* LOSSKNOWN.

lukas wayne. dani camden. donovan traide.

[lossknown]

delvedinto​:

even before the encounter, helena was more than aware of what the lower-ranking cadet was like. disgusted by his behaviour and attitude towards women was an understatement, he was nothing but a misogynistic prick. he did his best to compete with her older brother, joseph - jealous that he was his superior in every way. when joseph died, oliver tried his hardest to absorb his qualities, attach himself to joe’s closest friends and altogether replace him; disintegrate his memory once and for all seemed to be his lifelong mission despite the grief which struck within the ranks. she knew gracie would have told lukas what he was like, she often found her lingering to eavesdrop on their conversations. however, there was nothing either of them could do due to the overwhelming ideology of patriarchy. she couldn’t even entertain the thought of lukas being thrown to the outlands, it caused her too much anxiety and upset. it was strange having all these emotions about him, she was still unsure what it meant. 

“no. it would be unprofessional of me not to get involved, you need evidence that it’s not just you to blame for these violence accusations.” she explained, eyes still scanning the sheets of paper. she knew she had to do something to help. as much as he told her to not get involved, she was incapable of listening to instructions which weren’t her own. once her mind was focused on an initiative, she was determined to see it through. regardless of what he thought, surely he would know that by now. “but if there’s evidence that suggests you’re not just some anger-induced, hormonal head-case… then it can help your cause. plus, we have evidence against him and i know there’s things others, sentinels, are keeping from me about him.” she admitted, mind reeling with multiple incidents where the blame was placed on oliver’s shoulders. 

her small hand lingered momentarily, slender digits subconsciously brushing against his skin as a gesture of reassurance and support. helena was never really good at being affectionate, the thought of hugging another brought chills to her spine. though, she had debated the idea during this moment. “you don’t know that until we, at the very least, try.” she took a step forward, hand still perched on his upper arm and gaze pointed towards his as she extended the paperwork back. 

an almost defeated look trespassed onto helena’s features as she recognised the other’s voice, a silent huffing airing as she momentarily closed her eyes with frustration. her body stiffening as she could feel him behind her, a nauseous feeling sitting in her chest as she peered over her shoulder. “lukas, it’s fine.” she muttered, tone trying to be as calming and soothing as possible. she knew she wouldn’t be able to stop him but she had to appear like she was trying. she watched his movements with a careful eye, hand moving to the centre of his chest to add slight pressure to stop him. “lukas.” her voice raised ever-so-slightly, waiting for him to look at her instead of oliver. 

“got her wrapped right around your little finger, haven’t you?” oliver grinned, back leaning against the wall with confidence. “bet you’d love to have her other ways too… but take my advice from a previous experience, don’t. she’s not as great as she looks.” he hummed, gaze falling over helena’s physique once again. “definitely not as good as gracie.” he finished with. helena could see the anger boil within lukas, oliver’s final comment was the last push she needed to stop preventing lukas from acting on his rage. instead, she turned her back to the both of them and observed the area for any other onlookers. 

          as  far  as  the  list  went,  lukas  was  an  unhinged  terran  who  didn’t  know  what  control  felt  like.   maybe  that  was  true.   before  gracie  died,  he  was  somewhat  grounded.   his  only  charges  had  been  mild  harassment  of  sentinels  because  he  didn’t  care  to  piss  anyone  off  beyond  that.   it  was  all  out  of  good  fun  &  didn’t  result  in  punishment  most  of  the  time.   the  sneaking  out  was  easy,  a  countless  amount  of  nights  spent  lingering  around  the  watering  hole  &  exploring  the  small  area  surrounding  tera.   people  would  catch  them  every  so  often,  but  gracie  was  pretty  good  at  convincing  others  that  their  behavior  had  been  harmless.   lukas  learned  a  lot  from  her,  but  would  never  showcase  that  now.   the  damage  done  after  she’d  died  was  chaotic.   his  friend  group  had  a  falling  out  &  it  was  mostly  his  fault.   there  wasn’t  much  he  could  do  when  he  exploded  on  them  for  blaming  him  for  her  death.   after  all,  he  was  the  one  who  promised  medicine  that  would  never  come. 

          “   what  evidence  is  there  ?   how  i  treat  you  ?   you  have  my  respect,  preston  doesn’t.   ”     lukas  hadn’t  had  ill  intentions  when  it  came  to  helena  since  the  moment  they  met.   the  night  of  the  party  was  one  that  still  lived  in  the  back  of  his  mind  &  he  kicks  himself  for  it  every  single  day.   still,  he  knows  she’s  trying  to  help  &  he’s  at  least  grateful  for  it.   for  a  moment,  when  it’s  just  her  &  him  in  that  stairwell,  he  feels  like  there  might  be  a  little  bit  of  hope  still  out  there. 

          as  if  his  knuckles  weren’t  enough  to  shut  oliver  up,  lukas  lets  him  breathe  for  a  second  &  instantly  regrets  it.   the  way  he  spoke  about  helena  made  the  male’s  stomach  churn,  but  then  gracie’s  name  leaves  his  mouth  &  lukas  becomes  feral.   it  doesn’t  take  long  for  him  to  throw  the  sentinel  down  the  few  steps  there  were  to  the  landing.   no,  this  wouldn’t  look  good  for  his  hearing,  but  he’d  already  nailed  that  coffin  shut.   oliver  goes  to  move  &  lukas  takes  a  few  steps  down  to  him  slowly,  bending  down  to  talk  to  the  male  with  his  voice  eerily  calm  compared  to  what  it  had  just  been  before.     “   preston...   ”     lukas  started,  brows  furrowing  before  he  glanced  up  towards  helena.     “   you’re  lucky  i’m  gone  in  a  week.   ”     one  hand  extends  out,  patting  the  other  male  on  the  back  just  a  little  too  hard  before  he’s  standing  again.   he’s  sending  one  last  kick  to  oliver’s  side  before  lukas  is  reaching  up  to  retrieve  his  papers  again  &  start  making  his  way  down  the  steps.   firsts  are  shaking  &  borderline  battered  from  the  punches,  but  at  least  he  was  left  unscathed  for  the  most  part.   he  doesn’t  even  bother  turning  towards  helena,  unaware  if  she  was  still  following  him  because  he’d  turned  into  someone  he  wasn’t  proud  of  just  a  few  seconds  back.   he’d  be  alright,  he  always  was.

[lossknown]

splinterapollo​:

-

Splinter’s coughing; puffs of orange dust kicks up in front of him and there’s the briefest moment of shock that seems to be forced down in order to kick instincts into gear. The mount’s just crumbled, move. Boots drag along the same dusty floor, they skid – a grunt slips from the ranger’s lips as he’s pressing palms flat to the ground and forcing himself back up. He’s aware enough that he’s alive – fairly certain the body he’d barrelled into is too, based on the person-like sounds emitting from somewhere on his right hand side. 

Like it’s more important that his actual biological limbs, he rolls his shoulders from the position on his knees and feels the bow and quiver still strapped tight flush against his back – albeit, a little harsh dug into his spine in that moment.

Fuck. He’s got frantic eyes searching suddenly when his sense re-engage and shock passes, he’s ambled up, reaches out towards the person he’s just dived at, hears their voice to make the sounds of alive-ness a little more promising. “hey,” again – like Flint’s got every good intention to try and gain their attention in order to at least remove them from imminent danger.

He’s not sure if he’s hit his head and can’t shake out of it or if he’s hearing that rumble from above again. Doesn’t want to wait to find out.

Finally, recognition strikes – same moment Splinter tries to assess through the rise in adrenaline whether the man is hurt. He knows Lukas now he can see the face; sawbone, helpful in their situation, truly.

Knows more than Splint does about injury at least.

Probably should have expected some sort of backlash given the abruptness of Splinter’s actions only moments ago. Briefly glances down at his own arms, a sting of grazes adorning forearms, bubbles of blood speckling through the gashes; superficial. He’s in one piece, appears that Lukas might be too, hopefully. “Good,” prompt, like there’s no time to come up with anything charming when there’s a potential they could both get buried. As however spontaneous it might have been; the risk remains. Apollo’s not sure if there’s something on the top of Lumina that’s encouraging the downfall, but even for someone with a keen eye – he’s not pausing to look for too long.

