[Metzger]

bah, do not think a simple beheading is enough to kill Quain, she's fine, give her some bandage and some booze and she will be back to leading the Sarghress in no time!

[SFI]

Quain’tana gasped when blood drenched the simple dress she wore. The heavy weight of a body was on her. Someone had jumped in front of Sarv’swati’s axe, taking the hit meant to separate the Sarghress from her head. Who would...?
“No!” The voice came not from either of the circles, instead from the closed door. The Sharen tensed, straining against invisible bonds on her limbs that forced her backwards from the two in front of her.
Quain turned as best she could, looking at the body that had slid down from her back: a Vlozress in an orange dress, wearing no armour. Her eyes widened at the hair of the new-comer: pitch-black, reaching to well beyond her behind.
She was stopped from having her thoughts go places when the door was forced open, a mass of flesh charging well into the room with his momentum. Two forms engaged the guards, one wearing gold, the other red. Long orange hair flowed behind the red-clad woman as she rushed the Sharen to the left of the door.
She needn’t have bothered: he fell half-death to the ground as blood flowed from his facial openings. The work of an Empath.
“Ash...” The Sarghress whispered as the Sullisin’rune marched forward, followed by three others. She recognized Sil’lice readily, but it took her a few moments to tell who the other two were. Above her Valla’drielle hissed, Kharla’ggen ignoring the Ssu in favour of steadily forcing the second Sharen-sister down to her knees. Red eyes burned in the cover of the helmet, one hand outstretched.
Ariel completely ignored the shock in her mother’s eyes, falling to the ground beside the black-haired woman. She started frantically whispering as others followed them. A Kyorl’solenurn and Vloz’ress fell to their knees at her side, worry permeating the air around them.
The Berserker smashed down part of the lower circle, allowing the rest to easily pour inside.
“What...?” Quain looked at the group that had apparently come to her rescue, forming a protective circle around her bound form even as the rest of the people were trying to recover from their surprise.
“You didn’t think we’d leave you here?” Koil’dorath demanded, crouching down to see if she could open the chains.
“You’ll change nothing with this.” Sarv’swati hissed, forced to kneel under Kharla’ggen’s furious eyes.
“We’ll change a great deal.” Ash’waren countered, the armour on her skin feeling alien. “For one thing, you’ll not leave this place alive.”
“You underestimate your opposition.” Odelia’sigismunde had recovered, rising from her seat.
“Odelia, stand down.” A sharp order carried by a voice filled with pain as her owner got hoisted up by two youngsters. Waes’soloth’s back was impenetrable shadows, her form trembling as she strained to repair the damage done by the Sharen’s axe. Chiri kludged her sealing-gem, ready to drain away nether should it be needed. Her red eyes fixed on the dark-blue ones of the woman standing at the Beldrobbaen-seat. “This is the business of the Council, not a Warmaster.”
The silence was deafening, even as the Beldrobbaen pulled herself free from her supports sharply, pushing her bloodied hair back in frustration. She was breathing heavily as she joined Ash’waren and Sil’lice, almost meekly followed by Ariel. The sound of her hair smashing the chains holding Quain down was like an explosion, her face showing a faint hint of distaste.
“Waes’soloth...” Quain’tana slowly rose to her feet, eyes travelling erratically over the other’s body. Blood still dripped down from the half-healed wound on her back.
It seemed almost concerned, the way Kharla’ggen stepped just a bit closer to the Beldrobbaen. Her armoured hand slipping in the bloodied one was a far more certain signal.
“Quain’tana.” The voice sounded even, too even. Blood-red eyes met purple like nothing stood between them. “It is a relief to see you are still well.” A relief not conveyed by her voice.
“It’s a surprise you are alive.” The Sarghress voiced the opinions of just about everyone present. “What happened to you?”
“Sarv’swati.” Ariel spoke up, resting her halberd on the ground as she stood at Waes’soloth’s other side. “As I have been claiming ever since this mess began.”
“And Sarv’swati’s daughter.” The Kyorl’solenurn added, her grip on the sealing-gem white-knuckled.
“And then Sarv’swati herself again.” The young Vloz’ress – only now did she realize it was Kharla’ggen’s sister – added, leaning against the Berserker half-bored. “So yeah, Sarvsie might get kinda skrewed over here.” She looked up, to where Chrystel stood at her mother’s side. “By the big pile of Tiki-shit she dug herself into. Told ya Waes could not get killed by a fucking Sarg-patrol.”
“It is rather concerning your clan was the only one to realize that.” Waes’soloth dryly stated, hair writhing in the air behind her. “Kill her.”
Flesh shifted, transformed into something it was never meant to be. The still considerable aura of Diva’ratrika’s second daughter was devoured, added to the ocean surrounding the young Vloz’ress Ill’haress.

