#scarlen

Zedryk- @sheephat

Genesis- @noot-scoot

Cain- @shadowoa

Athena- @phoenixfireartists 

Chloris- @lealilies 

Llyud- @listheninja 

Draco crossed his arms “Quite the name. You’d think BLADE HQ knows exactly how hard this is gonna be.”

“They wouldn’t send us out here to die.” Scarlen stated, igniting his Photon Saber to give it a once over before putting it away.

Jaynix had frozen with her hands on her Gatling Gun and whispered.

“They wouldn’t send us out here to die…would they?”

As Aeviann and Scarlen continued to ensure their weapons were in perfect shape, Draco walked over to Jaynix and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Hey.”

He saw that she was unmoving and her eyes were wide.

“Jaynix. Remember. BLADE isn’t the Coalition. They wouldn’t do this to you, especially not to you. Not after what you’ve been through.”

“How can you be sure?”

Draco gestured at the rest of the team “We’re all pretty good BLADEs if I do say so myself. The last thing they’d ever want to do is send us to our deaths. They gave you this mission because they believed in you just as much as they believe in Kruse and Elma to take on Dadaan. You aren’t alone. I’m here. Scarlen’s here. Aevi’s here.”

Taking a deep breath, Jaynix nodded and turned to Draco. “Thank you…for everything.”

He grinned and walked off towards Scarlen.

“Jaynix. Are you okay?”

Her eyes moved to find Aeviann.

“Yeah…maybe…a little nervous but otherwise. I’m good.”

The other woman smiled “Good.”

Jaynix watched as Aeviann kept staring at her, she of course found herself doing the same.

“Jaynix-”

“Aevi-”

The pair began laughing, Jaynix commenting “We do this all the time.”

Aeviann nodded “We really do. Odd how in sync we are.”

“I wish we weren’t sometimes, makes things awkward.”

They continued laughing, Jaynix stopping first. “I needed that. Loosened the nerves. I’m sure we can do this now.”

The two began walking, Draco falling in step as Scarlen noticed something.

“Hey Jaynix, where’s your sword.”

Her hand came to her back, “I forgot to get it?”

Eyes moving over to Aeviann, she felt a small grin come on “Guess I got distracted.”

She turned as Scarlen walked up to her and gave her the weapon.

“Thanks.”

Jaynix felt someone watching her and glanced to Draco who was shaking his head, but smiling.

The four began moving into the cave, Blattas scurrying about as they made their way through. Draco and Scarlen kept their gazes fixed on the area around them just in case any Indigen got a little wily.

“Jaynix.”

She looked to Aeviann.

“Were you going to…say something to me?”

“I was…but…I think I’ll wait.”

Aeviann tilted her head as Jaynix continued “It’ll feel much better to say it after we complete this mission. Keep you in anticipation.”

Jaynix winked at the other woman who felt her face heat up “If you’re certain…”

“What about you, Aevi? What were you going to say?”

She couldn’t help but giggle before responding with “It’s a secret.”

Jaynix began laughing again as the four entered the wide poisonous pool area. Carefully they split up and began searching for any signs of the Chimeroid Tyrant.

Draco noticed a pile of dead Indigens in the poison and waded over to get a closer look. He heard gunfire and turned to see Scarlen had woken a Falsaxum, Jaynix rushing to his aid as she always did.

Turning back to the Indigens he noted the rips and tears all over their body. Whatever ate them did so with reckless abandon. It mutilated them

“Is that…”

Draco pulled his sunglasses down to look over them, sure enough it was a Mimeosome arm, no doubt of one of the BLADEs that went missing.

Wading around he found an opening in the cave wall that led up a poison stream.

Bringing out his comm device he called the team over.

Together they followed the long tunnel, passing countless dead Indigens and far more Mimeosome pieces than they cared to admit.

Turning through another tunnel, Scarlen couldn’t help but ask “Has this always been here?”

Aeviann shrugged “I’ve been to this cave before but…I don’t think it was…it’s been a long time.”

Draco and Jaynix in front came to an immediate halt, Scarlen and Aeviann following shortly after.

Through one last opening was another open cavern and in the middle of it, lying on the ground was the massive white Chimeroid: Lugalbanda.

Draco and Jaynix made eye contact with each other and nodded before turning to the two behind them.

Together the four proceeded through the opening and drew their weapons.

Jaynix had never seen a Chimeroid up close, only in the Enemy Index and that did not show her anywhere near the gruesome level of detail that was the body of this…thing.

Jaynix held a hand up to signal the attack when a loud painful bleat filled the cave. Spinning around she found a terribly injured Ovis, it saw her and was crying out for help.

She then heard Scarlen “Shit!”

Flipping around again the Tyrant was on its feet, gaping maw opened it threw itself at Scarlen who barely dodged the attack only for one of its tails to whip him across the cave.

“Shit! Open fire!” Jaynix yelled, drawing her Gatling Gun she began pelting it with a storm of bullets as Aeviann fired with her Sniper Rifle.

