Exodus: The Assassin's Path 89 Face to Face

Quinn quickly pulled away from the jetpack users. Daze, Grace, Onion, Jinn, and Ro-Ro stayed with him because they had decided to ride their Gryphons. Quinn could see a sea of red in the distance, it signified the body heat of many people huddled together at night. "Looks like the rearguard is only made up of about forty troops, the force closing on them looks about five times that."

"Two hundred Quinn? How will we handle that?" Jinn was the only one of the group who was riding double, she had grabbed Vera Silverleaf since the group's former cleric was now a Paladin.

"Standard Vanguard grouping with Onion Shielding the cleric and Grace Off-tanking. The Songbirds and I will be thinning them down. We only have to hold them long enough for King Chamyl to catch up." Quinn glanced over his shoulder, the Songbirds would arrive a few minutes later than them.

Ro-Ro's green hair was blowing straight back, she had a smile on her face. "Don't worry Quinn, I'll definitely protect you!"

Quinn's laugh was lost in the wind, "remember, no need for Kubrite here, these aren't Covenant people. "

Quinn banked suddenly and extended his spikes, he chose a target and broke into a steep dive. Unexpectedly all five Gryphon's followed.

"SCREEEEE!!" *Gryphon's Challenge* AE Fear is in effect.

"SCREEEEE!!" *Speed Wing* AE Buff +20 to ATK speed.

"Holy Shit!!" Ro-Ro nearly lost her seat as her Gryphon dived after Quinn and joined the attack.

Jinn's face showed similar surprise, "jump off and group up, let them fight on their own."

Quinn slammed into a Greenleaf Paladin. His wing talons impaled her sides, while he extends both palm spikes into the base of her skull.

*Assassinate*

Captain Mei Clearwater has been slain.

Quinn dodged and took to the air as a Gryphon landed on the ranger who had targeted him. He shuddered as he heard the crunching sound of a skull in its powerful beak.

Sonifai has slain Laci Greenleaf.

"Damn, that's Ro-Ro's Gryphon, what's she teaching her?"

*Stealth*

Quinn flapped his wings to climb again and spotted two Tuli Rebels jumping on a top of a downed Zi'Fendyl ranger. Quinn banked toward them, he knocked one down and held onto the other as he flapped his wings hard to gain altitude. The Rebel struggled to get loose, Quinn dived toward the second Rebel who was just getting back to his feet and slammed them together.

A Tuli Rebel has been stunned.

*Blink*

Quinn appeared behind one of the rebels, his wing talons digging into his side, as he grabbed the back of his head with both hands.

*Assassinate*

A Tuli Rebel has been slain.

The Zi'Fendyl ranger dispatched the second Rebel and waved her hand at him as she rushed to rejoin her comrades.

System Message: You have made a favorable impression on Saffron Daybreaker.

*Stealth*

"Saffron's a ranger?" Quinn climbed high and checked the horizon. HIs thermal vision picked up a red mass of body heat approaching. Still a few minutes away, even with the Songbirds and the Gryphons, the body count was going to climb.

Jinn brought up her hud during a short lull in the fighting. Quinn's face popped up, " hurry Jinn, we are holding, but a lot of them are getting around us. Saffron and her people are in trouble."

Quinn brought up Lara's hud, "ground fighting only, join the Zi'Fendyl line, we can't let them break."

Lara's face stared at him through her hud, "yes Commander. We won't be able to last very long like that."

Quinn closed his hud and continued his climb, at the height of it, he dropped Ba'Avriel and equipped his Jetpack. The wind rushed past him while he equipped his armor and Halberd, before powering up his Jetpack.

Saffron stood at in the center of her troops, calmly directing them while using her bow with deadly accuracy, they were in trouble. A movement from the sky caught her attention as heavily armored Quinn streaked toward the ground with no intention of slowing down. "QUINN... PULL UP!!!"

He impacted the ground, slamming down on the butt of his weapon. A wave of power pushing outward in all directions leveling the Tuli Rebels that were close.

*King Maker*

A Foreign King has joined the battle, all Allied troops receive +200 Morale.

King Maker Buff is in effect: +20 Mana Regeneration, +20 Health Regeneration, +10 to all Stats.

Quinn waded into the front line of the Rebels, swinging the halberd in wide swaths as he cut a path. "COME ON!! BATTLE!!" Quinn roared as he continued to push forward, stomping on the bodies of the rebels who fell beneath him.

The High Elf Allies that had been on the verge of collapse surged forward. The Rebels held for a moment, then slowly started to lose ground. It started with a few of the stragglers in the back retreating, more and more joined them until the force of nearly a hundred went into full retreat from the group of thirty that were left.

They fled from the battlefield and ran into the pursuing High Elf King. Immediately they threw down their weapons and surrendered. The short battle had finally ended.

Quinn slowly walked back toward Jinn and Ro-Ro's group. His former teacher smiled happily at him, "good job Quinn!"

Quinn shook his head, "you guys held the line against their entire force, very impressive work Jinn."

Ro-Ro was twirling a strand of her green hair around one finger, "I'll let you bask in my awesomeness Quinn."

Quinn laughed and started a quick headcount. Vera was rezzing the allies while Grace was helping heal the wounded. He waved at Lara who was approaching with all of the Songbirds.

A fallen Tuli Rebel suddenly leaped up from the ground, dagger in hand, he slashed downward at the back of Quinn's neck. Jinn was too late to scream a warning as the knife flashed toward him.

*Silver Princess has cast Time Freeze*

A Tuli Rebel has been locked in Time.

