The Dark Order 1.18: The Golem Market Pt.3

The moon has retreated beneath the horizon. The Garden District has been laid to ruin. The rain is heavy, yet it does not affect the multitude of fires around the city. The elves stand amongst the aftermath of a deadly battle against the SSA. Eldyn has the unconscious Maggie draped over his shoulder. "We should leave her." His sister spats.

"Are you mad? We swore to bring her back."

Lia gestures at the destruction surrounding them. "You saw what she did."

"She saved our lives."

"After nearly killing us herself! She's too unstable."

"She wasn't herself!" Lia cannot hold back, she punches him in the shoulder, with anger in her voice, her eyes flicker between peridot and yellow. "I do not care! The witch... Or whatever she is-- is staying here!"

"They have already captured Jubilee. We are their only chance of living?" He is ignored as she clenches Maggie's shirt, lifting her effortlessly.

"This is a mistake, Lia." He worries. Through a side eye, Lia's gaze latches onto his. "Are we going to do nothing to save them?" Lia tosses Maggie into a pile of rubble, and the surrounding structure collapses onto her. Eldyn drops his head as his sister leaps high into the darkness. He looks around. There are bodies everywhere, both government and civilian. Cloaked by the darkness, he watches as more Knights arrive, he takes one last glance at the rubble where Maggie lay, and Dotty has her eyes on him; she hisses.

Save her, please!

"I am sorry." With that, Dotty can only watch as he swiftly leaps away.

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A motionless Alexis has been chained to an oversized boulder in the middle of the courtyard on the Finrel base. The earth around him is a muddy pool as the rain continues to pour. His face is covered in cuts and bruises, with thicker-than-normal blood mixing in with water as it falls.

The impact from a punch to the gut is resounding before he is struck again; this time, Alexis screams in pain.

“Time to wake up, traitor.” The impact of a powerful uppercut to the diaphragm ripples through the boulder--Alexis struggles to lift his head, his vision blurred, only able to make out the silhouette of his abuser. As blackened blood leaks from the sides of his mouth, he smiles. "Is that the best you've got?" The sheer force of a right hook to the temple disorients him as his world begins to spin. The SSA Knight grabs a handful of his hair, getting it into his face.

"I'm going to enjoy every second of killing you." He throws Alexis's head back, covering the boulder in blood from the laceration created. He laughs as he walks off. Alexis nearly blacked out as he looked up at the chain, tying him to the boulder. He clenches his fist, struggling to free himself, but his efforts are futile... His head goes limp as he loses consciousness.

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Water Mages are present to rid the city of the fires, while other Knights are surveilling. The search for Maggie continues. Dotty has burrowed between the rubble, joining Maggie, hidden away. Between the openings, Dotty watches as Knights patrol and search the immediate area. A barreling, six-foot Boar, Mid-level, Holy Knight Thren, steps forward, he’s shirtless, wearing SSA slacks.

"Look what she has done to your fellow knights! She couldn't have gotten far! Turn every board, every stone... Dead or Alive, I want her found!" The heavy bassed voice roars through the area as the Knights respond with yells of determination. He walks off.

Rain is leaking between the debris, falling onto Maggie, and though sporadic, she begins to squirm around, her world still hazed as she comes to.

Magnolia!

Dotty growls lowly. Magnolia! You must wake up!

"D-- Dotty?... What--" She attempts to stand but realizes that she is weighed down. "What's going on?"

The elves left you here!

Her head hurts too much, "Elves...? Where am I?" She continues squirming around, the debris grows more unstable with each attempt to free herself, realizing her arm is trapped.

There is urgency in Dotty's growl. You can't! They are out there.

"Who... Who is?" She doesn't listen, she struggles endlessly until finally, she frees her arm. "Where is Alexis?"

Captured!

"I have to get out of here." Her will is strong, and a yell of determination finally frees her. The area is filled with Knights, caught off guard by Maggie appearing out of nowhere. She looks around, still dazed, and Dotty jumps onto her back.

