[ In truth, the old Inancha might be horrified at the monster she has become. Many times, she had stood before a mirror, left to watch what once was begin to fade and shape into a smaller copy of the man she had followed. Once, she faltered. Building regret of pushing Baz and Khara away had bubbled up within her and festered, the guilt of knowing she had rejected the two people who were the closest to family she had. ]
[ But they left. The Collective remained... Inancha had enough experience in abandonment to know that her choices were all she had. To leave would be to end up alone again, and that was not an option. Certainly not when they found her so useful. And eventually, the guilt fell away. Nights that used to often go by with silent weeping became merely a dark silence. ]
[ In her training and grooming, pain has no longer become an issue. It is a tool. And Inancha revels in the burning, white-hot pain that radiates in her side and pushes hot blood from its opening. Her eyes dare not to leave Khara as their gazes meet, and the only gesture she offers is a further incline of her head, the same tilt she had often give her in question before her undoing. She feels the blade shift against her, though the grasp of its owner weakens. Jebei was right in saying Khara is still soft, still hanging on the hope of getting her friend back. It would be useful, he said, to use that against her. ]
[ If Inancha could feel surprise any longer, she would feel it in knowing her face is a much stronger weapon than a blade or spell. Cold and thoughtless, Inancha watches as Khara crumbles before her and falls to one knee. Her free hand reaches for the hilt of Khara's blade, grip tight as she works to take it firmly within her plated fingers. ]
Broken.
[ Inancha speaks softly, firmly. ]
But not as instructed.
[ With a bout of force, she works to pry the blade from Khara's grasp, intent on tossing it as far from them as possible. ]
[ Khara barely remembered what the old Inancha had been like at this point; this new one, Jebei II, as she'd dubbed her in her mind, is ruthless. Unyielding. Two traits Khara understood well. Years and years ago, she would have admired the girl before her, with her hardened resolve and even harder gaze. Years and years ago, Khara may very well have been her, content to be forged and used, if only because it meant she was accepted.
When Khara looks up to Inancha, her expression is one of deep, abiding sadness. The grip on her blade is slack as the other Au Ra moves to take it from her, and though her darkside flares, she makes no effort against Inancha. ]
... Broken? Perhaps.
[ Her eyes flutter shut as she sags, eyes falling upon the plated feet before her. She'd never been the mothering type, but even now, she wanted to protect Inancha. To shield her from whatever it was that she'd become, but...
If it was what she wanted, what more could Khara do?
As Inancha's hands prise the sword from her loose grasp, Khara's shoulders begin to shake with quiet laughter. This is all so fruitless. Why did she even deign to try? ]
At least, at the end of the day, I can go to bed as myself. I can wake up as myself, failure or no.
[ She lifts her gaze to Inancha's face again as a smile, soft and genuine, gracing her lips. ]
I know exactly where I stand and where I belong, darling. But can you say the same for yourself?
[ Inancha should have known better than to have a full expectation of what is to come. But it seemed so simple the instant Khara fell to her knees in shame. The sword has been tossed, yet the threat remains. The former Raen looks down upon the woman before her and listens intently, head still tilted and neck still craned. A brow perks when she begins to question to herself what the actual "threat" is. She understood the test as nothing more than what it was: a "test", fully prepared to face that final weight that had been dragging her down. Is it Khara who is the true threat? Or the connection to her? ]
[ Such a strange question to ask herself... But it is brought upon by Khara's remarks. Come to think of it, Jebei had merely advised Inancha of her mission as a way to preserve the Collective and show her strength. Obviously, what lied between her and Khara could be cause for a conflict of interest. ]
[ Inancha stares down at Khara as she lets out a laugh, suggesting a threat of action to her where she clenches at her staff tighter in preparation of fighting back. But still, Khara does not move. No, instead, she uses words and phrases, a suggestion once again that Inancha is not her own. While her expression remains unchanged, there is a very slight, very brief twitch of her right eye. ]
I am...
[ Inancha swallows thickly, not quite understanding the strange fire that has formed in her gut. ]
I am an asset. I am of value.
