A Darker Purpose

Liela saw Caen. She stopped crying and went to his side. "Please don't cry. This isn't your fault. You did the right thing." She wiped away her tears. " It's all my fault. I should have just accepted my death. I was just so young... and I thought maybe there was more to me but." She began to float away from Caen turning the other way.  " But if all I do in my existence is cause others sadness... then I don't want to be here anymore" She started to slowly flicker away. "You probably don't want me here either. All I do is make you sad. I'll leave"

-Vega was still active, only bearly, Vega tried to speak to Shrike to no evail, Shrikes life signs were dim and if not all but gone.-

"Shrike....can you hear me....Shrike are you there....life signs...minimal....operational status...10%...life signs fading...combat systems failing......user flat-lining...diverting remaining power to restoration."

-Shrike suit had build in crash cartridges, the first attempt failed...the second attempt also failed....the third attempted failed....the forth..brought him back. However Vega used the last of his power, this over use of it caused Vega to be destroyed via the process, Shrike was alive but he lost his AI in the process, The last remaining power in the suit went into the exo system, to take the strain of movement off him. Shrike was very much weakened and injured so the suit did most of the work, with a slow pace the soldier stood back to his feet, clutching his shoulder.-

"Vega........Vega...are you there......Vega...."

-It was then Shrike realized Vega was gone he felt a great pain in him, loosing the being who was there for him, slowly..and each step being hard, Shrike limped towards where Caen was, before long he emerged from the tree line of the woods, only to see Liela's Ghost fade into the sky, he lifted his head slowly watching her go, Shrike looked back down over at Caen who he could see was upset and frustrated. Shrike limped towards him, his feet making heavy impacts as he moved towards the Hedge hog.-

"C...Caen....Caen."

-The suit finally ran out of power as he dropped to his knee raising his head to look at him.-

Caen saw Shrike emerge from the skyline, barely alive. This just made Caen feel worse. Now he had to tell the bad news to Shrike. "I-I.." He could barely speak. He lay down on the floor, and pulled himself into a fetal-like position "I've fucked up worse than I could've ever imagined... Liela, she's-" he breathed in quickly, more tears flowing down his face. Liela's ghost floated above him "I... I don't want you to leave..." Caen said to Liela, reaching out "this feeling... My... I can barely breathe... Why... Why can I never help... Anyone... Useless... Useless..." Caen began to hit his own head, punishing himself for his failures. "Every time... I make things worse... I SHOULD DIE!" Caen stood up, his legs shaking, "but... I cant even do that right... Cant even kill myself..."

Caen took off his scabbards, throwing them down, along with his blades "I am not worthy of the blade... Not worthy of staining people's vision with my presence... Just a jumped-up little kid... Worthless... Weak... Talentless..." He turned away from Shrike and Liela "disgusting," he began to walk, tears still dropping down his face as he walked "goodbye... And... Even if it's a worthless apology, I'm... I'm sorry."

Liela stopped flying away when she heard Caen say he didn't want her to leave. She came back down but noticed Shrike. "Wha-what happened?" That's all she could say before hearing Caen have an emotional breakdown. "C-Caen wait... don't say such horrible things about yourself. You have so much to live for. I... Don't. Please don't spend your life thinking you are in the wrong. That isn't how a talented young man like yourself should be spending it. " She gave a little smile. She got closer and tried to give him a hug. She knew it would give him a chill but she did it anyway.  Of course, it failed but it was the thought that counts. "If you stop saying those bad things, I'll stay here as long as you want"

-Shrike was on his knees with his one hand curled as a fist on the surface, he looked at them both, what Caen said, how it was to late, tho her spirit was still there, he also felt a sense of failure, he was about 50 different kinds of messed up, he looked at them, his left eye which was visible, looking at them before turning his gaze to the ground, Shrike did all he could to save her, and nearly paid the price of his own life in the process, he had enough energy to speak and speak he did.-

" Caen.....Caen....when there are wars....some times....you can be...the most prepared...the best equipped....the skilled....best....of....the best...but there are some battles.....you can not win...we did....what we could....remember...Caen....You....are...will always have...despite your you say....have a hero inside you....I believe....she does....You risked your life....for the sake...of hers....something a usless, forsaken...no good being....would never.....ever...have. Your fate...is not death...but life..a life to for fill."-

-Shrike had to put his other hand down to keep himself from total collapse, he had fought to the nail..He felt the same sense of that he failed in what he tried to do..but unlike Caen..he kept that to himself, he felt a little trickle of blood run down his exposed side of his helmet.

