[Chapter 1.04] ...Tools of Foul Play

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 11.19 | ~1am
Location: Opera House
Wearing: Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Maria |
Note: Scoping out the Area
Koko immediately pulled down her goggles as they stepped into the dark sepia tones of the abandoned theater. She felt like she had turned a page into a story book as the once extravagant interior loomed around her. Clunk! Or perhaps it was a horror novel, she thought as the door swung shut behind her. She took stock of what was immediately around her. She couldn’t see much but as Maria looked for a lightswitch Koko went about tapping on her wrist. The clicking of the light switch confirmed what she already thought without even checking, the power was definitely not on in this place. Maybe chalk that one up to her expert skill in circuitry but more than likely just the fact that it looked like no one had turned a light on in here since before either her or Maria had been born. And so promptly as Maria finished flicking the switch Koko had the headlights on her goggles turned on. Two bright beams shot forwards illuminating the space right in front of them.

She took notice of the stairs more prominently now and made a point to keep an eye on them as she continued to fiddle in her coat for what she was looking for. She produced two things. One was a spare flashlight for Maria. The other was a small bag of bean shaped items. They were small hardened glass containers that contained a bunch of small spheres on the inside. Koko held one up for Maria to see and then shook it violently for a few seconds. She tossed it forwards and the small object began letting off a dull green glow. It wasn’t strong enough to light up every corner of the room but it was enough to mean someone wouldn’t trip over every last object in the room trying to navigate it. Koko tossed a set of them to her partner and then took a few cautious steps forward. She scanned the ground slowly as she began to move deeper into the room. She was looking for traps but also hoping to avoid stepping on anything that might give them away. Even if they were trying to be peaceful and had just announced their presence she still thought it best to be careful.

“Aight now that our peepers are a bit more useful how’s bout we pick a direction and mosey on down it till we find something worth stopping for? I’m figurin’ that clearin out the floor we on currently might be a good idea which draws me towards the set out doors over yonder but if you’re heart is speaking to ya and going up is where it’s leading ya then by all means lead the way sherlock!” Koko gave a firm nod to Maria as she finished. Depending on their answers she was inclined to follow her partner no matter what however she had some thought before they moved on. Whichever path they took Koko would pull out and set up a small tripwire by the base of the stairs or in front of the double doors, whichever option the pair didn’t choose. Not wanting to worry Maria she would explain that all the wire would do is trigger a small pouch of yellow Arcanite. It was nothing more than an alarm but if they were getting flanked Koko wanted at least a bit of a warning. As she was crouched to the ground her eyes caught on something and she ran her fingers through the debris all around her. It caused her to look upwards and reassess the place they were in a bit further as well. She turned back to Maria.

“Hey, be a bit careful with what you set loose in here too. This place is practically a standing matchbox on a dry summer’s day with all this dust and cobwebs about. Place’d practically light up if you sneezed a bit too hard. And knowing how tight things’re packed round these parts…let’s just we already got enough on our hands without havin’ to tend to a district wide fire at the same time.” Koko rose and made her way back beside Maria. Ready once more to forge into the darkness and figure out why the fang were involved in all of this.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.19 | ~1am
Location: Dorms -> Mess Hall
Wearing: Black pants, black tee, black puffer jacket, running shoes over his sleep gear and weapons as per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: Mila | Marlow, Farrah, Ocean
Note: Keepin Up With The Ex
Chee clicked his tongue in annoyance as, once more, open void expanded below him. The image of his grapnel left dangling from the side of the building with the sniper flashed in his mind's eye. Just a moment though. Then Chee's mind focused here and now. There was nothing to e done for what was true and immutable. There was only what he had and what he could do.

His fingers flashed to his pouch and fished out a vial of dust. It was released as he twisted in the air. Darklash flashed out quickly and a little cloud of red sparkling dust poofed into the air. He thrust his shoes into it and focused his soul. He felt it pull, felt the energy trying to wrestle from his control. But he'd been practicing since earlier that week. He focused, released a slow breath as if pulling the trigger, and then felt the energy obey him.

Little jets formed on the bottom of his feet. G forces slammed into him. It was a rough plan, but it worked as he shop up. His eyes watered at the speed. His neck strained to turn and spot her. He tucked, rolled, and kicked out a new direction. The last spurt of power came and he shot toward her like a missile. Smiling, he drew another weapon.

The grenade cracked through the air toward her. It was already trailing yellow smoke. Chee spun in the air and used Darklash to change his direction again. As he landed he put the launcher away and took a deep breath. His fingers touched the bottom of his boots. He felt the soft rubber. Anything thinner than them and he might have burned his own feet with that trick. Still, it was worth remembering. As long as he was fighting her on her favored terrain, this was going to be an uphill battle.

His blood raced. His heart thumped. His mind swam in a soup of dopamine and adrenaline. The earth moved. He stumbled a bit and looked toward the gate. His eyes narrowed and flashed at the cloud of yellow smoke. "Ya, C be closer, sure ting. Betrayer be da word. Not dat I can say much ta dat. I was a mercenary two weeks ago. Coin bought my loyalty. Ya sure. But I never broke da bonds of friendship. Dat's da lowest a body can get. Da absolute lowest. You know what dat Ocean did ta her? What he wants ta do ta Marlowe?"

He glared at the smoke as it cleared. "Maybe snake dough? Draggin your belly on da ground? Shamed ta stand tall?"

Huffing, he hefted Darklash and his chest heaved. He worked his lips slowly. "Tell ya what, dough. People died today. Not champions, not prisoners, not soldiers. Folks just tryin to live. So, in my book, dat makes you da villain. Dat makes dem you work wit villains. If I have my way? I'm goin ta kill you right here, and Farrah'll never hear word two of it. You'll be facedown in da gutter forgotten with notin but the memory of me spittin on you ta keep you company in da afterlife. Ya sure you betcha. Dat works for me."

Chee bounced a couple times and cracked his neck. He felt his energy levels rising again. "Dis has been fun dough, give you dat. Might even have liked you, if you weren't da villain." His feet dug into the root top and he charged in. She was good at middle distances. Time to see how good she was in real close. No fancy tricks, just pure speed brought him in close. Darklash sliced out on a short chain this time. He waited for her to parry. He used his elbow to redirect it into an arc. The chain aimed at her wrist to tangle it  and pull it off line. At the same time, he drew one of his darts and stepped in close to stab at her abdomen. But he wasn't done. He released the small weapon regardless of success and grabbed at her clothes to pull her in for a headbutt. As many as she'd let him get in before pushing him off. If there was anything two weeks with Farrah and Marlowe had taught him, it was about being hardheaded and how to brawl like an angry parrot-monkey.

[Aethyrium]

Ocean Specter

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 19th, Night (~1am) | Onyx Prairie -  | Urban - No Resonance
Next Post: 6.8.24 | Vesper, Lyra, Meena
Ocean’s brow tightened. Lyra’s question stung as much as it confused him. His head tilted, certain that he had no idea what she was talking about “Silver,” he frowned, seemingly - genuinely, even - hurt by the implication. “I haven’t done anything to Lolo.” He both glanced and gestured at the space around them, the bridge, so far away from where Marlowe had been left - and more important, his presence right there. With her. Just like he had promised. “I’m right here. I stayed away.” He offered a sympathetic smile, “Just like we agreed.” He knew. He was true to his word. But his words had been specific. He would stay away. He wouldn’t go after them. “I made that deal with you in good faith,” Taking advantage of the loophole was like the stipulation in his agreement - it was just business, “I never lied to you.” He shrugged, rolling his wrist and twirling the blade in his hand, “If something happens to Marlowe while she’s all alone, well, I’d just consider that good fortune on my part.”

He turned to regard Meena and smiled more fully, “Would you believe me if I said world peace?” He lifted his brows. Strangely, Ocean didn’t really seem to be lying about that. “But you probably mean more immediately. You must be… Meena. Right?” Ocean flourished his arms to the side and offered a small quarter bow, “We haven’t had the pleasure yet, forgive me. Your team and I have such an extensive history together, it’s hard to remember that I haven’t actually gotten a chance to meet you,” He stood up and looked toward Vesper, offering him a small nod, “And Vesper yet. Or that new guy, Chee? He sounds spunky!” He chuckled.

Placing the tip of his blade to the deck of the bridge, he leaned into it and caused it to bend slightly. Bright yellow orbs, nearly neon, scanned the two girls. “This is awkward. I really wish it hadn’t been you that had been sent here.” He frowned.

Behind them, the sound of active gunfire continued. Flashes of light. A couple of small explosions of flame. Something was wiping out the rear military forces. And below, the cloud of fog rolled in over the city, quickly, obscuring much of the east from sight beneath the bridge.

After a moment of thinking, Ocean shrugged his shoulders. “Well, a deal’s a deal.” Ocean flicked his blade forward, pointing it at Lyra, “This is business Silver, but it doesn’t need to involve you.” He regarded Meena, “Leave. That’s what I want. The three of you to walk away. There are plenty of good honest people down below you can help. Lots of scary bad guys for you to round up. Go, do that. Be useful, be heroes.” The bladed flicked a few times to the side of the bridge, urging them to take him up on the offer, “If you were anyone else, I wouldn’t be making this offer. Take it. It’s a good deal.”

[Aethyrium]

Loz Averan

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 19th, Night (~1am) | Onyx Prairie - Hammer Island | Urban - No Resonance
Next Post: - | Marlowe, Ocean
Loz hit that pillar, mind trapped somewhere between shock and glee. His back cracked as he was slammed against it. He laughed, even through the wheeze that stole his breath as Marlowe smashed into his abdominals. Those muscles hadn’t been allowed to go slack while he was in Azkaban; Loz had not rotted away. They tightened, he took the blows. Eyes widening with excitement. “That’s right!” He felt the pillar shudder behind him from the third blow. “Let it out! Show me your best!” Loz through his arms wide, faux-prostrating himself to her assault. His Soul crackled angrily, bending under her every blow. Her fifth blow cracked the pillar, he felt it starting to give behind him. His Soul drained a shade, turning yellow. Then, before her last, Loz snapped a hand forward and caught her by the wrist. Sharp dark steel claws tore into her wrist. He wrestled against her strength, surprised by it. He shook. She shook. They trembled in a lock as he slowly twisted her arm out, and over - only managing to overpower her because of the positional advantage. “My turn!” He grinned.

He shoved her back, and used the reciprocal force to press against the pillar and throw himself forward. His fist hooked from the side, slightly down, the sharp spike curling over his hand tearing through her Soul and scraping down across her face, slicing her cheek. She staggered, and he pressed. Loz swung with his off hand, clocking Lolo in the jaw. “What did you think?” He chuckled. Rushing forward, Loz grabbed either side of her head and yanked her down. He jumped, cracking her face with his knee, and shoving her back again. “That I was soft like him?”

