[Nexus] Those Forged by Flames 1: Fortunately Fireproof

[Aric Kale]

If you find yourself wandering the Cloudtop District in Skyside, you might come across a particular mansion. This building is five stories of fine architecture, in whatever style the reader decides makes the most sense. Supposing you find this mansion, you will notice the decal upon the darkly tinted double doors, a decal depicting a humanoid figure surrounded by an octagon of flame. At each tip, a different color makes itself known, ranging from the primary and secondary colors, with the addition of black and white. Should you knock on the door, it will be opened by one of the residents, or either of the Suli servants, Sue and Richter. If asked, they will inform you that this mansion is the Guild Hall of Those Forged by Flames, a place for pyromancers, fire mages, or any other creatures of flame.

This is not an Org/ACRO, and is not protected against teleports or super-powerful attacks. However, the entire place is fireproof, from the carpet to the paintings. Yes, everything.
Also, should you want to attack the mansion, feel free to ask me in PM, IIRC, or OOC, just not before then.
No Godmodding
Also, please Location Tags, based off of the areas which will be provided below.
Finally, please curtains to a minimum.
Thank you!

Guild Master: Thatcher Jsut (aric_kale)
Guild Members:

Ashna (Recaiden)
Iggy (LordDeathkeeper)
Thalia/Tempest (Arkhosia)

Should you have a PC you'd like to throw at our merry band of...assorted...people, just comment OOC, and/or just send them here. they'll have to demonstrate their flame, and Thatcher will offer them one of the Guild Tokens. These markers are about the size of a quarter, shaped like a teardrop, and utterly devoid of color until claimed. When claimed, the core of the crystal will contain a bit of their flame.

The sibling Suli servants, Sue and Richter, are basically just humans who are pretty and slightly supernatural due to genie blood. They have a tendency to be perfectly servile but still retain a look of pride. As an added bonus, they are fire resistant.
Djeserit also keeps the place tidy, though there's no reason for her to stay. The Janni (similar to a Djinn, conveniently immune to flames) wears a purple kimono, given to her by her old master, Zane Darkstar, and will obey any orders given to her, though her loyalties seem to lay mostly with Thatcher.
All NPCs are fully controllable by Those Forged (members).

The Living Room: Hosts a roaring fireplace, which burns with each of the individual member's flames, giving it a unique beauty. Seating includes several comfy arm chairs, and a sofa. There are books on the shelves, for the readers in the guild, and a coffee table in the center of the room.

Kitchen: Has everything one would expect in a kitchen, including a three-chamber sink and a walk-in refrigerator.

Rooms: For the members who choose to live at the mansion permanently, like Thatcher, or just need a place to spend the night.

Gardens: In the back, for those who desire fresh air and exotic plants, including, but not limited to, tulips.

Forge: Exactly what it sounds like. Located in the basement.

Dining Room: Boasts a long table, designed for at least twenty people. The center is decorated with same artwork seen on the door, and several Tokens are piled on top of it. Oddly enough, Thatcher tends to just eat in the living room.

Enjoy your stay!

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

Thatcher sits on the floor, looking at the blade resting on the coffee table. Honestly, he was stunned. Cerulean was not his favorite weapon...he didn't love longswords in general. However, the blade was expensive, what with all of the protective runes and spells set into the pommel, and it just so happened to be broken in half.
Damn. I suppose I should...I don't know. Perhaps it's time... He mutters to himself, frustrated. It was his fault really; he had been wandering around Inside's Red Zone looking for a quick thrill when the hallucinogenic plague struck. The pyromancer had managed to fight his way out, but his sword gave out near the end. Luckily, he recovered the pieces, but he was still swordless.

[Recaiden]

[Living Room]

"What happened to your sword?"
Ashna inquires, curious. Just recently she shifted into having always been here. She leans over the weapon, frowning at the runes and burnt-out spells; what could break it through that. :smallconfused:

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

Thatcher sighs, looking up at Ashna, I overheated it, so to speak. I got myself surrounded by pipe-wielding crazies in Inside. He picks up the handle and flips it around so that his fellow pyromancer could get a closer look. Anyways, the enchantments were meant for duels, not long, sustained fights. Also, it seemed there was a design flaw; the magic wards were always on, whether I was cutting a pipe, person, or fruit. So...it wore out, and got broken. Damn...I was just getting used to it.
I need to find that dagger...Wyrmfel, he called it. The Dragon's Bite. An apt name, all things considered.
Thatcher, you're rambling...
He motions with the handle, offering to let her hold it.

[Recaiden]

[Living Room]

Ashna picks up the blade and looks it over, before passing it back with a shake of her head. "You should look to getting yourself a real weapon. Something with a handle. Pipe-wielding crazies, you say? How'd that come about?"

The fire around her perks up, leaning towards Thatcher, turning black at its tips. Wyrmfel. It remembers that sound-name, but where...?

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

Thatcher eyes the dark flames reaching towards him. He knew what they wanted, but he wasn't ready! I was in the Red Zone of Inside, looking to blow off steam...and some hallucinogenic effect had struck almost everyone...wasn't in the air, because I didn't catch it.
And getting a new sword is the plan, Ashna. I want to use these shards, Thorinsgaet, he points at a short, single-edged blade on the mantel, and Wyrmfel to make one sword. One made over the forge of many flames. Something strong. He has several sketches, many resemble a xiphos, a cinquedea, or something different entirely. (http://www.stickpage.com/img/game_thumbs_wide/ghostfight.jpg) (color variable on the last one.)

[Recaiden]

[Living Room]

"Red Zone you...I need to...remember that I have all the time in the world to get back there."
Ashna sits down with a sigh, drawing the black flames back closer to her. And here she was about to rush off to travel back in time as quick as she could.
"I remember the plan. One of knows where Wyrmfel is. Or we did. I mean, one of us who's not me, if you follow." Her eyes flick over the sketches with a smile; she drew some of those, and it'll be good when they can finally make the blade a reality.

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

Skye? You know Skye? His player can't remember if we've established this already. He'd had his suspicions...but now. This was interesting. Of course! She'd have to know Skye. There's no other way for Ashna to have fearblaze.
He smiles, dismissing his whispered question. So, which of these designs to you think is the best, and where do you think we can find Aric? Haven't thought of him in awhile, apart from wall antagonizing...
He runs a hand through his hair, catching a few strands that had fallen onto his forehead and repositioning them.

[Recaiden]

[Living Room]

"Of course, even if-You know Skye?" Of course he knows Skye, she's suspected that's why the flames respond to him so, but hearing it confirmed is still a bit of a thrill.
She settles back in the chair, slightly embarrassed by that burst, and points out the entirely different sword. "That one is better. Broader and more structural integrity, if you're going to be trying to break it. I'm not sure, but I'd look for him in the Hunting Grounds or Skyside." :smalltongue:

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

Thatcher nods in response to her question, smiling slightly. This explained much, though it added the question of how Ashna got the dark flame. That would have to be answered. As she states the strengths of the unique weapon. I must agree. Though I won't be trying to break this one. What ever shall it be named, I wonder.
Skyside? Surely I would've heard of him, unless he's remaining low key. Haven't been to the Hunting Grounds yet...that could prove fortuitous.
The blue parts of the sword in question would be the colors of each flame in the guild fireplace, since the Forge has the same collection. It's a very pretty effect.

[Recaiden]

[Living Room]

"We'll have to see once it's made, the sort of names that fit it." She pictures it, burning with all the flames they can gather. Would be a sight to see. Ashna shrugs. "I really know very little about him. He could be anywhere. Anyway, I think I'm going to go check on Inside as this thing starts, and then I'll search the past for him."
After waiting to hear a response, her scarf flashes, and Ashna is gone.

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

That makes the most sense. He agrees. You can't properly name a sword until you've met it. Honestly, I don't know much of him either, apart from what he looks like. He shrugs, before realizing what Ashna just said. You time travel? I'd like to hear more on that when you return. That's quite the ability...
After she leaves, he'll go to his own room and look up Aric Kale on the Yellow Pages.

[Recaiden]

[Living Room]

A trail of rainbow light appears, racing about before the doorway before solidifying into a person. Ashna has returned, clearly more at ease, without her weapons and in a different outfit, a striped dress with no clothes.
"No luck. So far as I can see, he's in a sliver of time that I can't access because I used it saving my friends."
Time travel lesson 1. Retconjuration yes, but no do-overs.

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

Thatcher leaves his room with a laptop and a charger wrapped around his arm, only to find rainbow time magic stuff. He blinks a few times before realizing that it's only Ashna and not a Gallifreyan or an invader. That is unfortunate. Ah well, I found out that he's a member of MERC, back from when it was NO, and he took on a contract that has held him up for almost as long as he's been a member. When he gets back, the man will be tired. Then we can strike. The difficult part will be getting the dagger of dark flame, without being skewered or coming into contact with the black fire.

[Recaiden]

[Living Room]

"So long as we don't catch him when he's around many other members of MERC." Ashna smirks. If he's relying on the flames of that sword, Aric will be in for quite a surprise.
"Well done in finding him. So, that's the main way my travel works. There can't be two copies of me in any moment of time, although I can null my 'past' actions, past from my perspective, anyway, by leaving a message for myself. I didn't always believe me though." :smallsigh:

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

That would be preferable, yes. While I feel like we could beat them, I don't want to be enemies with an ACRO just yet. Who knows what Aric can do? He survived Zane once in an unfair fight. He's stronger now, not that either of them could know that.
Thank you, I learned how to search the MagNet under my former commander. Though I'd prefer not to speak of him.
That makes sense, timestreams and all. Handy too. Well, you can't have everything. He states. It's true. You can't.

[TechnoScrabble]

Fifth Floor

Something can be seen through one of the windows, flying at breakneck speeds and leaving a trail of smoke behind it. It's a bird! It's a plane! It's headed right this way!

yyyYYYYYYYYEEEEOOOOWWWWW-CRASH!

Something shatters through one of the skylights, tearing up the room as it tumbles in and slamming through a wall before stopping! Smoke mixes in with the dust kicked up everywhere, and lightning arcs through the cloud of ionized ash and splinters. A metal figure a bit taller than a man rises from the wreckage, coated in flaking purple paint, hanging ropes of seaweed, and copious amounts of sluicing saltwater dripping from every crack. Four arms sprout from its sides, one gripping a car door painted red like a shield, another gripping a trident arcing with electricity, and the lower two gripping a battered assault rifle of soviet origin. The head has been replaced with a small cluster of missiles, complete with a laser targeter.

The figure shakes itself clean of dust and drywall and a metallic shout explodes from within, "SURRENDER YOUR GOODS, CAPITALIST PIGS, FOR NOW BEGINS THE AGE OF L.E.S.S.!"

[Aric Kale]

Living Room - First Floor

If Thatcher didn't hear the crash, he certainly heard the ear-shattering shouts way up at the top story of his Guild Hall. Dammit, knew this would happen... He mutters, forgetting he left his gun in his haste. Its up in the second story bedrooms, but he'll have to notice it's not at his side, first...
It'll take him a round or two to each L.E.S.S.

[TechnoScrabble]

Fifth Floor

L.E.S.S. stands there for a moment, waiting, until he realizes nobody is coming to surrender their goods to his glorious communist might.

With an annoyed grunt, he starts off towards the stairs. His car door shield scrapes against the wall, blocking his passage, and it takes a few slams, readjustments, and holes in the wall for him to angle the shield to make his way down. It's time to test 'his' new invention, the LOOT-EEZ Portomatic. Hopefully it will teleport the loot he finds to his base...instead of vaporising it like it did the last place. He zaps anything valuable or important looking on his way down the stairs, hoping it sends it safely away.

[Deathkeeper]

Fifth Floor

Iggy yawns himself awake as he's fairly sure someone's attacking his home. Again. Confound it all, Akenaten had less security problems with guards mostly wielding big sticks than most of Skyside.
He flutters over, bored-ly examining the intruder but likely piping up before and loots are zapped.
"Howdy neighbor. I don't remember letting you in and you definitely didn't come in through the front door invited, so if you don't mind get the heck out before I give you the perfect camouflage to hide in our fireplace."

