Days before the Fall (Plot thread 2.5)

[Zeke Omoihake]

"Huh, Shanira?" Zeke's eyes were drawn into the hushed glow that illuminated the peripheries of his vision, only to be met with a maiden as similar to the angelic protector as she was different. Taking a step back he gave her a once over, suspicion written on his face before asking, "You're not, I mean, are you a friend of Shanira? Mark's maybe?"

Not far the roar of gathering Marines called Zeke's attention for but a moment, drawing his eyes back to the steely azure of Mahila's he stammered in response to her question. "I'm, I mean, I guess I'm pretty good. I'm not like the real deals out there though." He lowered his head a little, averting his gaze from hers. "If you're looking for the really strong ones, you'd wanna go out and find Kain, or Brea maybe. Heck, even Ingway's a better fighter than I am." He chuckled nervously, embarrassed by his own frankness.

[Enizo]

Enizo watched as the tension melted across the entire city, the once empty streets were quickly filled as people tried to escape the impending fight. It seemed like this place could explode any moment...

Than Bang rushed towards the fleet, which caused a rush of fear to race through Enizo. He wasn't sure what he was more worried about, the fact that it looked like Bang was making a suicide charge or if he failed to destroy them all than how many people would die?

"Bang, wait!" Enizo yelled, trying to rush after him. Enizo reached out to try and catch him, but Bang was far too fast for him. With the fleet in Bang's view, Enizo couldn't help but watch as he prepared to unleash his fury on it.

[Katina Ernfond]

My foot falls fell harshly against the earth below, my forced and hard motions driven more so by impetuous anger then anything else. Upon hearing the marine call that we had ships making there way here off the coast, it felt like the perfect way to de-stress after the interruption by the prissy bitch.

I thought back to the situation that drove me out here as I moved towards the coast-line. Upon seeing Kain face to face, I couldn't help but take note of his strange heterochromia, and draw my hand towards my blind eye with a sense of connectivity to the man. And no sooner had I felt some kind of connection with a person there, that pasty brunette guttersnipe just sauntered on up, and oh, how ardent he was to just give her a passionate little embrace and throw me to the side!

Just thinking about it made me clench my fists together in a rage. I knew it shouldn't have bugged me as it did, but it did dammit, and it drove me to the coast to do what I always did when in the throws of embittered anger; blow shit up.

Spotting the ships as they crawled over the horizon, I dug through my satchel, intently feeling for on specific artificing cube I had stored away. Pulling the small figure out after a decent bit of rummaging, I placed it on the ground a measured bit from the coast and armed it with ample anticipation. In a bright flash as the cube released it's magic, the sudden light and energy dispersed giving way to one of my inventions I had tagged for easy teleportation should I have needed it; and how glad I was that I did.

Pulling myself into the turrets seat, I toggled the arcane syphoning system and started powering up the piece of arcane weaponry, all too impatiently prepping my cursors upon the ships, and all to ready to lay into them and get some real good stress relief out of it...and stop them from advancing...cause that was also important...and totally part of why I was doing this as well...totally...

[mahila]

At the mention of Shanira Mahila's eyes widened for all but a moment, it was hard to tell if she should have been surprised that the young man in front of her knew Shanira. On one hand, it should have been an obvious tell to Mahila that this particular soldier was one that was normally stationed in the castle, yet Shanira's inability to stay put in her damn post really made it impossible to tell. The way Zeke spoke of himself in comparison to his colleagues made Mahila really think he must have been some nameless footsoldier drafted to die here amongst the heroes.

As such, she spoke to him like he was exactly that.

"Do you always speak to your superiors facing the other way? Eyes up, now," she spoke sharply, staring down the man the whole time, "your lack of confidence is disgusting. Who are you, young one?"

[Zaria DeGantz]

Zaria had to think about Brea's offer. Both choices seemed of equal importance. She wanted to hear what duo had to say...but she also knew that in Unda's current state of affairs, the people could use her help.

She looked around, seeing the fleet quickly surrounding the area. She knew what she had to do. "If it's alright with you Brea, I think I'll catch up with you. Our forces are going to need help for the moment. I'm going to stay and help fight the Imperials, and I can meet you at Numquam once things are taken care of." She turned to face him. "If you need me sooner, send a message."

