The Maleficarum - IC Thread

[Bears]

SEBASTIAN RUTHERFORD

The early signs of winter were showing all around him. The treeline above him was thinner and the forest ground underneath him had become colorful with fallen autumnal leaves. Sebastian stared at his hand as he walked, the sounds of brittle branches cracking underneath his boots. It had never been proven if seasons and magic were related to each other, but Sebastian knew that his powers felt different in the winter. They felt stronger. Which was a good thing in his mind.

The Resistance had been struggling the worse they ever had as of late. Out of the original ten strongholds they held, only five remained. The last stronghold they lost was a few months ago, down in Georgia. He had realized that trying to defend that base was a suicide mission for their already diminutive forces. They had no other choice but to call the retreat. The journey north had been rough for what remained of the southern Resistance and it's been a long time since he's heard any good news. In fact, it seemed like the longer time passed the stronger the templars became. Needless to say he was troubled.

Sebastian eventually came to a hill and quietly climbed it. Waiting at the top, he found a woman resting against her motorcycle. Her hair was jet black, cut short and tousled and her arms were tautly crossed underneath her chest. When she turned towards him he was met with a pair of amber eyes. Leona.

"Took you long enough. Are you always this late to these things?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing into a glare he's grown used to seeing. His lips curved into a sly grin in response as he rose his hands in defense.

"I'm never late - you're just early." He replied with a wink. Sliding a pack of cigarettes out from his jacket as he approached her, he glanced down the other side of the hill at the long lone highway cutting straight through the mountains. His eyes turned back to meet Leona's. "Nyx radioed me earlier though. She went ahead and got into position."

"Light my cigarette for me?" he asked. At first the woman rolled her eyes at the request but she lifted one index finger as she turned to look away. At the tip of her finger, a small fire manifested from thin air and Sebastian leaned over and lit it. Afterwards he stood straight and turned his eyes back on the road.

"So is blowing these armored convoys to hell not an option...or?" Leona asked as she joined him looking down at the road. He laughed softly, shifting weight to one of his legs as he crossed his arms whilst offering her a look.

"The first one, maybe. But try not to catch the last two in the cross fire alright? My source say that the last two convoys have important, highly flammable valuables." Leona turned to him and glared once more but he kept his attention on the road. "They should be coming soon, we'd best get into position."

"Well your source better be right. Either way we're keeping score on who kills the most templars and loser buys drinks." Leona declared confidently as she turned to walk back towards her motorcycle. "Hope you got enough money to get me something good, Seb."

Sebastian chuckled as he watched over his shoulder Leona, slipping on her helmet and driving off into the woods. Good thing she was still in good spirits he thought. Tying a handkerchief over his mouth, he turned and headed down as well. The good news the Resistance was waiting for needed to be in one of those convoys, or else they might not even make it through winter regardless of spirits.

 

[Ythania]

It was so dark.

The convoy was a rattling, bumpy ride of blood, sweat and fear. There were no windows, only a speaker into the back for the drivers to bark orders at the so-called precious cargo. A small group of people were shackled to the walls - two low-set benches for the prisoners to sit on, cramped against each other in such a small space one wouldn't think it was late autumn in the slightest as the restlessness and panic of the passengers heated the box. Every so often in the gloom someone coughed or sobbed in the stifling heat, but one silhouette seemed different from the others.

The woman was pressed right near the front of the truck against the wall and another passenger she couldn't quite make out, but instead of trembling like a caught hare she was reclined as much as she could and softly hummed to herself. Of course, the others might've seen her as they were pressed into this cage-on-wheels; she smiled but there was no warmth in those broken, soulless eyes. Clearly, she was a lady who had experienced something quite horrible based on the defeated shambling gait that she took when she was forced into the truck, but the smile, the indifference and complete lack of fear was enough to make her stand out. She had simultaneously given up and decided not to give the Templars the satisfaction of seeing her scared.

Her name was Aysu Manami, but nobody knew her here. Those who did were taken from her by the Templars, save for her beloved grandfather - Aysu hoped she left no trace of her disappearance and cut enough ties to keep him safe. Despite it all, he had to be safe, she could not die in vain, not like this. Either way, he was destined to be wracked with grief - his wife, children, and only grandchild ripped from him in a heartbeat. But at least you're alive Granddaddy, at least you're okay, she tried to project her thoughts through the sheet metal, across the hundreds of miles towards that old pale blue house where she hid away in her imagination. Aysu was not here - she was a child again, she was on the beach in Guadeloupe, she skipped through the ferns with streams of shimmering water on her heels like little terriers. She was hugging her parents in her mind's eye and she knew that, sooner or later, she'll end up joining them.

There was no proof they were dead but if any mage goes missing in these troubled times then you were better off expecting the worst. Just taking the cast in the convoy was proof was enough to solidify the intolerable truth - Aysu Manami was going to die. She changed her tune and started humming something else, her voice gentle and low in the rumble of the convoy. There was something incredibly relaxing about it all; no more running and hiding away, no more of the constant anxiety that made every mage in the world into a light sleeper, jumping at shadows and bangs in the dark. Just a group of people in the truck, one shot in the head and that was that. Sorted.

Maybe that's the way it was meant to be. She wasn't entirely religious but Aysu had a feeling that her life was planned out from start to finish. Why else would she have such an unusual power, even for a mage? She had never met another person capable of doing what she was doing, and she had resolved to never give the Templars a chance to examine her skills and spellwork. If they wouldn't kill her, she would find a way and resist until they had to put her down. It was so mind-numbingly simple and incredibly comforting...she only wished that nobody else had to die.

She couldn't will herself to speak to the others. What was there left to say? Every time a word came out of someone's mouth, it ripped another piece of Aysu's resolve away from her - the pleading, the regrets, the grim resignation...she tried to ignore all of it, tried to pretend it was all okay when she knew they were one car ride away from a slaughter. In her mind she went back to the beach and sat in the sand, poking crabs and taking in the stifling heat of the truck like the humid warmth of her Caribbean sunshine.

 

[Wolfsin]

How pointless?

