The Priestess Discovered, The balance of good and evil I PM for details

[Ardgal Raxis]

Ardgal felt pride well in his chest as she began to whip order into this chaos. A smile caressed his lips, he knew there was something special about her, that he had chosen the right woman for his Priestess. A cough went through his body, sending a wave of pain through him. He felt a broken rib or two that were already beginning to mend with his vong shaped, accelerated Fierrerro healing. He stumbled ahead slowly, grasping the wall for support as he got closer to Taara.

"Are you alright, sir?" One of the soldiers asked stopping at his master.

Ardgal nodded, "Bring me my blade and my rifle. I will lead the defense long enough for them to get out."

"But my lord--"

"Do it," he ordered. The soldier moved away quickly without another word.

Ardgal gripped Taara's forearm with a proud smile, "You did good. Oversee the Evacuation. I will help provide cover long enough for you all to get out of this city. Take care of them. And Go with My Blessing."

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

She looked at him. Suddenly, there was great fear in her features. She couldn't... She couldn't lose anyone else...​

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The ceiling was growing weaker by the second as another blast of artillery shook the building. She blinked a couple times, snapping out of it.​

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"Just... Don't die..." ​

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She said finally. With the adrenaline in her system, she didn't even feel the wounds on her body anymore. She helped the doctors move as many patients as possible while the soldiers covered them. She did her best to keep everyone as calm and focused as possible.​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

His right hand gripped his blade's hilt firmly. He let his left hand linger on her a moment longer as he gave a confident smile.

"I won't die," his other hand gripped the slug thower he was handed, pumping it with one quick fluid motion, ratcheting a round into the chamber, "I'm immortal."

With flight feet, Ardgal rushed to the scene of the fire. What remained of the west wing was crumbling around him. The artillery stopped as he made his way through the doorway into the shattered half building. That could only mean one thing--Troops would be incoming. He crouched low, waiting for the enemy to arrive. A few moments later he heard the sound of boots clomping through the debris. The first half-uniformed man came into view. Ardgal locked eyes with him--before pulling the trigger. The second after him jerked back, trying to avoid the unseen enemy--but his head found its way right into Ardgal's iron sights. The rifle fired a second time, dropping the man's body with a spasm. A thunderous firefight broke out, the enemy hunkered down in their position there. Ardgal scampered away, looking for a second angle to attack from.

*******

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

The last of the wounded were being hurried out of the collapsing building. As Taara ran with a doctor on one side and a soldier on the other, a blaster shot struck the soldier down.​

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The doctor screamed, staring down in fear at the now dead man. Taara paused for a moment, just as shocked as her. A second blaster shot narrowly missed her head. That was when she decided to bend down and take the fallen soldier's weapon. They kept moving. She blindly fired in the direction of opposing fire, not certain if she was hitting anything or not.​

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Finally, they made it to the rendezvous point.​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

An explosion rocked what was left of the hospital. It quivered for a moment, struggling to remain aright before collapsing on itself. Smaller explosions rocked the building as it crushed itself and the incendiary substances within. A cloud of powdered duracrete, plaster, and permacrete filled the air in a haze of shadowy disruption. The dust settled as the last bits of rocks stopped clattering. Silence filled the area, a collective breath was held.

The rubble stirred suddenly, just a faint rustle as what was left of a wall barely moved. A second later, it moved again. A hand emerged, cuts and burns crossed its back and front. The hand gripped the rocky ground around it and pulled its body free. Ardgal's face emerged, cut and bruised but still alive. He hauled his body free and staggered to his people, to Taara. His wounds were already closing, healing for his dear life. He would of course, still need medical attention, but not as badly an ordinary being would have.

His hand caressed her, face and he managed a pained but pleased smile, "Well done."

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

Taara felt as if her lungs would collapse with the building as everyone waited for what felt like an eternity. Please...​

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The rubble gave way. Ardgal slowly pulled himself to his feet. As he did this, a shaft of sunlight came through the dust and smoke, illuminating his form. It was as if a ring of pure light formed around his face a moment.​

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Everyone sighed and cheered with relief. Taara came up to him, sliding one of his arms over her shoulders to help him walk. Once Ardgal made it to the rendezvous point, the remaining soldiers and doctors began gathering up the wounded and moving out.​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Ardgal took her help and half walked, half pulled himself towards the transport. It wasn't easy, being tattered, battered, and more broken than not. His other hand gripped his Ardgal'kal loosely, also covered with burns, cuts, and scrapes. He had been through the ringer alright, but this god was not one to be easily broken or killed.

The Rondevoux point was a quartet of mostly battered buildings that were still somewhat standing. It was large enough to hold everyone, but just barely. Ardgal went into what was the emergency command center, basically a crate that had been overturned with a paper map of the city spread across it. A doctor began tending to his wounds, helping stitch him up, apply bacta to the wounds and all that good stuff. Ardgal sat staring at his hands in silence. The post-battle fatigue was setting in, his hands started trembling.

War took its toll on everyone, even the most battle hardened soldiers felt shook up afterwards. Ardgal could feel his body giving way under the stress of the battle.

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

Taara was being tended to as well, as some of her wounds had started bleeding again. She hadn't really taken her eyes off of him since he'd come out of the rubble.​

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How had he lived? No one could've survived being crushed to death like that... Her eyes drifted to Ardgal's hands. They were shaking.​

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She wasn't sure if she should, but Taara slowly approached him. She got down on her knees in front of him. Her hands gently slipped into his, steadying them a bit.​

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".... How did you live?"​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

The Truth? In the event of an earthquake, the safest place to be was in a doorway near a corner of a loadbearing wall. The general's neural implant was loaded with info on architecture--and able to rapidly asses the data on the spot. The moment the building began to destroy itself, he grabbed the closest foe and used him as a meat shield to get to the closest door next to the load bearing wall. It had saved his life, his implant, his vong shaping, and bio engineering. The things that made him a god.

