Iwaku: Azazel

[MiraMirror]

Miru stared the gun down, or rather, the one aiming it at him. He could see in her eyes that she wasn't one to hesitate on the trigger. Her cold, unflinching gaze was evidence of that. He heard her question him first, without taking her sight off of him.

"What is your business, here, child?"

"Well, my friend and I were going to head to that town over there, and relax at a bar for a while before deciding what to do." Miru explained himself calmly, never losing that cheerful demeanor.

"But I figure the more, the merrier, yes? So, what do you say? Would you care to come with us? It'd give you a chance to clean that gun of yours, you know...After all,, I hear those have a tendency to jam up or...misfire instead of hitting the target, he added playfully, he added playfully, never taking his eyes off Eros.

[Summary: Miru stares Eros and her gun down, extends his hand for them to join with Kino and himself, and throws a subtle threat in there, should she choose to fire the gun.]

 

[Blind Hemingway]

[BG="black"]Thomas Irving [/BG]

[BG="black"]Thomas then stood up from the motorbike. He had not reacted when Eros pointed her pistol and Miru and Kino. However, now he felt that he should intervene. Eros was not a diplomat.

He took his sunglasses off again. His grey eyes now stared both Miru and Kino down. They had more power to them compared to Eros. Thomas did not smile. It was more than clear by his body language that he was not happy to see children roaming around in the deep woods.

"Do not tempt her, child." Thomas said.

He saw straight through Miru's subtle threat. After all, this sort of 'game' was something that Thomas was more than used to in his line of work.

Thomas didn't care if these kids had advanced powers. Knowing the unpredictability of the world around, it was more than likely that they did. However, there were plenty of times that he and Eros had taken on tougher foes without having magical abilities themselves. Both he and Eros were very unconventional souls that treated what limited skills they had, as mere tools in which they have acquired knowledge of.

"Leave us." Thomas ordered. "There is no town this way for many miles. Head back the way you came."
[/BG]

 

[Neko Archy]

[DASH=red]Oh no...

Already, people were pointing guns at her. This place wasn't going to be peaceful at all, she could just tell. Even back home nobody ever pointed a gun at someone just for walking around.

If they stayed here, Miru might get hurt. He didn't deserve a gunshot, not for her.

Thomas spoke, and Kino was even more sure that they needed to be elsewhere. She walked over to Miru, and tugged slightly on his arm. "We...we should leave."

Miru whispered back to Kino "But we need to get to that bar...." He quickly shut his mouth, noticing he had said just a bit too much. She didn't know about the bar yet....

"Then we can just go around!"
Miru whispered calmly "They have guns, the element of range..."
"But they don't want to fight! Let's just leave them alone and get to the bar some other way…."
"We're running out of time, Kino....Whatever we do, we need to do quickly..."
"Then let's just go already…"
"Let's hope we get there in time..." he said sternly, turning his attention to Eros and Thomas. "Okay, fine, we'll get out of your way...Sorry to bother you two, have fun hunting, and all that stuff...Ciao!"

Kino had to run after him to keep up. "H-hey! What's so important about this bar, anyways?!"[/DASH]

 

[Asmodeus]

Southern Cross - Near the Town of Anton​

​

Whut?

Asmodeus stopped abruptly, jazz-pose, one hand on the sugegasa hat which was too small for his head. He looked at Melody, who hung by her chained ankles in the middle of his workshop.

She did it again.

He scurried over and knelt to peer at her face.

"Oh no you din!"​

He looked at his shoes and tried again.

"Din.. di-un... di-unt... din."​

He prodded her cheek with the scalpel, making her sway back and forth.

"SHIT!"​

Then there was crashing and whirling. Asmodeus ran past Melody and began rummaging through his workshop tools, opening cupboards and drawers, pulling down shelves. There was clattering and cursing and other descriptive verbs that would reduce the overall impact of the sentence.

AHA!

He returned triumphantly. You could tell by his face. A blood-smeared grin.

He haz a taep recordah.

He put the tape recorder under Melody's head and clicked play. Everything was about to become cl...

Click

Oh noes.

"SHIT!"​

Batteries. No batteries. He had used them on the hair clippers.

"FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!"​

More verbs filled the room as he screamed. He grabbed his coat off the rack, moved to the door, looked back at Melody, returned, put his finger on her lips, tried to move away, realised his finger was on her lips, came back, pondered, ran to his shelves, took down a bottle of formaldehyde, opened it, reached inside, took out the severed hand of a Bread Cultist, laid it on the table, took a cleaver off the wall, chopped off the index finger, returned to Melody, pressed the servered finger over her lips, used duck tape to secure it in place, put on his coat.

