The Snapa-verse

With one autmaton taken down, Uluru turned his attention towards the remaining three. The two spitting fire from their hands were the most trouble as they had created an intense wall of flame. Uluru set out, raising his gauntlets to blast the exposed wiring of one of the fire-bots, electrocution it's systems, causing it's functions to cease cease as it came toppling down upon another robot sentry behind it.

"Well, I think it's a little too late for this one," Aisha explained somberly, although the sudden interest had been surprising, "But, it's not an infectious disease, so, we wouldn't have to worry about that. It's merely caused by a dietary deficiency, specifically in Vitamin C. I don't know if you understand what that is, but, all it takes is reintroducing it into your diet to fix. Kale, buckthorn, rose hips, parsley, all those things have plenty of that if you need it, but the best cure is probably citrus fruit, if that's available. If you're desperate, there's accounts of raw meats and liver having sufficient nutrients. I've only seen it among travelers and impoverished children, but, it's treatable within two weeks." Aisha cleared her throat before mentioning, "I'm well taught in medicine, most travelling acolytes are, but I in particular have had over two years of personal tutelage." She bowed her head slightly.

Dustin was upon the felled automatons in seconds. Each crystal was stabbed with his scimitar resulting in the shattering of the energized Taqa and the subsequent shutdown of the metal behemoths. The Kassellander spun around to the remaining one as it turned on the masquerading bounty hunters with its flame throwing hands.

Dustin kited around the flames as the automaton struggled to pick a target out of the numerous standing before it and made his way over to its legs. A quick scan revealed how much of a patchwork the large lumbering robot really was. Metal was scarce, refined metal that is, especially in the Sea of Sands. There were missing plates here or there which easily exposed the network of wiring that ran through the legs of the automaton like sinews of muscle. Dustin drew one of his daggers and pressed down a small, flat crystal on the butt of its grip that ignited a bright orange glow in the translucent blade.

Finding his chance, the Atzerii dashed to the automaton's heels and stabbed the dagger into the exposed wires of one of the legs, causing a surge of energy within the robot's leg. As if its nonexistent nervous system was overloading, the leg went rigid before spasming. Well, spasming as much as robotic joints would allow. Regardless, the irregular movement caused the metal giant to topple, allowing Dustin a clean stab into its main power source crystal, ending the last of Rowlen's small defense.

Dustin let out a breath of effort having had to dodge flames and metal limbs from burning him alive and breaking his bones. Bright blue eyes looked at the smaller man accompanied with a bored expression. "Rowlen," he started, walking casually off the body of the disabled automaton and towards the weathered engineer. "Your plan will not work." His gruff "bounty hunter" voice was gone, replaced with his normally sophisticated and accented tone. "As soon as Dol-Duna is taken down, word will spread and the other clans will unite. Grand Yusil might even destroy the Aklar themselves, and it will not be at the fault of the Meltsanders. No... It will be at your fault."

Elise watched as the automatons fell one by one, thanks mostly to Uluru and Dustin. "He's right, Rowlen. You stand no chance!" she started, making her way to Dustin's side. She held her blades loosely, ready for whatever the engineer could throw at them. "I feel sorry for your people, they will die because of your arrogance, and your inability to swallow your pride and seek help from others!" She shook her head, "I've traveled the sands for years, and in my time I've found more people willing to help others than people who wish to bring harm." She stared at her boots, scraping her left foot on the ground nervously. "I had a run in with some Meltsanders, and they left me for dead with, but rather than someone simply putting me out of my misery, a kind family took me to Dol-Duna and paid for my medical care I could have never repaid them or their kindness." Her gaze met Rowlen's as she narrowed her eyes and raised her blade threateningly, "I will not allow you to hurt innocent people and bring war to the Qafar."

Mirova blinked as Aisha explained. "Foods with vitamin c..." She murmured, glancing up. "I think the Meltsander Camp had food supplies but that was... that was hours away."

