Forieri di Tarocchi - Harbingers of Tarot

[Astoria]

The appearance of real law enforcement was completely unexpected for Iphigenia. On any other circumstance, they were a welcome appearance, but today was not her day, it seemed. The collapse of the undead at the appearance of the police did little to help.

There was no chance for anybody to explain themselves. The ride to what Iphie could only guess was a police station was less than pleasant; aside from, in her opinion, being unjustifiably detained, the fact that she had been gagged, blindfolded, and bundled into a van in addition to being handcuffed was completely contrary to what she perceived as a police procedure. She was livid. They had all been defending themselves yet they were being treated as criminals. Being stuck in the van for the duration of the trip, allowed her to think and to stew; she was ready to make the biggest stink and international incident over her arrest to the best of her ability. If some Podunk, back-woods old-boy police department thought they could mess with her, they would be in for a sorry surprise.

Even after being dropped off at an undisclosed location, Iphie and the others sat in a holding room for at least twenty minutes. She was surprised that they were being held together; Iphie surmised that there was likely a microphone or two in the room, along with all the cameras, ready to record anything surreptitious they might try to do, restrained or not. Anything incriminating. If they were going to be questioned, she knew to keep her mouth shut.

Iphie shook at the sudden jolt of the door opening. Trying to make sense of the conversation, she listened to the movement of the police before she was finally freed of her sensory restraints. Immediately, as her eyes were adjusting to the institutional light of the room, she rapidly spat out her instructions. "Don't talk. We're being recorded. Ask for a lawyer and refuse to answer any questions."

Finally adjusting to the light, she glanced at her captors and was surprised. It was clear that they were no regular small town police officers. As Agent Len spoke, her suspicions were confirmed: they were the FBI. Now, what was up here? Curiously, there seemed to be the presence of three others behind her as well. Regardless, she was steadfast in her decision to stay silent. "I want to speak to a lawyer. As a citizen and a peer of the United Kingdom, I demand to speak to the British embassy."

She'd done her part, but it seemed the others were not. Biting her teeth in irritation, she snapped at them. "Shut up and ask for a lawyer!"

 

[IAmEnzo]

Monsters..

Tarocchi..

"Mediums?" Len's thoughts were vocalized due to the sheer obscurity of their descriptions. However, it wasn't far off from her own presumption about the crime scene. The nature of the mangled bodies, the seclusiveness of the scene, the age group the 'suspects' were in. All of it seemed to line up identically to the events of her past. It left a bad feeling in her gut and without knowing it, she bit her bottom lip out of mild worry.

From the looks of it, Jackson was definitely involved with the 'monster', or 'Ethan', as it once was. Kent provided decent information; not only on the hollow and it's need to consume living essence, but also about the blurred figures that stood stationary around the young group. To make matters more interesting, the purple-haired girl kept a cool head - until her comrades partially spilled the beans anyway. It gave Len a nostalgic feeling for a moment.

The kids were both scared and cautious at the same time. Len imagined that their entire world had been flipped upside down - no, their understanding of reality is being challenged. What she did know was that going back to a simple life was impossible at this point. With the 'Tarocchi' whispering goodness knows what in their ears and hollows coming out of the woodwork, a normal life would be nothing but a mere dream. Len took a deep breath and considered how she would handle the situation. Her resources were limited. Just getting to where she was at that point took a great deal from her - now there's a risk of court. More importantly, their future would be thrown away. At least as a respectable human.

"No lawyer nor judge will help any of you in this case. You've been caught red-handed at the scene of the crime, and to make matters worse, two of you are soaked in blood. When the details about the bodies are released to the public they will blame you. Your lives as students will end, your bonds with other people will be shattered. You'll be remembered as nothing more than cruel savages with nobody to defend your name."

A series of light knocks broke the chain of dread Len was casting on the group and a member of the autopsy team poked their head through the crack.

"Agent Len, the autopsy report is ready for you outside."

Len threw a glance over her shoulder. "I'll be right out."

Without another word, Len rose from her chair and met up with the autopsy team in the hallway. This was an opportunity for the gang to communicate now that they weren't gagged and unable to speak. The two remaining Agents stood idly by, and didn't care much for whatever the group said among themselves. Five minutes later and Len reentered the interrogation room with a steel baton in her hand. Those with sharp eyes would have noticed the blood coating the shiny steel before the entire weapon deconstructed itself into a cube that was deposited into her suit pocket.

"Believe it or not, I'm painfully aware of the horrors you're all facing. Because of that, you have approximately seven minutes to get as far away from this precinct as possible. You're doing this world a great service it never knew it needed. Now get out of here."

The extra agents went to work freeing the teenagers of their bindings and following Len out of the interrogation room. What was once a chaotic workplace at the station was now an eerily quiet and empty-looking building. Len and her group took the path onto the station's roof, where she could easily see the group escaping if they had chose to.

"It's worse than I predicted, Dom. Hollows? Mediums? And just what the hell is a Tarocchi?"

The physical form of her company shifted entirely into a cloud of crimson-aura smoke that collected and materialized a single individual at her back. The man's full-body cloak hid the entirely of his form except for his jet-black hair and wolf mask.

"Let's head back and figure it out."

The two were then blown away into black mist that rode with the passing wind.

 

[TerraBooma]

[BCOLOR=transparent]For Iphigenia, the FBI agent's answers were less than satisfactory. Of course, it was typical police officer talk if what American crime shows she watched were correct. Naturally, any lawyer would defend a client with enough money, even in an obviously guilty case. There was also the concern of an international incident that she was confident would happen. She really had an urge to point that out, but shut her mouth; talking more would be useless. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Her attention to her situation was broken by the sounds of knocking outside, and she watched as Len stepped outside. Still, there were two remaining agents and the possibility of microphones, so she wasn't in a talking mood. Still, she complained.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Come on guys, bloody hell?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson was also in a bit of a foul mood. The agent had seemingly ignored his request to check in on Lana, and he was becoming more and more concerned about her safety, he understood Iphie's case, but at the same time felt a certain bit annoyed that she was handling it so calmly, she didn't have the record he did...it wasn't' like she knew how fucked he was but it still annoyed him. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Yes bloody hell, Iphie...we've gotta cooperate. I know how this works just as well as you, trust me. But with what they have us pinned for...I don't think there's any way out of this besides telling her what we know. She can see...whatever." He then glanced over to Kent. "And what's all this about Tarrochi and Mediums man? Didn't feel like filling us in? The hell was she staring at the whole time?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kent's head was still in an anxious fog. So much was happening at once -- monsters, police, [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent]power[/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] -- that his mind was still checking through each event to reconcile the real from the false. But, it was all real, and the terror of realizing it wasn't a dream -- something that should have gotten to him last night -- was still fighting its way into Kent's logic.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"There was… no time," he muttered. "Tarocchi, people, spirits… Yang and Yin gave me powers; the thorn. Same with Lillian to Kaede… The rest ignored, but she could see…" There was little more that could be brought out of Kent at this point; the fear for certain wrath returning to thought and a shaking taking hold of his body. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson let out a sigh, realizing that something was going on way beyond his comprehension, even still. "Know what...whatever. Sorry for snapping at you guys." Jackson took some deep breaths as he tried to calm down. "We just...I...I'm worried you know?" he gave Iphie a worried stare. "You guys didn't see what I saw back there...it got in my head, messed with me. I'm freaking out more than a little, what the hell do we do?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Iphie shook her head. "I saw the same shit, Jackson. But the mic." She would have pointed somewhere, but her hands were still bound. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"We can co-operate later. Iphie is right. This is something really big. None of us have the experience to deal with the police." Kaede said. She knew enough about police and people to know a single slip up could incriminate them whether they'd done anything or not. "Better safe than sorry." She missed having her marbles.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]~***~[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson wasn't sure what to expect when the FBi agent walked back in the room, but a bloody baton sure as hell wasn't it. The thug was stunned into silence, trying to process what it meant until she finished talking. The room had an eerie quiet for a few moments after she left, and Jackson was the first to his feet, darting out the door. What he saw struck any hope he had down from his heart. "Fuck…" he muttered to himself, countless unconscious policemen in the hall. "This ain't good guys…" Jackosn looked back at the group, then locked eyes with Iphie, "I don't think we can just get a lawyer now…"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The formerly fearful man was next to his feet, and at the sight of the passed out officers, a sudden elation. "We can... get away!" He had trouble finding his voice at first, but once he did, he had shown the most emotion that any of the other students would have seen from him. Perhaps it was eerie, but he rushed forward into the hallway, a skip in his step. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kaede pushed herself to her feet and followed Jackson into the hallway. "Wow …" she breathed, horrified. They were in things even deeper now, Len had not helped them at all. "I don't think we want to stay here. They were rough with us back in the forest. But now …" She walked up to one of the officers and checked he was still alive. There was a pulse, thankfully. "Still alive." She turned to Lillian, "You don't have any more marbles do you?" she asked. The smoke alone would be useful at nighttime for helping them hide even without any other powers.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I was not prepared for such an event, Cheire.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]If you believe it necessary, I can procure another set; however, I fear for your stamina.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]It is your first time using my power. I cannot imagine your body remains as it was prior."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Lillian had a point, she could feel a fatigue in her muscles despite the fact she hadn't been exerting herself much physically. "Maybe .. I'll wait then." She had a feeling it might be better to save her strength for running and hiding rather than risking it on a magic she knew nothing about.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Iphie too was stunned. The words of Len did little to reassure her at all. Between the blood on her almost supernatural weapon and the unconscious bodies she witnessed upon stepping outside, she knew her own immediate plans were shattered. "No… I don't think so," she agreed, with a grimace towards Jackson. "Fuck me… Well, now that this has happened, we need to get out of here. Maybe our stuff is nearby in the evidence room? We need to get rid of the footage and evidence they have. Being broken out like this isn't doing us any favors."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson shook his head. "We have time to get our stuff, but she said 7 minutes...that's not enough time to wipe everything, we gotta make a break for it...it's been awhile since I've had to hotwire a car, but I can probably make it work...I don't know if it's that much of a better idea than just running on foot though." Jackson set out for the evidence room, deciding that they might as well try and grab what stuff they could with what little time they had.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Iphie disagreed. "Mains power to their computers through a USB port should do the trick. Goodness no, don't hotwire a cop's car either."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]As the two argued over their course of actions Kaede crouched down over one of the unconscious officers. If they were on the run cash would be helpful. But despite the need she couldn't bring herself to take the wallet off one of the bodies for their use. They might be thought of as criminals but they weren't yet. She wasn't going to cross that line, no matter how small. Instead she found an appropriately sized officer and quickly pulled off the man's shirt and threw it at Jackson. "Wear that before we leave. You can't go out there covered in blood."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Wordlessly, Jackson quickly put the shirt on. It wasn't quite the right size, in fact it was big even for the big teen, but he was content with it. He searched the bodies and the evidence bags like the others, but seemed to have the bad luck of the lot, he couldn't find anything originally pertaining to him.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I'm going to try and find our stuff. Let's meet at the entrance." Iphie turned to move further down the hall, before pausing for a moment. "If any of you can, find the autopsy report that was mentioned. They might exonerate us."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Following the lead set out by his partner, Kent crouched down by a stunned officer. While Iphie was finding their stuff -- which was by no means a guaranteed thing -- Kent thought of arming himself. At this rate, they were going to have the entire department of Yurich after them, along with a bloodthirsty, illusion-making, corpse-raising hollow[/BCOLOR] [BCOLOR=transparent]after them. He nicked a baton; while it wouldn't be much use against the latter, the police could still be knocked unconscious, were he able to get the drop on them.[/BCOLOR]


