User blog:Redknight910/WWYD Unkown Lifeforms Brit SpyCrab

Prompt: Unknown Lifeforms Britan

I look at it, trying to understand what's happening. Why aren't I shooting it. Why isn't it ripping me limb fom limb? These aren't like the creatures in America, who could be reasoned with. These things are beasts that want us as slaves. I can't move, the rush of finding another living creature is fading and my leg's telling me I really shouldn't have mosved that fast.

So here I am, arm in a grip way too strong to break, leg too busted to run even if I could get free, and either too cowardly or in pain to kill my enemy. I sit there in silence, nothing but the sound of her sobbing and the burning flames around us.

Eventually she looks back at me again, those amber eyes piercing deep into my own. "You missed me... why?" She asks, and I try to think. Why did I miss? She didn't take any sudden moves, I was stable for the shot. There was no reason to miss that shot. I look her over again, and notice her horn. Did I miss? Or did I do that? I ask what happened to her.

"I... I felt something hit me in the back, then crashed into that tower you were in. There was an explosion that ripped most of my tail off, and burned my wing... When I woke up, I was in a pile of rubble, your... your corpses everywhere... I wandered away, looking for help, and I found..." She begins sobbing again, and looks away.

Following her gaze I spot another dragon, she has the same coloured scales as the one I'm talking to. I ask if they're related.

"My sister. The second in the family. We joined up together, wanted to help... but this. This isn't helping..." She looks around, trying to hold back more tears. I ask what she expected? They want to make us slaves. She looks at me, he teary eyes growing angry.

"Slaves? We want to protect you!" She yells. Well if they wanted to protect us, they're doing a great job.

