Investiture for a Better Life Foundation

[kenod]

31 minutes ago, AdOokla said:

 

Quote

The fact that you didn't actually kill the shard.

 

[Lord Meeker]

On 11/27/2018 at 4:32 PM, Ookla the Guacless said:

He heard Althea’s question to Aurell and awaited the reply. “She wants to know who you really are,” he explained to Aurell, “and not just what you’ve been telling everyone. The truth.”

"I am who I say I am. I am Aurell Faine. I don't know what that file said about me dying but I remember my childhood as crisp as day."

[+Sorana]

2 hours ago, AdOokla said:

"I am who I say I am. I am Aurell Faine. I don't know what that file said about me dying but I remember my childhood as crisp as day."

Althea thought about that for a while, looking at Max. They fell silent, discussing for a moment, then she pulled out a piece of parchment and a pencil.

"Alright. You said you sorted through some information. We have some more questions. If you don't know the answer, please take a moment to reflect if you could imagine that the answer is here somewhere."

She made a bullet point and wrote down the gist of each question while speaking loudly.

"What do you know about the catsclysm of death 600 years ago?

What do you know about the war of ages?

What happened almost exactly 6 years ago?

When did Solace kill her parents?

Where does his family live originally? Did you ever meet them?

Did he ever talk to you about his own childhood? If yes, what did he tell you?

What do you know about our purpose?

Did he store his memories somewhere here?

Did his behaviour change somewhere in the last years?

And how old are you?"

Pushing the parchment over to Aurell she waited for her to answer.

[Lord Meeker]

"Hmmm. This is quite the interrogation." Aurell said. "Some of what I tell you is pure speculation. The Catsclysm of Death occurred 600 years ago on Nalthis. Solace absorbed the minds of an entire race of people. That is the short of it at least. The War of Ages... That is the first I have heard of it. If I had to guess it would be a Cosmere scale war. One side being led by Solace. Six years ago? Perhaps my supposed death? I don't know. As for my parents Solace killed them with the bombs he dropped from the sky. Solace... I don't think he is native to this universe at all. He is what you call a Epic from a place called Earth. His birth parents were from there, though his adoptive parents are from here. I could not have possibly met his birth parents and his adoptive parents are dead so no. I couldn't have met them at all. Solace never talked about his childhood. He never talked to me about himself at all. I will tell you his past is dark. Loveless, friendless, void of any feeling for humankind. Your purpose I suppose is to save my father. I am very much opposed to the idea. If he stored his memories anywhere I would look where he raised me. he behavior changed during the last year of our training but only slightly when he said that I would be done with my trianing when i killed him. Which I might add hasn't happened yet. I am twenty-four years old."

[Vargo Seldon]

Galvris only listened with half an ear.  The conversation was interesting, but was more of a family affair.  He had an ulterior motive.      For some reason, he kept looking towards the door, never really taking his eyes away.  Ever time he looked away, his eyes would inevitability be drawn back.  "I believe no man is past redemption, but Solace is definitely a special case.  Still, I think we should at least try to recover him," he said, interjecting his thoughts into the conversation. 

[I think I am here.]

Max crossed his armored arms, tapping his elbow with his finger anxiously.

She says Solace didn't open up to her, he projected to Althea. That fits our theory of trusting others as a weakness. As for the Cataclysm of Nalthis, it seems he wanted to do something similar in Oasis, which was why he brought it up. Obviously, it didn't work, but lots of people still ended up dead, due to... the rioting.

"And what are the lines attached to Solace's spiritweb?" He asked Aurell, readying himself to go. After this answer, they would probably be ready to head to the lab.

Max thought about the rock he'd seen with Althea, and smiled privately to himself. Max + Althea? He wondered who sent the rock, if only to Riot their shame beyond healthy proportions, but still, a small part of him grew warm inside. Shucks, what's happened to you now? He thought to himself.

[+Sorana]

18 hours ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

She says Solace didn't open up to her, he projected to Althea. That fits our theory of trusting others as a weakness. As for the Cataclysm of Nalthis, it seems he wanted to do something similar in Oasis, which was why he brought it up. Obviously, it didn't work, but lots of people still ended up dead, due to... the rioting.