Marius could hear every single sound of each and every chain coil as it bounced off the steel seat. His hands were bound around him in thick chains, and his throat had a single chain around it that allowed just enough slack for him to breathe freely and hang his head. A mop of sweaty black hair covered his face and the powerful eyes as he glared at the dark cell. "Even the darkness betrays me now." Marius mumbled under his breath. For so long darkness, solitude had been the only solace for him. Hell in many ways Marius was even more terrified of the light, only because with the light all of the normal people were around... threats... more ticks on his wall for those that would try and weasel their way in and ultimately be killed. This was of course the pattern Marius had come to know.

Even now Marius realized just how foolis he was. Trying to be some big shot crime enforcer and expecting that first sign of trouble those bastards wouldn't toss him to the wolves? How naive can one get when they have lived in a world of nothing but fucking betrayal? It was simple... Marius was hoping for some peace... well.. here was the result.

In the back of the car he could hear another girl whimpering. Part of his soul wanted to comfort her, but his soul had become black and red, only tinted in the blood of the innocence he'd stolen. That veil was far too thick now for him to ignore.

"It really is unfortunate... None of you deserve what is going to happen... I am not sure whether I deserve it even.." Marius spoke up, no longer caring for the drivers and how they might punish him. There was no one on this god damn earth that could punish him anymore. His hands were blood stained, his eyes were cold as killers, and he'd become complacent with the sad truth; so much that even before that voice would speak to him he knew what was to come. The patterns were all too easily tracked. "Don't worry when the templars come for all of us... just know that every single one of them are going to die. If nothing else take comfort in the fact that they will all die with us...." Marius raised his head and looked to each of them. "The sad truth... is even though I don't want to... I am going to kill every one of you... and the templars... I wish I could choose... but well.. that isn't the case..." Marius was smiling, sadistically as if his way of thinking, his alternative death for them was some god given mercy. Marius in logical mind knew better but how else would he convince himself he wasn't a demon among men?

[BCOLOR=#808080]"Sweet Marius, you are such a sweet child... It will all be over soon... I wont let them hurt you...."[/BCOLOR]

Marius twitched as the familiar voice entered his mind and his smile faded. A single tear rolled down his cheek; hidden by the darkness. Marius responded to nothing in a low sullen whisper.

"I know you wont...That is what scares me..."

 

[Periwinkle]

The sound of feet gently tapping against the floor was all she really heard, aside from what was made by the Convoy. She didn't like all the silence, it didn't scare her, it just made her feel like she was slowly going insane. Someone had been humming, and of course there was the occasional sound of distress- But otherwise, it was just herself and her feet. The chains that held her hands together would jolt from time to time due to the sudden movement of the vehicle, sometimes so harsh it would cut into her skin. Thankfully it wasn't enough to make her bleed, that would've been weird for not only her, but everyone else too. Especially the people who were scrunched up next to her.

Jodie was astonished at how many negative emotions that were in the air of this tiny vehicle, it almost made her feel like she was choking in a sense. She couldn't see anyone around her, but she could just feel their... Pain? Sadness? Anger? She honestly couldn't describe it. That made her wonder... Where exactly where they taking them? What would happen to them when they got there? Would there be others besides their group?

Her parents had kept her hidden from most of the dangers in the world, so she didn't really know who the Templars were, and what they did exactly. They thought that she'd never have to deal with those type of people, so they never explained what they were. In all honesty, she'd only heard the name 'Templar' once on the news before her parents turned it off and distracted her from asking questions by taking her out to ice cream. God, it would've been better if they'd just told her, because now who knows what she's gotten herself into and what will happen to her. She wasn't really scared, more confused than anything.

Then, someone began to speak. Their voice deep, almost raspy in a sense. At least to her. Where was he? He sounded so close, almost right next to her, and yet so far. The guy sounded almost like he was insane, which, in this case she kind of understood. Despite not knowing about Templars, she did know that Mages had to be extremely careful in their every day lives. They couldn't be completely normal, and the stress of always having to hide what they could do was extremely stressful. Sometimes, people just can't handle that. Clearly that guy was one of those people.

She felt bad.

None of them deserve what's going to happen? He was going to kill them? She frowned, unsure of what to think. It was terrifying nonetheless, causing her to try and shrink back into the metal seat a little more. Closing her eyes, she let out a soft sigh and tried not to let his words bother her. He couldn't do anything, he couldn't do anything. He just couldn't. People weren't that evil.

​

 

[chaosheart13]

Eclair was quietly smiling as he listened to the noises around him. So, he had been caught at last. He messed up by letting some kid live and tattletale on him when he was using his ice powers on their pet dog. He couldn't help it, he wanted to use them more and more, purely for his whim. His smile faltered a little and he made a tiny noise at a sharp pang in his stomach. Truthfully, while on the run it was hard to find a decent meal and he hadn't eaten for a few...days. He was loathe to admit it, but he was pretty hungry right now. Would the Templars give him one last meal? He hoped so, then he could die in peace.

He listened to the ramblings of the man right next to him, smile returning. "Hmm, what you said is quite interesting," he said, laughing a little and shaking his head, "You, killing us instead of them? I think you're quite mistaken." His hands behind his back shifted a little, as if he was trying to show the other what it was binding them. "I'm not stupid, the technology they have would immediately nullify all our powers like it is doing now. If you say we are to die, then why haven't you killed us and them now, hmm?" He chuckled once more.

"Now the templars, hmmm, how would they kill us? A firing squad while they make sure their technology is with them for protection? Maybe hanging? I wouldn't mind being hanged, it might be an interesting experience." His smile slowly turned into a frown. "I suppose they could lock us up in one of those facilities where they keep other mages, left to starve and rot. But really, would they do that to children even? Hm, maybe, maybe not." The smile returned. "Ah, no use thinking about that, we'll see what comes next, hmm?"

 

[Bears]

SEBASTIAN RUTHERFORD
Twenty minutes later, Sebastian waited alone on the outstretching highway. He stood casually leaned back against his own motorcycle with his arms crossed. His eyebrows furrowed, he methodically scanned everything in his peripheral vision. The hill surrounded both sides of the road aside from deep ditches made for water runoff lining the road. Somewhere along these trenches both Leona and Nyx waited like he did, in silence.