[ She is needed. The Collective has found use of her and kept her in what she has called home. Jebei is her brother. Raih, her valued teacher. A light begins to glow at the tip of her staff, glowing an array of colors as a spell slowly begins to conjure. But its release is delayed. ]
[ The words leave Khara's lips in a half-whisper as she smiles up at Inancha, something akin to pride in her expression. My, how she'd grown since she'd first met her. She was so different now, in so many ways... Khara had never thought her to be weak, but there was no denying Inancha's strength now.
Khara straightens her self as she watches Inancha's face, seeing no crack through which to pry her fingers. She knows damn well that Inancha is still herself at the end of the day-- she'd always been strong, Raih'sae and Jebei be damned-- but she also knows that it might not be her place to bring her out again. ]
And so you are an asset. What you wanted to be.
[ Khara watches her thoughtfully, resignation rapidly beginning to solidify at the base of her spine as the spell she channels begins to take form. Her darkside began to congeal around her, thickly, as her eyes drank in the sight, and she closes her eyes again. She thinks of Baz, and all of her sorrow at losing Inancha suddenly seems to take a backseat to the fact that she isn't sure how her beloved will manage without her around.
It's with his face in mind that she springs into action, sweeping a leg out from underneath her in a quick, fluid movement in an attempt to flatten Inancha, simultaneously channeling a burst of darkside energy into the ground beneath Inancha's feet. Shadows seep into the earth itself and seemingly kill anything living within and upon it as Khara rolls backwards, picking up her discarded sword.
Tossing her hair out of her eyes, she watches Inancha with the same sadness as before. ]
Should I just refer to you as "asset" from here on out, then? You obviously are Inancha no longer. Or would "weapon" be more apt? "Tool?" "Implement?"
[ A sneer. ]
"Jebei?" "Dotharl?" Tell me, do you stick your nose where it isn't welcome, also? Do you have your own miqo'te lad to bugger on those long, cold nights as well?
[ That bubbling comes to a boil, something in the pit of Inancha's stomach beginning to burn her-- Painfully so. In her training, she has learned to hone her pain and use it as a weapon, as the fuel to her flame. But Inancha has only understood physical pain. Something about this pain... She feels it, but it is not due to the wound that plagues her side. In fact, it seems to hurt worse than the large cut that still gushes with blood. The more Khara speaks, the worse it begins to feel. Inancha's eyes narrow and her lips press into a hard line when the pain provides no answer as to what it is. All she knows is the pain flares as if a limb is pried from her at Khara's claims of her no longer being Inancha. ]
[ Inancha falters, and the swiping of Khara's leg successfully knocks her off of her feet and clamoring to the floor. She voices the impact, a throaty exhale that is forced from her back crashing to the floor and almost steals her entire focus. But it shifts fast when their gazes meet again. ]
[ Once again, she calls her Jebei, and it is no longer taken as a compliment. It is an insult, a pry at Inancha's individuality that she is certain she had obtained in her training. The unknowing status of the pain in her chest is unbearable, but Inancha realizes its potential when her teeth begin to grit. ]
Enough!
[ Inancha quickly releases the spell she had been casting-- Lethargy. If she is to make her move, she must do it swiftly. And allowing Khara to move has only proven to lessen her likelihood of winning this battle in record time. She scrambles to her feet quick, storming towards her with a quickness and with the intent of striking fast. Again, Inancha begins to cast, her time much faster than it had been upon their last meeting. ]
I. Am. Inancha!
[ Apocatastasis for what she is certain will be a far bloodier battle. Again, she casts. This time, ice. Inancha aims it for Khara's feet, her teeth gritting hard against one another as she quickly aims her spell in her direction. ]
[ Inancha's spell finds its mark, leaving Khara sluggish and slow. Spitting a curse, Khara once again exerts her darkside outside of herself, using it as a shield to mitigate whatever it is that Inancha has planned for her. At the other Au Ra's words, Khara can't help but give another bark of a laugh, a bitter hymn eking into her tone when she speaks again. ]
You just said you were an asset-- [ Khara gasps as Inancha's second spell collides with her feet, immobilizing her. With a growl of frustration, Khara pools her darkside in a wide radius on the ground around her and Inancha, wicked spikes materializing and springing from the ground at its edges. She follows this assault with a quick blast of darkside energy in Inancha's direction, imbued with the Dark Arts her mentors in Ishgard had bestowed upon her; should the attack connect, it would render its mark blinded for a time, though the effect was temporary.
