Azure 0: Rebellion Sequence/A2E2: Duality of Azure/Transcript

Previously: Episode 1: The Unorthodox Operation
----
Arc 2: Children of Sin
Episode 2: Duality of Azure
----
The Boundary 
Blankets of pitch surround the silver-haired male, a void he’s accustomed to visiting nearly every night. It takes no particular shape for now, but its silence is broken by echoing words stringing together like a hiss, although chilling, it holds no aggression.
“What are you doing, Azure whelp?”
Nex: ...Huh?
A crest of twinning blues and reds spreads underneath his feet, and suddenly a slew of crystalline particles are tossed along current of energy turning the previously black expanse into one speckled by flakes of color.
“I crave the destruction of this world and its desires, you crave the restoration of what you’ve lost, what you know to be true, that girl’s possibility. You come no closer to either goal if you remain here."
There's some kind of urgency in the thing's tone, but the young male doesn't share it. Flashes of vague scenes from the remains of a refuge, swallowed by a haze of Seithr, worming things emerging from a gate. Blackened bodies and his own covered in crimson veins. The imagery leaves his thoughts and he shakes his head.
Nex: Do you have to remind me about it every time? 
"I'll remind you as much as you need. You’re only going to be disappointed in this... they can’t understand your situation and they never will.”
Nex: Maybe not. But their leader did help me... 
“For what reason?”
The question from the void leaves the younger male unable to respond in confidence.
Nex: (Clicks his tongue) I don’t know.
“If the world seeks the Azure, then what makes you think they have any better intentions? Everyone is out for their own desire, and it will lead to destruction all the same. I know that, Azure whelp. I know it well.”
Nex: (Scowls) You’re no different.
His voice carries distrust and some level of disgust, but at the same time a hint of powerlessness.
“The difference is that you asked for this, desired it, and you have the Grimoire. Its power is a mark of the true Destroyer. Trust in that strength…it is your possibility.”
Nex: That strength has put me into this mess... and so far it’s brought me no closer to my desire. Is this truly the so-called Power of Azure?
“I am the one who answered you, after all. I am the will of the Azure itself and the desires that came from it… The calamity of this world’s sins. I will take everything from our enemies. The girl waits for you, Nex.”
Nex: (Concerned) Yura…
“Be warned, Azure whelp. The systems destroyers also see you… I wonder how many times calamity has to repeat before you realize your fate, that destruction is the only outcome for this broken world. Agonize over the truth as you wish.”
----
Area: Outside of Naobi and Iwasu 
Campsite
The strange nightmare ends, leaving him huffing air. His eyes open up and he gasps in alarm, holding his chest which pains him. In a daze, the teenager scrambles out of the tent. His squinting eyes adjust to the pitch black outside, he couldn't have slept more than a few hours, and the fire barely flickers. Instead he goes near a cluster of crystals, panting and trying to regain his bearings.
In a nearby tent, the teenage girl from earlier hears the silver-haired male panting in distress, confused and concerned, she can’t help but look out of her tent.
Cerea: (To herself) What the hell? It's too damn early...
She pokes her head out of her tent and looks at the young male panting near the crystals.
Cerea: Hey... what are you doing? It's the middle of the night... like 4 AM.
Being approached in this state causes Nex to become defensive, startled by her.
Nex: What? Get away from me…
He still tries to calm himself down, all along his arms where the Grimoire has grafted to his body, crimson shadow glides through his skin steadily. The silver-haired teenager looks pained by this, once more urging the girl to stay away.
Nex: I have to stay near these until it stops...
The girl directs a look of confusion at the sight of the male near the cluster of glistening objects.
Cerea: Yeah... that's a weird thing, if you ask me. Alright... hold on, let me get dressed. 
For a few seconds, she leaves the male's vision, diving into the tent. Nex's eyes close and he tries to calm himself in seclusion. But after two minutes, Cerea returns, fully dressed.
Cerea: So, uh... you need those things to calm down, huh?
Baffled by the gold-eyed girl’s persistence, the boy frowns and holds his chest.