<span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"It's because you won't let us. You're so busy fighting us that you won't even listen when we try and explain." They're the ones who won't listen, we've tried to get peace talks going, but we always get shut down.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"All of these peace talks are held on your terms. Your soldiers, your lands, your decisions. We've tried to get talks closer to our lands, but you never agree. You barely let us have our own secuity when we tried to attend the talk." The grip on my arm's tightening, and it's getting painful. I ask one last question. Why does she think we don't want to speak on their terms?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">This seems to catch her off guard, and it takes her a moment to answer. "I don't know. Why? It's not like we're going to kill you for coming near us." I look at her, dumbfounded.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not going to kill us? What the hell have they been doing all this time? They are stronger than us, faster, and some are definitely smarter. The only reason this fight is even still going is because we have better weapons. We have every reason to fear them, every excuse to not trust them. Monsters, demons, every time in myths a deal was made with these things it never ended well for the human. And she has no idea why we'd be afraid to do anything near one of their portals?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She sits there, thinking for a few minutes, before nodding. "I... I think I get it now. The reason why this isn't working. This problem isn't just here and now. You said that you have myths and egends about my kind? And they never ended well for yours..." I nod, particularly any involving beautiful women.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"That's what's wrong then. We can't build on a relationship that only has disaster as a base. But, how did the other people do it then? The... Americans?" I nod, that's right. The yanks made peace somehow. I think I heard something about soldiers refusing to fight, holding hands with some of her kind.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Then... maybe that's what we need? People to show them that we can be together without killing each other." It still doesn't explain why her kind want to dominate us here. Why they're hell bent on being in control.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"I... that... I don't know. Why would she be so determined to control if this is the result?" I... I need to ask her." She stood and spread her wings, then immediately fell to her knees, crying out  in pain . I put a hand on her shoulder. Maybe we need to get ourselves patched up first? She looks at me and nods.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm Lifted into her arms, despite my arguments, and carried to the nearest mostly intact building. When we arrive I thank my lucky stars that it's an embassy. There's going to be some medical supplies around there somewhere.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">We search the ruined building until we come across what looks like a clinic. Setting me down the dragon starts searching the room for bandages and pain meds. Watching her from the bed, I ask what her name is.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Dahlia. Dahlia Stars." Nodding I give her my name. I ask how old she is, giving me a shy look she grins a little.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"I thought it was rude to ask a lady her age." I chuckle and ask at what point two enemies looking for medical supplies in a foreign embassy should drop formality. This gets a slight giggle out of her too.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Fair point. I'm nineteen in your terms, I think." I can barely keep my eyes in my head. Nineteen? And she's here, doing this? There's nothing right about that.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"It was my choice. And my sisters. If you'd met her she would have convinced you in moments to trust her. She was the best." I can see tears welling up in her eyes again. I point to a cupboard. Bandages are most likely in there. She looks at it and nods.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Right. Right..." She shakes the tears from her eyes and opens the cupboard. Sure enough, bandages, antibiotics and antiseptic creams. I tell her if she fixes my leg, I'll take care of her own injuries. She nods and tries to gently lift my leg onto the bed. What happens next takes me completely by surprise.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">The scales and clawed hands on her arms begin to recede, leaving perfectly human hands to more delicately mend my leg. I was so surprised that I didn’t know she was resetting the bone until she started to move it. I scream the damned clinic down as she sets about fixing my broken leg. When she finally finished with me, I’m panting, barely holding on to my consciousness. When I’m finally steady enough to see straight again, I get her to turn around.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Okay, just… be gentle, please?” I nod, trying not to wince as my braced leg moves. She turns around and shows me her broken tail. Fuck this is a mess. The bone’s sticking out from where it was shattered, her actual flesh torn along most of what’s left of it. This is going to need real medical attention.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Is… is it really that bad?” She asks, and I nod, if she keeps any of this tail, it’ll be a miracle. I do what I can with it, which is mostly wrapping it in cloth and bandaging it to staunch the bleeding. Most of the wound was cauterized by whatever burned her wing. Looking up at it, it’s in far better shape. There’s a few tears in the flight membrane, and the burns look pretty bad, but it’s definitely more in my comfort zone to try and fix.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rubbing on some burn cream makes her shiver. “That’s cold…” She gasps, but I just tell her to bear it. After that’s done I try to wrap it in bandages, and when that fails I just slap some padding on it and stick it down with medical tape. Okay, looks like she’s all patched up.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Th… thanks. It means a lot that you’d do this for… for one of us.” She looks out the window, then squints at something.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“There’s someone coming. I think its humans.” She takes a quick look at me. “I can’t escape like this. I don’t want them to hurt you if they find us like this.” I know what she means. Most soldiers are treating traitors to a lead sandwich straight to the brainpan. I look at her again. I shouldn’t even be considering this, but she’s so young, trying to help us all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">I tell her to get away from the window and get down. When she hesitates I tell her it’s an order. She follows straight away, and I get off the bed and onto the floor too.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“…hell did we get this job?” I hear one of the approaching soldiers ask.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Don’t question it. We just gotta spend enough time around here to say we checked for survivors. Give it another five minutes and we can go back for tea.” Another voice said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Hello? Anyone here?” A third voice shouted, followed quickly by a grunt. “What was that for?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“For being a bloody idiot. You heard of any reports of survivors from these? Cause I sure haven’t.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Hey, I think this one’s still kicking.” I heard the sound of whimpering, before it was silenced by a gunshot.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“One less monster to deal with.” I looked over to Dahlia, and her eyes were glassed over. She was trying to ignore it and failing.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Huh, that one actually looked kinda cute too.” One of the soldiers commented off handedly.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Say that again, and you can have a bullet too.” The one I was quickly stating to assume was the captain said. “These aren’t girls for you take back home. They’re monsters that want to use you to build whatever the bloody hell it is they want to build. Who knows, maybe they just want to make us one big sacrifice to some god monster.” Dahlia was shaking now, and the lost look in her eyes was quickly growing enraged.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Whatever. The yanks are already taming ‘em. Did you know they got some doing porn already?” One asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I don’t even want to know how you found that out.” The captain said. I heard the sound of a lighter, then a heavy exhale. “Those assholes got lucky anyway. How come they got the soft ones?” I looked over the counter and out the window. There were about five of them, each one dressed in full combat attire.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Yeah. Did you hear about the latest talk attempt? Crazy things tried to sneak one of those worm things in but it wouldn’t stay quiet. They had to evacuate the whole damned place before it slaughtered the lot of them.” I looked down at Dahlia, and the look of fury on her face was unquestionable.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">I put a hand on her shoulder, silently pleading for her to keep calm. I heard the sound of a boot stomping on something.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Well, that should do. Come on, let’s get the bloody hell outta here.” We sat there, silent as they left.