Looking Glass IC

[Jass]

Truthfully, Nicolas wasn't paying attention to Crystal's actions at all. He'd been too busy pondering which bag he should buy. Instead, he merely looked at her with a confused expression, gave her a shrug and stared at the Mounds bar that she held in her hands. "Ahh... does she like that kind..?" he thought. Maybe he should buy that for her, seeing that it might be a good opportunity to perhaps "impress" her, somewhat. Not in a romantic way, of course. Shes probably way out of his league anyway, being some sort of pro-shifter and... something. He should have the extra change, digging through his pockets for the cash he had stashed.

 

"There's no one there!"

 

"Eh... what did you see, Crystal..?" Nicolas asked as he pulled out his dollar bills, still eyeing at the candy bar she had in her hands. The teenager hoped it wouldn't be a hostile monster they'd have to deal with. He'd probably lose his new collection of sweets otherwise. That was a big no-no in his mind, especially if he had them paid already. "Jeez... I hope we won't have any difficulties confronting it if starts to actively hunt us down..." making an internal sigh, Nicolas decided to push his current thoughts on the matter away for now. He should be focusing on candy and Crystal right now, the potential threat can come after he's chosen his sweets.

 

"Hm... How much do these cost..?" the boy muttered as he checked the price tags.

[skwerl56767]

[Ryuki and Rachel]

 

Ryuki seemed swift to finish off the beast, but Rachel was almost impressed. Almost. And he only confirmed what she began to worry:

" This Queen will not stop us with something so small." He said in contempt. " Save your shift for when we face her. I'll handle anything on the way. You have my word."

" Okay..." Rachel sheathed her sword, almost trusting him, though she was starting to become concerned. It was true; why would the Queen-if she was involved-only throw one minion in their path? Or... what if he was like Shadow when they first met? Annoyingly confident and always indirectly provoking things, causing traps to-

 

SCREEE! One of the rat monsters! A doppelganger of the one that was just slain, it jumped ahead of Thunder, arching its back and hissing, blocking the two. Ryuki's mount reared and attempted to trample it. Rachel reached for her sword again but was struck by something on the back, knocking her to the ground and leaving Swift and pace in circles, faced by a horde of beasts.

Scree! Screeeee! Screeeeeee! The horrible shrieking resounded in the air, the spiny rats simply flooding in from nowhere!

" An ambush!" Rachel hissed, dodging one of the monsters and leaping aboard Swift; a feat, considering that the last thing the "horse" wanted was to have something on her back. The creatures arched their spines and released them from their backs, stabbing with them, clawing and scratching at their surrounded enemies. Rachel unsheathed her sword, swinging at the beasts but only succeeded in slaying one or two.

" I hope you can handle this!!" Rachel yelled at Ryuki, as the rats overwhelmed the path and began to take down the horses by sheer numbers alone. She wasn't one to believe in "jinxing" things or causing karma, but this whole thing felt deliberate... almost as though someone was... testing them?

 

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

 

[Nicolas and Crystal]

 

" Eh... what did you see, Crystal..?" Nicolas asked. She jumped, before she realized that he wasn't paying attention to the bars.

" Oh... um... nothing." She forced a smile - which didn't last long - and put the Mounds bar back. He didn't seem to mind, instead checking the price tags of the candy.

For whatever reason, Crystal quickly began to relax. Maybe it was Nicolas's carefree demeanor; first things first, right? She was so used to the stop-and-go lifestyle Shadow had adjusted them to. One minute you're on the couch eating nachos and watching house shows, and the next there's a demon running around leaving trails of... what was that stuff, anyway...? Nightmare goo? Something that incinerated the carpet, that's for sure.

Crystal turned back to the candy and studied the price tags. For five dollars they could each have three bars, if they bought the cheap ones. That didn't seem too bad, right? Well... assuming this place sells food and not something else that just looks like food. Back to her worried self, Crystal glanced down the aisle and saw a stranger wandering through, staring at the bags of chips lining the other end, and she began to wonder.

 

" Stay here, I'm going to go try something." She told Nicolas; she wouldn't mind if he came with, considering he has a shift and all, but the words just kind of slipped out, so...

Clearing her mind, Crystal approached the shopper, trying to appear nonchalant... which didn't really work.

" Hey!" She smiled. " So um... Have you noticed anything weird about this place? Anything at all?"

Nothing. The woman ignored her, still browsing through the chips.

" Hello?" Crystal tried again, and when she still received no response she waved her hands in the woman's face.

Still nothing.

Frowning, Crystal happened to look down at her hand, and saw the symbol of an eye drawn... hopefully drawn... on it. It seemed to meet her gaze even though it was just a tattoo.

A bit unnerved, Crystal just said " Nevermind!" and quickly returned to Nicolas, trying to form a plan in her mind.

" So I have an idea..." She told the boy. " Why don't we ask around a bit for the item? You know, wording it like we want people to talk about hauntings, but not really because they might think we're nuts? Kind of like that." I won't tell him about that tattoo. She told herself. It's probably one of those things that I just need to filter out of the priority list. " Oh, and speaking of nuts, if we're buying candy I want an AlmondJoy." She added.

[Thaelasan]

"I need time!" Ryuki yelled as one of them jumped at him, grabbing at his face and clawing him. The whining of the horses didn't help matters. These beasts didn't deserve to die here! What could Ryuki do for this..? He didn't know his full skillset yet. He had mainly just been naming slashes and speed! But these numbers? He....

