Dissentities

Effort · Oct 5, 2010

Ganz watched the exchange between the two men. He was examining the rotting arm, when he noticed the man who it belonged to notice him. He raised his chin, acknowledging the man from afar. The G.R.A.V.E, Sadus, lowered his arm. Even from this far away Ganz could here him refer to the town ahead. And then he turned and looked right into his eyes. Ganz gazed back, his vision zooming in and observing every part of Sadus' inter workings. His nervous system, his respiratory system, musculature, skeleton, cardio vascular, the jumble of energy that were the spirits gathered within him. Of course, he wouldn't be able to tell Ganz was looking so deeply into his body. He snorted air out of his nostrils in response to Sadus and jumped as he started walking away, landing behind him on his bare feet with a light thud and a puff of dust. Ganz gave the bony armed man the same deep observation, almost grimacing at what he found there. "What is your name?" he asked him before turning and walking with him to the town.

October Knight · Oct 8, 2010

The wanderer felt like a dead animal you might find on the side of the road, lost, forgotten, and rotting. For the first time he was aware of his plight, of his situation. His mind was dying, as well as his body. He lifted the corpse arm, moving the bone fingers and examining the tainted meat that started at his elbow. His face was shadowed in the darkness, but its expression was one of grief and guilt. Something dark had happened to him, whatever it was it had poisoned his mind.

He Seemed to remember making a pact with a spirtoid, something dark and menacing. He felt that this was truth, although it was hard to tell for sure. What had the pact been for? The ideas swam around in his head aimlessly as he nodded in response to the GRAVE, he would go with them. Any company seemed better than none at this point. Maybe he would remember more about his past if he stayed with them for a while longer. He wondered about the girl with the GRAVE, but was soon lost in his own twisted mind again.

"My name." Said the Wanderer looking to the third man" I used to have a name, but I have been lost for so long. I cannot remember now." He paused looking up to the sky. " I will go by the name of Leetch for now, I feel dead, inside and out." He showed the man his arm again, as if it would answer all the questions he had.

It seemed Leetch had forgotten how to communicate properly as well.

Dawn Bringer Invictus · Oct 9, 2010

Return to Civilization

They'd walked for a bit longer, watching the morning give way to the afternoon, and the last remnants of the fog completely dissappear. Poetic in description, but increasingly dangerous; predators could see them much more clearily. Fortunately, they had made it to the town, one of those aged ones you'd see in brochures years ago, describing the quaintness and seemingly timeless serenity of towns not quite caught up in the disaffected-ness of modern times. The guards, wielding automatic weaponry and protected with improvised armour of scrap metal and military surplus, eyed them suspiciously.

The looks they were given were familiar ones. The guards seemed un-tainted and their bodies free from possession or mutation, but the inhabitants of these settlements were hardy folk. Isolation in parts of the world, where nearby civilization was often too far and roving war bands, twisted wildlife, and spiritoids controlled the space inbetween. The simple life was often romanticized as noble and fulfilling, yet one saw not those fantasies and that naive idealism in the eyes of the villagers. The guards were men and women, scarred and worn from their harsh duty. It was clear that they dealt with far more than just occasional spiritoids wandering into the village or civil disorder. One seemed to sport a synthetic arm and part of his head was obscured by a metallic quarter-mask, while another boldly kept massive gouge and lash marks upon her metallic and flexible plate armour.

From atop the scrap metal walls that surrounded the village, they pointed their guns, and barked questions at them. Who were they? What was their business here? What happened to the woman?

In adequate french, the G.R.A.V.E. had filled them in simply. They were little more than travelers hoping to move deeper into France, in particular, Paris, a sort of stronghold city.

He could tell they had a harder time buying the story. He knew types like them never truly trusted a migrant's tale, but their distrust was due to the rather odd nature of the party. They could feel it emanating from one another, unusual and twisted spiritual properties. They could feel it as well; a few of the guards had brought up hand-held devices, scanners of some sort, and they flashed red on their miniature holograph screens.

Yet in spite of their questioning looks and tense forms, the gate, a massive toothed steel grate, with armour plating bolted onto it, moved to the left, and they entered.

The town was definitely an older one that had pre-dated the wars. Old blast marks and traces of residual energy could be felt as they walked through its cobblestone streets and looked at the material and colour inconsistencies in many of the old structures. A once beautiful but now grey and aged villa would have certain sections would have certain parts seemingly made of red brick and durable scrap steel, while the foundations of the various smaller houses seemed older than the structures of cannibalized parts upon which they sat.

The inhabitants in many ways, didn't seem too unlike the guards. Not quite as rough-hewn, but there was that undeniable sense of experience that radiated through them, even the children. They did not simply walk towards a point, but did it with rigour and purpose, wasting little time. A few looked at them suspiciously; he could tell that quite a few had capabilities similar to Sadus' little group, although not quite to the same extent and expertise. People of all ages, from all walks of life, and more than just a few ethnicities seemed to be hard at work, eager to finish their load and glad to be keeping the town running. Under the watchful eyes of the security guards and their rugged weaponry, went from here to there, maintaining structures designed to house certain spiritoids to harvest their energies. Crates, baskets, bags, and other containers of various supplies were simply carried, sometimes floated from here to here by possessed or so called "mage" (one of countless terms used to describe those that can manipualte the otherworld's power) types, from simple, organized market-places to homes and storage facilities. What caught Sadus' eye though, was a train station, one further back into the town.

As he watched one of the vehicles drive in, kicking up unread newspapers and dust, he noticed that it was not of this town; its design was surprisingly advanced and its shape eerily smooth and coloured like snow, with a green line running across it and the symbol of some company upon its doors.

Glancing at the others, he quickly picked up the pace and moved towards the station. He had a feeling it could get them possibly directly to Paris.

As he did so, he shook the sleeping woman in his arms a little, speaking to her a bit louder as to better rouse her from her sleep. She had attracted surprisingly little attention throughout the entire time from the townsfolk. They'd likely seen stranger things.

"Talia, wake up. We're taking a national transit to the capital. Don't want to have to carry you the whole way. Plus, the scenery should be nice."

