[ FINISHED ] White Angels

Soot, blood, sweat, tears, dust, burns... Guilt... Pain... Anger... It was plastered all over this man; laboured breath ensuing heavy footsteps. Much like how he assumed Aiden felt, Arlen's conscience weighed quite heavily on him, more so than the armor or the fragile elder he carried in his arms. Despite the bombings, the gunfire, the screams, he had to keep going, but his footsteps became heavy; echoing through the damp tunnels alongside the faint flow of sewage... Filth that was cleaner than him or his thoughts. He made the decisions, he told others what to do and now he was going to live with those choices; with the crying voices ringing in his ears, but something all-the-more sinister hidden away in the dark pits of his mind.

Oh-ho-ho! Look at poor, hapless rat trudging onward, looking for a place to run to. It's alllllll his fault and he knows it, doesn't he? Oh-ho-ho... Good job ANGEL; what a display! Mother's little boy is QUITE the scion of slaughter, ehhh?

Arlen could hear those voices, mocking him and taunting him at every step, attempting bittersweet duress and hoping for the young man to snap and crack. He shook his head violently, gritting his teeth as he did so and rubbing at his eyes. His cloak was stained with mud, and a darker shade of red, his armor dirty and banged up, he and Aiden and everyone else had been through a hellscape; fire, lightning, blood, broken timber, dust and every procreate of dark thoughts. What hurt the most in this whole ordeal was not just that he believed he caused this, but that the virtue of innocence had been destroyed in many children... It was never more evident, than when he looked at the beaten body of Aiden. His good nature and childlike innocence are no longer, feeling his hurt and exhaustion, his frustration and helplessness. How did Arlen know? He felt exactly the same. HE brought this young man to the breaking point... Some role model he turned out to be. Yet Arlen had no time to feel emotion, because there were people that still needed his support and he STILL... Despite everything that has happened... HE STILL has to try. Arlen's exasperated and fatigued facial expression shifted to a small smile in return to Aiden's smile, trying his best to keep their spirits up but in a losing effort at this point. The foul stench and dim surroundings did little to dissuade Arlen from his thoughts and they did little to change the mood; the sloshing of moss, sewage and a disease-ridden concoction in the waterway below them was certainly disgusting, but nothing that couldn't be overcome. As Aiden collapsed against the wall of the tunnel, Arlen looked around wearily, but cautiously, as he then strode up to the young man and knelt before him with the elder still in his arms; treating him as gently as possible, if he was ever going to do SOMETHING right in this debacle. This was something he never expected from Zeen Corps, or any military... Something he never wished to expose to any of his friends or loved ones. Thank the Gods she was able to find peace before she could find shame... Shame in her son, as he felt shame for doing this to everyone. Aiden's armor was equally damaged as his emotions and this showed when he refused to look at Arlen. Arlen frowned and sighed very heavily, watching the young man put his face in his hands and kick away his beloved shield. Aiden's crisis of conscience and wavering spirit were clear to see as he spoke to Arlen, hitting the paladin deeply where it hurt as he continued to question the moral choices and his responsibility. Something welled up inside Arlen at Aiden's statement; a feeling of regret and vengeance, to see those men burn for the atrocity they caused... But then he thought of her, the purest of people he had ever known, and he knew deep down that there was still hope. It was like he always said to himself...

With a gentle motion, Arlen rest his hand on the boy's head, ruffling his hair ever-so-slightly.

"You are not to blame Aiden; you didn't cause this. You fought just as an honorable warrior should, by fighting to protect what was important to you. It was not us that slaughtered the city... It was done at the hands of monsters disguised as men. THEY put innocents to the sword, THEY riddled them with gunfire, THEY destroyed their homes, NOT US... Not you..."

His voice seemed to trail off a bit. He was solely to blame for all of this and most certainly he expected punishment in the future for his crimes. Taking a large gulp, he continued, but this time a lot softer and more familial.

"Our secret is still kept safe, so that there's still a cause that is fighting for all the people of Alexius. We're still here not just because we're lucky, but also because we still have a purpose; a will, a burning fire of passion and courage, so we can see that monsters and wicked men like Zeen Corps can NEVER destroy lives like they have done here today. Evil men have been in power for longer than we've been born and they can spin their webs of lies and chaos, but remember... It's always darkest before the dawn. That blood has been spilled in the streets for many reasons, not just the one you say... But please, you are not at fault. I made those calls... And I will have to live with the consequences of my choices until the day that I die rotting in the grave, or burning in the fires that took these innocents. This is my fault, Aiden... And I will take responsibility and all the punishment that comes with it. But we can still save the people of Alexius, especially the natives of Izmir. We still have a chance to do good, and I will work my hardest to redeem myself until I face my divine punishment. We made mistakes... And I made the biggest mistake of all... Which is why we have to work hard to save as many as we can. I know that people still count on us."

With a few chants and hums, Arlen focused divine energy from his soul, through his amulet and into his hand. A faint blue glow emanated from his hand as he lifted that same hand and pressed into into Aiden's chest. The divine energy began flowing through the young man. Even the great gods are capable of showing mercy, even on this sorry lot of humans... But whether they deserved it or not was to be decided between each soul. Arlen put his heart and soul into this feat of spiritual healing; for he truly believed in his heart of hearts that Aiden is capable of great heroism.

