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 Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:00 pm
Michel had no reason to relent. He was mad, and Faustite was unpredictable and dangerous. He’d seen the flames erupt from him on the battlefield. He had burns from that night that still hurt. He let his anger power him, let it fuel him.
He’d have been running on fumes if it wasn’t for his anger, but for all the strength it gave him, it wasn’t enough.
Faustite could surrender, but it didn’t mean he meant it.
Michel didn’t have the luxury of accepting. He couldn’t trust that Fasutite would honor that and sit quietly in a burning room while he put Ilse’s starseed back in and carried her out.
Coupled with the fact that he didn’t know how long he had before the smoke wore out, he couldn’t risk playing games. And, maybe he enjoyed hitting Faustite.
He didn’t want him dead. He wanted him pliant. Unconscious, so he could maneuver him somewhere safer, somewhere Michel had more power. Somewhere he didn’t have to worry about backup showing up, or Ilse turning into a youma.
He didn’t stop to wipe the blood from his face. He drew his arm back to hit him again.
“Beg me for mercy,” he demanded, not because he intended to give it but because he couldn’t stop. He hit him again.
He wasn’t going to stop until Faustite was out.
There was too much at stake to be lenient.
The Negaverse wouldn’t have granted any mercy.
Why should he?
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:02 pm
So ******** much for that.
He couldn't block anymore, and the blows kept coming. Couldn't wrench himself off the zweihander when parts of his grate were caught on its embellishments. Couldn't duck when the articulated metal was ruined, immobilizing him.
Couldn't teleport. Couldn't call for help.
Barked out another cry when he instinctively tried to catch another punch, Then he took another blow. And another. And another. Soon his vision clouded, and when he saw Ilse's prone body on the floor, he saw black splattered over her. He thought of Lysithea, of discordant chaos overtaking her, staining her uniform the color of Faustite's blood.
Another blow. Then another. Then –
Nothing.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:04 pm
Michel had drawn his fist back to do another hit when he realized that Faustite seemed to have gone limp. A part of him said to hit him again, just to make sure, but another part of him said that he really didn’t have time to throw a few more blows just for fun. Not here, at least.
He didn’t bring his sword out of Faustite but he didn’t let him hit the floor hard. He had to kneel down to get Ilse’ s starseed, anyway.
His mouth tasted like blood and smoke and he didn’t know if he was dizzy from the state of the place or the adrenaline.
But he couldn’t stop moving now. Ilse’s starseed was so small, so fragile. He had to squint to examine it but it didn’t seem cracked. There didn’t appear to be Chaos swimming in it. He didn’t know, he wasn’t a ******** professional. And what was he going to do if it had been injured, leave it on the ground?
There was a memory there that he couldn’t quite recall, the feeling of a starseed in his hand. It felt wrong. Maybe it had always felt wrong. He was worried that if he touched it for too long, maybe something horrible would creep into her, too.
He wasn’t gentle with Ilse but he didn’t shake her any more than necessary, he just didn’t have time or patience to take it slow. He guided the starseed back to her chest, pushed it in. There wasn’t any resistance, he didn’t know why he thought it might have needed more effort.
He hooked one arm around her and lifted her up. She needed to get out of here before he could leave.
He shook her a bit in his arms but didn’t speak until he’d stepped out of the room.
As if Faustite would be woken by a whisper.
“Ilse,” he said, sharp and hurried. “Wake up. You’re fine.” Or she wasn’t, he didn’t know. "I need you to say something or I’m going to have to page Soleiyu.”
He probably should, anyway. He didn’t want to risk leaving her alone and vulnerable.
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Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:25 pm
It took a moment, for Ilse to come to, once her starseed was back in her chest. She gasped, a little panicked, and was surprised to find the air less clouded with smoke than it had been.
"I'm okay," she said, which was mostly true. She hurt all over, and she was sure that she would have to check herself for burns, but she was....at least alive. Not a youma. And that was the important part.
"Thanks. For making sure I got out of there." The smile on her face was genuine, but it dipped into a frown, and she glanced back at the door. "We--we need to leave," she said. "Whatever you have planned, I...go get Faustite. I'll get myself out." Probably. She thought she could.
If nothing else, Soleiyu had taught her how to go to her planet, and that would be an easy out. Before the neighbors noticed, or the fire spread.
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Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2022 11:19 am
Michel didn’t respond to her gratitude; it was wasted on him.
He set her down on the ground, gentler than should have been expected of him, and he waited for just a second to make sure she was on her feet before he released her. “You need to leave,” he agreed. “I’m going to deal with him.”
Like they’d planned. Get Faustite out of the picture for now.
Give them a chance to do something without him around.
He hadn’t entirely made up his mind what he was going to do with him, but Ilse knew that as long as Faustite was out of the picture, away from here, she’d be safe.
Lysithea would be safe.
He wasn’t going to argue with Ilse if she thought she could get out of here, and he wasn’t going to waste time or breath arguing with her. “If you need me for anything, you know how to send a message.”
He didn’t wait to say parting words, not when Faustite was alone and unwatched.
So, he gave her one last look and then he turned back to get him, too.
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