Scooting forward, Loz twisted, reared up a punch swung, uppercutting Lolo with enough strength to lift her off the ground, sending her in what seemed like a slow motion arc backward. He brought that same hand back, leveled it out, and jabbed, repeating the blows she had delivered to him, right into her solar plexus. “Come on now,” she went flying back, caught on her feet, but he was back in her face before she really recovered. Right, Right, left. Loz laid into Lolo, blow after blow, her Soul buckling, the green fading to yellow, “Maybe you’re right, I shouldn’t have come. You’re not worth my time!”

[VVitch]

Character Name: Maria Rex-Astra
Date | Time: 19th November | Night
Location: Eastern Quarter - OES Headquarters
Wearing: Combat Gear
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko |
It had been optimistic to hope the lightswitch might work. Risky, too. Maria thought about it for a few moments before deciding she'd reflect more later. Right now they had to find people. Ideally without getting ambushed, so that they could try her words-first approach. It cost them the element of surprise but she was willing to risk her safety for her morals. Risking Koko's was another matter but they'd agreed on it and Koko had been just as adamant that she wasn't about to be part of a hit squad and go in guns blazing.

"Doors work. I don't use fire. I imagine if they do they'll be careful too. Won't want to burn down their own place, I think," Maria replied as she listened to Koko speak. It all made enough sense. It was nice to have a little light, the doors did seem like a place there might be people and it was best to clear this floor before going upstairs as the inverse risked being cornered on the first floor. Maria couldn't begrudge a non-lethal tripwire, either. So far as the fact they were standing in a tinderbox, she didn't like it but hoped they could resolve this without a fight anyway.

Maria approached the double doors, eyeing them with trepidation. She furrowed her brow, tilting her head slightly and eventually settling to just pull the trigger. Or not, in this case. Leaving her weapons sheathed she motioned for Koko to stay back a little. Even if they were walking into a trap at least they might think Maria was alone, if they hadn't heard Koko talking already. Maria knocked hard on the double doors, three times, then called out, "Hello?" In a firm tone of voice that tried not to be aggressive. If nobody answered, Maria planned to try to push them open and see what was on the other side for herself.

[TheFluffyOne]

Character Name: Hulta Elderfond
Date | Time: | 19th November | Night
Location: Exterior wall of Azabhan Prison
Wearing: Dark green combat trousers, cream shirt, dark green leather holster and boots. Her staff sits crossed on her back and she has a dark brown backpack on.
Tagging | Mentioning:  Mugi|
Watching Mugi fight was like watching a piece of art spring to life. It was glorious. Hulta aided as she could. Adding another beat to the dance that Mugi was weaving through the guards. Only blows that would knock them out. Never anything lethal. Hulta knew exactly where to hit, where to put pressure and where not to. Searching through the pockets of one of the guards, she snagged any possible key cards that they had. They might be useless, but it was better to try them. Next task was getting down the courtyard. While Mugi landed without issue, Hulta knew that it wasn’t going to be an easy task for herself.

Slotting her staff into a cracked section of the stone surface, she flung herself backwards. Her feet swinging wildly in the air as she bounced backwards. While falling, she split her staff into two and tried to slot the ends into the wall that passed her by. Failing to do so, she instead kicked her heels against the wall and pushed off as she neared the ground. Channelling her soul, Hulta extended it around herself to protect as she landed harshly on one knee. The flickering green that danced around her hummed yet managed to remain that beautiful green colour.

Mugi’s voice brushed her and Hulta shook her head in response. She wasn’t injured. Just a little drained. As they stood in the shadow of the wall, it became painfully obvious that they would have to do something else to get across the open courtyard. Too many guards littered the other towers and the area where the hole had blasted through. Wrapping her fingers around her staff ends, Hulta craned her neck around. Looking for something. Anything that she could do.

With a soft hopeful noise from Mugi, her partner whispered an order to Hulta. ‘You distract down here…I got this’ A firm nod was given as the crow faded back into the shadows. Hulta stayed on one knee, feeling the gritty soil through her trousers. Focus, she chanted to herself as she started to drum up potential ideas. Bring down that section of stone. No, that could crush some of the guards. Maybe send a slice through them to embed into that tree. That might not be enough.

As her gaze flicked over the guards again, one of the large goliaths moved its attention to another guard. It’s movement so obviously not human. An idea blossomed within Hulta, and it appeared over her face in the form of a gremlin like smile. Slotting the two staff ends silently together, she let out a soft hum. Just quiet enough to go unnoticed but loud enough to start the wave of air around her staff.

Glancing around, she spotted her crow partner plotting her course with a determined yet stealthy gait. Distract. ‘You can easily distract anybody, Hulta’ she told herself cockily. Whirling the staff around in her arms, Hulta let out a slow breath as she funneled some flickering specks of soul into the wave. The wave needed to be big enough to get across the courtyard and sharp enough to cut deep within the goliath. Extending more and more until she could almost sense the hum on her skin, Hulta narrowed her eyes and whirled the wave of air free.

It traveled like a silent assassin across the courtyard. Aiming true and deadly. Hulta strained to watch it hit its mark. AND BOY OH BOY DID IT HIT. Hulta watched with glee as the wave of air sliced through the goliath like a hot knife through butter. Sparks of electricity and shavings of metal spat to the ground as the monstrous robot slowly fell like a dead oak tree. She wanted to squeal and jump with happiness but refrained. Mugi was providing a distraction and…

Noise shattered through the concerned voices of the guards by the hole. That was one hell of a distraction on Mugi’s part. Hulta knew better than to pause and wait, she took off running. Using the shadow of the wall to give her at least a small semblance of cover as she bolted across the courtyard. Only when she reached one of the entrances into the main building, did she stop and wait for her companion. Sliding into a corner, hunkering down and snapping her gaze left to right. Hulta waited until Mugi appeared before they tried to enter the building.

[Aethyrium]

Satin Whyte

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 19th, Night (~1am) | Onyx Prairie - Eastern Quarter - OES Headquarters | Urban - No Resonance
Next Post: 6.11.24 | Maria, Koko
Establishing the trip wire proved to be a straightforward task, effortless to execute even amidst the subdued illumination cast by Koko’s orbs. Despite the light, its presence remained discreet, lurking in the shadows, awaiting the unwitting. Should anyone dare to descend the stairs, the delicate mechanism was poised to spring into action, unleashing a shrill alarm that would echo through the opera house. The repeated triple knocks on the doors yielded no response, echoing in the entryway like unanswered pleas. However, opening the doors went exactly the way Maria hoped!

Beyond the imposing doors lay the auditorium, a cavernous expanse that whispered tales of its former grandeur. Once, it likely gleamed as a prized gem in the crown of the eastern quarter, but now it languished in a state of neglect and decay. The opulent velvet seats, once sumptuous and inviting, now bore the marks of time with faded hues, tears, and a veneer of grime. Compared to the grand opera houses favored by Maria's esteemed family, this space was modest in size. Two aisles flanked the room's periphery, leading the eye toward a central aisle that beckoned toward the distant stage like a forgotten pathway to a lost dream.

Their flashlights pierced the darkness, casting light on the immediate surroundings and revealing an empty space that echoed with their footsteps. Above them, the silhouette of balcony seats and equipment spaces loomed, likely connected by the stairs they had noticed earlier. With cautious steps, they descended, methodically checking each row of seats, half-expecting something to lunge out from the shadows. Despite the emptiness, subtle traces hinted at recent occupancy. The space bore signs of recent presence, though discerning specific details proved challenging; anyone from the notorious Red Fangs to homeless wanderers could have passed through here. The absence of any discernible markers made it impossible to determine who had traversed these halls. However, one thing was clear, this place had seen its fair share of visitors. Every surface bore the faint imprint of human touch; there was none of the settled dust that cloaked the former spaces, suggesting a recent flurry of activity.

Two more doors adorned the perimeter of the auditorium - one a side exit, while the other likely served as a passage leading backstage, concealed from view. Then there was the focal point of the room: the stage. Heavy curtains, worn and tattered with time, still clung to their rails, concealing whatever lay beyond from prying eyes. Recognizing the potential danger of hidden threats lurking backstage, they opted to ascend the small side stairs onto the stage itself. Once on the stage, they were greeted by a shallow pit directly ahead of it, perhaps once intended to accommodate a modest instrumental orchestra. However, the space now lay vacant, devoid even of chairs.

As they cautiously ascended onto the stage, they were unexpectedly engulfed by intense light. From hidden recesses in the ceiling, powerful spotlights erupted, casting blazing beams that enveloped them in a blinding glow. The sudden onslaught of illumination, with five brilliant beams converging upon them, rendered them temporarily blinded to anything beyond the stage.

“HUH.” A feminine voice called. A thump followed moments later, something falling and hitting the ground. “You know, I’m a little surprised. We knew the military found out we were, but we were really sure they’d just come storming in here. How uncommonly tactful.” Satin crossed her arms in the darkness, “You don’t look like soldiers, but you’re not dressed like friends either.” As if only catching it then, the woman, “HUH,” a second time, “And they sent a silenus even. Well this… This is a situation.”

There was a brief pause, and the woman whistled. Two of the lights shut off, and one moved to illuminate her, standing about half way down the central aisle. The woman was dressed in black pants, and an equally dark shirt, with a brighter, lighter brown trench coat. Her arms were folded across her stomach. Long ears twitched, almost lost in a fountain of slightly messy white hair. They might not know her name, but there was absolutely no mistaking her - this woman was the spitting image of their professor of combat, Silk. “What’re you doing here sister? And why are you consorting with the enemy?” She nudged in the direction of Koko.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: November 19 | early am
Location: Hammer Academy
Wearing: as pictured shield, boomerangs
Tagging | Mentioning: Orym | Chee
Note: Common Speech. Elven Speech
She sucked in a triumphant breath and looked to Orym with bright eyes. A surge of relief swept through her; with the military able to exit, it put less pressure on her to keep everyone safe. She could focus on Orym, reconnect with Chee, and get the trouble-maker who had put the pillars up in the first place!

”I can see your questions.” She watched as his eyes flicked from shield to weapon and back to her face. She saw the confusion of what stood before him; she was not the woman he knew. A reintroduction would not cover everything she needed to say, but it would be a start. She sucked in a deep breath, readying herself for a different type of battle as she stepped forward to reach out to him. Now was not the time. Now was not the place. But what good did putting it off do? As awful as the answer was, ignoring the question was worse. Fingers almost to his chest, mouth open to speak, the moment was ruined Adir made his presence known. She turned her head and froze.