Anglkate · Oct 11, 2010

Her dreams were peaceful, memories of her life before everything. A time of happiness and youth. She saw her parents, and the clan she once belonged to. Her memory was a bit foggy, so some things were left to her own imagination, but she assumed most was accurate enough. Yet she knew even from the day she was born that she wasn't like the others in her clan. Not even the priests and priestesses were on the same plain. She'd heard/seen things that she probably shouldn't from a very young age.

Her mind wandered and she heard soft whispering voices telling her things she didnt' want to hear, and some things she couldn't understand. In due time... a clear voice echoed loudly over the others. Her mind wandered once more, seeking solace from this transition phase. All the while in the world outside she was faintly aware of the events transpiring around her. Her body was still much to tired to awaken, however. Diving back into her dreams, more faces and indistinguishable voices bombarded her. Then her mind wandered to darker memories.

It was that night again, and it replayed before her like a broken record. As she laid upon the alter staring up at the pouring rain and heard the chanting about her, she prepared herself to be the vessel. Four great entities were summoned and stood around her, only she could see or hear them as they spoke. Wanting desperately to avoid her calling she tried to persuade them to leave, but they continued to insist this was needed. Finally one by one they entered into her to use as a vessel, her fate sealed. The last was a soft white glow Do not fear us...we will become one...you were meant for this, and you will understand it said in a calming tone. There was a bright flash of light....

"Talia, wake up. We're taking a national tansit to the capital. Don't want to have to carry you the whole way. Plus the scenery should be nice" Saddus' voice broke through her dream. Slowly she began to stir, giving a soft groan before her eyes fluttered open. Blinking a few times, she was placed on her own feet, her legs still a bit wobbly. Fighting gravity a moment she balanced herself and held her slightly aching head, recalling the most recent events and pulling herself from her reveries. "Where are we--" a sudden wave of sickness overcame her as she fell to her hands and knees and simply puked. An unfortunate side effect from the stress placed upon her body. Wiping the remaining bile away, she sighed and stood looking at the others whom had now joined them, "right..." she said quietly and simply waited for Saddus to lead the way. She would stay with him for the time being, she owed him that much. Stretching some, she was still trying to get used to being in control once more, it was a new and unexpected freedom.

Effort · Oct 12, 2010

Ganz stared at Leetchs arm as he moved it around without flesh on it. Examining the fleshy part of his arm Ganz noticed with his super eyes the slow eating away of his flesh. "Leetch. Alright. My name is Ganz." He looked into Leetchs face and then he turned his eyes forward again. When he could see the guards notice their approach he clenched his left fist and focused his mind. The blackness receded back into his body with some effort, there was nothing he could do about what was exposed of his horns curving back over the top of his head.

In the city now. Ganz can't remember if he's been here before, although he sure he must have been to pick up some items and maybe some news. Must have been a long while since he was here. Although he did recognize a merchant, giving him a nod as he passed by. The energy here. Ganz moved his fingers around, feeling the energy, probably something he could do with it. But there was a lot of noise, and he could feel everyone near him. Ganz rolled his shoulders in slight discomfort, trying to adjust to being amongst a large group of people again. And then there was the station, with it's vehicle passing by, loud to his ears. What was he even doing here? Oh right, the spiritoids, or the possibility of energy to harness. Ganz continued on after a glance from Sadus they continued to the station, and Talia was roused.

She stood up shakily and then fell forward and puked. After she recovered herself, Ganz observed her critically, noting the change in the flow of energy inside her. A couple seconds and he had analyzed her whole body, after that he looked around and analyzed everything else around them.

Dawn Bringer Invictus · Oct 12, 2010

Tension Express

Some time later, after quickly paying their fares and ascending to the platform, they stood in attendance, awaiting the train amongst various others. The platform was reasonably well lit; the morning sun shone through the tall, arching windows, shaped like the view of a blade from its flat sides. The light in turn illuminated the assembled crowd. While they had only been in this small town for only an hour, they had no trouble distinguishing its native inhabitants from those who like them, were most likely travellers from elsewhere, all looking to go deeper into the heart of France.

The townspeople were a rougher in appearence, their clothing a motley assortment of hand-me-down and patched-up articles of scavenged clothing. Most of it was old and worn, having gone through multiple owners and the sewn up tears and patches almost seemed like a chronology of the lives of the pants and shirts. They themselves were a hardy looking bunch, faces eroded by the passing of time and the dangers of life in the middle of territory hostile to very fact that human life still lived inside of it. Amongst them, those of a less tanned complexion and a more properly maintained appearence could be seen. They were clearly travellers, just like Sadus and his group. While they still bore the marks of experience often upon their exposed kin, many of them wore packs or carried around luggage, while others seemed almost like tourists, casual in their appearence, eyes gazing around curiously in contrast to the dead-staight expression of the natives.

Sadus however, did far more than simply watch. In such a large crowd, they'd inevitably come into contact with the possessed and the changed. In perhaps every fourth or fifth person, he'd feel and through an alternate method of vision, see that they too, like him, had been affected by their rather harsh environment. Flickers of motion, almost like blurs, could be seen amongst a few, and Sadus knew the others could see it, but it was comforting to know that persons like himself evicted little more than perhaps a curious glance from some of the less knowldgeable travellers. The overall amount of channelers was moderate, ultimately outnumbered by those whose effects they bore were more physicla than supernatural. These could include increased muscle mass, regenerative properties, or a sort of resistance towards otherworldly energies.

As the angular-headed and snow white shape of the train arrived in the station, Sadus rose from his spot on one of the benches, motioning to his makeshift party to get on. Yet he seemed to lag behind somewhat. He could have simply glided through the crowd in that gracefully mobile way of his, yet he seemed to walk forwards rather slowly, his head craning left and right, as if attempting to remember perhaps if he'd forgotten something.

He could sense something in the signatures of some of the gathered beings. Amongst the possessed and those receptive to the otherworld's gift, there was something else. He'd feel it wriggling and slithering away, movements sharp as it lay coiled and observing the world around it, cautiously. Sadus was undetected, or at least he thought; the force seemed to be concealing itself not out of fear for him but instead, simply not wanting to be seen by the genaral crowd. It wasn't alone. It seemed to be an amalgamation of spiritual signatures, as if it was a single school of serpentine consciousness but rather a group that formed some vague juggernaut-shape of combined energy. Beneath the vision, physical and immaterial, it hid like a massive shape under the water.

