[A/T]Inside 15 (Read First Post)

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel nods a little, looking somewhat solemn. The times that the demon side took over, I felt the same way. I saw what was happening, but I had no control over it.

I've felt that way a few times in my life... She trails off.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

"This wasn't the first?" Val asks, quietly, as she reaches to put an arm around Zel's shoulders.


Streets Elsewhere

Shrike and Zamira arrive in town! And Shrike looks to be considering where to go.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel doesn't resist the arm.

First time with a demon, yeah. But as far as feeling like I have no control over anything at all, no. Not the first.

[horngeek]

So, where do you want to go?

[Ashen Lilies]

[Mid Floor]

"Uh... Dave Ashfell. And I'm not really a mage, sort of more like a... nevermind."
He follows after Rowan.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

"Hopefully the only time. What happened the other times?" Val asks, having been told a lot that taking about things always helped.

At least, that's what Dr. Heightmeyer told her, anyway.


Streets Elsewhere

"I dunno. How about Trog's?" Shrike asks. "Been awhile since I had some decent chips."

[horngeek]

All right. Trog's it is!

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel lets out a snort of air through her nostrils.

Depends on the time. Grew up in a poor excuse for an orphanage, lived on the streets for a few years, ended up becoming a test subject for military experiments. She holds out a finger for each thing, as if counting off a list.

[The Bushranger]

(Streets)

"N.I.D.?" Val growls under her breath. "The Initiative? Or their successors, I guess...I'm sorry." She shakes her head. "That's terrible."


(Streets, elsewhere)

Shrike nods, then pauses.
"How about we check the Taverna first? I think I feel Essence being used over there."

[horngeek]

You're right.

Let's go!

{{To the Taverna!}}

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel turns to Val, her face showing slight confusion.

I don't think it'd be any group you'd know. They were the militia of the city I'm from. Rembress.

She lets out a sigh.

But, I guess one good thing came from that. My abilities are better than the average Kinetic Base person.

[The Bushranger]

(Streets)

"We've...dealt with unethical groups like that before. They even wanted to dissect one of our allies to get information on our enemy." Val scowls. "I'm glad it worked out alright for you in the end though."


(Streets, elsewhere)

To the Taverna they go!

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

If by alright you mean I lived, than yeah, it was alright.

But the only reason I got out was because there was an explosion that blew a hole through the wall. Which that snowballed into a huge ordeal.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

Val falls quiet, listening, her face showing how disgusted she is with the whole thing.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel lets out a small sigh. Let me show you how bad that place was.

She shifts a little, and lowers the right side of her jacket, exposing her shoulder. There's something on the back of her shoulder, right at the shoulder blade. The numbers "0759", and below those is a symbol that kind of resembles a very curved Z. These makings looked to have burned into her skin.

Zel shifts her jacket back on. Every subject had those markings. The numbers identified the subject, and the symbol was a quick reference to their Base.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

"Oh...my god..."
Val puts a hand to her mouth, and looks away, looking like she wants to be sick.
"How could anybody do something like that?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel shakes her head. I have no idea.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

After a moment Val manages to convince her stomach not to attempt a quick exit, and looks back at Zel. "Do you have any idea where they are, now?"

She looks like she wants to go out and kick some serious behind.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Upper Floors]

She then stoops down and musses the hair of one of the children.

The woman has an odd feeling about her. Almost as though the air is at once electrified with joy whilst being saturated with a divine serenity. Her very presence seems to bolster and encourage the civilians.

Her gaze then turns to Rowan and his weapon, to whom she bows respectfully. "Thank you for helping these people at your own risk. It will be an honor to work along side another with a hero's heart."

And mister explosives is here too? Getting to be quite the party.


Dave butts in.
"So what's to do next?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

As far as I know, I'm the only one from my world here.

She isn't.

Which means that they aren't here at all.

That's correct. For now.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

dun Dun DUN!

"...well, I guess that idea's out then." Val sighs, then instinctively goes to hug Zel. "I'm glad you don't have to worry about them now, though."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel is surprised by the hug at first. But, she smiles a little and returns it.

Thanks.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

Val lets go and sits back. "So...on a happier subject...do you know of anywhere a person can get a room to stay around here? I'm likely stuck here for at least a little while."

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel nods. Yep. First place I'd recommend is Trog's. Great place. I'll show you where it is. She stands up and stretches a little.

Val might hear the not so distant sound of an engine.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

Val stands as well, then tilts her head curiously, looking down the street.
"Did you hear that?"
She looks one way, then the other.

[Fan]

The most Rowan can do is stare in total awe of this beings obvious divine perfection... a aura of this magnitude was rarely even held by the legendary Crusaders of his realm...

He stammers for a few seconds before responding in a voice that all but quakes at her approach.

?It is a honor to aid those who cannot aid themselves blessed one."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Upper Floors]

Dave raises an eyebrow in confusion. Seems he's unaffected... he hangs back behind Rowan though.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Huh? Zel listens for a moment.

Then, down the street, a motorcycle comes into view. The rider is dressed head to toe in leather.

Zel sees it, then smiles. Oh, hey, it's Runner! Let me introduce you to him. He's a nice guy.

The motorcycle approaches, then stops in front of them. The rider gives a warm smile. Which is hard to find under his massive beard.

Hello Zel. How are you today?

Great, great. Runner, I'd like you to meet someone. This is Val. Val, this is Runner.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

Val nods, straightening up in a formal posture, and smiling. "It's good to meet you, Runner," she says, nodding. "I didn't expect to see a motorcycle here, I admit."

[DoomITP]

Thanks for coming to save me...

Connor says to Crissy as he attempts to huggle her.

[The Bushranger]

(EE, standing on the porch)

Crissy hugs Connor back tightly!
"You're welcome. I...I had to, when I heard..."
Aw, she looks like she's about to cry...

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Runner smiles more. A pleasure to meet you, as well.

Zel smirks a little. Get ready to be surprised again, Val. She gives a short nod to Runner. It's okay, Runner. You can show her.

The rider gives a nod to Zel, then vanishes. Like he was a hologram or something.

Strange metallic noise sound from the motorcycle, and then it starts shifting around.

A moment later, Runner stands in his normal form.

Zel looks at Val. Remember the big robot guy I told you about? That'd be him.

Runner smiles and waves.

[DoomITP]

In the midst of the huggle, he ruffles her hair.

Don't worry about it, alright? It's finished.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

Val steps back in surprise.
Gawks a bit.

Then grins broadly.

"OK, that? That's cool. You're a guy I'm glad is friendly."

She's hung around General O'Neill too much. :smalltongue:


---

EE, porch

Crissy giggles at the hair-ruffling, and blushes.
"Yeah, it is. And you're, like, alright, so that's cool."

[Rebonack]

Apartment Complex

[Upper Floors]

Dyna seems somewhat... baffled by the youth's reaction. She hasn't ever had someone respond to her like that. Or... at least not for a long time, anyway. Not since she stopped seeking out attention. The aura she puts off is rather akin to the bolstering courage and heroism of most paladins. The only major difference is the nature of it. One strengthens through bravado and bravery. Her's functions through indomitable hope and depthless peace.

But regardless, she offers a fairly lame smile to Rowan. "Then we had best get to our task. And please, I'm only a servant as you are. Call me Dyna."

She then turns her attention to some of the troopers standing around. "Can some of you escort these people to the roof? There are still more people pinned down by the ghouls on the lower levels."

[Streets Outside the Complex]

Getting into the next building over shouldn't be terribly hard. Just a quick jog through the courtyard and they'll be good to go. Thankfully there don't seem to be any ghouls outside...

[Front Door]

Life just doesn't seem to be going well for the MagBot. By now the thing is getting dangerously close to the grotesque ghoul's ghastly gullet. And kicking the fat-rolls isn't helping.

Anshu slashing off one of its arms does, though.

The monster hisses at the Exalt before attempting to belly-flop onto him.

[DoomITP]

So there isn't anything to worry about. Trust me, my brother would have been REALLY upset if I was hurt TOO badly.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Runner laughs a little. I do not think I have gotten a reaction quite like that yet.

Told ya you can see all sorts of stuff here.

So, where were you two headed?

Up to Trog's. Wanna come?

Runner shakes his head. I am sorry, but I must return to my workshop at GLoG. I have neglected it for too long.

Alright. Well, we'll catch you later, then.

Runner waves, then transforms back into the motorcycle and drives off.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Over the Rooftops]

Tamesis leaps from rooftop to rooftop, fleeing the Taverna.

[The Bushranger]

(EE, Porch)

Crissy nods...then, on impulse, leans up to try and kiss Connor.

---

(Streets)

Val waves back, and grins as she watches Runner turn back into motorcycle form and ride off into the sunset. "More to him than meets the eye, eh?"

...somewhere, a rimshot crashes.

"So, if you could lead the way to Trog's? ...you know, it's funny, there's a Trog's Memorial Park in the center of town where my brother lives."

[DoomITP]

Connor shall be kissed! He shall then kiss Crissy! Unless he is stopped or he is slapped. :smalltongue:

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Hang on. I'm recovering from that pun damage.

That's better.

Huh. Odd coincidence. She starts walking in the direction of Trog's. Any particular reason behind the name?

[Ashen Lilies]

[Rooftops]

A tiger follows after Tamesis, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, until it transforms again mid-leap, and a medium-sized (About the size of a small jet fighter) dragon swoops down and attempts to grab Tamesis.

[The Bushranger]

Rooftops

Shrike is pursuing Tamensis, feeling back in her element as she easily vaults the gaps between buildings, the wind in her hair and the memories sparked bringing a grin to her face as she pursues the fleeing Abyssal princess!

---

Streets

:smalltongue:

"I never got to study the books too much, although I have to wonder if there's a connection." Val shrugs as she follows Zel. "It did have the oddest, and ugliest, statue in the middle though."

She describes it: a scaly, almost reptilian-looking short man, smoking a cigarette. :smalltongue:

---

EE, Porch

As long as he keeps it chaste, he won't get slapped, and Crissy, her cheeks flushed, pulls back after a moment, giggling girlishly.

[horngeek]

Zamira is running along the rooftops as well, in her warform.

[DoomITP]

Sure he does. However at that very moment a deranged vampire runs past them firing a gun into the air. Causing him to move away for a second and fire his gun at the vampire.

[UncleWolf]

[Second Complex]

Edijar breathes a sigh of relief when he notices that there are no ghouls outside. Hicks is a bit twitchy though, expecting to be attacked any moment.

The commander kicks in the door and the three enter to make their way downstairs.

Hopefully there are no rats this time. Vasquez hated rats.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Well that's just weird. The guy who owns the tavern, who is named Trog, looks just like that.

[Darkcomet]

[Apartment Complex-Upper Floors]

The officer nods. "That we can do. The choppers got attacked by acid ghouls of some sort earlier, but we've got replacement evac choppers ready." He looks to the rescued civilians. "Alright, you heard her! Everyone with us!" The three soldiers will escort them up to the roof, where they will be hastily loaded into a now-descended evac chopper, ready to leave again at a moment's notice.

Have to be careful after last time, after all.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Over the Rooftops]

Tamesis aims blasts of necrotic energy at her pursuers as she flees toward the Misspelled Cemetary.

Apartment Complex

[Front Door]


Life just doesn't seem to be going well for the MagBot. By now the thing is getting dangerously close to the grotesque ghoul's ghastly gullet. And kicking the fat-rolls isn't helping.

Anshu slashing off one of its arms does, though.

The monster hisses at the Exalt before attempting to belly-flop onto him.

Anshu steps to the side and slashes at the ghoul's side, his holy weapons increasing the damage he'll do if he hits the undead monstrosity.

[The Bushranger]

[Streets

"That is weird." Val shakes her head. "Well, there were a lot of weird things back in the Age of Magic, maybe his alternate lived there?"

---

[EE, Porch]

Crissy shrieks and tries to hide behind Connor!

---

Rooftops

Shrike, showoff that she is, does a backflip over a blast of necrotic energy...as she's in mid-jump between two buildings...and keeps up the chase!

[Ashen Lilies]

[Rooftops]

Jazirian whirls out of the way of the blast, corkscrewing as he lands on the rooftop in front of Tamesis and attempts to bash her with his tail, using his spin for extra power.

[horngeek]

Zamira ducks under the blast of necrotic energy, and continues sprinting towards Tamesis.

[DoomITP]

Eventually the enemy is finished.