[SFI]

She trembled, watching impassively as the form on the ground in front of her stopped twitching.
“Waes?” Someone asked, a hand settling on her shoulder. “Are you alright?”
Her hand shook almost violently. The demon had taken her up on her plea of ‘let me live until I had my revenge’. Her shaking legs gave way underneath her.
Armoured arms closed around her middle, slowly lowering her. Kharla leaned over her, worry in those tainted eyes.
“It does not even hurt...” The Beldrobbaen whispered, almost as if she could not feel the spasms wrecking her body as a remnant of self-preservation fought against the demon clawing to get out.
Her back arched, head thrown back as every muscle in her tensed.
Blood-red eyes met dark-grey, mother and son for a brief moment looking at each other. Emotion appeared on her face, sadness tingeing her look of calm acceptance.
She would have preferred him not seeing this.
Wrenching herself free from Kharla’s hold she curled up on the floor, trying to suppress the erratic movements of her muscles.
Pain finally assailed her senses, burning in her mind. Where they simply not draining her? Or had it gone too far already?
Faintly the voice of her last remaining child pierced the veil of agony. She could not understand him.
The voice grew louder, arguing. The pain burned even more, threatening to overwhelm her.
She could not fall with him this close. She’d hurt him!

[ThatGuyThisGuy]

OHH OH OH OH OH OH OOHHHH *GUNSHOTS AND THEN EXPLOSION* OH BABY ITS A TRIPLE WOW*winks*.

[Metzger]

Well, doesn't look very good for the Beldies right now; one unnecessary war and one tainted Waes (with an presumably out of control seed) later... seems like this fanfic is coming to a close too.

[SFI]

He cradled her body, refusing to let his mother go. Waes’soloth seemed no longer sentient as she twisted in the arms of her child. She had broken her fingers clawing on the ground, blood pouring from various wounds not there a short while ago. She clung to a remnant of control, though none could tell how long that would last.
Khal shuddered, feeling her hot blood on his legs when her back-wound reopened. “Mother...” He whispered brokenly, clinging to the elder female. “I am sorry... so sorry.” How could he have missed this? How could he have failed to realize that she still lived!? And now she had been reduced to this...
He briefly glanced at the shards of a sealing-gem, broken under the nether tormenting the Beldrobbaen.
He’d not fail her again. If this was to be her grave, it would be his just as much.
Her body froze and to his horror he saw her skin change. Head snapping upward, his silver eyes met another set of red. Glowing behind her mask, they stared down from Kharla’s face, fixed upon her ‘attendant’. An attempt to preserve something of Waes’soloth perhaps?
A last glimmer of instinct activated, flesh turning to shadow under her mental grip.
“Devouring aura...” Kiel whispered. “A veritable sea, adding them to her own...”
Khal wanted to demand what she meant, wanted to tell them to let his mother at least die in peace, but a hand clutched at his hair.
“Khal...” His mother’s voice, strained and pain-filled, tore his attention back to the woman he was holding. Fully red eyes looked at him, but they were filled with recognition. “Khal...”
“Mom?” The young male gasped, wincing at the tight grip her other hand had on his arm. She curled up, trembling as she clung to her last life-line.
After what seemed like hours, her body went slack, melting into her son’s hold. Kharla stumbled, for the first time in a good while mentally exhausted.
“I guess it’s time to call off that attack outside...” Kiel muttered lightly, supporting her sister.

[SFI]

Man, poor Khal. First his sister, now his mom. All the poor guy's got left is his band.

Who said he lost her? Who said he didn't?

[SFI]

Feel like writing an alternate ending. Thoughts?

[Metzger]

Feel like writing an alternate ending. Thoughts?

*gives sfi two thumbs up and a car salesman smile*
Go for it!