Sadus picked up his pace and well behind his companions. Now, he was like the Sadus he was when they met him, simply moving forth almost like a ghost, passing between multiple people like an eel through reeds. Looking around, he gave the impression that he'd lost a friend, but that was far from it. He was now trying to pick out particular bearers of this amalgamated force, yet he could only make out perhaps the oddly suspicious fellow and no clear links. In spite of the impatient crowd half-jostling to get into the train, he could make out glimpses, normally all that he'd need to identify, but the experience of the ones he was attempting to track combined with all the activity made it much harder than normal.

As he pushed past a tall man with a flat-topped hat, reading a newspaper and shuffling forth awkwardly, he felt something bump past his right arm, knocking him slightly into the tall man. It was a woman that brushed by him, wearing a white sweater. She was obviously in a rush, looking down the seats, calling out a name that he could only half hear across the din. Her eyes darted left and right, stopping shortly on Sadus' own. It was an odd moment, as if suddenly all sound had been sucked out of the air. Just as quickly as it happened, Sadus moved away from the tall man, apologizing, and being rewarded by a grunt as he simply walked walked off into the left section of the car. The woman began walking off into the the right of the car, Sadus moving alongside her to claim a few spots for he and his friends. She was calling something out along the lines of "Corveau? Corveau?" Sadus watched her closely; there seemed to be something on the back of her neck, almost like a stain, small lashes of something black-brown and colour on her skin, slightly visible through her blonde hair.

She turned to look at him, her mouth open and eyes like a confused animal, but he had looked away, simply grabbing the nearby spot. Looking off to Talia, Ganz, and Leetch, he motioned to them to take the nearby seats, conveniently freed as a trio of men, all in business suits and holding suitcases arose. As the trio, complaining about the slownes of the loading process, moved to the other side of the car, Sadus smiled at his companions.

"That was highly convenient."

++++++++++

The train ride across the countryside was about an hour in. The sun now shined brightly across the vast fields, revealing the ruins of past cities for all to see. Strange and mutated plantlife now overran stores and streets, while spiritoids crawled and floated, a few letting out spine-tingling claws. They gazed almostl ike statues into the eyes and souls of those aboard, yet the train's on-board reppellent-field kept them at bay.

Sadus sat up straight, eyes looking half-ready to close, wandering here and there. The false fatigue was little more than cover for him. The woman he watched through the window on the door leading to the other car. She stood and still looked nervous, eyes also scanning. The tall man sat within the car, taking a corner and his face obscured by the newspaper. The three businessmen seemed to be now snoozing or half-heartedly looking at small mobile devices.

The G.R.A.V.E. could feel something off with them; as if they had much to hide.

Going further with his act of fatigue, his head slowly lowered to the side, until he rested against Talia, eyes and mouth shut. Of course, he didn't need his mouth to communicate.

Within her skull, Talia felt something like a voice, Sadus', talking to her, as if it was speaking from the center of her brain.

"A bit too convenient, was it?"

He flashed forth a memory, one of the blonde woman, and the hints of a mark across the back of her neck. The mark could be seen in somewhat greater detail, almost seeming like long and wavy triangular fin-shapes, reaching up the back of her neck. They presumably went down her back.

"It's not exactly the most normal birthmark you've seen, isn't it?"

Suddenly, his eyes opened, and he looked at Talia, mouth agape at the awkwardness of the situation, and quickly shot up, without a word. Yet past his facade of surprise, he gave her a glance, one of caution, his head moving slightly to the front of the car, directed at the tall man. He was still obscured by the newspaper, yet Sadus suspected that if he was a channeler, that wouldnt matter.

He looked at Leetch and ganz and sent another quick and unspoken message.

"I hope you two are thinking the same thing as I am. Keep an eye out."

Anglkate · Oct 15, 2010

Talia had followed Sadus quietly, observing the train scene with little interest. When she took a seat she was slightly surprised when Sadus' head came to rest upon hers. She glanced at the other two who had joined her and it was then she heard Sadus' voice within her head again. Of course.

"A bit too convenient, was it? It's not exactly the most normal birthmark you've seen, isn't it?"

She followed the images he'd presented to her easily but still remained quiet. Before she could answer, Sadus seemed to have 'awaken'. She played off his awkwardness, but perhaps it was a genuine awkwardness, who knew anymore. His glance back at her said enough but she merely nodded her head in understanding and agreement. She too had sensed something more about the individuals when she'd first laid eyes upon them. Faintly she could feel the other entities within her tugging at their new restraints, but she knew they were tightly locked away. just didn't know where. What her abilities were at this point even she didn't know, as she no longer had the four main entities fighting for control when they pleased.

As the group sat in relative silence now, her eyes once more scanned the people in the car with them. Her eyes seemed to linger over the three men, whom she didn't trust. The woman was a minor distraction, but there definitely was something off about the man hiding behind the newspaper. Just a general sense of unease seemed to drift through the car they were crammed in. A pounding came from the window as she turned her head slightly and glanced sideways out through the window. The spiritoids were trying hard to get in. IN her mind she could only imagine what chaos might follow should the barriers be weakened or, gods forbid, completely shattered. Though, deep down, some part of her was slightly enjoying the thoughts of such an event. She imagined it was just one of the entities influencing her deepest thoughts though.

Effort · Oct 16, 2010

Ganz grunted. It was obviously some kind of trap. Ganz remained standing when the three "passengers" got up and moved. He held onto a metal rung for when people stood up and extended his senses outward. There was an entity here, or several. It must be a strong force if he couldn't fully detect and analyze it. Ganz rolled his shoulders a little, blackness rising out of his skin and coating his whole left arm while his right hand turned black up to his elbow. Every movement anyone made was felt on the senses he extended through out this car of the train, like an insect on the spider web of his minds eyes.

Dawn Bringer Invictus · Oct 18, 2010

The Move Is Made

Looking at Ganz from the corner of his eyes, and then at Talia and Ganz, he shot them a quick message beneath a faked smile.

