Invasion No Quarter | NIO Invasion of TSE held Dantooine

[Okkeus Dainlei]

Location: Dantooine Orbit, Thunderstruck, blowing up assholes
Allies: Var Koon | Josiah Navollius | Naier Rambeigh | Robogeber
Enemies: The Sith, CIS, SJO supporters of the Elder Council, Thaelius Ordo | Taeli Raaf | Voph | Kiff Brayde | Verin Oldo
Directly Engaging: Vanessa Vantai
Theme: The Chain - Toothgrinder

The NIV Tregessar began to shrink behind him as the squadron got farther and farther away. If they were to get one final strike in, it had to be now.

Opening the s-foils one more time he listened as the hydraulics hissed open, then locking with a small click.

Something about that sound, it made him feeling something deep inside each time. It was like a light turning on. That small click barley noticeable, signified that shit was about to go down. Nothing else mattered besides what was in front of you. That small click meant life or death.

And he wouldn’t let it be the later.

Looking to his left and then his right he was reminded of how messed up the galaxy was. So called “Jedi” that are fighting alongside of the Sith, the Confederacy after the Imperials for no reason, and now an X-Wing flying with TIE Fighters.

What a day and age to be living in.

“Alright squadrons, this is our last chance to deal a big blow. We have to do it right. If the Sith end up winning, they will continue their evil conquest across the galaxy. That cannot happen. So listen up, here is the plan...”

“See that big old ship we just hit? Well, we are going after it again. Someone gave me word that somehow that Petards didn’t work, which sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me.”

Scattered agreements came over the comms. How in the world did they not work? Something else was going on here.

“We are going to hit the tubrolasers. If we get into that shield, they will be too close together to hit us and not damage their own ship. Plus we need some backup defense for our Corvettes and Cruisers.”

The ships fly back into line, forming another Flying-V. Their numbers were low, but if they did this right, the blow could be severely damaging. But they only had one shot.

Increasing their speed the squadron rushed towards the ship, getting ready to strike the underbelly again.

“Alright y’all, here we go. Get ready to cut shields so we can enter their’s. After that, we...what the hell!? Squadrons dive, dive now!”

He couldn’t believe what was in front of him. That crazy man Rambeigh’s ship, the NIV Inexorable Valediction of Summer was somehow inside of the Dreadnought’s shields. Looks like he was getting his final stole in before them.

“Scratch the old plan squadrons, we got a new one. Provide cover fire for that ship!”

Engaging his booster pod the X-Wing rushed forward with incredible speed. The TIE Fighters must have been outfitted with SLAM Drives, because they sped forward as well.

From their view the ship was getting smoked. Those turbolasers were digging into the hull. But not for long.

Quickly cutting his shields he slipped though the Dreadnought’s, before turning them right back on. The TIEs did the same.

Now time to have some fun.

Pressing down on both triggers the red bolts of energy flew out of the blasters, aimed directly for the nearest turbolaser.

With a brilliant explosion the fire consumes the turbolaser. One down, hundreds to go. But all they needed to do was get that ship out of here.

Arching back downward he aimed his path for the Imperial ship. Charging full speed he screamed past the bridge, then at the far post he cut his engines and sent it into a full turn.

With the absolutely sickest move ever he drifted around the ship, carrying his speed and exiting even faster.

Switching to the normal missiles he fired two away, aimed directly for the turbolasers. Both struck on individual ones, taking out two more.

“Hell yeah squadrons! Keep this up!”

Swinging the X-Wing back around he watched as Rambeigh’s ship hurried out of the shields, creating as much distance as possible. Looks like he made it.

“Squadrons! Take out your final turbolasers and get out of here! We did our job.”

The final explosions finished up on the hull, taking out a few more of them. Thankfully, no one was killed on this run.

Making sure all of the TIEs were out of the shield, he brought up the rear to defend them.

Turning off his shields the was just about to fly through and make it back to the NIV Tregessar.

That was when his engines exploded.

“Fuck!”

Every single warning light and siren imaginable was going off. Some how a turbolaser must have struck him right as he slipped through the shields.

His X-Wing began to angle downwards, pointing towards the planet. And then it started to move.

This wasn’t good.

Somehow the atmosphere was sucking him into its gravity, and he was on a collision course with the planet.

“Mayday, mayday! This is Commander Okkeus Dainlei! My X-Wing has been hit and I got pulled into the gravity of the planet!”

