Dusty Runes & Forgotten Tombs

Leo nods over at Push as the rocks are lifted from his grip.  He moves around his shoulders slightly, feeling the cracks in each of them.  Leo breathed calmly for a few seconds, before he began to tune into the conversation.  As she went through the story, some of the gaps filled in Leo's brain.  He felt as if he knew the story a whole better now.  While it had been obvious at first that the sacrifices on the wall played some part in whatever happened, it was even more set in stone now.  The real question plaguing Leo's mind was whether or not this god had awakened by the prodding.  It was obvious that the scientist's involvement caused something, which made Leo slightly angry.  Both at the scientist's, and the god-like figure.  Both of them were at fault.  For now though, Leo focused on the woman lying down in front of him.  


Leo crouched down next to the woman, setting down his bag right next to him.  As he did so, Planeshifter moved forward and disappeared.  Leo looked over to Push and nodded slightly, "You should go with him.  It seems as if he's going to encounter the creature, so I'll take the civilian back and get back here as soon as I can."  Leo looked back down to the woman and put a hand on her shoulder.  He looked at her face and calmly said, "Hello, my name's Leo Kingston.  I'm an A-Class hero, rank seven, and I'm going to ease the pain that's on you right now.  It won't stop your injury mind you, so even though you'd be perfectly able to, don't stand up.  As soon as I do that, I'm going to take you outside and signal a helicopter down to get you.  I'm not sure what they'll do from then, but I can assure you that you're in good hands."  The hand that Leo has on the woman's shoulder begins to vibrate slightly.  After a few seconds, Leo lifts up his hand, placing it over her chest and channels some electricity through.  Small tendrils of electricity go into the woman's chest and stomach, and begin to spread throughout her body.  It wouldn't cause any harm, but it would begin to lessen the pain throughout the woman's body.  Starting with any pain in her head, arms, and legs as it slowly moved more to the center of her body.  Leo grunted slightly as he felt the pain of multiple rocks having fallen on top of him.  Leo put his other hand on the ground, trying his best to hold himself up with the pain he was experiencing.  Finally, the electricity crackled off into the air, and pain between their bodies had been exchanged.


Even with all of the pain Leo was still experiencing, he lifted the woman up, wincing slightly, but maintaining a strong grip nonetheless.  He looked down at her, "Are you okay to go?  I don't want to have taken you out and find out that we left something behind."


@VY Canis Majoris @Elision of Ecritures @DemetrioMachete
 
Push looked a bit miffed. When he noticed how Leo and Planeshifter had begun to want to separate, not following that Push wanted them to proceed as a collective group, Planeshifter only proceeding a few steps ahead of them as he had been doing while Leo seemed to plan on bringing the civilian out, even though he stated taht there would be much more danger in acting as individuals. he muttered something before he gave a brief thumbs up to Leo. He then brought the line wire out of his pocket, pulling it up by the end of the strand completely, and then tying such a strand to his pinkie finger. He then motioned to Leo to have the rest. He had hoped the other hero would get his meaning and tie the Line wire to his pinkie in order for the two of them not to be separated as he proceeded down the temple. He then gave a sigh, not being able to see Planeshifter anywhere in sight. "Fucking Heroes," 


He held his two hands out to the side as he hovered a bit, two circles in the walls formed as from the rock  two long, four foot length spears with spiraled halves were carved out of the walls by Push using his telekinesis. The spirals on each end resembled screws while the other halves were completely clean and smooth. "Like herding cats away from boxes." he muttered about his team mates as he turned his head over his shoulder and gave a brief mock salute. He then dashed forward at incredible speed. He turned at the corners, his weapons hovering and floating beside him as he went to go find Planeshifter amidst the inky darkness which seemed to consume everything. Hopefully this guardian of sorts wasn't smart enough to use their poor team coordination against them. 


@Kingmalikai @DemetrioMachete @VY Canis Majoris
 
Planeshifter moved ahead to the point where he came across what he perceived to be a dead end, he shook his ghostly head and began to turn back. His ethereal body, he thought.. probably could not trigger any traps. Leo and Hajime could have beem caught off guard. This worried him.


As he moved back, he noticed that Push had already begun moving forward. In the next instant, he instinctively cringed up as Push took off at high speed. Cripes, the ghost thought. He was going to get lost in there! As fast as his form could take him, he chased after Push. Could he even sense Planeshifter, in his invisible form?


@VY Canis Majoris @Elision of Ecritures
 
The team had split up, for better or for worst. The young archeology student nodded her head that she was OK enough to leave the temple. Not a single thought of wanting to look back, knowing only horrors would stain her mind for a long time. As they began to make their way out, she cried while addressing her hero. "Thank you." It might mean little to him or it might mean something, but she said it in hopes to carry weight of the situation, and even if not, it was purely out of how happy she was to hopefully live another day.






