insurmountable | i'm dragging a heart that weighs a ton / holding out for not just anyone

[ lumine's breath almost stops when she finds ajax's blade only inches from her, her gaze flickering to pierre's face whose expression is that of clear shock. the moment his hand falls, however, she's quick to spit out whatever crystal remains in her mouth. not it's not too late, so much of it already pushed down her throat and affecting her in ways that she doesn't understand.

pierre staggers away from her, clutching his wound, a look of disbelief still on his face. it's bleeding profusely that not even his hand could stymie its flow, staining his shirt even further.

you'll pay for this, volkov! laying your hands on me— ]

Ajax, help Aether get out. Please.

[ as usual, aether's name falls out of her lips first, eager to get his brother out of this mess. lumine's eyes flicker at the woman, uncertain with what she'll do next. she too is unfamiliar, but she can sense her power radiating from her even from a few feet away. this is different from the god she killed last time.

she can still hear pierre screeching behind her, coughing wetly and laughing. it doesn't even matter. your girlfriend will die in a matter of hours and then turned into one of those trinkets you sell. that god right there will make sure of it. ]

[Ajax looks upon Pierre with no pity, no remorse whatsoever. If anything, he feels a strange sense of happiness mixed with his rage, a balance that he's never felt before while fighting. But he doesn't dislike it. It makes this more exciting, more fun. Pierre let his guard down, and he made him pay for it. That's how fighting is.

Since the god isn't making a move, Ajax moves to cut the remainder of the rope binding Lumine to the chair, breathing out sharply. Aether, sitting next to her, unconscious. He can see where they'd beaten him, where'd they'd hit him in the head to knock him out. He cuts his bonds too, as Lumine asks him to get Aether out of here. He doesn't answer her right away, his glare landing back on Pierre as he reveals the fate of Lumine- it pisses him off, the aura of purple intensifying around him and he grits his teeth as more of his strength is sapped from him, his body nearly buckling under it.]

I've had enough of your talk. If you're not going to fight me, then you're just in the way.

[He's got enough strength to reach into his jacket, and pull out his glock, aiming right at Pierre.]

Cover your ears, Lumine.

[Hopefully she's quick, because he shoots Pierre right in the chest, sending him landing on his back under the mist that covers the floor. It's one shot, a piercing sound that rings within the confines of the room. Just with that action alone, he can feel his anger seep out of him, the mist slowly releasing its grip. There's no compassion on his face for the man he's shot, his gaze landing on the woman in the room.]

So you're another one of those gods, huh? What did he do to her? What did those crystals do?

[He has a sinking feeling that he knows the answer to his own questions, as he and Lumine had already had an argument about it months ago. They were making Delusions, the way they had originally been made. And they were going to use her to make one.

Exactly what he said. We figured as long as we had her here, we could at least hold up part of our end of the deal by helping them make more potent Delusions. I didn't think it was such a terrible way to go, hahaha. Now look at her, the poor thing. She'll have to suffer before she dies because you interrupted the process.]

[ covering her ears doesn't help, the muffled sound of the shot still piercing through her hands. her expression looks visibly shocked, upset lining every inch of her face, but it has to be done. and lumine knows that there's only one way this can be resolved.

without looking behind her, lumine carefully goes to aether. it's excruciatingly painful, however, her movements seemingly disjointed. but she pushes herself to kneel in front of her unconscious brother, checking him out, running her hands all over him to make sure he's all right. it's not long before his eyes flutter open, his gaze unfocused.

lumi— ]

Ae!

[ any ounce of happiness she has is quickly dismissed by the woman's words, lumine looking at her over her shoulders. her entire body shudders when her cold gaze lands on her, pain searing all throughout. even her heart seems to stutter, throbbing like a hand is squeezing it inside her chest.

so she really is ... dying? that guy wasn't just spouting off lies?

lu, what's going on?

lumine's gaze flickers back at her brother, smiling at him helplessly. how terrible is this, to finally find her brother in one piece and then, this. a moment later, she's staggering back to her feet, gasping in pain from every move she makes. ]

If I ... If I continue the process, will you let them go? I ... [ weird, this is usually the time the other lumine is insistent. but for once, she's quiet in her head. even her powers are starting to go haywire on her, not at all responding to her commands. ] My brother has nothing to do with this.