The comms shots sparks at him before dying out. Blast!

The X-Wing was now in the atmosphere, picking up speed way to fast. Down below he could make out the ground assault that was happening. Small flashes were going off, indicating either blaster fire...or lightsabers.

What was more important though was the ground approaching too fast for his liking. Looking out he saw a large body of water, with small blobs sitting in it. What, that was the Maritime division! They were on his team!

“Alright, c’mon now Thunderstruck, we got this. We’ll be fine.”

With the hydraulics broken he reached out with the force, manually closing the s-foils. The landing would at least be a little smoother.

He angled the ship straight for the water, trying to land in between two ships. This was going to hurt very, very badly.

The water was within meters now. Grabbing onto the crash webbing he held on for dear life.

Last thing he remembered was the ship impacting the water. His head slammed forward, hitting the control panel. As the X-Wing slowly sunk he looked up, watching the sun set.

As the sun sets after each day, so must the war. It was time.

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"No-" Her voice cracked again as she helplessly watched. Helplessly laid where she was as the red skin of her fellow acolyte was blocked out by dirt, rock, crystal, and dust. Aline started to drag herself forward. Her body screamed with pain. She was well past her limit. But the legionnaire wasn't going to give up. Even as the sky was alight with artillery and the sun blocked out. Even the fact that they, who were underground, could see the surface again, the legionnaire didn't dare to let the acolyte stayed buried.

More blood was spat out of the young woman's mouth. She looked down to her hands as she tried to push herself up. How dirty they were. Gore and dirt caked her hands. How horrifying must she look now, she wondered? Could anyone even tell if her hair was blonde? These sort of distractions helped her to her feet. Push past the pain. The fear. She dropped to her knees beside Ruek, her expression grim. And she started to dig. Bit by bit, pulling the loose crystal and rock to the side.

As best she could with one arm, at least. The other was broken, no doubt about that. Thankfully her saber had use. She'd use it to cut anything too large for either of the woman to move on their own. They had to find her. Iasha wasn't dead. She was the strongest here. She inspired the others. Inspired her. Frustration bubbled over as she kept digging, the anguish and hate clear on her face. The Lord responsible for this. She would hold him accountable.

Iasha Rha | Darth Vulcanus | Ruek Tast

 

[Laertia Io]

Laertia tensed, feeling a familiar and evil presence heading their way at high speed, somehow having pilfered an enemy assault shuttle. Without mercy its occupant cackled like Volgin in The Shagohod in a fit of homicidal insanity and opened fire on those NJO closing in on the temple, deliberately grinding her shuttle , into the ground and smashing apart Jedi that happened to be in its crash path as they advanced on the temple, killing Knight and Padawan alike.

See, while Ryv had been busy getting Cloud Citied, Laertia, knowing how dire the situation was, called on her own Deadly Alliance. Because why should Darth Carnifex and Thurion Heavenshield get to have all the fun being Shang Tsung and Quan Chi?

(1990's Mortal Kombat Theme Plays)

All Laertia had sent was two simple words in her head, delivered with snarling contempt towards the recipient:

Here. Now.

The shuttle skidded to a stop in front of the bloody streak of dead Jedi and smashed Padawans, completing the dark reinterpretation of the sweet as hell Darth Malgus on Coruscant Trailer for The Old Republic.

The front of the cockpit was cut open and The Amalgam strode out, purple blades flashing as she began to confidantly stride to the temple amidst the smoke, debris, and viciously destroyed bodies of the carnage she had created to reach it easily, casually killing even some of her own allies in the Process. She didn't care. Her light colored, skintight Catsuit was splashed with Jedi blood, like her near impossibly beautiful face. But she wasn't alone.

Other women and some men of many species, all wearing white armorweave catsuits began to make their presence known from behind the Jedi ranks closing on the temple, having hid themselves with both the Force and Unholy Magics, many having almost as rotten and decayed a presence in the Force as The Amalgam did. Indeed, they had been waiting, silent this whole time, feeding off the slaughter and death to build up their power in the Dark Side the way The Amalgam could.

They hadn't just been in hiding around the battlefield close to the temple. They had been around it. Waiting.

She snatched an almost dead Padawan up from the dirt in all the chaos she had caused, maybe about twenty years old, and viciously, slowly, sawed him in half where she knew Shaka Sunstar could not fail to notice...or fail to hear his absolutely agonized screams before his soul was devoured before it could join with the Force, to feed the evil minds inside of her.

