Chapter One

[Quantum Rain]

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----Intro post shall arrive later----

[Quantum Rain]

Rain turned around, catching on to the sudden sense of panic Xaldius exerted. What now?! He thought as Lara reacted quickly by grabbing Xaldius's shoulders and speaking calmly at him. "Don't panic, just look at me. Okay? Just look at me and ignore everything else." "Lara, what's wrong with him now?" "Head trauma, concussion I would think. I need him to settle down to take a better look."

[Wynn]

Xaldius hyperventillated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "alright..." He sat back down. He just looked around for a moment. He then gritted his teeth, got up and walked to the edge of the building and knelt down over the edge. Lara and Rain wouldnt actually see it, but he was 'losing his steak dinner' to say the least.

[Quantum Rain]

Lara walks over to Xaldius, still concerned for his well-being while Rain just stands there, watching, and listening to the eerie silence of the burning city.

[Wynn]

Lara walks over to Xaldius, still concerned for his well-being while Rain just stands there, watching, and listening to the eerie silence of the burning city.

Xaldius just sat there on his hands and knees, only breathing. He stood up and began walking away from the edge. "I... dont feel..." He began to stumble. "so good..." He fell over and didnt get up. He lost conciousness again.



Perhaps you would have been better off just hitting the ground rather than hitting the building, THEN into the ground.

[Quantum Rain]

Lara caught him, surprisingly, and not stumbling over the sudden weight. She laid him down gently on his back and set her hands over his head. "How bad is it?" Rain asked, slightly unconcerned about the fugitive just falling over. "Mild, compared to other cases I've seen." "I suppose it's a good thing you came with us then." Rain replied, walking towards the edge of the building, looking down at the streets below, which were also eerily empty. This is far too strange... "Heal him quickly, we may need to get moving soon." He ordered, Lara replying with a silent nod as she closed her eyes and energy glowed around her fingers, flying into Xaldius's head.

[Wynn]

Lara caught him, surprisingly, and not stumbling over the sudden weight. She laid him down gently on his back and set her hands over his head. "How bad is it?" Rain asked, slightly unconcerned about the fugitive just falling over. "Mild, compared to other cases I've seen." "I suppose it's a good thing you came with us then." Rain replied, walking towards the edge of the building, looking down at the streets below, which were also eerily empty. This is far too strange... "Heal him quickly, we may need to get moving soon." He ordered, Lara replying with a silent nod as she closed her eyes and energy glowed around her fingers, flying into Xaldius's head.

Get up, now.

Xaldius remained motionless on the ground. They would not see it, but he was beginning to have what amounted to an unconciousness night terror.

This is not a time for a nap. Wake. Up.

To Rain and Lara, he would begin to sweat and shiver.

Wake. Up. This is no time for dying.

He would be confronted with an exceedingly, indescribeably horrible image.

WAKE UP OR PERISH!!!

Xaldius would sit up with a cold sweat, screaming at the top of his lungs.

[Quantum Rain]

Lara jumped back a bit, trying to avoid hitting Xaldius accidently. "Hey! Calm down, you'll give yourself another concussion doing that!" She objected, grabbing Xaldius on the shoulders and trying to lay him back down gently. "I need to finish healing the wound or you might overexert yourself."

[Wynn]

Lara jumped back a bit, trying to avoid hitting Xaldius accidently. "Hey! Calm down, you'll give yourself another concussion doing that!" She objected, grabbing Xaldius on the shoulders and trying to lay him back down gently. "I need to finish healing the wound or you might overexert yourself."

Xaldius would be shaking violently and hyperventillating at a rather insane rate. He had an expression of sheer horror, he moved his mouth to speak, but couldnt formulate any words.

[Quantum Rain]

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. Just lay down and let me heal you." Lara said, ensuring to add in both mental influence, temporarily, and her own genuine assurance. "Everything will be okay, you won't feel anything, just lie down."

[Wynn]

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. Just lay down and let me heal you." Lara said, ensuring to add in both mental influence, temporarily, and her own genuine assurance. "Everything will be okay, you won't feel anything, just lie down."

Xaldius lied down but did not stop shaking. He still had a look of sheer terror, as if he had seen a ghost.

[Quantum Rain]

Lara set her hands just above Xaldius's head once more, as they glowed in the same fashion as before, and the energy flew into his head, healing the wound slowly but surely. "So..." She began, trying to draw Xaldius's attention away from whatever he's afraid of. "Do you have a name? I don't recall anyone asking you that question personally..."