[ oh little star, your brother has everything to do with it, too. it just so happens he hasn't awakened yet unlike you two. but perhaps ... lumine's eyes widen when the woman raises a hand, a dark red energy spiraling in her palm. i can help him. ]

[The feeling of dread washes over him, overpowering any feelings of anger that had overcome him so much before. Pierre doesn't seem to be getting back up, if he was even still alive. And this god, whoever she is- doesn't seem to care. Ajax can see the pain Lumine is going through, whatever those crystals were doing to her body. Sapping her power, killing her from the inside out.

He needs to figure out how to get them out of here, how to get those crystals out of her, and how to keep them all alive while doing so. Aether is awake, which is good. He needs him now more than ever, and he steps closer to him, to hand him one of the delusions that he'd picked up earlier.]

Take this, use it if you need to. Get her out of here, I'll keep this god busy. They fed her some strange crystals, so you'll have to get those out of her stomach before she dies. Go, now.

[Ajax turns his attention back towards their foe, his eyebrows narrowing.]

If you want a fight, I'm right here. I'm not leaving until someone faces me, and it looks like you're it. So prepare yourself, because I won't go easy on you.

[His blades return to his hand, and he takes up a stance, eyes glowing with excitement. He missed out on the last god, but he'll have fun fighting this one.

She faces him, unimpressed with the mortal in front of her, shrugging.

If that's what you want. But don't think your friends are going to be leaving so soon.

The red energy spirals faster, and Ajax goes on his guard- he doesn't know what she's planning to do to Aether, but a wrong move might put him six feet in the ground.]

[ aether still looks out of it, especially when ajax hands him a delusion. but it's clear that they have no time to lose, the blond staggering to his feet. his head hurts like it's been hit by a truck, his entire body sore, but his hand grabs lumine's arm, pulling her to him.

you have to survive this, volkov, or else i'm not forgiving you. ]

No, Ajax, wait—

[ lumine coughs harshly, collapsing on her knees despite aether's grip and his yell. breathing has started to become a chore, her throat and lungs feeling as if they're being constricted. she tries to push her brother away, a hand clutching her chest. she can taste blood in her mouth, coating her tongue.

but even before she could say something, the god releases that energy she's been conjuring towards aether, an attempt to wake the other traveler within him. lumine immediately tries to get up despite her body wracked in pain, shoving her brother as hard as she could, shielding him from the blast.

lumine! ]

[Ajax loves her so much, but that doesn't mean that sometimes, he thinks she's really too hardheaded for her own good.

It's as if he was standing there, and in a streak of purple, he's gone. Thankfully, both of the twins aren't that heavy, as he picks them both up in a flash and puts distance between them and the god, landing just out of range of the explosion that wracks the warehouse as the energy slams into the concrete floor.

Dust and dirt kick up, a cloud of disintegrated concrete floating now in the room obscures his vision. Electricity licks around Ajax, his head turning backwards to see where the god has gone, and if she's following up. Almost as if on cue, he hears a thrum of energy and a dark red glows through the cloud, and he moves again with the twins, landing on another side of the room as the floor erupts behind him.

The god laughs, amused by his antics, trying to keep them out of danger.

What a valiant effort, too bad it's all a waste.]

Go, both of you!

[His goal needs to be to keep her from attacking them. Keep her focused on him, that's all. He's gone in another flash, his blades now glowing purple as they get swung with all the force he can muster, and she counters with a conjured blade of dark red energy of her own. The long katana clashes with his own weapons, pushing him off of her and making him ready himself once more.]

Now we're talking. About time you faced me, hahaha.

[You've always been too cocky for your own good, Harbinger. I'll wipe that smile right off your pretty face.]

I'm honored you think I'm pretty. So why don't you live up to your words and come at me then, [he says, eyes bright with battle lust.]