She didn’t know who this man was, but there was no confusion about what he was here for. Farrah half-listened. Her outstretched hand finally found Orym’s chest and her fingers clutched his shirt tightly.

”How much power remains in your shield?” she asked, starting a conversation as if the man wasn’t speaking. If Orym was worried of being sent away, that question might have alleviated it. She had no intention of separating herself from Orym any more than he intended to follow any such suggestion. They had found each other in this hellish landscape, and together they would remain.

That didn’t stop the fear, though.

She was eyeballing that green arcanite and wondering what kind of equipment the military could get out into the street. This guy clearly had a Soul - maybe she could be a distraction while the soldiers helped whittle down his shield. With enough fire power--

She gasped in surprise as he stabbed himself with the crystal. There were many things she could face confidently, but a man raw-dogging arcanite was a level of commitment she was not prepared for. Her mind reeled over her classes, but she came up blank. This was not the kind of thing people did with arcanite! It was too destructive! She pushed against Orym’s chest, taking them both a few stumbling steps backwards towards the open gate, but then the ground rumbled.

Her head whipped around as the stone erupted from the ground, taking with it all the hope that had come from a job well done in clearing the street. Goosebumps prickled her skin and her eyes widened in panic as the seriousness of the situation settled in around her. The danger they were in - the danger Orym was in - was sent a tremor down her spine. She looked at him.

There had been such dread when she received his letter. She felt shame for her cowardice and the actions that took her away from him. But there had also been yearning. Her heart ached for his companionship. She missed how their conversations were never dull with ’what ifs’ and ’in our futures’. She missed how he would rub his thumb over the back of her hand as they cuddled by the lake. She missed how they spent the nights dancing and drinking after a long day of work. She missed the way he looked at her as they kissed. She missed him and although she wanted nothing more to spend time with him now that he was here, she wished desperately that he was anywhere else.

Her instinct was to take Orym and run, but she knew it would not be successful. There was a chasm between their physicality - she had been blessed by the brothers in a way that he had not, and there was no hope for them to outrun what was coming. She would be dragging him along. They stood a better chance taking a stand. A slim chance, but she never lacked for hope.

”I will stand with you,” she said with a level voice. She breathed in deeply, but it did nothing to calm her nerves. ”Allow me to take lead while you defend my back. We are surrounded, but we can face this together.” She said it with certainty even though this was nothing like their childhood dramas and play fights. Orym had seen how she and his sister played. This was not a welcome arena, but he had an idea of the types of feats she could accomplish. She put Mila’s boomerang away at her hip and slid her fingers to one of the hard-shell case at her belt. It snapped open to reveal a fire crystal - half the size of the arcanite Adir had jammed into himself.

”Heyo, God o’ Light with rays that guide me way,” she shouted, palming the crystal and walking towards the man. Orym hearing her clumsy words bothered her; the language she had never bothered to learn because she’d never need it was suddenly the most important thing in the moment. That knowledge was a weight in her stomach. They were in this position because she was not where she was supposed to be.

”Brighten up the path before me in this time of need.” She squeezed the strap in her shield as she stared the human down. ”I is quite familiar with what me God wants, and it ain’t me on mine knees repentin’ to the likes o’ you. Who this woman that come ta defeat us?” She glanced at the gleam of red dripping from his nose. That was probably due to the arcanite. Maybe all she needed to do was outlast him. Between her and Chee, that could be done. Where was he? She didn't wait to find out; she lunged forward, shield up and fist cocked to punch.

[CurvyKitten]

Character Name:  Aurora "Roar" Torvoe
Date | Time: | 19th November | Night
Location:  Onyx Prairie -  | Urban
Wearing:  This with her leg bracers of course,(one of the right but switch the hat for a beanie)
Tagging | Mentioning: Bri|
RUN....just run damn it! Roar pushed themselves faster down the asphalt as each important moment passed them by. Roar knew that they had lost valuable moments in saving those people. And sure they had where that moment had meant the world to those people. It could mean the end for others. Roar needed to be faster, so they ran. Legs pumping, feet making contact with the ground. Each step carries them ever closer to their goal.


Roar had to come to a skidding stop by the time they made it to the Astra industries building. Her breathing barely labored as hectic eyes scanned the area. Up, up, up they traveled till the fourth floor caught their attention. A struggle was happening for sure, one they needed to get to quickly. That was if they wanted to have any part in it.

It was then the window broke and the council woman screamed out for help. But before the woman could do much more she was dragged back into the building. Roar didn't even have to look at Bri as their teammate spoke, "Agreed," was all Roar said as they took off running. Making their way towards the building, but instead of heading for the door they went for the huge sign below the window.

They had no time to waste, and that meant taking a few risks. Normally scaling the sign would be easy. But in the middle of a war zone, during the high point of winter, yeah that was tricky. So with carefully measured but quick steps Roar made their way up the sign. Across the metal, and up the edge till they were up on the edge of the sign below the window. It would still mean a jump, but if that was all it took to surprise the would be attacks then so be it. So Roar shifted their feet and took off running once more before swiveling and launching themselves off the edge of the sign and to the window that had been broken.

Hand making purchase first, glass breaking skin as they grabbed hold of the frame of the window to pull themselves up. It was quick, and in the length of a lightning flash they were standing up on the edge of the windowsill. Energy crackled around their legs as they stood silhouetted by the light. Hands balled up into fists, blood dripping to the floor as eyes scanned the area. Where was the council woman?

[Aethyrium]

Orym Tinkerspan

?

Adir Udan

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 19th, Night (~1am) | Onyx Prairie - Central Onyx | Urban - No Resonance
Next Post: 6.12.24 | Farrah, Chee
Beneath her mask, the woman grinned to herself, a hidden expression of amusement that the clueless man couldn't see. This mouse still wasn’t getting it, and the realization made her smirk even wider. She had been more than prepared to enlighten him with a few choice words, to taunt him and revel in his confusion. But then he started droning on and on. And on. His incessant babbling was almost comical. That was fine by her, really; his rambling worked in her favor, giving her more time to study him and plan her next move. Still, if he was going to yammer at her, he could have at least had the decency to say something interesting. Instead, he prattled on about topics he clearly knew nothing about, each word underscoring his ignorance. She found herself both annoyed and entertained, waiting for the perfect moment to cut him off and shatter his delusions with a few well-placed remarks.

But such an opportunity never came. Chee closed the distance with startling speed, not much quicker than she was, but fast enough. However, what truly gave him the advantage was his ability to read her movements with uncanny accuracy. She parried as expected, her blade meeting his, but in that moment, his chain whipped around her wrist. The entanglement was her undoing, compromising her carefully constructed defenses.

Her Soul roared in protest as his dart found its mark, piercing her flesh and driving deep into her gut. The pain was sharp and immediate, but it paled in comparison to what followed. Chee's series of headbutts came in rapid succession. The first one made her blink, momentarily disoriented. The second headbutt cracked her mask, sending spiderweb fractures through its once solid surface. The third struck with brutal force, sending her staggering backward. And the fourth? The fourth headbutt was devastating. It connected with a sickening thud, sapping the green vibrancy from her Soul and leaving it a wan, sickly yellow. Disoriented and drained, she tried to push Chee away. She managed to toss him back, but the effort was clumsy, desperate. In doing so, she stumbled over the ledge he had been maneuvering her towards with each relentless blow.

Arms flailed, grasping at the air in a futile attempt to find something to hold onto. But there was nothing. She toppled over the edge, her body plummeting downwards as the world blurred around her. As she fell through the air, a sudden tremor shook the ground, causing the entire area to quake violently. The building beneath Chee's feet rumbled, the vibrations resonating through the structure. In all his years, Chee had never experienced an earthquake.

She flicked both her hands inward and forward, as if she were wielding invisible whips. But these whips were far from invisible. Thin, strong wires with small, razor-sharp darts shot forward from concealed mechanisms in her gloves, whizzing through the air. The darts drilled into the side of the building with a satisfying thunk, anchoring themselves securely into the concrete. The sudden jolt from the wires catching her fall jarred her, but she quickly adapted, swinging on them with practiced ease. Momentum carried her forward, and with a powerful kick, her feet smashed through a window. She disappeared into the building's interior, the sound of shattering glass echoing behind her.

She landed ungracefully, hitting the ground hard and rolling through the mess of broken glass. Pain flared up as shards bit into her skin, but she barely registered it, adrenaline surging through her veins. She tumbled across the floor, finally coming to a stop in what appeared to be someone's living room. The space was a chaotic mix of everyday life and sudden destruction. A horrified scream pierced the air, and she looked up to see a woman standing frozen in terror, clutching a phone in one hand and a remote in the other. The woman’s eyes were wide with shock, her mouth open in a silent scream. It was clear she had no idea what to make of the masked intruder who had just burst through her window.

Ignoring the woman's fear-stricken gaze, she quickly assessed her surroundings. The room was sparsely furnished, with a couch, a coffee table strewn with magazines, and a TV displaying a paused soap opera scene. She didn't have time - or inclination - to offer explanations or reassurances. Pushing herself up, she winced at the pain from her cuts but forced herself to move, heading towards the nearest exit. Every second counted, and she couldn't afford to be caught off guard again.

* * * * *

Orym's mind was a storm of questions, each one more pressing than the last. The sheer volume of his confusion was overwhelming, and a mere glance at the situation around him did nothing to help him rationalize it. It wasn't just about Thessa and the peculiar behavior she exhibited, nor was it solely about his sister and the mysteries surrounding her. It was all of this - every baffling detail that refused to make sense. Why were people doing this? These weren’t Hollow; they were just people. People hurting other people. To what end? The senseless cruelty was almost heartbreaking, but Orym found it more infuriating than anything else. His heart ached with a need for understanding, a need to unravel the twisted logic behind the chaos.

At least Thessa seemed to grasp his bewilderment. In the midst of the turmoil, she could be his anchor, a port in this storm of confusion and anger. If only they could find a moment to breathe, a brief respite to share their thoughts and fears. Orym longed for such a moment with her, craved the connection and clarity it might bring. He had come all this way not just to share one fleeting instant, but to find solace and understanding in her presence, to share many moments that could illuminate the darkness around them; a darkness that had loomed since she’d left.

But apparently they weren’t going to yet be allowed to do that.

He pressed into her, his arms moving to encircle her, offering protection. In truth, it was he who needed the shelter, the reassurance of her presence. Or perhaps, it was simply his way of stealing a fragment of the moments they were being denied. He followed her gaze to Adir, a man he didn't recognize but instinctively knew was trouble. Adir's presence radiated menace, his countenance a mask of barely concealed threat. Orym wasn't a fool; the tension in Thessa's body, the way her eyes narrowed and her muscles tensed, told him everything he needed to know. This man was a problem, a significant one.

