The air in the helicopter felt almost somber- Cobalt piloting, and in the cabin; Alice, Nara, Lynx, Haru, Eileen, Aurelia, and Alexander. Haru held the knife, carefully wrapped in cloth, staring down at it.
"Feeling okay?" Lynx asked cautiously, and Haru nodded.
"I am. I'm feeling… conflicted. Relieved. I'm probably about to get my friend back- even if he was only my friend for about ten minutes. I think… he'll probably disappear. Take some time to rest- that was the kind of guy he seemed to be. Tired."
"Maybe," Aurelia sighed, and then she opened her mouth as if to say more, but closed it.
"He owes me beers," Alexander admitted, crossing his arms. "It's a strange thing, all of this. I owe the Giant my life, but he also killed Alexei."
"You owe the Giant your life?" Lynx asked, angling her head, curious.
"I do," Alexander echoed softly, staring down at his lap. "I was tortured for weeks- and it was he who pulled me out. He claimed that his experiments were… unsanctioned, that his money was being misused and that I was never meant to be taken or caught up in things. Strange… it was Alexei who handed me to those experiments. I should hate him- and for a while, I think I did hate him, but…"
"...but…?" Lynx eventually prompted, gentle, as Alice and Nara leaned on her shoulders, closing their eyes.
"I can sympathize," Alexander answered almost too softly to hear. "When I was in that cell, bleeding, day after day while they pumped chemicals, potions and spells into me, I felt like I was in there for a thousand years of agony… and it was only a month, I think. I can't imagine how desperately I might have wanted to die, had I survived pain for thousands of years… and if Alexei truly believed that my suffering would end his, then I don't blame him for taking me. I'd have done the same, I think," He added, and when he finally looked up, meeting Lynx's eyes, his own were glassy, shimmering.
"I'm glad he's gonna get a second chance," Alexander laughed, and Eileen reached over, gently rubbing his shoulder, staring down.
"You're kind," Lynx whispered. "I'd like to give you a place in Aegis Order, but you're in a good place already." She said it without thinking, and when she did, Alice smirked slowly into her shoulder. "What- Alice shut up."
"You just sound like a leader," Alice shrugged, nuzzling deeper into her shoulder, tiredly. "I'm proud of you."
"I am. Happy where I'm at," Alexander agreed, nodding. "Aegis Order will have me if it ever needs me, though."
"All of us," Aurelia agreed sagely. "You let the other me that if she needs anything, we've got her back- but I don't think she'll need anything, as long as she has you."
-
"I'll wait here," Cobalt called over the radio as the doors slid open, revealing the rooftop of the prison they'd landed on; Haru was the first to hop down, and one by one, they all returned to Ravenhold, the Capitol.
"Guy we're coming to meet," Haru began, and then faltered, shaking her head. "I'll let you meet him yourself. Ica said he wants final words," She added as they headed inside- the concrete stairwell beyond might never have felt colder, Lynx thought to herself. Soon enough, though, they walked onto a catwalk overlooking a cell block much like the one she'd fought Vilhelm in- there were, of course, many guards, but they all simply saluted and kept going about their business. Haru seemed to know where they were going, anyway- and so Lynx just followed, allowing herself to be led to ground level.
"Hey!" A prisoner jeered as Lynx walked by, and she faltered, looking over- the prisoner was a humanoid man with each leg ending in eight talons splayed in a circle about his ankle.
"Hey?" Lynx answered, pausing, letting the others brush past her.
"You're good shit, Lynx. When you take power, you gonna review case files? Lot of us shouldn't be in here- planted evidence and shit like that."
"Watch your mouth," Lynx answered with a smirk, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, when I take power, we can look at arrest fairness."
"Hell yeah!" The prisoner grinned and stepped back, laughing, pointing at the guards on the catwalk. "Hear that! I'm gonna be out of here within a year you angelic freaks!"
"Hey!" Lynx snapped more genuinely, and her party paused as she walked forward, grabbing the bars. "If you're gonna get out, great- don't make things more miserable for yourself in the interim."
"Right, right, my bad," The man chuckled and stepped back. "Anyway, you get going."
