Unlurking Sentinel Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 The veil of shadow concealing Cicivexa's mask dissipted; it would be dangerous to maintain with so much darkness. He grabbed a chain necklace from his neck (hidden underneath his robes) and removed from it a dark purple crystal, big enough to fit in his palm. He inspected the crystal for a good while, searching it for any outward signs demonstrating what had gone wrong. Why had his attunement to it decreased? His new body? Some curse he hadn't heard of? Had something gone wrong with the crystal, or with him? And for that matter, what had happened to his magic? No matter how much he tried to pull aether from the world, it felt more like it was pulling from his new body instead. It wasn't quite as strong as he desired but... the fact that this body could provide such power in the first place was intriguing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EryaHistoria Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 Hikari sat by the fire, poking it occasionally with a stick she had found just outside the camp. She looked up to address the group as a whole, "So, I know a few of you have given me your names, but I feel like some sort of actual introduction is in order since we are here for the night. I'll start off!" She stood up from the fire, "I'm Hikari Murasame. Or at least I believe that's what it is, but I can't really say for sure since I don't remember much from when I was human. You can just call me Murasame for now." She frowned realizing that her introduction wasn't going as well as she would have liked it to, "I'm a Revenant, which is just a fancy word for I'm faster, stronger, and more agile than a normal human at the cost of drinking these." She grabs one of the bloodbeads from her knapsack and holds it into the light. She stopped a moment to think, "Hmm, I guess that's all I really know to say about myself right now...What about you all?" She clapped her hands together once and sat back down, "What's you're stories?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlurking Sentinel Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 Well, that girl's description of herself was immensely suspicious. "You could also say about yourself where you get those beads, and what happens when you don't drink them. It would be best to understand how to work with any ...risks surrounding who we are working with." Cicivexa couldn't identify anything by name outside of his home-reality, but her description seemed to match either someone corrupted by a Voidsent, an undead, or a very severe addict to some physique-enhancing drug. None of these possibilities were good. "Regardless, my name is Cicivexa Vivivexa. By race I am a Lalafell, by profession I am an adventurer, and by method I am one of the only remaining carriers of the art of Black Magic." He held the dark-colored crystal he was holding to the fire. It was somewhat flat, looked from a distance to have smooth edges, and had a curved teardrop shape. It had a bright purple sigil on one of the flat sides, which looked like a falling meteor. "A known liar once told me I was the chosen of the twin god Nald'Thal. In terms of my risks, Black Magic is primarily fueled by drawing upon the aether, or the life, of the world itself for its destructive potential." "Or at the very least, it used to when I was in my original form." He turned away from the party and toward the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EryaHistoria Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 Hikari looked surprised at the response she initially, "Well, as to where I get them, they grow on the sprouts from Blood Springs. They are the substitute that we use to keep from draining humans for our food." She put a finger to her chin and thought hard for a moment, "Hmmm, I can't seem to remember why exactly why I need to have these, just that I need to take them when I feel a certain way." She shrugged, "Must've lost that memory too. Its common when Revenants revive to lose memories and, in some cases....Well, I won't go there." Hikari nodded and smiled, "Regardless, its nice to meet you, Cicivexa." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 "I'm Edmond, as I said before. As to what I am, well, hopefully not food. I do engineering work by profession, of the military variety. I've been able to perform basic repairs for us while we've been in these bodies, so that's been nice. There isn't much in the way of magic where I come from, so I'm still working on getting the hang of that." He shrugged, not making any demonstration of that fact. "I've been with the group since the very beginning I'm pretty sure. Don't know exactly how long ago that was, but we've been through a couple of worlds now. Oh! You should know, we've got more than just us, they're off saving things somewhere else." