The deep city of the Desert Lamia people: Entryway and Great Bridge

Leland McKelly wrote:Leland had held his tongue, and silently lead Edgar into the entrance of the Lamia city, home to once the Desert Elf races before they seemingly near vanished from the face of the earth... When they got to the bridge, he turned to the bigger man. "Our goals are similar, but I am not sure if it is wise to bring others into this. Your friends may die if they continue with us. As it is, I am making a detour into Tenik Incorporated's R&D Wing." He says, showing off President Rufus Tenik's Clearance ID he had gotten from the man directly. "There is a weapon down there that could help destroy these demons, and the tower with minimal collateral damage." He explained, before stashing away the ID again. "Don't worry, I don't plan on letting any of those demons leave that spire alive, and consider that tower toast." He says with a cold tone.

The trio of Desert Lamia followed Leland, Ana and the new guy into Aluphia. Still apprehensive, Raz had one of the other two depart to inform their superiors. But apprehension was starting to give way to a faint hope that this new person with strange powers could help their queen... and even their world.

Leland McKelly wrote:Leland had held his tongue, and silently lead Edgar into the entrance of the Lamia city, home to once the Desert Elf races before they seemingly near vanished from the face of the earth... When they got to the bridge, he turned to the bigger man. "Our goals are similar, but I am not sure if it is wise to bring others into this. Your friends may die if they continue with us. As it is, I am making a detour into Tenik Incorporated's R&D Wing." He says, showing off President Rufus Tenik's Clearance ID he had gotten from the man directly. "There is a weapon down there that could help destroy these demons, and the tower with minimal collateral damage." He explained, before stashing away the ID again. "Don't worry, I don't plan on letting any of those demons leave that spire alive, and consider that tower toast." He says with a cold tone.

Ed followed Leland and Ana, and he was taken a little aback once the cave gave way to the beautiful underground city. his eyes spoke of the wonders even as his face remained hard as stone, those green colored eyes scanned the city, taking in everything.

"Unfortunately, I learned the hard way when I took on the first spire not to underestimate this enemy, and try to do everything myself... Afterall, that is how the Gorge is no longer a gorge... in a desperate last stand, I fired an attack that would have sent Ithteca sliding into the valley in pieces had my aim been off... And some of their number may yet be more powerful than I am... 'Her' especially. She is the one who did this to me" Ed indicated the huge star shaped scar upon his chest. "And she managed that feat after deflecting one of my very strongest energy blasts at the time. She's someone not to be trifled with, and though I prefer not to involve others if I can avoid it, I'm afraid this time it cannot be abated. There are those that also have personal stakes within that tower. There are innocents already within that wretched hive. I have two half demon half human women who seek to come with me to rescue their loved ones, I have a Wargod's handmaiden who sees is as her purpose to cleanse the Invasion, and the other.... is another refugee from my homeworld... I have to find a way to get her back there safely." Edgar explained his team to Leland, and their purpose.

"I understand vengeance, and righteous fury better than most, but it is not the only reason to fight..."

Edgar Holden wrote:

Leland McKelly wrote:Leland had held his tongue, and silently lead Edgar into the entrance of the Lamia city, home to once the Desert Elf races before they seemingly near vanished from the face of the earth... When they got to the bridge, he turned to the bigger man. "Our goals are similar, but I am not sure if it is wise to bring others into this. Your friends may die if they continue with us. As it is, I am making a detour into Tenik Incorporated's R&D Wing." He says, showing off President Rufus Tenik's Clearance ID he had gotten from the man directly. "There is a weapon down there that could help destroy these demons, and the tower with minimal collateral damage." He explained, before stashing away the ID again. "Don't worry, I don't plan on letting any of those demons leave that spire alive, and consider that tower toast." He says with a cold tone.

Ed followed Leland and Ana, and he was taken a little aback once the cave gave way to the beautiful underground city. his eyes spoke of the wonders even as his face remained hard as stone, those green colored eyes scanned the city, taking in everything.

