Down in a Lab [Open]

[Cao]

"What... is he?"

"These crystals on his back are simply fascinating. They look to be wings of some kind."

Why... he gotten caught in this kind of situation?

The auburn-haired male could only watch with a disgruntled expression as the researchers continued to surround him, examining him with eyes as they tried to determine what he was.

How had this happened, one might ask?

Derris Kharlan had moved out of Aselia's and Tethe'alla's orbits and had wound up here, instead: Terca Lumereis. Tampering with a warp device had inevitably caused it to suddenly reactivate, whether due to the difference in power or what he didn't know, and had first found himself in a maze of sorts and had resided there until he could figure out where things were.

And then, the Knights had come.

He had been surprised, really. Who would expect a platoon of armour-glad men to come in and 'arrest' him?

He had fought, at first. They were easy enough, being just normal humans whereas he had his Cruxis Crystal.

He had not expected to have some boulder thrown at his god damn head.

One thing must have led to another because next thing Kratos knew, he was in his own personal test tube. Thank god he'd woken up in time to keep his own clothes on. He would have probably died of the mortification.

Even still...

"—and then there's this crystal in his chest... "

"Should we cut it out?"

Kratos instinctively stiffened, arms folded as he wondered just how he was going to get out of this mess this time.

[Venetian]

Today, to say the least, felt odd; he was fine in health and mentality, but he just could not for the life of him shrug off this feeling that something was not good-- Like an impending doom, or a realization of something bad that occurred...Or something. Perhaps the hours and hours of work, compared to the little amount of rest he'd been giving himself ( rest, and not sleep, since sephiram could not sleep). That's what he gets for utter curiosity right? Yuan was always known for his inability to keep his mind where it belongs, to not get into other peoples' business and to continue searching for information to satisfy his curious mind despite obvious dangers. Yep, that was him alright.
The scientists had basically adopted him as their own the moment they saw his genius. It was an easy feat for him to become a scientist, or what you might call a " professor" at Aspio-- and it helped him keep an eye out for friends, or enemies, that appeared in this land as well-- as well as to continue his job as the leader of the renegades, even though he had... Sadly lost track of their whereabouts when he had been brought here. He had been here for a few months now, he had already become well known and acquainted here.
One of his fellow researchers had informed him this morning that there was an amazing discovery at the lab. Though he had not disclosed information because he said ' it was something you had to see with your eyes, not that you could explain with words'. Yuan turned the corner just barely, and saw the " creature" inside the test tube; his breath caught in his chest with surprise at the sight of his old friend... How did he end up here?! They were starting to prod at Kratos' s chest, and Yuan knew they had full intention of removing the cruxis crystal; which would, unknowingly to them, end Kratos's life.
" Don't touch that! " he yelled at them. He cast a small wind spell at the test tube, opening it and removing Kratos from his immobility, and sending him backward rather than forward to avoid injury. The researchers stared at him like he were the spawn of something Evil as well as wearing expressions of shock. One of the researchers went forward at him with a needle intended to put Yuan to sleep; as quickly a he had done before he threw them at the wall with a wind spell. The rest of them froze up at this action.
There was no time for small talk... He helped Kratos to his feet, aware that there was something wrong with him, otherwise he would have fled when he had the chance, and rushed him out of the building. He brought him to a place within the city that he was sure they wouldn't follow him to. He rested Kratos in a sitting position against a building wall and began to analyze what was wrong with him. His eyes seemed like they were dissociated with reality, and the way he leaned forward as if he were dizzy... It was a blow to the head, obviously.. He confirmed that to the big lump on his head.

"If you had been hit any harder, you might have had a concussion", he stated. He had learned a lot of this type of thing from Martel.
Finally Yuan was able to look into the melancholy eyes of his friend, and a small smirk made it's way to his lips, " It's been awhile, hasn't it old friend?"

[Cao]

Everything happened almost too fast for Kratos, who was still in somewhat of a daze due to... whatever it was they did to him. It hadn't taken too long to figure out they must have put something in his system to keep him from fighting, especially given how his track record was currently against him. Right when the researchers were going to cut out his Cruxis Crystal, though, who else but Yuan would show up to save his ass?

Being saved by his old friend was a shock in and of itself, silence hanging over them as they made their escape. Obviously, they couldn't really talk. There was no time. When they finally stopped and his friend helped him against a wall, he could honestly say he was glad, stiff muscles thanking him for the mercy.

Had he been hit that hard?

The auburn-haired man looked up after some time, offering a brief, rare smile to Yuan before shifting his position to get just a little more comfortable. "Yes, it has been a while," he replied. "What brings you here of all places? Or is this another one of your 'crazy coincidences'?"

[Venetian]

Yuan looked up, thinking for a brief moment before turning his eyes back to his friend and sighing, " I have been stuck here for a couple of months, Kratos, " he said, as if slightly irritated by the ' crazy coincidence' comment.
"I was working in that facility to keep an eye out on the possibility of strange occurrences or other information that might be useful," a slight grin reached his lips again, " and look what I found. My old friend Kratos stuck in a test tube like a specimen. It seems like I was right to look out for strange occurrences. "
He sat down, remembering that Kratos would not be able to move and that he shouldn't ask him to try to walk, " I could always order a ride to a different town. We wouldn't be chased down there. Besides, " he stated, before his face twitched, " I can't go back to that facility now." He would be seen as a traitor now, both to the facility, and this town.