He and Luk need to move.

“Didn’t mean to floor you,” he murmurs, (well, he did, but not with harmful intent) hues flickering over the man – notes the expression of pain that radiates through his features, smacks the man on the shoulder in a careless kind of check-in. “You sure you’re good?” half attentive now when Splint’s stumbling a step back, looking at the blocked exit with a frown. He fast works out that it’d take far too long to dig through it and even then, it’s not the most feasible of options when they’re in a rather unstable part of Lumina. The other direction; the narrow hole, points away from Arcadia and beyond a little uncharted judging by the shallowing path; cavernous routes that might end with them being buried inside the mountain.

Maybe the properties about Lumina misses out in its description about the murderous intent it has with those trawling its pathways.

How hard did you hit your head, Flint? He almost loses his own balance when he tries to walk, arm juts down to catch himself on the mountain’s side, looks down at his leg – ankle, with a frown; convinces himself it’s just a sprain. Walk it off, Ranger. Self-issued, and he’s busy ignoring that, to strategise the mess either side of them. Upwards; also, not the best of options – he’s not sure it wouldn’t come right down on them even if they were in a climbing state.

“Shit,” muttered to himself, Flint’s fingers flex – he’s thinking, looks back to the sawbone and then carries through to look at the unappealing last option pathway that involves some apparent caving into the mount itself.

“Don’t suppose you’ve,” wince, “got a flashlight, med?” Even if it’s one of those irritating little pocket lights that Splinter hates being shined in his eyes – like his vision might burn out with the invasiveness. He’s pretending that there’s not a slight limp in the way he crouches to assess the opening that appears to be their last resort – an expedition with no real direction. “And are particularly adept at navigating holes?” 

Smirk returns. But it’s brief that the humour is eaten fast with the cortisol swarming his bloodstream.

Splinter looks upwards, just once more. Frowns, jaw twitches with thought, looks at Lukas like he might chime in with something Apollo himself might have missed. Though, Flint would say he doesn’t miss anything, so sits on its unlikelihood.

          visibility  remains  strained,  the  only  beams  of  light  coming  from  various  cracks  in  the  ceiling  &  walls  of  the  mountain.   the  orange  luminescence  stemmed  from  natural  coloration  of  the  rocks  seems  to  make  seeing  in  the  half - dark  even  more  irritating.   lukas  can’t  say  he’d  been  lost  in  the  caverns  of  lumina  before,  so  he  doesn’t  know  what  kind  of  inhabitants  might  lunge  when  they’re  least  expecting  it.

          “   what  a  nightmare.   ”     the  male  murmurs,  but  it’s  mostly  to  himself  as  small  specks  of  dust  remain  either  a  product  of  his  imagination  or  the  mount’s  shedding.   dust  is  no  sude  when  it  comes  to  making  a  home  inside  his  lungs,  causing  violent  coughs  &  sudden  gasps  to  try  &  catch  any  last  hint  of  a  breath  of  fresh  air.   it’s  useless,  though.

          tall  &  slightly  larger  than  average  stature  remains  hunched,  a  hand  on  his  side  to  try  &  redirect  the  pain  from  his  side  to  anywhere  else.  distractions  were  needed,  but  luckily  he  had  someone  else  there  to  suffer  with.   the  other  hand  rests  on  the  wall  that  could  come  crumbling  at  any  moment,  but  his  mind  is  far - off  somewhere  else.   it  takes  him  a  moment,  but  he  recognizes  splinter  completely  &  assesses  the  male’s  current  state.   their  injuries  were  nearly  matched,  cuts  &  fresh  bruises  forming  across  arms  &  certainly  beneath  their  clothes  from  their  collision.

          the  apology  is  lost  in  translation,  verbiage  lukas  doesn’t  hear  properly  because  he’s  too  busy  listening  to  the  rumbling  &  ringing  in  his  ears.   lumina  was  talking  to  them  &  it  definitely  didn’t  have  anything  nice  to  say.     “   hey,  woah  –––   ”     shock  filters  through  as  he  moves  closer  to  splinter  without  stumbling  or  losing  his  balance,  one  arm  extending  out  in  a  feeble  attempt   at  not  letting  the  other  fall  again.   sawbone  instincts  kick  into  gear,  eyes  dropping  towards  the  source  of  noticeable  pain.     “   you  want  me  to  take  a  look  at  that  ?   ”     he  could  inspect  all  he  wanted,  but  lukas  barely  had  anything  useful  in  his  bag.   bandages  wouldn’t  do  much  for  a  sprain  or  break.   medicine  can  help  with  the  tolerance,  but  it  caused  drowsiness  &  that’s  the  last  thing  they  needed  to  be  in  their  current  situation. 

          gaze  finds  their  apparent  only  way  out  &  lukas  knows  how  tired  he  must  look  when  his  shoulders  fall.   the  medic  doesn’t  need  to  crouch  to  know  he’d  barely  fit  through  it.   maybe  it  was  a  bad  idea  to  go  traveling  through  confined  spaces  when  he  was  freakishly  broader  than  most  other  people.     “   you’re  fuckin’  kidding.   ”     it’s  not  said  to  splinter  as  much  as  it  is  to  himself,  which  seemed  to  become  the  new  normal  for  his  cave - dwelling  self.   his  eyes  scan  the  width  of  it,  a  silent  comparison  to  his  own  body  before  he  finally  lowers  himself  to  crouch  &  see  how  far  it  went.   it  wasn’t  promising,  but  it  was  something.   he  reaches  for  his  bag,  memorization  of  the  layout  of  it  proving  to  be  useful  as  he  doesn’t  hesitate  to  pull  out  a  pocket - sized  flashlight  that  he  points  directly  down  the  opening.

          laugh  echoes  &  he’s  careful  not  to  send  his  own  voice  booming  in fear  of  another  collapse.   the  flashlight  is  handed  over  to  splinter  now,  lukas’  legs  straightening  to  stand  up  before  he’s  squinting  at  the  ceiling  above  them.     “   it’s  clear...   for  the  most  part.   we  shouldn’t  really  try  to  move  anything  that’s  blocking  the  other  pathways,  though.   might  find  ourselves  buried  alive  if  we  even  attempt  it.   ”     pebbles  &  smaller  pieces  of  rock  are  still  tumbling  &  falling,  hitting  the  ground  with  small  pecks  as  they  speak.   he’s  sure  lumina  wasn’t  done  with  whatever  it  was  doing.   they  could  really  only  hope  time  was  on  their  side.

          side.   speaking  of  which,  his  is  burning  with  pain.   the  small  injury  he  thought  would  just  bruise  seemed  to  worsen  with  time.   it’s  not  quite  a  puncture,  but  it’s  fairly  close.     “   you  think  we’ll  fit  ?   ”     lukas  directs  the  attention  away  from  the  pain,  making  small  talk  to  make  up  for  the  deafening  silence  within  cavernous  walls.   he’d  fit,  but  it’d  just  be  a  painful  process.   they  were  both  in  no  condition  for  spelunking.   he  goes  to  talk  again  &  he’s  cut  off  by  the  sudden  disappearance  of  most  of  their  light  from  above.   a  rock’s  rolled  late,  makes  the  sawbone  flinch  before  he’s  cursing  under  his  breath.   the  rumbling  begins  again,  but  it  sounds  distant  for  now.     “   you  wanna  crawl  into  the  death  trap  first  or  do  you  want  me  to  do  it  ?   ”

[lossknown]

delvedinto​:

she was more than aware of his record when it came to bullying the sentinels, she wasn’t sure what his issue was but it was more than apparent. however, he had never tried to start anything with her which caused curiosity within the young female. she was sure her rank, almost captain of the sentinels, would draw his actions and make her his main target but his attitude seemed to falter whenever he was around her. not that she was complaining, she could go without being harassed by more than one person at a time. there was too much pressure growing on her shoulders but nevertheless she was prepared to defend him, if he asked that of her. up until now, helena had done her best to cover lukas’ tracks and point the blame on oiiver, she knew she could pull the final card if necessary but she was unsure whether the council would believe her after all this time. 

