Lucaen synced to the only Linking Port in Enarc, a quiet corner in the vast region. His vision settled in the Council of Cort in front of him. The windows alongside the hall revealed the state. Chaotic, yet empty. The central too, full of moving husks abiding an empty decree.
Shouting, lieutenants, soldiers.
Defend the region, defend the people.
Yet, Aurelius' chamber was quiet even from this corner. The absence of his exo filling the space was unbefitting. The silence of their training was unbefitting.
Whose order were they following?
When the leader had abandoned them?
Anything tied to Aurelius, will always end in disaster. Paperwork for him every time.
And without missing, he would come to me to assist him.
Every problem, every hindrance, he always comes to me.
Then why? Why did it feel wrong with every step he took towards the door? As if, confronting with dignity had no place in this situation?
Why is he going further away when he always shortens it?
Lucaen's claw covered the grill window's bar. The materials were harsh, brittle, sullying his pristine EXA.
Was expecting you to come to me, chaining you to my ideals?
"Then,"
"I do not care of your feelings." His claws trailed the rims.
"Live for the sake of service."
He brought the grill to his side, shattering it into pieces. Announcing his presence to the ghost region.
If I have to reposition you as my lieutenant, so be it.
His left clawed feet hooked the frame of the shattered window. Knee to his chest as he propelled himself out of the building. The wind billowed in his ears. The robe seemingly softened the land uselessly with a thud.
Tevar alone is sufficient to home him.
The graphite path skewed from the impact of Lucaen's exo. His white EXA now painted with the grey material ground between his clawed feet. The height of the fourth floor did not move him. He felt no physical pain.
How can he when his tolerance was occupied internally?
The Enarchies cowered for a brief moment, before recovering with an engaged defensive stance. Their gaze all fell at the exo with a never ending swirls of mist emitted on him.
"Move." His head stood still. Tail swaying agitatedly.
"Aurelius does not need all of you."
Within seconds, the air grated his plates. Valtron emerged a step away from Lucaen with a grip that bordered on drawing blood. "I did not ask you to help us with cynicism."
What a bold claim. He scoffed.
"Tevarians are on their way."
You lots are worthless. Stayed helplessly while your lord offered himself.
"Let them in, under my order as the high justiciar of the whole Elysium."
Enarc was a mistake. A failure of a state.
"They will aid you as per my lieutenant's capabilities."
"Other generals will be helping you-"
Valtron unsheathed his claymore. Slamming it in front of Lucaen's path with a muted thud, rupturing the path. "You speak as if our lord holds no authority."
"Think as you may. I hold no high expectations for the Enarchies' intellect." Without any slight hesitation, Lucaen stepped on the blade. It tilted by his weight, his heel sliced, leaving pieces ignored. He used the blade as his launching pad to storm the northern gate. Leaving Valtron stunned by the absence of vocalized pain.
The gate loomed with a common steel grille. The corps hastily parted from sensing the projectile aiming straight towards Echolon. Some tried to intervene-
"Make way!" Valtron gestured with his right hand. Vanished to appear by the top of the northern wall, opening the gate with a bitter salute.
A brigadier turned away, "Tevarians inbound!"
"Be alert, approximate 400 infantry. A company, Sir!" voicing his thoughts before it became a distant noise for Lucaen.
The sand seeped through the cracks. Hot, harsh, into the crevices of his feet. His heel stung by the second. The desert was empty. Only the whirls of the sand welcomed him.
This temperature..
With every push of his hind, only made his feet dig deeper. Harder for him to move. The injury pounded repeatedly from the heat. His other parts didn't register the pain as intensely as his heel.
"Jackal." Blinded pounced out of Lucaen's chest onto the heating sand. Only for it to evaporate as it paws touched the sand with a soft whimper.
Figured.
Lucaen didn't revive Blinded. Its death told many things. The sand was intentionally hotter.
Aurelius had begun his erasure.
