Paul kept quiet as the old man spoke, still embarrassed and puzzled by his patron’s reaction to the girl. Oh, she gave him the heebie-jeebies all right, but so? None of this was normal. So why start now? He started wondering who everyone else was hosting. His time studying the Torah hadn’t included a lot of mythology, though he’d picked up some knowledge of the Greek/Roman gods from cultural osmosis and a few terse comments from H.
“Work? That I can do. Just point me at whatever you need improved, repaired, or built and I can get it done. Perhaps some way of traveling on the rails apart from the trains, like a handcar?” He could feel H becoming more enthused and the ideas spilling out. “Also some sort of water purification system? And how are your communications?” Paul pulled himself back, embarrassed anew at the flood of words. No wonder I was chosen by this particular god. He began running through the tools he was carrying as well as the unlooted stores he’d memorized nearby. “Maybe portable shields for raiding parties....”
Edited by Booky on Jan 11th 2021 at 2:54:09 AM
AKA Nixer
Naomi Hughes
“To a point,” Naomi replied to Ross in a rather flat tone, giving Kevin a curious look as Ignael invisibly shifted and inspected them both. “I'll help where I can. I'd be happy to. I can... perform a few miracles, so I don't mind being put anywhere...”
The abrasiveness of this man was... distracting, to say the least, but she wouldn't be doing it for him anyway. She'd be doing it for the innocents here instead, and hopefully find a way to either make this management better or kick the guy out of power entirely.
But that was something to think about for later, and they had their priorities.
bork
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
Subway
What Nestan had been waiting for finally came around the corner. "It sounds like you need help," she moved to a lit area of the room and then shuffled up to the group. She did see how quick they were to the hammer and to their tentacles. She kept her hands clasped in front of her and had no weapons visible.
"Its good to see you, Ross. And hear that you're keeping track of all this. And that's alot to put on you, Kisaragi. Its nice you've done so much, but the one there sounds good with his hands and the other works miracles."
Nestan looked left and right at the group she'd just appeared to and particularly the pair she had just pointed out. "Hi." She added with a small smile. "I promise that greeting wasn't just an afterthought." Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
Breath of the Sun
Setsuko
She gave the old man with the cigar an annoyed look, wrinkling her nose at the smell of smoke. "Yeah right." She muttered. "As if there's anything in the world that can hold me."
Other than a mountain with a seal made by Siddhartha, but I'm pretty sure he reincarnated himself out of existence or something.
Setsuko briefly wondered if the Buddha could even have a Sacred. Blinking herself out of her thoughts, she nodded at the old man's proposal. "I'm gonna that Grail and fix everything, but until then, I can help you guys."
She scratched her cheek a bit nervously. "Though, until a few days ago I was a normal monkey, so I don't really have a lot of, uh, life skills." She flexed her arm, showcasing tight muscles. "But I can fight good, and lift heavy stuff if you need."
Bit of an understatement, but it'll do.
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
The Light That Blinds
Amos
Amos was getting very tired of raising his eyebrow, but he got the feeling this would not be the last time he did so today. "Demonspawn? If I were not feeling generous today, I might very well leave for a place where I won't be insulted." He deliberately sighed. "But for now, I suppose I can let it slide."
When the man said that they'd be getting more supplies than everyone else, Amos's eyes lit up. It was a good idea to come here after all. "If help's what you need, I'll provide in whatever ways I can." He gave a slight smile. "Of course, I'm sure we're all here for that, so that should go without saying."
Unless, like me, someone here is lying.
"Kept me waiting, haven’t you? Tch. No matter. Dawdle all you’d like. In the end, your defeat remains inevitable."
Fwomph
"Mmmmyeah, might have a problem there chief. I'm a Sacred but the only skill I've got is summoning a coupl'a swords..."
Don't worry, you just need to find the masks of my chosen.
Marcus rolls his eyes and laughs.
"Ain't like you're helping much with that. But I guess I'm in decent shape for a stick if you need something handy!"
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.
