Mina Parker
Given the last time Mina made a deal with Varancain, she had been too emotionally charged, so she had resolved to herself that the next time something like it came up, she would try to be the exact opposite of it. So here, she gritted her teeth, and though the name "Varancain" hovered on her lips, she did not speak it. It was simply not safe, since it was now impossible to fulfill the parameters of her original deal with him. Instead, she was frozen in a combat high, time slowing in her own mind, with her thoughts rattling away inside her own skull. And finally, she drew a bright, burning line between point A and point B, factored in Heather and what she knew of her, and arrived at an answer.
"I see. You have made your point quite clearly," Mina said, the red glow of the Nihil Claw reflecting into one of her eyes, making her seem more like her mother by the second. It was too late to say "I told you so" for suggesting that they parlay as a first option, but it was still important to maintain her calm. It was also all too important for her that Carter not see her squirm under the attentions of his mentor. "But Heather would never forgive us for accepting your offer. She knew the risks in coming here, and so did we. So, I hope you understand."
Edited by JumpingFruit on Aug 18th 2024 at 3:29:37 AM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.Scythirax's response hadn't surprised him in the slightest. James doubted the warlord was actually all that offended, more likely this was out of a need to back up his reputation or just the pure joy of having power over another. Either way, things were looking bad. There was always the violent option, but that was a course of action he really didn't want to take. Matthew had never really explained to them how mage's power grew over time. Admittedly Nyczus didn't seem to have gotten stronger with age, but they were facing a very different opponent now; Scythirax, unlike the geriatric priest, had not deteriorated physically over his millennia of life. If he had instead grown in strength over those many years, then they wouldn't stand a chance. That said, Mina was undoubtedly right; Heather would never condone such a bargain, even for her own life. Equally importantly, James could not in good conscience agree to do the undoubtedly nefarious bidding of such a vile man. Nevertheless, he reflected, her current predicament was the result of his own idiocy. There would be no forgiving him if he failed to act. "I'm in agreement, we cannot accept your offer. I can trade my life in turn for hers; that is the most I can promise."
Pablo was focusing more on waking up the girl next to him for the moment, even if he needed to move fast. He didn't look up, focusing both on what he was doing and his own muscles.
"Sorry, guess we never were going to get along" He said, trying to keep the eyes out of James and Mina. "Might as well take the ball and go home"
He needed to cover the others. If he moves wrong, he'll likely be leave chunks of himself behind, if he even manages to leave.
Wake me up at your own risk.A Sudden Rumbling Of Thunder
There was just enough in Heather to shift, just slightly, in this despicable immortal's grip. Oh how she wished she could move right now, just enough to point her claws and bring them to existence... But her body was not responding that well right now. She couldn't even feel the bleeding. Barely hear. Barely...
"S-s..."
There is a clink as a coin falls from her pocket, landing heads.
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.Scythirax stared at the teens for a moment, they might be able to see - even as his face was covered by that visored helmet - how intense that staredown was...but then after a moment, this ended, and he simply waved with his claw, letting the Investigation Team take Heather up and walking back. His implicit expression turning into one bizarrely happy, "Oh, very well. I see that she would put her ideals above practical concerns, and if she trusts you to lead her to life instead of a slow and miserable death, then we'll see who is correct in that regard."
With that, he moved to Carter's side and started propping the Horde teen up while looking at the door to wait for the Flesh-Sculptor to arrive. Carter for his part looked completely gobsmacked by this turn in the discussion and negotiations. He glanced at Mina, James, Pablo and Heather, and then at Scythirax, his confusion written all over his face.
The only thing they would hear from Carter would be a couple baffled noises. "Bwuh—-wuh—-wuh—-huh!?"
Dhakar was distracted - first by the burst of flames in his face, obscuring his vision of his opponents and then as he started to try to move after Ross, the ice that Rebecca formed under his feet caused the enormous demon to slip, stumble, and careen toward the floor with a rather undignified series of noises - though that wasn't long to keep him down...
Though any attempt to go after Rebecca or Ross was sidetracked when Veda's rain of blasts came flying in, pelting the monster's side and forcing it backward again. The blasts hit various odd little points where the possession had substantially warped the various metals and plastics of car and mech together, forcing Dhakar back...