Whispering softly, Orym murmured, “Mis escudos aguantarán.” My shields will hold. He said it as much for himself as for Thessa, a mantra to steady his nerves. He tightened his embrace, hoping his shields—both physical and emotional—would indeed be strong enough to withstand whatever was coming. He prayed they would endure, even as uncertainty gnawed at him, making him question if they truly could withstand the storm ahead.

The eruption of the wall made Orym’s eyes widen in shock. He had never witnessed such a display of raw elemental power. How was the man able to do that? The sheer force of it was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. If such power could be harnessed for good, imagine the possibilities… His thoughts raced, but he didn’t have long to dwell on them. In a brief moment of calm amidst the chaos, Thessa shared her plan. Orym took her free hand, his grip firm yet gentle. He laced their fingers together, drawing her hand up slowly. Turning it so that the backs of their hands faced each other, he pressed his forehead against the back of her hand. The gesture was intimate, a silent confession of love and trust. He held her hand there, letting the warmth of their connection seep into his soul, grounding him. In that brief, sacred moment, he conveyed everything he felt but couldn't say aloud. The chaos around them seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them, united against the storm. It was a promise, an unspoken vow that they would face whatever came next together. “Ir. Me aseguraré de que no te interrumpan.”

Dropping her hand, Orym followed more slowly. His hands clenched and he activated the shields. Power was low, but no longer being drained, they were at least the correct size and shape again. He scanned the area, looking for others who might seek to interrupt - or for his own opportunity to get in and join Thessa against Adir.

Adir grunted as she approached, his eyes narrowing in acknowledgment. She was bold and direct, qualities he respected even if they wouldn't spare her from his wrath. He appreciated her courage, though it wouldn't prevent him from beating her into the ground and ending her miserable life. He intended to make it quick.  “She is the heiress. The inheritor of this abandoned world,” he declared, his voice resonating with a chilling certainty. As he spoke, he swept his hand with swift precision, knocking her shield aside. Her fist connected with his face, but he didn't flinch. His Soul twitched in response, yet he remained unmoved, an immovable force against her onslaught. Farrah landed gracefully from her lunge, her feet barely touching the ground before she acted again. A pillar of stone, sharp and jagged, erupted from the earth between Adir's feet. It shot up with the speed and force of one of Marlowe’s jabs, smashing into her gut. The impact was brutal, lifting her off her feet and sending her sprawling backward.

The stone crumbled to the street under his feet as he strode forward, relentless in his pursuit. With a swift, brutal motion, his heavy, meaty hand swung and clocked her in the side of the head. The impact dulled the vibrant green of her Soul to a sickly yellow. She barely had time to react before another swing came from the opposite side. This time, she managed to raise her shield, but the force of his blow made the metal sing on impact. The sheer power behind his strike caused her to skid backward, her boots scraping against the ground. This man was strong, far stronger than anyone she had faced before. “And I am her herald.” he declared, his voice booming with authority.

As he spoke, the ground beneath Farrah's feet began to ripple like water, rolling in undulating waves. The strange, fluid motion lifted her up and carried her back, shifting her almost ten feet away from him. She landed unsteadily, trying to find her balance on the shifting earth. In front of him, a massive slab of stone as tall as himself shot up from the ground. With a menacing creak, it began to launch small chunks of rock like bullets. The stone condensed and squeezed, firing pellets of dense earth at her with rapid precision.

This was exactly the opportunity Orym had been waiting for. He might not have been trained as a warrior, but he was no slouch when it came to defending those he cared about. With determination fueling his every step, Orym came skidding into the space that had opened up between Thessa and Adir, his shields raised high. The earth projectiles hammered against the hardlight barriers, crumbling into dust against their unyielding strength. “Than you serve an imposter, no god would wish for this!” Orym growled, his voice deep with conviction. He charged forward, shields shimmering with teal-yellow energy, creating a path through the onslaught of stone. Each step he took was deliberate, each movement calculated to protect Thessa and turn the tide of battle. With a final, forceful push, Orym broke through the barrage, creating a clear path for Thessa. “Ahora, Tesa. ¡Ir!” he shouted, his voice filled with urgency and trust. He planted himself firmly, his shields expanding to cover more area, providing her the protection she needed to make her move.

[Aethyrium]

Isabella Winterbourne

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 19th, Night (~1am) | Onyx Prairie -  | Urban - No Resonance
Next Post: 6.12.24 | Bri’elle, Aurora
Breaking through the doors of the warehouse, Bri had no trouble finding the stairs that would take her up to the fourth floor. As she turned the first flight was when she realized that Roar was nowhere to be seen, having taken a different path. Continuing up, she had to shove past only one worker. Meanwhile, on the outside, Aurora scaled the outside of the building. It was much faster, but much more risky. Fortunately, even with the winter slickness, scaling the exterior was a fairly simple matter. Unfortunately, as she lept for the shattered window, Aurora impaled her hand on a shard of the glass, it tore into her Soul and caused the green energy to crackle like static around her. And it even bit into her palm - not severe enough to be detrimental, but damn did it sting.

As Aurora hoisted herself up and squeezed through the narrow window, locating the councilwoman and her assailant proved to be a task of little difficulty. The towering figure, several inches above Isabella, enfolded her in his arms. He possessed a bulky frame, lacking in the refinement of physical fitness, perhaps even bordering on rotundity. His attire bore the emblem of Astra Industries, an ominous association given the circumstances. Isabella’s struggle against his grip manifested in frantic flailing and muffled cries, her voice stifled by the oppressive weight of his palm clamped over her mouth. Suspended above the ground, she fought against his grasp in a desperate bid for freedom. Upon catching sight of Aurora, the assailant’s eyes widened in alarm, his voice betraying a sense of panic rather than the confident demeanor of a seasoned criminal. "Who the hell are you?!" he blurted out, his tone fraught with apprehension. It became evident that he was not a mastermind behind the attack, but rather an opportunist seeking to exploit the chaotic situation for his own gain.

"You stay right there!" he grunted, his grip tightening around the councilwoman as he forcibly yanked her to the side, eliciting a sharp squeal of pain from her. "Just… Just… Get out! GO AWAY! This doesn’t concern you." His words were strained, punctuated by the urgency of his actions.

Isabella seized the opportunity, her instincts fueled by desperation. With a sudden burst of defiance, she sunk her teeth into the man's finger, prompting a howl of agony as he recoiled, stumbling back a few clumsy steps away from Aurora. The pressure on Isabella's mouth momentarily relented, allowing her to gasp for breath and attempt to cry out for help, but her plea was swiftly stifled as the assailant jammed the side of his hand between her lips, silencing her protests. Despite the pain, he gritted his teeth and persisted in his efforts to control her, determined to quell any further resistance.

Bri hit the fourth floor, and had no issues finding the door - it was right there - to the offices that had the encounter. When she pulled it open, the man wasn’t more than half a dozen steps away from her. His back turned to her, seemingly unaware of her arrival, and too busy holding onto his prize to do anything about it, even if he had noticed.

[VVitch]

Character Name: Maria Rex-Astra
Date | Time: 19th November | Night
Location: Eastern Quarter - OES Headquarters
Wearing: Combat Gear
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko, Satin | Meena, Hulta
Though she wished words worked Maria was glad she didn't have to crash through the doors armed. What greeted her reminded her a little of the abandoned mansion she'd roamed with Meena and Hulta recently. There was a lost beauty here. Perhaps that was unfair. It was beautiful in its own way, a different way to the opulence it had once possessed, though. Maria eyed the decor, impressed, and for a moment her attention was not as sharp as she might have liked.

Surveying the room, slow and steady, Maria was calm and gentle about her search. This was no breach and clear. Despite that, she remained ready as she could to leap out of the way should something come for them. Someone, more likely, this time. It was a different prospect to go into battle against something other than a Hollow, far more complex, but she trusted herself to at least try to do the right thing.

Remaining quiet, Maria encouraged Koko to follow on but keep a little distance as she ventured towards the stage. With the other girl's skillset it made sense for Koko to keep clear of any attackers, if someone were waiting to ambush them. As if on cue, the lights struck Maria and she closed her eyes immediately, blinded she covered with her forearm and grimaced. In her mind, she cursed at the recklessness of walking into the sightlines of both the lights and all that seating.

Whoever had done it spoke first, which had her relax just a fraction. Maria could only listen as she stepped a little, trying to retrace her path. They sounded reasonable enough, in a way. Maria found it hard to judge someone for acknowledging the military's common lack of tact and it was perhaps surprising that a Silenus was sent here.

Finally, she could see, and Maria quickly opened her eyes to re-assess. Based on the whistles they were outnumbered but how badly she didn't yet know. Maria regarded the woman with intrigue, immediately noticing a resemblance too close to be anything but familial. Any calm she felt was jolted from her system when Koko was called the enemy, causing a frown from Maria as she looked over at Koko and pursed her lips before turning and shaking her head firmly, "She is not my enemy." Maria's voice was firm, even a little angered by the wording.

"I'm here to learn for myself if the Red Fang are responsible for what happened today," Maria added, circling to answer the first question. There was more to it than that. She had been hoping they weren't to blame, that she could ask about other things, learn more, then encourage them to flee and claim she had found nobody at all. As things were turning out, though, Maria was tense and had a sinking feeling that perhaps the Red Fang really had done this. If they had, she was not about to let them disappear.

[Rainbae]

Character Name: Koko Gero
Date | Time: 11.19 | ~1am
Location: Opera House
Wearing: Red Overalls, White Blouse, Faded Blue Leather Trench Coat, Goggles, Heavy Work Boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Maria |
Note: Scoping out the Area
The grandeur and beauty of the space was mostly lost on Koko as she and Maria passed through the threshold into the auditorium. As a general point she'd never been much into the arts. Drama bored her, paintings seemed pointless to her when photography existed, and writing pffft what a waste of time. Music was the only thing that ever really drew her in much but it wasn’t in search of any kind of greater purpose. All Koko wanted was something to bump to. Something that shook her bolts and disconnected some of her wiring every once in a while. Something that made her feel all the parts of her, right to her core, and not in some vague emotional sense. She wanted to feel the music literally move her.

As Koko’s headlamp scanned across the room her earlier thoughts echoed on again. Looking up at the large looming curtains she frowned. She really would have to be careful where she let things fly if they got into a fight in here. One lightning blast in the wrong place and this place could go up in flames. She searched the rows as they moved through the room. Koko took care to be extra vigilant for any traps that might be laid. It was a simple enough task for her, just check all the spots she'd think of. But nothing came to light as they reached the tall stage. She followed a few steps behind Maria as they ascended the stairs onto the thing. She was focussed on how much she did not like the sound the boards made as they squeaked under them when light hit their eyes.