He frowned. They were still single units. He just needed to concentrate. He drew both swords, an aura beginning to charge around him. But he had no idea how much magic he had left. The two shifts today... the energy he had already expended...

Surely, he could go further. He just needed to limit himself. Rachel needed him now. The horses needed his help. Just a bit further. It was like lifting weights. More and more weight each time you went at it...

He slashed across one, then another, slicing through quills as he passed in order to disarm the creatures. He didn't need to go for the kill, just make them unable to fight...

Suddenly, a voice in the back of his head began to pulse, telling him he needed to rest. It felt like his body was fighting against him.

Just a bit more.

JUST A BIT MORE.

[Mephaesto]

Are you ready

"Of course I am..." Ezekiel replied solemnly.

But Ezekiel was all but ready. Today was a very special day for the town of Nimbleherd Brook. On this day this peaceful town would undergo its first public banishment; of a kid nonetheless. Ezekiel could hear murmurs of dismay and sorrow pass through the crowd.

You know you deserve nothing less. Did you think you could fool yourself into thinking everything would be alright?

"I...I didn't mean to do it. It was an accident I promise! Why can't you people understand?" Ezekiel wailed. And although there was not a word spoke by the crowd Ezekiel could feel their hateful gazed burning right though him.

 

After what felt like hours of silence the commencement began.

 

"As decreed by the mayor of Nimbleherd Brook, Ezekiel ,son of none, is charged with murder of the highest degree and ,as per our laws, is to be banished to the forest with nothing but the clothes on his back."

 

This was it, the final moment. Ezekiel could hear his heart pounding, fearful as to what awaited him. As he crossed through the threshold he peered back into the crowd making out his uncle.

"I'm sorry...I failed you as I did my sister." Ezekiel whispered to himself, able to look no longer.

 

Free at last! You don't need them anyway Zeke...mind if I call you Zeke? Anyways what did they ever do for you? Seems to me you would be better off killing them like...

"SHUT UP. You did this to me. This is all your fault!" Ezekiel screamed.

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

It had been almost a week since Ezekiel left the town. Surviving only on creek water and various bugs and berries. As he was hiking through the forest he thought he could make out the sounds of a skirmish. Being the curious kid that he was he shrouded himself in shadow. As long as others tried to look straight at him they could not see him. He could only be seen out of the corners of your eyes. As he approached he could make out two people fighting off a swarm of giant rats. He could see the toll this battle was having on the warriors, sweat dripping down their faces. Should he help or would he be better off leaving them?

You could kill them...I am feeling quite peckish.

"No...they have done nothing wrong. They are undeserving of death." Ezekiel stated.

It was then that he made a decision, he would help them but from the shadows. He feared that if they discovered his presence they would reject him as countless others had done before.

"Open Shadow Armory Level 1: Twin Daggers." Ezekiel said, focusing intensely on the incantation. A fraction of a second later two daggers made purely of darkness appeared in both of his hands. Ezekiel was immediately filled with a feeling of euphoria. He had been practicing with these daggers for as long as he could remember. He often went out on hunts as to sate his master. A mere second later Ezekiel was behind the rats. One, two, three, four...eight rats slain by some unknown force. As he came around to attack the ninth Ezekiel could feel a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He was reaching his limit. Before retreating Ezekiel was able to put a nice gash into the rat's hind leg.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Mephaesto

[skwerl56767]

[Ryuki and Rachel]

 

The rodents were succeeding! They were confident that their sheer numbers would overtake their prey, just as it always has; even the quadrupeds were buckling. Despite this though, one rat's screech in particular raised a few heads.

Their hearing poor and their eyesight nonexistent, there was some initial confusion before some of the rats lifted their noses to the air, quills bristling. Smelling... two quadrupeds... two bipeds - no, three!

Three?! What third biped?!

Those rats who weren't in the thick of the fighting split off into a smaller group, still sniffing the air and mistaking their slain brethren as being killed off by their current prey, not this newcomer. And yet, as the new force retreated from the fight, they caught a strong, upwind scent.

There!

With a screech, the lead rat ran after the strange smell, a gang of rodents trailing behind it. They were insistent in bringing down every creature they could! They made a fatal mistake though; their numbers were now smaller.

 

Rachel backed up to Ryuki, slashing at the rats trying to jump on his shoulders; she was also becoming jealous of his leg armor as her jeans were torn to shreds by the little buggers.

" Gah!" She grunted as she kicked one hard, throwing it to the back of the swarm... which was smaller.

A shriek sounded, and Rachel glanced up to see a group of the rodents suddenly split off and run into the woods. The cause of the shrink! The rats were splitting up! They weren't the only ones with decreased numbers, however; Swift was taken down and overrun by the rodents. Rachel wasn't sure if she was still alive. Thunder was still kicking - and making a lot of noise by doing so - but he was in full-out panic mode, the damage intense to the individual but minimal to the horde.

But Rachel still felt confident about the outcome of the battle; they were winning!

" Just a little longer Ryuki!" She assured the shifter, slaying one of the rats he had cut the quills off of.

[Thaelasan]

Concentrate.

Find your center.

You must become one with your swords. You must understand your limits.