...Though not for long. Hoisting his greataxe in both hands, he started unleashing a wild array of spinning slashes that carved up and shattered the ground - sending dirt and rock into the air as Dhakar moved forward. The spinning slash continuing with every step, the length of the axe and its movement posing a threat to Ross, Veda and Rebecca.
Jayden would disappear down one of the many underground tunnels leading out and down, toward Erakeen, toward whatever awaited him there. The tunnel leading that way seemed older than most. Like whatever sewer system the Umbral Horde had co-opted for this underground system, this was the oldest of the paths. Jayden might be able to see an item, dropped on the dusty, disparate floor marked with some date like 194-.
As he continued, he would be able to hear sounds from above as he grew closer to the District.
At first it was the movement of the militia's Mechs and their on foot minions, heard through sewer grates as he entered a more straightforward sewer section.
Mina Parker
Mina wasn't sure if the coin dropping was a sign of Heather about to transform, but she wasn't going to take any chances, because she didn't want another fight to break out again. Thus, she picked the coin up and stuck it back in Heather's pocket, before summoning up a floating stretcher of earth to put the two wounded people on once they were back outside. For Heather, she shaped a back brace, and hoped that it would both stop the bleeding and stabilize her spine long enough for them to get back.
"We'll be taking our leave then, Lord Scythirax," she said, still speaking neutrally just before she left with the others. She then glanced at the confused bully on the opposite side of the building. There was none of her usual fear of him at all. Just cold professionalism and a dismissive acknowledgment of his existence. "Carter."
Edited by JumpingFruit on Aug 22nd 2024 at 12:36:30 PM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.James let an expression of confusion form on his face. Truth be told, he had not been expecting Scythirax's decision, but once it had come he had not been much surprised. The man was clearly a creature of whim, and there was no reason to expect him to maintain a consistent pattern of behavior. His countenance was instead for the sake of the warlord himself, no doubt he found their apparent befuddlement amusing, it might even be the reason that he chose to let Heather go. Of course, it would be foolish to be entirely trusting of Scythirax, who could no doubt have something unpleasant waiting for them. They might find an ambush upon leading the warehouse, or more disturbingly that the Flesh-Sculptor had taken some liberties when restoring Heather's form. Of course, they were not faced with an abundance of alternatives; the only clear path was to accept this aid and stay alert for signs of betrayal. "Very well then."
Ross Chase - Vs Dhakar
Earth. It was a special element. So versatile. Many a militia mech operators were surprised when the very ground beneath them grabbed at them. It could provide a great distraction, a dependable barrier, a stairway to a vantage point, or maybe that extra ledge for freerunning.
And so, Ross's instincts when he saw this thing swing its axe through the ground were pretty straight forward. Predict where the greataxe is gonna strike. Soften the ground there to catch this thing of guard, and make it sink in deeper. And then, harden it into something tougher than mere dirt, to get its weapon stuck
Now, this was a demon. This little trick wasn't likely to hold for long. But... Ross wasn't alone. He trusted others in the group would be able to capitalize on this moment, take advantage of it. Maybe attack the demon, maybe attack the handle of its weapon, who knows. He focused his attention on dodging the attacks and antagonizing the demon.
"Can I axe you a question, buddy?" He yelled at Dhakar, "Humanity went from flintlocks to drones raining death from above in only two hundred years. Why are you out there swinging a medieval peasant's implement and pretending it's impressive, eh?"
Here in my car, I feel safest of all. I can lock all my doors, it's the only way to live in cars.Jayden
The fun thing about a long walk was that it gave Jayden plenty of time to think.
What does the Umbral Horde want with me? He slipped into the old tunnel, brow furrowed as he pulled the shadows around him closer. Is it really just about my lineage? Is that what they want? Who am I even descended from?
His steps slowed as the clanking of mechs floated in through the sewer grates, and he nervously looked out the grate before continuing on his path. What does Caine have to gain from trying to sway me? Why not Mina or James or Pablo or Heather? They all did much more impressive magic than me, even without magical heritage or whatever.
