Colin's posts

Ilias paused when she said what she did, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face.

He was silent as he felt his snakes stir beneath his hair, and managed to regain his breath, having stopped breathing momentarily.

"...very well." he said.

"I shall not say that again." he told her.

His tone was inquisitive, though. She could tell he was wondering what that had set her off.

But he wasn't about to ask. For all he knew, the question would cause her to fly off the handle and rampage through the building again, or escape and start harming civilians.

Ilias just turned and started to walk down a hallway.

"This way." he said.

"And as long as Nathan understands the risks and is doing this of his own free will." he told her.

"I work here to apply my knowledge and try and better the lives of people here, as well as the world overall, as grandiose and corny as that may sound to you." he said further.

"However, just because I am a freak and a monster, doesn't mean my soul is that of one." he then stated.

"I am NOT Vanessa Encrae."

Ilias just looked at her and heaved an exasperated sigh.

"Sure." he said.

"You all right with this, Ilias?" Hal asked.

"Pretty sure at this point, my comfort levels aren't a priority here." Ilias responded candidly.

"They most certainly are." Hal told him. "If you-" he just started to say, but Ilias just waved his hand.

"It's fine." he told him.

Hal was silent, before nodding and slowly leaving, turning back and looking every so often.

"Guess we shall." Ilias said to K.

Hal froze when she stated her wish plainly, and looked around slightly. When he saw that nobody had hard that, he then sighed, and snapped his fingers quickly. He then paused again for another moment, and was silent.

He looked at K, then to Ilias, then back to K.

"Well... what I saw is generally a guideline, what with free will and all." he mumbled.

"Buuuuut..." he went on, drawing out the word, and then unlocking the cuffs without hesitation.

"This should say it all." he told her, taking them back.

"At least there's that." Hal responded, as they reached the lab and entered. People were buzzing about, but didn't really pay much attention to K, except for Ilias, who noticed them and made his way over.

"Hello." he greeted them.

"Ilias, I'd like you to cooperate with K on something." Hal responded. "But only if you're comfortable with doing so." he stressed.

"She'll fill you in on it." he told him further.

He then produced a key from his pocket, and looked at K.

"No funny stuff once these are off." he warned her.

Hal was silent again for a moment, as she said that and they turned to head to the lab.

"I see." he said.

"Well... I suppose this IS your chance to atone for that, so to speak." he went on.

"Even though one could argue you've more than done that already." he added.

"But I am not your conscience." he sighed.

"Though the thought of his naivety and good nature being used and abused is... sickening." he then growled lightly.

"..." Nate was silent, before turning around.

"Let me know when you're back with it." he told them.

"Fast tracking this may very well save a life when previously it couldn't be done." he said, before walking away.

"...the man thinks of others to a fault." Hal sighed.

"Come, then." he said to K.

"Let's get you to the lab." he told her.

"....yes." Nate responded.

"If it will make me a better medic, and more useful to the Unit, and the medical wing... then yes." he told her.

"I will endure any pain." he said.

"You know you don't have to do this, right?" Hal asked.

"...I know." Nate responded.

"I do this of my own volition. This is my own choice."

Hal raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to assume it's before." he said, having no idea what she was talking about.

"...wait, must be the project that's causing her to be unreachable." he then muttered.

"I will go through the channels I need to, to get that message to her." he assured her, as they made their way to the medical wing.

Once there, the staff seemed to be nervous and apprehensive, but Hal raised a hand t ease their worry.

That was when Nate saw them, and approached them both.

"...." Hal was silent as she said all this.

"Right." he said.

"I will accompany you to speak with him, and we'll go from there." he told her.

"I will remove the mana cuffs only when it is time for you to perform what is necessary." he went on.

"We are all in your debt, as is the entire world, but I'm not so foolish as to just let you have sudden unfettered access to your mana." he said further.

"Come on." he then said, making his way to the opened door.

Hal just sighed quietly.

"I cannot give you permission to perform experiments on my employees." he told her.

"However, if you can get his consent, then I will not stop you, nor think any less of either of you." he assured her.

"Because I know who you're talking about." he continued.

"And he's actively been considering it, from what I know." he went on.

"Will you require your mana for this?" he then asked her.

Hal was silent when he heard this, before he stepped forward.

"Listen..." he said.

"You've done so much to help us. And it's clear you're not our enemy." he went on.

"Before you're pulled back to that hellhole of a home of yours... do you want to have free reign of the Unit?" he asked.

"See anybody you want to see? See anything before you leave?" he asked further.

"It's not much, but it's the least I can offer you."

Hal raised an eyebrow, before nodding.

He then snapped his fingers... and after a few seconds, she saw the horror in his eyes.

"...good heavens..." he mumbled.

"That's... that is..." he stammered, before looking at K.

"THIS is the world you come from?" he asked.

She nodded.

"...the path to hell truly IS paved with good intentions..." was all he could say next.

Azazel knew that that was the end of that. There was nothing more for him to say or do here, so he turned and left the room. About 5 minutes later, Hal stepped into the room once more.

"I don't know what exactly was in that research." he told her.

"But Azazel just told me that what he looked at and saw was... brilliant, yet seemed flawed. And extremely dangerous." he went on.

"He said that the fact that they were destroyed really has saved us from a fate worse than death." he continued.

"...and I know we have you to thank for that." he then said.

"So... sincerely. Thank you."