Descent of Nightmare (Chapter Seventeen)
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saladloveChapter list: https://tanadin.dreamwidth.org/650.html
Map of Kaldriel: https://i.gyazo.com/332b0c0172dcc60acb46
Rough map of Hatu: https://i.gyazo.com/ea4f9f51b9dc7b9d8b86
Chapter Seventeen
Alarm
Akrar, Kaldriel. November 9, 2277. Time instance 842N.
Shawn jumped as his phone rang, almost falling out of his chair. He pulled it out of his pocket and frowned when he saw that Geluu (renamed ‘the coldest ketchup’) was calling. Geluu never called him unless it was urgent so he exchanged a concerned glance with Tac before answering.
“What’s up, Geluu?”
“You should check your damn computer for once! I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for an hour!”
“Why didn’t you call me before?”
“Someone thought it would be funny to hide my phone so I had to search for it. In any case, get your damn squad together. I’m mobilizing the spellcasters in Akrar as the Sapphire Gate right above it is one of the most-used angel gates and Akrar is a fairly populated area.”
“Angel gates? Geluu, what-”
“Frost’s breath, Shawn! Have you not spoken to anyone today?”
“What is going on?!”
“Heaven declared war on Hell and we’re siding with the demons!”
“Oh. Shit.”
“What? What’s happening?” Tac frowned at him. He held up a finger indicating that she should wait.
“I’ve got the rest of your squad heading to Akrar right now and they should be there within the hour. We’re anticipating an attack tomorrow or the next day so get ready. The cyborgs are going to start sending out warnings of high-danger zones and advise that anyone not willing to fight clear out of Akrar.”
“What about the labkids?”
“The what now?”
“Geluu, do you ever check your texts from Tanadin?”
“I didn’t get a text from Tanadin. Does she still have my old number?”
“She...might. You should probably ask her about the labkids but long story short they’re genetic experiments that are mixtures of us. You and Nine have a daughter named Starren and she could probably kick my ass any day of the week.”
There was a very long pause. “Oh. Well. I suppose you should get them out of there unless they’re willing to fight the angels, but let me tell you, I’ve seen the map of gates and there’s pretty much nowhere safe. I didn’t count exactly but there’s more than thirty and Talmarian said that’s assuming that they aren’t setting up any more. Just… do whatever it is you have to do to get ready. Probably get Tac out of there. I know she’s a capable fighter but she’s just not set up to fight angels.”
Shawn couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice. “Like she’s not set up to fight cyborgs but did it anyway?”
“Yes. Exactly. And she kinda lost her hands last time.”
“Well, you can try to convince her. I’d rather not find myself with another hole in my chest. I’ve had enough risk-taking for the week, thank you.”
“Did Nathan take you driving?”
“Unfortunately.”
“That would do it. Anyway, I have to get going, some other assholes aren’t responding to me either. Good luck.” Geluu hung up, leaving Shawn to shove his phone in his pocket and explain to Tac what the hell was happening as he grabbed his shotgun and made his way outside.
“I’ve got to find Scara. She’s bound to know where the others are.”
“You don’t keep track of your own squad?”
Shawn raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I can keep track of my own limbs? I left my arm on the train when my bracelet broke that one time.”
Tac opened her mouth to argue but slowly shut it. “You...did do that, yes.”
“So, no. I don’t know where they are at all times.”
“What about the labkids?”
“Oh, shit. Right. Do you want to deal with them or should I?”
“Is Tanadin in town?”
“No, she’s out at the Mainframe.”
“Damn. I’ll talk to them, then. I think they’re still scared of you.”
Shawn grinned sheepishly before heading down the street towards where he knew Scara was staying, hoping that things wouldn’t end violently.
~~~
“We’re staying,” Twelve announced, crossing her arms. “Angels or no angels. We’ll help you fight them if necessary.”
