Tricky situation

[srwu_mods]

[1]
"Captain Vadim agreed for Grungust Alpha and Huckebein Omega to return with us. She's being reasonable about what boils down to theft of a seal entrusted to SSR."

The acting commanders of Unity Group are having a meeting. Technically it's for higher ups only - but it's not behind locked doors, and anyone can just come and listen or even join in. This is no time for protocols.


"If by entrusted you mean they used it as a source of energy. That sounds perfectly responsible... and now the seal's somewhere inside the two units. It's the most mysterious blackbox the boys at engineering have ever seen." Dirchs quickly moves through several sheets of data on his pad.
"A black box that allowed the two to combine, which is funny because the mechanism for combination was already there. Just incomplete, locked down. And no one knew about it."

"..."
"..."


"Why is everyone looking at me? I didn't know of the combination mechanism either. I'm honest this time, sorry to disappoint you! Perhaps you should focus your attention on the one who delivered the Alpha and Omega to Unity Group, hmm?"

Unfortunately questioning the person responsible (can you remember who it was?) will have to wait, because...

[2]


"There is little time to act."

Unity Group has prisoners - Lagardia and Graeme, the two last Ancients, now in human form and the latter wounded and given medical attention. They are prisoners, but they came out of their own free will, and asked Unity Group for assistance.

"The One Who Waits is not yet invincible - yet. I know where the Gate of Sorrows is, and with keys on hand we can unlock it. Unlock it, and kill that monster once and for all. Except... there is only two of us remaining. We can't do it alone, so we decided to entrust the fate of the world in your hands."


"I'm afraid I can't assist you, Lagardia. My injuries... ugh. They are too severe."


"Then I will go by myself, but not alone - with Unity Group. Maybe I grew too stubborn in trying to do this on my own... one more thing."

"I realize of things I have done. My actions resulted in deaths of many innocents, for that I have no excuse. If you wish to punish or put me on trial, do it - but do it after the monster is dead. Slaying the One Who Waits is our priority now!"

Comments

2

[a_monetized_mind]

[What do you even say to someone who's tried to stab you, that you've stolen from?]

Well? Any tips?

[srwu_npc4]

"You're getting right down to the facts, aren't you."

"The moment its seal is broken, the beast will know. The One Who Waits will unleash all its power to kill you - or worse."

[a_monetized_mind]

Well, there'll be more time for getting to know each other later. Jen Douglas, by the way, and I really do plan to live forever. Or at least a very long time.

...Do you think we can expect it to have that corrupting bone attack, again?

[srwu_npc4]

"No. That was a gift the One Who Waits bestowed on Daumantas, or as you knew him Acolyte Kurtis. Just an imitation."

"The real thing will be much more dangerous."

[a_monetized_mind]

So....'yes, but worse', then.

2)

[in_over_his_head]

Considering everything that I've learned and seen... You have no arguments from me.

... But just to be sure... what can we expect when we go and fight this... 'One who waits'?

[srwu_npc4]

"It won't be easy. You said you plan to live forever. For anyone who goes to slay the One Who Waits, that's unlikely."

[srwu_npc4]

"Horrible death, mostly. The One Who Waits is powerful beyond imagine. And..." Lagardia seems to hesitate.

"It has the power to turn people against each other. You saw an imitation of it."

2

[reactorhead_russians]

"Da, it is." Alexis agrees.

Sasha speaks up. "But after we destroy the One Who Waits, what will you do?"

[in_over_his_head]

... An average Tuesday with an unpleasant twist...

[Calvin runs his hand through his hair.]

I'm not trying to make light of this. Considering the facts this is going to be a tough fight...

But with some of the fights everyone here's been through, some of which I was present for... I'd say our imagination for this sort of thing is pretty wide.

[a_monetized_mind]

...Well, there's no chance at all to defeat it if we wait too long, right? So we might as well go all-in on the shot we do have.

[Ahahaha...am I really going to do something this dangerous?]


...Besides, I'm a bit harder to kill than you might think.

[srwu_npc4]

"I'll ponder this after the deed is done, if we're still here to talk about it."

[srwu_npc4]

"Imagine this then, a whole civilization destroyed. A civilization of great warriors and sorcerers - there was only five of us, but there used to be thousands. All dead, slain by one being."

[srwu_npc4]

"Exactly. Do your best, nothing else will suffice. Chance of success may be low - but if it was hopeless, I wouldn't ask you to help."

[in_over_his_head]

....

[From thousands to six. Not counting the Archivist... from Six to five. From Five to three, and now they're down to two. It painted a grim picture to say the least. The grimace and the trickle of sweat that runs along the side of Calvin's head definitely showed that he could very vividly imagine it.

The information translated by Kagura from the stone tablet painted much of the absolute carnage that occurred.]

... Then I think we have a bit more motivation to ensure it dies...

To keep that from happening again... and to give the dead their due.