[ aether doesn't need to be told twice unlike his sister, hauling lumine back to her feet and dragging her away towards the exit without a second glance at ajax. even he can tell that something's wrong with her, her usual spirit and strength sapped away by something inside of her. he grits his teeth, himself still lacking strength, but he manages to get his sister out into one of areas near the exit.

he sets her down on the ground as other people run past them, also in panic after hearing the explosions from the back of the warehouse. aether will have to ask ajax later why his own men are fleeing instead of helping him out, focusing on lumine first.

lu, stay with me, please. you have to keep awake.

his sister's expression is tired, pain underscoring the smile she tries to send his way. her skin feels hot to the touch as well, as if she's burning from the inside. ]

Ajax ... help him—

[ that idiot will be fine, lu. worry about yourself more.

but even aether can tell that if she can get up and fight, she will. and that's what exasperates him the most about her, not giving up in stupid circumstances but also giving up in more stupid circumstances. he really has spoiled her to death.

... look, i'll help him out and get this over with. but you have to promise me that you'll still be okay when we return, okay? promise me, lu. ]

Mm ... I promise ...

[As the twins discuss amongst themselves, Ajax and the god have already begun their fight. His swords clash against her own, a dance between the two of them that makes his heart race in a way that he's never felt before, his laughter ringing out from the room as he pits his expertise against this ancient being. He's never felt more alive in his life, even as she slashes multiple wounds open on his body.

She, however, isn't having nearly as much fun as him, her face contorting into one of annoyance as he continues his assault. He's good, and she can see how he'd given them such problems thousands of years ago. A mortal as young as him shouldn't have this level of skill, but Ajax is managing to hold his own for the time being.

He might be able to win. If he can catch her messing up.]

What, weren't you expecting this?! Come now, you're not holding back on me, are you?

[But she has other priorities, like catching up to the twins. She parries him and punches him so hard in the chest that he flies backward into a wall, bouncing off of it and eating his words. But she's immediately coming for Aether and Lumine, determined not to let them get away. The wall is blown apart as she enters the warehouse proper, looking for them.

You're not leaving this place alive! I'll make you suffer our ancient wrath for what you did to us!

Boxes of delusions explode near them, energy slamming into it and disintegrating anything that comes into direct contact. She firing blindly, looking for them, as Ajax is recovering in the other room.]

[ aether can hear explosions right behind them, and almost immediately, he's scooping up his sister in his arms and carrying her towards another room to hide in, setting her down in a corner. that woman is still on the hunt for them, holding some kind of grudge against him and his sister for whatever that happened a long time ago. it's stupid.

he peers through the glass window, eyes darting across the hall. he can still hear explosions happening and it's getting nearer and nearer, even if it's not visible yet. ]

Ae ... [ he feels lumine's hand on his sleeve, tugging at his arm. ] Just leave me here, I'll be fine. Come back for me later ...

[ despite his declaration earlier, leaving lumine is still a difficult decision to make. but it's something that needs to be done if he wants to protect her. he presses a kiss to her forehead, her skin hot against his lips, before he promises that he'll be back. he will definitely be back and go back home and get their normal lives.

a moment later, he's stealing out of the room to find ajax and this god. the delusion remains clasped in his hand, the glass orb cold against his skin. when he finds the god, with ajax nowhere in sight, aether launches a stream of electricity from the delusion, looping it around her neck like a rope and tightening it with a pull of his arm. this would be easier if he had his vision, but beggars can't be choosers.

i haven't left yet, don't worry! ]

[The god stares Aether down with a wicked smile, glad that at least one of them has decided to reveal themselves. The electro rope around her neck tightens, but she seems unbothered by it, her head tilting to the side with intrigue. She grabs a hold of the electricity with one hand, yanking on it to pull Aether towards her or break the line, her laugh cold and empty as she locks eyes with him.

I can't tell you how happy that makes me. It'll give me great pleasure to finish you off right here. You should of listened to your friend and ran.]

Don't forget about me, now!

[She turns, having to manifest her sword once again to block the attack from behind that Ajax launches at her, his electro delusion sending sparks of electricity arcing through the air all around him as he throws himself into his attacks. He notices the electro rope around her neck and grins- this might end up as a bad time for her now that Aether's gotten involved.]

Hey, Aether! [He shouts between slashes, having the time of his life.] Don't let her get away from me, alright?

[He wants to mark her, so he can do a full assault, but he hasn't been able to hit her yet. He hopes with Aether's help, he'll be able to do so- and then she's going to be sorry.]

