[It is no secret to the Kenoma that the mission to Venera unveiled traitors. Their identities are well known too, and regardless of how their peers feel over the matter, there is no longer anything anyone can do for them. Like Howl, they've lost pieces of what makes them them. Unlike some others who decided on their own at their personal leisure, the pressing need of the mission and how acts of mercy inevitably left evidence took away any opportunity those at Venera had of handling things on their own terms. And now...
Dokja should be thanked, frankly, for making this so easy. A direct and open attempt for immediate murder? What else is an ally supposed to do for coming across this, but prevent the dissipation of their comrade?
So Ciel does. There are several ways she could've intercepted his sword (not from around here, is it, the same one that...), but Dokja likes dramatics, doesn't he? Him and his stories, all those books his place in Godsblood had lying around everywhere in the small room. (Almost a shame this is reality; their struggles on Horos may make a compelling saga for avid fantasy readers.) The blade catches and spills crimson, but not that of its target, the slash doesn't go far enough. It's stopped by Ciel's grip, and the uncompromising and machine-like look in her eyes tells her fellow Martyr everything he needs to know about their present situation. Does she risk losing fingers that way, or can her self-reinforcement be enough to stop that from happening? Irrelevant. Even if he does manage to cut through, it'll only be a matter of time before those parts reattach themselves. Another reason why she belongs on the front lines.
Three Black Keys are summoned in her free hand, the same shape as the one he's seen in Venera, but their hilts are a dark red this time devoid of that unsettling aura. They're still nail-like swords as sharp and piercing as their forms may suggest, and within the next moment, she thrusts that arm forward with every intention of puncturing through his chest with all three blades. Might want to step back, she'd let him; he can retreat with his sword too, she doesn't care much for keeping (depriving him of) it.
Liem isn't addressed, the intervention needs no explanation, but if he chooses to linger for some reason, she can remind him in a bit to get going as he should.]
beats myself up before i forget about this AGAIN
Dokja should be thanked, frankly, for making this so easy. A direct and open attempt for immediate murder? What else is an ally supposed to do for coming across this, but prevent the dissipation of their comrade?
So Ciel does. There are several ways she could've intercepted his sword (not from around here, is it, the same one that...), but Dokja likes dramatics, doesn't he? Him and his stories, all those books his place in Godsblood had lying around everywhere in the small room. (Almost a shame this is reality; their struggles on Horos may make a compelling saga for avid fantasy readers.) The blade catches and spills crimson, but not that of its target, the slash doesn't go far enough. It's stopped by Ciel's grip, and the uncompromising and machine-like look in her eyes tells her fellow Martyr everything he needs to know about their present situation. Does she risk losing fingers that way, or can her self-reinforcement be enough to stop that from happening? Irrelevant. Even if he does manage to cut through, it'll only be a matter of time before those parts reattach themselves. Another reason why she belongs on the front lines.
Three Black Keys are summoned in her free hand, the same shape as the one he's seen in Venera, but their hilts are a dark red this time devoid of that unsettling aura. They're still nail-like swords as sharp and piercing as their forms may suggest, and within the next moment, she thrusts that arm forward with every intention of puncturing through his chest with all three blades. Might want to step back, she'd let him; he can retreat with his sword too, she doesn't care much for keeping (depriving him of) it.
Liem isn't addressed, the intervention needs no explanation, but if he chooses to linger for some reason, she can remind him in a bit to get going as he should.]