Khara's reserves were running low. It was evident in the way her body wilted and in the way her breath came in short, desperate puffs. ]
If you're intent on killing me, do it as Inancha, then! [ She jeers in spite of herself, struggling against the treacherous ice rooting her in place. ] Not as their instrument! Not as their asset!
[ She twirls her sword in her hands, a ghost of the bravado she usually flaunted. She thinks of Baz, and hums a soft apology. Her darkside dims and begins to fade as she uses the last of it to salt the earth once more, attempting to rip and tear at her opponent for all the good it will do her, one last time. ]
I'm right here, Dotharl! [ Her voice cracks as she practically roars her words, brandishing her sword at the other woman's approach. ] Yours for the taking!
[ That feeling swells and festers, bites her from the inside and tears her apart. It's sickening, tightening, and Inancha feels as if she might suffocate. The discomfort makes her angry. While the anger is nagging at her and making her ill, she reminds herself that it can be useful. Yes. Get angry. Get furious. Use that anger to turn it back on the one who has caused it and make her regret it in tormenting punishment. ]
[ The implication that Inancha is not fighting on her own will is as infuriating as it is true. It's in that truth that she feels her anger boil and pop in her gut, and something in the back of her mind begs for her to focus on that. But the part that Jebei and Raih'sae have forged? It is louder, threatening, and forces Inancha to rush for her victim. Even as the sharp darkness thrusts from the earth and tears at her armor and freshly-exposed skin, Inancha charges. ]
[ One slash, two, a second attempt on Khara's end tearing Inancha's helmet and cutting clean at her brow and allowing blood to curtain her features. She cries out, a loud roar as she conjures yet another spell. It is then that Khara's attack successfully blinds her. But Inancha raises her staff and sticks keenly to where she recalls her enemies placement. ]
SHUT UP!
[ Fire. And a violent torrent of it that sparks at Khara's frozen placement. She can only hope the large blast of fire encircles the threat before her as she struggles to see. In her blinded state, blood creeps into open eyes and burns. She swipes at them, even as she continues to rush forward where she can hear the blazes crackle and howl. In her blinded state, she can hear the power that surrounds the two of them and clashes, and Inancha screams yet again as she swings her staff violently. With only the darkness to see, her hearing is all she has, and she wishes for the sound of her staff colliding with Khara's head. ]
[ While Khara's reserves run through their last paces, she calls forth the remaining vestiges of her darkside in order to augment her skin itself, Tisiphone's trilling wail echoing distantly in her ears as the flames of Inancha's spell rush towards her, the heat stinging her eyes and fracturing the ice at her feet. Khara's last ditch effort is to roll out of the way of the brunt of the spell, though the flames lick her body and cause her to swear, hot and loud. ]
You've become... so strong... [ She breathes, something akin to pride welling in her chest and holding hands with her sadness even as she turns on Inancha, blade shaking in her grasp. Even with her shadowskin firmly in place, her body is seared with burns and numerous wounds. The skirts of her armor, already frayed to begin with, are singed, embers from their edges crumbling to the ground.
Inancha's scream echoes in her ears, and something inside of Khara shifts. She swallows down hard on a rapidly building lump in her throat as she sheathes her sword, knowing the blindness inflicted by her attack will fade within seconds. Moving quickly, she darts behind Inancha, lunging forward and grabbing her wrists from behind in a grip tempered by years of swinging a greatsword nearly twice her size. ]
I never should have left you. [ Khara murmurs, voice straining with her efforts. Exhaustion pools in her limbs, her eyes stinging from Inancha's assault. ] I should have stayed. I should have helped you.
[ Her voice cracks, and her grip slackens momentarily. Perhaps this is Baz's influence, this softness; try as she might to kill her tenderness, it remains resilient when faced with her old friend. She laughs, softly and bitterly. ] You are more Xaela than I am, now. You've found your place.