[ as terrifying as this situation is, aether can't help but feel annoyed at ajax for enjoying this so much. him feeling like he's been hit by a truck, his sister slowly dying—and yet, here he is, fighting like this is just one of those fisticuffs he's gotten into back in uni. you'd think he'd at least try to read the room, but maybe that's expecting too much from his friend.

the blond grits his teeth, digging his heels into the floor, as the god yanks the electro rope forward. almost immediately, he cuts it off when she drags him closer and closer, jumping back before that sword of hers could swing in his direction.

you could've given me a pyro delusion, idiot!

aether ducks when the god releases an arc of dark energy towards him, rolling behind one of the wooden boxes containing more delusions. he wrinkles his nose at it, tempted to ask lumine again if she's really serious about this guy, before rummaging for a pyro delusion.

a few minutes later, he emerges, now more familiar with the element he's handling. the delusion is a little more unpredictable, a little less safe but aether quickly grasps its usage, cornering the god with a barrage of fire towards ajax. when she tries to attack him with her sword, he releases a rope of pyro, letting it wrap around the blade.

ajax! ]

[Fighting two opponents at once gives them the clear advantage here, and if Aether truly wanted, he could surprise her with any variety of elemental attacks he wanted. He just needs to grab a delusion and use it, which it seems like he's sort of done here, even if it's pyro, his preferred element.

But it still surprises her, sneering at Aether as he backs her more towards Ajax and away from either himself or Lumine. Ajax grins, it was a good move, and he'll make sure it doesn't go to waste.]

On it!

[Dual blades twirl and he launches himself at her, but the god is too quick and realizes the situation that's fallen on her. The dark red blade dissipates as she releases it, dodging Ajax and his assault to fly up into the air.

I've had quite enough of you two already. If you won't sit still and die, then I'll just bury you all underneath the rubble.

An oppressive aura that radiates down from her forces Ajax to the floor, the walls shaking as the god's eyes begin to glow. Giant hands seem to sprout out from behind her, divine energy cracking the ground beneath the two men.]

Aether! This isn't good...where's Lumine?!

[ aether's more concerned about taking her down than surprising her. and if anything, he's the one being surprised instead, staring in horror as the ground starts to shake, boxes and other things tumbling all over the place. he grabs onto a nearby pole to steady himself, shutting the delusion off.

at ajax's question, he snaps, turning his head towards the direction of the room he left her in.

in there!

a response that's supposedly for ajax, but one that the god notices, her gaze flashing towards the tiny room near the exit of the warehouse.

lumine herself has started to get back up on her feet, struggling in the process, clinging to a nearby chair. her breathing has come up short and laboured, her legs shaking from the process. everything hurts, like heated blades slicing through her skin. but even before she can get out of the room, the god flashes into existence at the doorway, a maniacal look on her face.

hello, little star. let's resume where we left off. your brother can follow you after.

one of the hands crashes through the walls, tearing them open like they're made of flimsy paper, its fingers closing around lumine. ]

[Ajax nods and looks to the room, scrambling to get up to get to Lumine before the entire building caves in on them, but the sight of the god teleporting in front of him to the open door sends a chill down his spine. Fear and anxiety race through the adrenaline rush he's in the middle of, and Ajax's eyes widen when the god destroys the wall keeping her giant, black and red arms from Lumine, taking her into her grasp and turning towards them with malice and victory written on her face.]

Lumine-!

[The electro delusion responds to his will, his movement so fast it's nearly untraceable as he lands right in front of the two of them...until the god disappears out of thin air, Lumine gone with her.

A wicked laughter erupts far above him, near the rafters of the building, the god floating there with Lumine trapped in the giant hand, unable to move.

Don't worry, you can have her back after I've ripped her power right out of her. Though there won't be much you'll be able to do with her anymore.

The god's hand begins to glow a dark red again, with energy crackling around it, leaving Ajax with no way up, until a voice reminds him that he does have a way.

Save it for crucial moments.

Well, this seems crucial enough to him.]

[He doesn't have much time, as he closes his eyes and concentrates on the dark energy that seems to flow throughout the entire world, having felt it in every nook and cranny he seems to step foot on. Water and electricity surround him, and dark armor seems to materialize out of nowhere to clamp onto his body. The last time he'd tried this, he'd only lasted less than a minute, but now he feels like two steady hands come to rest on his shoulders, even if the connection is weak.