Caen stopped in his tracks when he felt a chill run down his spine. Yet, this chill somehow felt... Comforting. He looked down, and could see Liela's arms wrapped around him. She spoke of how she would stay, only if Caen ceased putting himself down "b-but... Why would you want to be around me?! I reek of failure! How are you not repulsed by me?! I'm no better than that demon that Lillith ripped apart!" He dropped to his knees, his voice softer, yet still filled with sadness "there I go again, making things worse..." He looked over at Shrike "and how can you call me a hero?! I mean, look at you! You risked life and limb, quite literally! You're close to dying, and I barely have any more than some cuts and bruises! Stuff that'll heal in days! You... You have fought, and all I've done is cry and... And..." He cried some more, making a quiet wailing noise, as he buried his face into his hands.

Liela didn't want to see him cry anymore. Talking didn't Seem to work but that wasn't stopping her. " You know what's repulsing? You calling yourself a failure when you're not. You've literally fought a demon.That's something even some of the greatest heroes can't do. so what you barely got hurt. You're just lucky this time around. But I guess at the end of the day, you are the one that determines if that is a failure. "

 She turned and flew to Shrike. Trying to help him up. Giving chills and failing miserably. She had just been so used to having the ability to touch in her body that she keep forgetting she didn't have that in this form. She gave a sad sigh looking at Shrike. "I'm sorry but I can't help you up. I should be the one helping you up for what you did. You have no idea how thankful I am for you and Caen. You guys saved me from a monster I thought was a close friend.  I wish I could give you both something but there is nothing on my name. I can't even touch you guys. The only thing I can give you is my company."

-Shrike uses his one hand to put some pressure to arch his back enough to look up at her, he made eye contact with her, due to the fact that the top left of his helmet had been totally destroyed in the battle, she could finally at least see a bit of his face, his navy blue eye filled with fragments of lighter blue origin, shifted every so slightly as he looked at her, Shrike listened to her words. Shrike would now and then clench his eye to deal with some of the pain, before returning to look at her.-

"I'm....sorry Liela...I did what I could...I fought to the last drop....but I don't even know...if I managed to destroy him..I atleast hope...the cost of this....was worth it.....I lost vega....he used the last of his power to make sure I didn't die.....You may be a ghost...but you are still Liela....and I have a feeling...being a ghost...will not be the end for you....today....It was a victory....a costly victory...but you are spared from the demon grasp. 

-This implied that Shrike had a idea or a feeling there might be a way some time in the near future..of a chance to take her ghost and return it to a more physical state, but he could not go into detail. He was barely able to speak at all, shrike shifted his head to look at his friend upset with his actions.-

"Caen....a hero is not defined by the number of wounds he or she takes...not defined by the battles they have fought it...nor is it about how he or she has defeated enemies....a true hero..is some one who stands up for what they believe in...who does the right thing...despite what stands in your way....and carrying on with it....it is that in it self...standing up for what you believe in....and Caen...you did...you stood strong for what you believed in....you believed."

-Shrike looked back up at Liela for a moment before continuing his speech.-   

" That she was worth fighting for, every inch, every possible scenario, every obstacle, every threat you stayed there...and you carried on till the very end. In the eyes of her...and myself....you are a Hero.