Planeshifter seemed to head back and even find Push through the maze of a temple. The stench of rotten bodies and blood grew stronger. It was as if a wall of the scent just came out of nowhere. With progress came the sound of a faint whisper. It sounded as if it came from all directions and was slightly muffled and spoken right in your ear, even if the source was miles away. Deep down, a level below them sat a room filled with bodies. There sat the pile of bodies with a few lit touches in the room. It was a larger room. MUCH larger. Roughly four stories, the chamber was dimly lit, but it was lit enough. The bodies became more profuse as they came closer to the center where an alter sat with four red lit candles, one on each corner. There was a figure hunched over by the horde of bodies. All of which were students and soldiers.


The figure seemed to move as if it was breathing heavy with short pauses. In those pauses were the beginning of murmured speeches that started at a high pitched whisper to a lower one. Becoming quieter and quieter. Blood symbols covered the room all over the floor, walls, support pillars, and the roof. The stench of dead bodies was unimaginably powerful, but had little effect on this pale skinned, husky and long haired figure. Was he a survivor? Maybe a Guardian of the temple as spoken about by the girl and the pictures on the walls. Could be something else. There seemed to be something else on him, dark markings that were so engraved into the skin, they were almost hard to see, but they were markings similar to that of what was all the walls.


"Smsmsmsgdhhmhmphs... SHelp.. me.. Lord gotten." The u intelligible words seemed to mean something, but it could not truly be understood. It could be simply madness, archaic language chants, or simply just so low and together as he spoke it that it jumbled too much to be understood by an outsider.


@DemetrioMachete @Elision of Ecritures @Kingmalikai
 
Push stopped as he reached a dead end, the wind that had whipped about him in addition to blew at his back after he had sped so fast through the many catacombs in pursuit of Planeshifter. He turned around, looking back as he sensed a glimmer amidst the entire environment. Yes, that was most likely him. Being a telekinetic meant that one could easily control everything which was non-organic, or rather non-living in the room. While Planeshifter was a small exception to this rule as he couldn't control him as he still had conciousness, his soul still lingering on even though he wasn't attached to a corporeal form, it was just because of this conscience and aura he emitted that allowed him to know that he was there, he could feel how Planeshifter was still alive in the only way that truly mattered. Push dropped down, his feet clacking against the stone as he waved a hand in front of himself before he drew back, realizing that his friend was already intangible, and that it was impossible for him to test if he was there using any other sense besides the one he had with telekinesis. He sighed. "Planeshifter? It's me, Push as you might be aware. It seems that as we draw closer to the source of these events it radiates a sense of madness about us, most likely tying into its origins of satanic or at least very black magics which oozes a sense of blood lust. While not being an expert upon the paranormal I've concluded that this deity is not, and most likely had never been anything remotely close to human."


Push looked around. Then looking down at his footsteps before he snapped his fingers, turning around. "Planeshifter, I have an idea. While not being the most elegant of plans, I have concluded that besides simply wandering about this maze of tunnels and catacombs while we have an enemy whcih most likely knows it surroundings, making us vulnerable, we punch, or rather I punch, a straight path to it for the sake of time and practicality. Please step back while a clear a path for the both of us. I would not like for your to accidentally fall in for whatever unfortunate accidental reason." he noted, holding a thumbs up as he looked at the line wire, still holding strong as he thanked himself for coming up with that plan, given that the two of them would've most likely been lost if Push hadn't thought of a means of getting back to Leo in time. Push jerked his fist back, the air which moaned through the catacombs growing still as he squinted, trying to lock onto the source of the whispers as they grew louder, before he punched forward, down into the air as the stone shocked and cracked, falling through as a large hole leading directly down was made, dust clouding everywhere. 


@VY Canis Majoris @DemetrioMachete @Kingmalikai
 

 


Leo looked at the string and, to the best of his ability, tied it around his finger quickly.  The string cut in slightly, causing some bleeding on his pointer finger.  Likely because of how hard Leo had pulled on the string.  Leo winced, but shrugged it off the best he could.  As Leo kept walking, his ears picked up what the girl had said, and he smiled and blushed.  Leo wasn't sure if anyone had actually thanked him for the work he had done before, "It's no problem.  It's my job as a hero after all."  Leo walked out of the temple and began doing his best to try and signal down one of the helicopters in the air.  This mainly meant yelling, but he was able to fire a few sparks of electricity in the air.


@VY Canis Majoris 
 
Planeshifter was not-so-hot on Push's trail, when he paused. He heard Push's voice.. though not as though the A-class hero were speaking through the tunnels, no. Planeshifter felt as though he heard him in his head. Telepathy, right? That's what this was? Was that the name for a psychic communication? His ethereal shoulders shrugged.. it made no difference to him, as long as they could communicate.


This pause of Push speaking to him gave a considerable window for Planeshifter to continue looking for him. Around the time Push spoke of punching a path, he finally caught up to him. Relief of finding his teammate washed over him, and he rematerialized behind Push.