[Mirefrost00]

Got any ideas, yet?

[SFI]

Feel like writing an alternate ending. Thoughts?

*gives sfi two thumbs up and a car salesman smile*
Go for it!

Got any ideas, yet?

Would I be contemplating a new ending IF TWENTY-MOTHERKILLING-THOUSAND PLOTBUNNIES WEREN'T IN MY HEAD ALREADY!!!!! *gets gun to shoot plotbunnies*

[SFI]

Alternate Ending to this story, starting from this point

Her entire body was numb, which seemed to become a habit for every time she changed locations lately. She groaned lightly, reaching blindly into the room to find something to hold onto.
“You’re awake.” The words were spoken in a whisper.
“I wish I were asleep though.” Waes’soloth dragged her eyes open, coming face to face with Ariel. Above them was stone, tinted orange and red by the light coming from the window. “We are with the Vloz’ress?”
“You fainted, but we got you on a wolf and here.” Ariel nodded. “I send my companion home to bring a report of our journey.”
The purple eyes were shimmering with worry. The young Sarghress carefully took her hand.
“And what else?” The elder Drowolath dragged herself up. “What of the Sharen?”
“Dead.” The younger female got up. “Both realized who you were. I demanded his silence. I think he will do so.”
"Ugh..." The elder female sat up and tried to stand from the bed. "I feel woozy."
"You were damn-near drained dry." Ariel helped her. "I think just a few moments more and you'd be tainted."
"I finally dodge a problem." Coughing, the former Ill'haress allowed her. "Goddess, I do so want to kill Sarv'swati for this."
"Stand in line." The Sarghress walked over to a low table. "Kharla gave you some of her clothes... and a new mask."
"Those will fuse to my face at some point." Sighing, Waes picked the metal object from the orange cloth. "Are these... tears?"
"Kiel's idea." The younger female shrugged lightly. "You can scratch it off or something?"
"And risk her wrath?" The Beldrobbaen actually snorted at that while she lifted the clothes to look at them. "Goddess, this has even less cloth than your slave-outfit. I might wear more if I go naked at this rate."
"From what I gather, Kharla has... discovered sex." Ariel snorted. "And likes her partners black."
"What..." The ancient Val looked at her with disbelieving horror. "Who thought that was a good idea!?" At the other's shrug, she had to resist the urge to facepalm. "Is the universe just toying with me? This is getting ridiculous." Dropping the clothes on the bed, she combed her hair with her fingers. She was going to have to redo it again. "Very well, I suppose. I presume you will leave now? It would be too dangerous for you to stay too long."
"I just wanted to know that you are well before I did." Smiling lightly, the Sarghress turned to leave. "Good luck."
"That I'll need." Looking at the outfit again, Waes'soloth really wondered when it had all gone so wrong.

[SFI]

The Beldrobbaen sighed, starting to dress. “How is this supposed to even stay on me?” She murmured, sitting down to put up her hair. After that, she put on the mask and left the room slowly, looking for Kharla.
“There ye are!” Someone appeared behind her, bright orange hair nearly filling her view.
“Kiel’ndia.” Waes’soloth pulled on the cloth of her outfit. “Did you have a hand in this?” There was truly more skin than cloth to the outfit.
“Sorry, Ill’haress’ orders.” The younger female snorted. “Does suit ye though.”
“You do remember I am Beldrobbaen?” The former Ill’haress followed the other through the fortress. “This are NOT Beldrobbaen-clothes.”
“If ye want to blend in, ye gotta wear the clothes.” Kiel opened a door, gesturing her true. “Sis, she’s here.”
Waes’soloth slipped inside, blinking a few times at seeing Kharla sit on her bed, surrounded by a good dozen plushies of various shapes and sizes. “Kharla?” If someone had told her a year ago that this was what she’d end up doing, she’d have been insulted beyond belief. The tainted female looked up, red eyes briefly raking over the body in front of them before settling on her mask.
Sitting down beside her, the Beldrobbaen looked at the doll being cradled in the other’s arms. It was a little her, by the looks of it.
“Abyss...” The Vloz’ress reached for her with one hand, red eyes bearing down upon her silver ones.
Waes’soloth reached for her own mask, pulling it off. “You’ll have to stop calling me that though.” She watched the reaching hand settling on her stomach.
“Yes...” The word was drawn-out, the Vloz’ress only being half there.

