flight ♔ pride can stand a thousand trials

[dragonsclaw]

I'm Kissing You - Des'ree

WHO || Failboat [closed]
WHAT || The Knights return in the wake of the Keijen Blade concert, much worse for the wear
WHERE ||On a plane
WHEN || Directly after the concert
HOW || Actionspam or prose

The mood is darker than it's ever been as the Knights' plane takes off from the blackening skies above Los Angeles, which continue to spread out after them.  They expected a trap, they expected the worst, but what actually happened dwarfed even those dire expectations.

Painful revelations about their teammates themselves, followed by the separation of Vi from the team, and then being forced to watch Blade enact a dark ritual in the concert-hall-turned-dark-temple that culminated in the sacrifice of hundreds, including the deaths of those who had been on the mission back-up team were only the beginning.  Realizing at the last moment that Crombe still had no understanding of what Blade was truly doing, the team made a last minute bid to change his mind and get him to stop the ritual, but it was far too late, and as things escalated quickly, the Nightmare God Malaak'a was freed from his prison, the seal broken with the final step - Nadia's death.  The god himself appeared before them, and Blade stood triumphantly behind him - only to use the dagger soaked in Nadia's blood to plunge into his father, and usurp his power for his own, ascending to some sort of deity-like powers himself.  

This scene lies further and further behind them now, the images forever etched in their minds, and the silent forms of two of their teammates - one mysteriously incapacitated, the other dead, act as haunting reminders on their journey back towards the castle of what has befallen and what may be to come.

Comments

ota;

[65]

[finnick is sitting in the back by himself just as he was when they first took off, but this time his expression is even more grim (not that it was that happy before but ... y'know.). playing along with this was just a game for him — that's how he managed to keep it together for the mission, telling himself he was just playing a role. but this was no longer some sort of reprieve — the dream was just as bad as it was back home. if not worse. home didn't have demons and fire giants and whatever the fuck.

he goes into the back to check on myri every couple hours or so, beside himself with worry and grief. if something happened to her — then ... what was the point of anything? why should he —

shayla. for shayla. he had to remember.]

[postergirl]

[ dumage comes back there when he's with myri, standing in the doorway and surveying them both for a moment before saying: ] Have you considered that maybe she's better off, not having to have seen all that?

[65]

[his answer comes without hesitation (because he knows dumage won't judge him for saying something that comes off as selfish):] Yes. If she had been conscious, she would've tried to help everyone. She probably would have gotten herself hurt or worse in the process. [and now she's here. safe??? but unconscious. so fucking great.]

[postergirl]

The essential problem with these heroic types, really. I'm ... surprised that Jack was wise enough to withdraw.

[65]

Maybe that's why I never truly fit in with most of them. I'm more of a survivor than a hero. [that tactful facade just sliiiides away because fuck it.] But it was the right choice. To withdraw. No use sacrificing all of us for a fight we can't win.

[postergirl]

You're sensible. That's why I've rather missed having you around.

[65]

[the smallest smile he can manage to muster] Yes, I'm sure it was quite dreadful without me. Everyone rushing headfirst into things.

[postergirl]

Not understanding when there's a battle we can't fight.

[ there seems to be more in those words and after a moment she adds: ] I think we've been thrown far beyond our league with all this. Maybe before there was a chance. Now...

[65]

You think so? I'm not so sure any of it was ever in our league to begin with. [ he was always the skeptic, as one of the seeming few to hail from a place without magic. and even with all the power they had, it was never enough. a game they were rigged to lose. ] How many victories have we had, really? And now, Wynn ... [he shakes his head, not able to finish the sentence.]

[postergirl]

A string of failures under our belts. Sounds like us.

[65]

And if there's no chance for us now, what will you do?

[postergirl]

Stay close to the ground, instead of sticking my neck out? I've had quite enough of the latter.

[65]

You're not going back to Keijen, then? Or ... whatever he's become?

[LOOK HE'S NOT GOING TO PRETEND LIKE THAT WOULDN'T BE THE SAFEST PLACE TO FUCKIN BE RIGHT NOW.]

[littledhampir]

[It's during one of those times when he's checking on Myri that Rose appears, unconcerned the way others might be with intruding on the two of them. Given the circumstances? She doubted Myri would much mind and Finnick? She doubted people tiptoeing around him was going to help him either.

For several long moments, Rose just stands in the doorway watching Myri, the rise and fall of her chest providing cold comfort.]

That bitch has got a real hard-on for you Odairs. [Sure hope you weren't hoping she'd be here with gentle, comforting words.]

[65]

[he tenses at the sound of someone approaching, old wiring in his system telling him to always be ready for a conflict. but then it's just rose and maybe he should stay ready for a conflict lmao and his posture eases.]

Myri is a healer. She'd do anything to keep us safe. Of course she would try to take her down first. [his voice is quiet and removed — it's the only way to keep himself in one piece. myri was the best part of this world. he couldn't let himself think she could be gone.]

[littledhampir]

I know. [This was the woman who had refused to give up on her rez, even when there had been no bringing her back.]

And we will figure out what's wrong with her.

[A self-assuredness that was perhaps comforting given everything around them seemed hopeless.

That said, Rose was equally sure that Wynn was alive and would come back to them somehow, and that Keijen wasn't going to win, despite the whole... actual Apocalypse thing.]

She'd never give up on us, we won't give up on her. [Simple, right?!]

[65]

[he wonders if that's true — if myri had given up on him or not. if it had been too painful to keep hoping he would come back. not that he could blame her if it were the case. it had to take a lot out of someone, even someone with a heart as big as myri's.

not that he needs the answer to know that rose is right. he would never give up on her, regardless. never stop hoping.]

I hope you're right. That someone at the castle will know what's wrong. That's all any of us can do until we land. Hope.

[littledhampir]

Somebody will. [So very sure.] And if they don't then we find somebody who does.

[She moves further into the little room where Myri has been laid down, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. Its been a long day okay, she's all about the sitting right now.]

I'm not so good in the brains department but I'm scarier than I look. [Um. Rose. You look pretty scary, child.] I'm not opposed to threatening people into helping her. [Is it more or less disturbing with the wry grin that accompanies her words?]

[65]

[he half-smiles and replies in a dry tone:] I've found that persuading people into helping yields better results than threatening.

[he's a ghost of his former self but he is ... trying ... to be a normal person. who acts normally and says normal things. it's hard when everything around you is broken.]

[littledhampir]

I don't know how much you actually remember about me, but that's not really my forte.

[Don't worry Finnick. Five minutes in her presence and you could probably figure that out. :D ]

[65]

Enough. But I still thought I'd suggest it. There are too many times where this group could have benefited from the use of a light touch.

[all of them. literally all of them.]

[littledhampir]

[She can't really argue with him because, too real, but it does see Rose's gaze drift from him back to Myri.

Her expression turns serious once more, worry lines creasing her brow as she looks at her laying there.]

That's why we have Myri. [Voice quiet.]

[65]

[he considers explaining that he meant someone who is skilled at resolving conflicts without punching and not a literal member of the dragon's light, but ... it does fit, actually. in a way. but still:]

She's not a light touch. She's the heart.

[littledhampir]

No, I mean... [She shakes her head, a gentle huff of a chuckle spilling over.]

Most of us are all, hard lines and sharp edges. But Myri, she softens us ya know? She's our balance.

[65]

She is balance. She's gentle. I'm not disagreeing with you. I just don't know if that's enough. Not for this. You can't appeal to the emotions of an enemy that doesn't have any.