Draco closed the distance and began carving up one its legs with his blade.

Standing, Scarlen focused his gaze on the Tyrant, ignited his Photon Saber and shot at the creature, dodging in between its tails his blade flashed.

The Tyrant roared as one of its tails fell to the ground.

Spinning around, the beast knocked Draco away, Scarlen avoiding the strike as Aeviann backed away.

Switching to her blade, Jaynix ran in next to Scarlen and they began attacking the beast as it reared up, inhaling.

“Get back!” Draco yelled as the creature let loose a terrible energy beam across the cave, searing through the air and melting through the cave walls, the intense heat radiating from the attack left burns all over Jaynix and Scarlen as they rolled across the ground, away from the creature.

Switching to her Javelin, Aeviann made eye contact with Draco and nodded, with the other two on the ground, this pair charged in and began attacking the Tyrant’s sides.

“Scarlen! You okay?”

He stood up and nodded to Jaynix “Yeah, we’ve got to be careful, who knows what else this thing can do.”

Jaynix spat “Won’t matter, we’ve got it.”

Scarlen and Jaynix joined their allies in striking the beast, dodging its attacks as best they could. Swinging out, it clipped Aeviann and threw her to the floor before lunging at Jaynix. One of the creature’s legs made direct contact with her chest, knocking the wind out of her. Next thing she knew she hit a cave wall.

Turning with blinding speed, the Tyrant barreled towards Scarlen only for Draco to intercept.

“Scarlen!”

He nodded “Right!”

Backing off he focused and commanded the energy around him to heal Jaynix and Aeviann. The latter cast a look over to her fallen ally.

“Jaynix!”

“I’m fine…get this bastard!”

Nodding Aeviann fell in line with Scarlen and backed up Draco.

As the abomination howled in pain, Jaynix stood up and gripped her blade tighter.

Swinging it, she burst into flames.

“You pissed off the wrong BLADE!”

She charged the creature and let loose three powerful strikes, staggering the beast and forcing it to back away.

She spun her blade and charged again, cutting a deep swathe through the Tyrant.

Roaring in pain it lunged away from the four.

Draco nodded as Scarlen called out “We’ve got it! All together!”

Jaynix charged with the three right on her as the Chimeroid faced her.

All of a sudden, she heard voices, countless voices and tripped over herself.

Falling to the ground her hands came to hear head, the other three skidded to a halt.

Jaynix began screaming, as the endless voices flooded her mind. This wasn’t a panic attack. This wasn’t her PTSD flaring up. This was something far worse.

Finally, one voice stood out amongst the others.

“Pick up your sword.”

Oddly enough she did so but…she didn’t want to.

“Stand up. Turn around.”

She did so once again, she could now see Scarlen, Draco and Aeviann looking at her, concerned. Asking her if she was alright.

“Fight!”

She realized what was happening and charged the three of them, her blade striking all of them and throwing them to the ground.

Groaning in pain, Draco rolled over “What just happened?”

He turned to Jaynix and saw her eyes wide with fear.

“It’s not me. It’s not me!”

Gripping her blade, she charged Draco again, Aeviann blocking her strike.

“No! No! All of you get away from me!”

Kneeing Aeviann in the gut, she spun around and kicked her in the head, throwing her to the ground again before spinning about and launching herself at Scarlen who barely avoided her strikes.

Standing Draco nodded to himself and ran towards Scarlen and Jaynix.

“I can’t attack her! I don’t want to hurt her!”

Scarlen covered himself as Jaynix’s furious blade closed in, only for Draco to block it.

“Scarlen! Go help Aevi! The Tyrant is doing this, you have to kill it!”

“What about you?”

“I’ll handle Jaynix!”

Scarlen looked between the two of them before running over to Aeviann.

“Draco. It’s not me.”

“I know Jaynix!

He found himself on the defensive against her furious blows, he’d always seen her temper and her rage when she lets loose on Indigens but he never imagined being on the receiving end of it. There was such fury but also immense control.

If he didn’t fight back-

“What are you doing Draco!?”

“I’m not going to hurt you Jaynix!”

He felt her blade cut into one of his legs, gritting his teeth he jumped away only for her to charge right after him, still engulfed in flames.

Blades locking, Draco found himself pushed against a cave wall.

“Draco.”

He looked at her eyes, “Please. I don’t…I don’t want to hurt you. Or Scarlen. Or Aevi. You have to stop me. No matter what.”

“Jaynix I-”

“Please!”

Closing his eyes, Draco nodded to himself. Wound her. At the very least.

Breaking her guard his blade sliced through the air, slashing through her legs, bringing her to her knees.

He looked from Jaynix to Aeviann and Scarlen, who were being pushed back, the Tyrant seemed to have regained most of its depleted energy.

Jaynix stood again, surprising Draco. He barely avoided a savage strike from her. He’d slashed her legs deep enough to prevent her from standing at least for the time being. But she was moving like she didn’t even feel it.