It's alright, I got him.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel thinks about that for a moment, then shrugs.

It's possible, I guess.

And I gotta deadtime.

[The Bushranger]

Streets

Val nods, and gets stuck in deadtime with Zel!

---

EE, Porch

Crissy is still standing behind Connor, hugging him tight from behind, her face buried in his shoulder.

---

Storefront

Brendan has his store nearly ready.

[DoomITP]

Connor will wait for Crissy to calm down.

[horngeek]

{{Deadtime}}

[The Bushranger]

EE, porch

That takes a few minutes, and Crissy still clings tightly.
"Is it gone?"

---

Storefront

Brendan exits the store, nods in approval, then heads for Trog's.

[DoomITP]

Yeah.


He says, putting away his gun.

[The Bushranger]

[EE, Porch]

Crissy sighs and lets go, then hugs him again quickly before actually letting go. "My hero."

[DoomITP]

Connor just shrugs.

[The Bushranger]

[EE, Porch]

And Crissy kisses his cheek before pulling back, blushing. "You'll visit more often, right?"

[DoomITP]

Yeah, I should be able to visit more now.

[The Bushranger]

"That's great!" Crissy grins broadly, tossing her hair back. "See you around then...love you..."

Blushing furiously, she tries to go and slip into the store.

[DoomITP]

Love you too!

He says, hoping she heard him.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Rooftops]

Jazirian whirls out of the way of the blast, corkscrewing as he lands on the rooftop in front of Tamesis and attempts to bash her with tail, using his spin for extra power.

Tamesis frowns ever so slightly as she ducks under the blow and blurs past him, aiming a crippling stab at his midsection as she goes. She's almost to the Cemetary by now.

((Deadtime for me))

[The Bushranger]

[EE]

She did, and flashes a smile back at him before vanishing inside - and hurrying up to bed!


[Rooftops]

Shrike pours on the speed and tries to slash at the dark princess' legs with her Reaper Daiklave.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Rooftops]

Tamesis may find herself being grabbed by one of her ridiculously long pigtails as she blurs past, the missed tail whip having put Jazirian in the perfect position to do so. Dragons are fast too! Jazirian's midsection is against the ground, and so unavailable for slashing.

[billtodamax]

[Upper Floors]

Dyna nods in reply to the officer's request, shouldering her sword as she begins drawing on the wall with two fingers, tracing out a rather complex electric blue design. No doubt some sort of spooky super power. As soon as she's done she places a palm against it and the array vanishes.

Then the troopers open fire. Pew pew!

"Hey! Knock that off!"

Oops... Seems as though head shots don't make much of a difference against these undead. Most of them already had their brains eaten anyway. Two of the ghouls are gunned down while the rest retreat into a room that they had battered their way into already across the hall.

[Olive's Room]

As the Mime begins moving furniture out of the way he'll likely hear gunfire on the other side as well as the rather distinctive sound of ghouls complaining about being shot at. And once all the stuff is out of the way he'll find a bunch of Empire troopers!

And Dyna!

Dyna's kind of weird. Despite the fact that she looks very little like Zee she has a distinct air of Zeeness around her. As a matter of fact, she seems more Zee-like than Zee did. Which is kind of strange.

As soon as she spots him the thoughts of ghouls are banished from her mind. "Eeee! A mime! I love mimes!" she's probably the only one. "Can you do that trick where you lean on a wall that isn't there?"

Someone should probably remind her of what she's supposed to be doing.

Mime waves cheerily to Dyna, before following her and the troopers through his deadtime. Undeadtiming now he looks around.

He salutes to Dyna, then turns to entertain the children, trapping one in a box.

[Draken]

Sparks fly from the MagSquid, and it quickly beats a hasty retreat back behind its master. Meanwhile, Magtok shakes his head with a grin.

Shapeshifter? You mean Happy? You might want to terminate some of your spies; she's been dead well over a month now.

Magtok reaches into his robes, and presses a button, which should open up a huge portal a few directly meters above the enemy bug-things.

And while we're on the subject of dead things, have you met my friend Jefferson?

Down drops the giant nickel Mag had intended to crush Calublufiok or his dead god hovership with!


Battle

(Whoops. We'll pretend she was up to things despite lazy playerness.)

"Jefferson? I think they prefer Mister Colt, and Colt Junior." To make the pun even more horrible, she draws the pair of revolvers from thier holsters and snaps off some shots. "Bugs. I suppose you wouldn't have a giant can of Raid?"

"There is another one."

And a lingering spirit."

Death alone is not -"

The vindicator is cut short by the falling coin, while the second one leaps out of the way, but falls on Elle's line of fire. The shots pierce the carapace, causing dark green blood to seep from the wounds.

"The swell of the brood is unabated..."

The shot vindicator drops to the floor.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Rooftops]


Shrike pours on the speed and tries to slash at the dark princess' legs with her Reaper Daiklave.


Tamesis may find herself being grabbed by one of her ridiculously long pigtails as she blurs past, the missed tail whip having put Jazirian in the perfect position to do so. Dragons are fast too! Jazirian's midsection is against the ground, and so unavailable for slashing.

A gash appears across the back of Tamesis's legs, and Jazirian pulls away one of her hair ribbons, but then she has arrived at...

[The Misspelled Cemetary]

... where she limps into a mausoleum, blood staining her white stockings.

[Rebonack]

Apartment Complex

[Building Two]

The door is kicked in!

This time around there isn't a small mob of ghouls eating someone in the middle of the room. Nope. Not in the least. No... it seems as though our trio of troopers have run into something a fair-bit worse.

A ghoul ogre.

The hulking undead gives a horrible (both sounding and smelling) bellow at the trio before ripping a section of the cast iron stair rails out of the floor and hurls it at them, stomping along behind the projectile to snatch up one of the Empire troopers.

Best to not let it do that.

[To the Roofs]

The soldiers escorting the civilians don't encounter any trouble whatsoever as they climb the stairs back toward the upper portions of the buildings. Everything is totally safe and nothing at all goes wrong the entire oh gods here come some Plague Ghouls.

A pair of stinking, oozing undead rush the troopers and their charges from one of the appartment rooms, hurling blobs of their own rot-blackened, diseased flesh at them.

Gross.

Apparently the Mime went with them, amusing the children with silly invisible box tricks. Hopefully he has the state of mind to protect said children with amusing box tricks.

[Front Door]

The Lard Ghoul gets its flank slashed open by the divine weapon, spilling entrails, acid, and partly digested people all over the ground. It's really disgusting and the stench is almost overpowering. The only people likely to be not throwing up in the near future are the remaining MagBots.

Oh, and those two arguing ghouls from earlier just snuck around into the office while everyone was distracted. They come springing out to grab Magtok and drag him away while the rest of the party is keeping an eye on fatty.

[UncleWolf]

[Building Two]

Edijar and Hicks are able to get out of the way of the piece of the building, but Vasquez is clipped, sending her reeling back into the street. She falls limp, unconscious.

The other two back out, raising their guns. Hicks blasts his shot-pistol at it's body, trying to at least slow the thing down as Edijar takes careful aim with his handcannon before shooting at one of it's knees. The bullets used by the handcannon are larger than most magnum rounds, and pack quite a punch.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Front Door]

"May your soul return to the natural order of things," Anshu declares, bringing his claws down again to dismember the corpulent undead.

[Darkcomet]

[Apartment Complex-To the Roofs]

The acid from the blobs, upon further investigation, isn't all that effective on Empire trooper armor. Probably after a while, but...

The soldiers start firing at the ghouls, aiming for legs.

After all, if they can't significantly harm them from range and they can't get in close...what's the danger?

[Outside the Apartment Complex]

The guy at the APC outside will creep over to the entrance to the second building and try to move Vasquez to a safer spot.

[DoomITP]

Connor walks into the Emporium.

[Fan]

Rowan swears, acid, why was it always acid with these undead freaks, everything had to be entropic with them. Why couldn't zombies give out flowers, or consecrate grave sites? No. It always had to be the feasting of flesh, and other such atrocities against life itself.

Suitably pissed now, and rather tired of the tides of undead that had been cut down by the Troopers seeming to be unending, he decides to add his own blade to the fray, ducking low under a hurled glob of acid, and as he closed the distance, brought his blade up in a gleaming arc, aiming to cut away whatever he could get at.

[Ashen Lilies]

AveDave crouches down and begins muttering. Muttering a lot. Like, for a really long time. I wonder what spell he's casting. Well, if you lean in, you can juuuust make out his muttering.
"NanananananananananananaFLASH!"
Aaaaaa-aaaaah!
Sun beam to the ghouly's face! (Dannandandan!)
Okay I have no explanation for my behavior right now.

[Rebonack]

Apartment Complex

Rebo finally gets to post! Yay!

[Second Building]

The high-powered rounds rip into the ghoul ogre rather catastrophically, staggering the monster but certainly not stopping it. The beast comes lumbering forward, hauling back one of its massive limbs to clobber the first little breather it can find.

"Whaaargb!"

[Upper Floors Heading Toward Roof]

The Plague Ghouls get shot a whole bunch! And then stabbed a fair bit, too. Thankfully the sanctified sword of Rowan's doesn't get melted by the ghoul goo. That would no doubt be bad.

The sun-beam completely blasts the other ghoul's face to dust. Dyna follows up by cleaving it in twain with her own weapon before punting the corpse over backwards. Her boot sizzles a bit, but she seems to be fine otherwise.

"Well... That was more ghouls that I was hoping there would be above us... Maybe we should all take them up to the roof..."

[Front Door]

Aaww...

Poor ghoul... Anshu just turned it to dust... Those other two are still trying to drag Magtok away, though.

[Lord Magtok]

Apartment Complex-Front Door

Aaaugh! Why would you want me?! I'm not even entirely flesh!

And Magtok's absolutely useless in his pathetic flailings to escape them. Great job Magtok, you've gone from being a somewhat effective distraction for ghoul forces to a full-fledged liability!

Meanwhile, the acid-burned Magbots would help out, but are nowhere near accurate enough to risk taking a shot and hitting Maggy, so it looks like it's up to Anshu again, as the robot duo heads up a staircase, feeling they'll probably accomplish more without those inefficient squishies slowing them down.

[UncleWolf]

[Second Complex]

Edijar, the closer of the two, sidesteps the swiping fist and extends his wrist blade, draining the charge from his shield to boost it even further before swinging it down as hard as he can at the ghoul's wrist.

Hicks curses to himself and removes the empty drum from his pistol as it clicks empty and reaches back from a second clip, this one loaded with little razor sharp discs instead.

The troopers will be able to pull Vasquez to safety. Just make sure to have some coffee and an ice pack ready when she wakes up.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel undeadtimes. Probably still with Val.

[Fan]

Rowan withdraws his minorly blessed blade that is only barely blessed enough to avoid being melted by the acids of the undead, and only so because he'd be a dead man without his sword.

He then, wordlessly accepting the suggestion of a (in his world.) Saint equivalent as a order, he gestures for the rest of the people to begin filing up to the roof, he himself doing his best to keep the people together, and orderly for the quickest possible ascension to the roof.

[Darkcomet]

[Apartment Complex-Upper Floors]

"Right, we've got evac choppers prepped. Let's go." The three troopers continue accompanying Rowan and Dyna in escorting the civilians up to the roof.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Front Door]

Anshu turns and glares at the ghouls, the golden disc of the Zenith caste glowing to life on his brow. "Release him, creatures of darkness, or face the holy wrath of a Solar," he commands them, intent on striking the fear of the Sun into them.

[Rebonack]

Apartment Complex

[Second Building]

The commander cleaves clean through the wrist of the monster, sending its rotten limb thudding to the ground. With a roar it hauls back its handless arm to swat the man into a wall.

Seeing that Hicks is slightly distracted it'll then rush toward the man to trample him into the ground.

[Toward the Roof]

Most of the civilians move out behind the troopers. Dyna stays toward the rear. Up the stairs!

"My son!" calls out one of the women with the group. The child, perhaps five, got splashed by some of the slime on the arm. The boy is whimpering as the vile slime is slowly eating at his flesh. Dyna is fairly quick to take the child, her hand burning with opalescent white flames outlined in black mist.

The stuff moves strangely. Looks... almost organic. This she applies to the boy's wound. The strange flames begin crawling over the lad's skin, devouring the infection before seeping into the gash, slowly mending the injury. "He'll live," Dyna proclaims with a smile. "We need to hurry."