Althea looked over at him, unsure what to reply. The Rioting. Whatever Solce had done, the memory of these feelings was still painful, too fresh to really think about and she pushed it away. Max. She wondered how he felt about what had happened. It was one thing to kill when ordered to, another to cause the death of so many. She pushed herself up, out of chair and walked over to the fridge. Shards, she was exhausted. Emotionally, bodily, her head swam with information, she felt like she had a hard time to even understand. She needed to sleep, to work through what happened. Ordering an icetea with caffeine she leaned against a wall opposite from Max.

Don't blame yourself.

She quietly told him, making eye contact, feeling like she should add something, but finding no words to express it. Instead she switched back to business.

Now we only have to find a way to test this, without him killing us. Get him to trust us. It will be risky, but I think we can do it. Use the link he created and his own powers.

And then despite the dire situation she couldn't help herself and smiled at Max, hoping he would smile back. She liked the way his face softened when he did. Which was silly she realized a moment latter, her smile slowly vanishing. They had teamed up for this crisis, nothing more. You're a freak remember? And yet her eyes stayed with him even as she adressed Galvris.

"That's what we're trying to do. Find a way to save him."

Then she drank from the bottle and waited for Aurell's answer.

@AdOokla

@Ookla the spearman

Edited December 1, 2018 by Ookla the Clueless
Typo

[old man moomba]

Rick pulled out a coin and flipped it. It morphed into a glowing green handheld tape recorder. The Time Recorder. The first peice of technology the lab had managed to produce. He then pulled out a memo from the lab, explaining what the record button did. He smiled, this would be useful. 

Quote

Basicly the Time Recorder is a weird time travel device (I came up with this before the time travel thing) With it you can travel up to 30 seconds into the past before it burns out and has to recharge. But that's not all. If you put a tape into it and press record, you can record some amount of time to play back later. What this means is: You can go into the past, but only if you have the right tape.

(This is basicly incoherent, I'll edit it tomorrow)

 

[I think I am here.]

Quote

So it's like, if I record my birthday with it, and play it back I can time-travel to that point?

 

[old man moomba]

Quote

Yeah, something like that. 

 

[+Sorana]

Althea saw the red light starting to blink and for a moment she only stared at it. That was too early. The wrong day. Dreading the message she slowly pulled the spanreed out of her pocket, dipped it in ink and placed it on a parchment, using the table Aurell had placed her feet on.

Update Status Report:
The spanreed wrote.
Target presumed dead or missing.

Feeling cold she grabbed it.
Details.
Wrong, he had to be wrong.
Target got attacked while in the air, crashed somewhere unknown. Chance to relocate target almost zero. Chance for taget's survival almost zero. Awaiting new orders.
Attacked, crashed. She stared at the words, unable to comprehend them. He had to search for her, had to comb through every single mile of the island, had to find her. Almost zero.
"No."
Brashen whispered in her ear and she halted, stared at him.
"It would be his death. Unneccessaryly."
Something in her froze over, when she understood what he meant. When she realized what she had to decide.
"No search?"
she whispered tonelessly and Brashen nodded. Life before Death. Sacrifice the man for someone almost surely dead? She had killed, she had ordered people to be killed, but never unneccessaryly. That was their path. Trade one life for others, work towards a greater goal, accept the price they had to pay, but never without a reason, never unneccessaryly. Bile rose in her throat and she shook her head.
"But she could be alive."
she protested, keeping her voice low, but knowing that everybody who wanted could listen in. It was silent in the room, since they had been waiting for Aurell's answer. For a moment her self control slipped, her face distorted itself into a mask of fury and grief, helplessness, then she reigned herself in again, put on a cool and controlled mask.
"He is good. He found no body, that why it's almost zero."
One look at Brashen, giving in, accepting defeat. She knew that he man was good. That was why she had chosen him. Inwardly screaming she stared at her spren. Their path, she had to. She had sworn an oath. If he wrote that she was dead, she was dead. Ordering him on a suicide mission wouldn't change anything. Gripping the spanreed so hard it nearly broke she dipped it into the ink, took a breath, kept her handwriting regular.
End mission. Return.
His reply came fast.
End mission. Return. Confirmed.
A pause.
I'm sorry for your...

Althea didn't wait for the last sentence to be written out completely, she snatched the parchment and folded it, not caring that the ink hadn't dried at all. Packing the spanreed away, she stepped back from the table, leaned against the wall again, her face impassive, her posture mostly relaxed. She had learned to lie with her body years ago.
 

[I think I am here.]

Don’t blame yourself.