"Unfortunately, I learned the hard way when I took on the first spire not to underestimate this enemy, and try to do everything myself... Afterall, that is how the Gorge is no longer a gorge... in a desperate last stand, I fired an attack that would have sent Ithteca sliding into the valley in pieces had my aim been off... And some of their number may yet be more powerful than I am... 'Her' especially. She is the one who did this to me" Ed indicated the huge star shaped scar upon his chest. "And she managed that feat after deflecting one of my very strongest energy blasts at the time. She's someone not to be trifled with, and though I prefer not to involve others if I can avoid it, I'm afraid this time it cannot be abated. There are those that also have personal stakes within that tower. There are innocents already within that wretched hive. I have two half demon half human women who seek to come with me to rescue their loved ones, I have a Wargod's handmaiden who sees is as her purpose to cleanse the Invasion, and the other.... is another refugee from my homeworld... I have to find a way to get her back there safely." Edgar explained his team to Leland, and their purpose.

"I understand vengeance, and righteous fury better than most, but it is not the only reason to fight..."

Anastasia observed the passing conversation, and though she agreed with this new comer upon Leland's reckless nature, she did have a compromise to present: "...Even so, it means all the better for Leland and myself to travel on our own ahead of you. We can act as scouts, observe the situation after we get a hold of this weapon Leland speaks of." She offered this as they continued to walk through the underground city.

"Seriously? Now there are demonic hostages? What the hell..." Leland frowned, closing his eyes and pulling down the weathered stetson over his eyes. The thing was in tatters, much like the rest of his gear he had worn since he left Hiiten. He needed a shave, a hair cut, a proper bath and change of clothes... but he had little time to spare amenities thus far. "I am not like most humans... though I am a little confused by your concern, having met us in a span of a few minutes, I feel like I've met you before on a..." He paused, smirking. "Never mind." He then looked up. "I'm with the Major here, we'll be going on ahead and investigate the areas. I don't plan on going into that place guns blazing. Yet. I don't want to draw any attention while I'm searching the archives of Tenik HQ, as I'm sure that the narrow corridors of the derelict building may prove difficult fighting terrain." He shrugged.

Anastasia Faizland wrote:Anastasia observed the passing conversation, and though she agreed with this new comer upon Leland's reckless nature, she did have a compromise to present: "...Even so, it means all the better for Leland and myself to travel on our own ahead of you. We can act as scouts, observe the situation after we get a hold of this weapon Leland speaks of." She offered this as they continued to walk through the underground city.

Leland McKelly wrote:"Seriously? Now there are demonic hostages? What the hell..." Leland frowned, closing his eyes and pulling down the weathered stetson over his eyes. The thing was in tatters, much like the rest of his gear he had worn since he left Hiiten. He needed a shave, a hair cut, a proper bath and change of clothes... but he had little time to spare amenities thus far. "I am not like most humans... though I am a little confused by your concern, having met us in a span of a few minutes, I feel like I've met you before on a..." He paused, smirking. "Never mind." He then looked up. "I'm with the Major here, we'll be going on ahead and investigate the areas. I don't plan on going into that place guns blazing. Yet. I don't want to draw any attention while I'm searching the archives of Tenik HQ, as I'm sure that the narrow corridors of the derelict building may prove difficult fighting terrain." He shrugged.

Ed blinked a little as he thought back. he knew Leland reminded him of Damian, and that brought a small smile to his face. "You remind me of an old friend long gone..." was Edgar's mysterious response. When Ana and Leland then stated their intention to head to Amaine alone, Ed gave the only warning he felt appropreate. "Do not pass beyond the shadow of the treeline. Once you enter that forest, you will be beyond my sight, and I may never find you again, before they do. The tower is enshrouding everything in a miasma that blocks my ability to see into that place clearly... Wait for us at the threshold, I imagine the enemy will send out plenty to keep you company until we get there."

Once Ed explained this, his eyes once again wandered over the subterranian city. "Hm, I hope your friend is not too badly affected by what has happened..." Ed said in a low voice.

Anastasia frowned. "I'd rather wait for reinforcements myself, but Leland will likely continue on, and get himself in trouble without me." the uniformed Elf replied. "As for the queen, she seems to have suffered much physical and mental stress... I assume being possessed by a demon of that caliber would kill an average mortal being... but it seemed to affect her to a degree as well." She added.

