peacefully if possible—thank you for at least coming to speak with me.”

“You must be confident, giving up the element of surprise in favor of negotiation,” Emsar said.

“From what I hear, surprising you is impossible.”

Emsar laughed.

“And again: I’d rather do this peacefully.  We’re here to assume control of Xia, and use it to bolster our forces as we fight to free Spherus Magna from the Great Beings’ control.  Is there any way you could be persuaded to turn it over willingly?”

Emsar cocked her head.  “So you’re really serious about this.  You really think you can oust the Great Beings.  Even I can’t fathom the gall required for such a declaration, and gall is something I know quite well.  Tell me, young Zaekura: why should I stick out my neck when yours will remain on the block regardless?”

“Because it is the right thing to do,” Antroz said.  “Emsar, please.  I know this situation has turned the entire world on its head, but if you fight us here you will be fighting for a cause that is simply unjust.  Does that not matter to you?”

Emsar considered this a moment.  “Hm.  I wonder if it does?”

Antroz scowled. Before she could say anything, Zaekura said, “Emsar, if you’d rather not join us, then you can still flee to Atero, or Civitas Magna.  We will not pursue you.  But if you stay and fight, you will lose…and at that point, we will be forced to hold you captive.”

Emsar smirked. “Yes, a bottomless reservoir of pure gall.  Should you really be so sure you can best me?”

Bitil puffed out his chest.  “My Rahkshi are more than up to the challenge!  You don’t stand a chance!”

“And I know Xia’s defenses inside and out,” Antroz said.  “You have not had enough time to alter them so severely as to catch us completely off-guard.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Emsar said.  “You may run into a few things that surprise you, Makuta.”

The three of them had nothing more to add, and so simply waited for Emsar to give them an answer. She closed her eyes as she mulled it over one last time.

“If I did escape, I’m sure I’d simply be executed,” she said.  “And, right or not, joining you sounds just as suicidal.  I’ll admit…I have my doubts.  But I cannot risk my life upon such uncertain ground.”

Antroz stepped forward, saying, “Emsar—“

“That is my answer. Xia will not surrender to you, Zaekura. I don’t suppose you’d be willing to surrender to us?”

“Never,” Zaekura said, not missing a beat.

“Then it’s to arms. Lovely chatting with you.  I do hope we get another chance before you’re sent to the Maze.”

Emsar uprooted her flag and returned to Xia.  Zaekura and Bitil rejoined the Rahkshi at once, with Antroz lingering a bit before finally following them.  As she walked back through the gates, Emsar handed off the flag, and then signaled to a nearby Glatorian.  They ran off, and Emsar cast one last look over her shoulder.

“To your stations, all of you,” she said.  “Xia is under attack.”

#Bionicle #fanfiction #Melding Universe #Antroz #Right of Law #sorry it took so long fam #we gonna get things moving now

[riannocs]

yes i know that love is like ghosts

“Take death, for instance. Without prior knowledge of the consequences of dangerous actions, those consequences being morbid injury at best or death at worst, could it be said…” Freyja pauses a moment to gather her thesis. “Could it be said that sylvari live freer than any of us?”

Rating: T Word count: 1,000~ Summary: Commander Freyja and Trahearne have a discussion about life and death. [Asura commander. Commission for scarletbriiar.]

a/n: i love...….fweyja. here’s her bio!

i take oc commissions if you’d like me to write your ocs! my rate is $2/100 words, so just shoot me an instant message to this blog if you’d like to commission me!

yes i know that love is like ghosts.

oh few have seen it but everybody talks spirits follow everywhere i go oh they sing all day and they haunt me in the night oh they sing all day and they haunt me in the night

— love like ghosts | lord huron

It smells like shit here. Freyja observes this calmly, objectively; she knew what she was signing up for when coming to Malchor’s Leap of all places and wasn’t exactly expecting roses in the air. Still, it doesn’t stop her from pulling up her scarf up around her nose and huddling in her petulant corner of the tent, daydreaming of showers and Kiki’s perfume.

She refuses to think about loneliness. There’s nothing worse in the world than being lonely in Orr, where the only pretty things around are oil spills turned rainbow under a sick sun. Some of the plants here could be pretty if you squinted. Yesterday Freyja heard a bird that almost sounded like it was singing as it flew by. That’s something.

