Posted April 5, 2018 (edited) @ Duke Lefevre's tattoo reminds him of the intricate designs circling the eyes of the Lord Ruler's Obligators and Inquisitors -- his personal servants and representations of his almighty power. The Obligators and Inquisitors were the Lord Ruler's eyes and ears, and even the nobles seemed to fear them. Combined with Levfevre's statement about harnessing a power of a god, the worker is swayed, convinced that perhaps this stranger with a cloak whiter than a king's really did have the power to use a god's ability against him. Perhaps that was why the skaa was compelled to give his name. "Dynarst -- emphasis on the T," he returned the introduction, impassive. He was impressed, but still not comfortable enough to be amical. He trusted that someone of a Duke's aristocracy would manage to pronounce his name properly, for once in his life. Dynarst suddenly lowers his voice. "Listen, Duke Lefevre," he leans in with his neck hunched and whispers to Duke and his two companions. "There's been rumors of a skaa rebellion circulating for a few moons now, led by a man as mythical and as passionate as you are. But your Lady is right, on every account. For a thousand years, every attempt to overthrow the Lord Ruler has ended in failure and mass execution." "You there, skaa! What are you doing?" comes a bark from the street's mouth. Dynarst jolts upright like a frightened prey animal, preparing to run, but the looming figure was already too close and there was nowhere to flee to. The voice belonged to a much a much taller man in plate armor and a full, greying beard, striding forward at a brisk pace towards him. Dynarst instinctively shields his head with his arms when he sees the guard pull his arm back for a punch -- but the strike never came. Surprise flashed through the armored man's eyes as his gauntlet was stopped in mid-air, striking an invisible wall that rippled with a jolt of blue energy. The rest of the skaa had soundlessly erased all evidence of their presence, leaving Dynarst the only witness to the Duke's power. "Steelpush?" The guard's mouth forms a silent, two-syllable word, before he slowly retracts his hand in confusion. Edited April 5, 2018 by TehUltimateMage Share this post Link to post
Posted April 5, 2018 (edited) -- [ where would i have pockets : theo -- ; ] The thought of anything happening to Arch when he is faraway, so out of sight from Theo's reach, takes his breath away -- but despite this, Theo can't help but smile fondly up at the angel before him, taking in Arch's visage: his sky-clear eyes framed by long eyelashes, the slightest dust of white-gold against his cheek as he blinks. Arch's voice is gentle, light, reassuring, and Theo finds it almost funny that Arch is the one to dissipate his worries when it is not Theo that will be wandering into unknown lands. He reaches up then, lightly tracing the side of Arch's face with his gloved hand, feeling the warm skin and the slight stir of Arch's breath as he reacts. "Always," he says softly, and he means it -- no matter what happens, he will not leave the other behind. It is funny to him, how someone he had initially picked up simply because he didn't want to leave the enemy on a battlefield has now become such a fundamental core of his existence. Funny, if not a little sappy. And then the moment is broken when someone pushes a cube into Arch's hands. His husband, ever-polite and so willing to accomplish the mission, accepts the cube with gratitude, but Theo scowls -- this same cube is what will force Arch to have to take flight. Childishly, Theo has the thought of pushing the cube from Arch's hands and shooting it with a bolt of lightning. Or spearing it into the ground. But Arch, almost as if he knows what Theo is thinking, adjusts his hand and guides him in the direction of the rest of the group. Arch's hand is warm and real in his, and Theo thinks -- for the moment, it will not be necessary to murder the tiny cube. -- The place they have arrived at is strange, although it is not a surprise to Theo -- he has spent so long wandering this land that new experiences are hardly ones that shock him, but that does not refrain him from glaring at every person who stares for a second too long at Arch's wings, slack-jawed and wide-eyed. He is in the middle of intensely staring down a little girl who had happened to reach forward for Arch, as if she could touch him from so far away, when his husband's voice breaks him from his thoughts. A flask? Theo blinks. "I ... don't have pockets," he reminds the angel. He squints at the water then, wondering about the strange shimmer -- magic? "Do you plan on carrying it home?" he says, slightly teasingly, before he looks around. A flask, a flask ... Aha! The lady who had pushed the cube into Arch's hands earlier. He can see the vague shape of countless glassware hidden behind her robes. "I have an idea," Theo says impulsively, and then -- without waiting for his husband's approval, Theo snatches the little cube from Arch's hands and walks over to the lady. Badoo? "Here's your triangle," he says, the little cube in the centre of his palm. "I want a flask for the water." He stops. "Please." Edited April 29, 2020 by Edelgard Share this post Link to post
Posted April 5, 2018 Jowan [ if you’re so sure ] Jowan remains unconvinced. How could the situations be so different? There is always a limit. The idea that there isn’t, that one can do the impossible just by having something to fight for, is almost insulting. Was fighting for Lily no enough? He’s tempted to take back his faltered apology and tell Duke how naive he is. But maybe Duke is made of something different. Maybe he’s the strange one for being unwilling to take a stand. Always take the easy way out, right? Answer the enticing call of blood magic. Run instead of accepting fate. Be stupid enough to believe that the simple task of emptying a vial would be enough to fix things. His own attempts had hardly gotten good results. His eyes widen in surprise at Duke’s offer. Why, when he’d been nothing but disparaging? It’s a chance to make things better, and he feels as though he should accept it, but the words catch in his throat. Duke’s eyes are too trusting, and Jowan finds himself unable to meet them. “I-” He wants to pretend that he isn’t worried about dying. The cause of freedom should be greater than his own meagre life, shouldn’t it? But the thought of going against an army and a god… it’s more than he expected. The red glow of the sun and the smell of ash makes everything feel far more real than it did in the twilight of the Gateway, where he had agreed to go on the mission. "The