2122/What You Could Have Stopped

What You Could Have Stopped
Date of Scene:	28 April 2015
Location:	Terra Majora <TM>
Synopsis:	Nathan Hall takes a drastic last step in his crusade against Elliana Fairchild, with far reaching repercussions.
Cast of Characters:	12, 40, 92, 168, 189, 253, 347, 395, Riva Banari

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Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Nathan had already calculated that he was faster than the Drasillum. This is not a difficult calculation to make. For one, the Drasillum is actually pretty slow in flight, most of the time. For another, it requires frequent rest periods, where it sinks its roots into the earth to replenish itself and regenerate battle damage. It is also useful sometimes to have a stationary base, and that is how matters are right now. The giant tree is clinging to the side of a mountain after a recent rainfall, leeching up some of the spilled minerals from a mudslide. Theis has it overlooking a heavily-forested valley with an oblong lake covering part of it... which, perhaps not coincidentally, gives Elliana a nice view.

    Though Mordred refers to it as a 'bitchin' tree fort,' it should be obvious to any nearby or staying there that the massive tree is a bit more than that. An entire small city can fit within its boughs. It is... really big, and even includes a drydock for the maintenance and docking of airships atop its canopy. Here in spring, it's flowering as well, giving a rather pretty view of the leaves and branches in a series of pink and purple flowers. The tree may be 'corrupted' but it's at least nice to look at. Kind of empty though. Elliana has picked up troops and minions, but they still take up only a fraction of the quarters nestled in the tree.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    There is no subtlety here. It's extremely obvious that something is arriving, because a tremendous thunderstorm is following. If water was what Elliana wanted, it's coming. Storm magic is charging to its absolute height. Heavy rains and arcing bolts come with the grim clouds. Thunder pounds like war drums. A tremendous creature is approaching. The titanic snake Midgardsormr, a tremendous beast that seems wrought out of stone and dirt itself, has been flooded and energized with diabolical Draupnir power and heavily armored by hefty golden magical plates. The ground cracks where it slithers, and the rumblings of an earthquake can be heard.

    It was summoned very suddenly, with no warning at all, some distance from the mountain, blasting out of the ground. Without an ounce of hesitation, it charges down the tree, roaring. The storm approaches from above, threatening bolts trying to ensure it does not flee above, while Midgardsormr lunges, attempting to coil right around the base, practically trying to shake the mountain apart as it tries to keep the fortress down. Brutally squeezing, it is a titanic display of Nathan's harsh intent to not let Elliana get away, and to not let go of this. There are no words, at least not yet. His hunt is wordless, and the only noise is the sound of the Eidolon he's riding on, seated somewhere along the creature's armored length.

    If anyone's going to open the negotiations for today, it won't be Nathan.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    All roads led to one destination. Hunting Nathan had been easy in that particular aspect, since Psyber knew the only place Nathan would go. He was also able to circumvent the need to find it by simply asking its owner to stay there for a few days. Psyber had, in fact, been in a small guest room fine-tuning one of his guns with a minor tool kit as he waited. Simply waited.

    The attack actually came in before he expected it to, but in a way Psyber had only half-predicted. Nathan was, indeed, loaded for war. Psyber, however, was disadvantaged in that he was fighting non-lethally today. Rubber bullets are slid into a magazine, which is then dropped into a holster at his side alongside the gun. Psyber calmly stands up, trying to maintain composure to hide his own pain and turmoil at what is happening. He puts two fingers to his ear, "To those I alerted to remain on standby..." He takes a long pause, swallowing a dry mouth, his doubts, and all of his fears to remain calm, "... please deploy immediately."

    And with that, the half-angel turns on his heels and starts trying to sprint-walk his way through the tree. He knows where Nathan will go, so he knows here he must go: To Elliana directly. If he doesn't get there in time, he at least knows Mordred will protect her.

Mordred (12) has posed:
    The Bitchin' Tree Fort has TV, which is generally enough to keep Mordred at home when nothing is going on. Which works out in Elliana's favor, in this case.

    The Servant doesn't immediatly appear, though her presence becomes impossible to ignore the moment the massive serpent wraps around the Drasillum. Red magic washes over the entire tree, as Mordred settles behind the proverbial wheel herself, for once. Thick plates of silver and red metal form around it, likely loosening the serpent's grasp on the tree itself. Spikes surge out of the armor in places where it'll immediatly assault it, even.

    Mordred isn't a Rider, it's true. She can't make the Drasillum that much more of a threat than it already is. But the sudden appearance of the armor, and the fact the tree now has access to her Prana Burst, increasing all of its stats, should buy it plenty of time. It won't be impossible for Nathan to pierce through, certainly, but it'll be harder.

    Over the tree, Mordred's voice echoes: "This is your captain speaking, fasten yer fucking seatbelts. Now if you look out yer right, ya'll see a giant ass buffed up serpent trying to choke a tree and break in. If ya'll look to your left ya'll see the same fucking thing 'cause it's a god damn snake and it's wrapped around the entire tree, yo."

    For now she will stay behind the tree's controls, but the moment the 'hull' as it were is pierced she'll join with Elliana. It's not like that'll take her more than a few seconds.

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    And then somewhere behind Psyber, a puff of sickly-sweet purple pink smoke, and a sudden blur of motion just outside the corner of your eye. She's trying to be stealthy, but... well. That's likely not going to matter soon.
    Eleanor is here in her full Sister Gear. No half measure, nothing less than everything she's got. It's not going to be enough at this point, but... well. It might not be for use against Nathan in the end. The suit's porthole is glowing a dull amber as lights and systems spin in ready mode, Elle's brain wracking to comprehend any of this.

    Nope, still not working. The presence of the massive Eidolon is shaking her right to the core, the sheer pressure of the situation driving down on her souls like some great anchor. But she's resolute. This ends tonight.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva arrives quickly, roaring in on a sleek motorbike.

The problem is that she doesn't have a cool way to teleport in.

Instead, she's looking up at the mountain and the massive beast encircling the tree, the World-Serpent itself lashing with incomprehensible force in the middle of a massive storm. Riva flips up her helmet visor and stares in shock. ".... Whoooooaa..." She exhales in mostly-silent awe at the incredible sight. No longer the pacifist, modest librarian of little note or power, Nathan is revealing some of the true, horrifying depths of power that he has accumulated in his long service. Riva grits her teeth, slamming down her visor.

If she's going to be of any help at all, she needs to get /up there/.

And she sees just the way to do it. With a roar of her bike, she opens full throttle, the bike swearing off the road and launching off of a rocky shelf, flying through the air...

And landing on the back of Midgarsormr. She begins weaving the bike past spikes, ridges, and armor plates as she does her best to gun her bike up the length of the massive serpent, using it as a bridge to reach the tree (and possibly pass Nathan in the process).

This is either the most awesome or stupidiest idea riva has had. ever. Maybe both.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Riva will find no trouble riding up the creature's back, aside from the brutal shaking and twisting of its fight with the Drasillum's own armor. At all times, she'll need to maneuver as if she were experiencing an earthquake. but as the head pushes further and further up, she'll probably be able to get to wherever Nathan is going.