[Aric Kale]

Second Floor - Moving up in the World

Thatcher dashes up as fast as he can, his feet pounding on the stairs as he hears the zap of some weapon. This place was not cheap!

Third Floor - This is the one with the Treasure Chest, Right?

Ok, he's kinda out of breath now. Surely whatever's invading can meet him halfway. That sounds reasonable enough.

[TechnoScrabble]

Third Floor

L.E.S.S. turns to Iggy, the laser pointer hastily duct taped to the rockets homing in on the phoenix, and stands there a second, confused.

An arm releases its grip on the assault rifle and levels itself at Iggy, and the attached pressure washer releases a torrent of high pressure sea water!

About the same time, Thatcher arrives, and the trident and assault rifle are pointed at him!

"SURRENDER YOUR GOODS, CAPITALIST SURFACE SCUM!"

[Deathkeeper]

Fifth Floor, Third Floor, Every Darn Floor

Iggy spins away from the attack, probably violating a few laws of physics as the water hits nothing but the sparks released by his feathers.
"The dry cleaning tab is comin' out of your wallet, pal. Now I'm not sure you heard me. Get lost." he says forcefully, flapping his wings once, causing a ribbon of flame to launch itself at its weapon, which would likely cause some problems if it went off while at that temperature.

[Aric Kale]

Third Floor - Who needs the Fourth Floor?

Thatcher straightens up, breathing deeply as he reaches towards his hips...and grasps...a lot of air. The pyromancer growls and throws five, ping-pong sized fireballs, all aimed for his rifle. It was kinda threatening...
Iggy, let's light 'em up! He shouts as his blood runs hot. He starts preparing more fireballs, which will be ready next turn.

[Recaiden]

[Third Floor]

A flash of light appears behind LESS as another member starts opening a gate from the future. Red, orange, yellow, green...the colors shift quickly, but not too quickly for a reaction before it fully opens after violet.

[TechnoScrabble]

Third Floor

The rifle heats up until it is glowing red beneath the burning assault, and begins to cook off rounds!

BLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM!

Eight rounds manage to get out before the cycling action jams and the remaining bullets in the magazine explode and spray wildly, the gun ripping into so many splinters and chunks of metal to embed themselves in the walls, the car door, and anyone unfortunate!

The pressure washer arm rises to sweep the hallway with seat water, attempting to push back the fiery fighters as L.E.S.S. shouts angry, incoherent Russian, trying to charge down the stairs past them!

[Deathkeeper]

Third Floor?

Iggy scoffs at the feeble attempt at an attack. I mean, sure, he's no fighter but it takes a little more than an exploding gun he saw coming and a gush of water. He sparks his way out of the water's path again, and flaps his wings, causing a wall of thick crimson flames to materialize in front of the stairs.
The phoenix just cackles, enjoying this.

[Aric Kale]

Third Floor

Zane launches the dual discs of white flame, flattening them at the last minute as he himself goes prone, barely evading the raging bullets. With a roar, Thatcher releases a torrent of fire from his fingertips, still laying on the ground. LESS is more likely to escape the way he came. Up. Don't you DARE try to harm Those Forged by Flames!

[Recaiden]

[Third Floor]

-blue-indigo isn't really part of the rainbow-violet-ultraviolet-Ashna synchronizes with the intruder's timeline and steps out into the hallway behind LESS, some sort of vaguely high-tech gun-like thing in her hands. Oh, and there's a little green targeting laser being pointed at the ...thing barelling down the stairs.

[TechnoScrabble]

Third Floor

'Tis easier to charge through fire than lead! L.E.S.S. charges past Iggy and Thatcher, car door held up like a battering ram, steam rising from the joints of the armour and seaweed blackening and curling as the internal temperature rises.

"THE FLAMES OF YOUR AGRESSION WILL BE DOUSED!"

[Hattish Thing]

Materializing

Oh lookie. A thingly kind of stuff there, Fun.

As the chaotic combat continued to create a cacophonous clatter, outside a bizarre spacial anomaly begins to form. It begins as a small ball of rainbow colored light, floating about through the air. A strange voice can be heard coming from it. The ball appears to be speaking. It's voice is quite strange... High and crackling, yet somehow echoing at the same time. Oooooo. We likey so far, Welbmitden! Just look at the place! It's all frabjuloious and bright. Welbmidten, my things! Grab them! :smallconfused:

Suddenly, two hands reach out of the ball, grabbing the sides of the thing and spreading it wide, like someone trying to open a clam. However, instead of a head popping out, there's a foot! A great big foot. The foot wiggles it's toes for a while as the thing speaks again. Oooh. It's easy and breeeezy. Like a Jelly Hopper. I don't like Jelly Hoppers. REMOVE IT AT ONCE. Oh, wait. It's gone. It's just wind. Just wind... Wind. The thing laughs strangely before the foot is revealed to be attached to a very thin and long leg. The leg touches down upon the ground, and what quickly follows is another leg.

The anomaly vanishes, leaving what seems to be two legs clad in rich purple silk to stand upon the ground. Not connected or anything. Just standing there in the wind. A voice seems to come from the foot of the right leg. It's quite muffled, seeing as the foot's on the ground. Oh Fiddlesticks. I forgot my me. Where is me. Why is it gone. I want my myself. I've stolen myself, and I want me back!

Welbmidten! MY ME! DROP IT OFF. I FORGOT. Suddenly, a large portal appears midair. The combatants at the third floor might be able to look out a nearby window and notice a torso, two arms, and a head clad in fine purple, green, and yellow clothing fall from the air onto the ground. :smalleek:

As the body parts fall from the air, the voice can now be heard from the head! As the parts crash down, a quite loud complaint is uttered from it's lips. Oh! Gah! That hurts! Bruising isn't very fitting at all! Ick! The body parts begin to float through the air and fit together, forming one individual. The torso and arms connect quickly, before dragging themselves onto the leg! However, during this process, the head appears to have rolled down the hill area. And so, the headless creature rushes over to chase after it's head! Oh! We've lost it! We've lost our head! After all this time it's truly gone! Oh look at me go! It's like when we play Severed HeadBall with Gruumsh. Except we're the ball!

As the body rushes over, it stumbles about a few times. Eventually, the head is found lying against a rock next to what appears to be a half-eaten and thrown away breadstick of some sort. The body moves over to pick up it's missing head, only to have the head angrily retort. Hagh?! Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of mind! The head is ignored, and quickly placed atop the neck. The fully completed individual now moves back over to the front door of Those Forged by The Flame, only to realize he's missing his hat! OH! Oh deary my toppinses! Where is he! The orange ball appears one final time and spits out a large brightly colored tophat. The hat gently floats down and lands upon the figures head! Ahh. Excellent. Nice and complete now. I feel whole again! SPENDIFLORIOUS. Now, what's this.


The figure will now move to knock upon the doorway quite loudly. However, each time he knocks, a bizarre noise is formed instead of a knock! The first time it's a duck's quack... Then a trumpet... Then some strange squishy noise. :smallconfused: Hallooooo!? Yeeesss! HALLOOOO. We're here now so open up yes?

[Deathkeeper]

Third Floor

Iggy gives an irritable squawk, flapping a few times to sharpy increase in speed, making a bit of an aerial maneuver to land on top of the raised "shield."
"You're none too bright, huh?" he says. Opening his beak, the 'villain' will have to act fast before it unleashes a blast of flame point-blank into his face.

[Aric Kale]

Third Floor

Thatcher is forced to roll aside, cutting of the flow of fire as he barely avoids being run over. He swiftly rises to one knee, concentrating five flames on his fingertips into a ball floating in the palm of his hand. Leaving so soon? How rude! We were just lighting the fires of...camaraderie. Punpunpun, cuz Comrades.

[Recaiden]

Clearly we'll have to add some lead to the situation.

Sadly the woman at the top of the hallway has none of that metal available. Only lightning. Zap, zap.
"No capitalism here. What a shock, but you've found the wrong place."

[TechnoScrabble]

Third Floor

"FASCISTS, THEN," L.E.S.S. roars, bringing up the car door to block the torrent of flames, "WHATEVER! HONESTLY, THAT'S EVEN WORSE!"

The lightning strikes the suit and arcs and sparks up and down in, little crackles and fizzits between waterlogged plates of metal filling the air with even more steam as the heavy suit crashes into the wall down where the stairs switch back, embedding itself partially in the constrution of the building.

"FREE ME FROM YOUR TRAP OF CORRUPT AND INJUST BUSINESS BASED GOVERNMENT!"

[Deathkeeper]

Third Floor

Iggy cackles for a moment before turning away. He'd burn this idiot to ash, but chances are that'd only increase its chances of coming back as something decent.
"Not it." is his simple response.

[Aric Kale]

Third Floor - Moving Down

Would you stop wrecking my house for just one minute? He asks with frustration as he releases his Five Star Firestrike at the raving snail, the small points of flame each nearing the intensity of a laser. L.E.S.S.' chassis could take a decent amount of damage if these hit. He should look into running away faster.

[Recaiden]

"Yeah, I think we can free you from something."
Orange flames race down the stairs, and the lightning gun starts to spin, charging up again.

"Prepare to receive a fair day's wages." Ashna pulls the trigger again, hoping to toast the snail before it can get up from the landing.

[miz redavni]

Living room- Fireplace

A torrent of fire erupts from the fireplace and a large boom can be heard throughout the house as what appears to be a girl around 26 years old shoots from it and collides with the wall opposite of said fireplace.

S*** THAT HURT!

She sits up from here the explosive left her, leaving a decent sized crater in the wall.

Wait..... WHERE AM I?!

Let's see, last thing I remember is helping Beleren put down that dragon in the ruins..... BELEREN! I SWEAR I will kill him next time I see him!

Obviously his mind-magic is why she can't remember anything. She's come up against it once already.

He must have messed with my memory again

Her eyes begin to glow red, her hair become a pillar of flames, and fire begins to crackle from her fingers.

Something is off but I can't put my finger on it she hissed to herself while standing up. Slowly she starts to notice that with the explosion and her magic, nothing is on fire. The red in her eyes start to die down and her hair settles.

What the....? Fire begins to form in her hands which she then attempts to spray over the walls with much dismay.


ooc

I really wanted to join this but wasn't sure how to. I read the OP very carefully. I decided to take it's advice and just have my character enter o.o

If I'm doing anything wrong or the GM needs to talk to me, feel free to send me a PM ^.^

[Aric Kale]

Living Room - Separate Timeline from Current Fight

Thatcher jumps up from his comfy armchair at the, well, everything...shouts, craters, and people trying to light your house on fire will startle a man. You're in a guild of flamemasters, be it wizards, elementals, beasts, or pyromancers, now stop trying to singe the rug; it won't work. He stands up slowly, walking around the coffee table where shards of a broken longsword lay, and offers a hand to shake. I'm Thatcher Jsut, founder of Those Forged by Flames. It could be fate that you dropped into the Nexus at my home.
Thatcher is an average-sized man, looking to be about six feet tall. He has a revolver at his left side, and an empty scabbard just above it, where the broken blade would seem to fit. As for his clothing, he has a lot of white, as in, he could blend in with a cloud...the only thing breaking the singularity in color is a crest of a blue mountain spewing, you guessed it, white magma.

[TechnoScrabble]

Third Floor

The heat makes the metal of the suit glow and expand and make funny noises, and a torrent of steam explodes from an immobilized joint with a horrendous scream! L.R.S.S. struggles to free himself from the wall before his impending doom, sweating as only a snail can sweat (entirely metaphorically) in the confines of his protected chamber, and he starts hitting every switch and control he has! Something crackles and zzort!s as the control for the Loot-EEZ is hit, and the suit glows and wobbles before finally snapping out of existence, no longer a trouble for Those Forged By Flames.

