((Okay, allow me to rebuke that statement. I do agree I have a weird obsession with old characters. HOWEVER! This is different. Each of the three have different characteristics of age, and therefore there experiences and personality's are radically different. Alice is a newborn in an adult body, Vlad was a teenager isolated for millennia, and Iris was meant to embody what living that long would REALLY entail. I was gonna actually act like she was old, truly old. I've learned a lot since the original Ninja. It's almost demeaning that you would revert each character to such a stereotype.
I apologize for my immature sassiness, but earnestly Ninja! I won't carbon copy my characters, and Iris isn't my greedy attempt at power!
I feel bad about being so straight-forward, but I've been too timid since I returned. It was originally just me being apologetic, but now I'm a bit of a doormat. I need to express my own opinions and start discussion about this. Such a brief denial will not sate me. Personal freedoms are important, after all. Well, according to the test. I'm a Libertarian Left. Please, any response would be appreciated.
Also, I think I already asked to make Lupe an NPC, or recurring villain for Vlad whenever the RP slows down.))
(( Finally! The Mad Man I once knew has returned! I've had this thing with me that I felt something was off about you and I couldn't place my finger on it until your latest app. The Man Man I once knew was ALWAYS passionate about their characters and would definitely care if they were denied. They'd fight for their character and defend their weirdness until the bitter end. Consider her to be approved. I expect her skill in Combat Magic to be roughly around a Fallen Angel who isn't super geared towards fighting, but can still fight. This has nothing to do with the character herself, but rather as a balance of power amongst what you have now. That will be my only condition for accepting Iris. ))
Brom had searched endlessly for Tobias, to uphold his promise to Zicka, his deceased master. For a month, he had failed. His search had led him to the eastern territories. He was nearly out of food and completely out of money, so he was hoping to take up a part time job in each city as he searched. Sinbad was his first stop- perhaps Tobias was hiding in plain sight.
But something seemed wrong. As the city was growing on the horizon, Brom saw that it was normal. Something was off. Once he got close, he felt a blast of cold, and saw the city had been transmuted into ice. All of it- even the people, now ice figures. And it was recent- they had only just begun to melt. Brom didnt know what to think. Who would do this? Tobias lost his power after getting pushed through the barrier, so who could have done this? Brom's first thought was multiple people, but that didnt matter. His first goal was to head back to central and find help. Something was wrong, someone had done this.
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Puella Magi Madoka Magicka is an awesome, feel-good, cutesy anime. You should watch it!
((Once again, you have proved why you're the Ninjaboss. Thank you.))
[Vlad]
This town was quiet. Too quiet. The only sound my ears picked up was the stifled footsteps I released as I walked along the pavement. A flicker of light pervaded my vision, before fading away. Then another. Silence continues from that point on, but my suspicion was piqued. Releasing a small amount of magic, I felt it.
'Crap! It's Solai-'
'BOOM!'
... Wha-, what? I subconsciously felt my forehead, my ears ringing from the impact. What was that? Rotating my head, I inspected the plaza. There is was. A flickering elemental of golden light stood in the rubble, golden flames rolling off it's skin like waves off the sea. Finally, it noticed that I had noticed that it was there.
It leaped forward, arm extended as if to lash me. However, it clearly didn't know me. I disappeared in a gust of wind, just gone, like an echo. If looked around, trying to find me. Swinging downward, I lopped its head off and dispelled its body. I narrowed my eyes, scanning for danger. They were everywhere.
I sighed, my veins were emasculated and I shook with power. Leaping into the air, I allowed them to come at me. The first was a trickster, swinging from behind me. Burying my elbow in its gut, I smashed its meager mind and dropped its rotten corpse. Then they came in droves and swarms, trying to overwhelm me.
I lashed out with my claws, mincing three in a single stroke and ripping the arm off another. Twisting around, I planted my boot on the wounded Elemental's head and pushed. It's skull exploded outward and its body slammed into the street below. A small group of six tried to pin me under their combined weight. Flexing my arms, they burst through multiple buildings, barely even appearing humanoid by the time I was finished.
But they just kept coming. I killed dozens of the Elementals before I realized what they were. Carcasses Solaire herself claimed and reanimated, they were known as the Sunborn. I ripped at my own skin, droplets of blood being drawn out and rounding before launching outwards like a frag grenade. Finally, I smashed my hands together. A shockwave rippled outward and stunned the remaining Sunborn.
Then, I meticulously disabled each and every one, leaving only one still alive. Approaching it, I grabbed it by the throat. "I'm not going to kill you. No, I'd prefer you send Solaire a message. Tell her she'll never catch me, and no matter what she tries I'll just crumple her plans and use them to wipe my-"
"That's hardly necessary, brother. I think Mama will be quite please when I bring you to her doorstep bound and chained like a dog. Wouldn't you agree? You shouldn't rebel against your parents, Vlad. Because eventually, they'll be all you have left to fall back on once everything decays around you."
"Ugh, hello Lupe. Honestly, I think 'Mama' will just LOVE it when I toss your mangled head through her window." Before I could dish out more trash, a silver blur annihilated the Sunborn. Lupe always was the faster of us. Growling lowly, I bared my fangs and shifted into a fighting a stance. If it's a fight Lupe wants, it's a fight he'll get.
[Alice]
It had been a month. Just a month, but to me it felt like years. Father was dead. Now what am I? An empty shell, that's what. I have no purpose, no master to follow. My strings have been severed, and this marionette won't ever dance again. A lone tear dribbled down my cheek before freezing and shattering on the stair.
That wasn't right. Looking around, I saw frost consume the area around me. I leaped to my feet and started running. This won't get me! I'll live forever! However, I felt my speed lagging to a stop. Looking down, I realized my lower half was suspended in ice. Flexing my leg muscles, I futilely attempted to shatter the swiftly gathering freeze with my strength. It didn't budge.
Panic set in. I can't die! I'm too young to die! I summoned up more and more of my magic, trying to free me from my prison. But it wasn't working. Desperation succeeded panic as I released all of my magic. The surrounding ice tinted purple and black for miles, and I was cocooned in violet strands of power. The last thing I heard was a girl casually discussing how she caused all of this. Or at least, I thought it was a girl. My vision blurred, and finally all was still.
Despite my proper place being in Aer, with me being a god and all, I decided to stay on the mortal side of the coil. I had gotten accustomed to the human way of life, and I guess I had designated myself as a sort of protector of the people. A grandiose step in self-appointment, I know, but I learned on Earth that human life moves fast. Quite frankly, human civilization, while it hasn't come as far as that of the Gods, it's moving faster. MUCH faster. Why?
Human life is short. Very short. Therefore, humans have been diligent in moving civilization forward within the span of a lifetime. Sure, others will take up the mantle, but the only way to get something truly accomplished down here on Earth is to do it yourself.
But people DIE in pursuit of this advancement, and many deaths would be preventable if only someone were there. I wanted to be that someone. I know I can't be everywhere, but I can do my best. But as I worked to prevent these deaths, I came across a snag.
Money. I need money in order to do this. I can't provide for myself, and by extension others, without money. So in order to both earn money and protect the people, I became a mercenary. And in the past month, the jobs that I've taken have set me well on the path to my ultimate goal.
My most recent job brought me to the isle of Sinbad. I went to the isle to deal with a vampire dilemma, but by the time I got there, the vampires were long dead. I would have left the island had something else not grabbed my attention.
The entire island of Sinbad was frozen in a ten-foot layer of ice.
The city, and by extension the population of the city of Sinbad was now a massive refreshment cooler. I was going to find the source of this disaster.
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"We must call for aid! Executor, bring out the Reavers! ... What? What do you mean we don't have reavers anymore? Then... send the Dragoons! ... Ugh, then what do you suggest? ... What's a Void Ray?!" -Tassadar, Savior of the Templar
Hisses, whirs, and clicks filled the air of the giant gray room. Tables and shelves lined with books, pieces of machinery, and computers littered the space save for two areas - a rather large computer in one of the corners, and a clearing in the middle for at-work projects to go. I sat in my laboratory, Bloodhound at my side, putting the final touches on the second bot of the Warwolf class, Vise.