"Over and out," She laughed and nodded, turning, walking over to the others… and on they went.
Solitary confinement was a sad affair- and one cell lay open for them. Inside sat a simple man; his brown hair in ragged knots, gray eyes gaunt and tired. The guards outside his cell seemed relaxed, at ease… they watched the procession approach curiously, and said nothing.
"I'll wait out here. So will Nara," Alice whispered, pulling Nara to the side, who blinked and nodded. "We know nothing of Alexei or Vilhelm- this isn't our place."
"I'm ready," The prisoner whispered as Aurelia, Haru, Lynx, and Alexander shuffled inside, standing against the wall opposite him. "However… Ica told me that you may want my story. To know why, I would consent to being killed- I'm a tired soul, is that enough of an answer?"
"Is there more that you'd wish to tell us?" Haru offered gently, a small smile pulling at the corner of her lips.
"This uh… this god who wants my body, or whatever…" The prisoner laughed, nodding. "Lynx, Haru, Aurelia, Alexander… and you, Eileen. Do you know the story of the first Risen…?"
"I do," Haru smiled. "Lynx might not, though. Enlighten her?"
"I was a human, when demons began to find the rift, and enter our world," The brunette answered quietly, slowly lifting his head, staring Lynx in the eyes- she almost gasped at the intensity and the exhaustion, warring there.
"Then?" She pushed gently, head angling, ears swiveling forward.
"I killed a demon," The man chuckled. "Where are my manners- my name is Tyr. They began to call me that after I managed to kill one- it means hero, in one of the old tongues. I tried to embody it, as best I could… killing demon after demon after demon…"
"One day," Tyr eventually continued, his words quickening, as though he were awakening from a long slumber. "-One day, an angel approached me and offered me their strength; give up my autonomy and let them share my body, and I could truly embody heroism. I could help to save the world for once and for all, they said," He added with a small, dry chuckle. "I refused. Care to guess what the supposed angel did?"
Nobody needed to answer.
"Back then," Tyr whispered, "-we truly believed that angels were heroic and perfect. That they were the answer to our prayers… but it killed me in cold blood, and I didn't know it was possible, I didn't understand, but I refused. Lynx, take my hand," He added, slowly extending a dirty, dry hand. "Ica said that… he said I should be able to show you."
The blonde hesitated only a moment before slowly taking his hand in her own and closing her eyes- the feeling that came next was one she was growing quite accustomed to.
"No? You'd… you'd refuse me?" A voice laughed in her head, and when she opened her eyes, she stood in a cottage she didn't recognize; wind rattled the windows, carrying blusters of snow past, but she couldn't focus on that- no, her attention was drawn to the shimmering light before her- not quite humanoid, just… there. A soul with no body- she wasn't sure how she knew this, but she did.
"I," Lynx spoke in a masculine voice far from her own, "-save people with my own hand. Heroism born of obligation, duty or a god damn contract… that's not heroism, it's a job. I appreciate your offer, but I refuse."
"Then you will die, and I will find a sensible human who will be grateful- a shame to see you go out this way, Tyr," The angel before her laughed mockingly, and pain exploded behind her eyes… the world nearly went dark, her vision swimming- but a rage so profound, so sudden, jolted through her system, and Lynx roared, grabbing at the light in what should have been her final moments, charging forward- she was able to guide it with her, even if she couldn't grab it outright. Blood splattered the snow as she rammed her shoulder into the door and trapped the glowing, semi-solid mass under her- she raised her right arm to try and kill the thing, and her arm exploded into bloody ribbons, blood steaming the air.
"STRIP ME DOWN TO MY SOUL IF YOU MUST!!!" She screamed, raising her other arm- and this time, it connected. Perhaps the angel was simply too shocked to evade it, or perhaps the angel thought that it would do no harm- but the golden light under her flickered, and the voice yelped.
"Get off of me- I can't m-move!!"
"GOOD!!" Lynx roared, screaming- her vision blurred, right arm rapidly regrowing, vision starting to clear as she held the light harder, digging her fingers in as far as she could- the snow was freezing her, she couldn't feel her fingertips… it didn't matter. Her right arm regrown, she slammed it down as well, and with a colossal effort, pulled the golden light in opposite directions as hard as she could, ripping, tearing.
