Martyrdom

"Martyrdom" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread written on [IRL DATE].
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
“Damn it–” Rio stepped forward as one or two other rebels tried to keep Darien from hitting the ground, but he was already mostly gone, his tongue and chin covered in blood as his lungs gave a few more weak rattles. Healing him seemed like a cruelty at this point, and an unnecessary irony. He looked up to see if there was any chance Milae and Dario were still with them, but they were gone. The goat had taken his chance. 
Rio clenched his teeth and stepped backwards slightly, looking away as Darien breathed his last. His eyes ended up landing on J, and Rio steeled his jaw, shaking his head slightly before turning in the other direction, his hooves hitting the ground harder than necessary. “I can’t believe this.”
J’s hand had reached for his notebook upon reflex, but decided against it immediately after. This was not a situation that one would easily forget. He could always write it down later.
He cast one more look upon the crowd, before turning to follow the half breed. He fell in step with him, brows knotted in silence, the upset radiating off him. He glanced at him after a moment.
“It wasn’t his choice.” he said grimly, knowing that it didn’t make the situation any better. In fact, it made it that much worse. 
“I know, that’s why–” He threw a hand, unable to come up with the right words. “He shouldn’t have lost lives coming here, it’s not…it’s not right.” Rio secretly knew he was the most satisfied with losing Darien of all people, but he could feel the death from behind his back like an oppressive fog, and it made his heart hurt. 
He took a steadying breath, slowing his pace to let J keep up. “Tell me what happens on the other side. I…I have to know what happens to Dario.”
He hesitated slightly before sighing and fishing the notebook out, flipping through the pages quickly, “Seems like he’s okay so far. They’re holding well against Rhenco, and Juro’s updating live, although he does seem a little detached for some reason–” he squinted at that observation. The way the Bookkeeper was writing the fight was different. It was odd.
Rio looked over at his friend in concern, attuned to his uncomfortable shift. “What do you mean?”
They kept going, J still studying the text that was continuously scrawling across the parchment, when Rio found himself walking by himself. When he turned around, he saw J’s form crumpled on the ground, then a clear snapping sound around them.
Rio whitened.
“Juro!?” He raced forward and knelt by J, his hands lighting up gold as he held the man’s arms, desperate to fix what was wrong. “Oh, gods, no, are you with me? Are you alright?”
He laid on the ground, eyes wide and staring lifelessly above them. His skin felt cold to the touch, and a quick pass over his mouth told that he wasn’t breathing. It was like he had dropped dead right there and then. Or rather, like he was never alive at all.
There was another deafening snap, although no one else seemed to notice, then after another agonizing second, J finally blinked and took a deep breath, and the colour came back to his cheeks.
“Whoa…” he flicked his eyes all around, staring up at Rio in confusion, “Why am I on the ground?”
Rio’s breath grew into a heavy panic, and he clutched J’s arms, stuttering, “You–you died, I swear, you were–” His throat hitched and his eyes burned. “Don’t do that!”
“I didn’t do a–!” he sat up hurriedly, his hands hovering as he panicked upon seeing Rio’s face. He hesitated for a moment before gripping his upper arms in return, the crease in his brow softening a little. He tended to be more standoffish and aloof compared to his inter-dimensional counterparts, but being around Rio, he would allow himself to be less guarded, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened, I…”
He shook his head, shoulders drooping a little, “I remember reading about Dario and the battle against Rhenco, then suddenly I was down and you were calling my name…”
“There was some kind of…crack, and then you were on the ground.” Rio put a still-glowing palm on his forehead, looking him over intensely to make sure he wasn’t hurt. “I thought that whatever killed Darien was just…starting to go through everyone.” His pulse was still thrumming in his neck from his sudden burst of fear.
“A crack…?” Rio’s magic washed over him in waves, and while he truly felt alright, it still felt nice. He glanced at the book that fell by his feet.. A crack… Juro… the lock? 
He wrapped his slender fingers around the half breed’s wrist and pulled his glowing hand away, leaning forward and said comfortingly, “Hey, look at me. Whatever that was, it wasn’t the same thing as with Darien. That’s gone, and I’m okay. I promise.”
The healing magic in his palm flickered and faded away, and he met J’s eyes, his face screwing up slightly in distress. “I don’t know what’s happening any more.”
He held his gaze for a moment, before twisting the corner of his mouth upwards and gently bumping his forehead with his. He pulled both of them from the ground again, sweeping the notebook up as well, “I know. But that’s why I’m here… ”
“Well, if you’ve got something,” Rio said, looking back at the other villagers in concern, “we could sure use it right now.” He squeezed J’s hand, trying to find any source of familiarity in the moment. 
“The red card rained on them,” he relayed the information as it was happening live, frowning worriedly, linking his fingers with his and squeezing in return, “Oh shit, but they’re okay. It’s not effective. They’re just… leaving now. Rhenco’s’ done, and Dario’s safe. Which is what Milae wanted.” He continued to stare as words scrawled across the paper, before flicking his amber eyes up between Rio and the rebellion.
Rio pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling. “Thank the gods. What…what are we going to do now? We have to tell the Chief that Milae…” He gestured helplessly. “Did something. And now we don’t have our Central informant any more.”
“I don’t know either.” he said grimly, stuffing his notebook magically in his bag, before taking both his hands in attempts to calm him down, “But I’m gonna find out. I promise… In the meantime we’ll the Chief and tell her everything we know. Together. And then figure it out from there.”
Category:BOTGD 2
Category:Events
Category:Act I
Category:Rio Hjort
Category:Jaejin