#there was COMMENTARY when i started showing off the screenshots in the FC chat 🤣

[scrollsfromarebornrealm]

wip--nail in the coffin

(VIOLENCE UNDER THE CUT)

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One minute he'd been investigating the abandoned house. The next he'd seen a shadow out of the corner of an eye. Too late Sebastian reached for his gunblade--as the shadow resolved itself into a body. Before he could strike he was suddenly trapped against a tall form, choking as a staff and a pair of arms locked him into place, trying to lift him off the ground.

At the last minute Sebastian just barely got his right arm free-but he couldn't do much, wheezing as he grabbed at the metal bar with his left hand. Brucemont's voice was a tinny sound over the linkpearl before it went dead.

"Miss me, darling?" A sickeningly familiar voice hissed. Sebastian froze. His eyes widened, and fear flooded his muscles for several moments. That resulted in the staff being pulled tighter against his throat, and for a moment Sebastian couldn't breathe. Stars swam before his eyes, and he choked.

No! Sheer adrenaline kicked in--hedidn'twanttodie--likehellwashegoingtodie- and Sebastian kicked out, managing to push the staff back as best as he could with his free hand. Precious air filled his lungs as he gasped, struggling to regain his footing.

"Lacelle!" He rasped out.

"Why is that you always have the gods damned tendency to show up in places you're not wanted?!" The mage snarled. He pulled back harder on the staff, but Sebastian's fingers were locked in a deathgrip, just barely keeping the metal from crushing his throat. His right arm flailed again--if only he could get more of an angle--but Lacelle was blocking him, his arm locked around Sebastian's shoulder.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" Desperately Sebastian thrashed again-if only he could get his feet on the ground, if only he could get more wriggle room--if only he'd waited for Brucemont or the Landsguard before coming up here by himself-- Then he gagged as the bar was back against his throat, his body being lifted higher into the air. Again he shoved at the bar, but it was no good, his lungs were beginning to burn--

"LACELLE!!!" The front doors exploded open.

Sebastian gasped as the elezen's attention was momentarily diverted--sucking in precious lungfuls of air. At the entrance, Brucemont loomed in the doorway, ice cold rage radiating off him.

"Let him go." He snarled, his voice distorted as Bastion bled through. "Or else your next breath will be in the hells!" Sebastian felt Lacelle's grip slacken and suddenly he had a foot on the floor--Gritting his teeth, the gunbreaker twisted his right arm, stabbing backwards as hard as he could. His reward was a scream of pain--and the feel of the Bozjan blade biting through armor and flesh. The staff fell away as Sebastian ripped the blade free, staggering forward. Air filled his lungs again--and a black-blue blur filled his vision as Brucemont charged forward and past him.

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(shoutout to @saesama for making this absolutely lit set of poses!!! 💕😘😙😚)