Nex: What...? What'd you come back for? I told you to stay away…
Even with his words of warning, Cerea still stays and looks at him. A few seconds later, he sighs and relents on trying to get her to leave, opting to focus his energy on stabilizing himself.
Nex: They do calm me down. I noticed it right away when we first got here...
Cerea: Uh-huh... okay, that's weird.
Repeating herself causes Nex to give her a look of slight annoyance but he shrugs it off. Her fingers touch the cluster of crystals and he watches it react to her hand.
Cerea: It's reacting to our touch... is it our warmth that causes this?
Nex: I don’t know. Someone I used to know told me these kinds of crystals are signs of natural magic... spiritual or whatever.
He notices the crystals seem more vibrant and intense when Cerea touches them, but he doesn’t pay it much thought. The violent pounding resonating in his body ceases and he slumps back against the rock, breathing slowly.
Nex: (Looks at his arm, noticing the blackness fade) This is a pain. Ever since I got this thing it hasn't left me alone, and my nightmares just make it worse.
Cerea: Yeah, that would suck... but man, you really have it rough. Not even being able to sleep...
The girl lets go of the cluster and looks at Nex.
Cerea: How long's it been since you got this thing?
Nex: I’ve had this Grimoire for around a month now... every night it’s the same thing with these nightmares. But they’re getting worse in terms of the pain they’re causing... and if my emotions go out of control-- (shakes his head with a scowl) it’s not going to be good.
Cerea: Have you... y'know, had them before? It may not be just your Grimoire.
Nex: Yeah, I have... just makes it harder to deal with.
He breathes out, calming himself down successfully. Standing up, he looks for the tunnel they used to get to the campsite.
Nex: (To himself) I can get rid of the pent up energy there.
Coming to a decision, the young male walks over to the tunnel and heads through it while Locke is surveying the opposite direction for any intruders. Cerea watches the silver-haired boy leave and follows after him with a bit of hesitation.
Cerea: Hey, where do you think you're going? It's not safe there.
Nex: (Frowns in surprise, looking back) Why are you following me? Go back to the camp. I need to do this alone.
The male keeps moving through the tunnel and comes over the debris, looking for a secluded area. Once he finds a suitable place among a bunch of broken down devices and structures he takes a deep breath and starts to exude Seithr off his body in the form of crimson flakes and particles, channeling energy to rid it from his body.
Cerea continues to follow after him but stops and watches the teenager shed the excess Seithr, finding it to be astonishing. Impressionable by nature, she is drawn in by this, eyes wide.
Cerea: Whoa... that's cool.
Nex: ...Huh?
Giving her a baffled look of disbelief at her response to this he shakes his head. The colorful particles of darkness and Seithr land on various surfaces, eating away at them and turning it into more Seithr, but the girl doesn’t seem to pay attention to this and watches in awe.
Nex: Do you realize how dangerous this stuff is?
Seeing his words don't deter her any, Nex exhales in frustration.
Nex: Imyo told me not to let it build up too much in my body. And I don’t have any kind of limiter so this is my only way to keep it under control for now.
Cerea: Yeah? (Shrugs) Well, I don't know... but it does look impressive.
Utterly captivated by it, Cerea watches the particles float by and touches one, much to Nex’s alarm as he scolds her loudly.
Nex: The hell is wrong with you--don’t touch it! You’ll--
To his surprise, the energy he exudes doesn’t harm her, leaving him at a loss as he finishes his sentence.
Nex: --hurt yourself?
Just as the words leave his lips, there’s suddenly the sound of approaching footsteps from higher up, and a bright light shines down on the pair, startling them.
NOS Officer: There he is. (Looks at a Prime Field with him) Inform the Cerise Reaper right away.
After seeing the small group of soldiers, Nex growls in surprise. The Prime Field flies away and heads out to the exit, Nex watches with a scowl.
Nex: (To himself) If that thing gets away...
NOS Officer: (Spreads his hand) Deploy binding Ars.
While Nex starts to hurry after it, a device flies out and bursts open in a display of runes, releasing a circular glyph. Before it can touch him, the silver-haired teenager rolls to the side and away from the Ars.
Nex: Dammit...