The only thing they needed now as the convoys. Sebastian let out a long tired sigh before he slipped out another cigarette from his pack, this time however he lit it without Leona's finger tip. Magic and the power of one's spells is directly dependent on the mages emotions. Mages who awoke to abilities of wind and fire were the lucky ones in his mind, all they had to do was let their passion and free-will embody them in order to be powerful. The mages who were like him and Nyx? They were the true unlucky ones.

Solemnly, Sebastian took of his jacket and rolled up his sleeve. His eyes glared over the burnt and scarred skin that dotted his forearm and he sighed once more. Taking the cigarette from his lips, he pushed it against an unaffected part of his arm and grunted as he let it burn. Pain. Pain and despair was what made an ice mage stronger, it was what made him stronger. Feeling a distinct almost unnatural cold run throughout his body in a quick wave before focusing in his hands, he dropped the cigarette and ground it into the road. He was ready.

"Convoys are here in five. Prepare yourself." He spoke into the radio piece in his ear.​

Soon the three convoys appeared, the large white vehicles more akin to those used by SWAT than anything else. The official templar insignia, a sword cutting through flame was vibrantly painted on each one. As they grew closer and closer to Sebastian, they blared their deafening horn showing their disregard of where he stood. They were going through. Underneath the hankerchief he cracked a grin.

In one swift movement Sebastain dropped to one knee and swept his hand along the surface of the road. From his hands came a series of almost crystal like spikes of ice that spread out in an arc in front of him, each wave of the spikes growing large in size. His spell stopped the first convoy, the spikes breaking through the windshield and impaling the two templars sitting in the front through their seats.

In reaction four more templars hopped out from the back of the first convoy and began to fire, two on each side of the armored truck. In reaction Sebastian stood quickly and placed his hands up protectively, erecting a barrier of ice between him and flurry of anti-magic bullets. From behind the barrier he exhaled, his breath visible.

Suddenly, a ball of fire flew from the trenches on the left and engulfed the two of the templars. Amidst the chaos, smoke and shouts of gurgling agony Sebastian closed in the distance with the two templars on the right using his ice barrier to smash one against the side of the truck and grabbing the head of the other before he could react.

Mercilessly Sebastian stared into the terrified eyes of the man as his whole head began to become encased in ice. He then pushed him aside, watching as the templar's frozen head shattered into a million of glittering pieces against the road. When he looked up, Leona had shot the two templars driving the second convoy and Nyx, well she was doing her thing to the three templars at the third convoy. ​

​

 

[EpitaphQueen]

"Get out of here!" Nyx exclaimed quietly to a fly that had been buzzing about her head for the last few minutes. Being out in the sunlight was bugging her sensitive blue eyes and the incessant buzzing of the fly was only irritating her further. A small black tendril of shadow trapped the fly and she watched humorously as it was crushed and dropped to the ground, lifeless.

Nyx had been sitting in wait for the convoy for a good half hour, drawing on the solitude that being alone offered. She could feel the power tingling at her fingertips from storing so much power and she longed to let it loose. With no word from Sebastian or Leona she was becoming bored and beginning to feel a bit like an overcharged electrical line just waiting to snap.

"Convoys are here in five. Prepare yourself." Came a voice over the radio. Nyx smiled and stood, drawing the shadows around her. The templars were not meant to see either her nor Leona until it was too late. She watched as they breezed past her, the front truck rapidly honking its horn to try and warn Sebastian to move. They did not realize he was a mage until it was too late. The abrupt stop of the first vehicle almost caused the second to slam into the rear end of the leader. It was then that Nyx turned her attention to the third truck in the convoy.

Before the templars in the third truck could react Nyx had acted. The shadow beneath their vehicle had shifted and now it slowly began crushing the cab of the vehicle, leaving the occupants in the back unharmed. Nyx wanted so badly to cover her ears and block out the sounds of men screaming as they were crushed, but to do so would've made it harder to concentrate. So she listened until every scream died down from the third truck before she released her hold on the magic, leaving a crumpled heap of metal where the cab had once been.

Looking over, she ensured that all other templars were dead before approaching the final truck. She made her way to the back of the vehicle where she waited for Sebastian and Leona to help open the doors.

 

[Wolfsin]

"The fuck are you talking about?"

Marius surely had felt like he were crazy already, but this prim little ice queen had a whole different level of insane to work out. Stating simply how they might be hung, or other foul and detestable ways of dying, the chill coming from this bastard was enough to give even him goosebumps. "You don't know me, and you sure as hell don't know her." To which Marius did not point to anyone in particular. "She doesn't care if you are innocent, She doesn't care if you have power or guns, or ability to stop her, Nothing has stopped her yet. I was blind sided even and still SHE managed to kill three of them!" Marius didn't look up as he spoke it was too easy to show his broken soul through his two different colored eyes. he didn't care to hear anything back from the twisted boy next to him. That persons opinion was alreadya bout as valuable to him as the templars. "If nothing else at lea..."

His words were cut short as a loud crash sounded from outside and his felt his head bounce off the side of the truck, a large gash forming at hi left right temple. The others were in no better condition. However the truck had stopped and they no longer could hear the templars talking in the front.

Marius glanced around him to see the others too were recovering from the initial shock. Blood ran over his face shrouding his vision and causing him a severe head ache. At least all of them were still alive... Wait... No. That was not the right thing to even hope for now. Hell this was when everything was about to go to shit. As he was trying to tell the cold bastard next to him before. Before this he had not been in real danger.... Now.. well...

"Marius. Can you hear me?" Marius knew her voice so well now that he didn't even question his sanity anymore. "I will protect you Marius, every single one of them will dance before my darling little boy." Marius let his head hang again as he waited for what was to come, Dark mist started to creep out from his person. "Marius Im coming.. i am coming for you!" Marius closed his eyes, and the mist crept further and further from him towards the back doors. He couldn't even turn to see what had become of the front all he saw now as darkness.

"Hsssssssss!!!"

A sharp sound resounded in his head, resembling a serpent and something demonic as the womans voice filled his mind once more... "Sickening little witch.... " She hissed... and Marius felt the brunt of that pain in his temple as he tried to concentrate on something besides the pain. he'd never known this feeling or this reaction from her. "You... will not tak .. take him whore!" The woman once again spat the final word as the pain became almost unbearable in his mind, and he felt his own conscious starting to fade.