Vise was much different from Bloodhound. Rather than a plasma cannon attached to his back, Vise had no large weapon protruding out of the weapon port. Instead, Vise had two low-profile cable launchers designed to restrain hostiles or improve mobility. Vice's tail was equipped with a chainsaw instead of a circular saw. Additionally, Vise's mouth didn't have the obviously destructive teeth that Bloodhound's mouth had. It also had no plasma torch - instead, it disguised a rather large high-powered laser that Vise could fire should he open said mouth.
With the tainted dead and gone, I returned home. After all, there wasn't much of a reason to be out and about without some major threat. I also hadn't been home in a long time, and figured I owed it to the family to visit them. It wasn't all great, though - my father and older brother had started pressuring me to go out and meet some girls. This was an issue for two reasons: first off, my social skills are atrocious and I have no idea how to get involved with those of the opposite sex. Secondly, despite my behavior for the past year or so, I'm highly introverted and don't like meeting new people, let alone hunt down females with the intent of forming some form of romantic relationship. Aside from that, though, everything was fine.
"Ivan," my work was interrupted by a familiar female voice resounding through the room, "you should take a break. I've got some news for you." It was the voice not of my sister, but rather Jackal, the AI she had designed to keep watch over me when I was at home. Yekaterina had always been more worried about my safety than I had myself, and Jackal was a manifestation of that concern.
"Hit me," I said, not stopping my work.
"Sinbad has been frozen over."
Now THAT made me stop.
"What?"
"Eternia is at war with Caelum and Sinbad has been frozen over by the enemy."
I was speechless. Just like that, the capital of the East had been frozen? It was hard to believe.
"You've got a message."
Silence.
"From 'a friend', with a female voice. She said to tell you that 'the gang's getting back together'."
"Do you remember that list of contacts I gave you when I came back home a month ago?" I had snapped back to my usual self. "I want you to contact every name on that list." The list was full of the people I had traveled with for a short time last month. There were all sorts of ways that the people on it were contacted, from simple phone calls to flare signals. If it was time to get the gang back together, I would let them know, and hopefully they would find a way to meet me.
[The Mirror Knight]
I walked into a quaint rural town. The grass was green, the residents were happy, and the nearby lake sparkled in the sunlight. The citizens were almost totally oblivious to me and my mission. None of that made a difference, of course. I had faces, I had names, and I had a job. Based on my targets, I concluded that the best place to begin my search would be a highly religious institution - and a small town church dedicated to Dimitri fit the bill perfectly.
I entered the building and began browsing through their promotional materials. Religion had made quite the comeback after the destruction of the Tainted. But here, I cared for one thing and one thing only: did they know about my targets?
Eventually, I read the part I needed to read. About how the gods were benevolent enough to send their children to assist the humans against the Tainted. It had been only a month since the Tainted disappeared entirely, and there were already falsehoods spreading. It was interesting to see how quick these people were to spin the truth for their own gain. But it confirmed to me that this church knew at least something of those I was looking for.
I approached the priest, and without a warning, drove him up against a wall. The man was absolutely stunned at the swiftness with which I constrained him.
"Tell me everything you know of the whereabouts of your god's children," I ordered him, my voice with somewhat of a metallic resonating to it. "Now."
A month ago, I was struggling to survive in this world despite having gotten rid of Titaint and his toys. Being an amputee was never something I was truly prepared to do, but while I was preparing for taking down the corrupt God, it was the only path I could foresee. The more useful the body part was to the caster, the stronger the effect. The dominant arm of a God was definitely expensive, apparently enough so to wipe away Titaint. My issue was, at that point, trying to figure out how I'd survive with only one arm. It only took me a week or so to use the Aura Needles technique but in a way that created hands instead of needles and, thus, the Aura Grip Technique came into existence. Why I didn't make it long ago, I had no clue, but I was able to use my Aura in a physical manner, an idea that very few spells could make use of. I had found temporary refuge in a cavern, which I intended to stay in until I could patch up my missing arm, but I slowly renovated it to fit my needs. A nearby town agreed to frequently send couriers with supplies and to keep my existence secret, in exchange for protecting the townsfolk from thieves.
Until a week ago, the courier was always the same person. That man got sick on a delivery day, so his teenage son went in his place. Something about my existence urged that boy to go and blab about it to his friends, which ignited a fire of gossip. Some government officials, during a routine check up on the town, heard some of the rumors and investigated. I wasn't very pleased with the unexpected company, but I let them leave with their lives. It was a mistake. Dozens of people from across the country came to my little cave in search of wisdom, prosperity, or some other miracle. I tried to help some who's cases interested me, but most I sent away. When I heard about Sinbad over the radio, I could already sense someone coming toward me.
"Tobias, you home?" A man asked, not in view yet. He stepped into the mouth of the cave where I could properly see him. He was a rather average man; his hair was neatly trimmed, his chin cleanly shaven, that sort of thing. He really was just a regular human without any noticeable details. He wore a black suit with a crisp blue tie, all of which being above a set of black loafers. "My name's James Cronwell, I'm from the Government. My superiors wanted me to come down here and speak to you about this issue with Caelum."
"I'm no miracle worker, don't come to me asking my assistance with your mess." I snapped, already knowing what he wanted. I wasn't going anywhere near the front lines, especially not for the country that cast me away once I was no longer useful. Now I was treated as nothing more than some magic cow that they'd milk when they need it and ignore whenever they don't.
Cronwell kept his composure, although I could sense his irritation. "Please, this isn't some game anymore. By you not helping us, you are tossing away the lives of countless people, most of them being sorcerers like yourself."
I kept quiet for a bit, pacing around the cave. When I finally spoke, I had weighed my options and came up with a deal that satisfied me and wasn't too tough on them. "Alright, two options. The first option is you give me all five of my demands. The five things are: 1. I want to have full control over the military forces. 2. I want a new arm made of an alloy that won't break under even extreme circumstances and will still allow for advanced casting and instant reaction. 3. Every single document in this country with the word 'hell' in it. 4. I want to put together my own team from any individual I select. And 5..." I trailed off, looking past Cronwell into the horizon. This last request would be from the Gods as a sort of bribe to make me do anything. "I want the remaining half of my birthright."
"You know those are impossible to do on short notice!" Cronwell exclaimed, losing his calm composure. "Getting the authorization to hand over the military to you is out of the question. 'Your birthright'? I've got no idea what that even means! Tracking down everywhere that 'hell' is written down will take years, but we're talking days here! Replacement limbs that can connect to the Arcoli are still in the Alpha stages of development, but you're wanting one that'll take generations to complete! Please, for this country's sake, be reasonable."
"Accept those terms, because the only alternative is bringing back my sister!" I shouted, a massive amount of wind gushing out of my mouth, forcibly pushing him and much of the loose items I owned out of my cave. I knew, somehow, they'd overcome the mountain that was my request. If they didn't, they'd end up with a fate as bad as those in Sinbad.
((So Kumquat, can we just have it so that our characters get contacted by Ivan's AI assistant, or did you plan to do that yourself?))
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"We must call for aid! Executor, bring out the Reavers! ... What? What do you mean we don't have reavers anymore? Then... send the Dragoons! ... Ugh, then what do you suggest? ... What's a Void Ray?!" -Tassadar, Savior of the Templar
The frozen city of Sinbad. Sounds almost like some place in a story book that hides the evil ice lord's lair. Of course, the reality wasn't nearly as... romantic. I took care with each step, making sure I didn't slip on the ice. I did end up slipping and nearly falling face-first, but I reached out my hands and caught myself. It was then that I saw the dead, frozen remains of the people who inhabited Sinbad under the frost. I reeled away in surprise. Even though the sight of death was familiar, the manner of such death was horrific, at best.
A vibrating sensation emanated from the cell phone in my pocket. I pulled it out to check the caller ID, and saw that it was anonymous. How odd. "Hello?" I responded as I answered the phone.
"Rogan Callahan, I presume?"
"... Yes. Can I help you?"
"I'm speaking on behalf of Ivan Rykov. No need to be so paranoid."
"Sorry. What does he need?"
"The gang is getting back together. I'm sending the coordinates to your phone now."