people will not victimized if the justice is swift and sweet. The fall of a king is a universal symbol of freedom across the land, no matter where." A short, humorless laugh escapes his lips. The situations are different, he knows. His knowledge of politics is lacking, but he is aware that King Cailan wasn’t hated by the public, no rebellion had been lead against him, and Ferelden had been facing a Blight when Loghain took his place. Even so, Duke’s words are odd. In most cases, the death of a ruler weakens its nation. Issues of succession are common enough, but even when succession is smooth there is a period of time when the new ruler adjusts to their position. What did that have to do with freedom? It causes Jowan to wonder what plans Duke has for afterwards, or if he even has any. Creating a power vacuum wouldn't help the people. Before he can consider speaking his thoughts a harsh voice cuts through the air, and like a startled rabbit he freezes. The voice itself is not familiar, but the rough, arrogant tone is uncomfortably so. Dread pools in his stomach as he raises his eyes enough to see the approaching figure. The guard’s armor is unlike that of the Templars, but his squared shoulders and heavy stride are remarkably similar. Jowan grasps his injured forearm. The pain, and with it the knowledge that he is not helpless, is grounding. It is with practiced ease that he does nothing to help Dynarst. Those that draw the ire of the Templars are ignored, and only later comforted in the safety of their dorms or a hidden alcove. They all knew that. But Duke is not so constrained, and the guard’s fist collides with a barrier. It was a strong punch, and Jowan’s hand rises to his cheek to sooth the ghostly pain of metal on flesh. Instead of relief when the guard is tossed aside he feels the overwhelming desire to flee and hide. His hand shoots forward to grasp Duke’s wrist. “We have to leave,” he says, dilated pupils darting back and forth. His breathing is quick and shallow. No. He is no longer a child. The guard is not a Templar, and there is no need for exaggerated reactions. They are not helpless. He squeezes his eyes shut, exhales, and holds his breath for a moment. “I mean,” he says, words carefully measured, as he opens his eyes to stare at a cobblestone. “That more might be coming. We should try to avoid getting caught up in that. Can’t take down a king and find the anchor while fighting city guards, right?” He doesn’t let go of Duke’s wrist. If anything, his grip tightens. Share this post Link to post
Posted April 7, 2018 (edited) Mage and Mika collab- Who the hell are you? Lara looked at the young man with suspicion and set her communicator to hands-free mode. The way he casually addressed her worried her greatly- what could he possibly have wanted? There was the chance he wanted what every woman she knew feared. But he was so young, so what was his motive for approaching her? She wasn’t going to provide sufficient support for a while, that was certain. Lara backed up a bit, very wary of the new stranger. “Who… Are you? What the devil do you want?” The man was extremely sketchy, Lara did not like sketchy one bit. “Answering a question with a question,” he stated, shrugging with his palms up. Lara could see that he was unarmed. His eyes drifted towards the floating cube, which he looked at intensely for a couple seconds before yielding to her inquiry. “Call me… Lamar. Not what my crew calls me, so you’ll find it a bit hard to track me down but, a name’s a name.” He gave a cheeky wink. “All I want is to make sure you’re not up to no good, missus.” Lara sighed. “I can assure you, I’m not up to any trouble.” Lara sighed. She had no guns, which was not fun because they made things more convenient. Usually people didn’t approach when she was armed unless they were also armed. What could she do now? Maybe throw him off the roof if need be, or punch him in the face really hard. Judo flip would have suited as well, send him flying to the next rooftop. That calmed her down. Right, she could defend herself. She would have to see if he was going to come for her. “I’m just here to provide support while the rest of my group completes a mission….” Usually Lara hated exposing plans, but anything to get this guy off of her back…. Perhaps he would think she was crazy and go away. If she didn’t have to, she didn’t want to have a fight. She needed her strength for a more hostile foe. “This will sound absurd, but we come from an extra dimensional team, and there is something in this world that doesn’t belong. Our job is to return it to where it belongs. Would that explanation suffice?” Lamar’s disbelief was visible in his expression, until he consciously softened his face. Sure, he’ll believe it for now. “Mission, getting something back… So, you’re like bandits, but with an altruistic reason.” He took a few steps towards her, interested in hearing more. “Bandits. Not by any means, we’re just making sure that the multiverse doesn’t go out of whack… This item- actually, multiple items- are extremely important to other worlds and we must make sure they get back safely. This confused me when I first learned of all of this, I’m not shocked by your reaction.” Lara replied cooly, understanding her visitor’s shock and confusion. She stayed calm, knowing full well how weak this boy looked and how she could send him flying. But one thing unnerved her just the tiniest bit... what powers might he have? Would he be stronger than she thought? She couldn’t stay completely comfortable, letting her guard down was never smart. But she waited for his response. Edited April 14, 2018 by Mikasa361 Share this post Link to post