Leland glanced over to Anastasia with a frown. "Seriously not letting me off the hook this far in the game, knowing whats at stake? Aren't you going to get in trouble with your superiors, for abandoning your post and leaving behind your regiment in Beijio? I'm pretty sure thats grounds for a demotion at the very least." He sighed, bowing his head, hands inside his torn up leather coat. He would need a change of clothing at one point... he'd have to visit one of the Lamia shops before they went on their way. He looks over to Ed and chuckled. "Heh, well fate has a weird way of doing that I suppose." He listened to Ed's warnings and shrugged. "It shouldn't be too much of an issue. You have a thick skulled moron Gunslinger and a stubborn, Ice Queen of an Elf heading that way, we'll be fine."

Ed pondered the words for a moment. "I'm surprised 'she' reliquished control of the queen without killing her... Hell's Empress is not known for mercy." Ed answered Ana first.

"Some battles are far more important than what strict military regimens allow for. Ithteca only withstood Hell's siege on pure chance. The Empress pulled back for some reason... Huh..."

Ed stopped dead in his tracks and stood there with a puzzled expression on his face. "That is an unusual pattern for her." he said, more to himself than to his escorts. "Before I even arrived here, she pulled back on attacking the capital directly..." then when I appeared and attacked the spire in the Gorge, she never appeared to stop me, then she does this... Tell me, what did she say to you?" Ed asked. The large man had a very bad feeling he was missing something. Something was definitely wrong with his mother's pattern. Normally the Empress was ruthless and wasted no time or energy on pointless frivolities - she would have committed a full assault on the surface as well as from orbit by now, but the hell Fleet remained well beyond lunar orbit by their great gate, and the spires advance only went so far as locally.... His mother was holding back. And that made Ed nervous.

Edgar Holden wrote:Ed pondered the words for a moment. "I'm surprised 'she' reliquished control of the queen without killing her... Hell's Empress is not known for mercy." Ed answered Ana first.

"Some battles are far more important than what strict military regimens allow for. Ithteca only withstood Hell's siege on pure chance. The Empress pulled back for some reason... Huh..."

Ed stopped dead in his tracks and stood there with a puzzled expression on his face. "That is an unusual pattern for her." he said, more to himself than to his escorts. "Before I even arrived here, she pulled back on attacking the capital directly..." then when I appeared and attacked the spire in the Gorge, she never appeared to stop me, then she does this... Tell me, what did she say to you?" Ed asked. The large man had a very bad feeling he was missing something. Something was definitely wrong with his mother's pattern. Normally the Empress was ruthless and wasted no time or energy on pointless frivolities - she would have committed a full assault on the surface as well as from orbit by now, but the hell Fleet remained well beyond lunar orbit by their great gate, and the spires advance only went so far as locally.... His mother was holding back. And that made Ed nervous.

Ana looked over to Ed and raised a brow. "It certainly didn't help that I kept insulting her." She sighed. When he asked her what the Empress of Hell had said in the throne room, she could only recall that last bit...

(https://galiavan2657.forumotion.com/t765p25-palace-of-alucphia-throne-room#9199)

She blushed at this, and looked down. "I... don't really remember! Heh..."

Leland sighed. "She was making threats, and warnings. Some sort of dragon of pure black death or some such." He replied, filling in the gaps. "I don't remember much myself, I had a bit of a..." He paused. Breakdown...? He stopped in his tracks, looking down. Sighing, he shook his head. "...it doesn't matter. Just more issues piling on other issues at this point." He groaned, picking up the pace again.

Anastasia Faizland wrote:Ana looked over to Ed and raised a brow. "It certainly didn't help that I kept insulting her." She sighed. When he asked her what the Empress of Hell had said in the throne room, she could only recall that last bit...

(https://galiavan2657.forumotion.com/t765p25-palace-of-alucphia-throne-room#9199)

She blushed at this, and looked down. "I... don't really remember! Heh..."

Leland McKelly wrote:Leland sighed. "She was making threats, and warnings. Some sort of dragon of pure black death or some such." He replied, filling in the gaps. "I don't remember much myself, I had a bit of a..." He paused. Breakdown...? He stopped in his tracks, looking down. Sighing, he shook his head. "...it doesn't matter. Just more issues piling on other issues at this point." He groaned, picking up the pace again.