Whore, Slut, Bitch, Slut, Whore.. Cunt, Slut, BITCH!!!"

Words repeated in his head as he felt like his skin might crawl from him. His body was crawling with what felt like a million tiny spiders nesting and burrowing inside his flesh. And the only thing now that he could turn to... was the darkness.

Marius didn't know it... but a connection between like powered mages was made there... and his protector whoever she was... was not happy about it...

The mist slowly crept inwards back towards Marius even if he didn't realize it.

 

[Periwinkle]

Death seemed to be a popular topic today, apparently. Especially now that someone else had joined in with the other guy. She didn't pay attention to what they were saying particularly anymore, finding that it only messed with her if she tried to listen in and figure out why they were talking about it. She hung her head low, brown hair falling in front of her eyes as she began to think of her parents again. How would they react when they found out that their only child had been taken? Would they try looking for her or just forget about her completely? If they knew who had taken her, then possibly. Though, she wasn't too sure herself. The thought was nerve wracking honestly. If they didn't look for her, then they wouldn't get killed. if they did? Well, she'd feel heart broken. But it'd be better if they're alive rather than dead, either way she'd feel that pain. She shouldn't be thinking about that though, everything would be okay. No one-

Her thoughts had been interrupted as the sound of the men up front began to scream, a metallic crushing noise followed suit. What in the world? Jodie looked up, wondering exactly what was going on. She could really only see the dark figures of the people in the convoy with her, everything that was going on outside was still a mystery. People were screaming outside, but those slowly died out after a few minutes. What happened? She didn't understand, why'd they stop? Were they killed? Oh god, was whoever outside going to take them and torture them and possibly make it worse than what the Templars would've done to them?

Oh boy, she was beginning to feel nervous. Or, more like... Absolutely terrified. Her heartbeat increased, sweat began to form on her forehead. Jodie tried moving her hands, tried moving anything. All she wanted to do was get out, possibly escape, and not have to worry about this ever again. But she couldn't, the chains restricted her from doing pretty much anything.

Despite it being quiet before, everything seemed to be lively now. Honestly, she wanted it to be quiet again, wanted the convoys to start moving and for them to be on their way to wherever the people were originally going to take them...

But, maybe she was wrong. Maybe the people outside were going to save them, not kill them. Though she wasn't too sure at this point, all she could hear was people yelling. Both inside the convoy and outside. Everything else seemed to be a blur. Only time will tell, she guessed. It was a life or death situation, and all she could do was wait. God damn it, she really hoped that these people were there to save the group. She wanted to be able to go back to her parents, to go back to living a semi-normal life. She wanted to get her first boyfriend, to finish college. There was so much more that she needed to do, and dying wasn't an option for a while.

 

[chaosheart13]

Eclair listened quietly to the spiel Marius was saying, that same serene smile on his face. She? Who was this "she?" He wouldn't mind meeting this "she," perhaps to play a game? The boy next to him seemed frightened too as he said that, so whoever this "she" was must have some sort of influential power on her. Hm, perhaps able to bend the Templars to her very whim. Or she could also be one of the resistance. What was it called again? Malefica Resistance? He didn't remember. Oh well.

He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out, for at around that time the truck lurched to a halt, sending flying onto the ground. Oof, well then. He groaned and wiggled in his place a little, trying to get back up. These restraints weren't making it easy for him to do so, he would've much preferred if they were off. But then again, the Templars were the cautious type. With some difficulty, he righted himself up and surveyed the situation at hand. Everyone was just as confused as to what was going on on the outside. The young man blinked in surprise at the screaming, then the ominous silence.

Losing interest, he turned to Marius only to find him nearly passed out. "Oh, well then," he murmured to himself, still keeping a smile on his face, "My my, what seems to be going on? Is there a fight going on outside?" This could be his ticket out, or this could be the road to hell. He, personally, didn't care which path they would take, but he was curious as to what was going on outside.

 

[Bears]

LEONA TALLIS
Leona strode over to the first two templars she blasted, the heels of her boots clicking against the pavement. Her fingers twitched lightly, eager for another quick spark of magic. Out of all the schools fire mages had the most difficult time keeping their abilities in check. Fire doesn't just stop burning out of the blue after all. With a furrowed brow she inspected the first templar, he was dead. The second one however, still breathed. As she approached him she could see that her blast had melted his helmet into the side of his face. He tried to speak but the injuries prevented him and silently Leona shot him. Her hand twitched once more.

"Good job out there." Sebastian suddenly spoke up from behind her, Leona only realized he had been acknowledging Nyx after she turned around. When the man turned back to her he offered her a serious gaze, only one eyebrow raised at her as he spoke. "Four."

She couldn't stifle the chuckle that followed. After she took a moment to wipe her forehead of sweat she shot him a grin and nodded back. "Four."

He laughed softly before he motioned over towards the third truck where Nyx waited for him. He dangled a pair of keys he got from his kill and she shook her head. As if that made him the winner of their small competition. Pfft. Regardless she followed him to the back of the third convoy and offered the other woman an acknowledging nod as they joined her. The short haired amber eyed woman took the lock and cupped them in her hand, feeling the warmth surge through her body until the lock melted off.

"Now lets see what they left us." She spoke hopefully, before swinging the doors open and being stunned for what waited inside the convoy. "Holy..holy shit."

The words were echoed by Sebastian as the three older mages met the eyes of four prisoners clasped in chains. Leona felt a burn in her heart that she knew well. Her eyebrows narrowed and she cursed vulgarly at the thought of the what the templars had intended for these children. She didn't wait for Sebastian to hand her the keys, Leona jumped into the back and grabbed the chains of Jodie and melted them off, careful to not let the burning metal hurt the teenager. Sebastian sighed tiredly before he hopped in second and offered a hand to Nyx to help her in afterwards.

"I got these two." He told her before handing her one of the keys and nodding towards Marius who seemed to take the most punishment during the trip. "You get him."

"Are you alright?" Leona asked the Jodie concernedly, her amber eyes suddenly scanning all the children in the convoy again before she turned back to brunette. "Did they hurt any of you?"