she was unsure what caused lukas’ hatred against oliver, she knew it wasn’t hard to hate the other man but she never could pin a reason to his dislike. oliver seemed to be an easy target to everyone apart from herself, she was still unable to release the tightening grip he had over her. each greeting brought more harassment, more vile comments and predator behaviour but she simply didn’t have a strong enough voice to battle against him, not yet at least. she waited for the day to be his superior, knowing he’d soon understand who was in charge and which orders were most important. he didn’t stand a chance against her when she claimed her rightful title. however, with all this built up fear - he could still somehow retaliate to her commands and win. being a man meant that other men, who were more than the majority of the sentinels, would always take his side and believe whatever lies he sprouted about that infamous night. “do not start on me with that.” she again warned, her index finger pointing towards him almost as a threat. “you know that i don’t like this as much as you do, i’m upset that this has happened which is why i’m trying to help but this attitude is making me second-guess that decision.” she explained, glare filled with daggers as she looked at him with a subtle pained reaction. she hated that he seemed to think she didn’t care, she was doing what she could to stop his exile but for some reason, he couldn’t see that. 

“i know it is.” she agreed, shoulders relaxing. “i know just how vile cadet preston can be without the reminders.” she muttered underneath her breath, his actions were ones which haunted her at night but still she was too afraid to speak out in fear of not being believed. despite the countless accusations of violence against lukas, she knew he was still one of the most gentlest people she had ever met during her time on abellio. “that i know too but i can help. you just have to let me.” she reminded him, hand lifting to reassuringly squeeze his upper arm. 

helena was too busy getting lost in lukas’ stare that she hadn’t picked up on the footsteps behind her. a familiar voice soon sounding, heart sinking and body almost automatically retreating with fear. “oh. i thought i recognised that ass.” oliver teased, the same old smug but vile and sly smirk present. 

          lukas  hated  oliver  even  before  the  whole  gracie  thing.   he  was  sure  the  guy  was  sinister  with  nothing  but  ill  intentions  &  he  was  right.   gracie  spoke  about  how  gross  the  male  was,  how  vile  he  could  be  &  what  kinds  of  conversations  she  overheard  when  she  was  snooping.   lukas  had  done  his  own  research,  deemed  the  male  public  enemy  number  one  for  a  while  &  that  title  still  held  once  gracie  bit  the  dust.   the  only  emotion  he  felt  was  rage,  but  he  felt  fearful  now.   he’d  learned  a  lot  about  the  medical  field  through  his  own  personal  studying,  but  that  didn’t  mean  he’d  be  able  to  save  himself  if  things  came  down  to  it.   hell,  he  couldn’t  even  save  someone  else  yet.   whatever  the  outlands  held  was  a  mystery.   the  thrill  of  it  would  be  exhilarating,  but  he  was  still  scared.

          “   it’d  look  bad  for  your  reputation.   ”     he  wouldn’t  be  the  reason  she  didn’t  up  her  rank.   that  kind  of  guilt  would  be  placed  atop  the  guilt  that  already  sat  on  his  shoulders  from  grief.   her  losing  her  potential  chance  at  becoming  head  of  the  sentinels  because  she  wanted  to  fight  for  him  just  didn’t  sit  well  with  the  male.     “   i  appreciate  your  help,  i  do,  but  unless  oliver’s  got  somethin’  good  to  say  about  me,  i’m  pretty  much  done  for.   ”     it’s  not  that  he  had  no  faith  in  her,  but  he  knew  how  this  worked.   he’d  been  through  it  on  earth  before.   a  guy  like  him  didn’t  just  get  off  the  hook  with  people  like  the  council.

          her  touch  is  comforting,  to  say  the  least,  but  he’s  afraid  it  might  be  one  of  the  last  times  before  he’s  tossed  out  to  the  wolves.     “   i   don’t  think  you  can  help  me  this  time,  helena.   i  did  this  to  myself.   ”     if  memory  served  correctly,  he  had  an  insane  amount  of  crimes  to  own  up  to.   most  of  them  were  mild  complaints  from  different  sentinels  about  him  refusing  to  listen  to  basic  orders.   he  could  deal  with  those.   it’s  the  more  violent  ones  that  would  be  harder  to  plead  guilty  to,  even  if  he  really  had  done  some  damage.   none  of  it  was  undeserved.

          oliver  speaks  &  it  instills  rage  in  lukas  yet  again.   he  can’t  look  at  him  because  lukas  knows  he’ll  see  the  same  face  that  refused  to  let  him  go  back  to  his  dying  best  friend.   it  was  bad  enough  that  lukas  would  have  to,  undoubtedly,  see  him  at  the  hearing.   anytime  before  that  was  fair  game,  wasn’t  it  ?   he  was  already  practically  exiled.     “   okay,  you  know  what  ?   ”     the  male  muttered,  slipping  past  helena  with  a  vendetta  fueling  his  actions.   fingers  curled  into  the  sentinel’s  uniform,  gripping  the  male’s  body  before  slamming  him  against  the  wall  of  the  stairwell.   lukas  was  much  bigger  than  oliver,  as  he  was  with  most  people.   he  towered  over  the  other,  jaw  tightening  with one  foot  just  one  step  below  the  other  one.     “   fuck  you,  preston.   ”     his  fist  breaks  an  already  broken  nose,  but  his  knuckles  become  damaged  this  time.   once,  twice,  then  three  times...   barely  gives  oliver  a  chance  to  fight  back.

[lossknown]

delvedinto​:

light footsteps paced the corridor outside the conference room, teeth anxiously bitting and shredding the ends of her nails off as she waited for him to vacate the room with an answer. gut instincts told her that this wasn’t going to be good, it had almost been hour since he entered and that always brought a sense of uneasiness with it. usually, helena wouldn’t particularly care about the outcome of others’ misdemeanours but this time it was different, it was a meeting based on lukas’. seating herself in an empty chair which lined the corridor, she did what she could to ease her anxiety but that didn’t stop her leg from bouncing as she proceeded to wait. oh, how she hated waiting.  

with the sound of the door opening, she stood to her feet without a second thought and slowly walked towards him. her eyes caught glimpse of the paperwork before he even held it out for her to read and her heart sank into her stomach. though, the feeling was soon replaced by a pit of burning anger which boiled inside of her. although lukas had done some pretty good damage, he wasn’t the only one to blame. nor should he have the most consequences handed to him. “i believe you.” she answered, tone softer than usual. she didn’t need much persuasion, she knew what oliver was like. probably more than anyone else. after all, she had fallen victim to him once before and remained partially under his grasp. her body turned to follow him, mind racking ideas of how she could help. 

his tone was different, one which helena wasn’t pleased with. “do not take this out on me.” she warned, grabbing the papers from his hold before pushing past him to stand at the top of the stairwell. temper starting to increase as she scanned through the written declaration. 

          he  seemed  to  have  a  track  record  with  the  sentinels.   everyone  knew  to  be  wary  whenever  lukas  came  around.   it  wasn’t  like  he  was  ever  malicious  in  his  actions  ;   no,  that  built - up  anger  was  saved  for  oliver  ever  since  he’d  let  gracie  die.   he  told  the  truth  for  once  in  his  goddamn  life  &  oliver  just  brushed  him  off.   though,  for  that,  lukas  couldn’t  exactly  blame  him.   he  rarely  told  the  truth.   this  record  made  him  look  like  a  wanted  criminal,  like  they  needed  to  keep  him  in  cuffs  &  with  a  tracker  around  his  ankle.   that’s  what  they  should  have  done,  but  he  can  see  why  they  didn’t.   lukas  was  unhinged  in  the  eyes  of  the  council,  a  rebel.   he  was  a  threat  now  that  physical  harm  was  inflicted  upon  their  own  sentinels  on  multiple  occasions.   it  was  never  a  coincidence  that  oliver  was  involved  most  of  those  times.

          he  didn’t  want  to  be  angry  with  helena,  especially  since  the  reason  he’d  wanted  to  bash  oliver’s  face  in  was  because  of  how  insanely  disgusting  he  spoke  of  her.   lukas  had  never  admitted  that,  though.   admitting  it  might  make  things  feel  too  real.   offense  lingers  on  usually  stoic  features,  a  scoff  running  through  the  sigh  brushing  past  his  lips.     “   do  you  know  what  being  exiled  is  like,  helena  ?   they’re  throwing  me  out  to  the  dogs,  okay  ?   so  forgive  me  if  i’m  a  little  upset.   ”     yes,  this  was  what  he  wanted,  but  that  didn’t  mean  he  wasn’t  scared.   he  had  been  outside  the  walls,  knows  the  blood  woods  are  dangerous,  but  he  doesn’t  know  any  outlanders.   he  doesn’t  know  anyone.

