Tal'grem: In Case I Forgot

Axieon's eyes had turned to the ground, vision doubling and tripling up as he attempted to focus on his hands on the ground.

Breathe In...
Breathe Out...

It was a miracle he was even doing that much, hearing was a godsend. Ecco's voice barely registered to the man, picking his head up to see the teen making her way over to him. "Wha-?" He managed. He pushed himself up to his feet, ready to--

… To fall to his back, banging his head against a rock on the ground -- poor positioning wrought poor results: Knocked unconscious outright. At least, he lived...
A closer look into his form left it to question as to: How?

He was covered in cuts, likely made from a blade. No, several types -- despite the precision that followed his circuitry, there were more surgical cuts into his abdomen: likely from medical tools. The lack of accuracy on those cuts however implied a lack of experience.

Outside of that, nails, rocks, bits ofglass and pebbles lodged into the skin. It was as though someone loaded a flintlock pistol with random crushed debris and fired it several times across his naked upper-body.

Where there weren't cuts nor debris? There were burns sitting on the fringe of second and third degree nature. Finally, the carvings left his mana circuitry entirely exposed, constantly emitting a sapphire glow; The Tal'grem's willpower refused to succumb to the pain, fighting to survive even now.
(Axieon Tal'grem)
Ecco kneeled next to the man and a shiver went up her spine, The injuries were greater than the ones that she had scene in the past..

She took a deep breath in and starting working, it was a shame she did not have any supplies on her. She used her melody to try and take some of the pain away and started using her water magic to pull all the debris from the wounds.

"You are going to be okay" She whispered. She needed to get him cleaned up before she could even think of starting on his circuits.
(Ecco Lumi)
Silence...
A finger twitch...
A weak gasp to catch one's ear if they were intently listening...
--and their honey-brown eyes were peer open.

"...I... w*ll...n**" He muttered incoherently, wading his head from his left to the right. Was his head bleeding from the impact? "Die." He finished, before pausing to repeat.
"***... w*ll.. *ot… D-.. -ie." So fixated on the endgame, the victory he perceived at the end of it all - he refused such a fate even now.

Perhaps, it was best to simply die now and save himself the suffering.
Another finger twitch... But otherwise, vocally unresponsive to anything the medic had to say. The sapphire glow of their exposed circuit dulled in color, dimming as time went onward. The injuries themselves likely wouldn't have killed him, but trauma from recent scuffles without medical attention likely turned things for the worse.
(Axieon Tal'grem)
He will not what? Ecco tried her best to listen to him, but he was incoherent.

Once he was cleaned up part two started. She started to draw her mana our and sent it though his circuits reattaching them and strengthening their bonds.

She winced, she had been using a lot of mana since her time in Esshar and her circuits were paying the price.. She would suffer through it though... She would not leave this man to die.

Once the ciruts were fully healed she stated speeding up his natural healing ability to close the wounds.

"Almost done"
(Ecco Lumi)
To pluck the shrapnel from his flesh would leave exposed punctures where scabs had begun to form around. It was a wonder this man had gone so long without medical attention. Needless to say, he was suffering because of it.
With his body deprived of protrusions but left with bleeding holes, there was now the matter of dealing with the various lacerations.

Though, there was also the matter of the clearly visible mana circuit -- one that seemed to be waning as the seconds ticked on. Willpower could only take someone so far...
Ecco fed her mana directly into his circuit, a jumpstart of sorts -- It hummed in reverence, procuring an azure shine.

It seized at his appendages, with arms violently trembling and breathing halted abruptly. Veins propped from the flesh, squirming beneath the skin as muscle nudged them out of the way. He was fighting, and Ecco was certainly helping...
Death would not have its bounty today - at least, not whilst he'd have his way.

Thankfully, an enabler such as the medic was around at the time.

Though, it could be brought to question - was the seizure a result of the foreign mana being introduced? Or a recollection of all of his pain until now? The skin seemed to flex, stretching and muscle reached for its broken parts to connect as one. Scabbing accelerated and the leylines of his circuit slowly concealed themselves behind a veil of flesh.

