The Hero and the Dark Lord

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Alhambra was lost, and Loni once more allying himself with the Lady with all the Bad Things that entailed.  Not to mention Volya taking a hard knock for someone else... someone who, honestly Mizuki's going to think didn't deserve it.  Still...]

... We're not out of this.  Not just yet.  And better we only have to worry about Loni now than him and Illinka.

I can only hope on the other side, that Commander Antov has harsh words for her.

Comments

[gravitons]

The deeper the love, the more you're willing to crash and burn...or something like that, right?

But if that Lady can't bring her back for him, this must be some crazy world that Loni has cooking...

[empress_without_a_throne]

Crazy, but unsurprising. He was never one to properly think things through.

[gravitons]

That makes me wonder what you've seen coming from the guy.

I know he's all for that hero stuff, but this time it seems more...personal.

[empress_without_a_throne]

It always gets more personal when it involved Ilinka and Desta. Normally it was just Loni being selfish like a child, but whenever either of them were in danger...

The results speak for themselves. He's his most "heroic" when he can do it for something that means something to hi... but if you can't be a hero for everyone, be a savior... then it doesn't matter at all in the end.

[defies_fates_hand]

...I'm sorry...I... I really messed up there... I......

[Volya's voice was small indeed as he lowered his head. A certain plant was not present - Interitus was still a mess and it would take her some time to even be able to take human form - let alone assume any sort of combat capable one.]

Everybody was telling me not to give her a chance but..

[He just wanted to believe that there was someone decent under all that slavish devotion to Loni.]

[empress_without_a_throne]

Volya...

[To say the least, this really was one time that he shouldn't have tried to save someone. But... her hand rests on the boy's shoulder.]

How's Interitus fairing?

[He felt bad enough about it. And his heart had been in the right place. And what'd happened was... more than anyone could've predicted.]

[defies_fates_hand]

...She's really hurt... she can't change back, she can barely move...

[Could anyone have been able to even predict that situation?]

I don't know what to do...

[empress_without_a_throne]

Start with being there for her. If the doctors think it's safe, watering her too. She always did like that.

What you decided to do... it wasn't your choice alone. And you're a team. So don't beat yourself up about it. That's time and energy you can spend in better ways.

[defies_fates_hand]

Yeah... she always did...

[It didn't really stop, even after she managed to attain a more human form. Still... Volya takes a deep breath and nods, his hands still trembled though.]

Alright... But... what happens now? What are we gonna do?

[empress_without_a_throne]

We still have our ace in the hole we got from the Balmarians. And the more people commit themselves to it... the better our chances.

[actuallyselfish]

"I'm starting to wonder," Dido muses to Mizuki. "During that confrontation in space, Loni pleaded for Ilinka and Desta to be resurrected...and they were. And then they both made the bone-headed decision to fight to the death against us instead of fleeing with Loni, after drawing on the Lady's power...somehow."

Dido frowns. "What if they weren't the original Ilinka and Desta...but replicas designed to carry out the Lady's will and drive Loni to despair?"

[empress_without_a_throne]

Does it really matter?

Fakes or not, the result was the same. They were the only people Loni ever truly cared about. And now that he's got nothing left to lose but his life, he's going to come at us like never before.

... But fair enough. This had to end sooner or later. And he's the only one left.

[actuallyselfish]

Dido grunts morosely. "He has it coming," she whispered. "And infuriatingly enough, he'll never understand why."

[a_linear_mind]

One way or another we ended up playing into her hands...again

[Considering how much time he spent at Alhambra losing it was a bit of a hard blow, especially seeing how powerless he was to stop Loni yet again.]

1/2

[empress_without_a_throne]

It does feel like that. Loni back with the Lady once more.

[Alhambra the base was lost, yes... but personnel, hardware, live... those had been saved. What was the heart to what was otherwise just a one-time testing base.]

But I'm not calling it quits yet though. Not by a longshot.

Loni accepted the Lady's favor and support before and we still survived. And that was before the Discovery was in the shape it is now...

And I can live with Loni thinking he's scored some massive, decisive victory...

2/2

[empress_without_a_throne]

I don't want to see it from you... or anyone else here, for that matter.

[a_linear_mind]

[A small chuckle escapes from Willis.]

Moping doesn't really fit me does it?

[empress_without_a_throne]

No. It fits too well.

[A shrug and a sigh.]

There's still... what you're going to have to face at some point. And I know it can't be easy. But I don't want you to have more eating at you than you have to.

[a_linear_mind]

If that is the case I'll try to avoid too much moping in the future.

The last thing I want is to have any of you worrying about me or my problems.