Do not accept weakness as strength. Make your own. Find within you the power to go beyond what normal man can and achieve greatness.

That one, last moment of power,

grasp it. Hold it. Claim it. Become it.

Those before you are all alive. You must change that.

Defeat them, warrior.

Go beyond your own limits.

Become legend.

 

He placed his hands on both of his sword hilts, sighing out. As the air around him changed, time seemed to slow down. He frowned, grasping the hilts tightly.

"Hauringu Saikuron: Gōon Tenpesuto." Ryuki muttered, before placing all of his remaining energy into the following action.

Path of the Howling Cyclone: ROARING TEMPEST.

It is said there are those so skilled and quick with the sword they can cut a bullet in half faster than the eye can see. Ryuki went beyond that, slashing multiple times with his blades, every bit of his remaining magical force going into a flurry of slashes, each with quick, deliberate precision.

One moment, the rat creatures were alive and jumping at them. The next, they were suspended in the air, then suddenly a cascade of red as each of them seemed to implode from unseen wounds. Cuts aimed for the neck, body, and legs severed their vitals, cutting them almost into fragments. Blood covered Ryuki's swords like water, scarlet and crimson.

He fell to his knees, breathing out, as his arms fell to his sides. His armor began to fade and his eyes began to close.

"Make sure... the horses... are.... safe...." Ryuki whispered, falling to the ground. He didn't know why some of the rats had run off. He just hoped they didn't come back.

He felt utterly helpless, and a blackness shrouded his vision. He reached out his hand weakly, hopeful...

"Nekomi... Did... I...." he whispered, his eyes closing.

 

Rest, Knight.

Your work has been done for now.

[Jass]

"So I have an idea... Why don't we ask around a bit for the item? You know, wording it like we want people to talk about hauntings, but not really because they might think we're nuts? Kind of like that."

 

Raising an eyebrow at that statement, the boy gave Crystal another confused look. "So... how do we approach them..? We can't just... go up to them and ask how their day was, right?" he said, eyeing at the female Crystal had attempted to talk to. What was he suppose to do to try and make the woman speak? It seemed like they were robots that were not programmed to banter, only to shop. He made a groan, trying to think what he could say to make it seem subtle yet relevant to the topic. Perhaps maybe he should try to introduce himself? Or maybe he could ask the people here on where one might find the right supplies. He'll have to try, since he was currently the only person with her, and he needed to make a better impression for himself. "Alright, I'll give it a try though... and sure, I'll buy the Almond Joy for you, just I guess... lemme see how great I am at talking to the zombies." he said.

 

Walking up to the same woman Crystal had talked to, Nicolas took in a deep breath and looked at her nervously. "E-excuse me, d-do you know... Uhm..." he looked back at Crystal nervously, his words quickly stumbling. "...Y-you're familiar with this place, right?" finishing his sentence, he bit his lip as feelings of embarrassment entered in his thoughts. He was expecting to sound much more confident than what he was being. He wished he could reverse time and made himself look more charismatic and gentlemanly, not a stuttering fool. "I'm kinda new here, Uh.. well.. I was ho-hoping you can help..?"

[skwerl56767]

[Ryuki and Rachel]

 

Rachel just stared as all of the rats were slain before her eyes, and then Ryuki collapsed to the ground.

She turned to him and kept staring.

" Good job." She said, almost wanting to laugh. He made it look easy!

She stared at her filthy sword and limped over to some trees to clean it before coming back and assessing the damage. Well... it sure was a mess. Hopefully no one queasy frequents this trail. Swift was still breathing but she was badly wounded; she probably couldn't carry anyone at this point, though at least she had taken out one of the rats with her sharp fangs. Thunder on the other hand was calming down now that the chaos had subsided, so at least he wasn't going to stomp on something he shouldn't (like Ryuki), but she could see in his wild eyes that the last thing he wanted was to be ridden too.

" I'm not dragging Ryuki along by the feet." Rachel grumbled, giving him a stern look. Thunder just snorted. She then grimaced and stared at her legs.

Her calves scratched up to heck and back. Soon the shock would subside and she herself would be collapsed on the ground. Hopefully those rats weren't infected...

Wondering if Ryuki would recuperate soon enough, Rachel decided to clean up the mess they had left. She was not keen on touching bits of... rat... but at least she could kick the mostly-whole ones into a nearby ditch. She used her sword for most of it, more interested in cleaning it again rather than touching icky stuff.

At least we're all alive. She thought to herself. Wounded, but alive.

 

----------

 

A small creature observed the scene from the canopy of the trees, back inside the shadows. It had observed this duo before, back at a mountain pass, but they used to have two others with them... now there were only two mounts.

The voice inside its head was silent, at least until the battle had diminished and the rats were defeated.

Hah hahah! It laughed in glee. I knew they could do it! Just wait until the Queen meets THEM! We'll win this war, no doubt!

The creature squeaked in agreement, using its tentacles to push itself further back into the trees.

Now, the gate to Serpent's Pit... those two easily slew our rock worm, did they not? The voice mused. The creature, unable to do anything but squeak, did just that. So surely they can stand a couple of Accursed Beasts guarding the gate? Though... I'm suspicious about those rats... Is the Queen just toying with them, or is something else going on?

" Squeak!" The creature said.