To the roof!

This time around they really don't get attacked on the way up. It isn't long before they reach-

[The Roof]

Several people up here are dead from the plague ghouls. The initial helicopters are damaged, but thankfully more were sent. Already civilians are climbing aboard.

[Front Door]

The divine command scares the rotting crap out of the undead. They drop Magtok on his face and then they run for their unlives. Flee!

As the MagBots head up the stairs they find... a long hallway on the second floor. Doors smashed open. Blood and human bits everywhere. A real mess...

[The Bushranger]

[Streets]

Presumably Zel and Val are getting close to Trog's now. :smalltongue:

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

I would say so. In fact, I'd say they're standing outside of it right now.

Well, here it is. Trog's Tavern.

Ready to go in?

[Darkcomet]

[Apartment Complex-Roof]

"Alright everyone, move it into the intact choppers now! Move it!" The troops will work to hasten the loading of the civilians into the evac choppers.

[The Bushranger]

[The Misspelled Cemetary]

Shrike follows the self-styled Dark Princess into the mausoleum, her eyes flashing in fury, Caste Mark glowing bright.

---

[Outside Trog's]

"No time like the present." Val grins. "You take point."

[DoomITP]

At the emporium Connor is buying quite a few different items for a gun, barrels, covers, bullet casings, everything.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Streets

Zel smirks. She walks to the door, and holds it open for Val. After you.

[The Bushranger]

[EE]

Crissy, behind the counter, is watching Connor curiously.

---

[Outside Trog's>Trog's]

Val chuckles, shakes her head, and heads inside!

[Lord Iames Osari]

[The Front Door]

"Do you know where these things are coming from?" Anshu asks Magtok.

[The Misspelled Cemetary]

The trail of blood leads Shrike (and anyone with her) to the very heart of the mawsolium, where she finds Tamesis... and Ebon Mirror.

"Welcome to my cemetary. Now please leave."

[The Bushranger]

[The Misspelled Cemetary]

"No can do." Shrike pulls herself up to her full height, glaring down the two Dark Exalted, her daiklave held ready.
"When I start something, I finish it. And I haven't finished it with her."

[horngeek]

Zamira dashes in behind Shrike, glaring at the Abyssal.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[The Misspelled Cemetary]

Ebon Mirror rises from the lotus position and looks down at her. "I cannot allow you to do that. My daughter is far too useful a tool to my work." He looks her up and down. "So... a Solar, barely months old, against an Abyssal of 10 years, a Half-Caste, and their army of war ghouls. Do you think fate favors you in this encounter?"

He glances at Zamira. "Ah, and a Lunar. Mated, perhaps? That makes things a bit closer to even... but will it be enough?"

[The Bushranger]

[The Misspelled Cemetary]

Shrike doesn't flinch, and doesn't show any sign of being aware of Zamira's presence, just staring daggers at Ebon Mirror.

"I do what I must. She was injuring people for no reason other than her own pleasure, despite her protestations, and I cannot abide that. Perhaps in my life before Exalting, but not now. So if we fight, we fight, and if we die, we die, but I will not back down."

[horngeek]

We will do what we must.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[The Misspelled Cemetary]

"Her own pleasure? Hardly. Not that you will believe us, unenlightened as you are. So, to business."

A pair of ninja Zombys attack Shrike and Zamira from behind, striking swiftly with their razor-sharp katanas!

[horngeek]

Zamira spins quickly, and ducks the katana aimed at her, then attempts to slash the Zomby's arm off.

[The Bushranger]

Ninja Zombys!

And only two of them. The Law of Conservation of Ninjitsu is in their favour - but not as much as it would be were there only one.

Now, if they were Cyborg-Robot Ninja Pirate Zombies from SPAAAACE, we'd all be doomed.

Shrike takes a nasty cut on the arm from her Zomby's katana as she spins about, grimacing in pain before swinging her Reaper Daiklave around in a two handed grip, all her strength behind the swing.

She's aiming for the Zomby's midsection.

Unless the "y" means they're part Gumby, it's possible she'll cut it neatly in two.

"Rest in Pieces!"

[Recaiden]

[Outside Trog's]

Is Ashna. She's looking around, as though she'd spot empire officials all around.

[The Bushranger]

(Outside Trog's)

Brendan has followed Ashna outside, and feels oddly underdressed.
The reason for this being that he lacks a trenchcoat and fedora.

He does, however, start humming the theme to The Pink Panther.

[Recaiden]

[Streets]
Ashna listens to the nice humming, and starts walking. Looking for some official looking building. Which she won't find right now.
((1 more post.))

[The Bushranger]

[Streets]

Dead ant, dead ant...

Brendan follows, still humming softly, trying to set the mood even if he isn't dressed the part of the dashing inquisitive. "So, what are we looking for?"

[Recaiden]

[Streets]
More laughing follows.
"The Evil Empire's hall, of course. Or the city jail."
She has no idea where to find wither, or how to recognize them.

((Good night.))

[DoomITP]

The result is after he puts the gun together, a fourteen millimeter hand gun, with exploding bullets.

He sets it on the counter.

Fourteen milimeter semi automatic with custom casing and slide.


He pulls the slide of the gun as if to shoot.

Hold your hand out.

He grins.

[The Bushranger]

(Streets)

"Ah." Brendan nods, not having any idea, either, and so he follows along...

((G'nite!))

---

(EE)

"...wow." Crissy smiles, then, nervously, holds her hand out...

((One more post tonight.))

[DoomITP]

He pulls the trigger towards her hand but instead of a bullet, it's a necklace, it's made of a pretty, yet unidentifiable metal.

You are no longer allowed to say that I don't buy you anything.

He laughs.

[The Bushranger]

(EE)

"Eeek! Crissy jumps...

Then gapes, admiring the necklace.

"I...Connor...I...thank you!" she stammers, quickly putting it on, then hopping over the counter to deliver a thank-you hug.

((And, see ya tomorrow! For I must sleep.))

[Terumitsu]

[Sszinyon's Hideout -> Streets]

A figure in a hooded blue traveling cloak might possibly be seen leaving a somewhat rundown building near the edge of the City. It was not attempting to be inconspicuous but rather to sheild itself from the cold and wind. Where it would end up was anyone's guess but one might detect a touch of joy at walking around outside once more.

[billtodamax]

[Apartment Complex-Roof]

"Alright everyone, move it into the intact choppers now! Move it!" The troops will work to hasten the loading of the civilians into the evac choppers.

Mime rips off a salute then starts ushering the children up the stairs towards the evac choppers, before heading towards the cockpit of one and sitting as close to the front of the plane as he can, peering out the front window.


[The Streets]

A woman (http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg254/Seweron/Tranquility_by_Maye1a1.jpg) in her twenties with raven hair, blue eyes enters the city of inside, following Dominic.

Cessie looks amazed by inside, looking wide-eyed at the buildings at each side. "Wow, this is larger then any of our cities. Not even Hestopia is this large..." Her eyes are drawn to a nearby stand "Oh so much to see... too bad my money isn't good here." She sigh, but doesn't let that discourage her, her eyes still glitters with excitement.

Actually, it probably is. Dominic says. And if they don't accept it I'd be happy to pay for you. He offers, smiling, before turning to look around the city, long talon-like hands resting on his hips.

Well, first you'll need somewhere to stay. He says, turning back to her, eyebrow raised questioningly, seeking her agreement.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Mispelled Cemetary]

Jazirian, back in human form, will attempt to slip in while Ebon Mirror and his cohorts are occupied with the two Exalts.

[Rooftop]

Dave doesn't get in the helicopter just yet...

[Rebonack]

Apartment Complex

[Rooftop]

Civilians are filing toward the evac choppahs! And this time around it looks like the various adventurers have taken up position around the edge of the roof to make sure nothing unpleasant comes scaling up the walls again. They're keen on that trick. The pilot will no doubt be pleased to find a Mime in his cockpit!

"Last time around a bunch of slimy black ghouls came up from over there," comments a grizzled old fighter, known in many circles as Wallace the Wall. No doubt for good reason. He's gesturing at the eastern side of the roof. "Keep your eyes open people, we don't want a repeat of that."

Dyna heads over to the edge of the roof and peeeeers down. Nope. No ghouls coming up that way. She slides her sword into the harness on her back and stoops down, drawing an array at the edge of the roof in glowing electric blue light. And while she does she sings to herself in a rather haunting language that's felt more so than heard. Gratitude and hope. Visions of the wonders of the natural world and thankfulness to what fashioned them. The glory of life.

Think along the lines of a Bard's song in terms of encouraging those in earshot.

A little girl moves to hug Rowan's leg. "Thank you for helping us mister knight!" She has a few scratches here and there. And a really runny nose. Which is now getting snot on the youth's pants.

[UncleWolf]

[Second Complex]

Edijar is swatted away, into the street, but is otherwise protected by his armor and stands.

Hicks, with Lady Luck preserving him, trips backwards. Into the sewer drain they came out of earlier. He catches hold of the ladder and watches as the Ghoul goes above him.

[Rebonack]

[Building 2 => Courtyard]

The ogre ghoul comes lumbering out into the courtyard, its bulk sailing over the downed troopers and slamming into the ground pretty hard. With a roar it rises to its feet, milky gaze playing over the surroundings as it hunts for someone to rip limb from limb.

The monster is out int he open now.

And I think everyone knows what that means.

Without buildings for cover one of those APCs could probably get a clean line of fight on it.

And while the thing is no doubt durable it's doubtful that it would be able to whether high caliber automatic fire for very long.

[UncleWolf]

[Second Complex]

Commander Edijar fires off a couple more shots at the running ghoul before helping Hicks out of the hole. After making sure Vasquez will be taken care of, they enter the building and head down, ready for more.

They have a mission, and they'll damn well see it through.

[Rebonack]

[Building Two]

The roaring ogre doesn't last long at all under the hail of powerful weapons fire from the APC. Thing goes down like a sack of bricks. Twitches a bit. Then falls still.

Good.

That's one less monster to deal with...

Well, back to the task at hand!

The door to the basement should be found pretty easily. And the troopers may be pleasantly surprised that the basement is still well lit. There don't seem to be any ghouls down here. They must have infiltrated this building through one of the others.

[UncleWolf]

[Building Two]

Edijar and Hicks will make a thorough search of the basement before looking for the entry point to the building elsewhere.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[The Misspelled Cemetary]


Zamira spins quickly, and ducks the katana aimed at her, then attempts to slash the Zomby's arm off.

The zomby parries her attack and then tries to stab her with the wakizashi in its other hand.


Shrike takes a nasty cut on the arm from her Zomby's katana as she spins about, grimacing in pain before swinging her Reaper Daiklave around in a two handed grip, all her strength behind the swing.

She's aiming for the Zomby's midsection.

Unless the "y" means they're part Gumby, it's possible she'll cut it neatly in two.

"Rest in Pieces!"

The "y" means that these Ninja Zombys are in the Misspelled Cemetary, where everything deth- and undeth-related is misspelled.

The ninja zomby flips over the fearsome blow, which would surely have cut him in two, and brings his katana down at Shrike's head, using the momentum of his jump to his advantage.


Jazirian, back in human form, will attempt to slip in while Ebon Mirror and his cohorts are occupied with the two Exalts.

Jazirian arrives just in time to observe as a ripple spreads through the world around Ebon Mirror. The gnarled plants and trees in the cemetary wither and dye, and dark storm clouds gather overhead, blocking out the light of the sun. Divine symbols adorning headstoans and monuments crumble to dust or are eroded instantly as the ripple passes over them; rats and roaches drop ded in their tracks. Deth and unholiness radiate from Ebon Mirror, permeating the ground, the air, the very essence of the place itself. The cemetary has become a shadowland, where only creatures of deth may respire the ambient magical energy.

The transformation complete, Ebon Mirror raises his head to the clouds above and lets loose a howl of unearthly malevolence as his nails lengthen, sharpen, and blacken, curling into claws. A savage, fanged grin spreads across his face as he looks back down, his red eyes glowing and the bloody black disc of the Midnight caste plainly visible on his forehead.

[Rebonack]

[Building Two]

It would seem the entry point isn't in the building at all. In fact, it seems as though the came right in through the courtyard from one of the other buildings. Must have been after the initial chaos broke out for the attack not to have been noticed.

Hmmm...

That also means that more ghouls might be coming in through the ground floor any time now...

Swell.