[Serafina Ernfinder]

Despite usually being the one who usually knew the right thing to say; Serafina hadn't said much since arriving in Unda. The tragic unfolding of Benjamin's unexpected death had put a damper on the overall mood, and she wasn't sure what she could say really. Unda's leader had met an untimely demise, and the best she could do was pay her respects and offer her condolences to the New president and the blue-haired Undian Captian.

Events unfolded quickly as news of Imperial ships were reported from the Marines, and the Chablys Queen followed the others to the coast. She stood beside her sister Katina, and watched as the ships approached.

"Looks like we'd best prepare ourselves." She said, looking in Katina's direction. Seeing that she was already ready to blow up the enemy, she smiled. "Then again, it looks as though you're way ahead of me."

Serafina also reached into her satchel. She grabbed a few round objects and tossed them into the air. Once in the air, the round objects instantaneously morphed into adorable little bug sprites, which floated beside her; awaiting her command.

[Zeke Omoihake]

The stern and slightly demeaning tone of Mahila caught Zeke by surprise, and as if pulled up by her words he looked up to stare her down.

Another angel here to talk down to you hmm? What will this one order of you, now that you've shown yourself to be a lapdog of one of their kind? Zeke's surprised look quickly turned to a grimace as the voice pushed him, warning him of the woman before she'd even had a chance to introduce herself.

"Excuse me, but unless you have a crown hidden in that do of yours you aren't any superior of mine. I'm Zeke Omoihake, captain to the King of Santo-Luce and I ain't a dog of yours to order around, got it?" Zeke jabbed an upturned finger towards her. Past the angelic woman he could see that more and more soldiers were beginning to gather outside the palace, and more than a few were moving with a fair amount of gear on them. "Looks like we're moving out. I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got a war to help win. See ya." Zeke gave the woman a last mean look before he went to move past her.

[mahila]

'Oh look, he does bite afterall...'

As the Santo-Lucian soldier seemed to perform a complete one-eighty in his demeanour Mahila simply smirked, taking his retort as a small victory for herself not because he lashed at her but because he showed he really didn't appear to be a pushover. Especially if he was as he said he was, a captain, it meant she searched more for those leadership qualities in him. As he moved, as she presumed he hoped to be rid of her, she turned and marched alongside him instead.

"Oh, a captain are you? Well now, that sounds more like it. You sound like you actually fit the role now, sir!" she spoke a lot more lightly now, her march by him very professional and her head held high, "you had me worried for a moment. A king's chance of survival is only as good as his captains' confidence, afterall. Now you say we shall be taking our fight to Duo? Stop the tyrant in his tracks, I do hope you have a plan in place, Captain Omoihake..."

Her eyes narrowed then for only a moment as she jabbed in shortly after, "It is Mahila by the way, guardian to the late king Bradley Frexton of Santo-Luce and Grand Archer for Felios, the god of light."

[Zeke Omoihake]

"Excuse me?" Zeke stopped and turned on a dime to face the woman, looking every bit as annoyed as before. "First you're completely rude and insulting, and now that I told you my position you're suddenly respectful? Screw you." Zeke twisted back and threw a hand out behind him. "If you wanna help, talk to Brea. I'm not in the mood for people like you right now."

I can't believe her. Talks to me like I'm dirt until I throw my title out. I'm a hero damnit!

And so much more. You helped defeat Trucido. You stopped a man that could kill gods.

I did, didn't I?

Not only that, but if she was the guardian to Alex's father, why isn't his father alive? Some guardian, hmm? Who even needs an guardian that can't even keep one man alive?

Hey that's right. That's perfect. The terrible idea gave Zeke the temptation to get his own shot in on the woman. If she thought he could talk down to him, he was sure he could show her. "You know what? Scratch that, don't talk to Brea. Why don't you go home? I hardly imagine we'll need someone who couldn't even do their job right! Maybe if you had Alexander would still have his father." The very instant the words left his mouth they felt sour and his stomach twisted in disgust.

Why did I say that? I...What's wrong with me?

[mahila]

"Well, darling, maybe next time when one asks you of your skills you highlight them rather than tell me how much better other people are, hmm? How was I to know that you were important otherwise?"