That hole in the wall might still be an issue though. Property value plummeting and all that.

[miz redavni]

Living Room

She looks at the man in-front of her, confused and yet impressed. She hasn't seen magic like this before. Could be useful.

This is a very interesting place you have here. Did you do the magic protecting it? If so I'd like to learn it. Could come in handy if applied correctly. Oh yes, my names Chandra.

Sorry about the hole. Chandra brushed off a bit of dirt off her her tunic, which in the end did nothing.

By the time her hair and eyes fully settled, you could truly make out her form. She wore a tattered and dirty redish leather tunic fashioned as a robe as well as worn steel body armor thrown around her randomly. She had long fiery hair and eyes of the same nature. If you where to stare into her eyes long enough you could see and feel the magical energy dance inside, waiting for release. She stood no more then 5 feet 6 inches but could make a man 7 feet plus feel small.

By looking at her, you could see she had just been in a REAL battle, one where the loser does not walk away and the winner is no better off. She was covered in dirt, sweat, and blood. Which not all of was hers.

She waited for her eyes and hair to settle before giving this Thatcher a warm smile that pleaded for compliance.

[Aric Kale]

)(Don't forget location tags :smallsmile:)(

Living Room

I had a hand in the design, but nothing more. It is not my magic signature behind the magic in this mansion, Chandra. Tell me, where are you from? Do you require food, healing, a bath, perhaps? Make yourself at home, consider joining the guild. There are no responsibilities to be one of the Forged, only the luxuries I can afford to give you. This is a place if camaraderie. He speaks with ease, comfortable in his own home and sure the newcomer didn't mean harm, despite her rather...unorthodox intro. The wall can be fixed easily enough, so don't let it bother you. You've clearly gone through quite the ordeal. At the snap of his fingers, the female house servant enters the room, ready to guide Chandra where she may wish to go.

[miz redavni]

Living Room

Well, Last I remember... I was on Zendikar. Fighting a Dragon with a mind-mage. Her eyes crackle red hot fire but only for a second. Then, it all went black and I woke up being flung against that wall.

Chandra put one of her hands against her back and cracked it back in place. My wounds will heal enough in time. But a bath sounds wonderful. As for staying, whatever I was doing is obviously done with and I can't for the life of my remember.

Chandra looked around for a moment. If this place is fireproof, it could have other useful trickery and spells she could use. Sure, I guess I could use this place as a rest stop for alittle while.

She turned to the newly appeared maid as if asking to be led. So, I guess Board would be first, then if you could lead me to the bath.

[Aric Kale]

The Living Room

Thatcher resumes his sitting position back in his armchair, after selecting a book on swordcraft, and nods to the two women. Sounds like you have a plan then. Very well, Sue is well suited to take care of you. Run along then. He smirks, leaving Chandra in Sue's capable hands.

[miz redavni]

Living Room

Eh, I guess I'll hear about membership first. Chandra sits on the most comfortable chair she can find in the living room.

[Recaiden]

Sue shakes her head.
"Glad to see you can appreciate water more than, um, some of our members."
She darts up the (recently repaired) staircase to start running water, and shortly comes back down.
"Membership is open to anyone with fire-related powers. There's a little token of membership that Thatcher can provide you with. Then we only ask that you work together with the other members when necessary."

[Aric Kale]

Living Room

Thatcher sets his book aside, slipping in a bookmark (because what barbarian would dog tag a book? :smalltongue:). Sue pretty much summed it up, but I can talk until your bath is ready. He glances at the servant, suddenly raising an eyebrow. I sure hope that water comment wasn't directed at me...the pyromancer chuckles. regardless, you take one of these tokens and pour your flame into it. The medallion will absorb a small amount of it, and it will show that you are one of Those Forged by Flames. He slips out a quarter-sized, teardrop shaped pendant off of a chain and show her, the glassy material holding a pure white flame, burning steadily.
Thatcher leaves without explanation, only to return with a similar token as his own. This device is utterly devoid of any color, waiting to take in its fire...

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Thatcher is sitting in the forge that he has fashioned in the basement of the mansion.
Fun fact: the rainbow of fire in the living room is actually supplied down here.
Anyways, Richter (the Suli manservant) joins him, presenting a cool glass of lemonade. The blue-haired pyromancer accepts it gratefully, for even if the heat of the fire didn't bother him, working the bellows and hammering weapons into shape certainly did.

At the Suli's questioning glance, Thatcher waves his arm at the variety of swords around him. Oh, these are practice...I want to actually be a master smith when I have the supplies for the Guildblade. What you see now is just a motley array of vaguely useful hammered steel. He shrugs, wiping sweat from his brow. The master of the house once more thanks Richter for the drink before handing the empty glass back to him.
With a bow, the man exits the room, leaving the pyromancer of white flame alone once more

)(reminder that guild members can feel free to post here.)(

[Recaiden]

[Street Outside]

A figure walks by. Waves of heat flow out form the crimson robe, and little scorch marks fall where they step.

This isn't usual, but they've been doubting. And the flames have been there, prying at the cracks.
This is a place for, well, it's in the title. Those of them who have been changed by the fires.

But no. The fire that has burnt this traveler is already here. And more importantly, so is something this one needs to protect. It should be a shelter, but this place would be in danger by this one's presence. They walk on.


[The Forge]

Ashna materializes in a wave of light, a sheaf of rolled papers in her hands, and a sack of hammered iron slung over a shoulder.
"Look at these. Plans and practice efforts you have yet to make. I think they might help."

[Aric Kale]

Outside the Mansion

If the Crimson stranger chooses to approach the door, then she will be greeted by either Djeserit or one of the Suli servants.

The Forge

Thatcher nods to her gratefully, catching his breath while sipping lemonade. After a moment or two, he'll set his glass down and walk over to appraise the materials Ashna has brought.

[Recaiden]

[Outside the Mansion]

They do not choose so. Not yet.

[The Forge]

They should look like, mostly, better versions of the items he's been making.
A few notes on temperatures and angles when combining things so as to preserve their qualities, written in handwriting very like Thatcher's

"I think we'll have a new member soon."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Well, that shouldn't be too difficult, as Thatcher is no master craftsman just yet. Perhaps these notes could be useful.
He does puzzle a bit at the similarity of the handwriting, even going so far as to question their source. If you don't mind me asking, where did you come by these?
A new member certainly excites him, but the guild leader will wait for an answer to his first question before asking who this new addition may be.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"You're going to give them to me, after you make them. Or maybe just hand them back once you're done studying."
Ashna toys with the ends of her scarf. Probably really warm, but luckily her pyromantic powers come with not being bothered by heat.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

I made these? In that case, they're surprisingly well done...I'll get straight to work. Oh, one more thing...who do you think will be joining our ranks?
He starts setting up the forge again; stoking the flames, choosing materials, grabbing his hammer. Time to make more blades.

The nice thing about this craft is that he can always melt down the old swords and reuse the ore.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

Ashna shrugs.
"You'll do good work. As for the new member, I'm not sure. Just saw more flames on the log a week or so from now."

She could have gone to look, but it just didn't seem like the best idea.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

That's fascinating...do you happen to remember the color?

He asks, his excitement growing as he hurriedly begins working on a new set of blades.
Jsut has obviously been focused on double-edged swords and daggers, though some of the new designs showcase clever, sleek, and deadly single-edged designs.

Did you see The power outage threat on the Wall?

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"It was very dark. Almost black."

Ashna takes up her own set of tools and some metal. Been a long time since she's gotten to do any forge work. Not that there was much stopping her.

Start with some nails, maybe move on to a horseshoe.

"I saw the threat. Probably more crazies but if it is something, well, this street will light up the town."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

A bead of cold sweat runs down the back of Thatcher's neck. Dark, you say. Not unlike your own, I suppose?

He continues hammering out the shape of a new blade. The notes prove useful indeed, as this weapon looks like it could at least be brought into combat.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

Ashna shakes her head as she hammers the nails into their little square shapes.

"Darker. Not quite as black as pure fearblaze, but close to that."

But close.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

The last person I know of with pure fearblaze disappeared into an organization known only as KINDER...

He looks at the weapon he has made, admiring the style (http://pinoy-culture.com/blog/dahong-palay-traditional-weapons-from-the/). It's rougher than the picture...but that's the end goal.

What do you think? Thatcher asks, offering Ashna the weapon.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

On to octagons, decexagons, and then cone tips. Just as the nails should be.

"Maybe they've left. Or it's someone in my fire."

She looks over the blade, frowns, shakes her head.
"A weed cutter. The guildblade should be better than that. You can't put as much swing behind this, and the angle for stabbing stretches the wrist. Quick, but that's about all I'd recommend it for."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Thatcher nods distractedly, Possibly...

He looks at the weapon again, frowning...
I suppose you're right. What would you suggest?

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

Ashna starts beating another nail into shape.
"Well, you know I'm partial to hammers and axes myself. But since we're making a blade, here, it should be versatile. Two edges and a point, with a long handle. Handle? Hilt? Grip? Light enough to swing in one hand, though. Straight. At most wavy."
"I guess it could be curved, as long as we make use of the outer edge too. That would complicate the grip.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Thatcher starts flipping through the papers Ashna brought, pointing out a simple, but deadly looking weapon.
Thoughts on this one? (http://www.cultofathena.com/product.asp?item=BKS205B&name=BKS+Leaf+Blade+Longsword+)
For all his dramatic flair, the pyromancer seems to keep his blades simple, easy to the eye, and effective...

I would likely make the blade wider all down the length, and extend the handle.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

Ashna nods appreciatively.
"That will be fitting."

Practice on nails done, she starts heating a much larger, longer piece.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Thatcher glances over at a table nearby the anvil. On its surface rests Thorinsgaet and the recovered scraps of Cerulean...

We're still missing one piece...
We need Aric, or rather, his dagger. Without it, the sword is almost useless.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

Begins hammering at it, widening one end.

"Be sure that once we find it, you're ready."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

I've dropped some hints where Aric will find them. He should be here within the week...if all goes according to plan. In the meantime, I'll be making and remaking this blade until I can craft it left-handed with my eyes closed.

He stokes the flames, sweat pouring off of him as he hammers the iron into shape.

Thatcher would be ready when the time comes...

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"Heh. At least we'll have no shortage of swords."
Ashna continues work on the new hammer. No fire magic, nothing fancy. Just a solid tool.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

That is true, Thatcher chuckles, which will be useful if we need to supply Groundtown with shoddy swords for a revolt against the gangs below.

He clearly isn't trying to improve his speed...the smith-to-be takes steady, even strokes, more concerned about the quality, rather than the quantity of swords.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"You getting some revolutionary ideas?"
The smith-that-was is a bit quicker, but that's from having moved faster before, and the memory of the action still there.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

I'm not planning on leading anything...but if there's a war, I'll definitely pick whoever looks to be winning.

I wouldn't be surprised of those below us decide to overthrow the government, for lack of a better term.

The myriad of different flames flicker in the forge as Thatcher pounds out more swords. His progress isn't exceptional, but one look at his older work and you can tell he's improved.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"Install a government, you mean? Hah."

Ashna shakes her head and resumes shaping the hammer.

"Groundtown can't even organize itself, much less try to get Skyside to accept its rule. Hey. You're getting better at this. Quick learner."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

That is certainly a more accurate term...Groundtown is nothing but a mess.

And thank you, I hope to be able to make a blade worthy of Those Forged by Flames.

He admires the edge on his latest piece of handiwork. It could do well, but it did not have the materials to be great.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"It's shaping up. Say, ah...how do you feel about the living dead?"

Ashna's none too fond of them herself, but they keep turning up in the future, and, well, a deal is a deal.

The head of the hammer is starting to take it's shape. I'm not sure they're usually made all of one piece, but I trust Ashna knows what she's doing.