The Naima glanced up around the prison cell - abandoned save for them. "Perhaps this Citadel has some secrets though... if we can feed the people and heal them perhaps they will help us take over this godforsaken clan."

"Hey!" Skullivan's deep voice called from behind the group, causing them to turn. The man's lanky form sprinted towards them. "Guys, Rowlen is insane! He's trying to murder us all and destroy all the surrounding clans!" Skullivan came to a stop at Musa, breathing heavily as he did. "I... I ran through half the citadel trying to find you guys."

"Did you see any food storage?" Mirova asked, stepping forward.

Skullivan nodded. "Yeah, there was a big room - mainly grain but a few fruits. Apples, oranges. Seems like some sort of emergency reserves in case the village starves."

"How strange, that they would be keeping perishable foods in reserve," Aisha voiced her thinking, "The very same kinds of foods that is apparently lacking in their diets... And speaking of which, cases of scurvy only pop up among people who become reliant on meat-based diets, so... Are they really so sheltered?"

A thought was triggered within Aisha, albeit a somewhat unrelated one: if the Aklar were so unexposed to the outside, including outside theology, then perhaps they were just ripe for indoctrination. As far as Aisha could see, if they continued on the path they were on, the Aklar was going to continue to decay into self-destruction, if the Meltsand Clan didn't destroy them first, but by following the principles of the Creed to achieve a better lifestyle, they could be saved. It would have been just like a story from Recollections.

"In that case," Aisha spoke out, "we must seek the allegiance of the Aklar people. Rowlen must lose legitimacy in the eyes of the people, or else they will stand by him and we will become the public enemy, which will only create more suffering among us all. When the public loses faith in their leader, they will become our allies," and will find a leader in the strongest voice, something Aisha didn't say yet it was what she was thinking, "and we can overthrow their disillusioned leader altogether, and, um, discuss how we'll go from there, but, I would like to see a diplomatic resolution between Aklar and Meltsand. Yes, I believe that even forgiveness is possible between them, but, let us cross that road when we get to it."

"For now, let us work in mutual interest of stopping this Rowlen," Aisha explained, "and to do so, we must create a plan to achieve this goal to expose him. For this, foremost importantly, I require an audience with the Aklar public."

"My goal is to prevent war! To end strife before it reaches my people...but you can't possibly understand that, can you outsiders? How allowing the falsehoods of such concepts such as the kindness of outsiders influence us and allow the poison to seep in!" He cried as he edged towards his deadly machine."

Uluru pointed at Rowlen with his sword, "Shit, someone hurry. Before he flicks it on!" Uluru shouted, but due to their scuffle with the autamatons, they were far further from the machine then they wanted to be.

Rowlen pulled down a lever, utilizing all his strength in and the machine started to shake and hum, the crystals powering up with a crackling glow.

Musa had jumped back when the glass of her cage shattered after some warning from Slathe; she had heard his name a few times back in the infirmary. Now she was standing with the group of phony prisoners and listening to the chatter about the plight of the Aklars. Tiptoeing around shattered glass, so as to make sure they wouldn't pierce her little flats, she gazed down at the dead guard.

Then Skullivan came running up and his presence, and loud speech made her want to hit him. Then it made her remember that she had lost her weapon to the sands some time ago. So she tiptoed over to the broken cages and set to work locating an undamaged bar of glass and breaking it off. She then struck the bar against the wall until she could get a clean break. After a few minutes, she had two poles of sparkling glass. "Very nice.." She mumbled while sliding one into her former staff holster on her back.

She returned to the group just as Aisha finished stating her plans for unifying the Aklars and the Meltsanders. Her golden eyes glance over to Skullivan and without a word, she gave him a good strike to his thigh with the glass pole that wasn't on her back. She then stepped forward, past Aisha, Slathe & Mirova, and around the dead guard "There is no time for planning and plotting public meetings, Acylote. There is a rumble in the halls and sand is spilling through the ceiling. I feel a lurch in my belly and I feel as if our friends are in danger." She spoke while walking forward.