Max looked to Althea, and they made eye contact. He wanted to do as she said, he wanted to say he was innocent, but everytime he thought of the families he’d crushed in Oasis his body felt like it went in lockdown, his mind shattering at the guilt.

Now we only have to find a way to test this, without him killing us. Get him to trust us. It will be risky, but I think we can do it. Use the link he created and his own powers.

Max looked to Althea, and nodded. It was logical. At least one person on this mission was.

Then she smiled. That took Max by surprise. Had she smiled before? Once, when her mind had gotten healed. But now was a natural smile, and Max felt warm again, how her eyes glistened in a ray of light, how she-

Her smile faded, and Max pretended not to look as she took out a spanreed, face impassive. She whispered to the air, probably to her spren. She was still. Too still. Like she was trying to be still. Max almost looked away when he saw her face change just for a moment, a face of pure pain before it switched back to normal Althea.

It sent chills through Max.

Althea? He projected to her as she took her spot by the wall again, too calm, too relaxed. But why? Why make the show? What did she see.

Althea? The voice came out a whisper, a whimper. He took a step forward. She was Broken. He was too. They’d been through a lot, a lot, and yet it hurt Max to see Althea’s calm demeanour. She wasn’t showing any pain, not even a change of expression. Was it really that bad?

A brief part of Max wondered if there was even anything wrong, was he reading too much into her reaction to the spanreed.

But that slip, that face of hurt, and sorrow, and powerlessness. Where you felt your hands were bound, but the feeling still rampaged. The torment.

Max knew how that felt.

Not even thinking about it, just feeling the impulse to do something flow through him, Max grabbed Althea and hugged her.

[+Sorana]

Althea?
Max. She looked at him again, not reacting, tried to stay calm, controlled. Clinging to that control. He took a step forward, reaching out for her again, his voice but a whimper.
Althea?
And then he was there, grabbing her, pulling her close and she followed the movement, allowed him to take control. His armor was hard and cold, but she didn't care. He was there, that was everything that mattered.
"Max."
she whispered her voice barely hearable. Placing her arms around him, she pulled closer, rested her head against his shoulder.
I reduced my work in the laboratory, agreed to attend the ball because I learned, that she might come as well.
she started, switching to their link, because it was easier, than to hear her own voice break when she tried to talk.
But she had been kidnapped, and escaped on her own. I've had someone follow her since then. Keeping me uptodate where she was, if she was fine. Because I still couldn't bring myself to confront her, to talk to her.
She lifted her head, looked at him, let her mask fall, let him see her pain.
He can't find her anymore. She got attacked and now he can't find her anymore, believes she's dead.
A pause, forcing herself to go on, her hands clinging to him, to his armor.
I've ordered him back. Judging his previous reports he would have most likely died, had I commanded him to search for her.
She heaved a sobbing breath and then shook her head again, stopped herself from starting to cry.
I'm sorry. We don't have the time for this. I'll manage.
Conciously loosening her grip she tried to calm down again. There would be a time for crying, maybe for a search. But not now. Not while every passing minute meant, that Solace killed more and more innocents. And yet, she stayed where she was, arms around him, head rested against his shoulder, not finding the strength to step back.

@Ookla the Guacless
 

[I think I am here.]

"Max."

Max just stood, Althea's head against his shoulder, listening. He ran an armoured hand through her silk white hair, stroking it to comfort her. It flowed from the gauntlet perfectly. He couldn't feel it, but he imagined it as soft. So soft.

She told him everything, she kept back crying, and Max just listened, wrapping her in his embrace. He heard about the lady Althea had wanted to confront, how she couldn't so she sent someone to check on her, a spy. Someone she'd always wanted to meet, someone to talk to to, to show she existed. And now she was dead.

She lifted up her head and Max could see Althea's pain in full, he could see how she'd been holding back, how she let go. The pain. The emotion. It was so vivid and clear a tear even sprouted from Max's eye, creeping and crawling its salty trail down his face, leaving a trail like a liquid scar. Oh, the pain. He could see it. It just made his embrace tighter.

I'm sorry. We don't have the time for this. I'll manage.

Max wanted to tell her, so desperately, that no. They did have time. She could weep. But could they? She looked up again and Max tried not to give in to the emotion. Because she was right, and that made everything more painful. All they could do was manage. All they ever did was manage. One disaster after the next, the event was forgotten but the pain always stayed.

She loosened the hug but Max saw she didn't have the strength to exit, to leave his shoulder. He wished they never had to. He wished they stayed in this moment, this perfect moment of connection. But there were duties. There were responsibilities.

