The lifeless animated Construct known only as Marlina, awakened in a world at odds from deep lingering scars of conquest and malice, seeks a home where she can belong.
In hopes of finding a place to call home, she also wishes to seek answers for th...
Mordecai confronts the first guard and feints while swinging his fist toward his face, causing him to raise his hands in defense. As the guard throws a punch to counter, Mordecai shifts his foot to step aside just as the guard attempts to strike forward—his other fist weaves under the guard's, delivering a hard blow to the throat.
As another man approaches to take advantage, Mordecai lunges to provoke a reflexive attack, swatting his hand downward. He then delivers a kick through the opening, striking the solar plexus and knocking him back.
The last opponent wears a pair of gauntlets, engraved and sparkling at the knuckles, moving recklessly as he tries to tackle him. This allows Mordecai to land a solid strike to his face, followed by a feint to obscure his next move—a roundhouse kick to the side of the head, knocking him out.
Mordecai lets out a pained groan, clutching his side as another assailant attempts to sneak behind and leap onto him. A jet of water shoots toward the attacker, knocking him away and into some crates.
Tessa rushes over, gathers some ashes, and forms a fire sigil on the ice to melt it. Just as another guard is about to plunge a spear into Tessa's back, Marlina extends the rod and presses its tip into his chest, unleashing another wave of shock that causes him to collapse.
Once Tessa melts the ice, Natalia and Neterion ensure those down stay down before rushing to Mordecai's side. Tessa embraces Marlina, and Marlina clings to her without hesitation.
"Marlina, you're okay! I thought they couldn't get to you..."Tessa says, overwhelmed by confusion and relief upon seeing that Marlina is okay.
"I'm okay. But Chief Aurea is injured; please help her..."Marlina pleads, and Tessa spots Aurea at the bottom of the tunnel, prompting the two to hurry down to assist her.
Once the twins reach Mordecai, Natalia hugs him tightly before looking at where he's clutching, while Neterion places his hand on his shoulder.
"And where have you been? Taking a vacation?"Neterion grumbles at him.
"Good to see you, too," Mordecai jokes, but his expression shifts when his clothing reveals a wound on his side. It looks like it has been cauterized and barely healed, making him suck in through his teeth when Natalia touches it.
"Mordecai... what happened? Where have you been?"
"Not right now, let's make sure the rest are gone."
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By the time they clear the area and the corpses of their captors are left in the braxl den to have their bodies taken care of, everyone is in the infirmary. They found their weapons and plenty of their supplies stashed in the sleds, making it clear that the brutes intended to loot them after they were done with them.
Tessa is resting in a chair after healing Aurea's arm and Neterion's ankle, restoring their mobility in case more trouble arises. Despite her exhaustion, deep concern and grief are evident on her face, and her body language conveys tension. Aurea sits on one of the beds, resting but remaining awake due to her head injury. Neterion keeps himself limber by kicking at the air; his stance is slightly unsteady because of his injured ankle, while Natalia manages her projectile weapons. Natalia's eye is still swollen and bruised, but she considers it trivial compared to the injuries of Aurea and Neterion, insisting that Tessa heal them first. Mordecai enters with his maps of the Colonies, laying them down on the floor while grimacing from the pain in his side, having refused treatment for the moment.