By the time the pair of troopers leave the basement they'll find about a dozen ghouls or so in the lobby discussing why the ogre ran off. They figure he must have been chasing something...

[UncleWolf]

[Building 2]

When the two see the ghouls, they hide behind the corner, hoping they weren't seen. Hicks looks questioningly at his Commander, who nods in reply, and takes a flash-bang grenade from his waist, priming it for 3 seconds and tries to roll it into the middle of the group.

The grenade beeps softly as it counts down.

[Rebonack]

[Building Two]

Nope.

As usual the ghouls seem to have a little trouble when it comes to spotting people that are sneaking around. Probably due to the fact that their eyes are sort of rotten and gross.

It actually takes a few moments before one of them notices the little metal ball rolling across the ground toward them.

"Hey? What's that thing?"
"I dunno, sounds like it's beeping."
"A sh- it's a bomb!"

And then it asplodes.

There are now a bunch of blinded ghouls in the room.

[happyturtle]

[Imperial HQ]

The deadtime suddenly crumbles into dust around Charity, where she's been sitting on the ground in front of the building waiting to speak to Vyrn.

It's probably a good thing that deadtime doesn't require food or drink, because if so, she might have turned this into a hunger strike until he agreed to meet with her. Of course they probably would have just locked her up and forced a feeding tube down her throat or something, because they tend to be fairly sensible about things like that.

Anyway... she be here.

[UncleWolf]

[Building Two]

As soon as the flash-bang goes off the two charge in, blazing away. Hick's razor disk shells will likely slice entire chunks of muscle or dig deep into soft tissue.

[Darkcomet]

[Empire HQ]

A guard approaches Charity...again. "I'm aware you want to see Vyrn, but at this point it's impossible. He's in the area, but there's no way you can get to see him with the situation as it is. I understand being irked with someone, but with Haven's crash...There's no way he's letting anyone near him if he doesn't have to."

[Ashen Lilies]

[Misspelled Cemetary]

Jazirian clenched his teeth as the wave of darkness passes through him, sapping his life force, but remains silent. He slowly draws another dagger, magical this time, from... wherever it is he keeps them. He leaps through the air with no more sound than a leaf blowing on the wind, and strikes, attempting to slide the dagger into Ebon Mirror's lower spine. SNEAK ATTACK!

[happyturtle]

[Empire HQ]

"Oh come on... are you telling me you don't have hololinks? Teleconferencing? Hell, even a frikken webcam chat would be something. I refuse to believe that the man I saw jumping in front of bullets at Trog's is afraid of a 100 pound artist." :smallannoyed:

Charity glares at the spokesman. Glaaaaaaaare!

[horngeek]

Zamira narrowly twists out of the way, and attempts to grab the wakizashi, pull it off the ninja Zombys and then cut off its head with it.

[Lord Magtok]

Apartment Complex

[Front Door]

The divine command scares the rotting crap out of the undead. They drop Magtok on his face and then they run for their unlives. Flee!

As the MagBots head up the stairs they find... a long hallway on the second floor. Doors smashed open. Blood and human bits everywhere. A real mess...

Apartment Complex

The Magbots gingerly step around the gunk, continuing their hunt for undead flesh to fill with holes. Guns at the ready, quietly sneaking about, the robots try to avoid any massive confrontation like that earlier one.

Ugh. Stomp on any and all faces that aren't the right kind of alive, watch for movement.


MEANWHILE!

Oww!

Magtok picks himself back up, grumbles unhappily, and then turns back towards the path the zombies ran, as if he hadn't just been captured like some sort of useless escort NPC in an irritating videogame.

Right...so, Mortal Kombat guy, let's pretend I didn't just get captured and keep going, kay?


"The swell of the brood is unabated..."

The shot vindicator drops to the floor.

Streets Outside Callaghan Building

Magtok sighs, shaking his head as the last of the things is finally done with.

They're right, y'know. They have the resources and swarms and filthy mobs and everything else to kill me for good. I've seen what Draken can do, that he always holds back. They're...just toying with us.

[horngeek]

[Callagharn Building]

Money is exchanged among some of the watching guards.

Well, the big ones. The normal-human sized ones just keep on patrolling.

Then they all go back to patrolling, keeping an eye on Maggy and Elly.

[Darkcomet]

[Empire HQ]

"You'd have to be in the base for holocommunications, and we're not letting anyone in if we have a choice in the matter. Although...that does give me one idea. Hold on." He activates his helmet's built-in comlink and seems to be muttering into it. As for what they're saying?

"Command, there's a woman here who wants to speak with the Emperor. Says they've met before, refuses to leave, and doesn't look like she should be standing around here. There are some signs of recent emaciation."

"And what do you have in mind, private?"

"Well, the helmets have comlinks in 'em. I could just remove mine and hand it over. It's a simple solution, and minimizes risks to all parties involved. Easy to get back, and it's not like they're particularly sensitive equipment. Minimal risk, and it keeps her from starving herself again."

"...permission granted. If we regret this somehow it's on you."

What Charity hears is likely limited to pieces of what the guard says. Regardless... "The helmet's got a comlink in it. I'll just pull it off and give it to you for this. It won't be a comfortable fit, but it's the most I can possibly arrange. Will that be enough?" The guard sounds rather exasperated.

[happyturtle]

She sighs. "I'd rather speak to him face to face, but if that's the best you can do, I guess I'll take it."

[Shadowcaller]

[The Streets]

Cessie regards his claws with some dismay, but dosen't let Dominic see that.

"Oh, but we must have completely different currency, we have a lot of different currencies back in my world." She starts to take off her backpack as she follows along.

Rummaging through it, she continues "And I can't let you just pay for me Dominic." She fishes up a small pouch from her backpack.

"That would be impolite, but thanks for the thought." She says, looking up at him with a smile. "Instead, I think I'm going to ask for some help. Could I see one of your coins?"

[Darkcomet]

[Empire HQ]

"Security is security, miss." He pulls off the helmet, revealing a fairly unremarkable human underneath, and hands it to Charity.

Once it's on... A familiar voice is heard over the comlink. "I hope this is important, miss Evans."

He'll probably be disappointed, really...

[happyturtle]

"It [i]is important. I thought you were trying to make this city safe. I thought you were one of the good guys, standing up for peace and order in the midst of all this violence. So what the **** do you think you're doing conquering villages by force?" Charity demands through the comm-link.

[The Bushranger]

[The Misspelled Cemetary]


The "y" means that these Ninja Zombys are in the Misspelled Cemetary, where everything deth- and undeth-related is misspelled.

The ninja zomby flips over the fearsome blow, which would surely have cut him in two, and brings his katana down at Shrike's head, using the momentum of his jump to his advantage.

Shrike dodges out of the way at the last second, but takes a slice to her shoulder, this time thrusting her blade out and aiming to shove it into the Zomby's stomach.

[Darkcomet]

[Empire HQ]

Disappointed indeed... "A common misconception. I think in the longer term. Do you know how many villages were utterly destroyed when the catpeople invaded? When the nightmare beasts attacked? How many have been killed outright or starved by the giant bugs attacking? We found many villages on the verge of annihilation simply because all of their food had been devoured." Vyrn seems to be emphasizing this. Evidently reports of Charity's current appearance were forwarded to him and he's hoping it'll have extra impact. "I will not pretend that killing is justifiable, but it is my belief that something had to be done before something worse happened-again."

[happyturtle]

"What is this, [I]'I had to destroy the village to save it' logic? Do you think it makes a difference to those people if they were killed by catpeople or by humans? Dead is dead." Charity answers. "And because you were doing that, you fed right into the idealism of idiots like Enjolras."

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Misspelled Cemetary]


Jazirian clenched his teeth as the wave of darkness passes through him, sapping his life force, but remains silent. He slowly draws another dragon, magical this time, from... wherever it is he keeps them. He leaps through the air with no more sound than a leaf blowing on the wind, and strikes, attempting to slide the dagger into Ebon Mirror's lower spine. SNEAK ATTACK!

Jazirian's blade strikes true, driving the breath from Ebon Mirror's lungs in a burst... but as he draws the dagger free, the wound heals instantly, and the dethknight wheels around, teeth still bared in a shark's smile. "Wounds mean nothing to me!" he shouts, and claws at Jazirian's face.


Zamira narrowly twists out of the way, and attempts to grab the wakizashi, pull it off the ninja Zombys and then cut off its head with it.

Zamira easily yanks the weapon away from the zomby and decapitates it.

The zomby starts flailing wildly in her general direction with its katana.


Shrike dodges out of the way at the last second, but takes a slice to her shoulder, this time thrusting her blade out and aiming to shove it into the Zomby's stomach.

A hit! The zomby gets a blade in the gut... and walks up the blade to continue attacking Shrike.

[The Front Door]


"Do you know where these things are coming from?" Anshu asks Magtok.


Oww!

Magtok picks himself back up, grumbles unhappily, and then turns back towards the path the zombies ran, as if he hadn't just been captured like some sort of useless escort NPC in an irritating videogame.

Right...so, Mortal Kombat guy, let's pretend I didn't just get captured and keep going, kay?

Anshu waits to see if Magtok will answer.

[Rebonack]

[Apartment Complex]

[Building Two]

The pair of troopers quickly discover that blind ghouls aren't totally helpless. They've still got their sense of smell. And those that aren't getting shredding by weapons fire will be rushing the men. Rushing and flailing blindly, sure. But rushing none the less.

[Front Door]

The Magbots split up? From the rest of the group?

Oh geeze... We all know what that means. It means that they're the poor extras that die in the first few scenes of the zombie flick. About half a dozen ghouls come pouring out of the emptied apartments to rip them limb from limb. Will they manage to slay them all?

Let's find out.


Anshu is ambushed by a ghoul and killed.

No such thing happens since Rebo is controlling the ghouls. If you want to sandbag your PCs at least wait for an actual threat first.

[Fan]

Apartment Complex

[Rooftop]

Civilians are filing toward the evac choppahs! And this time around it looks like the various adventurers have taken up position around the edge of the roof to make sure nothing unpleasant comes scaling up the walls again. They're keen on that trick. The pilot will no doubt be pleased to find a Mime in his cockpit!

"Last time around a bunch of slimy black ghouls came up from over there," comments a grizzled old fighter, known in many circles as Wallace the Wall. No doubt for good reason. He's gesturing at the eastern side of the roof. "Keep your eyes open people, we don't want a repeat of that."

Dyna heads over to the edge of the roof and peeeeers down. Nope. No ghouls coming up that way. She slides her sword into the harness on her back and stoops down, drawing an array at the edge of the roof in glowing electric blue light. And while she does she sings to herself in a rather haunting language that's felt more so than heard. Gratitude and hope. Visions of the wonders of the natural world and thankfulness to what fashioned them. The glory of life.

Think along the lines of a Bard's song in terms of encouraging those in earshot.

A little girl moves to hug Rowan's leg. "Thank you for helping us mister knight!" She has a few scratches here and there. And a really runny nose. Which is now getting snot on the youth's pants.

Rowan kneels down, straightening out the young girls frazzled hair with a single stroke of his hand as he pulls out a pure white handkerchief, and wipes away the over flowing fluid, before hoisting her up onto his shoulder as he says.

"Knowing that your safe, and that we saved lives today is all the thanks I need young lady. Though, your welcome all the same, now can you point out where your mommy, or daddy is for me?"

[UncleWolf]

[Building 2]

Hicks stops to reload his pistol, keeping his back against the wall for extra protection while Edijar holds off the charging ghouls. One or two will likely slip by him though. After all, even under the fancy power armor, he's only human and only so fast and strong.

Hicks notices and curses, fumbling the drum of ammo and it drops from his clumsy fingers as the ghouls get closer.

[Darkcomet]

[Empire HQ]

Vyrn does not respond for a few seconds. "Destroyed? They were not destroyed. Some were relocated on account of their positions dooming them, some were even liberated from less pleasant rulers. But outright destruction was out of the question. Even when force was used, razing villages was forbidden. I will not pretend that lives were not lost, but do not put the Empire in the same category as the catpeople. The intention was to make them safer from threats such as the nightmares and catpeople." He's genuinely honest in the case of the outright destruction bit. Complete destruction was not allowed.

After all, why lie when you can just tell the truth?

[Apartment Complex-Roofs]

Evac choppers are loaded and taking off with as many of the survivors of the ghoul attack as possible.

Yay.