But before she got the chance to reply the sound of the Eclair's chains falling to the ground rattled the convoy.

"Look, I'm sure you all know what kind of people the templars are and what they had in store for you. I have no idea who any of you are," Sebastian spoke up as he begun work on Aysu's chains, his voice loud enough to address all the prisoners. "But the three of us are mages like you - except we are intent on killing templars like them." He nodded over to the front of the convoy, where the cab had been utterly dismantled before he turned back to the chains, his eyebrows furrowed in focus.

"What happens after this is your choice to make however. You can run and try to find home, though I doubt your family will be where they were when you left, or you can come with us. It won't be a picnic in the park however, we will teach you how to fight and kill these bastards and in exchange you pledge your magic to our cause. Either way, the templars won't stop chasing you till your dead or imprisoned." The second pair of chains dropped and he tiredly exhaled as he stood and stretched his back.

"What are all your names?"​

 

[Wolfsin]

"Filthy, Sickening... Slut, Leave, get the hell away from us we do not need you!"

her voice was not its usual, more akin to nails on a chalk board as the harshness scratched inside his head and tore through him like a knife. It caused chills, shivers and Marius was almost unaware by the time the back of the van opened up; mostly because at that time 'she' let out and Ear piercing screech of anger and a string of curses to follow. Only after the nurturing tone of another womans' voice echoed in the back of the van did Marius find the strength to open his eyes and meet those of his captors... A woman with eyes as blue as the sky reached out to him and though he was sure he could hear words they were mumbles against the chaos inside his mind.

"Wait! Don't!" Marius snapped as he noticed the key to his chains. The shadows, though only he could see them licked at his feet and he panicked as the slow realization set in. They weren't captors, These were not the same people that had taken him, no these were saviors... He could tell by the soft coo of the red haired womans voice as she freed the others. That made him worry all the more. "Please wait until everyone else is out." Marius begged, his own mix matched eyes settling into her own (Nyx of course)

The voice in his head was louder now, but even so; somehow Marius could bear it when in the presence of these people. Maybe that was why... He started to think about it but also held his gaze on hers, praying that she would understand what he meant. "I don't want to hurt any of them if I can help it so please.. wait"

(I will have Nyx come out of the van with my character last and join in right at the main part of Sebastian's spiel. )

 

[EpitaphQueen]

'Everything is always a competition with those two.' Nyx thought with a silent laugh. Leona and Sebastian shared a bond that Nyx could only guess was akin to a sibling type bond. Something that Nyx herself never had experienced and probably never would.

Silently Nyx watched as Leona melted the lock off of the truck, hoping they might find a load of anti magic guns to have more material for them to experiment on and find a way to negate the effects. Instead the door opened to reveal a much more precious cargo, other mages. Nyx took a step forward and her jaw dropped at the sight before her. "Thank god we decided to intercept this convoy." She whispered in awe. If they hadn't caught this particular convoy she couldn't even imagine what the templars might've done to these people.

Her reaction was not as fast as the other two and she quickly found herself being the only one on the ground, looking up at Sebastian who offered her a hand. Nyx took his hand gratefully and accepted the boost that he gave her into the back of the vehicle. His touch felt cool and familiar as he was one of the only people Nyx allowed to help her.

Once inside she was handed a set of keys and nodded at Sebastian, turning to unlock the cuffs holding the younger boy. "Hey I'm Nyx sweetheart. I promise we're not here to hurt you, just help you." She reached down to grab his cuffs just as he told her to wait. For a moment Nyx was confused. Carefully she reached out with her magic and sensed a massive amount of darkness pervading the other boys body. 'So much hate inside of him.' She thought sadly.

Turning, Nyx met Sebastian's eyes and very sternly said, "I think the introductions should be done outside. I will stay behind, there's something needs done here." She flicked her eyes towards the exit before turning back to Marius. "I'm going to need you to trust me."

Once everyone had exited the vehicle Nyx placed a hand on each of the boys cheeks. "This is going to be very unpleasant for you. Just know that I am doing this to keep everyone safe. I am going to put a block on your magic using my own. It is going to be very draining for me and without your magic you will feel a bit weak. I promise this will pass and once we are somewhere safe I will show you how to control your magic in a safe way, but we don't have time for that now." Reaching out to her magic Nyx pulled at the boys magic, replacing it with her own until her magic filled him. This was a very personal thing for her to do and she shivered as her magic touched the boys aching soul. Pulling her magic back she left just a thin layer surrounding him like an aura. This would keep him from accessing his powers and hiring the others. If by chance he did access his powers it would also allow her to direct his powers back at him, though it would be painful for her as well.

Nyx almost passed out as she released the boys head. She smiled weakly and unlocked his cuffs before staggering into a standing position. The magic was constantly flowing and pulling at her reserves. Nyx would hold out as long as she could to keep others safe and as long as she wasn't too sociable she could keep it up for quite a while, although it would keep her in a more physically weakened state. "Alright then. How about we join the others?" She asked calmly before escorting him from the back of the vehicle. Once outside she glanced towards Sebastian and Leona and nodded to let them know that everything was fine, before closing in on herself and allowing herself to feel alone once more.

 

[Ythania]

Aysu's bum hurt from all of the bumps and knocks. She kept her eyes shut and smiled to herself at all of the happy memories, being slightly disturbed by the odd mumblings and mutterings of Marius. Eventually she irritably opened an eye and peered over at the darker silhouette of the boy and quirked a brow as he admitted he will kill everyone by accident. Aysu smiled softly at his delusions; there was no way any of them would kill anyone in this state. He seemed to believe that there would be a moment where the chains would be removed, but Aysu knew better...the Templars would cuff them before unlocking the chains and then lead them out one by one most likely. He mumbled to himself again and Aysu firmly determined that the boy was traumatic or simply mad, and felt a stab of pity for him.