I was silent for a second. If the gang is getting back together, this is a whole lot more serious than I initially thought... and considering I'm standing atop the first ever human ice sculpture, that's saying a lot. "I'm on my way," I said as I hung up. I would have called my client, but unfortunately he... well, lived on Sinbad. I created a cloud of darkness around my feet, and took off towards the mainland.
((I'll post as the others later.))
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"We must call for aid! Executor, bring out the Reavers! ... What? What do you mean we don't have reavers anymore? Then... send the Dragoons! ... Ugh, then what do you suggest? ... What's a Void Ray?!" -Tassadar, Savior of the Templar
"What does he mean 'his birthright'?" A'thery asked Karisha, the King and Queen of the gods sitting in the comfort of a luxurious living room. The television was a special one that displayed live feed from wherever they wanted on Earth. At the moment, they were paused in front of a cavern. By some form of magic, they couldn't get any display in what was inside the cave, but they could hear it. "I don't recall him possessing any sort of Bloodborn ability."
The goddess of magic was uneasy, but decided the truth was important for her husband to hear. "When I first saw Toby's eyes, I knew that he had my eyes, which includes my ability to see the true form of magic. With him being declared a Miracle Child and all, I didn't really want to let him toot his own horn, so I sealed away the majority of that ability." She confessed, looking a bit distraught. A decision made in the past could change how things worked now. "I don't know how he figured out that he was missing his true capabilities." The god of storms began to weigh the options. Tobias was, by every definition, still a risk of the safety of both mankind and the gods, so making him even fractionally more powerful would tip the scale even further in his direction. On the other hand, not giving in to his demands was equal to saying that the gods didn't care for Eternia any longer and wanted the best chance for the country's survival to not participate. The Mirror Knight had been released, so perhaps that warrior would defeat Tobias regardless of whether or not he had Karisha's eyes. It was certainly a hefty decision, one that would need to be postponed for as long as possible.
[Tobias]
"So I made some calls." Cronwell said, reentering my nook of this world. His crisp suit was stained with both dirt and grass, but he had brushed as much as he could off to keep at least a semi-professional look about him. "Ever since Sinbad froze over, we've been pursuing less practical options. It looks as if your demand for military control is going to be approved. As for picking your own team, that's already been cleared for most individuals, although we're getting you the clearance you'll need to quite literally choose anybody in Eternia and our allied nations, which I assume is what you meant by 'anybody'. The hunt for Hell has been commenced, which is taking quite a long time, but we have loads of citizens helping with the search. For the arm issue, we're going to be contacting some of the finest engineers at Rykov, a rather large machinery company. You may or not be familiar with the name, but the project will be pushed to Yekaternia Rykov, an aspiring craftswoman."
I nodded, pleased with how much work he had accomplished on such short notice. Cronwell, despite likely being some nerd who was more comfortable behind a desk and a monitor, interested me in his connections. Getting permission from both national and international agencies was something very few people could do, but he already had it underway. He didn't give up on me, even when I blasted him out of my dwelling. If he survived the next few months, I wouldn't mind having him as my contact with the government. "You work fast. I like it. If you have the time or resources, I've got a bit of a personal request for you. It isn't something I need to happen now, but it has quite a bit of value to me."
"What would that be? I've got many friends, so I'm sure I can arrange almost anything." He replied, looking slightly concerned with my change of tone.
"Could you see if you could get your hands on the files for Myron of the Seven Sins?"
"Yep, you felt that too. Whatever that was, it was so sudden that I almost lost control of my magic."
"ALMOST?"
"Well, the town's still standing, isn't it?"
Unfortunately, the deli wasn't. I looked around to find the fine establishment I was dining at completely ruined. One moment, I'm innocently enjoying a delicious grilled chicken sandwich on a warm sourdough bun. The next, I just... well, exploded. For one, the roof was gone. The deli was almost completely vacant, most of the people being blown outside through the newly-shattered windows. The table, and those around me, had been reduced to splinters. I fell flat on my rear end in the chaos due to the chair I was in being vaporized by the immense arcane forces. One of the employees was fortunate enough to have been in cover when the blast occurred. He was retrieving a box of sauces from a cupboard behind the counter, and even though he was knocked over, the counter took the brunt of the attack. It may or may not have saved his life, but the counter had been blown to pieces.
"Crap."
"THAT FAILURE BORDERED ON SPECTACULAR. I CAN PICTURE THE HEADLINES NOW."
Then, my phone rang. I slowly answered it hoping that, by some miraculous stroke of serendipity, it wasn't the police. Caller ID was anonymous. I almost freaked out, but I kept my composure long enough to answer the phone and figure out who the heck it was. "Hello?" I gulped.
"Takranos Kreise? I'm calling on behalf of Ivan Rykov."
I heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I thought you might have been the-"
"The gang's getting back together."
"... What?"
"The gang's getting back together."
An almost malicious grin adorned my face as I pushed myself off the floor. "Say no more. I'm on my way."
"Coordinates are being sent to your phone now."
I looked at my phone, confirmed the coordinates, and blasted away from the remains of the deli like a missile. "This is gonna be FUN."
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"We must call for aid! Executor, bring out the Reavers! ... What? What do you mean we don't have reavers anymore? Then... send the Dragoons! ... Ugh, then what do you suggest? ... What's a Void Ray?!" -Tassadar, Savior of the Templar
Brom was exhausted when he reached Central. He was sure by then people would know, given how fast technology has gotten. Brom had nothing against it, he was just uninterested. He ate the last of his food- some cured meat- and had half of a bottle of water. Military forces already seemed to be gathering. Good. Brom thought.
Brom went by them, and found a few people were preparing to leave central. Brom asked why they were leaving. "Why not?" one replied. "They've frozen over all of Sinbad, id rather not dare them to see if they can freeze over all of central. If you were smart, you'd come with us, rather than fight a losing battle." Brom considered this.
He would most likely lose his life if he fought, or maybe worse. But he had made a promise to deliver the wand to Tobias. "Where are you going?" Brom asked. The man replied they were headed east. Perhaps that could work out in his favor. He has yet to search the eastern area. Brom asked if he could accompany them. He replied by asking what he could offer.
"Protection." Brom said. "Im a mage, and i could help defend you if needed." The man agreed, and Brom learned that his name was Daniel. Within an hour, they were off. Daniel told Brom theyd be stopping in a few towns first before heading off to the next country over. Brom relaxed until they reached the next town. He'd leave Daniel and his group at the last town if he hadnt found Tobias by then.
((Dunno why, but i feel like i did something wrong here.))
I was proud. Before me was my private reagent. A conglomeration of the 7th, 13th, 14th, 26th, and 38th Legions. They were the Arcanus Brigade, or just the Arcanus, for short. They were among three Reagents the Eternian Army employed. They were all specialists, my group excelling in the arcane.
"Attention, Magi!" That drew their eyes. Flicking my wrist to the right, I summoned a small pentagonal keypad. I entered the password, a green pulse being released when I was finished. The seal I had been interfacing with had flickered out, before a cyan field expanded to encompass my team.
Scarlet tendrils connected to a select few of my armada, and with that I began issuing commands. <'Hive-Mind has been established. Second Lieutenant Prischalle, begin designing the blueprint for Hesiod's Banter. Captain Beaurogh, I'm giving you jurisdiction over the 7th Division. I expect you to establish a matrix following these parameters.'>
I paused for a second, running a few calculations through my head. The matrix needed to accommodate the 24 segments of Hesiod's Banter. Not only that, it needs to be compatible with the algorithm's time-limits. <'Start with a Bereft Mose. Line it with Walpurgia's Tear and enshroud that with a dodecahedral barrier. Make the appropriate alterations to ensure it will establish synergy with the algorithm.'>
I paused again, allowing the three preliminary tasks to begin making progress. God's above, these guys work fast! <'First Lieutenant Elliot, we'll need a suitable conduit. There is a list of our best forgers at your Metallurgy table. Major Chette, Colonel Krofske, create the algorithm. I know this is risky, but this mission requires you set it to draw out all of 24 segments of the spell at once. Can you do it?'>
Nodding in approval, I allowed the telepathy field to fade into invisibility. I could hear them requesting information to establish their respective duties. Meanwhile, I started to passively absorb energy from my surroundings. It wasn't much, but I needed as much as I could get to pull this off.