Subway
"Glad to hear it. As for communications, they're—"
Before Ross could finish, a loud scream erupted from a nearby stairwell, leading up top. A corpse tumbled down the steps, blood staining the floor as their severed head rolled towards the Sacred's feet. He'd been wearing a worn set of swat gear and a gun in his hand, but now it was as broken and mangled as the rest of him.
"Damn!" Ross took out a gun from his holster, making sure it was loaded as he got into gear. Kisaragi doubled over, holding his hand over his mouth even as more screams and ferocious, monstrous growls could be heard from the surface.
"Move it, people! Time to earn your keep! That's our boys up there, and we aren't gonna let them get turned into monster food!" Ross rushed up the stairs, signalling for Kisaragi and other the Sacred to follow. "C'mon, Kisaragi! Don't go soft on me now! Same goes for the rest of you!"
AKA Nixer
Naomi Hughes
“Oh my god–” Naomi gasped at the sight of the corpse, clapping her hands tightly over her mouth as she momentarily squeezed her eyes shut. “No, no, no...”
Be at peace, Naomi. Strong of heart.
With Ignael's blessing fueling her spirit, her nerves calmed, and upon seeing Kisaragi's similar state of horror she walked up to him and touched his arm; attempting to fill him also with courage.
“Brave heart, Kisaragi. We really need you. Be at peace.”
With that, she exhaled and attempted to quickly drag the mangled corpse out of the way, casting another miracle in an effort to make the blood and viscera from the body sink into the ground and decompose. When that was done, she'd cast a determined look towards the others before sighing and making to head towards the commotion—Ignael's flaming sword erupting into reality in her right hand as she walked.
“We've got a goal. Stay sensible, please. Let's get this done.”
bork
Anyways Here's Darude Sandstorm
Subway-Abeyance
Abeyance was only half paying attention to the man who showed up. Ross was his name? He promised food in exchange for work. Abeyance wasn't too sure what work would be involved, but he didn't really care. Just something to make keeping his distance easier.
His colleagues were chatting to Ross when a loud scream filled the subway. Drawing his attention to the head rolling towards them. He didn't think much of it and no reaction was on his face that would betray any internal thoughts. He merely regarded it coldly and took it as confirmation that enemies were nearby.
The one that greeted him, Noami, freaked out at the sight of the gore. She managed to calm herself and do something to the corpse to make it sink into the ground. Abeyance tilted his head at this.
Decay, or just Nature?
He then watched as she summoned a flaming sword from nowhere. He was unphased.
"...You think that will help?" He asked Naomi.
GIVE ME YOUR FACE
Fwomph
Marcus set the bottle in his hands down somewhere (likely the floor if we're being honest) and rolled his shoulders back.
"Alright looks like 'doing a job' around here means 'go kill some hecking monsters'. Sure, I can dig it."
You have my permission to fight, oh champion mine.
With a moment to flinch at the remark, he flicked his wrists to bring forth the blades of his twin pact. With a moment to appreciate the conjured workmanship he simple strode forth towards the site of imminent battle.
Breath of the Sun
Setsuko
As the corpse tumbled down, Setsuko had already drawn her staff, and was already heading up the stairs, ahead of even Ross.
She said nothing, merely charged, leaping the stairs five at a time with inhuman nimbleness as she prepared to fight whatever man or monster was responsible.
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
Subway
Leon joined the advancing group of Sacred heading upstairs, his crossbow loaded and ready in his hands as he kept a wary eye out in search of whatever made that noise, or whatever else might have joined it Though the weapon was fairly mundane in comparison to the other weapons wielded, a faint green glow at the tip of his loaded bolt hinted at it packing a magical punch.
The Light That Blinds
Amos
Amos startled a bit at the sudden scream, looking up towards where it had come from...
...moments before a corpse tumbled down the stairway, its head torn clean off.
"...ah," Amos murmured, fighting back the sudden urge to vomit. "That's...problematic."
He briefly considered taking the opportunity to head for the supplies, but he didn't even know where they were. So instead, he pulled out his pistol and began following everyone else up the stairs. At a healthy distance, of course. He was little good in a fight, even with infernal bullets.