Done.

Then he waved the tape recorder at her and dashed off into the other room. There was silence, and Melody swayed back and forth across the workshop, the finger taped to her mouth and dripping formaldehyde. Then whirring. Loud whirring. The basement shook and sand was whipped up from the floor and danced around her. Every tool and mannequin rattled noisily.

Up above, Asmodeus shot out of the foilage-covered garage at the back of his shed, steering the Merkabah across the desert and towards the town of Anton.

[SUMMARY: Asmodeus realises that Melody is talking funny and tries to record it. But his tape recorder is out of batteries. He needs to run to the grocery store.]

 

[Zen]

The child watched the psychopath with a calmness that surpassed many individuals. However while her eyes remained clear, her mind was working. Inside she was trying to clamp down on the fear and the rage. Her fear, its rage.

When Asmodeus took out the severed hand, Melody let out a horrified gasp. She blanched when he took out a massive cleaver and chopped off an index finger. She squirmed when he pressed the thing against her lips and taped it on her. Her eyes started to water and her throat started to burn.

This wasn't good...

As the sand kicked up around the room and her head started to pound, Melody had resolved to free herself. But how? Her hands were free. She ripped off the tape, removing the finger in the process, and tossed it in the corner of the basement. A look of determination appeared on her face as she wiped away whatever formaldehyde was left.

She swung back and forth like a pendulum, snatching the cleaver from the table. It was highly unlikely for the thing to break the chain - but she tried anyway. With all of the strength that she could muster, Melody flexed her abs and hacked away at the chain. Her eyes continued to water from the formaldehyde, but she kept going.

What a sight it would be for him to come back and assume you were trying to cut off your foot.

The voice cackled.

Maybe he would try and help you!

If I die, you die too, she thought grimly. Pity, your body would be completely useless anyways... Stupid girl, don't hack at the chain, hack at what the chain is hanging from.

With renewed vigor, Melody chopped into the framework of the basement, trying to splinter the beam from which the chain hung. On the verges of fainting, the chain snapped from wood, leaving Melody lying in a heap on the floor. The cleaver left her hands mid fall, sliding across the room. Her world spun as the blood rushed back into her body, her eyes watering, and her head.... God her head.

Water... I need water.


She dragged her body from the ground, and started searching the shack. And perhaps, if she could find it, she would use the chainsaw against her former captor. The thought gave her a devious grin.

((Summary: Melody broke free of the chain and is now searching Asmo's home for water... And possibly his chainsaw.))

 

[MiraMirror]

Miru aimed to get away from Thomas and Eros as quickly as possible, stopping after a while to allow Kino to catch up to him.

"H-hey! What's so important about this bar, anyways?!"

"I get a feeling that there's someone we'll meet there, that's all. And my intuition hasn't been wrong yet, so I'm going for it. Whether or not you come along is up to you, but I think being stuck with me is a better idea than going with those two, don't you?" Miru pointed his finger in the direction they had just come from.

"Besides, there's bound to be some kind of protection when we try to get there, and I could use some help with it if we get stopped, you know. Of course, you could try finding your own way around this place, but I'd recommend against it...."

He continued walking, letting his memory and "intuition" lead him.

Summary: Miru does a poor job of explaining why they're heading to the bar. and the pair escapes from Thomas and Eros.

 

[Kitti]

The child all but ran away from the pair of them while Eros watched his retreating form with a grim smile on her face. Cheeky little brat, but she'd not wanted to shoot such a scrap of a child so she was glad that he'd been convinced to flee. Eros's gaze flicked to her father's face and she replaced her pistol to where she'd drawn it from, somewhere in the folds of her peasant clothing. Perhaps the baggy gray rags were why the boy hadn't been intimidated? As if she had any idea, nor any cause to dwell on it any further.

It was the most pessimistic, as well as realistic, prediction that there was no town. Thomas was likely saying it to scare away the boy, but Eros felt somewhere deep in her chest that it was likely the truth. Without hesitating any further in the hostile barren land, Eros and Thomas set course once more for the village that they had been heading for since this morning. There had been a person in this town, Thomas had told his daughter, that might be able to provide them with a little information regarding the creature whose feather was the only trinket that they had from their prey. Rather, there had been a hand penned book of lore kept by one of the inhabitants.

As they approached the town, though, the forbidding predictions that they had about the town seemed to be confirmed. Before they could see anything, the scent of smoke and charred wood assailed their nostrils, as well as a more acrid scent of other things having been burnt that ought not have been burnt intermingling with the sweet smell of alfalfa that had been touched by the fire. The breeze did not carry the warmth of a fire, meaning that the source was not currently burning or had been burning recently. The smell must be coming from a recent fire, but it had been out for at least half a day.

