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

[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.

[ sure, ajax can say that he won't take no for an answer from lumine, but aether knows his sister better than anyone else. when she decides that she doesn't want something, then she'll put her foot down and won't accept anything else. he supposes that that's going to be an amusing conversation to listen to, knowing how stubborn they both are.

still, ajax is right about one thing: they need to find a place to stay in in the meantime. their apartment no longer works, not when it's been breached before.

i don't know if lumi will be able to get out of the hospital anytime soon, not with what happened.

his sister seemed to be thoroughly weakened by whatever those crystals are, which makes him wonder if it really just has something to do with her powers. especially when she's only acquired those powers recently. or is it affecting her in some other way?

aether says nothing about that, though, just keeping his eyes on the hallway leading to the operating room.

what ideas do you have about where we could stay? ]

[With a groan and shooting pains in his chest that he suspects might be broken ribs, he sits back in his chair and rubs his face. He had a few ideas, but all of them made him nervous. With gods on their side, where is truly safe for them to stay?]

My first thought would be to put the two of you deep into our own territory. A good section of downtown is ours, and the people living in it all have come around to support us whenever we ask them to. If anything suspicious is happening there, we'll know about it before they even get within a few miles of where I want to put the two of you.

[That's the most secure place he can think of, as he lets his body relax despite the constant intense soreness he feels from the battle he'd just fled from.]

Alternatively, we could find you somewhere else, a new apartment that would go under a different name- but you run the risk of infiltration without surveillance. It's obvious now that posting guys around isn't making a difference. And I don't think it would matter if you worked remotely, I'm relatively positive they'll still find you.

[ aether doesn't know if he likes the idea of living in the volkov's territory. the fact that lumine's involved with ajax is already a worry in itself, and his family getting roped into this mess will be even more. but do they really have a choice, though? no matter how hard he tries to protect lumine from that side of his work, it doesn't seem like it's enough.

ajax, that place was your family's warehouse, wasn't it?

and that's what worries him the most. because if their enemies infiltrate and use the volkov's own territory, then doesn't that mean it might have infiltrated the family too? if so, wouldn't they be just as in danger if they stayed with them?

aether wonders if they can move to a different nation—change their names, appearances, everything. but then, that would mean that they'd always be on the run, always hiding, never living a normal life.

... anyway, he sighs deeply, squeezing his eyes shut as his head throbs painfully. now that he's sitting down, he can feel the concussion he has like a beating tattoo. shouldn't you get yourself checked? we're in a hospital, you know. ]

[The thing was, Aether is right. It was their warehouse, albeit not one of their main ones. An offshoot, one that hasn't been used much. But it was still theirs. And they took it from them, leaving it in a pile of rubble now. Ajax pauses to close his eyes and listen, as if he were going to hear the screech of the god he'd just squared off with.]

I'm not moving until I know if Lumine is alright. If I'm not there and there's a screw up of sorts, then I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Once that's taken care of, I'll seek a doctor.

[Whatever pain he feels now would be nothing in comparison to if she died, if she weren't able to regain her strength, if anything left her debilitated and unable to fight back in case of another attack...

He takes a deep breath, trying not to think about it. She'll be fine, he just needs to wait until they're able to talk to the doctor about her condition, what was taken out of her stomach, and how he can retrieve it.]

Aether, would you do me a favor and see how long it will be until we can get some news? I'm getting a bit antsy now that I've lingered on that thought longer than I'd of liked.

[ aether's tempted to tell him that lumine won't be too happy that he's putting off getting himself checked until the last minute. but it's clear that he's not winning this argument. if anything, he's in the exact same situation with his head and he's definitely going to get called out too if he keeps on insisting.

instead, he just gets up and walks over to the nurse's station to get any word. anything news at all that would tell them lumine's condition. unfortunately, all the nurse could tell him is that his sister is still being treated, and that one of the doctors will speak to him once the procedure is over.

and that's the exact thing that he tells ajax, sitting back down next to him and folding his arms across his chest. look, he tried, okay? maybe he can do it the next round.

she might need to stay a few days here, depending on how stable her condition will be after the procedure.

aether doesn't mind if his sister has to stay in the hospital a little longer. but that's worrying in itself since that means her strength hadn't be recovered and her condition would thus be something that needs to be monitored.

i should prepare lumi's stuff just in case. ]

[Ajax settles himself, trying to get himself in the most comfortable position as he can find. He might be here for a while longer, as he watches the nurse shake her head to Aether, receiving the same response. He groans, sighing, but he could hold out a little while longer.]

Her stuff? Do you mean like her laptop so she can work?

[Which is something he'd expect of her, closing his eyes. Will she even have the strength to do so?]

It might be a better idea to call her assistant to do it, even if I think she should rest, or even if it's just clothing that you need to get. That god is still out there. I lost her a ways back, but I had to make a tactical retreat or she would have ended me. I don't know where she is now.

[He opens an eye, to give a worried glance to Aether. He can't imagine him getting kidnapped again. Nor is Ajax in any condition to try to go after him if something does happen.]

Stay here, please. You need to be looked at too, you know.

[ aether doesn't like it either, but with he knows lumine better than anyone else. and work always comes first with her over everything.

still, ajax is right. getting out there right now, especially with him having retreated from the fight, is dangerous. the god could be looking for them and would most likely look in places it expects they would go to, like their apartment. still, if this is a thing that will loom over their head, how will they even leave this place? surely ajax has a plan, right?

i don't want to hear that from the guy who refuses to get himself treated. anyway, i need to make a phone call.

he gets up once more from his seat to approach the nurse's station. the nurse points him towards a payphone of sorts, unable to allow him to use their own phone.

... ajax, do you have change? ]

Hey-!

[Taking a breath deep enough to protest keeps him from arguing further, though he believes that's not true! He's going to get medical care...after Lumine is done with the procedure. Ajax huffs instead, staying still in the seat, watching Aether try to make a phone call.

The look on his face is of bewilderment that payphones still exist somewhere in the world, fumbling around in his pockets for some coin. He produces a few mora, holding it out to Aether to get from him. Ajax doesn't think he's ready to stand quite yet, saving his strength for when he can see Lumine.

Lumine. His mind goes to her for a moment, wondering if she's okay.]

Here, this is all I've got, though. I don't normally carry cash on me unless I need to.

[He's sure Aether understands exactly what he means by that.]

[ that's more than enough to make a phone call or two, aether calling his assistant to let him know that he's still alive and to grab a few things for him in the apartment. he'd prefer as well if this is something they could keep on the down low, at least until they've sorted things out. his assistant quickly understands, noting down his request for a change of clothes, his laptop and a call to his bank and to have it brought to the hospital.

the next call aether makes is to their lawyer, wanting to know what happened during his kidnapping. surely, they didn't suspect lumine for it, did they?

it takes him several minutes to speak with both individuals, hanging up the phone just in time to find a doctor approaching him, gestured over by one of the nurses. a part of aether dreads what he's about to say.

she's out of the woods, for now, but she needs rest and we need to monitor her if her condition improves, so we recommend having her stay here for the next few days. you can sign on her behalf, as her brother.

aether glances at ajax before he nods at the doctor. the thing she swallowed, were you able to get it all out of her?

the doctor gives him a nod, explains to him that it's a poison they've never seen or encountered before. so they're hoping to get it investigated first. ]

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