"Stay put. Don't move until they make their move."

Rising from his spot, he simply grunted something about indigestion, and went the way of the blonde woman. He could feel a sudden shift in the energy flow, as if some hidden predators had felt a change in the atmosphere of the area. Few noticed it, but the tall man with the newspaper was now staring at him intently, looking right through his edition of the Le Cartel National. A few feet later, and he stopped at the washroom. It seemed to be occupied, or at least that's what Sadus' movement gave off.

The blonde woman could be seen eying him from the edges of her field of view. She could feel something off with him, in spite of his slack movements and calm, unassuming gait. He sighed, and looked around, as if attempting to remember where the other restrooms were, before opening the door and moving unto the next car. Excusing himself as he brushed past her, he moved past an entire row full of the shady beings. They may seem normal on the outside, but he could feel something rather unnatural and amorphous hiding behind the facade. Not a single eye was raised to him, but given his distinctive dress and his G.R.A.V.E. status, he could simply feel as if he was being observed by senses beyond the five standard ones.

He'd made it to the empty restroom, entering it alone.

That's when they made their move.

A *swish* noise was heard as a flash of silver ripped through the tall man's newspaper, flying out and nailing a security staff member in his lower torso. The jangling collection of sharp edges seem to twist and move mechanically, digging into him, and he screamed, fallling to the ground. He wasn't dead, but he was unable to respond. The row of men suddenly rose and from beneath their jackets and sweaters, firearms revealed themselves, pointing around, their targeting lasers sweeping across the frightened passengers. A few other security guards burst in from both sides, armed with shock batons and auto-guns, but suddenly, they were blasted by an unearthly force. Long and thick, almost smoky black trails soared through the train, ripping apart a few steel poles. One collided into the group coming from one end, exploding into a thick and pungent black miasma, while the other did not explode as much as expand. Both security teams were suddenly on the ground, writhing and gagging.

Similar sounds were heard all across the train, as hidden infiltrators revealed their true identities and their weapons, corporeal and incorporeal. Clothes seemed to burn away, revealing black combat robes, tinged with dark red, while their flesh seemed to suddenly singe and hidden symbols of chaos seemed to manifest from the hidden burns. Like jagged shapes piercing through the non-angular and twisting symbols, these once seemingly civilized folks were now rendered into what may have been little more than barbarians.

The woman's hair went from blonde to dark red and almost seemed to float, and as her outer clothing burned away, what looked like miniature plate-armour over a sort of body-enveloping robe-suit took its place. Her hair seemed to float and a strange, minimalist, and not too loud sustained sound hovered over the terrified cries of the passengers. The mark on her back seemed to burn a bright yellow. Along with that, she had taken out a weapon, a large and long bodied magnum, with a single arm. She aimed it without even looking at the far end of the train.

It was pointed at the restroom where Sadus was.

A thunder-crack report filled the air, momentarily drowning out the panic, as its ten-round magazine discharged what looked like small flaming meteors, ripping into the washroom. The walls were torn apart and all that were seen were strange lashes. The explosions were not of brimstone and fragmentation, but strange tendrils that seemed to suddenly spawn from the impact point, lashing here and there and further desecrating the train.

An eerie silence, momentary in nature, befell the train. Weapons were pointed at the surviving staff and it was clear the train was under their control.

The woman, her face now a condescending sneer, spoke with a distorted voice, a french accent barely audible through the audio-haze.

"One wrong move, and you'll all be joining your spirit-hive friend."

A few of the others repeated her words, only in German and French. Hostages were starting to be rouned up, weapons and energy-spitting limbs pointed at their vitals. Their grim expressions told that they were not above taking innocent life. The tall man began to move towards Leetch, Talia, and Ganz. His facial expression was horrid, like some monstrous deep-sea fish preparing to consume them whole. He seemed to have one of those strange blades in his right hand.

Anglkate · Oct 22, 2010

Talia had simply sat back quietly and watched all this happen with a trained eye. In a sense she'd almost expected something like this to happen, so while the other passengers were freaking out, she simply sat there as if this were the most normal thing in the world. She'd seen stranger, after all. As she watched her eyes took on an almost glazed appearance, soaking in the information, and watching as Sadus was presumed dead. Obviously, these possessed were not intelligent enough to figure out that it would take more than that to destroy someone like Sadus, but Talia had only a theory on that.

The entire scene was like a giant domino effect, everything crashing into place until the last piece came flying (or rather walking) toward them. The large man from behind the paper. He reminded Talia of a rotting fish ready to snap its jaws and eat them alive. Where she should have felt some inking of fear, she only felt slight annoyance. What were these possessed trying to prove by all of this? That they could scare some inferior regular humans? Talia wasn't a regular human and she had her fair share of animosity toward the spiritoids and those possessed.

As the man approached, Talia simply sighed and slowly stood up blocking the way down the aisle. Her gaze had been drawn to the ground and now slowly moved up to meet his. Her eyes seemed to swirl with all four colors of the spirits within her, a stern mouth upon her face, "Why are you doing this?" she said a hint of aggression in her own voice. She wasn't going to fight if she didnt' have to, but she figured they at least owed them an explanation of what they were doing.

Effort · Oct 22, 2010

Boom. The sound of the gun in the confined space drove Ganz to his knees, screaming in pain, clutching his ears. It left his ears ringing, painful in his head, making him furious. While he was recovering, Talia got up and demanded a reason for the inconvenience, he didn't notice her at all as he rudely interrupted.

Ganz rose up with his fist, punching the man up against the ceiling of the train and punching him with his other fist before he hit the ground, sending him flying down to the end of the cart, knocking over pedestrians and weird cultish people alike. Ganz didn't stop moving, he spun, slashed and then kicked another man down the opposite end of the car. But that woman, she was quick, she had jumped up onto the seat and was bringing the gun around to point it at him. Ganz, his face contorted into a snarl, flew forward and punched the lady and sent her to the end of the car, where she smashed satisfyingly against the far end.