"Kept me waiting, haven’t you? Tch. No matter. Dawdle all you’d like. In the end, your defeat remains inevitable."
As the head rolled down to them, Paul blanched and backed away into his own head. He'd seen some violence so far, but he wasn't yet used to it. As he watched the path of the severed head, he noted the other fellow standing there. He seems totally unphased. Creepy. Making a mental note to keep an eye on that fellow, Paul/Hephestus hefted his trusty hammer and limped to the steps. He cast an irritated glance at them (Of COURSE there would be steps) but started to slowly trudge up in order to confront whatever was above. Then a thought stopped him.
It was too obvious. Almost a challenge. My/His brother Ares would have sprung such a bold challenge in the hopes of a reckless frontal attack-which made him suspicious. While Hephestus/Paul didn't love his siblings at all. he couldn't deny he'd learned something from them, and this smacked of a trap or diversion.
Besides, he was no fighter. He made weapons, he didn't wield them, any more than he drank from the bottles he created for Dionysus. The hulking man turned about and walked back to the area where the mortals were congregated. There he stood, placing his hammer's head on the floor between his feet and standing tall. He still kept one eye on the strange man, however.
Up on Melancholy hill.
"Oh how FUN!"
Exceedingly detached from the seriousness of the situation, Elijah rose to his feet and threw his hand out, where his cane suddenly shot from his sleeve and into his hand. With a grin, he began to hum as he made his way up where the noises were, humming a tune that sounded reminiscent of "Merry go round broke down" to his own little tune.
"Oh I wonder who the star of the show would be!" he mused to himself as he pondered, looking at everyone with that grin of his slowly growing. "I wonder who the audience with adore more...the angel?" He cast his glance to Naomi. "The Monkey Queen...?" His gaze fell on Setsuko and he chuckled. "Or will someone step out of the wood work and surprise even me! Oh I can't WAIT!"
his cane flashed and resting in his palm was an impressively sized scimitar. He looked at the sharpness and shook his head, chuckling.
"Well, time to get some fun going! Let's go people! Places, places! Let's make it showy!"
Is it selfish that I'm happy as we pass the setting sun?
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
Subway
"Thank you," Nestan gave her Lady thanks for small blessings. The head had rolled right in front of them. After watching everyone charge, she knelt down, letting the chaos go on around her, while she dug a finger into the open neck and gave it a quick taste.
No, she didn't like the taste of blood. Twas too metallic tasting for one. She searched for any spark of power he might have had and for the feeling of the SWAT guy's last moments. Whatever instinct he'd ignored or shadow he just missed would help her in the future.
"Stack the gear nicely please," the priestess said softly while rats and roaches and crawlers of all kind appeared to feast on what remained of the body. She'd have to act quicker than the angel when corpses rolled around in the future.
Nestan only observed the swarm starting to eat for a moment before heading to the scene. She didn't run. She kept to the shadows and moved at the same deliberate pace as when she approached the group. Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
Where am I? What's going on?
Emma
Emma only winced at the appearance of the corpse. Sadly, it was far from the most mangled body she'd seen over the last three weeks. At least this one wasn't her fault. Emma sighed as she approached the stairs with the other Sacred.
"I really do hate fighting..."
Still, the promise of continued food and supplies was too good to pass up, if they still wanted her around after this. With that said, might as well get the worst part out of the way.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
With a scream of pain, Emma's entire torso burst open, revealing a writhing mess of muscular tentacles, sharp teeth, the occasional eye, and something that could charitably be called a mouth, but seemed more akin to a garbage disposal. "I really, really hate fighting." she chocked out through pained breaths.
Subway
Nestan searched the Swat officer for a spark of power or anything that help her, but she didn't learn much. He was an ordinary man. No special power or knowledge beyond what he learned at the academy. But there was something there. A feeling of dread. Of fearing that he'd never see his children again. Of knowing everything he had struggled for was for nought.
And the faintest flicker of a pair of bright glowing wings.
And that was it. Nothing on what those wings may have meant. No trace of where he saw them, or why they were on his mind. Or if they were even real. Just a small pair of wings.