[Report: 3 Judgements Had Been Made]
Lucaen forced through the weight, the pain, even at the cost of his own rhythm fracturing. All of these are repairable. Fixable.
Aurelius was, his brother.
[Avier Ruled]
I can't sense him.
His vision darted to his right. Osthm's architecture was visible from the distance.
No helminths.
Lucaen loosened his robe around his collar. Shifting it, letting him breathe. It was suffocating him.
Just, a glimpse.
"Tell me, Blinded."
Let me see him.
[Northwest.]
Lucaen shifted, sliding to a halt.
[For your safety, Master, ]
[Do not come near.]
Pivoted towards the northwest, Blinded died towards the northwest.
[Operational Prowess Dropped]
[Warning: Helminth Inbound. Operational Prowess Optimal Use 10%]
[Skills Inactive]
Aurelius must be that way.
[Report: General Aurelius]
[Heat Threshold Reached]
[Do Not Engage]
[AOE 10x10Km]
[Ongoing Rhythm Fracturing]
[Do Not Engage]
[Warning: Disruptive Area. Operational Prowess Optimal Use 10%]
[Report: Judgement Of Tevar Active]
[Report: Maat Skill Active]
It didn't take long to find an exo heating the sands of the Forbidden. The rapid melting of the helminths unknowingly filled the soundscape. Aurelius was immobilized within the watchful eyes of Seyvron above the sky. Seemingly cooling Aurelius with every flap of his wings.
Aurelius's talons were deep into the sand, as if he were embraced by it despite the visible pain. His exo was ventilating him rapidly. Wings forgotten behind.
Yet, fragile even in his misery.
Helminths blurred, melted the moment they stepped into his AOE. Multiple of them, wave upon wave. Upper body merged with their lower, tail dropping, flesh of multiple abominations evaporated.
He's dying.
A sword materialized right behind Seyvron as Solivane aimed.
The tungsten reddened, shoulders locked in an attempt to shift it. His body was overheating. Melting from the inside.
[Do Not Engage]
The glint of rhenium caught Lucaen's eyes. The tip of the sword was directed at Aurelius' wings fusion.
He leaped from his daze. "Aurelius!"
Solivane flinched at Lucaen's voice, pivoting to throw his sword right through his robe. When the black figure who was kneeling in the desert turned to face his voice, that was all that Lucaen needed.
[Immersed Heat Detected]
His right claw raised at Solivane's chest. Freezing his core from below.
[Core Halted]
[EXA Armor Stressed Limited]
Solivane for a brief moment, fell pathetically. Wings dragged by the wind mindlessly above the ground. Halting Seyvron from his fanning as he reached for the titanium exo. Digging his talons into Solivane's arm, holding him before throwing him far from the heat, from the AOE.
Friction sparks of Seyvron's beryllium meeting titanium fell onto Aurelius. The sudden contrasting temperature crept into him. His head turned, scanning the unavailing crow. Solivane's exo was void of operational heat in Aurelius' thermal HUD. Enough to make Aurelius scramble from his attempt to save him.
Always prioritizing his people, in exchange for disregarding himself. Hypocrite.
[Mana Unstable]
[Skill Nullified]
Solivane's wings fluttered mid-air just in time before he hit the lethal heat. Maneuvering horizontally to meet Lucaen's back.
"My lord!"
[Do Not Engage]
Aurelius recoiled at Solivane's penetrating call. Looking up to Seyvron, who had used his own dripping fluids to cool Aurelius' plates. He shifted himself, legs pushing him upwards inordinately with his delayed responsive joints.
[Commence, Realm of Dissonance]
Lucaen's exo unmoved.
[DEF Dropped]
[Regulation Failed]
"Realm of Dissonance."
Followed by Aurelius' exo stilling. The weight of his tungsten caused the sand to neutralize his heat.
The last visible thing as Lucaen secured Aurelius' rhythm was, Solivane slashing the air in the direction of the helminths again and again. Cutting the wave in half as Seyvron evoked a metal border around them.