"Wrong again, fire-lander," Mirova hissed at Musa, her red-eye's sparkling beneath the golden lights of the citadel. "The Aklar are all starving outside Rolwen's grand citadel - we came in on that lift, we can go back out and speak to them," Mirova explained, her pale finger pointing toward a lift.

Slathe grunted, ripping a blade off the dead guard and glaring up at them. "Well, right now we're free - so let's do what we came her to do and end this war," With a whistle Slathe indicated to his men, and Sulfurious, to follow him. "Skullivan," He demanded, angrily. "Show us to Rowlen."

Skullivan swallowed. "...Ok," He nodded, glancing between Slathe and Musa. "Follow me." With a nervous glance back Skullivan began to lead the Metlsander's away, to another lift- this one leading to Rowlen's chamber.

***

From his belt Sören whipped out a knife, flinging it forward toward Rowlen's form. "Someone get up there!" He screamed in an accented voice....

Dustin darted for the large orb machine as soon as Rowlen through the lever and began slashing at any and every wire he could find. Sparks seemed to spray out like hose from the ends of severed cables as he swung this way and thought, sure to slice anything important looking. He even began kicking at the smaller crystals that protruded from the orb as he made an absolute mess of the rag-tag machine the Aklar Clan's chief engineer had thrown together. He didn't know if any of it actually did, but it was the best thing they could do. Trying anything would be better than sitting there and watching as Dol-Duna and Meltsand crumbled to the earth.

Xaverius followed Dustin's lead, running up to the contraption and pulling out any wires he could, he also did his best to dislodge the crystals within the device. Sparks flew around, some hitting him and singeing his clothes and skin slightly, but he kept at it, he also pocketed some of the lesser components he pulled, hoping to also salvage what he could from the other robotics once events had died down.

Aisha called out to the others, "But hold! What of truth? What of diplomacy? What of compassion? Can we not meet all of our interests in a way that benefits the most people mutually?" It seemed, however, that those words were lost on them, as the Meltsanders were set on their ways. Aisha was planning to change that soon enough, but currently she didn't have much power. Nobody was on her side yet, after all.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. The enchanted woman, the Mir, appeared to be cooperative with Aisha's intentions. How ironic, Aisha thought, that somebody who in her eyes represented ignorance and false solution was seemingly the only one in this situation who had the compassion to assist the masses in a practical way. Nonetheless, even the misguided were capable of doing good.

"Good Mir," Aisha pleaded, "I am wholly thankful for your support, but, in order to accomplish salvation, I humbly ask for your assistance. Alone, even one who has achieved true Change loses power in the face of the opposing masses. To better oneself, they need the support of their peers and their community, and as of the moment, it appears I only have you. However, I know that your power is great, for there is no power greater than that of apostles like ourselves, the heralds of ideas. So, I ask of you, will you lend me your power to win over the trust of the masses for the sake of doing what is just?" And, as was typical for her, Aisha bowed in honesty.

Xaverius and Dustin seemed to have the destruction of the machine under control, at least, Elise hoped that they'd begun to destroy it in time. While the two cut and tore wires while smashing crystals she took the chance to grab a long length of frayed wire from one of the fallen automatons and raced to stop Rowlen as she tried to slip away in the confusion. "You really don't get it do you?" She quipped, throwing the wire over his head and shoulders and pulling him to the floor. "I understand life here got tough, but why'd you'd ever think this was the answer is beyond me." She shook her head as she knotted the wire around his middle and arms before going to work tying his feet and hands. "Maybe we're overstepping our bounds but I won't stand by and let you do this." She knelt down before him and flash him a sad smile, "I can tell you're hurting, and you don't know what to do about it but I can tell you that this," she gestured to the sparking remains of the machine he'd made, "is not the answer. This won't help your people get better, it won't bring a cure. All it is, is a death wish for Aklar, assisted suicide." She lowered her gaze, thinking about the Change, the possibility of which lead them to Aklar in the first place. "We, we may be able to help you Rowlen but you have to help us first."

