Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer Part 12

"I suppose I'll go as well," Zackary offered.

"We need you for coverage of the skies." Nathan responded to Zackary.

"When did I sign up for fighting in a War, Nathan." Zackary said, folding his arms. "I didn't. I am not fighting."

"You act like they're not coming for you as well." Nathan answered his glare narrowing on Zackary. "You were an Acer contestant, your death warrant has already been signed, as has Sage's."

"They can come all they want, I wont be wherever they search," Zackary countered.

"Zackary," Erika turned to the younger person. "Whether or not this is your concern, I agree that we'll need you on thebattle front more than protecting the kids. I trust you, probably unlike whoever Paul chooses to help me. You have an amazing power... use it."

"An amazing power, you say? I say no. I don't. I don't care if you want me on the battlefield or not. I'm not being on it." Zackary said with his arms folded.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Paul grumbled. Hand picked, trained himself, and she can't even trust him.

"I trust you," Erika deadpanned. "I haven't even met them yet. What do you expect from a pregnant lady?"

"A little more trust in the people I trained," Paul grumbled, "Do forget that I'm putting me and my people at risk by sending some of them with you to keep you safe."

"If there's nothing else, I'll just leave now." Zackary said with a shrug.

"I'm follow Zack's lead, I'm outta here." Eithne muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets jacket and walking off in the direction of what was left of the Illuminati village. He needed to walk for a bit and clear his head if he could.

Nathan raised an eyebrow at Zackary before shrugging. "Fine, let me copy your flow."

"No, Nathan. I am not allowing you to copy my flow to harm others," Zackary stated.

"By asking I was merely being courteous." Nathan responded his gaze darkening. "If you're going be a coward and not use your flow to help us then someone is going to have to cover the skies."

"I'll be polite one more time, if that prove's fruitless then I'll just take." His eyes narrowed. "Let me... absorb your ability."

"I will help only one one condition," Zackary mentally sighed.

Nathan crossed his arms. "What's that?" His tone was noticeably darker, not that he could tell. The beating from Tabaris had begun to weaken Nathan's mental block on darkness.

"Something's wrong," Luke muttered under his breath, remembering how Nathan had sounded in the time leading to Nathan beating him half-to-death. Luke was more astute than he was back in the tournament, and he was noticing changes in Nathan's demeanour. That couldn't be good.

"That you do not attempt to take my flow. You would be unable to handle the pressure." Zackary simply stated.

Nathan frowned but shrugged. "Fine, if you're here I have no use for it."

"And I am not killing," Zackary also stated.

"Knock them to the fucking floor then." Nathan responded shortly. "Just don't let them get at us from the air. I couldn't care less whether you kill or not. The rest of us can do that."

"Not me," Tom offered quietly, having been silent thus far. He had never been one to kill, and the murders committed in his memories had only strengthened this belief.

Heidi glared at Nathan, sighing agitatedly. "Erika, the children, and anyone else deemed unable to fight are being transported to Ari's village, and that's final. Whether we get your help in terms of a teleporter is up to you, but I don't think either of us want a pregnant woman and a handful of kids walking all that way," she stated, folding her arms. "It's better to get them out of the way. And besides, they've got a hell of a better defense than we do."

Kira bit her lip, shifting awkwardly. "I-I...I w-would rather...n-not be instantly b-be pushed t-to the back lines... I-I'm perfectly h-healthy...s-so..." She didn't want to be as much of a bother as she had been during the tournament.

Paul thought for a moment. "The kids should go to that village," he said, "It opens up that barrier guy you said you have, or at the very least, keeps us from worrying about getting flanked as we won't have them going around to check out this giant barrier surrounding a mountain."

He crossed his arms. "Kira...you can help with the defenses," Paul suggested, "I don't think you're one to kill outright, but your Flow can create thick foliage and move it around, right? You can cut off their escape routes, or if worse comes to worse, cover our retreat."