Mahila had to admit that where she was at least enjoying the fight she found in the young captain, he seemed far more agitated than she would have preferred. She didn't think she was that mean, he must have just been a lot more sensitive than she originally thought. Reminded her a lot of the prince--or rather he would be the king now--he got fairly uppity over the smallest comments. Really now, you give someone insight on their flaws and they lash out at you for it, she just did not understand it. Though she didn't want a sour relationship with him either, she was going to have to work with him at some point anyway so it was best to keep things civil.

Though as she opened her mouth again was when Zeke brought up the king's deceased father--her master, friend, her meaning of existence and greatest failure. More in the detail that Zeke did, matters that the stupid boy had no idea of and where it boiled in the pit of her belly and tightened the grip on her bow so much that she felt the only true release she could find was to march up and take a good, solid swing at the man's head, she could not deny the obvious truth that he shared. Had she not failed as miserably as she did, Bradley would have still been alive. It would have been him solving these issues with Duo, not his highly unprepared son.

"Don't you think I know that?! You insolent...!" Mahila snarled quite unexpectedly, catching herself and forcing herself quiet for a moment as her whole body shook with anger. Biting her lip hard, she continued her hurried march alongside the captain and glared at him.

"My past actions are nothing for you to judge me on. I am here on orders by Felios, you and I are aligned with the same nation. You can either work with me because we have common goals, or you can work against me like a fool," she spat, trying to sound as stern and as calm as before but her voice cracked in parts where she fought with every part of her being to keep her emotions, angry and distraught, together.

[Zeke Omoihake]

Zeke was only half paying attention to the angel's pained retort as he stared into his own hands, looking deeply into his own palms as if answers laid hidden within his lines. "I'm, I'm sorry." He muttered to himself. "That isn't me, wasn't..." Realizing his small voice wasn't carrying past his own hearing Zeke lifted his head up and looked at Mahila with a shamed softness in his eyes. "That wasn't like me. I, you don't deserve that. Something's been, I don't know, screwing with me. I think it's the stress of this war, or maybe fear. All the same I shouldn't have lashed out. I'm sorry."

Zeke looked back to his hand, and despite that same small, cruel voice whispering for him to do otherwise, he wanted to extend that hand out to the woman that he'd clearly hurt. It was his job to gain aid in this battle. No, it's more than that. Zeke didn't just need this for a professional reason, he needed this for a personal reason. It would have been selfish to ask Shanira to stay, to give him the companionship he needed, but Mahila was offering that very thing to him and it looked like she needed it as much as he did.

With unease Zeke clasped his hand and held it close as he looked her over, this time without the same knee-jerk dislike. He saw in her something that was echoed in her words, a feeling that resonated within Zeke. With anxiety, he slowly extended his hand out towards her.

"You're right, I need you. We, we good guys need each other, especially against the big bad. I might be a captain, but right now I don't need an ally. I, need a friend here, and I think you do too. What do you say?" He flashed her a meek smile, hoping against all rationale that it'd give him the charm he needed for this.

[Ingway Desmodius]

Nothing, not a damn thing. It worried me honestly. Seigmand always had his hands in a pie this big, and with not a soul responding to me questions, I felt low on allies and a little lost. Doubting my direction and choices once again, I suddenly remembered one ally that had proved himself trustworthy, Zeke.

With no hesitation, I quickly sought out the man, having little trouble tearing through the morose crowds and finding the usual bright and cheery lad in the throws of conversation with some strange glowing girl. Never one to be meek, I briskly bounded up to the duo, only to have the sudden memory of my failure to protect Zeke unearth itself from the recesses of my mind. Gripped by hesitation, I could only wonder if Zeke would even want to see me after my failed attempts to help him fight of the creatures of Hellious, but here I was, right in from of him, and I had to say something, lest I look like an idiot.

"Hey...um, look Zeke, I'm...man I'm terrible at this..." I stumbled through my words like a man stumbling through the dark; searching with hands out stretched for something he's sure is there, but is just beyond his grasp.