And the lingering shadows of darkness that accompanied them.
City Streets
As soon as Ross and the Sacred rushed to the surface, they were greeted with the stuff of nightmares. Bloodied corpses littered the cracked streets, staining the ground with a sickening red paste. The road was like an abstract painting, zigging and zagging and running up and down like an urban jungle. The deserted shops and windows only served to add to the chaos, as did the red sky looming overhead. It covered the city below in a crimson haze, filling it with a tremendous sense of unease. As though the whole world had been covered in blood.
And the monsters didn't help. Even as the Sacred popped their heads out of the tunnels, a horde of black, snarling creatures swooped in from overhead. They were already making short work of the guards, weaving past their bullets and slicing their throats as they closed in. They were like something out of Fantasia. Scaly black gargoyles and imps with thin leather wings that flew on the wind with ease, and sharp stone talons that could slice through armour like butter.
Seeing Ross and the Sacred, they craned their necks, staring at the demigods with interest. They crawled forward, leering at them with sharp yellow eyes that could burn your soul. Ross readied his gun, lining up a shot at one of the creatures heads. But he wasn't an idiot. He stood his ground, waiting for the last possible moment rather than go out in a blaze of glory.
"Stand your ground, people. Don't do anything stupid."
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
City Streets
Nestan readied her spetum and stared back at the creatures with brown eyes that could chill a soul in turn.
"When the chance comes, Ross, draw your people back or into narrow spaces and seal the tunnels. You can't have enough bullets for this." The imps' performance was something, but they were ultimately flying, moving targets. Not something to let a ragtag group face out in the open. The gathered sacred might be different.
Nestan had disassembled her own carbine as excess weight some time ago given that no one produced ammunition of that type anymore. She hadn't thought to save bullets for hell beasts back then. Melee worked too though. The main problem was that flyers could escape.
The priestess took her own advice, circling around to the ruins of an old corner store. Then she banged her spetum against the ground and the remains of the metal beams to make a terrible racket and invite the imps to her. Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
Breath of the Sun
Setsuko
Even as Ross was urging caution, Setsuko was charging ahead. Using her staff like a vaulter's pole, she flung herself at the imps with abandon, screeching a war cry as she did. Her jump cracked the concrete beneath her, sending her flying towards the mob of gargoyles in a blur of white.
"Come and get me!" She shrieked, baring her teeth.
Already she was swinging her staff in a wide arc, aiming to strike as many of the creatures as possible while staying just out of range of their talons, using the striking range of her staff to her advantage.
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
The Light That Blinds
Amos
...well.
They were horrendously outclassed. This place was, to put it quite simply, doomed.
Amos clicked his tongue, watching the monkey girl charge head-on into the horde of death. "Yeah, you do that," he murmured, slowly backing down the staircase. "I'll wait for the signal."
And then I'm getting the hell out of here.
"Kept me waiting, haven’t you? Tch. No matter. Dawdle all you’d like. In the end, your defeat remains inevitable."
Fwomph
Marcus
Demonbats. Marcus had exited the subway into an immediate attack by damn demon bat creatures, typical. He flexed his arms a little, the tips of his swords tracing lazy circles before he brought them up in readiness.
"Okay. So. Don't get close to me cause I went to the blender school of swordsmanship."
Cute. Don't get yourself killed.
He gives a little wink and started swinging, his swordsmanship was incredibly haphazard but hey his blades were sharp and he knew just enough to not accidentally hurt himself.
AKA Nixer
Naomi Hughes
These creatures had an immediate advantage over the group at that moment, and Naomi knew they had to rectify that somehow. With flaming sword still in hand, she noted their wings and begged of Ignael to grant her access to her own—to which glowing, glorious wings of a rippling multicoloured energy sprouted out from her back, flapping once before launching her up into the air to combat the imps on equal ground.
With that, she began to swing her blade towards them—and if she had an opportunity to place her hand upon one, she'd make to seize up their muscles with her miraculous touch in order for it to crash into the ground. She was wary not to fly too high, because she was all too aware how exhausting such spiritual power could be on her body for long periods of time. If she wasn't careful, she'd find herself similarly crashing into the earth.