Cerea quickly dives behind a defunct machine and looks towards Nex who is peeking from behind his cover.
Cerea: We should get outta here! Hurry!
After hearing her, he follows after Cerea who heads for the tunnel in a hurry, but a spherical shot from a gun-type Ars flies by, barely missing them Being threatened like this causes Nex’s eyes to glaze over with a killer’s instinct. He turns himself, glares at his foes, summoning a large blade to his hands from a crest of crimson. Holding it with both hands, excess Seithr is drawn to its edge, lighting it up in a scarlet tint. With a growl, he runs in, jumping up and swings it at one of the officers, the Seithr flies off and becomes an undefined beast-like shadow which crashes into the officer, infesting them with the Seithr. The substance flooding his body causes them to scream in pain. He deflects another shot from one of the other soldiers who stand their with their hands trembling on the trigger of the weapon.
NOS Soldier A: Y-you generate that damned Scourge!
The Prime Field escapes from sight, leaving the silver-haired teenager to huff in annoyance.
Cerea, who was at first amazed by Nex's ability to summon a sword from thin air, suddenly becomes uneasy when she witnesses the infestation affecting the officer. She manages to suppress her gag reflex and stays still for a second covering her mouth.
Cerea: (To herself) Holy shit... that's insane. He has that power in him...
The rest of the soldiers aren’t sure how to respond to the events and while they’re left at a horrified loss, Nex prepares to attack them head on with a vicious slash, but something stops him. Feeling Cerea's eyes on him, the teenager looks back and sees her looking on in alarm and barely suppressing her desire to gag. Her visage is one of unease and partial fear, images of featureless people giving similar horrified looks when his Grimoire first connected to him flash in his mind. When this registers, he closes his eyes with a frown of contemplation. After this, he sighs, turning away from the soldiers, realizing killing them would do nothing at this stage. Rushing by, he goes back through the tunnel.
Spotting him pass by, Cerea snaps out of her stupor and goes after Nex, looking behind to see if they're being followed.
Cerea: Dammit... what the hell was that?
Nex: That’s why people are after me. It's a destructive power from the Boundary, part of my Azure too.
Cerea: Wait... the Azure? (Shakes her head) No time to explain, let's just get to safety first.
After a few moments they enter the camp relatively uninterrupted, leaving the encounter with the NOS soldiers behind. Instinctively, the young rebel looks into the tunnel, and notices they aren’t being followed, assuming that they wanted nothing to do with him after seeing what he did to their officer. When they step into the camp, Cerea sighs in relief, trying to process what she just witnessed. However, before she can formulate any kind of questions, Locke notices them and gives them a slight look of disapproval after realizing they went wandering off.
Locke: Heya, kids.
He looks at the teenagers and sighs with a weary expression.
Locke: What were you doing out there?
Caught offguard by the question, Nex blinks.
Nex: Imyo told me to release any excess Seithr in my body, so I went somewhere else to do that. (Looks at Cerea) She followed me, told her to go back, but she didn’t listen.
Cerea: Locke... listen, man, I had to make sure he didn't get into trouble.
Locke: But you've found trouble anyway, right?
The girl lowers her head in a brief admission of guilt.
----
Area: Outside of Naobi and Iwasu 
Unknown Facility
The rose-eyed woman spreads her hand and directs soldiers into the facility with authority while she contacts a superior. The soldiers form into small squads and hurry inside.
Rythrean: Marshal, we’ve located Azure 0. I’m sending in teams now, should I--
Lukain: (Voice only) Try not to end it so quickly. A resistance like that of Imyo’s is not easily quashed...but we may not even need our forces to do so.
The tone of his voice carries an immense intimidation yet it lacks any discernible emotions, but the suggestions of her superior leave Rythrean in surprise.
Rythrean: Are you observing these events as well, sir? There's no need, we can handle it.
Lukain: It's not a matter of your efficiency. Everything in this area is under my jurisdiction. Remove that interference field.
Rythrean: (Quickly) Yes, sir.
----
Area: Outside of Naobi and Iwasu 
Campsite
Nex looks at Locke while they're scolded, he doesn't show any guilt compared to Cerea.