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj1225 Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 Travis shifted a bit away from the revenant after her introduction, while the others that had come with him seemed to tense some, their hands staying close to various weapons on their persons. With a small wave from Travis though they relax, returning to their original positions. After they had set up for the night, the group had pulled out some basics for sleeping, setting up a lean-to using the tank and a tarp as well as laying out sleeping bags for themselves. Travis adjusted where he was sitting on the tank before clearing his throat. "I'm Commander Travis Darcy, I suppose it's alright to say this as it likely means nothing here, I'm from a private military company called Griffin and Kryuger. The ladies with my are my T-dolls, Wyonna, Galadriel, Ms. Shorty, and Mary." They each give a small wave as they're introduced. "If you haven't guessed yet, we're a tank crew and are suited towards the roles of heavy armor and infantry suppression. Pleased to be working with a lot I'm right at home with." He doesn't say it but one can infer that he's implying the category they fit in is "weirdos". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EryaHistoria Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Hikari looked at each of the people speaking, nodding once they finished, "I see, I see. Nice to meet all of you." She looked to Edmond, "Wow! There's more than us? How many universes are being affected by this if that's case?" She pulled the stick out of the fire and blew on the ember that had taken hold of the tip of it, smiling as she watched it grow. She waved it around playfully, making quick red streaks through the air as she did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonRage Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 Tsubasa appears in a mysterious laboratory. Shadows obscure the walls and ceiling, but the forge against a wall sheds enough light to reveal the metalworking tools and glassware covering sturdy tables. Against one, his back to the demon huntress, a towering figure armored in black and silver stands, doing something with a set of glassware holding bubbling green and silver fluids. Before she can do anything, a strange, mechanical owl flies in and drops a stone tablet in front of the armored being before flying out through a side corridor. He carefully sets aside his instruments, banks the burners, and starts reading the tablet. Tsubasa is understandably unnerved by this sudden change, and looks around for exits and assesses the terrain. There are two corridors out, one leading to the left and the other to the right, both large enough to accommodate the immense being who is working in the lab. There’s no entrance behind her. The tables are about as tall as she is, covered in tools and lab equipment, some of which she recognizes but most of which she doesn’t. A stack of metal disks rests next to the forge, glowing with embers from recent use. Tsubasa starts edging quietly towards the right-side exit. She moves with utmost care, and makes no noise she can hear. Despite this, when she’s almost made it, the enormous being sets aside his tablet and turns toward her, revealing a pair of blood-red, dagger-like eyes set in a black visor-like mask. “Leaving so soon?” He asks the huntress, “We haven’t even been introduced.” His voice, while loud and booming, sounds surprisingly normal for someone so obviously not human. "I don't believe we're the type to get along anyway," Tsubasa slides into her combat stance, ready to strike the moment the enormous being gets into reach. But he makes no move to approach her. Instead, he scratches at the chin of his mask with one armored finger in contemplation, “No, we probably are not,” He agrees, “You’re far too… volatile to serve as an effective minion, and I have no doubt we’d disagree on many… philosophical points. Regardless, you have been sent to me for a reason, and we all must fulfill our duties.” “You’re right, we do agree on a lot of things,” Tsubasa remarks as she starts to sidle closer to the being, hoping to get into optimal striking distance before he turns hostile. Seemingly ignorant of her intentions, the being continues to speak. “You’ve been headhunted into a grander endeavor than any you’ve been involved in before,” The being informs her, “Tell me. What do you understand of multiverse theory?” "I don't, but I have a feeling I'm about to hear more," Tsubasa continues to advance on the being. “Yes, you are,” He states, “I suppose an intelligent discourse was too much to ask for. Essentially, the world you lived on is not the only one. There are countless others, spawned by the road not taken, a lost nail, or slight differences long ago, resulting in a place vastly different from what is within your limited experience. And from outside them, creatures come, referred to as Trespassers. Their nature and hunger are beyond the full comprehension of even myself, but… they desire to consume all that is. And you, like so many others, have been chosen to fight back.” A faint sigh escapes from behind his mask. “But they didn’t get dropped into my house…” "That's interesting. . . I did have one question: do you recognize this