Ugh, I need to talk to someone who's smart! The voice snapped, unprovoked. Come back to base; unless you would like to go to the Pit with them?

The creature felt a surge of fear, and shivered, retreating into the trees and using the branches to back track.

I thought not. The voice said. I will send you out later to keep an eye on those two, so don't get too comfortable.

With that, the presence left the creature's mind, though it remained uncomfortable. For just a scout, it sure did receive some harsh treatment...

 

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

[Nicolas and Crystal]

 

" So... how do we approach them..? We can't just... go up to them and ask how their day was, right?" Nicolas said. Crystal just sort of shrugged in agreement. It did seem like a really stupid idea... but it was the only idea she had.

" Alright, I'll give it a try though..." He finally agreed. " And sure, I'll buy the Almond Joy for you, just I guess... lemme see how great I am at talking to the zombies."

" Okay." Crystal said, glancing at the woman from earlier. She stayed about a foot behind Nicolas as he went to go talk to her.

" E-excuse me, d-do you know... Uhm...Y-you're familiar with this place, right?"

Aw! Crystal felt a surge of sympathy and guilt. Why'd she have to go ask him to do that? The nervousness was overwhelming!

Even as Nicolas corrected his question though, the woman barely responded. Crystal waited for a few moments before stepping up to him, still watching her.

The woman picked up a bag of chips, stared at them for a while, then put them back. Crystal watched her eyes, then glanced down at the tattoo on her hand.

 

" Nicolas, her eyes aren't moving." She whispered to him. " I mean, her head is, but they're like doll eyes..." She watched the woman a little longer, staring at her immobile eyes-they didn't even blink!-before pulling Nicolas aside and hopefully out of earshot.

" I'm going to be honest with you." She began. " This place is freaking me out. I mean, are the people here even people? What's wrong with that woman?" With another glance at the mentioned person, she continued. " Maybe we should find someone else. Right? Maybe they're not all like this?" She bit her lip before throwing out a random suggestion. " Meat aisle?"

Edited April 19, 2016 by skwerl56767

[Mephaesto]

After his withdrawal Ezekiel managed a quick glance back. Peering over his shoulder he saw a horde of rats chasing after him but before any unpleasantries could escape his lips the most amazing thing happened. Some would describe it as though time stood still. In the blink of an eye a multitude of rats were thrown to the air where they all burst in a shower of scarlet as their remaining brethren dispersed below; and in the front of this glorious display was the warrior, kneeling...evidently very exhausted. As if on queue the man slumped over, knocked unconscious by his efforts.

"He needs help..." Ezekiel started, but then realized that by helping the man he would void the privilege of being hidden.

What? Having second thoughts are we? Only a few minutes ago you were all gun-ho and ready to help but now you would risk this man's life because of your fear of rejection? I knew there was a reason I picked you, you're really just a cold-hearted meat sack of a person. You're like a carcass...waiting to be dragged away and devoured by the nearest...

"OK, fine. I'm going to help him and his friend, but only when I'm ready. I don't know if I can risk being discovered yet."

After a brief time of contemplation Ezekiel mustered the courage to approach the duo. This was his chance but first he had to replenish his own energy. Having sat down Ezekiel proceeded to take his hand and reach out to the space in front of him, but his hand was no longer there. It was as though he had reached through some invisible portal. As he closed his eyes he began to chant:

Oh Astaroth, god of shadows,

He who saved me from the gallows.

I ask one favor of you tonight,

Grant me strength to perform this rite.

I need energy, power, wealth, and fame;

Anything you desire you need only name.

I shall grant you this one kindness but know that this will be the only one of its kind and when the time comes you will hold your end of the bargain.

Within mere minutes Ezekiel was back to full strength. As he approached them he could see they were both severely injured.

"Hello...uh...my name is Ezekiel and your friend here saved my life and...uh... I would like to try and help him if that would be...ok..." Ezekiel muttered, gradually shuffling towards the man.

Edited April 21, 2016 by Mephaesto

[Jass]

Much to his disappointment, the woman didn't really respond to him, like Crystal. It was expected, but he wanted an unexpected moment of the woman and him to happen. Although perhaps it might be better for the woman to ignore him. After all, the people here might attack if he got their full attention at them.

 

"Nicolas, her eyes aren't moving." Crystal whispered to him. "I mean, her head is, but they're like doll eyes..."

 

Nodding, Nicolas sighed and turned to face Crystal, not wanting to look at the already creepy woman and getting even more uncomfortable at this place. "I'm starting to be a little fearful of this store.." He thought as he grabbed a white chocolate bar from the candy section. Since all the other "humans" are more like puppets dangling on a string, him and Crystal seem to be the only actual people here. It made him feel rather isolated and unnerving. He wished more people would've came. Then he could feel more safe and have an easier time with this area. "Well, at least she's with me." Staring at the girl, Nicolas let out a slightly calm sigh of relief, reminded that he was not totally alone.

 

"I'm going to be honest with you. This place is freaking me out. I mean, are the people here even people? What's wrong with that woman?"

 

Oh, if only Nicolas knew too. Then he'd feel less concerned of them. They seemed harmless, but the way the acted were like dolls, almost as if their controlled. Neither Nicolas nor Crystal would know when they'd attack, and how they worked. Could he break them? Would they bleed out like normal humans? Are they even humans? The questions that formed in his mind were quickly pushed away again, however. The boy did not want to deal with the anxiety, so therefore he will not deal with the doubts in his mind that made him feel anxiety.