Soon enough, another man spoke up, and he sounded young too. He liked to hum a lot, which was good, because it meant he and Aysu had something in common. The words that went in between Eclair's "hmms" weren't as enjoyable, however, and Aysu started to wonder if she was being sent to a lunatic asylum as Éclair started to muse over how they would all be killed. Aysu screwed her eyes shut and went back to humming over the man's speech, even breaking into quiet, breathy song. "I pray to La Sirene, she who calls the waves her own..." she purred to herself. If she was to be surrounded by such naysayers and speakers of doom, she wouldn't pay them any mind. She'll adapt - she'll keep moving with the flow until she gets the bullet in the head she is waiting for. "I sing for l-AAAARGH MERDE QU'EST-CE QUI S'EST PASSÉ?!" she hollered as the side of head smacked against the convoy, the metal wall buckling and creasing like paper. Aysu's eyes widened to dinnerplates and she kicked against the wall in an attempt to get away from it, nearly crushing whoever was sat next to her. She felt the hot, wet trickle of blood down her cheek and her heart thudded painfully in her chest.

The creepy man (or, well, one of them) asked if there was a fight going on. Aysu didn't quite know how to answer such a silly question so she just stared dubiously at wherever it came from and, in her shock, she took a moment to calm down. Okay. Okay. It'll be okay. Maybe they can get out without getting caught in the crossfire. She could hold a few off, get the most wounded out of the way...there were voices outside. Then the doors were opened, a flash of blinding light filled Aysu's eyes and she squinted and looked away, hearing a woman's shock, echoed by another man.

As Aysu's eyes adjusted to the light and the sudden cool breeze, she listened to Leona and Sebastian dazedly as her brain ground to a halt. "Didn' hurt nobody, am fine..." she murmured in shock; naturally, she wasn't fine at all. She was in shock, she kind of needed the toilet, and there was a dark patch on her scalp where the blood soaked through her hair and congealed on the side of her face, after whacking it against a metal wall. The man approached Sebastian and Aysu went incredibly still; that chilling sensation that floated around his body was so painfully familiar. She bit her bottom lip as images of her parents floated into her mind. She wasn't even wholly listening to him, just staring at his abdomen and shaking.

When her wrists were released from their bindings and she heard the chains clatter onto the floor, all of Aysu's thoughts came rushing back in at once. Her parents were very much dead, her grandparents were probably being hunted down like dogs. She had almost died, alone and friendless, surrounded by psychopaths and Templars. She had nowhere to go and nobody to look to for support, and she badly needed a hug. Who could blame her, then, when the first thing she did was launch herself into Sebastian, wrap her arms around him tightly whilst the poor man was mid-stretch and burst into tears?

She couldn't even get a word out in French or English, sobbing incoherently into a stranger's shirt, shuddering violently from the shock and emotional trauma of it all. Slowly, she began to calm down enough to - vaguely - consider the situation once more. A jumble of mixed-up emotions crashed around in her head...she felt hopelessly joyful; or joyfully hopeless. There was optimism that she was able to live, but pessimism at her fugitive state. She had lost all members of her family but there was still a chance to get them back. These warring ideals and emotions clattered around painfully as if they, too, were in a convoy of their own. Unbidden and uncontrolled, Aysu was too hysterical to prevent the use of her magic (which had been bundled up inside of her ever since she was captured) and as she let go of Sebastian and wiped at her nose awkwardly, little wobbling orbs of water materialised out of thin air and seemed to orbit Aysu half-heartedly. They seemed just as shaky as their conjurer was as she gingerly patted her head wound and then peered up at Sebastian sheepishly. "T-...thank you," she croaked, her voice hoarse from all of the crying.

 

[Periwinkle]

The door to the back of the convoy opened suddenly, causing a blinding light to shine in. She turned her head, her eyes immediately turned to slits as she tried to keep her eyes from burning. After blinking a few times, she looked back and found a lady crouching in front of her, burning of her chains. Wha...? They were like her, and probably the rest of the group in the convoy. That made her feel a little more relieved. At least they weren't there to kill the group, hopefully. Her fear had been ceased, but she was sure that more would form within the next few minutes depending on what happened. But either way, those horrible chains were off and she couldn't help but smile gratefully at the female. At least now the blood could circulate, and the metal wouldn't cut into her skin anymore.

The woman asked her questions, which of course she couldn't answer with her little... Problem? Yeah, she could call it a problem. At the moment she could hardly even remember her name, so problem would work. It was just too much excitement, fear, anger, even death. She'd never been in an environment with such raging emotions, it'd always been calm and she was always happy when she was with her parents or friends. This was just way too much for her to handle. Especially the negativity, and yes, she did feel scared and slight hatred for the templars, but it definitely wasn't as bad as the other people. But now that their 'saviors' arrived, everyone seemed to slightly lighten up... Some of them, at least.

Another man with blond-ish hair began to speak, though she hadn't really been paying as much attention to him as she had been to the woman in front of her.

As she was about to try and communicate, maybe even hug the woman, another spoke. One with less of a soft tone, but as she turned to look over, she understood why. The dark haired male looked like he was having some trouble. Had he been the one - Or, one of the two who had been talking about death? Well, she wasn't going to assume, but seeing as there weren't many guys in here in the first place... Jodie blushed looked down at her enclasped hands once she realized she had accidentally been staring at the two.

Jodie realized that everyone had been asked to exit the convoy, which, she gladly accepted. Slowly, but surely, she pushed herself off the metal seat. They'd been sitting on those uncomfortable seats for so long that it made her legs extremely sore. She knew that it had been uncomfortable, but she didn't think that it'd make her feel like her legs were being repeatedly stabbed by a fork. God, this sucked. Thankfully it wasn't to the point where she couldn't walk- Even if it was, she'd still do it because her legs were just sore. It wasn't like she'd actually been stabbed.

After a few seconds of just standing there, she finally began to slowly make her way past the others, before jumping out of the convoy. Even though she stumbled a bit and almost fell face plant onto the rocks, she didn't really care. After what felt like forever, the sun was finally shining on her skin, she could breath in fresh air and man she'd never been so happy to see the ground. If she'd been the only one there, she probably would've kissed the floor. But she didn't really feel like embarrassing herself in front of total strangers.

Though now that she was outside, she could already feel the waterworks coming. They weren't going to die yet... Thank god. She owed those people her life now, and would forever be in debt. ​

 

[chaosheart13]

Eclair raised an eyebrow at the one approaching him. It didn't take long for them to unlock the chains and heard it fall to the floor. He laughed a little at his situation. "So you are here to rescue us," he said quietly, the smile broadening as he looked at the three, "I didn't expect to be rescued after being captured, I might have been a little careless when that happened." He flexed his hands and rubbed at his chaffed wrists, quietly listening to the man talking.