Amalthea (395) has posed:
    Amalthea had hoped that it would not come to this.
    Hope is such a terribly fragile thing; and it is an immensely weary and haggard old knight that dons her armor. Even for light chain and surcoat, it is inordinately heavy today. Belting her blade to her waist is like attaching a leaden weight, every step a burdened trudge, so different from her normal stride.
    And as she makes her way out of the manse in a fugue of wandering thoughts, silver lips whisper one thing to the sword in her grasp.
    "If I am forced to draw thee, today, old friend; please do what is right and shatter in my grasp."
    Out she goes.
    Psyber told her this was very much a possibility. And it had come true. Words were never her strong suit, and Nathan Hall of all people being on the war path with clear intent to kill is a thought that shakes the unicorn to her very core. She will just have to hope he can be convinced to back down. She can only hope as she starts making her way as fast as she can to the location of the Drasilium, the immense storm, serpent, and pure outflow of the varied powers Nathan has quietly accrued over the past years now put on blatant display set her hear fluttering not for fear of her own life, but for sheer worry of how the next hour will simply unfold.

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    "Ah, Saber. Ever the vigilant knight," Elliana says quietly. In another situation, that might be mocking, but she is stating it in a rather admiring tone tonight. The armor was a nice touch, and the words have stirred the local militia, small though they may be, into action. Elliana's words are more quiet, and also directed to Mordred. "See to it that you do not kill General Hall unless absolutely necessary. He could be the key to getting my own plans back on tra<span class=" fg_m bg_n ++ k."

    cm">~Is that wise, Elliana?~</span> Wrathborn's voice echoes in her head. ~He would make an excellent choice, but he could also kill you today. Have you considered Psyber or perhaps Amalthea?~

    "Impossible," Elliana states. "Neither are suitable at this point. He is perfect. Of course, we do have to /survive/ today. Let's try to do that, why don't we?"

    She isn't going straight out, that would be suspicious. But the priestess is not powered up, either, and she's walking along the twisting paths toward one of the outer walkways, looking for one of the observation decks that jut out from the canopy. It won't be long before she arrives, striding right out into the open where the flying sorts can see her.

    In the meantime, she strokes Brilliant Dawn. "You will be informed shortly, not to worry. For now, I need a Tandem Paradigm. Quietly."

Pegasus (189) has posed:
    A bit late to the party... perhaps intentionally. Pegasus did not stay in the Drasillum, nor arrive through the nearby warpgate. The whine of the jets, and the sonic boom, are not going to be heard until after the gleaming moonsteel figure is already slowing down and doing a rapid approach toward the tree.

    Pegasus lands with a loud *CRASH* upon one of the decks, slamming down on one knee with one hand spread out to brace her. The winged construct spreads her wings, letting her jets cool with a faint hissing whine, then slowly stands up. A heavy sigh leaves the robotic pegasus as she looks out over the serpent, guaging the next avenue of attack.

    She's pretty sure that the serpent isn't the REAL threat.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    What emerges from the back of the gargantuan snake is something entirely unlike Nathan Hall. A Byakhee -- the creature is like some eldritch, awful dragon -- forms the bulk of what comes now to board. Huge claws wrap around the winged body of a man, while its hunched, twisted, skeletal body makes up an intimidating form for the rest, huge beating wings gushing wind and rain about.

    The huge metal wings, glowing blue, are the first things seen. What's next is a strange sight. Nathan's covered in armor formed of ice. It's thick enough that it may be a second layer entirely. The plates are heavy, opaque from their chaotic construction, and smooth, without an inch of ornamental nature, but not enough to conceal an ancient artifact bracer. Shivan, one of the Hundred, something that those who visited Taliel with Nathan will recognize. Over this armor, he wears a familiar cloak, one that Elliana gave him a very long time ago. The hood is pulled up, shadowing his face, which is itself obscured by a flat faceplate of ice. Of his eyes, one can only see the square light of the glare in his glasses, though only one lens remains whole, giving him a cyclopean appearance.

    Humming forcefields buzz in he air around him. There's a hefty bladed weapon sheathed at his back. One arm has an unearthly yellow glow, and the other burns with a hateful purple flame. His back crackles with arcs of lightning. No part of the human underneath is exposed. A halo of ice spikes and brilliant yellow spellcircle lines floats behind the Byakhee. He's holding a holy, golden spear in one hand, with a tremendous spearhead.

    Elliana knows where to meet Nathan. He's started on the shortest path to her home in the Drasillum, and the creature halts there. The charged magical energies emit shockwaves of wind and light as Nathan points the weapon at Elliana. "Lady of Nightmares." He says, in that same, familiar monotone from the face-obfuscating flat ice helm. "Salutations." He says nothing else. No negotiations, no diplomacy. He's presumably going to attack. If anyone's going to interrupt him, they should do it now. Those who were rushing to Elliana's side or to intercept Nathan will be able to interpose before he begins his strike though.

Mordred (12) has posed:
    And the hull is breached.

    The Servant abandons her post. She does not reply to her master's request, because she's not going to comply to an order like that prior to even engaging an enemy like this. Sorry Elliana, but even your Saber knows not to promise not to kill someone who's making themselves a huge enough problem that killing has to stay on the table.

    Turning incorporeal, traversing the tree in an instant, the Servant appears in Nathan's path, fully armored, Clarent already out and glowing ominous red, rather than being the dazzling and beautiful silver sword it normally is.

    'course, compared to him, she's a bit of a vanilla display. Just a knight in thick silver and red armor, with a big slightly glowy sword. She considers bringing the Shajem out-- but no, that'd likely make things worse for everyone here, no exception.

    "That's far 'nuff. I'll be taking the message."

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber is obviously rushing towards Elliana's side as fast as he can go. Of course, with her inherent supernatural nature, it's easy for him to track her movements via eyeline to some degree in the tree. He walks purposefully, determined to make this his best chance at saving his best friend from his other best friend.

    But... at the same time, he wasn't sure he could. And there was so much doubt weighing him down. So much reliance on external factors. For Psyber, who was so used to having the strength to solve all his problems, the half-angel was having to outsource every solution he could have had. The pistol at his side is patted. The greatsword across his back is held tightly in his grip.

    And, it should come as no surprise, that Psyber steps up directly next to Mordred. The half-angel is dressed differently. Elliana has his long coat, so Psyber is relegated to his short coat and more casual attire. He keeps one hand on the handle of Adjudicator across his back.

    Mordred, surprising no one at all, beat him to Elliana's guard. Psyber steps in shortly after, moving to stand just off to the side of the armored Servant, "Nathan, you always told me your plans involved me stopping you if you crossed too far," He says seriously, staring at his best friend and gripping the handle of the sword tightly, "This the line in the sand. I will not let you take this life. I don't care if you think it's for her," On some level, selfishly, it might be for Elliana. Psyber continues, "But it's not. It's for you. This action will change you. Nothing will ever be as it was if you do this."

Abstractum.Net (347) has posed:
    "Alright. I'll trust your plans." Brilliant Dawn says. "I'll get a Tandem with anyone I can here." And so it begins doing so. "Hope you know what you're doing, Elliana." Some more severe casualness is meaningful here.

    Psyber's blade speaks up. "I will not be able to strike against Hall myself. I don't know if you can either. And I am not sure I can help in the first place. ...Good luck, Psyber."