[Al'ias]

"Cupcakes! We demand tiktikki cupcakes!"

I second !
Very nice and Easy to read.
I hope you will continue.

[SFI]

“And how come we only notice that when she returns?” Odelia demanded with lethal calm. She was staring several Ill’hardro that had been sent to reinforce the low on numbers Beldrobbaen lines. These two had been stationed at sentries against the cavern-wall, supposed to monitor the movements in the Sarghress’ bottleneck towards their fortress. Their report had informed her a couple cycles ago that apparently Ariel Val’Sarghress had moved through it almost without them knowing. And from the direction they said she had gone, they had to have missed her the previous time. “Where were your eyes when she travelled towards the damn thing they call a fortress?”
“We do not know.” One of them shrugged, the feathers of his cloak moving as he did so. “We wouldn’t have seen her this time either had she not been forced closer to this front by Zala’ess’ latest push.”
“Well, one can see why your affinity is voice.” She waved them away, disdain in her face. Waes’soloth had never needed to get help in defending the borders of their district. She was a terrible Ill’haress.
She got up from the desk, moving towards the window that looked deeper into Chel’el’sussoloth’s cavern. If she leaned out of it, she could just see the lights of the battles between them and the Rift. She sighed, turning back into her office again. The room reflected her mood quite accurately. Well, the entire fortress did, for that matter.
The former Warmaster picked up the report to read it one more time. Quain’tana’s heir had passed through the bottleneck at high speed, both she and her mount carrying signs of confrontation. Then she looked for a different report, one she had gotten half a day earlier. Another wolf-rider from the same direction, also alone and with signs of confrontation.
“They must have been together.” She muttered, sitting down behind her desk once more. “It would make no sense for that Mercenary to send her heir out alone. But why did he return half a day before she did?”
Her eye trailed to a map on the far-away wall. Wait a moment... She rose again, marching across the room. Her eye was fixed on an area above the bottleneck that was causing her such grief at the moment.
She was a Beldrobbaen and therefore cursing was beneath her... at least out loud. Ariel had not gone to the Sarghress-fortress, she had gone to the Vloz’ress instead. That was the only explanation for a confrontation. She had used the connection of Sullisin’rune lands towards the Vloz’ress ‘district’ to get there.
“That could be bad.” She muttered, marching back to the window. The fighting between the Beldrobbaen-district and the Rift was still raging. “If she actually gets those Nether Summoners to move...”
It would be the Nidra’chaal War all over again. What use are Dragons and sealing-armor if a Nether Summoner can just make their seeds go haywire? A small shiver ran down her back as she imagined Kharla’ggen moving into battle. She had off course heard of the failed extermination attempts of the risen Nether Cult and exactly how it had come to them. “Sharess...”
She ought to warn the Sharen of her suspicions, but what good would those do them? Kharla’ggen was a fickle woman with the mind of a child. Would she actually do something like that, or was she starting to see threats where there were none?
She marched out of the room, heading for the elevator. “Someone send a flare to alert Zala’ess. Potential attack incoming.”