Nex Why is it such a big deal? I didn't get hurt, and they didn't see us come through here. I just had to release that energy or--
Locke notices their field being torn open on the campsite, Prime Field clad in imitation units fly out of the openings and cause Nex to grunt in alarm.
Nex: System puppets…
Prime Field A: Location of targets confirmed, orders are to retrieve Azure 0. Kill all other targets.
With the robotic response, swords fall on the campsite, pinning into the ground while another quickly flies in, spreading out weaponry. Locke turns his head with a growl.
Locke: Dammit! We've been found!
Other mercenaries quickly leave their tents, disoriented by the events, but they still remain focused. Spence uses an opportunity to set up a turret while Switch creates several barriers to stall the invading Prime Fields.
Locke: Keep your ground, people!
He grabs a rifle hanging off of his belt and takes a quick shot at one of the intruders. An energy projectile hits one of them in the chest, but while it doesn't pierce the armor, its impact causes the Prime Field to stumble backwards before its weapon can slice through one of the mercenaries.
Spence: (Transmission) Locke! We need a big bang to deal with them!
Locke: Copy that! Cover me, Spence! Watch out for Imyo!
The mercenary moves towards the campsite with caution while Nex and Cerea follow him through the ensuing chaos. Locke tosses a small metal ball to the girl.
Locke: Use it if they get too close. A good zap will stop them in their tracks.
Cerea: Got it.
The Prime Fields direct their swords at the turrets which causes one to explode. All of the noise makes the young rebel a bit uneasy, and NOS soldiers soon flank from behind Locke and the kids, coming out of the tunnel as the field disappears making it difficult to regroup.
NOS Soldier B: Strike him down and grab the boy.
Nex: You don't know when to back the hell off...
Nex growls at their pursuers and brings his sword out again and attacks the closest soldier with it, dodging a swing of some kind of baton ars before he makes a strong spinning diagonal cleave leaving a streak of darkness, just barely missing his target. Crimson energy flares around, and begins to slowly crawl along his skin.
Some of the other mercenaries pour out of tents to join the fray while the main tent is set on fire by a NOS mage throwing a burning sphere at it. With crackling noise it burns up, only for Imyo to dart out of the structure with a blade in his twin tails. He cuts through the alarmed mage, turning his tails into a whirling cyclone of steel. Looking over, he avoids the hail of swords that come from Prime Fields, jumping at one with his paw ripping by with extended claws, tearing through the armor and sending the unit crashing into the rock. He flips and lands on the floor, trying to assess the situation.
Imyo: Someone is coordinating this assault… (looks around with his ears flattened) Where is Nex?
Spence: He and Cerea are with Locke. He's heading our way.
Switch brings out a combat drone that locks onto the troops surrounding Locke and the teenagers and fires a smoke bomb at their location. Using this cover, Locke takes out several grenades out of his pouches and tosses them at the enemy. They quickly detonate, blowing some soldiers away while others are blinded by flashbangs. Cerea also tosses the sphere to paralyze the dazed group.
Locke: Come on, let's move!
Cerea nods and takes Nex's hand almost subconsciously, pulling him with her, preventing him from getting too caught up in this conflict. She then brings him with her, following Locke as he fires at the squad sent to capture the young male.
Cerea: Come on, stay with me!
Spence brings out his Gatling Ars and lets the barrels spin under the cover of Switch's barriers before letting loose a stream of whistling energy projectiles that shred the hostile troops to bits and take out some of the Prime Fields attacking them. He seems to be completely focused in the heat of the battle, the polar difference of his usual jovial self. Switch's drone assists Locke by providing fire support, making it somewhat easier for them to move.
Switch: (Transmission) Is Willie Pete going to be overkill, Locke? Got several rockets charged.
Locke: (Hastily) No, no. Don't use phosphorus here, Switch. Don't want to mess up this place any more than we already have.
Alarmed by the girl pulling him away, Nex looks around and takes in the destruction caused by the conflict of the mercenaries and the NOS. The stock Prime Fields keep breaking through barriers while some are shot down by the gatling Ars that Spence set up. All the lives being lost in an instant effects him in someway, and he tries to find the crystals again, but with so much bedlam, this proves impossible. The ground troops don’t give up, chasing after Locke and the teenagers while the officer barks at some of them.