Jayden frowned, thinking back to the little training he'd gotten from Reiji and Dhakar. It hadn't really been training, they'd sort of empowered him and left him to his own devices, but...wait. What Satori had said, about him having a 'most auspicious fortune'...immediately after talking about the Deliberation...and the reason Tom had been kidnapped in the first place was—
Jayden nearly fell over, eyes wide with realization. They— they wanted me to be Grandmaster?! But that— oh, god, that made too much sense, actually. Tom had been kidnapped because of his magical heritage, to be turned into a backup Grandmaster—who's to say other Umbrals weren't trying to do something similar? Take people with magical lineage, set them up as puppet rulers, and...
Oh god.
Jayden swallowed thickly. "It could've been me," he whispered, gripping himself tightly.
He continued his trek, mind now a storm of thoughts. So Reiji had wanted him as a backup Grandmaster. Because he had a powerful ancestor, and clearly that was passed down to him. Like some fucked-up magical eugenics program. Or Crusader Kings with cults.
(What? Jayden had had hobbies before his life went to hell.)
But that didn't explain why Caine was so friendly with him. Had he known Jayden was briefly a competitor for Grandmaster? Was he completely unaware? Did he not care? Or...
Is he doing all this on purpose? So I get myself killed going out to Sandfield, and a potential rival is removed?
Jayden shuddered, before steeling himself.
I'll have to ask him what he knows. Once I get back.
Dumb idea? Probably.
But again, youth was for making mistakes.
"Look inside yourself and to the stars; there, you will find your answers."Veda - Vs Dhakar
Unsurprisingly, Dhakar wouldn't fall so easily. He began a spinning slash, slow but powerful, likely aiming to cleave them apart.
As Ross worked to interrupt the axe swings, Veda focused on offense, splaying his hands out in front of him and gathering purple light from his palms.
The light split into a series of vaguely spiderwebbed lines, so thin they almost couldn't be seen, appearing almost like purple cracks in the air. The web spread wide, large enough to encompass a sizable chunk of Dhakar's body, and then Veda fired it forward.
The effect was something like a net at first glance, but with how thin it was it obviously wouldn't hold. But it wasn't meant to - because although the lines of hardlight were easily broken, they were also incredibly sharp, and aimed at Dhakar's arms in just such a way that the demon's own momentum would be used against it.
In essence, if he continued his spin, Dhakar would slam his lower arms into a wall of very fragile razorblades, honed enough to even put cuts in stainless steel.
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?She Denies You, For The Moment
The last gambit to at least get out of here under her own power had failed, but the team had been given leave to go. The mission was, basically, successful; rescued captives including the girl who started this whole thing... Heather didn't really feel good about not trashing the bastards responsible but at least she could accept that this was a definite win as she outright lapsed into unconsciousness.
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.Rebecca Weathers - Vs Dhakar
So Dhakar wasn't going to be pushed back through the Hazard gate that easily. Becca's eyes narrowed. His loss.
When Dhakar started spinning with his axe, Becca created a wall of ice in the direction he was moving, freezing more and more ice to pack onto the structure. Dhakar would either have to stop spinning if he noticed it in time, or his axe would get lodged in the ice. Either way, the demon would halt his attack.
Pablo took a moment of pause before going to Heather, planting the same spell on her before placing the coin on her. She won't want to lose that. Maybe he could give her some handwraps and later invent some story.
Guess the punch up is for later Making sure Heather is safely tucked in.
"Hey, James, mind taking care of the other guest?"
Wake me up at your own risk.Scythirax for his part kept waving his claw covered hand all the way up until the Investigation Team disappeared past the old, torn up fences around the area. Not even making any moves well past the point where they would be able to tell he was doing anything at all. Once they were well and truly alone, Scythirax turned to look at the continuously confused Carter - who still sat there even as he heard the sound of Saraam the Flesh-Sculptor approaching.
The disfigured looking Umbral Hordier ambled over, one leg replaced with a prosthetic that seemed to be divided into two slightly insectoid looking limbs that awkwardly supported the strange and rather slim figure of Saraam. Carter for his part didn't even question it - he'd seen Saraam work enough times to know how it worked.
He just sat there as Saraam fetched what looked like globules of flesh from a wet, biomechanical looking bag held at his side, and applied them to Carter's wounds. The young man winced as he felt the treatment begin.