Koko was shielded from most of the glare of the showlights suddenly flooding them with the help of her goggles. A few layers of flash protection did wonders although with how much light came rushing onto them all at once Koko did find herself squinting slightly. Still she watched as a figure she could barely make out dropped from above. Koko tried to center her headlamp on the person but the shine of the lights targeting them washed it out. It seemed the pair of them would see what these people wanted them to see for now.

Koko’s immediate reaction to the shocking display was to curl her hands into the finger gun position she used for her lightning blasts. It was only by the will imparted by her from her respect for Maria that she didn’t raise her arms to level them at the target in front of her. Instead they stayed lowered below her waist, still in firing position. She felt the power flow through her wrists, each glove priming to let out its power. Koko’s weapons were always on a hair trigger and for moments like this she liked to keep it that way.

As the woman spoke the tension in the air was palpable. Clearly she wasn't too pleased by Koko being here. She physically watched the muscles in Maria's back tense as the woman called her the enemy. Yea that one kind of hurt a bit, she thought. She stepped a bit closer to Maria and nudged them with her elbow once more, hoping to break some of their tension and also possibly show a bit of solidarity to the lady and the many more who were presumably watching them from above. Koko felt her own anxiety spiking as she recognized how very outnumbered they were, and with nothing to even the odds. She really didn't like being here with no contingency but this whole idea had been predicated on showing good faith. Tilting her head for a moment she thought about that idea. Guess more good faith couldn't hurt.

Trying her best to swallow her fears Koko took another step up beside Maria and literally bumped her hips against her partner’s. Reaching up towards the taller silenus she looped an arm around their neck and laughed as she pulled down a bit bringing Maria face level with hers.

“Only time this one right ‘ere becomes my enemy is when they mistakenly try to win the last pretzel by challengin’ me to a bout of Champion Fighters 5. And trust me that don't go well for ‘em.” Koko put on her goofiest and most silly smile possible. As she did she stealthily activated her shimmer on her partner. She kept Maria's feet on the ground with the grip she had around their neck but Maria would feel it as her weight became nothing and she no longer felt her body pushing towards the ground. Koko gave her a wink, both to play up her speech but also to let her friend know she was ready to go at a moment’s notice.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 19th | Night (~1am)
Location: Blue Sky Bridge
Wearing: White dress with blue and golden trim w/ matching sash, wedge boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Meena, Ocean | Marlowe, Azir

Lyra’s hands twitched, her fingers trembling in both fear and anger as Ocean stood there and dared to lecture her. He was just standing there, tossing vague threats about Marlowe around, and he didn’t lie to her? What was that about? She clearly told him to leave her team out of this! If she did as she was asked, and she most certainly did, to her detriment, then he promised to not go after Gravity. So why? Why was he so insistent that he hadn’t lied to her? And why was he still making idle threats against Marlowe?!
 
She opened her mouth to say something, but something in the back of her mind started nagging at her with how he had worded things – both now and back then. Her brows furrowed as she narrowed her eyes, glaring at him, even as the gears in her head started turning. He… He had said he wouldn’t go after them. He wouldn’t personally go after her team, as long as they didn’t pursue him. Which meant nothing for those in his employ. That left a small loophole she was only just now realizing existed. Lyra had been so concerned with making that deal to protect her teammates that she hadn’t even remotely considered how the deal was worded – in his favor, no less.
 
Those fingers curled tighter into her skirts, nails threatening to tear into the fabric as she gripped fistfuls of it. Lyra adverted her eyes from him, staring at the ground as she realized her error. The blood rushed to her face as the color dusted her cheeks a rosy pink, despite the cold weather. Not only had he technically not lied to her, but with her earlier outburst at Marlowe’s safety being threatened, she had opened the door for him to declare their deal publicly. Granted, it was only Meena nearby, as anyone else close enough to hear them had better things to worry about that to eavesdrop on a conversation they weren’t involved in. Lyra knew she’d have to answer to those questions later. He had tricked her and gotten the upper hand. He had come out on top that night, in more ways than one, and she had been used in all manner of things.
 
Finding her composure reset, she lifted her gaze to meet Ocean’s, a mixture of shame and embarrassment washing over her features. That night together on the balcony still replayed over in her head, her face warming up at the thought, but she shoved down that ridiculous feeling into the pit of her stomach, squashing any embers that tried to spark at the memory. Why didn’t it surprise her that he already knew the names of their newest team members? Her eyes flickered past him at the flashes of light and small explosions. This was a losing battle now. They might have had the edge against the convicts barricaded here, but with Ocean’s arrival, something had shifted out of their favor.
 
Lyra shifted uncomfortably as he lifted the blade in her direction, letting her gaze land on his weapon before trailing up it to meet those yellow eyes of his. As he gestured towards the side of the bridge, her eyes followed the motion, but retreated back to him shortly after. “‘A good deal.’ Why? What are you getting out of this? Why should we leave?”
 
Slowly, she shifted her weight to take a step in his direction, sliding along the ground as she released those handfuls of fabric, letting her skirts swish around her ankles with the movement. “Why are you here, Ocean? You mentioned world peace. Just what did you mean by that? What is your involvement here?” She gestured at the space around them. Azir’s warning replayed in her head again – a distraction. She didn’t want to leave the bridge, but the threat of something else, something bigger, going on was very real.

[Crash]

Character Name: Meena Tor
Date | Time: November 19th, Night | 1:00am
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy → Wilds → Blue Sky Bridge
Wearing: Green camo cargo pants, black long-sleeved synthetic weave zip-up over a black crop top and puffy black vest with snap on fur trimmed hood and hidden pockets, and Black combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Lyra, Vesper, Ocean | Lolo, Mila
Meena was coiled like a viper.  Every fiber of her being wanted to finish the job Lolo had done. Just knock the rest of Ocean's teeth out of his mouth and scatter them across the pavement like hard candy, but she didn't. Meena listened.  She caught Ocean's wordplay immediately. He seemed to revel in his cleverness.  Obviously, he tricked Lyra into agreeing to something that only benefited him.  Ocean struck Meena as the quintessential manipulator. Stringing words together to get what he wants, no matter the destruction and damage it caused, because the only thing that truly mattered to Ocean was Ocean.  He might claim lofty goals, but she doubted his version of world peace led anywhere other than under his boot heel. Ocean was casual cruelty and sociopathic narcissism swaddled in smooth words, wrapped in ruggedly interesting looks.

It made him over-confident and extremely dangerous.  The blush on Lyra's cheeks made Meena's heart sink.  He already had his clutches deep inside of her, and Meena hadn't even known about it.  She thought she had been open with her team. Thought she had made it clear to Lyra when Haim's actions were revealed that she was on her side.  Meena thought Lyra trusted her, but clearly, she had been wrong.  She wasn't mad.  She was just so very disappointed.  It was too late to fix what had been done.  Meena could only hope Lolo was safe at the Academy.  To get lost in puzzling this mystery deal between Lyra and Ocean or Lolo's safety was a distraction Meena could ill afford facing down someone as dangerous as Ocean.  And now Meena understood just how dangerous the man was.

The calm that fell over Meena at the realization that she might not make it off the bridge alive was surprising.  It wasn't that she wasn't afraid of dying.  She was. But the sense of purpose that fell across her like a warm blanket on a cold desert night gave her a sense of peace with her decision.  She would stand in Ocean's way, no matter what was to come.  Hopefully, delay him until help could arrive, catch him if they could overwhelm him, but if it came to her life to keep him from getting what he so very much desired.  Whatever that might be.  Well, she would do it.  She was a Champion.

"I doubt our ideas of world peace look anything alike," Meena said, retracing her steps to move closer to Lyra and directly into Ocean's path.  She felt no need to acknowledge her name; it was obvious he knew who she was.  The information he had on the Academy and the military was disturbingly accurate. Another note to be stored away in the hopes of making it off of the bridge alive tonight.

"That's what I hear," Meena replied. The longer Ocean talked, the less time he would have to achieve whatever he wanted here. "Chee's great.  I hope you get to meet him sometime," Meena said with a smile.  "We should all get together sometime somewhere private," Meena suggested. "Just Ocean and gRAVity.  I'm sure we will have a grand old time.”

Meena almost managed to look apologetic when he mentioned the awkwardness of their situation. "I guess it's just…fate." She said with a shrug of her shoulders, tossing his bullshit back at him even if her tone was conversational.

"Yeahhh, sorry.  No can do Ocean Blue," He might want them, or at the very least Lyra, to leave, but that wasn't what he really wanted.  He hadn't revealed that card.

"I appreciate the offer. I really do. How about a counteroffer?  You drop all your weapons, call off whatever opportunity this distraction creates for you, give us back Mila unharmed, and you can leave.  We can all find a nice place to sort out our differences another time. Alone. It's the last deal you're going to make with gRAVity.  I'd take it.  It's a good deal," Meena offered. 

[CurvyKitten]

Character Name:  Aurora "Roar" Torvoe
Date | Time: | 19th November | Night
Location:  Onyx Prairie -  | Urban
Wearing:  This with her leg bracers of course,(one of the right but switch the hat for a beanie)
Tagging | Mentioning: Bri|

Aurora made climbing the sign look like child's play. Their well tone frame worked up the metal frame without much more than a few creaks sounding along the way. A light step had Roar’s foot falling down ever so gently step on the broken glass that dusted the floor of the room they'd managed to enter. A slow easy step made little to no noise. Silent, like nothing more than the wind they moved.

That was until the criminal turned and finally made eye contact with them. Roar didn't take any steps to close the distance between them just yet. Holding up their hands, "I'm what some would call the calvary. But most often people call me Roar." they explained realizing that there might be more than one way out of this besides using her fists. Not that they were any good at this bit, the talking bit. Talking people off the ledge wasn't their thing. Roar wasn't the person you came to for advice, they were barely able to wrangle their own lives. But maybe the fact that they managed it just proved how much Roar could really teach someone.

Five younger siblings and the weight of all their worlds rested on Roar's shoulder's. And as strong as they were, Aurora wasn't so sure they were strong enough to support all that alone. Thankfully Roar knew that they were not alone, so even after being caught they kept their cool. "Now, you say it doesn't concern me like you really mean it." Roar makes sure to keep the focus on them as Bri gets into place and does what they were going to do. "But really...it does. Cause this lovely lady here, well they just don't seem to be keen on being in your company tonight. And around here consent is kind of a big deal." Roar leans in a bit more and grins, "So we could have this go the calm and easy way. And you let the lady go, or" Roar paused and stepped closer and locked eyes with the criminal to make sure he wasn't looking in Bri's direction.

