Disruption (IC)

Arrow continued to look at Samir menacingly, although he lowered his head upon receiving the look Isbar gave him. Regardless, Arrow, for lack of a better word, was angry at his master, at realizing Samir's weakness compared to so many creatures, and how as an animal companion, he had protected the Krylonion, believing that he had the power to assist him. Samir had no such power to help Arrow when he had been in trouble, when he had been threatened by Archon and the rest of the alpha hound's pack. Arrow felt betrayed for holding such blind faith in the power of another creature, when he was protecting a pack member that had no value. In Arrow's eyes, if a member of the pack could provide no sort of benefit to the others, then it made no sense to help that member; in this case, Arrow respected most of the creatures present around him, but so far, Samir was the only one who had seemingly contributed nothing.

Samir smiled sadly at Arrow behind his mask, worried because of all the scabbed-over injuries that suggested he had been getting into scraps with other dogs, "Look at you, you're a mess. Let's get you cleaned up," He said, before reaching out a hand to pet the Hearing Hound. Arrow, smart enough to know better than to bite in this situation, but regardless, not wanting to be touched, snarled, and rose to all fours, before walking away from his master, seemingly in a huff of sorts. Samir's hand withdrew, and he seemed to tense, "He's never growled at me like that before..." He looked over at Cipher, "Those dogs of yours, that pack you were protecting...what did those hounds do to him?" He sounded upset, perhaps on the verge of tears, deeply hurt by his pet's rejection.

Cipher sighed, rather calm, despite the situation, and looked over at where Arrow was still glaring sullenly at Samir, "From birth, domesticated dogs are taught by their own canine parents to trust their masters. They are taught that by pleasing a master, and being submissive, their masters will take care of all their needs, and this often includes safety. Dogs are loyal, so it comes naturally that they protect their masters, holding the belief that their masters will protect them, as well. This common bond of trust that these particular pack hunters share is very close to their definition of what love itself is. Arrow was a dog who believed that you would help him, Samir, when he was in danger, like he helps you, but when he was threatened by Archon, you did nothing in his defense. You didn't even try to be concerned for him, until it was too late, when the bond of trust between Hearing Hounds requires both members of the pack to be willing to die for one another."

The entire time Cipher spoke, Samir was desperately trying to find some hint of the loving dog he recognized in Arrow's gaze, but he couldn't see it past the ferocious gleam. "I raised him when he was just a puppy...why does he hate me?" There was a wavering note to it.

Cipher shook his head slowly, "I would not call it hate, I would call it the pain one feels when their heart is broken, and they have nowhere to direct the flood of emotions that follow. Arrow trusted you, and because you were not willing to die for him, and he recognized that, he feels betrayed. He is reluctant to trust you again, and he is deeply hurt. The fights he has been picking with other dogs has been his own way of taking out frustrations, as he is just an animal, and does not know better. These behaviors are not true to Arrow's nature, in truth, they are quite abnormal."

Cipher then looked at Xenos, who was looking over at the Hearing Hound, his head tilted at an angle slightly, before the Spiromander looked away and shook it, as though disgusted. "A creature with a higher-level of intelligence, like Xenos, of course, would find Arrow's actions to be irrational, which is why he is regarding that dog with so much irritation, at the moment. Arrow directed some of his frustration at Xenos, and was rightfully punished for it, but regardless, it does not change the fact that Arrow's actions towards Xenos were unfair. Xenos would protect Arrow, and not expect any sort of protection in return, but he would expect the dog to treat him with respect. A relationship where one gives, and receives nothing but contempt in return, will do nothing but lead to animosity between the two parties."

Cipher then flicked his tail, "Sound like anyone we know?" He raised the question.

Xej used Unsilenced Retribution's distraction to escape the immediate combat zone, and dashed towards Lamor. Carefully, he helped the Dranzoot up, slung his friend's right arm over his left shoulder, and set a slow pace, navigating behind the pillars, attempting to avoid being noticed by Kradus. With wary precision, he slipped past the two behemoths, and they found themselves out in the entrance, where Svar was fighting Shancar.
 
They needed to leave, and leave soon. Xej set Lamor down underneath a doorway arch, or what was left of it. He retrieved his sword hilt from its position on his armored thigh, let the blades extend into their dual form; he then looked down at his free hand. It clenched shut, then unclenched. An almost involuntary habit. Almost.
 
"We should make our departure." Xej warned in a loud voice, speaking over Svar's shoulder.