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva bounces ahd roars up the shaking Midgarsormr, the shaking, quaking snake causing her to skid and sway frequently. More than once she almost wipes out as it moves in an unexpected manner. As she watches the Byakhee rise, Riva follows it up with her gaze. How much power /has/ this man been hiding?!

The Templaress is almost clotheslined by as horizontal spine, but she slides under it, skidding on the surface of the snake with her bike as she reaches out and grabs the spine, using her momentum to do a full circle through the air like she was using asymmetric bars. "Alley... OOOOOOP!" She yells, her trail gleaming with anima as she puts everything she has into boosting her motion.

Elsewhere, Elliana and Nathan engage in their climactic confrontation. There is a sudden yell. "DON'T DO IT!"

A moment later, Riva explodes through the doorway, the motorcycle crashing out and spinning uselessly over into the corner as Riva hits the floor, skidding and tumbling as she bleeds off momentum to land near them both. Her head rebounds off of the floor multiple times, flattening portions of the hardened shell.

THIS IS WHY YOU WEAR A HELMET, KIDS. ALWAYS PRACTICE SAFE BIKING.

She only lies there for a moment before she rips the helmet off, looking up to take a moment to continue appreciating what happens when a man is driven just a little too far.

The helmet gets discarded, but Riva takes another step closer, her hands wringing together as she says, "Nathan, this /isn't you/. This isn't who you wanted to be."

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    And now it is kicking off, far to quickly for Eleanor's tastes. But that was going to be the watchword for this night. None of this was to Eleanor's tastes.

    The Sister remains cloaked to the world, or is attempted to remain cloaked. She exudes a comforting wave of 'I Am Not Your Problem' and letting eyes simply slide off her frame, away from her position, as she starts to sneak up and around and past Nathan. Psyber and Mordred can more than stand up to the Librarian at this point. The most she can hope for... is taking a shot, when she's able to. That's all Psyber needs, right? An opening. One chance.

    Never again does she want to do this. Her stomach is lurching, her chest tight. Her mind is screaming and she... she just can't afford to shift. Too loud, too obvious. She's mentally clinging to her last anchor in the world now, feeling the dull weight of Utopia on the back of her hand. Please let this work.

Amalthea (395) has posed:
    With a clatter of armor, Amalthea's landing isn't the most graceful tonight, but she finally touches down, boots skidding on the Drasillium and hissing a vent of steam.
    "Well isn't this a regular standoff." She grunts. But then picks herself up. A slow breath filters through her teeth as the unicorn's lone eye looks from Elliana, Psyber, and Mordred, to the armored bulk of Nathan.
    She can only hope this will not end in a bloody fiasco.
    "Nathan."
    This is more to announce her presence here, as she glances towards her sister's landing site. If anyone can get through to him, she's going to pray it's Pegasus.

Pegasus (189) has posed:
    Ah! So the Byakhee is carrying him! Pegasus watches that fly up, then frowns. Flicking her mane back, she powers up her jets for a brief moment to leap up, carrying her across the open boughs and bouncing off the serpernt. She's less concerned about the tree than she is Nathan... as will be shown very shortly when she lands on the platform.

    "Hello, dear." Her wings stay spread, acting as heat sinks to cool her turbines. "If you're wondering why I'm here to defend Elliana... you're wrong. I'm not. Maybe one day I might even stab her myself." Pause. "Again." Right. So why is she here?

    She lowers her lance and steps in next to Mordred and Amalthea. "I'm not here to defend her. But if you want to kill her, you'll have to go through me first. I want you to hear me out."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan has no words for Mordred beyond a simple, quiet, "Yes." An agreement. She can take the message first. He tilts his obfuscated head, shining eye glowing more brightly for a moment. And then there's an enraged scream from him as his whole body tenses up and he fires. Several effects fire off at once at the knight that has gotten between him and Elliana. An Emerald Countermagic strike against all magical properties of her armor. A bolt of lightning. A tremendous Hastur-magic projectile beam. A gush of explosive purple flame. It is a strike with intent to kill utterly, to annihilate armor and flesh lethally. Mordred's magic resistance can let her survive a head-on tanking, but this is completely beyond anything Nathan has ever done.

    By this time, the others are here, at which point he turns his attentions to them...

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Psyber and Riva get that baleful look next, but he won't strike at them, not yet. "You are correct." He says, simply. "What I 'truly' am, what I wanted to be, is something very likely to die, or to experience suffering so much like it that there is very little difference. We have demonstrated without any inconsistencies that if I remain what I wish to be, the price is more than I am capable of bearing. You are quite correct." The spear is leveled at Psyber now. "I am done talking. No more diplomacy. Get out of the way."

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    Elliana doesn't speak to Nathan, not even when the others all gather around. Instead, she says one word. "Ferguson." The tiny little flying lizard crawls from her robes, shaking himself awake. It is Elliana's first creation, an adorable if warped little thing. To this, she hands a thick envelope, which Ferguson takes in his claws and flutters off with.

    "I see you have become a warrior for me," she states. "I will not speak long to try to dissuade you. I am prepared... and should those who came to defend me fail to stop you, I will not resist your attack."

    She isn't ignoring the attack against Mordred, though. The Servant WILL feel an extra feed of mana. This is a more traditional battle... with Elliana as a mana battery for Saber. Still, Elliana herself is completely calm. She finishes what she was saying when the storm dies down.

    "If you kill me, then Ferguson will destroy the contents of the letter he is delivering to the office. If I survive, then I will tell you the cipher. Within it lay all the plans I have which involve you for the next six months." A small pause. "I'd have covered more, but I didn't have much time."

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber stands steady in front of Nathan, his red gaze kept straight and level as the spear is pointed at him, "I will not," Psyber says very simply. Adjudicator's words cause his hand to fall from the sword across his back, kept level and hanging at his side. The half-angel stares down Nathan with the calm and practiced gaze of a man that hunts monsters.

    Of a man prepared to die.

    The only thing that causes him to waver in this look is Elliana. The half-angel casts a slight glance over his shoulder as she plays the tiny Lizard that flutters off. There's a brief moment of hurt as she offers the man here to kill her every one of her plans, while he is kept in the dark with a simple request to trust her. This look is fleeting, so fleeting even Elliana herself may miss it if she's not paying attention.

    Psyber looks towards Nathan and remains steady in his footing, "I have failed you so many times, but if I step aside I will fail you again. I won't."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan gives a look to Elliana. His face is completely inscrutable under a layer of flat ice. He doesn't seem to spend even a moment on consideration. "Your schemes are a tremendous part of what I take issue with. But even with that knowledge, I would want you dead." He says, simply. He doesn't explain more, for whatever strange reason he has.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Amalthea and Pegasus get that same look. Whatever softness in expression Nathan may have for Pegasus is completely hidden behind a flat faceplate of pure ice. He gives them their time. He'll let Amalthea speak, but he'll more actively respond to her sister. "Pegasus, why..." He starts, his monotone breaking for a moment, before it holds stronger. "What do you wish to say, then?"

Mordred (12) has posed:
    The absolute truck of attacks hits Mordred dead-on. Though one cannot simply dispel or countermagic a Servant in quite that capacity, it's completely true anti-magic can bypass their defenses entirely. The Saber is obliterated, but not entirely. A lethal wound, maybe, if Elliana wasn't there, and if the Servant didn't have Battle Continuation and Magic Resistance alike, enhanced by the extreme amount of magic at her fingertips right now.