I'm just a man trying to do the right thing as well, the world hates me...but I stood up for what I believed in, even tho I knew some day my ultimate fate would be death...or capture...I never stopped standing up for what I believed in...and neither should you Caen....because look....she...is free........you hear that Liela...you are finally free.-

-Shrike managed to find a bit more strength to get himself onto one knee, but it was all he could really get to, he lowers his head as he looked at the ground before him, the cold like feeling he felt was strange..kinda a relief from the pain surging through his injured body.-

"yes," Caen said, his voice still somewhat unstable due to all the crying, "yes, that is correct. Even if it isn't the result we wanted... You... You are free... Free from his grasp... Even if he is alive... We still..." He walked over to Shrike and Liela, sitting down "I trust you gave him Hell? Returned every last drop of pain a thousand-fold? Looking at you, Id guess you did. I... I just wish more people knew what you had to go through, day-in, day-out. Maybe... Maybe you would've made it out there a little better."

Caen laughed "I guess... After everything you've given me, it's time to talk about my past..." Caen stood up, looking at the skyline "about seven years ago, now... I lived in a moderately wealthy family. My father was a salesman of strange products, that were quite popular, my mother a moderately successful estate agent. Well, you see, my uncle, a man that would always manipulate my family and everyone else to get what he wants, was always jealous of how much more successful my parents were, and he always fought with his brother- my father. However, in the end, he would always manipulate him into this sickening façade that he called "brotherly love"... Well, on one day, my father announced that he would be getting a further raise, which, to my uncle, meant he was even more successful, and then... He snapped. That night, he hired mercenaries, who set fire to our home. This was when I discovered my pyrokinesis, as my body was somehow able to beat back the flames. However, part of the house had caved in, and I was not able to reach my parents on time. I watched, as their lives ended. I had... Failed. After, I was taken in by a well-liked policewoman who was a good family friend. She spent night after night, searching for evidence for the killer, until she discovered a note. A written declaration of payment towards these mercenaries. Then, it was a race against time... My uncle's manipulative techniques, versus her sleuthing. Well, you can tell how it ended. He's in jail, now. Thanks to her and I. Even so, I still think of the day that I could control the flames, and how I was too late. I won, yes, but... At a massive cost. That's why your situation reminded me of you, Liela. I had been manipulated by that man. I thought I was safe, but if it wasn't for this..." Caen opened out his hand, summoning a flame "I would be dead, along with my parents..."

Liela looked at the ground. " I see... thanks for telling us your story. I understand your struggle a little more now. Hmmm..." She looked at her hands. " I wouldn't really consider myself free tho. I mean sure, Ren isn't here but... it's not like I can just float in public without people freaking out." She tried to form legs but nothing happened. She stared at her ghostly tail. "Yeah, pretty sure they wouldn't accept my existence."

-Shrike looked at Caen, he wanted to know his story, but didn't know how to go about asking him it, he didn't have to now, Shrike understood his story, and when you understand some ones life..you can see them in a better light, why they do the things they do, why they think they way they do. Shrike was glad he could hear it.-

" I can see you are also the being Caen..who refuses to let others have to suffer a fate like yours was. But like mine..it is in the past..you are now free to do as you please..forge your own life in any way you see fit. Follow what you want...life is short...you were born an original... its good to see you still stick by that..it makes who you are...tho it may of left a scar..you will still able to carry on....that is called strength....Liela...it's not over....I can't tell you exactly what I mean by that...but...it's not your end fate....but for the time being...you are going to have to live like this."

-Shrike put a lot of effort into getting back into his feet, standing back up, clutching his shoulder.- 

" It seems like...we are more similar..then we probably even know our selfs...we may have come from different back grounds...but our stories..all took similar paths...but fate is not written...we decide that in the long run." 

"fate. It's an odd idea, fate. People believe that they are destined to live their life however they live it, like it was written before they existed. I don't believe in it, but lately... It seems more and more real. I mean, how can it be a coincidence that we all met? People who share such similar stories... It's almost scary." Caen sat back down, looking at Liela. He was smiling, yet teardrops still left little shining specks on his face. "so what? You'll stand out, so make the most of it! I mean, look at me! Red on blue? I stick out like a sore thumb! The fire doesn't help, either. That can freak people out pretty quickly. Some won't accept your existence, so what? That just shows they're pretty close-minded. Alright, lemme say something my parents said long ago, this is pretty cheesy." He looked Liela in the eyes, leaning in slightly "those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