"So..." Carter started, lightly biting his lip, "I mean, we had them. The entire Warband could have pounced and—-"
"And what?" Scythirax bemusedly asked as he took a seat by what had once been a platform that held a captive. "Kill a pack of exhausted teenagers purely for the sake of personal catharsis...? No no no, that would hardly do anything. I would urge you to do better than that."
Carter glanced at his boss / teacher with a slowly dawning expression of realization. "I—-I didn't...I mean, I just—-"
"Yes, Carter, you just thought about what would be most appealing to your desires. But if you are to experience victory, you must be capable of thinking two or three steps ahead of your enemies - all of them." Scythirax looked at the hole in the wall, the light in his visor flashing brighter, "Here I thought I was going to need to engineer an escape."
The Investigation Team would make their way back to the helicopter, where the 317th boys, now decidedly all business, went ahead and eased Heather on - and on to a stretcher. The best to get her home with as little degree of strain such that Sam wouldn't have to also heal any injuries from her falling around or from an awkward position.
As the Investigation Team got on the copter, they would hear Sam's voice on the other end of the communications system onboard; "Good grief, I heard about what happened from the guys. I'll get to work as soon as you get back on healing everybody up. We'll send some people when the manpower is available to clean out that hellpit over there, you can be assured of that."
Climbing up into Erakeen from the sewers, Jayden would be able to see that all of these Gated Districts were possessed of vastly different cultures and outlooks. Where the one that he might have once called home seemed morose and quiet, trying not to notice the strangeness and darkness going on just beneath the surface, this place threw itself full tilt into the militia's ways as much as possible.
Climbing out of the sewer grate in a dismal, dark alleyway as if he was an Umbral infiltrating the place, Jayden would be able to see a large central church at the middle of the area. A resplendent white and tan structure that stretched three stories tall. People's homes all seemed to be tilted, facing the direction of the church...and the enormous military base just behind the church - a statement as much as it could be of the intertwined nature of the locals' faith and the mission statement of the Gibbs Militia.
Where the church tried to look hospitable, quaint and at least a little humble, the military base stretched taller than anything in the area. Merging into the walls and presenting a massive, sprawling architecture around the houses. It in many ways gripped and surrounded the dwellings here. Letting the people know by the construction and the function of the area exactly who was in charge here.
Jayden would be able to see some people walking from another area within the district, toward what looked like a pub of some sort. Owing perhaps to the nature of the area, the pub advertised itself quite openly as "NO ALCOHOL, NO LEWD MUSIC, JUST A JUICE BAR LIKE THE OLD TIMES".
Vs. Dhakar
"GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!" Dhakar rumbled as his axe got caught in the ice and the mud and mire that Ross and Rebecca so readily worked up - setting him up for further hits as he struggled and pulled and tugged to get his weapon of choice free.
The Demon glanced over just in time to see numerous flying razor-blade like designed magitek rushing at him...and which sliced and slashed through the armor that he had thought was so impressive utterly readily.
While there was no blood, owing to Dhakar not being a flesh and blood creature, the cuts and damages caused him to awkwardly gambol and twist on his feet - and eventually, stumble and fall, his own axe ending up coming loose from the mud...
...and hitting him square in the face with the flat of the weapon.
"Ow."
After a moment, he flared with dark energy, sparks and bolts of dark blue and black force emitting from his body as he slowly stood back up, patching himself up with his mystical energies to a degree. '''"I will NOT be made the fool by a pack of children and their chaperones!! You wonder why I wield this greataxe, I would be happy to demonstrate!!!" He raised the axe above his head, as he did, Mana flared up along the haft and heavily from the head of the axe. The great war weapon crackled with force, rippling bolts of Mana crackling off of the axe and slicing along the ground.
He then brought the axe down in what looked like just an earthshattering blow, but the swing of the axe brought with it a humongous cone of magical force emitted outward along the path of the axe swing, continuing on outward in radiant red light that burnt any trees it burnt through down to the innermost rings. Cutting through dirt, ice, grime and mud - the enormous beam taller than most of the trees in the area.
