against the wall and went after him. Hendrick, his grin now gritted into a violent and ecstatic smile, ignited his Blazers and went to punch Ranjak across the face with it.
“Nathan!” Alighieri yelled, stepping between the two before Hendrick’s Blazer could make contact. Before Hendrick could shove him out of the way, more Dark soldiers burst into the room and threw themselves upon the Ditrinity, bringing half a dozen powerful stabilizers with them. Not wanting to escalate things, the Ditrinity didn’t fight back. Hendrick, though, ripped his arms from the grips of the two soldiers that restrained him and kept after Ranjak.
The rest of Ranjak’s companions went to break the fight up, though they seemed more keen towards further provoking it. And with the Monolith’s size, none of the others could forcibly restrain him. So, while allowing themselves to be shackled, Sable, Vyvyr stood back while Pontious and Luke shoved the encroaching Darks away, making it perfectly clear that they wouldn’t be going peaceably.
“Wait…” One of the younger women said, sliding her way into the contention. She was shorter, about five foot four, and looking around eighteen years old. Her straight dark brown hair extended down past her shoulder blades possessed a vivid luster. She was thin but lean. Her arms were more muscular than the average woman as were her shoulders. She had a skinny waist, larger hips and muscular legs. Her face was slender, with high cheek bones, large lips and piercing light blue eyes that could be mistaken for white.
“Back out of this.” Luke said dangerously. He didn’t want to be forceful with her, but he wouldn’t hesitate in doing so.
She didn’t blink. Instead, she stepped closer to Luke and got a better look at him. “You’re… you really are…” She said, her eyes lacking the anger that the others had. “You’re Luke Semprys.”
With all the stabilizers in the room, Luke couldn’t see much more than thin, blackened outlines of people and objects, making it even more difficult to distinguish this woman’s face. But even so, at that distance he could make out her features just fine. Luke knew he should know this woman, but sorting through his memories he found no record of her.
“I’m sorry…” Luke said, her geniality drawing a less aggressive response. “I’m not sure I know you…”
Everybody else saw them speaking and the commotion reached an abrupt halt. Hendrick, who had his hand wrapped around the collar on Ranjak’s armor, released it with a warmed smile upon seeing the two converse. Watching Luke and the woman, Hendrick dropped his arm and casually shoved Ranjak over a nearby trash can, clearing a space around the two. Over against the wall, despite the cuffs that restrained her, Sable smiled as well. And though Luke had just flirted with the line between forceful debate and assault, Alighieri seemed deeply moved by the situation as well. “Luke, she’s-“
“I got it.” The woman said, hushing Alighieri with just a few soft words. “Of course he’s not going to recognize me. He hasn’t seen me since I was twelve.”
The light in Luke’s head burst on, and whatever anger there was on Luke’s face made an immediate transformation into stark astonishment. And in his shock, Luke almost found himself incapable of even the most simple dictation. After a moment of gathering his thoughts, Luke responded in a deep, calmed voice.
“Tess…”
Tess’s eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face. After a short, emotional laugh she ran to Luke, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing him. She buried her face into his shoulder and rested there, breathing deep and slow as though taking in a moment she’d never be able to experience again. It was unfamiliar to Luke; he hadn’t felt this kind of emotion in a long time. Without waiting a moment longer, Alighieri raised a hand and motioned towards the door.
“Everybody
“Nathan!” Alighieri yelled, stepping between the two before Hendrick’s Blazer could make contact. Before Hendrick could shove him out of the way, more Dark soldiers burst into the room and threw themselves upon the Ditrinity, bringing half a dozen powerful stabilizers with them. Not wanting to escalate things, the Ditrinity didn’t fight back. Hendrick, though, ripped his arms from the grips of the two soldiers that restrained him and kept after Ranjak.
The rest of Ranjak’s companions went to break the fight up, though they seemed more keen towards further provoking it. And with the Monolith’s size, none of the others could forcibly restrain him. So, while allowing themselves to be shackled, Sable, Vyvyr stood back while Pontious and Luke shoved the encroaching Darks away, making it perfectly clear that they wouldn’t be going peaceably.
“Wait…” One of the younger women said, sliding her way into the contention. She was shorter, about five foot four, and looking around eighteen years old. Her straight dark brown hair extended down past her shoulder blades possessed a vivid luster. She was thin but lean. Her arms were more muscular than the average woman as were her shoulders. She had a skinny waist, larger hips and muscular legs. Her face was slender, with high cheek bones, large lips and piercing light blue eyes that could be mistaken for white.
“Back out of this.” Luke said dangerously. He didn’t want to be forceful with her, but he wouldn’t hesitate in doing so.
She didn’t blink. Instead, she stepped closer to Luke and got a better look at him. “You’re… you really are…” She said, her eyes lacking the anger that the others had. “You’re Luke Semprys.”
With all the stabilizers in the room, Luke couldn’t see much more than thin, blackened outlines of people and objects, making it even more difficult to distinguish this woman’s face. But even so, at that distance he could make out her features just fine. Luke knew he should know this woman, but sorting through his memories he found no record of her.
“I’m sorry…” Luke said, her geniality drawing a less aggressive response. “I’m not sure I know you…”
Everybody else saw them speaking and the commotion reached an abrupt halt. Hendrick, who had his hand wrapped around the collar on Ranjak’s armor, released it with a warmed smile upon seeing the two converse. Watching Luke and the woman, Hendrick dropped his arm and casually shoved Ranjak over a nearby trash can, clearing a space around the two. Over against the wall, despite the cuffs that restrained her, Sable smiled as well. And though Luke had just flirted with the line between forceful debate and assault, Alighieri seemed deeply moved by the situation as well. “Luke, she’s-“
“I got it.” The woman said, hushing Alighieri with just a few soft words. “Of course he’s not going to recognize me. He hasn’t seen me since I was twelve.”
The light in Luke’s head burst on, and whatever anger there was on Luke’s face made an immediate transformation into stark astonishment. And in his shock, Luke almost found himself incapable of even the most simple dictation. After a moment of gathering his thoughts, Luke responded in a deep, calmed voice.
“Tess…”
Tess’s eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face. After a short, emotional laugh she ran to Luke, throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing him. She buried her face into his shoulder and rested there, breathing deep and slow as though taking in a moment she’d never be able to experience again. It was unfamiliar to Luke; he hadn’t felt this kind of emotion in a long time. Without waiting a moment longer, Alighieri raised a hand and motioned towards the door.
“Everybody
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