Gyrad squawked in protest. “But it isn’t our fight!” Lucy looked annoyed as she spoke this translation, glaring at Gyrad.
“It is now. If we’re going to live here and side with these people, then we have to be willing to fight with them against that which would destroy them.” Twelve spoke in English, leaving Lucy to translate it back into Dranonic, earning a glare as well.
“I appreciate that,” Tac told her, not at all sure whether or not what she said was true. On one replacement hand, she was glad that they wanted to help, but on the other, she knew that they were in no way prepared to fight angels. Kallen especially worried her, with his missing hand and-
I’m being ridiculous. We fought the Mainframe with less than they have, and we didn’t have the Steelwings or the entirety of Hell behind us, especially not at first.
But still, she worried.
“What can we do to help?” Everex asked, tilting his head.
“I don’t know. I’m not any kind of commanding officer or military person.”
“I thought you fought in the revolution,” Lucy said, frowning.
“I did. I just didn’t do much.” Tac held up her hands and wiggled her fingers, metal glinting in the light. “I mostly just got hurt.” Kallen’s pincer hand clicked and spun after Lucy translated, likely remembering his own loss.
“So do we just sit here?” Tavren asked.
“I think so, yeah. Tanadin will probably be back soon and she’ll have something for you to do.” Tac smiled at them, an expression that she didn’t feel and probably wasn’t very convincing. “Don’t worry.”
“Don’t worry, she says,” Everex muttered. “I’m a champion worrier.”
Twelve patted his shoulder before turning back to Tac. “Is there anything else you need?”
“No. I think that was it.”
“Good. Then we need to get some training in.”
“Today?” Starren groaned.
“Today,” Twelve confirmed. “Tomorrow, too, if we’re up for it. We have the battle of our lives coming up and I’m not about to lose someone to sheer stupidity. This team isn’t going down on my watch.”
She’s a lot like Tanadin, Tac thought, with the confidence and determination that Seven has in his every action.
Her gaze flicked to Kallen. His eyes burned with suppressed excitement, glancing at Lucy and smiling as he bounced slightly on his feet. He was excited, she realized, and she wondered if these kids had ever been afraid of a fight before other than perhaps with a sandwyrm. Once they’d heard that angels were essentially magical winged humans, their concern had melted away like ice in depths of Hell. She was pretty sure they had no idea what they were up against- none of them except the oldest demons were- but she felt more prepared than they were and she was mostly nonmagical and only had a sword to fight with. She didn’t even have hands.
Tac sighed as she left the building, leaving them to get their training underway.
They’re going to die.
And I don’t know how to save them.
~~~
Shawn crossed his arms as he did a mental role call of his squad members, hoping they were all here but not being quite sure as it had been awhile since he’d gathered them all in one place.
Before him stood six spellcasters, Scara, and Fall. Scara wasn’t officially part of his squad, as she went wherever she was needed, but she often stuck around as she liked them quite a bit and had nowhere better to be. Fall was their ‘accompanying cyborg,’ which was code for ‘two thousand unit that didn’t want to be part of the main cyborg army so it follows the spellcasters around to feel useful and shoot things because spellcasters don’t usually bring bullets.’ Neves was technically their healer, although he wasn’t happy about it, and while he was a cyborg he didn’t negate Fall’s presence because he was a pretty awful cyborg and Fall wouldn’t leave anyway.
Also in Shawn’s squad were Mars, a fire mage named Chris, a wind mage named Nona, a half-demon that went by Kyzor, and an aven named Otev who was skilled with darkness magic. Chris was short with brown hair and dark, friendly eyes that tended to light up when he used his powers. Nona was tall with short black hair and gray eyes, dressed almost entirely in gray and often wore sunglasses unless it was far too dark to see with them on. When asked about it, she stated that she simply liked them- she wasn’t weird about her eyes like Kyir was and would take her sunglasses off if asked. Kyzor was over six feet tall with short black horns and dark red wings. His eyes were orange but lacked the reptilian pupils that demons often had. Otev was some kind of owl aven, probably a barn owl although Shawn wasn’t too familiar with bird species.