No conscious acknowledgement from the fallen man yet however...
(Axieon Tal'grem)

With the man making a decent recovery Ecco decided this would be a good time to wake him.. Though the thought of it was a bit freighting, she did not know anything about the man or even if he was friendly?

She would just have to gamble that he was decent. She used the vibrations of her melody to send a tickle to his inner ear, something he should wake up to.
(Ecco Lumi)
The vibrations of auditory magics wrought through his system shocked him awake -- for the moment, it provoked a sense of post traumatic stress.


**Four month prior - Flashback**

A wounded Axieon was awoken, laid out against a mattress with bindings to keep him restrained. As he strained and wrangled for freedom, two malignant teens hovered over him, poking and carving into him. One of which using their sound magic to blast vibrations through his ears to invoke his circuitry in active burning.

It sought to induce tinnitus, and direct their focus to the very scathings that he was healed from just moments prior.


**PRESENT DAY**

The Tal'grem's eyes popped open, bloodshot - and surging with fury. All of that spite and wrath from that moment, awakened with the utilization of sound to awaken him. It brought him right back there, to the ground below someone over him - with the power to do however they pleased.

"I. WILL. NOT. DIE!" He screamed for all to hear, taking up a sapphire miasma that'd cling and roll off of his body. The air refracting in its embrace, complimenting the faceless weight that passively pushed at the nearby observers. He flailed at the girl, clearly not cognizant of his surroundings.

Regardless if he had managed to push her or not, he'd stammer back upright for his feet to take upon a combative stance, eyes frantically scouring the scene to find...
Nothing as he remembered...

The wilderness? Who were these people? These monsters? Where was he? Who was this girl? He buckled down in his stance, locking on the closest individual, flaring his aura.

What the hell was going on?!

"GET THE HEL AWAY FROM ME!"
(Axieon Tal'grem)

Ecco ran behind Dallan, "We should go"

The man was clearly enraged, and Ecco needed no part of that.
(Ecco Lumi)

Leonard Mathis says, "You shouldn't move..."

Feeling Ecco hiding behind him, his attention shifted towards Axieon. "Hey, easy there. You just got treated. My friend here just treated you." He spoke in his usual calm voice while patting Ecco's shoulder.

"Anyways, you should probably go rest so that your injuries heal properly. We here should also be getting on our way."
(Dallan)

Leonard looked at the person, showing no emotion at all towards the guy. He looked all over the wounds that had been treated and then looked at how he was in a defensive stance. He then started to gather wind around him as just a precaution.

"He's right...You were injured and our friend here healed you. Honestly it's best you come with us so you can explain to us what happened."
(Leonard Mathis)

Dallan whispers something.

Comes out of the ruins after he snuck by them earlier. The lapine smelling like blood after he brutally whacked the elemental with his watering can which was dripping in blood and dragging against the stone bricks.

"Hehehehe hahaha. Children Children Children should not be out so late. Monsters roam about about about this time."

Yuki looked to the three kids and then to the rather familiar face. It was him again. The crazy, feminine lapine staring at him with his pink eyes.
(Yuki Whims)

For the moment... Everything started to ease. There was no aggression, and as ready as Axieon was for the worst? It didn't come. Were these children not savages? Were they not monsters disguised as random denizens of humanity?

Axieon's hands began to lower...
Perhaps...

Then, Yuki spoke.

He remembered it clearly now, the explosions... The vines that sought to choke him out... The flames that licked his skin, and the Kraus. damned. Watering can... Now dripping with blood.

Axieon's stance was hardened, taken up once more and miasma intensifying - full attention locked upon the lapine - readied for round two.

