Do the Ends justify the means?

[srwu_npc]

[1 - locked to one very specific person]

At the Knights of the Guiding Hand headquarters...



"Volya Alkaev still walks these lands alive. He is under Unity Group's protection, I realize - but that organisation has fallen weak, and then had time to rebuild, and in the meantime no actions were taken against them? I am severely disappointed. What do you have to say for yourself, Percival?"


"I have... no excuses."


"Sir Zieg, your own sworn brother..."


"Silence, Nathaniel. I know what you are trying to say - Unity Group's goals and intents are noble, we should be on the same side. But how can we be if they keep harboring that child? Don't they understand he will bring doom to whole of humanity?"

"..."

"Percival and Seraphina will be delegated to counter-Aerogator action. Someone else will take your place in hunting down Volya. Lilica, please step forward."

The horned figure of a demon defeated and long since redeemed by the Knights enters the room.


"Don't worry Zieg. I won't fail where they did."


"Lastly, David..."


"Yes, sir?"


"I am really happy with your progress. Your skills as a knight have improved considerably - keep it up. Sir Nathaniel de Sayard's training did you well, but from now on Lilica will oversee it instead. That's all - dismissed!"

The knights leave to their own devices. The demoness, however...


"I heard you got really close to that Volya child several times already. And yet he's still alive, when have you grown so weak?"
She walks up to you, mockery clear in her voice.
"Or is it... I know - he reminds you of your own son, doesn't he?"


[2]

"The Lady's Good Men are operating in eastern Europe. Apollonius Gavin's group has detected them and are further investigating on location."

Suddenly out of nowhere, a transmission from Major Ingram Plisken.

"I want you to go there and reinforce them. Gavin managed to destroy a cell single-handedly, but it was a small one. He's not the kind to evade detection, which means the Good Men will be expecting trouble. I don't trust him and his friends to be able to handle this. That's where Unity Group steps in. Find the Good Men' base of operations, defeat or capture as many of them as possible, and see what else can you learn."

Several maps flicker on the screens. Volya may find one of them showing a very familiar area...

[3]
Scouting rural Russian regions may bring you to a special place from Volya's past. Of course there is a likelihood of a trap since other interested parties may know of it too (hopefully excluding the knights who hunt him down), so an advance guard was decided on to look around and see if there's an ambush lying in wait.

You are a part of the advance guard and fortunately, there was no ambush. There is only a small town, where one of the buildings houses a certain individual.


"So you're Unity Group, right? Thanks for taking care of my nephew."

Says the local shopkeep, Sergei Sokolov. Also, Volya's uncle.

[4, for Volya and people who decided to accompany him, one thread only please]
So the area is clear and Volya can come in to visit his whole surviving family (one person). But Sergei's apartment is eerily quiet... is everything alright? Did he just walk out for a second?

Comments

1

[63rd_shockwave]

Not really, Jacob's way less whiny than he is.

Anyways, congrats on the promotion. Don't you have some grunts to go lord it over now?

[srwu_npc]

"Isn't that what I'm doing right now?"

"But don't worry Sarah. I won't let sentiments get in my way. After all, we're trying to save the world, aren't we?"

[63rd_shockwave]

Last I checked, marrying one of you knight guys didn't make me part of your little group...

...Go bother someone else.

[And Sarah will walk on out into the hallway.]

[srwu_npc2]

"So high and mighty. Don't tell me you're looking down on our mission now. Ho ho ho."

Sarah's departure is accompanied by noblewoman-level of laugh.

3

[empress_without_a_throne]

It was nothing, sir. I wouldn't have been able to look at myself in a mirror if I didn't do what I could for him.

[srwu_npc2]

"That's surprising to hear. It's a cruel world out there, not a lot of people would just go help a lone kid they never met before. Especially with your life on the line."

[empress_without_a_throne]

Well, in many ways I'm not like a lot of people. And when we first met he was being bullied by a bunch of punks at a station handing out food in the wake of a disaster.

A Unity Group member shouldn't just save the day from a crisis and turn a blind eye when they're seeing something like that happen in front of them.

[srwu_npc2]

"Yeah... it's really lucky you guys were there when it happened. It sounds like I have more than one thing to thank you for."

3

[tiger_ken]

[Ken's... wary, given how his last trip to Russia went, but well...]

...Ah, hello.

[He bows slightly.]

I take it you're... Volya's uncle?

[srwu_npc2]

"That's me, in the flesh. No need to be so careful, I don't bite - most of the time."

Sergei chuckles lightly.

[tiger_ken]

...Riiight.

But, are you holding up here okay? No hassle form either your government, or anyone proclaiming themselves 'knights'?

[srwu_npc2]

"I'm fine. No one's hassling me - in my business you learn to stay under the radar. Government or otherwise."

Is he talking about running a general store?

[tiger_ken]

What, you normally expect trouble in your line of work?

[Ken could understand with recent circumstances, but... not as a norm.]

[srwu_npc]

"No, not anymore at least. I did a few... things earlier in my life. But that was before I had Volya to take care of. I promised his parents to keep him safe."

[tiger_ken]

As... a general family thing, or from something?

[The thought of parents leaving their son is... familiar.]

[srwu_npc]

"From something? No, it's nothing like that. Volya's just a normal kid, no one was after him... at least, not at that time yet."

2)

[mistaken_for_monster]

T... That's-

[His hometown!]

[srwu_npc]

"Hmm?"

[mistaken_for_monster]

That's my home town... that map right there...

[Volya's voice sounded a bit anxious...yet there was a tiny note of hope there.]

