Pulse of the Imperium

Efren and Hadrian's blindfolded walk out of the Muadh Village was abruptly terminated when the agitated Yar Zell tore the visual impediments off from their faces and pointed to a source of strong light behind them.

"[Demons!]" He cried out.

A large, armed thopter, surrounded by the shielding sheen, was hanging over a spot maybe 100 metres from them, but 40 metres up, at the elevated, winding path leading down the slope which they had already traversed. With pained eyes they saw how a large net was dropped from the machine on people beneath, and they knew who those people were.

"No... no- no- NO- LAILA!!!!"

What else could he do? Pushing past Yar Zell while tearing his knife from his pack. What else could he do but charge forward in desperation.

Efren immediately pulled out his pistol as a reaction. He aimed towards the wire which held the net, but there was too much foliage in the way.

He then intently watched the thopter… checking to see where it would bank and veer to…

Once the other group was fully poached, the thopter quickly picked up altitude and flew straight toward the mountain range, with the apparent intent to cross it. Then they lost the visual.

“There’s little we can do on our own. We should run back to camp and get everyone.” Efren said with urgency.

Hadrian collapsed to his knees. Watching all in quiet disassociation as his body went numb and his cares fell away. It took a moment, but the world would come back into focus. And with it the feeling of a pit in his stomach. Cold, deep, and rotten. Sickness descended and he let loose the contents of that pit into the nearby ferns. This would last a few moments of course. But then all at once it stopped. Once it did he stood up, dusted off his clothes, turned to Efren and nodded in agreement. His eyes betraying a cold fury, like the blue light of a dying flame.

"We need that antenna up and running, as well as the Thopters. We also need to convince our friends here that demons need to be hunted."

He turned back to Yar Zell. "Can you understand me?"

Yar Zell looked to Efren for interpreting, abashed by Hadrian's unstable behaviour.

"Mhmm." He acknowledged turning once again to Efren. "It'll need to be their idea. The iron is hot if you want to make an attempt at swaying them."

“They won’t fight…” He replied simply.

“It’s against all they hold dear. But we will have them lead us to the enemy camp.”

Efren relayed his desire for them to meet early the next morning to guide them to the demon’s camp as the Old Mother had permitted.

Hadrian blinked for a moment in deep thought before nodding. "Then let's not waste time. Outworlders will solve outworld problems." He turns and thanks Yar Zell before moving up the trail back towards camp.

Yar Zell, his eyes full of sadness, spoke to Efren.

"[Must Warn. Hide.]"