 

"Maybe we should find someone else. Right? Maybe they're not all like this? Meat aisle?"

 

"Sounds unlikely..." he muttered softly from his breath, narrowing his eyes at the woman he attempted talked to, along with several other people that were shopping in the distance. "...But sure, why not?~" forcing a small and cheerful smile, the teenager looked over at the aisles. "They better not serve human meat though, I might get sick." he joked and made a weak chuckle. "Seriously, I hope I'm completely correct on this one."

[skwerl56767]

[Ryuki and Rachel]

 

After Rachel had pushed most of the rats into the ditch, the adrenaline faded and she was starting to feel a lot of pain coming up her legs from the scratches. There wasn't much else to clean up though, so she was feeling confident that she could finish before the pain grew too bad.

Though, if she had to take a break, then the whole group would have to recurpate right where they were, which wasn't an appealing thought. Anything could come up on them when they were too weak to fight.

Especially not Ryuki. She thought, tying Thunder's reins to a nearby tree. Swift had recovered enough to lift her head so she didn't look dead, but she wasn't about to move anytime soon, so there was no need to tie her to anything.

Before Rachel could collapse on the ground though, Swift raised her head pointedly in the direction of incoming footsteps. Since she already had her sword out, Rachel didn't bother trying to appear intimidating to whatever it was; and hopefully, it would leave them alone.

Contrary to her hopes, a boy melted out of the forest, approaching the group nervously. Rachel gave him a few quick, judgmental looks. He looked normal enough...

" Hello...uh...my name is Ezekiel and your friend here saved my life... " The boy introduced himself. " And... uh... I would like to try and help him if that would be...ok..."

Rachel narrowed her eyes in suspicion; she wasn't sure she trusted Mr. Black Hoodie there who came from nowhere. When he started toward Ryuki she raised her sword in warning.

" Don't get too close." She threatened, confident that she still had some fight left in her. " Where did you come from? How did he-" She glanced at Ryuki. "-save your life?"

 

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

 

[Nicolas and Crystal]

 

Nicolas didn't seem entirely convinced that Crystal's new suggestion would do any better, but seemed willing to give it a shot (after snatching a candy bar, of course). So the two headed down the aisle where the meat section supposedly was; rather though, they came across the dairy section, and splitting up the milk from the cheese were two double doors that led to the back of the building... supposedly.

And as the two walked up on those doors, Crystal could have sworn she saw something dart away just out of sight. She stopped.

" Uh..." Should I say something? The thought flashed through her mind. For once, she made an immediate decision. " Did you see that?" She pointed at the doors. " I mean, the figure. In the window." She made to run up to the doors, but suddenly stopped.

That... that was unnerving...

She took a step back, and the feeling of being scrutinized by some sort of predator faded; a step forward though, and she felt like she was prodding a tiger with a stick. A sort of jolt of anxiety and fear that just shot through her, for seemingly no reason.

" Hey... I think I found something..." She said to Nicolas, taking several steps back so she felt safe again. " I don't... that's not just me, right?"

[Mephaesto]

As he neared the man Ezekiel was greeted with a sword pointed at his face. Something about this blade was different but Ezekiel couldn't discern what. "Don't get too close." the strange girl declared. It was at that moment Ezekiel knew she would kill him if he dared move a single muscle; she would do anything to protect her partner. "Where did you come from? How did he save your life?" she inquired.

Really now Zeke? Getting soft are we? You know you could crush her this very instant. Even if you couldn't do you think I would let her kill you? Where would I be without my loyal pet standing beside me? Now be a good boy and bestow upon me her soul.

"Be quiet, NOW!" Ezekiel yelled, coming to realize the girl was staring at him. "I apologize...you weren't supposed to hear that. I come from the town of Nimbleherd Brook and your friend here saved my life. I saw you two fighting the rats and tried to help; I soon became exhausted and had to retreat. Not long after the rats began to pursue me but luckily your friend was able to kill them before they could overrun me...um...if I could trouble you to sheath that weapon of yours so I could help him I would be much obliged."

Edited April 28, 2016 by Mephaesto

[skwerl56767]

[Ryuki and Rachel]

 

" Be quiet, NOW!" The boy suddenly shouted. Rachel jumped and backed off a bit; she wasn't Shadow anyway, it wasn't like she trained herself to run into the unpredictable thing. The boy quickly became flustered though and hastily delivered his claim:

" I apologize...you weren't supposed to hear that." He said, referring to the sudden shout. " I come from the town of Nimbleherd Brook and your friend here saved my life. I saw you two fighting the rats and tried to help; I soon became exhausted and had to retreat. Not long after the rats began to pursue me but luckily your friend was able to kill them before they could overrun me."

Rachel narrowed her eyes It's a likely story. Her thoughts wondered.

" Um...if I could trouble you to sheath that weapon of yours so I could help him I would be much obliged." He added. Rachel gave him a few more judgmental glances, processing the information. He could have come from Nimbleherd, but he looked awfully human. He could have stumbled into the fight, but if he helped wouldn't she have seen him? Did Ryuki see him and just not say anything? The rats were everywhere, sure, but an entire human being coming up the path is pretty hard to miss. Maybe she looked up when he was fending off the rats and had disappeared out of sight... somewhere...