And the chaotic energy, unlike last time, seems to respond to him, quelling beneath his will and ready to be used to his liking. The transformation completes itself, dark abyssal energy radiating in a shockwave out of him as a final, red mask forms over his face to show the monster he's transformed into.

Clawed hands grasp onto a celestial double bladed polearm that's ready and aimed to pierce the heart of the god is thrown in the air directly at the god's chest, before Ajax teleports to appear right in front of her as she dodges the weapon, her eyes widening.

The punch he delivers is so hard that he sends her flying through several steel beams, teleporting again with his weapon back in his hand to bring it down through the arm that holds Lumine. The cape inscribed with the stars billows behind him with the effort, catching the severed arm and teleporting once more to bring it back down to the ground near Aether. Ajax begins to pry the fingers open to release her, gently giving her to Aether to hold.]

A̘͍͜e̞͙̪t̻͓͍h̪̻͎e̡̼͜r͙̟,̡͕̫ t͓͜a̢͓͙k̡̝̙e̢͖ h̡̡̘e̪͓͚r͍͖͜.͔͕̻ I̦͇͕ d͍͓͜o͉͙͎n̡̞̘'͇̠͍t̞̙ k̼̻͇n̞̺o̺͙͓w̪̟̙ h̡͍o͇̘w̢̘͜ l̡̘̻o̡̼̝n̘͇̟g̻͕̞ I͉͎͉ c̪̞̙a͓͍̻n͉͓͉ h͇̠̺o̞̝͜l̼͉͚d̪̞̠ t͚͇͕h̪̫͍i͉͓̟s͚̙͍ f̡͖͚o͍̫r͇͚m͔͍̝.̝̫̼ Y̦̘͙o̺͜͜u̢͎̫ g̢̫u̪̪̪y̢͙̦s̙̫͇ h̫̫a̡̻̠v̢͚͔e̙͉͓ t͕̞o̢̦ g̡̫̟o̟͚.͍͖̪ I͙̦̟'̘̟͜l̪̫͉l͚͍̟ b̠̝͍e̫̻͜ r͍̘̞i̙͉̞g͙̦̞h̠̞̟ț̘̺ b̦͖̪e͙͎͜h̠͓̺i̢̡̺n͉̘̝d͍͖̻ y͍͓̪o͉͓͜u̠̞͕,̝͔͙ I̼͖̻ p̙͚̫r͎̙̺o͔̝͕m͔̘͚i̘̟̘s̟͕͚e̠̠̦.

[ the one time lumine wanted her powers, the one moment when she actually hoped she could use it, it stops responding to her. no doubt held back and sapped away by whatever pierre fed her, she's helpless and rooted in place when that hand wraps tightly around her, her entire body screaming in pain and agony, threatening to shatter into a million pieces as she's dragged upward like a ragdoll. but she tries to hold on, wanting to keep her promise to her twin brother.

still, she's barely even able to parse what's going on, her consciousness fading in and out, stars exploding behind her eyes as the crystals continue to feed on her and the god squeezes the life out of her body. she doesn't even notice ajax, transformed into the same creature she's witnessed in her vision of lumine's final battle, losing consciousness when she's once more thrown into a whiplash.

when she wakes up, aether's cradling her in his arms as he rushes out of the warehouse, his expression that of panic and concern. ]

Ae ...

[ she meets her brother's eyes, relief flooding his expression despite the explosions inside the warehouse. but it's only after he's managed to carry her out to safety that he embraces her, seemingly finally able to breathe. lumine, on the other hand, feels fainter and fainter with each passing second, her eyes fluttering close as she listens to her twin brother's voice fade.

don't worry, we'll get you fixed right away. just stay with me, lu. stay with me, please. ]

[Pure battle lust is what keeps Ajax going, throughout this fight that seems to slowly become a losing battle for him.

He'd taken her by surprise at first, but it was obvious after prolonged fighting that she would far outlast him. Every slash, every dodge becomes harder for him as he pants heavily from the effort. His muscles scream at him and his body is starting to begin to feel like it's breaking apart. He can feel how the transformation itself is injuring him, in addition to the god's flurry of attacks. Childe's steadiness seems to be wavering, unable to keep himself connected enough to stabilize the power that's flowing through his body.