Ganz realized how many enemies there were on this train when they started getting up, he would have to do something else. His eyes turned to the field protecting the train from the spiritoids. He flexed his mind and punched the barrier and clawed a hole through it. He allowed it to close itself, but it was no longer as stable as before. He reached out and prodded a very large beastly spiritoid with his mind, drawing it's attention. It charged, Ganz reached up and grabbed the metal hand hold. Smashing itself against the barrier, the train rocked like a ship on a tumultuous sea. Suddenly, Ganz remembered his little traveling partners and looked around at them, spotting Talia now knocked over by the rocking of the train, and Leetch, still mostly in his seat. But Sadus...Ganz turned his eyes to where Sadus had went. But then something else caught his eye. Outside the train....other spiritoids were coming.

Dawn Bringer Invictus · Oct 22, 2010

Wrath from the G.R.A.V.E.

He'd been lucky. The barrier he had created as the rounds ripped apart the washroom had just barely managed to hold against the lashing tendrils they unleashed upon the entire room. It was completely ripped apart, withwalls exposed to the cruel spiritoid-infested world outside, spiritoids that were now becoming increasingly aware of multiple gaps in the defences from the raging violence within the long vehicle.

They were also aware of a tall man running across the top of the train, his entity-granted powers repressed to avoid being flung off the train by the field's repellent forces. Not surprisingly, they closed in.

He lept forward, dive-rolling past a charging shape, looking simply like a streamlined grey-blue smudge as it darted past him. Twisting to the right, by bare inches he missed the blurry shape of a massive creature, its armour-plated pseudo-translucent body increasingly thin as it trailed back to its tail. As it bounded off the light-blue field, stretched across the train like a second skin, it changed its trajectory mid-air and instead went straight for a whole he had a feeling was caused by Ganz.

Cursing at the fact that they now had two problem to deal with, he ran towards that whole. A fat-bodied creature, like the head of a flower, only its body was a sickly-see through brown, was blocking the way. Most of it was mouth, stuck over the entry way, using primitive claws and graspers to peel it open. Sprinting forward and ignoring the twisted calls of the pursuing spiritoids, he lept forward, changing his body's trajectory until he was parallel to the ground. Legs curled up, he sprung them out, drop-kicking the over-sized creature. It sailed soundlessly off, spinning and bumping into a few of its morbid companions. Landing past the hole, he quickly dropped in.

Amidst the yelling and the screaming, he saw a shape from the corner of his eye, thin bodied and black. Quickly hoping to the right, he moved out of the way of the sub-machine gun's barrel. Before the savage assailant could even fire, an elbow smashed into his face and he stumbled forward, both arms flailing as he attempted to regain balance. His arm balanced against a guard railing, he attempted to position it to fire at Sadus. Thinking as fast as he moved, the G.R.A.V.E. went low and dashed forward, until he was right behind him. Grabbing his shoulder with one hand and his outstretched forearm with the other, he pulled and was rewarded with an angry yell and a horrid crack as he broke his arm. The weapon fell to the ground, he delivered a quick kick, sending his opponent forward. He snapped his fingers, and a small crackle of energy, the gun was sent up in the air.

With no warning, Sadus suddenly dashed forward, body shiftinging to his left. The opponent from which he had forcefully taken the weapon had charged at him, but with his body leaning towards the G.R.A.V.E.'s right, he avoided the right-handed outstretched stab. Sadus had also pointed his arm in its full length forward, in particular his left. The gun gripped and about to collide with his targets upper torso, he fired, angling the barrel slightly downwards. With a fierce cracking sound, a quick burst tore through the man, the rounds hitting the ground behind him, barely avoiding the feet of a few terrified passengers. The intruder fell to the ground with a dull thud, eyes closed.

Wasting no time, he snapped around, only to quickly send himself to the ground on his back. A long stream of otherworldly energy, like a rushing wave, flew over him, crashing into the door behind and creating yet another entry point for the teeming creatures outside. Bringing the weapon to its iron sights, he squeezed off the rest of the rounds into the target, a body-armoured assailant, wielding a pistol in one hand and a channeler glove in the other. The bright bolts of green collided into his torso and he staggered back. Teeth gritted, he raised his firearm and opened the palm of his free hand, both glowing ominously, yet he didn't get any chance to retaliate. Flying toward him was the empty submachine gun, crashing into his head and sending his back to the wall. Reorienting himself, he saw Sadus move his right arm in a sweeping upward motion, a shape suddenly taking form with the rising of his arm and flying towards him at blistering speed. The shape, like a pale green sphere at the end of a long, eel-like body with a plethora of spiny limbs sticking out across it. A few seconds before its fateful impact, its bulb-head split, revealing a mouth of jagged teeth. Ripping into its target, it dug into his chest, limbs and teeth dismembering its prey from the inside out, before it went out in a burst of green energy, the explosion tearing him open and sending him to the ground. The body convulsed, surrounded in its own blood, as a purple luminescent mist-like substance began to exit its body.

Yet before he had even hit the ground, Sadus had turned and shot his other arm out, as if delivering a spearing attack. His fingers seemed to glow an eerie bright purple. As the civilians huddled and got away from the two dead bodies, a sudden loud sound, as if something had shattered, rang out. A storm of dark purple bolts flew from the are around his outstretched arm. The energy-missiles crashed right into the face of some horrid creature, looking a disembodied collection of grasping, sinewy arms and a gaping multi-part mouth, driving it back outside. A creature seemed to phase out Sadus' body, flying over to the gaping entrance caused by an earlier attack. The spiritoid, roughly a few feet wide, had a body shaped like the head of the Taj Mahal, only it ended in a tendril like endings and seemed to jet over to the entrance like a jellyfish. Nearing the entrance, it wasted no time spreading out its body, is tendrils sticking out stiffly like rods before glowing lightly pink. Its body seemed to become less soft in appearence and a central point where the tip of its head would have been began to glow red.

A few shapes, distorted by its flesh attempted to crash through it, but the makeshift barrier held.

He sprinted towards his companions and began to try to coordinate something.

"We need to start plugging up the holes; they're disoriented already so-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence, as a bolt of energy flew out from across the train and hit him in the chest, knocking him off his feet.