Finally, they were finished. There was only one thing left to do. Teleporting into the center of the circle, I released my Aura Seal. A complex Aurora of energy swirled voraciously in the circle, held at bay by the barriers. I thrust the freshly-created conduit into the air, allowing the pressure of my magic to allow it to float.
I shouted to my team, signaling them to open the aircraft carrier. The burning winds of Caelum poured through, but my magic kept them at bay. I finally met the Magic-cap for this set of spells. I stumble-teleported out of the circle and allowed my casters to create each individual segment. Multiple chants and hymns overlapped and created a consonant melody of sorts. Finally, the 24 pieces were all created. The projectiles floated above the airship, and without a moment of hesitation I shouted "Fire!"
The AI program that contacted me shortly after I made a call informed me of where the group would meet up. The City of Sinbad would be our reunion point, perhaps to see what we can gather from the incident. I told the other priests and priestesses that I'd be taking a trip, which they all seemed fairly comfortable with. I made it clear to them when I arrived a month ago that I would likely have to travel occasionally, so they were already prepared for my departure. A cab arrived outside the temple and I was on my way to meeting the others. Whether or not this included Tobes, I couldn't know until I got there.
[Tobias]
Several men in suits entered my abode, which made it seem fairly cramped in here. They gave Cronwell a case and whispered a bit to him, but were immediately dismissed so the two of us could privately continue the negotiations. He seemed to be pleasures by their appearance and strummed the briefcase tenderly, as if it were a baby. "So I've finished two of your demands: complete control over the military and access to any person you might want on your personal team. They have also included a very sensitive file, which pertains to your latest request." Cronwell explained, sitting more comfortably in his chair. I began to reach for the attaché, but he swatted away my hand. "If you want the contents of this case, I need a sign of good faith. Give me as much intel on Caelum that you have and I'll give this to you."
I sighed. "Fine." I folded, leaning back a bit. "The word Caelum, besides on maps and whatnot, is not a word here in Eternia. Zero books speak of it, there are no mentions of the country in any article here, nothing. It's a ghost. When I began ordering spell times from across the continent, I came across Caelum on the list. After digging around a bit, I discovered a few things. First of all, they possess no magic at all. Second, there is no livestock, but rather that country is infested with countless difference species of monsters, each of which having some sort of 'magical' trait. Next, they supplement their lack of magic by fusing tools with the body parts of these monsters to simulate the arcane effects that we know of. Now, the case." Cronwell was impressed, but was still reluctant to hand anything over. He opened the case and tossed a small card at me, which, upon further inspection, turned out to be a special I.D. that would basically give me access to any holding facility in Eternia, as well as permitting me to take individuals from other countries. The ultimate clearance. "This wasn't the deal. I want the rest of it, too."
"I want the rest of what you have." He replied, watching me intently. How he knew I was withholding information, I had no clue.
"Alright, I may know a bit more." I confessed. "Caelum's government is run by an Emperor, the name of which I don't know. He supposedly has some great power than makes him untouchable by even his inner circle, who are called the Jury of Six. Each of them have the blood of SS-Tier monsters mixed into their own, which grants them the ability to use their beast's power without the need for a medium like a sword or gun. The Jury works in pairs of two, so it'll be very difficult to take them down. You've already heard of Andromeda, the Ice Juror. I know the abilities of two other Jurors: Barriers and Sand. That is all I know. Since nobody else in this country likely knows about Caelum, please trust what I have told you."
This time, my agency contact didn't hesitate to hand me the case. Inside were another I.D., that one confirming me as the 'Supreme Commander' of the military, which was a cool title. The file was what I was more interested in, but I couldn't start reading with a guest still over.
(( No, because it is said that they know Caleum geographically. Any invasion plans should be fine, but feel free to get a call from the Eternian Intelligence Organization, where Cronwell works, and get the order to abort. The Intel provided by Tobias gives the operation a bigger risk than predicted. ))
((My computers battery died, so I wont be able to post until ieither fix it or get a nee computer. If something comes up that just has to cause a reaction from Brom, I leave my trust in Ninja. Btw, posting this on my tablet.))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Puella Magi Madoka Magicka is an awesome, feel-good, cutesy anime. You should watch it!
((Sorry for my inactivity. Also, am I supposed to give anybody a call? I mean, I guess Alice is sort of a possibility, but the rest haven't been properly acclimated.))
[Iris]
A small telepathic nudge quickly told me what I needed to know. "STOP!!!" The weapon had been designed to hit with absolute precision from an extremely long distance, so when I wrenched the massive missile out of the air with my telekinesis, it wasn't like some citizens of Caelum noticed.
Panting at the effort, I decomposed and re-absorbed the attack. Rejuvenated, I explained my reasoning. "Alright, so here's wh-" I was interrupted by the ring of my cellphone. It buzzed faintly in my pocket before I flipped it open. "Hello? On what authority is this call?"
*snort* "Only the highest, miss."
"Listen carefully. Information from a CLASSIFIED third-party has delegated that this countermeasure is too high a risk. I know you and your trigger-happy reagent would just love to cause millions of civilian casualties, but for now keep your terrorism to a minimum. Return to base and get back to the drawing board by the 'morrow."
I didn't gift him with a response. Shutting my phone, I started commanding my soldiers. "Alright soldiers! Turn this bird around, we're heading back to base! That's an order!!" I practically growled the last bit. These maniacs respected authority, oddly enough. A bunch of weirdos, alright. But still a serious force to be reckoned with.
When I heard about Sinbad getting attacked, I had formed a fairly basic mental image of the situation. All liquids would be frozen, blankets of snow along with sheets of ice would cover the area, maybe buildings would be encased in crystal. The radio broadcaster was not very specific, so it had left a lot to my imagination. When I arrived outside the city, my jaw dropped. Whereas I had thought that being frozen over meant being turned into some sort of wintery biome, the truth was much more horrifying. The masonry brick that had once defended the city from the Tainted were converted into slabs of ice, being translucent to the point of near transparency. There was no inch of this city that had not been converted into a crystalline variant of itself.
Plants and small animals became delicate sculptures, their beauty being held in place until they melted. The citizens of Sinbad suffered the same fate. You could see no horror on their faces, only the emotion that accompanied a normal day. This meant two things: they did not suffer, but they had no time to react. I raised my guard quickly, devoting all of my magic power into monitoring the area. I couldn't reach the opposite side of the city, meaning I was still in the blast radius if the women who caused this were still around. I could only hope that someone else would come. Anyone.
Even him.
[Tobias]
"As a second sign of good faith, I'll give you a choice." I told Cronwell as he returned from the town yet again, having made several more calls and going about whatever business he required. "Since my tasks are so high, I'll let you delay any one of them, but only one. You can put off the one that requires the Gods' support, or perhaps buy some extra time for your mechanic to come up with any possible way to make an arm that fits my requirements. If you'd prefer being stupid, then skip the easiest task of gathering all documents with the word Hell."
The negotiator sat down in a chair on the opposite side of my table. Despite this place being a cave, I had managed to get a decent bit of handmade furniture in here. Chairs, a table, a bed, heck, even a drafting table were all custom made by me. Cronwell plucked up an apple from a bit of my rations and slowly bit away at the scarlet fruit. The decision was obviously tricky enough for him. If he were to choose the arm, which would be the best option if the Gods were helping out (which they weren't), he'd be able to get me out and about quickly. Machinery of that level was the kind of thing that people spent months and months figuring out what size screws to use. Selecting the Hell project was to say that he wanted to call off a nation wide search, which would be a waste of resources, yet still push back how quickly he wanted me to help due to the other two. Skipping my birthright was not something I was fond of, but I'd still be able to do plenty without it until I was given it.
"The arm." He said, reaching the middle of his apple. "Now, to wait for the Gods to deliver you your gift."
"Do not wait for them, but rather pray. Encourage everyone you can contact to pray for the hope for this country, to believe in a future without fear, to acknowledge that this era for Eternia will not end by Caelum's hand." I said, leaning back, rather nonchalant for the speech I had just given. "Pray that the Gods have not yet forsaken you."