Mirova rose an eyebrow at Aisha. "Okay... I'll help you," The Mir nodded, grabbing Aisha's hand. "But... you're gonna have to learn to... not lie, but embellish the truth. Mirova glanced to Musa, who mentioned the danger to the others. At her words another bang was heard from above.

"Fine, you two," Slathe said, pointing to Mirova and Aisha. "Go tell the masses the truth." Slathe turned to his men, Meltsand Commander Hanmar, Boh, and Musa who stood with weapons drawn. "The rest of us will end this fight."

Mirova nodded, grabbing Aisha tightly and dragging her toward the surface lift whilst Slathe and the others ran toward the sounds of battle. "Okay," The Mir muttered, quickly adjusting her hood as she pulled Aisha into the lift. "Alright," The albino whispered, her hands moving across the forged metal of the lift controls delicately. "How do you... make this-" Mirova pushed a lever. "Go." She smiled as it began to rise the two to the surface. Light began to shine down upon them as their lift shook. "Listen, our narrative is simple," Mirova said, turning to Aisha. "We're not here to conquer them - we're here to save them. Through medicine." Mirova smiled viciously. "And maybe a little bit of magic."

***

"Rowlen!" Slathe's voice called. A spear flew forward above the heads of the assembled group, smashing into the chest of the automaton and sending it staggering backward - the machinery inside catching fire from the damage. Slathe ran in, his men behind him as the rest followed...

"Meltsanders..? You're free, but how did-,?" Rowlen stammered in confusion, unable to move properly as Elise tied up his limbs in wire.

"Er..." Uluru began, looking at the Meltsanders who had begun pouring into the room. "You see, this was always a ploy. One that I'm not as reluctant to be a part of as I was earlier, but all the same...you've been deceived, Rowlen," Uluru stated, giving the madman a look of pity, but not exactly empathy.

"Also, your guard was stricken with foul pestilence and died!" Sulfurious added unhelpfully.

"No...no..." Rowlen began, violently attempting to struggle himself out of the wires. "I can't see it end like this. I can't see my people end like this," he sobbed. "Broken and riddled with disease! I own't let you take any more of my people away from me, HANMAR!" he screeched as he saw the Meltsander's leader, appear in the room with her people. "Not one more..."

"Funny that," The Meltsander Commander Hanmar growled as she entered the room, pushing past Slathe and the rest to make her way toward Rowlen, "Because it wasn't me or my daughter or the Meltsanders who killed your son..."

Hanmar stared Rowlen down, his sad, pitiful face only making the Commander shake her head. It had been so long ago after all, and while the woman hated his guts for everything he had done she couldn't help but soften slightly. Eventually she whispered, so close to his face that he could feel her breath, driving perhaps the worst truth of all into Rowlen's diseased brain, "It was you."

Bohdana swallowed as she watched the scene, almost dwarfed by the Meltsanders around her. The young girl looked up to them - yes, they were brutish and brash and perhaps a little barbaric - but they were survivors. They were desert people.

She slid silently through the crowd toward Uluru and the others, "Are you guys okay?"

Dustin put his hands on his knees as he breathed heavily and looked over from Hanmar and Rowlen to the teenager. "I am alright," he said, dropping his "bounty hunter" voice. "That felt really good to break those things. Therapeutic, event. We should break things more often."

"I can agree to that!" Xaverius gave Dustin a hearty pat on the back. "If everythin' here's clam I can go ahead and grab some gizmos from inside these machines. If I'm lucky I can find either somethin' useful or something we can use to buy some stuff, like food!" Xaverius took a look at the machine he and Dustin had just taken apart, looking for anything that stuck out.