uniform?" Tsubasa asks. The being seems taken by surprise by this question. “Uniform…? …Clothes worn by a demon hunter, establishing them as part of that organization, and thus easily recognized?” He muses, seemingly having forgotten about Tsubasa for the moment, “I’ve never… This could be useful…” Tsubasa stares blankly at him for a moment, waves of confusion practically radiating from her. "Okay, next question: what are you?" “The Makuta, master of shadows, lord of lies, leader of the Brotherhood, defender of the matoran,” The being rattles off distractedly, almost like he’s bragging on autopilot. Tsubasa exasperatedly asks, after a moment of listening to him ramble on, "Do you eat people?" “Not in over a thousand years,” He mutters, still clearly not paying attention, “And nobody missed them anyway.” "Wait, how does a demon go a thousand years without devouring a human?" “Humans? Demons? I’ve never eaten one of those,” He states distractedly, “Hm. Black primarily of course, but just black doesn’t look good on anyone. Red’s overdone, everyone wears silver… Maybe green?” "Hey, black doesn't look bad on everyone." She gestures to her own uniform and haori combo with an offended look. "This uniform is worn by everyone up to the Pillars, it's a time honored tradition." “Yes yes, you’re very proud of your little hunting club,” The Makuta strides over to one of his tables, full of metal trinkets, clearly damaged masks and armor pieces, and other assorted detritus. It doesn’t take him long to find what he was looking for, and he pulls a gleaming silver mask out from the pile. This one looks intact, with wide eyes giving it a perpetually excited expression, “Your ideas have been surprisingly… inspiring, and never let it be said that the Makuta is not generous to those who have helped him.” He suddenly vanishes and appears before Tsubasa, and flicks her in the forehead, knocking off the mask she suddenly realizes she’s been wearing all this time. Then he takes the mask he’d retrieved, and fits it over her face. Tsubasa responds by drawing her sword and slicing into him with a single, swift, fluid motion. To her surprise, as the slash lands, it flares with sunlight… and slices clean through the Makuta’s armor, deep into the black-green energy revealed beneath, dealing 176 damage. The Makuta roars in agony and shock, staggering away as that energy falls from the gaping wound in his side in sheets, his right hand falling to the ground from a stump. “What is- Get AWAY FROM ME!” He roars, and the shadows close around the huntress. When they disperse, she finds herself standing next to a camp fire, surrounded by a bunch of very different, but still mechanical beings, who seem just as surprised to see her as she is to see them. The Makuta’s voice follows her, taking on a sepulchral quality. “AND STAY OUT OF MY HOUSE! What in the Great Beings’ name was that?” Tsubasa's new mask: Spoiler Kanohi Faxon, the mask of kindred This mask has wide eye holes, and a swept-back helm. When worn, it color-coordinates with its wearer’s outfit. It lets you emulate the abilities of animals that share the environment you are in. While wearing this mask, you can train tricks that let you do things you otherwise couldn’t if an animal you know of that shares the environment you are in could. Of course, you still have to figure out how to do the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 2, 2020 Share Posted February 2, 2020 Tsubasa smoothly pulled back into a guard, the blue blade she wielded glinting in the firelight. More of these odd metal things, though at least they seemed to not have expected her. Were they minions of the Makuta, as he called himself? She'd never seen anything like them. . . at least, until she caught a glimpse of herself and saw the same sort of traits on her own body. "Is this the part where I start decapitating demons?" A brief, tense pause. "Or is someone actually going to explain what this place is?" Technically, she had just received some explanation, but it was neither trustworthy nor entirely comprehensive. Normally acting on limited information was something she didn't mind so much, but this was beyond even her comfort zone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Edmond edged over where he was seated, stealthily point his thrusters towards the new arrival. Not threateningly, no, just preparation for leaping away if necessary. "Well, I'm not a demon, so I'd prefer not to be decapitated. . . Were you given any information about, being sent here to fight trespassers, world devouring entities? That's the mission, why we're here. As to what this place is," Edmond stopped, realizing he had never learned what it was. "Well I don't know what it's called? Hahli, what do you call this world?