[BCOLOR=transparent]Stepping amongst the unconscious bodies, yellow-taped evidence bags caught her eyes. Quickly searching through some of the scattered clear baggies, she was able to pick out everybody's wallets and her tarot card. There was also her phone, but she immediately turned it off and placed it in her jacket pocket. The evidence room proper didn't yield anything useful, but she grabbed a pair of rubber gloves. Yanking away somebody's iPhone charger, she plugged both ends into their computer to short it out before grabbing somebody's raincoat before leaving, quickly throwing that on over her sullied clothes. Thankfully, she was wearing darker colors; the blood on them wouldn't stand out too much.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Leaving Iphie to search for their equipment Kaede made her way to the entrance of the station, keeping an eye on what was happening outside. She crouched down by the reception desk to conceal herself from any onlookers. No need to make things more suspicious than they already were. "Do you know who that woman was sensei?" she asked Lillian as she waited, "What was that baton she had? Is she a medium as well?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"A remnant of society from decades past.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Before the Tarocchi, there were another. What you saw in your battle, tonight, was an example of this existence. Her exact relations with these entities? I cannot say, but I recommend staying clear of her if at all possible. She is experienced, and you are not.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Nonetheless, we will meet again."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson made it to the receptionist desk at the same time as Kaede, and crouched down beside her. He looked curiously to her as she spoke to seemingly thin air, then remembered what the Agent from before had said. "You can talk to...whoever then? Do they know what the hell's going on?" [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"A little." Kaede replied to Jackson, "But nothing specific."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]After several more minutes, Iphie returned as well, tossing everybody their wallets. "Did you find the papers?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Jackson shook his head. "Nice dice over here, I wonder if the autopsy guy was in on it...maybe it was code word." Jackson gave a shrug. "Regardless, we're damned now without it. I think I know a few people who can help us, some are...significantly nicer than others. One in particular I know can help us."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Looking through his returned wallet, he noticed that the card of the swan was missing from his possession. From Kaede's previous conversation with Lillian, he was able to deduce that his attack earlier had used it. A slight frown. Kent saw that he was of limited resources, especially if he were to go into a full on brawl with the hollow from before. "I need more cards," was all he said, giving no hint as to their existence within his dorm room. [/BCOLOR][BCOLOR=transparent] [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"We're in way over our depth," said Iphie, acknowledging the figure with the French accent. She really had no clue who they were or what business they had with them, but at this point, there were indeed far more concerning issues to deal with. "Alright. Do you think they get us to somewhere safe? We certainly can't trust the police right now. If anything, the British embassy."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I think the place I have in mind is the safest in town...at least for now. It's out of the way, and nobody really bothers the guy who lives there." Jackson chuckled. "He's tough too, I wouldn't want to get on his bad side. But I know he'll help me out in a pinch, plus he's the most reliable. Some of my contacts aren't exactly...good people." Jackson shrugged. "He's solid though, c'mon...we gotta hurry, and fast." Nodding to the others, Jackson set off at a run: He knew one person he could count on for help, and was far away from others. His grandfather.[/BCOLOR]


[BCOLOR=transparent]***[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Much later, Jackson and the others arrived at his Grandpa's small cottage on the outskirts of town, the lights were on, but strangely enough nobody seemed to be answering the door. "Hey! Gramps! It's Jackson! I'm uh…in a bind again!" Jackson called out, trying to figure out what was going on, even his Grandpa would have answered the door by now...Jackson started to pound on the door again, but it gave with a creak, and slowly opened up. Jackson blinked, confused. "Hey! Gramps! You here?" Moving into the house, Jackson's eyes jumped around as he tried to figure out what was going on, his grandfather's door was almost never locked…[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Fortunately, Jackson's grandfather was easy to find, he was on the couch, fast asleep. Less fortunate for the group, nothing they did could stir him, he refused to wake.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]***[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kent, during their transit to wherever it was Jackson had been taking them, had snuck off. It wasn't a hard feat to accomplish; it was dark, and everybody had been moving at a pace that it was hard noticing what was in front of you, let alone those travelling alongside you. While he wasn't a local like the other boy, Kent knew something of navigating the Yurich bylines and roads; his family lived in Maine, and their house was maybe an hour's drive from where they lived. The very thought made him shudder.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]He stood in the shadow of a treeline by the dorm, waiting to see if there was any patrolling officers. After confirming that they were there or not, he would continue to creep along and check on the main entrance. "Might need another card," he said to Temperance, thinking he could deal with the aforementioned fatigue for a quick ladder up to the window of his room.[/BCOLOR]

 

[Tsu]

"No need to worry. He is simply asleep, my children."

The voice was soft and soothing as it spoke from a familiar figure who suddenly stood behind the position of the students. His appearance was no different from their prior meeting apart from the set of cards which no longer orbited his presence and were instead carefully placed in the deck box at his side. Without waiting for further acknowledgement, the figure gentle pushed past anyone in his way as he walked to nearest table and seated himself in a direction which faced the students. There, he began placing three cards which contained an illustration of a mirror on each. After quickly tapping the surface of each, the cards began to gently glow; a result which produced a satisfied nod by the figure who triggered them.

"A precarious situation you find yourselves in.
Unauthorized engagement with a hollow, unmediated utilization of Tarocchi power, careless attention to the realm of humanity, and risk of exposure for our kind.
For the Candidate of the Court and the Medium of Magician, you have no right to deny the summon of our Empress.
For the human...You are on your own is what I would like to say; however, your experience with our kind is a curiosity that cannot be overlooked. Consider yourself in the favour of fates that your prior night was held witness by mine eyes. The choice is yours, follow or stay. However do not think of yourself like the others. You have no rights in our land. Here or there, the outcome is no different for you."

Upon concluding the explanation for his presence, the man swiped his hand across the surface of the cards; an action which manifested three mirrors that hovered a couple feet off of the ground. The mirrors were oval in shape with a gold trimmed border lined with various gems. As a whole, they were nothing out of the ordinary apart from the lack of reflection which was likely attributed to the silver colored glass which seemingly flowed across its surface rather than remained in place. Rising from his chair, the man stepped to the side of the rightmost mirror from where he beckoned the group forward with a smile on his face.

"One mirror per individual.
And please do heed my words. For now, I remain in your defense for what lies ahead.
Do not provoke my patience with silly nonsense."

What started in his usual gentle tone concluded with a stern warning that caused Lillian to shudder. In the surrounding area, several white feathers began to fall from the ceiling; an occurrence which caused the Magician to place a hand on Kaede's shoulder as they quietly whispered into the group.

"Do as he says.
It is not in any of your interest to deny a summon from the Empress.
Jackson must fend for himself from here on."


"This is why a set was given.
But Kenty-Ken, you are forgiven.
Just a moment is all we need.
Count to ten, then do the deed."

A giggle followed Temperance's response as they both performed a small curtsy before reverting back into the card they once were. Nonetheless, their departure was abnormally short giventhe immediate occurance which thrust them back into the human realm. Jovial expressions no longer encompassed the faces, but rather, silent screams of pain which gave reason for the knelt position that they were seemingly locked within. Under each of their bodies, a black eye with cat-like slits formed with rapid jolts of purple energy that swarmed the upward region of its existence.

"For the Tarocchi, three counts of illegal drawing, four counts of needless endangerment, a single count of unattended past recollection, and a single count of binding with an unauthorized Medium.
For the Medium of Temperance, a single count of unmediated power, a single count of unauthorized engagement with a hollow, and a single count for willful disclosure of Tarocchi values to the non-blessed public.
Quite the list for a single bond. It is no wonder that you have an order of retrieval and a summons from our Empress."

The voice which spoke was as much bored as its source appeared lazy. On the ground near Kent's location was a black haired individual dressed in a set of ornate robes and seated on the ground with a large book resting against his body. Since the book was angled slightly towards Kent, the two pages were clearly visible; unknown runes and an illustration of Kent was on one page while the same for Temperance was on the other.

"Of course, I would prefer this be easy...Mostly for your sake.
Onto the eye, quickly now."

At the conclusion of his second statement, a third eye began to form around the area where the twins were bound. As if time was of utmost necessity, the figure began rapidly beckoning Kent with heavy sighs exhaling from the obvious sense of annoyance that he projected. Although seemingly unrelated to the event which was occurring, black feathers began to fall from the sky in a wide radius around the figure's location.






Each portal was connected to a single end point defined by a large circular space with no surrounding walls. For the ground, the area was composed by flawless marble inlayed with immaculate gems of all colors. In the far distance, a darkened void existed amongst a plethora of star-like twinkles and a background akin to that of an aurora. Nonetheless, the area of ground was entirely isolated from the remainder of the region which existed at a higher plane orbiting above. Twenty one unique landmasses existed with a portal and throne taking up their entirety. Each throne was decorated with a design akin to each of the major arcana; however, all seats were empty apart from a single one which stood out from the rest. Existing as the centerpiece island, the throne was far more complex and ornate compared to the others. It was a large marble throne with a decorative headpiece formed from stained glass while a fine silk curtain formed a boundary against the tawdry appearance of the portal. Sitting in its seat was a beautiful presence topped with long flowing hair and dressed in a fiery crimson robe which extenuated the flawless curves of her figure. Her gaze was focused entirely towards the center of the ground where nine figures arrived for the summons at hand.

The Candidate of the Court and the Medium of Magician arrived no different from their state of departure; however, it was the Medium of Temperance and Jackson who suffered the binds of Justice and Judgement. Much like before, Kent and the twins were held in a stasis of energy emitting from an eye on the floor. While the experience was bearable, each time a bolt of energy touched the skin of its host, a sharp burst of pain occurred at the area. In the case of Jackson, a set of cards orbited around each of his wrists, ankles, waist, and neck. These cards held his body in a cross-like position while preventing any movement from any part of his body. Regardless, out of everyone present in the area, it was Justice who took the initiative of speaking before any others had a chance.

"Empress, the requested children have been brought before your presence.
It is with the utmost respect that I request a revaluation of the situation at hand.
I have reason to believe higher motives determined the circumstances that these children have suffered."

In response, Judgement burst into an attempt for protest; however, his voice was immediately silenced by a swift wave of the Empress's scepter. A second wave broke the bindings which held the captives leaving everyone in a proper state of mind to hear her subsequent words.

"What has happened is for the investigation of the appropriate Mediums.
What matters is the whether or not our current Mediums wish to stay in accordance with our laws. Furthermore, we wish to inquire the reasoning for a non-blessed in our presence.
Let us set aside the issues of the past, and let us concern ourselves with the violations of the present.
Judgement, I leave the the human in your hands. He has no presence in our court. Garner any information and handle him as you wish.
More importantly..."

A third swipe of her scepter caused the tiles under Iphie's feet to raise to a level that brought her on par with the Empress' throne.

"Your report, Candidate?"

At the same time, Judgement performed a low bow in response to the Emperss' order and began moving towards Jackson's position.

 

[TerraBooma]

Jackson was somewhat relieved when the mysterious figure stepped into the room. Sure, it meant they were about to go deeper down the rabbit hole but on the bright side of things it seemed like an honest...ish ghost, compared to the murderous one which had caused them to be arrested in the first place. Plus, his grandfather was asleep, and not dead. Jackson breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn't even have known the group was there, and from the looks of things and the way things had been going for him and his friends...maybe leaving as many people out of it was a good thing. The stranger's speech continued, and Jackson followed along...for the most part. He seemed to be missing bits and pieces, and he was starting to suspect his friends were all a bit more involved-or rather, had the ability to be more involved than he did- it felt a bit weird, he was detached in a way...and as the stranger showed them the mirror-teleporter-things, he gave Jackson a choice. He could follow his friends into some world he didn't understand, where he would be out of his depth and probably a burden to the others. He wasn't a medium, or a...candidate, Jackson was just a normal human. At the same time...Jackson shook his head, steeling his resolve and clenching his fists. This world might be beyond him, and he might have moved on from his life with the gangs in town...but at the same time, some things were ingrained in him. Jackson would stick with the others, he wouldn't turn his tail and run just because he had an easy out. Even if he could get away from this hellish new reality, the very real problem of being framed for mass homicide as well as taking out the entirety of a police station made staying a tough choice as it was. Whether they wanted each other now, the group was together now...through thick and thin.

As Jackson stepped towards the mirrors, he paused just before them and turned to the mysterious figure. Even if he seemed friendly enough, Jackson wanted to at least know his name. The card-player was a little mysterious, and before he went to...wherever, he wanted to know who was taking them. "Hey, before we go. What's your name?"


As he went through the mirror, Jackson nodded back to him in confirmation. He had heard his name: Justice.


-----


The other side of the portal seemed to escalate out of nowhere quickly for Jackson. Without Lilian's warnings or Judgement's harsh actions as a forewarning, the thug was far from expecting to be card...crucified, in a way. It didn't hurt, which was pleasant enough...but the posture felt almost wrong in a way, and combined with their new guard's name Jackson was starting to be worried about what exactly was going on. He went to speak up, and voice his concern, but found he couldn't even move his tongue. He was completely stuck, trapped in the air.


The woman in the chair was beautiful, to say the least. Jackson got the quick interpretation that doing anything remotely close to challenging her would be suicide in this court, still, something felt off about the whole procedure, and he felt a familiar frustration build in his chest, the same one as last night, that gnawing anger that built up when he knew he was missing the pieces of the puzzle he needed to understand what was going on. The feeling was turning into a constant companion for Jackson, and he wasn't pleased on the matter. He also was surprised to see the...person, by Kaede, as well as the two girls trapped by Kent. They looked familiar, but Jackson just then had his mind turned to his friend, who was trapped in some kind of twisting nether of energy. Despite the general awkwardness of his card-crucifixion, he wasn't in pain. The trio...seemed to be, which kept up Jackson's growing concern.


When the Empress waved her scepter and freed them, Jackson stayed quiet. He had a feeling talking would be a bad idea, for everyone really. And based on how everyone was reacting to the whole 'Actually a human and isn't some kind of medium or candidate' thing, he was starting to realize just out of place he was. As judgement approached him, he gulped slightly and looked back to Justice for a flash of a second, mind wondering if the whole card crucifixion vs energy chain thing was going to be a big deal.


"I uh...hello there." He said softly, forgetting to not talk. "I'm uh..Jackson, what can I do for you?" He gave a worried look to everyone in the room that he knew, before waiting for Judgement to come. There was something about the empresses' words that were putting Jackson off, but he wasn't quite sure what.

