monsters and the kids who become them and the people who fight them

[theguideless]

Date & Time: 9/2 – 9/12, various times
Location: All throughout the city
Characters: See tags
Summary: A lot of people have to put up with an increasingly unstable kid
Warnings: Fightytimes violence, body horror, dead things



IN THE FAR-REACHING FUTURE OF AN ALT-EARTH, MONSTER-BASED ATTACKS ARE CONSIDERED ESPECIALLY RIDICULOUS. IN EXSILIUM, THE DEDICATED TRANSPORTS WHO ENDURE AND INVESTIGATE THESE VICIOUS HAPPENINGS ARE MEMBERS OF AN ELITE SQUAD KNOWN AS EXTRA-UNLUCKY BASTARDS.

THESE ARE THEIR STORIES.


The following threads coincide with the established timeline posted here and are arranged chronologically for participants' use if need/want be.

Comments

[deadelfwalking]

"No," Koltira said firmly. "You will not. You will remain here, with Ashraf, where you are safe."

[healplz]

Great, now there's swords involved. Ashraf's mouth is a thin line, and he reaches the other hand to Ico's opposite shoulder as well, slightly more insistent.

"He is right. I'm sorry, it is better that you come with me to the clinic."

[hornedomen]

His shoulders tensed under Ashraf’s hands but he did not run away. Ico shook his head adamantly.

“Let me go. Others might be coming after him and he’s hurt.” He lowered his head, “I hurt him.”

[deadelfwalking]

Koltira sighed. "I realize that, and I understand how you feel. But I work best when I am unhindered. Please, for me. Go with Ashraf."

[healplz]

"You did what was needed of you, Ico. Koltira will help him now." That with just a quick glance over Ico's head at Koltira, because if it were really that easy, it would have been taken care of by now. "We would only slow him."

[hornedomen]

They were both foolish and Ico knew well enough that Koltira was not likely to accomplish this on his own. He looked desperate but when it became apparent to him that they could not be swayed, his expression twisted into grief.

“He went there,” Ico said as he pointed to the buildings. “On the roofs. Be careful, Koltira.”

He knelt down to take his shield. The broken strap dangled uselessly as he held onto it with one hand. He winced slightly as he stood again but when he reached up to hold onto Ashraf’s hand, his grip was steady. He did not put away his equipment. If Martin came back, he was ready to protect him.

[deadelfwalking]

"Thank you," Koltira said, his voice emphatic. For his part, the issue was less that he could handle Martin alone and more that he would not be able to do what was so clearly necessary. But he couldn't think about that, not yet. He had to find the boy first. Koltira stood up, his gaze following the direction Ico had specified.

"I'll be on my way, then," he said. Turning to Ashraf, he added, "Stay safe. I will call on you, if need be."

He's lying, though not on purpose. Ashraf was right: if this problem were so easily solved, it would have been over already. On a rational level, Koltira knew this. But he was overwhelmed with grief, with a crushing sense of doubt and failure, and to consider that he truly had no power to help in this was just too much to bear right now. He had to go. He had to try. And pretending that anyone else could still affect the outcome--including himself--was the only recourse he had against those suffocating fears.

Koltira turned away and set out. One way or another, there had to be an end to this, and he would ensure it. Somehow.