Ed looked between the two, a look of bewildered puzzlement grimaced his features. These two were either hiding something from him deliberately, or what he felt indicated that the Elvish woman was inebriated at the time, and the gunslinger who reminded him of Handy was so far beyond the desire for vengeance, it clouded his judgement to the point that Ed's medical scientist side would never have allowed the man near a functioning weapon ever again.

His mind went over what little he could gleam from the pair though - Threats and warnings were not Alextastria's usual tools. Fear and intimidation certainly, but threats and warnings usually meant she wanted them to do something of their own volition... Something she and the Hellspawn could not do themselves. Then the mention of some sort of.... Dragon was it? Were they talking of his and his mother's transformed states? No... There's no way the Empress revealed that card yet... If she activated that while on the planets surface, he would have seen evidence of it. Dimensional and temporal distortions, catastrophic levels of planetary devastation.

Ed kept these thoughts to himself though, he didn't want to press the issue until he had a firmer idea of what was going on. Instead, he followed the pair and the Lamia escorts in silence.

Leland frowned. "I would have to agree with you on that," He says to the taller man. Even though he didn't say it, he could feel the other man's thoughts as he looked at him. "I was worse than that thick skulled gunwoman up top. I wouldn't have trusted me with a gun either before you appeared..." He paused in his step once again, before turning to the entourage. "Excuse me everyone, but I need to make a trip to the bazaar... I need to grab some materials, and make use of some of the forges." He says, turning to one of the Lamia. "May one of you accompany me?" He asked.

Anastasia paused now too, at Leland's announcement. She looked at him with lidded eyes. "You're going to try and run off, aren't you?" She asked, grumbling. "Best not Gunslinger, a Minktail Elf is a creature who is not to be trifled with, especially when she's angry. We're the best trackers in the world, and I will find you." She warned, one hand on her hip, the other pointed at the Lamia Leland had spoken to. "Make sure he doesn't leave your eyes, he's a crafty one." She spoke with an irritated tone.

Anastasia Faizland wrote:Anastasia paused now too, at Leland's announcement. She looked at him with lidded eyes. "You're going to try and run off, aren't you?" She asked, grumbling. "Best not Gunslinger, a Minktail Elf is a creature who is not to be trifled with, especially when she's angry. We're the best trackers in the world, and I will find you." She warned, one hand on her hip, the other pointed at the Lamia Leland had spoken to. "Make sure he doesn't leave your eyes, he's a crafty one." She spoke with an irritated tone.

Leland closed his eyes, holding his face with one hand, and another on his gunbelt as well. "Ugh...." he sighed heavily, wiping his face slowly he glares back to Anastasia. "Major D'Faizland, please think higher of me than that? I'm in rags from months of unkempt travel, I think I can afford a few minutes to myself. I'm not running anywhere without you- as you are the immovable wall of ice which continues to prove unyielding to my advances to pass through or climb over. Sheesh, you're worse than my wi-..." he paused, and sighed again. "I'm not leaving, need supplies. May I go now, mom?" He says, looking back at her with irritated eyes.

The trio of Desert Lamia, including Raz looked between the two arguing "Normal People" back and forth like watching tennis with the expression of exasperation mixed with 'Why are mommy and daddy yelling at eachother?' on their faces.

Ed's however spoke of pure puzzlement as he watched the exchange. 'I have several questions' he thought to himself. 'But, it's not my business...'

Instead, he watched, and waited. He did look down at his own bare chest and his torn armor at the mention of Rags. "Oh yeah... that seamstress was going to repair my armor back in Kilwood... Kinda forgot..." Ed mentioned absently.

Leland McKelly wrote:

Anastasia Faizland wrote:Anastasia paused now too, at Leland's announcement. She looked at him with lidded eyes. "You're going to try and run off, aren't you?" She asked, grumbling. "Best not Gunslinger, a Minktail Elf is a creature who is not to be trifled with, especially when she's angry. We're the best trackers in the world, and I will find you." She warned, one hand on her hip, the other pointed at the Lamia Leland had spoken to. "Make sure he doesn't leave your eyes, he's a crafty one." She spoke with an irritated tone.

