Don't Tell Me My Fate (FarCry5)

Don't Get Cocky, Kid

It didn't take too long for Ivy to reacquaint herself with the feel of a rifle, Eli fishing out a suppressed MS16 with a modified scope from one of their many stockrooms while Ivy traded in her admittedly pretty but impractical outfit from John for camo cargo pants, a long-sleeved black tee, and a baseball cap. She also found a holster strap to carry her new beast of a gun of her back.
"Alright," Eli declared as everybody grouped together in the comms room "The first step in building a group enough strong to take down Jacob and getting the deputy back is reclaiming our people from those lunatics. "Ivy, you, Wheaty, and Harris are gonna check out one of the outposts where they got our Whitetails. No killing today, just scope the place out, see how many Peggies and alarm systems they got so we can build up a rescue team to go out and get em'".
"No problem" Ivy responded. After learning what Jacob was doing to people, she was more than happy to assist in a rescue mission, even if it wasn't her brother just yet. It all helped and building up the Whitetails to take down Eden's Gate was a happy hand she could play in that.

**

The walk to Elk Jaw lodge wasn't too far, the three of them walked mostly through forested areas and snuck across open roads as to not alert anybody of their location or where they were headed. The place was more of a mansion than a lodge and it reminded Ivy of John's ranch, though more dilapidated. The three crouched and approached from the luckily heavy amount of trees in front of the building.
"I'll take a look through my scope and count of the number of people I see" Ivy whispered to Wheaty and Harris who nodded before ducking behind the trees either side of her. Jacob's voice was billowing around the place, spouting his bullshit about the weak and the strong, the herd needing to be culled and more Darwinist garbage that made Ivy roll her eyes.
She found a small rock ledge overlooking the grounds and laid flat on her stomach, resting on her elbows and bringing the scope of her gun to eye level. Trailing her sight over the lodge and outside areas, she noted six Peggies in total, turning her head back to Wheaty and mouthing the word.
A man with a flamethrower was stood between three other cultists and Ivy bit her lip. Oh, how easy it would be.
She fell back to where Wheaty was focused beside a tree and pulled him down so they were level.
"I think we could take em', Wheaty" she said through hushed but confident words.
"No, Iv. We're just supposed to check it out".
She tapped her fingers on the side of her gun and grabbed her radio, turning to see Harris focused on an area of cages.
"Eli?" she whispered into it.
"What's happening, kid? You find em yet?"
"Yeah, listen. There's one alarm system and no more than 6 of em, four of which are grouped together around explosives. I think we could do this now and quickly too" Ivy declared, peeking around to see the four guards still milling around together.
"Ivy, I'm not sure if that's a good idea. We don't want none of ours getting hurt cos of carelessness" Eli said but Ivy could hear the room in his voice to change his mind.
"We could have your people outta there in less than five minutes, Eli. Just trust me, please?"
A few seconds passed before he responded.
"Alright" Eli relented "but if anyone gets killed cos of you I'm taking that gun back" he continued with a small hint of humour in his deep voice.
"Gotcha" Ivy responded with a grin.
*
"Right, First, Harris you take out that alarm system quietly, Ivy, once you see the light on it go out, you're gonna blow that flamethrower asshole and his buddies sky high while I sneak inside and arm our friends to take out any remaining cultists" Wheaty declared and they all nodded at each other.

