toaedgeofeden:
Veiled in Black
Ro had been prepared to take on the investigation of Issyk on her own, as she was with most things. If no one could trust Nine because of his affiliation with the empire, no matter how he’s claimed to have given up his loyalty, she couldn’t blame them. But she wanted to give him a fair chance. The destruction caused by the “javelins of light,” as he had called them, was far too devastating for them to confront head on, and should the empire find their base… everything they had been working for would be gone in a flash of light. To attack the weapon at its source was their only option, and Nine their only lead. But they couldn’t exactly plunge straight into the heart of the empire on his word alone. They needed more information.
And if Ethlyn was still alive and not in the hands of the empire, then there was a chance she could be in Issyk - either on the run or… No, Ro refused to believe that.
Owain volunteering to accompany her was both an honor and a surprise, and that he would assemble a small crew to investigate - even more so. She cannot offer him enough of her gratitude, but thank-yous remain firmly under her tongue, and she follows behind him in silence.
That is, until screams erupt from somewhere in the city. Kris and Est run ahead to try to pinpoint a source, or at least a direction, but Ro stays behind with Owain. She glances up at him.
“What do you think that was?”
Next: @poweroverflowing
Caution is cast aside as a shriek pierces the white noise of Issyk’s crowds. It cuts through the night air like a blade, turning Owain’s ear to the source and forcing concern on his face. “Imperial activity, I’d bet,” is Ro’s answer, “Hurry! A hero is never idle; we might be able to stop them in time!”
And so, off he runs! Footwork is made much faster so that Owain moves with haste, dodging through people in the street like branches in bramble. One hand rests on Missiletainn, the other on Parallel Missiletainn, and both are ready to unsheathe. Should the threat present itself as he rapidly approaches it, he’d be able to feed them blunted steel or buckshots of lead. He is goaded on by the need to act, to potentially stop another life or precious item from being claimed by that dastardly empire. Even if he is meant to be in disguise, there is likely something he can do while retaining anonymity. Strike from the shadows, move fast and hard enough to not be noticed, pose as a simple vigilante trying to adjudicate the situation--his options are plenty.
There are a few shops Owain passes in his rush, but he pays them no mind. They might have been sources of information earlier, but now he cares not to investigate them. That’ll come later. He’s searching for imperial uniforms, swaths of troops, and any out-of-place equipment. Of course, Owain doesn’t know that Malo’s forces are also in disguise, nor that the scream was not their fault for once.
One set of stairs is climbed, and then he arrives at another. Ragged breaths draw and exhale the humid air of Issyk’s night. There are people moving faster than he as they descend its narrow steps, and he feels like a salmon trying to ascend a raging waterfall. They are definitely up there. Owain just needs to prepare himself for conflict. But with attempts to climb bearing little fruit, it is now that he recognizes he might have been moving too fast for his entire party to catch up. So he turns back to his allies. Did they manage okay, or would he regrettably have to go back and fetch someone again?