One solid punch sends him through a wall into an office, slamming into the ground as concrete flies up around him. Ajax groans, looking over and seeing a glint of red and gold on the floor next to him. Aether's vision. He picks it up, storing it away as he picks himself up off the ground, staggering.

He can't win this, and he knows it. He's got to make a tactical retreat, and make sure she doesn't follow him. Does a god truly care if the people see them? Plus his hair definitely sticks out a little too much in a crowd anyway. Ajax's mind races to think of a plan, but before he can come up with anything, the god appears right in front of him, grabbing him by the feathered collar of his armor and lifting him above her head.

You're quite hardy, Harbinger- let's see how you handle this.

And she throws him, as hard as she can, at the wall, and he sails through it as if it were made of flimsy cardboard. The warehouse is downtown, and he continues though into another building next to it, crashing inside what seems like an office space. People scream, running for their lives as a monster crashes right into a few desks, leaving cubicles evacuated as Ajax groans again. This might be the opportunity he needs to escape, but he has to hold this transformation for a bit longer...

He lumbers through the office, finding the fire exit- and at the bottom he finally lets the transformation release, falling to the floor in a coughing fit. His body is weak, but he has to keep going, running out of the building as he hears an explosion up on the floor where he just was. And he runs, he runs like his life depends on it, hearing the screams of the god that he's managed to lose.

When he finally gets far enough away, dodging into side alleys and hiding from the god's gaze, he turns his direction to the nearest hospital he knew that was downtown. Surely, Aether's taken her there because he knows that she was fed something strange. When he arrives, he gets told to wait in the lobby, and he asks if a message can be delivered to Aether and Lumine that he was there.

Ajax is hoping the god doesn't try looking for him here, staying away from windows.]

Edited 2022-07-04 20:00 (UTC)

[ of course the hospital is the first place aether takes his sister to, even though he has a feeling that he should've gone elsewhere. perhaps contacted ajax's dad or associates, if only to prevent any questions about what exactly lumine swallowed and keep the creation of the delusions on the down low and away from the volkovs. but then, he doesn't have a choice when lumine's pulse is starting to weaken, her skin turning into a grey pallor.

not a lot of questions were asked when they get there, lumine being rushed immediately to the emergency room, other than strange looks, especially of him and the blood on his shirt and hair. he waves it away, asking for his sister's treatment first before his, making up a story about something she ate.

he's about to ask if he can make a phone call at the nurse's desk but he stops when he spots familiar ginger hair in the lobby.

ajax!

aether looks relieved at the sight of his friend, excusing himself and immediately walking up to him. honestly, he wasn't sure what he'd come out as, after seeing what he's suddenly turned into. that sure is something lumine missed to tell him.

you look like shit. ]

[Archons, isn't Aether a sight for sore eyes. He limps up to him, managing a smile despite how tired and worried he is. Ajax looks exactly how Aether describes him, looking like he'd be beaten within an inch of his life. But for now, he's far more concerned with Lumine.]

Thanks, I feel like it, haha. You're not looking too well yourself.

[He gives a friendly jab, trying to keep it lighthearted, but he knows he can't for long.]

Tell me, how is she doing? Are they pumping her stomach? We have to make sure they keep those crystals, or she may still not get better. It'll only stop her from dying.

[The serious tone of his words scares even himself when he says them. He can't imagine Lumine staying weak like that. It's as if those crystals were taking more than just her powers, and he worries now that if it were sucking her life essence, she may not get that back. And what if it was absorbing the other Lumine, too? His heart drops when he considers it.]

Can we get back there?

[ aether shakes his head at that question, plopping down on one of the metal chairs in the lobby. he leans his elbows over his knees, burying his face in his hands.

the nurses said they'll call for me when it's done, but she's being treated now.

as to how lumine is doing, even he can't answer that question. aether's never seen his sister so weak before, barely conscious as he brought her into the hospital. and the fact that she was quickly wheeled into the operating room is alarming and worrying enough as it is.

a part of him blames himself for what's happened. after all, if he didn't get caught or kidnapped, then lumine wouldn't have tried to look for him and gotten in trouble.

what was it that she was fed with, anyway? some kind of poison? ]

[It takes effort, but he claps a hand on Aether's back in reassurance. Ajax can understand his worry and frustration, as he feels it too. If Lumine doesn't pull through, he doesn't know what he'll do. Perhaps blame himself for not being fast enough, for not killing Pierre sooner. He hadn't known what was happening.