[Lord Iames Osari]

((Edited my post above))

[The Bushranger]

[Misspelled Cemetary]

"...aw, crap." Shrike backpedals in a hurry, trying to yank her Daiklave free, even as she thrusts her free hand at the Zomby's face.

"Death of Obsidian Butterflies!" she shouts, summoning a swarm of sharp-winged insect-like objects - that swarm the Zomby!

[EleventhHour]

Streets By the CG Building

"Oh, come on. We can take a few bugs... just have to not be caught be surprise so often..." Elle brushes off the coat reflexively as she gets the rest of the way onto her feet, "And... Are you okay? I mean... that thing cut you pretty badly..." She glances at the building off to the side, that was supposed to be the original target of the night. "...and what now?"

[Ashen Lilies]

[Misspelled Cemetary]
Jazirian's blade strikes true, driving the breath from Ebon Mirror's lungs in a burst... but as he draws the dagger free, the wound heals instantly, and the dethknight wheels around, teeth still bared in a shark's smile. "Wounds mean nothing to me!" he shouts, and claws at Jazirian's face.


Aww man... not the face! He's like, my prettiest character! :smallfrown:
Jazirian recoils, slashing wildly at Ebon Mirror as he tries to heal his face.

[Lord Magtok]

Streets by CG Building

Magtok, having noted the monetary exchange, gets a nasty little idea in his head.

Now you find some vantage point to watch me as I chat up our bulky buddies over there. Wait for me to use the word 'disgusting', and then open fire. Headshots, as I think they're some kind of mutants or superhuman thingies.

Apartment Complex-Front Door

The two Magbots can only shoot so many ghouls running so quickly at them, unfortunately. Yet another goes down, but when the fight is all said and done, silver-text remains standing, albeit with a bunch of sparks where his left arm once was.

Elsewhere, Magtok shrugs.

I dunno, maybe a wizard just poofed them in. A few seemed to be rising out of manholes, if the ScoutDrone recording is to be trusted. They could've just gotten lost somewhere or something to get there.

Come up with a better excuse to not go in the stinky sewers, Mag! C'mon cyborg, the cleanliness of your robes (blood is easier for him to deal with than excrement) depends on it!

[EleventhHour]

Streets By CG

"Sure... but you better be alright." And up the side of the building she goes, and finally gets to the roof to lie down with her rifle in hand. She waits quietly, only peeking the, relatively, thin barrel of the gun over the side.

[Lord Magtok]

Streets By CG

Magtok neglects to mention that he's not the same exact clone that bled out from his neck and died a few moments ago, figuring that Elly doesn't really need to know about that. He strides on over towards the Callaghan Group building, intent on directly confronting some of the burlier and uglier guards there. He doesn't seem armed just yet.

Hey! Yeah, you and all of your other half-witted barbaric ape friends! Yeah, I saw you neanderthals and your little wager over what happened earlier!

So I'm your sporting event then, huh? Us struggling to not die, all just a big ol' joke to you? You're as morally repugnant as you are aesthetically atrocious. I'll bet you were all raised in slums and slapped around by your alcoholic fathers or harlot mothers, weren't you? Tried to succeed in school at first though, got some fantastic scores, didn't you? You were going to rise above your hell-hole, make something of yourselves. But then eventually gave up on it when nobody else would support you, you wusses! You just went with the flow and the pathetic fate life set out for you to follow, like cows to the slaughter!

Common street trash, the whole lot of you, hiding your gnarled roots behind a steep paycheck and pretty uniforms. You sold your souls to the first man who promised you wouldn't have to peddle drugs for a living, even if you still do that on the side sometimes, for extra cash. Disgusting.

[Rebonack]

[Apartment Complex]

[Roof]

"I have two mommies!" the little girl proclaims. Because everyone knows how uncannily common that seems to be around here. But before the young knight has time to ponder the issue...

Civilians pile onto the choppah to be rescued! Hooray!

It'll take some time to for those aircraft to unload their human cargo. And then come back. And then shoot the ghouls off the roof that are incoming. Wait, ghouls?

Yep. Seems that way.

Dozens of ghouls are pouring up over the edge of the roof. Though this time people were ready for them!

[First Floor]

Looks like the MagBots have cleared the floor out. Or... the second floor, actually. And that's a good thing! Maybe if they poke around in a few of the rooms they might be able to find some poor innocent civilians hiding from all the horrible undead.

And... yeah... It does indeed stink down there in the sewers...

[Building Two]

Cleavin' and shootin' through ghouls! It's always a good time, isn't it? Hard to feel bad for horrible flesh eating undead. The closer they get the easier it is for them to pin-point their target. And a fair bit of clawing will likely result there after.

Hicks better watch himself, one of those ghouls is about to go for the face.

[Fan]

Roof, in dah choppah

Rowan was not from one of those bigoted sects of religious devotion, though he did find in uncanny that he would find such a parentage so quickly. Never the less, as the ghouls form a out pouring, he draws his sword, aiming to impale one, and use it as a metal shield to cover at the very least those behind him, using it as a literal wall of flesh to repulse the undead should he succeed.

"Stay back! I will hold the line here!"

This was far from true though, even in his adamantine armor which weighed upwards of a hundred pounds the outpouring of ghouls would be something that would strain him to his physical limits, and back. However, even if it meant throwing out a few muscles he would not give before this onslaught!

[UncleWolf]

[Building Two]

Hicks starts cursing in a more than forum unfriendly way as he draws the stun baton at his side and charges his shield to the max, raising it into the undead's path. It may not kill a ghoul, but it should shock the hell out of it.

Meanwhile, Edijar will try to finish off the rest of the ghouls and once done will behead the corpses, trusting Hicks to hold up his end.

[blackouttwo]

[Outside Trog's]

Lucas finally found Zee's body after the crash.

He's not taking it well. Zee being his sister-in-law, he's taking it pretty badly.

Not much else to say on that matter. It's too depressing, really. At any rate, Lucas is hanging around outside Trog's, trying to see if his wife or kids are anywhere nearby.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Apartment Complex-Front Door

The two Magbots can only shoot so many ghouls running so quickly at them, unfortunately. Yet another goes down, but when the fight is all said and done, silver-text remains standing, albeit with a bunch of sparks where his left arm once was.

Elsewhere, Magtok shrugs.

I dunno, maybe a wizard just poofed them in. A few seemed to be rising out of manholes, if the ScoutDrone recording is to be trusted. They could've just gotten lost somewhere or something to get there.

Come up with a better excuse to not go in the stinky sewers, Mag! C'mon cyborg, the cleanliness of your robes (blood is easier for him to deal with than excrement) depends on it!

"It would take a powerful sorcerer or necromancer to do such a thing where I come from. Powerful and rare. I take it that is not the case here?" Anshu looks around. "We should follow your constructs."

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

"Come on, Jericus, we're almost there." Andromeda urged on her friend. "It's not far, now."

[UncleWolf]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Jericus nods and easily keeps up with the assassin. "This isn't going to be pretty you know..." the stubs that remained of his wings wiggled a bit as he flexes his back muscles instinctively, trying to stretch his wings out.

[Rebonack]

[Apartment Complex]

[Roof]

Rowan is fortunate that he isn't alone up here. More than a few heroes, not including Wallace the Wall mentioned before. The old battle scarred fighter brings to bare a massive glistening tower shield, smashing into one undead with the massive barrier before running it through with his enchanted short sword, a weapon that whispers promises of death as it slides between the monster's ribs.

A rather young and strapping wizard casts a spell over the edge of the roof, coating it with sticky oil. More than a few ghouls go tumbling back to the streets far below.

Ghosplat!

Dyna is likewise quite busy. The undead that try to cross the array she had drawn find themselves enveloped in a burst of alien power, reducing them to naught but ash. They quickly learn to avoid that part of the roof.

Those that make it up feel the bite of her sword, the weapon wreathed in an uncanny white glow that devours their tainted flesh. She moves with poise and grace, expertly weaving around attacks in a fashion that seems completely impossible whilst raining down strokes of her own. A dance that echoes through the spheres of space.

Sadly it isn't perfect, as uncanny as it is. Several ghouls are cut down, though one manages to rake her from behind pretty well and get kicked in the face for its trouble.

The civilians crowd to the middle of the roof, allowing the heroes to protect them.

[Building Two]

Shock shield?

Oof...

The ghouls may not have a functioning heart to stop, but the current is enough to crisp the nasty thing pretty well. Down it goes! As for the commander, between his shield and arm blade he should be able to make short work of the monsters.

Several of them complain even after he beheads them. Creepy...


[Sanctuary Fortress]

As the pair enter the temple one of the lay worshipers bows and announces the usual, "Welcome to the temple of Zoemaytare. May you leave more blessed than you came."

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

"I know, Jericus. I was with you the first time, as I am with you now." Andromeda gave him a somewhat encouraging smile, letting him know she wasn't about to leave him.

The greeter recieves only a nod in aknowledgment from the void-born woman.

[horngeek]

Magtok gets little response.

Then a man walks down the stairs.

He's... just as big as the ugly ones, but where they're ugly, he's handsome.

Really handsome.

To handsome to shoot at, really.

Yes, this is a supernatural effect.

No, not really. They follow me out of loyalty.

My name is Mr. Callagharn. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Magtok.

----

Zamira quickly moves to block, then moves out of the way of both the Zombys and the quickly incoming wide area devastation spell.

[UncleWolf]

[Fortress Sanctuary]

Jericus nods in greeting as well and continues inside. Once in the courtyard he sets his spear to the side before kneeling. "You'll want to stand back." He had to kneel, otherwise the pain would make him collapse. The first time, when his wings had grown in, had been bad enough, but that had lasted for days. Fortunately, this was going to go faster, but unluckily, he had to grow them out from charred bone.

In other words, this was going to hurt like all the Hells imaginable.

Anyone nearby will feel the air grow a bit chillier and smell ozone as he starts to draw power into himself. They'll also likely feel some pressure on their minds if they are sensitive to such things.

[Building Two]

Hicks and Edijar stop, panting and rest for a moment, taking their time to crush the heads in. Hicks starts to leave before feeling his Commander's hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he sees Edijar offering him his shotgun-pistol. Hicks, rubs the back of his head, having forgotten he dropped it, and takes it.

Together, they make their way warily to Building 3.

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Andromeda takes a few steps back and whispers a prayer for her friend. She knew this was going to hurt him.

[The Bushranger]

(Streets)

Brendan and Ashna are presumably still looking for City Hall, to fight it. Or something.

[Recaiden]

(Streets)

Brendan and Ashna are presumably still looking for City Hall, to fight it. Or something.

Exactly. See, if they take a left turn at each intersection, they'll have to get there eventually, right? Unless it's right in the city center.

it would be the aforementioned Empire HQ, if it can be found by them. Ashna is smiling and happy.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Misspelled Cemetary]


"...aw, crap." Shrike backpedals in a hurry, trying to yank her Daiklave free, even as she thrusts her free hand at the Zomby's face.

"Death of Obsidian Butterflies!" she shouts, summoning a swarm of sharp-winged insect-like objects - that swarm the Zomby!

The zomby is destroyed, and Shrike's daiklave falls to the ground, the glassy remains of the butterflies crunching beneath it.


Aww man... not the face! He's like, my prettiest character! :smallfrown:
Jazirian recoils, slashing wildly at Ebon Mirror as he tries to heal his face.

Ebon Mirror simply blocks the slashes by the simple method of grabbing hold of the dagger in one of his clawed hands as a thick, opaque fog rises from the ground. He leans toward the dragon rogue, and says in a voice to chill the bone, "Leave this place now, and you will not be pursued." His voice resonates with magical power carrying a subliminal compulsion. Formidable mental defenses or a supreme act of will would be required to resist.


Zamira quickly moves to block, then moves out of the way of both the Zombys and the quickly incoming wide area devastation spell.

The other zomby is also destroyed by Shrike's spell. However, now the fog is all around them, and who knows what might be lurking within it, waiting to strike...

Suddenly, shuriken fly out from the mists at the two Celestial Exalted!

[UncleWolf]

Sanctuary Fortress

If Jericus had been able to hear her prayer, he'd be thankful, but right now, he's in that place of complete concentration, where nothing except his own mind, and he object of his attention exist. He continues to take in more energy, more than would be considered safe by any means. Taking in this amount of power would normally attract the attention of...things from The Warp, but he needed it all so he could covert it into energy and matter to regrow his lost wings. Besides, he was counting on the Sanctuary to help ward such things away.