They had waited until they were all on the verge of grouping together on the temple.

The Witches behind the Jedi closing in struck, painstaking hours before the invasion setting up magical lightning traps around the battle, their presence hidden by the same unholy magic fueling the Witches. Bursts of purple lightning erupted from below the feet of Jedi advancing, killing dozens in an instant everywhere as the witches now struck in earnest, their purple and red blades beginning to rip into the surprised Jedi from behind, many more than a match for your average Knight or Master, who they began to slaughter and absorb, their flesh shuddering like The Amalgam's did.

More witches threw off their Dark Magic to reveal themselves much closer, like deadly close to Shaka and his friend, firing bolts of lightning in his direction, though they were still far away enough, he could block or dodge if he was fast enough.

The Amalgam kept walking to the temple as her Cult of The Brain Demon began a bloody rampage through Jedi Ranks. Her flesh wriggled like rats were underneath as she conjured a burst of purple lightning from the sky, which impacted on the ground, striking dead another Padawan not powerful enough to grind the intense lightning barrage from above, the barrage traveling slowly up the steps to Shaka...

"Its so nice of you all to drop in! I would have made sandwiches, but I didn't know how many of you would show! You really must stay for drinks though! We have some absolutely posh Torture Chambers you are going to adore." The Amalgam gushed at Shaka as she brandished her Purple Blades at Shaka with a psychotic grin, unable to resist her inner Gary Busey Levels of Ham, supplemented by the persona of evil minds within, enhancing her strength in the Dark Side, her aura a rotting, festering horrific wound in the Force that was terrible to look upon with etherial senses.

Laertia guarded against the wounded Sword. Even now, he was dangerous. A cornered fox is the most dangerous animal.

She had known how many Jedi they would commit to this operation. How important a symbol it was to them. It had wretched her heart to see this awful sight, not having known what the Amalgam had been prepping for in the days leading to the temple siege

She knew the Amalgam was psychotic and brutal enough to do something. She wanted to vomit at the results.

"By the Force, Ryv ." she said sadly. "You just 'had' to toss these Jedi into a meat grinder. With me as the engine. Once The Bryn'adul were out of the way, I'd have helped you sieze this temple without blinking." Laertia said bitterly, hiding tears under her helmet. She hadn't known. She hadn't known The Amalgam was planning this. They hadn't even collaborated. The Amalgam, being The Amalgam, had simply worked the Situation in her favor.

But that was no excuse.

"I truly am sorry." Laertia said quietly, advancing, blade extending by a third. Even now, she refused to take chances.

However, she teleported his fallen blue blade next to him, so that he might have an extra weapon to combat her in compensation for his damaged limbs. It might buy him a few more seconds. It might get her killed. She respected his valor. He had fought with honor.

She waited for him to take the blade from the ground, then went to a modified Makashi Guard, allowing him the first attack in however a manner he pleased...

 

[Daedalos Solidor]

O B J E C T I V E | Enjoying the show.
L O C A T I O N | Future Wasteland.
T A G S| Lavria Xedrim
T H E M E | Here.
V O I C E | Here.
G E A R | Armor, necklace,
pistols, lightsaber.
​

Her pace was good, better than he was. In his heart, Daedalos had little doubt that she would defeat him completely if she was given more time, but as Leliana would say, the gods always smiled on brave women and fools, and time was something they could not afford on Fredo’s little beating. The elzeri did all he could to use both feet and jumping away from her reach, riding fast to attach the gun back in his holster, wrapping his lightsaber’s handle with both hands, prepared to take this seriously.
"It seems your friends have lost their damn minds!" she yelled over the cacophony of carnage. "So I don't know about you, but I'm getting the heck out of here!"

The male decided to look up, his two sapphire orbs allowing his gaze to capture the incoming image. The whole city would burn, get evaporated from the face of this planet, the Imperial Boys had no love for the Sith and little time to waste on their conquering, and now Fredo understood why the commanding officer was so keen on allowing him to wander upon the city without saying a word about this. For he, much like many others, would love to getting rid of the flamboyant elzish prince for good without getting their hands dirty.