"Maybe I will look to some enchantment for this, actually."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Eh, hammers are tools, not often fit as weapons...

As for the living dead, I don't mind them, but I wouldn't want to be one.

Now, I'm not looking to get killed. It's not fun, I know. But when I finally bite the dust, I want to stay there.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

Tool hammers and weapon hammers are quite different. More elegant than swords too. Straightforward.

"Agreed with you there. It's no good to get back up after that."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Straightforward. That's one word for it.

Have you died yet, Ashna?

[Hattish Thing]

The Forge

As the pair continue to have their conversation, the answer to Thatcher's uncomfortable question may never be known, for suddenly a terrible sound is heard. It's loud, nearly deafening. As soon as the great burst finally fades away, and the ringing of your ears begins, all light goes out in the city. There's an incredible silence as an entire city takes in what just occurred. The streets are covered in glass from broken windows, and the only light shining down upon the city would be that of the crescent moon. It's certainly spooky. A few minutes will pass, giving the pair some time to react before something can be heard. It's... the sound of a car when it turns around a corner harshly, that rubbery sound. It's fairly far away though. I wonder what that could mean?

((Aric_Kale has given me permission to include this plot here.))

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"Yes, I-"

No time to elaborate, for the threat has been carried out. Funny how time flies when you're working in here.

There is still the light of the forge, and the light of Ashna's flames, who are dancing happily around the workshop now that they are so much of the light.
And the fyrjewls, and the log of many flames, and, well, the place is full of pryomancers; there are flames everywhere. I'm sure they've put up an ever-burning flame outside the door. No shortage of light.

Ashna takes her hands off her ears, sets the finished hammer aside, and smiles. If she still had her gun, it wouldn't be working. But that's not the case. She throws on her scarves, sets her helmet on her head, and heads up the stairs.
"Gonna check what's coming. Be right back."

There is a flash of all colors separately, and Ashna is all of a sudden out of breath.

"City destroyed by the Empire. And before that, this place is demolished by, you remember the snail guy? He's bringing friends. I'll be in and out in case I need to revise the past. Don't worry; I'll be there when you need me."
Another flash, gone.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

By the Light of the Fire...they actually did it...

Then Ashna is off!

Damn it...

And she's back, leaving him no time to reply. Gah!

Thatcher runs upstairs, taking one of the practice swords with him. As he enters the Main Room, the Pyromancer retrieves his revolver from a coffee table and hold it in his left hand.

He would not be opening the door to any challengers, but if any should be foolhardy enough to come barging in, they would be met with fire and steel.

For now, he waits, charging his gun with a blindingly white flame.

Just Outside

Aric had finally put it together! Zane Darkstar must be here, and if he wasn't, the guildmaster would know where he was. Thatcher Jsut...what an odd na-(aforementioned loud sound)

Damn! By King Eliam...what was that?
He had fallen to his knees, but quickly rights himself, his spear blade glowing in the light of the many fires showing through the Mansion's windows.

Kale had heard about this on the Wall, but hadn't expected anything to come of it. Now he was in some danger, best not try to enter the Guild Hall just yet, they may not be accepting visitors at this dark hour.

For those of whom have forgotten, Aric Kale is a tall, athletically built man with a spear, shield and dagger (I'll explain their abilities upon request). His hair flows down to his shoulders in wavy locks, and his beard grows thick, but due to his quest to claim Honor, his hair is now stark white.

Said Object is a gauntlet on left hand, covered by his shield. Being an Object, it is nigh indestructible, and its unique ability grants him the power to give complete mental invulnerability to those around him, but it offers him no such protection.

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

A few minutes after the unpleasant boom, the sound of screeching tire upon street becomes louder, until the source makes itself quite obvious. Two trucks have arrived on scene, unmarked. They're a little while away, and their tinted windows show nothing. The large trucks have two doors in the back, both of which are closed, but currently facing the mansion. How bizzare, and certainly threatening. Who were these people? Before anything can really be acted upon, however, there's an odd shimmering in the air. A figure seems to be flying through the air, his hands held over eachother across the wrist, his head facing upwards to gaze at the stars. The form is thin, extremely so, and clad in what seems to be completely mirrored armor, the suit skintight. His arms end in gauntlet's that seem much larger than the rest of him, hinting at the fact that the challenger is clad in some sort of matching set composed of power gloves, just as mirrored as his armor. A hood is drawn over the mask, it's cloak dark grey. The material shimmers, sometimes looking more liquid than solid, but reflective like a metal. He begins to slowly drop downwards, to where he's only hovering about five feet beyond the trucks, but a great deal closer to the mansion than said vehicles. Finally, he looks down towards the mansion and speaks, his voice distorted through the mask. "Now, Comrade." With that sentence, as the starlight reflects off his alien cloak, tiny shards of glass, which had shattered around the area during the explosion, begin to slowly shake and float upwards, into the air.


((Posting Order!))

Recaiden
Aric_Kale
Hatter
Technoscrabble <--- Your turn now!

[TechnoScrabble]

Outside

The second truck explodes open, the doors on the back flying off towards the mansion. Through the smoke, a red beam shines, passing back and forth, and out steps a familiar figure.

Comrade LESS rises from a stoop as he exits the vehicle, his new red and gold armour sleek and gleaming as he scans the area. His upper arms wield an oversized hammer and sickle acitinic lightning arcing between them, and his lower arms bear a chaingun and his shield.

"It is time to visit our vengeance, comrades!"

[Aric Kale]

Outside

Ho there! I have business with the people inside; if you plan their destruction, then you will have to walk over my lifeless corpse.
Aric hefts his shield, covering his torso and the greater part of his midsection. In his right hand, his murynstil spear shines like a beacon. If any energy or magical energy strikes his shield, it will bounce back at them.
If Kale manages to intercept it with his spear, then he can fire it back in a more concentrated burst.
I must warn you, I have proven difficult to kill.

Aric of House Kale has one ability of his own, granted to him by Steve, god of the labyrinth. The knight rapidly regenerates from physical damage, so he can take a fair bit of hurt.

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

As soon as LESS exits the back of the truck, the other vehicle's doors crash open loudly and reveal a large looking machine gun, racks of bullet clips all over the van. The same gun can be seen in the vehicle LESS exited, and both are now being prepped up and prepared. LESS goes rushing forward, hammer and sickle flailing wildly as he seeks a target. The Gray gazes upwards at the sky once more and ascends further, out of the van's gunfire range. He then wills for the many shards of jagged glass to float around him, revolving around and gaining speed. The form speaks, his voice echoing through a voice modulation caused by the mask. "Lifeless or not, you have no choice whether or not we're getting inside." With that, the figure stops speaking and brings his fist backwards behind him, preparing to strike the air. As he does so, the cloud of glass forms a fist in the air, jagged edges revolving even as the fist forms. He brings it down now, and the glass fist, easily as tall as the man, comes rocketing towards Aric. The small shards will act like a meat shredder, aiming to cut and slice at all exposed skin. At that same moment, the machine guns in the back of the van finally go off, two men operating each one. The machine guns are aimed at the mansion, and will rocket through doors and windows, attempting to batter the structure and kill those inside.

[TechnoScrabble]

L.E.S.S. bellows mangled Communist propaganda like an inverted Liberty Prime as he charges forward, chaingun sweeping side to side to clear a path in front of the rushing onslaught of metal! Lightning arcs between his pneumatic hammer and mono-sickle as he attempts to rush past Aric and into the front door!

[Aric Kale]

Outside

Aric's mighty shield is pelted with glass and bullets, and parts of his lower legs are shredded, making it difficult to keep his balance. The force of L.E.S.S.' charge is enough to knock Aric over, but the lightning will simply rebound and wrap itself around the mecha-slug.

Grah! Damn it... The knight groans as his legs heal themselves, allowing him a moment to continue turtling behind his shield, though now he will make his way toward The Gray...

Main Room/Mansion

Hundreds of thousands of bullets come racing through the air, aimed in a wide spray to destroy the five story building and all that it stands for.

There's a three second pause in which all of the bullets are caught in an invisible field...waiting...waiting...then a sound RUSH as they are flung back in a roar of fire! Djserit, Zane Darkstar's (similar to a djinn) slave has provided one line of defense. Who knows if it will work again?

Thatcher is still charging his gun, the barrel of the reconstructed revolver is blindingly white. It is so intense that Thatcher himself must look away and keep his eyes closed. The master pyromancer is sweating.

This will be one hell of a shot.

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

Aric's mighty shield is pelted with glass and bullets, and parts of his lower legs are shredded, making it difficult to keep his balance. The force of L.E.S.S.' charge is enough to knock Aric over, but the lightning will simply rebound and wrap itself around the mecha-slug.

Grah! Damn it... The knight groans as his legs heal themselves, allowing him a moment to continue turtling behind his shield, though now he will make his way toward The Gray...

Main Room/Mansion

Hundreds of thousands of bullets come racing through the air, aimed in a wide spray to destroy the five story building and all that it stands for.

There's a three second pause in which all of the bullets are caught in an invisible field...waiting...waiting...then a sound RUSH as they are flung back in a roar of fire! Djserit, Zane Darkstar's (similar to a djinn) slave has provided one line of defense. Who knows if it will work again?

Thatcher is still charging his gun, the barrel of the reconstructed revolver is blindingly white. It is so intense that Thatcher himself must look away and keep his eyes closed. The master pyromancer is sweating.

This will be one hell of a shot.

As the torrential pour of bullets rocket into the mansion, windows, furniture, and all manners of things that would have been damaged are protected. However, before any living beings feel the bite of speeding bullet ripping into them, a forcefield goes up. The field blocks the bullets from causing any further damage, and tosses the little bits of now-dented metal out of the mansions. The vans that had been firing the hailstorm of metal quiet down a bit as the men inside reload the guns, setting and placing a new clip into the large black tripod mounted repeaters. This round, the guns will be of no harm, however, soon the bullets will rain down death upon the house yet again. The problem now happens to be Gray, who definitely notices Aric. The figure will float higher into the air, his arms rising from his sides as he does so, until both limbs are arranged at his shoulders. Now, the same glass that'd been flung towards Aric earlier will float into the air once more, forming a sheet of floating shrapnel on each side of Gray. The glass that remains embedded in Arics lower body will be torn out as well, most likely causing a most unpleasant amount of pain. Now, two thick sheets of shrapnel float through the air, one on each side of Gray's outstretched arms. The figure speaks briefly. "No." A very simple and coolly spoken command, coupled with a motion. He claps his hands together now, and as he does so the two panels of shrapnel glass flies through the air incredibly fast, aiming to clap over Aric and smash him from both sides at once. The clap of shrapnel slamming into him from both sides ought to get him to pause. Following that, Gray inverts his arms at an angle and lowers his head. A manhole pops out of the ground directly below the villain, and will push forward into Aric. The attack ought to posh him back a bit and also pin him down, the heavy manhole pressing against his chest.

[TechnoScrabble]

L.E.S.S. slams against the same forcefield that stopped the bullets, flung back and leaving a deep furrow in the lawn where his massive metal feet dig in. This will not do. This will not do at all!

L.E.S.S. turns to Aric to charge him from behind, attempting to grab the knight and pin him with the massive sickle!

"DEACTIVATE THE FORCEFIELD, BOURGEOIS SCUM!"

[Recaiden]

[Outside]

As of just now, there have always been pyromantic mines on the street outside, set just under the vans, timed to go off precisely when the guns stopped firing. A great deal of explosive force and gouts of no-longer-compressed fearblaze erupt beneath the vehicles. Hope nobody panics.

A momentary purple light appears a little way down the street as Ashna phases back into this part of time. She notes happily that not a single bullet touched the mansion; Djeserit has done well. And there shouldn't be a second volley. So nice to just see things burn again.

She holds out one hand, and flames appear, continually rushing inward to a solid projectile of heat, which is hurled at Grey. Whoever this newcomer is looks like he can use the help.

[Aric Kale]

Outside

L.E.S.S. isn't too bright, is he?