His voice lowers, to answer Aether's question, keeping an eye out for anyone eavesdropping.]

It was implied that those crystals were taking her "power" from her. They...

[He doesn't want to tell Aether what they were going to do with it. It was gross, and he knows it. It would only upset him more, and he wants to focus on Lumine getting better rather than whatever terrible plans they had for her. He looks to the ground for a moment, choosing his words carefully.]

They knew it would kill her if those stones were able to absorb all of it out of her body. They taunted us. Laughed at us. But I think if we're able to at least get her body to reabsorb it back somehow, her power can return to her and she'll be right as rain again. That's why we need them when the procedure is over.

[ so it's not poison, but it's killing her anyway, all because of a power that his sister claims she never wanted in the first place. he's always wondered if there are ways to get it out of lumine so she wouldn't be burdened anymore, but he's never imagined the answer would possibly kill her. this wasn't the solution he was looking for.

... what would you do if lumine says no?

to reabsorbing those powers, to regaining them again. it seems like such an inconvenience and a burden to her when she had spoken about it.

but then, that would be akin to choosing death. and even aether would not let lumine die over this reason. he shakes his head, hating how helpless and useless he is in all of this.

anyway, what was that thing you turned into? i hope it's not a side effect of using the stuff ... your family sells.

is he going to turn into a hulking monster, too, since he's used a delusion? aether shudders to think. ]

[He's glad that Aether doesn't make him answer that first question, because he can't tell him how she doesn't have much of a choice. That if she loses them, the terror and the attacks won't stop, it'll only leave her helpless to fight back. His heart feels like it's being squeezed too tightly, because if they have the means to steal her power from her, the means to posses her, what other means do they have?

The question about his transformation is far more welcome, even if it is hard to walk around. Ajax takes a deep breath, to save his strength, and give him a moment to think on how to answer it.]

I don't...exactly know what I turned into.

[He can't make eye contact with Aether, because there's a lot he doesn't understand about it. It's just an ability he has now, one that's so powerful that even Yae said he could make an archon pause.]

The only thing I really know is that I can feel this energy running through the entire world, and somehow, I can tap into it. When I do...that's what happens. ...It's not related to what you're thinking of at all. Those are pretty safe to use, overall. We've purposely made it that way.

[He reassures, because he doesn't want Aether to think he'd just turn into a monster one day.]

[ that's a relief to hear, at least. but it still doesn't make sense to him. then again, nothing about this entire situation has ever made sense to him. but there isn't any reason for lumine to lie about this to him, and even if she does, it's still a tall story to tell for his sister.

he just closes his eyes, stitching together everything he knows so far and now this. all it tells him is that he still knows very little about what's truly going on around him, is still protected by his own sister.

i guess as long as i don't turn into that and you don't sleep in it with my sister, then it doesn't matter what it is.

and if he does, aether doesn't want to know. he'd rather fight that thing all over again than hear anything about his sister's sex life. he's honestly beyond exhausted right now, and it's only lumine's condition that's driving him to be awake and alive.

speaking of which, did you two finally talk while i was gone? i'd hate to think you both ran a rescue mission while still ignoring each other.

it doesn't seem that way, though, with how the both of them kept asking for each other throughout the incident. ]

[Ajax only turns his mouth up at the sleeping comment, not having considered that in the first place. Leave it to Aether to think of something like that, he supposes. He stays quiet on the matter, hoping for forget about it and move on to the next topic, which thankfully Aether makes the change to- the agreement he had with Lumine.]

Haha, I followed your advice and we did talk. I don't know how on board she was initially about dropping our plans, but I think after this, I won't take no from her for an answer.

[Because there's no way they can continue living their life as normal now. Not after being kidnapped, not after what happened in that warehouse. The memory is only but half an hour old, at best, so fresh that there's still goosebumps that raise on his skin when he thinks about that god being out there and still on the lookout for them.]

We've got to come up with a plan for somewhere for the two of you to live. But we'll talk after Lumine is out of here.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

2/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject