OC-tober ā [Day 29] ā Accuse āĀ Aidenās Sacrifice
Following up on this Mesmer Collective LWRP for The Crystaline Chronicles story arc.
And some songs!Ā Knights of Cydonia by Muse. Prayers For Rain by The Cure.
āAiden, you are not cleared for this next mission yet, youāve not recovered fromĀ your wounds.Ā Some of these couldāve been fatal, so Iām not releasing you.Ā And thatās a doctorās direct order!Ā You know my clearance outranks your ā¦.well, your rank!ā
But the Chronomancer wasnāt listening.Ā He was ready to get back into battle now that they knew they had a chance to save Tyria from the Crystal Dragonās final threat.
āIām going back to Dragonfall.Ā Ā They will need me.ā
Phil sighed, pulling at his disheveled salt and pepper mane in frustration, most grays acquired rather recently,Ā āYeah, you know who else needs you?Ā Cora!Ā Ā What am I even gonna tell her when she finds out you went back out there after the injuries you sustained when rescuing the others during that last fight, eh?!ā
āIāmā¦..āĀ Ā There was some hesitation to Aidenās words, still struggling to even breathe, but he spoke again.Ā Ā āIām doing this for her.Ā Iām doing this for Tyriaās future.Ā Ā I may not have given a shit about Tyria or its future before, butā¦ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā __________________________________________________
But sacrifices were made to ensure victory.Ā Ā Committed to the cause, and devoted to serve Tyria, many Collective members took incredible risks.Ā Some didnāt come back.Ā Ā And those who did, not all returned unscathed.
A few more than others.
Aidenās pale lids flickered in a half-conscious condition as he heard those around him speak, caught in some almost dream-like state where he feared perhaps the mesmer rogueĀ Sonhe had something to do with it.Ā Ā But this was reality.
āā¦.they got deep in.Ā To vitals.Ā A kidney, part of his liver, quite a chuck, really, andā¦..and worst of allā¦his heart.āĀ Ā The agitated murmuring came from Phil.
āWhat does that mean?āĀ Another voice, which Aiden thought might be Dianaās.
āIt means heāll become Branded.Ā He wonāt be our Aiden.āĀ Ā It was Riverās blunt delivery but sincere remark, familiarity striking Aiden.Ā Ā āI donāt think heāll enjoy that.ā
Managing to croak a phrase before succumbing once again to the jabbing pain in his chest, abdomen, and lower back, the Chronomancer spoke,Ā āCanā¦.can I please have a moment alone.Ā Wāwith my ā¦my doctor.Ā Doctor and patient confidentiality, you bickering banshees.ā
Even in his agonizing, suffering state, Aidenās sass was more stubborn than a red wine stain on a silk blouse.
Once left within the privacy of the clinicās ICU, and only in the company of Doctor Phil, Aiden continued:Ā Ā āHow many did we lose?ā
āIām not going to answer that Aiden.Ā Not now.Ā Andā¦.and anyway, we donāt even know.Ā Ā Right now, weāre focusing on getting everyone who still has a pulse and a chance to live, to, well, to get healed up.ā
āIām hopeless, arenāt I?Ā Ā They got to me.Ā Deep.Ā Only a matter of time before Iām Branded.ā
āWe can stop it.āĀ Phil tried to assure the chronomancer, though there was a hint of doubt to his tone.
Aiden, however, tried to remain within his version of optimism, which was questionable in practice.Ā But given how little choice he had in the matter, and countered by how much he had to look forward to if he lived, he made a request.
āPromise me one thing.Ā Youāll try your best.Ā But.Ā But if you canāt stop it, the corruption spreading, honor my decision.Ā You will kill me, Phil.ā
At that, Phil blinked, jerking up from his stool as he worked on Aidenās chart, and visibly alarmed.Ā Ā āAiden, I canātā¦.Ā No, we have to try what we can!Ā Death is not an option!ā
āTry as you must, but do not let me become Branded.Ā Ā I would rather die a human man than experience the agony of twisting into something else and wanting to murder those I love.ā
It was then when their respective dark gazes locked on each otherās, and no more words needed to be exchanged.Ā Ā They knew.
A memory of a happier time, or perhaps a time that had not yet passed, was the last thing Aiden remembered before Doctor Phil placed him into a medically induced mesmer coma.
(( @isiabelleā @flashfire344ā ))
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