When he has enough, he finally starts growing his wings, the charred stubs cracking.

As soon as the nerves are exposed, he screams in pain as the wings start to grow quickly, but every so slowly...

[The Bushranger]

[Misspelled Cemetary]

Shrike takes a deep breath, then bends down to pick up her Reaper Daiklave.

Which means the shuriken slice across her back, a few barely drawing blood, but quite a few more clanging against the invisible scabbard she wears!

Dropping flat to the ground, she swears viley - in Abyssal.

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Andromeda cringes and cover her ears when Jericus starts to scream. She hated seeing him in so much pain, but she could not look away. If something did appear, she would have to defend him, and the rest of the people in the Sanctuary. Or worse, if Jericus became possessed, the assassin would be forced to kill him.

[billtodamax]

[The Streets]

Cessie regards his claws with some dismay, but dosen't let Dominic see that.

"Oh, but we must have completely different currency, we have a lot of different currencies back in my world." She starts to take off her backpack as she follows along.

Rummaging through it, she continues "And I can't let you just pay for me Dominic." She fishes up a small pouch from her backpack.

"That would be impolite, but thanks for the thought." She says, looking up at him with a smile. "Instead, I think I'm going to ask for some help. Could I see one of your coins?"

Sure. He says, tossing her the coin.

It's made of gold. On one face is a cartoonish Cthulu-head, grinning. Above his head are the words "In squid we trust."

The other side is much the same, but the writing on it is indecipherable, and makes your eyes water if you look at it for too long.

But any one vendor could have upwards of twenty different types of coin at any one time. They'll probably be fine with accepting another.

[The Bushranger]

((Eep. Sorry I missed your post, Rec.))


Exactly. See, if they take a left turn at each intersection, they'll have to get there eventually, right? Unless it's right in the city center.

it would be the aforementioned Empire HQ, if it can be found by them. Ashna is smiling and happy.

And Brendan, seeing her smiling and happy, smiles happily as well. "Well. That looks like that's it, doesn't it?"

[UncleWolf]

Sanctuary Fortress

Jer's screams die down, but only because he can no longer draw enough breath to give more. Bloody tears run down his cheeks as his wings grow. His body shudders as twin spikes of bone sprout from his back, the remains of his old pair falling out as they're forced out of him. Blood runs freely down his back, dripping onto the ground. Some even runs up the bony protrusions, forming veins and giving a base for muscle and nerve to grow on. The purple man's skin pales to lavender from pain and bloodloss.

Needless to say, it's not a pretty thing to watch unless you like seeing bone and tissue grow.

[Recaiden]

"That's right." Ashns stands and studies it. The building looks deadtimed, after all.
((It's okay.))

[The Bushranger]

Brendan crosses his arms, frowns, and switches to humming the theme from Mission: Impossible.

[Recaiden]

"What's that tune? I haven't heard it before." She asks. There might as well be conversation.

[horngeek]

Zamira gets a shuriken thunk into her arm!

Argh!

Not too bad.

Unless they're poisoned or something. :smalleek:

[Rebonack]

[Building Two => Building Three]

And thus the ghouls are vanquished! And good riddance to the nasty things. As the duo heads toward the next building in the complex they'll find that the source of ghouls here is pretty obvious. There's a rather large cellar entrance that has been thrown open outside the building.

...and there are discarded bits of human scattered around it...

Eeww...

That's gross...


[Sanctuary Fortress]

More than a few people are watching wide-eyed at what's happening to poor Jerry. Someone's even calling out for one of the regents to come and see what's going on. See if they can't help the poor man.

And as far as attracting attention goes...

Things do indeed notice him.

And begin to close in...

Only to be repulsed from the psyker not by wards, but rather the patron of the temple itself. This is her domain. And she's not about to let any Chaos rabble defile it. Seems as though Jerry's display managed to catch the watchful gaze of Zoemaytare herself.

[The Bushranger]

(Staring at the Empire HQ)

"Hm? Oh, it was a theme song of a television...ah, entertainment programme back home. About fictional, glamourous spies and secret missions." Brendan chuckles.

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Oh, it wa a painful, messy process to watch. One that Andromeda knew would haunt her nightmares for quite some time. Still, she did not look away. She wold stay by Jericus' side, no matter what happened.

"Don't touch him!" She shouts to the concerned people. "Wait until it's finished."

[Recaiden]

"That's how you know it. Spying isn't glamorous." She says, nodding.
"You've had television a lot longer than we have, haven't you? In your world."

[UncleWolf]

Sanctuary Fortress

As soon as Jericus feels the evil things close in he tries to push himself faster, causing more pain. His shoulders slump a bit when he feels something beat them back. Even through the pain, it's obviously not the Emperor, and that worries him.

The extra burst of speed makes it so skin grows over the appendeges before each gives a few sharp cracks, the bones breaking to form joints. Jericus gives another scream as they do so, but soon, his white feathers start to grow in and he slumps over, letting his body ride the rest of the wave of regeneration to it's end. There is quite a lot of blood on the ground at the moment.

[The Bushranger]

(Still staring)

"About, oh..." Brendan knots his eyebrows in thought. "Eighty years? Some people think similar technology existed in the Age of Magic, but any evidence was destroyed. And as for glamourous spies - there were worse shows than that."

Shaken. Not stirred.

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Eeww...

What a mess...

Jerry will very likely note that the being that chased the daemons off is still watching him. Out of concern, maybe? Pity? Just in case the daemons start slinking closer again?

It's hard to tell, really. But whatever this being is she certainly doesn't feel nefarious in the least. More... motherly. Like a mother worried about a hurting child that isn't hers.

There's quite a few people gather around at this point, though they're giving Jerry quite a bit of space, too. Zachius will likely be here shortly, jogging as fast as his old-man legs will carry him.

[Recaiden]

[Staring]

"Much longer then. I'm sure there were, in time. Better ones too?" Ashna asks.

:smallannoyed:

[The Bushranger]

[Staaaaaaaaaaaaaring]

"Well, yes, but they were always dramatised. Always had lots of explosions. Kinda defeats the point of being a spy if you blow stuff up, doesn't it? Like putting up a big neon sign, 'SPY HERE!'."


And Get Smart was better.

[Recaiden]

[Staring back]

"Perhaps all the explosions were coincidental."

That it was. :smallbiggrin:

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

"Jericus!" Andromeda rushes forward and tries to pick the Adept up, to pull him out of the pool of his own blood. "Say something." She demands, worried he'd pushed himself too far.

[The Bushranger]

(I thought it was City Hall, not the Abyss?)

"Not really. Usually the spy wound up blowing something up. Usually several somethings. Lots of shootouts, too. Of course the bad guys couldn't ever hit anything while the hero had homing bullets." Brendan rolls his eyes bemusedly.


^_^

[UncleWolf]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Jericus groans in pain as he's picked up by the assassin. "Hurts...careful." As he senses whatever it is watching him, that just gives him more cause for alarm and he'll slam down his mental barriers as best as he can, and even put up a shield around Andy's mind, which she may or may not feel instinctively. He'll lean on her until they get to a place to sit.

[Recaiden]

[<3]
[Nietszche!]

"Of course. Sometimes that's how it is, you know?"
Ashna turns around.
"We've found the place. But I don't think there's anything to do right now. I think I'll be going back to Trog's, okay?"

A poor decision, but she doesn't know that.

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

The barriers are responded to with a feeling akin to bemusement. And then the being's eyes are no longer on the psyker.

And now Zachius arrives!

"By the goddess boy, are you alright? You, get me some sarrik root tea this instant!" the elderly man commands with a fair bit more authority than usual. Before long the lad returns with a pot of tea and a cup. The rather minty smelling beverage will be poured out and offered to Jerry. "Here, drink this. It should help with the pain."

Sure enough within a few moments of drinking the tea a rather nice snug warm feeling will replace that rather terrible pain.

"You're a fortunate man," the regnant comments with a rather small smile. "You must have felt it. Zoemaytare's hand upon you. For the goddess to take such measures for your protection there must have been something terrible hunting you."

[The Bushranger]

[Nietszcheans? Where?!]

Brendan doesn't know that either, but he shrugs. "Could do that, or could wait around 'till we figure out a way in. Up to you, love."

[Recaiden]

[Where You Are!]

"I'll head back. Maybe she'll have been released already."
And she walks to the tavern.

[The Bushranger]

[Where's my force-lance?! D=]

Brendan chuckles, shakes his head, and goes to head back with her...

Oh dear.

((Teru deadtimed for the night though.))

[Recaiden]

[I'm lost]

What's the worst that could happen?

((I thought so. When available, things can continue to go wrong.))

[The Bushranger]

[Never watched Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda?]

(I'm presuming she said that...)
"Ash." Brendan stops dead in his tracks.
And facepalms.
"Please tell me you didn't say that..."

((Wrong and wronger! :smallamused:))

[Recaiden]

[No, I haven't]

((She did, sorry for not formatting it.))

"Why? Fine, 'I didn't say that.' But I did, you know."

((Right! But now, I'm deadtiming.))

[The Bushranger]

[Ah. Never mind the references then]

Brendan looks...

Stricken, almost.

"Ash. You...don't know? You don't say 'What's the worst that can happen'. You don't say 'What could possibly go wrong'. You Do. Not. EVER. Goad the universe!"

He shakes his head sadly.

"We're doomed."


(('Night!))

[Ashen Lilies]

[Misspelled Cemetary]
Ebon Mirror simply blocks the slashes by the simple method of grabbing hold of the dagger in one of his clawed hands as a thick, opaque fog rises from the ground. He leans toward the dragon rogue, and says in a voice to chill the bone, "Leave this place now, and you will not be pursued." His voice resonates with magical power carrying a subliminal compulsion. Formidable mental defenses or a supreme act of will would be required to resist.


Well, he did take Slippery Mind at level 6... You can blame Alek for that.
But nevertheless, Jazirian is suddenly a golden eyed crow, who leaves with great haste, leaving his magical dagger behind... :smallfrown:

[happyturtle]

[Empire HQ]

Vyrn does not respond for a few seconds. "Destroyed? They were not destroyed. Some were relocated on account of their positions dooming them, some were even liberated from less pleasant rulers. But outright destruction was out of the question. Even when force was used, razing villages was forbidden. I will not pretend that lives were not lost, but do not put the Empire in the same category as the catpeople. The intention was to make them safer from threats such as the nightmares and catpeople." He's genuinely honest in the case of the outright destruction bit. Complete destruction was not allowed.

After all, why lie when you can just tell the truth?



"But people still died. There in the villages, and here in the city protesting. And gods know what the terrorists who blew up the Haven were thinking." She takes in a ragged breath, trying not to break down again. "Please... you have to do something about that. You have to keep lives from being lost."

[Recaiden]

[Okay, I won't]

Ashna laughs. "Well, whyever not? What can the universe do?
Besides, it's not that. It's a joke. Which I guess you'd have to be from my world to get."

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Misspelled Cemetary]


Shrike takes a deep breath, then bends down to pick up her Reaper Daiklave.

Which means the shuriken slice across her back, a few barely drawing blood, but quite a few more clanging against the invisible scabbard she wears!

Dropping flat to the ground, she swears viley - in Abyssal.

Unfortunately for Shrike, the ground is currently covered with what amount to very sharp obsidian caltrops, so dropping down is probably more painful than getting hit by the shuriken was.


Zamira gets a shuriken thunk into her arm!

Argh!

Not too bad.

Unless they're poisoned or something. :smalleek:

Of course the shuriken are poisoned. They are poisoned with the fast-acting venom of the deadly coral snake.


Well, he did take Slippery Mind at level 6... You can blame Alek for that.
But nevertheless, Jazirian is suddenly a golden eyed crow, who leaves with great haste, leaving his magical dagger behind... :smallfrown:

Ebon Mirror drops the dagger and shrouds himself in fog and shadows as he stealthily, silently approaches Shrike and Zamira.

[horngeek]

Um...

great.

Now I can't figure out how to save a character I really don't want dead yet.

Zamira... is poisoned. Yay. Um...

[The Bushranger]

[Okay, I won't]

Ashna laughs. "Well, whyever not? What can the universe do?
Besides, it's not that. It's a joke. Which I guess you'd have to be from my world to get."

[Streets>Trog's]

"About how you say that knowing full well it could go horribly wrong?" Brendan has to chuckle, but still shakes his head. "It's still tempting fate to say that."