"You, psychopath... You're no better than the monsters here." He grumbled through his breath. It was clear to tell that even with his recent medical work, he was far from ready for a fight - though, the appearance alone seemed triggering enough to bring him on the defensive.
(Axieon Tal'grem)

A glance is taken at Yuki, who he thought spoke in a quite unique manner. "No worries about that, we'll be leaving soon enough." After that, his head tunred slightly to the side when hearing Axieon insulting Yuki... who else could he have been calling that, irght?
(Dallan)

Dallan would proceed to take his leave with the others.
(Dallan)

Seems like the man didn't learn his lesson on insults and rudeness. It was no wonder the man was injured maybe they should've ripped out that tongue of theirs who ever it was that injured him as so. Insulting the rabbit again just cause he was a bit sick in the mind cause by some occult user.

The collared rabbit walked towards him. Was he about to hit him with his water can again like last time or was Yuki just bluffing. Maybe he was a bit of a psychopath.

"Hehehe ahahaha. Maybe maybe maybe you like pain. Should I beat you beat you beat you again with my water can? Insulting insulting insulting me again! Must pay must pay!"

Or maybe he should just apologize to the lapine from last time and this time. Yuki didn't like insults at all.
(Yuki Whims)

Leonard Mathis says, "Dammit.."

Leonard moved forward and stared at the person, turning his gaze slightly back towards the Lapine. He didn't really have a expression on his face but his eyes were obvious showing distaste. He started to speak to the person who was just healed up and about to get into another fight and tried to stop it.

"Listen, fighting right now while you are like this isn't the best options. You need to retreat and regain your strength. It's the best option for you to do and trust me, I get how much you hate it, but it's the only option left..."

He said as he turned around to face Dallan, speaking to him too and Ecco. His voice sounded monotone, but there was wisdom in his words.

"Guys, we need to go too. This seems like bad news and we shouldn't stick around here to find out."
(Leonard Mathis)

Leonard Mathis says, "Come with us."

"Okay, right behind you Leonard." He moved to follow his friend, still paying attention towards Yuki depending on their movements, but otherwise, he just planned on following the Mathis and take the injured man away.
(Dallan)

"Huh?"

Axieon was clearly not used to this.
Usually, people tended to act aggressive or relished in seeing someone like himself beaten to the ground. It felt like a rite of passage to pay in order to live in this wicked world; how such had changed him.

Leonard's approach was certainly met with caution and serious pause, but juxtaposed to the pending hostilities of the lapine? He'd take it. He was tired, even now -- too tired to even manage words to his defense. Too uncaring to badger himself with apologies - he was not sorry. As far as he was concerned? He wasn't in the wrong.

"... Keep that Achyonite away from me." He pointed over to the lapine, putting two-and-two together with the neck collar and their proclamations prior. "--and I'll tell you whatever you want to know." He stumbled out of stance, to limp for the group, willing to flee with them if need be.


(Axieon Tal'grem)

Summons out his vines to lash out towards Axieon. He didn't care if he was just healed or not. The guy still insulted him. You can't just expect saying such things without a price. The feminine beastkin's eyes set on his target, ignoring the rest. No his beef was with the man not the brats. Why would he be after the kids when they've done nothing to him yet.

Yuki dashes towards the shirtless guy, itching to whack him with his water can once again.
(Yuki Whims)

Lunges with a watering can.
(Yuki Whims)

Leonard Mathis exclaims, "HOld on!"

Leonard jumped infront of the person and stared at the rabbit, with the same stare.

"Calm down, there's no need for you to fight him like this. Honestly it's a waste of mana. Just turn around, call off your vines, and walk away."

Leonard tried to talk his way out of this situation as he stared at the Lapine. He didn't want a fight to start right after the guy was already beaten and bruised once.


(Leonard Mathis)

tried to jump in front of the rabbit before they could get to the semi-wounded guy
(Leonard Mathis)

Was too much into a rage to hear what Leonard had to say. The lapine dashing right past him as he was too slow for the beastkin. His watering can held tightly as he continued with the charge. This time he would not go easy on the shirtless man even if he was cute.
(Yuki Whims)

Leonard would try to use his wind magic to slow the rabbit down a bit.
(Leonard Mathis)
What the hel?!
The teen was brushed right past by an enraged lapine, meeting his form with a watering can.