Posted April 14, 2018 Cistina~The best way to discipline is from the top down, right? Cistina lowered her head. A part of her noted the strange way her hair seemed to swirl around her face, but… Wherever she looked, there were corpses strewn around the town. Bodies of soldiers who fought, bodies of the civilians caught in the crossfire. “I…” War orphans, hungry, looking into the inn with dirt-stained faces. The crying widow sitting in the hospital. The men screaming in their sleep, horrors of what they had seen playing across their dreams. She strode back to Duke, purpose blazing in her eyes. “How… How can you say that so easily?” A little voice from the corner of her mind noted that she was being so very rude, Duke was in the middle of a conversation with the servant he befriended, and he had even given him his name. “If you focus on the ends rather than the results by which to get them— She was interrupted by the arrival of a guard. A guard who tried to punch Dynarst—but luckily, Duke’s reflexes too were honed, and his fist only met with one of the latter’s barriers. He reached for his weapon and Cistina crouched, ready to tackle him—His posture was flimsy, even if she couldn’t knock him over she could still take the time to disarm him and—"I may not be from around here," Duke said in a chillingly pleasant voice, "But I still think you should treat the citizens of your city with a little more respect." Duke slammed a barrier into him, knocking him flying. Cistina straightened up and stalked forward, putting herself between the man and their party, glancing back at Duke and giving him a small tilt of the head. I have a plan. The ruse she tried to pull had worked with Dynarst, no matter how momentary it might have been… So why not use it to her advantage? “What are you doing?” she demanded, eyes narrowed. “Do you not have more important things to do than accost others? Who is your commander?! I shall have a word with him!” Share this post Link to post
Posted April 14, 2018 # Lara # "Either way, saving the," Lamar suddenly snorted, trying to hold in a laugh at the foreign portmanteau, "multiverse or not, this -- this rooftop, but also this city in general -- is a rather unfortunate place to be even if you're quite the looker." He pursed his lips in a kissing gesture. With one hand he reached into his pocket and fished out a few coppery coins -- one held theatrically between each finger. "My boss probably won't be entertained as I am by your story, but I doubt I'd tell it as well as you have, anyway." He stretched out his arm and looked at the detailing on the coins, the lowest denomination of Boxing, cast like all coins with the handsome face of the Lord Ruler himself. "Only thing you'd usually find on the roof are Inquisitors and thieves like me, though at least thieves don't literally flay you alive and hang your corpse to dry. Maybe thieves would arrange a slit throat. Or a back alley accident." Cautiously, Lamar scanned the horizon, all across the roofs of the city. "No hard feelings, by the way. I just gotta move you some, since the Canton of Inquisition doesn't take too well to weird things, even if they do come from 'different worlds'. And when they get here, they tend to, you know, murder everything?" He shook his head, unsure if this woman would even understand his warning. "Maybe we can meet again when the circumstances are better. Maybe share a drink tonight? There's a real good tavern by the crossroads with the wells and the Lord Ruler statue, you know. Three doors left from the carpenter. You can see it right here," he said, pointing to the landscape, although it was a little hard to zero in on what exactly he was pointing at. "But for now, I gotta do my job." He slowly drew his hand of coins back towards himself to wind up. Lamar then whipped his arm forwards, sending a single copper piece shooting towards Lara at a speed impossible to attain with a regular pitch. Share this post Link to post
Posted April 14, 2018 (edited) Lara did a quick dodge, refusing to get injured by currency. It soon landed next to her, making a little clattering noise against the shingles of the roof. Not today. “I’m afraid I can’t allow you to touch me like that. I’m a lady, I have class.” She took a running start and prepared herself to grab Lamar. As she prepared for contact, she immediately grabbed him, and... Flipped him over her shoulder, sending him flying off of the roof. He fell the couple of meters, until... Edited April 14, 2018 by Mikasa361 Share this post Link to post
Posted April 14, 2018 # Duke, Cistina, Jowan # The guard slowly rises, shaken but otherwise unharmed. His armor had protected him from much of the shock from his fall but for a moment he stared wide-eyed into the red sky, uncertain of what had transpired. He apologizes to the woman in yellow and her fellow with the white cape. "I am sorry, Lord and Lady." The older man bows his head and stares at the ground, avoiding all accusing eyes. "I thought this hellion was harassing your grace, and I thought it best to intervene." "I'm part of the Luthadel Garrison, serving the Lord Ruler himself -- not that we ever see him," the guard explains. He remains straight faced and stoic, but behind his eyes beamed a sense of pride an accomplishment at his position. "Not bound by any of the Noble Houses, our task as city guard is to make sure the city skaa aren't up to mischief." Offering a salute by striking a closed fist to his chest, he continues with a stern nod. "It would be unwise to dwell in the alleyways of this district. They're quite unpredictable people," he said, motioning to Dynarst with his chin. "But I do not doubt that you have the means to defend yourself. Again, I apologize for the trouble." The armored guard backs away, allowing Duke and his company to pass him in the small, narrow street and explore the city beyond. "He's skaa," Dynarst said in a whisper once the guard was out of earshot. "Few nobles would stoop as low as to do casual patrolling. I can't fault that he's making a good living compared to the rest of us, but damn." Share this post Link to post
Posted April 30, 2018 (edited) #Lara# Lamar's breath is forced out of his lungs when the woman lunged at him, grabbing his arm and twisting it, using her weight and impressive strength to toss him over her back and off the rooftop. It happened so quickly that all he recalled was his feet suddenly leaving the ground. He didn't want to see how fast the ground was approaching -- not that two or three floors would injure him too bad, even if he wasn't a pewerburner, unless he landed right on his neck. He reached for his magic, willing the familiar warmth in his stomach to burn stronger. Using one of the coins still in his hand, he throws it downward. It shoots straight into the ground, lifting a small cloud of dust, and when it struck the stones Lamar feels the jerk of a change in momentum. Having nowhere else to push the metal, the strength of his magic throws Lamar upwards slightly, but his center of mass is off and he is tossed sideways. With a cry he fumbles and crashes into a mound of ash, cursing his miscalculation and the nobles' exclusivity over the subject of mathematics. "Don't worry, I'm okay!" he yelled after a pause to no one in particular. Badu -- Crossroads Fountain Badu tilts her head to the side like an inquisitive bird, the dark tint of her goggles masking any trace of her curiosity, humor, and slight irritation at the grey-haired man with the exposed pectoralis. He acted more like a very tall child than any sort of man (much less a man over nine hundred years old), almost pouting and reluctantly using the special P-word. She wondered if he and his companion were immortal or simply long-lived and her right index finger twitched involuntarily, eager to pull apart their secrets using her scalpel. The feeling passed quickly, though, and the doctor waved a gloved hand dismissively at Theo who was still holding the communicator. "Keep the cube in the event you get lost," she said, as if the newcomers losing their way was a guaranteed occurrence. As for his statement of his wants, Badu did have extra empty vials. The winged one seemed to be much more level headed and goal oriented than the childish one. There was no point in denying the request. "Now, what do we say to someone who does you a favor?" she teased, before handing him an empty flask. ((advancing the plot with stan now/later)) Edited April 30, 2018 by TehUltimateMage Share this post Link to post