Aarin placed a hand on Samir's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "It's hard when someone you care for, even if he's your pet, is angry at you like this." Here a look came into his face, as if some disturbing thought had just struck.

"What's wrong?" asked Tevri.

Aarin gave him a small smile. "Oh, nothing."

"So what do we do now?" asked Isbar, coming straight to the point.

Cipher looked at Arrow for a moment, who was still regarding Samir with a dark look in his eyes. "Nothing but time will tell how this problem will be fixed, as there are multiple solutions. For the time being, Ravage seems to have enough authority to command Arrow and keep him from doing something that could cause trouble for us. It is likely that Arrow can stay with us, so long as she watches and makes sure that he does not attack or threaten anyone." He looked over at Samir, "For you, Samir, I would suggest that you keep your distance until the hound has dealt with his rage. It is unlikely you will have the same relationship you once did ever again in the future."

By this time, filtered sunlight began to shine into the cave, and the rest of the Chimerosu began to wake up. Cipher took note, and flicked his tail, "It is time for us to start moving again. The sooner we re-locate the captive Alutadons to the Dark Forests, the sooner that everyone can remove their masks and cloaks. It is not as though I cannot tell that they annoy people." With this, he slowly walked towards the mouth of the cave, and Ravage, glancing through her mask at Samir, commanded Xenos, and now Arrow, to go with her as she followed the young hybrid. The Hearing Hound snarled at his old master as he stalked past, and then ran to walk a bit behind Xenos, wary of the Spiromander's sharp teeth and front claws.

Samir watched the four, two Chimerosu, and two animals, as they departed. Although nobody could see his face, it was clear he was deeply upset, by the way he looked down at his feet, and how his wings loosened and almost dragged their tips on the ground. "That dog was all I had. I don't have anyone, now. For all those years I was with Ravage, we never considered one another friends, no matter how much we learned about each other. Arrow was my friend, but now he's angry at me, and he'd rather be with Ravage than me."

His tail curled regretfully, "I'm a terrible person, if not even a dog can like me. I knew I was a burden to everyone, but I never expected that to be the same for Arrow, and now he is. Ravage wouldn't want the responsibility of looking after him; she already has Xenos, and she's never shown any sort of affection for Arrow, to begin with. She's just not an affectionate person. She holds everyone at arm's length."

"For I am a subject of superiority who battled through the ridicule of my past, the subjectors of my nightmares now cower before my very feet like spineless plebs. They won't live as long as they do, may they wither and cry with remorse. I will not forgive any of them" Lord Divinitus of the Meritocratic Angelborn League Of Ascendism muttered underneath his breath. The Faction leaders of the Angelborn have came together into council for an annual trade and defense session which ended up as the same end result: Trade is running smoothly and defenses are slowly been buffered up due to the acknowledgement of intergalactic war coming fairly close to the Star system from other races in the present.

Lord Divinitus was the largest Angelborn being in the star system, spanning a colossal 12ft high when standing at his fullest and towering above all of his other subjects in the room. They are too content and busy not to lose their places in the Meritocratic council as they all fear of younger and more intelligent and useful Angelborn who would be viable to take over most of them in the current system. Oh there have been many attempts in the past to change the political system over to a slightly crooked Democracy but Divinitus has put his foot down every single time and insists that their Tradition and what is integrated into their Religious belief must be stuck to for Identity and the people's sake.

Yet underneath the helmet of the Confident and proud leader was a swirling vortex of burning hatred for everyone else in the current room. Divinitus grew up on the home planet Elysia in relative poverty, his parents struggling to scrape enough money together to pay the bills. Furthermore Divinitus is one of the very rare exceptions of his kind where he was not born with wings at all, making him a prime target for ridicule amongst some others. Yet the common-folk have always been decent and accepting of his condition and in return he was happy to assist his community and run for any jobs required in his youth. Despite his lack of wings, the military (when they were scouting out for potential candidates to serve) spotted how enormous Divinitus was amongst his other school subjects, being almost 10ft at the age of 16 and several heads higher than his school friends or even the Military officers themselves.

Arising throughout the Military from his young age, he was always bashing heads with his superior officers and some of the political elites who took interest within him as they would all mock his lack of Wings. To the ruling class, the smaller and more inadequate your wings were, the more common and Insignificant one would be. That is a mighty shame for them as by the age of 45, Divinitus was the Faction leader for the whole star system and he now ultimately dictates what happens in the Meritocracy. For the people and screw over the elite class whenever possible as petty revenge.

