Last Thread: the Endgame
The image of Peacock with a genuine look of surprise on his face was something those bright eyes of hers just took in and made very sure to commit to memory in exacting fashion. It was obvious that he was off-balance because of it- and she immediately kept pushing to keep him off-balance.
"...I remember the instructions you gave to me, before we left on this mission. If you are who you would say you are, you would remember them, too: 'Rain, I ask you to carefully monitor the ones you will have to interact with, and either find a way to make them look positively on our goal, or remove them as an obstacle to them. I leave the methods to accomplish these missions, both of them, to your discretion.'"
She would lean back, blade and spear still in her hands.
"...committed to memory, perfectly. Just like you taught me, all those years ago. Or do you not think I remember our training sessions? Where you would set Dawn upon me, to break my mental defenses and leave me broken open on the floor mentally?"
She was hitting her stride now, and her teeth grit together.
"...or your interactions with my -mother-? Have you spoken to her, lately? Has she told you how she disowned me, perhaps because I finally became disillusioned with this whole mess when I finally got a chance to think for myself, perhaps? I'm fairly certain people here can vouch for that, yes.
Or... should I tell you how it felt to hang there, above an artifact of such darkness, to finally feel some very familiar minds nearby, with my life leeching from my body... from where I had been tortured to ensure compliance from a young woman who is stronger than I will ever be... thinking my prayers had finally been answered... only to realize that whatever you were doing out there, among the Acolytes, was more important than me.
Do you know what it felt like, to hang there, yet know that the solution to my situation was not to be rescued by my friends, or my master, who had, for more than a decade, told me I had been his special project, one of the most special people for his plans, but to realize that the very thing I had to do... was not to rely upon my Kai strength... or my mother's birthright... or even anybody else... was to hold back my power and to bleed out so what remained of my life could not be used to force that same woman to proceed with the ritual to unleash Vashna? How I willingly went into the light because apparently I wasn't worth your time to come and save, even if one of the things you were looking for was in the same room?
...is that enough to prove myself, or do you need yet more from me?"