“Is everyone here? Because if not, I’ve forgotten someone.”
“It’s everyone,” Fall assured, rocking back and forth on her feet. “Been awhile.”
“Not long enough,” Otev muttered. “What’s going on?”
“We’re at war with Heaven and there’s a huge gate right overhead.”
They stared at him.
“Well, you don’t hear that everyday,” Mars decided, crossing her arms.
“No,” Nona agreed. “I don’t like it.”
“We’re dead,” Chris announced. “We’re very, very dead.”
“Calm your shit, kid,” Kyzor snapped. “We’re not dead. I’m assuming we have the demons on our side.”
“We do,” Shawn confirmed.
“Demons and angels have warred before without literally everyone dying. We’ll be fine.”
“Oh boy. More magical energy,” Neves grumbled. “I just love having to fry my circuits constantly.”
Shawn sighed. Right. There was a reason he didn’t call them together often.
“We need to get some training in before the angels attack.” Everyone groaned. “Yeah, I know. But we need to remember how to work together so that we don’t get murdered by feathery assholes.”
“Hey!” Otev protested.
“You’re not a feathery asshole. You’re just feathery.”
“I think he’s an asshole,” Mars said, “but then, we all are.” Everyone nodded in agreement and Shawn thought he saw Scara roll her eyes.
“Do we have to?” Kyzor asked, slumping his shoulders.
“Yes,” Shawn and Fall said together. Fall looked sheepish and shut up as Shawn continued, “The other spellcasters will be moving into this area soon and I don’t think you guys want to look foolish.”
“I think we’re going to look foolish either way,” Chris announced. “Let’s just do our best not to.”
“Ever the optimist,” Nona muttered.
“Foolish?” Mars struck a ridiculous pose. “I don’t know what you mean.” She grabbed Fall’s hands and spun her around, making most of the squad laugh.
“You’re the favorite,” Neves informed Fall when Mars let go of her. “She never spins me around.”
“You’re too heavy!” Mars protested. “You’re, like, half metal!”
“It’s not half!”
Fall and Mars both raised an eyebrow. Neves’ shoulders slumped.
“Okay, maybe. But...still!”
“I’ll spin you around,” Kyzor offered. “When I let go, I’ll fling you into the sun.”
“I’ll pass,” Neves decided. “Don’t we have training to do?”
Shawn cleared his throat. “Yes. We do.” He looked around at the members of his squad and sighed quietly.
This wouldn’t be easy.
~~~
He bent his legs and jumped, clearing the gap easily and landing on the other side. He grinned in joy and turned to face his friend, moving out of the way and rocking happily on his feet.
“Come on, Fosgor! If I can do it, you can do it!”
Fosgor bared his teeth, orange eyes flashing as he lowered his body in preparation to jump. He hesitated, though, standing up a bit more and tapping his claws nervously on the ground.
M, if he even was M, tilted his head. “What’s wrong? You can do it, can’t you?”
“Of course I can!” Fosgor shook his head to clear it and bent his legs again. “Move! I don’t want to hit you!”
M rolled his eyes and stepped out of the way. Fosgor growled and leaped across, claws flashing in the light-
Blood. Blood splattered across M’s vision as the dream abruptly shifted. Claws dug into his throat and he roared, kicking his assailant away. The glowing red eyes of E bore into his soul as he got back to his feet, raising his claws.
“You shouldn’t have stood against the first circle!”
He jumped. M swiped. Magic intercepted E and pierced through his body, making him howl and spilling blood across the ground. E screamed, and when he lifted his head he was Fosgor, young Fosgor before anger took him over, before spite clouded his heart.