I cannot bring myself to hurt you anymore. Not when you can't defend yourself. Even if I could, you've worked me over pretty well. [ With that, Khara releases the girl, deftly sidestepping any followup swings of her staff. Clutching her side, Khara laughs again, the burns on her body screaming in chorus with the violent trill emanating from the voidsent residing within her very core. ]
I don't want to take that belonging away from you... [ Khara murmurs her words, choking on a wet bubble of blood that seeps past the corners of her lips as she talks. ] ... But I can't die here. Bastian... He would never forgive me... And you know how he gets when he's angry.
[ She laughs, the sound devolving into a choking cough. Every breath feels like a stab between her ribs, the blade twisting. ]
I'm sorry for failing you not once, but twice. [ Weakly, Khara lifts a hand and circles her fingers around the hilt of her blade, one last time. This final confrontation would need to be quick and decisive. ] Jebei and Raih'sae will only have my head if they seek to claim it themselves. I refuse to let my blood sully your hands.
[ Inancha can hardly hear her over the shrill echoes of the darkness surrounding them, of the scraping of her armor and the way her heart pounds through her ears. In the blind shroud that has taken over her, Inancha has become more aware of the deep cut in her side, beginning to feel weak and ill. Blood pools around her armor in each corner Khara's attacks have reached, and she is successfully taken by the Xaela's grasp. She roughly growls, teeth gritting hard enough to make her jaw sore. ]
[ The way her heart aches completely overtakes her, the frustration of it all only causing her to become angrier and pained. Blind eyes widen when she finally hears Khara speak-- I never should have left you. Claims of failure and Inancha's success in abandoning her Raen roots completely, only bearing an incorrect shade of horns and scales. ]
[ Slowly, ever so slowly, her eyesight begins to return. A blurred visual of their surroundings comes back, clearing when she turns her gaze to see the battered woman releasing her and clutching her blade. Inancha breaks away from her, stumbling far back and exhaling a harsh, raspy growl. It is clear that the battle will not end the way Inancha wishes, and she will return home empty-handed. She will fail. It adds to the anger, yet the idea of actually killing the woman before her seems less possible than success. It makes the idea of failure unimportant. ]
[ When her sight is clear, she furrows her brows at Khara, unaware of the way her eyes begin to well up and overflow with tears that mix with the blood curtaining her features. ]
You...
You--
[ Inancha stumbles again, feeling dizzy. It is clear that she has lost a lot of blood, wasted her reserve of aether. Her magic is rendered useless, and she tosses her staff to the ground. ]
--Doubted me! I am...
A trinket to you! To Bastian! My novelty was worn and you left me!
[ Raising her voice is difficult, and her voice cracks. Where words are always so hard to form in the first place, Inancha suffers in sharing the source of anger that fuels her now. ]
[ She gestures to herself, holding her arm out before pounding her palm at her chest hard. Metal gloves clanking upon a metal breastplate. ]
[ Khara's had drops at the sight of Inancha's face. Her first impulse is to rush forward, to grab up the smaller girl in her arms, but she doesn't. Instead, she sways unsteadily on her feet as she watches her, her expression mirroring her old friend's.
She listens in silence, heat that has nothing to do with the fire thrown at her stinging her eyes and causing them to water. ]
I was weak, Inancha. [ Her voice cracks, and a mournful melody enters her tone as she speaks, rapidly, the words rushing together. ] I was weak and I knew how important this was to you, and I know you wanted this. You wanted their respect. You wanted--
[ Khara brings a hand to her forehead, rasping her fingers through her hair as she falls to her knees. Tisiphone rises to the forefront of her consciousness, in warning. Don't put yourself in such a vulnerable position.
... But Khara doesn't listen, and bows her head. ]
... You have my respect. You always have. I'm sorry I abandoned you. [ She takes a shuddering breath, tear tracks cutting swathes of grime and blood off of her face. ] I can spin it how I want and say I was trying to protect you, or that I was trying... trying to keep you from changing, but...
[ Khara chokes on her own breath, bringing a palm to her face. ]
I... just didn't want to lose you. I was selfish... But look at you now.
[ She looks up to Inancha and smiles through her tears. ] You did this yourself. Halone, you are gorgeous...
[ Khara remains on her knees, laughing, each heave a brutal assault on her ribcage. ]
... Your path is yours. It always was, even when we met that day in Ul'dah.