Leland closed his eyes, holding his face with one hand, and another on his gunbelt as well. "Ugh...." he sighed heavily, wiping his face slowly he glares back to Anastasia. "Major D'Faizland, please think higher of me than that? I'm in rags from months of unkempt travel, I think I can afford a few minutes to myself. I'm not running anywhere without you- as you are the immovable wall of ice which continues to prove unyielding to my advances to pass through or climb over. Sheesh, you're worse than my wi-..." he paused, and sighed again. "I'm not leaving, need supplies. May I go now, mom?" He says, looking back at her with irritated eyes.

Anastasia watched him closely, her lidded gaze fixated on the slightly shorter human's face. The mention of him comparing her to his wife didn't affect her as much as him calling her 'mom' after. She had a flicker of a memory of sparking embers and the smell of burning timber upon hearing that... She had visibly jolted back slightly from that, her cold eyes wide with odd surprise for a moment, before returning to their calm again. She then closed her eyes, then sighs. "...Fine." she says with a defeated, annoyed tone, her hand waving him off. "Go, then."

She then glares to the Lamia. "Still, do not keep your eyes off him." She warned the golden Lamia, before she turned to Ed.

Edgar Holden wrote:Ed's however spoke of pure puzzlement as he watched the exchange. 'I have several questions' he thought to himself. 'But, it's not my business...'

Instead, he watched, and waited. He did look down at his own bare chest and his torn armor at the mention of Rags. "Oh yeah... that seamstress was going to repair my armor back in Kilwood... Kinda forgot..." Ed mentioned absently.

"Kilwood huh?" She asked the taller man. "I visited that place often as a younger woman. I hear the place still hasn't fully modernized over the centuries." She smiles warmly.

Leland sighed in turn, before grumbling as Ana still kept him on a short leash. "Fine, I'm off then." He grumbles, hands in his pockets, heading down an offshoot stairwell attached to the large bridge they were on- not waiting for his Lamia chaperone.

[to here]

The 2nd Desert lamia to detach from the group faded from view as activated a chameleon spell, bending light around it's body like active camoflage.

That left two to remain with Ana and Ed, one of them being Raz.

"I take it Leland has been acting strangely of late?" asked Raz of Ana as the quartet continued on their journey.

Edgar, who had been silent for a while chimed in. "It seems he is trying to ignore his pain by doing anything other than facing it. He would rather face Hell itself than face the pain of loss... He cannot seem to bring himself to mourn or grieve yet. And..." the large man's bright green eyes turned to the Elf walking with him. "I sense a similar pain.... from you."

Ed looked ahead again. "You both do not wish to aknowledge weakness, thus you refuse to shed tears... But it is okay to cry. You should cry, while you are still able to."

Ed remembered once, a very long time ago, when he thought he lost Himiko, and his own child... He searched for months, and then years for them, before their fires disappeared from his senses. He grieved for many days.

"Even devils may cry..." he said, in a murmur more to himself than to Ana.

Anastasia sighed. "I've met him for nearly a day, and I've seen his rage and his kindness. He was even charming, back in Beijio." She says with a slight chuckle. "But he is also stupid, and reckless. If I hadn't followed after him, he would have gotten into worse trouble, I wager." She replied to the Lamia, before Ed made her skin crawl with his eerie response:

Edgar Holden wrote:Edgar, who had been silent for a while chimed in. "It seems he is trying to ignore his pain by doing anything other than facing it. He would rather face Hell itself than face the pain of loss... He cannot seem to bring himself to mourn or grieve yet. And..." the large man's bright green eyes turned to the Elf walking with him. "I sense a similar pain.... from you."

Ed looked ahead again. "You both do not wish to aknowledge weakness, thus you refuse to shed tears... But it is okay to cry. You should cry, while you are still able to."

Ed remembered once, a very long time ago, when he thought he lost Himiko, and his own child... He searched for months, and then years for them, before their fires disappeared from his senses. He grieved for many days.

"Even devils may cry..." he said, in a murmur more to himself than to Ana.