"The town is destroyed" Eros said, a timbre of lament in her voice. "Still, if it was a book... it might still be here, among the ruined structures. There's no harm in looking through." They were close enough now to see the blackened frames of houses and watch the wind sweep ash into the air. While the sight caused a lump in Eros's throat, it was becoming and more and more common scene anymore.
​

 

[Fel of the Eternal Forest]

Fel and the Gang; the Northern Wastes

The sudden silence stretched ad infinitum. Even the new kid, Zypher, was quiet. Perhaps hatred for Azazel was intuitive?


"Well, then. If none of you deign answer me, I suppose I shall move on. I haven't really got time for any rousing speeches, so I won't give one. Kestrel, if you will follow me? And Weavil and Collie, too I suppose. I'll leave you all then, to your silence."



So – perhaps he'd play a game with them. If they were willing to follow, he'd be willing to lead. They were all fish out of water in a new world, and though he supposed the earl and his ward had been here longest, he knew they wouldn't exactly lead. And if they didn't follow? Well, this land was pretty much devoid of human life, but there are much more dangerous things as humanity. Perhaps this... Grandmaster... Could survive out here, but Zypher? No, he has a bard's spirit, not a warriors.


Deliberately he walked towards where he had sensed the third man. "Worrisome, is it not? That a man refuses to show his face, even when called out? I've seen a great deal of different men and women, and weapons. Hell, I even attempted to murder Azazel himself, at one point. If you think you can be intimidating by skulking about, you're dead wrong."



He turned northward, then his trio of wards following him, following a game trail that went vaguely north-northwest.

 

[Woodrat]

[DASH=white]
The Eastern Kingdom: Nerf City

The crackdown began, Was noticed a distinct change in the atmosphere after the last fight with Jahrakal Pythor. From excitement the mood in the crowd shifted toward fear and panic. Was quickly noted why when he caught a glimpse of the exits. Eastern Kingdom soldiers stood at the exits with their weapons in hand.

At a lost for what to do Was pondered changing his outward appearance to that of one of the guards. It'd take some energy to shift shape but it could be possible. Was scanned the uniforms and committed them to memory. He disregarded it when he considered his satchel. It wasn't a hologram but instead real, he couldn't hide it, nor did he want to get rid of it. Was was jostled by the crowd again, they were shoving against the soldiers at the exits. Evidently no one wanted to be jailed for attending an illegal cage fight.

Looking toward the cage that was now descending to the ground, Was noted a suspiciously familiar looking man flanked by royal guards. Was frowned, trying to place the name within the erased and corrupted compartments of his mind. Jake Shad? Jackob Shadow? Jake Shade? Whoever it was, they were of some importance, as the crowd gave him and his entourage a wide berth. Was noted the signet on his chest, Azazel.

"Not worth it" Was muttered, the risk of being discovered in jail would be too much. Just then there was a commotion at one of the exits. A cage fighter had someone slipped out of the Fighter's training room and knocked back the soldiers at one exit. In a deft move he rushed past the incapacitated soldiers to freedom. Immediately the crowd of former spectators surged toward the exit before the soldiers could react, sweeping them either aside or underfoot. Was found himself uncomplainingly going with the flow.

[Summary: Jack Shade springs his trap, crowd breaks through the soldiers at one exit and as a mass rush towards the exit. Was stays within the crowd hoping to escape.]
[/DASH]

 

[Zypher]

Zypher was shocked when he was yanked back suddenly. Apparently he wasn't going in the correct direction but the woman, Kestral was it, was the one to retrieve him. He just hoped that she hadn't seen his Lunar Blade strapped to the small of his back. He was enjoying them viewing him not as a threat and if they saw that things might be a bit more tense, instead he stumbled back a little with the yank and turned his direction towards the others, including the hulking tank of what appeared to a man, certainly there weren't any people like him back home in Islensk.

For a while everyone went quiet and a small smirk played across Zypher's lips as he listened to Fel speak as he plodded away. Zypher chased after, leaving anyone who was staying behind, he wasn't ready to wander off on his own quite yet and at least Fel and his group seemed slightly friendly, oh the stories he would have to tell when he got back to Reykjavik. Maybe he could tell some stories at the local taverns around this land too! Shaking the thoughts he made sure to follow in the shadow of Kestral, trailing just a bit behind her. It seemed like they were going to get a move on and it was about time too! The icy winds whipping through the trees and frost covered brush wasn't getting any warmer, he'd hate to see how it would be late at night, especially for these others who didn't seem to be familiar with the cold weather.

