The Trick to Falling in Style

Oath

Vermillion sat on the sidewalk, his legs stretched out in front of him on the street. The Captain paced back and forth in the middle of the road, her chin lowered into the palm of her hand as she thought. The air between was thick with tension, and the silence felt like a heavy weight dragging them both down to the ground. Vermillion rubbed his chest, wincing as the pain filled his exhausted mind. He tried to keep his mind focused on reviewing his fight with Rosa, looking for her weaknesses, but he couldn't stop his thoughts from returning to the Warden. He was important to both Vermillion and the Captain, and it was very clear that their inaction was because they didn't want to risk hurting him. Vermillion knew that taking down the Mooshroom Monstrosity and Apex should come first, but he didn't want the Warden to be stuck in the crossfire. It was the wrong moment to realize he still had more emotional attachment than resolve.

"We don't have many options," The Captain said, turning to face Vermillion. Her gaze was pure, a little angry but mostly determined. Vermillion supposed this was one of the reasons he respected the Captain: she was nearly incorruptible. She had the greatest sense of justice that Vermillion had ever seen. She wasn't afraid of getting deep in mud and shit to save a life, and she would do everything in her power to protect everyone. She didn't always succeed since she was a human and not an omnipotent god, but she tried her absolute hardest, and it was difficult to see her strong morality as a weakness. "No matter what, we need to take down the Mooshroom Monstrosity. We just have to decide when the right moment to attack is. If we go after the monster alone, we risk the others harming the Warden. If we try to save the Warden, we could end up accidentally hurting the corrupt heroes, getting hurt ourselves, or missing the chance to take down the enemy before it takes more lives."

"We can't let the Warden get corrupted. If he does, the mists will only spread twice as fast because of his powers," Vermillion said plainly. The Warden could produce any gas from his skin, and he would be able to spread the mooshroom corruption as quickly and efficiently as the monstrosity. Though, in the back of his mind, he knew that he didn't want the Warden to become corrupted not only because it would spread the infection faster, but because it was a painful experience. He would be put through hell trying to resist the infectious voices whispering in his head for him to give in, and he would eventually fall. No one had an indomitable spirit, not against the Mooshroom Monstrosity's power. If Vermillion's powers didn't make him immune, he would have fallen a long time ago.

"Right," The Captain nodded absently, like she wasn't focused on that part of their problem. "Our best bet is to divide and conquer, but we can't logically do that. There are four corrupt heroes; it will take more than one of us to defeat them. The pictures of the Mooshroom Monstrosity make it look like a colossal beast, as well. It would definitely take a whole team of people to hold it down, let alone subdue it in battle."

"It's shitty that it's our only option," Vermillion says. The Captain's eyes narrow, but Vermillion continues talking before she can get a word in. "This is going to be our most difficult mission yet, but I think we can pull this off if we're strategic. You'll have to fight the heroes. At least one of them, probably Adamus, will stay behind with the Warden to make sure he stays put and is being corrupted. You've spent enough time sparring with Halo and Cait Sith that I trust you know some of their tricks, and Rosa will be easy for someone as strong as you. The more time you spend around them, the more you'll be able to adapt to them. I'll fight the Mooshroom Monstrosity. I can use the wind to maneuver around, tiring him out, and then I'll use the wind to hold him down. We can figure out how to put power suppressors on his arms after."

"This is suicide. I can't fight three heroes by myself, especially if one of them is Halo. You can't fight a monster this size. You're wounded and tired, Vermillion," The Captain pointed out, gesturing to the tears in his suit that revealed the leftover wounds from his fight with the Wretched Wraith and Rosa. They stung painfully despite the adrenaline in his veins, and he knew that he was going to be facing hell later. It didn't matter to him. Kamikaze was currently underneath the effects of the sickness, and the Warden was suffering right now. The fog would continue to spread. There was no telling how many people were already dead.