    She regenerates, quickly.

    And within moments, the broken Servant stands by Elliana again, whole, bolstered, and evidently angry given the rumblings under the plated helmet. Clarent clicks, a set of spikes deploying out from the crossguard, and the blade glows brighter, arcs of red lightning dancing on it.

    One step forward, just to remain in front of Elliana.

    But Mordred stops there, and waits.

    Might as well see if people can defuse this, as much as she'd like to use that sword right now. That did kinda hurt.

Pegasus (189) has posed:
    Ah. Pegasus glances at Mordred, but doesn't offer support. Instead she snaps her head up to hear Nathan ask her opinion. "You might be right that she should be punished... maybe even killed. That isn't what we're here for, though... and that isn't what YOU should be here for. I fight for the Union sometimes, even now, but you know it isn't what I want to do. It's just what I was MADE to do. Maybe there's no shame in that, but you also know that I want to be something else."

    She takes a deep breath and tucks her wings back. "The reason I'm here to stop you isn't for your sake. Like my sister said, like Riva said, like Psyber says... it's because this isn't you. We don't mean that you're acting out of character. You're not a killer, and if you cross this line... you become something different than... than the one that I know. You saved me, a long time ago, with Amalthea. And you did it because you're someone who doesn't kill, you fight FOR people."

    Her wings whrr as she tucks them fully in again. "I'm not asking you to save her. I'm not even asking you to think that she can be saved. I'm just telling you that you shouldn't make yourself into this to kill her. Someone else needs to do that. If that has to be me, I'll do it. But not like this."

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    The tree creaks loudly during this discussion, a faint crackling heard in one part. The armor keeps it from being heavily damaged, but that serpent is still there, remember!

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    There's a moment of hesitation there, where the argument does seem to take some form of foothold. Acknowledging Elliana's wrongs here, or that she should be punished for them, is extremely effective, in that it gets even a moment of consideration at all. But it gets no more than that. "That is what I believed, once. That if the necessity of killing her were made apparent, that it would happen, and that I could depend on my friends to do it." Nathan says. It does not last. Bolts of lightning herald a mental rebound, striking towards the upper reaches of it. There's some strange meteorological phenomenon going on up there in the sky.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "However, that is not the case." Nathan says. The rain comes down harder, but the sky is lit up by lightning. "I did not present even the most mild threat to the Lady of Nightmares, and despite that, I had my closest ally lead a massive conspiracy to prevent any such harm from ever coming to her, or even any impeding of her plans. If you try to do it, you will meet exactly the opposition I did." He turns on Psyber. "Or would you stand aside and let Pegasus kill the Lady of Nightmares now, angel?"

Pegasus (189) has posed:
    The reply has Pegasus smiling faintly. "You still can. Your friends are here to stop you from making a mistake. /I'm/ here to do that. I held off on fighting Elliana because you didn't seem to want me, personally, doing so until... recently." Pegasus shakes her head. "I'm not going to kill her right now. We are going to sit down and have a talk first. Not her and me... the two of us. The difference between us is that if I have to kill, I will. For you. But right now I am sparing a life... again, for you. This is not how you want to end things, Nathan. I trust that you'll make the right choice, just as you should trust your friends."

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber is addressed. The half-angel keeps that same stare levelled, looking on towards Nathan as he is addressed. His opening statement to Nathan is brief and honest, "When I asked Pegasus for help, she said she would help me save you. And that if Fairchild attempted to capitalize on it to harm you, she could not guarantee her safety or that of her subordinates," He takes a long pause, "I told her that if that came to pass, it would not be necessary. I would kill Elliana myself." He lets that sentiment hang heavy in the air. He does seem like he has more to say. But, he feels, the most open and honest thing he can do is admit to Nathan that if necessary he would acquiesce.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber chooses his wording very carefully, "Elliana Fairchild has committed acts which are undeniably heinous in her past. And I will not defend the mistakes she made on her path to come here. But I have to plead with you to see reason on the mistakes she did not make," Psyber says firmly, looking towards the Librarian, "The betrayal wherein the orders were above her head. The actions of Confederates in a mission she had no input in. The actions of a Confederate outside of her control. One of your friends moving against you to retain cross-factional relations. These were not betrayals by Elliana. These were betrayals by Confederate Command. Confederate forces. By me. By Lezard. Not Elliana," He takes a slow breath, "I make no apology for the actions she took by her own hand. For stabbing my best friend. For attempting to kill me. These are her sins which she carries, which she must live with, which she must stand accountable for." He pauses, seeming to be leading towards a point.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    As soon as Psyber happens upon this point, that's where things blow up a little. The Byakhee screeches as a wave of force blasts it away. Cracks show over Nathan's smooth ice helm. What he says next is practically screaming. "SHE CHOSE THEM!" He says, floating freely now, and pointing an imperious hand at Psyber. "She chose them, and never any alternative. You showed yourself, you think it is right to betray your faction for your friends. She carries every sin they enacted, because she chose them, over us." Where Pegasus was making progress, Psyber is uncovering more data, instead, about core motives.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber visibly flinches for a moment, keeping his gaze on Nathan and trying to slowly regain his composure, "She did choose them. But Elliana being a Confederate makes her no more responsible for the sum of their actions than you being a Unionite holds you accountable for Annu," Psyber notes in a calm counterpoint, keeping his eyes on Nathan, "This is a logical fallacy that the rational Nathan Hall would not have allowed himself to be fooled by. Composition and division."

He pauses, "And I did not betray my faction for my friends. I betrayed my friend for my faction."

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber keeps that same calm tone as he says, "But. I will retreat to my core point. Elliana should answer for her actions and her deeds, in this I do not disagree," He notes, looking to Nathan evenly. The Hunter, ever ready to face death, keeps his gaze unwavering, "You have an uncontested platform right now, Nathan Hall. You may lay every accusation down and she will be forced to answer your accusations." He looks over to Elliana briefly, then back to Nathan, "If she is so willing to."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "I do not hold her accountable for what the Confederacy does. I hold her accountable for what she does for the Confederacy." Nathan says, still approaching, and gesturing with some surprising force despite the monotone. "I hold her accountable for betraying me at Damcyan because she betrayed me at Damcyan, it does not matter if she was asked, she chose to do it. I hold her accountable for bringing her allies into her world because they are her allies, and when they steal dark gods from Terra Majora, or she uses her knight-caged rage-beast to fuel a slaughter, I hold her responsible!" Each word prompts a blast of lightning from the sky. The rain's lightening up, but there's a terrifying change of pressure in the air.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "When my best friend launches a scheme that puts me at risk of having a dark god of hatred shoved into my soul because I show the slightest aggression to his mass-murdering twice-betraying friend, who would you rather I hold responsible? You, angel?" Nathan says, his monotone breaking. There's aggression rising in his voice. "You, Lady of Nightmares?" He's back to Psyber, his weapon levelled right at his chest. "It was your plan, your betrayal that put me at that risk." And then back to Elliana, with venom in his voice, "And you. You would betray us for a moment of power to annihilate your world, but why not them, if you lay any kind of claim to moral justification?"