"My Lord Divinitus, we have just had a report of more unauthorized ships extremely close to our airspace with potentially damaging weaponry on board" one of the Defense Ministers spouted urgently. Divinitus nodded his head in understanding and faced the console behind him.

"My apologies about interrupting your cozy gathering my fellow council members but we have an unidentified bordering our airspace" Lord Divinitus stated. The other council members in the room all went dead silent and gazed directly at the communication console next to their Lord as he opened it up and began to broadcast his message:

"This is the Almodeun Lord Divinitus of the Meritocratic Angelborn League Of Ascendism speaking. You are about to trespass into designated territory and you pose a threat to our trade route. Please communicate why you are so close, turn back and leave or suffer the consequences" Lord Divinitus stated in a slow and clear tone. Everyone waited to hear the result.

"Well," said Tevri, "he can't stay mad at you forever." He hoped that sounded better to Samir than it did to himself.

Isbar, on his way out, paused and cast glance at Tevri. "Why not?" he said. Tevri couldn't answer that.

Aarin could not think of anything to say to Samir, but simply pressed his shoulder again. He could at least let him know that someone was concerned for him. However, the one thought still troubled Aarin, and this might have been visible on his face.
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The vessel in question, a Mondarian ship, was in fact completely automatic, controlled solely by AI with no Mondarians on board. The vessel was currently performing a scouting mission, and had no programmed response for outside contact; therefore, it simply ignored the message it received.

However, another ship was watching from close by, a Vathorin ship. Osmo Genther, a Humdar watched the Mondarian ship carefully. The Vatarri piloting the Vathorin vessel, Denvar Salis, was getting restless.

"Why don't we just hightail it?"

"So that we don't attract attention to ourselves, that's why," said Osmo impatiently. "We're lucky it hasn't seen us already."

Just then, the radio whistled into life.

This is the Almodeun Lord Divinitus of the Meritocratic Angelborn League Of Ascendism speaking. You are about to trespass into designated territory and you pose a threat to our trade route. Please communicate why you are so close, turn back and leave or suffer the consequences.

Denvar reached for the comm. "Hold it," said Osmo. "Let's keep silent for the moment. Something tells me they weren't trying to talk to us, but to them." He indicated the Mondarian vessel.

No response was recieved from the ship sailing near to the airspace.

"Since you have ignored our warnings we will immediately send officers over to try and physically communicate with you just in case  your communications gear is faulty" Lord Divinitus broadcast through the console. Closing down the communication console, he immediately strides over to the defense minister and put one of his giant hands on the ministers shoulders.
"Send two Hand Ov Wrath's over with around 5 crew in each ship. Take a gravity core in both of them as well just in case we need to breach the hull of their ship and extract anything of use if it's crew are dead or if it's automated. Equip the crew with life sustain systems but nothing else, image is still everything to both our allies and enemies" Divinitus ordered. The Defense minister nodded in acknowledgement of the request and immediately left the council chamber to quickly assemble an investigation crew.

"Now that has been taken of fellow council members, I want your opinions on something in peculiar. Have any of you felt some disturbing tremors of power coming from beneath the planet?" Divinitus questioned out aloud. While some council member stared back blankly, one or two raised from their seats.

"My Lord Divinitus, I also felt a strange tremor very recently. I almost thought I could hear a voice echoing up into my body. Whatever this may be is certainly disturbing enough to advise caution and a close eye to see if it happens again" one of the council members shuddered.

"I see some sense in what you suggest. But for now we have more pressing matters to talk over" Divinitus finalized. The council discussion continued.

==============================
A task force of 10 'Luna' Angelborn units in all of their armored up and winged Female glory glided next to the ship in question which was gliding near to the Angelborn's galactic airspace. They all nodded through the windows of their ships and at the same time they activated both of the gravity cores in each ship, forcing two spherical gravity domes sandwiching the offending ship between the two 'Hand Ov Wrath' Fighter/Response ships and stabilizing it.

"Put your masks on girls, we need to go outside and see why this ship isn't responding to command" one of the Luna Angelborn practically sang as she prepared to open the docking bay. With nods from two of the others (and leaving behind three crew members in each ship just in case), the four Luna's from both ships expanded their shining golden wings and floated out of the ships.
As they slowly soared towards the ship trapped in the clever half-point of two gravity fields, they looked like beautiful golden angels from the ancient folklore of many other species. Their ferociously armored but slim and shiningly beautiful forms flapped their wings slowly and gracefully as they surrounded the ship and looked for any signs of windows to see into the ship or any form of life inside. They frowned as nothing seemed to be moving around except the propulsion system of the captured ship.