Aric barely notices the slug in giant armor; he is too focused on the large panels of glass.

He opts to only face one of them, leaping to the left and slashing a long gash into the glass before bashing it with his shield. This should allow him to pass through relatively unharmed, leaving L.E.S.S. to deal with the other pane and the manhole.

Should he be able to do all of that, Aric will charge The Gray while the guns are inactive, hoping to finish this quickly.

By quickly, I mean with extreme caution. It should be obvious that he has dealt with fearblaze before

Main Room

Thatcher looks at the djinn and can tell that she won't be able to defend the whole mansion again. Instead, he orders her and the Suli siblings down underground with the Forge.

As for the pyromancer himself, he was not so willing to leave already. He sheathes his sword and with a mighty heave, flips the guild table onto it's side. The thick, solid wood should protect him from at least one more barrage.

Also, he's no longer charging his gun, but the flames are being maintained inside the magical gun chamber. If L.E.S.S. attacks the mansion head on again, he'll be in for a nasty surprise.

[Hattish Thing]

Outside:

Flames, not something Gray was accustomed to dealing with. He had no power over the element, and as such was more than a little bit unnerved by the sudden volley of fire lobbed his way. However, he was a quick thinker, and his benefactor had gifted him quite a few tricks to help deal with the pyromancers. As the vans behind him suddenly explode, sending pieces of metal flying everywhere, he crosses his arm to his chest, closing his eyes tightly and floating slightly higher, just out of Aric's reach. The vans finally plummet downwards after the explosions, landing on their sides and crashing. Gray can feel the flames behind him as the vehicles catch on fire, hot against the back of his suit. As he opens his eyes again, little metal parts that had gone flying about begin to assemble in front of him, forming a large and flaming shield in front of him, for some of the metal bits were still ablaze. The shield composed of van doors and shrapnel bits will block the fireball hurled his way, causing the flames to burst on the shield, the spread of flame missing him. After his defense is finished, he has no use for the shield, and decides to get rid of it in a rather unfortunate manner. For Aric that is. He'll form a fist with his right hand again and bring it down in the air, causing the flaming shield to hurtle downwards, aiming to squash and pin the warrior to the asphalt again. "Why won't you stay down."

[TechnoScrabble]

L.E.S.S. is large and heavy, true, but the sea-snail's servomotors are powerful and his suit, nimble. He could turn and swinging back at the knight, or make a slight adjustment and bash him with the vibranium shield.

Instead, he activates rocket retro-boosters and fires himself sideways at the man, letting himself hang loosely mid-air for the most part. He'd look rather comical if he wasn't breaking the sound barrier to try and shatter a man.

[Recaiden]

Telekinetic and silly sea snail, apparently.

"Hey, uh, fighting's good and all, but who are all you people?"

Wait. That's a silly question. She can go ask her future self and save them the trouble of answering in this timeline. Okay. So this Aric guy is on their side, mostly, and that one's called Gray. LESS is still LESS. Not enough time, subjectively, to get Aric out of the way of that attack.

Don't have enough spare time in the predictable, safe future to go master that curving attack right yet. Ashna takes hold of her warhammer, which she's definitely always had on her, and charges towards where LESS and Aric look like they'll collide, swinging at the mecha-snail.

[Aric Kale]

Outside

There's only one thing Aric can do...he dives, twisting in the air to land on his back with his shield up. Hopefully he won't be completely crushed by the flaming metal fist. Well, on the bright side, those same flames will rebound back at Gray...

Hopefully LESS will get wrecked by Ashna's warhammer, not that he knows who she is. Aric is a little wary of her, having seen her use the demon element.*

Main Room

Thatcher listens to the chaos outside and realizes that the enemy are focused on something else. This is his chance to hit them from both sides!

The wielder of white flame slowly makes his way to the double doors, carefully opening them and slipping out of the mansion. Quickly taking stock of the situation, Thatcher shoots the concentrated fire in a wide beam, aiming from left to right with the goal of slicing LESS in half.

The shot should pass over Aric, just under Gray, and start between Ashna and the slug.

NOTE: This isn't a one-hit kill, and if LESS dodges to the right, the beam won't be able to make it all the way through the whole set of armor. This is assuming the armor isn't fireproof.

*fearblaze does not actually involve demons

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

With a great and loud sound, metal grinds on shield. Luckily for Aric, the flames deflected off his shield come roaring back upwards towards Gray. The figure in the body suit had been high up, and so the fire does no real damage beyond temporarily blinding him. So, he shunts backwards through the air, letting the metal shape he'd created fall towards the ground into a pile atop Aric. Its not particularly bothersome, and the warrior should be able to crawl out of the pile with next to no effort. One hand is currently at the enemy's face, The Gray attempting to wipe the ash off of him. At the same time, he sticks his other hand outward wildly, sort of feeling about the area. Huh. He finally wipes the soot off of him and begins to levitate downwards, knowing he wasn't strong enough to maintain his flight as he attempted his next attack. See, The Gray could manipulate objects with his telekinesis like a particularly strong man could lift heavy objects. The heavier the thing, the more of a toll it'd take on his body, and attempting to move something too heavy would most likely cause organ failure and death. Thankfully, the suit he currently wears provides a sort of fast healing, allowing him to play around with heavier objects and swallow the toll of his attack, to have the damage healed back before death. It was dangerous, yes, but it was evident that Gray was outnumbered. He points both of his arms at the wreckage of the nearby van, suddenly closing his fists as his muscles begin to bulge. A vein shows in his neck, and he makes a loud grunt as the vehicle creaks and slowly begins to move off the ground. As it does so, he moves his arms a little more as blood begins to trickle out of his nose. The swirling movement of his arms causes the van to rotate in the air, slowly gaining momentum as he does so. Finally, he sends the van flying towards Aric with a great howl of pain. The Gray drops down to one knee as his face reddens and blue veins begin to appear over him. The suit begins to inject healing liquids into his body through the many cables that bond the suit and its user. Gray has time only to look up and gaze towards the large van hurtling towards Aric, aiming to land and squash him beneath. Should the van miss, it'll most likely skid right into the mansion.

For now, Gray continues to struggle for breath.

[TechnoScrabble]

L.E.S.S.'s new armoured is, in fact, fireproof. He learned his lesson after the last time!

It isn't, unfortunately, hammer proof, but it is pretty heavy. He's struck, and it changes his direction, but not enough that it removes any chance of him at least clipping Aric. He activates his thrusters again and spends around, the laser targeter for his rocket head focusing on her before three small missiles zip off after her!

[Recaiden]

Ashna flourishes one of her many scarves, batting away the mini-missiles by transforming them into harmless flashes of light. Showers of firework-like sparks rain down.
"Good try, mollusk."

She twirls the loose end of the scarf to unwrap it, and hefts the hammer in her other hand.

"But you'll need to do better."

As he seems fairly occupied with Aric, she runs over towards the Gray. However high he is, she'll find some way to bring him down.

Like throwing this hammer!

[Aric Kale]

Outside - Aric

Aric is caught between a van and a hard place. Technically, two hard places: the ground and LESS. The white-haired knight is crushed from above as the van slams on top of him, his shield keeping his skull from being popped like a grape as several tons of metal bear down on him.

LESS is both a blessing and a curse as the armored snail inadvertently knocks the massive weight a little bit off of him. Unfortunately, this also leaves Aric vulnerable to his next attack.

Outside - Thatcher

LESS had not taken nearly as much damage as the pyromancer needed him to. No matter...Thatcher holsters his gun and draws his blade, the slender steel beginning to glow white as Jsut uses his abilities...

LESS may be fireproof, but the blue-haired warrior had a feeling that if he found a chink in the armor, the snail itself would be more susceptible.
Thatcher runs towards the fight, trying to remain silent.

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

As the van finds its target, The Gray looks towards where Aric once was. Seeing no blood splattered into the ground, he swears loudly under his breath. He had descended to the ground before he willed the van thrown towards his enemy early, needing to conserve his strength for the attack. Quickly, his suit heals the wounds dealt by the physical strain of moving the heavy thing, and he manages to stand up and look around. Now that the guardian with the shield was dealt with, where did that fireball come from, perhaps over the-

Hammer. The wood and metal bludgeoning weapon comes hurtling towards his direction, with enough force to squash the average watermelon to pulp. Gray barely had time to rise from the ground and think, so he was caught unaware as the things comes launching towards him. The hammer hits it's mark, smashing the man right in the chest, metal grinding against metal as the telekinetic goes flying. Finally, he ceases skidding off the ground and looks down at his armor.

The front was smashed, dented greatly despite the strong metal, an alloy the late Doctor Harald had created, before his disappearance. Wonder how he got his hands on that kind of technology. The tanks of healing liquid that had been built into the front of the chest had been broken, the strange black fluid flowing onto the concrete like ichor from some fell beast. Luckily, the tanks in the back were still working. However, Gray knew that he was very lucky. Had that hit his helmet, it would have surely killed him.

He won't be able to get off the ground this moment, due to having the breath knocked out of him. As the hammer lies beside him, he glares towards Ashna. He quickly thinks up a strategy, a simple and quick one. The Gray sticks a hand out forward, using the other to perch himself upwards. Ashna may find that a few of the scarves around her neck will begin tightening extraordinarily fast around her neck. One of the scarves even begins to tie itself to the other. The Gray swings his free hand up, and the scarf goes flying into the air, most likely bringing Ashna up with it.

He sputters out a quiet comment as he does so. "You... took my breath... Now I'll take yours!" And so, Ashna will most likely find herself hanging six feet off the ground by a scarf floating into the air as the other scarves around her neck tighten, a makeshift noose and rope.

[TechnoScrabble]

L.E.S.S. smolders where struck, a small portion of armor crinkled and rife with embers despite heat ablative coatings. No matter, internal temperatures are just fine. But now is the probably a good time for secondary measures.

A small orb is fired from the suit's waist into the ground next to Aric. Molecular level cryogenics, a gift from L.E.S.S.'s new allies.

Beep.

Beep.

BEEEEEEEEEEE-

The cryo-grenade explodes like an inverse thermobaric bomb, supercooling the air-more specifically the oxygen and the nitrogen in the air-to temperatures low enough the Kelvin scale is needed!

[Recaiden]

((Ashna leaves this timeframe because her player is too angry to post and doesn't want to hold anyone up)).
Skippable, character not present.

[Aric Kale]

Outside - Aric

Aric's legs are frozen down to the molecular level, so it'll take awhile to recover. As for the rest of him, his shield saves his life, sending the freezing aura back at LESS.
Damn it all to paragory! AAGGH! Yeah, the white-haired knight heals. He's not immune to pain.

Outside - Thatcher

Ashna, NO! Thatcher yells out, ruining the element of surprise. In a rage, he slams his blade into the area where LESS was already struck by his flames.

Assuming he hits, the white fire around the sword flares even hotter as the pyromancer's free fist begins to glow.

He is not happy.

It's HIGH time you left my guild be, LESS. Thatcher roars, slamming his open palm into the back of LESS head area.

*all actions attempted.

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

Gray watches as the figure he would have left hanging into the air vanished, scarves and all. He grew confused as he felt his power over the cloth fade into nothingness, as if the person had never been there at all. Was it an illusion of some kind? No matter, he still had vanquished his foe, in a manner of speaking. Now, he gets up, groaning as the dented section of his armor drips and flickers a tad. The Gray moves forward now, to where he once was. He'll gaze over LESS, currently surrounded by foes. That's no good at all! He needed to assist his companion! But how to go about this. He gazes towards a lamp post, currently out, just at the end of the street.

Certainly there was something to be gained from that. He gestures forward to the lamp as he rises into the air yet again, settling at a comfortable six feet off the broken and cracked ground. Quickly, the man of metal rips the lamp post right out of the sidewalk, groaning as he does so. The post will begin floating though the air before Gray begins to bend the thing, warping the metal. With a great crack, the post is broken right in two, an the larger piece is dropped. The smaller piece is ripped at the end, and jagged, like some terrible spear. With a low chuckle and a dark smile, hidden beneath the mirrored helmet, he brings his arm back with a rush.