When the councilwoman acted though Roar moved, imposing themselves between the assailant and the councilwoman. Slipping in their well toned frame without much thought to what harm could come their way. Roar brought their knee up to break the hold the man had on Isabella just as Bri closed the distance and came into play.

[Envious]

Character Name: Farrah Tinkerspan
Date | Time: November 19 | early am
Location: Hammer Academy
Wearing: as pictured shield, boomerangs
Tagging | Mentioning: Orym | Chee
Note: Common Speech. Elven Speech
Some might assume she had no one but herself to blame for consistently getting her ass kicked, but Farrah was perfectly content to blame Shir and Silk at her next opportunity. They knew she had a knack for getting into fights! Why had they not better prepared her? That jab into her gut didn’t just hurt, it gave her vertigo. For a moment, her physical feeling of the world misaligned with her visual perception, giving her nausea that made her mouth water in protest. The spot on her stomach where Ocean had impaled her had healed over without a scar, but it screamed to life as if being ripped open again at the force of the strike. There was no room to recover as he smacked the spit out of her mouth. This man was a beast! Was it the arcanite? It must be - it was unreal.

She wasn’t ashamed over the relief she felt when he placed distance between them. It gave her a moment to think. She had assumed Ocean was behind all of this because… well, it was the only name she had! But who was this mystery woman? Did Ocean work for her, too? He must! Farrah growled; that sallow-skinned scoundrel wasn’t even here and he was making life difficult for her. She needed to focus on the fight, not allow her brain to scatter to every peripheral pie he had his fingers in. Dazzle & Dust, Mila, the Paladins, Everick, Marlowe - it was all just a distraction! She needed to--

Mila?

Her mind whipped back to the thought. Instinct told her to follow the feeling, but good sense told her to stay grounded in the moment. Mila was gone and there was no use thinking of her right now.

And then those brief seconds were gone, wasted worrying about dead-end thoughts instead of formulating a real strategy to protect Orym and herself. She didn’t know why she bothered - she couldn’t name a single occasion in her life where punch harder hadn’t done the trick when punch had failed. She raised her shield as the first earthen bullet fired only to find Orym skidding to a halt between her and the projectile.

There was paralyzing terror at the sight of him defending her; her heart had dropped to her stomach, but there was also such fierce pride. He never failed to amaze her! As the first bullet struck his shield in a flash of light, outlining his silhouette, Farrah’s smile of pride faltered.

A burst of light and the thunderous crash of glass falling into the ocean viewing room. The boat careening, causing her, other passengers, and furniture that wasn't bolted down to crash into the wall. Falling onto her back. The panicked cry of 'Thessa!' The disoriented reply of 'Farrah?' The boat righting itself violently. The silhouette of a true warrior standing at the precipice of the shattered window. Unpleasant pressure as her Soul absorbed damage she hadn't been prepared to take…

She gasped for breath in shallow heaves as the second bullet hit Orym’s shield. There was a dullness to her senses everywhere except her scalp. The crown of her head writhed with an insatiable itch. If she could just rip her hair out one strand at a time, perhaps she’d pull out whatever thrashed underneath her skin. Then Orym was moving forward. The unwanted memory threatened to undo what little composure she had. He didn’t know. He didn’t know that he was mirroring his sister’s selfless heroism.

He didn’t know that had been the last time she had seen Farrah.

Then Orym said her name and all of her delusions shattered. Thessa snapped back to reality, pulled by the gravity of the situation. He had done it - he had safely made a path for her and she seized the chance he had given them.

With a feral shout, Thessa lunged forward and snapped the crystal in her hand. Heat erupted around her with such force that a haze surrounded her, warping the air. Running full speed, the elf jumped up into the air to come at Adir with an aerial punch. This time, he raised his fist to meet hers. Their knuckles struck with such violent force that light erupted between their fists as Thessa hovered mid air for a moment. Then there was an explosion of fire at her elbow that gave her the driving force to push past the Herald’s infused strength and force him to stumble backwards. He pulled back and as Thessa’s toes touched the ground, she launched forward again.

”Heiress? Never heard o’ her!” she heckled. Adir deflected her shield strike with an incremental movement, but Thessa’s body was already twisting for her elbow to nail him in the cheek. Adir leaned back a quarter of an inch; she could feel the tickle of his beard across her skin as she missed, but she extended her fingers into claws and was able to rake across his cheek. His soul flared from underneath her; she allowed no space as she struck again, letting the heat from her aura sizzle away at him. ”Reckon it must be embarrassin’ that the Inheritor need ta attack in the dead ‘o night like the nameless coward she be.” She backflipped out of the way of a pillar of earth, grabbing a handful of loose earth from the pillars she and Orym had destroyed earlier. She pounced forward, tossing the dirt into Adir’s face. It struck true, and he stumbled back with a raised hand to blindly block, but he missed. Thessa wove her way between his arms and then vaulted upwards. She channeled every last bit of that crystalline power into the uppercut and a fiery explosion at Adir’s chin flashed in yellows as his shield was sapped and her arcanite disintegrated. He arced in the air and Thessa reached for her pouch to snag another chunk of arcanite; there was no hesitation with her resources as she pressed the release on her chain whip. The blade was tossed into the air a scant three feet while Thessa pulled out a lightning crystal and then caught the blade with it facing downwards. A white crackle of electricity sparked off the knife, jolted down the chain, and sparkled over her shield.

”Do tell that Ocean is one o’ you lot. Would love ta know me is sendin’ another one o’ you fools back to your thief lady.” She stayed noisy, demanding his attention. Anything to keep his eyes off of Orym. She bolted forward again, stray hairs standing on end, shield up in a defensive position and blade poised to strike where Adir had jabbed that green crystal into his side.

[Lyrical]

Character Name: Bri'elle "Bri" Whitewater
Date | Time: November 19th, Night (~1am)
Location: Onyx Prairie - | Urban - No Resonance
Wearing: full kit
Tagging | Mentioning: Roar ( @CurvyKitten )
There was surprisingly no resistance on the stairs or along any of the floors, which was a relief. Bri thought for sure that they would encounter issues along the way. But Roar wasn't with her, there was no cry for help so she trusted that Roar would be where they needed to be...

And there they were, Roar was face to face with the assailant and councilwoman. The man was clearly out of his league and just fumbling around here, not even well prepared for the job that he was doing. The man was rambling about it being none of Roar's business but her squadie was having none of that as they distracted the man and kept him focused on Roar. Then Isabella made her move and as he tried to manhandle the councilwoman, Roar closed the distance to make their move. For a moment time stood still and Bri breathed, then she shot forward, whipping her giant sword around and using the flat side like a massive steel baseball bat to swat the back of the guys head. Now there was a good chance this might cave in his skull, which wasn't her intention, but Bri was more of a single shot - big damage type - then a finesse fighter. Bri did her best to try to give it a bit of a ground ball type of swing at bat instead of a home run sort of swing. Only time was going to tell what the result of this was going to be.

[Aethyrium]

Ocean Specter

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 19th, Night (~1am) | Onyx Prairie -  | Urban - No Resonance
Next Post: 6.13.24 | Vesper, Lyra, Meena
“Out of letting you go?” Ocean pursed his lips and shook his head, “I’m not getting anything out of that. I just don’t want to fight you, Silver.” He glanced at Meena and gave a small nod, “You either, Meena.” Ocean wasn’t being deceptive. He shrugged slightly, it was that simple.

He opened his mouth to give Lyra an answer, but then Meena had to go and chime in. His brow furrowed some, and he tilted his head. The more she talked, the less impressive she became. Meena was like a mewling idiot, babbling about things she thought she understood while in truth she was so entirely incompetent that anyone with an actual clue was laughing at her. So haughty and full of herself, so sure and yet so entirely, so stupidly, wrong. And like entirely too many, so eager to get into a fight. In fact, Meena was proving to be more incompetent than Namid - and he considered that an impressive feat.

“What is it with you and your team leaders, Silver?” He tilted his head after Meena decided to be nothing short of a bitch, “Why do they all trust you so little and refuse to just let you converse. We wouldn’t even be in this situation if anyone bothered to treat you like a peer, instead of an incompetent child.” Ocean shook his head. His disappointment in Meena was maximal. He frowned, genuinely, at Meena, “After all I heard about you, I really expected better. But you’re just another brash, bloodlusting moron. How terribly disappointing. You do your grandmothers a disservice.” Did she think she was clever, using his words, and twisting them to mean something else? How childish. How pathetic that she wasn’t even competent enough to come up with her own words. All she managed to do was sound like a

Ocean whipped his sword up and back, curling it over his shoulder. He set the thin blade on it and lightly tapped, “You really want to be alone with me again? That didn’t work out so well for Gravity last time. How many times are you going to start something with me, before you figure out that it’s a losing bet? I keep offering you a way out, and you keep doing the same thing. At least you’re living up to the legacy of Gravity leaders, I suppose.” But was that really what Meena wanted to be?

Rolling his eyes and heaving a heavy, disappointed sigh, Ocean looked up at Vesper looking down on them like a hawk. He brought his blade around and idly slashed it through the air. Meena’s repositioning didn’t seem to concern him. The gunfire in the distance came to a close. There was a heavy thud, the sound of the goliath falling and hitting the bridge deck. Then nothing. “That’s not a deal, it’s an insult. Besides, if this is a distraction, shouldn’t you be somewhere else finding out what the real plan is? If you’re going to pretend to be smart, at least say something coherent.” He exhaled, making a low ‘pbbt pbbt pbbt’ sound - he was… Exasperated.

There was something very amusing about her threat though. The last deal he would make with them? That got a little chuckle. “We’ll see. But as far as Mila is concerned, I’m not so sure she wants to come back to you. She’s feeling awful abandoned. Maybe if you were all more inclined to just talk instead of these faux displays of power, then you’d already have her. I keep giving you the chance, and you keep forcing my hand.” His blade lowered, the tip scraping the deck as he continued to swish it. Ocean peered past Meena at Lyra. “I want you to remember this Silver. When we could have solved this peacefully, when I tried to solve this without conflict, and your team, once again, pushed for escalation. One conversation and we saved two dozen people, you saved more people in those thirty minutes than your team got killed the last time they did this. And here we are again.” How utterly disappointing. He had really expected, hoped for even, better from Meena.

“So your choice, Meena. Go be a hero and help people, or come at me and see what I take from you next,” He opened his arms, “What’s it going to be?”