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    "That is not a good question," Elliana points out quietly. She brushes her hair back from her scar. "Nathan..." Ooh, first name again. "I have explained many times that the betrayal at Damcyan was not simply something that I had nothing to do about, but something that I actively argued against. That being said... Psyber is wrong." She casts an apologetic glance toward the half angel. "While I refuse to take full responsibility for the betrayal at Damcyan, I cannot deny that the other matters have... some weight. I appreciate Psyber's ability to forgive, but it is nonetheless true that I have blood on my hands. I am willing to admit that." She levels her eyes at the angry Librarian. "I have already said I will not resist, if you can convince them all to step aside. I betrayed the Union, and have not betrayed the Confederacy, but I am doing something here that you are not."

    She lets the phrase hang for a moment before completing it. "I am trusting my friends."

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    There's a shift behind Nathan as the SEP field shimmers out of existance, the Houdini powers dissapating, and Eleanor's radio-filtered voice fishbowls out of the suit. "And you, Nathan? You could have taken action. Proper action. You are a General of the Union. You command the armies of your people, of your faction, of your entire ethos. People who are willing to take that step, who have pledged to take that step..."
    The voice lowers. "All this time, all these steps, this petty posturing." Her voice cracks a moment. "You could have /ordered us./ TOLD US. /COMMANDED US./ 'Go, handle Elliana Fairchild. Remove her from the Multiverse, her crimes cannot stand without reponse.'"
    The tip of her needle scrapes against the tree's surface, as she looks up and overhead at the great snake Eideolon constricting and holding it captive. "You could have taken up your full power, Nathan Hall. Taken this step far sooner. Far more directly. We wouldn't have seen it coming. We wouldn't have even thought to come and stop you until either you or Fairchild were dead, if you wanted it that way."
    "...all this pagentry. This display of power. This gathering of your great weapons... Why?" The fishbowl's helmet crackles as she murmurs again. "It doesn't take a counselor to know that you, Nathan Hall, are making a great show of this. A spec-ta-cle." Click click click goes the needle. She's still standing out of his line of vision, deliberately so. "If you intend to kill her, do so. If you intend to go through all of us, do so. If you intend to talk, do so. But you are taking half-measures and this is NOT the NATHAN HALL I KNOW." There's no tears in her statements. She hasn't got any left. He does want to cry though, eveident in her voice.

Riva Banari has posed:
"Nathan..." Riva says, taken aback at the vehemence, the flat denial. "You've already suffered so much. You've accepted something you saw as terrible. You sacrificed so much that you believed in already. I always admired you for your control and dedication. When this started happening, I'm sorry. I should have done more to listen to you and help you. You might think it would help you stop hurting to bury it, lock it away and stop trying, and then go stab her... But it doesn't work." She pauses, and then suddenly blurts out, "She'd be dead... You'd feel good about it, but you'd have just hurt yourself and everyone around you again. You'd have betrayed /yourself/, and that's the worst thing you can possibly do."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Eleanor, in a way, gets it worse. Nathan's hatred reaches a peak, and the force is enough to blast the ice helm straight off of his face in frozen shards. "YOU THINK I MUTILATED MY SOUL FOR A SPECTACLE?!" Nathan screams, rage in his face and voice. He whips around, without an ounce of hesitation, and fires another blast at Eleanor. She's found a sore point and he's in a vulnerable way. This is just some of everything. Hastur magic, devil magic, phenomena bolt, so many types of magic it's a bit hard to count. Someone will need to stand in, This is where things get terrible. It's beginning to hail. Hail in massive, burning ice spikes. A grim variant of his storm-spike artillery some might remember.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "I am a librarian. The most violence I am supposed to indulge is an aggressive bookshelving. I had to do this to survive, to avoid being even worse. Either I just let her go, and watch my sins wreak havoc on the multiverse, or I try to chase her, and wind up a fool, a tool, or worse for trying." Nathan continues, his face now exposed. His right-side lens is still utterly shattered.

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    Eleanor... well. Yeah, she eats that one. She knew she would, but now Nathan Hall is not focused on the rest of the group, is focused on her and her alone and... well. Psyber has his shot, anyone has their shot, anyone at all please don't let-

    The blast of energy tears at her, peels at her, scrapes at her entire being. There's an awful, scrap filled noise as her helmet and airtanks are ripped away, the needle peeld and melted off the suit, and she falls to the ground, screaming.
    Is that her screaming? She can't tell anymore. "STOP. THE. EXCUSES. AND. DO. SOMETHING."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "Your words are ignorant of what is happening, and worthless. I am done listening to you." Nathan says, practically growling. That's one down on Elliana's allies in their defense, it looks like her approach won't help here, though she's churned through some of the false forefront of monotones and stoicism. He turns back to focus on the others...

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    He swings back to Elliana first. "You have friends to trust. You kill and betray and fuel a war machine with dark gods, and they protect you. I trusted my friends, and I this is where I am now. Stop talking down to me like there was ever a fair chance I had to do this right." Now he unsheaths the gunblade at his back and lands, finally no longer flying, leveling the shotgun in one ice-covered hand at her and firing that instead. No more magical shots, just a tremendous load of buckshot. Someone will need to stop that too. More thunder accentuates it. A huge pillar of burning ice slams down somewhere near Nathan.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "I tried everything else!" Nathan now says, trying to restore his monotone, swinging around to Riva. "I tried trying to save her, and bring her back. I tried accepting her, and working to help her whenever I could. I tried being open about how I felt. I tried getting help, to do this right. I tried giving up." He's yelling again by the end of it. "Again, and again, and again, all I got in return was betrayal, over and over! So tell me, what's the right way to do it? There's nothing else."

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    The hail rattling across the deck has Elliana gesturing. One of the armored limbs shifts, moving over to cover the deck and shield the group here. The increasingly bad weather is starting to take its toll though... the burning pillar crashes down through some of the other branches, shattering a house. This makes Elliana frown, but she doesn't move for now... not even when the shot is fired. She looks mildly preoccupied now.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Surprising no one, Psyber steps to the side and into the way of the buckshot. Elliana's apologetic glance is noted and filed away. Psyber is fully aware of the fact that he is over-forgiving towards Elliana in many ways. The true reasons for this are secretive and obfuscated by the current situation.

    The half-angel moves, knowing Elliana won't resist the shot levelled at her, and takes a full load of buckshot square to the chest. Without his signature jacket, it punches through through the t-shirt and into his torso. It leaves the front of his shirt a bloody mess as he slowly stands back up to his full height. No doubt, Nathan does have something that can probably lay Psyber out hard. But regular buckshot isn't it.

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    Behind Nathan, there's a a gasping, rattling choke of breath from Eleanor, who's now trying to crawl... well, anywhere that isn't the smouldering hole in the decking that she's on right now.

Riva Banari has posed:
As Nathan beats into Eleanor, Riva says, "Stop! Please! Just, stop! This isn't why you're here! You learned how to do that to survive, not to hurt people! For protection!" Riva says.

But then Nathan turns towards her, and Riva's blood freezes. If she says the wrong thing, will Nathan obliterate her just like just melted Eleanor? She's not sure, but she has to try. There has to be a way to reach him somehow.

