Hours passed and Aster began getting frustrated. He stood ahead of the Tiliac clan's base, hidden within the walls, he knew his old higher ups were discussing who to banish next. He had only one weapon that had transported with him, a small dagger, which he could easily transform into something else if he needed. He lent a shoulder to the woman who assisted in discovering where he was. "Take my hand.", he insisted as he lifted her carefully.
"May I ask what your name is, sir?", she enquired. "Aster Orocha", replied the black haired boy. The flaxen haired woman smiled, "It's a pleasure, Aster. My name is Julia Dylvis.", she replied. "Let me tell you something, Julia.", Aster began. "I too used to live here, I know how brutal it can be, hence my intense reaction earlier. I'm proud you even lasted a second in there without you getting banished like me.". Julia softly cried, "We're just pawns in a game, they told us we could be something, and look at where we ended up.".
Aster gave his fellow outcast a sincere outlook on himself, it was the least he could do. "Look Julia, I managed to leave this place, by pure luck. I was going to be executed, but a portal opened up, and I landed in a place that I could actually call home, despite being unaware at the time. They're tough at first, and I must admit I'm still rather pissed at the guy in charge, but I have to admit they're harsh for a reason, to maintain the equality of all kinds of people. They have ranks, but superiors help their subordinates to thrive. They have punishments, but they encourage you to improve without hindering you."
Julia stopped crying and nodded as she stared at the boy. "Aster, I'm sorry for crying all of a sudden.", she apologised. "I can help you with you combat, if you want.", she offered. "No, you don't have to. Finding my home again is something I must do alone.".. "But you must need company to remain stable throughout this, right?", asked Julia. "The way I see it, I need to get into the base and find where I entered their world in the first place.", he explained.
"Let me come with you, I insist.", Julia asserted. "But, your arm...", he remarked worriedly. "I can fight, forearm or not.", shr replied. Aster couldn't help but see the similarities between Julia and Fleur, they shared the same drive, and he began to see past his desire to take everything on himself. "I need to return there, Fleur needs me. I accept your offer, Julia!", he declared. "Then it's off to main base we go!", enthused Julia. The long journey to returning to the syndicate had begun.
Meanwhile, Fleur was walking through the forest with the rest of the rebels, she had been walking for quite some time, and she was beginning to feel the effects of the long distance. "I'm so tired, I'd break the wall myself if I wasn't so damn weak!.", she groaned. "We should've known it would be this hard.", Viper sighed. She heard a noise behind her, "Sulena, are you sure this is the right way we go to find refuge?", enquired Craaq. "I'm so sorry.", replied Sulena "I forgot humans don't take tough terrain that well", she commented. The team took time to sit down, Fleur in particular was exhausted.
"I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm beginning to feel that Vox might actually succeed, and Rou, I thought he wouldn't go this far.", said the elf girl. "It's ok, I'll help you, we'll all play our part.", Craaq responded. "I'm so glad you're here.", she sighed. "I've been alone for so long, I've never had anyone to help me. Even in the times when I needed it the most, I insisted on being alone...", she confessed. "Now's the perfect time to fight, I sensed something would happen, that a section of the syndicate would fail for the past year now. We know what it is, there's no stopping us now.
"You've all helped me so much, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me.". Sulena and Craaq looked at each other, they had never seen Fleur so determined. Sulena smiled, "I'm glad I finally took the plunge.", she said. "No matter what Vox sends, portals to other worlds, or otherwise, I'll be ready with my sword to take them down!", enthused Fleur. But was she truly ready to fight whatever went after her? Or was she going to retreat within her own anxiety once more?