 

[Karsikan the Berzerker]

Umbra started to stand but found a white paw pressed gently against her lips, The Emperor spoke again in the language of cats, but this time, she could almost understand him. "Sleep now Neko-jin, and know that when you wake, this nightmare will be over." Her eyeslids grew heavy, and she slumped over into the snow, only to be carried away moments later, by two fatcat's that he'd previously ordered to come for this very reason. Their destination wasn't far off, one of the few Imperial bastions in the area, and within a few moments they had arrived. She was left in the care of the vets of the Felis Astartes, the order of feline warriors descended of the first Cat-Emperor. If there was a cure for her affliction, or even a way to bring her some peace, they would find it.

The Emperor retired to his quarters for a time and slumped gracelessly onto a cushion, he was already fatigued with beaurocrats pulling him this way and that, as if he was an avenue to their own power. His reprieve was brief however, as one of his agents informed of a gathering of humans in the fields, dangerously close to their current position

Astartes Autosenses easily picked out the man, in what he believed to be a concealed position, but the temperature difference between himself and the surrounding environment made his location obvious "Assassin perhaps?" he asked Fel "Or perhaps Spies," he turned, and twin orbs of eldritch blue pierced through to Nic's position. "No, both would be hidden better, this one is a soldier." he turned back to Fel, positioning himself so that he could keep his eyes on both the man he addressed, and the soldier in the bushes, and removed his helmet. "I apologize for my silence earlier, my thoughts were elsewhere. I must ask though, who are these two you mentioned, Megane and Azazel?" He tried to play off the typical astartes aloofness, but he couldn' avoid making a loose fist with his stormbolter hand, just in case.

 

[Fel of the Eternal Forest]

Fel halted his strange procession. It was his turn for an awkward silence. His eyes turned vaguely reptilian, the skin around them briefly gaining scales. Slowly turning toward the Grandmaster, he spoke, an undertone of malice coated throughout.



"Who, you ask, are Megane and Azazel? Why, the cancer of this land, Iwaku. Or, at least, two pieces of it. It cannot be excised without taking down Azazel, and through his influence you see what has happened to this land. This area never used to be this cold. Six months ago or in the forgotten future.



There were two rulers that I have seen in this land before Azazel, prince Asmodeus and a man curiously named GabrielZero. Or simply Gabe, it didn't matter to him. There was another man, Paorou who also tried to usurp the throne, but he fell to the very blade he once possessed. This blade, named after the very land in which we stand, held infinite power. We don't know how he came to possess this item, for when he struck Paorou down they both carried the same weapon.


After he took down Paorou, he came for the future ruler of this land, Asmodeus. By all accounts, that rotten bastard is dead too, but I cannot follow that with evidence.


Seeking better control, he divided the land in four, we stand in the fourth and weakest region, ruled by a simple charlatan named Megane."



He turned back the way he was headed, his eyes once again flashing to more reptilian features. Why did that happen, anyways?


" is that enough detail? Or need I spill it a little more."

[SPOILI]Endry explains in detail the previous events.[/SPOILI]

 

[Captain Nic]

The Northern Wastelands - Imperial Staging Zone

As he shifted through the snow, Nic realized that these visitors have been made aware of his presence almost immediately even as he kept silent. Good, he thought. They should keep on their feet when a Teknikan is going to come and try to kill them. Other ideas were spinning inside Nic's head - he probably would've enjoyed tricking these natives with a holographic emitter and disguising as a hermit or a wanderer, but alas. No orders to engage yet, and he doesn't even have the holo-emitter option. All he could do is pay attention to these visitors' movements - he didn't want to gorge them in a flurry of ice right in their faces, amusing as it may seem. Teknikans in the Empire had the potential to be gentlemen, regardless of standing or origin, after all.

One of them, the man in giant armor specifically, had noted Nic's position and his manner of hiding.

Nic whispered to himself as he listened, "This is getting embarrassing." The situation had reversed almost immediately; where he had intended to slowly reveal himself, his targets waited for him like they were expecting some sort of rendezvous.

There were two rulers that I have seen in this land before Azazel, prince Asmodeus and a man curiously named GabrielZero. Or simply Gabe, it didn't matter to him. There was another man, Paorou who also tried to usurp the throne, but he fell to the very blade he once possessed. This blade, named after the very land in which we stand, held infinite power. We don't know how he came to possess this item, for when he struck Paorou down they both carried the same weapon.

