[sub][indent][i][h3][color=d8cfbe]ℂardinal ℝift[/color][/h3][/i][/indent][/sub][hr]Incredible. Just her luck. Saved from a plunge to the bottom floor by dying from blood loss instead. Livia looked at her arm- or what she could see of it, anyway. It was pinned to the wall by a fallen slab of grey stone. Her shoulder burned, leaking blood in several places. It was only because of her training that she was still conscious.

The floor had given out just a minute prior. She’d tried to jump to safety and land on one of the stable portions, but her foot had slipped. Unfortunate.

Or maybe it was fortunate? Nobody’d survive a fall of that distance. An arm was a small price to pay for her life. Her legs dangled beneath her, reminding her of how close she was to death. By sacrificing her arm, shed managed to avoid falling to the bottom. She just had to free herself, somehow. Take advantage of the adrenaline. Pull your arm out. Livia flailed about weakly. No use. She couldn’t even find any purchase on the walls. Curse these fashionable shoes! 

She relaxed and simply hung in the air, trying to ignore the screaming burn in her arm.

Livia had always known that getting with Jevin would have consequences- maybe even death. But not like this. She had imagined a stab in the dark from a hired assassin by Lady Alana, or perishing in a war. Livia felt something in her shoulder [i]pop.[/i] The pain was returning, and now in full force. Another creak, another burn. She knew what was coming- the muscles and cartilage in her shoulder had already been weakened. It was only a matter of-

[color=d8cfbe]“Ah, fuck,”[/color] she croaked weakly.

Her lifeline, her saving thread, her arm tore apart, sending her down, down, down towards the bottom.

[hr]
[color=d8cfbe]“If only you had properly thought things out, Kothlin.”[/color]

Pachel’s foot sunk deeper into the floor. How was the man still standing? Kothlin was sure that he’d crushed it to bits, but Pachel stood tall, looking down on him the way a common fisherman looked at a worm on his shoes.

[color=d8cfbe]“You might’ve actually succeeded in your pitiful attempt to harm me.” [/color]Pachel layered on [i]more[/i] force. Kothlin felt his body creaking. What a way to go- crushed by the leader of those who’d crushed his people for so long.

[color=d8cfbe]“But no. You’ve only managed to doom yourself. The queen will hear about this treason, and you will be punished.”[/color]

Kothlin couldn’t even open his mouth to speak.

[color=ABABAE]“Pachel!”[/color] A voice rang out. Kothlin could barely make out the speaker… Rhythmia Lapseus. When had she arrived?

Pachel turned to respond. The force lessened slightly. Kothlin lifted his head up to respond to the War Lord’s words.

...Only to see a body hit the floor next to him. 

It landed with a thump, and bounced once. Black uniform, red hair. One arm.

Red blood.

Split open like a watermelon, a gush of fluid, revealing the flesh inside. 

Pachel spun back around, eyes wide. The tall warrior fell to his knees, then let out a guttural howl. The force compressing Kothlin let up. He rose, almost by instinct, and gulped in great breaths of air. Pachel saw him rise, and raised an arm to force him down once more.

Kothlin wouldn’t let him. The joints on his suit groaning, he drew back and delivered a swift punch to Pachel’s skull.

The motor-assisted gauntlet drove through his head like scissors through wet paper. A horrifying crunch sounded as Kothlin tore off the entire right side of Pachel’s head, sending shards of his skull across the room. The grey matter beneath the bone exploded in a splatter of blood and fluids.

Pachel’s corpse fell forward, landing on the body of his lover. Both lay still.

Kothlin turned around and looked at the people in the hall. They’d been just released from the force, but now an even greater weight was pushing down on them- the weight of war. Kothlin spotted Reina leaning against an overturned table, giving him her trademark death stare. Her daughter and husband leaned against each other in shock.

Kothlin opened his mouth to apologize, when, for the second time that day, a bright flash enveloped his sight. He passed into unconsciousness.

[hr]
In the Harrow’s Laboratory, a certain spinning sphere began to slow… and slow… and slow. As it creaked to a stop, the foundations of the small world of Harrow’s Keep began to shake. Once again, the blinding white light returned. Once again, everyone fell unconscious.

The Keep returned in much the same way it had left- with a bang. Smaller, this time, but a bang nonetheless. A massive displacement of air blew back anyone nearby, and the Keep was present once more.

Except.. The keep had changed. Every single home that had been displaced into the sky fell to the ground, crashing into the buildings beneath. More inhabitants of Harrow’s perished as the Keep flashed back into existence.

And the Tower that stood for a thousand years- the pride and joy of Golovan Harrow- began to rumble.

[center][code]Everything is as it should be.[/code][/center]

[hr]
Light filled Kothlin’s vision, pushing him awake. The evening sun’s light gleamed through the open doors of the Grand Hall, a welcome sight. He retracted Angeline’s helmet. Sweet sunshine.

His eyes followed the sunbeam to… the corpses.

Reina ran up and slapped him.

[color=d8cfbe]“What in the world were you thinking?”[/color] She hissed.

[color=d8cfbe]“He was going to kill me, Reina. I took advantage of it. We’re better off now.” [/color]He looked down and spat on Pachel’s corpse. Good riddance.

[color=d8cfbe]“You know what this means, right?”[/color] Reina pointed at the others in the hall.

[color=d8cfbe]“Yes.”[/color] 

Kothlin looked around. Alistair. Christina. Lord Aureolin. That young Immolis child. Not the most fitting audience, but it would suffice. And Rhythmia Lapseus...

[color=d29e4d]”All who can hear, know this. The Houses Kothlin, Young, and…”[/color]  he snuck a glance at the second twin. [color=d29e4d]“...Lapseus declare war on Croania. No longer shall we suffer under the South’s oppressive regime. The North will live free!”[/color] 

He raised his gauntlet high. No cheers. The tower shook ominously.

[color=d29e4d]“Let’s get out of here,”[/color] he said to Reina. [color=d29e4d]“Your transport?”[/color] 

[color=d8cfbe]“The car is fine. I had Alistair verify it earlier. All of our belongings are in there too.”[/color] 

[color=d29e4d]“Hania will be coming with my things. Let’s move.”[/color] 

[hr]
[i][center][h3][color=d8cdbe]End of Act I[/color][/h3][/center][/i]