The streets of Eryndria were just as dreary as they had been when they had first entered. The everlasting rain drained the group of all their cheer for a few moments as they pace through the now bustling city.
"So, what now?" Dion scratched the silver hair under his bandana. "Go and pay the big lady herself a visit and talk about taking down the Immortal Flame?"
Lyra took long carefree strides, her head tilted up towards rain. "I don't think you should let her catch you calling her 'big'. And where do you think we're going?"
"Tha- That's not what I meant and you know that! It's, uh," He snapped his fingers as if it would make him think of the word faster. "a metaphor! For her position as a Major God!"
The group laughed amongst themselves as Lyra and Dion kept bickering back and forth.
Zephyr stopped in his tracks. His translucent eyes wide staring into the now red sky. The others followed soon after him, but he was the first to fully react.
"Get down!"
The group dove towards whatever cover they could find: Behind a stone house, a thick tree, their own God, whatever they could find. The sudden impact sent shockwaves throughout the city. The sound of glass shattering pierced the air as an incredible mass of fire slammed into the ground. It was only a brief moment before Sachi heard footsteps behind him, followed by the touch of cold steel on his neck, and everything went dark.
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A soldier clad in all black burst into the Tidecaller's penthouse. "M-my lady! We're under attack!" When he began to take in his surrounding's, he realized Lady April was nowhere to be seen. Out of the three glass panes at the back of the penthouse, one was broken. Vergo rushed by him, grabbing his shoulder and yanking him back into the elevator.
"She's already out there, coming all the way up here was a waste of valuable time and resources." Vergo quickly sorted through a bag full of weapons. "Here, should be simple for you". He tossed the soldier a broadsword with a fancy looking sheath. "Under any other circumstances, that sword would never have been used again. Do be careful with it though, the Lady has some emotional attachment to it."
The door finally clicked, and they arrived in the lobby. Shouts echoed throughout the halls, ringing in their ears. Vergo spoke once before rushing out into the blood-torn streets.
"Show no mercy to anyone with a red armband."
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Sachi's eyes flickered. His surroundings were grimy and disgusting. Bones scattered around the floor, he couldn't tell if they were animals or humans. His head pounded, he could barely see straight. He pushed himself to his feet, noticing that he was now barefoot. Actually, all of his gear and clothes were gone, leaving him only in his boxers. His body was bruised even more than after the tournament.
"I'd sit back down if I were you, there was quite a few people who wanted to get their licks in." Dion appeared in front of him, except he was on the other side of the prison bars. "You might've gotten away for free if you hadn't kept poking the hornets nest. You brought this upon yourself."
Sachi began to get used to the searing pain and tried to process whatever was happening to him. Before he could say anything, he felt sick and fell to his knees. His foresight saw something, but he couldn't even comprehend it. Even trying to made his feel like his head was about to burst.
A Brutish orc with complex set of black and gold armor appeared next to Dion. He place his hand on Dion's shoulder.
"Good, not much longer and you'll get what you want. Don't falter." He proceeded further down the dank hall. "What of the others? You mentioned that the girl had a sudden awakening?"
Dion waved him off. "It was nothing special, you won't have to worry about her."
"And the boy?"
"...He's... He's useless. His god is a damned fool bringing him into the game."
Another voice rang out from further down the hall with a clatter of metal bars. "Well this damned fool has ears too, y'know!"
Ignoring him, Kaelthar looked towards Sachi. "And then there's this pest."
All three members froze for a moment, and then Kaelthar's creased eyebrows and frustrated voice broke their silence. "Tch... Damn Ael." He turned his head back to Dion. "If you wanted to get a few more hits in, this is your chance, I'll be back shortly." He exchanged nods with Dion and then briskly walked out of the room.
Moments of silence passed completely uninterrupted, until Sachi had enough.
"Hurry up and open the door."
Dion gave him a side eye, his gaze previously on the door. "Why the hell would I do that?"
Sachi pushed himself back up, stumbling into the wall behind him. "You're not actually on his side, are you?"
"As if you would know anything. I do what I have to to stay alive, that's all there is to it."
Sachi stumbled towards the iron bars. "You didn't tell him about Ray's power... He reminds you of your brothers, doesn't he? You weren't lying to me back then, were you?"
At the mention of his brothers, Dion became visibly livid, reaching through the bars, grabbing Sachi's hair and slamming him into the iron bars. "You don't know shit about me!"
The burst of pain from his forehead briefly made Sachi lose consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he looked directly into Dion's. "How many have you lied to? How many have you killed for a promise he'll never fulfill. You're nothing but a to-"
Dion struck Sachi across the face, knocking him onto his back. "...I do what I have to!"
"...How much longer will you lie to yourself?"
The sound of metal greaves clattering through the hallway ceased the conversation. Dion, with his creased eyebrows and vivid frown, walked out of the room, trading places with the orc once again.
"Now... to dispose of another thorn in my side.