((Okay, allow me to rebuke that statement. I do agree I have a weird obsession with old characters. HOWEVER! This is different. Each of the three have different characteristics of age, and therefore there experiences and personality's are radically different. Alice is a newborn in an adult body, Vlad was a teenager isolated for millennia, and Iris was meant to embody what living that long would REALLY entail. I was gonna actually act like she was old, truly old. I've learned a lot since the original Ninja. It's almost demeaning that you would revert each character to such a stereotype.
I apologize for my immature sassiness, but earnestly Ninja! I won't carbon copy my characters, and Iris isn't my greedy attempt at power!
I feel bad about being so straight-forward, but I've been too timid since I returned. It was originally just me being apologetic, but now I'm a bit of a doormat. I need to express my own opinions and start discussion about this. Such a brief denial will not sate me. Personal freedoms are important, after all. Well, according to the test. I'm a Libertarian Left. Please, any response would be appreciated.
Also, I think I already asked to make Lupe an NPC, or recurring villain for Vlad whenever the RP slows down.))
(( Finally! The Mad Man I once knew has returned! I've had this thing with me that I felt something was off about you and I couldn't place my finger on it until your latest app. The Man Man I once knew was ALWAYS passionate about their characters and would definitely care if they were denied. They'd fight for their character and defend their weirdness until the bitter end. Consider her to be approved. I expect her skill in Combat Magic to be roughly around a Fallen Angel who isn't super geared towards fighting, but can still fight. This has nothing to do with the character herself, but rather as a balance of power amongst what you have now. That will be my only condition for accepting Iris. ))
Brom had searched endlessly for Tobias, to uphold his promise to Zicka, his deceased master. For a month, he had failed. His search had led him to the eastern territories. He was nearly out of food and completely out of money, so he was hoping to take up a part time job in each city as he searched. Sinbad was his first stop- perhaps Tobias was hiding in plain sight.
But something seemed wrong. As the city was growing on the horizon, Brom saw that it was normal. Something was off. Once he got close, he felt a blast of cold, and saw the city had been transmuted into ice. All of it- even the people, now ice figures. And it was recent- they had only just begun to melt. Brom didnt know what to think. Who would do this? Tobias lost his power after getting pushed through the barrier, so who could have done this? Brom's first thought was multiple people, but that didnt matter. His first goal was to head back to central and find help. Something was wrong, someone had done this.
((Once again, you have proved why you're the Ninjaboss. Thank you.))
[Vlad]
This town was quiet. Too quiet. The only sound my ears picked up was the stifled footsteps I released as I walked along the pavement. A flicker of light pervaded my vision, before fading away. Then another. Silence continues from that point on, but my suspicion was piqued. Releasing a small amount of magic, I felt it.
'Crap! It's Solai-'
'BOOM!'
... Wha-, what? I subconsciously felt my forehead, my ears ringing from the impact. What was that? Rotating my head, I inspected the plaza. There is was. A flickering elemental of golden light stood in the rubble, golden flames rolling off it's skin like waves off the sea. Finally, it noticed that I had noticed that it was there.
It leaped forward, arm extended as if to lash me. However, it clearly didn't know me. I disappeared in a gust of wind, just gone, like an echo. If looked around, trying to find me. Swinging downward, I lopped its head off and dispelled its body. I narrowed my eyes, scanning for danger. They were everywhere.
I sighed, my veins were emasculated and I shook with power. Leaping into the air, I allowed them to come at me. The first was a trickster, swinging from behind me. Burying my elbow in its gut, I smashed its meager mind and dropped its rotten corpse. Then they came in droves and swarms, trying to overwhelm me.
I lashed out with my claws, mincing three in a single stroke and ripping the arm off another. Twisting around, I planted my boot on the wounded Elemental's head and pushed. It's skull exploded outward and its body slammed into the street below. A small group of six tried to pin me under their combined weight. Flexing my arms, they burst through multiple buildings, barely even appearing humanoid by the time I was finished.
But they just kept coming. I killed dozens of the Elementals before I realized what they were. Carcasses Solaire herself claimed and reanimated, they were known as the Sunborn. I ripped at my own skin, droplets of blood being drawn out and rounding before launching outwards like a frag grenade. Finally, I smashed my hands together. A shockwave rippled outward and stunned the remaining Sunborn.
Then, I meticulously disabled each and every one, leaving only one still alive. Approaching it, I grabbed it by the throat. "I'm not going to kill you. No, I'd prefer you send Solaire a message. Tell her she'll never catch me, and no matter what she tries I'll just crumple her plans and use them to wipe my-"
"That's hardly necessary, brother. I think Mama will be quite please when I bring you to her doorstep bound and chained like a dog. Wouldn't you agree? You shouldn't rebel against your parents, Vlad. Because eventually, they'll be all you have left to fall back on once everything decays around you."
"Ugh, hello Lupe. Honestly, I think 'Mama' will just LOVE it when I toss your mangled head through her window." Before I could dish out more trash, a silver blur annihilated the Sunborn. Lupe always was the faster of us. Growling lowly, I bared my fangs and shifted into a fighting a stance. If it's a fight Lupe wants, it's a fight he'll get.
[Alice]
It had been a month. Just a month, but to me it felt like years. Father was dead. Now what am I? An empty shell, that's what. I have no purpose, no master to follow. My strings have been severed, and this marionette won't ever dance again. A lone tear dribbled down my cheek before freezing and shattering on the stair.
That wasn't right. Looking around, I saw frost consume the area around me. I leaped to my feet and started running. This won't get me! I'll live forever! However, I felt my speed lagging to a stop. Looking down, I realized my lower half was suspended in ice. Flexing my leg muscles, I futilely attempted to shatter the swiftly gathering freeze with my strength. It didn't budge.
Panic set in. I can't die! I'm too young to die! I summoned up more and more of my magic, trying to free me from my prison. But it wasn't working. Desperation succeeded panic as I released all of my magic. The surrounding ice tinted purple and black for miles, and I was cocooned in violet strands of power. The last thing I heard was a girl casually discussing how she caused all of this. Or at least, I thought it was a girl. My vision blurred, and finally all was still.
((No, she's not dead. I'll release her later.))
[Rogan]
Despite my proper place being in Aer, with me being a god and all, I decided to stay on the mortal side of the coil. I had gotten accustomed to the human way of life, and I guess I had designated myself as a sort of protector of the people. A grandiose step in self-appointment, I know, but I learned on Earth that human life moves fast. Quite frankly, human civilization, while it hasn't come as far as that of the Gods, it's moving faster. MUCH faster. Why?
Human life is short. Very short. Therefore, humans have been diligent in moving civilization forward within the span of a lifetime. Sure, others will take up the mantle, but the only way to get something truly accomplished down here on Earth is to do it yourself.
But people DIE in pursuit of this advancement, and many deaths would be preventable if only someone were there. I wanted to be that someone. I know I can't be everywhere, but I can do my best. But as I worked to prevent these deaths, I came across a snag.
Money. I need money in order to do this. I can't provide for myself, and by extension others, without money. So in order to both earn money and protect the people, I became a mercenary. And in the past month, the jobs that I've taken have set me well on the path to my ultimate goal.
My most recent job brought me to the isle of Sinbad. I went to the isle to deal with a vampire dilemma, but by the time I got there, the vampires were long dead. I would have left the island had something else not grabbed my attention.
The entire island of Sinbad was frozen in a ten-foot layer of ice.
The city, and by extension the population of the city of Sinbad was now a massive refreshment cooler. I was going to find the source of this disaster.
"We must call for aid! Executor, bring out the Reavers! ... What? What do you mean we don't have reavers anymore? Then... send the Dragoons! ... Ugh, then what do you suggest? ... What's a Void Ray?!" -Tassadar, Savior of the Templar
[Ivan]
Hisses, whirs, and clicks filled the air of the giant gray room. Tables and shelves lined with books, pieces of machinery, and computers littered the space save for two areas - a rather large computer in one of the corners, and a clearing in the middle for at-work projects to go. I sat in my laboratory, Bloodhound at my side, putting the final touches on the second bot of the Warwolf class, Vise.
Vise was much different from Bloodhound. Rather than a plasma cannon attached to his back, Vise had no large weapon protruding out of the weapon port. Instead, Vise had two low-profile cable launchers designed to restrain hostiles or improve mobility. Vice's tail was equipped with a chainsaw instead of a circular saw. Additionally, Vise's mouth didn't have the obviously destructive teeth that Bloodhound's mouth had. It also had no plasma torch - instead, it disguised a rather large high-powered laser that Vise could fire should he open said mouth.