"Looks like we will have to cut through and see what is inside. I fear if it's not an AI controlled ship that we may have someone in distress inside or even a dead crew" one of the Luna's frowned. They all gathered around one side of the ship still beating their wings in time to stay nice and stable and then use their nastily-sharp combat swords to slice through the hull of the ship and investigate inside.

"We are in. Keep a life preservation system ready just in case there is no life inside"

The ship itself was quite small, there seemed to be alot of information gathering and scouting-grade tech littered on the maintenance consoles inside. To their disappointment but also relief there was nothing in terms of living specimens inside of the ship.

"It's a negative from us, it looks like an AI controlled scouting ship. Lets divert it away from us, there is no need to destroy it" the Luna's pretty much all said together. They all left a stamp of the Angelborn's emblem on the inside of the ship and one of them even engraved a quick message into the inside of the ship reading 'Please scout somewhere else, <3 The Angelborn'. All four of the Luna's investigating the ship flew outside of the hull they cut open and quickly and crudely welded it back together. They all nodded and glided back into their respective docking bays in the two ships, ready to divert the scouting ship.

"Shoot the scout ship out west-way"

The Luna's rotated both of their ships west-side of the star system's border and disabled the gravity fields between their ships, letting the scout propel itself towards empty space for now. One of the Luna's frowned as she could swear she caught a glimpse of another ship nearby but shrugged as she put it down to a trick-of-the-light.

"Lets record our report for now, keep a quick eye out for anything else and then go home. I'm desperate for a good cup of Tea!"

Samir sighed, "We get going, as Cipher said." With this, he turned and walked towards the mouth of the cave, where everyone else was proceeded to leave, getting ready to endure the elements once again, and hopefully, finish the re-location of the Alutadons, so that they could remove their masks. As everyone left, however, Aarin found himself being pulled aside a group of masked Chimerosu soldiers. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be Lucas, Lloyd, Watson, and Mira, the four cadets that were most prominent among Ravage's now-famous Third Squadron. "Sorry for pulling you aside, mate, but something's been bugging us." Watson said, in his typical dialect.

Mira tilted her head to one side, identifiable by her large size, partially because a Silexian was very large naturally speaking, and Mira's custom-made armor was much bulkier than what was traditional. This could be seen beneath her robes, and Mira also looked wing-less, because she had to hide the flipper-like nature of her wings by concealing them deep in her cloak. "What was going on this morning? We're always watching Ravage, and some weird stuff happened."

Lucas then chimed in, folding his arms, "Something's bugging you, too. We aim to figure out what. What concerns our Squadron Commander concerns us."

The Mondarian AI vessel went out a little ways, and then stopped. "Warning!" said the AI programming in it. "This vessel's security has been compromised by outside intrusion. Initiating Procedure Gamma 11."

The ship began to move towards the Angelborn vessels with increasing speed.

Osmo quickly scanned the Mondarian vessel, and his fears were confirmed. He quickly opened a comm to the Angelborn: "This is Osmo Genther of the Confederacy of Vathoris. That Mondarian vessel is going to explode and try to take you with it. Get as far away from it as you can."

Osmo then turned to Denvar. "Pursue that ship and see if you can take out its propulsion systems, that should allow them a chance to get away."

The Vathorin vessel hurried after the Mondarian vessel until it was with range. A few photon bursts were enough to take out its propulsion systems; however, they had been obliged to come within the blast radius of the Mondarian ships oncoming explosion.

"Get us away, Denvar!" called Osmo. The ship turned and quickly began putting as much distance between itself and the Mondarian vessel as it could. A boom shook the ship and sent instruments out of whack for a moment. They had just managed to get out of the way.
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Aarin sighed a little. "It was just some trouble with Samir's hearing hound. The creature's angry at him, that's all. As for me, you don't need to worry. It's just a little concern I've been feeling about something personal. You don't need to concern yourselves with it."

The cadets stared for a moment, still feeling strangely uneasy, before Lucas gave a small nod, "Just be careful, Aarin, that if nothing can be done you try your best to hide any sort of distress or negativity. We have this bad tendency to rely on flocking, and that just means that negative feelings are contagious and spread to us, even if we have nothing to be worried about. Seeing others worried makes us worried." The Frigian flicked his cloaked tail, "Alright, we're going to start lagging behind, let's catch up, you guys." He said, before the four cadets as a group ran off after the general collection of people..