          “   half  the  stuff  in  that  file  is  complete  bullshit.   ”     he  knew  the  sneaking  out  &  causing  minor  trouble  wouldn’t  hurt  him.   it’s  the  violence  that  makes  him  a  threat,  that  makes  him  someone  they  can’t  have  within  their  walls.   that  side  of  him  only  escalated  when  gracie  died.   they’re  lucky  the  only  damage  done  this  time  was  a  broken  nose.     “   i  can’t  just  not  plead  guilty,  y’know  ?   ”

[lossknown]

𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:   probably  inside  the  musala.   –––   FLASHBACK. 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐:   @delvedinto​​

          “   your  hearing  is  in  a  week.   ”     the  words,  while  accompanied  by  a  written  version  of  the  declaration,  seem  vacant  &  distant  as  the  male  stands  from  his  seat.   he  pushes  through  the  door  with  little  desire  to  even  glance  at  what  the  paper  said,  mostly  because  he  knew  it’d  be  pointless  to  study  before  he  had  to  stand  in  front  of  a  judge  &  explain  why  he  shouldn’t  be  exiled.   lukas  was  still  unsure  if  it  was  the  worst  thing  in  the  world.   

          head  turns  as  he  feels  somebody  approach  him.   if  it  was  oliver,  he  might  want  to  be  careful.   lukas  still  had  a  perfectly  unscathed  fist  &  a  burning  need  to  let  off  steam  still  pent  up  from  their  fight  earlier.   well,  it  was  more  of  lukas  pounding  on  oliver  because  he’d  managed  to  actually  catch  him  off - guard,  but  it’s  not  like  that  was  an  important  detail.   at  the  sight  of  helena,  his  jaw  falls  slack  &  against  his  will,  his  heartbeat  picks  up  just  a  tad.     “   listen,  i  don’t  know  what  the  fuck  he  said  to  them,  but  he  started  it.   ”     he  didn’t  care  what  most  people  thought  about  him,  but  helena  wasn’t  really  most  people.   his  steps  don’t  slow,  though,  continuing  to  walk  until  he’s  right  in  front  of  the  door  to  the  stairs.

          that’s  when  he  turns,  extending  the  packet  of  papers  out  to  her  as  a  scowl  twitches  at  his  lips.     “   if  you’re  curious,  you  can  take  a  look  at  every  other  time  that  asshole  has  tried  to  ruin  my  life  &  gotten  away  with  it  because  i  decided  to  do  something  about  it.   ”

[lossknown]

splinterapollo​:

CAVE-IN

Location: Mt. Lumina. Side: Outlands. Open for: All Outlanders

The thing that separates Mount Lumina from everywhere else that Splint finds himself lost in, is exactly that. He can get lost – the Sky Cliffs are a little too known now, most crevasses climbed; busy with those training to slip through without having to engage in the usual banterful and aggravating conversation that he lives for. Arcadia’s busy, lively – like there’s something a little more than grey clouds overhead that they’re hiding; not their fault, his more than theirs. Practically blameless is the citizens when it’s not their directive to act and protect to the same degree those who had jobs that day were – Splint wonders what Rory and River are thinking of them now.

Boots scratch the dusty floor between uneven openings of Lumina, Flint’s trying to recall his steps as he makes them – so he can find his way out again, crawls into small openings, ducks and dives under the more jagged of edges as streams of light don’t quite make all that’s ahead visible. He’s caught his bow on a couple rocks already, has to manoeuvre to compensate for it and his quiver strapped to his backside because he simply refused to leave it behind. There’s this rumbling he’s sure he can hear, shakes the cliffs under his hand as the chalky outer layer of Lumina brushes off on his palms and leaves them an off shade of orange – reminds him of some kind of sandstone; at least busies his mind from everything else.

Until that rumbling loudens beyond the point of ignorance.

Comes at him fast as he clambers over a dusty rock and hears it levelling off above him.

Landslide – or at least, a weakened part of the Mount coming down. Instincts kick in, he dives forward along the thin lane, rolls without thinking of how much momentum he’s given and hears the crashing of shattering rocks behind him – a sharp pain that nicks at the back of his calf when he spins around to see the damage. Hopes its not enough to block off his route.

But he sees a figuration first.

“Hey – move!” Shit. Lurches forward like he’s some goddamn hero who won’t feel the pain of crumbling rocks if they hit him, Splinter collides with something – whether it’s the person, he’s got no idea, but there’s no agony, yet.

Apollo hits the ground, grunts at the force, one arm above his head as though trying to stop the any major damages before he assesses the situation. He’s still calling out: “Are you blind? – I mean, OK, but –” he’s stammering because he’s panting; rise in adrenaline where he’s gradually realising the ranger might have to come up with a new exit strategy from the Lumina. Doesn’t even think about how he’s still practically on the floor himself. “Are you OK, is what I mean,”

.

          the  heat  was  borderline  unbearable,   fleeing  outlanders  left  &  right  trying  to  find  a  speck  of  shade  to  keep  them  cool  from  harsh  rays.   lukas  was  no  different,  but  he  usually  spent  his  time  at  the  lagoon.   the  water  there  was  refreshing,  most  likely  due  to   the  healing  properties  within,  but  it’s  not  like  that  spot  was  undiscoverable  to  the  rest  of  arcadia.   word  of  the  waters  had  been  floating  around  for  weeks,  considering  the  watering  hole  was  completely  out  of  the  question  due  to  the  whole  remembrance  day  shenanigans  that  made  them  all  really  watch  their  backs.   what  was  once  a  safe  haven  for  him  became  a  popular  spot.   his  research  was  useless  if  groups  of  people  were  disrupting  it.   besides,  who  was  to  say  all  the  activity  didn’t  have  negative  effects  on  the  water  itself  ?   the  whole  situation  had  him  stressed,  tired,  &  hot,  so  he  went  to  the  only  place  he  wouldn’t  have  to  see  anyone  else.   surely,  with  how  much  of  a  labyrinth  the  mount  was,  he  wouldn’t  see  a  single  soul  seeking  refuge  from  the  sun.

          he  was  successful  thus  far,  backpack  tucked  safely  upon  his  shoulders  while  he  walked  without  purpose  around  the  caves.   it  was  cool,  he’d  give  it  that,  but  staying  there  beyond  nightfall  was  a  death  sentence.   if  the  rocks  were  cool  now,  they  were  about  to  be  natural  freezers  when  the  sun  disappeared.   anyone  stuck  inside  would  have  to  be  thawed  out  if  they  were  ever  found  again. 

          rocks  &  pebbles  crack  beneath  his  steps,  hands  reaching   out  to  brush  off  orange  dust  from  various  surfaces  as  his  exploration  remains  the  primary  focus  of  his  trip.   as  he’s  examining  a  slit  in  the  rocks,  lumina  rumbles.   it’s  a  deep,  eerie  noise  that’s  only  a  warning  for  what  was  to  come.   nature  made  a  lot  of  noises,  though,  so  lukas  doesn’t  think  much  of  it  the  first  time.   there’s  another  rumble  &  it  causes  his  body  to  turn.   the  sound  of  rocks  falling  &  crumbling  above,  below,  beside...   everywhere  around  him  ––  was  enough  to  scare  him  shitless.   he  wasn’t  about  to  be  buried  beneath  a  mountain  that  nobody  would  ever  find  him  in.     “   shit.   ”     the  male  murmured,  turning  once  again  to  go  back  the  way  he  came,  but  the  ceiling  caves  in  before  he’s  got  the  chance  to  make  it  through.   so  he’s  quick  on  his  feet,  running  the  opposite  way. 