[ Tears are not an unfamiliar substance-- Crying is not an unfamiliar act. But it is something that occurs rarely and in very small doses. Inancha had once believed her tears had completely dried and withered away when the Collective had finally finished what the Malaguld started. So many months have passed where a feeling meant nothing more than fuel to her weapon, where she could separate the source of her pain from her heart and mind and could ignore her regrets. But that very regret stands before her, falls to her knees and pours her heart out. ]
[ Khara's words are wounding, but only in the sense that Inancha begins to realize the mistake she has made. The desire to have a closeness and family sparked from childhood, remained in her travels, yet she never realized she had obtained it well before joining the Collective. Somehow knowing Khara's feelings and the respect she holds solidifies that. ]
[ And Inancha cracks. ]
[ Those eyes that had began to well with tears squint, a pained expression coloring her the brightest it ever has in her entire life. Even through a blood-coated face, her eyes glow through the tears that flood through. That look of pain clear enough to be seen miles away. Inancha exhales a pained sound, choking on words that won't come as her dizziness over comes her. Such a great loss of blood and aether has destroyed her, and Inancha falls before Khara just the same. ]
[ What has she done? She's nearly killed her friend, her family. Had full intentions on mercilessly destroying her and bringing mere scraps to her superiors. The small Au'Ra falls to her knees, arms extended outward as her entire body flops. The torrent of emotions that completely wrack her at once have her in a guilt-ridden, terrifying panic and she clutches her head. Plated fingers cling and tug at her hair, and Inancha screams into the dirt. She sobs uncontrollably and shakes, unable to speak in kind to the incredible words Khara has shared with her. ]
[ What a mistake. What a failure. All this time, and here Inancha still has no idea who or what she is. ]
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no subject
[ But they left. The Collective remained... Inancha had enough experience in abandonment to know that her choices were all she had. To leave would be to end up alone again, and that was not an option. Certainly not when they found her so useful. And eventually, the guilt fell away. Nights that used to often go by with silent weeping became merely a dark silence. ]
[ In her training and grooming, pain has no longer become an issue. It is a tool. And Inancha revels in the burning, white-hot pain that radiates in her side and pushes hot blood from its opening. Her eyes dare not to leave Khara as their gazes meet, and the only gesture she offers is a further incline of her head, the same tilt she had often give her in question before her undoing. She feels the blade shift against her, though the grasp of its owner weakens. Jebei was right in saying Khara is still soft, still hanging on the hope of getting her friend back. It would be useful, he said, to use that against her. ]
[ If Inancha could feel surprise any longer, she would feel it in knowing her face is a much stronger weapon than a blade or spell. Cold and thoughtless, Inancha watches as Khara crumbles before her and falls to one knee. Her free hand reaches for the hilt of Khara's blade, grip tight as she works to take it firmly within her plated fingers. ]
Broken.
[ Inancha speaks softly, firmly. ]
But not as instructed.
[ With a bout of force, she works to pry the blade from Khara's grasp, intent on tossing it as far from them as possible. ]
You will fail. As you have before many times.
no subject
When Khara looks up to Inancha, her expression is one of deep, abiding sadness. The grip on her blade is slack as the other Au Ra moves to take it from her, and though her darkside flares, she makes no effort against Inancha. ]
... Broken? Perhaps.
[ Her eyes flutter shut as she sags, eyes falling upon the plated feet before her. She'd never been the mothering type, but even now, she wanted to protect Inancha. To shield her from whatever it was that she'd become, but...
If it was what she wanted, what more could Khara do?
As Inancha's hands prise the sword from her loose grasp, Khara's shoulders begin to shake with quiet laughter. This is all so fruitless. Why did she even deign to try? ]
At least, at the end of the day, I can go to bed as myself. I can wake up as myself, failure or no.
[ She lifts her gaze to Inancha's face again as a smile, soft and genuine, gracing her lips. ]
I know exactly where I stand and where I belong, darling. But can you say the same for yourself?
no subject
[ Such a strange question to ask herself... But it is brought upon by Khara's remarks. Come to think of it, Jebei had merely advised Inancha of her mission as a way to preserve the Collective and show her strength. Obviously, what lied between her and Khara could be cause for a conflict of interest. ]
[ Inancha stares down at Khara as she lets out a laugh, suggesting a threat of action to her where she clenches at her staff tighter in preparation of fighting back. But still, Khara does not move. No, instead, she uses words and phrases, a suggestion once again that Inancha is not her own. While her expression remains unchanged, there is a very slight, very brief twitch of her right eye. ]
I am...