Mina Parker
Mina did not breathe easy until the warehouse was out of sight. Then she relaxed and slumped against the wall from where she was sitting. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her breathing turned shallow as she was finally able to fall asleep. This had been two missions in a very eventful day, after all, and it had strained her mana reserves to the fullest. After returning, she planned on letting the victims get their rest and medical treatment, before preparing a report for the higher-ups and a broadcast for the rest of the 317th's settlement.
Edited by JumpingFruit on Sep 2nd 2024 at 12:48:41 PM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.Ross Chase - Vs Dhakar.
Ross scrambled to dodge the energy attack.
This was bad. This was very bad. Probably powerful enough to vaporize them all. Broad enough that dodging it wasn't a viable long term strategy. And bright and flashy enough to probably summon the Gibbs Militia here shortly.
But, Ross had to stay confident. No one can know he's faltering here of all places. "You're not being humbled by a child! You are being humbled by Sandfield's, Number One!, Driver!" He shouted, letting Dhakar know how highly he thought of himself.
And, while there was a giant ray of destruction, there also was a small ray of hope.
The creature, for all its scale and ferocity was down on its knees, or whatever passes for knees for it. And it was stripped of his armor. It was vulnerable. And with longterm strategies made unworkable, Ross knew what to do. He had to end it here, and quickly.
"Just need to hit it before it can swing that thing again, eh?" was all he said to others before turning towards Dhakar. The color of the truck changed to midnight blue, to blend in better and avoid the usual yellow from getting heat, in anticipation of unwanted company. As Lil' Katie moved forwards, a shell of stone formed around her front end, and some of Ross's mana trickled into Katie to make her heavier and faster, to make her pack more punch.
Ramming doesn't always work. But sometimes, it's the only thing that has the chance of working.
Edited by JackCossack on Sep 3rd 2024 at 10:10:59 AM
Here in my car, I feel safest of all. I can lock all my doors, it's the only way to live in cars.Jayden
Jayden didn't really feel great about emerging from the sewers into a dark alleyway like he was some creepy knockoff ninja turtle, but he did so regardless. Not like he had much of a choice in the matter. Briefly pushing up his glasses to rub his eyes, he stepped up to the exit of the alley and peered out.
The first thing he noticed was the church. A large white and tan structure that probably hadn't been there before, which all the homes in the area were facing. Like it's one of ye olde villages, Jayden thought, before his lip curled at the sight of the military base. ...plus or minus a few additions.
The sight was...oddly charming, he had to admit. Not the base, obviously, but the district itself. It felt more alive than Calabasa, less like everyone was hiding from a dangerous, unstoppable force and more like they were living their lives the best they could. The church probably helped in that regard—Jayden's family had been atheist, and he'd never had much interest in the spiritual beyond conspiracy theories involving angels or demons, but it was probably comforting to these people to have something familiar.
His attention was then drawn to the pub—well, "juice bar", according to the sign—and he suddenly remembered why he was here. Right. Find whatever got stolen. Well, uh... Still wrapped in his shadowed invisibility, he started walking to the bar. Probably a good place to start. Plenty of gossip...
Trailing behind the people headed for the bar, Jayden waited until one of them opened the door, and then darted in.
God, I hope I don't regret this.
"Look inside yourself and to the stars; there, you will find your answers."“Of course” James nodded at Pablo, extending his a to support the e clearly very traumatized woman. Lost in thought on the retreat back to the helicopter, he couldn’t help but think about the disparity, how she had endured torments beyond anything he could imagine whilst he and so many others had rested unknowing. It represented an uncomfortable trend; James was walking in the wake of suffering, always behind it but never himself a victim. It made him doubt himself; what right did he have to pass judgement when he had seen so little of the worlds cruelty. But if he lacked that right, what did he, what did the people of Sandfield have left? For a brief moment he wished to have suffered in their stead; not merely to relieve them of pain but have to known it himself, to have the moral authority that only the most unfortunate of men possessed.
Edited by bobbitwormhobbitwyrm on Sep 3rd 2024 at 3:21:22 AM
"Well, that ended, somehow" Pablo commented, he seemed grimmer, making sure Heather wasn't hurt worse. While that place was unsettled and that armored freak was unpleasant to see, he was trembling from another emotion "Next time, though, I am breaking faces"
These jackasses have been running around doing whatever they felt like while everything went to hell and he was locked inside. Well, not anymore. Next creep is gonna get acquainted with his fists. It seems like the only way to make things make sense again.