Closing her eyes, she tries to put herself in the mindset of taking a nap, but the sound of light footsteps at the tent’s entrance steals her attention. She keeps her eyes closed; maybe she can pretend to be asleep and go without being bothered by some starry-eyed Pact member needing a morale boost. They certainly wouldn’t find one here.

But within seconds, she recognizes this presence as Trahearne’s. Strange how her mind tunes into that, pinpoints it right away as none other than his. There’s something soft about the space Trahearne takes up in a room, melancholic, undemanding. She peeks a single eye open to find him kneeling beside a small table and lighting something. When the flame catches, he gives a small puff of breath to blow it out, and a sweet smoke wafts out into the tent. His movements are careful and quiet as he sets Caladbolg atop the cot and takes his own cross-legged on the floor.

Freyja gives a little snort as she lowers her scarf from her mouth. “You don’t have to be so cautious. I’m awake.”

Trahearne looks at her like he’s just now noticing she’s been here. Freyja sees right through it. No one this thoughtful would overlook anyone. “Hello, commander. I didn’t want to assume.”

“Assume away.” Freyja looks at the object on the table and finds that it’s a small pot of incense. She gives a small nod to it. “That smells good. Better than the rest of this place does.”

“Kodan incense. Meant to have antiseptic qualities if blown directly onto the skin.”

For a moment, Freyja thinks he’s being serious, but there’s a glitter in his eyes that gives him away. She finds herself smiling. “Yeah?”

“No,” says Trahearne, ever pleasant. “It just smells nice.”

Freyja huffs out a laugh, then sighs. “I don’t know how you do it.”

“How I do what, commander?”

“How you stay so calm. I can’t tell if it’s just a sylvari thing to be, uh...attuned with the world around you and not have a meltdown, or…”

“I have known many an anxious sylvari. I assure you we are not all frolicking wood nymphs.”

He says it sweetly, smiling, but still Freyja prickles with embarrassment. She turns her eyes to out past the tent flap just to have something else to look at, even if it’s ugly. A question turns itself over in her mind a few times before it materializes. “Alright, uh...tell me if this is a stupid question.”

“No such thing, commander.”

“Oh, trust me. There are definitely stupid questions. I’ve been on the receiving end of many of them.” A moment’s pause as she watches a malformed bird land in a puddle of dirty water, rinse its feathers, and then fly off again. “Do sylvari feel fear differently?”

Trahearne is quiet for a few beats. “Differently?”

“What I mean is,” Freyja asks, a little flustered, “is fear a unique experience for a sylvari who hasn’t been conditioned since birth to fear certain things? Take death, for instance. Without prior knowledge of the consequences of dangerous actions, those consequences being morbid injury at best or death at worst, could it be said…” Freyja pauses a moment to gather her thesis. “Could it be said that sylvari live freer than any of us?”

Silence passes. Freyja focuses on the curl of incense smoke in the air to keep her eyes away from Trahearne, who is suddenly cloaked in a sadness she can’t understand. When he finally speaks, there’s a wounded quality in his voice that makes her feel a bit sick. “That may have been true twenty-five years ago. But it was a false belief, that we were free from fear due to our ignorance of the world. In truth, we were victims of it.”

“Victims?”

Trahearne gives a small hum, the sound distracted and far away. “There is a difference between having nothing to fear out of bravery, of knowing what you are up against and wishing to face it anyway, and having nothing to fear out of...” He trails off, then returns with a clearing of his throat. “Pardon. Out of not having been taught otherwise.”

Freyja is silent. Her eyes find him all on their own, and the rounded shape of his shoulders and glazed-over eyes is so unfamiliar that she scarcely recognizes him.

“If I could have just one wish,” Trahearne murmurs, “I would run back in time and tell him what happens when you are too brave without consequence.”

Freyja’s brow furrows. “Him?”

Trahearne doesn’t speak. He’s somewhere else now, just a body with a mind floating elsewhere, a place that Freyja can’t see.

It dawns on her then, who he had meant. “Oh,” is all she says, her voice small as an afterthought.

The incense burns out.

When Trahearne is called by some pact member outside the tent, he goes to them with the same tacked-on smile that Freyja has long since seen right through. But even now—or especially now, rather—she can’t fault him for that. How could she?

#scarletbriiar #guild wars 2 #gw2 #trahearne #freyja #riannoc #my writing