[M] Deepsea Dweller & the Dweller of Asher Skies (IC) [ZiekwaltZier & NoviDome]

[ZiekwaltZier]

Cyreus wasn't sure if his distraction worked but he was hoping it gave the sky dwellers enough time to escape. Afterwards he headed to safety himself and went looking for the next group as he found a way in and unlocked their cells explaining that he was a friend of Ike's and that he would distract the facility staff repeatedly doing this action for each facility he found sky dwellers being held until the very last facility which was rather far inland. He wasn't expecting them to catch onto a sea dweller helping the sky dwellers but it appeared they had been ready for him when the captured him and stuck him in a tank to study. As such he had rescued all but a group of three young children as he had freed Ike's father and other family members and friends. Trapped in the tank they would start experimenting on Cyreus and torturing him to get information the next day.

[NoviDome]

Through Ike's investigating, the others in the cave with him awoke quickly and Ike hugged them close, close to tears once more.
"Tom! What happened?! How are you here?" he asked the younger man as he made sure they weren't hurt. Tom smiled and looked at the others.
"Your friend the sea dweller set us free." Ike looked at him with wide eyes.
"He... He did?" he asked softly, confused. He felt for Sol's ring in his pocket and clenched his fist, not sure what to make of this information. Just then, more sky dwellers started arriving at the cave. Most of them looked weak and starving, and Ike and Tom quickly worked together to set up some proper shelter deeper in the cave, and gather some food from the nearby forest.

Just as Ike was returning with his tunic full of nuts and berries, he saw another group approach and he waved them down. When he recognised his father among the group, he froze in place for a second before running over to hug him tightly. His father gasped when he saw his son and pulled him into his arms, stroking his hair.
"Ike, my boy... Oh, we were certain you were dead," he said softly, tears rolling down his cheeks. Ike shook his head and looked at him, crying as well.
"Almost... But not quite," he said with a wan smile.

[ZiekwaltZier]

Cyreus having been captured bided his time before he waited for the scientists to run so that he could jump out of the tank at which point he made his way back to the place the three children were being held. "I'm going to distract the facility workers. While I do you three run off and head back to where you're originally from. The rest of your friends and family are most likely wherever that is since I freed them too." Cyreus stated before he dragged himself away and went to make a commotion in the lab only to end up getting captured again as the three children saw him get thrown back into the tank that was then covered so he couldn't escape. At the same time the schedule for the experiments was moved up and the poked Cyreus with needles to draw his DNA causing blood to fill the water.

[NoviDome]

Ike's father comforted Ike, and once they had returned to the cave, his father showed him that him and his best warriors had managed to steal back some sets of wings from one of the land dweller facilities. Ike's eyes widened when they brought them into the cave, and all the rescued sky dwellers knelt down thankfully. Ike looked through them and found one pair that would probably fit him.
"Dad, this... this is amazing. Thank you."
"Thank you, son. You sent us a skilled rescuer." Ike looked at him with a slight frown.
"...Cyreus saved you?"
"He saved all of us," his father replied, to which the other warriors that were with them nodded solemnly. Ike looked down and felt Sol's ring in his pocket, but kept it to himself.
"...Good. I'm glad," he said softly. He would tell his father everything later, he decided. There were more pressing matters now. Ike and the rest of the colony's warriors got to taking care of the younger and older members, helping them recover and getting them food and water. Now that Ike had regained his hope, he could manage his emotions much better. There were a lot of their colony members to mourn, and they would in due time. But now there was work to do, and to Ike's father's pride, Ike was properly stepping up as the chief's son and taking the lead. As he was distributing food, Ike was pulled apart by a crying woman.
"Ike, please! Have you seen my kids?!" she asked, clearly desperate. She'd been going around the cave and searching the surrounding areas, but to no avail. Ike frowned and laid a hand on her arm.
"Mel... No, I haven't. They were with you when you were taken?" she nodded and sobbed softly.
"They must still be captured... Oh Ike, they must be so scared!" Ike took a deep breath and nodded, looking over his shoulder at the path that led to the land dwellers' city.
"...I'll go look for them. You stay here and take care of yourself, okay? They're going to need their mother." She nodded and released him, hugging herself.

[ZiekwaltZier]

Cyreus having been recaptured after he let the children free figured it would take them some time to get back to where they belonged but assumed the facility would be busy with him so they wouldn't bother going after the children. Cyreus knew he was in for a world of hurt as they already started to draw blood and taking bone marrow from him which was very painful. Cyreus was being stuck with needles every half hour as the facility was studying him to learn all they can about him and his people.

[NoviDome]

Ike walked into the cave and took the pair of wings, earning himself a frown from his father.
"Ike? What are you doing?"
"Mel's kids are still missing," Ike breathed as he started to strap them onto his body. "I have to go find them."
"You can't go alone."
"Yes I can. You'll need all the hands you can get here." Ike's father looked at him and laid a hand on his shoulder, making Ike pause and look at him.
"...I'm proud of you, my boy," he said softly. "We'll get through this. We'll survive. We always do." Ike bit his lips and gave his father a quick hug.
"...I know. I'll be back soon."
"Be careful, son." Ike nodded and double checked all his straps before lifting himself into the air and flying out of the cave.

