User blog:Roinelll/Solace 3-08

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Rebellion's Beacon

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I saw it coming, the energy blast impacting into the building, engulfing it completely and the shock wave it caused.

Why?

Because I was foolish to turn back in that moment, instead of falling to my death.

Go me...

While Kota jumped from the window and the blast knocked him off-balance, I was merely blasted into the wall across the window. My impact into the surface actually caused a small crater and the force of the explosion managed to keep me pressured into it, prolonging the exposure to the scorching otherworldly energy that he me in full for a few seconds.

A few second, but the burns I suffered during that short interval made it feel like I've been exposed to hellfire for eons. Although, I knew that it was all in my head, yet the pain was driving me crazy. Quit lucky if I have to say, that I can't scream my lungs out although, I was still attempting to do it.

As the explosion finally passed came the worst part, as my singed and battered body dislodged from the small crevice it created and started free fall. Topping that off the pain finally got to my head and I was loosing consciousness.

Way to go...

-What do you mean I can't?- I stared at C, who was sitting in front of me rather casually.

"I said you are too reckless." The pale girl sighed, looking right at me. I could somehow feel that she was locking eyes with me, through her mask even. "Can you understand what would happen would you lose control?"

-Why don't you enlighten me then?- I typed away sarcastically and glared at the girl, who just sighed.

"Your body underwent a change, even you can feel it, right?" C asked, to which I've nodded slightly. "Your arms are rather... peculiar in this case, amongst many others."

-Why don't you tell me then?- I probed her, it was rare to get straight answers anyways. -It would benefit me the most to know as much as possible, no?-

"Yes." The pale girl leaned back and sighed, a deep and tired sigh left her. "And no."

-Make up your mind.-

"I can explain what is going on, but... That's not going to guarantee that you will understand what is happening."

-Do it.- My mind was set firmly already. -Please.- I've added.

"Right..." C started collecting her thoughts, before she started the explanation. "Are you sure?"

-C!!-

"..." The pale girl sighed once again. "I fucked up."

-What?- I blinked at her, but she didn't respond. A half minute passed, when I lost patience. -C, talk to me.-

"You remember your first mission with Sakuya?" I nodded slightly to the question and the pale girl shook her head. "There you were injured by a Cocoon Maiden."

-Yes, that was a very painful experience. Freaking Maiden stabbed me in the shoulder.- I winced, remembering that event.

"Impaled you actually." C corrected me and I blinked, come to think of it she was right. "It went clean through your shoulder, leaving a gaping wound."

-Wait. What does this have to do with me now? I'm healed already from that a long time ago.- I started rattling my head, when something started to gnaw at the back of my mind. -Did... I get infected there?-

"On the contrary." The pale girl was fumbling with the mask under her hood. "Your cells proved to be far superior for the simple Cocoon Maiden and infected it actually."

-So what's the problem, we killed it.- I raise my eyebrow, not really understanding what would be the concern of her. -OH wait... You're going to tell me something that makes it connected to the Cocoontail, right?-

"Clever girl." C chuckled as her shoulders dropped. "Killing an Aragami is not a solution and you were rather lucky you didn't remove the core either then."

-Why?-

"Because this way the infection didn't travel back to the source." She pressed her lips together forming a thin line, grimacing silently. "But that also means that when trouble followed up, there was no stopping it."

-Stop beating around the bush already!- I so wanted to snap at her, but the voice module didn't convey my feelings at all. -So the Maiden turned into that thing, big deal.-

"The Maiden suffering from the force of your cells wasn't obliterated and in turn regenerated just in time to clash with an Ogretail, which the Maiden actually fended off with a few well placed stabs from its spikes." I could hear a clack as the visor was removed from her face. Curiosity started to flow into me as I wanted to see her face, yet C was facing back to me. "The Ogretail was the one to actually mutate into the Cocoontail, which proved that it was more than dangerous."

-How do you know this C?- I tried to scoot closer, but she just stood up and walked a few steps away from my bed. -Hey! Come back here!-

"I was there and saw it all happen, I've been watching you in the first missions to see that everything is going alright." The pale girl confessed and some of my anger was blown away, but not all. "So I've seen when the Cocoon Maiden suffered a gruesome end by the maws of another Aragami."