          he  stops  only  when  he  reaches  crossroads,  two  paths  he’d  never  seen  before.   it  causes  him  to  stop  &  that  moment  was  the  most  dangerous  one  for  him  yet.   he  doesn’t  realize  the  sides  surrounding  him  were  crumbling  closer  &  closer  to  his  body...   until  !   he’s  on  the  ground  again  from  the  impact  of  something  heavy.   lukas  wasn’t  sure  if  it  was  a  body  or  a  rock  until  he’s  tumbling  into  the  wall  with a  jagged  edge  stabbing  into  his  side.     “   fuck  !   ”     hands  move  to  the  new  wound,  something  that  would  bruise  later  on,  before  he’s  coughing  from  kicked  up  dust.     “   what  the  fuck,  man  ?   ”     forearms  press  against  the  floor  before  he’s  lifting  himself  up  to  see  who  had  sent  him  spiraling  away  from  a  collapse.     “   yeah,  i’m...   ”     pain  surges,  but  lukas  just  sucks  in  a  sharp  inhale.     “   i’m  good.   are  you  ?   we  gotta  get  the  fuck  out  of  here.   ”   but  the  two  pathways  that  were  once  available  were  now  blocked  off  &  lukas’  shoulders  fall  with  disappointment.     “   thank  you,  though.   ” 

[lossknown]

solarisxluna​:

People didn’t often ask Sol how she was feeling or how she was coping with things, it was probably because they thought she would bite of their heads or they just assumed that she was okay with everything because she plastered on a brave face and carried around a deadly weapon. But that was why she enjoyed Lukas’ company he wasn’t afraid to ask those questions like most in Arcadia and the outlands.

“I want to kill them Lukas.” she murmured as she found a place to sit. 

“I want them all dead.” her stare was blank but there was a hint of sadness there which she very rarely let come to the surface but with everything going on in her head it was getting harder to keep these thoughts under control.

.

          there  weren’t  many  things  lukas  was  afraid  of  anymore.   his  emotions  had  dwindled  with  the  conclusion  of  remembrance  day,  fading  into  dust  until  he  felt  nothing  at  all.   to  become  numb  in  a  world  that  he  was  so  used  to  hating  gave  him  a  taste  of  freedom,  an  ounce  of  it  that  he’d  longed  for  ever  since  leaving  tera.   the  outlanders  were  his  family  now,  but  he  also  had  some  back  within  those  walls.   whether  or  not  he  mattered  to  them  anymore  was  up  in  the  air,  but  he  chose  not  to  think  about  it.

          “   can’t  do  it  alone.   ”     he  wouldn’t  scold  her  or  invalidate  her  feelings.   across  the  outlands,  there  was  a  lot  of  unrest  &  hatred  boiling  beneath  the  surface.   one  failed  plan  &  everyone  was  ready  for  war.   with  those  creatures  on  their  side,  maybe  they  stood  a  chance.     “   time  &  place,  sol.   gotta  get  ‘em  while  they’re  weak.   ”     monotone  becomes  his  new  normal,  voice  just  about  as  steady  as  his  hands  had  become  after  teaching  himself  the  ways  of  a  sawbone.   he’s  not  against  another  shot  at  weakening  tera,  but  he’s  also  not  gunning  it  for  them.   things  were  fine  as  they  were,  at  least  for  him.     “   have  you  talked  to  katana  ?   ”

[lossknown]

solarisxluna​:

The weather outside was getting worse, and Solaris wouldn’t be lying if she said she was here only to check up on Lukas and see it he needed anything it was also to catch a break from the weather. Lukas had become some what of a brother figure in Solaris’ life although she was an only ever an only child the outlands had changed her.

“I’m fine. I got a good furs back home.” she said looking around at the near empty shelves. “I was just seeing if you needed a hand.”

.

          protecting  &  catering  to  others  was  hard  work,  but  he  was  a  sawbone.   between  people  still  recovering  from  the  events  of  remembrance  day  &  the  sudden  drop  in  temperatures,  there  was  a  high  demand  for  the  doctors  of  the  outlanders,  for  the  people  who  had  discovered  ways  to  heal  others  with  what  they  were  given.   they’d  had  stuff  happen  over  the  years  that  challenged  their  skills,  but  everything  still  seemed  new.

          “   good.   ”     he  murmured,  glancing  over  his  shoulder  at  the  female  before  shrugging.   the  past  month  had  been  lonely  for  him.   losing  helena,  losing  his  mom...   he  thought  he’d  finally  started  to  mend  what  was  broken,  but  that  was  all  ripped  away  from  him  yet  again.     “   i  think  i’m  good  for  now.   just  about  everyone  came  to  get  more  blankets,  but  i’ll  be  here  all  night,  if  you  wanna  stick  around.   ”     he  didn’t  mind  the  company  anymore,  especially  since  solaris  was  practically  family  by  this  point.     “   how’re  you  feelin’  with  all  this  going  on  ?   ”

[lossknown]

𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏:   arcadia  or  tanner. 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐:   outlanders.

          stacks  of  blankets  had  been  neatly  placed  on  a  makeshift  shelf  as  lukas  took  inventory  of  how  many  they  had  left.   he  wasn’t  quite  in  the  mood  to  deal  with  treating  hypothermia,  so  they’d  have  to  make  do  with  what  they  already  had.     “   tonight’s  supposed  to  be  worse  than  yesterday.   ”     the  thought  manifests  verbally,  brows  furrowing  as  he  turned  towards  the  other.     “   this  fuckin’  weather  blows.   ”     he  mutters,  hand  lifting  to  scratch  at  his  temple  lightly.     “   you  need  another  blanket  ?   we  got  a  few  left.   ”

[lossknown]

dulcesatana​:

open  to  all  outlanders. location  arcadia.

things  had  been  difficult  without  river.  she  was  the  closest  kat  ever  got  to  opening  up.  it  didn’t  help  that  they  couldn’t  seem  to  find  a  way  into  the  damn  box  that  she  got  herself  locked  up  for.  she  didn’t  blame  anyone,  really—-  except  maybe  river,  and  that  was  only  the  nagging  little  thought  of  i  told  you  so.  it  doesn’t  change  that  river  was  still  right  in  the  choices  she  made  that  led  to  her  capture.  they’re  lucky  they  got  away  with  only  a  few  of  their  people  missing,  but  that  still  isn’t  enough  for  katana.  she  can’t  find  a  way  to  be  okay  with  any  of  it—  how  could  she?

and  still,  even  with  the  mess  of  thoughts  slingshotting  around  in  her  mind,  she’s  offering  a  smile  to  the  outlander  that’s  moving  towards  her.  her  open  door  policy  proving  to  be  all  the  more  true  since  their  return.  “  is  everything  okay?  ’  aside  from  the  obvious.