   [It works as a lay on hands, that has a mercy that removes the fatigued condition]

"Aiden... I promise I will protect you. I'm going to get this elder to his family, and you to your home, even if it kills me... Even if I cannot save myself, I can still save you and everyone else... I swear it! Don't falter, honorable warrior, and the gods will help you overcome these arduous trials."

Staring directly at Aiden, he smile widened despite his own injuries and fatigued; sure of his statement and sounding confident in his conviction. Truly if he couldn't save himself, he could at least save as many as he could before the fates take him. He only breaks to stand himself up, to go and reach for Aiden's shield and placing it beside the young man with a smile. Settling down, kneeling in front of Aiden, he adjusts his grip on the native elder with gentleness seldom seen.

"When all the odds are stacked against us and the demons laugh in our face, the only things left is our strength, courage... And Hope."

Arlen would be damned if he let Aiden share in the guilt and the shame of what happened. It would be cruel and unfair to the young man, for it was not his burden to bear. They still had a purpose in this life and he would make sure that those purposes come to fruition; doing what he can to fix this broken, pained and saddened country before the next generation takes over. Zeen Corps, King Oliver, The Main Guards... The corrupt ran thick, thick like their fear and their cruelty, which pushed them to genocide the likes of which had not been seen for roughly a decade. And it surprised Arlen as much as it also caused him great pain; more so than the physical wounds he bears and the blood he's spilt. If he faltered before his comrades, their spirits would crumble like the stone walls that keep their own inner demons at bay. At this point in time all was quiet as Arlen had time to think on everything that happened, with the screams of innocents and the roars of machinery fuelling hate, death and destruction coming to the forefront of his dark thoughts. The mental barriers he worked so hard to reinforce, all so he could work harder to help those around him, they were being hounded by all manner of monstrosities and nightmares. In Arlen's sad tale, he already had the whole world against him once before, when he lost everything in his childhood... His whole life... He could feel a well of despair rise up and he so desperately wanted to break down and cry; to lay down on the cold, dirty stones, to let the rot eat away at his guilt and pray for forgiveness... But he couldn't... There was still a fire in his heart, however dim it flickered right now. It was a fire to do good and change the world, for the better. He simply didn't have the time n'or respite to make for such selfish time, not when others needed his help. He checked on the elder in his arms and he sighed with relief; he was fine and resting as best he could. Looking down at Aiden with a faint smile and back to the elder, he imagined all the people in Alexius who were in despair and suffering and he remembered all their faces. Arlen would face the beast, stare evil in the eye and he would fight; fight for a better tomorrow, to fight for a New Dawn. If he could do that, then the people would be saved.

"Angel or not, i'm simply a man. A man who makes mistakes, feels joy... And feels pain... Just like everyone else. But as a man, I will do everything I can to bring hope to the hopeless, to bring strength to the weak, to bring joy to the saddened... To bring redemption to the lost. I will take this burden on my back and continue fighting the good fight, so people like you Aiden can look forward to a brighter future."

Aiden's quite childlike, but very much enthusiastic declaration was more than enough to help fill Arlen with zeal and energy. The paladin sighed heavily as he a smile grew on his lips; because things can get better, because there are people that still need saving and because he didn't crush his friend's spirits. The elder stirred and righted himself, clearly bewildered after such a violent ordeal that he suffered , which slowly took away his calm and replaced it with frantic worry. Now that the Elder was able to walk and think and talk, Arlen gripped the hilt of his large sword firmly, fanning the cloak back and taking a tall, stalwart stance. The chinks in his once-shiny armor were masked by patches of dirt, soot and blood, but the seeming aura of grace never left him. With a saddened frown, Arlen put his empty fist up to his chest, addressing the elder.

"We found you in the wreckage, Elder. Your family and the tribes are worried about you, and they have most likely fled from the city outskirts to escape the purge... Yes Sir... Zeen Corps has initiated a purge, which is all the more reason your tribe will seek shelter in the wilderness, and all-the-more reason that we must find them and help. I promise that I will do everything I can to return you back to your family. Mr. Fisher here is right; we need to get moving... But I think we don't know where we're going; we were fleeing from the guards with you on my back when we came into the sewer system. Let's find a way out of the city, sir."

Turning to face Aiden, Arlen walks over to the young man, taking off his holy symbol of Oroboros and showing it to him. As dirty as it may look, it still holds a faint metallic shine that only something made of silver could do. It rested gently in Arlen's gauntlet palm; a silvery island on an ocean of steel and coarse leather. He looked down at his tabard to see several tears and burns... Definitely not easy to repair. Looking back up to the young man, Arlen gave him a smile and a knowing nod. Something about the whole situation put everyone in turmoil; with eachother, with themselves and with figments seeking to become real. But through it all, the human spirit was being tested, forged and made stronger, as the two warriors found purpose once more.

"The angels come in many shapes and sizes... And the blessings they give come in many forms. Perhaps you yourself could be a blessing... Who knows?"

He takes the holy symbol back and puts it around his neck, as it dangled on his chest piece with renewed pride, even against the face of danger, shame and failure. Arlen snapped his fingers a few times, then his head turned sharply towards the Elder.

"Sir... Did you come into the city with any of your family? They are important to you, so they are important to me."