Posted May 3, 2018 Lara sighed in relief at the cry from down below. The man was alright, it meant she didn’t kill anybody. That was good. That was fine. She felt a little better knowing that she could rest at night from that. Would she see that man again? Who knew. Lara’s business was up here, to make sure the others didn’t get in trouble that would wind up deadly. Though they did seem to be taking their time getting to the tower. Didn’t they have items to retrieve? Lara sighed, waiting for something of interest to pop up. Share this post Link to post
Posted May 4, 2018 Jowan [ how did we get dragged into this ] Jowan's breath catches in his throat. The touch of Duke's fingertips upon his face sends the sensation of electric jolts down his skin, but it's Duke's eyes that capture his attention. Their gazes lock, and then-- --Duke drops his hand and turns away, and Jowan can breathe again. He wishes to think about what happened, but -- later. Now is neither the time nor place, and he needs time to process it. As it is, he's distracted enough to nearly miss what Duke says to the guard. Duke is impressive, even from behind. His voice is firm in a way that is almost inspiring -- the voice of a leader. It's so unlike the normal lightness that Jowan has come to associate with Duke, and it makes him wonder about Duke's past. What had he done before joining the X-Dreamers that had taught him to speak in such a way? What was his world like? Perhaps he'll get the chance to ask, once the mission is over and done with, but he has little idea how. Pasts were sensitive subjects, ones best brought up at the right time, and Jowan knows that his ability to identify the right time is poor. Normally he wouldn't be so bothered by this, but... he doesn't want to mess this up. The guard offers useful information, but Jowan is relieved to see the guard turn away and leave. Some tightness remains in his shoulders and the adrenaline running through his veins keeps him alert, but this is normal. He can't remember the last time he was truly able to relax. Somewhat hesitantly, he takes a few steps forward so that he is standing beside Duke and Cistina rather than behind them. He doesn't want to be left out of the conversation, but the shame burning in him almost convinces him that he deserves to be. Trying to convince them to run from something that hadn't even been a threat -- wasn't that a sign that he couldn't control his emotions well enough? That his past held too tight a hold on his mind? He can't understand how Duke can put so much trust in him. Following Duke's gaze, he lifts his head to see what must be a castle of sorts, though he can only tell because of its size and grandeur. The only thing that he could compare it to, Redcliffe Castle, had a few stocky towers built into its walls. This castle seemed to almost be made of numerous, spear-like spires. He could only guess that the spires had been built to convey power rather than to provide a defensible position. He considers arguing, but Duke had already made it clear that he would insist on trying to help the people. Whether killing the god would actually help -- Jowan has his doubts, but the castle has to be as good a place to get information as any. He glances towards Cistina, curious about whether she'll object to Duke's proposal. She doesn't look pleased, and he can't blame her. "Those... cube things. Pascal said that they can be used to contact the others. Shouldn't you tell them first?" He closes his eyes for a moment, hoping that he isn't making a mistake. "Lead the way." Share this post Link to post
Posted May 4, 2018 (edited) [ some kind of acceptance : theo -- ; ] Theo bristles at the connotation in Badu's voice, as if she knows him and knows what will happen. It is an assumption he dislikes; even back in the days of serving the Republic, he has never had patience for those that would assume before they understand. He nods, confirming her words, and clutches the cube in his hand; despite this, he vows silently to himself to not get lost. He is not a stranger in new lands, nor is he unable to adapt to uncertain circumstances -- he will not have to rely on technology he does not understand, nor trust, for his and the safety of those he cares about. He takes the empty flask, eyes flickering upwards at her words -- he clenches his teeth initially, missing the tone of humour in her voice. Did she intend to withhold items? Degrade him in this way? But to his surprise Badu hands him the vial all the same, and he takes it -- eyes wide, blinking. So it had been a jest, then? Well, he is no stranger to Arch's teasing, but he is all too familiar with Nyx unnecessarily displacing his possessions to trust those that would demand things from him, apart from the aforementioned angel. He blinks at Badu, half expecting her to smile and whisk the vial away from him with a flash of dimensional magic and just a peak of Nyx' stupid shiny rock, but is not so. He stares at the glass in amazement, and then back up at the doctor. "Thank you," he says, after a long pause, and although it sounds forced it is not as hostile as he would have initially made it out to be. She has not villianized him, so, well -- he will make an effort not to offend any other people in this strange land. He heads back to Arch then, holding the cube in one hand and the vial in the other. "I have a surprise," he announces. "Right or left?" Before the angel can answer, Theo presents both items -- the cube, and the vial. He still does not like the idea of the cube in Arch's possession, but it would be childish of him to withhold important information just because of his own emotions. "Tada," he says flatly. "Like the world's worst anniversary present. A cube and some glass." Clearly frustrated he can not do more to help, Theo hands the items over to the angel and steps aside, watching intently at the water. If it so much as glimmers menacingly, he will make sure to electrocute it -- and the crossroads, and all the ash in the sky. Edited May 4, 2018 by takatsuki Share this post Link to post