[Crash]

Character Name: Meena Tor
Date | Time: November 19th, Night | 1:00am
Location: Onyx Prairie - Hammer Academy → Wilds → Blue Sky Bridge
Wearing: Green camo cargo pants, black long-sleeved synthetic weave zip-up over a black crop top and puffy black vest with snap on fur trimmed hood and hidden pockets, and Black combat boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Lyra, Vesper, Ocean | Namid, Farrah
Meena cocked her head.  It appeared as if Ocean was trying to drive some sort of wedge between Lyra and gRAVity.  Had this been his reason for singling Lyra out?  There was so much Meena didn't know, but the idea that she did not trust Lyra was…well…laughable.  The idea that she was the one with bloodlust was downright hilarious.  For all of Ocean's information, he really knew nothing about her.

Ocean slung insult after insult at her, but so much of it didn't make any sense to Meena.  She barely knew Namid other than she left the academy, something Meena would never do.  It was so apparent that the release of the prisoners and the general chaos served other motives. If Ocean was a significant part of this operation, slowing him down would be paramount. 

Meena was relatively confident Ocean would never give Lyra's question a helpful answer.  Not unless doing so improved whatever his real plan was, but Meena gave him all the time in the world to answer Lyra anyway.  Apparently, however, Meena had gotten under his skin a little more than she intended.  His insinuations rankled her, and that part of Meena she shared with Farrah wanted him to make a move, any move, but she knew that wasn't the best path.  He was annoyed. Good.  He thought she was stupid.  Even better. Let his superiority complex be his undoing.

Maybe Lyra could use this to her advantage.

"I only fight when it's absolutely necessary," Meena said with a shrug and turned to the elven woman beside her. "I'll be over here if you need me," she added, stepping back from Lyra with a wink.  She walked a few paces and set the head of Heart of the Mountain on the pavement, leaning her shoulder against the haft and folding her arms casually. 

Meena glanced up towards Vesper to make his current position. They had been tasked to hold the bridge and ensure it was not brought crashing down to the city below.  While Lyra talked, Meena listened; while she listened, she scanned the bridge for any dangers.  What was happening beyond Ocean was over, but that could mean the bridge was still under attack.  If it came to letting Ocean go or leaving the bridge to fall, Meena knew she would have to let the slippery little creep go.  Sometimes, this job could be genuinely terrible.

[shengami]

Character Name: Chee Tortious
Date | Time: 11.19 | ~1am
Location: Dorms -> Mess Hall
Wearing: Black pants, black tee, black puffer jacket, running shoes over his sleep gear and weapons as per CS
Tagging | Mentioning: Mysterious Foe | 
Note: Friends over Foes
Chee's vision was still swimming a bit. Sandra had always told him the headbutt was effective but that it was a two-edged sword. Yes, he was delivering powerful blows to his opponents head using a very hard object, but that object was his own skull wherein was stored his own brain. He shook his head as she pushed him back, stumbled as she went over the edge, and then caught himself. His head swam a second. Then he bolted to the edge of the building.

It took precious seconds for him to find the broken window. His eyes narrowed and his hand went to his belt. But the grapnel wasn't there. He licked his tongue and flipped Darklash. Momentum made him want to go. He worried about what her plan was. He fretted about what it'd mean if Farrah found out. He hesitated for a full handful of seconds.

Then he knew he'd hesitated too long. In a battle of the fast, seconds counted like eternities. Then the world shook. He stumbled again, his head swam a bit, and he looked back to the gate. His eyes flared. As much as he wanted to punish the villain, Chee knew that saving people was more important. Every life saved was a mote of light still in the world. Every person given hope was a mote of darkness stamped out. There would be other times to finish this fight.

He spun, resheathing the blade, and sprinted for the opposite edge of the building. Once Chee moved, there was no hesitation. He hit the lip and vaulted into the void again. Without fear of attack, he sailed out effortlessly, spun, sent out Darklash, and reeled in. Darklash had bit into stone laterally, so he was pulled that way and ran around the corner of the building. He was back in the original alley now. He let more line out even as Darklash's grip in the stone weakened.

It let go, but he kept running along the building another meter before side flipping to land on the street again. A quick, sharp breath in and he was sprinting again. Even if the white warrior showed up again later, she was hurt and vulnerable. She'd have the element of surprise again, but he'd have allies. He wondered if she'd go all out against Farrah.

The idea was shaken from his mind as he burst into the open area in front of thee gate.

It was a disaster. There was no getting the military out of those gates now. Their mission was a failure! He felt bile swimming in his stomach. That hurt. He lost a step.

There, he spotted movement and saw the battle. The hulking form of one person, someone else with some weirdly shaped arms and two big hard-light shields, and Farrah. He assessed what was going on quickly. Someone else had attacked. The white warrior had been meant to draw them away. He clicked his tongue in annoyance even as he angled toward the fight. It didn't matter, Farrah needed him. There was a fight in front of him. His heart surged. He looked left and right for her, but didn't see her. If she came back here, he'd be waiting. He grinned and put on more speed. Darklash flashed back into his hands.

He jinked and pushed off. His foot hit a chunk of rubble and launched him up. His other foot hit the hood of a disabled vehicle. The hollow meta thump was lost in the din of battle though. He charged along the vehicle and saw the sunrise of the monster man's head breaking over the edge of it. The world slowed down even as he vaulted into the air. His eyes slid past the target to Farraj's; he grinned. His back arched like a spring as he loaded the blow. The slight warrior rat flew through the air; Darklash held high like a talon. Details flooded him. He narrowed his vision down to the man's left trapezius. His focused dialed in. His grip on his weapon firmed.

The spring uncoiled and the blade stabbed down into the muscles. Chee felt the heel of his hand contact the man's flesh. His feet connected next, planting against the brute's broad back. He left go of Darklash with one hand and quickdrew his pistol. Grinning, he looked at Farrah as she came in on the man's left as well, "Lo dere, Farrah! Dis one hell of a big guy you found." He put the muzzle of his weapon up against the man's neck. "Who's dat guy wit da shields, dough?" He pulled the trigger twice. The flare of soul as he had stabbed the blade in had warned him though. Chee didn't stop. He yanked the blade free, dropped to the ground, and slashed at the back of Adir's knee.

He gulped another breath and darted out to the side a bit to grin at the guy. "Hi, I'm Chee. Your partner'll be along momentarily, I tink. If I didn't bash her brains out too much." He holstered the pistol and grabbed a chunk or black arcanite out of his pouch. He glanced at Farrah and wondered how much he should say. But she seemed occupied.

[FyreFoxx]

Character Name: Lyreilynn "Lyra" Xyrven Myalis
Date | Time: November 19th | Night (~1am)
Location: Blue Sky Bridge
Wearing: White dress with blue and golden trim w/ matching sash, wedge boots
Tagging | Mentioning: Meena, Ocean | Marlowe, Vesper, Chee, Mila

Lyra warily watched Meena from the corner of her eye, seeing her approach them and get into Ocean’s path. She was close, but not quite in front of her, letting her gaze travel back towards the man before them. Was she seriously suggesting that their entire team and him have some kind of get-together?! She really hoped that was in jest, for Lyra certainly couldn’t imagine in any world where that was a good idea. The last time they were all together, half of her team got beaten to a pulp and one of their members went missing. There was no way she was going to let that happen a second time. That was one of the primary reasons she had gone to meet Ocean alone, so that no one else had to be involved or risk getting hurt, even if in the end, she was the one that hurt the most.
 
Before she could even get another word in, Meena took control of the conversation, offering the man a supposed deal of her own, trying to get him to leave and hand over Mila. Even she hadn’t asked for Mila back, but she certainly could have at their dinner arrangement. …Why hadn’t she? Perhaps the safety of her current team was paramount to the possibility of the one that was missing. Lyra pursed her lips together, her brow furrowing as she adverted her gaze. Why hadn’t she asked about Mila, though? The thought hadn’t even crossed her mind that night, honestly. She had been more concerned about Marlowe, and the rest of Gravity, and what little she might do for them. Did that make her a bad person? For forgetting Mila?
 
With Ocean’s retort, Lyra snapped her head back up, locking eyes with the man as the heat rose to her face, cheeks gaining a rosy color. It was true Meena had sort of taken over the conversation, but she had only been trying to help, right? She was their captain, after all, so that’s what she should do, isn’t it? It was the third captain that Gravity had had, and she wasn’t even sure what that was supposed to look like anymore. She clenched her hands into fists at her side, her nails biting into her palm as her Soul sparked slightly. Was what he said true? Were they all just treating her like a child instead of a peer? Had she ever really seen eye to eye with any member of her own team? Marlowe, perhaps, after much trial and error, but the others?
 
Why was she letting Ocean get into her head? It had been nearly a week, and she still felt like she was in the palm of his hand yet again.
 
Th heavy thud of a goliath falling brought her attention back up, powder blue eyes glancing past him into the darkness. The gunfire had stopped, but she couldn’t tell if that was a good or a bad thing right now. Everything about it screamed bad, but could she really afford the chance to run and check on it? Would Ocean even let her leave? The way he was waving around that sword and keeping the three of them within his sights told her that it was unlikely. He wanted them gone, not interfering with whatever was going on here.
 
The discussion of Mila, however, had her looking back at him with a pained expression. Had she also been at fault for abandoning Mila? By not asking about her the week before? By not trying to bargain for her safety and return? The fact he could be lying to them never once crossed her mind, so enthralled by his words that she chose to believe them without question. Hadn’t he been the one to say once before that he’d never lied to her yet? So why start now? “What do you know about Mila? Where is she now?”
 
The way he suddenly focused on her made Lyra tense up, taking a half step back as she slid one foot further behind her. She twitched at the memory he was bringing up. Dazzle & Dust. Most of the Jackals that had accompanied him into the shop that day were killed, as were many innocent civilians in the apartment building across the street that got destroyed, the very one he had forced her to the roof on. The deaths had been staggering, but the loss of life tonight was going to be even greater, she knew. Why… Why was her team so set on fighting every time they encountered this man? She hated violence, abhorred it, really, and yet here she was, a squire, Champion in training, where her literal job involved fighting people like him. But couldn’t there be another way? A better way? Their meeting the other night cost nothing but a little time and effort and she’d saved so many. Why couldn’t the others just see that?
 
Meena backed off and for a moment, Lyra wasn’t sure to make of her decision. Was she giving up? Acquiescing to his demands? She blinked in confusion at the wink, tilting her head to the side as her eyes followed the tall Silenus. She was…waiting. She was giving Lyra a chance to talk, giving them space. Trusting her. But would it be enough?
 
“Why… Why do you want us to leave so badly?” Lyra turned back to face Ocean with a newfound determination. That warning still blared in her mind, and yet she still couldn’t figure it out. Just what part of tonight was the distraction? Were the convicts the distraction? Was Ocean the distraction? Was it something else? Just what part of this was she supposed to focus on!? Securing the bridge, going after the convicts, assisting military personnel, leaving to deal with the civilians below the fog. Just what part of tonight was she supposed to deal with?! There was so much going on, an only so much each one of them could do. Splitting up was possible but, would they? Could they afford to?
 