With the tainted dead and gone, I returned home. After all, there wasn't much of a reason to be out and about without some major threat. I also hadn't been home in a long time, and figured I owed it to the family to visit them. It wasn't all great, though - my father and older brother had started pressuring me to go out and meet some girls. This was an issue for two reasons: first off, my social skills are atrocious and I have no idea how to get involved with those of the opposite sex. Secondly, despite my behavior for the past year or so, I'm highly introverted and don't like meeting new people, let alone hunt down females with the intent of forming some form of romantic relationship. Aside from that, though, everything was fine.
"Ivan," my work was interrupted by a familiar female voice resounding through the room, "you should take a break. I've got some news for you." It was the voice not of my sister, but rather Jackal, the AI she had designed to keep watch over me when I was at home. Yekaterina had always been more worried about my safety than I had myself, and Jackal was a manifestation of that concern.
"Hit me," I said, not stopping my work.
"Sinbad has been frozen over."
Now THAT made me stop.
"What?"
"Eternia is at war with Caelum and Sinbad has been frozen over by the enemy."
I was speechless. Just like that, the capital of the East had been frozen? It was hard to believe.
"You've got a message."
Silence.
"From 'a friend', with a female voice. She said to tell you that 'the gang's getting back together'."
"Do you remember that list of contacts I gave you when I came back home a month ago?" I had snapped back to my usual self. "I want you to contact every name on that list." The list was full of the people I had traveled with for a short time last month. There were all sorts of ways that the people on it were contacted, from simple phone calls to flare signals. If it was time to get the gang back together, I would let them know, and hopefully they would find a way to meet me.
[The Mirror Knight]
I walked into a quaint rural town. The grass was green, the residents were happy, and the nearby lake sparkled in the sunlight. The citizens were almost totally oblivious to me and my mission. None of that made a difference, of course. I had faces, I had names, and I had a job. Based on my targets, I concluded that the best place to begin my search would be a highly religious institution - and a small town church dedicated to Dimitri fit the bill perfectly.
I entered the building and began browsing through their promotional materials. Religion had made quite the comeback after the destruction of the Tainted. But here, I cared for one thing and one thing only: did they know about my targets?
Eventually, I read the part I needed to read. About how the gods were benevolent enough to send their children to assist the humans against the Tainted. It had been only a month since the Tainted disappeared entirely, and there were already falsehoods spreading. It was interesting to see how quick these people were to spin the truth for their own gain. But it confirmed to me that this church knew at least something of those I was looking for.
I approached the priest, and without a warning, drove him up against a wall. The man was absolutely stunned at the swiftness with which I constrained him.
"Tell me everything you know of the whereabouts of your god's children," I ordered him, my voice with somewhat of a metallic resonating to it. "Now."
There's no kill like overkill.
[Tobias]
A month ago, I was struggling to survive in this world despite having gotten rid of Titaint and his toys. Being an amputee was never something I was truly prepared to do, but while I was preparing for taking down the corrupt God, it was the only path I could foresee. The more useful the body part was to the caster, the stronger the effect. The dominant arm of a God was definitely expensive, apparently enough so to wipe away Titaint. My issue was, at that point, trying to figure out how I'd survive with only one arm. It only took me a week or so to use the Aura Needles technique but in a way that created hands instead of needles and, thus, the Aura Grip Technique came into existence. Why I didn't make it long ago, I had no clue, but I was able to use my Aura in a physical manner, an idea that very few spells could make use of. I had found temporary refuge in a cavern, which I intended to stay in until I could patch up my missing arm, but I slowly renovated it to fit my needs. A nearby town agreed to frequently send couriers with supplies and to keep my existence secret, in exchange for protecting the townsfolk from thieves.
Until a week ago, the courier was always the same person. That man got sick on a delivery day, so his teenage son went in his place. Something about my existence urged that boy to go and blab about it to his friends, which ignited a fire of gossip. Some government officials, during a routine check up on the town, heard some of the rumors and investigated. I wasn't very pleased with the unexpected company, but I let them leave with their lives. It was a mistake. Dozens of people from across the country came to my little cave in search of wisdom, prosperity, or some other miracle. I tried to help some who's cases interested me, but most I sent away. When I heard about Sinbad over the radio, I could already sense someone coming toward me.
"Tobias, you home?" A man asked, not in view yet. He stepped into the mouth of the cave where I could properly see him. He was a rather average man; his hair was neatly trimmed, his chin cleanly shaven, that sort of thing. He really was just a regular human without any noticeable details. He wore a black suit with a crisp blue tie, all of which being above a set of black loafers. "My name's James Cronwell, I'm from the Government. My superiors wanted me to come down here and speak to you about this issue with Caelum."
"I'm no miracle worker, don't come to me asking my assistance with your mess." I snapped, already knowing what he wanted. I wasn't going anywhere near the front lines, especially not for the country that cast me away once I was no longer useful. Now I was treated as nothing more than some magic cow that they'd milk when they need it and ignore whenever they don't.
Cronwell kept his composure, although I could sense his irritation. "Please, this isn't some game anymore. By you not helping us, you are tossing away the lives of countless people, most of them being sorcerers like yourself."
I kept quiet for a bit, pacing around the cave. When I finally spoke, I had weighed my options and came up with a deal that satisfied me and wasn't too tough on them. "Alright, two options. The first option is you give me all five of my demands. The five things are: 1. I want to have full control over the military forces. 2. I want a new arm made of an alloy that won't break under even extreme circumstances and will still allow for advanced casting and instant reaction. 3. Every single document in this country with the word 'hell' in it. 4. I want to put together my own team from any individual I select. And 5..." I trailed off, looking past Cronwell into the horizon. This last request would be from the Gods as a sort of bribe to make me do anything. "I want the remaining half of my birthright."
"You know those are impossible to do on short notice!" Cronwell exclaimed, losing his calm composure. "Getting the authorization to hand over the military to you is out of the question. 'Your birthright'? I've got no idea what that even means! Tracking down everywhere that 'hell' is written down will take years, but we're talking days here! Replacement limbs that can connect to the Arcoli are still in the Alpha stages of development, but you're wanting one that'll take generations to complete! Please, for this country's sake, be reasonable."
"Accept those terms, because the only alternative is bringing back my sister!" I shouted, a massive amount of wind gushing out of my mouth, forcibly pushing him and much of the loose items I owned out of my cave. I knew, somehow, they'd overcome the mountain that was my request. If they didn't, they'd end up with a fate as bad as those in Sinbad.
((So Kumquat, can we just have it so that our characters get contacted by Ivan's AI assistant, or did you plan to do that yourself?))
"We must call for aid! Executor, bring out the Reavers! ... What? What do you mean we don't have reavers anymore? Then... send the Dragoons! ... Ugh, then what do you suggest? ... What's a Void Ray?!" -Tassadar, Savior of the Templar
((That was more or less the idea. Go ahead and have Jackal contact you if you want. That goes for everyone.))
There's no kill like overkill.
((Okay.))
[Rogan]
The frozen city of Sinbad. Sounds almost like some place in a story book that hides the evil ice lord's lair. Of course, the reality wasn't nearly as... romantic. I took care with each step, making sure I didn't slip on the ice. I did end up slipping and nearly falling face-first, but I reached out my hands and caught myself. It was then that I saw the dead, frozen remains of the people who inhabited Sinbad under the frost. I reeled away in surprise. Even though the sight of death was familiar, the manner of such death was horrific, at best.
A vibrating sensation emanated from the cell phone in my pocket. I pulled it out to check the caller ID, and saw that it was anonymous. How odd. "Hello?" I responded as I answered the phone.
"Rogan Callahan, I presume?"
"... Yes. Can I help you?"
"I'm speaking on behalf of Ivan Rykov. No need to be so paranoid."
"Sorry. What does he need?"
"The gang is getting back together. I'm sending the coordinates to your phone now."
