Chaonen

Enter the Gunslinger.




WAR STORY following the round 21 comic battle.


Ridley sat at a large café table on the upper tier of the outer atrium of the Celestial city's main hospital. She was glad to be out of the Oasis region far to the east of the city and extremely glad to be rid of that Warlock, Panda Ruanda.
Ridley did not trust nor want his help on the mission she was assigned to by the Queen. But she never questioned the Queen's motives...

Sighing, she stretched her wings out beyond the safety railing. The pills she had taken numbed the pain in her head. That monster had caused her massive horns to shatter thus disabling her passive ability of nullifying any breed of magic.
In an odd move that Feuersterm agent, Mina, has temporarily ceased Ridley's pain after the crash and assisted her and Cheyan fleeing the area. After all, their mission was a success in neutralizing that tyrant, Hakim.
In return, Cheyan allowed Mina to hitch a ride with them out of the area and dropped off at a train station without question. Ridley didn't like it but felt that this gesture was in good faith.

Which brought Ridley to light up a cigarette that burns an eerie blue hue. She took a moment to allow the spice within the burning device to warm before she took a drag. Ridley closed her eyes and relaxed in the seat.

"Here you are..." a familiar voice mentioned.
Ridley opened one eye to watch Cheyan climb the staircase to the upper tier and take a seat beside her. She placed a newspaper on the table, the headline read, "Bombings!"

It seemed that there was a lot of action going on while the two went away for their mission. A bombing of a few higher level floors of a skyscraper in the Technology District of Arcadia City. And a series of explosions in the High Class District not too far off.

Ridley frowned at the headline and opened up her other eye to watch Cheyan.

Cheyan placed a mug of a sweet smelling tea down on the table.
"How are you feeling?"
"My head still hurts but otherwise... fine," Ridley answered as she tapped a finger against a container of prescription pills that quell migraine symptoms.

There was a pause as Cheyan glanced back at the skies. Storm clouds were rolling in just above the Celestial Tower that pierced the sky.

"They will grow back fast... this isn't the first time this has happened." Ridley added, indicating her horns.
Cheyan bowed her head at her mug, blowing at the steam rising from its contents.

"Ridley," Cheyan started, "don't you feel the least bit homesick?"
Ridley shook her head, "No."

Cheyan sighed.
"Listen... we have to see this war through. We are coming close to the end," Ridley said.
Cheyan glanced at the newspaper and pointed at the headline.
"Are we?" She asked. "This place is insane, Ridley."

"Perhaps," Ridley answered, puffing a plume of blue smoke into the empty sky. "But it makes it more interesting."

"For you, maybe," Cheyan's voice lifted. A bit of agitation in her tone, "but not for me, Ridley. Don't you remember what we were? Soldiers of Fortune not some... some," she searched for the right word.
"Killers?" Ridley added, narrowing her eyes.
Cheyan paused. Her eyebrows sinking at Ridley, "...what?"

Ridley grinned slightly as she smeared her cigarette in the ashtray to her left. "Yes, Cheyan. I kill. After all, it is in my nature, remember?"

Cheyan's ears lowered, "No.. you are a Runic Knight just like me, we solve th--"
"Was," Ridley corrected her.
Cheyan frowned at continued, "We solve things with violence being the last option--What happened to YOU?" She pushed her chair back and stood up.

Ridley, surprised, looked up at Cheyan. She didn't have the answer.

With a hint of anger, Cheyan flashed her teeth at Ridley. "Pull yourself together! This is not the same Ridley I grew up with!"

And with that, Cheyan backed up and hurried down the stairs and out of the atrium of the hospital leaving behind her newspaper and tea.

Ridley frowned, trailing Cheyan with her glowing eyes. She felt a stray raindrop or two as the storm clouds were spreading over the open area of the hospital. She stretched her wings out to cover her head while she adopted the tea and newspaper.