Finally, he pushes the arm forward through the air with great force, the sharp post end hurtling at an incredibly speed right towards Aric, attempting to impale him straight from the back and through. It's a powerful attack, aimed at an ally unable to dodge. A coup-de-grace of sorts. The post is long, and quite thick, easily capable of completely destroying internal organs. It wouldn't be an easy attack to avoid. The Gray utters out a command once more towards the mansion. "Surrender."

[TechnoScrabble]

Outside

The cold slows the suit for a moment, long enough for Thatcher's sword to glide across the outer surface, then catch and slide into the weakened area, drawing more sparks and slag free of the suit!

His hand connects with the back of the rocket assembly with force, pushing it forward, dislocating some of the rockets, and activating three of them. The first, a generic explosive. The second, another cryogenic device.

The third is a powerful thermobaric package. The air for a good six hundred meters is rippled by the shockwave that heralds the coming white flames and secondary blasts, and the compoind devours the oxygen, creating a vacuum that rips innards into outards and extinguishes fire and cryogenic spray alike.

[Aric Kale]

Outside - Aric

Not today! Not ever!

Aric shouts defiantly, thrusting his spear with a battered and bruised right arm. A blast of whatever was in the Cryo grenade surges towards the makeshift pole-spear, causing it to graze his left bicep. Of course, the main thing that deflects the spear is the massive shockwave that suddenly happens.

The soldier screams in pain, dropping his spear and scrabbling blindly for the dagger at his side. He won't reach it this round. Fortunately for everyone.

Outside - Thatcher

DIE, LESS! Thatcher roars, trying to dig the blade in deeper. Suddenly, he realizes that he's made a mistake when the first explosion goes off, sending him flying backwards. Then the freezing cold of a cryogenic rocket, slightly negated by his natural pyromantic heat.

It's when Thatcher sees the shockwaves and something consuming the flames and "cryo-spray" that he disperses the flames around him and creates a field where the fire stays away from him, hoping to keep thermobaric payload at bay.

Unfortunately, all of the windows around the mansion are officially shattered, as are any vases. And most of the furniture is wrecked as well.

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

As the great explosion rockets the area, Caius lifts an arm to cover his chest by instinct. He turns his head away for a second, looking away from the area where the blast came from, not wanting to accidentally blind himself. The world was shaded through his helmet, but he didn't want to test what he could or could not withstand. He looks over once more, this time at Aric. Damn, it seemed his makeshift spear failed to do much of anything due to that shockwave. Well, he wasn't entirely out of plans.

He notices Aric going for the dagger at his waist, and instantly flicks a hand forward, aiming for the dagger to come flying towards him, hilt first. The well-trained limb ought to catch the dagger, should his move succeed. He didn't know what the thing was used for, or how strong it was, but Gray always knew that it'd be better to be safe than stabbed, in this case. The Gray cannot intervene with Thatcher's plight at the moment, instead concentrating on the task at hand.


"Why won't you stop moving."b

[TechnoScrabble]

The top half of L.E.S.S.'s suit is gone, as well as most of the earth that had lied beneath it. The legs are half in the ground, buried by the explosion, their outer surfaces slagged and fused together, their inner wiring yanked out by the vacuum and implosion. The shield is nowhere to be found, probably having been flung off into the air far, far away.

[Aric Kale]

Outside - Aric

Aric has been very thoroughly pounded into the ground, and as such offers no resistance to Gray as his weapon is stolen. He just lies there. Broken.

No...you can't...he protests weakly.

What Gray will find is a foot long dagger with a blade as black as night. And it's on fire. As it courses through the air, the dagger ignites, which may startle the Gray.

Keep in mind, if he gets any of the fire on him, it will burn with ten times the ferocity should he feel fear.

Outside - Thatcher

Such a fear is a very real possibility, for Thatcher has now lost his sword and is resorting to his modified revolver.

I'll be claiming that back, now! He shouts, firing pot shots of an intense, white flame.
It's not as powerful as it should be, due to the lack of oxygen in the area, but I wouldn't want to be Gray if he got hit.

On the bright side (pun), Aric is too delirious to realize that Thatcher just admitted to having previously owned Wyrmfel, the fearblaze dagger.

[Hattish Thing]

Outside:

With his companion now destroyed, parts flying all over the place, and fire literally everywhere, Gray begins pondering an escape plan. He draws the dagger in closer, with great speed, until the thing ignites about a third of the way there. He quickly brings his hand back to his chest, his fingers crumpling in disgust as the thing hurtles right past him, the momentum of his telekinesis propelling the thing past him for a long while, despite his control of the blade being lost. He makes a somewhat worried face as one problem goes flying past him, right when another is shot towards him. Ugh, pyromancers. He growls out. "Umph. What the hell?"

He dodges as quick as he can, but he's still quite weak and not much of a warrior. One shot blasts him square in the shoulder, sending him jetting backwards though the air as it does so. The metal is non-flammable, and the special earpiece he's wearing protects him from emotionally-manipulating abilities like fearblaze. It's evident that these two had been expecting the pyromancer's incredibly abilities. But who else knew about fearblaze? Still, the force of the blast dislocated Gray's shoulder, his weak body feeling quite a bit battered between the bruised ribs and dislocation.

He groans in pain before bracing his battered arm close and using it to quickly press a button on the small brace attached to the gauntlet. The movement hurt like hell, and it's obvious this is a last move of sorts. The button engages an amplifying affect on his powers, the effect produced through technomagic. A rare thing in the Nexus, nowadays. He'll will for a section of the very roof of the mansion to rip out of the walls and begin to slide down, most likely ending up right atop of both Thatcher and Aric, disabling them. Unable to locate the vibranium shield, he'll press a small white tag on his chestpiece and vanish into thin air, teleporting off the scene.

[Aric Kale]

Outside - Aric

Aric is extremely crushed and out of the fight. He was disabled BEFORE the roof fell on him.

As for Thatcher, he was busy shooting at Gray when the man vanished. He managed to duck down and not get crushed.

The bruised pyromancer digs his way from under the section of roofing. And by dig I mean he blasted through it with fire...ohwaititsfireproof. Once free, he checks on his servants to assure himself of their safety.

The Suli clean up the house, giving Thatcher the opportunity to look for Thorinsgaet.

It takes the better part of the night, but with his glowing hands and frantic eagerness, Thatcher Jsut achieves his prize!

He has every piece of the puzzle.

[Recaiden]

[Outside]

A figure dressed in red, covered from head to toe, gloves and feet and all comes by, and starts digging in the wreckage.
Looking for Aric, even if it takes a long time to find him. Although stopping just short of actually uncovering him; letting him do that himself.

[Aric Kale]

Outside

Sometime before Thatcher returns, this crimson stranger seeks out Aric.

The man feels the earth shifting above him and digs his way up and out.
His armor is dented and torn, his clothes have seen better days and he's covered in dirt, but the man himself is uninjured.

A grumbling sound will confirm that Aric is, in fact, hungry. But that can wait.

Thank you, I suppose...who are you?

[Recaiden]

[Outside]

The reason they stopped is so Aric would know them; A white wolf with a scar cut in its left foreleg is standing by the rubble hopefully. As before, it is on fire, fearblaze chasing normal flame around its feet.

It grumbles happily that he's out.

[Aric Kale]

Outside

Aric rubs his eyes and blinks a few times, trying to adjust to the lighting.

To be fair, he's gone from fighting in pitch darkness with bursts of blinding light, to pitch darkness, to flames right before his eyes. At this rate he'll be blind young.

Wait...Ash? Hello there, friend. It's been too long! Aric smiles brightly, as he is wont to do, though he'll naturally keep a safe distance from any fearblaze.

How did you find me?

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

As the others worry themselves with helping their comrades out of the rubble, a light can be seen a while away. It seems to be some sort of reddish lantern. After a minute or two, it seems to be approaching closer. Out of the shadows, a figure moves forward. He's dressed rather strangely, almost entirely in red. He walks with a strong gait, a staff of wood there to aid him. The man will move close towards the area with the fallen roof, his face showing confusion and wonder from beneath a tall and wide red hat, his hair grayed and falling behind him. He adjusts the caplet around his shoulder before calling forth from the darkness, the lantern lighting up his stout form. "You there! What's going on over here? I heard noise."

[Recaiden]

[Outside]

Hopefully his eyes regenerate like the rest of him.

And the flame-wolf attempts to close the distance, slinking up and licking his hands. The flames flicker towards the mansion as an answer. They helped find Aric. Or were found by him.

But then! Someone approaches who has the temerity to also wear only read.
Ash turns and howls at the newcomer.

[Aric Kale]

Outside

Unfortunately, Aric only heals if it's physical damage, generally related to combat. They might recover though...

He allows Ash to lick his face, scratching behind the wolf's head in return.

You did well, Ash.

"You there! What's going on over here? I heard noise."

Two people decided to pay a visit to this guild hall. We sent them packing though, I think.

Hatter, do you need a description of Aric?

[Hattish Thing]

Outside

Unfortunately, Aric only heals if it's physical damage, generally related to combat. They might recover though...

He allows Ash to lick his face, scratching behind the wolf's head in return.

You did well, Ash.

"You there! What's going on over here? I heard noise."

Two people decided to pay a visit to this guild hall. We sent them packing though, I think.

Hatter, do you need a description of Aric?

The howl makes the man somewhat uncomfortable, although his experience with wild dogs keeps him from backing away. That wasn't an aggressive sounding howl. He lifts the lantern high, stopping in his path and speaking loudly towards Aric. "Is that so? Guild Hall?" He seems a tad confused, as well as unhappy. "Ah. Well, the goddamned noise woke me up! Gruben came rushing into my room with the crossbow again, yelling nonsense about loud noises and a power outage. What's.. what's going on?" He'll stay at his spot, not sure if he should move forward or not.

[Recaiden]

[Outside]

That is physical!

The wolf is content, and sits to merely watch the newcomer suspiciously.
Everything's fine here.

[Aric Kale]

Outside

Allow me to explain.

Someone, the identity remains unknown, shut off all the lights in Skyside. Looters decided to ransack everything, and two super powered goons came here.

I was already here on...personal matters, but the guild master, a man known as Thatcher Jsut of the White Flame, seems to have gone off somewhere. Last I saw he was alive and screaming.

He's an odd-looking fellow.

Aric chuckles, everyone here was odd in some way or other. After all, his blond hair was now permanently white.

While they speak, Aric takes a seat on a pile of rubble and begins to clean up his spear, shield, and Damn it! My dagger is gone...maybe Thatcher went looking for it.

[Recaiden]

Some time after the wolf has departed, in the many-flamed log in the fireplace, the black and orange flame segment goes out.

[Aric Kale]

Weeks Later - Main Room

Aric has not returned to the Mansion yet...maybe because he never saw Zane here...or because he heard rumors of Darkstar joining AMEN...

Either way, it is of little concern to Thatcher.

The flames going out is quite discomforting to the pyromancer, for that means Ashna's marker is broken, or she is dead...

Still, he had more fearblaze in Wyrmfel, so his mission could go on.

The guildmaster heads down to

The Forge

This is the only undamaged area in the Mansion...the rest of the building has been repaired by now, of course, but the damage was most certainly expensive to fix.
The blue-haired man begins to stoke the flames, though first he pours the flames from Wyrmfel into a Jar of Holding.

Once all his preparations are in order, Thatcher melts down his old blade, Cerulean, as well as Aric's ancient dagger, to make this magnificent sword. (http://www.cultofathena.com/product.asp?item=BKS205B&name=BKS+Leaf+Blade+Longsword+#)

The blade will be a glowing silver, with veins of red, black, and white fire...there are also faint traces of purple, from a member whose character may or may not be permadeadtimed...