@terastart​

           it’d  been  difficult,  inspecting  wounds  and  injuries  from  the  fallen  (  and  from  those  who  lived  )  through  the  tragedy  that  happened  just  a  bit  ago.   considering  the  fact  that  he’d  put  two  and  two  together,  figuring  out  that  these  creatures  were  the  same  ones  that  were  responsible  for  his  best  friend’s  death,  lukas  was  in  a  bit  of  a  haze  at  the  moment.   he  wasn’t  a  doctor,  wasn’t  anything  close  to  what  his  mother  was,  but  he  was  trying  and  the  outlanders  were  his  family.   they  had  to  protect  each  other,  right  ?

          as  he  approached  kat,  lukas  just  cleared  his  throat  at  her  question  and  let  his  shoulders  lift  in  a  shrug.     “   yeah,  everything’s  fine.   i  was  gonna  ask  you  the  same  thing.   ”     while  light  as  a  feather,  the  paper  between  his  index  finger  and  thumb  felt  heavy  with  the  weight  of  names  scribbled  across  it.     “   i  just  need  a  favor,  but  if  you’re  busy...   i  can  come  back  later.   ”

[lossknown]

delvedinto​:

unfamiliar  sensations  of  reality  and  urges  always  seemed  to  crop  up  on  helena  within  lukas’  presence,  she  pinned  it  on  the  amount  of  sude  she  had  smoked  but  often  her  mind  wandered  to  other  causes.  a  set  of  possible  causes  which  she  refused  to  utter.  especially  in  his  company.  all  she  would  admit  to  him  was  that  she  enjoyed  spending  time  with  him  but  only  if  he  asked  which  she  believed  he  wouldn’t,  ever. 

eventually,  she  let  her  stare  drop.  partly  distracted  by  the  night  sky  which  she  could  watch  just  passed  and  above  his  head  as  she  remained  lounging  on  top  of  him.  she  was  almost  certain  that  all  terrans  debated  the  thought  of  leaving,  she  included.  but  something  about  this  place  convinced  her  to  stay,  perhaps  it  was  because  it  was  the  last  location  where  she  could  be  reminded  of  joe.  it  connected  them,  pushing  her  to  continue  the  legacy  which  he  would’ve  fulfilled  if  things  hadn’t  turned  so  sour  for  him.  she  missed  him  a  lot,  more  than  she  let  on.  images  from  that  afternoon  still  trespassed  in  her  mind  to  this  day,  shame  and  guilt  accompanied  them.  a  sense  of  disappointment,  too.  though  these  feelings  were  mostly  hidden  and  secured  by  a  blanket  of  anger.  anger  she  couldn’t  shift.  their  gazes  meeting  pulled  her  out  of  her  lull,  blinking  to  shift  the  sudden  feelings  of  sadness  from  her.  understanding  that  his  question  was  rhetorical,  she  simply  rolled  her  eyes  at  him  and  gently  slapped  his  chest.  “  i’ll  have  you  know  that  i  can  be  pretty  surprising  at  times.  “  she  admits,  voice  falling  quiet  as  she  examined  his  features.  shared  silence  with  him  was  actually  comfortable,  something  which  she  thought  would  never  be  possible.  she  lifted  a  dainty,  delicate  hand  to  cup  his  cheek  amidst  her  haze-induced  thoughts.  “  you  need  to  give  yourself  more  credit.  “  she  advised,  thumb  gently  brushing  over  the  surface  of  his  cheek.  as  he  pulled  his  gaze  from  her,  her  hand  dropped  back  to  rest  in  the  centre  of  his  chest  which  her  chin  perched  on  top  of.  she  didn’t  know  what  had  happened  the  day  gracie  died  but  she  could  see  the  pain  the  memories  brought  him.  

          if  you’d  asked  him  if  he  thought  helena  mathews  would  be  giving  him  the  time  of  day  when  she  wasn’t  working  when  they  first  met,  lukas  would  have  bet  his  life  that  she  wouldn’t.   he  didn’t  think  he’d  ever  get  through  her  hard  exterior,  but  there  they  were.   granted,  sude  was  their  main  source  of  energy  at  the  moment  and  nothing  seemed  real  at  the  moment,  but  he’d  take  it.

          “   oh,  trust  me.   i  know.   ”     she’d  surprised  him  in  many  ways.   she’s  one  of  the  few  people  who  never  asked  about  gracie.   usually,  people  that  knew  lukas  also  knew  that  he  was  attached  to  gracie’s  hip.   her  death  hit  tera  in  a  way  that  shook  things  for  only  a  second.   they  called  her  cause  of  death  an  accident,  but  released  no  details  about  the  attack  she’d  suffered  outside  the  walls.   lukas  and  his  friends  had  to  lie  about  the  injuries,  telling  those  in  charge  that  it  was  an  unfortunate  fall  from  a  roof  to  a  fence  that  left  her  side  punctured.   they  had  to  lie  about  being  there  when  she  died,  figuring  they’d  have  to explain  the  infirmary  incident  if  they  told  the  truth.   people  knew  he  was  hurting  from  the  loss  of  her,  but  he  never  expressed  that  verbally  and  he  never  thought  he  would.   the  grief  that  he  carried  was  his,  not  anyone  else’s.   it  was  selfish  to  put  it  on  other  people.   her  hand  on  his  cheek sent  him  hurdling  back  into  reality.   physical  touch  against  a  guy  who  was  sensitive  on  the  inside  was  comforting.   the  urge  to  tell  her  about  the  night  in  the  infirmary  was  there.   it  was  clear  lukas  had  something  to  say,  but  he  couldn’t.   he  couldn’t  admit  his  defeat  and  guilt.     “   are  you  tired  ?   ”     he  settled  for  a  question,  even  though  he’d  missed  his  chance  to  do  something  he  was  unsure  she’d  be  down  for  at  the  moment.   his  feelings  for  helena  were  real  and  they  were  scary.   as  afraid  as  he  was  to  come  face  to  face  with  them,  he  knew  they  both  deserved  it.   still,  he  kept  his  gaze  up,  refusing  to  let  up.

[lossknown]

dulcesatana​:

it’s  no  longer  surprising  to  athena—  that  every  piece  of  this  planet,  in  its  natural  state,  leaves  her  in  awe.  she’d  become  quite  the  tree  lover  since  landing  here.  even  as  a  terran,  she  was  able  to  find  any  and  all  excuses  to  explore  every  inch  of  the  planet,  that  she  could  touch.  being  an  outlander  only  gave  her  more  of  that  freedom.  and  really,  more  time  to  be  alone.  

athena  scoffed  at  his  warning,  laughter  rolling  off  her  tongue  as  she  leaned  back.  “  right.  ’  she  went  along,  a  smile  tugging  at  her  lips  corners  as  her  arms  crossed  her  chest.  “  what  do  you  have  in  mind?  ’

          things  felt  so  free  as  an  outlander.   this  was  their  world  to  explore,  even  if  it  meant  risking  dangerous  defeats  to  get  there.   lukas  had  never  felt  so  happy  to  be  on  his  own,  even  though  he’d  left  some  people  behind  to  do  so.   they  understood,  or  so  he  liked  to  think.     “   follow  me.   ”     he’d  memorized  the  few  lands  explored  like  the  back  of  his  hand,  which  only  made  him  more  excited  to  show  other  people.   every  place  had  secrets  and  some  were  cooler  than  others.

          the  male  tightened  the  straps  on  his  bag  before  heading  towards  the  exit  of  the  lagoon  and  more  towards  the  caves  leading  to  the  falls.   it  was  quite  the  hike,  yes,  but  at  least  it’d  be  cool.     “   you’ve  been  to  the  falls  before,  yeah  ?   ”

[lossknown]

helenamathews​:

              mind  buzzing  with  images  of  how  the  remembrance  day  festivities  were  going;  pictures  of  her  conversations  with  both  him  and  greysen.  “ don’t  be  fucking  dumb  !! “ she  exclaimed. to  be  honest,  she  didn’t  know  what  she  was  doing.  a  hum  of  white  noise  lingered  in  her  ear  drums,  a  sudden  shudder  overtaking  her  as  she  remembered  that  oliver  was  once  behind  her  and  this  caused  her  to  swivel  at  speed.  to  her  surprise,  he  had  gone.  vanished. for  anyone  else  that  would’ve  settled  them  but  not  helena.  it  was  like  her  body  was  shutting  down  and  her  mind  entered  overdrive.

            leaning  closer  to  him  to  hear  what  he  was  saying,  she  tried  to  lip-read  as  the  buzzing  in  her  ears  intensified.  she  blinked,  forcing  herself  to  reenter  reality.  “ there’s  been  an  intruder  alert  …  it  came  from  the  musala,  the  labs  i  think. ”  she  explained,  palms  beginning  to  sweat  as  she  struggled  to  converse.  head  snapping  to  locate  where  oliver  had  wandered  off  too.  the  screeches  of  the  creatures  alerting  her  that  she  needed  to  do  something, anything. “ stay  here,  okay? “  she  asked  rather  than  ordered,  peering  over  the  boulder  the  two  were  hiding  behind.  “ i  need  to  get  over  there. “  she  muttered,  she  needed  to  cause  a  distraction.

