Severed

That's the name of Jack's story about how his link to Raina got torn out, so here's the update, at least from Grim's/my characters' POV.

Dmitrius was at the base, explaining his rationale for attacking Lue.  Suddenly, Raina went slack, and then jumped up and started attacking things.  She was yelling at someone to focus and look outside.  Dmitrius, Priest, LeBeau were all watching this, but LeBeau was the only one who had an idea of what was going on.  Dmitrius waited for orders from LeBeau.

Raina took off to the mainframe, and everyone followed.  Raina was frantically looking through satellite images of St. Martial.  LeBeau and Priest also tried and couldn't get anything.  Then Raina went into convulsions. Priest, LeBeau, and Dmitrius held her down.  She calmed down, and Dmitrius carried her to medbay.  Whatever was going on was in her mind, so he called Eule.

Eule arrived and helped to seal the holes created in her mindscape.  One thing about Eule, when he's working, he's concentrates entirely on the job.  He doesn't judge what the memories were, or question what happened, he tackles the issue and works it through methodically.  Eule works on healing Raina's cat, knowing if he does that, she'll be able to heal faster.  "Mate gone..." Eule calms her, and he and Mystic's Shadow work on healing the holes.  When he's done with that, Eule leaves.

Grim shows up.  Yes, sir, he has balls.  He gets a brief rundown on what happened, and then he asks if they want him to scry for Jack.  LeBeau says yes, and Grim goes to Raina and Jack's room to get something of Jack's to help.  He sits on the bedroom floor, and sends out his avatar - a slice of his spirit - to search Grandville.  There's a dark cloud over it that the avatar weaves its way through, and then when it is exposed, something grabs it and rips its wings off.  This is akin to Grim getting pierced in his soul, and that combined with the snap-back effect of the avatar slamming back into his body, makes him scream in pain.  The pain is intense, and he can't really focus.  The rest of the group find him in Jack's room, curled up in a ball and struggling to keep the pain away.  They suggest rebuilding his avatar, but it will take a long time to do it.  Finally, he's able to swallow his pain and be coherent.  LeBeau then suggests something, and they all pool their energy in to him so he can try and find Jack.  It doesn't work, and bounces back again. 

Grim, at this point, has the world's most pounding headache and is near exhaustion.  He stumbles around, getting the kits for Raina, and then starts to head out.  Raina asks for a sleep rune, and Grim gives it to her before stumbling out.  He sees Mareo, and asks him if he's found anything out.  He tells Grim of a place in Nerva, manned by mostly Thorns and not Sealers.  Mareo seems to be asking Grim to lead a team, but Grim is in no condition to do it right now.  He heads home.

There, Lue sees him, and he doesn't look too happy.  Lue thinks that Grim shouldn't keep going back and getting hurt.  He thinks that Jack isn't worth his time.  Grim tries to explain that Jack is like a brother to him and he believes in him.  "You didn't give up hope about your brother until the last minute," Grim says.  Lue says, "I hope he appreciates the kind of friend you are to him."

Rusty then comes over and Mareo follows.  Rusty doesn't like the idea of sending a huge squad in to rescue Jack, he thinks someone will get killed.  Grim thinks that whatever they plan needs to go through Raina first - "She'll want to spearhead it."  Grim really can barely stand.  Lue gets him in the bedroom and Grim falls face-first onto the bed.  Lue gets his boots off and Grim just climbs into bed, fully clothed, and passes out.


The next day, Grim begins rebuilding his avatar.  He spends most of the day doing that.  He finally steps out after Kalius comes on.  Grim basically tells Kal that he needs to refrain his boyfriend.  "I don't fight my fiance's battles," Kal says.  "You have an issue, say it to my face or his."

Grim goes to help Kal so he can get his level, and while in the mission, he gets a call from Raina saying that Jack was in Vanguard's base, near death.  Grim rushes there, and Jack is in very bad shape.  Grim is able to heal him physically, like his internal organs to stop the bleeding, and then heals the bones and muscles.  Dustin uses his water abilities to get some of the blood out of his lungs, and LeBeau uses his probes to take care of the blood.  Grim goes and gets Eule to help heal his mind.  They get Jack to medbay, and Jack is now coherent enough to tell his story - which is on the GP website.  Grim then chases everyone out of the room so that Jack and Raina can have some alone time.

Grim finds Kalius in the training room.  Kal has been beating up a bag and his gloves are bloody.  Grim takes his hands and heals him.  Kal feels so helpless since Jack's capture that he's taken to killing anything that moves and hurting himself in the process.  Grim then makes things worse, as he's wont to do.  He tells Kalius that maybe he should cut back, "You're a hero, not a super one."  This seriously ruffled Kalius' feathers.  "Are you saying that I'm weak?"  Grim couldn't get himself out of that corner because he did think Kal was weaker now.  "Yes," he says, "yes I am."

Can you say, "Oooooh"?  Kalius then looks him in the eye and snarls, "Leave my home."  Dmitrius is there, and he has no emotion whatever on his face, but he's ready to snap Grim in two.  Kal leaves off a threat, and Grim turns around and says, "Don't do it, Kal, or there'll be hell to pay."  "Then I'll pay it."  Grim turns from him, saying, "You won't like it.  Not at all."

Dmitrius then assists Kalius in getting his last level.  Ares then appears and summons Kalius, who asks for the powers back.  Ares gives him a bit of a hard time, and asks him if he liked Athena's powers more than his.  Kalius doesn't, he wants to serve Ares.  So Ares gives him his powers back.  Then, he sends Dmitrius back to him, by dropping him off in the fire in the dorms.  Dmitrius runs through the dorms, barely making it to the pools, and dives in - passing out and dousing the flames.

Kalius shows up, Dmitrius is a mess.  Because he's so susceptible to fire, much of his flesh is burned down to the bone.  Raina picks up what's left of him and hands him to Kalius, who brings him to the medbay.  Kalius offers his wrist, and Dmitrius drinks - holding onto Kalius in a vise grip.  He tears a larger hole, and starts to almost drink him dry.  "Beloved, let go..."  Finally Jasson steps in, while Kalius passes out.  Dmitrius drinks from Jasson, and then realizes what he's doing.  Kalius is carried to the other bed, and Dmitrius finally is healed up enough to swing down, and goes to his lover, apologizing profusely.

Kalius stabilizes, and he's pissed.  But he's so tired, he passes out when they get back to their room.