I paused for a second as I tried to compose myself and find the right words. "I owe you for what you did for me back in Hellious, and Ingway is a man who always squares his debts. I'm at your service until I feel I've payed you back, and don't even think about denying it, cause that won't stop me," I blathered on in a vain effort to establish some confidence in not only my voice, but my promised actions. "...that said, when we're all squared, what's say we stay allies. Trustworthy people are hard to find, and though I know I can trust you, I think I still need to prove myself before we can make this official."

I extend my hand to the man, hoping that he might take it in camaraderie and forgiveness for my failure to help him, fretting in the back of my mind what I might do should he deny my service, and hoping that he might permit me a chance to prove myself.

[mahila]

Zeke's words confused Mahila, his every action confused her. She took the moment to stop and bore into him with an uncertainty in her eyes, having issues trying to gauge what he was supposed to be as his whole being seemed to flip flop in only minutes. Maybe it was exactly as she'd previously thought, he was overly sensitive and easily offended. She wasn't sure if that was a good personality mix for a military leader though.

'Stop judging for a moment, dammit!' Mahila's thoughts slapped her as she realized she was still trying to find something to pick at this guy with, even now when he was trying to make nice. It wasn't good on her, even if the talk of needing a 'friend' right now was something she really wanted to scoff at because she wasn't here to make friends, she was here to do a job and in part she was a little curious to see how Santo-Luce was kept under the new king's command. For him to even think that she'd need him as a friend instead of just an ally was a stupid thought on its own, her only friend was Bradley.

And as if on cue the thought of him with his dashing, bearded smile standing tall in the light of the castle throne room delivered another sickening blow to her stomach. Her only friend, and the shame and guilt she felt for failing him was an eternal torture she doubted she could ever get over. Even after a couple of years she still wasn't used to not feeling his presence, she'd be lying if she said the loneliness wasn't biting.

Her features softened incredibly so, looking from Zeke to his extended hand. Her own free one, shaking with a hesitation slowly reached out to meet his but grabbed it firmly.

"I..." she tried to think of something to say, something more personal would be a lot more fitting but she really didn't feel like sharing her great lack of friends she's ever had. Didn't really feel like sharing anything about Bradley personally either, not right now anyway. And she assumed the man was looking for personal connection as opposed to her assuring him that her professional focus was on King Alexander and Santo-Luce. She was at a complete loss for words, at which point by great coincidence this other fellow with the feathery hat approached them and instead she took this moment to smile weakly as she watched him instead fumble about with his words.

Mahila kept quiet otherwise, tension leaving her body as she observed the two men.

[Zeke Omoihake]

Doubt turned to overflowing enthusiasm the moment he felt Mahila's hand enclose his. Flashing her a genuine grin that paled in comparison to the earlier imitation he only looked at her as he waited, curious to see what she'd say. Of course, he wasn't really sure what he was expecting, nor was he exactly bursting to talk either. Zeke was thrilled, but it was probably the most awkward time he'd ever bonded with someone.

Well, maybe second most awkward. There certainly isn't the same kind of Noise around as there was when I did this with Don.

He was thankful when a friendly and familiar voice broke the silence between the two. "Ingway! Oh, sorry..." He shrank as he realized more than a few of the still mourning patrons of the palace were glaring at him. "Hey Ingway." Expecting to throw around a few encouraging words before they took off, Zeke was far more surprised at the very frank speech he got from his fellow shipmate.

Oh boy, this is getting heavy. What's he mean he owes me for Hellious anyway? Zeke realized they hadn't really had a chance to talk since he'd woke from their time in the forsaken land, and wondered if perhaps this had been bugging the guy the whole time.

"Hey man, you don't owe me anything. If anything, I should be saying I owe you." With a quick gesture of his head he nudged over at Mahila. "Hey, this is Mahila. Mahila, Ingway. This is one of the guys I was talking about. Hellious might have laid me out on my butt, but you should've seen this guy fight. Took on a demon three times his size and not a scratch on him. Hey, now that I think about it, how did you beat that guy? My mind's a little fuzzy about the whole thing. I remember whopping the little guy, and then the big one ate him, a-and was there a hurricane or something?" Zeke scratched his head, struggling to figure out what in the world happened after that.

[mahila]

Mahila gave a polite nod to Ingway as he was introduced to her.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. The captain says you are a valiant warrior..." she said, slowly turning her gaze back to Zeke, "Hellious? Did I just hear that right?"