[ Inancha swallows thickly, not quite understanding the strange fire that has formed in her gut. ]
I am an asset. I am of value.
[ She is needed. The Collective has found use of her and kept her in what she has called home. Jebei is her brother. Raih, her valued teacher. A light begins to glow at the tip of her staff, glowing an array of colors as a spell slowly begins to conjure. But its release is delayed. ]
The Collective is where I belong.
no subject
[ The words leave Khara's lips in a half-whisper as she smiles up at Inancha, something akin to pride in her expression. My, how she'd grown since she'd first met her. She was so different now, in so many ways... Khara had never thought her to be weak, but there was no denying Inancha's strength now.
Khara straightens her self as she watches Inancha's face, seeing no crack through which to pry her fingers. She knows damn well that Inancha is still herself at the end of the day-- she'd always been strong, Raih'sae and Jebei be damned-- but she also knows that it might not be her place to bring her out again. ]
And so you are an asset. What you wanted to be.
[ Khara watches her thoughtfully, resignation rapidly beginning to solidify at the base of her spine as the spell she channels begins to take form. Her darkside began to congeal around her, thickly, as her eyes drank in the sight, and she closes her eyes again. She thinks of Baz, and all of her sorrow at losing Inancha suddenly seems to take a backseat to the fact that she isn't sure how her beloved will manage without her around.
It's with his face in mind that she springs into action, sweeping a leg out from underneath her in a quick, fluid movement in an attempt to flatten Inancha, simultaneously channeling a burst of darkside energy into the ground beneath Inancha's feet. Shadows seep into the earth itself and seemingly kill anything living within and upon it as Khara rolls backwards, picking up her discarded sword.
Tossing her hair out of her eyes, she watches Inancha with the same sadness as before. ]
Should I just refer to you as "asset" from here on out, then? You obviously are Inancha no longer. Or would "weapon" be more apt? "Tool?" "Implement?"
[ A sneer. ]
"Jebei?" "Dotharl?" Tell me, do you stick your nose where it isn't welcome, also? Do you have your own miqo'te lad to bugger on those long, cold nights as well?
no subject
[ Inancha falters, and the swiping of Khara's leg successfully knocks her off of her feet and clamoring to the floor. She voices the impact, a throaty exhale that is forced from her back crashing to the floor and almost steals her entire focus. But it shifts fast when their gazes meet again. ]
[ Once again, she calls her Jebei, and it is no longer taken as a compliment. It is an insult, a pry at Inancha's individuality that she is certain she had obtained in her training. The unknowing status of the pain in her chest is unbearable, but Inancha realizes its potential when her teeth begin to grit. ]
Enough!
[ Inancha quickly releases the spell she had been casting-- Lethargy. If she is to make her move, she must do it swiftly. And allowing Khara to move has only proven to lessen her likelihood of winning this battle in record time. She scrambles to her feet quick, storming towards her with a quickness and with the intent of striking fast. Again, Inancha begins to cast, her time much faster than it had been upon their last meeting. ]
I. Am. Inancha!
[ Apocatastasis for what she is certain will be a far bloodier battle. Again, she casts. This time, ice. Inancha aims it for Khara's feet, her teeth gritting hard against one another as she quickly aims her spell in her direction. ]
I am Inancha!
no subject
You just said you were an asset-- [ Khara gasps as Inancha's second spell collides with her feet, immobilizing her. With a growl of frustration, Khara pools her darkside in a wide radius on the ground around her and Inancha, wicked spikes materializing and springing from the ground at its edges. She follows this assault with a quick blast of darkside energy in Inancha's direction, imbued with the Dark Arts her mentors in Ishgard had bestowed upon her; should the attack connect, it would render its mark blinded for a time, though the effect was temporary.