Edited by Enirboreh on Jan 15th 2021 at 1:04:20 PM
bork
City Streets
"Get the survivors outta the open, and we'll do what we can to clip their wings." Leon agreed, picking out the occasional flying menace that neared his line of sight. "I'll make us some cover an' see if that evens the odds a bit."
He placed his hand on the ground and focused as the ground around the sacred began to rumble, Brown tendrils of oak and ironwood emerged from beneath stone and concrete like floral serpents, twisting and wrapping together in bunches to form a series of thick barriers tall enough to provide cover from swooping gargoyles.
Subway
As the crowds in the tunnels continued helping where they could, some of them began to feel a bit queasy. It wasn't all of them, nor did they need immediate attention. But the closer they were to Abeyance, the worse they seemed to get. Some of them shuffled away on instinct, even if they didn't know for certain what was the cause.
Others huddled around Leon, staring at the fruit and rations he appeared to magically produce on demand. Some of them haden't seen fresh fruit in days, let alone anything that wasn't in a can or a sealed bag. They gathered around, begging for more as they struggled for a front-row seat. Others still stared in wonderment at the monkey girl, or in horror at Emma's meaty tentacles. With everything they'd been through, it wasn't entirely out of left field, but it was wonderous all the same.
Suddenly, a loud clang could be heard around the bend. Marching in from around the corner was an old man dressed in army camos, his combat boots stomping against the floor as he banged it with a metal rod, almost like a walking stick. He glared at the crowd with a pair of cold, angry eyes, with only the slightest trace of warmth or compassion.
Walking next to him was a much younger man, if somewhat worse for wear. His handsome face was marred by a deep set of bags under his eyes, and his matted yellow hair hadn't been combed in weeks. His red jacket was littered with grease stains, and his blue jeans were torn apart at the knees. His thin beard was slowly growing in, but one had to wonder if he had a choice.
The old man raised his voice, banging his rod against the ground like a warning bell. "HEY, BREAK IT UP! BREAK IT UP, YOU HEAR ME?!"
The crowd quickly dissipated, though more in fear at the younger man than the old blowhard. The old man cricked his neck, rolling his eyes as the civilians returned to their duties. "Sorry about that. Not sure what got into 'em." His gaze strayed to the monkey girl, looking her up and down in amazement. "...though I guess I can't blame 'em for being antsy."
The younger man whispered to the older one, his eyes narrowing in greater interest. "And I can also guess what you're all here for. Kisaragi here says you're all Sacred. Don't know much about 'em myself. Bout all I know is they can do things most of us can't and they're damn useful in a pinch. Kisaragi here is a Sacred himself, or so he tells me."
Kisaragi scratched the back of his head, holding up his hand in greeting as he looked away. "Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. Name's Kevin Kisaragi. Still don't know much about Sacred or what's goin' on, other than what the voice in my head tells me. And it's telling me you're all Sacred too." He briefly glanced at the monkey girl before looking back towards the tunnel. "But I guess that's obvious, huh?"
The old man brought out a cigar, setting the end alight with his lighter before taking a puff. "To be honest, I wouldn't have believed a word of it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes. But the last three weeks have been living proof." He glanced at Amos, particularly his twirling tail and sharp horns. "Case in point. I'd probably have the monkey and the demonspawn locked up if I didn't have a million other things to worry about."
He took another puff, taking a quick glance at everyone as though sizing them up.
"Name's Ross. So, here for work? Don't know what else a bunch of Sacred would be doing here if they weren't. Truth is, even with all our resources, it's been a struggle to keep afloat. Power's already out through most of the tracks, and Kisaragi here's the only thing keeping 'em running. Couple that with all the monsters and the gang wars, and it's a wonder we're hanging on. We don't get some more manpower, we're toast. Like my men said, you work, you get food and supplies. More than most of us get. You got any questions, I'll answer them, but that's the gist. So how about it? Sound good?"
Edited by kkhohoho on Jan 10th 2021 at 10:30:26 AM