Musa had stood with her back to Aisha, Mirova, and even Slathe and his men. Her skin was crawling and her fingers were twitching on her glass shaft. At every rumble, her eyes had quickly flickered over to watch sand spill from the ceiling above. She'd even bounced on her toes a little to show her discomfort and impatience. Our companions are in trouble and they want to appeal to these people? Give them a loose plan and gilded assumptions? She had frowned irritatedly. She did not dismiss the good of their actions but the Aklar people had gone this long being sick and dying. They could last another hour or two while the Questers assembled themselves and joined all of their minds to figure out the plan.

But finally Slathe was apparently feeling just as impatient as she, for he took the reins and sent the two women on their way. When they all began moving she quickly galloped beside him to their destination.

Now she was cautiously stepping around broken crystals and wires that wiggled and jumped with the electricity still cracking through them, like blood through veins. Her eyes were narrowed and her golden irises stood out in the shadow of the now destroyed room. After peeling her eyes away from the fallen masses of metal made to look like mishapen men, she tipped her head and eyed the construct that seemed to have been savagely destroyed. The thing unsettled her and made her look from a distance while flexing her hand on her glass pole. Whatever it was, she had a feeling that whatever it was doing and whoever destroyed it as vehemently as they did, had something to do with the rumbling in the halls. Glancing back at the metal men she figured the fight with them must not have been so quiet either. Then finally she went over to the gathered group "What happened here?" She asked after the stocky, bearded man waddled off the to contraption, his fingers twitching.

"Okay? Been better..." Uluru admitted, looking the mechanical rubble that lay before him. "I'm not sure you'll need an army to topple this regime..." he looked at the pathetic state of the Aklar's leader. "This clan was damaged from the inside put long before we got here...." Uluru nodded at the machine in ruins. "He said he had a mechanism...one that could spread earthquakes throughout the Qafar. He planned to target your camp and Dol-Duna."

"HOW DARE YOU, HANMAR!" Rowlen screeched, tears streaming down his face. "How dare you place that blame upon me. The blame of the disease your wretched girl spread! A disease we could fine no cure to! A waste in life and in death!"

Uluru glanced from Rowlen to Hanmar and began to step forward in case the Meltsander commander flew into a rage.

Elise threw herself between the two clan leaders, "Alright, that's enough!" She shook her head, "Neither of you is actually trying to solve this issue! You'd rather just murder each other than admit you are both hurting, you both lost someone dear to you," She paused trying to figure out what to do, "ask yourselves, would your children want this? Would they want their deaths to be the reason for the death of so many people?" She turned to Hanmar, trying to look the woman in the eye, "I know he stole her away from you, and I can't imagine your pain, but does it have to be like this?" She then looked to Rowlen, "You lost your son to a terrible disease, and I'm sorry that it is now plaguing your people, but killing innocents won't solve your problem or help your people. Also, if Hanmar's daughter was truly the host, why aren't the other Meltsanders sick?" She sighed, "Murder is never the answer, you have to understand what is best for your people." She looked at the group she'd been traveling with. Their various backgrounds had meshed under a common goal, and she smiled. "We are trying to save the world, and we could use all the help we can get, why not work towards a solution rather than destruction?"

Dustin had finally caught his breath and made his way over to stand beside Musa. "Uluru speaks truth. Rowlen planned to topple the surrounding clans and the rest of Qafar through earthquakes produced by that machine," he nodded to where Xaverius stood. "Which Xaverius and I kindly dispatched."

The Kassellander couldn't help but marvel at Elise's bravery, her moral upstanding. Miles upon miles of sand between her and home. She didn't even know what her destination was. She simply just traveled, much like Xaverius, around the Qafar. How old was she? Sixteen, Dustin recalled. Somewhere around there. So young, he thought. Yet filled so much wisdom. The world could learn a thing or two from a girl of her stature.

"That was certainly some workout! Now, if you excuse me..." Xaverius then went around the various battered machines, opening them up and grabbing anything he thought would be of value. After collecting a good amount of loot, he returned to Dustin and the others. "So, now what do we do? I have a ton of robo parts and some ideas on what to spend them on." He was looking though his haul and estimating how much they were worth as he waited for a response from the group.