"You tried over and over again, and you failed, right? But failing is part of being human. We're familiar with that. No amount of power can prevent that from happening, there's always going to be things we regret happening. But as far as the right way to do it..."

She shakes her head. "I don't know, Nathan. But you're destroying yourself doing this. It's not worth losing everything you are in order to succeed in this. I know, people have failed you too. People have not listened to you and helped you where you needed it. But we can find another way, Nathan. We're not all here to protect Elliana. We're here because we want to help... you."

Riva trembles a bit before that terrible power. "I know it's late. I know it feels like it's not enough, but none of us want to see you give up who and what you want to be... 'To thine own self be true', right? Isn't that what's most important?"

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "Another way. I tried the other ways. Psyber hounded me for weeks, dragging my worst shames out in front of my friends, to find another way. And when I gave up and took it, his other way made me nearly become like her!" Nathan shouts, hatefully spitting the last word. "There is nothing left. I kept doing anything I could, anything but this and none of it works! Maybe... Maybe it's not worth it, fine, but there's nothing else I can stand anymore." He's casting his spear into Elsewhere now, causing it to disappear, in preparation for something as he walks towards her more. Riva's gotten a mostly neutral response, but there's a concession there. If the emotional undercurrent is dealt with, he'll give up now.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Oddly, though, instead of drawing a larger weapon, or a more flashy show of power, Nathan now brings out a smaller sidearm. His revolver. Why would he do that? Pegasus will likely recall his ownership of six - now five - anti-regenerator bioweapon bullets, from that incident with the Shadow Government. He's levelling it at Psyber as he walks forward, without a word, a silent demand for him to get out of the way.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    "You misconstrue my actions, Nathan, as you have done any time you needed to," Psyber says very seriously, "You told me, over and over, that you would allow me to act as a check against you. As the counter-balance to your hatred. And now you have turned it against me as the weapon of your persecution. You construe me attempting to convince you away from hate as me attempting to drag your shames out." Psyber says seriously, staring down the barrel as Nathan comes at him. The half-angel keeps his eye levelled on the gun, trying to judge it.

    "And as I did so. As I tried to convince my best friend that there was an option besides hate," Psyber takes a very long pause, "He turned to me and accused me of not understanding human emotion. And then took every failed attempt I had ever made to turn him away from hate and used it to simply fuel the belief that I was trying to harm him."

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    Eleanor manages to get over to a piece of cover, out of the view of the others and at least a little sheltered for Death Hail.
    She stops moving.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    "So set in your belief that I was trying to harm you, trying to bring you out into some shame spectacle, that you would not believe my honest intention," Psyber says flatly, staring towards Nathan, "That I genuinely believed we could talk through your emotions. Reach a resolution that was NOT THIS. And for that, for my efforts. For the hours of painful conversation and argument we had..."

    Psyber stares Nathan right in the eyes, "Your response was to call my humanity to question."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan's eyes narrow. "We mere mortals are not all like you. Hate is not a switch we can turn off. You asked me to let go. I asked you how. If I could stop suffering, I would." The gun is held between them, dramatically. The weapon contains a deadly - or at least disabling - payload of mitochondrial cultures that can turn a biological regenerator's abilities against them, something he acquired from Nine, meant to kill Nine if he ever turned on Nathan. "Do not dare pretend you understand what this is like, angel. This is who you are, this is your identity. A guardian who stands in front of some hateful foe and defends his chosen princess, no matter how many people she murders or betrays. This is what you were meant to be. I was meant to help keep one's books in order."

    "You don't understand anything." He pulls the trigger.

Amalthea (395) has posed:
    And then Amalthea can brook no more. Silent as she has been for all this time, the unicorn has huffed and paced, watching like a pent lion, bewildered and agitated. Until this very moment. Until that gunshot rings out.
    Now she stills, almost instantly serene despite being drenched to the bone, silver hair matted and wet from the rain, a brighter liquid silver blooming wetly upon the center of her surcoat from the sudden thrust of her own body in front of Psyber's. That lone, vivid blue eye homes in on Nathan, half-lidded as though leaden with a weariness of centuries bears down on it.
    She could rage. She could scream, shout, belligerently venting her fury and let the caustic buildup of months upon months flow. But she does not. Her voice is soft, almost toneless as she stand there bleeding.
    "And then I remember you are but human. The both of you." The disappointment in her voice as heavy as there is almost a pointed look that passes between Nathan and Psyber.
    "He can't turn off his suffering, you -fool-. No one can. Not even an immortal." She whispers.
    "He suffers. Just like you do. Just as watching your battles makes me. But he's here today, as am I, and others, for your sake. But I suppose it is in your nature as man to be irrational and petty. I cannot fault you for that. It is in your nature as much as his to act on emotion, as much as you have always acted unable to show it. It's been there."
    "You have destroyed yourself already, Nathan Hall. And I am weary and disappointed."

Psyber (253) has posed:
    At the gunshot, Psyber raises his arms. He's expecting, based on the warning from Pegasus, for this to be the round that killed him. He is fully acceptant of this, in fact, and ready to play that part in this story.

    He is spared this, however, by Amalthea deciding to save his life. The half-angel looks down at the much shorter knight that just interposed and shielded him with her own body. he has no comment or words, and instead he just places his hands under her arms, trying to hold her up.

Pegasus (189) has posed:
    Amalthea is shot.

    Pegasus is there immediately, wings folding around the unicorn and her arms cradling her sister. She, too, has an intensely disappointed expression on her face, and she looks up at Nathan with a tightened frown. "You've shot my sister, were willing to shoot your best friend. You've torn apart Eleanor, and Mordred." Okay the last is an enemy, but she's getting to a point here. "Where are you going to stop, Nathan? How many of us are you willing to go through to kill Elliana? And here's my real question."

    She gently eases Amalthea down, and asks softly, "Why do you want to kill her? Is it punishment for her? Or is it gratification for you? Is it to stop her from causing more pain? Is that pain worth holding the death of your friends on your conscience? BY your hands?"

    Pegasus doesn't have her lance out, but her shield is. She straightens up and stands before Mordred and Elliana, surprisingly. "Are you willing to live your life saying, 'I killed my best friend, my sister, and my girlfriend, but at least that monster Fairchild is dead now and will never hurt them again?' Because I remember someone, a long time ago, who was going to kill Amalthea so she wouldn't suffer the pain of human betrayal."

Amalthea (395) has posed:
    A wobble. And Amalthea slowly sinks, between Psyber and Pegasus guiding her down, one hand clutching over the gunshot wound, she simply watches in reticent silence now.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    That seems to be the final straw.

    For some time, Nathan's eyes were downcast at his gun, shadowed by bangs. The hand trembles, the finger twitching on the trigger. It started at Amalthea, but extended through Pegasus' discussion. And then... "SHUT UP!!" Nathan screams. The released power on this outright annihilates his glasses, shattering both lenses and scattering fragments everywhere. "What the hell gives you the right to look down on me?! I didn't destroy myself! I'm not broken! I did what I had to! I became what I needed to!" A blast of light rockets him forward, swinging the hefty gunblade at Amalthea, trying to cut her out of the way with its powered, ionized edge, light arcing from its edge as he does. He's going for Elliana now, and getting whoever he has to out of the way.

