sometimes you can't make it

[modforged]

Who: Alexstrasza, Krasus/Korialstrasz, and the Redsworn
What: Successful retreat into the Ruby Sanctum
Where: Ruby Sanctum
When: After a long, grueling battle near the borders of Suramar
Warnings: Please PM the mods if any warnings are needed

[The Ruby Sanctum is a flurry of activity. This becomes clear within two seconds of stepping through the portal. The wounded are guided over to a grassy clearing surrounded by saplings and adolescent trees, bade to lay down and receive healing from other dragonkin. Some of the trees are years old, while a few look to have shot up recently. If you watch, vines engulf one fallen warrior; the body sinks into the ground, and a tiny sapling appears in its place.

Despite the war going on outside, the sanctum is less of a cavern and more like a self-contained dimension. Ample sunlight drifts down through scarlet leaves, which are occasionally home to the crimson scales of a whelpling. There is life everywhere: insects on twigs, birds chirping overhead, flowers at your feet. Dragon eggs lay nestled in the nooks and crannies offered by the tranquil forest. There is a decently-sized spring filled with fresh, pure water, as well as some small rocky outcroppings to sleep in. It's warm and comfortable enough to rest out in the open, too.

The cloaked and ever-mysterious Krasus stands watching the dispersing redsworn, his back against the massive oak in the center of the sanctum.

Occasionally, one may glimpse a beautiful red-haired woman with copper skin winding through the copse.]

[ooc: Mingle log for redsworn!]

Comments

[wilder]

UNSC? [That's a weird last name]

Yeah...you might be right. [He saw glimpses of that, it reminded him of things he rather not think about] But..what if that's not the only city? If there's one, maybe there's some not attacked yet, right?

[guerriera]

United Nations Space Command. I'm assigned to one of their special projects. [The hint of a smile falters, vanishes entirely] Or was.

[ 'Carolina' isn't her real name either, but it might as well be at this point. After a minute, the black crackling left of her meal is chucked back into the fire, making it spit and spark. ]

It's probable. I suspect that'll be one of the things we get briefed on soon enough, when more people have recovered. I don't think we'd have been brought here if there wasn't some form of civilization left.

[wilder]

United Nations, huh... [He notices the vanishing of hint of smile, but something else slightly worries him] That's not the same as the United Earth, right?

[He won't judge about whether or not it's her real name since hey, not like he's using his. He watches that fire spit and spark]

Yeah...I bet everyone's too tired from that last fight to really give any explanations. [Which is frustratingly understandable] But if there is one, I'll see about finding some work so I can at least get some proper cooking utensils.

[guerriera]

You mean, the Unified Earth Government?

[she frowned at him. While his outfit might have suited a player from one of the Inner Colony media networks, he didn't seem the type to be from her neck of the universe.]

It's the government body that oversees the general running of most of the inner and outer colonies. The UNSC is the military branch. [Amongst other things] Why?

[ With a slight sigh, she eyed the space cleared out around the fire before tearing herself a second slice of meat and taking a seat. It might not have been great but it would have to do in the mean time - keeping her strength up in order to heal was important. ]

You don't strike me as the type to be a full time cook. What did you do before you got here?

[wilder]

[He considers for a moment, before shaking his head] ...Probably not the same thing. United Earth was a faction I ran into in the last place I was in. They...weren't good.

[To say the least. But they were supposed to be gone now, right? She didn't seem like a drugged and brainwashed clone either. He all the while pokes at the fire]

Haha, I'm not really. [he gives a light shrug] I'm a mercenary, but I'm used to cooking a lot. [either to feed 7+ other people, or to feed the bottomless pit that was his roommate]

[guerriera]

[ Well, the UN had been a political body on Earth Back In The Day, but Carolina suspected that wasn't at all related to what Zelos was talking about. ]

I won't claim that where I'm from, they're perfect [certainly not everyone was happy with the current leadership back home - the Insurrectionists were proof of that.] but -- last place you were in?

[ Her head tilted to one side, and she leant forward a bit, resting an arm against one of her knees. ]

Mercenary. Huh. I take it you're on the move a lot, then? [He certainly didn't seem bothered about cooking a bear]

[wilder]

[Nope, another dimension. Which is really a good thing. You guys got enough problems with aliens and rampaging AIs]

What government is? [And oh right, how to explain] Heh...Let's just say this isn't my first inter-dimensional conflict.

Sure am. I've been all over. [He takes another bite of the bear, doing his best not to make a face at the taste. Eating for nourishment sucks, especially when you gotta look like a hardcore mercenary.]

[guerriera]

[ No kidding. The Player hasn't even gotten around to finishing the Halo 1 campaign yet, so the universe is in heaps of trouble. ]

Really. [that's...troubling. brows knit slightly. or maybe she's just concentrating on a particularly tough chunk of meat] I've not heard of anything like.. this, back from where I'm from. Certainly not mages and dragons.

[Given her own opinion on over-roasted bear meat, Carolina doesn't seem to notice Kaneis' face as he does his best to eat his own share. Yeah, Zelos, now you have to maintain that badass mercenary appearance for ALL TIME.]