Khara's reserves were running low. It was evident in the way her body wilted and in the way her breath came in short, desperate puffs. ]
If you're intent on killing me, do it as Inancha, then! [ She jeers in spite of herself, struggling against the treacherous ice rooting her in place. ] Not as their instrument! Not as their asset!
[ She twirls her sword in her hands, a ghost of the bravado she usually flaunted. She thinks of Baz, and hums a soft apology. Her darkside dims and begins to fade as she uses the last of it to salt the earth once more, attempting to rip and tear at her opponent for all the good it will do her, one last time. ]
I'm right here, Dotharl! [ Her voice cracks as she practically roars her words, brandishing her sword at the other woman's approach. ] Yours for the taking!
no subject
[ The implication that Inancha is not fighting on her own will is as infuriating as it is true. It's in that truth that she feels her anger boil and pop in her gut, and something in the back of her mind begs for her to focus on that. But the part that Jebei and Raih'sae have forged? It is louder, threatening, and forces Inancha to rush for her victim. Even as the sharp darkness thrusts from the earth and tears at her armor and freshly-exposed skin, Inancha charges. ]
[ One slash, two, a second attempt on Khara's end tearing Inancha's helmet and cutting clean at her brow and allowing blood to curtain her features. She cries out, a loud roar as she conjures yet another spell. It is then that Khara's attack successfully blinds her. But Inancha raises her staff and sticks keenly to where she recalls her enemies placement. ]
SHUT UP!
[ Fire. And a violent torrent of it that sparks at Khara's frozen placement. She can only hope the large blast of fire encircles the threat before her as she struggles to see. In her blinded state, blood creeps into open eyes and burns. She swipes at them, even as she continues to rush forward where she can hear the blazes crackle and howl. In her blinded state, she can hear the power that surrounds the two of them and clashes, and Inancha screams yet again as she swings her staff violently. With only the darkness to see, her hearing is all she has, and she wishes for the sound of her staff colliding with Khara's head. ]
no subject
You've become... so strong... [ She breathes, something akin to pride welling in her chest and holding hands with her sadness even as she turns on Inancha, blade shaking in her grasp. Even with her shadowskin firmly in place, her body is seared with burns and numerous wounds. The skirts of her armor, already frayed to begin with, are singed, embers from their edges crumbling to the ground.
Inancha's scream echoes in her ears, and something inside of Khara shifts. She swallows down hard on a rapidly building lump in her throat as she sheathes her sword, knowing the blindness inflicted by her attack will fade within seconds. Moving quickly, she darts behind Inancha, lunging forward and grabbing her wrists from behind in a grip tempered by years of swinging a greatsword nearly twice her size. ]
I never should have left you. [ Khara murmurs, voice straining with her efforts. Exhaustion pools in her limbs, her eyes stinging from Inancha's assault. ] I should have stayed. I should have helped you.
[ Her voice cracks, and her grip slackens momentarily. Perhaps this is Baz's influence, this softness; try as she might to kill her tenderness, it remains resilient when faced with her old friend. She laughs, softly and bitterly. ] You are more Xaela than I am, now. You've found your place.
I cannot bring myself to hurt you anymore. Not when you can't defend yourself. Even if I could, you've worked me over pretty well. [ With that, Khara releases the girl, deftly sidestepping any followup swings of her staff. Clutching her side, Khara laughs again, the burns on her body screaming in chorus with the violent trill emanating from the voidsent residing within her very core. ]
I don't want to take that belonging away from you... [ Khara murmurs her words, choking on a wet bubble of blood that seeps past the corners of her lips as she talks. ] ... But I can't die here. Bastian... He would never forgive me... And you know how he gets when he's angry.
[ She laughs, the sound devolving into a choking cough. Every breath feels like a stab between her ribs, the blade twisting. ]
I'm sorry for failing you not once, but twice. [ Weakly, Khara lifts a hand and circles her fingers around the hilt of her blade, one last time. This final confrontation would need to be quick and decisive. ] Jebei and Raih'sae will only have my head if they seek to claim it themselves. I refuse to let my blood sully your hands.