Amalthea (395) has posed:
    Nathan swings that heavy blade. And Amalthea does nothing to stop it. She simply stares. Silent, judgmental, almost grudgingly willing to let it happen and emphasize Pegasus' very words, unless someone halts it.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    He continues shouting and cutting, trying to make his way to Elliana. "I did what I had to! Because nobody else would! She doesn't deserve dying? Then what does she deserve? If not this, then what? I tried everything else! I lost friend after friend after friend to trust and fall back on! So don't you goddamn dare look down on me for this! I didn't ask for anything, I didn't ask to get betrayed over and over and over, eight times, by half the damn friends I ever made! If I don't make this right, I am going to die, or suffer so much I want to! I've been immolated by an ally, I had to shoot my best friend to keep him from killing me, I nearly had my goddamn mind wiped by the Union, I've been cut and stabbed and sacrificed and undermined over and over and over by people who were my allies!"

Pegasus (189) has posed:
    It looks like it's time for her to put up or shut up. Pegasus was serious, though it pains her to see this. She blocks the first slice with her shield, but the strike has more force than she expected. Nathan's violent assault actually lands a hit on her armor, screeching along it and tearing into her side. It makes her stagger back, but she lifts her shield to keep blocking. Nathan will have to go through her. Or will he? "Nathan..."

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber slowly guides Amalthea to the ground and watches Nathan. Pegasus said his feelings better than he ever could, and it's in this moment that he understands why he brought her along. Psyber steps away from Amalthea and towards Pegasus. She has taken the point on defense, but if he can find the right angle, he silently puts his hands on her back and tries to brace her against the onslaught she's defending against.

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    Eleanor... has been busy behind Nathan Hall. She's managed to prop herself up to a sitting position. She's worked Utopia off her now mostly busted arm. She's even worked one of Psyber's and one of Homura's cartidges into it. Well, she thinks she has, it's kind of hard to see with one eye mostly burnt shut. There's some ugly looking regrowth already happening on her face as he urges the Abstractum over into her trusty backup revolver mode. And... this is going to hurt. "Utopia... SHIFT."

    And once that's fully into place, she takes a shot at the back of Nathan Hall, trying to put some practical ethics into the situation. "STOP THIS."
    And then a bullet focused blast of TK is trying to cripple Nathan's sword arm.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan has to stop at Pegasus. The blade halts when it might seriously wound her, but he's trembling, his body shaking with outrageous levels of electricity arcing all around. "You all are so strong, so goddamn tough about everything, I'm nothing! Anyone who wants just takes what they want. They want my mind, they want my blood, they want to use me to get their power, they want to cram something into my soul, they just take it! If they want my life, they goddamn near just take it! Over and over and over! And none of them, not one, ever suffers for it! No punishment! Nothing! What does she deserve?! Why do I deserve this and she deserves the help of everyone I ever cared about?!" And then he's shot, square in the back by a high-level revolver shot, tearing off his forcefields and slamming into his arm heavily. It wounds it. But not enough.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan... Moves on, with the attack. It's full of hesitance, but he's utterly possessed by the overwhelming hate, and the wound to his body shows they're willing to stop him through injury, something he can't talk his way through. "I'm sorry." He whispers, so quiet only Pegasus, and maybe Psyber just behind her, can hear the profound, intense grief and guilt in his voice. He's completely out of his mind at the moment, it seems. He's going for a stab. He has to get to the objective. "I can't stop." He whispers, the voice full of pain. "This can't be a waste in the end. I can't be broken. This can't be pointless."

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    "ENOUGH!"

    Elliana actually shouts that with a massive flare of power, suddenly tapping into the reserves she didn't have before. Nathan's next strike will not hit clockworks, but will instead splatter blood, as Elliana /lets/ it hit her... via the flash of pinkish-purple light that has her teleporting in front very suddenly, intercepting the strike for Pegasus who was supposed to be blocking for her.

    "I will not let you continue this, Nathan."

    It's... actually a pretty severe strike, since she fed a lot of her power into Mordred. She's bleeding all over the floor of the deck. "If you want another battle against me, I will give it to you. Congratulations. You've defeated my scheme. You've called my bluff. I am not willing to let you maim Dame Pegasus."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan freezes in place. He trembles, both hands around the hilt of the blade in Elliana. Strange; as soon as he got his target, he's locked in place, as if not comprehending what to do next.

Pegasus (189) has posed:
    A hiss of steam and a spurt of silvery fluid launches into the air as Pegasus... well, she CAN'T strike Nathan, so eventually she falls. The hesitation is noted, and on some level she's not believing he'll strike again. Clutching her side, the tiny silvered construct slumps to the ground...

    And instead sees Elliana take the blow for HER. This isn't something she's able to comprehend immediately, blinking several times. Immediately she suspects some plot, and she's probably right, but...

Amalthea (395) has posed:
    It is when Pegasus falls, that there is a tug. One gauntlet-clad hand pulling the winged construct closer to Amalthea's side.
    That endlessly deep eye has narrowed to a frigid glare. Though she is injured, herself and does not get up...
    Faith has been drawn.

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    Eleanor was struggling to work the action on Utopia, to move to a fresh 'chamber' as it were, when Elliana Fairchaild is slashed with Nathan's sword... and Nathan stops.

    Well now. Here we are, finally. Action. Action to be taken. Nathan Hall finally making the right choice. Maybe.

    She can feel her fingers on her right hand again, and she slowly, painfully, moves to work another round in front of the hammer. Be ready.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    "Nathan... I'm not strong," Psyber says seriously, looking at the Librarian from behind Pegasus where he braces her, "I couldn't last two months trying to do your job before it ran me almost to insanity. That is why I tried my best to prevent this."

    And then Elliana teleports in front and actually takes a hit. Psyber watches in astonished awe as Elliana is willing to move to the front lines and allow herself a grievous injury. The half-angel's face slowly drains of ANY emotion. ANY feeling. He releases his grasp on Pegasus.

    "Here we are, Nathan. I told you this was happening a month ago and you didn't believe me. I told you that you were walking a path, the same path, as the very woman you hated. And you said to me that you were different from Elliana, that you were right, because for everything you had done, you had never hurt your friends."

    Psyber spreads his arms out, "And behold, Nathan Hall. You tried to kill your best friend. Your girlfriend is injured. Her sister is immobile. Your therapist is clinging to life. If you swing that blow, you bring it full circle. Will you become Elliana to kill Elliana?" He asks Nathan seriously, staring at him.

    "You are wrong. The fact that this many people in your life, some of them only having known you for a few months, are willing to fight and bleed and die to tell you that you are wrong, what counterpoint do you have?"

    Psyber holds his hands out, taking a page from Nathan's book of addressing people to prove his point, "Tell me, Nathan. Is this your chosen path? Will you kill the Lady of Nightmares to become the Lord of the Betrayed?"

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber adds, looking around the fallen and the injured, gesturing before he holds his hands back out to Nathan, "Where has your moral high ground gone. Where is your righteous persecution?" He stares hard at the Librarian.

    "You are a LIBRARIAN," he repeats, "The most aggressive action you should be taking is the enthusiastic shelving of a book. DO NOT become the very monster you believe you need to defeat."

