Siren arrives about two kilometers from the ritual and ten minutes from the time Graven will yank Axis from his head. Stalking throught the forest at a quiet yet disciplined pace Siren makes her way to the residence of the Graven commune. Calmly and dispassionately she removes the rifle from her backback before placing the two-pronged stand upon the ground at the outside edge of the clearing. She loads the gun with tranquilizers potent enough to drop a large mammal in mere seconds. Using the scope of the gun to scry the scene before her she sees all five members of the commune seated. Four of their backs are to her with the eye center to the five, and Graven facing her on the other side of Axis. Methodically she eases upon the trigger while breathing out the air from her lungs.
The dart soars unerringly toward Graven's heart before being deflected by a shield surrounding Axis, apparently designed to protect Graven during the ritual. Recoiling from the failed attempt, Siren pulls her two pistols from their holsters before noticing that no one has reacted from the dart hitting the shield.
"Blasted!" She mutters inaudibly.
Foregoing stealth she retrieves her rifle and begins to fire into the other four seated. One by one they collapse, none of them reacting to each shot, as if entranced. She slings the rifle to her back and begins to fire her two pistols at Graven, the shots once again deflected by the aegis over Graven. Still no one reacts, it is as Feinburg predicted, the ritual has incapacitated them all. Quickly she trots the distance of the clearing and before briefly scrutinizing Graven she reaches to grab the shard. She is startled at the call of her name as she reaches for the eye.
"Siren. This is not the first time we have met, did you really think I'd let you have the eye this time."
Without thought Siren reacts pulling her pistol up before firing, piercing Graven's right shoulder. His left hand a flurry of action, Graven gestures a large stone into existence around Axis, using the large solid body as cover from her reciprocating shots.
"You will not deny me the eye this time Graven, it has been foreseen."
"I make my own fate Siren, I have not looked madness in the face to play victim to you."
As they circled the small boulder, Siren with guns ready, Graven begins to conjure once again. A large circular crystalline shield forms in his left hand. Turning back around the rock he surprises Siren by charging forward, attempting to slam her with the shield. Ducking to a roll she grabs Graven and kicks him over her body, his momentum carrying him several feet away. Quick as light she pulls her pistols once more and shoots and flurry of bullets at Graven, turning deftly he begins to deflect them with his crystal shield, each shot fracturing the glass more then the previous. A shard of the shield falls to the ground below Graven while he attempts to hold the reverberation of the failing shield at bay. He picks up the shard and throws it at Siren. Ducking agilely she easily avoids the crystal before it falls flat behind her.
"Pathetic," said Siren in a flare of arrogance.
"Maybe so, but I do what I can to impress," Graven spoke with more then a hint of sarcasm.
Right before she can continue her flurry, thereby shattering his shield completely, Graven begins to chant. She doesn't hear the hum of the crystal behind her till too late. The shard begins to resonate at higher pitch and frequency every second until ultimately it shatters into a thousand fractal missiles. The shards rip the flesh upon Sirens right leg and thigh causing her to tumble in pain. Graven uses this oppurtunity to refresh the durability of his crystalline bulwark.
"Enough, I want no more of this. The eye is not yours to take. I often wish it had never come to me but it did, and for my will and intent to guide it, none other."
"You don't understand, I must have the eye. It is critical for...No, NOOO, it is too soon. I..."
Siren begins to flicker and fade from Graven's time, once again finding herself in a medical capsule.
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