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Grimoire:Allies/The Queen: Difference between revisions
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By your will, it was given back to me. | By your will, it was given back to me. | ||
Promoting me to the Corsairs, allowing me to strike back at the Wolves. Letting my fury find purchase in defense, in support, and in glorious battle. I know, as | Promoting me to the Corsairs, allowing me to strike back at the Wolves. Letting my fury find purchase in defense, in support, and in glorious battle. I know, as I'm sure you did, that without focus my heart would have grown toxic. | ||
It was my pride in my position that sustained me through the Hildean Campaign. That led me to victory in battle against Veliniks, the "Forgotten Kell", the last hope for the unchained Wolves. I know now that it was my willful pride that brought me low. | It was my pride in my position that sustained me through the Hildean Campaign. That led me to victory in battle against Veliniks, the "Forgotten Kell", the last hope for the unchained Wolves. I know now that it was my willful pride that brought me low. | ||
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The Wolves were entrenched in that valley. The approaches were blocked, all sight lines covered. An assault on their position was madness. We would have spent precious Awoken lives. For nothing. I saw the Guardians, knew they were on the move, but I assumed they saw the situation as we did. That it was folly to call in the Crows. | The Wolves were entrenched in that valley. The approaches were blocked, all sight lines covered. An assault on their position was madness. We would have spent precious Awoken lives. For nothing. I saw the Guardians, knew they were on the move, but I assumed they saw the situation as we did. That it was folly to call in the Crows. | ||
Prince | Prince Uldren's fighter wing did a masterful job. The blast was pinpoint precise. The blasts tore apart the Wolves, and the Guardians, and their Ghosts. Three strike teams of Guardians, gone in an instant, on my order. The City's anger, the Speaker's condemnation—all earned. All fair. | ||
But it has been years since the Reef Wars. The City, these— people. They are not like us. They do not understand their place in the world. And do not listen when I speak it. | But it has been years since the Reef Wars. The City, these— people. They are not like us. They do not understand their place in the world. And do not listen when I speak it. | ||
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“We took an oath long ago, obedience even in the face of defeat.” Nascia despised fear. | “We took an oath long ago, obedience even in the face of defeat.” Nascia despised fear. | ||
“Only a defeat here, now. Not there, then.” Illyn wandered between the two sides of three. The amulet around her neck marked Illyn as the | “Only a defeat here, now. Not there, then.” Illyn wandered between the two sides of three. The amulet around her neck marked Illyn as the coven's mother, granting her visions beyond the veil, places only the Queen could go. | ||
“So we hope.” Kalli had long sought the power of the amulet, but Techeuns are taught not to desire. | “So we hope.” Kalli had long sought the power of the amulet, but Techeuns are taught not to desire. | ||
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“We cannot send them all.” Portia reminded. | “We cannot send them all.” Portia reminded. | ||
“All but one, the oldest. It stays with us. Sedia, Kalli, Shuro, take the children, tell her they are to be planted into a dead thing to have children of their own.” A plan hid behind | “All but one, the oldest. It stays with us. Sedia, Kalli, Shuro, take the children, tell her they are to be planted into a dead thing to have children of their own.” A plan hid behind Illyn's eyes, but Techeuns do not share their eyes with others. | ||
“What if they are not wise enough for the Dreadnaught?” | “What if they are not wise enough for the Dreadnaught?” | ||
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''"Do not fear, brother. This was the only choice I had."'' | ''"Do not fear, brother. This was the only choice I had."'' | ||
The sound of her voice ripped him from sleep. He jumped up; his ship was still contained in its protective sphere. He tried to retract the shield, but it was locked to its initiation time. He | The sound of her voice ripped him from sleep. He jumped up; his ship was still contained in its protective sphere. He tried to retract the shield, but it was locked to its initiation time. He couldn't remember activating it. Then he remembered the battle. That blast. | ||
What that ship fired was ancient, not bound to anything the Origin Libraries even sought to describe. | What that ship fired was ancient, not bound to anything the Origin Libraries even sought to describe. | ||
He tried to calm down. He thought of her, searching for her pull. He | He tried to calm down. He thought of her, searching for her pull. He couldn't find it, but he was not calm. She always told him she would always be there behind the calm. | ||
All he could hear were echoes of that sound. | All he could hear were echoes of that sound. | ||
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It began as soon as they hit the ring plane, ringing in the old glimmer of his long-buried self. Before she showed him who he was—in the before and the after. | It began as soon as they hit the ring plane, ringing in the old glimmer of his long-buried self. Before she showed him who he was—in the before and the after. | ||
The Techeuns | The Techeuns should've known what the Dreadnaught could do. Must've known. Did they not feel what he felt? Hear what he heard? And that damn Ketch, it wasn't protected. They had to know that. All to deploy the Harbingers. They barely got a foothold before the weapon was fired. He thought of Petra and how overwhelmed she must be, forced to hold her post, and watch her people perish. | ||
He tried to calm himself again, forcing long breaths. He realized where he was: Mars. Athabasca. The Candor Isles. He | He tried to calm himself again, forcing long breaths. He realized where he was: Mars. Athabasca. The Candor Isles. He hadn't been here in so long, not since he found the Black Garden. | ||
The countdown to the | The countdown to the shield's deactivation pulsed. He tried again, to home in on her, to find if she truly gave herself for this battle. He felt close to something, a hum of starlight, then shield deactivation broke his focus. | ||
He climbed out and saw the damage to his ship, and the truths of the armada's devastation sunk in. | He climbed out and saw the damage to his ship, and the truths of the armada's devastation sunk in. | ||