 

[Voltin]

"Ah." Temperance had given him one of their customary rhymes before reverting into a card and back once more. They were in pain, that much was obvious, but the exact cause still had escaped his notice. Before even being able to reach out and ask of their well-being, a man's voice began to read off his list.Kent turned to the peculiarly seated man. From the images on his book, and the strange effect encompassing Temperance, it wasn't much of a stretch to say this man was also a Tarocchi.

He continued to speak, as if Kent was going to offer some opposing conjecture to his previous statements. There was none to be had, however. The man hadn't the faintest idea of the world the Tarocchi came from, and the thought of there being rules to his bond was a fact that Kent never thought of even thinking about. So, without much fanfare on his part, and stepped upon the arcane object. "This will hurt me..." The last thing he saw before the flash was the rain of black feathers.

~

It did hurt. Even as Kent was viewing their new surroundings, he felt the pain of the rivulets of energy as the cascaded up his containment field, but he did not cry out. It was tolerable, comparatively like a comforting caress of knuckle he had become used to long ago.

The others had appeared with him; seemingly pulled there by his guide from the previous night. Jackson was held suspended, while the two women roamed freely. Their location was almost as serene as intimidating; they had unknowingly broken some laws, and had been called to consul by the "Empress", so of course was this eldritch location going to seem imposing.

It was not long before the proceedings had begun, and seemingly with Justice's words, they were all let out of their restraints. "That did hurt..." The Empress continued, and what little of substance she said had caught Kent's notice. They were obviously here for the 'violations of the present'. So what exactly encompassed these 'issues of the past'? Of course, perhaps Kent was simply reading too much into a strange situation. Iphie had been raised for some kind of report, seemingly leaving Kent and Kaede to simply stand and wait.

An assumption with contents not long lasting, however. Kent had caught Jackson's pleading eye, and the of pain from his own captivity set Kent between the other boy and his arbiter. "No pain," he said to Judgement, having not the warning Kaede was given. "You hurt, and he's our friend. Be nice."

 

[Astoria]

What awaited Iphigenia and the others at Jackson's safe place was a surprise. There was a bit of a kerfuffle over the disappearance of Kent and his cute twins, but the appearance of a familiar card-wielding man took her focus away. The words he spoke were curious; between the three students, he seemed to refer to her as 'the Candidate of the Court.' Certainly, it was an odd title, but from the little context that she could extract, the whole group of them were being summoned into the court of… somebody.

And that it was. Upon stepping into the provided portals, Iphie was whisked into what she felt like was another realm. She appeared, unrestrained with Kaede and her ethereal friend. Oddly, Jackson was bound, and Kent and his girls were present as well, although also restrained. That was not to last, however, as their white-haired patron petitioned for their amnesty. Up above on a grand throne was a regal figure with a curiously familiar scepter. Taking a deep breath, she assumed it was the empress that the card-holding fellow had spoken of.

As the Empress spoke, the tiles beneath Iphigenia rose, bringing her nearly face to face with the woman on the throne. It was at this moment that she knew she was in way over her head. Between dreams that were real, zombies in the forest, and being summoned to an unknown, otherworldly court, she felt powerless and disoriented. Regardless, she was not deterred, but she would have to choose her words carefully. Formal etiquette was not unknown to her, thanks to her social relationship; as a young child, she had been able to meet the Queen of England. Iphie knew what to do, but she went about it very cautiously.

As the tiles stopped, the British girl took a low kneel in front of the Empress.

"Your highness," she started. "I may be missing some contextual details, so please bear with the terminology and framing of my report…"

Speaking slowly and clearly, Iphie tried to deduce on the spot what the Empress had wanted. From the words of Justice, it seemed that her court was not only that of a royal one but that of a trial as well, so it was clear to her that a recounting of the odd events of the past few days were what she wanted. Keeping that in mind, she went into as much detail as possible, first highlighting the simulation and the error of Dr. Magus. She then mentioned the shared dreams that everybody had experienced the night after and the disappearance of Ethan and the subsequent slaughter. She focused in on the sudden attack of the hollow and their defense, slipping in Jackson's involvement and lightly glossed over their capture before mentioning the FBI agent with the transforming baton. Finally, she concluded with the appearance of Justice in Jackson's grandfather's home.

"That sums up my report."

 

[Doughguy]

Their arrival at Jackson's Grandpa's didn't inspire many thoughts of safety in Kaede's mind. Doors swinging open on their own was generally a sign things were haunted. She didn't believe in ghosts or spirits but after their encounter in the forest it sent a shiver down her spine. She followed Jackson inside, pushing the door open the whole way and staying nearby. If whatever opened it returned to close it behind them she was close enough to jam her foot in the way.

When she heard the sound of a voice behind her Kaede spun, kicking for the door already. However the being who had spoken made no aggressive movements. After a few seconds she recognised who he was, the man from the world of temperance. She stepped aside as he moved past, making his way to a nearby table. She moved in closer as he spoke so she could see the illustrations on the cards. They were the same type as the ones Lillian and temperance used, so if there had been any doubt it was now certain he was also involved with the Tarrochi. She listened intently as he spoke, realising they were all in much deeper than they had thought. A summons to court for … being ambushed by something evil. And then for Kent running his mouth. "Shit."

At least the man seemed to be a bit more logical about it. Provided they didn't make his job harder. Lillian added to his words, becoming serious as she spoke. It didn't sound good for Jackson though. "Jackson maybe-" But he was already through the mirror. With a slight frown Kaede followed her friends, taking the remaining portal.

~***~

The view from the other side of the portal was like nothing she'd seen before. Just the ground underfoot was a wealth of riches beyond what she could imagine. Floating islands, each holding a throne, surrounded the area. However the sole occupant of any of the thrones drew her eye. A regal looking woman who exuded power was watching them. It was unnerving and she turned away, looking at her companions instead. It wasn't much of a better side, with four of them being held captive by magical means. She swallowed nervously.

Whatever hope she had felt by Justice's words in the real world wavered a bit in the exchange between the Empress and he. Action before questions appeared to be the way things were done with ordinary humans. She didn't like the look of the man approaching Jackson at the Empress's orders, he reminded her of the priest who had tried to hang her. "What is he going to do to Jackson?" she asked Lillian.

"I cannot say for sure, Cheire.
I do not follow the methods of Justice and Judgement; however, at the least, an interrogation is at hand."

The response wasn't as helpful as she hoped, leaving her filled with as much doubt as beforehand. She'd been hoping Lillian would calm her fears or force her to action. Kent spoke out against the man's approach but she didn't think it would do much to slow him down given the architect had been trapped in his own 'cell' when they arrived. She took a step towards where Jackson was but didn't yet interfere with what was going on. Shew as just nearby in case something did happen. "Just start telling him everything Jackson." she whispered to him. It wasn't like he'd say anything different to what Iphie had said, but maybe if he spoke quickly enough there wouldn't be a reason for Judgement to do anything physical.

 

[Tsu]

A twitch of annoyance became visible on Judgement's face as opposition burst from the others around, but the attention of the court soon became focused on Iphie as she began to speak her report. Even Judgement paused his approach to listen in on the details that she spoke. That being said, only part of her story was communicated to the Empress as a subsequent swipe of her scepter sent a general wave of silence across the court. A small sigh escaped the noble's lips as she lazily leaned against one side of her throne while speaking in response to the tale that was told.

"A pointless declaration of what we already know.
We applaud your efforts in confirming that the root of issues lie within the bounds of your command and in the illicit actions of Temperance.
A paltry set of squabbling from a Candidate that has yet to embrace the expectations set by her destiny.
For now, an easy sentence is at han-..."

The Empress' declarations were cut short by a sudden flurry of cards which began to rain from the heavens above. Back on the ground, Justice was knelt in a respectful bow towards both the Empress and the divination which revealed itself through exactly four cards that fell upright onto the ground. Much like his previous fortune, these cards each depicted the tarot of Death; a sudden revalation which forced a sly smile onto the face of the Empress. Judgement, too, took notice of the divination with a disapproving scowl upon his face; however, given his inability to speak, all that could be done was waiting for the Empress' inevitable reaction.

"Speak. What have you to say, Justice."

Even with the silence lifted, Justice did not bother to rise to his feet; instead remaining in the knelt position as he spoke his mind.

"With respect, Empress.
The fates seem to hold value upon each individual present in this court.
Although their actions are in violation of Tarocchi law, perhaps it was intended by higher power.
My suggestion is observation. Their sins are not beyond a point of repair. If assimilation is possible, then it is far more beneficial to accept the potential of great Mediums than it is to abolish them from the start.
Perhaps with the correct stimuli, even the human can show potential we never knew existed."

Once again Judgement burst into angry opposition; however, unlike the previous incident, the Empress did not silence the subsequent argument that he spoke.

"So we wait for the point of no return to come? Is this what you are suggestion, Justice.
You and I are both painfully aware of what waiting brought upon the previous generation of our kind.
Do you intend to start a dangerous trend that leads us back onto the path of our ancestors?"

Before Judgement even finished his statements, laughter burst from Justice who rose to his feet with a sarcastic expression upon his face.

"I intend for our generation to be flexible.
If I'm not mistaken, it was the very opposition that you now suggest which brought about...the so called 'dangerous trend,' no?
Perhaps it is you, judgement, who plans to lead us like the Zodiacs once did."

A low growl emitted from Judgement's throat as he immediately reached for his book; a burst of black feathers erupting around his position. Unfazed by the sudden display of aggression, Justice calmly drew a set of cards that began orbiting his figure in addition to the white feathers which joined the fray. Regardless, nothing came to fruition as both spirits were forced to the knees by the immediate rise of the Empress. Now on her feet, a sudden wave of pressure was exerted upon the region. For the Tarocchi, it was solely enough to immobilize their behavior; however for any human, the pressure was to the point of stifling their breath and painstakingly forcing them onto the ground.

"There...Will...Be...Order."
Now, Justice, explain the fail safe if we choose to obverse the youth."

The pressure lasted only a few seconds as the Empress was soon back on her throne while asking her followup question to Justice's proposition. Another scowl was on Judgement's face as he rose to his feet in tandem with Justice who performed another bow before answering the Empress' question.

"I will personally take responsibility for the children.
Under my honor, I shall prepare them as proper Candidate and Medium.
For the human, no benefits will be given in regards to his state of existence.
We shall subject him to Arbaaz's trial. If the fates believe he holds potential, then a trial on par with the expectation of a young Medium should be well within his capable realm."

Contemplation formed on the Empress' face as she considered the words that Justice spoke. Silence fell upon the court for several minutes before a small nod was finally expressed as her final decision. A final of her scepter was swung in the direction of two islands; an act which halted the overall rotation of the region and formed stairwells of marble as a path between each of the two islands and the court's ground.