NOS Officer: Seal their exit routes!
The soldiers respond and set up a barrier over the tunnel while the main officer deploys ars magus that creates a field of electricity to shock and stun Locke to slow him down so they can catch up. Nex and Cerea wince as this energy paralyzes them as well.
Rythrean: (Offscreen) Hmm, you’re putting up quite the fight. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough.
With these words, the woman makes herself known and appears in the campsite, her weapons are drawn, and purple sickle blade concentration of darkness strikes the Gatling gun. At the same time, scissor-like projectiles followed by tails of energy chain-like threads fly about and start to rip through the battlefield, controlled remotely by the woman.'
Rythrean: Hear me well, mercenaries. I am Rythrean, the Cerise Reaper and one of the Sequence Destroyers. The Marshal and General have requested our aid, and I serve them dutifully. If you don’t want all of your lives to be lost tonight, then I suggest you return that child.
Nex: Sequence Destroyer?
Imyo: (Ears pin back) Was only a matter of time before they were sent in… sending her in no less.
Spence: Shit... we're out of luck. It's like back then in Taoreta.
Locke is struggling through paralysis, attempting to move his legs that refuse to obey him.
Locke: (Strained) Imyo... you got any ideas here? Would be nice if you had something in mind.
Switch hides behind one of the barriers, typing something into his tablet.
Switch: (Transmission) Imyo, I can fry the stock models, but it will require some time. You have to stall her or something.
Rythrean: You won’t surrender then? Then you’ve only yourselves to blame for the consequences. Watch their souls perish and join the damned, Azure 0. Embed this moment into your memories.
She says these words in a chilling and lucid tone, before the young woman spreads her hand and the projectiles fly after Locke and the teenagers. Imyo intercepts with his weapon, shattering the manifestations and scattering them to Seithr.
Imyo: I can do more than that. Spence, support Locke and protect the kids. Switch, do what you can to thin their numbers, and don’t forget what I asked you to get ready earlier if things go to hell, I can buy enough time for it. (Glares at Rythrean) As for you, Cerise Reaper... I can tell Lukain added his own touch to your model. But I’m no pushover myself. Byakkoken!
Imyo summons his Drive as his fur bristles and the weapon wheels around him before it lands in his mouth, the beastkin taking a fearsome stance as the energy flows around him.
Imyo: Allow me to demonstrate the strength that you turn a blind eye to.
He runs in at Rythrean and carries his weapon through into an upward flipping slash, creating a gale of pressure as he makes this movement which knocks the projectiles away from his allies. The initial slash is blocked, but it still knocks her off balance a bit. Her rose-colored eyes squint and several thread-like chains erupt from the ground from violet miasma, each tipped off by blades that try to entangle Imyo, but he skillfully avoids them.
Rythrean: Even if you’re not one of the Forsaken Ten, your power easily rivals them...I remember what you used to be. Without you, they wouldn’t have made it far.
Imyo: Merely gave ‘em my support. But I won’t let you take this kid!
Spence: Understood. Switch, cover me.
Nex notices the NOS soldiers nearby and growls as the three can’t move properly yet. After Cerea gets shoved away by one of the officials, a strike from one of the blunt instruments hits the teenager on his head, dazing him, but when their hand touches him and yanks him forward, he reacts violently. Growling fiercely, he makes a swing with his hand and a claw of a beast rakes the limb. The claw rips through flesh and bone with a horrid sound, and suddenly the limb goes flying like a cheap toy in a display of blood. Scourge eats at the stump. Throwing their head back, they scream in pain as the substance spreads through their body.
Nex: Don’t touch me!
Locke is surprised by the power Nex used to cut off a soldier's arm, but quickly regains focus and looks around to see if there is anything that may help them.