Slowly his head returned to his opponent as she started to flee the scene, as she left, Daedalos cursed something in his native tongue, slamming his feet on the ground, shutting down his lightsaber, and making a run chasing after her, not with the intention of fleeing, that was something too obnoxious for his mind, Daedalos chased the sight of the woman's booty.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

Equipment: Armour, Shotgun, Gas Grenades filled with Berserk, Sidearm 1, Sidearm 2, Sabre, Ion Paddle Beamer, Cryo-Ban Gun.
Writing With: No one really. Disengaged from Loske Treicolt . Wrapping up participation in thread.

The battle seemed to be in the process of winding down. At least in the Enclave. Who could say how the greater battle for Dantooine would play out. The Jedi's banner fluttered in the wind, amidst the fire and smoke. How long it would stand there was another question. The coalition of Imperials and Jedi had broken down before. Alliances between great powers rarely lasted once the factor that unified them - typically another power - was removed.

For both sought to exact their will upon the galaxy. Here and there, Enyo came across Jedi and Sith engaged in fights. More often, she simply passed debris, fire and corpses. The stink of death hung over the enclave. Though she had decided to make herself scarce, Enyo did not leave the premises immediately. There was something else to see to first.

Her armour's cloaking device and Taozin amulet helped stay out of the heat, for the most part at least. Fortunately, the cloaking device had withstood Loske's electrical onslaught. The holographic disguise matrix worked as well. She moved deep into the lowest levels, heading for the archives. The door had been sealed and through her helmet she could perceive life forms. The door was made out of alchemised metal, meaning it could withstand a lightsabre's blow and then some. She could, however, punch through the wall.

A group of frightened pupils was huddled inside the archives. "Stop!" a female student cried out, holding a lightsabre in shaky hands. "Not one step closer...or I'll kill you." Fear and anger surged through her and weak bolts of lightning shrieked from her fingertips. At this point in time Enyo had had enough of being electrocuted. She took the blast, knocked the sabre out of the girl's grasp and held her at sabre-point. "No, you won't," she informed her matter-of-factly.

Other students drew their weapons. "Wait, I know her!" one of them declared. "It's Commander Typhos...she's with us. I'm, uh, sorry, Master, we didn't..."
"You're hiding," Enyo cut her off.
"We're protecting the archives," the girl from earlier insisted defiantly, though it was intermixed with fear.
"You're initiates - children. If you went out there, you'd be slaughtered - pointlessly. You were smart to seek refuge," Enyo spoke. "Of course, you may be punished. Tyrants don't reward intelligence." Was this accurate? Who knew.
"Is it safe?" the other initiate asked nervously. "The Empire will prevail, won't it? The Empire protects."
"Yeah, right," the girl muttered under her breath.

Enyo pulled back, withdrawing her sabre from the girl's throat. "The situation is grim. Perhaps it will prevail, perhaps not. If the Imperials and their Jedi goons prevail, you'll be slaughtered...just like the students on Bastion. The Imperials slaughtered every Sith on Bastion, even their own allies. And for all their preaching about peace, the Jedi won't lift a finger. If the Empire prevails and you're not punished, you'll just die a meaningless death in the next battle."

She scrutinised each of them. "You're local children, aren't you? Conscripted on the farms at an early age and forced to come here. Perhaps your heads were filled with stories, about how it was a great and noble duty."
"We were told it was an honour said," the first student said.
"We couldn't say no."
"No, Jedi and Sith don't give their minions a choice. So now you have one. You can stay and take your chances - I won't stop you - or come with me if you want to live." For how long? Who knew, though she was not in the business of wasting assets. It was uneconomical.

"That's treason. We'd be betraying the Empire."
"Tell that to the folks on Bastion. I was there."
"Where'd you take us? What would we do?"
"Somewhere untouched by war, safe from the grasp of Jedi and Imperials. You'd learn to harness the Force, unshackled by religious dogma and dynasties. You take what you need from each group and make it your own. There'll be sacrifices, but you'll be the better for it and have the strength to no longer slaves. Choose quickly." A blast could be heard coming from above, causing some students to wince.

Finally the first student took a breath. "Okay, but if you try to turn me into a borg, I'm cutting you down...even if it kills me."
Enyo's one functional eye flashed red. "Don't make threats unless you can back them up. Move." Leading a small group of initiates, Enyo made her way into the restricted section. It took some slicing and technopathy, then she was in. There was no time to scour this area in detail, which meant that many holocrons and books would elude her. Still, she began perusing the shelves and tossing several valuable items and tomes into a backpack. Quality not quantity was the aim. The Sith neophytes made themselves useful by helping. It had been a while since she'd had fun in a library. Then she headed for her shuttle, a couple new minions in tow.