He needed a moment to adjust to these new wings, but once he had he started flying along the path, looking for the three young ones. He hadn't expected to find them as quickly as he did, but they weren't exactly being quiet. They were crying frantically as they ran into the woods, and Ike quickly descended to shush them. They started crying even harder when they saw him land in front of them, and they ran into his arms. Ike embraced them and stroked their hair.
"Shh, it's okay... You're safe. Your mommy is waiting for you." They were all quivering in fear, and Ike started to lead them back along the path, trying to get them to breathe normally again. Once they had calmed down enough to speak, the eldest tugged on Ike's tunic.
"W-Wait... Th-There... There was a fish man there. He saved us." The other two nodded and Ike frowned a little.
"He did?" he asked softly, and the boy nodded.
"B-But he got caught instead of us! Ike, you have to help him!" Ike's frown deepened and he looked over his shoulder. He was still more than upset about finding Sol's ring among Cyreus' things, but all his colony members were singing his praises. Ring or no ring... if Cyreus had freed all of them, Ike couldn't leave him to his fate.
"...Where was this?" he asked softly.

[ZiekwaltZier]

Cyreus having had his blood drawn multiple times for different tests was feeling to worn out and exhausted as the facility kept him under heavy lock and key, as they did he couldn't help but fall unconscious in the water tank they had him trapped in. His body becoming limp as he merely floated. They had to give him some time to rest and recover but at the same time they would have to clean his tank after some time as it was murky with blood from all the blood draws they did and all their poking and prodding keeping a monitor on his life.

[NoviDome]

When the kids had given Ike directions to the best of their ability, he told them the way to the cave where they would find their mother. He instructed them to stay off the path but track it closely, and be as quiet as possible. When he saw they would be okay, he took a deep breath before setting off for the facility the kids had described.

He spotted it fairly easily from the air, and once he had scouted the area for a moment he landed quietly on the roof. He folded his wings on his back and tried to calm his heart rate as he made his way to the door. Was he really going to do this? Cyreus... Cyreus wasn't one of them. He may very well have played a part in Sol's death. But... But he'd risked himself to save his family, even while Ike himself had been a crying mess on the beach. Cyreus didn't owe him anything, but he still helped, and he was now suffering the consequences. No, Ike had to save him.

He went in through the door and quietly made his way down the stairs, looking around for any signs of where they might be keeping Cyreus. Ike knew Cyreus had reached this place through underground aquaducts, so he had to be somewhere on the ground floor, especially if the kids had seen him get locked up.

[ZiekwaltZier]

Cyreus was locked up tight in a tank which had a lid bolted on and only was able to be opened with a card key for the hatch, as such if Ike were to see him then it would show that his scales were peeling as if it were dead skin floating in water and he was much paler than normal due to all the blood loss from those in the facility drawing from him frequently, not only that but he also had what looked like metal tubes stuck in his body with wires that connected to a battery pack so that they could stun him if he attempted to get rowdy when they came back for samples from him.

[NoviDome]

Ike quickly realised the task ahead of him seemed utterly impossible. There were people walking about the hallways left and right, and he would have to traverse the entire building from top to bottom. There was no way he could sneak past them unnoticed, especially with his wings on, and he couldn't leave those behind. He clenched his teeth, his heart racing in his chest as he observed the activity in the hall from around the corner on the staircase. With every passing second he grew more paranoid he would be spotted and caught at any moment.

He pulled back behind the cover of the wall and pressed his back against it, trying to catch his breath. He had to get a hold of himself. Cyreus was in trouble. He had to be strong. He glanced at the door to the roof, feeling like a fool for not running for it and flying straight home. As he looked at it, though, he spotted something on the wall. It was a roster, which meant behind that was... an air vent.

Ike hurried over to it to inspect it, and soon managed to undo the screws holding the metal plate to the wall. This opening would be large enough for him to fit into, and he was confident he was light enough that the ducts would hold him. He gulped as he stared into the dark tunnel in front of him, feeling a sense of claustrophobia creep up on him. He just hoped his wings would survive this ordeal.

He gathered himself and climbed into the air vent before putting the roster back into place behind him. He then faced forward, and started carefully crawling ahead. The vents occasionally had rosters in the floors or sides that let in just enough light for him to navigate. The tight corners were challenging, especially the ones that turned downwards and required him to slide down entire floors with his feet on either side. He progressed slowly but surely, and gathering from the conversations he could eavesdrop on now and then he was getting closer.

Eventually Ike made it down to the floor where Cyreus was being kept, and he stopped dead in his tracks when another such roster in the vent offered him a clear view of the water tank. Ike's face fell, and he covered his mouth with his hand. Oh gods, Cyreus looked awful. What had they done to him?! He felt a wave of rage wash over him, and he kicked the roster loose before stumbling out of the air vent. He rushed over to the water tank and banged his fist on the glass.
"Cyreus?! Cyreus! Wake up!"