It truly is a thing of beauty and fire...
But what to name it?

[Aric Kale]

)(Sorry for the double post. Members and potential members feel free to post whenever!)(

Phone Call

Thatcher calls...seems like nobody is gonna answer in time, so here's the message:

Hello? Nobody gonna answer? Alright, I've discovered a potential threat, down here in Inside. I'm heading Outside with a newcomer to the Nexus called Rytas. I'm confident that I can handle him if this is an elaborate double cross, but this hardly seems within his skillset.

We're going to Coppercreek Town, and whenever we catch up the Threat, I'll call again. There's ice involved, and we need all the heat we can get.

[Recaiden]

[Weeks Later]

Ashna's flame segment reignites. Though it is not the same black and orange thing it was before. It is a pale blue, cold and refusing to mix with the other flames.
No other fearblaze user has come - the timeline the previous Ashna was part of is no longer the same as this one.

The door opens, click-click go heavy metal steps on the floor. Looks like everything is well repaired. Shame she wasn't here to help fix it. The pony carefully descends the stairs to the forge. Made for humanoids, everything is for humanoids. Never really noticed before, since such a majority of the intelligent species followed a similar body plan. Being transformed into something nearly as tall but much longer shows a whole different world of unergonomic construction.

"It doesn't need a name."

Thatcher might not remember admitting a talking horse to the guild, but there it is with its black coat and golden mane and empty blue eyes that can't possibly be natural and a guild marker hanging around its neck.

[Aric Kale]

Weeks Later - Main Room

What doesn't need a name?

Yes, it's Zane...a battered and bruised version, to be sure, but Zane nonetheless.
Thatcher isn't here, oddly enough, but I took the liberty of adding my flames to the fireplace.

Indeed, if Ashna looks closely, she'll see a fierce black fire taking its place amongst its burning brethren, while Darkstar fiddles with the charm around his neck.

First, what is your name?

The man seems oddly comfortable, sitting on the armrest of one of the comfy chairs placed around the room.
This is the mutant clone, so he retains the memories of Zane, but his blood is fearblaze and his eyes are black, not the piercing blue of Thatcher's eyes.

[Recaiden]

[Weeks Later - Main Room]

"The sword."

"Oh. What's happened to your eyes?"
She turns and glances at the fireplace, then back to Zane.

"Oh, a new member. I'm sorry. I mistook you for Thatcher."
The longer member gives a respectful bow.

"Well, my name is 'Ashna', but most people mispronounce it, with the 'z', and that's fine. And a lot of people call me 'Alizé', not to get into true nicknames. We sort of pick up names as we go along, you know? Who would you be? Wait. I know. You're not one of ours so you must be...Zane Darkstar?"

[Aric Kale]

Weeks Later - Main Room

Zane raises an eyebrow, curious. Oh? And what blade is this? Has he finally found Wyrmfel? It eluded us for years...then I heard he had a new sword, the blue one, had some ridiculously simple name...

He snaps his fingers, summoning a flicker of fearblaze on his fingertips.
Oh? Did you know Thatcher before he went through his blue period? I thought his disguise was rather elaborate.
He nods his head in response to her bow.
Ashna, I am not the first to claim the name Zane, but it had a vacancy, so I claimed it.

Oh, I should warn you, AMEN may be on my heels. I took an inside job to destroy their cloning vaults...it could have gone better...but it could have been worse.

Now Thatcher makes his appearance, though it's a silent one at first.

When did you get here, and what happened to you? He asks quietly.
To save us all from self-RP, Zane gives a quick rundown of the situation.

Alright, if AMEN comes knocking on our doors, they can face our fire...for now, stay low.

[Recaiden]

[ Double Zane - Main Room ]

"The guildblade. Three swords and their magics forged together."

Ashna tilts her head, managing to frown.
"I've heard of him, is all. Not the first? What happened to the original? You'll notice we've lost the fearblaze ourselves. For now."

A snicker at his reason for hiding out here.
"Someone finally got them, did them?"
She raises a hoof for a high-five.
"Well done then."

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

I don't even need the money...I just wanted an excuse. He accepts the high five, allowing himself a wry smile.

Thatcher shakes his head slowly, his face betraying a grin.
Yes, well done. Now, exactly how did you come to be?

Zane notes the finely crafted blade at Thatcher's side. It has no scabbard, so the silver blade shines in the light of the fire. White veins of metal wrap around the blade, occasionally fading between the different colors of the fireplace...except these flames stir from within.

Enshadu.
He had your DNA and he wanted to make clones, free fearblaze, in case you died. I think I'm the only one that worked, but my blood is fire...I got cut, and it cauterized instantly, as per usual, if your memories serve me well.
But when I looked in a mirror, my eyes were black...and I noticed that my veins are black.

That's certainly something...what do you think about this...Horse...ma'am?

Poor Thatcher, he doesn't realize that this is Ashna >.<

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"Ashna, Thatcher. You don't recognize me?" She glares at him, feigning offense. "Tsk, tsk."

She nods slowly.
"A good disguise, then. We didn't recognize you all this while. Impressive what a little blue can do."

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Thatcher sighs, Ashna...you're a horse now...even your flame is different. How was I to recognize you?

He has a point.
I'm just full of clever ideas, aren't I?

I figured if I dressed like a ranger before, now I should hide by making myself visible...

Thatcher sits down in arm chair between Ashna and Zane, where he can face them both.
Ashna may note that the two men adopt the same posture.

Well, Thatcher...Ashna...what next?

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"Same voice." Obviously.

Ashna faces the others, standing, making a nice triangle.
"I recall we had a plan? But I don't know the details. One minute."
Her scarf lights up as she messes with the flow of time, and if no one interrupts, poof, there's the Hermit who accepted the fearblaze way back when, standing next to her, releasing the end of the scarf.
Her robes have been changed out for a Deep Insulated Purple but otherwise there's hardly a change.

"Zane. Other Zane. Is it time?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Oh, yeah.

Crimson...it's been too long, though I suppose we haven't met, technically.

Thatcher nods solemnly, Yes, it is time, and this time we won't need the slag...

See, Thatcher was bleached, and his fearblaze was forcibly removed, but since his magical core was already in tune with the dark fire, presumably, if Zane and Crimson were to work together, they could saturate his core with fearblaze, giving him control over the element once more.

Wow, that was one sentence. My apologies.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit smiles a shy smile.
"Nice to meet you. But, well, there's a bit of a problem."
Crimson laughs, bitterly, and lifts a hand. A disk of...fearblaze(?) solidifies, in a frisbee shape that Thatcher might remember.
"Catch."

She tosses the disk right between the two Zanes.
Should they catch it, or even before, they should notice that it's cold. Not just cold, but actively, hungrily antithetical to thermal energy. If one should fear it, the temperature drain intensifies by a factor of ten, even if that should require dropping below absolute zero or changing shape to present a different surface area.

"Something" - she spares a glare for the pony - "has happened to our powers."

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Zane catches the disk with practiced ease, but drops it when he feels the antiheat. He feels no fear, only surprise.

It's wrong.
I could tell...any ideas?
...
Maybe.

The two pyromancers look at each other intently, each trying to interpret the other's thoughts.

Is there anything you can do with my blood? It's hot...it's fire.
It might just do the trick...the only issue is drawing the blood. We need something heat resistant that will let us draw out the liquid fire.

I'm willing to try it, but I have nothing to lose from it. Thatcher shrugs. Truth be told, he was concerned, but that was an emotion he would have to erase...rapidly.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"Thank you."

Ashna heads down to the forge, having no part in this.

"I have heat-resistant, but not also sharp."
The Hermit glances at Zane.
"Are you willing?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

The guild blade is sharp, but we'd need a funnel or something to allow the blood to flow...he grits his teeth, not envying Zane's role.

Zane looks to the woman intensely, Crimson, it is necessary, so I will do it. His face takes on a solemn tone, and his burning eyes glower.
Thatcher dashes off to the kitchen where he looks for something that could hold the blood, and a funnel...why is everything plastic? Damn it... wait. he says out loud, interrupting his inner monologue.

Everything is fire resistant...it may melt, but it should last long enough.

He returns to the main room, funnel and bowl in hand.
Zane is busy giving himself a makeshift tourniquet with some curtains and a broken table leg...yeah, he busted some furniture to do so, but now's not the time to lecture the man.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"Thank you."
The Hermit heads downstairs for a moment, returning shortly thereafter in her proper crimson robes.

She raises an eyebrow at the medical preparations. How much of his blood are they going to need?

And then takes the bowl and funnel from Thatcher if she can, as he will use the blade. Presses the funnel near Zane's arm, bowl carefully held under it.
"Ready?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

You are welcome.
Thatcher replies with quick words. He's ready to act, but he doesn't like what he has been called to do.
We're not going to fill the bowl, but we need something to catch it without spilling. Zane explains, catching Hermit's expression.

I have no idea how much blood they'll need, so we'll just say however much is necessary and safe...relatively speaking.

A flash of steel, and a cut appears on Zane's arm. ****ing HELL FIRE! He shouts in an agonized rage, which will only increase when Hermit uses the funnel.

)(Note: I am not a surgeon, do NOT use a funnel to keep blood flowing from a wound...I don't know what prompted the thought, or why they wouldn't use a syringe, or a vial...
It made sense at midnight when I first thought it up.)(

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

Because they don't have a syringe that wouldn't melt. They do have a fireproof funnel and bowl.

Ashna twitches an ear in concern from downstairs but decides its probably going to be fine. The three of them can take care of themselves.

"Yes, that's kind of what we need."
The Hermit presses her blood-letting implements in until there's a cup of burning blood gathered, and then sets the bowl aside.
"Here now, you don't want that so tight up there. You could lose an arm. Let me patch this up."
*proper bandaging attempt go*

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Haha, Zane would laugh if his original self hadn't just sliced his arm open or had a funnel just stabbed in said wound.

Still, all goes well, with no complications. Darkstar does grit his teeth, but he should be fine.

The liquid flames on Thatcher's blade drip to the floor and diminish.
Could've been worse...at least Thatcher didn't cut my arm off.

I do what I can...the blue-bearded man smirks.
Now, before this stuff fades away, if it does, I suggest you find a use for it, Crimson...make a potion?

Maybe drink it just like that? Or would it work for me to drink it?

No...not enough of it for that.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

"There, good as new."
The Hermit folds the spare bandages back into her pouch and takes up the bowl again.

Ashna is heard coming up the stairs.

"No, certainly not enough to just drink it. To reintroduce the flames requires you to be submerged by them, all but consumed, remember?
But it should be enough just to spark ourself back to warmth again."

Ashna drops off a moderately large box next to the hermit.
"You're about to need this for alchemizing and what-not. Salvaged it from your place in the Frozen Forest right before the ice golems got there."
And then she heads back downstairs to finish her project.

The Hermit, after blinking in confusion once or twice, gets to work potion-making.
"We'll need it burning as hot as it can. To scare me. Can you two come up with something?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Zane nods his thanks to Hermit before taking a seat on one of the armchairs. He needs to rest before his real job begins...

What scares you, Crimson? Thatcher asks, standing tall. He likely towers over the Hermit, not that she'd be intimidated by him. She doesn't seem like she'd scare easily.

Still, Thatcher radiates control and strength. He has the aura of one who is confident in himself and his own abilities...that could be handy.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit is 1.85 m tall, just over 6 feet.

She holds the fearblaze elixir carefully.
"I would say not anything."
A shiver runs through her.
"But really, everything. Everything I see. My perceptions, thoughts. Memories."
She waits a few moments, listens to any response, then closes her eyes and drinks the whole thing at once. Ice crystals start to form in the air around her, and then flicker away an instant later.

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Oh my...Thatcher definitely doesn't tower over her then...

Zane watches from his seat, little tongues of fire dancing on his palm as Thatcher takes action.
The guildmaster stands behind the Hermit, speaking softly.