          “   dumbasses.   ”     it  was  the  only  thing  that  left  his  lips  as  she  explained  the  intruder  alert.   lukas  was  unaware  of  the  attack,  but  he  knew  it  would  have  happened  eventually.   this  was  just  an  unfortunate  turn  of  events  for  them,  though.

          she  wasn’t  listening  to  him  and  it  was  frustrating.   the  screech  of  a  creature  distracts  him  momentarily,  head  snapping  towards  the  sound  before  a  body  dropped  about  five  feet  off  from  then.   it  was  like  everything  fell  into  slow  motion  at  the  exact  second  his  eyes  found  the  wound  inflicted  on  the  person’s  side.   punctured  side  ?   check.   blood  pouring  ?   check.   size  ?   check.   it  was  the  same  wound  he’d  seen  on  the  day  gracie  died.   it  was  like  lukas  could  hear  only  the  muffled  sounds  of  everything  around  him  while  the  beat  of  his  heart  drummed  in  his  ears.   flashbacks  to  that  horrible  day  paralyzed  him  in  that  moment,  and  the  only  thing  that  brought  him  back  to  reality  was  helena’s  movement  to  look  over  the  boulder.   one  hand  extended  out  again,  grabbing  her  arm  as  lukas  finally  looked  at  her.     “   i  don’t  give  a  shit  about  everyone  else,   helena.   please  be  careful.   promise  me  that  you’ll  be  careful.   ”

[lossknown]

interstxllcr​:

- The rogue’s gaze followed Lukas’ gesture towards the wound at his side and he grimaced at it and the Sawbone’s offer. “That’ll need it, yea…”

An easy laugh escaped him, out of place and perhaps ill timed as the people around them grieved their dead, but Gene’s adrenaline had fed into anger which in turn made him baiting for a fight, preferably Terran.  He was still alive, more than likely against a higher power’s better judgement, and the ones at their feet were dead, everyone else would have to deal with that in their own way. Their was no mirth to his expression, however, when he looked back down at the Outlander he’d uncovered. He hooked his arms beneath the body’s arms and dragged them over to the pile Lukas had been sorting. 

“Take it easy, I was jokin’, Lukey.” He plopped down on the ground with a pained exhale. No one would think that this was more than a ploy of the council, one that had ended in a most unusual way. Something about Lukas’ anger made Gene feel better, easing the ember burning in the center of his chest until now. “You lose anyone you know?”

          “   just  be  easy,  yeah  ?   ”     he  advised,  but  knew  that  gene  was  perfectly  capable  of  judging  his  own  tolerance  of  pain.   lukas  hadn’t  dealt  with  the  medical  side  of  things  in  a  while.   a  few  outlanders  had  come  and  gone  to  him  with  issues,  but  things  were  fairly  calm  until  the  creatures  came  around.   his  curiosity  got  the  worst  of  him  as  his  attention  turned  to  the  wound  in  question.   he  knew  it’d  probably  need  a  little  bit  more  than  a  wrap  to  heal  properly.   he’d  suggest  a  trip  to  the  lagoon  later  on,  to  start.

          his  question  made  lukas  hesitate  as  he  took  a  seat  beside  gene.   to  death,  he  hadn’t.   he  was  almost  positive  his  mother  was  safe  inside  the  walls  of  tera  and  he’d  be  able  to  tell  if  helena  had  fallen  from  the  reactions  of  those  around  them.   as  for  outlanders,  there  were  only  a  handful  that  he’d  grown  acquainted  with.   none  of  them  were  as  close  to  him  as  gracie  was  when  he  lost  her.     “   a  couple  of  ‘em,  yeah.  you  ?   ”

[lossknown]

delvedinto​:

she wasn’t thrilled at her attempt of becoming a good samaritan and befriending him but she couldn’t dismiss it now. she’d probably miss his drunken, high state all too much but that was another thing she’d keep to herself. not admitting to things had become a skill for helena, she was able to disguise and hide from things which she thought would label her as ‘soft’. she knew how often he harassed the guards, their friendship started with the same kind of harassment but she was able to compose herself compared to others. if anything, she was impressed with how quick he managed to piss the rest of them and only aspired to have such a trait. again, she wouldn’t admit that to avoid the health risk of his head swelling. 

there was something suspicious about this conversation, she didn’t know just how hypothetical he was talking but she didn’t like it regardless. his emphasis on the word didn’t settle her, it just raised her concerns and she couldn’t help but stare at him. surely, he knew he couldn’t just leave without her. that’s not how friendship worked, and considering he seemed to be such an expert, he should’ve known that. “you’d be considered lucky if they did.” she mentioned, she almost snapped at him but it wasn’t intentional. she just couldn’t lose another person so soon. she closed her eyes and allowed herself to breathe a few deep breaths. rolling onto her front, she continued to lay on top of him. still using him as a human pillow, he was surprisingly a lot more comfortable compared to the ground. “you were going to…” she assumed aloud, chin resting on her hands as she looked at him. almost covering his view of the sky above. “only if i had a reason to.”

          for  a  few  moments,  as  his  gaze  fell  upon  the  sky  that  was  so  different,  yet  so  similar,  to  what  it’d  been  on  earth,  he  felt  dizzy.   it  wasn’t  a  tiring  or  bad  kind  of  dizzy,  but  the  kind  he  felt  when  he  was  having  a  good  trip.   it  was  the  kind  that  made  time  feel  like  time  had  stopped  and  that  his  world  had  ceased  the  ability  to  rotate.   this  was  pure  bliss,  but  he  couldn’t  tell  if  it  was  a  feeling  induced  by  sude  or  by  the  presence  of  helena.   

          her  stare  was  burning  a  hole  through  him,  but  lukas  didn’t  let  up.   he  wouldn’t  emphasize  his  point  more  just  because  she  didn’t  believe  him.   that  was  her  problem,  right  ?   besides,  it’s  not  like  he  meant  to  admit  that  leaving  had  crossed  his  mind.   with  all  the  trouble  he’d  caused,  lukas  was  shocked  they  hadn’t  already  kicked  him  out.     “   i  wasn’t.   ”     he  held  his  ground,  smile  still  pretty  evident  as  he  shook  his  head  just  once.   when  she  shifted,  his  attention  moved  to  her  movements,  slowly  processing  them  in  his  haze - filled  mind  as  lukas  just  waited  for  an  answer.   his  gaze,  although  distant  and  blank,  eventually  met  hers  with  furrowed  brows  and  a  new  sense  of  curiosity  riddling  his  brain.     “   now,  what  reason  would  be  a  good  enough  one  for  helena  mathews  to  leave  ?   ”     it  was  a  rhetorical  question,  an  absent  thought  that  was  verbalized  quietly,  almost  inaudibly.   being  this  close  to  someone  was  different.   for  months,  he’d  gotten  so  used  to  being  alone  that  even  the  physical  affection  that  naturally  made  itself  known  between  them  was  surprising.   he  didn’t  hate  it,  though.     “   nah,  you  love  your  job  too  much.   ”     it’s  not  a  stab  at  her,  but  more  of  an  observation  as  he  forced  himself  to  tear  his  gaze  from  her  and  look  at  the  sky  again.     “   i  can’t  blame  you  for  that.   maybe  i  should  land  a  job  in  the  infirmary.   i  doubt  they’d  take  me,  though.   ”     most  of  his  words  were  just  thoughts  that  should  have  remained  unspoken,  but  he  couldn’t  be  held  responsible  at  the  moment.   not  in  his  state.   after  his  run - in  with  oliver  right  before  gracie  died,  lukas  didn’t  know  if  he’d  even  be  allowed  to  show  his  face  there.