Taking a gentle hand up and guiding Althea's head to face his, Max gazed into her eyes, her beautiful red eyes. I... he said over the link, a hushed voice. I... Love you. The words were so simple. He just had to say it. I love you. I love you. I think your hair is very pretty, he said, and then winced. And I love you. And I promise we'll have time to mourn. The God Beyond knows that time is long overdue. He tried a ghost of a smile, brushing his thumb against her cheek.

But... But now we must do what we need to. For the Alleyverse. For Solace. For the lives who are not yet lost. For us.

Edited December 2, 2018 by Ookla the Guacless

[+Sorana]

Althea stood there, her head resting against his shoulder, his hand stroking her hair, comforting. Grieve, so powerful she almost felt empty wrapped itself around her in a suffocating grip, threatened to drown her. Lifting a hand he gently touched her face and she followed his guidance, trusting him, needing the comfort he so easily offered. When he himself needed it as much as she herself did. She looked into his eyes, let his gaze capture her own. He had beautiful eyes, she realized. He understood. Managing. He was doing the same, manage, go on, despite everything, go on and on, even when there was so much pain, that every single step hurt. She wished she could take his helmet off, touch his face, feel his hair, touch him just as he touched her, but instead she lifted her own hand and placed it on the side of his helmet, as close to his skin as she was able to get.

I... he said over the link, a hushed voice. I... I think your hair is very pretty, he said, and then winced. Startled she only stared at him. Her hair? He liked her hair? But before she really could understand what he was aiming at, he continued.

And I love you. And I promise we'll have time to mourn. The God Beyond knows that time is long overdue.

I love you. Her heart skipped a beat and suddenly she was glad that he was still holding her, that she didn't need to stand on her own. I love you. Three words, three small words, but they meant everything. His thumb brushed over her cheek, caressed her and she leaned into the touch, felt an answering smile tug at her lips. Despite everything she answered his ghost of a smile with one of her own. He loved her. Warmth spread through her chest, made her heart beat faster. Mourn, they would need to mourn, she needed to mourn, to understand what had happened, to accept it, to really fully grasp it, and yet, his words offered hope, comfort, a future and that was more, than she ever had expected.

But... But now we must do what we need to. For the Alleyverse. For Solace. For the lives who are not yet lost. For us.

Althea nodded slowly, glad that he understood, that he felt like she did. They needed to go on, they couldn't stop now. Not as long as Solace was still travelling around, killing people.

For us.

she repeated his words, and they sounded like a promise. For them, for those caught in this conflict. Looking into his eyes she told him earnestly:

I love you, too.

For a moment she stayed where she was, not wanting to step away from him, savouring the feeling of his arm around her, of his hand on her cheek. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and slowly collected herself again. He was right. Mourning would need to wait. When she opened her eyes again, she softly stepped back from his embrace, taking hold of his hand, unwilling to break their contact completely.

If we survive, I want to built a grave for her. I am the only family she had left. Nobody else will care enough.

she told him and then pushed her grieve aside, straightened. Did what she always did, when she had to go on. A list, bullet points, reduce everything down to logic, to something easily followed.

Wait for Aurell's answer, go to the lab, test our theories, hopefully survive and stop him. And then, then we can take some time for us. To mourn... and to go on.

 

[Vargo Seldon]

Quote

Well then.

Galvris instinctively pulled out a gemstone to use as a focus for channeling.  He then used it to eavesdrop on the spanreed conversation that Althea was having.  He raised one eyebrow when Max embrassed Althea, the inconspicuously turned the other way to offer some semblance of privacy.  Who was the mysterious "she" that Althea seemed to care so much about?  Who was this spy?  These questions were important, but an issue for later.

Edited December 3, 2018 by Ookla the spearman
Incorrectly displaying my characters personality.

[Lord Meeker]

On 11/30/2018 at 4:43 AM, Ookla the Guacless said:

"And what are the lines attached to Solace's spiritweb?" He asked Aurell, readying himself to go.

"Er, what spiritweb? What lines? I don't understand." Aurell said confused.

[+Sorana]

On 4.12.2018 at 1:23 AM, AdOokla said:

"Er, what spiritweb? What lines? I don't understand." Aurell said confused.

Althea nodded, not understanding the question herself. Two lines attached to a spiritweb? That was strange.

Why did you ask this?

She asked Max.