I was silent for a second. If the gang is getting back together, this is a whole lot more serious than I initially thought... and considering I'm standing atop the first ever human ice sculpture, that's saying a lot. "I'm on my way," I said as I hung up. I would have called my client, but unfortunately he... well, lived on Sinbad. I created a cloud of darkness around my feet, and took off towards the mainland.
((I'll post as the others later.))
"We must call for aid! Executor, bring out the Reavers! ... What? What do you mean we don't have reavers anymore? Then... send the Dragoons! ... Ugh, then what do you suggest? ... What's a Void Ray?!" -Tassadar, Savior of the Templar
<< Aer >>
"What does he mean 'his birthright'?" A'thery asked Karisha, the King and Queen of the gods sitting in the comfort of a luxurious living room. The television was a special one that displayed live feed from wherever they wanted on Earth. At the moment, they were paused in front of a cavern. By some form of magic, they couldn't get any display in what was inside the cave, but they could hear it. "I don't recall him possessing any sort of Bloodborn ability."
The goddess of magic was uneasy, but decided the truth was important for her husband to hear. "When I first saw Toby's eyes, I knew that he had my eyes, which includes my ability to see the true form of magic. With him being declared a Miracle Child and all, I didn't really want to let him toot his own horn, so I sealed away the majority of that ability." She confessed, looking a bit distraught. A decision made in the past could change how things worked now. "I don't know how he figured out that he was missing his true capabilities." The god of storms began to weigh the options. Tobias was, by every definition, still a risk of the safety of both mankind and the gods, so making him even fractionally more powerful would tip the scale even further in his direction. On the other hand, not giving in to his demands was equal to saying that the gods didn't care for Eternia any longer and wanted the best chance for the country's survival to not participate. The Mirror Knight had been released, so perhaps that warrior would defeat Tobias regardless of whether or not he had Karisha's eyes. It was certainly a hefty decision, one that would need to be postponed for as long as possible.
[Tobias]
"So I made some calls." Cronwell said, reentering my nook of this world. His crisp suit was stained with both dirt and grass, but he had brushed as much as he could off to keep at least a semi-professional look about him. "Ever since Sinbad froze over, we've been pursuing less practical options. It looks as if your demand for military control is going to be approved. As for picking your own team, that's already been cleared for most individuals, although we're getting you the clearance you'll need to quite literally choose anybody in Eternia and our allied nations, which I assume is what you meant by 'anybody'. The hunt for Hell has been commenced, which is taking quite a long time, but we have loads of citizens helping with the search. For the arm issue, we're going to be contacting some of the finest engineers at Rykov, a rather large machinery company. You may or not be familiar with the name, but the project will be pushed to Yekaternia Rykov, an aspiring craftswoman."
I nodded, pleased with how much work he had accomplished on such short notice. Cronwell, despite likely being some nerd who was more comfortable behind a desk and a monitor, interested me in his connections. Getting permission from both national and international agencies was something very few people could do, but he already had it underway. He didn't give up on me, even when I blasted him out of my dwelling. If he survived the next few months, I wouldn't mind having him as my contact with the government. "You work fast. I like it. If you have the time or resources, I've got a bit of a personal request for you. It isn't something I need to happen now, but it has quite a bit of value to me."
"What would that be? I've got many friends, so I'm sure I can arrange almost anything." He replied, looking slightly concerned with my change of tone.
"Could you see if you could get your hands on the files for Myron of the Seven Sins?"
[Takranos]
"WHOA."
"You felt that too?"
"WHOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...."
"Yep, you felt that too. Whatever that was, it was so sudden that I almost lost control of my magic."
"ALMOST?"
"Well, the town's still standing, isn't it?"
Unfortunately, the deli wasn't. I looked around to find the fine establishment I was dining at completely ruined. One moment, I'm innocently enjoying a delicious grilled chicken sandwich on a warm sourdough bun. The next, I just... well, exploded. For one, the roof was gone. The deli was almost completely vacant, most of the people being blown outside through the newly-shattered windows. The table, and those around me, had been reduced to splinters. I fell flat on my rear end in the chaos due to the chair I was in being vaporized by the immense arcane forces. One of the employees was fortunate enough to have been in cover when the blast occurred. He was retrieving a box of sauces from a cupboard behind the counter, and even though he was knocked over, the counter took the brunt of the attack. It may or may not have saved his life, but the counter had been blown to pieces.
"Crap."
"THAT FAILURE BORDERED ON SPECTACULAR. I CAN PICTURE THE HEADLINES NOW."
Then, my phone rang. I slowly answered it hoping that, by some miraculous stroke of serendipity, it wasn't the police. Caller ID was anonymous. I almost freaked out, but I kept my composure long enough to answer the phone and figure out who the heck it was. "Hello?" I gulped.
"Takranos Kreise? I'm calling on behalf of Ivan Rykov."
I heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I thought you might have been the-"
"The gang's getting back together."
"... What?"
"The gang's getting back together."
An almost malicious grin adorned my face as I pushed myself off the floor. "Say no more. I'm on my way."
"Coordinates are being sent to your phone now."
I looked at my phone, confirmed the coordinates, and blasted away from the remains of the deli like a missile. "This is gonna be FUN."
"We must call for aid! Executor, bring out the Reavers! ... What? What do you mean we don't have reavers anymore? Then... send the Dragoons! ... Ugh, then what do you suggest? ... What's a Void Ray?!" -Tassadar, Savior of the Templar
Brom was exhausted when he reached Central. He was sure by then people would know, given how fast technology has gotten. Brom had nothing against it, he was just uninterested. He ate the last of his food- some cured meat- and had half of a bottle of water. Military forces already seemed to be gathering. Good. Brom thought.
Brom went by them, and found a few people were preparing to leave central. Brom asked why they were leaving. "Why not?" one replied. "They've frozen over all of Sinbad, id rather not dare them to see if they can freeze over all of central. If you were smart, you'd come with us, rather than fight a losing battle." Brom considered this.
He would most likely lose his life if he fought, or maybe worse. But he had made a promise to deliver the wand to Tobias. "Where are you going?" Brom asked. The man replied they were headed east. Perhaps that could work out in his favor. He has yet to search the eastern area. Brom asked if he could accompany them. He replied by asking what he could offer.
"Protection." Brom said. "Im a mage, and i could help defend you if needed." The man agreed, and Brom learned that his name was Daniel. Within an hour, they were off. Daniel told Brom theyd be stopping in a few towns first before heading off to the next country over. Brom relaxed until they reached the next town. He'd leave Daniel and his group at the last town if he hadnt found Tobias by then.
((Dunno why, but i feel like i did something wrong here.))
[Iris]
I was proud. Before me was my private reagent. A conglomeration of the 7th, 13th, 14th, 26th, and 38th Legions. They were the Arcanus Brigade, or just the Arcanus, for short. They were among three Reagents the Eternian Army employed. They were all specialists, my group excelling in the arcane.
"Attention, Magi!" That drew their eyes. Flicking my wrist to the right, I summoned a small pentagonal keypad. I entered the password, a green pulse being released when I was finished. The seal I had been interfacing with had flickered out, before a cyan field expanded to encompass my team.
Scarlet tendrils connected to a select few of my armada, and with that I began issuing commands. <'Hive-Mind has been established. Second Lieutenant Prischalle, begin designing the blueprint for Hesiod's Banter. Captain Beaurogh, I'm giving you jurisdiction over the 7th Division. I expect you to establish a matrix following these parameters.'>
I paused for a second, running a few calculations through my head. The matrix needed to accommodate the 24 segments of Hesiod's Banter. Not only that, it needs to be compatible with the algorithm's time-limits. <'Start with a Bereft Mose. Line it with Walpurgia's Tear and enshroud that with a dodecahedral barrier. Make the appropriate alterations to ensure it will establish synergy with the algorithm.'>
I paused again, allowing the three preliminary tasks to begin making progress. God's above, these guys work fast! <'First Lieutenant Elliot, we'll need a suitable conduit. There is a list of our best forgers at your Metallurgy table. Major Chette, Colonel Krofske, create the algorithm. I know this is risky, but this mission requires you set it to draw out all of 24 segments of the spell at once. Can you do it?'>
Nodding in approval, I allowed the telepathy field to fade into invisibility. I could hear them requesting information to establish their respective duties. Meanwhile, I started to passively absorb energy from my surroundings. It wasn't much, but I needed as much as I could get to pull this off.
