<span style="color: #0080FF"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="text-decoration: underline">~Silver-Karin-Kenos~</span></span></span></span><br/><br/><div style="margin:20px; margin-top:5px"><div class="quotetitle"><input class="button2 btnlite" onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = '';      this.innerText = ''; this.value = 'Hide'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerText = ''; this.value = 'Show'; }" style="text-align:center;width:100px;margin:0px;padding:0px;" type="button" value="Show"/></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">The slow drizzle of rain escalated slowly, the moisture gently striking against my upturned face. The water was lukewarm and dark in color, leaving coal tinted streams running down my skin and staining my clothing. It felt wrong. The pain of my wound seemed to grow continuously, but even as the young woman cradled my weakened body and attempted to clean it, it didn't sting as a normal flesh wound would. Suddenly, I sensed a hurried rush of movement over me, and when I returned my gaze to the woman, she had been replaced by an even younger figure. No... this person was familiar, and the white hair that framed a slender, pale face was unmistakable... was that... <br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Ken...?</span> My mind eased up slightly, but the slight calm was quickly brushed aside by another bout of agony.<br/><br/>I panted and reached toward him, my fingers brushing his cheek before my eyes glanced across the silver tree over his shoulder in the distance. They widened as my mind recalled the danger which had drawn me to my present situation. Tugging at Kenos' shirt with my remaining strength, I tried my best to signal to him and make him aware of the impending danger. Even though his logical and trained personality often prevented him from noticing and understanding changes in emotion and expressions, our time working together had established an unspoken bond that helped us communicate with and depend on each other. He had to know that this danger was more important than my condition at the moment, as it wouldn't help anything if both of us were killed. I knew that Kenos could protect me if the need came for it... but the civilians... they were still in danger.<br/><br/>I turned my head to the side shortly after, redirecting my attention to the woman who had attempted to help me. I had just met her... and I was sure she would not be able to understand my expressions. Instead, I did the only thing I could think of at the moment, and formulated a single word using my lips, praying she would understand the message even though I could produce no sound.<br/><br/>"RUN."</div></div></div></span><br/><br/><span style="color: #80BF00"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="text-decoration: underline">~Andrea-Erik~</span></span></span></span><br/><br/><div style="margin:20px; margin-top:5px"><div class="quotetitle"><input class="button2 btnlite" onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = '';      this.innerText = ''; this.value = 'Hide'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerText = ''; this.value = 'Show'; }" style="text-align:center;width:100px;margin:0px;padding:0px;" type="button" value="Show"/></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">The grenade Aaron gave Erik was the non-lethal N-Type Ion Shock Grenade. The device, when activated and thrown, divides into two separate canisters that part at a set distance from the target. The two canisters are loaded with a compressed gas that is laced with charged metal micro-beads that, once activated, spray from the canisters at low velocity randomly into the air. Finally, a series of electric currents are fired from prongs at the ends of the canisters that travel along the metallic particles, generating arcing field of low voltage electricity, capable of subduing any living thing up to the size of a horse, and without injury. The compressed gas used to fire the particles is combustible, but dissipates into the air rather quickly, generally rendering it harmless.<br/><br/>In this instance however, Erik wasn't so lucky.<br/><br/>When the quakes had occurred, Aaron had fallen pretty far, and as he was knocked unconscious, his N-T Grenade that he carried as standard issue was damaged without his knowing.<br/>Under normal circumstances, he would have noticed the defect, but do to his loss of blood from losing his arm, he was unable to recognize it.<br/><br/>After Erik tosses the grenade as a means to assist Aaron, the grenade doesn't separate, and instead lands almost dead center between he, Jacob, and Andrea, who is holding the child. This prevents the gas and metal from being released properly. After the spark of electricity, the arc travels into the grenade through the metal and ignites the compressed gas instead, generating an explosion about the size of a vending machine: Small, but still enough to tear Jacob, who jumps in front of the grenade to protect the woman named Sam, to bits, counting as probably the only noble thing he'd ever done in his life. Aaron, who at the last second noticed the malfunction, attempts to dive forward and save Andrea and the child, but is instead is blown five yards away by the concussive force of the blast. He is knocked unconscious once more as he lands.<br/><br/>Sam stands shaking with her hands held up. She switches her gaze frantically from the spot where Jake had been standing, where now only the two stubs of his dismembered legs remain, to her hands and arms, which are currently plastered with his gore. Her eyes seem disconnected from reality and wrought with confusion, as she first begins to gasp, which then devolves into a cacophony of maniac laughter and frantic sobbing. She collapses to her knees, the pistol she was once holding clattering to the cement beside her.</div></div></div></span>