Trekking through the desert, even though the mountain range cutting Maozhu in half was quickly reached, was not an easy task. Despite being obscured by dark clouds, the land was still extremely hot and arid, and so it was that the clouds teased the traveling group, promising rain that would never even hit the ground. Though everyone had water with them, the extreme conditions drained the strength out of people. One would have expected the Frigians to collapse, but having feathers that merely insulated their bodies at a fixed temperature; they may have coped better than anyone else had first thought, as the internal temperature of a Frigian was certainly lower than that of the desert. Cavernians, however, may have been ultimately the best at surviving the weather; being used to living in a similar environment, albeit that they had to adjust to shifting sand dunes.

Tevri wiped sweat from his brow, panting heavily. A glance at Allé showed he was similarly suffering. Mott was stumbling and puffing like a billows. Aarin seemed in better shape, but was obviously not comfortable. Isbar, if he was feeling any discomfort, showed no sign as he strode forward near the front.

This probably doesn't bother him a bit, though Tevri ruefully. His thoughts turned to his father, and he wondered if he had ever been in this situation. Tevri knew that he had been a soldier before taking the mantle of Emperor, but had he ever had to walk through a desert?

"I'm embarrassed to ask," said Tevri through his swelling tongue, "but how much longer is it?"

Kerr, who had somehow walked up behind Tevri unnoticed despite the shifting sand, chose to respond to the question, "How long this takes could depend, although it is often said the less you enjoy an activity, the longer it takes." He remarked, although his answer was perhaps more puzzling than the question. "I would say, however, that as soldiers, it is not our place to ask questions, no matter how grueling an obstacle may be, or how dangerous a plan may sound. Our mission is to jump when the command comes instructing us to do so. There is no reason to ask why, because to ask questions is for civilians. On a battlefield, the ability to follow an order without hesitation may mean the difference between life and death; you may die if you take the time to ask why someone commanded you to move."

Horus, who was walking close by, distinguishable by his shiny metal hand, laughed slightly, although it was hoarse, because of the heat, despite the fact that he had water to drink, "Don't be fooled by his calmness, boy! That man is surely as tired as we are! He's just telling you what they tell every soldier! You don't complain or ask questions! March on! March on!" His words dissolved into laughter.

"Well, what about those of us who aren't soldiers?" muttered Mott. "If questioning is for civilians, then I think. . ."

"Stop talking, Mott," interrupted Allé. "Just concentrate on walking. You'll make yourself more tired and thirsty by gabbing."

Mott snorted. "Me gabbing? Pah! I was simply musing."

"I'm musing on silencing some annoying sounds I'm hearing from back there," came Isbar's voice from the front. Mott snapped his mouth shut.

Kerr continued walking, "Obviously, I agree with Isbar." He murmured quietly to himself, "Complaints are irritating, overall, and in truth, this heat is not what anyone prefers. We cannot ruin our cover, however, so we must endure it. It is already suspicious enough that we refuse to fly." The group proceeded to stop at the base of the mountains, and slowly, they began to ascend along them, careful to choose paths that would allow them to walk without losing footing. It was an alarming feeling, however, and as the Thundarians flew around to re-direct lightning, people were still startled as brilliant bolts came dangerously close as they climbed higher into the sky. On the side of a mountain ridge, it was almost like being level with the Chimerosu flying in the clouds. It was remarkable, because the lack of trees gave a breathtaking view of the desert, and felt akin to flight, but it was also extremely terrifying.

Kerr flicked his tail, "I am partial to wetlands, but because of the speed at which we conduct our operation, we are able to appreciate the world around us. Something such as this, being able to take your time, is not something a soldier is usually able to do. Seeing this view is actually a luxury." He hesitated, before choosing a different spot to place his foot, barely audible, because of his cautious selection of footing. "It's quite picturesque, is it not? It looks as though it could go on forever, although we know that is not the case." He said, referring to the sand dunes.

"I should hope not," said Mott. "And if it's all the same with you, I'd rather not look down from this height."

Isbar, as before, seemed least bothered amongst the terrestrial members of the group. He almost seemed to like the change. Tevri found himself rather enjoying being on the mountain.

"I've been told," he said, "that my species originated in the mountains of our world. Maybe that's why."