Something wasn't right though: how did he help and not get noticed?

Rachel lowered her sword, only so that its point went from his face to his chest though. " That may be true, " She said skeptically. " but I didn't see anyone helping us."

 

((Sorry for the late response, just came back from a trip.))

Edited May 6, 2016 by skwerl56767

[Jass]

"No... that certainly was... uhm..." Nicolas made a small gulp. "Noticeable."

 

Seeing Crystal frightened made Nicolas panic, seeing that the hostile enemy is nearby. It almost made his heart skip a beat. What could he do? He may have his powers, but he wasn't even sure to use them effectively, having just received them. "I wished maybe more people could've come to help us." he thought as he took a step back as well. He really didn't think he was prepared for this, this... killing a monster thing. He never killed anything in his entire life, after all! Maybe a few bugs here and there, but a creature bigger than a kitten? That's something he isn't sure he could handle.

 

He was also unsure on how many hostile enemies could be laying around the store. Crystal might've spotted one, but were there more? And if they got caught, would they die? Or will he and Crystal somehow be converted into...?

 

That thought made Nicolas blurt out a question. "Hey, do you think that thing is controlling these humans...? I-if these zombie dolls are actually humans or something, do you think it'll try and turn us into those... things...?" he asked nervously, his hands tapping on his chocolate bar. He wanted to eat something to calm him down. Shifters can't turn into those puppets, can they?

[skwerl56767]

[Nicolas and Crystal]

 

Crystal gave Nicolas a nervous glance at the thought of turning into a puppet, and by a monster no less.

" Um, I hope not... I mean, Shadow never mentioned that we could become... I don't know..." She gestured around her to what few "humans" were in the area.

She looked back at the double doors. They seemed normal - nothing lurked past the windows - but she was close enough to the threshold between "safety" and "danger" to have an itching, eerie feeling. Maybe they should turn back? It seemed likely that whatever item they were looking for would be in the dangerous parts of the store, but this was just too unnerving.

 

Crystal looked to the left, then to the right, then turned a 180 to look down the aisles. The whole place looked like Walmart; nothing was amiss. Well, except for the puppet people and these two doors, of course. And those were their only leads; wandering around might only waste time.

Running her fingers through her hair when faced with the decision, Crystal pondered Shadows' words very carefully.

Deceptive building... so maybe this apparent danger is just part of the deception? She thought. Kind of like how the people look normal until you talk to them? But if it really is dangerous, could we face it? I mean, yeah, I can heal stuff, and Nicolas has his shift... but...

" I don't know what to do." Crystal finally said. " I guess we could wander around some more - " She glanced back at the doors, " - But would that do anything? Maybe this is where we're supposed to go..."

Edited May 6, 2016 by skwerl56767

[Mephaesto]

"That may be true, but I didn't see anyone helping us." the girl said as she dropped the sword towards Ezekiel's chest. He could tell that the girl still did not trust him. It's not as though he could just tell her everything...he would be punished; he would suffer severe repercussions.

 

Tell her a lie...lead her on. Only cowards trust others; trust leads to destruction. In this world of deception you must look out for number 1.

 

"If that's my only option..." Ezekiel muttered.

 

YOU HAVE NO OPTIONS! You do what you are told when you are told. You are mine.

 

Ezekiel cringed from the sheer force with which Astaroth roared at him. He had no choice...he had to fulfill his master's wishes.

"Um...well..."

Go on, tell her.

"I have this artifact that allows me to cloak myself."

An artifact??? A real savant you are. Must have taken you a while to come up with that one...

"Anyways that's why you didn't see me before. And don't bother asking me to show it to you, you see the artifact gets destroyed in the process; it turns to dust."

Ezekiel, having finished his lie, released a sigh of relief. He hoped she bought his tale for if she didn't he feared he may have to reveal his true power and destroy her.

Edited May 12, 2016 by Mephaesto

[skwerl56767]

[Ryuki and - Ah, who cares, everyone knows who I'm talking about. ]

 

The boy muttered something, but seemed tense, making Rachel even more suspicious.

" You saying something?" She pressed.

" Um... well... I have this artifact that allows me to cloak myself."

She just stared blankly.

" Anyways that's why you didn't see me before." He continued. " And don't bother asking me to show it to you, you see the artifact gets destroyed in the process; it turns to dust."

Rachel lowered her sword further, but kept her tension high. A little quick to say that... She thought.

 

" Seems odd that you chose now, of all times, to use that artifact." She said, jerking her head toward Ryuki. " Feel free; but I'm watching you." Just to prove it, she went over to tend to Swift's rat wounds, but oriented herself so a mere glance could tell her what the boy was doing. With a grimace at her too-expensive-for-this-trip jeans, she used her sword to cut off a few strips to bind Swift's legs with.

" So..." She started in casual tones as she worked. " Ezekiel, huh? That artifact sounded pretty rare. Did you find it, or did someone give it to you?"

[Mephaesto]

"Seems odd that you chose now, of all times, to use that artifact." the girl stated, "Feel free, but I'm watching you. So...Ezekiel, huh? That artifact sounded pretty rare. Did you find it, or did someone give it to you?"

 

"Before I explain anything I must tend to your friends wounds." Ezekiel asserted. "An incantation such as this will take my full concentration."