“Spider Killers.” She read what was on the wall, looking at the dead dragon beneath the writing. “This was not the work of Sarghress.” She sank through her knees to check the wounds. “This looks like its’ seed went haywire.”
Nau’kheol looked around. “I do not see the rider, sister.” They were in a small alley in the south-parts of their mother’s held districts.
“I doubt we will find him.” Chrystel got to her feet again, looking at the writing again. “This is the work of Vloz’ress. No other clan would do such a thing with a seed.”
“I know they call Sarv’swati a liar about Waes’soloth, but why would Kiel do this?” He frowned, looking at the dragon with something akin to distaste.
“Perhaps it is a rogue faction...” His sister stated, looking to where one could just see the glow of the Rift over the buildings.
“Just like her to lose track of her people.” Shinea stood a short distance away. “Let me guess, you want to go confront her?”
“This was just a taste of what is to come.” Chrys muttered, refastening her veil. “She must call them to a halt. We cannot deal with her rogues and the Sarghress.” She walked over to her own dragon, who was restless at the scent coming from the corpse. “Nau, look if you can perhaps find the rider after all. After a Cycle, regardless if you found anything, report to Mother. I and Shinea will go to Kiel to deal with this.”
“Yes.” He nodded, resting his hand on his sword-hilt as his sisters mounted the dragon. “Good luck.”
Chrystel returned the nod, urging her dragon into movement down the main road the alley ended at. What Commoners had not fled merely looked at them from the doors of their homes, slinking back inside as soon as one of the Sharen looked at them.
“Why did I have to come?” The Protecter-twin demanded as she held on. “Nau would have gotten you farther with Kiel.”
“I don’t want to risk him if I am wrong. It feels off, somehow. If you understand what I mean.” Chrys muttered darkly. “I don’t want to risk you either, but...”
“You’d be risking me if I stayed behind and you got into trouble... again.” Shinea reached for her own sword as they made their way into the Vloz’ress ‘district’. “Zala’ess would truly kill me this time.”
They were silent as they reached the gate to the fortress. Some of the Vloz’ress mercenaries barred their way. It was the first time that had happened.
“Let us in.” Chrys demanded, her eyes narrowing as she looked at them. “I was always allowed to pass.”
“Not this time.” One of them said, face almost completely obscured by his helmet. “No Sharen is to enter the fortress without approval of the Boss.”
“Then get Kiel out here.” Shinea hissed, getting of the dragon while pulling her sword.
One of them went, returning some time later with several people in tow. Kiel and Kharla’ggen walked up front, followed by two of Kharla’s attendants and someone the Sharen had not seen before. All five were wearing their masks.
“Yeah?” Kiel stopped in front of the dragon, looking up at them. Kharla tilted her head a bit, looking briefly at the unknown woman beside her. They were wearing similar outfits, like the newcomer had gotten clothes from the Vloz’ress Ill’haress. “Why did ye come?”
“You got rogues on your hand again.” Chrys got off the dragon, wondering silently as to why Kharla had come along as well. “They attacked someone in one of Mother’s districts.”
“We ordered that.” Kharla cut off her sister’s reply. “We do not like Sharen.”
“What?” Chrys blinked uncomprehendingly. “Kiel?”
“Ya heard her.” The orange-haired youngster answered. “Can’t do anything against people that just obey.”
“But why?” The Sharen demanded. “They killed Waes’soloth, Kiel. Naal’s mother. Why are you backing the Sarghress by fighting us?”
“Cut the crap.” Kiel snarled. “Ye think ye can just give me shit and ‘cause I am Vloz’ress I’ll buy it? Waes is Naal’s mom, she’d never get fucked over by a bunch of Sargs. She can fucking slaughter people by sneezing too hard!”
“You believe those commoners?” Shinea demanded darkly, hand tightening around her sword.
“We once were.” Kharla’s eyes narrowed at the move, red irises glowing behind her mask. Almost immediately her powers reached out, freezing the Sharen-protector in place. “And the wolves are more true than dragons.”
“Ya heard her.” Kiel shrugged as she repeated herself. “As yer friend I tell ya, Chrys: cut yer losses, stop with the messing around and just bail. Yer clan is just digging itself deeper into a deep pile of Tiki-shit. This last dig though? It might just end with ye suffocatin’ on all the crap ye’re bringing into the world.”
“What are you talking about?” Zala’ess’ Overseer demanded. “Kiel, why would any Sharen attack a Beldrobbaen, Waes’soloth at that?”
“Very convenient that it got the Beldrobbaen back into the war conveniently just as you were losing it.” One of Kharla’s attendants countered. Nimiel stood a short distance behind the Ill’haress, her eyes burning with anger. It was only now that Chrystel realized that Kharla was surrounded by former Beldrobbaen as her caretakers. “Would you have gotten that had this not happened?”
“You are serious about this?” Chrys’ face turned disgusted. “Are you barking mad, Kiel?”
“No, yer aunt is.” Kiel pulled off her mask. “Leave, Chrys, go home to yer backstab-family. Did ye honestly forget they lied about what happened to their own mother? Why would they bother speaking the truth about Waes’soloth?”
“Kiel.” Her voice had turned pleading.
“Go.” Kharla snarled, stepping forward. Shinae's bones were starting to creak under the pressure of the Vloz'ress' High Sorcery. “We do not like your presence in our domain.”