Giants Strike - Dragon Defense

[Kyrie Blaze]

The blood drained from Kyrie's face, leaving her sheet-white.

What?

Disbelief, guilt, and grief assailed her. She couldn't even say she was sorry, for the moment, but turned her gaze to the ground. She couldn't even turn back to helping the wounded, for the moment.

Suddenly, as though she'd had to bodily throw herself from her silent standstill she did the only thing she could think of: she hugged him.

[David B.]

He brought his free hand over, resting his hand on her back at the hug, but didn't look at her. He liked humans, despite their tendency toward Chaos and change.

"Over a thousand Titans have abandoned Kronos, and joined me. I will be marching an army on the wall in the coming weeks. I intend to have his head for it."

He would bring his free hand back over to heal as well.

"Themis would not approve."

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kyrie didn't immediately let go--she found she couldn't, in a combination of different griefs. The hand on her back was warm, and it took her longer than after he lifted it again to gather herself enough that she could finally pull away, head still bowed to let her press her hands against her eyes and clean the tears, there.

Or attempt to.

Of course Themis wouldn't approve.

Kyrie wasn't entirely sure she did, either.

"Would you...be opposed to me using some of the bodies of your brethren for something? I give you my word that I will not tarnish their bodies."

He was standing there before her, so she asked. It would not do to go through with the possibility she had in mind if it would upset him when he got word of it.

[David B.]

He frowned.

"Use their bodies? Why? I cannot abide their desecration. They should be allowed to rest."

[Kyrie Blaze]

She took a slow breath.

"I would take them to their home--to the Wall. I do not think I could take them all, but...I know the sentiment of laying the dead to rest. I have brought the bodies of Dragons home to rest, before. I will not lie, however, in that part of the reason would be to see if either Khaos or Kronos would be drawn out by the bodies."

As far as she was concerned, it was only those two that truly needed to be dealt with, from what she had seen.

[David B.]

He shook his head...then looked over at the few wounded Titans that were captured.

"Allow me to take the wounded...and you can use them. But if i find out anyone here has experimented on these bodies...I'll have no choice but to act."

[Kyrie Blaze]

"I do not believe I will be able to take all of the dead, Hyperion. I can only assume this was not the only place we were attacked in," As she would likely soon find out as Scouts delivered reports, "If you possibly can, I would appreciate it if you can take the dead that I cannot use; I will ensure their bodies are cremated, otherwise. They do deserve to rest. And as for no experimentation... If that is the intent of anyone here...I will put a stop to it, myself."

Hyperion certainly wasn't one she wanted for an enemy. And she had gone once before, hell or high water, to retrieve the ones that had fallen when Olesya's negotiations fell through. Not to mention other times before this day.

"I would need to find out how many, now...though I cannot promise this would be something you would like to see, either."

While it wasn't destroying or maiming their bodies...it was imbuing them with a temporary soul - or so she gathered - through her mask. It wasn't something that she was taking lightly, and for good reason.

[David B.]

Hyperion turned to her.

"If even one body is used for whatever you have planned, I will need all the wounded and captured Titans as recompense. They may see it as sacrilege, but a necessary one in order to free the living. Our dead brothers would understand. I will take whomever you don't need. Do we have an arrangement?"

Hyperion folded his arms...he was all business for now.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kyrie watched him, noting several of the differences in him, here and now.

"I do not yet know how many I will be able to work with; that is something I need to find out, here and now, if you agree to it. But, upon arriving at the wall I do not intend to leave with them. I intend to leave whatever bodies I take with Gaia, at least, at one point or another. As for the release of your kin..." The blonde heaved a slow, weary sigh, and then turned to find and face David. She couldn't authorize giving up so many, though she wanted to. "David, The Storm Dragon will have to give me the go-ahead."

She would call the Elder over, at that.

[David B.]

David finished flexing his fingers, then looked up at the sky. He wondered what, exactly the fates had in store for him. That he should be given so much only to have more taken away simply for a cause that was needed in todays world.

He turned to Kiyr as she called out to him, beckoning. He walked over, standing in front of Hyperion and not extending his hand. It was just as well for Hyperion, as he didn't extend his either.

"Titan."

"Dragon."

David looked Hyperion over, slowly, sizing him up. Hyperions eyes didn't trail from Davids face, but he seemed aloof, as though unconcerned with the Storm Dragons measuring. David turned his eyes back to Hyperions face.

"What can we do for this Individual? Is he coming to turn himself in?"

"You wish, kid."

Hyperion grinned, and David smirked back...but clearly they were waiting on Kiyr.