 

And so Ezekiel approached the man and sat down in front of him, slowly breathing. In...out...in...out...in...out. Ezekiel could feel his consciousness slipping from the corporeal plane. After a few minutes Ezekiel found himself in a strange place, the shadow plane. In this place everything that cast a shadow in the real world was reflected here. It was now Ezekiel's mission to locate the shadow of the man; this was no easy task. Although everything is represented here time and space act differently. Anyone who risked staying there too long would face irreparable consequences.

 

Luckily enough for Ezekiel this escapade was to be a short one. Only after a few minutes of searching did he find the man's shadow. Now the real work began. In order to "heal" the real world version Ezekiel must manipulate their shadow-self. One lapse of concentration and Ezekiel could remove a limb or worse. As he reached out to touch the man Ezekiel heard a wail off in the distance; a wail so mournful, so wild that it would send the most battle-hardened of warriors running for the hills.

 

I knew they would show up sooner or later. How long did you think you would last before they picked up your scent? They're coming for you...and him. There are strict rules to be followed in the shadow plane one being that no mortal should ever set foot here. Tick, tock, tick, tock...times almost up little pup.

 

"I know, I know!" Ezekiel shouted. He knew what awaited him if he didn't get out shortly. Some would say death is preferred over what he would face. As Ezekiel touched the man's shadow he began hastily pouring energy into it, filling it like an empty reservoir. As the minutes raced by Ezekiel could feel the presence of the beasts bearing down upon them. He had to get out now! Just as one of the monstrosities came into view Ezekiel launched himself out of the plane to find himself back in the forest.

 

Awe so close! To be honest I was rooting for them...I really was. Who would have thought a mere morsel like yourself would escape from the them, beasts locked away due to their more...unfavorable nature.

Edited May 25, 2016 by Mephaesto

[skwerl56767]

Ezekiel seemed insistent on healing Ryuki... somehow... so Rachel just rolled her eyes and said nothing, instead pondering on where he came from.

His clothes were very modern, and he was clearly some kind of human, so there was only a slim chance that he was native to this place... or maybe he came in by accident? It wouldn't be the first time Shadow opened a portal and all heck broke loose; one time literally, several times accidentally, two times on purpose... Was it possible that a kid just happened to sneak into the gym, and spotted Shadow's conjured doors? But if that was the case, who in their right mind would decide "Hey, let's walk through a strange door!"?

Teenagers. Rachel reminded herself. Just people being people. That's how you met Shadow in the first place, remember? "Hey, let's pull that lever over there"...

Okay, so it's feasible. She decided, giving Ezekiel another glance; he seemed to be in a trance, staring at Ryuki. Maybe he's just some kid who happened to show up at the wrong time. Shadow is unconscious, after all, and everyone split up into the portals; a bunch of teenagers really could just waltz in there and decide to go dimension-jumping.

That's a stupid idea. Her conscious butted in hypocritically.

Yup. Sure is. She answered.

 

Having tended to Swift's wounds enough that the horse-creature could hopefully stand again - but probably not bear the weight of a human for some time - she decided to be creepy and observe Ezekiel. As she came up to him though, she saw that he wasn't even touching Ryuki, or doing anything at all. She gave him a quizzical look, looking back at the samurai.

He wasn't bleeding anymore, which was good, and his deeper wounds had grown shallow; but the healing was a slow process. Obviously an average teenager couldn't heal people the way Crystal could, so Ezekiel was definitely something different.

He jumped back to reality, making Rachel jump too. Her puzzlement grew when she saw he was shaky, as though a rush of adrenaline shot through him.

" Uh... you all right?" She asked, tempted to grab her sword again but deciding the hostile appearance was the last thing the boy needed.

[Thaelasan]

There was a soft groan as the teenager began to move again, his hand finding its way to his forehead where he rubbed his face to clear his eyes and thoughts.

"What...? It's still day?.." Ryuki asked, concerned, looking around. "Oh."

He paused when he saw the new boy, who seemed disoriented but otherwise safe. He waved a bit to him, smirking.

"Hey, newbie." Ryuki said calmly, rubbing the back of his head. "Looks like you caught me napping. Whoops."

He brushed himself off as he stood to his feet, rubbing his arms and legs to check for wounds. But it seems they had all disappeared. Casually, he moved a bit backward as he stood to his feet, brushing his hand through his hair.

"Well I think I've decided one thing, my friends..." he whispered, adjusting his jacket with a final flourish as he grinned.

"The Queen is going to die."

[Mephaesto]

As he awoke Ezekiel shuddered from the realization that he barely escaped death. "Uh...you alright?" he heard as the girl approached rather apprehensively.

 

"Oh...um...yeah I'm fine...just, uh...had a small matter to deal with is all."

 

Small matter he says...small indeed. Almost as small as hellfire falling from the heavens and scorching this world. My what a little urchin I have come to raise so beautifully. Won't be long now and you'll be killing people out of sheer enjoyment. I guarantee it!

 

It was then that the man awoke. He still bore some marks from where his injuries were but he was nonetheless healed.

 

"What...? It's still day?...Oh. Hey, newbie." the man exclaimed. "Looks like you caught me napping. Whoops."