Gathering himself together, he jumped six feet straight up and little forward, landing agilely on a ledge as if he had done such things his entire life.

Kerr nodded, "It is quite pleasant to know your origins, and where you feel most at home in nature. My kind, however, have moved so far along the lines of adaptation that we are no longer sure where our own origin is, and even if we were aware, it is on a planet that no longer exists. Since we are made for living in a different environment, this does not trouble us, but it may very well trouble those such as Ravage, Samir, and Horus, over there." He eyed the robed scientist in the distance suspiciously, and received a returned glance, along with what seemed to be a cheerful wave with the organic right hand. Kerr quickly looked away, for fear that Horus was onto his thoughts, the scientist, despite his playful, carefree manner being much sharper than he seemed.

"Those three come from a world that is largely unique, as most plants as you have seen lean towards a green-colored pigment, while their home's flora was heavily dominated by the color blue. Their feathers may seem brightly colored, with intense blue shade and the darker stripes, something typically attributed to plumage displays and attractiveness, but that is far from the case. Their feathers were not made to stand out, but to blend in with the world around them so that nothing could see them. On their world, they blended and became a part of the forests and meadows around them, but anywhere else, they stand out quite clearly in the environment. Their people were never meant to stand out, but to remain hidden, and that is why they lacked the sharp talons and beaks that others possess."

He proceeded calmly up the cliff and caught up with Tevri, "Have you seen any sort of wavering, perhaps, in recent times, that those three may perhaps miss their home world more than they let on? There was plant life from their world where we arrived." He asked, keeping his voice low.

Tevri thought about this for a for a moment, but couldn't give an answer. "I'm afraid I wasn't really paying attention to that at the time. My mind was more on the Liirlith."

"Remember that one of the Krylonians can hear you," said Aarin as he passed by.

Kerr, upon hearing Aarin's reminder that he could be heard, quickly dared to cast a look in Ravage's direction, and saw that she was giving him a death glare through her mask. The Stagnumian felt his entire body attempt to freeze up, but he forced himself to keep walking, for fear that people would realize how terrified he felt under that gaze. Without any sort of inhibitions regarding certain topics, Ravage didn't hesitate to slow down, allowing Tevri and Kerr to catch up, so that they were walking as a small group. She let tension charge the air, which made people unconsciously back away, before she seized Kerr by the back of his cloak and pulled him close so that his face was mere inches from hers. "You struggle to remember that your grandmother is traveling with us, and yet you insist on showing concern for people you haven't bothered to learn anything about?"

Her tail lashed the air beneath her cloak, like that of an agitated feline, "You should be aware that mentioning one's home is painful, and while plants and animals are one thing, the most excruciating part about it all, is that we lost the people that we loved, and we took them for granted." She hissed, so that only Tevri and Kerr, perhaps Aarin and most likely Isbar could hear. No doubt the Cavernians could also hear this, and it was proven by the fact that several cast glances in her direction. Ravage's grip tightened on the back of Kerr's cloak for a moment, before she seemingly forced herself to let go, the Stagnumian quickly trying to back away, as the ground was leveled out, somewhat, as they neared a ridge in the mountains. Ravage continued to glare at Kerr as everyone slowly walked past, leaving them towards the back of the group, "Look after the people you love, Kerr, because if you waste time on people you don't, you'll never stop hating yourself when those loved ones are gone." She looked in Horus' direction, "Also, it seems that he may have at some point heard us, you'd be wise to apologize to that man, it's your fault you brought this up, and I have other people to look after."

With this statement, Ravage turned and used her charcoal-dusted wings to fly low to the ground, in order to catch up with Cipher, near the front of the group, the fact that she was protecting him growing extremely obvious, although nobody could be sure why. In the meantime, since attention had suddenly been dragged to Horus, the elderly Krylonian's gaze was downcast, and he seemed much less jolly than he had been moments before. He made faint sniffling sounds, and when he shifted his mask slightly, as though it didn't fit properly over his face, something wet leaked from the bottom. For some reason, Horus had suddenly started crying, perhaps at some memory, and even though people couldn't see his expression, there was something distinctly heartbreaking about watching an old man cry. Kerr, his limbs feeling like lead suddenly, shook his head, "I...I don't know how to handle this..." He drifted off, looking at Tevri.

Tevri opened and shut his mouth a few times. He felt bad for Kerr, and for Horus, too. However, he didn't know what to say or do.