-Another mutation? God what is it becoming now?-

"You don't need to know that yet." The last thing that was burned into my mind was a bright purple glowing eye, that filled my entire vision.

What the hell was that?

'''Is my mind playing tricks on me? For a moment I could have sworn I've seen the devil itself.'''

As I open my eyes, the first thing to note is that I'm on the ground floor. My body does ache, but nothing seems to be broken, only burned. Then due to the tingling of my left arm, I look up to the top of a nearby building.

"Thank God!" I'm suddenly hugged by a rather nervous Kota, who is apparently rather glad I'm still alive. "I didn't want my ass to be roasted, should anything happen to you." But I'm ignoring the boy and stare at the white skinned girl. Her ragged clothes are blowing in the wind, as her golden eyes pierce into my gaze.

Wasn't she the one we saw near the temples with C?

"Sierra?!" Kota first looks into my eyes, then whips his head around, but by the time he completes the turn the girl disappears from the roof. "Is everything okay?" He asks finally, turning back to me. "I managed to catch you before you fell, although we both hit the ground rather hard."

It was her I was feeling the whole time...

She was around even when Lindow...

I shook my head trying to clear it, then tried to stand when Kota suddenly pushed me down with a worried expression.

"You've suffered quite serious burns and..." He then turned away, blushing a bit. "The armless coat you were wearing burned away and..." I blinked at him, then looked down at me to notice he had spread his yellow vest over me. "I-I-I didn't see anything, I swear." Kota was rather embarrassed that made me think he did actually.

Eh, who cares...

There was still some pain in my body and decided to stand up, the vest that was laid over me dropped off, but I caught it. The gunner turned around flustered and I took a look at my clothes. The explosion of the Chi-You and the flames of the unknown Aragami had reduced my upper clothing to shreds and even the lower ones were revealing much of my legs.

'''Great... not like I'm a model or something the like.'''

With that I've then put on the vest, which was much bigger on me than on the boy. Easily reaching below my waist, and  irritating my skin as it made contact with it. To my problem is way way too open as the only button on it was found near the chest. Then with a 'hmpf', I've took the scarf from the boys neck who protested with a 'hey', but then again didn't turn around.

I've pulled the vest as fast as I could, to cover most of my stomach, then used the scarf as a makeshift belt to keep it that way. I've scanned the area and noticed that my Chupacabra was sticking out of the ground. I felt the tingling again in the left arm, but ignored it for now there was a more pressing matter at hand. No sooner than I grabbed onto my weapon, the building near to us collapsed as the unknown Aragami burst through it.

"This guy again?!" The gunner scampered quickly to his own weapon and raised it, just in time to see that the humanoid had gotten into the kneeling stance, once again ready to open its weapons fire on us. "Give me a break!" Kota and me quickly got out of the way and saw as a concentrated purple energy wave clashed into the place where we were standing moments ago, kicking up a great deal of dust and blocking our view. "Let's scram."

Your wish is my command.

We bolted from there with everything we had and by the time the dust settled, we managed to cover a few dozen meters to the other end of the small clearing in the concrete jungle. To our surprise, the gun wielding Aragami was trotting right after us, with all the leisure it could muster. It wasn't chasing us at all, which was odd for a change.

"Let's just ignore it, right Sierra?" Kota suggested and I turned to him to not after a few seconds. "It has a freaking insane firepower. I mean not even Chi-Yous are able to bring down buildings with a single blast."

I turned back to where I sighted the rag wearing girl, when my feet froze to the ground. Right beside her there was another pale girl, and her usually hood covered hair was now uncovered in the slight breeze that swept over the street.

'''C... I should have known...'''

"Sierra, let's move." Kota nudged me and I glared once more to where they two pale girls were standing, before going after the gunner. "I didn't imagine for us to find something like this." He said with a sigh, turning towards me with a concerned expression. "I've exhausted my recovery items. I'm sorry, that I couldn't ease all your pains."

And you're the one to call me reckless?!

What if you'll be needing them yourself, geez...

I reached into my belt and pulled out the content of my supplies. I quickly halved with him what I had and when the redhead tried to protest, I glared at him and forcefully shove the half of my items into his palm.