Ivy watched Harris sneak closer to the alarm and kept her eyes glued to the green light flashing above it. The second it cut out, Ivy turned her rifle right towards the thankfully still grouped together cultists and took aim at the gas canister on the flamethrower wielders back.
They're killing people, Iv... Innocent people in the name of a psychopathic soldier and his equally messed up family. You can do this. Suck it up. This is for the greater good.
She shuffled slightly, adjusting her aim and psyching herself up. Taking a deep breath and squeezing gently, a bullet flew through the air and landed a direct hit, the resulting explosion almost blinded Ivy and she rolled on her back and ran a fist against her stunned eyes.
After a few seconds of regaining her senses, she shot up again. Her heavy rifle pressed into her shoulder and she spotted Wheaty snatch up the weapons strewn around by the now mushed remains of cultists. Ivy smiled. Easy peasy.
Jacob's words cut out and Ivy silently thanked Wheaty for ending his repetitive rants.
The only noise left was a few bullets being fired before Wheaty, Harris and a group of 5 disheveled and malnourished looking people came through the doors. Ivy stood up straight and beamed at Wheaty, who returned the gesture.
"I'll meet you at the entrance" Ivy yelled and got a thumbs up in response.
Walking the short distance to regroup with the others, Ivy felt elated, she'd saved people, the guilt of killing those Peggies certainly was outweighed by knowing that the Whitetails were safe.

Checking the road was empty before stepping out, Ivy saw the group together at the vehicle entrance of the lodge and began to walk towards them. Excitedly grinning at the prospect of having enough of a group to rescue her brother. Wheaty pointed her out and they turned to look at her as she approached.
Her steps faltered as her radio crackled to life, and she stopped to listen.
"I told you... Nothing happens in these mountains without me knowing it. I was planning on letting you play your little games for a while... but you've taken from me and I think it's time you come and find your purpose" Jacob's growl made Ivy adrenaline flood through her body and from the look on Wheaty and his group's face as she looked up, they'd heard it over his radio too.
A whoosh filled the silence she was frozen in and pain immediately burst through her, breath hitching and nausea filling her body and she hit the ground, landing heavily on her knees.
"Ahhhfuuu" she screeched, trying to swallow the bile that had risen from the rush of adrenaline and agony.
Wheaty shouted something at her but it only became a soft echo as Ivy glanced down at her thigh, seeing an arrow with a green tip impaled through her leg, a clear shot right through.
She gazed up at the group, now running to her aid and panicked.
No. They're free now. They need to get back to the Wolf's Den. If he gets them back, he'll kill them.
It took all of her strength the lift and shaky hand and move her heavy head from side to side gesturing for them to stop, which they did.
"R-run... They w-won't... kill me... GO!" she managed to call out before the tiredness became too much.
For the second time in less than a week, Ivy was dosed with bliss and the pain soon ebbed away, becoming a dull ache as blue butterflies and soft bursts of light danced around before her.

**

The ground was so soft and Ivy nuzzled against what she realized was grass. She forced her eyes open and peered around, a field, full of white flowers. The sky was an ominous shade of green and she managed to climb to her feet to stand, dizzy but calm. This place was beautiful and foreboding at the same time. Straight ahead, fading in and out of sight, a woman, a beautiful woman was dancing, twirling in circles and laughing to herself. Ivy approached, fear apparently not existing here, so was drawn to the siren before her.
"Faith" she called out and reached her hand towards her form, yearning for guidance from the ethereal woman.
Faith extended a hand back and Ivy felt herself float across the ground, her peripheral vision nothing but a blur until they were inches apart.
Her smile was perfect, soothing and Ivy smiled back at her.
"I'm so glad you've come" she cooed, interlocking her soft fingers with Ivy's.
Ivy looked down at their joined hands, confused. She felt so peaceful but knew it wasn't real, it couldn't be.
"I don't know why I'm here..." Ivy murmured, eyes fixed on Faith's.
"Yes you do, Ivy... The Father told you... You must trust in him... In us. We can save you, we want to save you" she whispered, close to Ivy's face.
"I don't believe, I can't... I don't want to be saved..." Ivy said, tears beginning to pool in her eyes.
Faith ran her free hand over Ivy's cheek, still smiling, eyes lit up by the emerald world around them.
"You will believe" she paused "It's okay... We can wait for you. We will love you. My brothers and I. The Father will wait for you, but the Collapse is coming... Please don't force his hand, talk to him... Listen" Faith concluded before Ivy's vision faded, once again.