Especially with Rebo and Teru about. :smalltongue:



[Misspelled Cemetary]

The solution is simple. Shrike, wincing in pain from the cuts (that have, also, shredded her outfit...) feels the poison setting in, and quickly drinks a potion of antivenin.

Tossing one to Zamira as she stands up, figuring she got hit too. "Drink, fast, love!"

Ebon Mirror's approach goes unnoticed by the Solar...

[horngeek]

Zamira drinks, quickly.

And feels the antivenom working. Thanks.

Ebon Mirror's approach, likewise, isn't really noticed.

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

The barriers are responded to with a feeling akin to bemusement. And then the being's eyes are no longer on the psyker.

And now Zachius arrives!

"By the goddess boy, are you alright? You, get me some sarrik root tea this instant!" the elderly man commands with a fair bit more authority than usual. Before long the lad returns with a pot of tea and a cup. The rather minty smelling beverage will be poured out and offered to Jerry. "Here, drink this. It should help with the pain."

Sure enough within a few moments of drinking the tea a rather nice snug warm feeling will replace that rather terrible pain.

"You're a fortunate man," the regnant comments with a rather small smile. "You must have felt it. Zoemaytare's hand upon you. For the goddess to take such measures for your protection there must have been something terrible hunting you."

Andromeda will try to help Jericus with the tea. She also gives the regent a hard look. "What are you talking about?"

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Zachius gives Andy a rather curious look as she asks her question. "You must have felt it. The goddess' presence became quite strong around your friend. I suspect she must have protected him from some peril that was about to fall."

A good thing, right?

Because no one likes having perils befall them.

"Such divine aid is a blessing. He is very fortunate."

Why?

Because somewhere more than a few Warp daemons are sulking. They wanted to possess Jerry! And now they can't. How very sad.

[UncleWolf]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Jericus takes a sip of the tea before coughing a bit. Once he finishes it, he'll drain the tea easily. "I attracted some attention it seems from the Warp, but I had counted on this place to keep such things at bay." He scowls. "But I didn't expect someone else to actually fend them off." He shudders a bit, hoping he didn't escape the notice of several things just to be noticed by something bigger. He flexes his new wings a bit, trying to get used to them again.


[Building Three]

Edijar and Hicks continue through the human remains warily, trying to keep their footing on the slick surface. They'll do the same as the other times and try to get to the basement. Hicks starts muttering about how he's seen this movie before.

[Rebonack]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

"I wish you both well in your time in this City," Zachius comments in his usual kind, grandfatherly voice. "This place is always open to you. Feel free to remain here until you feel that you've fully recovered. May you both leave more blessed than your arrived."

And with that the old man bows and returns to his other duties.

Someone is already washing Jerry's blood of the grass with a few buckets of water.


[Building Three]

Down into the basement they go!

Best watch their step. A large section of the floor at the base of the stairs is gone, collapsed into the sewers. That must have been where the ghouls came up over here.

Yuck...

Why can't evil monsters ever have their lair in a bakery or a flower shop?

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

The assassin narrws her eyes at Jericus. "Someone fended them off? Who? Why? Jericus, what happened?" What being could hold such power over the Warp? Why had it helped him? What possible motivation was there? Had Jericus been corrupted somehow?

[Lord Magtok]

Magtok gets little response.

Then a man walks down the stairs.

*SNIP*

No, not really. They follow me out of loyalty.

My name is Mr. Callagharn. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Magtok.

Outside the CG Building

I wish I could say the same. Mind if I just call you Cal? I think it's a fitting abbreviation.

Magtok glares at the disturbingly attractive fellow, feeling unpleasantly reminded of that one freakishly good-looking human form possessed by Reinholdt. He doesn't dismiss the possibility of genetically-enhanced pheromones, magic, or psionic mind control tricks in play, keeping a nervous eye out for any signs that those kinds of dirty tactics might be in play here.

[EleventhHour]

Magtok gets little response.

Then a man walks down the stairs.
He's... just as big as the ugly ones, but where they're ugly, he's handsome.
Really handsome.
To handsome to shoot at, really.
Yes, this is a supernatural effect.
No, not really. They follow me out of loyalty.
My name is Mr. Callagharn. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Magtok.


Across from CG Building

"Oh, I'm singing in the rain, oh, singing in the rain... What a glorious feeling, how happy, I am... La, da dee da, de, la, dah de da..." She pauses, trying to remember the rest of the song, occasionally checking the scope. Oh, hey. That guy looks important... very important... Should let Magtok shoot him, or something. "Oh, I know just the song for this..." She racks the slide and levels the rifle... on the henchmen. "One o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, four, five o'clock, six o'clock, more. Rock Around The Clock Tonight." With each "clock" she takes a shot at the overly large henchmen's heads. One for each, or if there aren't that many, going back and shooting at survivors.

[Lord Iames Osari]

((Hey Magtok. Can I get a response to this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7992947&postcount=1157)?))

[Fan]

Rowan casts the ghoul he had impaled aside, the thing long dead, before he went to lay into the ghouls himself. Running on a Adrenal Surge of energy he swung his hand and a half sword in powerful two handed arcs, fueled by energy that allows House Wives to lift cars to save their children.

"GO BACK TO HELL BEASTS, YOU WILL FIND NAUGHT BUT STEEL HERE!"

Hack, Hack, Hack, glorious flourish of a blade, hack, slash, parry. You know the drill by now.:smalltongue:

[horngeek]

Callagharn catches the first bullet.

This guy is a)freakishly fast, and b) freakishly strong.

The others duck behind cover at the sound of the gunshot, leaving Elle with no targets. Except Callaghan himself.

Yes, I do. My goals are quite different than simple Ommnicide. I also mind the shots at my followers.

Luckily for you, I forgive.

Once.

[UncleWolf]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Jericus raises a hand to try and calm Andy down. "I don't know, but it wasn't a Ruinous Power at least. I'm safe, trust me." He still slumps down on a bench, his energy spent.

[Building Three]

The pair of Riot Troopers will look for a support beam so they can collapse a section to cover the hole.

@Horngeek: ((Catching all the bullets seems rather cheap to me. No matter how fast or strong you are. After all, even Ozymandius caught only the one.))

[horngeek]

{{Oh, all right. :smalltongue:

And you're right. Callagharn isn't that fast. Probably only one.

Edited. They're behind cover instead.}}

[Lord Magtok]

Apartment Complex-Front Door

Magtok nods, turns around, and taps at the side of his face as he leads the way back towards that Magbot.

Yeah...yeah we should. Construct, you mean. S'just singular now.

And I don't really pay attention to magic. Maybe, I dunno.

Second Floor

Ghoulbuster unit 33-A seeking survivors for rescue mission! Ghoulbuster on rescue mission, seeking out survivors! I am your escape, follow my voice and we'll get out of here alive!

The remaining one-armed Magbot calls out to any surviving civilians that might be in the area. Knowing this could very well just draw out ghouls, it keeps its remaining arm up and ready to shoot at any particularly ugly monsters that might try to attack. If it's lucky, its lord and master, along with that Mortal Kombat guy, will be back soon to help out before it can get dismantled by those ravenous hordes.

Outside the CG Building

Magtok curls a wrist back, producing a small shiny thing, sticking just barely out of the bottom of his sleeve.

Well unless you're here to do anything other than smile politely and gloat over your recent market takeover, you'll have a lot of unforgivable things on your mind in a moment or two. Skip the niceties and start explaining yourself.

[horngeek]

Explaining myself?

I do believe that the market here's supposed to be a free one. Indeed, I could call the ISF and have you arrested for attempted murder.

Callagharn smiles. However, if you insist. What do you know of the Titans?

[Earl of Purple]

Foundry

A speeding van with several dents in the front arrives here. Out of it climb an elven girl with her teddy bear, a human with black hair wearing blue joggers and a red jumper, and six human males wearing security guard uniforms. These eight stand to one side whilst the van reverses towards the entrance. One of the guards walks over and opens the back door, shortly before the door of the foundry is riddled with bullets by a machine-gun turret inside.

[Lord Magtok]

Outside CG Building

Magtok shakes his head.

I haven't fired a shot, and you've got no evidence otherwise. And I'm afraid you're going to have to explain what these "Titans" are.

Are we talking gods from before the gods were formed, Saturn's moon, the teen superheroes who live on an island fortress shaped like a 'T', a roller coaster in Texas, that football team in that one movie, or the dog who held the Guinness World Record for being the biggest Great Dane on record?

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Jericus raises a hand to try and calm Andy down. "I don't know, but it wasn't a Ruinous Power at least. I'm safe, trust me." He still slumps down on a bench, his energy spent.

"I always have." Andromeda replies, moving to sit next to him.

[Darkcomet]

[Empire HQ]

"The ones responsible for crashing Haven into the rally will be dealt with." And knowing how the Empire deals with people who attack it, much less destroy one of their superweapons...Not to mention murder masses of innocent people.

Yeah, Vyrn doubts many would mind the standard solution to dealing with the ones behind crashing Haven into the rally.

"As far as the Empire goes, no further expansion past established points is planned, but if someone attacks us with lethal force, we must respond in kind. One must fight to the fullest extent of his abilities when another is trying to kill him, after all. But the Empire will not fire the first shot against dissidents, that much I can say. If war is made in this city, we will not be the ones to start it." This is true. Any resistance against the Empire will undoubtedly attack first, and the Empire does not attack peaceful protests. No, that is the job of airship boarders.

[Empire Communications]

Charity's unlikely to hear this, though Vyrn's involved. He wouldn't let a civilian in on secrets, after all...

A comm screen in Vyrn's room on the Sanctuary lights up, showing the face of a certain General C. Vettel. "Sir, I just received a disturbing piece of information from the expansion commander."

"More bad news. What is it, General?"

"We've lost contact with a border village. Complete radio silence, and all attempts at initiating communication over Imperial channels have failed."

"Is this believed to be linked to the Haven's destruction or the satellite blackout?"

"We lack evidence either way, but I find it unlikely that it's not linked to at least one of them. Possibly both."

"It can't be a coincidence. The satellite blackout keeps us from finding out what happened, and the Haven's destruction eliminates a major trump card. The satellite blackout is certainly linked to this. Haven's destruction is less likely to be linked to it, but the link's existence remains distinctly possible. Relay any findings to me as soon as possible, General. And put the city on alert."

"Affirmative. Ending transmission."

[Inside-Walls/Gate]

The bridge over the moat created by an eldritch killsat impacting Inside's city shield has now been bridged at the front gate, much of it created from pieces of Haven, reflecting in the metallic, navy-colored sidewalks on it. In perhaps more alarming news, though, Empire soldiers have been deployed on the walls. On watch. It wouldn't be necessary, but MagSat is out and all that.

[horngeek]

Outside CG Building

Magtok shakes his head.

I haven't fired a shot, and you've got no evidence otherwise. And I'm afraid you're going to have to explain what these "Titans" are.

Are we talking gods from before the gods were formed, Saturn's moon, the teen superheroes who live on an island fortress shaped like a 'T', a roller coaster in Texas, that football team in that one movie, or the dog who held the Guinness World Record for being the biggest Great Dane on record?

The first one.

More properly, they're the ones who the gods were formed from.

But then the gods cast down their parents, and imprisoned them in Tartarus.

Callagharn's face has a look of anger upon it, now.

Ultimately, I wish to correct that injustice, but for that, I need funds.

----

[Misspelled Cemetery]

Shrike and Zamira may feel a hand on their shoulders.

If the hands are on the shoulders then they probably... disappear. To outside Trog's, in fact.

The owner of the hands is now visible. A woman, dressed in blue, with a starmetal sword on at her side. You two were out of your league...

As an aside, anyone at the Misspelled Cemetery who doesn't have significant amounts of willpower will forget Shrike and Zamira were ever there.

{{Yay for Evasion Kata! :smalltongue:

Even more yay for the expansion allowing you to take others with you. }}

[UncleWolf]

"I always have." Andromeda replies, moving to sit next to him.

"Thanks, at least someone does." He says, sighing. Jericus leans on his side of the bench, still wondering where he and the assassin sat, figuratively speaking.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Apartment Complex-Front Door

Magtok nods, turns around, and taps at the side of his face as he leads the way back towards that Magbot.

Yeah...yeah we should. Construct, you mean. S'just singular now.

And I don't really pay attention to magic. Maybe, I dunno.

