Daydreams of an angel and a fish

[stukasa]

I'd say do it however you think works best, regardless of what you originally had in mind. If that means splitting up the final chapter into several parts, do it. This story deserves some closure whether it's technically the end or not. Being able to say you did it, that you got to that point, will be a big accomplishment in itself.

[Zorafim]

Thanks for saying that. I guess I could write down elements that I need and see about making a chapter per each.

[Zorafim]

I did a bit more writing. Considering it's almost been a month since I last tried, any continuation isn't looking good.
I had every intention of having this continue the story, but now I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish even this. And just in case I don't, I figure it's a shame not to share it.

This one takes place not long after my last official chapter, since I'm not clear on that.
ever.

Spoiler!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFoQKfmhRVc

Leviathan twisted through the air, a hailstorm of bullets raging beneath her. Her kinetic energy flowed into her bladearm as she closed the ground, fueling the power of an already sharp blade to cut through a body as easily as a finger through water. His brothers had little time to register their comrade's death before being cut down themselves.

Their weapons were terrifying, able to blast apart the smallest marble kilometers away by even the least skilled combatants. Their armor was cutting edge, able to absorb cuts and blows from any living beast terrestrial or otherwise with little impact felt by the user. And their training - though pride fueled and grueling - could do nothing to prepare them for a power they were never prepared to face.

She sped through their ranks, sliding through their tight formations and tearing them apart from within. She used their weapons' greatest strengths against them, dashing in close for the kill before aim could be confirmed, and staying near their allies to increase risk of friendly fire. They were given no time to plan, no time to think, no time to react.
Chaos spread immediately. Calls to order broke before their final word could be spoken. Calls of aggression fell into calls of surprise, and then calls of fear. An air of bravado and superiority broke into screams of terror.

They were wiped away like dust. Hundreds fell to dozens, and then to a few. Bodies limped or crawled away before succumbing to blood loss. Sobs, moans, cries, and prayers mixed together into a song of despair. A lucky few had the fortune to run away. But they would forever be haunted by the spray and flow of blood raining behind them.

One soldier opened his eyes after a moment of pain, his ribs broken by a sudden impact. A gun flying from the hands of its wielder, a body of a comrade, he never did find out its source. All he knew was a sudden and unbearable physical pain that shook his entire body. Until he at last registered the sight before him.

Madness took a moment to grip him. Understanding took hold first. Then, realization. World shattering agony took hold soon afterwards. And finally, soul-freezing terror as his eyes took hold on a sight on an image which froze time.
Landing from a dash, Leviathan collected her momentum into an upraised bladearm. Milliseconds from death, he could do nothing but watch at the source of his end.

But that end didn't come. Instead, the instrument that destroyed his world looked off to the distance. Blood flowed off her body like water off a stone, until the dark crimson of his brothers washed away into a deep blue. As if she was washed clean of the past few minutes, she walked calmly towards a circle of water floating in the distance. His world so shaken by the past moment, he could do nothing but watch and shake as she walked away.
It wasn't until she was nearly halfway to the object that he recovered enough presence of mind to react.

It didn't come from a conscious mind. It instead came from his world now shattered. From his pride now broken. From the depths of his soul, breaching through the barrier of thought and worry and baring itself fully.
He asked - as a guttural shout of pain, as a challenge to the one who caused such agony, and as a plea for understanding -
He shouted, to both her and the heavens,
"Why?"

She took a few more steps, seemingly oblivious to the cry. Then she slowed. And finally, she stopped.
For a moment, she just stood there. And after, she replied.

It was a quiet sound. It wasn't wrathful, or apologetic, or lecturous. It wasn't much more than a quiet voice, one which gave no meaning beyond the words it spoke.
And - despite the sounds of his dying brothers, and the wind in the trees, and the noises of nature - he heard her as clearly as if she stood beside him.

"I don't know."

[stukasa]

Spoiler!

It's been so long, I don't remember exactly where the story left off. Not that it matters, since this was (by your own admission) a part of an unfinished chapter, with no real context as to where Leviathan is or who she's fighting. Not that it really matters in this case. I took it as more of a character piece, a way of explaining Leviathan's current state as a character. She is still rather emotionless, capable of great death and destruction, willing to do what it takes to fulfill her mission. Yet at the same time, not completely sure of herself or why she is that way. She hasn't become the Levia we saw in your previous piece, not yet. That's still a long way off.

In any case, it did a good job showing off her badass side.