Posted May 4, 2018 Stan -- Crossroads Theoretically, it was easy. Just follow the tracker. Practically, it was less so. Stan wandered cautiously to one of the storefronts lining the crossroads, keeping his chin high and avoiding looking at anyone for more than a split second. He pushed on the unassuming entrance. The door opened on creaky hinges. He held his breath, then opened it the rest of the way. Bits of gold shimmered on the surface of the floorboards, accumulating in small mounds of bright, valuable-looking dust on an otherwise dull-colored interior. The shop seemed to be home to some sort of technician or watchmaker, from the looks of the timepieces on the walls and the little metal and wooden toys on the shelves. Some looked like they were knocked down. Stan crouched down, reaching a hand out to examine the golden particles. Was... all of this the anchor? "Don't touch the sand!" came shrieking voice. Stan's whole body jolted at the warning. He hadn't noticed anyone else in here, but now that he looked past the gold he could see a girl hunched in the shadows of the wooden stairs, her legs held close to her body and her arms wrapped around them, as if trying to curl up into a small enough ball to disappear entirely. Her dark eyes stared at his every move intensely and unblinking, even if they were partly hidden by her curly, dusty locks of hair. Stan said the first thing that came to mind. "Why?" "You'll turn into a monster," she said. "And then we'd have to kill you." Brr. That was said with no hesitation, as if she killed people on a regular basis. And the use of the word we might have meant that she had other friends around. "Have you seen anything like this before?" he questioned -- painfully aware of how lame his questioning sounded when he had no partner to assist him. The girl paused and furrowed her brow, puzzled at his phrasing. "...No," she admitted. "Good," Stan interrupted her before she could continue. The anchor had to be here, then, even if it was troublesome that it was also a force that could... turn people into monsters? "Keep doing what you're doing, lady. Me and my team are here to help." "Who are you?" And why should I trust you? said her expression with her narrowed eyes. Stan almost wanted to take out a badge and show it off like during his days as a space cop. Maybe he could convince XDRS to make badges, or at least calling cards. But for now, he was content with just introducing himself normally even if it did feel a bit silly to explain. "Stan Gulliver. Agent of the X-tra Dimensional Rescue Squad, or XDRS for short. We go around cleaning up cross-world accidents, one of which is probably this stuff you got lying around." He motioned to the sand. "I'm not from here," he added mystically with a hint of a grin, pulling his sleeve up a little to expose the metal of his mechanical limb. Usually it was an impressive trick if the world was ancient like this one. Either that or making his irises light up. That usually impressed locals. What impressed the girl the most, though, was when faint speaking came out from his cell phone as if someone forgot to hang up. The girl sat up, craning her neck to observe him, curious. Stan couldn't actually hear what was going on on the other end, and his Nokia said it was still connected to Lara. So, unmuting the call, he put the device to his ear. "Lara, is everything alright? I think we might have found something... But it doesn't sound too good. Keep an eye out for gold sand. It's dangerous." Share this post Link to post
Posted May 8, 2018 (edited) “Got it. No gold sand.” Lara sighed. I guess he didn’t hear the part where someone came at me and I flipped him off the roof. “Well, I’m fine. I just... Judo flipped someone off the roof. He was apparently curious as to why I was on the roof. I gave him my answer.” Lara smiled to herself with satisfaction. “Anything else? I see nothing of importance at the moment, no golden sand yet.” Lara leaned back when she sat down. There really was a strange beauty to this place, like it was a tomb to be discovered. It was lovely, in spite of the dust that settled around her. She He was a bit bored though. Nothing interesting other than the incident with Lamar was happening. Being lookout sucked, but she supposed it was good that it was her. Who else would have been able to climb that- actually any of them could have, probably. Still, she needed some action, something to get her blood going... Edited May 8, 2018 by Mikasa361 Share this post Link to post
Posted May 8, 2018 "Hellion? You speak for yourself, interrupting and attacking someone you had no right to," Cistina reprimanded sharply at the same time Duke said: "You task as city guard is to not beat up your citizens." "I'm part of the Luthadel Garrison, serving the Lord Ruler himself -- not that we ever see him," the guard says. As he does, his posture straightened and his head raised the slightest bit higher, eyes shining. The Lord Ruler... Who is this figure? A god that exists on the surface? What god goes by title rather than name? Her curiosity was soon muffled by a simmering rage at his next sentence, though. "Not bound by any of the Noble Houses, our task as city guard is to make sure the city skaa aren't up to mischief." He continued. Cistina's eyes narrowed. He didn't seem to have noticed, though, as he offered a one-handed salute and an orderly nod. "It would be unwise to dwell in the alleyways of this district. They're quite unpredictable people," he said with a quick gesture to Dynast. "But I do not doubt that you have the means to defend yourself. Again, I apologize for the trouble." "As you should," Cistina said coldly as he retreated, stepping aside to let them leave. Duke took the opportunity to move past him... In the opposite direction from where Stan and the others went. Cistina glanced back, towards where the other servants were looking (then quickly "returned" to their work when they noticed her looking back) the winding roads where the others went, then at the cube in her hand. I don't know where the others went... Pascal had said these would allow us to communicate as well, did she not? Cistina nodded to herself and followed Duke and company, stopping a few feet behind them and turning around so nothing surprised them from behind. "There," Duke says, inclining his head. "I want