The drone reverses its direction and heads towards another NOS squad, firing EMP shots at them to take their tech out, causing it to explode. Spence uses this opportunity to run out of his cover and head to Locke's position, using a smaller machine gun to shoot on the move. He lugs his gatling Ars, Cerea's sword and a bomb launcher with him, but it barely slows him down as he moves forward like a freight train, shooting everything in his path while the drone takes out anyone who tries to flank him.
A Prime Field attempts to attack Spence from the front, but a quick EMP shot paralyses her, and the large man simply swats her out of the way.
Spence: Hold on, Locke, I'm coming!
A NOS mage throws a ball of electricity at the drone, causing it to malfunction and go down briefly, but Spence keeps moving and joins with Locke and the teenagers. After backing away from another swing of a blade-like Armagus, Nex brings his sword down to the earth and then rips upward, causing a flurry of tendrils to shred through the group, consuming some of them and sending their energy flying into Nex.
Nex: Ungh…
He falls back a few steps and holds his chest as the Seithr builds up again on his body, the consequence of his power being so unrestrained becoming apparent.
Rythrean summons her Exitium to her hold as she keeps her distance, using the large scythe-like weapon to meet Imyo head on, the beastkin growling as he twists and avoids its sickly glowing head of scourge. Rythrean beaks it into two and rests them on her back, before she splays her hands and creates threads of darkness in them. She then swings and they all converge on the beastkin who growls as they ensnare him.
Rythrean: Perish!
Imyo barely avoids the miasma of scissor-like blades that fall on him like a guillotine. He lunges in, using his claws to rip by, and gales toss her backward while he turns around and somersaults in a blazing aura of whites and yellows, carrying her across the floor before his claws knock her upward. Rythrean recovers and twists, the scythe breaks down into two pieces and flies around her in a horizontal whirling pattern slashing Imyo.
Rythrean: I see we have our work cut out for us…but the struggle is almost over.
Nex backs away and tries to find the crystals to calm himself down, feeling a haze set in his mind, everything blurring together.
A hail of energy shots pierces the air as Spence's machine gun Ars fires at the NOS soldiers, killing some instantly while others take cover. Using this confusion, he quickly tosses the launcher to Locke and the sword to Cerea.
Locke: Took you long enough. All that extra weight slowed you down? Maybe it's time to get on a diet.
Spence: Aw, shuddup and keep blasting them.
Locke loads grenades into the launcher and fires a smoke bomb in front of them, using it as a screen to get away. Cerea notices a soldier rushing at her and Nex with a stun baton Ars and draws her blade to parry the strike. With an elegant movement she stops the attack and slips behind the soldier, cutting them down with a quick diagonal slash. When they try to get up, the girl kicks them in the face, dropping them back to the ground.
Cerea: Hey, Nex! We gotta move!
The young rebel has difficulty seeing straight as Seithr keeps gathering on him. Small beasts start to form from the substance slithering around in the shadows and their maws rip through a soldier near Cerea and him, their energy also flies into Nex who groans and shakes his head in pain. Upon seeing this, Imyo’s attention turns to Nex who is shrouded by growing darkness, the boy stumbling around. He rushes over to him, slashing through a soldier in front of them after his tails trip him up. Imyo's paws reach around Nex.
Imyo: Calm down, kid, it’s going to be fine. (Glances to Cerea, turning his head at the crystals) Cerea, go get those crystals.
Bringing her Exitium back into one piece, Rythrean glares.
Rythrean: Your time is up. The Marshal has already put you in check.
Those words leave Imyo stunned.
Imyo: He’s here?
The navy-eyed man appears, wearing a highly decorated uniform and stands with an imposing presence, but his eyes don’t seem to show any kind of feeling for his foes. Instead he snaps his fingers as a crimson ring of runes appears around his hand and a reddish orange wisp of miasma rotates around him.
Lukain: Carmine: Exontono.
From a void ripping open the Boundary’s distorting force is felt, and a myriad of unstable spheres rain down on the campsite. Instantly, they break apart and distort the air. The barriers stand no chance against it, collapsing instantly. The entire campsite is filled with miasma, only making it worse for Nex who breathes quickly. This devastating ambush causes the whole group to become rattled, a lot of Switch's devices malfunction, even the heavy Spence is blown back alongside Locke. Cerea collapses in front of the cluster of crystals which is uncomfortably close to where the Marshal has appeared, though he pays no attention to her.