"Hm? Go home?" He adopted a look that was to be pitied. "My good sir and ladies, I have no home to return to. My family is already dead, and I have been on the run ever since." He gave a little sniff and rubbed at his eyes to make it look genuine. "Although...I will gladly take up on your offer to join you and what ever cause you have." He paused at the name question. "Eclair," he said simply smile returning. He exited the van without a thought to the others that were trapped with him. Honestly, he wanted to see the reaction to him having lost his entire family, it was probably good.

 

[Bears]

[MISSION END - NO POSTING ORDER]​

SEBASTIAN RUTHERFORD and LEONA TALLIS

Sebastian hadn't expected the hug, nor how hard the poor woman clung onto him. For a moment he stood frozen, with his arms still up in the air, as if he had forgotten how a hug works. But a second later it all came back to him and he wrapped his arms around her until she was ready to speak. He wasn't used to the warmth that came from the hug, hell he wasn't used to warmth at all not since his powers awoke.

Then Eclair, the odd boy with incredibly pale features spoke up and the corner of Sebastian's lips drooped. These people had been through a lot, just like he had. Just like everyone did back at the Resistance. Lost in his thoughts he hadn't realized how tightly he held Aysu and he loosened his grip so she could step back to speak.

He thought his eyes were tricking him when the water manifested but just like with the hug, it all clicked a moment afterwards and then her voice broke and Sebastian lost his train of thought as quick as it came. Sebastian wasn't exactly accustomed to comforting so he turned away and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as he tried to regain his thoughts. From the corner of his eye he could see Leona making the rounds, checking everyone if they were okay starting with Aysu. Later she notified him that many would have to see Samuel but he was too busy thinking to give her a reply.

After a few minutes he made his decision he turned and looked back at Aysu before turning to Leona, he nodded over towards his motorcycle with a serious gaze.

"We take them back now, whether or not they join us can be discussed later."
​

It took him awhile to get everyone situated but he was quick to setup the caravan-esque way they would get the kids back to the closest Maleficar stronghold. In the front he sat on his motorcycle where he allowed Aysu to sit at his back, Nyx was in the middle driving a car where Jodie, Marius and Eclair were kept, and Leona watched their six.

The closest stronghold was deeply tucked away into the mountains, a two hour drive. By the time they passed through the gates, it was already evening. As their caravan pulled up to the building, an impressive mansion-like structure made of stone he spoke into his radio, his voice relaying throughout Nyx's car and Leona's motorcycle.

​

​

"Welcome to the Resistance's base." Sebastian spoke softly, his voice showing signs of wear and tear as his motorcycle lulled to a stop at the front door. "It used to be the school for wind mages, but it was long abandoned by the time we got here."
​

He hopped off and waited in front of the doors whilst everyone assembled. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he waited, his forehead was throbbing intensely. Leona joined him by the front doors and nodded, that she'd handle the rest. He offered her a grateful smile before taking one last look at the four new mages. He was glad that they were all safe.

Leona waited until Sebastian entered, before she cleared her throat.

"Alright, only half of the rooms have working electricity at the moment but it's better than most of your options. When you enter there's a corridor down the right lined with doors, you four get two. The two boys go with each other and the two girls go with each other." Leona explained before following Sebastian inside, leaving the door open for them. When they joined her in the hall she continued. "A few members of the resistance will be coming up to check on you in a moment so sit tight. After we'll all get you something to eat. Tomorrow, if you decide to stay, we'll give the official tour."

Meanwhile Sebastian who could be seen from at the end of the hall, in the main living area began to stoke the grand fireplace, he dropped into the recliner closest to it and rubbed his forehead tiredly. He brought up his radio and asked Hectate to come see him before turning it off and placing it on the side table. Leona joined him a few minutes later and he met her eyes, that mirrored his fatigue.

"I woke up Samuel, he'll be checking up on them in a bit.." Leona spoke softly, a voice few rarely got to hear. Sebastian nodded.

"I'm gonna talk to Hectate about one of them, Aysu I think. After that I'll be heading to bed." He confided laying back into the chair and letting a long drawn out sigh. Leona chuckled as he turned in the seat, so that he laid against it sideways like an impatient child.

"I'm gonna head out after I know everyone is alright..tonight is my turn to take patrol." Leona then said, evoking a concerned look from Sebastian. He opened his mouth to protest the idea, but Leona already stood to her feet and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Get some rest Seb, I'll be fine." Was all she said before she left him by the fireplace. Sebastian watched her from afar as she disappeared into the hallway where the new mages were resting.
​

 

[Miranda Sage Barnard]

Hecate looked up from the volume on weather manipulation she had unearthed from one of the more damaged rooms of the former school a few days ago. She had been trying to codify the library since the Resistance had taken up residence, but the past fourteen years of neglect had been murder on the books. Currently she was transcribing the tomb by hand, it was too waterlogged to be read otherwise. What she wouldn't give for the e-copies.... But that was a fruitless thought, even if access to such things wasn't kept under the iron tight clasp of the big brother Templar she herself would not dare touch them anyway- her power wasn't stable enough not to permanently scramble the data.

She stretched slowly away from the old librarian's desk she had been working at for the past six hours. The fire had burned low in the hearth. She went over to stoke it back to life, body creaking all the way.Once she was sure it wouldn't die any time soon she reached for the pleasant patchwork pink hot pads on the night table she had dragged into the room months ago and lifted an ancient pewter coffee kettle from the hook that dangled it over the fireplace. She knew her tendency for comforts from a bygone age were less than normal, but the antiques failed her less than their modern equivalents...and were far less likely to explode.

Pouring a generous portion into a blue mug embossed with Wonder Women's visage her stomach groaned in despair at the liquid even as her nerves rejoiced in the caffeine and sugar refreshment. Hecate walked over to the wooden door of the small room. Some clever, mischievous student had burned designs into it when the school was still in operation, and Hecate could never quite stop herself from tracing the Celtic cross on the leftmost panel directly above the knob for luck. It was flanked by, what she could only guess were, phoenixes aflame, and she adored the image for how well it fit with the school's current function.