Now, another one of them started to tell stories. Nic found himself unable to resist listening, even as he shifted behind the trunk of a snow-covered tree. The mention of Paorou and the weapons he and Azazel wielded in their duel resounded in all the corners of Nic's mind. A glimpse of a memory struck him - so fixated was he on the battle, that Nic never bothered to look into the details. All he knew was that Paorou, the one he called brother, had been defeated. He thought, this man at least lacks the ignorance to say that Paorou was killed. The tale teller continued, but Nic started growing impatient as well.

And now, it was time.

With a rustle, and a sound not unlike that of falling gravel, Nic stood, held Pax Imperia solely with his right hand, and strode beyond the cover of the tree that sheltered him. He raised his helmet's visor, which opened up its face guard, giving Nic a whiff of cold air. He'd ask these visitors if they've ever seen a Teknikan before, but that was not what he was here for. His grim face, complemented by his jet black helmet and vest, and the navy blue of his flight suit, as well as the weapon he wielded, was now there for everyone to see.

Perhaps his voice would draw their attention.

Nic gave a loud proclamation with a tone worthy of a speech uttered before battle. "Riveting tales and rather superhuman feats of alertness, all told."

He stopped momentarily to introduce himself.

"I am Nic, Captain of the Grand Empire of Teknika. We may not seem befitting of our title now, but you are all standing on Teknikan ground, and I must assume you've never seen my kind before."

The next thing that came out of Nic's mouth would raise the visitors' hairs, depending on how hard their hearts were.

"Normally, we would strike you, all of you, down, and cover up the remains, for any act of trespassing; however, I am required to act with mercy. You say you mean no harm. That's great. But for what purpose do you come here?"

He turned his head slowly to observe the gathered band and toned down his voice, remembering that one of these people claimed that he tried to kill Azazel. "I know we both have an enemy in common, and the Empire would extend its hand, but we cannot simply trust anyone to wander into our cordons uninvited."

Would you like to know more?

Nic failed a hide check; that's what he gets for not being a rogue. Still, he reveals himself and asks Fel and co. why they are in this part of the Wastes.

 

[Radames]

Southern Cross, the town of Anton

Rameses was ready to get out of the wretched little town, but there was still the all-to-important matter of stocking up on provisions to deal with first. At first he doubted there was anywhere in such a desolate place that might sell the supplies he needed, but surprisingly it turned out there was a small general store of sorts that he managed to find on the far side of town.

The place didn't seem too promising at first sight. From outside, it looked just like all the other ramshackle lean-tos that served for buildings in this town; boards nailed together with other pieces of wood, sheets of corrugated tin, and other random materials, none of which were particular suitable for building. The store was slightly longer and taller than the other shanties, but no less weathered by the scouring desert winds. It seemed doubtful it would contain anything he could use. However, since there was nowhere else he could go to get what he needed, Rameses proceeded to enter the cobbled-together shack through the hanging tarp that served as its front door.

After his eyes adjusted to the sudden darkness of coming out of direct sunlight, he saw that the building consisted of a single large room, filled with mostly barren wooden shelves packed tightly together under the low ceiling. Along one of the shorter walls was a counter, behind which stood a youngwoman. Just like the man in the saloon, she was dressed in simple clothing that appeared desperately in need of repair and a good washing. She regarded Rameses at first with suspicion and perhaps a little fear, but that quickly subsided to be replaced with the dull, listless stare that seemed to be the standard in this town. He didn't bother to greet her or ask for service, as he assumed he would probably just be ignored again. Instead, he began investigating the shelves, hoping he could quickly find what he needed and get out of that drab, lifeless place.

Food and water were the two necessities he would require before he could return to the plains, so he trained his eyes for any sign of those things. Walking down the narrow aisle between two of the sets of shelves, Rameses' gazed roamed over them for a few moments before he spotted a lone bag of some glossy, clear material he was unfamiliar with. Since the bag was transparent, he could see its contents, which looked like a single loaf of pale brown bread. Picking it up to inspect it, he felt the softness of the bread in his hand and was surprised. The bread he was accustomed to was baked to an almost rock-like hardness, not helped by the copious amounts of grains of sand that usually found there way into the dough. Such was the case in his homeland, but he had to remind himself he was now very far away from home.

Examining it further, he saw no spots of mold or other signs of spoiling, so he decided he would take the bread with him on his journey. He took the strange bread up to the counter and set in down on the rough wooden surface. The girl looked at him with a listless, slightly annoyed expression. Rameses stood there for a moment, wondering why she was not allowing him to make his purchase, and then he remembered he had not offered her any currency in exchange. Now that he had realized his error, he nervously searched his person for something he could offer as payment. He had no coins with him, but luckily he still possesed some golden jewelry he had been wearing before he was transported to this land. He quickly removed a pair of gold earrings from his ears and then added a bracelet shaped like a coiled cobra for good measure, placing the metal objects on the counter next to the bag of bread. The girl gawked down at the pieces of gold for second, then hurriedly nodded and snatched them up. Rameses had no idea what the gold would be equivalent to in this place's currency, and it occurred to him he might have just been swindled, but he had no time to barter for goods at that moment, so he said nothing.