    "You can kill her," Psyber says, looking to Nathan, "The Union might even herald you a hero for it. And me a traitor. But everyone here will remember one truth at the end of this: That Elliana Fairchild gave her life to protect the woman you love."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan was motionless. Not for long. When Psyber says that to him, one trembling hand goes down to one last weapon he has to draw. A dagger. A familiar one, for Amalthea, for Psyber... And for Elliana. A dagger he privately calls "Memento". Something inside him wants, desperately, to draw it. The hand trembles. The hail reaches a fever pitch, slamming through the Drasillum at an explosive rate.

    The hand falls. The blade goes un-drawn.

    The heavy ice armor cracks and begins to fall off in shattering pieces around him. The hail begins to let up, though the rain does not. Nathan lets go of the blade; Elliana can extricate or leave it as she sees fit. Nathan, for his own part, collapses onto both knees, looking at the ground and nothing else, breathing slowly. The crackling electricity stops, as do the burning energies at his arms, the wind at his back, and the mad energy in his body. He makes a noise of profound guilt, misery, and shame, abject sorrow for all he's done here, and in uncountable places. It's a mournful sort of noise, soft and brief, fearful and scared.

Eleanor Lamb (40) has posed:
    And... and then Eleanor's body collapses again as she releases the Shift holding her upright. She lets out her own pained groaning before falling over onto the wet decking, attempting to-

    Well. No. No, she can't move anything right now. Her eyes are working, that's good. Everything hurts. She can feel her body attempting to regrow bits that shouldn't need regrowing, but the disruptive magics from the Librarian are... they're not helping.

    "...fuck," she allows herself.

Riva Banari has posed:
"Nathan." Riva says, quietly. She inches forward and tries to give him a hug, as the armor falls apart off of him. "Thank you, Nathan. For not giving up."

She's not entirely convinced he won't explode her through a wall, but she's willing to take the risk.

Pegasus (189) has posed:
    Is it over?

    Pegasus is still bleeding, and still staring. Was this all planned from the start? She doesn't know. She'd like to hope not. It's certainly... brought some things to light that she hadn't thought about, had never considered.

    She almost doesn't move at first, but there'd be no point in all of this if she didn't do something. Her wings whrr with a faint grinding noise from the damage, and she quietly presses a hand against the bullet hole in Amalthea's torso. As soon as she's sure her sister is in no danger of dying, she moves again.

    Flowing like quicksilver, it isn't a pegasus-girl who moves next to Nathan. No, a clatter of hooves has the quadrupedal form nudging up against his side with a querying whicker.

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    The burning hail and the giant serpent are still there. Elliana slumps to her knees, clutching the sword. "Mn... I wish I could say 'just as planned,' but that was a little too close for comfort." She clutches the sword and winces in pain, hissing sharply as the blade slides free. She isn't faking it, either... blood splatters onto the deck.

    A deck which is creaking ominously.

    "I think... the Drasillum will not last much longer," she notes quietly. "Veryx will be here within a few moments, for those who cannot fly under their own power. We had best be moving as soon as the hail lets up a little."

Amalthea (395) has posed:
    That gunshot came close. It came dangerously close to hitting something very tenderly vital within Amalthea's breast. And Pegasus will no doubt feel the heart within racing at a machinegun's pace. When THAT dagger of all weapons is drawn, her hand clenches on the blade of her sword. But then it seems over.
    She is almost hesitant to let Pegasus go- especially to Nathan's side. But she does not stop her sibling, as that is Pegasus' choice.
    "Were it a matter of duty, Nathan Hall, I believe Elliana Fairchild should be punished for her crimes. Were it a matter of duty, I would take up my blade and strike her down myself. But I came here tonight to try and stop you from destroying yourself, only to find that in my inaction and my apathy it has already happened while I sat back and watched. I am sorry. I am sorry that I cannot understand you in this moment. I came here for your sake and I utterly failed in everything I attempted far-too-late. One day she may answer for her actions. She may never. I cannot say. But it will not be this way. However, Nathan Hall, I give you one final warning, everything else be damned."
    "If you ever strike my sister again and I learn of it. You had best hope Psyber will still hold you as dear as he does then, as he does right now, to stop me. Because I will kill you."
    This she vows.

Psyber (253) has posed:
    Psyber exhales. And in that exhalation comes a tired sort of noise that shows the damage these past few months have done on him. He shifts in his stance a bit. He looks to Riva, wobbling on his feet slightly, more from emotional exhaustion than physical. He had gotten off light with a shotgun to the chest. Pegasus, Amalthea, Eleanor, and Elliana had taken far more serious injuries.

    Red eyes look out over the battlefield and the half-angel slowly steps forward again, trying to take it all in. Two words ring in his mind as he looks at the chaos. A vow, of sorts, that he makes.

    Never again.

    This surely bodes well for his future mental state.

    Turning, he moves to step over to Amalthea as she threatens Nathan and brace her up by hooking an arm under her arms and hoisting her arm up over his shoulders. He doesn't have much of a comment to her harsh words, knowing that she means them. Of all the things Amalthea holds, her family is most dear. He won't say anything except, "Let's go. Pegasus, I need you to take care of Nathan. I'm going to get Amalthea home and to her wife's care."

    And then he shuffles Amalthea with him over towards Elliana, "I know you are tired, I know you are weary. But if you could spare me one last tear, my old friend, I would never be able to repay you."

Amalthea (395) has posed:
    "I have far too many tears to shed right now. But only one will come to me." Amalthea murmurs, as a lone crystalline teardrop runs down her cheek, glittering. "Duty is one thing, and I am bound to abide by it, but I also no longer hold any malice to go with it. "It should not have been this way today."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "...I've done something unconscionable." Nathan says, whispering under his breath. He tries to speak through a fearful sort of distress. "I'm... Sorry. I'm sorry. There's not... No, no words, not anything I can say, an unfixable mess. An irrational mess. I've made a mess of everything. It was all so frightening, I was so stupid, and..." He's desperately trying to re-establish his old monotone, but all he can get is a strange, whispery voice, monotoned in its own way but sounding profoundly remorseful, just below the surface.

    He looks up, though still trying to avert his gaze from anyone here. He carefully, cautiously leans against Pegasus, for what little comfort he seems willing to give himself. "I did something terrible, awful, something awful to you all. I'm sorry. I... Can't fix anything I've done." It's a depressing statement of fact. Each word sounds formed only in the moment, each sentence sounds like an unsteady trail. It's... vulnerable.

    He'll stand soon, but only slowly, with utmost uncertainty, like the ground might give way at any moment. Which, of course, it might. He'll need to leave soon.

Elliana Fairchild (92) has posed:
    As the teardrop falls, Elliana tenses. A holy unicorn's power is... of uncertain compatibility with her. Who knows what it's like now that Wrathborn has been altered? Yet as the teardrop falls, Elliana's wound begins to seal up, and the bleeding stops. With a slow, wincing rise, she stands up.

    "You came very close, Nathan Hall, to something terrible. But perhaps now you can understand better the message I have left for you." Elliana takes a deep breath, then leans in closer. "As I promised... the cipher. You will know how to use it."

    Quietly, Elliana leans in to whisper something to Nathan's ear, then rises and turns. "Saber. Let's go."