"that does sound really cheesy." Lillith emerged from the hallway nice and clean. She looked at Shrike. She started to laugh real hard. " You look like shit" Pointing at the damage. "LILLITH!!!" "What? Oh, come on... it looks like old Ren took a dump on him. HA," She turned to liela and noticed she wasn't in her body. "Hey wait a minute. Why haven't you possessed your body already? Did it die on you before you could?" Liela looked to the side."yeah..." Lillith went to get a mop to clean up the gore on the floor. "Well, you could always possess someone else. You are a ghost after all. Just possess Caen or something" 

-Shrike was not all amused by how she talked to him, but he didn't respond to her remarks, it would only lead to more of a feud, and right now he was in no condition keep standing let alone fight or teach her a lesson. Something that did catch his attention, possessed, this word he knew very very well, back at ark gate there was possessed beings at play. He for one didn't want to be possessed and end up like those other poor sods who feel into it.-

" That is absurd, possessing either of us would just be stupid, its like taking our life for some one else so they can use our body. Liela of all beings wouldn't do that..you might but she would not..and any way I think if Liela wants to come back as a physical being..she would want her own body, not some one else....I might have a option...hence the word might..so don't get your hopes up, but right now...now I feel like I'v been hit by a few trains...barely able to stand on my own two feet."

"you know something?!" Caen asked Shrike, a sense of hope in his voice. He coughed, taking on a serious, yet cheerful tone, again "whatever we can do, it's worth a shot. Even so, if you truly wish to possess me so that you can have a physical form, I'll allow it. Although, Lillith is surprisingly calm about all this. I mean, your master is practically dead, aren't you in the slightest bit concerned?" He waved his hand "not surprised, really. Demons will be demons."

"Me concerned? Why? I always knew master was sort of dead. She'd sometimes unpossessed her body when she sleeps, showing her true ghostly form. I've always had to quickly wake her so she could go back in her body"Hey... you said you were not going to tell anyone about that" Liela looked a little embarrassed, crossing her arms. "heh oh well, no regrets" Lillith stuck her tongue out. "Regrets, Lillith, it's pronounced regrets!" "Whatever just possess Caen already. He doesn't even mind if you do" Liela shook her head no" No I don't think that's ok." She floated to Skrike."Plus, shrike said there was another option."

"That there is, but it will not be easy to do it..then again nothing is, I will go into more detail about it soon..right now, head is just all kinds of messed up...I need a break...and a truck load of painkillers. Lilith..I know you and I don't get along..in fact I am pretty sure you hate me, but this choice is for Liela to make. Yea you are a demon..I mean it's obvious. But I think Liela wants to follow a different path in life, and chances are..if you care about her..you will accept that and go with what she would like. Hell that is what I would do. Possession is no walk in the park either...we have no idea exactly what will happen to Caen if she did, side effects could be huge, damage un repairable. That is not a risk I think Liela would take, could leave him utterly brain dead. 


But when I get around to explaining what I will tell you, I think you will all agree its the best option. Just hope to hell it's still there...other wise we might need a b...back up.- 

-Shrike kinda fell over, his legs were weak. So he decided to sit where he fell over, laying to rest his weapon so he could re gather his lost energy. For the place they had to go to find the way to bring her back, would take him all the way..a dark place he didn't want to go back to.-

"Shrike!" Caen said, leaning over to use his arm to break Shrike's fall. He then lay him down, "you're not doing well at all, are you? Painkillers, yes... That would be helpful." Caen winced. He had only just started feeling the pain of many of Voltraire's attacks "they'd be pretty helpful for me, as well... Some of good ol' Volt's attacks got me good..." He stood up, walking away from the room, looking back to the medicine cabinet he found earlier, when he looked for the first-aid kit. "I'm pretty sure there's some paracetamol around somewhere in here..."