"STOP-"
Lynx didn't answer- there was no answer in this world or the next that could possibly convey the hate she felt as she dug in, pulling… the last noise the angel made was a blood-curdling scream that would haunt her for years.
For a long time, Lynx knelt there in the snow, panting… and then her vision began to fog before her world spun and she came to, collapsing against the cell wall with Aurelia kneeling, cupping the back of her head to protect it from the stone.
"Wait-" Lynx gasped, shaking her head and trying to focus on Tyr. "No, we can-"
"Lynx." Tyr's voice brooked no argument, and she fell silent. "Listen. Contracted Arms put me here because I spoke the truth about their brutality- and I could have killed myself at any point. I'm exhausted- I am so, so gods-damn tired, and I want to die. I stayed alive all these years, because I thought that maybe I would be needed again one day, that my death might mean something- I had no idea, if it was possible. I thought, some days, I was just, coping or whatever the young people say nowadays-" He was beginning to cry, voice thickening, and fat, ugly tears rolled down his cheeks. "That chance came up- I can get my rest and I can save someone and Contracted Arms sure as hell doesn't mind me dying so after how much I've done t o save people and help let me be selfish, and put that knife in my chest," He snarled, at the end, voice breaking as he ripped his shirt up, exposing the smooth skin of his chest.
For a long moment, the four stared, and then, Haru gently offered her, Lynx, the knife.
"You're the only one who can touch it safely; do it."
"I won't come back," Tyr laughed, smiling. "I believe that the one thing I need, is rest. I don't want to come back."
Lynx nodded and stepped forward, reaching out a hand.
"May I hold your hand?"
Tyr laughed- really laughed, eyes bright, and laced his fingers together with Lynx's as she hilted the blade in his heart.
She managed to stay grounded, as she listened to Tyr beginning to choke on his blood, but she heard two small voices in the back of her mind, both tired.
"I'll carry your name forward, Tyr. Your legacy isn't the one ending here." The first voice whispered heavily.
"A pleasure to meet you, god of pain- may it end here," The second… and then, silence as Lynx pulled the knife away, dropping it to the floor with a clatter, mindful of her feet. Tyr fell back against the wall, the wound in his chest sealing slowly, flesh and sinew knitting themselves together, slowly.
Finally… he began to snore. It was so absurd, so anti-climatic, that Lynx laughed, putting a hand over her chest as Aurelia stepped forward, slowly picking the body- Tyr? Alexei? - up, holding him bridal style.
"I'm taking him back with us," Aurelia whispered as Alexander stepped forward, taking the body without giving her much choice.
"Hey!" A Contracted Arms guard, from the hall."
"You can't-"
"We are," Lynx snapped, stepping into the hall first and nodding. "You guys make sure he's okay. I'm going to visit Vilhelm, and then I'm going to sleep."
"Welcome back," Nara smiled, and Lynx deflated just a bit, watching Alexander, Aurelia, Haru and Eileen slowly drift past.
"Hey," Haru called over her shoulder, waving. "We'll be seeing you. Sorry it's a heavy send-off."
"Lynx, you're the leader I strive to be, so keep at it," Aurelia winked, walking in kind.
"I may not know you, Lynx, but you're pretty alright," Alexander agreed, turning a corner- the last to look back was Eileen.
"Good bye, hero," She whispered, and then she, too, was gone, and it was just Lynx, Alice, Nara and some very uncomfortable Contracted Arms guards standing there.
15.
"Suppose you really are a professional," The voice greeted her as soon as she'd stepped into the hospital lobby, and Lynx looked over at Viggo with a small smile.
"Yeah?"
"I was expecting a hunt that took the whole timer," He chuckled drily- the man looked haggard, with dark bags under his eyes. "I thought it'd come close, that there would be begging and pleading… I thought he might die," He added more quietly, nodding. "No. You gathered a team and you brought him home more efficiently than Contracted Arms has ever worked."
"Elevated," Lynx thought aloud. "They're going to be my real opposition. Contracted Arms wants me to fail, but I think it's too late for that. The cult in the shadows, the drugs that flood our streets- that's going to be the challenge. Anyway- how are you feeling? You look like shit. No offense."