That still left the matter of securing water for his journey. "Do you have water as well?" he asked her, slightly surprised by the sound of his own voice after having been silent for so long. The girl jerked a thumb towards the back of the building, indicating he could find water outside. Rameses left through the covered entry without so much as a thank you, and the young woman said nothing in kind. Circling around behind the store, he wondered if she had just lied to get him to leave when he saw no well. Instead, there was a curved, crooked metal pipe jutting up from the parched earth. A rusted tin pail sat at its base, suggesting that water indeed could be obtained from this object Looking uncertainly at this new wonder, Rameses approached it cautiously, then prodded it with a single finger. There was a handle of shorts on the back of the spigot, so he tested it, raising and lowering it once. Suddenly, water began to pour from the spout, startling him. Unsure what exactly was happening, but realizing the device was somehow pumping water up from below the earth, he placed the pail under the sprigot and proceeded to pump the handle several more times. The pail quickly filled up, and Rameses took the waterskin tied to his waist and filled it from the water in the pail.

Dazzled by how such a scarecely inhabited and seemingly unadvanced settlement could be host to such marvels, Rameses turned his mind to thoughts of his journey, deciding he should leave soon now that he had secured that which would sustain him in his travels. Still, he thought, it might be a good idea to rest now while he had a chance. Walking back over to the shop, he settled down into a small shaded area produced by a piece of the tin roof that protruded over the side of the building and sat in the dirt, reclining his head against the outer wall and closing his eyes.

Summary: Rameses finds the general store in Anton and buys some supplies. He decides to rest near the building for a little while.

 

[LadyHarpy]

After having napped for a few hours, Harpy had awoken a little disoriented. That was what she got for falling asleep before marking the direction that she was traveling in. She did not know if the winds that could carry her had changed direction or if they were still blowing as they had before, making her wonder if it would be a good idea to even fly at all. She also noticed that the feeling of being followed had vanished, at least for that moment, and she decided to back track, possibly throwing off her pursuers even more so by getting behind them and possible taking to the ground. Even if she did this she could not guarantee that they were close by or if she was even being followed at all. She blamed her feelings mostly on the world around her, it becoming stranger and larger each day. It could be possible the lack of communication with other creature was making her lonely and there fore thinking that she was being followed.

With a flap of her wings and a determined look in her eye she took to the sky once more in search of some actual people. She could not hide in the forest forever and she could not let this strange fear of being followed keep her from confidently making friends. She would go insane in this place if she did not find a person to talk with soon! Much to her luck though she seemed to find someone, or someones in this case. She headed down into the trees, far off from them so she would not be seen. The last time she had approached a person right out of the blue that had run in fear, thinking her to be a demon want to eat there soul. That of course was many months ago, much longer than she could count. She decided to keep a large distance between the pair and herself, tucking herself tightly together so she could at least try to hide behind a tree.

It seemed to be a family pair. An older man whom she assumed to be the father and a daughter. Of course, their expressions were on the confusing side. They seemed far to serious and calm to be family, usually family laughed and joked together, even in tough time. She did not question it much more though, this was a strange world after all. She could not assume that it would be just like her home when she was awake...or asleep. She could not really tell anymore.

Summary: Harpy, having gotten disoriented after a long nap decides to toss her worries and fears of followers to the wind and head back where she had come from, ironically running into the very people who she had been trying to avoid. She does not approach them right away though and just watches instead, not wanting to scare them off like she had done so many times before.

 

[Neko Archy]

[DASH=Red]"I'll come with you..."

Kino brushed some hair out of her face, now that their flight had slowed down.
"...This place is still new to me. And while it's nice, I don't think I should go it alone..."
She picked up the pace a bit, so that she was walking alongside Miru.
"Just...try not to get in any fights, okay?" Kino wraps her arms around herself, looking away from Miru.
"It's not that I can't help you in them...It's just...the powers I have aren't good. All they do is destroy things, in fire and ice."

Kino glanced back over her shoulder at the boy she was travelling with. "If I use them, to help you fight...I'll probably just end up hurting you."[/DASH]

Summary: Kino and Miru keep on walking through the forest. It seems the girl has some powers, but is scared of them. Then again, you probably knew that already.