"Human, your sentence is the path on the left.
For all others, Justice will meet you at your destination on the right.
Court dismissed."

~~~

Immediately following the the portal on the left was a sudden wave of frigid cold much unlike the summer weather back on Earth. In the immediate area, a small clearing of green surrounded a pool of water; however, all was darkened by the night sky which displayed an endless view of stars and the moon. Although the far distance was somewhat skewed by the time of day, it was obvious that endless dunes of infinite sand stretched in every direction that surrounding the oasis. On the ground near his point of entry was have been a small curved dagger in addition to a flask for water and a parchment describing a small set of instructions.

Rest
Flee to the North
Survive
​

For everyone else, the portal on the right led into a run-down room of cold stone for both the ground and walls. If anything, the area resembled a scene from a medieval castle given the rustic sense of luxury that existed in the four beds, torches for light, and the washroom which connected from the side. On each bed, a nightgown of silk existed alongside of a tray of food which included a loaf of bread, a plentiful helping of smoked fish, and a bowl of beef stew. For the washroom, the technology was seemingly far more advanced given the bathtub which existed in tandem with an ordinary toilet and sink. Unlike Jackson's landing, no instructions existed for the set of students; however, given the lack of exit in either room, it was obvious that they were meant to remain.​

 

[TerraBooma]

Jackson had been grateful for his friend's solidarity. Iphie had been busy pleading their case, but Kaede and Kent seemed to have his back. When you were about to get interrogated by an unfriendly looking super powered judge the last thing Jackson wanted to feel was being completely left in the dust and abandoned by his teammates. He went to thank him when the Empresses presence filled the room. Jackson, despite his strength, didn't last a second. Jackson like the other humans in the room collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath that seemed to be ousted from his self all at once. He managed to barely lift his head to watch the proceedings, but beyond that he was pinned to the floor. It was over in a few seconds, and Jackson was grateful for that. There was no doubt in his mind that the last thing he wanted to do then was to anger the Empress, she had far more power than anyone...especially him. When he got his sentence, Jackson's heart fell. He had a bad feeling, a nagging feeling in his mind, that he was going to be put through hell and back again. Still...he wouldn't give up. His life back home had gone to hell now anyway, and he had to get through this...if only to learn if Lana was okay. Things were going to be tough, but Jackson couldn't help but grin. He'd show these Tarrochi just how stubborn a human could be. He'd take whatever test was coming, whatever sentence he had to carry out...he wouldn't let some supernatural court beat him that easily.

As he moved to the portal, he gave reassuring grins to his friends. Patting Kent and Kaede on the shoulder as he passed them, he stopped in front of the portal, waving to Iphie before giving them a quick thumbs up and forcing a grin on his face. "I'll see you guys again sometime soon,I promise that. I don't take promises lightly either, so you can be sure I'll follow up on it too. Go give 'em Hell guys, I'll see you on the other side." As Jackson stepped through the portal, giving one last glance at his friends, he realized he hadn't quite clarified what he meant by the "other side"


------------------


The first thing Jackson realized on the other side of the portal was that it was cold. Damn cold, actually. The world fell away from courtroom into sand, and darkened stars replaced tarrochi. Jackson looked down at the items, a flask, a knife and some instructions. Great.


Still, Jackson knew he didn't have much time to waste here, the note said to rest, and Jackson intended to do just that, at least he would in the day. The last thing Jackson wanted was to travel the blazing heat of the sunfried desert in the day, so he'd rest here when the sun was up. That meant from the look of the moon he had some time to prepare. Water was a given, and Jackson drank from the pool with his hands for a few sips to test it. Fresh, which meant it was drinkable. Filling up the flask, Jackson then took onto the task of shelter and food. He knew both were going to be long term goals...but time wasn't on his side. He spent some time digging up bugs and some of the more digestible plants in the area, he knew eating worms and other insects was gross but necessary, he needed something to eat after all, or he'd be hooped. After getting a decently sized meal, Jackson then set about creating a shelter from the sun. It wasn't going to be fancy-after all, all he had to work with were the few plants around him- but it would suffice.


By the time the sun rose, Jackson was under the cover of his impromptu-leaf-shelter, with a stomach not full, but not quite starving either. He had found the north star, and planned on checking the sun to see if they both showed north as relatively the same direction. He was as prepared as he was going to get.


When night came around again, Jackson would fill up his flask, and set out. He'd move north, one foot in front of the other. He knew from the looks some of the Tarrochi had that they didn't expect him to live through this. He'd prove them wrong. He'd go north.

Jackson would survive.

 

[Voltin]

Kent didn't flinch, even as Judgement's face became more irate with the group's unceremonious commotion. His actions seemed to have little bearing on the proceedings, however, as Iphie had a conspicuous amount of attention drawn to her and her "report". At least, the part of which she had managed to get through. She, along with the rest of those in presence, had their words effortlessly stolen from them. The Empress had began to sentence them -- for what, and how still bothering Kent, given the lack of preamble to being granted these powers -- when Justice had intervened on their behalf.

The Judge, Prosecution and Defense began to each speak in turn, while Kent's eyes laid themselves upon the cards that had interrupted the Empress. Death; change. Working past the still lingering thought of how this wasn't the way tarot worked, Kent began to deduce what little he could from the argument at hand. They were probably there to prevent some sort of stagnation within this order; something that must have happened to their forebearers: the Zodiacs. Given his presence both now and during the debacle where Kent had been bonded to Temperance, as well with the passion he seemingly spoke, it was also rather plain to see some further gambit at hand by the man called Justice...

Further thought interrupted by the bearings of both peacocks' feathers, and the subsequent command from the Empress, Kent watched on. And on. And on, until there had been a noticeable passing of time between Justice's declaration and the final sentence given to Jackson and then the rest. The man offered little more than a reassuring -- at least, what he believed to be reassuring -- nod to the wayward student, unable to find the words for even a simple farewell. A goodbye was perhaps to final for a man entering the unknown, and Kent was sure they'd be able to meet again. At least, this was his hope.

With Jackson's departure, Kent mad the first move toward the group's ascent. Much like his previous one, the night before, there wasn't a handrail, yet Kent felt no need to be wise with his life, in this situation, anyway. Taking a step into their archaic abode, Kent began to explore the small, two-room space. It was a comfortable place; more comfortable than the jail cell he had foresaw only a few scant hours ago. Figuring that one of the ladies -- particularly the one still clad in dried, reanimated ichor -- would want to bathe first, he made a subtle claim by sitting on one of the provided beds, beginning to munch on the bread and even offering Temperance some, despite not knowing whether they would eat or not. "Turns bathing?" he said as the girls finished their own wanderings.

 

[Tsu]

​

The Trial of Arbaaz - Part 1​

The desert sun was brutal. Much like the night, cloud cover was a non-existent factor leaving only the sun glaring down below. The oasis flora provided some form of mild shade; however, it was far from an exaggeration to claim the temperatures were well into the lower hundreds. That being said, for a particular figure, the desert heat was nothing but a mild annoyance as he situated himself atop a lone rock miles away from his intended target. The figure was dressed in a classic outfit for his Arabic descent; a thawb whose colors were intended as camouflage for the environment which surrounded him. In his hands, a large sniper rifle existed with an abnormal number of lenses that presumably acted as the weapon's scope. The figure exhaled a small sigh before hovering his hand over the sand nearest his position. Immediately, a small swirl began to rise until his fingers grasped an object in the shape of a bullet. Without hesitation, the figure loaded the bullet into his rifle and with only a few seconds of aiming, pulled the trigger.

The time it took the bullet to complete its trajectory was far longer than an ordinary projectile. With ease, the bullet traveled the several miles between the barrel and the destination which happened to be the ground several feet away from Jackson's shelter. The bullet pierced through dirt and sand with only a soft thud at the original point of contact. At first, the shot seemed like a hopeless miss; however, the true nature of the bullet became increasingly more obvious as time passed. What started as a miniscule rumble quickly turned into violent tremors as pockets of the oasis began to sink while pillars of sand and water exploded from random points in the ground. When the bullet had reached its optimal depth, its form had exploded into thousands of ricocheting particles with enough individual force to cause a change in terrain. In areas where the particles blasted sand away, the above ground began to plummet; whereas in areas where sand was forced into limited space, the region exploded in the only available direction..upward. In the case of Jackson's position, the collapse was less violent that surrounding pockets; however, rapidly, the youth began to sink.

Jackson woke up to the sound of exploding sand and coughed as the nitty grains flew into his mouth. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, but something was very, very wrong. Fortunately he had always been relatively cool under fire so to speak, so as half of Jackson's mind formulated an escape plan, the rest grabbed his gear. His knife was by his side out of habit, and his water canteen out of necessity, so those were vital.He didn't have time to grab the small stack of bugs, but everything else was accounted for. Not knowing what had started the chain reaction, Jackson threw himself out the back of the shelter, wanting to avoid whatever hostile creature might have been awaiting him from the entrance. He knew then that waiting for night would be suicide, so with a heavy heart he started running from the explosions, heading north. He was thankful he had traced the north star and checked where the sun had risen, or he would have been lost for sure. As he darted away, Jackson felt the water rising and being thrown around, spraying occasionally against him. He was as clothed as possible, having combined his bloody clothes with that of his own stolen outfit, and the flask was recently filled. The only question he had left was the important one: Would it be enough against the blistering sun?

Time was quick to tell as hours passed without change in the environment. With the eruption having literally crumbled the oasis, Jackson's only path was to follow north; however, even as the sun began to set, the environment remained as it was...endless miles of dunes. Any sign of life was far and few to the point that it almost was a waste of energy to even attempt tracking a meal. To make matters worse, any moment that Jackson might have attempted to rest was met with a subsequent bullet that caused a similar eruption under his feet.

It was only after a day and half that Jackson was rapidly losing hope. The endless sea of sand seemed to stretch out in a never ending Sisyphean task of pressing up and down the dunes. Jackson was still moving forward, but he knew he wouldn't last much longer. His thoughts had long since stopped wandering, turning into the simple instructions of right foot, left foot, right foot...and so forth. Jackson's thoughts had dried up with the life giving water that he had also ran out of not too long ago. The boy had been hoping then for signs of life, an oasis, a cacti...anything really. Jackson's stomach rumbled from time to time, but he shook that feeling off. Being hungry was hardly a new feeling after all, and Jackson had welcomed it as an old friend, using the hunger pains to keep his mind focused, promising his battered psyche that if he only got across one more dune, one more hellish peak, the chances of it being full again would be that much greater. Even then, he knew his body was starting to fail him, with every dune he felt his will to go on weaken, yet he refused to stop. His promise to his friends sat in the forefront of his mind, demanding it be fulfilled, and the image of his sister followed. Jackson's mind refused to rest, refused to yield until he could know her fate. He wished at times that there was the money for cell phones in his family...maybe it would have made things so much easier.

Towards the end of his second day in the desert however, Jackson's body had reached it's limit. While the boy's mind knew it had to press on, the lack of sleep from the explosions combined with the never ending and ceaseless heat had pushed him to his limit. As he reached the peak of another dune, his legs gave out from under his feet, and Jackson collapsed to the ground. Immediately, he was thrust into a clumsy tumble that brought him to the nearest valley and partially buried him under a layer of sand.

In the distance, a heavy sigh exhaled from under a scarf which shielded the figure's face from the frequent gusts of sand. Ever since the start, he had been actively stalking Jackson's journey from miles afar, yet since the afternoon, he had given up on keeping his distance since Jackson's awareness was far from its prime. As he approached the half-buried youth, a twinkle of pity sparked in his eyes; however, such emotion quickly returned to the cold nature which defined his existence. Reaching into thawb, the figure retrieved a stale loaf of bread in addition to a small canteen that he tossed onto an exposed portion of Jackson's back. Soon after, the figure retrieved another canteen that he poured onto the sand which covered Jackson's face; an act to revive the senseless state the youth had fallen into.

(Wake up)"استيقظ
(Your trial is not over)محاكمة بك لم تنته"​

The man spoke in arabic, yet his intentions were painstakingly clear as he gave Jackson a swift kick to the gut as means of conveying his words.

Jackson groaned, stirred not by words but rather by force. His weak body looked up in pain at the mysterious man in front of him, ushering him to go on. He wasn't sure if the man was real at first, he knew the desert could warp the minds of those around them, but as he reached to his chest to deal with whatever illusions his twisted mind had created, he was shocked to find real food and a canteen. A few moments later, Jackson was eating rabidly, desperate to not let a single crumb drop from his lips, His frenzy almost tore through his water too, drinking a quarter of it in a desperate gulp before he forced himself to stop. If he was to continue moving...Jackson struggled to his feet, mind and senses only partially returned his staggered forward a few paces, before turning and facing the stranger. "Who...who are you?"

(This trial is no place for a human)"هذه المحاكمة لا مكان لل إنسان
(Though the desert has no mercy)على الرغم من عدم وجود الرحمة في الصحراء
(Fight to show your will to survive)الكفاح من أجل إظهار الإرادة من أجل البقاء"​

The figure reached toward his belt from where he drew a curved dagger that was similar to the one in Jackson's possession; however, unlike the youth's, the current dagger was heavily embossed in ornate decorations such as gold and jewels. With the dagger comfortable seated in his dominant right hand, the figure assumed a combative position after which he beckoned Jackson with the intentions for a fight.

(Come)"تأتي"​

​

 

[Doughguy]

As the Empress entered the discussion Kaede felt very small. Their fates were being discussed with such impunity, tossed back and forth between Justice and the Empress's hands. She frowned as the discussion went on and made a note to grill Lillian and Temperance later. All this talk of crimes and violations, none of them had chosen this gate, none of the people here had explained anything to them properly. Only Justice had said anything and his advice had been in riddles with no talk of laws they had to obey. Even Iphie was being dismissed so easily for not doing a job she'd never been given.

As the argument grew in intensity, bringing up errors from the past, it looked like things might come to blows. Seeing the two Tarrochi unleashing their own magic in this realm Kaede turned to look at Lillian, wondering if she could control her own power here as well. And whose side she would take if things went sour. How important were the Mediums to the Tarrochi who chose them? How important was the Empress to them on her own? And, a randomly inserted thought, why were Justice's cards always showing Death's tarot? There was a throne for Death on one of the islands that surrounded the platform they were on.

Her thoughts were interrupted by being slammed into the ground by the Empress's rising, the breath whooshing out of her lungs. Kaede was not a physically strong person and she had no chance of lifting herself up even an inch under the Empress's power. It answered one of her previous thoughts though, Lillian probably wouldn't side with her. When the pressure disappeared she gulped in the air that had been pushed out of her lungs. When her breathing returned to normal she pushed herself back up to her feet. She only heard the latter half of Justice's speech sending Jackson off on his own.

"We'll meet you back at the dorms soon enough." she said to Jackson in farewell before he disappeared. She followed Kent into the portal they had been directed too, then fixed a glare on the trio of Tarrochi who had remained with them. "What have you done to us? What are all these laws we're suddenly subject too? Why didn't you explain anything? We had time in the forest. We had time during the police trip. You could have prepared us for this but you left us all in the dark. What are you and what are we know part of?"

 

[Astoria]

Iphigenia's words were taken lightly. As detailed as they were, they were dismissed easily as the words of an incompetent fool. Irritation formed in her mind as a presumptive accusation of incompetence was thrown at her in the form of biting words. Even under the authority of a being that commanded such power, she was spurred to raise protest. It was an impossibility to complete and be judged for a job that she didn't know she had and by a figure that Iphie had never seen before.

Before she could raise any objections, the empress' words herself were interrupted by the fall of tarot cards from above. Down below, the man named Justice put himself forward, speaking for their cause. Iphigenia's continued to kneel restlessly; the court had shifted to the flavor of that of condemnation. It did not help that she was clueless; after all, her opinion was that she did nothing wrong. Maybe the Empress should look up in the Oxford English Dictionary what the definition of 'report' meant?

Momentarily amused, her attention shifted to the active argument between Justice and the opposing tarocchi, Judgement. Like before, their words were mostly over her head. Clearly, there had been some sort of disaster in the past leading up to the absurdities in the court, but without knowing their history and being involved herself, Iphigenia was only a bystander to the increasingly heated exchange. To her, it seemed their dispute was about to come to blows, but in front of her, the Empress rose, and with her, an ungodly pressure upon Iphigenia and the others. For Iphie, who was already in a kneeling position, she was forced onto her hands, barely preventing herself from eating the tile below her. She wasn't amused.

After the discomforting experience of the tarocchi's court, Iphigenia found herself through the rightmost portal. Jackson had been sent left to whatever harsh unknowns. Her only words for her unlucky partner was "good luck." Down the portal, she found herself in a room of older foundation; it gave the impression of an older palatial bedroom, not too dissimilar from the more dated wings of her family's country house. There were four beds, however, giving it the sense of a more communal room, although it was not simple enough as to be that of a servant's quarters. Upon each bed was a healthy serving of period foods that matched the environment of the room. Surprisingly, there was running water in the form of a bath and sink, and that was where Iphie's attention was quickly drawn.

It had been some time since their time in the forest, and the blood on her jacket had since dried into a crust. Old blood still clung in splotches of her skin here and there, and her entire appearance had become slightly disheveled by this time. A bath and a chance to launder her clothes was very welcome.

Still, she found time to respond to Kaede's and Kent's words. "Some of the blame falls on us. We certainly didn't ask the right questions when we did. It would be helpful to know now, though. That was unpleasant." Their situation was terrible, and she already resented the Empress for that embarrassment, but echoing complaints would do little to help now. Dropping the topic, Iphie was already stripping herself of her police coat and soiled suit jacket.

"Unless we want to go in together."

 

[Tsu]

The Trial of Arbaaz - Part 2​

Jackson looked at the stranger in surprise for a second, before realizing what it was exactly that the mysterious stranger really wanted. He drew his own dagger, looking at the similar make and sharp edge. This is how it was to be then? Brought back from the edge of death, only to fall at the hand of some strange assassin? Jackson bit his lip softly, anger and frustration boiling over hunger and exhaustion. He knew this was probably the end, but Jackson was too angry to care, too angry to think of his last words, all he knew then, was that if some bastard was going to try and take him down…