Anastasia shivered from that. She glances down, at the moon stone brick layout of the bridge as they walked. Silent for a while, she repeats what she had said to the Queen/Empress, she put it up as chance for the moment. "I have experienced the pure blood lust, and the need for vengeance as well in my life. It was once all I could think, all I could do. I revolved my years and life on the death of a single man, and then his family. However... I never got the chance to exact my revenge." She sighed. She realized she could have killed Rufus Tenik in the infirmary, and no one would have batted an eyelash, but she realized long ago that he's not her enemy, as his grandfather Alexander the 12th has been dead for a long, long time now. Alexander the 12th, an evil yet frail old man who had died breaking his neck slipping out of his bath tub. Such a ordinary death that when it had reached Ana, she didn't know what to do with herself. She had spent many of her years chasing her demons, that she didn't know how to live life like normal... what normal was. She was lucky she didn't kill him, she feared... she would have just simply given up had she killed Alexander herself. She realized she couldn't stop fighting however. She had to keep fighting, for in the end... it was all she truly knew. She was deprived of a simple life the moment she saw her home ablaze... the helpless cries of...

She closed her eyes. "...I can relate." She repeated. "But this Elf has no tears left to shed. They'll only get in the way these days." She says, in a low, empty voice... or was it a suppressed anguished tone?

Ed had to smile... He knew the lie very well, every word. He knew it intimately, because he said as much himself after awakening 20 years after Ferral's betrayal to find he was even more of a monster then he ever was before. Loss of family, betrayal by friends and mentors, pain and suffering, then losing what little humanity he thought he had... Ed felt stripped away, used, then cast aside by everyone. And yet he held on. He still held onto hope.

"That's not true you know... You do still have more tears to shed. Because you are still alive, and you dare to hold onto hopes and dreams. Your heart is not cold and dead, it is broken. But what is broken can be remade stronger than before, as long as you possess the will to never give up hope - for the future is built upon it. It is, after all, why I still fight."

Ed continued on, towards the palace.

Edgar Holden wrote:Ed had to smile... He knew the lie very well, every word. He knew it intimately, because he said as much himself after awakening 20 years after Ferral's betrayal to find he was even more of a monster then he ever was before. Loss of family, betrayal by friends and mentors, pain and suffering, then losing what little humanity he thought he had... Ed felt stripped away, used, then cast aside by everyone. And yet he held on. He still held onto hope.

"That's not true you know... You do still have more tears to shed. because you are still alive, and you dare to hold onto hopes and dreams. Your heart is not cold and dead, it is broken. But what is broken can be remade stronger than before, as long as you possess the will to never give up hope - for the future is built upon it. It is, after all, why I still fight."

Ed continued on, towards the palace.

"I cannot afford to cry these days. I am a soldier. I have to fight, and keep fighting till the day I fall. There was a time I had put aside my blade, and had a family." She says, closing her eyes, before she turned to him stopping on the bridge. She revealed something deep within her, which she had not shared with any other mortal soul in many, many years. She figured... who else than a complete stranger, should she explain about Bailesruth a village which no longer exists in Southern Scardia. Of its destruction, and of her daughters... Raina the eldest, and Melda a year younger than her sister. Raina was also known as Ann, and her sister Melda was also known as Carissa. They were such sweet, darling girls. They were her human husband, Henrik D'Faizland's half-elf children. And in 2614, everything fell around her in a sea of flames.

She closed her eyes, and balled her fists tightly. "...I don't like thinking back to those days. Yet, I cannot bring myself to forget the memories... memories of a time where I was simply a mother. Memories of my Raina and Melda. I can never forget them... that would dishonor the very meaning of being a parent. I keep a cool exterior and level head when I put on this uniform because, when I wear this uniform... I'm not the helpless woman that watched her children burn. I was their mother, and I could not save them. I bear that responsibility, and as a soldier and former knight of the white tower... I will keep fighting so that no parent or child can experience such horrors." She looks up at Ed. "You see... I cannot afford to cry. Not till my time as a soldier ends."

Ed held his silence for a moment as he turned to face Ana. "Even a soldier must know when to put down the weapons of war, and learn to live again. For those of us who have experienced the pain of loss, the hardest battle, is to find a way back to a happy life. When I lost my wife and my child, centuries ago, for a long time, I had given up hope... Until I remembered something my father once taught me in the distant past. 'Do not miss them, the departed. For they have been freed of this world, and they would not wish for you to exist in sadness of their loss.'" Ed then bent down to one knee so he was a little more level with Ana's height and she didn't have to look up at him.