Looking back, he saw the tall man rising again, glowing a smoky green, his eyes seeming like fire. Bringing himself to his feet, he quickly prepared for combat again.

October Knight · Oct 23, 2010

Leetch nodded to Ganze as memories of dark pacts, dead bodies and Spirtoids infested his decaying mind.

Leetch took notice to tainted occupants of the town as they made their way into the breaking dawn. It looked almost like a post war outpost, with armed guards and mutilated civilians. He noticed a small boy, no more than 9, stare intently at his skeletal arm. When Leech caught his eye the boy did not run away in fear, as most children his age would, but instead continued staring. Leech felt to discomfort by this. In fact, he felt slightly relieved. Many of the people here looked more mutilated, emotionally and physically, than he did. He was snapped from his thoughts by a barrage of Yelling, they were addressing their small party in french. Leetch, always so distant and preoccupied barley noticed, but when the GRAVE traveling with them responded in fluent French he took notice.Whatever hell Leech had been living was put on hold for a moment with the realization that they were in France. France was indeed part of a world that he remembered, a world that he had once been apart of before……

Before, there was something before this. What had happened? Leech's brain began to throb with the pain of memories that wanted to remain hidden. He let them remain in seclusion for the time being and continued on with the group through the gates to the town proper.

Leetch walked along, feeling as if half his body was trapped in and out of some sort of deranged limbo, with the others. They were boarding a train as shadows past by his field of vision, shadows that carried the unmistakable scent of death with them. It was almost like looking through a pair of dark glasses when they passed by, but he noticed not only a change in the visual hue, but also a change inside his guts. It felt like many small hands were tearing at him, pulling him into an unknown void. He shook his head and small bits of black substance flew from his lips, he was in pain again, but not as bad as it was before. He could feel himself beginning to slip, but he stayed focused on distant, stationary objects. Many people walked past them as they waiting , but Leetch paid little attention to them and made his way to a seat with the others.

Leetch was watching out the window, staring off into endless plains of white. Snow, freshly laid out across the land. It seemed to calm him in a funny way, not the way a cup of warm tea can calm you on a cold December day, but more like the way a splinter removed from the finger would feel. It was like he had been washed, and was free of the dirt and grime of his innermost thoughts. He laid his head back against the seat and drifted off.

He was an able man with both arms in tact. His face was at ease, not the fluttering mess that it was now. He could not feel the infestation that was currently in his body, but he was not well. He was worried. Looking down upon a young boy, no more than 9. Whoever this boy was, Leetch could not recall, but he could feel an attachment to him. He looked down at the boy, who's fingers were being eaten away. Who's lips were covered in a black substance that oozed from his mouth, and who no doubt was suffering from the same aliment that currently was effecting Leetch….

With no warning he was ripped from his dream state and back into his sick, twisted body. Only a hint of the memory remained with him.

"I hope you two are thinking the same thing as I am. Keep an eye out."

Leetch looked un phased by this warning. He had little idea of what was to come, but trusted the GRAVE Sadus enough to use cation.

"Stay put. Don't move until they make their move."

Something was coming, there was no doubt about that. Leetch was fearless, as it was all he knew was the hell that was now his life, so fear never crossed his mind. However, he was not a stranger to conflict, be it physical or verbal. Conflicted constantly within himself by an unknown hate and vengeance. If blood was to be spilt, so be it, thought the haunted Wanderer.

Within seconds all hell seemed to break loose as a calm look washed over Leetch's face. The overtaking, totally impending, mayhem that was taking place seemed to mirror the constant torture in his body, thus creating a level playing field. He took comfort in the fact that his heart was abbot to rip through his chest, and for once the pain that was always present in his body was temporarily dissipating.

Leetch planted his feet and pushed himself up, slightly aware as Ganz leveled a man with his bare hands. Bullets flew from the barrels of many guns that all seemed to be laser guided. A small red beam, maybe off target, met Leetch's chest, he stood frozen, not in fear, but in awe as a realization flew through his mind. If he could be killed it would end this constant hell he was living, but as soon as this thought hit his brain the pain retired, ten fold and he was well aware that the train was under attack by Spirtoids.

It seemed that the GRAVE had left the side of Talia. Leetch noticed that he had narrowly escaped being blown to shreds from within the washroom. However now was not the time to evaluate the situation, it was time to fight. A Spirtoid entered through one of the windows. Shardes of broken glass, followed by a creature with long rows of steel teeth attached to a monstrous sized head. It landed in the aisle, stretching out two thin, but powerful arms. Its body was a dark green and covered in a seaweed looking substance. Its fingers and toes had long, thick and twisting nails coming from them. Leetch , for whatever reason, noticed that the creature, although sporting metal teeth, was indeed a living creature; It had blood and tissue.

Without any hesitation he leapt towards it, baring his own teeth, fearless and in an absolute rage. He landed with his face right above its exposed shoulder. He ripped into its flesh, tasting its warm blood as it dripped to the floor. Almost instantly the Spirtoid fell back, black liquid running from the wound and from its mouth and eyes. The skin around where Leetch had torn the flesh was now falling away and appeared to be getting eaten by an invisible swarm of death. Leetch had the power to pass his sickness to others….even Spirtoids. This realization brought him little hope, just more question. What was going on within his mind and body?

As the fury of battle raged on, Leetch looked for his companions and at the same time waiting for his next victim.

Anglkate · Oct 25, 2010

The tall man wasn't given a chance to respond before Ganz had moved forward to attack. Luckily, Talia had stepped out of the way moments before hand. Sighing she let the man do as he pleased. Everything else around her was a chaotic storm of blood, gore, and violence. To most everyone else, Talia simply disappeared, a mere spectator or unfortunate citizen lost in the fray. Really, she simply stepped back and allowed the guys to do as they pleased, and the usurpers to continue their brutish take over. She was still much too tired to partake in such a fiasco as this, though her patience was slowly tapering.

Suddenly, she was thrown to her hands and knees from the jerking of the train. Talia quickly made note of the barrier breaking apart in various spots from the skirmish, and frowning a bit she managed to get back to her feet as if in a drunken stagger. Her eyes instantly shot around in frustration before she saw Sadus make his return. A part of her was relieved he was actually okay, but at the same time she'd expected it all along. The poor grave had been making his way toward them shouting out the beginnings of a plan when the tall man blasted him again. A strong spiritoid possessed this one as he stalked toward Sadus.

