DreamWorld
Elsewhere-Battlefield
Cosette stops as the Fallen Agents surround her as Esmeray stood in her way, daggers clenched in her hand as Cosette cocks her head to the side as she then laughs.
Cosette: You've got to be kidding me. You.
Esmeray: Cosette?
Cosette smirks and twirled about happily.
Cosette: In the flesh... well...soon enough anyways.
Esmeray: You're helping this asshole?
Cosette: Of course I am. This surprises you?
Esmeray: I knew you wanted Orion as much as I did but…
Cosette: Clearly I want them stopped more. Here you are, helping them.
Esmeray: No. I'm stopping you. And then taking them down. The right way.
Cosette: Our way has no use for the "right way". Orion can never be toppled by conventional means. You have to free the minds to change the hearts.
Esmeray: Cosette...stop this. Help us. We can bring Orion down together. Without destroying the world as we know it!
Cosette: Creating a better world. A world merged with dreams. Where classism doesn't exist. Where hatred for one's skin doesn't exist. Where a corporation doesn't control every aspect of our very existence.
Esmeray: Trading one evil for another is still evil…
Cosette: You chose yours clearly. And I've chosen mine.
Esmeray nods as she spins her daggers about and gets into a stance.
Esmeray: I don't want to hurt you.
Cosette: Haha how sweet...well, I want to hurt you.
Cosette giggles as her horse of Fallen Agents attack, Esmeray waiting as she nods and then holsters her daggers as Cosette raises an eyebrow as Esmeray raises a single hand.
The ground erupts with flames as the first line of Fallen Agents catch fire as Esmeray then raises her other hand and freezes the next group as Cosette sneers as Esmeray uses a combination of fire and ice to completely decimate the Fallen Agents attacking her as Cosette sighs loudly as she throws her head back.
Cosette: Fuck! Ahhhhhh... bullshit. You. You have Awakened abilities? you're not even a fucking dreamer…
Cosette fumes as Esmeray walks through her carnage and stands only a few feet from Cosette.
Cosette: Okay. Okay okay okay. So this is what we're going to do?
Esmeray: You tell me?
Esmeray throws a fire covered fist at Cosette but feels her fist stop before making contact as she looks confused as her fist and arm won't move as Cosette had simply raised a finger.
Cosette: Ah Ah. Not gonna be that easy, honey.
Esmeray: What's...happening…
Esmeray struggles to move her arm as Cosette grins and lowers her finger as Esmeray arm drops, Esmeray grabbing at it as it didn't do anything.
Cosette: Since you decided to destroy all of my thralls, I was able to focus my ability...a nifty little power you know as digital rewriting...and used it to gain control over your limb there. See.
Cosette moves her finger about as Esmeray's arm follows along like Cosette was controlling her arm like a puppet, Esmeray looking horrified as Cosette just giggles.
Cosette: Isn't it great being…
Esmeray throws her other arm forward and fires a blast of Ice that Cosette dives away from as Esmeray feels her other arm getting released and back to her control as Cosette sneers as she pulls herself up.
Esmeray: But it's got limits doesn't it...with all those other thralls out there siphoning away at your power you're only able to control on a limb or two at a time I would guess.
Cosette: think you're so smart...god, I fucking hate you, Ray.
Esmeray: We were so close, Cosette.
Cosette: Until I woke up...and realized what you were...an ego driven bitch wanting revenge for a dead brother who didn't bother to ever tell her the truth about…
Esmeray throws another punch of ice and fire combined, Cosette dodging it barely as Esmeray ran and knees Cosette in the chest as Cosette reels as Cosette taps at the ground and begins to send to code the Fallen Agents that still have bodies as they rise up as Esmeray keeps her knee against her chest as she had her pinned to the ground.
Esmeray: How dare you!
Cosette: Yes...let it all out...your unhinged uncontrolled rage. Go on. Hit me.
Esmeray screams punches Cosette hard but as she tested back for another stroke a few Fallen Agents grab her and yank her off as an Agent slams his fist into Esmeray's chest as she had lowered her shields to optimize her elemental powers. Esmeray spitting up blood as the Fallen Agents bring her to her knees as they held her arms out to the side as Cosette gets up and brushes the field dirt off of her as she runs her jaw and comes over to Esmeray as she grabs her chin and forces Ray to look at her.
Cosette: I want you to recognize that when the world merges, when you die here...you die. They'll be no respawn. They'll be no wait period to log back in. So I won't "kill" you. Cuz it wouldn't really matter. But I will make you suffer. I'll make you hurt. I'll not just bruise your body and mind, I'll bruise and crush that ego... I'll make you feel as small as you use to make me feel. And then when Xander creates our world anew, I will finish you off forever...and the world will never know Esmeray Dixon...and I will dance on your grave under a pale moonlight. Because that's your destiny. And that's my dream.
Esmeray sneers as Cosette grins.
Cosette: So...what should I do first…
A Fallen Agent screams and Cosette looks up to see someFallen Agents turn and fire as Ash rips and bashed through them as he shows off his incredible fighting skills as Cosette backs away ad Esmeray takes advantage of the distraction and fights her way off of the ones holding her as she draws one of her daggers and stabs the Fallen Agents to death as she and Ash fight the Fallen Agents off as Cosette again throws her head back in frustration.