[lossknown]

dulcesatana​:

lilith  couldn’t  exactly  say  what  she  expected  the  night  to  go  like.  she  dreaded  this  day  every  year.  the  worst  day  for  her,  really—  not  that  anyone  would  be  able  to  read  that  from  her  features.  it  wasn’t  just  her  parents  she  had  to  remember.  it  was  rivers  too.  it  was  why  they  were  included  in  her  lantern  release  every  year  alongside  river  herself.  not  to  say  she  didn’t  expect  nicola  to  do  the  same—  but  they  were  never  close  the  way  lilith  and  river  had  been.  that  was  likely  only  due  to  nicola’s  ability  to  see  the  truth  before  river  could.  she  always  saw  the  best.

of  course,  she’s  not  been  distracted  enough  to  notice  that  both  the  balish  sisters  are  missing  from  this  release.  a  night  nicola  never  misses  herself  and  river…  well  lilith  finds  it  hard  to  believe  she’d  simply  choose  not  to  have  this  chance  to  honor  her  parents.  no—  she  knows  there’s  more  too  it.  knows  that  something  is  happening  beneath  their  noses,  knows  if  she  expected  anyone  but  rover  to  be  involved,  she’d  actually  do  something  about  it.  instead,  she  continues  with  the  facade  that  the  only  thing  on  her  mind  tonight  is  remembrance  day,  a  successful  one.

it’s  the  alarms  back  home  warning  them  of  the  thread  to  their  paradise  that  only  confirms  what  lilith  already  knew.  “  god  damnit.  ’  she  muttered  under  her  breath.

but  it’s  the  sharp  screech  coming  from  the  woods  behind  her  that  pulled  her  back.  hands  covering  her  ears,  attempting  desperately  to  muffle  the  piercing  sound  that’s  ringing  through  her  ears.  eyes  widening  as  she  attempts  to  locate  where  the  sound  is  coming  from,  horror  etching  itself  across  her  features  as  they  come  into  sight.  “  what  the  …  ’  her  words  were  barely  a  whisper,  her  feet  trying  to  catch  up  with  her  thoughts  which  were  running.  she  didn’t  get  far,  an  unfamiliar  arm  reaching  for  her,  pulling  her  back  against  the  boulder  before  she  can  even  muster  up  a  thought  to  stop  them.  

“  what  the  fuck  is  wrong  with  you?!  ’  blue  irises  search  for  his  as  brows  twist  together.  

          “   what  the  fuck  is  wrong  with  me  ?   ”     confusion  manifests  in  the  form  of  furrowed  brows.   he  might  have  been  a  threat  to  tera  in  the  sense  that  he  was  rebellious  and  vengeful,  but  that  didn’t  mean  he  wanted  all  terrans  dead.   with  these  creatures  on  the  hunt,  none  of  them  were  safe.   even  with  all  the  knowledge  he  had  about  them,  it  wasn’t  like  other  people  knew  what  they  did.   the  screams,  the  running,  the  fucking  alarm...   it  was  all  a  beacon  that  needed  to  be  knocked  down.   lukas  couldn’t  calm  the  panic,  but  lilith  could.   she  could  at  least  curb  some  of  the  frantic  outbursts,  ease  some  of  the  minds  and  try  to  get  some  useful  information  out  into  the  open.

          lukas  hadn’t  moved.   he  hadn’t  screamed,  hadn’t  trampled  over  anyone,  hadn’t  made  a  sound,  but  he  was  right  in  the  middle  of  everyone  else  and  that  was  the  dangerous  part.   there  was  no  controlling  how  people  reacted,  but  he  knew  those  creatures  would  follow  the  sound,  so  he  needed  to  distance  himself  and  as  many  others  as  possible.   he  at  least  knew  his  mother  was  safe  behind  the  walls  of  tera,  behind  the  gates  that  everyone  so  badly  wanted  to  open  at  that  exact  moment.

          “   get  your  fucking  people  in  check,  lilith.   ”     nobody  ever  said  he  was  good  at  communicating  information  in  a  proper  and  professional  manner.   lukas  knew  facts.   he  knew  what  needed  to  get  done  and  maybe  he  was  a  natural - born  leader  that  would  never  rise  to  the  authority  if  given,  but  he  had  to  try  sometimes.     “   however  you  silence  those  alarms,  you  need  to  do  it.   call  your  fuckin’  security,  hit  a  button,  do  whatever...   just  make  them  stop  or  those  creatures  aren’t  leaving.   ”

          people  were  already  dying.   bodies  were  dropping  left  and  right,  both  terrans  and  outlanders.   they  were  both  about  to  suffer  if  something  didn’t  happen  soon.   “   i  know  i’m  one  of  the  last  people  to  listen  to,  but  the  more  sound  we  make,  the  easier  it  is  to  target  us.   ”

[lossknown]

interstxllcr​:

location: wherever there are bodies time: right after pt 2 events; consequences open: to all; feel free to pre-establish a connection  

The boulder at his back was cold as he watched a council member, Emerson, as he recalled, address her people. Not enough time had passed that Gene could switch from survival mode, but he stood still enough and was used to appearing, at least on the surface, like he was in control of himself. He crossed his arms, straightening when a few Terrans glanced his way when Emerson spoke of the Outlanders pig-headedness, but overall, none that knew him less than intimately could guess what thoughts were running through his mind. His cheek hurt, blood seeping from various wounds and a gnarly gash at his side would need a Sawbone’s salve, but he was breathing. Which was more than he could say for the bodies strewn around. Once Emerson’s display of power and control– the council’s claws reintroduced and clutching to their sweet little Terrans– Gene finally started to move, dragging the dead Outlanders to create a pile to take back.  

 “You look like shit.” Gene had glanced up as someone approached, he’d been in the midst of dragging a dead Terran out of the way so he could get to the Outlander beneath. When he righted himself, hands landing on his hips to take a breather, he saw stars flickering in his eyes. “Guess it’ll be a bit before our company’ll be enjoyed again.” Spoken in a customarily Gene fashion, his words were dripping in mock disappointment, not burdened by the carnage around him. 

          every  member  of  the  council  instilled  a  familiar  sickness  within  his  gut  every  time  one  of  them  spoke.   lukas  stood  back  with  bloodied  knuckles,  several  flesh  wounds,  and  a  sense  of  anger  burning  beneath  his  chest  as  the  outlanders  were  ripped  apart  right  in  front  of  them.   they  should  have  just  compared  them  to  the  creatures  that  killed  their  people,  it  would  have  made  a  lot  more  sense.   lukas  tried  to  help.   he  did.   it’s  not  his  fault  they  refused  to  listen.   eyes  fell  upon  the  remnants  of  the  gash  on  the  other’s  side,  then  to  the  blood  on  gene’s  cheek.     “   i  can  check  that  out  for  you  when  we  get  back.   ”     the  offer  fell  as  he  approached  the  other,  hand  gesturing  towards  his  side  before  he  took  a  glance  at  the  bodies  around  them.

          “   look  better  than  half  the  people  here.   ”     lukas  muttered,  an  absent  comment  that  seemed  to  vanish  into  thin  air  after  just  seconds.   he’d  just  finished  shifting  several  bodies,  separating  which  ones  belonged  to  who  and  taking  a  few  moments  with  each  to  try  and  identify  them.   the  outlanders,  he  knew  every  one.   the  terrans  ?   well,  he  hadn’t  been  there  in  years,  he  wasn’t  expected  to  know  them.   it  still  felt  like  a  war  had  been  fought  on  these  very  grounds,  and  it  had,  but  not  between  the  people  he  thought  it’d  be  between.     “   don’t  be  stupid.   they  didn’t  enjoy  our  company  any  other  time,  either.   they  just  wanted  to  act  like  they’d  bring  us  back  with  open  arms.   they  kicked  most  of  us  out  for  a  reason,  that’s  not  just  forgiven  for  one  day.   ”     although  there  was  an  inside  attack  on  the  terrans  that  lukas  didn’t  particularly  agree  with,  he  knew  his  people.   he  knew  where  he  belonged.   maybe  these  creatures  were  a  blessing  in  disguise  for  them.