Talia made a move to assist Sadus, but suddenly she felt a gun pressed against her back and a familiar hazy voice speak, "Not so fast…I told you not to move. You don't listen very well." The soft hissing of the woman's voice annoyed Talia to no end as she simply paused where she was and put her hands in the air. Talia wasn't sure what she was capable of anymore since she'd so often simply relied on the possessing spiritoids within her to take over and do what needed to be done. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she slowly turned her head to the side catching a glimpse of the red-haired woman through the corner of her eye, "No...I don't listen very well to the likes of you…I don't appreciate the barrel of a useless toy to my back either." She said slowly turning to face the woman, her eyes slowly swirling into a dark purple hue. Sneering back at the woman, she took hold of the barrel of the gun, the air around the two becoming statically charged.

With that a surge of energy shot up the barrel and seemed to jam the gun, a strong electrical pulse radiating through it to the woman's hand. The small shock caused the woman to drop the weapon to the ground, shaking out her hand. Talia turned her head slowly again toward Sadus and the tall man, "Shall I help you, Sadus, or do you want me to deal with her?" She glanced back at the woman her eyes swirling again and returning to their normal hue.

ViralFiend · Oct 25, 2010

Meanwhile, in the front of the train, a man had been comfortably stowed away in a private passenger cabin. He was methodically servicing his weapons. His hands were meticulous and mechanical, like a surgeon. On the seat across from him, lay a sawn-off shotgun, Glock 9 and a .357 Magnum. On the floor was an open duffel bag filled with ammunition and cash.

When the attacks started, the man's first indications of trouble were the terrified shrieks and rushing footsteps from outside his cabin door. Almost as suddenly, the car fell quiet once more. A moment passed, and then another until finally the car door slide open and two men stepped inside. Judging by the sounds of their footsteps, they were male. Although, one was a great deal bigger than the other.

The man Stands at a good six foot and four inches tall and weighs in at a solid two hundred and twenty-five pounds. With a hulking, athletic build, he is undoubtedly a fine male specimen. His sun-blasted tan and short, golden hair accentuated his stern azure see globes. He wore black chaps over his dark denims and brown boots. His black shirt was covered by a Kevlar vest, and his sleeves rolled up. His neck was also covered by a tan and black patterned neck scarf, tucked beneath the Kevlar. He wore a Cowboy's hat and was smoking a cigarette. His name was Rufus Alexander Belmonte.

The men outside began checking the cabins. One by one the doors were kicked in and sprayed with bullets should anyone be inside. Screams of fear, pain, and violence filled the air along with the smell of blood. Silence took over once more as the floor boards creaked with each step they took. Foot steps grew closer, ever closer, until just outside Belmonte's cabin, they stop.

BANG-CRACK!

The door is thrown in. Nothing, no one. The bigger man leans in to check the cabin. It seemed to be empty, except there was an open duffel on the floor, _Two_ guns on one bench and a still lit cigarette in the ashtray...

Belmonte levels the Magnum to Gargantua's head. Belmonte pulled the trigger, blood exploded against the barely attached door. He had been propped against the exit wall. Quickly, Belmonte steps back and fires two rounds through the wall. Rushing forward, Belmonte reached through the door way and grasps the smaller man's coat collar. Yanking the man into the cabin, Belmonte pushed the man's head downward and fires another round into the back of his skull.

After taking a moment to assess the situation, Belmonte reclaimed his cigarette and began to gather his things.

Effort · Oct 27, 2010

Looked like Sadus was back, and Talia dealt with that woman, and Leetch seemed to have moved into action. Ganz was pelted by some purple plasma, right in his back, it left purple smoke rising from his back. It did little damage and only irritated him. He spun around and was blasted in the face and then in the side by two other blasts that staggered him. Ganz was about to kill all three of them when a big spiritoid with a beasts upper body and a serpents body with many tentacles coming out of it's thorax. It also had a dog's head. The thing slammed itself into Ganz and they tumbled to the ground, biting and clawing at each other, every time a tentacle tried to restrain Ganz he'd tear it from the beasts body. The creature writhed and flailed, at first trying to constrict his body but soon it thrashed about trying to get away from him, knocking several people over. But he would not let it go, he raked it's body with it's claws and plunged his hands into it's body, the beast howled and screeched as Ganz sucked the energy out of it. All that was left of the thing was a dried up husk barely recognizable as a former living thing.

Ganz rose to his feet, skin sparking with energy. He thrust his hands out and struck down the three men that had shot at him, with bolts of green lightning, frying the assailants. These spiritoids have served their purpose, now there were getting annoying. Ganz faced the barrier that was failing to protect the train. He launched the rest of the energy he had taken from the creature at the barrier, feeding it, forcing the holes in the barrier to patch over. That spiritoid wasn't very powerful, so the energy quickly sizzled out of Ganz's skin. He was about to dive away and disembowel a woman that was covered in patches of spikes and scales, when he felt something brush against his senses from outside the barrier. A very big something.

Dawn Bringer Invictus · Oct 27, 2010

Crazy Train

Before he could answer Talia's question, the woman charged, a large blade suddenly appearing across her forearm. With no time to warn her, he grabbed Talia's arm, and quickly yanked her out of the way, before coming face to face with the cultist. He ducked under her attack, before smashing his palm into her stomach. She was sent flying back through a door towards the front of the train, but she was far from dead.

At the same time, the tall man was renewing his attacks from behind. Sadus dodged left as sa burst of nauseous purple energy nearly collided into him, only damaging the door behind him and sending the terrified civilians to the ground, hands over their head. With no time for choices, he looked at Ganz and Leetch.

"You two, tall man, take him down!"

Turning to Talia, he looked at her with some concern before talking again.

"Stay with me, we'll deal with her together."