M hesitated, lowering his claws. E grinned before opening his mouth, letting thick black smoke pour out. M scrambled back but the smoke seized his legs, crawling up his body and burning his scales as it went. He heard someone scream his name- his name- before he felt nothing.
M jerked awake, eyes snapping open and head lifting as his sides rose and fell in a quick, heavy rhythm. He quickly calmed, controlling his heartbeat before lowering his head again.
He felt a clawed hand on his shoulder and looked up, raising an eyeridge at Q.
“Nightmares?” She spoke softly in their native tongue, to avoid her hissed words being translated to Tanadin, although she seemed to be asleep. It was nighttime, after all, and the train had several hours to go before they reached Akrar.
“Yes.” M shook his head as if to dismiss it. “It’s not a big deal.”
“You’re not known for having them.”
“Everyone has nightmares, Q.” M yawned, lowered his head and shutting his eyes. “Even the Mystrex can’t escape them.”
Q watched him for several minutes, troubled, before settling back down to sleep as well.
The Mystrex didn’t dream unless it was important, she knew, and nightmares were the worst of all.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-17 12:26 am (UTC)“You should check your damn computer for once! I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for an hour!”
“Why didn’t you call me before?”
“Someone thought it would be funny to hide my phone so I had to search for it. In any case, get your damn squad together. I’m mobilizing the spellcasters in Akrar as the Sapphire Gate right above it is one of the most-used angel gates and Akrar is a fairly populated area.”
“Angel gates? Geluu, what-”
“Frost’s breath, Shawn! Have you not spoken to anyone today?”
“What is going on?!”
“Heaven declared war on Hell and we’re siding with the demons!”
“Oh. Shit.”
Shawn likely talked to Tac, but guess that doesn't count XP
“What about the labkids?”
“The what now?”
“Geluu, do you ever check your texts from Tanadin?”
“I didn’t get a text from Tanadin. Does she still have my old number?”
“She...might. You should probably ask her about the labkids but long story short they’re genetic experiments that are mixtures of us. You and Nine have a daughter named Starren and she could probably kick my ass any day of the week.”
There was a very long pause. “Oh. Well. I suppose you should get them out of there unless they’re willing to fight the angels.."
Seems like both Shawn and Geluu need to check their email and texts more often, they're out of the loop on serious shit
"...Just… do whatever it is you have to do to get ready. Probably get Tac out of there. I know she’s a capable fighter but she’s just not set up to fight angels.”
Shawn couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice. “Like she’s not set up to fight cyborgs but did it anyway?”
“Yes. Exactly. And she kinda lost her hands last time.”
“Well, you can try to convince her. I’d rather not find myself with another hole in my chest. I’ve had enough risk-taking for the week, thank you.”
“Did Nathan take you driving?”
“Unfortunately.”
This time Tac will lose her legs XP
Please Tac no more tearing holes in Shawn, he's very difficult to heal
Nathan's infamous driving 'skills'
“I’ve got to find Scara. She’s bound to know where the others are.”
“You don’t keep track of your own squad?”
Shawn raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I can keep track of my own limbs? I left my arm on the train when my bracelet broke that one time.”
Tac opened her mouth to argue but slowly shut it. “You...did do that, yes.”
Yup I know as we all formed a book club but Shawn didn't answer the initial email so doesn't know about it XP
It's official if Shawn's limbs aren't attached he forgets them
“What about the labkids?”
“Oh, shit. Right. Do you want to deal with them or should I?”
“Is Tanadin in town?”
“No, she’s out at the Mainframe.”
“Damn. I’ll talk to them, then. I think they’re still scared of you.”
The labkids are scared of Shawn? I wonder why, oh right first time they met him he showed off his zombie form XP
Shawn grinned sheepishly before heading down the street towards where he knew Scara was staying, hoping that things wouldn’t end violently.
What? Why would things be violent between Shawn and I? Am I pissed at him for some reason?
