"We need to hurry" said Varric as he stood near the 2 meter tall walls of the outpost. Nothing compared to Fort Blanche, but in their current predicament, it was something that signaled safety for the civilians.
"We're going as fast as we can. There are too many injured for us to move any faster." said Le'ahna
"Well, it's not good enough. The faster we get out, and get moving the better." He looked back, to the walls, cracked and bent in odd places here and there.
It wouldn't hold against another onslaught like last time. Not again.
He looked to Le'ahna. Yes, he hated her guts. He hated the fact that she was so...spoiled, haughty. He hated the fact that she had security....stability in life.
Emphasis on 'had', as no matter how much he hated her, rationally or irrationally, in the face of impending death...or doom, whichever turned out to be worse, they were all the same.
When the Siege would come once more, the remaining combatants would fight, bar one.
"The Traveler is going with the civilians?" she asked, no sign of the noble pride to be seen anywhere. At least, anymore.
"Yes"
"Lucky her"
"Yeah"
"Hm"
"Hm"
"You think we'll make it out alive?"
"no" he said, sarcastic.
"You could've lied you know?" she said.
"What good would that do? When you die, you'd curse me for lying to you. And frankly? I'd rather not have your bad karma when I return to the Mother Almighty."
"What makes you think such a boorish man like yourself would would be able to return to her?" she said, smirking.
"What makes you think a black-hearted vixen like yourself would return to her?"
"Tch"
"You won't win the battle of tongue with my young miss" he said.
"Eugh, perhaps I'll find solace in death, devoid of your presence" she replied, cringing.
Little moments of banter like these, made...made the prospects of what would come a bit easier to bear.
"Get going young miss, I'll stay out for watch here" He said, looking at the rocky, desolate landscape.
The outpost was a relatively defensible facility, positioned at the top of a steep hill among the mammoth-like walls of the gorge in the distance. However, there was no sign of life, no movement.
No atmosphere.
How they breathed you ask?
The simple answer was augmentation. Beings certain level of power stopped relying on material resources for the survival of the physical body, much like Aedhira, they'd depend on the ambient mana of the environment. Which was why no one required the specialized suits for breathing air any longer.
However in environments of low mana, they'd have to fashion something similar to a suit like that.
Lokir, despite being the nightmare it was so far, wasn't in fact devoid of mana. Hence the lack of need for these suits.
The civilian's however were a different story. No different from an average mortal, they'd need these suits that provided air. Compared to earth based spacesuits, which were plump and clunky, these were often sleek , for more durable and had days or oxygen to last.
Le'ahne looked at Varric somberly.
"Two pairs of eyes are better than one old man, or are you unsure that you'd lose control in the presence of such a beautiful woman like myself?"
"Tch, I'm not that old, I'm barely 57 you know?" he said as much, but physically, he barely looked a day over 25.
"Exactly, men your age are lecherous perverts"
"Tch, not bad young miss" he said
"Not bad indeed" he said, sighing and looking back to the walls of the gorge in the distance.
----------------------------------------------
"Bob, how are the carriages looking" asked Bearof
Bob, the young, once chubby mechanic with oil-stained hands and a grim and tired scowl, glanced up from his work on one of the damaged carriages. He wiped the sweat from his brow and squinted at Bearof, his expression grim.
"Not good," he replied gruffly. "We've patched up what we can, but these things have taken a beating. They'll hold together long enough to get us to the outpost, but I wouldn't count on them for much more than that."
Bearof nodded, his brow furrowed in concern. The prospect of relying on damaged vehicles to transport the survivors was less than ideal, but they had little choice in the matter. They needed to evacuate the outpost before the next wave of Siege arrived, and the carriages were their only means of escape.
"We'll have to make do," Bearof said, his voice resolute. "We can't afford to wait any longer. We need to get everyone loaded up and ready to go as soon as possible."
Bob grunted in agreement, his expression stoic as he returned to his work. Bearof watched him for a moment, a sense of gratitude swelling within him. Despite his tired exterior, Bob was one of the most dependable members of their team, and Bearof knew they could count on him to do whatever it took to get the job done.
Once a mere junior engineer, now worn and tested over and over. He had grown a lot in there short time together. He'd have a bright future ahead of him if he made it out.
Emphasis on 'if'.
Within the next system hour, he had rounded up the civilians. They were tired, constantly on the run, first from the war, the Siege, and now, they'd be running again.
The atmosphere in the outpost was tense as Bearof gathered the civilians, his heart heavy with the weight of their impending evacuation. They had already endured so much, and now they faced yet another trial, another journey into the unknown.
"Listen up, everyone," Bearof called out, his voice cutting through the murmurs and whispers of the gathered crowd. "We don't have much time. The carriages are ready, but they won't hold up for long. We need to move quickly if we want to make it to safety."
The civilians exchanged worried glances, their faces etched with fear and uncertainty. They had placed their trust in Bearof and his team, but the prospect of another perilous journey weighed heavily on their minds.
"You'll be traveling in groups," Bearof continued, his voice steady and reassuring. "Each carriage will have a designated leader who will be responsible for ensuring everyone stays safe and accounted for. Stick together, follow their instructions, and we'll get through this together."
The civilians nodded in understanding, their resolve strengthened by Bearof's words. They may have been weary and battered, but they were determined to survive, to overcome whatever obstacles lay in their path.
"Your respective group leaders have already told you, but I'll tell you again. The civilians will head away to the next nearest outpost. Majority of the combatants will remain behind, we will hold of the Siege long enough for the convoy to get to a safe distance, at which point we'll get moving too."
He displayed a holographic map, large enough to everyone in the hangar to see.
"The outpost is here. 3 days distance, and with the Mother's blessings, you will arrive safely"
A child then stepped out, holding onto what seemed to be some kind of plush toy. A bunny.
"Will we be fine?"
Bearof smiled warmly, like a hearth on a cold winter night, he squatted down to the child's level, and patted him on the head.
"You'll be fine boy, as long as you know that the Mother will watch over your journey"
He turned to look at the rest.
"As she will for the rest of you"
He looked to a familiar hooded figure in the crowd, Miyu, hidden away from his gaze. He smiled lightly.
"Load up, get moving, the faster you get moving the better" he said to the team leaders.
"Go, on, they will direct you" he said to the crowd.
He cupped his hand into some kind of prayer, and drew it in a moon shape around his chest.
"May the Mother bless your journey" he muttered silently.