With no further talk to be had, he ran forward, through the busted door leading to the front cars. As he ran, two black shapes seemed to materialize within his hands, as if forming right out of the murky mist-like substance now appearing around his fingers. As they cleared off, he now held two hand-scythes, easily manoeverable in these tight quarters. The woman glared at him and raised her arm, causing a horrid and long mouldy growth to suddenly burst out of a glyph she had created in front of her. The mass was covered in thorns and spines, and Sadus dashed to the right as the attack ripped apart a pole and slashed a few civilians, injuring them but thankfully not killing them. Bringing a scythe upwards, he slashed through another pole and ripped her evoked limb in two. She lept back through another door. Hoping to capitalize on this, Sadus looked back at Talia. He said nothing but his simple facial expression, focused and fierce, told her that they had to capitlize on this; she and the tall man were experienced fighters and weren't going to go down easy. If they wanted to have a chance of dealing with the massive spiritoid that was approaching, they'd have to take down these two leaders first.

October Knight · Nov 2, 2010

Leetch could feel something dark and ominous spreading through his body, like a low fog rolling in at the bay. His face had taken on a dark menacing look, almost bestial in form. His back teeth were working -grinding- back and forth, and his jaw muscles contracted. His eyes seemed to be sunken in and the black ooze was leaking from the corners while his mouth was curved up in a vicious snarl. Blackness also leaked from his mouth and it dripped down the front of his sweater and onto the floor. He felt alert, full of energy ,and in a way alive. Alive for the first time for as long as his tainted mind could remember. He curled the fingers on his good arm into a tight ball as his teeth continued chewing, then, he spit out the piece of flesh he had torn from the Spirtoid. It hit the floor with a splat. Leetch was a warrior, by all means, and he felt at peace with this reality.

Leetch was awoken from his inner reflection by a sharp jolt, he steadied himself against a seat as hell was breaking loose all around him. Leetch noticed as Ganz ripped a strange Spirtoid limb from limb, or tentacle from tentacle as it was. Many strange and bizarre creatures filled the train, it would be a wonder if they survived this.

Leetch heard Sadus tell him and Ganz to take out the Tall man. Leetch assumed that the Grave and Talia would have their hands full.

Leetch, taking little notice to anything else around him, Charged the Tall man. Fearless, battle ready and ferocious…..Leetch didn't notice how long the tall man's arms were until they shot out and smacked Leetch across the train, his head hitting a window and shattering it. The world went hazy and Leetch could only pray that Ganz was behind him.

The last thing that Leetch could remember before slipping into unconsciousness, was the sound of more bullets being fired at the front of the train.

Effort · Nov 2, 2010

Ganz's attention was brought back to the train by Sadus. Taking down the Tall man? Not a bad idea. Ganz felt a slight change in demeanor, then turned to look, and just in time to Leetch fly down the train. Instant action. Ganz shot forward before the man put his arm down from the strike. Grabbing the wrist, using his hand to hyper extend the elbow, breaking it. Ganz spun, holding the mans arm and slamming him into the wall of the train twisting his other arm far up his back until it snapped and Ganz put his fingers together and stabbed them into the Tall man's back like a spear. There was more energy here than in that minor spiritoid, Ganz began draining the energy from the man.

Anglkate · Nov 3, 2010

Once more Talia found herself being thrown to the ground as Sadus pulled her forcefully out of the way. She felt the energy over her head as she stayed down a moment. Carefully getting herself back to her feet as Sadus knocked the woman back, he'd instructed Leetch and Ganz to take out the tall man. Her and Sadus were going to take down the woman. When Sadus looked at her she noticed the momentary glance of concern for her. Why is he concerned?...I did try to kill him before she thought to herself, but let it slide. Nodding her head faintly she turned, "You don't have to worry about me..." she added softly with a kind, yet sad, smile.

Before she knew it Sadus had taken off after the woman, whom had created another creature with her glyphs. Sadus had equipped himself with double scythes. Talia...was weaponless, but she didn't care. Hurrying forward, as Sadus worked, she quickly got the injured out of the way before preparing herself to jump in.

Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself and nodded. Perhaps if she focused hard enough? Clenching her hands, she began to focus her thoughts on channeling her energy. She couldn't just morph her body like Sadus, or attack with such ferocity such as Ganz or even Leetch, not that she was aware of. When her body changed before Sadus had sealed the entities, when they took over any abilities they had would instantly transfer to Talia, and her body underwent many changes. Yet she didn't know how it occurred. Without the entities controlling her body, she felt left in the dark. Her eyes closed, and soon the air around her became heavy and hot almost. Slowly her eyes opened, her eyes had swirled into a crimson color, her lips curling into a vicious grin.

The woman craned her neck toward Talia, annoyance reading on her face. Another glyph appeared as a human-like creature slowly pulled itself through. It was mangled as if toxic chemicals were melting its flesh, and it gave off a terrible croaking noise as sharp teeth snapped and a leech-like tongue shot out attempting to latch on to whomever was near. The creature had no discernible eyes, and only two slits for a nose, its fingers jagged like claws. It was a sickening thing to see, really. It suddenly jumped forward to attack Talia. Talia's eyes drew toward it as she sneered, "pathetic...have to hide behind your creatures...can't even face us like a true fighter!"

Talia's eyes swirled hungrily as she smirked and suddenly sent a blast of fire-like energy forward. The fire was first only a small flame, but quickly expanded as it flew down the car toward the creature. When the fire hit the creature went up into a burst of flames, crying out weakly before falling to the ground into a pile of ash. Talia's eyes moved to the woman next, "I'd duck if I were you Sadus." Without any other warning than that she drew her hand across as a sweeping blast of flames shot forward like a sweeping blade toward the woman. The flames visibly bent the poles in the way, but didn't break them. Instead the heat seemed to melt them some. Nothing appeared to catch on fire either. As the wave of fire hit the woman she would be thrown back again and begin to writhe in pain as her body temperature would rise as if she had been set on fire, though on fire was visibly seen.

"It isn't a strong attack. She will recover soon..." You'll have to act fast she thought hoping that Sadus would pick up on this. Talia kept her eyes trained on the woman with great intensity. To Talia and the woman it would appear as if the train were now lit ablaze and the flames licking at the woman's skin, but this was only a semi-false reality.

Dissentities

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