[Zorafim]

Spoiler!

I was afraid she would come off as unnecessarily brutal, so I'm glad that wasn't your first thought.

This takes place some time after the last few chapters, which were lessons on the soul. She now understands what kindness, modesty, and courage are. But she hasn't internalized it and made it a part of her. Instead, the biggest change is that she's no longer as aggressive as she was before. As she grew, she slowly got more and more aggressive, since she saw that aggression as a useful tool when dealing with uncooperative humans. That eventually became her go-to, and she learned in her lessons that maybe that's not the best way to go.
She hasn't replaced it with anything useful yet though, so she's back to how she was as a child. The major difference is that she has more tools at her disposal now than she did then.

[yoshiblue]

Spoiler!

I read tight formation and I think phalanx or testudo tightness, which would be quite the feat to tear up. Makes me wonder what had to go down for her to have to attack an army, though I wouldn't be surprised if she was order to take care of something in the area. Hard to say if she launched the first attack though, which if that's the case is pretty aggressive on Levia's part. Overall the entire scene reminds me of something you would see in Warhammer 40k. As for Levia growing internally, little by little I guess.

[Zorafim]

Spoiler!

Little by little is a theme I try to stand by. Zorael gained his power by day-to-day practice. Levia grew from a microscopic life form to a child over the period of a century to establish her strength, and then through daily lessons to hone her skill and knowledge.
I hate when characters suddenly become stronger for unexplained reasons, so I like periodic growth. But at the same time, it takes me so long to write each chapter, so...

I think colonial british styled army formations would be the most accurate. We don't have many gun based formations anymore, so I didn't have much to go by. But, that should give enough room to snake on through, while being tight enough to cause extreme damage if something makes its way in.

For the plot, I think I want to keep that to myself for now in case I'm able to continue this. If I can follow this up, I'll try to explain anything I need to.

[Zorafim]

Hey I did more of that thing I made this thread for.

Spoiler!

I did it because He told me to.

Leviathan walked among the corpses of hundreds of armed men. She stepped closer to a floating disk holding the image of a faraway castle, hidden behind a bubbling pane of water. She stepped away from a man shivering in fear, and wide-eyed in madness. His words still echoing in the wind.
A small voice rang from the back of Leviathan's mind, so quiet even she couldn't hear it.
She kept walking a few more steps.

But, why would he ask for this? He so often asks for the protection of life.

The voice grew louder, just enough to raise a level of doubt in her mind.
Her steps slowed.

This is different from usual. Is there a reason? Why ask me to kill when he so often asks me to save?

These thoughts were brought to the forefront of her mind.
She stopped.

The lessons He taught me, this runs counter to them. He asks me to be nurturing, and patient. To fight to keep life alive, and work to make that life thrive.
So why ask me to kill?

She stared at the aqueous disk in front of her. The door to her home. A few more steps, and she would be finished. Yet, her mind raced, and her body stood still. She searched for reason behind the task she had performed without question.
And in the end, she decided,

"I don't know."

Her voice rang quietly. It rang without wrath, or apology, or lecture. It carried no more meaning than the words spoken. Yet it rang clearly through the sound of death.

She gave one last look to the portal to her home, and turned away to face the surviver addressing her.

"Who are you? Why were you gathered? What was your destination?"

He sat still, doing little more than glowering madly at her. It took a moment for him to register her words. And a moment more for the fear and shock rushing through his body to twist into anger.
Finally, he gained enough presence of mind to rave back at her.

"What have you done?! They were my brothers! All of them! I lived for them! I would have died for them! We were go-"

He continued incessantly. As he spoke, Leviathan surveyed her surroundings. Finally, she turned his way and walked.

He continued his raving as she did. He spoke of love, and honor, and duty. He gave details of the lives lost to her as she approached. He listed names as she stood before him.
And he broke down crying as she walked past him.

It was here that they marched from. And so it must be from here that they came from.
If they marched from there, then their reason for marching must be there too.

Sorry. No music. I was just focused on getting stuff on paper.

[yoshiblue]

Spoiler!

Heh, reminds me of the sacred band. Also answers a few questions so that was interesting. Since she was walking home, for a moment I thought the person looking angry at her was her father.

[Zorafim]

Spoiler!

Ha~woops. I tried to push this out as hard as I could to overcome a block, so I did little in the ways of proof reading. I'm sure when I look over it tomorrow I'm going to see a lot of errors, but it's better than keeping it to myself.