"Your convictions as a warrior are admirable, but do not forget, the purpose of all living things is to pass the torch to the next generation. That's why you can still have strong feelings for men such as Leland. I know that despite your conscious efforts to try and prevent it, to avoid the risk of feeling the pain of loss yet again. But unconsciously, you have a very large place in your heart for him." Ed made the statement, because he knew it was true.

"Unfortunately, he is in the same boat as you are, only the pain of loss for him is fresh, and raw. He does not know how to deal with it other than by venting his newfound rage and hatred at those he thinks killed his family. He certainly seems to be the type who will shun advances, especially know, for fear of that pain... Back home, we call this situation, the hedgehog's dilemma. The closer two people who struggle with pain try to get, the more they hurt themselves and eachother on their quills. And I fear that if Leland does not find a way to grieve correctly, soon... he will suffer a mental breakdown... much like his counterpart did back home..." Ed made reference ho hos own old friend, Damian handy, back in Tall Oaks... back on Earth. the large man remembered how the New York Incident had changed his friend so badly, he began a spiral of self destruction that nearly killed him...

Edgar Holden wrote:

Ed held his silence for a moment as he turned to face Ana. "Even a soldier must know when to put down the weapons of war, and learn to live again. For those of us who have experienced the pain of loss, the hardest battle, is to find a way back to a happy life. When I lost my wife and my child, centuries ago, for a long time, I had given up hope... Until I remembered something my father once taught me in the distant past. 'Do not miss them, the departed. For they have been freed of this world, and they would not wish for you to exist in sadness of their loss.'" Ed then bent down to one knee so he was a little more level with Ana's height and she didn't have to look up at him.

"Your convictions as a warrior are admirable, but do not forget, the purpose of all living things is to pass the torch to the next generation. That's why you can still have strong feelings for men such as Leland. I know that despite your conscious efforts to try and prevent it, to avoid the risk of feeling the pain of loss yet again. But unconsciously, you have a very large place in your heart for him." Ed made the statement, because he knew it was true.

"Unfortunately, he is in the same boat as you are, only the pain of loss for him is fresh, and raw. He does not know how to deal with it other than by venting his newfound rage and hatred at those he thinks killed his family. He certainly seems to be the type who will shun advances, especially know, for fear of that pain... Back home, we call this situation, the hedgehog's dilemma. The closer two people who struggle with pain try to get, the more they hurt themselves and eachother on their quills. And I fear that if Leland does not find a way to grieve correctly, soon... he will suffer a mental breakdown... much like his counterpart did back home..." Ed made reference ho hos own old friend, Damian handy, back in Tall Oaks... back on Earth. the large man remembered how the New York Incident had changed his friend so badly, he began a spiral of self destruction that nearly killed him...

Anastasia listened to this strange man as he spoke of his own past, and gave her his sermon on pain, loss... and love.

Her large blue eyes blinked as he insinuated her relationship with the Gunslinger... and she was becoming steadily warm in the face at the accusations.



"I-I...uh... think you have the wrong idea b-between me and Leland. Its not like that, at all. No." she says, hands out, her head shaking left and right as her nerves felt like they were melting. She couldn't imagine herself in such a relationship, she had only met the man earlier that day after all. It had been over 40 years since she even lain with a man, let alone attempt a courtship with one. She had pushed such thoughts far from her mind, her entire culture had surrounded around the one true pairing, where when wed, it extended past death. Her first husband, Faeron, who was the bearer of the armor plates she wore now had died three years into her marriage. She had gone for a century before she ran into Henrik. Courting with him lead to her becoming estranged with her parents in Minktail, and she hadn't been with anyone since Henrik. After becoming a mother she had put her heart in becoming the best mother she could, especially since Henrik died when her oldest was only three. She tried that life on several accounts, and the thought of returning was preposterous and scary. Sure, she had the body of a 20 something year old woman, but, she was a traditionalist! She had been in the company of man enough to feel some of the odd taboos one would have being human, she would have been a grand mother herself by now had fate been much kinder to her!

She looks away, clapping her face with her gloved hands, feeling uncomfortable. It was almost like that time in Hrothor's office, when he gave her her grandmother's letters, only to find out that the pair had been an on and off item till he physically couldn't take her straddling him for medical issues! She shook her head. "Its not like that, no. I think-the Queen. Yes. She's been waiting long enough, no?" She coughed against her wrist, continuing forward.