Hard life. Not one I'd choose if I had the choice. [there's no insult to her words - even in her time, mercenaries exist, and they can be something of a necessary evil for worlds that the UNSC just can't be around for right now.] Was that from before or after your previous 'conflict'?

[wilder]

That's 'cause a pretty well kept secret. Worlds got enough trouble without having to worry about other dimensions, you know? [He shrugs] Though dragons and mages could be found on my homeworld, so I dunno what to tell you about that.

[SOB he will do his best except where he inevitably fails the moment someone messes with his beautiful hair.]

Heh, it's not easy, but at least it gives you variety to your life. [Or so he's heard, anyway] Before, I've been doing jobs here and there since I was about...fourteen?

[Whenever Cruxis and the Renegades recruited him, anyway. Sure, it was less mercenary work and trying to get out of his fate- but he's not about to say that.]

[guerriera]

Hnn. [She knows about secrets, and the keeping of them, at least. She is--was--part of a top secret military project, after all.] Those sorts of things are predominantly saved for story books back home. It's not real.

[ But it IS real, here on Azeroth - and in his personal experience, apparently. Carolina will simply have to get used to it, like it or not. ]

I've found some of that while serving. [She doesn't regret it, either, focused as she has been on her career most of her life.]] Certainly get to do a lot more travel if you're assigned to a ship. ..I think this part's a little too rare for me.

[ She holds up the larger chunk she'd taken: half was cooked, but a section was excessively pink. Drippingly so. Eww. ]

[wilder]

Really? [He'll speak a bit dryly; used to people saying the life he knows isn't real because of such and such reason] Maybe this is all a dream for you then.

[Sass, it's how he rolls]

See any cool places? And ugh- gross! [He'll reach over take that meat and stick it back in the fire] This animal's way too thick.

[guerriera]

Maybe. [She doesn't sound serious, but there's no shift in her expression.] I took.. a pretty serious fall before I arrived here. For all I know, this is a fever dream.

Or maybe I'm dead.

[ ...Nah. That would be far too simple, and Carolina still feels too rotten to be dead. ]

Watching moonrise over Tribute while in a longsword is pretty up there. Guess that depends on how you define 'cool', though. [(Once, she'd have said shore leave in New Alexandria, while she'd been on Reach. But not any more.)]

[She watched the rest of her meal end up in the fire. Best place for it, really.] I almost miss MREs. Were bears really the only meat they had?

[wilder]

A serious fall huh? [he considers that, before shrugging] Could be either. I know I'm dead, so who knows.

[So blunt]

Moonrises can be cool! I was in a place for a year where it did nothing but rain all the time - ugh. After that? I'm glad for any sky. [And low humidity. His poor hair suffered so much in that year]

Sounded like it. They were busy treating their wounded, so I didn't pry too much.

[guerriera]

[ wait. what.]

Dead. You?

[ Magic and dragons is one thing, but that nugget of information might be pushing this entire affair a bit too far for Carolina to comfortably swallow. Much like the bear meat, actually. ]

[wilder]

[Sorry Carolina, saying overly blunt and awful things like they're no big deal is just how Zelos rolls]

Yep. Didn't stutter, did I?

[He picks up a stick and pokes at the fire more, talking in a way that sounds like he's talking about the weather]

Then again, it was another group that brought me back. So it's just as likely these guys don't have that kind of power.

[guerriera]

[ He's almost too casual about it, that's the rub. People don't just come back from the dead. That's absurd. No world works that way.

It's an exceptionally wary squint that Carolina gives Zelos, and someone might have lost some starting ground in the reputation stakes. ]

How'd you die? [Head cants to one side.] That United Earth you mentioned earlier responsible?

[wilder]

Nah, not them. [He isn't looking at her, but he does his best to keep his face neutral] It was a fight. Nothing special.

[guerriera]

['Nothing special'. Somehow, she doesn't believe you. Carolina doesn't know Kaneis well enough (yet) to call him on that in full confidence, but she can still make a point.]

Perils of mercenary life, I suppose.

Must have been special enough for someone to go to the efforts of reviving you.

[wilder]

...Heh. Actually? I don't know why I was picked.

[It's the truth. He could name a dozen different people that would've made more worthwhile candidates to be chosen. He had nothing good to offer]

[But he'll go back to his casual tone]

But, the ones who brought me back are gone- so I guess I shouldn't fret so much about finding out why!

[guerriera]

[squiiiiint.]

Hmm. If you say so.

[ Once she might have agreed, to a point. But not so much now. Carolina looks away then, letting her eyes focus on the way the flames leapt. She wasn't in a position to demand truth from him, and she certainly had enough to think on for a bit. ]

I have a feeling we'll have plenty of other questions occupying our time soon.

[wilder]

[It's for the best, really. The chances of Zelos sharing any actual details or feelings about it are pretty close to Sister becoming a nun.]

Yeah...no kidding. I can already tell this is gonna weird.

[guerriera]

That's putting it mildly.

[ a low mutter. followed by gloved fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, a minor effort to reduce the returning throb of silence in her head.

Or maybe bear just doesn't agree with her. ]