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EryaHistoria Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Hikari, jumped up from her seat, putting her back to the fire to create nothing more than a silhouette to the new potential enemy. She reached onto her back and pulled the metal contraption forward into a low guard stance, a katana blade dropping out of it, being held by the pincers that came from the opening. She readied herself. She waited as Edmond spoke, not letting her guard drop even after he posed a question to Hahli. As long as she is armed, she poses a threat. Play it cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Tsubasa slowly nodded, eyes tracking not the one speaking but the weapon. Which reassured her, in a strange way, because a demon wouldn't have drawn a weapon, regardless of how strange it looked. "That Makuta said something about that before he jumped at me." She frowned for a moment. In hindsight, that may not have been an attack; after all, this mask on her face didn't seem to be doing anything adverse to her. "I didn't think I could trust him, so I cut him open." Mostly due to panic, really, though he surely had to have known it was about to happen. "Apparently he was telling the truth." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlurking Sentinel Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Cicivexa had been considering the immensely dangerous plight that was Hikari (whether the group should just kill her now or if they should try to secure a stable and ethical source of these 'blood beads'), when a sword-wielding new figure materialized in front of him! His Stardust Rod was drawn in an instant, as he considered the immense new information she had dropped on him. "W... h... you say you managed to land a blow on the Makuta?" "...And also that he told you about the fight against the Trespassers?" The skew of Cicivexa's priorities were quite visible at this point. "How do we know you aren't lying? About any of this?" Cicivexa's grip on his staff tightened. "You are by no means the first one to choose to align with him, among those who came from other worlds." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj1225 Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 The sudden arrival had prompted Travis and his crew to duck away, using the tank as cover where possible for a few moments as the stranger explained themselves. After a few seconds without gunfire ringing out or weapons being drawn however, the green masked man straightened up before speaking. "I'm willing to trust them. If they were allied with this Makuta guy they wouldn't have come alone I imagine, and they certainly wouldn't be talking to us without anything regarding a terms of surrender being mentioned. I'm Travis Darcy by the way." He offers the newcomer so as to not be impolite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Tsubasa glanced back and forth between the others that addressed her, the short one and the one with the. . . something. . . each getting a glance. Particularly the short one. She let some of the tension out of her stance, standing, sweeping her blade in front of her in an almost lazy fashion, and sheathing it. They'll probably assume they're safer that way. As she did so, she took a deep breath, before looking back to the one with the big metal thing. "Sanada Tsubasa. A foreigner, then?" I suppose we're all foreigners, huh? "I don't know who you are to lie to you. The reason you have to trust me is that I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and not shortening you on the assumption that you intend to unleash some sort of Blood Demon Art on me with that." She nods at the rod, which she assumed could hurt her somehow with how it was being pointed at her. Realistically, she likely couldn't fight all of them at once if they turned out to be hostile, but she refused to let fear creep into her mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kj1225 Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Travis gestures towards Tsubasa with a nod. "Exactly. And yeah, I'm not Japanese. American for the record... Of course, that's assuming that both of those things exist on your world...." Travis shrugs and retakes his seat, though now he's tilted more towards the newcomer and the one who claimed to be a revenant. His team on the other hand, didn't look quite so eager to relax, though they left cover as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlurking Sentinel Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Cicivexa loosened the grip on his staff, but did not put it away. "I suppose I have to make introductions once again... the name is Cicivexa Vivivexa. No, I do not use any power drawn from Voi- from Demons, I suppose is the word you use. Though I may be a Black Mage, that mistake of Mhach is one that I do not intend to repeat." This was likely to become exhausting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 "Yes. I've never met an American." Tusbasa continued to stare at Cicivexa. She was thinking about her response, yes, but mostly just wondering how the hell she was supposed to wrap her tongue around that name. After a moment of internal frustration, she gave up, electing to use the title instead. "Then, Black Mage, you should know that there's only one source of magic." Things could be different here, of course, but his