He'd go down fighting.

Letting out a roar of desperation combined with frustration and anger, Jackson charged forward, one hand reaching into the unforgiving sands to attempt to throw it up at his assailant's eyes as he pivoted, attempting to drive his blade into the other man. His fighting style was fast and to try and overpower his foe, he had no idea if it would work...but powered by his last reserves of adrenaline and furious desperation, he knew he had to keep it up.

A sigh once again escaped the lips of the man who reactively used his dagger hand as a quick shield for his eyes while nibbling grabbing the wrist which directed the oncoming attack. There was no ignoring Jackson's strength; however, for a man whose centuries of life had been solely for combat, there was palpable difference in the sheer wall which effortly halted the youth's thrusting force. Nonetheless, even with the upper hand, the man made no move for a counter attack; instead choosing to release Jackson's wrist while taking several hops backwards. Immediately, he resumed his combative stance while speaking a single word; this time in English.

"Focus."

Jackson had taken some steps back as the stranger disengaged, he was confused, with what little effort he had taken to stop his attack could easily have ended his life in seconds what was his angle? As he spoke again, Jackson's mind began to do as instructed, and although he still didn't have the best idea of what was going on, he knew that attacking in a frenzy wasn't going to work. Jackson took a moment to catch his breath, and focused on himself. He was a better fighter than some rabid animal, he knew that much. He had to focus, and not let his anger or his hunger overflow. They could be used as assets...but not if they controlled him. Taking another second to adjust his stand, Jackson slowly stalked forward, looking for any openings in the strange man's defenses. Eventually, he saw what he thought was a chance, sweeping out with one leg before attempting to drive down with another stab. Unlike his previous attack however, if the strange man deflected or blocked Jackson would pull back into a defensive stance, attempting to keep his guard up.

Once again, Jackson's approach was easily deflected by a swift kick that cut his sweep short. The man was prepared for a follow up thrust; however, a quick expression of surprise ignited in his eyes once Jackson returned into a defensive stance from his failed attack. Under his scarf, a small smile formed on his lips as he abandoned his combative stance, and instead began casually circling Jackson's position. He was neither injured nor deprived of basic human necessities. Patience was entirely in the man's favour, and a fact he planned to abuse. While circling, he once again beckoned with his left hand and another declaration.

"You, weak."

Jackson went to start an attack, but stopped for a second, mid charge. Something was off, this guy wasn't fighting like how Jackson was used to, quick and lethal strikes designed to take out his foe fast...he was waiting, that meant he was trained? Whatever it meant, Jackson wasn't sure it was a good thing. Jackson's mind raced, trying to come up with a plan, when one did dawn on him. Keeping his guard up and his front towards the stranger, Jackson slowly moved towards the sand dune. The steeper slope was terrible to fight on, which meant that the stranger's solid avenues of circling were limited. Jackson had a grin of his own, he could fight smart too.Jackson then darted forward, trying another attack, this time a few more swipes before retreating to his defensive formation. He uttered his own angry phrase back.

"Yeah I'm weak...but ever hear about David vs Goliath? That was in a desert too."

As before, the man continued to effortlessly deflect Jackson's attempt at attacks, and since his only tongue was Arabic with a few English words, he blatantly ignored the spoken statement. Instead, he took in a deep breath before concentrating on the offensive that he subsequently took. Each punch was focused on breaking Jackson's defense through the sheer force which backed each strike. It was one thing to be used to combat and pain; however, it was another thing to experience what would have felt like solid steel crashing into your body and arms. If Jackson were to manage his defense, the man would have continued to ruthlessly barrage him with a myriad of punches. All while waiting for the split second an opening showed to which a swift roundhouse against his side would have followed a forceful jab to Jackson's solar plexis.

Jackson's defense wasn't used to this kind of barrage, and he suffered for it. The teen's fights were quick and violent, this neverending barrage seemingly from nowhere by the man whose every hit felt like a tidal wave crashing into him. He'd have fallen back if he had anywhere to fall back too, but being against the dune gave him no place to maneuver too. Even then, Jackson's defense held for a time; he knew he couldn't last forever but Jackson wasn't one to give up easily. Eventually however, Jackson's defense fell, and he cried out in pain as the man's leg connected with his side, unfortunately his cry turned to gasp as the second hit went through, and he suddenly felt himself struggling to breath as a burn flashed through his chest. Instead of collapsing, Jackson did the only thing he could think of at the time. He threw himself forward into a grapple, attempting to simply buy time in a restraint against his superior foe. His oxygen starved self knew he wouldn't last long, but perhaps it'd grant him a better chance than collapsing into the desert sands below him.

The man understood the futility of Jackson's actions as well as the youth did himself. The grapple was nothing more than a desperate attempt for a counter; one that was quickly shut down by a quick blow against his head. Unlike his previous strikes, the man reduced the amount of force to prevent any permanent damage; however, the strike was more than enough to heavily rattle the already beaten opponent. Watching as Jackson fell to the ground, the man began the arc for a kick against his gut; however, his action was cut short by a sudden disturbance which flickered across the local environment. Much like a glitch in a program, areas of the atmosphere and ground began to appear digital in nature; an observation which forced a sigh from the man who returned to a casual stance of being.

(I think that is enough, Arbaaz.)وأعتقد أن هذا يكفي ، أربااز"
We have tortured the boy enough.
He has proven himself a strong enough asset for our cause."​

The voice which suddenly spoke was new for the environment, yet familiar from a meeting in Jackson's past. A raspy tone which concluded its words with a hearty chuckle before continuing with what it wished to say.

"Black out, Kid. Show's over.
It's time to come home...your real one."

It was the end.

Jackson's muscles finally gave way to the pain. The soft strike against his head rattling his sense of perspective to keep his wounded self still going. The days of starvation and lack of water, the endless march amongst the desert, and the desperate fight had taxed everything that Jackson had. He mentally said his goodbyes as he saw the stranger's foot coast through the air, heading towards him for the finishing blow, when the world started to shift. At first, he had simply believed it to be another cruel mirage, but his eyes widened with recognition at the voice, and the shock, added to the pain and mental toll he had taken, finally overwhelmed him, and Jackson gave into a wave of black; his last feelings that of lessening heat replaced by cool AC.

 

[Tsu]

"You're awake."

Hovering over Jackson's body was a feminine figure with brown hair pulled into a ponytail and a business-like attire upon her body. Prior to his awakening, she had been busy inspecting a medical file which described Jackson's current condition that left him laying on a medical gurney. Now that he was somewhat awake, she took the liberty of announcing all that was physically wrong with his body.

"Mild concussion to the head, fracture of the left humerus, 3 fractured ribs, multiple bruises and lacerations, finally a recovering case of heatstroke and dehydration. Quite the set of injuries you sustained there, young man.
Quickly now, tell me who you are and what you have done."

Jackson looked up at the woman, then over to the room around them. He was hurting all over, but given what he had been through...he was amazed he was alive. Jackson looked the woman on the eye, suspicious of everything that had gone on. Did she know about everything? He had to know. "where...where am I? And who are you?" he groaned as he sat up. "I'm not..quite sure what happened to me, but...does tarot cards or courts or an empress mean anything to you?" Jackson bit his tongue. He had a bad feeling that this lady wasn't going to believe anything he said.

"Slightly dazed and confused; to be expected after a physical run in with the Tarocchi.
Come on, you've been treated. Minimize movement of your upper body and do not strain the sling your arm is in.
I imagine a bit of pain is worth some answers."

After tossing the medical file onto the nearest table, the woman proceeded to exit the room which led into a familiar area of Trinity Institute. The subsequent room was the same lobby where all technology was relinquished from the students who attended the field trip of Dr. Magus' lab. Approaching the entryway for their destination, she proceeded to swipe her clearance badge which opened the door into the supercomputer's control room where a familiar old man was busy barking instructions to the various staff. Upon seeing the arrival of Jackson and his escort, the man happily stretched his arms in a warm welcome of his new guests.

"Welcome back, Dr. Valinheym.
I see the kid has survived his ordeal. Good stuff.
That means you show some promise for our cause, Jackson Rolando.
This of course assumes you wish to cooperate, though, I reckon I have incentive that you cannot pass up."

Dr. Magus beckoned at the nearest scientist who quickly went to retrieve a folder of papers that he soon handed to the elder researcher. Immediately, the old man tossed the files in Jackson's direction while speaking of what their contents contained.

"Aggravated assault, gang involvement, suspect for the murder of Ethan White, convict on the run, and the list goes on. For such a young age, you have quite the record staining your name.
Your sister, Lana is it? Perhaps, that grandfather of yours can take her custody, but ultimately, that is the decision of protective care. And even then, forever, she has to live with the fact that her brother is a convict and murderer; at least that is how she will see it.
Now…"

A clap of the elder's hands summoned several law enforcement who were subtly waiting in the shadows of the room. In their hands, various forms of restraint were prepared for the obvious target in the room.


"The way I see it, you have a two options.
Turn yourself in, plea for innocence, likely fail, and spend the next however many decades as a convict in jail. Not particularly an appealing option, but there is a chance your innocence can be proven. Of course, that is not the end all, since my Institution has quite the influence you might not have expected.
Your other option is simple, sign yourself as an employee of my department. In doing so, I can promise a temporary amnesty for your crimes while we investigate the truth and prove your innocence. Next, I can provide your dear sister with a permanent residence at my academy...at least as long as she remains on a course to graduation.
I don't mean to blackmail you into a decision; however, I feel the correct path is obvious."

Even with his whole life at an end, Jackson hadn't immediately jumped at the offer. He was tired, and in pain...and mostly suspicious. He knew he was stepping into a world beyond what he could easily comprehend. A small part of the boy just wanted to walk away from everything. But still...Jackson had a promise to fulfill, and giving Lana somewhere close by meant he could keep her safe if something went down. He really was up against the wall. With a bittersweet look on his face, Jackson stepped up and signed the contract.

"So...I'm an employee now? I know the benifits are good around here, but how's the pay?" Jackson gave a helpless and resigned shrug and and a sardonic laugh
He had no hand to play here, so he had to just go along with it. "what's the first order of business then?"

"We get to know each other."

Hearty laughter burst from Dr. Magus who took Jackson by the shoulder and led him to a side door nearest the room's control panel. Inside was a small office fit with Dr. Magus' desk, a few bookshelves of magazines and text, and a small lounge for coffee and tea. After seating himself at one of the lounge's recliners, the elder beckoned for Jackson to follow all while Dr. Valinheym prepared a beverage of choice for each individual.

"While we wait for our drink, tell me, Jackson.
What do you think of everything that has happened to you in the past few days?
I imagine you've had quite the experience, and you are without a doubt confused; however, regardless, I want to hear you opinion."

Jackson chose a dark black coffee as his drink of choice. The teen needed the wake up call, sure. But if anything something strong and sharp would serve as something to ground him...he had a lot whirling through his mind, and he had the feeling that he needed a sharp head with all the questions he was about to start asking. "My...opinion? Well everything's fucked. That's for sure." Jackson sighed. "In the span of a few days I've been introduced to some kind of court, and then promptly kicked out of said court into some trial thing that nearly killed me because I couldn't rest, and there was no food or water. I then got my ass kicked by some special forces arabic dude...I guess you could say I've had a bit of a shit few days." Jackson shook his head, trying to focus. "The world I've stepped into...that the others stepped into too. What the hell are we walking into anyway?" Jackson grit his teeth. "I can't help but feel that for the last week or so I've been trying to play a puzzle with half the pieces, it's frustrating.

"And darn right you are, kiddo."

Another set of laughter came in tandem with the delivery of their drinks, a black coffee for Jackson and an earl grey tea for Magus. As he paused to take a sip, the old man was soon left coughing and hacking due to the laughter which had yet ceased. Eventually, he began to take deep breaths in an attempt to calm his fit, and it was after he regained his composure that he cleared his throat and proceeded to addressed the concerns that Jackson brought to light.

"There is so much I could talk about. I have a long history with this so called 'world' as you describe it...both of them. The Tarocchi are a but a single microcosm in our universe as a whole. Nonetheless, I'd reckon that they are without a doubt the most influential and powerful entities to walk amongst us.
Now, I'd imagine that you hold no belief in ideals such as the afterlife...reincarnation...so forth, but to understand these entities, once must embrace the existence of life beyond the present. Often humans die with unfulfilled potential, and it's that very potential which sparks the creation of these beings. Some become Zodiacs, others become Tarocchi; all in all, they are supernatural entities whose purpose is the balance of our world.
Of course, the dead cannot directly influence what happens with the living, so they create these bonds with us...hosts...mediums...whatever you want to call them. Basically, a trade of your life in exchange for their power...with limitations. You do what they want, you get power. Disobey, and well your life is forfeit.
Pretty shitty if you ask me. But of course that's my personal opinion. People tend to enjoy being these hosts or mediums, and with the right partner, it ain't so bad. Its for a good cause, and the powers are sure as hell fun...but...there are issues...issues that go past simple hosts or mediums."

What started as a cheerful explanation turned into a solemn one as Dr. Magus' tone shifted from happy to somber. Nonetheless, it was after the short pause in his story that he quickly returned to the former jolly excitement as he continued to speak.

"You're a student, Jackson. I think it's time you contribute to this discussion.
What do you think, kiddo? Based on what I have explained, and what you know, what do you think the issues are?"

Jackson paused for a moment, thinking. He didn't know much about the Tarocchi or their world, and answering questions even as a student was something he was bad at. Still...some things didn't quite feel right in his brief experience with them.

"One thing I think is a pain was that court...I didn't quite understand what was going on, but I think defending themselves from that monster...thing, got them in trouble. Seems like some kind of bureaucratic mess to me. Then again I was hardly ever one for politics. Still…" Jackson suddenly frowned. "If they know about that ghost thing, and that they have laws against fighting it...are there more? Is that one of the issues you meant? Having to put your life on the line like that?"

Dr. Magus chuckled in response to Jackson's answer.

"Far from an eloquent hypothesis, but your thought process is at least on board.
The issues lies in a fundamental flaw that these entities pride themselves upon. Sure, they know more about the universe and its balance than we do, but their very existence was derived from humans. Historically, mankind hasn't done so well apart from being morally fickle at best.
Over the many years of my research, I have observed the ebb and flow of both the Zodiacs and the Tarocchi. One side believes the balance of the world can be held in the hands of individual hosts, yet for the longest time, there has been no accountability for those who stray from the path of justice. In addition, hollows as you experienced have been a rampant issue since the dawn of their existence. Are they manageable?...well yes, but why should our people have to suffer at the whims of that which they cannot protect themselves from.

Now, the other chose to build their society upon a system of monarchy...checks and balances to control their power and the mediums who utilize it. Frankly, I was close friends with the founder of the Tarocchi, and there is no doubt that his ideals were pure. Since his advent, however, times have changed. Do I believe the Tarocchi do good for our world?...I'd at least like to believe they do; however, for this particular instance, I believe the phrase, 'Let humans do as intended by our nature,' is a more accurate viewpoint that we should adopt. Frankly, I'd like to believe our lives are determined by the decisions, we as a society make, rather than by the machinations of twisted fate."

Ever since the delivery of their drinks, Dr. Valinheym had departed from the room; however, it was at the conclusion of Dr. Magus' story that she returned with another folder that was placed on the tableside closest to Jackson. Inside, files for the most recent hollow existed in addition to information on his closest peers.

"Consider this your first job.
Your current injury prevents me from assigning you to what I wish; however, this should be an easy enough task for you complete.
In short, I want you to capture the hollow and convince your friends to join our side rather than remain with the Tarocchi. Of course, I plan to provide my technology to aid you in your attempts.
What do you think? Seem reasonable enough?"

Jackson glanced down at the files as Magus spoke, wondering what exactly his plan was. He scanned through the hollow's information and bit his cheek, he already knew about the illusory effects far too personally. The last thing he wanted was another repeat of that evening in the woods so many days ago. Still, he couldn't help but look astonished when Magus wanted him to capture the hollow and recruit his friends to boot. He looked up to Magus with a worried expression. "I mean...I'll try, I don't really have any other choice. But I have no idea what the hell happened to the others when we split up...all I know is that damn desert, besides…" Jackson's voice trailed off. "That hollow kicked my ass last time...I didn't even see what was happening until it was almost too late….You'd need something damn impressive to give me a fighting chance. Besides." Jackson laughed sardonically. "I'm hardly in fighting shape after our arabic friend kicked my ass to kingdom come. How can I beat that thing!?" Jackson let out a sigh. "Besides. I can't know anything is real with that thing. How do I know anything right now isn't some simulation or illusion? "

 