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[ The way her heart aches completely overtakes her, the frustration of it all only causing her to become angrier and pained. Blind eyes widen when she finally hears Khara speak-- I never should have left you. Claims of failure and Inancha's success in abandoning her Raen roots completely, only bearing an incorrect shade of horns and scales. ]
[ Slowly, ever so slowly, her eyesight begins to return. A blurred visual of their surroundings comes back, clearing when she turns her gaze to see the battered woman releasing her and clutching her blade. Inancha breaks away from her, stumbling far back and exhaling a harsh, raspy growl. It is clear that the battle will not end the way Inancha wishes, and she will return home empty-handed. She will fail. It adds to the anger, yet the idea of actually killing the woman before her seems less possible than success. It makes the idea of failure unimportant. ]
[ When her sight is clear, she furrows her brows at Khara, unaware of the way her eyes begin to well up and overflow with tears that mix with the blood curtaining her features. ]
You...
You--
[ Inancha stumbles again, feeling dizzy. It is clear that she has lost a lot of blood, wasted her reserve of aether. Her magic is rendered useless, and she tosses her staff to the ground. ]
--Doubted me! I am...
A trinket to you! To Bastian! My novelty was worn and you left me!
[ Raising her voice is difficult, and her voice cracks. Where words are always so hard to form in the first place, Inancha suffers in sharing the source of anger that fuels her now. ]
[ She gestures to herself, holding her arm out before pounding her palm at her chest hard. Metal gloves clanking upon a metal breastplate. ]
I made my path! I... Wanted...
[ Inancha's expression tightens, lips quivering. ]
Respect.
no subject
[ Khara's had drops at the sight of Inancha's face. Her first impulse is to rush forward, to grab up the smaller girl in her arms, but she doesn't. Instead, she sways unsteadily on her feet as she watches her, her expression mirroring her old friend's.
She listens in silence, heat that has nothing to do with the fire thrown at her stinging her eyes and causing them to water. ]
I was weak, Inancha. [ Her voice cracks, and a mournful melody enters her tone as she speaks, rapidly, the words rushing together. ] I was weak and I knew how important this was to you, and I know you wanted this. You wanted their respect. You wanted--
[ Khara brings a hand to her forehead, rasping her fingers through her hair as she falls to her knees. Tisiphone rises to the forefront of her consciousness, in warning. Don't put yourself in such a vulnerable position.
... But Khara doesn't listen, and bows her head. ]
... You have my respect. You always have. I'm sorry I abandoned you. [ She takes a shuddering breath, tear tracks cutting swathes of grime and blood off of her face. ] I can spin it how I want and say I was trying to protect you, or that I was trying... trying to keep you from changing, but...
[ Khara chokes on her own breath, bringing a palm to her face. ]
I... just didn't want to lose you. I was selfish... But look at you now.
[ She looks up to Inancha and smiles through her tears. ] You did this yourself. Halone, you are gorgeous...
[ Khara remains on her knees, laughing, each heave a brutal assault on her ribcage. ]
... Your path is yours. It always was, even when we met that day in Ul'dah.
no subject
[ Khara's words are wounding, but only in the sense that Inancha begins to realize the mistake she has made. The desire to have a closeness and family sparked from childhood, remained in her travels, yet she never realized she had obtained it well before joining the Collective. Somehow knowing Khara's feelings and the respect she holds solidifies that. ]
[ And Inancha cracks. ]
[ Those eyes that had began to well with tears squint, a pained expression coloring her the brightest it ever has in her entire life. Even through a blood-coated face, her eyes glow through the tears that flood through. That look of pain clear enough to be seen miles away. Inancha exhales a pained sound, choking on words that won't come as her dizziness over comes her. Such a great loss of blood and aether has destroyed her, and Inancha falls before Khara just the same. ]
[ What has she done? She's nearly killed her friend, her family. Had full intentions on mercilessly destroying her and bringing mere scraps to her superiors. The small Au'Ra falls to her knees, arms extended outward as her entire body flops. The torrent of emotions that completely wrack her at once have her in a guilt-ridden, terrifying panic and she clutches her head. Plated fingers cling and tug at her hair, and Inancha screams into the dirt. She sobs uncontrollably and shakes, unable to speak in kind to the incredible words Khara has shared with her. ]
[ What a mistake. What a failure. All this time, and here Inancha still has no idea who or what she is. ]