She peaked her head out slowly- listening for any disturbances, but the base was silent. Taking care too keep it that way she moved from the room and down the hall with gentle steps so that her flats made no sound on the wooden floors prone to shrieking in the dead of the night. Just as she had slipped into the kitchen and managed to light one of the lamp she kept for just that purpose she heard the sounds of somewhat leashed chaos that announced Sebastian and Leona's return with what could only be by the sound of it a herd emotionally damaged, slightly psychotic cats.

 

[chaosheart13]

Eclair just shrugged as he got in the car, buckling his seat belt and looking out the window as if he were only on a school field trip and he was once more a child pretending to see something of interest. Wherever they were taking them, he hoped there would be something about food in it. He was still pretty hungry. A frown graced his face. Hunger was something not new to him, but that didn't stop him from absolutely hating it.

The ride took a while and by the time they arrived, he had dozed off, head resting against the window as he quietly snored. He blinked himself awake when he felt someone poking him, who he didn't know nor cared to know. The albino stretched as he got out of the car, yawning mightily. "Well that was a good nap," he mumbled as he followed the rest of them inside. He wasn't too excited about there being not enough electricity, but then again, he doubted others would be used to it too. Better than on the streets, though, he thought to himself.

Eclair had to raise an eyebrow before turning his head to grin at Marius. "My my, looks like you'll be my roommate for the time being," he chuckled, "Perhaps I'll get to meet your lady fri-" He stopped, having him perk up at the words "something to eat." "Oh good, hopefully they won't be too long," he said, his grin one of the more genuine ones, "In the meantime, I suppose I'll check my- I mean, our room, hmm?" He casually made his way down the hall to where the boys would be sleeping, intent on seeing if whoever wanted to check up on them was already there.

 

[Ythania]

Ah. I know this all too well.

The stiffness, the awkwardness...Aysu felt it and she knew what it was like. She had two parents, both of whom were ice mages - despair was an inevitable, engrained part of her personality which she harboured and cared for like an old friend. Despair brought out depression, introversion, anxiety as well as social and emotional uncertainty. When left unchecked (as was the case with most proficient ice mages) it made people cold, or aloof, simply unable to function in a social environment. Naturally, her parents tried to override whatever suffering had provoked their magical abilities (Aysu never truly found out the cause, being such a sensitive subject) but Aysu knew despair like an old friend and she could see and feel when it left its mark. Her dark eyes examined Sebastian closely as she resolutely distracted herself from her new, harsh reality. She managed to bite back the tears, rubbing her eyes on her grimy sleeve. "Am-...am Aysu," she introduced herself tentatively. Embarrassment and indifference battled within her - she felt ashamed for bursting into tears but also didn't give a damn since all hell broke loose these past couple of days and she spent too long bottling it all up.

She stood there numbly and stared at the floor, inclining her head so Leona could inspect the wound. Once she was checked over physically and left alone, Aysu stared at the others curiously. The two creeps looked just as off-putting as their psychotic ramblings suggested - one of them was clearly an albino whilst the other had two oddly coloured eyes. She was sat next to a young girl who looked like she, too, was about to burst into tears; Aysu wanted so badly to be able to comfort her, but since she was two steps away from another sobbing session the water mage decided to keep to herself for the time being. Sebastian turned to look at Aysu again and she stared at him in return.

"We take them back now, whether or not they join us can be discussed later." ​

Aysu sniffled a little and trailed after Sebastian like a lost puppy. Perhaps he wanted to keep an eye on her or knew that Aysu felt some form of kinship due to his status as an ice mage as he offered the back of his motorcycle instead of sitting in the caravan with the others. Aysu felt a surge of relief; she didn't want to be cramped up in another box with those people again and she squirmed onto the back of the motorcycle and clung to Sebastian tightly, still shaking.

The countryside went past in a loud and windy blur, but the open stretch of sky and trees and grass helped to lift Aysu's spirits. She was free, she was alive...everyone else wasn't, but she could deal with the grief later. She had another ice mage who was stiff as a board as he drove the motorcycle, probably not used to getting hugs or human contact. It almost made Aysu feel awkward too. After around half an hour the fatigue started to settle in and she leant more heavily against her poor driver, biting the inside of her cheek to keep awake and avoid falling off the bike.

After a small eternity, a dark, looming shape of some form of castle crept up in the distance. Sebastian welcomed everyone to 'The Resistance's Base', sounding quite tired himself. Aysu stared up at it uncertainly and hopped off the motorcycle, shuffling after Sebastian in silence. She listened to Leona and finally allowed Sebastian to escape, staring at the door to what was presumably her room. She raised a hand tentatively. "Uh, w-where are the toilets?"

Ten minutes of searching in the dark later and Aysu was staring at her reflection in the cracked mirror, washing her face with some icy water, tears streaming down her face quite liberally. She had washed her head wound herself and pressed tissue paper against it before disappearing into one of the cubicles and curling up on the broken toilet seat, sobbing into her sleeve. "Ma-...n' Da...t-they're dead..." she whispered to herself in disbelief. "Granny t-t-too, n' Grandpapy is bein' hunted-..." she felt like she had to say it to someone, even just to herself, so she could make it real. Tangible. Understandable. It hurt so much, though...and she sobbed harder, frost creeping up the walls of the cubicle. She couldn't help it - every time she casted her magic without meaning to she could hear her father's scolding voice, and it only made it hurt more, the despair grew and so would her ice.

Aysu didn't want to go outside. She didn't want to eat anything, nor did she want to see anyone at the moment. She genuinely considered sleeping in the cubicle too but decided that was an assuredly unhygienic and stupid idea. Instead, she opted to remain locked up in the bathroom until she had calmed down, her moans and sobs reverberating across the bathroom. Her cubicle was covered in ice; she froze the lock shut, and blossoms of frost had formed on the outside of the cubicle. Usually her ice magic was incredibly weak...Aysu supposed that the recent news had allowed her to tune into it more than her water magic. She drew her knees up to her chest and pushed her face into her sleeve, shaking.