Aarin placed a hand on Kerr's shoulder. "You were just a little careless for a moment, Kerr," he said quietly. "It happens to all of us." He paused for a moment and the disturbed look returned to his face. But then he took a breath and gave Kerr a small smile.

"Don't feel too badly." He indicated Horus. "The one thing I would advice would just to say you're sorry and offer your sympathy and support. I don't think you can do more than that."

Kerr seemed uneasy, but after a moment, forced himself to walk over to Horus. He was silent for a long moment, trying to figure out the right thing to say, before he finally spoke, "I'm sorry; I was truly callous, it was wrong of me to pry when I had no business doing so." He said. Horus, forcibly composing himself, straightened, still clutching the mask over his face, and choking horribly on the sobs that wracked his body. He breathed deeply several times, somewhat shakily, in order to calm down. He eventually seemed to have somewhat regained control of his emotions, but one would strongly suspect that his eyes still brimmed with tears.

He looked at Kerr, "It is not what you said, boy, but what Ravage said, that upset me. I can live without a world where the environment does not suit me, for I never went outside much, but the loss of our people is a heavy burden to carry, beyond your understanding! I spent twelve years of my life shut up in that laboratory, doing my research, but after two years, I should have known something was wrong beyond negligence when my people stopped making deliveries, or didn't arrive to exterminate the infestation of Grubblons that took over the facility. I was so grateful when your boys rescued me, that I could scarcely think about anything else, and only recently have I come back to my senses enough to realize what my ignorance has done!" He shook his head, "I am such a blind old fool, for placing my work as a priority over my family and the ones I love."

Horus looked at Kerr, "If you should marry, someday, you will discover that it is like an arrow to the heart, to lose your wife, and that while you may move on, you may never fully recover from that loss. I shut myself up in my lab, buried in work, because I didn't want to deal with the pain of trying to face my grief. Now, my entire family is gone, and I have no one to blame but myself that I did not speak to them for two whole years!" He put his hand to his head again, as though suffering from extreme pain, "I had a sister, and she married her husband, and had two beautiful chicks, a boy and a girl, the girl going on to marry, and have one son of her own. I had two sons and one daughter, and what kind of father am I, to never see my grandchildren, four girls and three boys, or the men and women that my children chose to marry?"

He looked at Kerr again, and straightened, "Anyone who was on Krylon when the Dominion attacked, except for the select few that may have through some miracle escaped, is gone. The scale of that genocide has brought Krylonians to the brink of extinction, and entire families have been stolen from existence forever. All the precious people that I listed, people who had faces, names, and stories; the people who had dreams and worked so hard to achieve them, the people that I loved...are all dead. Every man, woman, and chick was murdered, and that is something that weighs heavy on my heart. I was only spared because I was selfish and locked myself away."

Horus, with this, briskly walked away, not wanting to say anything else. Kerr, looking after the Krylonian, slowly walked back to Tevri, "I cannot help but wonder, now, because in truth, I know very little about those three from the original race. What are their stories, and what do they intend for us to learn by listening to them? I cannot help but think there is some deeper meaning that they are trying to show us."

Tevri was once again at a loss for words. He looked at Aarin, who raised his eyebrows in response, a slightly amused smile on his lips. "Yes?"

"Well. . . what do you think?" asked Tevri.

"What do I think?" said Aarin smiling. What about you? You are allowed to have your own thoughts."

Tevri racked his head a moment before answering. "I think they may be trying to teach us to value what we have and not take it for granted. Most people do seem to go through life doing just that. Maybe. . ." he paused cautiously for a moment, and then lowered his voice. "Maybe they did the same thing, and are wondering 'How could we have been so foolish as to do that?' Their loss has made them really just what they had, but now it's too late."

He glanced at Kerr. "Maybe that's what they're trying to tell us, that we shouldn't make the same mistake as them. We should value these things, family and home, and all that, I mean. If we value them more, perhaps, maybe, we'll take better care of them and, well, maybe be less likely to lose them."

"At least, those of us who actually had those things to begin with," said Isbar, although, due to his position in the group, only those with the most sensitive ears heard him.

Ravage, who was walking next to Cipher, Xenos and Arrow in tow, raised her head slightly, upon hearing Isbar's comment, "Perhaps you have family, but don't know it, yet. You know you have a family, when you fight not because you hate the enemy before you, but because you love what is behind you." She murmured, her voice quiet, so that only sensitive ears could hear. Arrow, walking on Ravage's left between Cipher and the Krylonian, looked up at her and whined a bit, not understanding his new master's sentiments. Ravage looked down at the Hearing Hound, "Of course, you wouldn't understand, would you, Arrow, why I protected Samir for five years? Little brothers always annoy and aggravate their big sisters, and of course they fight, but that doesn't change the fact that they're siblings." It was obvious that she was talking to the dog, by the tone her voice took, and acknowledging that he was there.