[Wynn]

Xaldius looked up at her, then looked away, thinking. "I... I dont know..." She noticed a slight change in his eyes. "Everyone keeps calling me Xaldius... but... I dont want to believe it's my name... I resent it... I think it's just... the... other's..." He looked over at Rain. "...name..."

[Quantum Rain]

This day just keeps getting weirder. The longer we sit here, the fewer beings I can sense... it's like a ghost town now, I can't find anyone nearby. Not even the rest of Dominae... What the hell is going on?! He thinks to himself, still looking over the edge, at the city and everywhere in his sights.

"Then why don't you think of another we can call you by? If you hate being called Xaldius, I mean." Lara proposed, as she retracted her hands, the wound being healed fully now one would think.

[Wynn]

This day just keeps getting weirder. The longer we sit here, the fewer beings I can sense... it's like a ghost town now, I can't find anyone nearby. Not even the rest of Dominae... What the hell is going on?! He thinks to himself, still looking over the edge, at the city and everywhere in his sights.

"Then why don't you think of another we can call you by? If you hate being called Xaldius, I mean." Lara proposed, as she retracted her hands, the wound being healed fully now one would think.

Xaldius just looked up at the sky for a moment. He seemed to be thinking but did not say a word for a long time. "Lae..." He finally said plainly.

[Quantum Rain]

"Lae... I like that." Lara said, as she stood up and offered Lae a helping hand. "Rain over there is insisting we move now. I don't know what's up though."

Rain turned around and walked toward Lara. A few moments pass as their eyes made contact and no words were spoken. She nodded and turned back to Lae, smiling still. "Can you move well enough?" She asked him. "He will whether he can or not, we don't have a choice..." Rain interrupted, looking up at Lae, then turning around.

[Wynn]

"Lae... I like that." Lara said, as she stood up and offered Lae a helping hand. "Rain over there is insisting we move now. I don't know what's up though."

Rain turned around and walked toward Lara. A few moments pass as their eyes made contact and no words were spoken. She nodded and turned back to Lae, smiling still. "Can you move well enough?" She asked him. "He will whether he can or not, we don't have a choice..." Rain interrupted, looking up at Lae, then turning around.

Lae just stared at Rain after he got up. He didnt show hostility, but there was something behind the stare. To anyone, it might have seemed like he was just annoyed at the lack of concern, but a professional soldier would probably realize he knows more than he's letting on. He turned back to Lara. "I'll live... I think..."


Xaldius: You certainly have a funny way of making friends. You try to kill them, then join them.

Lae: Will you leave me alone already!?

Xaldius: Im the one whose kept you alive this whole time, you best show some respect.

Lae: What are you talking about?

Xaldius: You really do have a concussion, dont you?

[Quantum Rain]

"I am afraid we can't afford to just walk." Rain said simply, looking up at the sky. "And traffic seems to be at an all-time low today, so..." He turned around and looked at Lae, holding out his hand. "We're going to fly out." "Why not just walk?" Lara asked curiously. "I don't trust the ground right now... Whatever is down there, I don't want to meet it on their terms."

[Wynn]

"I am afraid we can't afford to just walk." Rain said simply, looking up at the sky. "And traffic seems to be at an all-time low today, so..." He turned around and looked at Lae, holding out his hand. "We're going to fly out." "Why not just walk?" Lara asked curiously. "I don't trust the ground right now... Whatever is down there, I don't want to meet it on their terms."

Lae stared at him for a moment. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Where are we going exactally?"

Xaldius: At least you're smart enough to not totatlly trust people you dont know.

Lae: I dont remember much from before, is this the part where I'd normally tell you to '[censored] off' or would that have come earlier normally?

Xaldius: Well, that hasnt changed. Good. You aren't a total loss, afterall.

[Quantum Rain]

"The city is burning, the people are missing, and I can't contact my team. Obviously, we aren't going much of anywhere but to scout out the place, and having an extra set of eyes would be helpful. Unless you want to stay here and take your chances?" Rain said bluntly, staring at Lae rather coldly this time. Lara just stood back for the moment, not wanting to get involved, but ready to act in a moment's notice still. One could tell she was somewhat distressed by Rain's actions.

[Wynn]

"The city is burning, the people are missing, and I can't contact my team. Obviously, we aren't going much of anywhere but to scout out the place, and having an extra set of eyes would be helpful. Unless you want to stay here and take your chances?" Rain said bluntly, staring at Lae rather coldly this time. Lara just stood back for the moment, not wanting to get involved, but ready to act in a moment's notice still. One could tell she was somewhat distressed by Rain's actions.