Everything? Do you fear failure?
What if the potion doesn't work?

Thatcher's voice turns harsh, as the two men speak interchangeably.

All of our work...wasted by your own inability.
I'm using my lifeblood for Thatcher...but you can't even properly summon the flames that I gave you...

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit shakes her head.
"It won't fail. I know my work."
Yes, she's supposed to be afraid, but she's too proud for that to work.

She turns to face the guildmaster, the Zane she met, but then there's the other behind her, sounding so alike. Spins around.

"No. I'm not a waste. Am I?"
"After all this, it-"
It feels cold. Empty. Whatever happened, she could have stopped it. She has failed, just like they said. Failed one of the few people to ever help her.
And all of a sudden it isn't cold. It burns.

Crimson lets out a shriek as the fearblaze burns them from within, and traces of the black element fall from her hands, pour from her eyes, mouth, nose.
The cry of pain turns to a harsh, triumphant laugh as she feels the heat.

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Fear of failure...I figured out how to beat that one a long time ago...he laughs, clenching his fist and extinguishing the flames.

Thatcher steps back while the Hermit adjusts to the returning fires.
Congratulations...you've managed to do two rare things...
One, returning a cold flame to a true flame.
And two, you survived feeling fear while facing the wrath of fearblaze.

Our element does not forgive. Both of them clap for the pyromancer between them. She had done well.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit takes a few moments to steady themselves, to let the flames die down and be under control.
"Thank you. I did not do it without help."
Her voice is back to normal, sounding properly alive again.

She steps to the side and turns to face Thatcher.
"But we're only half done."

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Thatcher nods, his back to the fireplace, the warmth comforting him...
Yes...one more thing...

Zane hops to his feet, walking up to stand beside the Hermit, placing a hand on the small of her back.
Are we all ready?

This would be the final, deciding moment.

[Recaiden]

[Zany - Main Room]

The Hermit places an arm around Zane's shoulder, and holds the other out to Thatcher.

"Come on. We need to find a better place for it - I think you'd prefer we not melt the floor?"

"We've come all this way. Has something changed now?"

[Aric Kale]

Zany - Main Room

Thatcher takes her hand.

The whole place is relatively fireproof, but I understand your concern. The forge should work.

You have a forge? I suppose you've become a blacksmith, then...Zane chuckles, but the guildmaster only rolls his eyes in response. It's true, of course...
He's spent countless hours honing his skills, and only for this one blade.

Thatcher leads Zane and the Hermit down to

The Forge

Where a fire similar to the upstairs fireplace burns brightly.
Alright. Let's begin.

Zane begins building up a massive amount of fearblaze. The Hermit may recall when Zane originally performed the ceremony on her. This Zane summons the fire significantly faster.
His eyes burn, and the black element flares out of his arms and hands.
He will start pouring it over Thatcher when Crimson is ready.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

The Hermit follows down to the forge, where one might note Ashna is nowhere to be found.

"There's relatively fireproof, and then there is actually up to this."

She stands on the opposite side of Thatcher and begins calling up fearblaze as well. Not as fast as Zane for whom it is his very blood, when she only has traces in her veins, but fast enough.

"Now."

And sends it all forward, streams of heat converging on Thatcher, to burn the fearblaze back into him.

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Thatcher spreads his arms out, eyes closed and mouth open.

Zane offers his contribution...an unrelenting torrent of unholy fire, filled with purpose.
No words are spoken over the burning roar.

Thatcher feels the fearblaze reaching his magical core...the very center of his being...of everything that makes him a pyromancer. It's been bleached for so long.

The flames do not burn him, they feel familiar and foreign all at once.
Still, they were his to begin with. Half of the fire is the same blood as his own, and the rest was given by him.
The fearblaze takes over his core, infecting almost every aspect of it.
Almost every...

A small part of his core remains unstained, pure and unchangeable.

Thatcher's eyes open, flashing white, then black, then back to their vibrant blue, though they may not see that through the flood of fire...
He collapses to his knees, his blue hair and beard have turned into a black, bordering on gray...like ash.
Just to the right of his hairline, a streak of white hair sticks out, running across his hair and down to his beard...luckily it isn't on his face, or in his eyes...

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

It worked! They managed it!

The Hermit steps into the dying flames, holding out a hand to help Thatcher back to his feet.
"Welcome back. Should I call you 'Zane' again at last?"

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

The pyromancer takes her hand for the second time today and rises to his feet.
Yes...even though I have changed, I am Zane...

It only makes sense...are you still the Darkstar?
The clone asks, his hand still wreathed in flame.

No.
Zane looks at his other hand and produces a ball of black fire. He throws it at the forge flames and summons some white flames immediately after.

I have become stronger...I am not as strong with fearblaze as you, clone...or possibly you, Crimson, but I have two flames to wield...

He draws his sword, looking at it curiously...What do I call myself? Zane _____.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"It's obvious, right?"

The Hermit laughs and lightly sets a hand on his shoulder, to direct his gaze to the forge.

"Zane Smith. Flamesmith, maybe. Or..."
More laughter, and she heads over to the discarded cold-weather robe, tossing it over a shoulder.

"Should probably call me something else, now I'm not always in these robes. And we're not hiding anything. I'm Skye."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Darkstar laughs.
You joke, but he'll do it...
He'll come up with some name like "Zane Fyrefarge..."

You joke...but Fyrefarge isn't half bad. It's impossible to tell if he's teasing or not.

Regardless, Skye is a better name than Hermit.
He chuckles, It's good to be back, my friend...

I'll be on my way then. Darkstar remarks casually, heading towards the stairs.
Where exactly are you going?

Who knows? I have a marker, so you'll know if I'm dead or not. My work here is done...if you need me, I'll find you.

Unless stopped, he will head up the stairs.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"Well it isn't so bad, at that."

Skye turns and waves, eyes dropped and with a frown appearing on her face.
"Stay safe, Darkstar."

She brightens up looking to the guildmaster.
"It really is good to have you back, the way you should be."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Darkstar smiles wistfully. Zane had done well for himself.

I'll see what I can do. He turns back and leaves the mansion.

Zane nods to the man as he fades away into the darkness.
Quite a fellow, if I don't say so myself...
I missed you, Skye. I hoped this guild might draw you back to me someday. When I saw Ashna, I almost thought I had.

He clasps her hands in his.

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"Darkstar, yes. Quite a fellow."
The Hermit shakes her head slightly.
"And it finally did. I wouldn't have come, you know. I thought I had everything I needed."

She steps in close to the guildmaster with a momentary laugh and a smile.
"I made a lot of mistakes after our last meeting. I thought I had everything, that I knew everything. I couldn't have been more wrong. But now I've seen, a bit, of how terrible, and how good things can be, and I have my flames again."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

I'm glad it did...
Since we parted, much has changed, for the both of us, it seems.
Zane further closes the gap, their noses almost touching.

With all that you've seen, and all that you've learned, will you stay?
Now that our flames have returned, )(there's a double meaning in that)( will you stay here, with me?

[Recaiden]

[The Forge]

"Well, there's sure to be more to learn."

The Hermit kisses him; no need for a gap at all.

"Yes. I'll stay."

[Aric Kale]

The Forge

Zane smiles.

Skye...there's not much to say.
She's said everything that he ever wanted to hear.
So he'll return the kiss in the light of the forge, a multicolor array dancing across their faces.

[5a Violista]

[In Search of the Traitor]

Maria the Exploding Witch arrives at the Cloudtop mansion, finally. She got instructions on how to get here by asking people. Skyside is kind-of weird. Last time she was here was during that blackout. Before that, she was in Groundtown, burning down some buildings.

In her hands, she still has the sword, awkwardly held, that she was given earlier back at the valcano, but now it has letters written in dried blood along the blade. She obviously didn't walk here; it's much better to float all the way. That way, there's no need to grow tired or pay airfare.

At the door, she pushes the buzzer (since what kind of mansion doesn't have a buzzer? Especially here in Skyside, those things ought to be very common.). Into the speaker system, she uncharacteristically sweetly says, "Hi. I have an scheduled playdate with a certain Zane. I was told that I could find him here. Can he come out to play?"

She obviously doesn't know that the one she's looking for is not the one who is found here.

[Aric Kale]

In Search of the Traitor - Front Door

The impressive wooden doors swing outwards, revealing Zane! Except...oddly enough, this isn't the same Zane from AMEN.
This man has vividly blue eyes, and wears a different outfit entirely. I mean, the faces are similar, except this man's face is older, more worn and more scarred...
He also carries a weapon* (http://www.cultofathena.com/product.asp?item=BKS205B&name=BKS+Leaf+Blade+Longsword+#) at his side, though it has no sheathe...

I am Zane, the Guildmaster of Those Forged by Flames. What business have you with me?
Zane's eyes furrow, raising his hand to brush a white streak of hair out of his face. Oddly enough, while his beard is mostly dark, and his hair is too, the pyromancer has a shock of pale hair along his bangs...wonder where that came from.

If you're looking for trouble, you've come to the wrong place.

*Just in case you don't wanna scroll down for weapon descriptions.
Zane's sword is a little broader than the link's, and the handle is longer. Also, the metal he used gives the blade a pearlescent sheen, with flashes of other colors running through veins up and down its length.

[Recaiden]

[In Search of the Traitor - Front Door]

"I think this might not be the right Zane, but maybe he'd still like to play?"
The Hermit in Crimson, though the name is put to lie by how much purple is in the outfit, is just recently sat up and looking over at the door.
Being a human gives one the luxuries of wasting time, sitting on furniture.

"There's a lot of trouble to be found here all the same."

[5a Violista]

[In Search of the Traitor - Front Door]

Maria looks at the Zane at the door, and realizes it's not the right one. Where, oh, where, has her little Zane he gone? Where, oh, where can he be? But wit no money she cannot drink here; She suppose they makes one wit he.

With that smile of hers on her face, she looks down at the sword (she's still somewhat in the air, so she would look down at anything below shoulder level). "Zane. That's a cute sword. Did you get a parakeet to go with it? I got a crow with mine."

Continuing with the slightly odd way her mind connects thoughts, she responds to the question (Or, rather, implicit question), "I came here for neither pins nor needles." She shows Zane the AMEN record she has on the other Zane. "I didn't come here to marry him, either, but I still want to find him. After that, you and I can play for as long as you would like."

[Aric Kale]

In Search of the Traitor - Front Door

We do seem to find ourselves in trouble more often than not...he muses, ignoring the half-mad jib cut at his blade.

Zane looks back at Crimson before returning to face the floating witch. Regardless, I am the only Zane who resides here...so if you need the Dark One...check the forests.
The pyromancer is confident enough in his own ability to beat this woman, but he does not want to get tangled up with AMEN. Darkstar, on the other hand, is already involved...presumably he should be able to face this mad woman alone as well.

[5a Violista]

[In Search of the Traitor - Front Door]

"There are many forests around: forests of ashes, forests of estrangement, and forests of lost children," Maria finally replies, after what seems like an eternity for her player to post. I think it's a little weird how Maria doesn't blink or advert her eyes or even look away like most people would do in a normal conversation. "Which one has he lost himself in, or should I search them all?"

[Aric Kale]

In Search of the Traitor - Front Door

Maria will find that Zane's eyes are like blue flames, alluring but fierce.

Check whatever forests you like. Why should I help you hunt me? He asks, spreading out his arms in a universally questioning gesture.
Clearly you have ill intentions for Darkstar. Why else would would you come to my doorstep, armed and eager for blood?

The pyromancer's left hand erupts in a swirl of white and black flames, perfectly balanced between the two halves.

[Recaiden]

"Come on now, Thatcher. It isn't as if we don't go around armed. It is a dangerous world."
The Hermit stands and steps to the door, a hand to set on the guildmaster's shoulder.
"Should we be fighting his battles?"

The answer is of course 'yes'. In her open hand a teal flame appears, black sparks shooting from it occasionally.