FIN for Enyo

 

[Oceiros Sunstrider]

S U N S T R I D E R
NEW JEDI ORDER
JEDI-IMPERIAL JOINT STRIKE TEAM
Jedi Jumpsuit | Concord Brawn | Lightsaber

​

It was a fool’s dream that Oceiros would manage to penetrate the Sith Lord’s defenses and end the fight there. It was one that even the Jedi knew wouldn’t happen, what he hadn’t expected was for an all too familiar hilt to come to life before him. A sapphire blade that countered and matched the padawan’s own. The blade he’d seen so many times as a youth, that had haunted his dreams for months.

The two plasmatic blades interlocked, and Oceiros found himself without any ground to stand on, it was as though everything had been yanked from beneath him. He didn’t even attempt to raise a defense against Carnifex’s push that slammed into the epicanthix’s body throwing him into the ground.

Teeth gritting Oceiros worked himself back up to a knee, where he stared across the distance between him and the one-time Emperor. There were few times that the Jedi could truly say he felt hate, that he utterly despised an individual, but this was the exception. This was the kindling that gave birth to an inferno, the Jedi’s face flushed, his sapphire eyes meeting the penetrating gaze of the other epicanthix.

Despite having known the truth, having known that his cousin had become one with the force Oceiros couldn’t help but imagine those final moments playing through his head again. Teeth set, eyes blazing with hatred, the Jedi shot forward. Even now he could feel the presence of Arcanus lingering on the hilt of the weapon. Defiled by Carnifex, their entire legacy despoiled by the Sith.

“That does not belong to you!”

Guided by sheer adrenaline and rage Oceiros swung his lightsaber in a cleaving motion at the other, and again and again. Oceiros no longer let his mind nor the force control him, he let his wraith do that. Every moment one could feel the Jedi’s resentment seeping from him, each strike bearing all his hate. Slowly bit by bit Oceiros let himself sink into that despair, he let it fuel him, and that inferno within became a star on the verge of going nova.

The Willing: Rurik Fel
The Unthinkable: Darth Carnifex | Thurion Heavenshield

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Writing Partners: Darth Carnifex | Oceiros Sunstrider | Rurik Fel
​

The pleading words of his two opponents in this battle were eating away at his resolve to stay in the fight. More and more he felt like he'd made a mistake allying, if only temporarily, with the sole being responsible for so much pain and suffering; not just for himself, but for truly countless other souls across the known galaxy. His stance softened, his guard was let down until he became little more than a bystander in the midst of this fullscale war.

If he were to simply stand down and walk away, however, would not Midvinter be in even more danger as the Sith Empire would more than likely seek revenge for his failure to cooperate? All he ever sought was for his world to be left in peace. By signing this deal with the devil he knew, had he unknowningly doomed his people further?

Only time could tell.

It was as he kept his guard lowered, however, that Kaine Zambrano decided to lure the young Jedi into taking that first plunge into a darker path. Thurion recognised this, shaking his head as his unlikely ally played his devious card. It was why he'd sought to keep the two from facing each other, knowing the Padawan would fall for the Sith Lord's insidious ways.

"NO!"

He shouted, sensing in Sunstrider the dark thoughts take hold. Again he brandished his lightsaber and stepped in to assume the blows the younger Jedi sought to dish against the Dark Lord, wide eyes pleading with Oceiros as he hoped to break through the veil of vengeance now descended upon him.

"This is not the Jedi way! Revenge is not our way, Padawan! If you strike him down in anger you will be forever lost, and he will have won!"

He knew now he could afford to conclude his business here, or the life of this young Jedi would be forfeit. If it meant Oceiros would forever hate him, so be it. Were he to fall this day, be it physically or spiritually, Thurion would never forgive himself knowing he could've stopped it.

"Look at me, son! This is what he wants, for you to succumb to the dark desires bubbling within you! You can't give him what he wants, or your cousin's spirit will never find peace!"

He'd looked into the young man's heart and found the name 'Arcanus', as well as their familial ties. Another family torn asunder by the cruel Demon. To end Sunstrider's relentless assault, Thurion reached out and grabbed him by the wrist, merely holding him in place so he may convey his message.