[Kyrie Blaze]

The banter was just as well, because the blond both of them were waiting on was struggling. More than once she wished she could run and not look back, to be elsewhere. It was a mixture of pain and even cowardice. But Kyrie was brave, and more enduring than most others were. She shouldered her heavy heart and lifted her gaze from where it fell to the stones.

"...I intend to bring some of the dead to the Titans' wall, with the purpose of repaying a debt I owe, if Khaos still has Themis' soul and can be drawn from within the wall's boundaries." Her blue eyes fastened on Hyperion. She wasn't so stupid to sacrifice herself and undo everything he and Themis had done, and even with the turmoil she was in, she was methodically working out a plan. "In return for the use of the deceased Titans...Hyperion requests he be given custody of the wounded and captured Titans in turn, as well as the remaining dead."

Finally, her eyes slid to David. She lightly twisted the ring on her finger, deliberating on this part, as well. She would need to wait to see what he said before she could do more.

[David B.]

David watched her...Hyperions head snapped back to her face even faster. There was a mask there- but underneath was intense pain and questioning...wondering why she would do that. Doubt as well.

David, for his part, was just curious. He thought it over.

"Well. Field Marshal and interim Voice of the Storm Dragon Kiyr Barrial...I leave the decision up to you. Whatever you decide, I will support your choice. In truth, I don't know this man, or this...Khaos. I only know my men. And my love for my men clouds my judgement. My gut call is to tell this tall prick to get on his knees and put his hands on his head...but only because I do not know him. You, as a future leader yourself, will need to learn to make these kinds of decisions, and judge character for yourself."

He didn't look at Hyperion, who didn't look back for the moment either. He understood where David was coming from. His comrades had just killed half a dozen Dragons, and he was there. Healthy and wanting the wounded. But he could see David was wise...putting someone in charge of the decision who had all the angles. Very smart.

David didn't wait for a "but" or a "what about", he simply continued.

"I will be with the men, cleaning up, as well as seeing to our own wounded. Fill me in on your decision at the debrief."

And without saying goodbye to Hyperion, he turned and left.

"Man kind of has a stick up his ass, doesn't he..."

[Kyrie Blaze]

Kiyr didn't look at David--not for this part. She spoke quietly before the Elder would.

"Nobody should have to have the one they love ripped away from them. Certainly not you, nor Themis, for you both sacrificed so much for me already to help me to safety from both Kronos and Khaos..." She held her composure well, and her voice remained level, being so quiet. She would explain more, in a few moments, but turned her gaze to David as he spoke.

Surprisingly, perhaps, she didn't try to interject with any type of protest. David's honest admittance on his stance and the words that followed the previous ones...left her standing on solid ground instead of nearer to the edge where she was uncertain of the power she had.

She watched David's back a moment as he left...and then turned on her heel at Hyperion's words. Crisp blue eyes bored into the Titan, fearlessly and with that trademark protectiveness that flowed in her family, but she did not snap or attack him. She took a slow, deep breath and spoke plainly.

"I understand where he is coming from in this situation; the Dragons are literally family and we would and will lay down our lives for them and their future. He also has more stress outside of this that are playing a factor to his mannerisms. Under different circumstances you would see him with a different light." Her gaze twitched a little as the urge ebbed like the tide in her, causing her to soften. She looked up with a blink.

Her hands lifted and she slowly pulled the ring from her finger and held it in her steady grip. With her silent stare, she was asking for trust, here.

"Please, give me your hand."

[David B.]

He watched David for several seconds. He turned hs eyes back on Kiyr as she spoke. He understood.

"I have watched him for a long time. I know his struggles. We will see the part he has to play yet."

As she removed the ring...he frowned. He would not take it back. In fact, he couldn't. But he would hold out his hand, palm turned up, waiting.

[Kyrie Blaze]

The blonde struggled, herself, trying to keep her composure in place, was quiet. She had so much to let out and so much to ask, but trampled it down. When he held out his hand, she lifted the hand that held the ring, and set it in his hand, her palm covering his.

She gave him a solemn smile - more just a faint upward curve of her lips before it faded - and the weight of the ring would lift from the palm of his hand as her qi gently coiled around it to pull it beneath her glove and into the shadows, there. There was enough space and enough time, with the words she said, for him to pull a nifty trick with the light once again.

"I return this to your keeping."

This time, it was convincing. She had no reason to not hand it over, of course...but she actually kept it and kept it hidden.

She would lift her hand and drop it, slowly, her shoulders slackening in a slight slump. She tilted her head and spoke.

"Will you walk with me through your fallen comrades? I need you to point out those important to Khaos or Kronos, if any. But I see no issue in agreeing to your terms, provided they remain loyal to you and they do not return to Kronos..."