 

What a peculiar man...it's not everyday you see someone shrug off going unconscious. As he stood Ezekiel saw a man with the demeanor of a lord, of someone who demanded respect. He needed to ally himself with this man as soon as possible...

 

"Well I think I've decided one thing, my friends..." the man uttered as he adorned himself with his jacket. "The Queen is going to die."

 

death

 

"I'm not too big into killing..." Ezekiel muttered; thanks to his new "companion" he knew all too well what killing a person entailed.

Death, killing, bloodlust, feast! Come my little rat, join them and sate my hunger! FEED ME!

 

The bellows of his master were too much! He could feel the rage and hunger as if they were his own. Ok...OK FINE!

 

"On second thought it is the Queen; I guess I could make an exception. By the way how are we planning on killing the Queen? It's not as though we can waltz into the castle and stick a knife in her gut." Ezekiel inquired. How would they pull this off? Ezekiel had a feeling this would a suicide mission but it was the only way he could justify killing again. He needed this...no...he wanted it.

[skwerl56767]

" 'Nap'." Rachel repeated with a friendly smirk. " I'm just glad those stupid porcupine-rat monsters weren't infected."

Ryuki seemed to be okay - as he proved by standing up so quickly - which only put Rachel in deep thought considering Ezekiel. It seemed too good to be true; some kid, coming up out of nowhere, capable of completely healing Ryuki to the point of consciousness? It certainly wasn't impossible... but she wasn't one to lower her guard.

Ryuki can be the kid's buddy; she can be the suspicious one who's always squinting, scrutinizing perfectly good people for no reason...

She chuckled at the mental image of her squinting at some poor guy, but it is what it is. Though she had to admit, Ezekiel was kind of... odd...

 

" Killing the Queen..." Rachel mused. It's a good point; Ryuki was oozing confidence, but how exactly would they kill the Queen? She's bound to have the whole nine yards in her favor: guards, moats, beasts of war, medics, maybe even spells if she interpreted Lady Avena correctly. And what about those Accursed Beasts? Weren't they just fighting those off?

It wasn't exactly a cake walk, that was for sure...

" Let's get to Serpent's Pit first before we start worrying about tactics." Rachel suggested. " We don't even know what the Queen has up her sleeve, unless those rats were part of it. She might have flying exploding heads for all we know."

She turned and helped Swift up; the "horse" was having difficulty balancing, worrying Rachel. Thunder might be able to carry two people, but that leaves one person walking...

Yeah, no, she wasn't going to ride with Ryuki like he was some knight in shining armor. Aaaaand maybe Ezekiel would also be embarrassed. Ah, well...

" We might have to walk." She said, addressing no one in particular in hopes that the two could sort it out among themselves. " We won't be able to make it until after dark, at this rate."

Edited June 21, 2016 by skwerl56767

[Thaelasan]

Ryuki was about to say "What? You can ride with me..." before he realized that would leave Ezekiel without a mount. He frowned, rubbing his chin slightly.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to for the moment. Well, YOU will." he corrected, getting on Thunder and grinning. "I'll just keep at a swift trot. Sorry, I'm still feeling a bit light-headed from the nap, of course."

Thunder began moving forward at a slow pace, almost at a human's casual walk pace.

[Mephaesto]

"You two can ride together. I don't mind walking all that much...been doing it most of my life why stop now, eh?" Ezekiel said cheerfully. He didn't want to impose himself on these people, they had just let him join their crew after all. "By the way, I don't believe to have caught your names? I figure I should at least know the names of those I will be traveling with."

 

Awe look at you making friends. Not friends in the future, but friends now nonetheless. I give'em a week, two tops. Can't you just go and kill them already? I've been generous enough to not strike you down where you stand for your insolence...

 

"Be QUIET!!" Ezekiel muttered through gritted teeth. How long could he go before he finally caves? Before he falls victim to his master's wishes once again? That's to be a matter for another day; right now he had something-SOMEONE who wanted to be near him much less want him to join them and if the moment didn't last who cares? He could tell adventure's reins were at his fingertips and he took his chance and held on for he was about to go on the quest of a lifetime.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Mephaesto

[skwerl56767]

Rachel couldn't help but grin and Ryuki's response, grabbing Swift's reigns and leading her along. Thunder wasn't going so fast as to leave them behind, but he was slowly advancing up ahead.

Maybe that was a good thing; if these things were anything like real horses he'll notify Ryuki as soon as he senses danger, and then Ryuki can warn the three of them.

Speaking of good things, it's a good thing that Ezekiel didn't mind walking.

" By the way, I don't believe to have caught your names?" He asked. " I figure I should at least know the names of those I will be traveling with."

Rachel paused for a moment. Scrutinizing cynical person, remember? Don't give him too much, especially since you don't know him that well and he could be working for-

She cut off her thoughts and decided to go against them; it would be rude to not give him their names, right? Besides, he revived Ryuki! If he really is one of the bad guys, he's doing a really good job at hiding it.

" Call me Rachel." She finally said. " Mr. Knight up there is Ryuki. I spend most of my school days freaking about unrelated... events, so I don't know much about him. But we go to the same school together." She gave Ezekiel another once-over, still intrigued by how human and Earthly he looked. " Did you go to school too, or were you home schooled? We met some people a while back that are native here, but they look nothing like yourself." And I swear I've seen that hoodie in Hot Topic before. She added to herself.