Lukain: You didn’t honestly think that you could invade my cities without consequence, did you? Even you should know better.
As the damage settles, Imyo lifts himself from the ground while keeping Nex close who struggles to withstand the Seithr sticking to him and fusing itself in his skin.
Imyo: Grh... this turned into a disaster. I see you weren’t quite as willing to let him go as you made it sound initially.
Lukain: It has nothing to do with what I want. It’s the system’s orders.
Imyo: Yet knowing your history, I doubt it's that simple.
After a few seconds, he calls out to the mercenaries, gritting his teeth.
Imyo: Locke, Spence, Switch you all alive?
Switch: Yeah... the others' vitals are fine too.
Spence slowly gets up from the ground and grabs his guns. Locke rolls on the ground towards a burning tent, taking cover behind it, while Switch is typing something in his console behind the cover.
Spence: Could be better... but I'll live.
Locke: Ditto.
Cerea looks from the ground at the Marshal staring down Imyo while still holding her sword. She makes no attempt to get up to keep his attention away.
Switch: (Transmission) Alright, got it set up. Whenever you're ready. Grab all the stuff you can.
After making a subtle nod, Imyo gives Cerea a look to grab crystals. Even though the girl is terrified she tries to reach to get some of them. Nex groans and shakes as the crimson veins flow through his skin. Lukain’s focus goes to this phenomena.
Nex: Uungh…
Lukain: Even immature and undeveloped, that thing is calamity incarnate. The progression of that Grimoire he has is going to determine his fate, you know that don’t you?
Imyo: The Azure can still change...and that means he can as well, even if he was merged with this Grimoire. It’s not complete, that means there’s a chance.
Lukain: Hmm...a dismal possibility at best. But if you go much longer, that child will kill everyone here.
Imyo frowns at the navy-eyed man's words, but the energy doesn't cease it's violent surge through the teenager, serpentine shadows slither around.
Lukain: It won't harm myself or Rythrean, as I know how to deal with a power like his. But I can't say the same for everyone else here. So before that happens, why don’t you relinquish him to the system?
Imyo: (Dismayed) You were purposefully letting it go longer so he’d get to this point?
Lukain: You know as well as I do that I didn’t win a war for this world through conventional tactics alone. And you’re a foe who also requires said methods to deal with. (Glances to Rythrean) If any of them make a move, kill them.
Rythrean: Yes, sir. Deploying units.
The manifestations appear and twist, aiming their scissor-like shadowy forms at each of the mercenaries as the chains flow behind the weapons. Lukain condenses energy flowing from the void into a spherical form of miasma in his hand, he prepares to fire it at the beastkin.
Lukain: So what is your answer? Are you going to join your allies from the War in the realms of oblivion?
All the while, Cerea crawls towards Nex while trying to stay out of sight. She reaches him and gives him the crystals, placing them on his chest.
Cerea: (Quietly) Come on... you can save them.
Locke and Spence freeze up as the blades hover in front of them while Switch briefly stops typing, looking at the weapons with disinterest as if he's too focused on something else to care about his life being threatened.
Locke: Just like that time in Mizuha...
Spence: Yup. Only that time we weren't dealing with a Destroyer.
Locke: Nah, worse. A freakin' diner owner after that one dine'n'dash.
Imyo: (Groans at his squad's remarks) Locke, Spence...is this really the time for comments like that?
Although left in momentary silence by their exchange, Lukain's expression remains unchanged.
Lukain: Amuse yourselves as you like. I’ll leave nothing of this area all the same, and this is where your interference ends.
He creates several magic glyphs, aiming them at the campsite, and he readies to release a flurry of energy from them.
Imyo: Dammit… an incantation like that will...
Nex looks at the crystals being pressed against him by Cerea, he registers her words and tries to regain his focus, feeling the natural energy in the objects. He breathes in and his eyes turn crimson as something reacts inside, a pulsating beat in his body overpowers the invasive feelings. Without warning, the boy darts out from under Imyo as the beastkin scolds him.