to go there." Cistina turned and looked to see the tips of a great castle and was simultaneously made aware of faint pulsing at the back of her consciousness. With a frown, she closed her eyes, feeling for it... Waves of screaming energy, bringing with it impulses of intent and power. Cistina gasped and staggered back, stumbling at the pounding. DESTRUCTION... FREEDOM... CHAOS... CHANGE... FREEDOM... DEATH... RUIN.... How did she not feel this before? She shakily pushed herself up using the wall, biting her lip. Was.. Was that a god? The... Lord Ruler? Such... Violence.... "Duke, I don't believe we should, at least not as we are," Cistina said nervously. "I hear an intense power from there... I think it the Lord Ruler that was mentioned." The others! They should know too..! Now which side of this cube was for communication? Cistina raised the cube and turned it about, tapping the faces until the one she (believed) was the right one glowed. She tapped it again and saw a list of names--Tap Stan's... "I trust this is you, Stan?" Cistina asked, but even if it wasn't it would be good to have others know. "There's a... Powerful... Does "powerful" even begin to describe what I had felt? "Force charging from the... The spiraling keep in the distance. If you could avoid approaching, please by all means do." Share this post Link to post
Posted May 8, 2018 (edited) [ that flower underneath the sun, and : theo -- ; ] Being around Arch relaxes Theo immensely from the previously tensed up atmosphere he had felt in the interaction with Badu, and Theo hums happily as Arch comes closer. The angel's breath is soft on his cheek, warm against his skin, and the edge of Arch's mouth catches his own as his lips curve into a smile when his husband gently kisses the side of his face. "Anything for you," he whispers in return, voice heavy and deep and filled with unsaid emotions, and he opens his eyes just slightly to take in the sight of Arch's brilliant wings shifting against the angel's movements. The other steps back all too soon and Theo makes a faint sound of disappointment -- too quiet for anyone but the two of them to hear, as he wishes for Arch to return, for them to have spare time so he can spend time making up for those terrible months when Arch had disappeared and he had not known why. But he is patient, if anything -- even if unwilling. For Arch he would wait a thousand years, and then some. It is not the passage of time he fears, but rather the abandonment by those he holds most dear. Curiously, Theo watches the flask in Arch's hands as the angel tilts it upwards, watching the water shift and sparkle in the light. Theo keeps an eye focused on the vial in Arch's hands, just in case of a sudden attack, but it is his husband's words that draw him out of his stupor. "Rub your wings?" he demands, suddenly bristling like a surprised cat, the angel's former words and question forgotten. "Where? When? Who?" He looks around, glaring at the surrounding people in the plaza. "Do you need me to stab a peasant," he says flatly, a sparkle of red lightning on his fingertips as he moves. Visibly forcing himself to relax, Theo unfurls from his attack-ready position and thinks to himself for a second before speaking up once more. Right -- the mission. He could absolutely finish this mission and protect Arch at the same time, but it would not do good to neglect the important details. Strange people. Truth be told, Theo is perspective when he wants to be -- he just chooses to scan over the crowds when nothing of interest catches his attention. He was a guard, once, and the instincts stay with him; the ability to distinguish good and bad, immediately pinpoint suspicious activity. Speaking of -- "A man," Theo says, very bluntly. "Blond, tall, and wearing a strange cape in two folds. He was here just a second ago, but seems to have disappeared into the crowd -- definitely not someone from around here, considering what everyone else is wearing." -- Edited April 29, 2020 by Edelgard Share this post Link to post
Posted May 15, 2018 Stan -- Abandoned Watch Store > Crossroads Well, I’m fine," replied Lara's voice. "I just... Judo flipped someone off the roof. He was apparently curious as to why I was on the roof. I gave him my answer.” "You what." Stan said, his tone flat. "Assault isn't the only way out of a conversation! I mean, I guess I'm not the best example to follow since I literally set someone on fire so they would stop talking but I was seventeen and that was one time---" The man stopped himself, one hand in mid-gesture and the other holding his phone to his ear, suddenly self-aware that he was being stared down by the wide, owl-like eyes of the other girl in the room. At least the silence between them was broken by a second ping. "I trust this is you, Stan?" Cistina's voice cut in. He didn't know if her pauses were because of a bad connection, or if she was hesitating with her words for whatever reason. "There's a... Powerful... Force charging from the... The spiraling keep in the distance. If you could avoid approaching, please by all means do." "Yeah, it's me. You mean that giant spiked thing in the middle of the city? Last time we tried to head too close to that, that's where me and Xker got chased out by the nail-eyed guys." He frowned at the memory. "And there's something about it -- I don't know if it's the architecture or whatever, but that place is super freaky. Makes the hair on my neck stand on end." He pulled his hand back and took a look at his phone, flipping through a few options until he found out how to do a conference call and put both ladies on the line at once. "Lara, Cistina? The tracker led me to a room full of golden, glittery sand. Evidence points to it being part of the anchor. There's a girl here who seems to be native to the world but I'm not sure, and she says that touching the sand can turn people into monsters which, presumably is a really bad thing. "If you find anything out about the world itself or about the sand, let me know," he followed up, before turning back to the girl across the room. "Is there uh, anything else you can tell me? And what is thine fair maiden's name?" Stan punctuated the last part with a wink. The girl tilted her head to the side and let out a dismissive huff, almost taken aback that this strange man from somewhere else was trying to be suave and flirty. Although... he seemed to be ready to trust anything she would say and so, raising her chin, she began with her name. "...Cam. The sand came from an old looking hourglass that doesn't look like it could hold all of this, but it did. Should still be here, somewhere, but I