The Tuli Rebel was slammed to the ground a moment later by a charging Onion, Quinn, however, saw none of that as he turned stared at the silver-haired woman standing only a few feet away. The moment seemed to draw on for several seconds.

"Mom?"

The woman's face was gentle and her words soft, "Quinn..." Nothing else was said as the dark eyes slowly became lighter and the silver hair turned back into a pale blue.

********

Mojo, Vess, and Merci stood on a ridge overlooking what had been a short and decisive battle. The Fora Gunship had come blanketed the camp with nearly a hundred bombs laced with bits of Kubrite. Every tent and structure on the ground was in flames. There were bodies everywhere, Merci had taken her flight in and put down those that were wounded. There had been no mercy.

Crazed Dawn and two of his lieutenants had made a run for it, but Mojo and Vess had run them down. Leah had reported that the Tuli attack had gone well and that we were to meet back at Fora HQ.

********

Quinn and Leah leaned against the rail on the deck of the Zeppelin. She had her arm slid through his, enjoying the warmth of his body in the night air. "What now Quinn?"

"Anna and Yu will meet us at HQ, we will stream the destruction of all the Kubrite we have accumulated and tell everyone about the Soul Stones.

"What about Lara?" Leah hadn't broached the subject since it had happened, more than an hour earlier.

"Not sure...I'm still in shock." Quinn pulled out the ring he had received from Lara's companion quest.

Nexus Ring

Unique: Unknown

Leah stared at the black metallic ring. "Is this the ring you mentioned? It's pretty."

There were five settings for stones but they were all empty. Quinn slid it easily onto his hand.

System Message: Quest Discovered. Nexus.

System Message: You've been offered a Quest to find the Nexus. Do you accept?

Quest: Nexus Introduction.

Description: Find the Nexus

terminal.

Reward: Nexus Access.

Quinn glanced at Leah and then nodded. "Yes."

Leah smiled when she saw the notification. "Did you get a quest ?"

Quinn brought up the quest on his hud, then opened a map to check its location, "it's close to the Eyrie."

"You should take Lara there, it was her companion quest."

Quinn nodded, "good idea." They both turned at the sound of footsteps."

Leah smiled at the Council Woman, "Lady Saffron, I am glad to see you safe."

Saffron had decided to accompany them rather than go back with the King, she had lost nearly half of her force. "I have something for you Q, please accept this."

System Message: You have received a token of affection.

Token of Affection

Silver Chain

Unique Item

Description: Item cannot be sold or dropped.

Grants Immunity to ranged weapon damage.

A fine Silver Chain carefully linked by a master jeweler.

System Message: You have gained a follower.

Saffron Daybreaker

Level 94

NPC Class: Ranger

Primary Skill: Scholar

Secondary Skill: Politician

Quinn stared at the chain in his hands. "Lady Saffron... you wish to join us? You are a member of the High Council."

"Not for much longer, I am a widow. My eldest son would have assumed the position long ago had we not been at war. When he does so, I"ll just be someone who lives in his house." The blonde Ranger gave him a small smile, "Please call me Saffron, I will take any position you wish. My personal guard will also join Fora."

Leah pulled the chain from Quinn's hand and fastened it around his neck, "it looks quite dashing Quinn. We can always make another platoon with her people."

Quinn shook his head, "I'm hiring teachers... that is what we need right now. We are opening an Academy, I would like you to Chair one of the departments."

"Such a thing... I could do that. What about my people?" Saffron had lost many but she still had nearly thirty people with her.

"When we open up, we will have a few thousand students, someone has to be in charge of security. We will have to ensure the safety of everyone who comes to learn."

Saffron bowed her head slightly, her gold colored hair spilled over her shoulders. "We shall report to Fora in a few days, I will have to get things in order."

Quinn didn't bother to hide his excitement, with Pops, Tal, Kora, and Saffron as department heads, he only had two more people left to ask. "Take your time, we will set you up in Ravenwood in temporary housing until you can have one built."

*********

*Center camera on Quinn, change the angle slightly to bring in Leah and Mojo.*

(Daiyu) Good Morning everyone. We are here at Fora HQ to witness the destruction of the entire arsenal of Kubrite weapons that the Covenant had stockpiled at three different locations. Late last night the Heroes of Fora took down the last two camps and confiscated these illegal weapons. We have Fora Engineer Tal ready to comment... Tal?"

*Switch cameras to Tal, focus on her face.*

(Tal) Thank you Daiyu, these weapons represent an end to the terror that has swept through TAP these past few days. In addition, we have discovered by accident that if you have one of these in your inventory, you will be revived in the nearest graveyard, even if you were killed with a Kubrite weapon.

*Zoom in on the stone in her hand*

(Daiyu) Tal, may I ask what kind of stone that is? And more importantly, where can you get one?

(Tal) This is a common Soul Gem, you can purchase one through the market hub. They can be reused multiple times, so just place on in your inventory and feel at ease.

(Daiyu) Okay, everyone, the crisis is over. Thanks to our friends in Fora, the Covenant has been neutralized and the danger of Kubrite weapons has been removed. This is Daiyu, on behalf of the Fora Development Group, thanks for watching.

*********

A short while later Quinn was sitting in the Songbird tavern with Ren, Lara and the rest of the Songbirds. Mojo and Leah had headed to Ravenwood and Tal had logged off.

"Lara you are so lucky, getting to go on a quest with the Commander." Robin had been disappointed she couldn't go.

Lara's face was calm, although her heart was telling her many different things. They had told her what happened... Quinn's mom. Part of her was happy that she wasn't completely gone and the rest of her was freaked out to be sharing a body with her.

Quinn patted Robin's head lightly, "Didn't we all just go someplace? Relax and slow things down a bit."