"Yes, well, well… Yes." Viggo nodded and chuckled tiredly as Lynx walked over and sat down beside him. "I do, indeed. So do you, you know- but your eyes, they are happier than mine, so there is that."
"Not for long," Lynx smiled and nudged him with her elbow, eyebrows wiggling. "You're getting your brother back."
"I got a new job, too," Viggo chuckled, and Lynx's eyebrows shot up.
"What? Awesome, where at?!"
"The winning team, dumb cat. Remember?"
"Oh, right, sorry-" Lynx nodded, laughing lightly. "Man- I wish I had more time to actually catch up with you, and that dude at the- what was it, White Rabbit Cafe? I really thought the same as you- strategy meetings, pegboards… that Wolfpack squad is amazing."
"Yes, well, so are you. I'm sure our friend at the Hare's Brew cafe knows the most ancient rule in this field; no news is good news. More time- you are leaving for Pempa, right?"
"Day after tomorrow," Lynx affirmed, exhaling slowly before a massive yawn pulled her mouth open, tail flicking about behind her chair. "I enjoyed Mir, but I'm gonna sleep so damn well tonight."
"I bet," Viggo chuckled, nodding. "You're here to visit Vilhelm, right?"
"I am," Lynx agreed, glancing down at her shoes, lips twisting to the left in thought. "I take it he's not awake, if you're here."
"He is, actually. I'm waiting to see him- he's being interrogated by Contracted Arms right now. Go figure," Viggo chuckled, closing his eyes. "Dishonorably discharged, by the way. For putting my nose into the case again- they claimed I put others at risk, and let my family ties cloud my judgment."
"What a crock of- well, anyway, you still have a place, and soon enough I'll be able to pay you, I'm sure," Lynx snorted, nodding.
"Good good," Viggo nodded, closing his eyes slowly. "I've got savings. I'll enjoy a little time being unemployed. With my brother, ideally- think you can pull any strings and give him a place, too?"
When Lynx hesitated, Viggo pressed- albeit gently.
"Growing up, Vilhelm always wanted to help people. He saved your Nara, risking his job and his life before all of this started. So please, just… meet him? Maybe after your Pempa visit, but nonetheless."
"Alright," Lynx nodded. "After that, and my visit to hell."
"Hell?" Viggo raised an eyebrow.
"I'm going to try recruiting among the Cheshire Cats- Wolfpack's idea. Aegis Order needs muscle from out of town- new blood."
For a long moment, Viggo was silent, and then, slowly, he chuckled- a genuine sound full of mirth and wonder.
"Of course. The bloodiest military in history- you'd give them direction."
"I think I'll go," Lynx admitted, standing up slowly. "Vilhelm… I haven't met him, not the real him. I'd like to do it when he's healed, now that I think about it- let me meet him as he wants to be. Besides… I shouldn't be there when you meet with him. Your brother needs family."
"He does. Thank you, Lynx- thank you so, so much," Viggo whispered, eyes watery. "Sleep well."
-
Sleep well she did- for fourteen hours, she passed out, and the sleep was deep, dreamless, blissful. Her waking hours were a mess of lazy meals, Alice making her vision go white and Nara following suit, Lynx returning the favor- at some point, a lazy movie on the couch which somehow ended in Lynx's hips going numb again and Nara embarrassing herself in more ways than one…
With three hours to go before her visit to Pempa, Lynx found herself fastening a belt, dressed in comfortable dark cargo pants and a braided shawl-sweater that lay somewhere between formal, warm, and comfortable altogether. She'd considered going full formal, but… Nah. She had, at least, tied her hair back.
Nara had gone in another direction, wearing dark slacks and a white button down with pointed heels, and Alice had opted for dark stockings under a suit skirt and fashionable, modest suit coat.
"Come on guys, making me feel under dressed here," Lynx laughed, eyes lingering on Alice's crimson lipstick, but the two girls laughed, shaking their heads.
"No. This is you, in the best of ways," Nara smiled, hugging Lynx's arm. "Let's get going."