haven't taken a good look for obvious reasons." Stan waited for her to give more context, but she didn't elaborate further. The agent furrowed his brow, trying to figure out how to search the shop without touching the sand. "Ah, I got it," he said. "Wait here for a sec. And if you can, try to get close to the exit because we're going to de-dust this baby like it's spring cleaning day." ~~~ Stepping outside, Stan carefully pulled the door shut again to make sure no curious passerby would stumble upon the bits of the anchor. Easily, he spotted the two new recruits, Arch and Theo, speaking to each other by the plaza's central fountain. He approached them and waved them over. "Arch? We're gonna have to use those wings of yours to whip up a breeze. I found a room of sand that's apparently really dangerous to touch, so could you try to fan it away so we can investigate?" He paused. He squinted at the vial the angel was holding, with the shining particles within the murky liquid. "Yeah, like that stuff suspended in the water..." ~~~~ #Duke# Dynarst opens his mouth to inquire about the mysterious cube the lady in yellow was holding that broadcasted a voice -- but then he shut his jaw, simply accepting it as further proof that Duke and his comrades were not of this world. He hangs his head low at Duke's questions, and shakes it from side to side. He is eager to tell him but at the same time, a little nervous about speaking so openly about the Lord Ruler. "No one really dares approach Kredik Shaw, that place you point to -- not even the nobles. It's the home of the Lord Ruler Himself, and the keep itself makes even the bravest men cower. I don't believe in superstitions as much as the next person but... It's said that His commanding aura surrounds the area around the palace and can instantly bring weak souls to their knees. That's probably what the voice of the cube felt, and maybe what you're feeling right now, yellow lady? "I've had the chance to see the Lord Ruler in person, once, when I was a kid, and I've heard from elders that His appearance hasn't changed for a hundred years. Tall, pale, dark-haired and handsome; decorated all over with jewelry of all sorts of metals like gold and bronze and steel and pewter, It's almost like He can make crowds feel what he wants them to feel, whether that is fear, outrage, or nothing at all." Share this post Link to post
Posted May 15, 2018 (edited) Lara winced when Stan mentioned setting someone on fire at seventeen. Christ, he had that kind of capability on him?! Who knew he would- no, no, maybe it wasn’t murder, he wouldn’t have dropped that so casually. Would he? That man was full of surprises. Maybe it was just a minor burn. Yeah, yeah, that calmed her down a little. “Yeah, well for whatever reason he was fine,” she murmured. Lara sighed. Cistina had cut in, with some valuable information about that giant building nearby. It was a very eerie building indeed- of gravity were to allow her braid to stand on end, it would. But then Stan tried to flirt with the girl in the room he was discussing, and she face-palmed. Typical Stanley, of course he couldn’t go anywhere without flirting with the nearest girl in the area. That was what always got on her nerves, even if it was just a benign little tease. Yet she always kept it to herself. Whatever it was, though, it always made her turn a bit green. Still, out of professionalism, she tried not to let it anger her… too much. Lara sighed and rubbed her temple. Lara, you ought to get a grip. It’s unsightly to be getting this riled up over something so silly. Maybe you ought to follow him to make sure nothing is going wrong. Or perhaps Duke to get him to get his ass in gear? Or perhaps Cistina? …..Stan. Stan might get himself into trouble. Lara followed in Stan’s direction, hopping from one roof to the next until she caught up at a building nearby. The tracker showed just how close Stan was, and thankfully his dot still showed up. On that rooftop she sat, waiting for her chance to provide some support, if she could. She had some time to think, at least. Was it smart to even go on this mission? Would she provide any help at all up here? Or was she just sitting and waiting for this mission to be over, so that she could go home and pet Cicero? She missed that pup right about now. Was someone feeding him? Giving him love and affection? She really hoped so, because if nobody cared for him, Lara was going to rain some hell on the base. Her mind turned back to home for a brief moment. Perhaps she needed someone to help Winston tend to the manor. At his age, cleaning everything by himself had to prove difficult. Perhaps she would ask someone to come home with her to check up on the manor. It would also help to grab some ammo, and maybe a couple of targets to create some sort of range for the base. It sucked being one of the few members of the base to actually use guns. It was her and Stan, essentially. Go figure. How would that gym go? Would Lara be on her own in creating it? She supposed so, nobody else seemed interested in making one. Ah, well. She supposed that it would be good to focus on that when she got home, maybe people would use it when it was finished. But for now, here Lara sat, anxious to be put to use Edited August 3, 2018 by Mikasa361 Share this post Link to post
Posted May 16, 2018 Jowan [ distractions ] It’s a surprise when Duke abruptly shifts postures, but Jowan can’t help but think that this suits him better. Duke is a natural leader, surely, but there’s something beautiful about seeing the harsh lines leave his shoulders and spine. Conscious of the dwindling space between them, Jowan nearly takes a step back; he’s always preferred to have his own space. But it’s… not uncomfortable, being so close to Duke. He supposes that he can oblige Duke’s desire if Duke wants to be closer, and if he happens to enjoy the proximity as well that’s fine. “Truly a scourge everywhere,” he says, chuckling lightly at Duke’s dismay. He falls silent as Duke begins to search for the cube. There’s a wealth of information contained in Duke’s casual mutterings, and he finds himself struggling to commit it all to memory. Who is Elias? Duke must know him well, to speak of him like this. “War?” The word slips out of his mouth. He’d meant to wait -- they were supposed to be on a mission, not talking about their pasts, but when has he been able to stay on task? It’s just -- a war sounds like a pretty major thing for Duke to have been involved in. Duke pins something to his chest, and Jowan appreciates that he was careful enough to avoid stabbing him through the fabric. He raises his hand to inspect