Wake me up at your own risk.Veda - Vs Dhakar
From sheer size alone, Dhakar's attacks were difficult to dodge. Ross, it seemed, had realized this, and opted for a direct approach, trying to stop the demon from getting off any more attacks.
Veda dropped to all fours for better traction and had still barely remained stuck to the roof as Katie swerved and sped. He awkwardly popped open the passenger door and slid back inside the car as they charged, wanting to insulate himself from the imminent crash as much as he could.
Putting one hand forward, Visionary Violet glowed with max output, generating a series of layered, purple forcefields in front of the car, moving along with her and adding to the ramming power while simultaneously - hopefully - protecting her driver and passengers.
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?Rebecca Weathers - Vs Dhakar
"Shit!" Becca swore when Dhakar unleashed his magical beam and shattered her ice. She quickly crouched down to avoid getting hit by the chunks of ice broken off and flung by the force of the attack, but not before one ripped part of her coat's left sleeve. While unlikely to be noticed in the chaos, this revealed part of Becca's forearm... which was covered in unhealthy looking purple patches.
Unaware and unconcerned with the damage to her outfit, Becca grinned when she realized that Ross was preparing to ram Dhakar. She quickly formed some ice around her hands and feet to keep her firmly stuck to the bed of the truck, and then allowed the ice to crawl across the doors and to the front end, adding an extra, spiky layer to the rocky shell.
The 317th Base / Monroe High School
Daniel Braddock winced as he watched Sam rush over to toward the injured Heather, as well as the other victims of Scythirax, ushering them all into an infirmary area - formerly one of the school's first aid centers.
Thus, it was well suited to be adapted for use as a military infirmary. The place was expanded into a couple of the nearby classrooms, and it would sound to Mina and the others who came in with their friend like Heather was far from the only patient. They would be able to hear moaning, groaning, a fresh scream, and then quiet.
Heather's back was kept well supported and the wound was inspected by several other doctors associated with Sam. There had been stories about the Umbral Horde using poisoned weapons, therefore such an injury merited a closer look. Thankfully there had been no poison involved - even though in all likelihood, Scythirax was acquainted with the idea.
This was not the first friend that Daniel had to see laid out like this and in such a state. Nor was this the worst he'd ever seen. Sam and his men were capable of healing some truly...mindboggling things. Things that sometimes, Daniel wondered if people wanted to remember the extent of the treatment needed.
Thankfully, Sam was healing Heather up very quickly, the young man applying a radiant red drifting mist of magic into the wound. The spell stimulating the flesh and shattered bones into healing vastly quicker and more effectively than anything naturally achievable. The spinal column so rent in two repaired itself to full healthy status within moments, and Sam winced as he watched the flesh knit itself back together - slowly the outer layers formed in turn, and then the skin.
Daniel looked at the Investigation Team and breathed, rubbing his forehead, "We've verified a number of the identities of the people you rescued from Scythirax's Hostel of Horrors. A majority of them, aside from Cici, are Christian Media Personalities, who were invited in to "minister to the witches" by Elijah. Of course, once they encountered resistance or any fighting, it seems they split off of the Militia forces. Because these aren't serious military people. They're dumbasses from the internet, who panicked and ran. And thus, separate from their employer, they found Scythirax..."
Daniel then sighed, "I'm sorry you ended up going through all of that. You just fought that crazy giant robot, and then you ran off and ended up fighting a madman."
However, as Daniel started getting a report from a 317th boy, there would be a disruption - one of the rescued young women was ranting and shouting at the 317th doctors surrounding her. Yelling about how they were all "witches" and that "I did not consent to be dragged to this pit of false grace!" She spat and raved, her thick southern accent only seeming to enhance the sheer fanaticism.
Nobody seemed to pay Jayden much mind.
The "juice bar" as it preferred to identify itself was still a rather odd place. The lights were all tinted, and gave the interior something of a perpetually dusky, thrumming glow. All the music being played was old - from the 60s or 70s at the very latest.