Second Floor

Ghoulbuster unit 33-A seeking survivors for rescue mission! Ghoulbuster on rescue mission, seeking out survivors! I am your escape, follow my voice and we'll get out of here alive!

The remaining one-armed Magbot calls out to any surviving civilians that might be in the area. Knowing this could very well just draw out ghouls, it keeps its remaining arm up and ready to shoot at any particularly ugly monsters that might try to attack. If it's lucky, its lord and master, along with that Mortal Kombat guy, will be back soon to help out before it can get dismantled by those ravenous hordes.

[Second Floor]

Anshu arrives, presumably with Magtok. "Wait," he tells the Magbot. "I have a better way." He frowns for a moment and lets his eyes go unfocused as he invokes one of his powers to determine the current location of everyone trying to avoid being eaten by ghouls, and every ghoul, within 50 miles of himself. However, he's mainly looking for people in the apartment complex, and for large concentrations of uneaten people and/or of ghouls within the complex.

[The Misspelled Cemetery]


Shrike and Zamira may feel a hand on their shoulders.

If the hands are on the shoulders then they probably... disappear. To outside Trog's, in fact.

The owner of the hands is now visible. A woman, dressed in blue, with a starmetal sword on at her side. You two were out of your league...

As an aside, anyone at the Misspelled Cemetery who doesn't have significant amounts of willpower will forget Shrike and Zamira were ever there.

{{Yay for Evasion Kata! :smalltongue:

Even more yay for the expansion allowing you to take others with you. }}

Ebon Mirror snarls as he lunges at the flash of blue light, too late. The fog dissipates, and with a shudder, he forces himself out of his berserk state.

[The Bushranger]

[Misspelled Cemetery]

Shrike and Zamira may feel a hand on their shoulders.

If the hands are on the shoulders then they probably... disappear. To outside Trog's, in fact.

The owner of the hands is now visible. A woman, dressed in blue, with a starmetal sword on at her side. You two were out of your league...

As an aside, anyone at the Misspelled Cemetery who doesn't have significant amounts of willpower will forget Shrike and Zamira were ever there.

{{Yay for Evasion Kata! :smalltongue:

Even more yay for the expansion allowing you to take others with you. }}

[Misspelled Cemetery>Outside Trog's]

Poof!

Shrike tenses, holding her Daiklave tight as her shredded clothes provide little to no modesty now. "Who are you, and what makes you worthy to....

...oh. Sidereal." She sighs.

[horngeek]

That's interesting. You must remember a lot about your past life if you were able to identify me so quickly as a Chosen of the Maidens.

Of course, the fact that you weren't even born in Creation is even more interesting...

as for why I took you out of there: I have no interest in seeing a pair of perfectly well-balanced Exalted- as opposed to someone like Ma-Ha-Suchi- getting themselves killed like that.

Zamira winces at the mention of Ma-Ha-Suchi.

[The Bushranger]

[Streets outside Trog's]

"I do. I suspect it may have something to do with my mental training from...my mortal life here, before Exalting," Shrike explains briefly, noticing Zamira's wince with a raised eyebrow. That name is something she doesn't recall. :smalltongue:

"And I had no intention of getting either of us killed," she says pointedly.

[Rebonack]

[Apartment Complex]

[Roof]

Hack slash dismember!

The heroes of the Nexus are standing up pretty well to the tide of ghouls. But thankfully the ghouls are suicidal creatures. They realize all to well when they're outmatched. And to that end a retreat is called. The undead flee from the complex, swarming back down into the lower levels of the building. A fair fight isn't something that they're going to win by any means.

Better to snack on the people that are alone and confused!

A cheer rises from the roof defenders! Hazzah!

Dyna reaches out to muss up Rowan's hair for him. "You did well. Though there are still people trapped inside. Will you accompany me?" And with a grin she starts heading for the stair access... Only to pause suddenly, hunkering forward slightly as her free hand twitches as though she's trying to resist scratching an itch.

[Basement 3]

The support beams in the basement itself are both large and numerous. If the pair of troopers want to close the entrance they'll have to go and jump into the sewers again. Yuck.

[Second Floor/Front Door]

Nothing horrible happens to Magtok in the meantime!

And Mortal Kombat Guy will no doubt get a pretty good...

Oh crap. There are lots of ghouls. And no so many people on the first four floors as the MagBot is already discovering whilst being swarmed by half a dozen of the nasty things when he starts yelling. Not people. Ghouls.

But most of the ghouls are in the sewers. And the catacombs beyond that stretches out of Anshu's area of senses. That's a lot of ghouls. Seriously...

Though the closest survivor is up on the fifth floor.


[Sanctuary Fortress]

Nothing nefarious comes leaping out to cause Andy and Jerry any trouble. In fact, it's rather peaceful here. Nice change of pace.

[horngeek]

You were taking on an Abyssal Exalted who was probably as powerful as both of you put together. Put the Half-Caste Abyssal on, and you've got problems. Half-Castes aren't as useless as a lot of Exalted seem to think.

The woman frowns. So, what do you remember, exactly?

[The Bushranger]

(Streets, near Trog's)

Shrike crosses her arms over her chest. Not for modesty, but more out of a sense of general frustration. "Quite a bit about my life in the First Age. In bits and pieces, but more as time goes on. Nothing about pre-Exalted life then though. And...I remember the Usurpation. And...being..."

She trails off for a moment, and glances torwards Zamira, sounding uncharacteristically subdued. "...being killed."

[horngeek]

The woman sighs. Damm Bronze Faction.

Listen, do you want to take this off the street?

Trog's would be a bad idea, though. Taverna's more quiet at the moment.

Zamira walks over to hug Shrike.

[The Bushranger]

(Streets)

And Shrike hugs Zamira back, tightly. Then nods. "I need a drink, yes. The Taverna is fine."

...then, after a moment, she goes to try and pick up Zamira to carry her.

[horngeek]

Zamira is carried! Shrike, I can walk on my own...

On the other hand, she does hug on.

The woman leads them to the Taverna!

[Lord Magtok]

Callagharn Group Building

Magtok raises an eyebrow, his dark scowl still frozen on his face.

So...you're a servant or one of some Elder Greek gods, you can catch a bullet, you've got a team of loyal thugs by your side, you have enough resources to start a business and get attention and publicity in an incredibly short period of time, but you need money?

Couldn't you just shove your way around to get what you want and leave me and my legitimate business alone? Isn't there a mafia void to fill, a government contract to seek out, or anything else that doesn't mess things up for me? If there even is a use for money when we're dealing with something on such a deifically large scale, aren't you floundering about like a bulletproof buffoon?

Apartment Complex-Second Floor

Sir, I seem to be...errm...a little bit overwh-

Magtok swings his glowing Magchete at a nearby ghoul, scowling out of disappointment and frustration with his own automaton.

Yes, I see that. How did you not see something like this coming after a dumb shout like that?

[The Bushranger]

(Streets>Taverna)

"I know," the currently quite wardrobe-challenged-due-to-combat-damage Solar says softly to her Lunar Mate. "Just...let me do this, OK?'

And to Taverna they go!

[horngeek]

Oh, not just greek.

All the gods of our universe were spawned from the Titans. The Greeks are just the only culture that remembers that fact.

And I haven't done anything to actively sabotage you; all I've done is set up in competition, perfectly legal competition which you have no legal right to complain. As for why I need more funds...

no, Mr. Magtok, I'm not about to reveal all my plans to you.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[[Second Floor/Front Door]

Nothing horrible happens to Magtok in the meantime!

And Mortal Kombat Guy will no doubt get a pretty good...

Oh crap. There are lots of ghouls. And no so many people on the first four floors as the MagBot is already discovering whilst being swarmed by half a dozen of the nasty things when he starts yelling. Not people. Ghouls.

But most of the ghouls are in the sewers. And the catacombs beyond that stretches out of Anshu's area of senses. That's a lot of ghouls. Seriously...

Though the closest survivor is up on the fifth floor.

"Vile beasts," Anshu curses as he leaps forward. His anima blazes to life, its holy golden light buttressing him against the ghoul's attacks and infusing his strikes with power against the things that lurk in the dark.

He attacks so quickly it's hard for the unaided eye to follow, moving with perfect economy of motion as he dispatches five of the six ghouls, each slain with a single slash. Their bodies burst into golden flames where they fall, and Anshu turns his attention to the sixth ghoul, ready.

((Godmoddded with permission))

[Lord Magtok]

CG Building

Magtok sighs.

We'll just have to agree to disagree, then.

With a lunge, he tries to step past the group's leader, and run straight into the building the same way he left it.

[horngeek]

The stairs are blocked by a pair of the giants.

Mr. Magtok, everything valuable is out of your reach.

Believe me on this, it will save a great deal of trouble if you just leave, and it will have a better result for you.

[Artemis97]

"Thanks, at least someone does." He says, sighing. Jericus leans on his side of the bench, still wondering where he and the assassin sat, figuratively speaking.

[Sanctuary Fortress]

Andromeda hangs her head. "They were just shocked, Jericus. They didn't understand." She tries to explain.

[UncleWolf]

Sanctuary Fortress

Jericus looks down, avoiding looking at her."I understand about them, but sometimes..." He sighs. "I don't even trust myself."

[Building Three]

"You can go first sir." Hicks tells his Commander, who sighs in response. They carefully climb down into the sewers, and if possible, put the explosive charge in a place to close off the entrance.

[Rebonack]

[Icky Sewers]

It's a straight shot from the hole to the supports that keep up the floor above. Though this time around... getting in might not be quite so smooth...

A fair number of ghouls heard the explosion. Ghouls waiting now in the shadows. In the drain pipes that empty their putrid contents into the main tunnel. As the duo moves forward a good half dozen ghouls burst from the rancid water behind while another six come pouring out of side corridors and tunnels.

Surrounded.

"Well well, sneaky Breathers," sneers one of the undead. "No matter though, right? You'll be switching teams soon enough."

Oops... This might be bad.

[Lord Magtok]

CG Building

The cyborg grudgingly comes to a halt, and glares as he retreats away. Going out of business, losing his clones, and getting eaten alive by some stupid insect is better? He'll show that smug superhuman freak soon enough...

This isn't over, Cal. I'll be back, and you'll see, Vyrn's paltry little laws are hardly capable of protecting you, and your little dead gods will just have to find someone else for their vengeance quest. after they're done burying your mangled, bullet-ridden, facially disfigured corpse.

[horngeek]

Callagharn...

smirks.

[Mr. Moon]

When we last met our heroine and her guard, Alley was being plauged by several daemons, one of which may or may not be an actual daemon but actually a cute little fox who just happens to be magic and mindbogglingly powerful.
Said little fox had just been blasted into a small pile of smoldering bones by Booky's lasgun.
A small pile of smoldering bones and a white crystal, which shone in the charred remains.
Spoooooky.

Said shining crystal was currently the subject of Alley's attention.

Now, Alley's had some fairly bad luck with magic crystals. The first one she encountered unlocked an addiction to it's power after touching it for less than a second.
The second one had nearly pushed her to turning her back on the Imperium and plunging head-first into a cult founded around the same evil magic crystals.
And she was thinking the same thing now as she had been when she'd fallen into the trap of that second crystal.

I have to be stronger than some silly little crystal.

Now, in all fairness, she was far stronger now than she was then, both mentally and physically.

And besides, the fox wasn't evil. Right? "I mean... The Emperor protects." She repeats herself. She stands, with a little effort and an unladylike grunt, and walks over to the smoldering remains, looking down at them.
"And Booky... I've never felt bad about seeing a xeno dead."

[Artemis97]

[Sanctuary Fortress]

"Have faith." Andromeda advises, slowly reaching for Jaricus' hand.

[Rebonack]

[Outside Trader's Trove]

The Emperor protects. And in somewhat unusual ways at times, too. He does work in mysterious ways after all.

The blackened bones are still smoking a bit. And by now most of the bits of meat that had been sheered away have ceased to boil. It's honestly hard to get much more dead than this. And considering that it just took a few rounds from the weapon to obliterate the little critter...

Well...

That really doesn't suggest something that's incredibly powerful. Highly unusual, maybe. But not powerful. Or at least not durable.

As Alley draws a little closer a faint whisper drifts up from the gem. A message, no doubt of incredible importance and ancient wisdom. Whispers of great cosmic secrets beyond the scope of mortal understanding. Secrets long since forgotten before the stars themselves began their dance!

Ooow....

...or maybe that just hurt a lot.