the brooch, curious, and his fingers brush against Duke’s. Sunlight glints dully off the curls of the metal -- it’s beautiful. Despite Duke’s claim that it is enchanted, he can’t feel the ripples in the Fade that lyrium creates. It had to have been enchanted in some other way. “How does it-” he begins, but he’s asked enough for now. “How do you use it?” He grits his teeth and bows his head; that sounded ungrateful, damn it. “Thank you,” he says, softer, and he hopes that Duke will understand. There’s a pause in the conversation, and Jowan is suddenly aware of how close they’re standing. He opens his mouth, feeling that maybe he should say something, and he isn’t sure whether to be relieved or upset when Cistina’s voice frees him from the responsibility. She sounds unsure of how to describe whatever she felt, and perhaps frightened. He shifts nervously from foot to foot, once again concerned that traveling to the castle isn’t the best of plans. Getting chased by people with nails in their eyes didn’t sound like a fun weekend plan, but then, this was what he’d signed up for. Dynarst’s description of the castle -- Kredik Shaw? -- sounded even worse, but he frowns. “Surely some other people live there- servants, at least. I can’t imagine that this Lord Ruler keeps up with the dusting on his own. It must be approachable somehow.” The part about the Lord Ruler never changing in appearance was a bit more worrisome, but minor details. Share this post Link to post
Posted May 18, 2018 Jowan [ what about elias? ] “Oh,” he says, dropping his eyes out of shame and to avoid seeing Duke’s strained expression. He feels like he’s made a terrible error -- a single comment and Duke’s levity is gone. The atmosphere was too fragile for such a question, and he should have seen that coming. “Ferelden hasn’t had a war in nearly thirty years. Well, unless you count the Blight. You probably should, but I wasn’t… there for it.” He stops and wrings his fingers, unsure of whether he said the right thing or not. Babbling about tangentially related things was rarely the way to go, but it seemed wrong to stay silent. Sharing information of his own seems the least he could do in response to bringing up what were clearly painful memories, but maybe it’s just insensitive. Maybe he should have apologized, or… Nodding in response to Duke’s explanation, he runs a finger along one of the markings of the brooch. It’s a bit disappointing to learn that Duke doesn’t know how the brooch works, but Jowan could say the same about his knowledge of enchantments. “I don’t really understand how the Tranquil make enchantment items either. There’s lyrium -- obviously -- but the specifics never stuck in my mind,” he admits. “So I guess we’re in the same boat, there.” Duke’s eyes suddenly narrow; Jowan nearly turns to look behind himself, but Duke is looking directly at him. He murmurs something -- about Elias again, but it’s a complete non-sequitur. Jowan frowns and his eyebrows knit together in concern. “...Is something wrong?” Fear flutters in his chest, and he tries to suppress it, but why would Duke look at him like that? With a hint of desperation he combs through what he's recently said, but he can't think of anything that would elicit this kind of reaction. Share this post Link to post
Posted May 18, 2018 Unknown World - The Channel "FIDDLESTICKS??" Typheus was shouting. He spun around in place, searching for the distinct, beaten umber hull of the ten-foot Pusher that was beside him. He completely ignored the fact that he had somehow spawned in a building, that people had scattered from him and the debris, that Yusei was still there and probably yelling at him. He whipped around, projecting his voice out over the water, "FIDDLESTICKS!" Too loud! He just made the people on the other side of the... canal? They were beside a canal? - run away, their efforts hindered by heavy clothing dusted by ash fall. This was certainly not Zirhon, just as he expected, but he didn't expect to lose a two-ton walking vehicle! Calm down! She must have spawned in the water. She's fine! he shouted at himself. The machine forced himself to calm down, sucking in air and keeping his wings still; it was too tempting to launch off and search for her from the sky, but he would probably light the place on fire. Check the water, his mind repeated. He numbly walked over to the canal's edge, peering down into it. It was like ink. The way the depths swirled reminded him of a particular Xinschi-uual drink, made by steeping coal, but it didn't have the brown hues of sewage in it; this had some unsavory colors mixed in, and unfortunately, none of them were red or had a slight glow like someone looking up at him. Typheus turned back to the building. Only one arm and one leg had caught in it, and the conflict of space resulted in the weaker substance shattering when he materialized. Pieces of brick and splinters of wood populated the scene, with only one human seen cowering behind some crude furniture. Fiddlesticks still wasn't there. He looked down the canal. Not there either. Up the canal. Still nothing. Across the canal. Only barges floated past, with astonished people riding on them, some staring open-mouthed, others trying not to make eye contact. The opposite docks only held more of the same. The black water had no clues, nor did the tightly-packed buildings running along the canal. Okay, analyze, he thought, she has to be here. She was right next to me. It's not like she was whisked off to another place. So, we know there are people here. It must be Earth. He looked up at the dark sky, lit up with an orange light, now paying more attention to his surroundings. He could see ash falling... He flashed his scanner on, searching the atmosphere. This is Earth... but who lives under a volcano? he thought, the air is too stagnant to be an island they're stuck with. He looked back down at his feet, and found with surprise that, like busy insects, people were already cautiously approaching the mess he had made. They were trying hard not to gawk, but weren't openly afraid anymore... it was almost like... they were used to this? This was conflicting. That's not how the people of Earth acted at all. If you scared one kid because he glimpsed you, the whole neighborhood would be in an uproar. These people though were pretending he wasn't there. Typheus stood very still while he watched, part of him listening for Yusei's response, part of him churning away, trying to figure out where Fiddlesticks went. This wasn't normal, right? It would have been disclosed first! Share this post Link to post
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