All the chairs and benches were done in the style, indeed, of an old 50s style juice bar - though there were some hints that this was an urgent remodeling. A sudden move to acclimate to a certain style to appease someone. Even all the lamps and lights were done up as if this was still the 50s.
...All in the name of trying to hearken back to a time that people around here likely had rose tinted views upon. That very few actually lived in.
But despite the ancient interiors, this was still the only place that functioned as a somewhat fun place to gather. It seemed like a large number of rough looking young men and women gathered here, some wearing uniforms that would mark them as belonging to some part or unit of the Militia. Others seemed more like haphazardly dressed raiders and urban adventurers - the kind that would leave the safety of the District purely to try and find something to barter, to own, or to sell.
Jayden would be able to hear some topics of conversation...
"Can you believe it? The Eye of Wagner, taken down..."
"This not long after that base got assaulted by the Red Angel. Those aren't kids any more. They're monsters, one and all."
...
Then Jayden would hear something. A young woman chatting with someone near the bar - seemingly a younger boy, roughly Jayden's age or younger. "You know, your big brother keeps doing these runs up north. The Calabasa Job, the—-the underground job, the warehouses out east..." The young lady was dressed in a black coat, a sports bra, two thick gloves, thick leather pants, and boots. "I'm just—-I don't like it."
"You're his girlfriend," the youth said with a blithe chuckle, "Why're you—-?"
"Because I know he doesn't listen to me on these things. He just doesn't want to accept we're only doing this with the good graces of the District Mayor!" She vented, and then slapped the table by her side, "And now he's spending more and more time up there. Doing...I don't even know what."
Mina Parker
Mina was flitting from Heather's side to Cici's throughout the healing process, eventually being waved away and having to situate herself along the far wall as the doctors performed their duties. When Heather's wounds finally closed, Mina rushed over to squeeze her hand in celebration and relief. "Heather, please wake up," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "We got everyone out. We didn't give anything up. We won, Heather, wake up, please." However, the sound of her muted sobs of emotion finally being let out through the floodgates was soon drowned out by the shrieking of another nearby patient.
"Ma'am! Did you leave your sense of propriety back in the warehouse we rescued you from?" Mina asked, pointing a finger at the woman. "This is a hospital, and my friend is recovering from a spinal injury she sustained for your sake! Pipe down or get the fuck out."
The last few words had been imbued with an instinctual emotional magic to increase their impact.
Edited by JumpingFruit on Sep 29th 2024 at 2:24:35 AM
I wear the skin of the Elder Things, having come unto my own.James stood as if petrified by the bed in which Heather lay; his face held fixed in an expression of stoic solemnity. As they sat in the hospital, he could do little but think about how much his own foolishness had contributed to his teammates current condition. If they had negotiated with Scythirax from the beginning, they could have rescued the captives with little danger to themselves; instead they had tried stealth, and had only survived because of the whims of a psychopath, one who may well have only spared their lives with the intent of propagating some future cruelty.
He talked little during this time, though he would place his hand on Mina’s shoulder as she wept in a gesture of consolation. He himself struggled to cry; it wasn’t that he was unaffected by Heather’s condition, quite the contrary, but rather that it had produced in him not melancholy but a vast and hollow anger. It was only when the woman they had saved spoke out that he found tears pouring down his face, even then mixed with the rage that so plainly displayed itself on his features. “Shut the fuck up.”

Veda - Vs Dhakar
The demon emerged, a mass of fire and death. "Nothing is forever, Dhakar!" He called, an obvious taunt meant to draw attention. Presently, Veda was adhered to Katie's roof, ready to jump off at a moment's notice if they needed to split Dhakar's attention.
"Roger!" He called to Rebecca, though he was fairly certain her trick wouldn't work, based on a rough estimation of Dhakar's mass, and besides which the plan had been to lure him away from the Gate, rather than push him into it.
Nonetheless, he attempted to aid her in toppling the monster, raising his palm and unleashing several pinpoint blasts from Visionary Violet.
Small, purple energy constructs impacted Dhakar at high speed, aimed for anything that remotely resembled a weakpoint. Appropriately bullet-shaped, maximizing velocity and minimizing wind resistance, the effect was not unlike sniper rounds.
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?