Lae narrowed his eyes further. "Would it kill you to have emotion for a second?" He shook his head. "Im sorry, but if you only want me for an extra set of eyes and dont give a [censored] about my well being, no thanks. Ill take my chances down here because at least these... whoever they are... will play a straight game."

[Quantum Rain]

"I don't have time for this." He said, grabbing Lae and jumping upwards at rather quick speeds. If Lae decided to argue, he would likely fall to his death now. "I'll be frank then." He said coldly, the two of them hovering and the only thing keeping Lae up was Rain holding onto his arm. "No, I don't have to show any emotion. No, I don't have to listen to your complaints. However, I'm not about to let you die, I was ordered to take you alive, unlike the soldiers that were chasing you earlier today. The safety of my team comes first though, and if you're going to stand in the way, then please, feel free to fall to your death right here and make it easier on me." He said now entirely cold and staring straight at Lae, thoroughly annoyed too it would seem. "Now then, any other concerns for today or care to help me find out what's going on before all three of us die?"

[Wynn]

"I don't have time for this." He said, grabbing Lae and jumping upwards at rather quick speeds. If Lae decided to argue, he would likely fall to his death now. "I'll be frank then. No, I don't have to show any emotion. No, I don't have to listen to your complaints. However, I'm not about to let you die, I was ordered to take you alive, unlike the soldiers that were chasing you earlier today. The safety of my team comes first though, and if you're going to stand in the way, then please, feel free to fall to your death right here and make it easier on me." He said now entirely cold and staring straight at Lae, thoroughly annoyed too it would seem. "Now then, any other concerns for today or care to help me find out what's going on before all three of us die?"

Lae stared at him. He had known something had been off about him. He recalled being chased by him and having gotten into a scrape with him that had nearly killed him.

Xaldius: Seems he hit a nerve, didnt he?

He lowered his head, and his expression changed from angry, to furious when he said that it would be easier on him to just fall to his death.

Xaldius: Seems to me you're in an impossible situation.

Lae glared at Rain in the eye. "So im just in the way." He stared a moment more and didnt blink. "You think i should just help when you plan to kill me.... you already tried." He seemd to struggle to maintain an even tone.

Xaldius: Let me take him.

Lae's eyes changed a slightly redder color. "I knew something was off about this whole picture..."

Xaldius: Give me control.

His eyes went back to normal briefly and changed to the redder tone, he was struggling to maintain control. He looked at Lara, glaring at her, too now. "Is this how it works?" He clenched his hands into fists. "Were you just trying to lure me into some false sense of security?... heal me so im fit for an execution?"

Xaldius: GIVE ME CONTROL!!!

Lae turned back and forth, struggling to keep control. The more he thought about the situation, the harder it became to hold Xaldius back.

[Quantum Rain]

"If it were an execution, I wouldn't have wasted my efforts. I would have done so cleanly and quickly rather than the cruel fate you suggest. For instance, in every encounter we've had, I have always held back. I could have killed you rather more easily than you think. Now you're in the way of my ability to keep my men alive. It was bad enough that your tantrums have already killed dozens in the past, yet you were declared to live regardless, but I will not ever let you kill my friends." He held his other hand up, it glowing like fire. "So what is your answer?"

[Wynn]

Lae looked at the fire, then back to Rain. "[censored] you." He right-hooked him across the face, completely disregarding the fact they are way up in the air.

Lae: If im going to die, it's going to be on my terms...

[Quantum Rain]

Rain was not expecting such a reaction, despite his readiness to do so. He was sent aback and probably wouldn't have made it to catch Lae even if he wanted to. Luckily for Lae, he was caught in mid-air and whisked away to the neighboring building, carried by a familiar figure with snow white wings. "Sorry about that." Lara said as she put Lae back on his feet.

"What are you doing, Lara? He wanted to die clearly..." Rain said, floating just off the edge of the building. "Why waste our efforts on a hopeless cause such as him?" "Did you think the the same way when we met twelve years ago?!" She shot back bitterly. Rain didn't answer, merely stared at her with the same cold look he gave Lae. "..." He looks away and answers plainly. "Fine." And then flies off, disappearing into red horizon of the sun setting into the fiery landscape.

"...I swear, he can be such a pain sometimes." Lara sighs, shaking her head as she said so. "I'm really sorry about all of this."

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