How do you know?

"Can you show us to his lab? We'd like to take a look around there."

@AdOokla

Edited December 5, 2018 by Ookla the Clueless

[I think I am here.]

If we survive, I want to built a grave for her. I am the only family she had left. Nobody else will care enough.

Max nodded, though his mind was still on the other thing Althea had said. She said she loved him, too. She loved him. She loved him! A new energy filled Max, his heartbeat quickening, the energy to continue fighting coursing through him. Together, it didn't seem that hard of a task. Not with her by his side.

Aurell asked what lines on Solace's spirit-web Max was talking about. Max opened his mouth to explain, but decided against it. Aurell had said Solace hadn't told her much. He doubted any explaining would get much information back. "Nevermind," he said.

Hearing Althea's questions, Max tried to think of a response.

I... He began, trying to explain. I've seen things.

"And yeah," Max said to Aurell. "Looking around the lab would be helpful."

Edited December 4, 2018 by Ookla the Guacless

[Lord Meeker]

"I would suggest you follow the advise he gave you." Aurell said. "As for his lab. You will need to access the door through his computer. You'll need to get into that. You can either pay me for the password or you can attempt to find it by yourself. I would advise the first option."

[Vargo Seldon]

Galvris nodded, distractedly looking at the door again.  The reason for his interest became apparent as a blurred shape moved through the doors.  He stepped up to Galvris and, with blinding speed, slammed five coppery colored spikes into his chest in rapid succession.  Galvris stumbled backwards, and the assailent unblurred, revealing himself to be a tall half-terris, from the looks of him.  Galvris regained his feet, and instead of attacking this man, nodded to him.  "Good work Galvris, were they from criminals?" Seeing the man's nod he continued, "I must say Valdwen, I didn't expect you to apply the spikes so... directly."  A small hint of a smile showed on Valdwen's face,

"I thought you would approve the prompt use of the investiture.  My way, it didn't degrade any more than it had to.

"Yes, yes, and I suspect you had your fun with it too."

Chest still a bloody mess, he turned to the rest of the room, "hello everyone, meet Valdwen.  He's my accomplice in justice.  Valdwen meet Max, Althea, and Aurell.  They are planning on how to bring down Solace, a worthy goal, wouldn't you say?"  As he passed through the introductions, he pointed at each person respectively.

[old man moomba]

Rick thought he might be there, so he raised his hand. 

"Boss, you forgot about me. I think I might be here. So anyway." He turned to Aurell "How strong is the door into the lab?"

@AdOokla @Ookla the spearman

[Lord Meeker]

"The door is adamantine coated in aluminum. I got in once, and may have activated a few defenses..." She shrugged embarrassed

[old man moomba]

"What about the bolt?" He turned to the rest of the group "We have quite a few options, we could try to melt the door down using conventional methods, or we could get Channelman to melt it. We could try explosives, or, again, our friend here could try. We  have a large amount of possibities to try, and we haven't even gotten started! Lets get cracking!"

[I think I am here.]

Max stood by, contemplating the door. If there was ever a place where information on Solace was abundant, it was the lab that was now blocked from them.

Burning the last flake of zinc and storing the Allomantic output into his nicrosilminds, Max was pleased to find he had a bunch of Rioting stored up. Not much compared to what he’d had before, but it was enough.

Suddenly there was a blur and another man appeared next to that Moerevor guy, who now had multiple bloody spikes sticking from his chest.

As Moerevor made introductions Max just stared ahead. Spikes. Just because he didn’t freeze like a statue when he saw them didn’t mean he enjoyed their presence by any stretch of the imagination. Just the thought of the mess, the gore, the lines of blood trickling down the metallic spike in branches, it brought Max back to the Seven Day War, back to the monsters he’d seen.

So many spikes. The last time he’d been around a Spiked, he’d controlled them. He wondered, if he could just reach out, Riot Moerevor, how easy would it be to take control, to pilot his body? It was almost worrying, the impulse for that sweet, sweet control. Almost... addicting.

Sharply pulling himself back into the present, Max looked to another man who seemed quite optimistic about cracking the door. Subconsciously, Max Rioted the man’s optimism higher. Optimism was good.

Looking at the door, Max considered the key card Aurell had given him, in his hand as of now. Apparently made 20 years ago by Solace, it was truly something of a mystery. Why did these exist?

Slowly stepping towards the metallic door, Max held up his key card to its front. Would the door recognise it?