behavior wasn't inspiring confidence. Especially given his stature: an adult bearing and voice, but a childlike size almost always meant a demon that had been transformed as a child - and survived long enough to mature, to boot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EryaHistoria Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Hikari glared at Tsubasa, not sure of her full intentions. Nonetheless, she let go of her sword, while it disappeared into bright blood red particles. She kept her back to the fire and crossed her arms across her chest, "I'm Hikari Murasame. You can call me Murasame. That's what everyone else I knew did before I got pulled in here." She turned around and sat back down by the fire. I wonder what's got her so riled up? She was the one that surprised us, not the other way around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormLord Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 A somewhat distant and intermittent tapping stopped and slowly Cell wander back towards the firelight of camp. His arms now loaded with biomechanical turkey legs, slices of glowing cake, and some kind of red fruit like an oversized cherry. He gave the two newcomers a cheery wave and started handing out food to anyone who looked interested. He then plopped down with his own slice of cake, giving it a puzzled look as he tried to figure out how to eat it without a mouth. Spoiler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 "Well that's wrong. Everything you think you know about your world no longer applies. You need to unlearn what you've learned, and take in what is new. That's what it means to be in a different world." Edmond murmured, in response to the girl's statement about magic. "One source of magic? Perhaps on your world, perhaps not where Cicivexa comes from. Demons needing decapitation, it may happen that what you call demons and what others call demons don't line up perfectly." He recalled that Marisa had said something about binding demons, and they'd had a demon kid as one of their allies for a while. For a moment, he wondered where the kid had gone, but the thought slipped away as quickly as it had arrived though. Edmond gladly accepts some food from Cell. "We've got another newcomer, and we're doing introductions. Nice, ca--Wait, where did you get cake?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormLord Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Cell shrugs and gestures towards the woods. He flips through his metal cards showing "FOUND", "IN", "WALL". He turns to put his cake down and grabs a pair of nearly fist sized metallic cherries. He walks slowly towards Tsubasa while gestures to hand the cherries her while showing her a card marked "CELL". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlurking Sentinel Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 "Indeed, and regardless where my magic comes from, this new world and body means it comes from somewhere else altogether." He then turned to Cell's offer. "How did you... never mind." He grabbed a slice of cake and wrapped in a cloth from his bag, to eat later when they could confirm it was safe. "I cannot fault you for your drive, nor for your confusion, but you need only look at yourself to understand that, as Edmond says, nothing from where we come from applies here. As a hunter of beings similar enough to what you call 'demons' myself, I already learned that the hard way." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EryaHistoria Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Hikari looked at the food, turning her head away from it. I can't even remember the taste of the last thing I ate. That was years ago, but its so hazy. She poked more aggressively at the fire, trying to break down a piece of wood that had crumbled to the bottom. She looked down at her hand. I don't even know where to begin with these bodies. So cumbersome... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevaleresse Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 The continued explanation would likely have done some good at calming the errant Demon Slayer down, if she hadn't very clearly noticed Hikari's method of sheathing her weapon. The weapon bursting into blood particles immediately prompted a leap backward and a hand hovering near her sword once again. One definitely melee, the other ranged. Weapons are unusual but that just means they'll have better reach. "You had me going there for a bit, but the blood sword's a dead giveaway, you know?" All this nonsense about another universe and whatever the hell had been done to her was going to have to be resolved later. Of course, if the worst case scenario was true. . . well, her sword worked on herself as well as it did anything else. Which gave her an idea. Her blade was suddenly darting out of her sheath. . . and across the palm of her left hand, scoring a shallow cut and flicking a small spatter of blood onto the ground in front of the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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