"Thanks, I owe you one." He said, with a slight laughter, but I shook my head since it's the opposite way around. "You know... Sierra, if you hadn't been exposed to that explosion earlier... We might not be living right now." I've eyed him and waited for him to follow with an explanation. "I... know it's unfair, but because you blocked the flames from me, I could then catch you from falling to the ground completely. I'm sorry, that in return I've seen you exposed..."

Yeah right, but if we both get fried who would have caught either of us?

Not to mention I can see you limp slightly, you hadn't gotten out unscathed from a four story fall either...

I've smacked the boy hard on the back of his head and he hissed in pain, then I've knelt down and literally pulled his leg out of under him, making Kota fall to his back yelping in surprise. He had zipped his pants lower parts together, to hide the injuries on both of his legs. I've glared at him and reached into my pocket to take out a Restore pill.

"No!" The gunner grabbed my hand, getting out from the awkward position and standing up again. "You will need those more than me." He said, visually ashamed from the fact I've seen through him. "This isn't that much of a deal."

Except it will limit your mobility greatly in the long run if we don't do something right now.

I've used Chupacabra and swept his legs out from underneath him, making the boy fall on his back with a painful thud. Then I've thrown him one off the restore pills to swallow and pulled out an OG: Restore Ball from my stack. I've crushed the capsule in my hand and placed it above his legs.

"Sorry." He mumbled as he swallowed the medicine. "I didn't want to become a hindrance." He admitted with a chuckle. "I'm supposed to be the support and not vice versa." Kota then chuckled again. "What am I supposed to do then? Grab Mousy Blow by the muzzle and swing my Arc as a bat?"

Something like that, but only in the outermost extreme situation.

I pointed at his legs, but he did understand my unspoken question.

"It was a clumsy fall..." He laughed it away sheepishly. "Lucky that I'm a God Eater." I've glared at him and he winced nervously, before admitting the truth. "Okay, I did hurt them while falling, but I wanted to catch you before you plunged neck first into the ground. I caught you, but hurt my legs and even then you knocked your head hard on the ground..."

No wonder that awkward hug...

"I think we need to move, fast." The gunner jumped up pointing behind us, I didn't have to turn to know that the humanoid monster was in our wake. "You think we can shake this one?"

Kota, sometimes I envy you for asking obviously stu--.

Something stung into my heart, then spread all over my body almost instantly. My left arm started to burn in that same moment and I staggered to a halt. My eyes opened wide and snapped into a distant place onto one of the building tops, where I could make out the tho pale girl standing bye each other.

"I'm sorry." Despite the hundreds of meters distance, I could hear the words of C, her voice was filled with sadness to the brim. "This is something that needs to happen, the sooner the better." She mouthed almost silently, then turned to the other girl. "Do it, Shio."

The golden eyed girl, first glanced to C who almost looked guilt ridden, then at me. She babbled something first, then a head splitting buzz echoed into my head. Spreading throughout of me, getting rid of the burning sensation and the pain altogether. All that remained was emptiness, waiting to be filled. Enveloping me in a desire to rampage, to shed blood, to enjoy the carnage that I could cause with my own two hands.

"Sierra?" Kota touched my shoulder, but I've distanced myself from him. Fearing that I might turn on him, I tried to turn away from him, but it was impossible. My eyes had primed on him, as my bloodlust was building by the second. "What's gotten into you?" The gunner demanded, albeit I could see that he was rather startled. "We need to get away from that thing."

He pointed behind me and I could finally muster myself enough strength to turn towards the new challenger. Something that wasn't my ally and I could unleash this building rage from within. The humanoid Aragami stopped a few meters from us, then it fixed its demonic visage on me. Letting out a roar, the Aragami raised its gun-arm towards me and energy started to gather within the barrel.

"Let your rage free Sierra." I could hear the whispers of C in my ears, overcoming the distance and the humming of building up energy in the Aragamis weapon. "Unleash it!!" She demanded and a pulsing wave shook my whole being. "Do not hesitate!!" I was ordered, but something still held me back from spilling over the edge. "Give her the final push, Shio."

End of Chapter 2016,08,31

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