“I appreciate that,” Tac told her, not at all sure whether or not what she said was true. On one replacement hand, she was glad that they wanted to help, but on the other, she knew that they were in no way prepared to fight angels. Kallen especially worried her, with his missing hand and-
"On one replacement hand" OMG I'm laughing so hard at that right now XD
Before him stood six spellcasters, Scara, and Fall. Scara wasn’t officially part of his squad, as she went wherever she was needed, but she often stuck around as she liked them quite a bit and had nowhere better to be. Fall was their ‘accompanying cyborg,’ which was code for ‘two thousand unit that didn’t want to be part of the main cyborg army so it follows the spellcasters around to feel useful and shoot things because spellcasters don’t usually bring bullets.’ Neves was technically their healer, although he wasn’t happy about it, and while he was a cyborg he didn’t negate Fall’s presence because he was a pretty awful cyborg and Fall wouldn’t leave anyway.
Also in Shawn’s squad were Mars, a fire mage named Chris, a wind mage named Nona, a half-demon that went by Kyzor, and an aven named Otev who was skilled with darkness magic. Chris was short with brown hair and dark, friendly eyes that tended to light up when he used his powers. Nona was tall with short black hair and gray eyes, dressed almost entirely in gray and often wore sunglasses unless it was far too dark to see with them on. When asked about it, she stated that she simply liked them- she wasn’t weird about her eyes like Kyir was and would take her sunglasses off if asked. Kyzor was over six feet tall with short black horns and dark red wings. His eyes were orange but lacked the reptilian pupils that demons often had. Otev was some kind of owl aven, probably a barn owl although Shawn wasn’t too familiar with bird species.
I'm your bonus healer, but I'm mostly with this squad cos two of my bffs who I grew up with in IAL are part of this group, and I'm good friends with everyone else
“Is everyone here? Because if not, I’ve forgotten someone.”
“It’s everyone,” Fall assured, rocking back and forth on her feet. “Been awhile.”
“Not long enough,” Otev muttered. “What’s going on?”
“We’re at war with Heaven and there’s a huge gate right overhead.”
They stared at him.
“Well, you don’t hear that everyday,” Mars decided, crossing her arms.
“No,” Nona agreed. “I don’t like it.”
“We’re dead,” Chris announced. “We’re very, very dead.”
“Calm your shit, kid,” Kyzor snapped. “We’re not dead. I’m assuming we have the demons on our side.”
“We do,” Shawn confirmed.
“Demons and angels have warred before without literally everyone dying. We’ll be fine.”
“Oh boy. More magical energy,” Neves grumbled. “I just love having to fry my circuits constantly.”
Shawn sighed. Right. There was a reason he didn’t call them together often.
The book club meetings usually go a lot smoother, but then Shawn isn't part of the book club as he doesn't answer his emails XP
“We need to get some training in before the angels attack.” Everyone groaned. “Yeah, I know. But we need to remember how to work together so that we don’t get murdered by feathery assholes.”
“Hey!” Otev protested.
“You’re not a feathery asshole. You’re just feathery.”
“I think he’s an asshole,” Mars said, “but then, we all are.” Everyone nodded in agreement and Shawn thought he saw Scara roll her eyes.
Yup I would roll my eyes at that and chuckle slightly
Also, prime example of the type of banter at the club meetings
The Mystrex didn’t dream unless it was important, she knew, and nightmares were the worst of all.
E will likely be whom the First Circle sent to assassinate M.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-17 12:33 am (UTC)HE MEANT TAC TALKING TO THE LABKIDS NOT YOU AND SHAWN
NO SCARA YOU'RE GOING TO BEAT HIM OVER THE HEAD WITH A DICTIONARY
oohhh how could you have gueeesssssed
no subject
Date: 2016-12-17 01:11 am (UTC)Ah that's ok then, was concerned there for a minute.
Well not necessarily a dictionary, I might however dump 10 years worth of monthly book club books on him XP
Prophetic dream is prophetic.