[Cao]

"We'll think of something," Kratos assured, assuming that they were basically in this boat together. He felt bad, almost, that Yuan had lost something of a valuable position in a foreign land, though at least now he knew his old friend had some idea of how things worked. Always good at things like stealth and reconnaissance missions. It was how he led the Renegades so easily while working simultaneously under Mithos.

Besides, he noted. If Yuan hadn't come when he did, Kratos was sure he'd be dead by now.

His hand unconsciously ghosted over his Cruxis Crystal, mentally sighing. He still didn't understand how he had even gotten off Derris Kharlan, or how long he had left before he was able to get back on it. The warp pads shouldn't have worked, but he had gotten off, then he sure as hell would be able to get back on it before it was too far out of orbit.

"Well," he said, steeling himself mentally as he stood, deliberately ignoring it as his body ached. He was getting the slightest bit annoyed with this weakness, though he figured it would pass with some time. Sitting around doing nothing, however, would not help. The wall behind him, on the other hand, was doing a remarkable job in getting Kratos to his feet. "We have nothing else to go on. We may as well find a way to the next town."

[Venetian]

Yuan had stood in the time of milliseconds, carefully moving forward, his hands mere inches from Kratos' s shoulder had he fallen, " Kratos, " he said in that ' I know you're just pushing yourself, and you're an idiot' tone, did he have to force this stubborn man to sit down? By the heavens... He would!!

He sighed irritatedly and brushed a hand through his aqua-blue bangs, brushing them back; on the outside he looked madly irritated, but it was obvious that he was just worried, " If you pass out, I can't carry you, you know, " he didn't explain why but the reason was obvious -- Yuan was far shorter than Kratos for one-- and Kratos 's dead weight would be too much to carry for so long a travel. The next town was at least an hour or two away...

' Besides... Flying there would be faster.. Perhaps we could fly to the outskirts, and land before we reached the entrance... ' Well, that was just a thought he kept to himself. He sighed, " If you were in the shape to fly, we could avoid monsters. "

[Cao]

"I'll be fine," Kratos, once again, assured... or tried to, really. Was it wrong for him to be slightly amused with the way Yuan was worrying? "If you're really that worried, though, then waiting a bit won't hurt. However, we do need to get out of this city."

As if on cue, guards ran past the entrance to their little hideout, just barely missing sight of them, though Kratos stiffened nonetheless until they had passed. They didn't have much of a choice. They really couldn't afford to hang around here anymore. Yuan may have scared off the researchers for a bit, but the guards were another matter.

Against his body's will, he pushed away from the wall "I can fly for a while," he said, folding his arms, mentally stabilizing himself. He could do this. Not a big deal. And besides, it felt like whatever it was they'd used was beginning to leave his system.

[Venetian]

Yuan turned his head as the soldiers rushed past the alleyway and made a small laugh, " They must assume we're dumb enough to go through the main pathways, " His cockiness was talking.
A small amount of relief passed through him when he saw Kratos stable enough to cross his arms rather than use them as supports; if his personality was beginning to kick in again then maybe they could actually get away.

" Alright then, let's go, " he concluded as wings sprouted from his back and he took off into the air. He grinned slightly when soldiers began gawking at him; but his grin left him when they began throwing javelins, spears, spells and etc. " Damn it..! Hurry up kratos! " He had dodged one of the fire spells but it had still burned the skin on his arm slightly-- He ignored it. These spells were nothing but bothersome.

[Cao]

It was simple enough to follow Yuan out, his own wings unfurling as he followed after his friend. It was one thing to stand and say he was fine; it was another thing to fly about and act alright. Still, he had no choice: they had to leave, and fast.

The attacks, he couldn't say were a surprise to him. Able to easily navigate and dodge through them, Kratos turned around for a mere moment, chanting a quick incantation before directing the spell at the group of guards.

"Judgement."

His signature spell, the glyph forming on the ground over the soldiers, pillars of light raining down on them, though most missed. His aim wasn't to kill, but to deter. Unfortunately, as he turned his body to focus on flying, he barely caught sight of a spear coming at him, narrowly shifting his position to avoid a direct hit. It was still a hit, however, and it cut into his shoulder, though he continued on, increasing his speed to keep up with Yuan.

He was getting too damn old for this.

[Venetian]

Yuan's eyes widened at the sight of blood flying, he had seen Kratos drop a few feet but Kratos had continued to fly regardless. Yuan really wanted to land immediately and treat that wound but he knew better...
" We have to get away from this town and then I'll find you a doctor! So you just have to hold on for awhile longer.. Alright? " His eyes were both angry and concerned at the same time. More spears and spells flew toward them and he knew that dodging these spells were hurting his friend.
" Continue ahead! I'll be a decoy so you can get away, and then I'll join up with you later, " the blue-haired sephraim flew back toward the enemies and cast some spells of his own, trying to be non-destructive to the town and only hit the enemies, while trying to dodge the enemies' attacks as well. He waited until he could barely see Kratos and then flew in the same direction. A spear flew and lodged itself right into his chest; the sephraim dropped from the sky before collecting himself and ascending into the hair again, removing the spear, using part of his clothing's cloth to tighten around the wound so it wouldnt bleed, and hiding the wound under his clothing. What a time to care about others rather than himself. He caught up with kratos, and they landed in the new town.

[Venetian]

Story moves to " halure" thread.