I... Major... there hasn't been anything crazy happening there just yet right?

[srwu_npc]

"No."

A curt answer.

"It's on the fringe of suspected Good Men activity. Pray you won't find any of them there, and the town will remain quiet as it is now."

[mistaken_for_monster]

[Volya nods slowly.]

There... won't be any problems if I go there for a while right?

[He fidgets anxiously, after all the Unity Group managed to get him into a school without many problems.]

My Uncle... I need to let him know I'm okay...

[srwu_npc]

Ingram stares for a few uncomfortable seconds.

"As long as Unity Group duties aren't compromised, you can go."

4

[mistaken_for_monster]

[Volya looked a little happy to be home... even if it was a short while... then he was a bit worried. He knocked on the door carefully.]

-Uncle Sergei?-

[srwu_npc]

"Urgh..."

You hear a moan. And if you follow the noise, you find your uncle - on the floor, lying in a pool of his own blood.

"Volya? Get out of here..."

[mistaken_for_monster]

-UNCLE?!-

[Sadly if it were any other person Volya might have followed that advice... but... he probably couldn't here. He was rushing over to the injured man, not paying any attention at all to his surroundings.]

[tiger_ken]

Volya, wait!

[Ken draws a kunai, trying to rush in and pull Volya back before he might step too far. Who knew what could be in here...!]

[srwu_npc]

Two grim-faced knights were standing right behind the door, and as soon as Volya and Ken go in forward, they block it with their blades.


"Ohohoho! Well, that was easy."
A horned demon-like woman enters from another door.

"Almost too easy even. Why did that nimrod de Sayard take so much time to hunt you down?"

[mistaken_for_monster]

d..de Saya-... You're with the knights!

[Which made Volya's heart leap to his throat and sent what is essentially the most horrific case of guilt based chills through his body. Yup. This was his fault.]

W... Why?! My uncle doesn't have anything to do with this!

[empress_without_a_throne]

... She's with the knights...

[It's a statement made with incredulity as Mizuki looks into the room. She's never met the woman, but she knows of her... another "person of interest" the Void had filled her in on when she was being created.]



How on Earth are you of all people with the Knights?

[actuallyselfish]

"What the hell is this...!" Dido mutters to herself, standing back to back with Mizuki and Ken. "I thought the knights were supposed have honor!"

She quietly slips a can of pepper spray into her hand.

[tiger_ken]

They're rather self-appointed to begin with.

[Ken also slips something small into his other hand, small and round.

When he's close to Mizuki, his voice drops to a whisper...]

Think you can break down a wall whilst carrying someone?

[srwu_npc]

"Hold it! You think you are dealing with an amateur? Stop trying to play your little tricks immediately or..."

A long blade held in Lilica's hand touches Sergei's neck.

"His life is forfeit. He has nothing to do with this, you say. You're wrong, brat. Everyone who shelters you, who gives you protection, is a co-conspirator in the plot to destroy the world through inaction. But it's not your uncle's fault, he only tries to protect his kin. It's not his fault you were born like this."

"No. Whatever happens now, it's all your fault. And yours alone."

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Unfortunately Mizuki doubted whatever Ken had in store could've worked... her own strength limited and smashing down a wall might've just gotten her buried in the rubble. And Lilica was picking it up anyways.]

Then leave him out of this. Your fight is with Volya and the Unity Group, not someone Volya's barely been in contact with for months now.

And Ken? Just drop it.

[She silently prayed Ken got the double meaning to what she was saying.]

[tiger_ken]

Alright, alright... Just don't hurt him anymore.

[Ken raises his hands to signal his seeming surrender, before opening both out. From one hand, a kunai drops, about to clatter on the floor, whilst from the other...

A small round ball, which lands a bit in front of Mizuki's feet.]

[srwu_npc]

"Good. This won't take long. I'll be merciful."

Lilica's sword turns to aim at Volya's heart. Of course she's not by him yet, but one lunge is all that'd take to kill him.

Except it doesn't happen because as soon as the blade is off his body...


"Hands off my nephew!"
Sergei leaps at the demoness. The strength and determination behind the lunge is so fierce, the force of impact takes the two of them crashing through the window.

And while he passes through the room, you can notice several unpinned grandes dangling by his belt.

"I promised to keep Volya safe. If it means ridding the world free of bitches like you, the pleasure is all..."

His words are interrupted by an explosion.

[mistaken_for_monster]

[Time seemed to slow down as this all happened. One minute he was about to die and the next his Uncle was moving, he was about to yell out for him to get out of there but within moments Sergei was out the window... and then the explosion happens.]

-Uncle Sergei?-

[His voice was shaky, as if unable to believe what just happened.]



No... NO! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING! UNCLE! UNCLE!!!!

[empress_without_a_throne]

He actually-

[Focus, Mizuki! Focus! She scoops up Volya in her arms and then lets the smoke bomb detonate.]

Ken, Dido... we need to get out of here! I know this is bad but we don't know how many more of the Knights are here!

[actuallyselfish]

“Jesus...!" Dido breathes hoarsely. "This..."

She shakes her head. "Right! I've got your back!"

She follows Mizuki and Ken, pepper-spraying the first Knight she sees right in the face.

[srwu_npc2]

One of the Knights ran out of the room to check on the explosion outside, while the other was too shocked to act and got a pepper spray into the face for his trouble.

You are safe.

But for what cost?

[tiger_ken]

[Ken picked up his kunai as they ran for it, but now...]

We need to get out of here, and regroup. If the Knights are here, then they may have brought their machines with them.