Cosette: Ugh! This is fucking ridiculous guys. Come on!
The two finish the last ones off as they then nod at one another before turning to face Cosette.
Cosette: This. Sucks. Ugh!
Ash comes over and looks at Esmeray
Ash: You alright?
Esmeray: I think so.
Ash: That's a real shame.
Esmeray looks at Ash before Ash cold cocks bet and knocks her out cold, Cosette raising an eyebrow as Ash kicks Esmeray's body and sends her tag filling away as Cosette just nods with approval.
Cosette: Well. That was neat.
Ash: Bitch would've just gotten in my way. Besides, we had orders to take them out whenever opportunity arose. Still doesn't change that me and you have a fight.
Cosette: Oh haha honey. You think we didn't know all of this?
Ash: What are you talking about?
Cosette: Xander played this card real close to the best. But would it really surprise you to know that he had someone on the outside? In the real world the entire time. You may have thought there were only Four followers, or zealots as you have labeled us. Surprise. There were always five of us. And one of your own.
Ash doesn't know what to think as Cosette just grins.
Cosette: By now I think he'll have revealed himself...and oh what fun it'll be.
Ash: Who!?
Cosette just laughs as Ash rushes her, Cosette raising a finger as she rewrites and takes control of Ash's legs, forcing him to fall over as Ash looks down surprised as he strains and fights for control of his own limbs but nothing happens as Cosette just touched the ground with her other hand and begins to raise the Fallen Agents that can be raised again as Ash looks to see Esmeray was still out cold as Ash realizes he may of been to hasty.
Elsewhere-Tower Ledge
Kelsey fires and watched as a few Drones take out some of the other agents as Mario lowers his gun as the Drones began to take the others out as Alex and Charles did their best protect them as Hazel kept firing her bow and blowing Drones out of the sky as Kelsey watches as Mario puts his arm behind his back as he paces about.
Kelsey: How long have you been helping them?
Charles and Alex turn as Kelsey faces Mario who grins.
Mario: The entire time of course.
Kelsey: You knew Xander was an Echo.
Mario: I knew everything. I was never fooled by the implanted dreams placed in my head, Xander made me see through the lies. Offered me a way out. A way to survive. A way to become more. I pledged myself to his causes many many years ago. His longest and most loyal servant. By now Cosette has kept the numbers at Bay. Artur has breached the lobby and will take his time with the others. My part has now presented itself to keep you occupied and let the skies stay frantic.
Alex quickly attacks, forming his Crusader Sword as Mario throws a hand forward and creates a Rapier as he easily blocks Alex's wild attack.
Kelsey: Fool! Formulate an attack!
Alex slashes and swings wildly as Mario just blocks and parties easily as Hazel takes aim at Mario who catches her firing and moves quickly aside as he swipes at the air and knocks it away as Charles aims but Kelsey lowers his gun.
Charles: What are you doing?!
Kelsey: We need to wait for an opening.
Charles: I can't just…
Kelsey: Listen to me Goddammit!
Charles nods as Alex and Hazel do what they could but Mario just blocks and parries easily as Kelsey watches his footwork, Kelsey moving her hand off of Charles barrel as Charles takes aim, sighting Mario as Kelsey watches as Alex is kicked away after a series of attacks and Hazel draws three arrows, firing them all at once as Mario swipes them away and lunges at her, Hazel trying to draw as Mario had the rapier pointed directly for Hazel's heart.
Kelsey: Now!
Charles fires and watches as the round stuck Mario in the head. Kelsey takes a deep breath as Hazel is frozen as she sees how close it came to her as she moves back clearly shaken as Alex stands and comes near Kelsey as Charles goes to Hazel.
Charles: Are you okay?
Hazel nods as she looks shaken as Kelsey sneers as Alex turns to see Mario groan as he stands, the bullet still lodged in his head as he grabs it and perks it off, dropping it as Charles and Hazel look horrified.
Mario: Ouch.
The four looked about as they weren't sure what was going to happen next.
Elsewhere-Afar.
Caleb watches the battlefield as he sees the carnage high and above as he scans about as Zyanya stands by him.
Zyanya: You sure about this?
Caleb: We gotta try. We Tegan that.
Zyanya: Alright.
Zyanya turns and goes towards her husband as Xerxes was prepping his sleek and cool look X-Wing/Battle Cruiser.
Zyanya: The Wraith. Nice.
Xerxes: Gonna be crazy up there. Can't believe I'm going to be helping Orion Industrial.
Caleb: We're only helping because that's who Tegan is down their fighting against. Far as I know we're all going to be enemies.
Zyanya grabs her husband and pulls him into a long kiss.
Zyanya: Come back to me.
Xerxes: I can say the same.
Zyanya: I will.
Xerxes: Caleb…
Caleb looks at him as he extends a fist, Caleb pounding it as Xerxes kisses his wife's forward and gets into the Wraiths pilot chair as he starts it up. Caleb and Zyanya watch him take up and zoom off into the fray as the two look at each other and nod as they make their way into the battlefield.
End of chapter.