"If the powers that'd be allowed for it..." There was a glow from his person, taking him whole until he'd transcend for a full-reflective silver. "I'd help you... Fix you... " It seemed he was preparing to take the first hit outright -- hardening to render the impact moot. The force behind the first blow would still send him spiraling backwards, at and through trees to sprinkle splinters and sawdust in his wake.

At the end of his course, he'd be spotted through dust, having buried his right fist into the soil to slow his flight. The iron likeness of his flesh subsided, leaving him as he was prior, readied for battle once more.

"--but as it stands right now? It looks like we're forced to do... This."
Not even energetic enough to offer much of a rousing speech any more.

"Aren't you tired?" He asked, simply awaiting the next blow.
(Axieon Tal'grem)

Ecco pulled on Dallan's sleeve. "I am going to go, come find me when its over, I can take care of the injured."

She did not want to get in the middle of the crossfire.
(Ecco Lumi)

Dallan nodded at Ecco.
(Dallan)

Torgon comes walking to the temple, calm as always.
(Torgon)

Torgon asks, "You Knights still here?"
Torgon asks, "So...what about this fight?"
The lapine danced around with his water can. Yes he was fighting with a stupid watering can. Maybe he would've used a staff he was allowed to use one as a prisoner but he had to ask the one that controlled his collar and he wasn't sure if they would let him or not.

Vines, flames and combustion of explosions combined with rock was thrown at the injured man only to injure him further. Thorny vines wrapping around the man tossing him like a rag doll. This rabbit was not going easy on him. Maybe he shouldn't have called him a psychopath. It wasn't his fault he was like this. He used to be rather sweet but that had drastically changed over the years.

Yuki laughed while he controlled his vines the smash him repeatedly against the hard ground, inserting a seed into his back which sprouted a red rose, draining him of his mana. The seed growing from one of his kidneys. Once he was through with him the lapine just threw him into the trees.

"Must learn must learn. To hold your tongue tongue tongue. Hehehe ahahahaha!! Next time I take it. I'll take it."

He started to walk off unless someone stopped him.
(Yuki Whims)

Bludgeoned.
Beaten.
Battered.

He was rendered as naught but a blunt axe for an overeager lumberjack, reducing their surroundings to debris. Did that mean that the individual that sought to save him was avoiding his hazardous form? Or did they back out entirely.
It didn't seem like they were all that relevant in the time being, as Axieon was attacked.

Perhaps, it was meaningless... Especially, if he was doomed to be assaulted and crushed time and time again. Should he had simply surrendered? Given up? Allowed the sweet embrace of absolute fate to take him into the creeping blackness?
Maybe... Just maybe
This was reality checking him, turning him to his actual role in life.

To be less than vermin...
To be less than phlegm...
To be vanished, wholly and entirely - not even a memory.

He didn't wake nor stir once he was thrown to the trees, his limp body hung in the branches, drifting with his stirring weight until the branch he settled upon gave out, and dropped him unceremoniously to the ground.

Silence...

Within that pending sense of dread that swallowed him, he festered something far more distasteful. Something homely only to the morbid miasmas of the Dreadlands -- a favor for the transmundane that looked upon his sorry soul with sympathy. Perhaps, there was enjoyment to be found in such unadulterated Hate for all.

Hate for those that damned him to Death.
Hate for those that'd scathe and harm for their enjoyment.
Hate for those that hunted him...
--and for those that pitied him...

Though Hate did not irk him from unconsciousness.
(Axieon Tal'grem)

Leonard Mathis asks, "Now that you beat him, are you proud of yourself?"

Torgon says, "Hm...living fights living, interesting."

Laughs like a crazed man, dragging his watering can along the floor, disappearing into the night.
(Yuki Whims)