"You know, I'm pretty sure Lillith could just do a healing spell from her dumb old book she has." Lillith stopped mopping and gave Liela an angry face " It's not a dumb old book. It a very well written, incantation and hexing encyclopedia that has been transcribed so that even the simplest of creatures that have no magic-" She gave a glance at Shrike before continuing"can conjure sorcery with little to no effort. I do not take you calling my original master's work "dumb" lightly." She crossed her arms."Fine, I won't call it dumb anymore. Can you just heal them both or give the book to Caen so that he could do it." Lillith looked at Shrike. She obviously didn't want his condition to get better. "Please? For me?" There was a moment of silence before she rolled her eyes and sighed."Only for you, master" She picked up the book and reluctantly gave the book to Caen. " Just open and ask Recin what kind of spell you want. He'll turn to the appropriate page. " Than she walked back to the mop and began to mop the floor again.

" I am not going to accept help from some one who clearly, hates my very being and probably wishes I would just die and go awy , take your book and go fix up Caen, I am tiered of you and your lies..I don't want to hear any thing you have to say about how much you hate this of me or hate that about me..or how you just hate me in general..I have 2/3 of the planet already telling me that...I don't want it from some one else...I will be alright...well fairly alright. My version of alright is...if I cn still stand..and shoot...I'm alright....Caen...I suggest you use that...get your stuff patched up...the suit should have some items left I will use to get myself...more or less back to similar strength.-

-Shrike was clearly not happy on how Lilith treated him, even after what he had been through, seemed like even he had a break limit with how much he was willing to deal with.-

" If you need me, I'll be in the other room...."

Lillith had passed this heavy tome to Caen. A spellbook that even the magically inept was able to utilise. "no worries, I'll be the one to patch you up, so no issues, right?" He gave a nervous laugh. He had never dabbled in magic before, and was unsure if this spell would even work. He opened the book, speaking in a clearer tone "uh... Recin? Recin! Right, Recin, will you be able to show me a healing spell?"

Just as Caen finished speaking, the book flipped page after page by itself, until it reached a page that read "healing light", and stopped "so, uh... Do I just recite the words on the page, Lillith?"

Lillith paid no attention to Shrike. Like she cared about how he felt. She gave Caen a "Really?" look when he asked the question. " No, you eat the book. Of course, you recite the words on the page. " The sarcasm in her voice was evident." What have you never used a magic book before? " Liela flew next to Caen."Probably not if he's asking that" Liela giggled and looked at the page the book had turned to.

-Morning was coming, Shrike was in the other room looking at the sun emerging from the horizon, he looked at his hands, gripping them, Shrike had to now come to grip with a dark possibility, that in order to help Liela return to physical state, it would mean they were going to have to go, to the one place Shrike feared the most, the ruins of the old Ark gate facility, for inside there, lay the key and answer to solving this problem, Shrike didn't want to go but he knew he had to, he had a feeling sooner or later he would confront his demons by going back, but right now he was in no condition to venture there. Shrike leaned on the windowsill looking into the on coming morning, Shrike was a little frustrated about Lilith, but this had become normal for him, so many people hated and disliked him, he had to add another one to his list. He had a sense of fear go through him just thinking about that place.-

The words made little sense to Caen, as though they were some type of archaic language. Even so, he spoke the words, butchering the pronunciation somewhat, but the book still reacted to the words, giving off a light with a green tinge to it. As the light came out, Caen saw his numerous cuts simply seal themselves. "woah..." He said, his eyes widening. The aching pain in his chest suddenly subsided, and he was feeling... Pretty normal. In fact, better than normal, almost as if he had been completely and utterly refreshed. "I... I did it. My first spell, and it was a complete success!"

Caen walked over to Shrike, holding the book in one hand "let's hope that wasn't just a fluke..." He spoke the words again, this time directing the light at Shrike.

Liela saw how Caen's wounds magically went away. He looked so happy. She couldn't help but smile when he went to the other room. " That was surprisingly good for his first time. he's a natural. Kind of cool" Oh yeah it's all "cool" until you realize what's actually going on. " Liela gave Lillith a worried look." What? " What? " What did you just say? " I didn't say anything. Just you know, there is a reason why I'm the one watching Recin."