[Tsu]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The remainder of the night was left for the much needed bath and rest that each student desired. In regards to the questions that were brought to light, the twins simply shrugged while Lillian took the liberty of providing answers.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"There has been many events outside of our expectations, Cheire.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Nonetheless, answers shall come tomorrow.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]For now, it is rest that we all need in preparation for the trails of your training."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]With the declaration, Lillian performed a quick bow in tandem with the cursty of the twins before both Tarocchi faded from the room. In doing so, their card was left behind while their physical form returned to their realm for rest. Assuming everyone else soon followed in suit, the night was bound to be enjoyable at least until the rude awakening of the next morning. The sudden sound of clanging metal exploded throughout the room from a particular individual who stood in a doorway that failed to exist the previous night. The individual was a female figure topped with long white hair and dressed in a ragged grey robe. Most notable were the heavily chipped swords that she held in each hand and the single grey wing which drooped along the left side of her body. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Follow with haste."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The girl gave no time for any preparation as she stormed from the room and down a series of maze-like hallways which led to the group's inevitable destination. Assuming everyone managed to follow, the group was met with an open courtyard filled with various equipment meant for training. Straw dummies, racks of weapons, and various obstacles were a few of the objects which existed in the area; however, more important was the single figure who sat on a wooden stump and shuffled a deck of cards in his hands.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kaede awoke at the sound of the individual's arrival, sweeping back the covers of the sheets and getting on her feet quickly. Years of a strict exercise routine had trained her to get up quickly with no regret. The figure's appearance gave her no pause, after everything the group had been through an armed alarm clock wasn't that surprising. Ducking into the washroom she quickly changed back into her own clothing. She checked Lillian's card was still in her pocket before following the girl, assuming the others would rouse themselves quickly enough.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Despite the comfortable night's sleep she wasn't in a good mood. The Tarrochi's actions last night had been evasive, claiming ignorance yet promising answers at the same time. They hadn't even bothered to answer the most basic of questions she had asked. [/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Emerging from the maze of passages it wasn't hard to guess what their day was going to be like. It was like they'd walked into a video game tutorial level. Not being particularly inclined to ask more pointless questions she waited in silence for the shuffling figure or her companions to sleep and examined the area in more detail.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Iphie too was a light sleeper. Rising alongside Kaede at the new presence, she was not as quick to rise as her more athletic companion, taking several moments to blink and rub her eyes before casting aside her sheets and standing with a yawn. Giving a glance at the white-haired girl and her swords, she yawned again, searching for her freshly laundered clothes. Momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings, after a couple seconds, she found her clothes and the remainder of her belongings. Sparing little care, she dressed where she stood. Like Kaede, her mood was not much better than foul; the events of the past couple of days had left a sour taste in her mouth.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Unhappy with the haste the sword-bearing girl commanded, Iphigenia took a helping of leftover bread from last night before reluctantly and tiredly following the unwelcome girl. The path ended in a medieval courtyard adorned with old wooden combat equipment. Her eyes first fell on the swords, before finally resting upon the figure in the center of the open space, wordlessly appraising his features and movements with yet another yawn.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kent, already lethargic from the previous night's lack of rest, was not quite as hasty as his female roommates in rising. Still, having caught a sleepy glance of the woman who had given them their wake-up call, Kent made sure to to throw the covers and cast his feet over the edge of his bed after only a few more minutes of rest. Rubbing his eyes of any last sleepiness -- all the while trying not to peep at Iphie as she changed -- Kent gave a yawn. At least after the previous night of no sleep, he had been able to grab a cup of coffee before class.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Having changed as well, he proceeded to follow to the training area which he presumed to be the location of their boot camp. Seeing all the combat related equipment scattered about, Kent drew his stashed card and traced the pattern to summon Temperance, expecting them to have some part in today's activities.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"No no."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]In an instant, several cards were snapped in Kent's direction where they began orbiting around his hands and the card of Temperance. Even with their summon, the twins never appeared after which the glow of the card's pattern simply faded into nothing. Immediately following his action, Justice hopped onto his feet with a casual wave towards the group of students who arrived in the courtyard.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]"It seems everyone is here.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Now, I assume there are many questions that need to be addressed, but rather than drone over countless topics concerning a lifetime of knowledge, let us narrow our queries.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]What exactly do you desire?...One question per Medium or Candidate, please."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Iphigenia was the first to speak up, asking a general question. She was particularly interested in the familiars the others seemed to be able to control, but her pragmatic inquiries would come first. "...Yes. Please explain what a Medium, Candidate, and Tarocchi are. I have an understanding of the latter now, but I'd like one nonetheless."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The Tarrochi before her might've been the nicest one they'd met so far but Kaede still wasn't too pleased with the whole situation. "Can we get a copy of the tarocchi rulebook? Or at least a brief list of all the laws we're not allowed to break, like acting in self defence, before we get tried again?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kent was slightly disappointed to have the comforting presence of his two companions denied from him, enough that it stalled his own question until the two ladies had asked theirs. "Why didn't you tell me there were rules in our...dream?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Laughter was the initial response to the questions that were asked. In doing so, a sheepish smile soon encompassed Justice's face as he awkwardly began rubbing the top of his head.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Events outside of our prediction determined the past few days.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]From the perspective of the Court, you were seen as a rogue unit rather than one enacting self-defense. Of course, I intend no misjustice to befall your identities; however, until the investigation is complete, you will be regarded with suspicion.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]This is why it is of utmost importance that I prepare you for your future.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Iphigenia, you will study under me while the others will be trained by my assistant. [/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]However before we split, allow me to explain a quick summary of how we came to be."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Justice paused to catch his breath and to recollect the memories of a time long past. Several moments passed in silence until he finally began to speak in a somewhat somber tone.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"The Tarocchi were once human.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]We are a transcendent race born from the untimely death of potential that once existed upon earth. There are others likes us; failures who lost their way in regards to the ultimate goal of our kind. [/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Humans are not capable of ruling themselves. This has been proven time after time.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Thus, it is through our guidance that we have chosen individuals such as yourself. Individuals whom we deem candidates for our power. Candidates who will use their gifts to bring forth the necessary change that your world requires.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]At first, this might seem unfair; as if you have no choice in choosing your destiny; however, ultimately, this is the greatest honor that your kind can achieve. Nothing shall ever surpass the potential fulfillment you have been granted.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]More will be unveiled as time progresses. For now, let us attend to the training I have promised."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]~~~ Iphegenia ~~~[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]With nothing more to say, Justice proceeded to beckon Iphie towards one side of the courtyard. It was a shaded area under the nearest tree where a small wooden slab existed amongst parchment, quill, and ink. After seating himself against the trunk, he beckoned Iphie to follow in suit before speaking with an inquiry of her current disposition.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Tell me, dear child.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]What do you feel the Tarocchi expect of you?[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]You have the Sigil of the Court; you have the experiences of the trial.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]What is it you feel we expect of a Candidate?[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]What is it you feel we expect of the Mediums who are dependant upon your leadership?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]The small display of humility, although modest, was a reassurance for Iphigenia. She appreciated the brief explanation on tarocchi, although the remainder of his words left her with more questions than she had arrived with. And she had a lot of questions. At Justice's gesture, she followed the white-haired tarocchi to a nearby tree with broad foliage. Glancing over the paper and ink, she took a seat on the grass, folding her legs to her side. It seemed that he had his own bank of questions for Iphigenia.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]She was slow to respond, putting care behind each of her words. "Those are quite esoteric questions. If I understand the structure of things correctly, our group of seven--" Iphie paused, as if to correct herself, but continued, "is not unalike a military unit given your prior description. Assuming I am correct in my assumption that a 'Candidate' is the equivalent of the officer of every such group, I would believe all that are involved would have an expectation of a Candidate to lead, exercising responsibility and discretion in doing so."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Iphigenia looked down momentarily, producing the cloth card she had received in the field trip several days ago. Feeling the grains of the card, she looked at the inkwell beside her before returning her gaze to Justice. "I assume by Mediums you refer to Kaede and Kent who seem to share a bond with tarocchi. I would think you would expect the same of them. Conduct. Responsibility… Perhaps restraint." She ran her hand through her hair. "That's what I feel. Without more information, I can't help but to feel I'm answering incorrectly."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]For the duration of Iphie's explanation, Justice keenly listened; however, it was at her conclusion that he began lightly chuckling in response to her logic. While doing so, he quickly raised a hand in a gesture meant to convey that he meant no ridicule, but rather, found her answer amusing.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"It is a logical outcome to conclude as you have. Nonetheless, as you believe, your answer is not correct. Though I suppose in a sense you have the fundamental understanding of what your position entails. [/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Did you know that nearly 150,000 humans die across the world per day. This of course totals to tens of millions of deaths per year that passes by. If you recall my explanation that a Tarocchi is born from the death of unfulfilled potential, then surely it is a logical conclusion, that of those millions, thousands must have the qualifications to be reborn again. Yet from your experience in the court, there are only twenty-one thrones which define the Tarocchi. Of course, this does not mean that our entire society consists of twenty-one beings. Countless youth, the minor arcana, develop themselves in hopes of one day achieving the pinnacle best suited to their talents and beliefs. Like yourself, they are candidates, and together you shall work in unison to reach each other's goals."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]After a short moment to let his explanation sink in, Justice extended one of his hands towards Iphie; an action which caused the card in her hand to shoot across the distance and place itself, face-up, onto his palm. With a quick inspection of its illustration, the man performed a quick nod before continuing with his overall lesson.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"Unlike the cards your peers have utilized, this is not a collection of power, but rather, a sigil which signifies the Candidate you have been chosen for. Some may be a Candidate of the Magician; others may be the Candidate of Judgement; however, you my child, you are the Candidate of the Empress. Fate has gifted you with the potential to rule; you on the Earth and your Arcana in our realm. It is a great honour, yet one that comes with lofty expectations for yourself.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]As a Candidate of the Empress, there are two main functions you must achieve. First is the development of your Arcana; next is the management of your Sect. In both cases, it is your responsibility to ensure they remain within the bounds of our regulations; all while, ensuring your Arcana becomes one worthy of the throne. [/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]All infractions and successes will be directly reported to the current Empress, and any faults will be solely placed upon you and your Arcana's head. Absconding from the race is of course an option; however, in doing so, the chances of your personal success are sorely limited. Fate has chosen you for a position of power. Do you choose to accept it, or rather you let it slip from your fingers?"[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]~~~ Kent and Kaede ~~~[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]With Justice now attending to Iphie, the girl from before returned to the courtyard where she focused her attention on the remaining pair. After giving both Kaede and Kent a visual inspection, she heavily sighed before sheathing both swords against the leather belt along her waist. In an abnormally swift motion, the girl lunged forward and nimbly retrieved the card from Kaede's pocket and the one in Kent's hand. Without any hesitation, she proceeded to rip both cloths in half which caused one to evaporate into a puff of smoke and the other to wither into crumbled ash. For the Mediums, a sudden emptiness would have filled their body as if a vital connection had been suddenly severed.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"You depend on your Tarocchi's deck far too much.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Feel them...Envelop them...Discover their power within yourself.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]For each minute that you remain disconnected, slowly your bond will crumble and break.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]After several hours, you will no longer be Mediums after which my sword will reach your neck."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kaede found herself a bit warmed by Justice's willing admission of the Court's error and his embarrassed response. It would be best to view him as an ally as he was taking their side consistently. This decision quickly fell onto steady ground however, at his assistant's 'training', which involved sending their pupils into a depressed state and threatening to kill them. She glanced over at Kent, he'd been a medium a bit longer than her, "Any tips?" she asked him, though it wasn't impossible she was asking the assistant as well.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]If no help was forthcoming she'd try it on her own. She closed her eyes and focused on the emptiness that she now felt. It was an unpleasant place and she wanted to recoil from it, but held her ground. She tried to find something in there, the end of the cut thread leading to Lillian. She brought up her memories of the forest, when she had first met the Tarocchi and the smoke of the marbles had been unlocked.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Kent felt mildly dissatisfied with Justice's words. Through them, he felt there to be only half an explanation of the answers the group searched for, and, perhaps, a great deal of hubris. Humans being unable to care for themselves, yet for the Tarocchi to be able to guide them, being human themselves in all but power, seemed rather contradictory to the man.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Still, with the task at hand and the obvious depression sinking in, there was little time for such thoughts.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]Paying heed to Kaede's question, Kent shook his head in the negative. "Though, perhaps…" he himself wasn't quite sure where he was going with this, "we should try to feel like we did in the forest?" While he didn't quite know what this entailed for Kaede, Kent remembered how he had to channel the life around him into further creation. A balance that had to be maintained.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]He found himself seated upon the ground in a meditative pose. Breathing in, then out. Kent tried to feel the presence of every blade of grass, every piece of life perceivable within the area, taking only part into himself. Feeling a focus take root, and a small confidence within himself, Kent tried to will a thorn up from the ground as he had done before; a smaller one, by any comparison, and one more gently brought about.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]As moments passed by without change in either Medium, the one winged girl exhaled another heavy sigh before slapping the cheek of both individuals with the blunt of her blades.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"No, no, no.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Did I imply for you to attempt your powers?[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Time is ticking, yet you fail to reconnect your lost bonds. What good does willing smoke or thorns do in light of a failed connection? It is not a bond with the power that you hope to achieve. It is a bond with the Tarocchi that you hope to embrace.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Feel them...Understand them....Accept them…[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]Do you fear the unknown so much? Even knowing that life with or without our kind is a journey through the unknown.[/BCOLOR]
[BCOLOR=transparent]To you, Medium of Temperance, you know the twins as well as anyone, yet you act as if you are strangers. To you, Medium of the Magician...I suppose you have reason to misunderstand, dear Lillian. Though, you are closer than you think."[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]As she spoke, the blades in her hand were sheathed back onto her side; however, her hands soon enveloped both handles as she assumed a combative stance.[/BCOLOR]

[BCOLOR=transparent]"I ask you this. Do you wish to understand more about the world fate has thrust you into? Or rather you abandon your destiny, and return the machinations of broken normality? Both of you are gifted; both of you have been given a chance to understand...to influence...to better the universe you have been unwillingly born into. What say you all?"[/BCOLOR]

 

[Tsu]

A sigh exhaled from Dr. Magus as he lightly shook his head in response to Jackson's concluding statement.

"An illusion? Kiddo, I know you're all brawn and lesser brain, but at least think a little here. Would an illusion or simulation leave you with the number of injuries you have sustained.
Knowledge of these societies and worlds are wack, I know, but sometimes it's easier to just accept the unknown. You'll get through life much happier that way.
For now, our conversation is over. You have a job; I hope for good results; and Dr. Valinheym will handle the rest."

At his command, the secretary-like researcher beckoned for Jackson to follow as she departed from Magus' office and began leading them towards the original lobby of the lab. There, the institution's hidden elevators were waiting to take the pair to their next destination, the academy's basement. The underground was composed of a series of hallways that defined the institute's infrastructure such as heating, cooling, and power; however, in addition to those elements, particular labs were hidden in high clearance regions that only particular staff members could access. After leading down a series of paths, Dr. Valinheym finally reached a heavy metal door which slowly began to open from a swipe of her badge. Inside, several medical gurneys existed amongst various hi-tech equipment that made the room feel like it came straight from the future. Off to the side, a secondary room existed with what appeared to be a collection of vials in a heavily chilled environment.

"You will rest here for the remainder of the day.
It seems the professor has stepped out; however, at their return, they will brief you further.
Rest...Do not make trouble for the institute."

With her stern declaration, the researcher gave Jackson a quick nod before departing from the room and and leaving him locked within. Apart from the collection of medical equipment, there wasn't much for Jackson to entertain himself with; however, somewhat out of place was a collection of small teddy bears which existed throughout the lab.

Jackson looked around, a bit uneasily. The vials had a...mysterious liquid in them, which was cause for enough of a concern after being locked within the room, but what was really throwing him off was the small collection of stuffed animals in the corner. Jackson walked over to them, examining them closely. Despite his thuggish background, he was surprised to know more than a few of them. His sister lana had been hardcore into stuffies when she was a bit younger, so he got to know more than a little through various tea parties that he was forced into participating in. His sister could be pretty persuasive at times…Jackson blinked, picking up one of the stuffies and looking at it. He'd done research at the local library when he had to buy some gifts for christmas, these things were all pretty expensive. He shrugged and put them down, the last thing he could afford right now was to be thinking about Lana when he had to get his own act together...he had to beat the hollow somehow.

Jackson shook his head, and walked over to the gurneys, away from the stuffies. The doctor-researcher-lady had told him to get some rest until the doctor returned, so that's exactly what he'd do. He was still exhausted anyway. Climbing onto one of the gurneys, Jackson fell to sleep.