We have to get out of here, Magnolia.

"It's the witch! Capture her!!" The boar roars the order to his men.

Run!

Maggie stumbles repeatedly as she works to get her legs underneath herself; her chaotic steps soon become focused, steady, and Maggie is off to the races again. The threats of her enemy come from every angle, but her refusal to die is because she swore something too--

"I'm on my way, Alexis." The orange glow slowly flows back into her pupils. Movement just in the distance catches her attention. Without making it obvious, she observes the hidden presence of two figures, the siblings.

Scaling the various buildings with nearly invisible agility and zero sound. From their viewpoint, the Finrel area looks like a hunter's maze, and Maggie is the prey.

"Why couldn't we have done this with her?"

"Because it defeats the purpose." Lia leaps onto the next roof, her gaze never straying from Maggie. "I want to see it hatch."

"It isn't going to..." As he lands, he steadies his bow with eagle vision, he hones in on two Knights nearly catching Maggie, if they do, she'll be blindsided. As he interlaces the steel bowstring, the rain around him warps circularly as it starts to absorb into the shape of an arrow. "Can we focus on their safety?"

Lia eyes him scornfully.

Maggie is running through the city aimlessly. As she goes to make a sharp right turn, she instinctively bends backwards to avoid being decapitated by a sledgehammer, its wielder is Junior Holy Knight, Cassandra Volley, a slim, blonde-haired, five-foot-seven-inch woman, who in one flowing motion, raises the sledgehammer above her head for a two-handed smash, but Maggie's agile.

She flips backwards, landing and immediately goes on the offensive. Another powerful swing, aimed low enough to meet Maggie head-on. Instead, she plants her hands, catapulting herself upward, right into an upright position, where a right leg, roundhouse kick sends the woman hurling through a stack of barrels. She is back on the run.

"We need to get higher." Her vision searches above, inattentive to what lies ahead. Running directly toward her from the left-side alleyway, just ahead. As she nears the opening, the hiss of Eldyn's arrow clips her face before the blast amputates the legs and arms of the two Knights about to clash with her. She looks up at the roof, in the distance, throwing up her hands. "What the fuck?! You could have killed me!" She yells out her frustration as she takes off again.

"Dotty! Can you find Alexis??... Can you sense the toxins or something?!?" She crashes through a window, destroying the dining room furniture inside a home, but she does not stop, as she bursts through the door that's in her way. Finally, she realizes Dotty is gone. "Fuck!"

Outside, she understands the need to get off the street. That is her only option now, as she uses one building for leverage, both feet planted, she propels herself directly onto the roof of the four-story, neighboring building. Only to be met by Cassandra. She has a smile on her face. "That was a good kick, kid." She cracks her neck. "But it will take more than that to get away." Gripping the handle of her weapon, it suddenly separates, turning into a Kusarigama with a hammered end. "We're just getting started." She twists the chain, and the impact from the steel rips chunks of the roof away. "There is no saving him. His fate will be the same as yours."

Maggie readies herself as the Knight wraps and twists the chain with growing speed and combination. "Crushing Gavil!" The chain glows green. She spins the hammer end before gripping and whipping the chain directly at Maggie.

Maggie is unsure if she can block the attack, and it causes her to hesitate too long, when it collides with the Elvian steel of Lia's knuckle blades. The Knight is amused. "Oh, what do we have here?... Filth from the West--here to die, rodent?"

The hammer grinds and sparks against Lia's purple blade before they are retracted. "Eldyn will lead you to Alexis... The base is in the Armor District, heavily guarded and likely full of high-ranking Knights. You'll need a plan."

Maggie does not know what to say. "The plan is to rescue my friend."

"Then go do that..." Lia readies herself for battle. "I'll take care of this."

Without another word, Maggie rushes toward the awaiting Eldyn. Cassandra attempts to attack her again, but Lia deflects it. She rushes in, a slashing punch aimed at her foe's face connects with the chain.

"Your fight is with me now."

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