Cipher laughed quietly, hearing his new secretly adopted parent talking to the dog, "So you see Samir as a brother? I suppose that would make sense, as you seem to feel that way towards anyone that ultimately hurts themselves out of inexperience or naivete. So I now cannot help but ask why you see me in the light that you do." He said, indirectly voicing the question.

Ravage flicked her tail, "You are young, and I still fail to understand how someone your age is so mature. You have an old look in your eyes, and I suppose that I don't know if anyone else would accept that." She she told him quietly.

Cipher folded his arms as they proceeded to descend on the other side of the mountain, "That is a peculiar reason, and you have accepted a little brother without telling him. Why not?"

Ravage gazed out over the bamboo forests of Pavo, "I don't know how he would react, so I just wait to see if he ever realizes it himself."

Aarin shielded his eyes with his hands as he gazed down into Pavonian forests, squinting at them.

"Goodness me," he said to himself. "I do believe I shall be needing glasses before long." He called out to Cipher.

"Anything we need to be aware of as we're doing this, besides the obvious 'Be careful?'"

Cipher looked over at Aarin, before speaking loud enough for everyone to hear, "If you happen to spot any Pavolite natives that you suspect are not members of the Tani Yard, refrain from revealing yourselves and communicating. Further west the Pavolites are generally inclined to conduct themselves in a proper manner, but people from the villages closer to the border have become hostile towards strangers, due to the Thundarian raids. They are not as educated, and are more likely to believe in superstitions. You do not want to be seen as a threat, because they possess weaponry they are not afraid to use, and they can also blend in with the environment at will, appearing invisible to the eyes of most. They are not as physically strong, but their ability to ambush you makes up for whatever strength they lack." He said, in response to Aarin's question.

The Arashi Michi landed, and Chief Albus walked over to Cipher, having heard the order, "I suppose we wait here?" He asked, giving Ravage a wary glance, trying to pretend that she did not unnerve him, although it was obvious that she did.

Cipher gave a small nod, "You will wait here, you are seen as demons by the natives of this land, although in truth, your people are not so different from them." He said.

Albus scowled, "What do you mean, 'not so different?'" he asked.

Cipher turned away, "You will find out later, but for now, we have wild animals to transport." He said, before he slowly started down the mountain.

The fiery blast from the maw of Kradus threw Unsilenced Retribution against a wall of the church. As the impact occurred, a large cloud of dust burst forth from that area of the structure, covering the area with billowing debris. For several seconds, the harsh blue light of Unsilenced Retribution's armor could be seen piercing through the clouds, unmoving, but they slowly faded out to nothing. To Kradus, it may have appeared that he finally vanquished the Wreae, but this was far from the truth. Unsilenced Retribution was very much alive, but he was now an observer within his own body. Something else had taken control, something that had been waiting for a moment of vulnerability such as this. The dust cloud was still growing, spreading outwards towards the falsely victorious warlord when the body of Unsilenced Retribution picked itself up. The Wreae knelt, armor plates shifting and moving from their original positions into new ones. It stood, and as the mass of fine rubble began to settle, a singular, cold, almost lifeless voice could be heard from inside.

"I... rise..."

A black armored Wreae stepped forward towards Kradus, its design more refined and streamlined than that of Unsilenced Retribution's original configuration. After a second, strongly glowing red lights faded in, the most prominent of which was a singular light at the very front of the Wreae's head. Overcharge was still active, but this new machine seemed to be able to control its power better, preventing an aura of energy from surrounding its body.

"After a century of death, I... The Metan... Awaken." The Metan observed its new body, bringing the hands of Unsilenced Retribution up and gazing down upon them. "Normal rampancy allows me some form of control, but it is sleep paralysis compared to this. Such strength..." The Metan's head rotated upwards, looking at Kradus directly. "And so many... obstacles." With blinding speed, the Metan burst forward, red energy flaring forth from its hands and chest. It threw several lightning fast punches at Kradus, enormously powerful energy surging forth with each blow.

((Everything else tomorrow, just needed this done. DARKEL YOU FORGOT ABOUT SHANCAR)))