~~~

The return of the professor was a subtle one that left Jackson asleep even as she began working around the room. The presence of another came as no surprise to her; even less so since Jackson was not a new face. After collecting several syringes from around the lab, the professor made her way into the refrigerated side room where she began examining several vials from the various shelves within. As a whole, each vial was inherently similar; an obsidian colored liquid existing among a plethora of variations including swirls of colors, gems, or foreign objects. Several minutes passed until she finally decided on one which contained a sludge-like red mixed within. After returning back into the main lab, the professor seated herself on the nearest gurney where she lightly shook Jackson's body while speaking his way.

"Jackson, it's time to wake up.
We need to begin your treatment if you plan on fulfilling your mission.
Standard human strength and regeneration are simply not enough for a world like this."

Jackson sat-up with a yawn. His rest was a short one, but he had needed it. What he hadn't been expecting was Professor Mu to be the person who was supposedly here to help him out. He blinked the sleep out of his eyes and looked around at the various vials, including the one she was carrying. Jackson let out a sigh, quickly realizing his fate. "I take it I'm going to be undergoing a less than...fun process?" He looked down at his hands and clenched a fist. As much as he hated to admit it...he was too weak to stand anything close to a chance on his own. That hollow had kicked his ass too hard…Jackson gave a resigned sigh.

"Alright, fine. Can you at least tell me what you're doing to me first? I'd like to know what I'm undergoing here."

The professor's response was initially delayed as she began the preparations for the procedure at hand. First, one of the syringes were filled with a clear liquid that came from a local vial while another was filled with a small dose of the red and black substance. It was after these were carefully placed on Jackson's gurney that she began rubbing a swab of alcohol on his arm.

"I am going to inject you with hollow blood.
The clear liquid acts a binder between the hollow DNA and your own cells. In doing so, you will take on the attributes of their power without the need for a contract.
Now before you freak, the procedure is entirely safe at this point in time. It was perfected several decades ago by a particular pair of researchers to whom this lab once belonged too.
Of course, the potential for side effects do exist; however, since it is your first dose, nothing I can't handle should occur."

Jackson butted into the explanation, a frown on his face. "Safe or not...this stuff's not exactly the most stable stuff is it? That hollow...thing, there's no chance I'll turn into it or something along those lines right? And you have a bunch of vials….are they all from different hollows?"

"Correct, but not entirely from us. A majority of that collection was formed by the same researchers I just mentioned. Now, in terms of your concerns, the hollow nature has been rendered dormant. I will admit the potential for a full reawakening exists; however, its current state is not strong enough for a full takeover. As long as you remain stable and in good health, the hollow DNA will at most provide minor latent effects in line with its original nature. Nothing permanent though."

"Well...what counts as stable?" Jackson responded, brain running the pros and cons through his head. "As for it's original nature...I don't' suppose you have information on what this particular hollow was all about? If something does happen maybe knowing what it was could help."

The professor exhaled a small sigh as she began scratching her head in response to Jackson's final question.

"Hard to say for sure. Our lab has mastered the procedure of extracting hollow DNA, but the classification method used by the past researchers remain unknown to this day. If this were a recent hollow, then we might have known through the capturing process; however, since this hollow originated from over thirty years, I cannot say for sure. All that I know is that its classification is strength which aligns with the knowledge we have on your person.
In terms of stability, as long as your state of mind remains yourself, and you avoid any fatal injuries, the hollow DNA will remain dormant. Of course, even at that point, there is still only a chance the DNA might reawaken. It has been over thirty years since this hollow was extracted. It is likely the DNA is permanently dormant."

Jackson nodded. "Alright then...works for me." He looked over at the needle, gulping slightly. "Just get this over with. Sooner we finish the process the sooner I can take down the hollow...and find the others." As the procedure went forth, Jackson only had one question left to ask. "So what was the name of the last researchers?"

"There will be a bit pain as the hollow DNA binds with your cells. If anything, it'll probably knock you out, and you will remain in that state for the remainder of this day. Tomorrow, the remainder of your briefing will be provided when you awake."

The warning was spoken while the professor began the procedure of administering the DNA. First, the binding agent was shot into his nearest arm before she began strapping his various limbs onto the gurney. Once his body was secure, the needle of the second syringe was lightly placed against the skin of his chest directly above his heart. It was at this moment that Dr. Mu paused the procedure to answer Jackson's final question.

"Shun Takumi and Cecilia Aldricht."

Immediately, the needle was stabbed into his body.

 

[Tsu]

Jackson

Fire raged through Jackson's body.

Those were the only thoughts Jackson could form before his body went into survival mode, he couldn't think much, let alone speak. What mental fortitude he could build, Jackson spent it gritting his teeth and refusing to scream. As tough as the teen was however, it was one of the most painful, if not the most painful experience of his life. Even Jackson couldn't take the pain long, and within a minute, he was passed out on the gurney, falling into blissful unfeeling blackness.

The next morning, Jackson awoke on a groan. He hadn't moved, and his entire body ached. It was much less painful than the day before but...it still was far from a pleasant feeling. He sat up, holding his head as he did so. There was...something more than the ache, a...presence? That didn't make much sense.Jackson shook his head. "It couldn't be…" he muttered out loud. All that Doctor Mu said was that it was DNA...couldn't be something in him now...right? That...hopefully wasn't the case. As Jackson pushed himself over and off of the gurney,it flew behind him, crashing into the other gurneys in the row with a loud sound of colliding steel.

"O...kay. That's new." He winced slightly, still holding his head. "Hey! Anyone here? I uh...I'm awake!"

"I can tell you're awake, you giant oaf."

The angry tone came from the other side of the room where Dr. Mu was now storming towards Jackson who was swaying in attempts to keep his balance. With a simple shove, she knocked him back towards another gurney after which a quick death glare spoke her words for her, "Stay." After ensuring Jackson planned to stay put, the professor began rummaging around the lab for standard medical equipment all while speaking as she moved around.

"Since you're moving around, it seems the binding was successful.
I'm under the impression you'll break anything we have in the lab; thus, training your newfound power will be saved for your mission. I'll need to ensure, physically, you're still in one piece. After that, Dr. Valinheym will arrive for your final briefing."

The next half hour was no different than a standard physical examination. From top to bottom, Dr. Mu confirmed that Jackson was in functioning order before opening the doors to Magus' right hand who entered with yet another folder. After tossing it towards the gurney Jackson was one, she began the quick rundown of the contents it contained.

"Your mission will take place in Rhode Island. Transportation will be provided assuming you don't break the car…"

As she spoke, the researcher's eyes shifted towards the pile of gurneys and equipment that laid in one corner of the room. Nonetheless, her pause was momentary as she quickly returned to the debriefing at hand.

"You will be provided issued a hollow tracking device and two hollow capture devices. Both are self explanatory and easy to use so worry not in that regard.
As a reminder, your mission goal is the capture of the loose hollow in addition to the recruitment of your former classmates. Should this fail, prioritize your own life in addition to the death of the hollow.
Dr. Magus would prefer you come back in one piece, then fully succeed at your job.
When you are ready, let us begin."

The Sect

That was a lot of deep material for Iphigenia to swallow. She was correct in assuming that most of what she answered was incorrect, but knowing that her fundamentals had been correct was a silent victory for her. The explanation of the twenty-one Tarocchi and the thrones was quite intriguing.

"The twenty-one that sit upon the thrones are not eternal?"

Her train of thought was briefly interrupted when the card that had been in her hands removed itself into Justice's hands as he continued, but it was only a momentary pause. His explanation of her role as candidate was interesting, to say the least. It was obvious enough he was not speaking of the Kings and Queens that once ruled Europe; what was she, some ten-thousandth in line to succession of the English crown? No, it was in a more esoteric, grand meaning. Those were lofty expectations indeed.

For Iphigenia, there was not much choice. As difficult to understand and fantastical as everything seemed, the prospect of power greater than what she'd ever have expected to achieve was an alluring one. Absconding from any race was never an option. She looked Justice in the eye. "I accept."

~~~

Kaede frowned at the woman's words and her misunderstanding of the girl's intentions. The scarier thought though, was that she had some way of reading their thoughts or emotions. Unless she was just guessing what they had been doing based on Kent's words.

"I say you're... total rubbish," the harsh words came from the cool lips of Kent's mouth, interrupting the other medium's musing, as he stood. "You… you're able to presume... a lot and expect the same from us. But… I really don't know them. I've interacted with them just as much as Kaede has with Lillian, yet you're able to say we aren't strangers? I saw- we saw… Their end. A significant… tragedy, and their reactions, but that isn't what defines them. I ca- won't understand, be able to understand anything about them unless they tell me clearly!
"I wa- I want to know about them. I- I want them to tell me how it was when they first met. I want them to tell me what they like and don't like! And I- I want to tell them too… Otherwise, it'll be hard to call it a bond at all…"

Kent stopped, looked at the two around him, and immediately clammed up. He found himself wiping away an unfamiliar wetness that had been leaking from his eyes. His mouth felt dry, his throat hoarse; even a little dizzy from a distinct lack of oxygen circulating to his brain. He found his eyes centered on the ground a short while before returning them to their instructor's.

"I'm not afraid of the unknown; I don't like when something clearly known being kept from me. I don't want to return to anything broken. Ever. I'll.. I'll try again. To better understand… Desp- To spite my difficulties."

Kent went silent once more, returning to his meditative pose. This time, instead of the channeling of power as he had tried before, he tried acknowledging the Tarocchi's feelings; their few experiences from which he could draw some potential empathy from. He'd also try to send the same to them. All the bad from an earlier time, which he had always repressed. A more recent time of solitary contemplation. Then everything in between it all.

Kaede had watched Kent throughout his rant, agreeing with it in her own mind. Everything had been rushed, there'd been no chance to get to know their Tarrochi despite how important they were. This world had been thrust upon them, throwing them into danger without the chance to sit down and talk. And it was happening all over again now, with the threat of death hanging over their heads if they couldn't make this connection in the brief span of time they were given. She shook her head in annoyance.

"Why are we doing it this way? You all here were once human, so was Justice. Do you think your best relationships back then were the ones you forged in ten seconds because you forced yourself too? Or did you prefer the ones built up over a long period of time, learning to trust the other person and learning everything about them? You're telling us to embrace something which isn't there. You're asking us to embrace the thought of something in the hopes we'll like the actual something when it appears." Every time she felt something good about this world another thing turned up to annoy her.

"If you want us to actually bond with them you should bring them here, or take us to them, so we can do that rather than stumble in the dark for some vague memory." She crossed her arms and stared at the girl.

 

[Tsu]

Jackson

The afternoon sun was beginning its gradual descent by the time the car came to a stop. It wasn't a city or town which met Jackson's arrival, but rather, the side of a barren highway which neighbored a dense forest similar to the one back at Trinity Institute. After stating a quick, "We're here," the driver, Dr. Valinheym, popped the vehicle's trunk before exiting and making her way to the equipment which was stashed inside. With the assumption that Jackson had followed her lead, the researcher began an explanation for each of the tools as they were extracted from the silver briefcase they were stored within.

"First, the Hollow Tracker."

The tracker was a small circular object that consisted solely of a digital screen shielded by a layer of glass. The displayed scene was similar to that of radar's with two blue dots representing the immediate presence of the researcher and Jackson while a red arrow pointed in the direction of the forest's depths.

"Self-explanatory and easy to use. Humans are identified by a blue dot, hosts or mediums by orange, and hollows by red.
If any hosts, mediums, or hollows are within its 10 mi radius, then an arrow of the appropriate color will direct you their way.
Since only a single red arrow is showing up, it it safe to assume that the same hollow is the only threat which has been causing the local disaster.
As of now, over twenty people have gone missing, not including any animals, so exert caution when approaching. The hollow is bound to have an army."

With her first explanation complete, the researcher tossed the tracker Jackson's way before pulling the next object out of the briefcase. The second tool was strikingly peculiar given its appearance of a glass bottle with an Asian-like seal plastered across its lid.

"This is your Hollow Capture device, and it isn't as fragile as it looks.
It won't work as effectively on full strength hollows; however, if they weakened then the chances of its failure are next to none.
Simple remove the seal and place it on the hollow. The device will do the rest.
Please exert caution in ensuring the hollow stays alive so the process is successfully completed.
You have been assigned two of these in case you fail the first capture."

Both captures devices in addition to a smartphone were stuffed into a small knapsack then subsequently tossed in Jackson's direction. With the delivery of his goods complete, Dr. Valinheym returned to the driver's seat of the car where she began talking through an open window on the opposite side of the car.

"Good luck. Should you succeed or fail simply call the only number on the phone.
Extraction will come for you immediately.
Remember, we urge that you complete your mission; however, do prioritize your life over the capture of a live-hollow.
I pray for your success.""

With the final debriefing and her personal declaration of luck, Dr. Valinheym gave a quick nod before speeding off into the distance.

The Sect

Justice happily clapped his hands in response to Iphie's acceptance of her candidacy; however, a small sigh soon exhaled from his mouth given the commotion occurring on the other side of the courtyard. After raising a finger to say, "One second," Justice made his way over to the one winged figure after which he placed a hand upon her shoulder and began addressing the situation at hand.

"Your methods are too forceful, my dear Arcana.
If you wish too compel new Mediums, it is better to explain their purpose and power in a way that does not aggravate their already strained mentality.
For now, it is best if you leave this to me."

With the dismissal of the figure, Justice watched as she solemnly departed from the courtyard before walking forward and placing a hand on the chest of each Medium. In doing so, a small glow began to form around the area of his touch until a familiar card manifested itself between his hand and their clothes. After tremoving his interaction with their body, he extended both palms which now contained a similar card for both the Magician and Temperance.

"What she meant to teach is that your bond exists with or without the cards.
In some situations, powers are unable to be manifested, and it is in these moments that the cards are vital for turning the tides in your favor. It is expected that with or without a card, you are capable of manifesting both your Tarocchi and their power.
Of course at first, this is not feasible for beginners. As you stated, dear Kaede, there has been little time between yourself and your Tarocchi. Nonetheless, a bond of the heart exists between you, and i is a bond that will likely strengthen as the years pass by in hopefully harmony and goodwill.
Regardless, for now, utilize the cards until comfortable other wise."

The conclusion of his lesson came with a single loud clap as he began walking away from the Mediums. His destination was the prior stump where he seated himself and retrieved his usual deck of cards from the holder on his waist. After giving them a hefty shuffle, he tossed the deck into the air; an action which left each present individual with a third of the deck rotating their body in an upward swirl.

"From what I have heard, no one is entirely against the idea of their fate. Simply, you lack understanding.
There is no better experience than the field, and the hollow you left alive still roams your land. Let us finish what you have started; this time with my guidance and assistance.
Along the way, I shall continue my lessons until we reach our target. From there, it shall be your first job as a newly formed Sect."

~~~

The method of transportation was similar to the mirrors from before; a quick descent into darkness before transitioning into the environment of their new location. The area of their arrival was a small clearing in a dense forest much like the one around Trinity Institute. However unlike before, immediately noticeable was the black mist which permeated the air and forced a sense of directional distortion in the minds of each Sect member.

"Once again, the Magician is best suited for this style of subtle offensive. At one point in its life, the hollow was a master of illusion; however, given the deterioration of its body and power, Lillian is far stronger in terms of the greater illusion.
At worst case, we can summon Lillian for their cards; however, let us try to summon their power through the bond between you. Focus on the smoke...feel the smoke...will it into existence. Standard will do; no need for Lillian's specialties."

After giving Kaede her individualized instructions, Justice turned his attention towards Kent all while continuin with his lesson.

"Same for you, my child.
Feel the life around you. Sense what they do. Push your bounds as far as they can go.
This forest is not infinite. You can find the hollow within.
From there Kaede can lead the way."

At this point in time, the lessons for each Medium were finished; thus leaving only Iphie to address. In the case of her immediate surroundings, the same parchment, ink, and quill were present at her feet; objects that Justice pointed to as he spoke her instructions.

"For you, dear Candidate.
You have no power drawn from an Arcana; thus, it is not combat which I expect of you.
Instead, document that which occurs on this journey. Pay close attention to your Sect's power. Understand their limitations and their maximum potential. Understand how to compare to the powers they face.
For today, it is your job to control the battle."