 

[Vay]

Her offer of shelter was appealing but his was feeling sturdier, stronger. As if his body were accepting him. His eyes followed her and the thoughts. She was concerned and yet somehow distracted and Vay squared his shoulders raising a hand. "I can't rest I.."

He couldn't hope to try to make her understand the sense of urgency that he felt, he didn't understand it himself. He shook his head and to reassure her, or perhaps himself he raised his hand and placed it lightly on Knives' cheek.

"I was placed here for a reason. She wants me to do something. I can't ask you to come with me if you're happy here." he closed his hand drawing it away. "But I can't stay."

There was the sound of wings flapping and from the tree line a bird of prey soared up in defiance of the scavengers it's shrill cries echoing through the trees before it glided down in a lazy circle alighting on Vay's shoulder nipping his ear lightly with it's beak.

He had seen it once before, on the airship it's presence unmistakable. "Hey there, good to see you made it." he had no idea what kind of bird it was or where it came from but has glad to have it around, like a guide.

Vay indirectly asks Knives to go with him politely refusing her offer of shelter.

 

[Acquariana]

Stefani's Spell

O, Parche Míe,
Die'no ichiru meu,
Fata'na mea'na cangieí,
Cono itaru baso
Me libere,
Si me rompu incluso
In mille'na piese'na
Coru meu separatu
Poteru meu itu

Translation of my random made-up language spell:
Oh, my Parcae*
Goddesses of my existence,
May you change my fate,
May this destination
Free me,
Even if I get shattered
Into a thousand pieces
My heart separated
My power gone
(*Roman name for the three Goddesses of Fate)​

EASTERN KINGDOM – 15 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF NERF CITY


The words of Stefani's spell reverberated in Acqua's head as she slowly came to. The air was misty, a slight breeze drifting through the landscape. A soft drizzle fell upon the flowering flora, its noise overpowered by the song of birds. In the distance there was a confluence of two brooks into a river flowing down from a mountain far in the distance. The scene was extremely unfamiliar to the girl, who had either lived in the city or overlooking the sea her whole life. Where the heck am I? Was I not just in Tolu earlier? And why am I thinking in this strange tongue?

The place's beauty was something she had never witnessed before: that of something seemingly untouched by man. I wonder if this is what Tolu used to look like. Acqua got up, using the inside of her jacket to try wipe the makeup that was smearing on her face from the rain. She soon wandered about, looking in amazement at the bright flowers, glistening with rain droplets. I wonder if Cassandra went somewhere as pretty as this. A frown showed on her face for a slight instant before she returned to excitement, a light in her dark eyes that was absent since Cassandra's passing.

And that was when the clouds burst open. A ray of sunlight struck the meadow as she walked toward a brook, illuminating her personal paradise. She let loose her now disobedient locks, the product in them washed out by the rain long before she came to. The once bright flowers now shone in hues more vibrant than the girl had seen in her whole life, the sparkling water clearer than the murky depths of her polluted planet. However, this did not nearly reflect what she felt deep inside.

Even if the rain had gotten worse, her feelings would still make the world shimmer in her eyes. She had the biggest grin she had ever dared to make in her life. Tears of joy streamed down her face, only making her makeup problem worse, but she didn't care. She felt the wings in her heart stir again, her inner voice regain the strength that her cruel world drained her of long ago. She was free, free from the darkness, free from the despair and dejection of her cold society. For, in her new world, there was light. In her new world, there was hope. In her new world, there was her true beginning, her true birth. The once caged bird's wings spread as she joined the others in song in her native tongue, throwing off her jacket and fluttering to a brook. For this precious instant, the world seemed to sing with her. Without realizing it, she had already fallen in love with what was mostly missing from this chaotic land.

Summary: Acqua comes to and realizing that she's not in her home planet anymore, acts upon this out of relief and joy by crying then singing. --Insert romanticized imagery and figurative language to reflect her emotions here--

 

[Asmodeus]

Southern Cross - The Town of Anton​

​

THRWRRRROOOOM!

A shadow passed over Rameses' head and the sand was kicked up in a great swirl around the shop. The shacks of Anton trembled slightly and dogs started barking.

There was a clunk. Something had touched down in the street on the other side of the shop. There was another clunk. Something had been opened and closed.

From where he was sitting, Rameses noticed a tall, coated man wearing a sugegasa hat enter the shop. His features were obscured by the shadow of the hat and the wide sunglasses he wore. He dropped a cigarette as he stepped inside.


Within the shop, Asmodeus came to a halt between the ramshackle wooden shelves. The girl at the counter was shoving something in her pocket. She glanced at him nervously. He stared at her, then stared back at the shelves. Then he made a few clicking noises. Click click click.