Imyo: Nex, no, get back here!
Lukain: Carmine: Achtines Olethros--
Just as he says these words and prepares the distortion drive, the teenager growls and gives a swing of his sword in the Marshal's direction as a red beast manifests from the Seithr and follows his motion. Although it doesn't make contact, the sudden action is enough to break Lukain’s focus causing the Boundary’s destructive energy to misfire. The concentration of energy instead strike the structures above. Several rays of condensed force from the red-colored wisp burns up the metal, stone and everything it touches, evaporating them on contact and sending any remaining debris tumbling down, forcing Rythrean to move as well and abandon her blades.
The Marshal doesn't even look at it, but is left somewhat baffled by the intervention of the child and looks at him while he repels his sword effortlessly and shadowy magic restrains it, the young male glaring.
Lukain: Did you just save them? You shouldn’t have the clarity of mind to do such…
Imyo yells at Switch, ears flicking.
Imyo: Switch, if you’re locked onto all of us, get us out now!
Switch: Hold onto your butts!
Switch presses a button on his tablet, and suddenly the mercenaries become engulfed in yellow light. Imyo quickly grabs Nex to take him along, while Locke grabs his briefcase out of the tent and closes his eyes. In a flash all of them disappear from the area.
As they all vanish, Lukain closes his navy eyes and sighs in thought before looking up at the damage to the structures around Naobi.
Lukain: So the Azure is in play again...that's the only explanation.
Rythrean: Your skill with Boundary Manipulation never ceases to impress. You even disintegrated part of Naobi's structural--
Breathing in, Lukain turns his attention to her with some kind of subdued annoyance.
Rythrean: I’ll...contact someone to repair that.
Rubbing his temple, Lukain seems to be deep in thought over something.
Lukain: I calculated every possibility, even the one that they would execute a short-range teleportation. The odds of them surviving were nothing short of a miracle... not from the Grimoire, the Grimoire wouldn't bother to save any souls. So it was something else.
Rythrean: I detected the Azure, yes... the odds have never mattered to wielders of Azure.
Lukain: Well, they’re still in the Cities. There’s no means to leave it through any kind of device.
Rythrean: Should I set up another search?
Lukain: No. We’ll go to base in Iwasu for now. I need to inform Akuhei of what’s occurring.
Hearing his order, Rythrean nods in understanding, dismissing the surviving soldiers with a gesture.
Rythrean: My apologies that our unit wasn’t sufficient enough, sir.
Lukain: As I said, it was nothing short of a miracle. I wanted to test the Grimoire’s current sublimation with his Azure to see if it had significant growth, but given what we initially thought, his responses were not what I expected from the one called ‘Azure 0’. There is some element we missed that’s causing a complication.
Rythrean: Right. And Ophius doesn’t mistake that kind of matter… is it possible that his possibility is simply broken right now? Or splintering?
Lukain: I intend to figure that out. Either way, I’ve seen enough for now to determine what should be done next.
At the end of his words, Lukain opens a void and steps through it, leaving the campsite with Rythrean following.
----
Area: The 4th Hierarchical City of Naobi - Sub Levels 
Decaying District
One by one, the mercenaries all drop into some sub level of the city, it’s not particularly pleasant in this area and it has been left to waste and rot, the remains of old structures fuse together in the muck. Imyo groans as he lands on the ground with an exhausted Nex. After a few seconds, the silver-haired younger male sits up and clutches his chest, the resonating pulse ended but it causes lingering concern.
Nex: (To himself) That’s odd... I’ve never felt a reaction like that before. It’s familiar... why?
Imyo: (Wearily) Kid, you sure are full of surprises… we should be dead.
Turning his eyes to the beastkin looking at him, Imyo huffs out the response while he looks at the crystals that Nex still has with him. Slouching in posture, Imyo's ears are flat from exasperation, exhaustion and disbelief at the child he decided to help who keeps staring at him with uncertainty.
Imyo: I guess the Azure is on our side for now...
----
End of Duality of Azure
Continues in: The Red Hunters
----
Category:EvoBlaze
Category:Rebellion Sequence Transcript