He could still see in the eyes of his human shield as the life was battered out of him.

The falling duracrete battering him to death.

His body slowly going limp.

The blood--

Ardgal swallowed and forced himself to look at Taara, letting his focus on her bring him back to the moment.

"I am a god," he said at last, "This is what gods do. We survive the impossible. I am invincible."

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

She wasn't sure about the invincible part. He was bleeding and bruised, after all. But...​

​

Surviving that was the closest thing to a miracle that she'd ever seen. She didn't really know about considering him a god. Mainly because the idea was too fantastical for her to grasp at this moment in time. However... If things like this kept happening, she would no doubt be inclined to believe him.​

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"What should we do now?"​

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Taara was still looking at Ardgal with concern.​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

"Well," Ardgal thought for a moment, it was a good question. This city was left in shambles, the people were wounded, there were no more resources left to be had, or really worth fighting for here. There wasn't much of an answer left except--

"Evacuate," he said pursing his lips, "We call in for ships to carry these civilians off world. If this foolish coup wants what is left here, they can have it. Its not worth fighting for."

He grunted in pain as the doctor pulled out a bit of rock from his back, "Sir, I recomend you relax. It will help the anesthesia kick in."

Ardgal grimaced, gripping Taara's hand a little firmer, "A god doesn't need anesthesia." He looked back at her, 'Do you agree? I know a safe place. A place where no one will ever harm you. Or anyone else."

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

".... There's nothing left for us here. We'll go." ​

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Taara turned her attention to one of the soldiers standing guard near them.​

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"You there. Gather the others and find a way to get some shuttles down here. We need to get off this planet before this war destroys everything."​

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The soldier nodded and ran further into the crowd of people, yelling for his brethren to get evacuation communications up and ready the wounded.​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

She was already speaking for the people. We will go. Commonness. Ardgal didn't know why he liked that. He didn't know if she was intentionally including him or if it was just a slip of the tongue. Either way, he liked the moment and didn't want to ruin it. He waited as the doctor plucked shrapnel out of his body and the shuttles were summoned.

It took quite some time to ferry everyone up into the waiting Corvettes and transports overhead, but in the end, everyone got to safety. Ardgal stumbled into his chambers, a spartan bedroom with a cot, a desk covered with plans, a closet for uniforms pressed and folded in perfect conformity, a rack for weapons, a rack for his armor, and a small restroom. He took seat in the chair at the desk and heaved a weary sigh, running his hand through his matted hair.

"Where do you want to stay?" Ardgal asked Taara at last. "I am afraid that quarters will be cramped. These ships were designed for--a third of the capacity we are carrying."

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

Taara held her doll and bracelet, glancing around the room a little.​

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"It doesn't matter... I doubt I'll sleep."​

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She admitted honestly. Everything had happened so quickly... She was shaking slightly from the adrenaline.​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

The general ran his hand across his face, several of his wounds were still healing but he was getting there. He probably needed a shower but--frankly his body was too exhausted. He willed himself to rise, and all his will it did take. He stumbled to the bed and scooped off two blankets.

"I will take the floor," he offered, beginning to make a rough pallet on the ground, he had slept on worse, after worse of course. "You can have the bed, and the shower first if you would like. What's mine is yours to use as you need," he managed a thin smile, "What few amenities I keep."

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

"... You're hurt far worse than I. Keep your bed. I'll keep an eye on the wounded for the journey."​

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Taara replied. She turned and started walking toward the door. She wasn't about to make a wounded and drained man give up his comfort purely for the sake of being courteous to her when he clearly needed it more.​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Ardgal gentle grabbed her forearm, not hard, just firm enough to halt her for a second to talk, the blanket slipped from his fingers onto the floor, "You need your rest. We have droids, doctors, medical professionals that can do a lot more than you or me right now. You and I will only get in the way of their work, unless your handy with a scalpel."

He motioned to the bed, "Please." He was a stubborn man, one thing that had saved his life more times than not. If nothing else, he switched to try another angle of reasoning, "You've been through an intense set of days, lost a great deal. You need the rest just as much as I do. In your state of mind, you won't be able to help the wounded any more than I could."

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

Taara looked down at his hand, and then up at him. She herself was exhausted. But when she saw the strain and great exertion to even stand in Ardgal's face she lost the will to argue further. She sighed.​

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"Alright. But I don't want the bed. Please. Keep it..."​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

He released her arm with a tentative swallow. He hadn't mean to--bother her. He retreated to the closet to remove what was left of his shreaded fatigues. He hadn't been wearing armor when the building collapsed on him. What was left of his clothing had been cut to ribbons by the doctor.

He carefully began pealing it off, grimacing in pain. Parts of his clothing were still stuck to him from the dried blood in painful, intense clumps. He let out a grunt as ripped one free from a slice along his ribs. Another as he peeled his shirt free from a scab on his stomach. Dust covered him, mixing in with it to make a sort of disgusting mud. He reached around back trying to reach a laceation over his lower spine, right in that spot you can't reach.

[member="Taara Sehko"]

 

[Taara Sehko]

Taara had begun studying the state of her own clothing. Aside from her bandages and the patches of skin that were cleaned to mend her wounds, she too was covered in dried blood, dirt and mud. Her clothing was fairly tattered and grimy. There wasn't really anything to replace it with, though. She sat her doll and bracelet down on the edge of the desk that Ardgal had been sitting at.​

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That was when she looked over to see Ardgal having difficulty undressing. She hesitated a moment. But then, Taara slowly walked over and gently helped him peel off the piece he couldn't reach. She averted her gaze as best she could while doing so.​

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[member="Ardgal Raxis"]​