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Once we were sure they were long gone Dahlia stood up and rushed out the window. I followed slower, trying not to move my leg much. When I found her she was cradling a small woman in her arms. She looked like a harpy, with bright green wings.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Why?” She cried. “How could they? How could they be so callous about ending someone’s life, its like they didn’t even care.” I put a hand on her shoulder. They didn’t know any better. They still think it’s them or us. And we’re going to change that. She looks up at me, face confused.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“We?” I nod, we. We’re going to talk to this woman who’s in charge, and get these talks moving. If that doesn’t work… Well, I’m ready to meet my maker. She lowers the harpy down carefully before embracing me. “Thank you.” She whimpers. So, how exactly are we getting to her commander. She looks up one of the portals nearby.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The only way in or out is through those. I can’t fly like this though…” Looking around I smile. I think I have an answer for that.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Five minutes later we’re in a helicopter flying towards the portal. “Are you sure this is safe?” Dahlia yells over the rotors. Of course it’s safe, as long as one of the other monsters doesn’t take us out of the sky at least.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">We hit the portal, and I black out. When I wake up I’m lying in a cot, hands and feet tied down. Dahlia is sitting nearby, her tail gone and her wing looking far better. When I try to move she gets up straight away.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You’re awake! Thank the gods.” I ask how long I’ve been asleep. “Only a few hours. You passed out when we went through the portal. I hear it’s pretty common for the first time.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You should consider yourself lucky.” Another feminine voice said. Looking over I see a woman with blue skin, a pair of bat wings and a tail. “I’m the commander of this force. My subordinate here said you wanted to speak to me. So speak.” She had the airs of royalty, someone who didn’t answer to anyone unless she wanted to.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">I asked her just how she thinks what she’s doing is protecting anyone. She glares at me.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You think I would speak to a savage like you about protecting people? You only seem to enjoy killing us.” That’s because we’re afraid, and we’re getting desperate in this fight.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Good. Fear is powerful, if they fear me, then they won’t be able to fight me.” I can barely believe what this bitch is saying. If they fear her then they’re going to throw everything they have at her to get rid of her. And that means her subordinates suffer.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“They’re suffering is on your heads.” She hisses. “We won’t stop until you’re kind submit to our rule. Then you will be safe from your own foolishness.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“M-ma’am.” Dahlia says, getting her attention. “We’ve lost hundreds, maybe even thousands to this war. Others are starting to make peace. Why can’t we?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“For that very reason. I won’t have all those deaths be for nothing. If we don’t keep these savages on a short leash, then they will fight us again, and this entire war will repeat itself.” Repeat itself? At this point we want to talk. To try and establish a system that both monsters and humans can live in as equals.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Such a thing is foolish. You will treat us as a lesser being. To be kept in control, or condemned to death.” And what exactly is she doing?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She stalks over to me and puts a hand around my throat. “I am trying to stop this kind of murder from happening again. If you think for a moment that a savage like you will change my mind, you are dead wrong. And if you keep making me angry you will simply be dead.” I hear a growl next to my bed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Take. Your hand. Off of him.” The commander looks over at Dahlia.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You dare to order me?” She mutters, before letting go.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Isn’t peace what we all want?” Dahlia asks. “Why do more have to die? Let’s talk with them, show that we can be trusted. If they fear us then they’ll never accept us.” Dahlia’s standing now, and I can see tears in her eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“They don’t need to accept us. Once they bow to us they will be ours, eternally.” Dahlia’s shaking again, and I can see the anger in her eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">I start to beg the commander, beg her to just let us talk. To stop the killing that’s destroyed so much, left so many places inhabitable. Does she really care so little for the lives of her troops?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">Her eyes widen and her lips twist into a snarl. Her arm shoots for my throat again, but Dahlia stops her. When she looks up Dahlia has fire in her eyes.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Do. Not. Touch him.” She growls, low and threateningly.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Insolent girl!” The commander shrieks, slapping Dahlia across the face. That’s the last straw for her, and I see her slowly shift, her body warping and growing in ways no body should.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">When she was done the room we had been standing in was no more. The commander was pinned beneath a great taloned foot. Looking around I see dozens of other monsters, some of which I’d never seen before. I try to roll off of the bed, to beak the bindings holding me down. I scream for Dahlia to calm down, to stop before she does something horrible to her own people. I can see her gaze is fixed on the devil pinned beneath her. I watch in helpless horror as she takes a deep breath, heat blasting out of her mouth. When she faces the air and breathes a gout of flame, I feel a combination of relief and terror.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">She returns to normal, her hand still around the devil’s throat. The blue skinned woman has one emotion etched onto her face. Fear.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You will make peace with the other world. Or I will show you what fear is. My sister didn’t die to sate your need for power.” The devil nods, shaking violently. Dahlia lets her go, and she doesn’t hesitate before fleeing. Several other dragons in heavy metal armour approach us.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“What do you think you’re doing?!” One shouts.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I’m getting her to make peace!” Dahlia shouts back. She’s shorter than the armoured woman, but her anger seems to be adding a few feet to her courage.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“What? What do you mean?” The armoured dragon asks. “Peace has always been the objective.” She turns to the devil. “Hasn’t it?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Of course! But if we make peace now, it will only be a matter of time before they begin to fight us again.” I hear Dahlia growl, but before things go any further I speak up. Our people have been trying to establish peace talks for months now. The captain of the dragons looks at me, then at the devil.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Is this true?” She growls.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“They don’t want peace. They want to control us. To-“ She was silenced by another hand over her mouth.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“My girls. I have sent dozens of my girls through the portals to search for the willing. To recover the wounded. And you. You have been denying the chance of making this madness end?” Her voice goes from calm to fear inducing rage as she throws the devil into two of her comrades. “Have this lunatic locked up. Find her husband and put him in there with her.” She turns to Dahlia.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Fine work, for one so young. You’d make a good knight one day.” Dahlia smiles faintly. “Now, if you excuse me, I have some paperwork to organise, and then I will be taking these talks seriously.” She turns to me. “If you think they will still listen to us.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">I nod, if they hold off on any further attacks, it should still be possible to begin negotiations. She nods.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Good. I hope you two have a long and happy life.” I look at Dahlia, who happily looks at me.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:12pt0cm;line-height:15.75pt;"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Helvetica,sans-serif;">“It’s finally over… isn’t it?” I nod, smiling back at her, it will be soon. She kneels by the bed I’m still tied down to, putting her head on my chest. “Good.” She mutters, sitting there. After a few moments of silence I ask if she can cut these bindings off of me. They’re starting to hurt, particularly my leg. She hurriedly pulls her head up, apologising so fast she stumbles over her own words. Well, things definitely could have been worse, but now, hopefully, this war will finally be over for us.