"Use me. Take your anger out on me. I will accept your hatred if it means saving you."

And with those words, he let go of Oceiros' wrist.

 

[Tulan Kor]

​

ENEMIES | TSE | ELDER COMPACT | Darth Prazutis | Ulrich | Luna Terrik | Gerwald Lechner | Redd | Frank Sterling | Gnox the Insatiable



ALLIES | NIO | NJO | SOM | Jaeger Harrsk | Tyrell Paxxus | Djorn Bline | Tulan Kor | Asa Yubari | Lyra Voi'kryt | Tavius Muuaji | Daros Karmann | Sturit Goan | Rynn Vizsla | Ravraa Vyshraal


There were many suns to die beneath. But this was not mine.




The sky. It was bright.

Still bright.

His eyes were still looking at the sky when the medic came over to him. The voice was inaudible, barely able to be even called sounds by Tulan. Tulan was still looking at the sky. The medics dragged and carried him, a litter team carried him away after that. The faded noise of battle soon became a distant sound, the vibrations of distant war the only reminder that he was anywhere else.

He was still looking at the sky.

Tulan's hands grew stiff, the icy cold grip of death washing over him. A medic came over to him again, after a few minutes. He shook his head and waved his hand. It was a triage center- he realized. Mass casualties, they couldn't save everyone. Not lost causes like him, even.

Tulan was still watching the sky.

Tulan blinked for the first time in a few minutes, realizing how dry his eyes were.

He realized that he didn't want to die here.

He wanted to see more skies.

Not blackened, smoke-stack filled skies like this. Green, red, and all color tracers of laser fire echoed through the sky.

He reached up, his stiff hand fighting, pain resonating through his whole body. Muscle groups failed, but he reached up, seized the medic by the back of the shirt-

and when the medic looked back at him, he spat blood in his face.

The medic smiled beneath his stormtrooper helmet, knowing right then and there that Tulan was not in fact, going to die. Tulan was going to suffer, but he would endure. He would survive.

He had to, after all.

Demon Company might've been no more, but there was something special about Tulan Kor- he was the Devil.

The Demons might've been gone, but there would always be a hell for the Devil to be in.

Red-eyed Tulan sat back down on the stretcher, breathing deeply the breath of life, agonizing as it was. It hurt to breathe.

But to feel pain was to be alive.

And Tulan Kor- despite his injuries, was very much alive.

And he would remain so.

 

[Iasha Rha]

Alina Tremiru Ruek Tast​

She had no recollection of when the rocks fell, nor the moments that happened before. All she could remember was the mass of muscle and teeth rushing toward her, the feeling of the lightsabre in her hand, the sense of desperation as her heart beat intensely in her chest. She closed her eyes and opened them again just to make sure. Either she was blind or she was captured in complete darkness. She couldn't move, and it was hard to say if it was because she was held in place or if her body had been crushed. Hell, it was hard just to tell which side was up.

She would spit to find out, but her mouth was too dry. It tasted like blood, copper and loose teeth. A ringing sound pierced her head like a needle stuck through her ear. What did the academy say again? What did one do when trapped in debris? Don't make any big movements, that can cause a collapse. She remembered that part. Find which way is up and orient yourself thusly if possible. Her throat was still too dry, and there was something wet on her forehead, too much of it for her to sense what it was or where it flowed.

Find out what you can still move. How? Finger and toes. She closed her eyes, screwed them shut, and tried her best to wiggle her left hand. She felt her hand, it was fine. In fact she found that it was pressed against her head. Right hand: Difficult, but it wasn't the nerves. It was stuck under something. She couldn't pull it out. Left foot: Fine, she could even move it about somewhat. Right foot: Also fine, but a banged up. Her knee really hurt. She tried moving her hips, but found the crux of the issue: Something was holding her head and torso stuck. With the movement and slow recollection of her own physicality, she realised the position she was in: Her legs were up above her and her head was down. She used her left hand to feel her torso, numbed by adrenaline, she only then sensed the pang of pain of what kept her there.

She tried to make noise, but found her larynx to be fractured. She could barely make a sound. Her feet kicked, but she knew it was a bad idea.

If she wasn't dug out properly, she could die in there.

"Not like this."

Iasha slipped her hand up to her face to wipe some of the wetness from her face, but found the path obscured by debris. Her voice was the barest whisper as she spoke through gritted teeth and a cracked lip.

"This is not how I want to die."