Slowly, Lyra took in a deep breath, held it, and then exhaled even slower. She needed to regain her composure. Relaxing her hands, ignoring the tiny red indents her nails had created in her palms, she lifted her hands up so that they were parallel with her shoulders, showing herself as not a threat as she started walking closer to Ocean, one slow cautious step at a time. “You and me, Ocean. Let us talk.”
 
“Ignore them for now. They have never listened to me anyway.” That part was only partially true, since she never really spoke about any of her plans with them either. “What happened to the military, Ocean? What did you do to them? Why are you here? You said you wanted to save lives, but you just ended dozens of them. Why?” The gunfire ceasing was disquieting, and it unnerved her greatly. What had caused those explosions? What had happened to the rest of them? “You did not answer before. You said you wanted world peace, but it is more than that, is it not? That is too vague for a man like you. No, certainly you aspire for something greater. The Arcanite heists, the riverside incident, the delayed shipment. What is all this for? Did you… Did you use me? Did I really save lives? Were you really just making plans for… for this?” She opened her arms wide to gesture to the space around them, the bridge and all the carnage that littered it.
 
“I want to believe you, Ocean. I honestly, truly do, but you must realize what kind of position this puts me in, too. What do you really want from us? Is there… is there someone after Marlowe? And how did you know about Meena? About Vesper and Chee? They were not the original Gravity team that ran into you all those weeks ago. Mila would not have known them. She is the one that told you about us, yes?” Lyra paused, letting those gears turn in her head. Ocean was a smart man. Smarter than most. But he was also ambitious. However, this seemed like a lot, even for someone like him. “Are… Are you working with someone else? Were the convicts just a distraction? …Or are you the distraction?”

[Aethyrium]

Satin Whyte

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 19th, Night (~1am) | Onyx Prairie - Eastern Quarter - Red Fang Hideout | Urban - No Resonance
Next Post: 6.15.24 | Maria, Koko
Satin peered at Koko as she moved to show the display of affection and camaraderie with Maria. Her lips thinned. Maybe Koko was one of the good ones. But who knew, really. Humans were duplicitous. Fickle. It’d take more than five words and a hug to convince her - and until she was convinced, Koko was the enemy. “Not yet, maybe.” she replied, unswayed.

“Oh, is that all you’re here for?” Satin shrugged heavily, even unfolding her arms and lifting them in a big show of the gesture, “That’s easy enough. The people responsible for what’s happening are none other than the masters you serve.” She smiled apologetically and lifted her brows, “Sucks, but that’s the truth. Nothing happening is not the direct responsibility of the people holding us down.” She shook her head, and her arms dropped to her sides, “You’re on the wrong side sister. I know, I know you think you’re helping. Hammer, right? Fighting the Hollow is a noble cause. You should really get back to that. This isn’t your fight.”

[VVitch]

Character Name: Maria Rex-Astra
Date | Time: 19th November | Night
Location: Eastern Quarter - OES Headquarters
Wearing: Combat Gear
Tagging | Mentioning: Koko, Satin
As she focused on Satin she felt Koko activate her shimmer, briefly glancing at her ally and trying to make it known that she felt it, and that she was ready too. Before long, though, her attention was back on the problem at hand and she was losing her patience with it. So far as she was concerned, Satin had dodged the question and it wasn't looking good for the other Silenus. Something about drawing her sabres on another of her kin was galling but Maria felt pushed.

For now, she didn't move to strike. Instead, she furrowed her brows and spoke up, "Are you telling me the Red Fang did attack the prison today?" Maria's voice was a little more pained than she wanted it to be, softer and weaker. She sounded hurt. It was hard not to make this personal. She'd been a sympathiser, one to judge others for speaking harshly of the Red Fang, and to think they had endangered and certainly killed many innocent people was hurting her.

"Innocent people got hurt. This is my fight whether you like it or not. You're going to need a lot more than vague condescension to convince me otherwise," She put her foot down, gritting her teeth a little and steeling herself more. Maria's lean form was tense and ready, her eyes laser focused on Satin. This time, she sounded more self-assured. If those words were enough to turn this into a fight then the Red Fang had never been what she hoped they were.

[Aethyrium]

Mugi Stone

S T O R Y T E L L E R
November 19th, Night (~1am) | Onyx Prairie -  | Urban - No Resonance
Next Post: 6.16.24 | Hulta
Mugi pulled the chunk of yellow crystal from her small bag, its jagged edges glinting in the dim light. The crystal was about the size of her fist, raw and unrefined. Her heterochromatic eyes, one silver and one purple, glanced towards the towering structure they had so carefully avoided until now. She knew there wasn't much time before someone realized something was amiss. They needed to mislead any pursuers, and quickly. Taking a deep breath, Mugi extended her hand, holding the crystal aloft. She focused intently and reached into the crystal with her Soul. Immediately, the protective shield she had been maintaining around herself dissipated as her energy poured into the crystal. A familiar sensation of connection surged through her as she bonded with the dormant magic within the Arcanite.

Her Soul acted as a conduit, fueling the crystal. She could feel the elemental energy ignite, sparking to life in her palm. The power was wild and untamed, trying to spiral out of control, but Mugi's will was strong. She directed the energy, guiding it through the pathways of her Soul. It was as if her Soul had become a map, leading the elemental force precisely to the effect she desired. This particular element was one she was intimately familiar with, its essence resonating with her own. Controlling it came naturally to her, almost effortlessly. She shaped the energy, bending it to her will. The Arcanite pulsed in her hand, ready to unleash its power at her command.

Both her eyes flickered with vibrant hues as the power surged through her. She narrowed her gaze, focusing on the distant watchtower, and aimed the crystal with unwavering precision. With a determined breath, Mugi unleashed the full force of the Arcanite's energy. The crystal, now glowing brilliantly, cracked in her palm and began to vibrate violently. A resonant hum filled the air around her, escalating rapidly into a deafening crescendo. In an instant, a powerful, devastating sonic boom erupted from the crystal, hurtling towards the tower with unstoppable force.

The impact was immediate and catastrophic. The sonic wave collided with the tower, creating a thunderous explosion that shattered every pane of glass within. The deafening blast reverberated through the air, drowning out the panicked screams of the soldiers inside. The sheer force of the sonic boom shook the very foundations of the tower, causing the stone walls to tremble. The Arcanite crystal, now spent and fractured, crumbled in her hand. She let the remnants fall to the ground, but they turned to dust and evaporated entirely before they hit the ground. “Oh fuck,” she blinked and looked at Hulta, “We better go.” She was almost laughing.

* * * * *

Crossing the courtyard was straightforward. Hulta and Mugi kept to the shadows cast by the walls, which provided ample cover as the disoriented and distracted platoon struggled to understand what was happening. The platoon quickly split into three groups: the first rushed toward the tower, the second hurried to reinforce the disabled guards at the courtyard wall, and the third, a smaller contingent, remained by the breach in the prison’s wall. This last group was preoccupied with the fallen goliath, trying to determine what had happened to the massive figure. Hulta and Mugi watched patiently, their breathing synchronized, waiting for the perfect moment. Their chance came sooner than expected. Seizing the opportunity, Hulta and Mugi slipped past the distracted platoon and entered the state-of-the-art corridors of the facility. The sleek, modern design of the hallways stood in stark contrast to the chaos outside. Their footsteps were silent on the polished floors, their movements calculated and efficient. The mission was far from over, but they had made it past the first major obstacle with skill and a bit of luck.

As Hulta and Mugi stepped inside, they found themselves facing the open expanse of a holding pod - a central area where all the cells in this zone converged. They were in a peripheral hallway that, from their vantage point, seemed to wrap around the entire facility, connecting to the pods through secure doors. Through one of these doors, they could see soldiers methodically securing prisoners back in their cells, their movements hurried yet precise. For the moment, this particular hallway was empty. The silence felt almost eerie, given the activity just beyond the secure doors. Neither Hulta nor Mugi had any idea how to navigate the labyrinthine prison complex, but the military had conveniently painted guidance arrows along the walls and floor. These arrows provided clear directions, color-coded and labeled for various sections of the facility. They quickly scanned the surroundings, their eyes flitting from one sign to another, until they found what they were looking for: an arrow labeled "Black Ward." This was their destination.

Navigating through the prison turned out to be relatively straightforward, though it demanded caution and stealth. The primary challenge was evading the random soldiers moving through the corridors. This necessitated slow, deliberate movements and a constant awareness of their surroundings. On several occasions, they had to employ their shimmers both independently and in tandem, creating brief moments to slip past open hallways and make critical turns without being seen. After what felt like an eternity of silent, tense maneuvering, they finally reached a secure door made of glossy black steel. This was the entrance to the Black Ward. The door stood imposing and unyielding, a stark barrier between them and their goal.

A barrier easily overcome by the keycard Hulta had managed to swipe during their earlier infiltration - a stroke of luck that it worked here.

The Black Ward lay at the center of the complex like an ominous heart of darkness. Unlike any other section of the facility, it resembled more of a colossal stadium than a typical prison block. Nestled within the center, instead of a field for sports, was a secure, featureless structure - a box within a box. The room itself was a masterclass in disorientation. Constructed entirely from a smooth, glossy black metal, its surfaces possessed an otherworldly sheen that seemed to distort perception. Dark cast light bounced off the sleek material in strange, silvery reflections, creating an illusions of depth that played tricks on the mind. Stepping inside was like plunging into an infinite abyss of darkness, where every step felt uncertain and every movement seemed to echo endlessly.

These disorienting effects were no accident; they were meticulously engineered to instill a sense of unease and vulnerability in anyone who dared to enter. The wide expanse of space surrounding the Black Ward wasn't merely for aesthetic purposes - it served a deadly one. It was a kill box, designed to prevent any potential threat from escaping. As Hulta and Mugi crossed the threshold into this shadowy realm, they immediately sensed the oppressive weight of the room bearing down on them. Above, heavy guns were mounted into the walls. If anything were to breach the confines of the box, it would face a barrage of firepower that would ensure its demise.

“Didn’t… They say all the prisoners got out of here?” Mugi pointed out as they stepped in and the door sealed behind them. There was no sign of damage here. No sign of forced entry, unlike the walls which were very obvious. She glanced up at the guns. This place wasn’t littered with spent rounds, it didn’t look like anything had happened at all. Whatever this prison break had been, it was more to it than a simple forced entry - there was clearly more going on here.

And that’s when Hulta noticed it. Off in the dark distance, to their left, somewhere in the abstract space that this room created, there was another form. Something, or someone, else lurking around in here with them. They weren’t alone.