Melody's hat was too small. It was giving him a headache. He had his hands in his coat pockets, one fondling the tape recorder while the other gripped the scalpel. He squeezed it tighter and walked to the counter.

The girl stared at him.

Asmodeus stared back.

His face subsided into a beaming smile. "Top of the morning, Marci! How's the world treating you?"

The girl burst into a fit of giggles. "Well good morning, Ben. Long time no see!"

"Oh, you know me, Marci. Always keeping myself busy. Idle hands are the devil's playground, as they say." He removed his sunglasses and winked at her.

"Well, no one could accuse you of being idle, Ben. I heard you helped Mrs Stevens with her cabbage patch the other morning?"

"Guilty as charged. The poor dear would've broken her back with all that ploughing. Who would'a thought you could grow cabbages in a desert! That woman's a marvel, I tell you."

"And then old Mr Saunders with his roof? I heard you carried those panels all the way up the ladder yourself?"

He leant on the counter. "Well, as my good mother, God rest her soul, once told me: a man has strength in his arms and mud in his brain, but there ain't no shade without trees."

Marci shook her head and started getting some supplies down from a shelf. "You are a character, Ben! Will it be the usual? Pint of milk and a pack of custard creams."

"Oh, you know me too well, Marci." He took off his hat and twirled it. "Oh, and say... do you have any Triple A batteries?" He waved his tape recorder in the other hand. "The old dict-a-ma-phone has given up the ghost, I'm afraid."

"Still up to your amatuer dramatics, I see?" Marci nodded at the hat as she retrieved some milk from the cooler.

"Indeedily-do. A rendition of Madame Butterfly - have you seen it?"

"I never get your references, dear."

"Well anyway, I was recording a scene the other night. Checking my inflection, you see? And the tape recorder just dies, like POOF! - all of a sudden! I got it from George Winley - y'know, the butcher's son from Iniquity?"

"Oh yes. I heard he got that shapeshifter pregnant?"

"Well, I'm not one to gossip. But I swear, this tape recorder could suck the life out of a corpse!"

Marci chuckled again and rummaged through a basket, pulling out a dusty old pack of batteries. "Ah, here we are - Triple A, Duracell. It's got the little bunny on it as well."

"Marci, you are a star!" Asmodeus hugged her as he passed the batteries to him, giving an affectionate squeeze. "How much do I owe you?"

"Oh, no bother Ben. You helped me put up these shelves last winter, so it's the least I can do."

"Well, let me bring a basket of eggs from Mrs Stevens next week. I insist." He donned his sugegasa hat again and twinkled a smile. It made the girl giggle as she passed him his milk and cookies.

"You're an angel, Ben. You know that?"

Asmodeus pocketed the batteries and food, not missing a beat. "Aw chucks. You take care now, hun!"

He spun on his heel.

He donned his sunglasses.

His face became dead again.

He moved for the door.










[SUMMARY: Asmodeus buys some batteries.]

 

[Blind Hemingway]

[BG="black"]Thomas Irving [/BG]

[BG="black"]Thomas looked around. Unlike Eros, he remained emotionless. Death was no longer something he cared to focus on. It was a fact of this world. Everything had a breaking point at some point, even the world itself...

Thomas parked the motorcycle in the remains of the town. Everything had been leveled to the ground. Where the citizens of this town supporters of the resistance? Probably not. Azazel had proven himself to run a father knows best state. All of his princes were trained to attack a village that slipped up. Almost anything could have provoked an attack. Especially this close to the border.

From the ashes of the former town there was a sickly-sweet, deeply unpleasant smell. It was almost like brunt beef or lamb. This was the stench of human flesh.

In his experience, Thomas could say that it smelt like charcoal. A really sweet, acrid, lingersin-your-nose-forever charcoal. It smelt so strong that it almost a taste. One would feel nauseated if they smelt it - Thomas certainly gagged the first time he ever smelt it. And when it came to ab appetite - forget about it. One can't eat anything for a while whilst that sense is still in one's head. Your tongue folds against the roof of your mouth as if to block your gullet.

Thomas handed Eros a cloth from his pocket. "Wear it." He ordered.

He then wrapped a cloth around his face as well. It did little to block all the smells but at least it was a barrier.

"We need to find that book the old man informed us of."

Eros then withdrew a notebook from her saddle bag. She was a studious woman, always keeping track of the conversations that her and her father had with locals and others for records.

"The address was 1756 Anne Bonney Lane." Eros said.

They had no idea what this book looked like, outside that one old man had said that the locals of this town had kept records of the strange bird that they were currently hunting....

[/BG]