A pull in Jaynix’s mind caused her to spin around and charge Scarlen and Aeviann.

Draco ran after her as quickly as he could, watching as she stabbed Scarlen in the back and kicked him to the ground before turning her blade on Aeviann.

Draco slid in front of her at the last second, Jaynix’s blade burying itself deep in his side, and his doing the same to her.

“Scarlen! Draco! Jaynix!”

Aeviann looked at Jaynix’s eyes, she’d never seen such fear in anyone’s gaze.

“Aevi!”

She looked to Draco “You have to kill it! Please. Before Jaynix kills me or…I kill her.”

Aeviann tried to answer only for Jaynix to rip her blade through and out of Draco, protoplasmic fluid staining the cave floor.

Falling to his knees Draco looked up at Jaynix “Fight this!”

“I can’t!” She cried raising her blade as an Afterburner round buried itself in her chest, the force of the blow pushing Jaynix back before exploding and throwing her to the cave floor.

Draco turned to Aeviann who was in shock over what she just did.

The Tyrant seemed to be in pain as well, the mental link it established with Jaynix, breaking.

Aeviann’s eyes moved from Scarlen, to Draco, to Jaynix. Clenching her teeth, she looked to the Tyrant. A powerful white glow covering her body and the ground around her. Overdrive.

Draco watched Aeviann’s tranquil fury as her bullets ripped through the Chimeroid and her Javelin sliced more of its limbs off. One last powerful bullet shot into its chest and exploded, creating a massive hole, the beast fell to the ground, still twitching, still alive.

Aeviann turned to her fallen team, Draco gestured to Jaynix before practically dragging himself over to Scarlen.

“You alright, man?”

Scarlen had a hand on his lower torso where Jaynix’s blade had torn through.

He groaned “I’ll live. Damn. What about you?”

Scarlen’s eyes moved to the still leaking wound across Draco’s side and through his torso.

“I’d rather not think about it.”

Scarlen struggled to sit up and began looking over Draco’s wounds as Aeviann knelt down next to Jaynix.

“Please still be alive.”

She brought a hand to the side of Jaynix’s neck, feeling a pulse she let out the longest, heaviest sigh she could.

“Jaynix.”

The woman opened her eyes and looked at Aeviann.

“Am I dead? I see…the most beautiful angel.”

Aeviann shook her head, emotions flooding her mind “Jaynix…not now…”

The woman on the ground grinned “Sorry…couldn’t resist…”

Aeviann looked over Jaynix’s body, seeing the large burn on her chest, it had seared through the covering of her mim and she could see the mechanical structure below.

“I’m sorry. I-”

Jaynix shook her head “Don’t apologize. You did what you had to. I’m glad.”

Aeviann stood up and held a hand out, Jaynix grabbed it only to realize her legs were not cooperating. The Curator helped Jaynix up as best she could only for her to cry out in pain now that she was fully standing.

“M-my legs…shit…”

Aeviann helped Jaynix over to a rock, as the Interceptor sat she looked to her side to see the same Ovis, the one that was injured, that had called for help and started the fight. Secretly she hoped to save it, maybe take it home…but here it was, more thoroughly eaten. Dead.

She narrowed her eyes before hearing a heavy huff, Jaynix and Aeviann turned to see, the Tyrant was still breathing, albeit very slowly and in very clear pain.

“Aevi, can I have your rifle?

Nodding, Aeviann gave her the weapon and stood back as Jaynix aimed it at the Tyrant, a single shot fired, the Tyrant’s head exploding into pieces.

“Fuck you.”

Outside the Cesspool, Jaynix sat in the back seat of her rover, looking over to Scarlen “Thanks for carrying me…”

“No problem.”

“Sorry I stabbed you in the back…”

“It wasn’t you. You have to know that.”

She smiled as Scarlen moved over to the passenger seat, Aeviann sat in the driver’s seat and turned the Rover on. As it began moving, Jaynix looked to Draco, to the injury that Scarlen patched up as best he could.

“Don’t apologize, Jaynix. You’ve done enough of that.

“But I-”

“None of us knew what that thing was capable of…but we’re alive. All of us. This is a win. A very painful win but a win nonetheless.”

Jaynix let out a heavy sigh.

“A win.”

The drive was silent until Aeviann asked “Hey Jaynix. Whose kill does this count as?”

Jaynix thought for a bit “Yours. Definitely yours.”

Scarlen and Draco nodded in agreement, Aeviann smiling.

Back outside the East Gate of New LA, several MMC doctors who were called to meet them were there to take two patients. Jaynix insisted they take Scarlen and Draco, she could wait.

As they left, Draco gave her a thumbs up.

Slowly, Jaynix looked to Aeviann “Still interested in what I was gonna say?”

“I actually want to say what I was going to say first...this whole mission has left me…I just…I understand now far too well by what people mean when they say they waited too long.”

The pair took a deep breath before Jaynix asked “On three?”

Eyes locking, the words forced themselves out and the pair asked at the same time.

“Will you go out with me!?”