Finally, they were finished. There was only one thing left to do. Teleporting into the center of the circle, I released my Aura Seal. A complex Aurora of energy swirled voraciously in the circle, held at bay by the barriers. I thrust the freshly-created conduit into the air, allowing the pressure of my magic to allow it to float.
I shouted to my team, signaling them to open the aircraft carrier. The burning winds of Caelum poured through, but my magic kept them at bay. I finally met the Magic-cap for this set of spells. I stumble-teleported out of the circle and allowed my casters to create each individual segment. Multiple chants and hymns overlapped and created a consonant melody of sorts. Finally, the 24 pieces were all created. The projectiles floated above the airship, and without a moment of hesitation I shouted "Fire!"
[Demi]
The AI program that contacted me shortly after I made a call informed me of where the group would meet up. The City of Sinbad would be our reunion point, perhaps to see what we can gather from the incident. I told the other priests and priestesses that I'd be taking a trip, which they all seemed fairly comfortable with. I made it clear to them when I arrived a month ago that I would likely have to travel occasionally, so they were already prepared for my departure. A cab arrived outside the temple and I was on my way to meeting the others. Whether or not this included Tobes, I couldn't know until I got there.
[Tobias]
Several men in suits entered my abode, which made it seem fairly cramped in here. They gave Cronwell a case and whispered a bit to him, but were immediately dismissed so the two of us could privately continue the negotiations. He seemed to be pleasures by their appearance and strummed the briefcase tenderly, as if it were a baby. "So I've finished two of your demands: complete control over the military and access to any person you might want on your personal team. They have also included a very sensitive file, which pertains to your latest request." Cronwell explained, sitting more comfortably in his chair. I began to reach for the attaché, but he swatted away my hand. "If you want the contents of this case, I need a sign of good faith. Give me as much intel on Caelum that you have and I'll give this to you."
I sighed. "Fine." I folded, leaning back a bit. "The word Caelum, besides on maps and whatnot, is not a word here in Eternia. Zero books speak of it, there are no mentions of the country in any article here, nothing. It's a ghost. When I began ordering spell times from across the continent, I came across Caelum on the list. After digging around a bit, I discovered a few things. First of all, they possess no magic at all. Second, there is no livestock, but rather that country is infested with countless difference species of monsters, each of which having some sort of 'magical' trait. Next, they supplement their lack of magic by fusing tools with the body parts of these monsters to simulate the arcane effects that we know of. Now, the case." Cronwell was impressed, but was still reluctant to hand anything over. He opened the case and tossed a small card at me, which, upon further inspection, turned out to be a special I.D. that would basically give me access to any holding facility in Eternia, as well as permitting me to take individuals from other countries. The ultimate clearance. "This wasn't the deal. I want the rest of it, too."
"I want the rest of what you have." He replied, watching me intently. How he knew I was withholding information, I had no clue.
"Alright, I may know a bit more." I confessed. "Caelum's government is run by an Emperor, the name of which I don't know. He supposedly has some great power than makes him untouchable by even his inner circle, who are called the Jury of Six. Each of them have the blood of SS-Tier monsters mixed into their own, which grants them the ability to use their beast's power without the need for a medium like a sword or gun. The Jury works in pairs of two, so it'll be very difficult to take them down. You've already heard of Andromeda, the Ice Juror. I know the abilities of two other Jurors: Barriers and Sand. That is all I know. Since nobody else in this country likely knows about Caelum, please trust what I have told you."
This time, my agency contact didn't hesitate to hand me the case. Inside were another I.D., that one confirming me as the 'Supreme Commander' of the military, which was a cool title. The file was what I was more interested in, but I couldn't start reading with a guest still over.
((... Well, that POSSIBLY puts a hole in that post. Um, has the militia identified the location of Caelum, or any of its capitals?
Actually, do I just need to null-post?))
(( No, because it is said that they know Caleum geographically. Any invasion plans should be fine, but feel free to get a call from the Eternian Intelligence Organization, where Cronwell works, and get the order to abort. The Intel provided by Tobias gives the operation a bigger risk than predicted. ))
((My computers battery died, so I wont be able to post until ieither fix it or get a nee computer. If something comes up that just has to cause a reaction from Brom, I leave my trust in Ninja. Btw, posting this on my tablet.))
((Sorry for my inactivity. Also, am I supposed to give anybody a call? I mean, I guess Alice is sort of a possibility, but the rest haven't been properly acclimated.))
[Iris]
A small telepathic nudge quickly told me what I needed to know. "STOP!!!" The weapon had been designed to hit with absolute precision from an extremely long distance, so when I wrenched the massive missile out of the air with my telekinesis, it wasn't like some citizens of Caelum noticed.
Panting at the effort, I decomposed and re-absorbed the attack. Rejuvenated, I explained my reasoning. "Alright, so here's wh-" I was interrupted by the ring of my cellphone. It buzzed faintly in my pocket before I flipped it open. "Hello? On what authority is this call?"
*snort* "Only the highest, miss."
"Listen carefully. Information from a CLASSIFIED third-party has delegated that this countermeasure is too high a risk. I know you and your trigger-happy reagent would just love to cause millions of civilian casualties, but for now keep your terrorism to a minimum. Return to base and get back to the drawing board by the 'morrow."
I didn't gift him with a response. Shutting my phone, I started commanding my soldiers. "Alright soldiers! Turn this bird around, we're heading back to base! That's an order!!" I practically growled the last bit. These maniacs respected authority, oddly enough. A bunch of weirdos, alright. But still a serious force to be reckoned with.
[Demi]
When I heard about Sinbad getting attacked, I had formed a fairly basic mental image of the situation. All liquids would be frozen, blankets of snow along with sheets of ice would cover the area, maybe buildings would be encased in crystal. The radio broadcaster was not very specific, so it had left a lot to my imagination. When I arrived outside the city, my jaw dropped. Whereas I had thought that being frozen over meant being turned into some sort of wintery biome, the truth was much more horrifying. The masonry brick that had once defended the city from the Tainted were converted into slabs of ice, being translucent to the point of near transparency. There was no inch of this city that had not been converted into a crystalline variant of itself.
Plants and small animals became delicate sculptures, their beauty being held in place until they melted. The citizens of Sinbad suffered the same fate. You could see no horror on their faces, only the emotion that accompanied a normal day. This meant two things: they did not suffer, but they had no time to react. I raised my guard quickly, devoting all of my magic power into monitoring the area. I couldn't reach the opposite side of the city, meaning I was still in the blast radius if the women who caused this were still around. I could only hope that someone else would come. Anyone.
Even him.
[Tobias]
"As a second sign of good faith, I'll give you a choice." I told Cronwell as he returned from the town yet again, having made several more calls and going about whatever business he required. "Since my tasks are so high, I'll let you delay any one of them, but only one. You can put off the one that requires the Gods' support, or perhaps buy some extra time for your mechanic to come up with any possible way to make an arm that fits my requirements. If you'd prefer being stupid, then skip the easiest task of gathering all documents with the word Hell."
The negotiator sat down in a chair on the opposite side of my table. Despite this place being a cave, I had managed to get a decent bit of handmade furniture in here. Chairs, a table, a bed, heck, even a drafting table were all custom made by me. Cronwell plucked up an apple from a bit of my rations and slowly bit away at the scarlet fruit. The decision was obviously tricky enough for him. If he were to choose the arm, which would be the best option if the Gods were helping out (which they weren't), he'd be able to get me out and about quickly. Machinery of that level was the kind of thing that people spent months and months figuring out what size screws to use. Selecting the Hell project was to say that he wanted to call off a nation wide search, which would be a waste of resources, yet still push back how quickly he wanted me to help due to the other two. Skipping my birthright was not something I was fond of, but I'd still be able to do plenty without it until I was given it.
"The arm." He said, reaching the middle of his apple. "Now, to wait for the Gods to deliver you your gift."
"Do not wait for them, but rather pray. Encourage everyone you can contact to pray for the hope for this country, to believe in a future without fear, to acknowledge that this era for Eternia will not end by Caelum's hand." I said, leaning back, rather nonchalant for the speech I had just given. "Pray that the Gods have not yet forsaken you."