"How far back am I ste-"  he was cut off as the stone caved from Push's fist, Planeshifter instinctively covering his eyes to shield them from dust. As it settled, the ghost coughed a bit, evacuating the dust from his lungs. He looked back up, and there was a hole in the floor in front of him. He rolled his eyes..


"Okay.. I was asking for that. Did you head down there, Push?" Now that he was tangible, hopefully his voice would carry over to Push.. and sincerely, hopefully nothing else, at the moment.


@Elision of Ecritures @VY Canis Majoris
 
Leo and the young girl made their way out as the helicopter circled above in the air. "Aokiji, the heroes, one of them is out there!" the copilot informed. Aokiji looked out the window to see Leo with one of the archeologists who appeared injured pretty badly. "Should we head down there, sir?" 


Aokiji thought about it for a second. Unsure why he needed to do that. "Yes, head down there. Hurry!" The helicopter made a hast landing, the propellers blowing a gust of wind like a weak hurricane as he door opened and Aokiji stepped out to grab the girl from Leo. "Was this all there was?" He yelled over the sound of the helicopter. Leo didn't need to say much based off the girls face. "Just... Just head back in and see what you can do. I assume Push and Planeshifter are still in there. They may need your assistance! Your help is highly appropriated, Leo!" He took the girl from him and began to lead her onto the aircraft and closed the door. He gave a thumbs up before shutting it closed. The helo began to lift off the ground as it prepared to circle some more, but they hoped it wouldn't take much longer due to the amount of fuel they had being limited.


As the floor crashed into the large belly of the temple, the smell of blood would try to escape, hitting the nostrils hard. Blood on the ground from bodies being dragged. The figure that remained knelt by the alter of blood and dimly lit red candles and surrounded by a mountain of bodies from the students and soldiers the Hero Association had sent in. The breathing began to pick up as the shirtless back displayed itself rising up and down more rapidly. The figure's head turned as he began to stand up, looking at who had entered the place. Black markings on his body littered his skin. He looked around with a sharp snap to the left. Then to his right towards the floor before twisting his head sideways and point his ears up then towards the two who had broke in. "Someones here. I can't do it. You promised peace. Why do you not answer me? Master... I'm lonely." Then there was a silence from him. His eyes began to give off a red glow. "You want me to do that? Are you sure? You're right, no one will care if I draw blood from them." He then put his attention to the heroes. "My master has commanded I kill you now. He can't let you find out what his plan is. If I don't stop you, he'll hurt Bono. Bono doesn't want to be hurt anymore."


The figure began to speak in another language again as he knelt down, hands clasped together, and a chant was beginning. The markings on his body pulsated with faints of red. More and more they turned red and glowed.


@Elision of Ecritures @DemetrioMachete @Kingmalikai
 
As Push descended into the blood soaked chamber where the man, 'Bono', as he dubbed himself dwelt, his eye stared ahead as he watched him. Surrounding them was the unmistakable stench of death, something that Push somehow became familiar with, the smell associating itself with the failure as he had witnessed the scenes of multiple murders who had stashed rotting corpses all along the perimeters of rooms. He was familiar with it enough to not let it phase him as he took a step forward as the man began speaking. As the man introduced himself and began to chant, Push didn't even reply he jetted his hand forward, sending the two stone spears spiraling forward like huge drills, his aim intended upon the stomach and left thigh. Naturally one would assume that in order to end this as quickly as possible, they would go straight for the solar plexus or the head, and kill them instantly by piercing the heart, but Push didn't need that. He needed a slow kill, something taht would murder or immobilize the target just long enough so that he would be able to interrogate him. Clearly the opponent he faced was withholding information and belonged to some grand master who employed him, meaning that he had information whcih would be crucial to a more extensive investigation into the events. 


The man had already lowered his physical defenses by clasping his hands together to perform some magic ritual which would obviously do them harm, so as Push sent his spears spiraling forward, he hoped for the best. "I'm sorry Bono, but you will indefinitely be hurting by the end of this. But we will not cause you death if you are willing to cooperate with us. First, I would like you to tell us of your master, and then of his plans."


@VY Canis Majoris @Kingmalikai @DemetrioMachete
 
Bono remained chanting, making the prayer as he was instructed to do. But he felt immense pain as stone drilled into his left thigh and the stomach. He felt himself fall to the ground, puddles of blood splashed. As if he were a child, it looked as if tears would swell up in his eyes. "You... You hurt Bono? Why do you do that? Bono's just doing what he is told." He quickly scrambled across the floor to the bodies as he desperately began to stick his hand into the bodies near him, drawing on the rotting blood as he slashed markings on his gut and thigh, speaking in some old language again, but with great haste as if fearing death to grab for his soul at any moment should he not. Then he cupped blood in his palms and actually began to drink it. He needed to. He couldn't disobey his master.


"Bono will make you pay." He stood up, the pain no longer a problem as the blood he just drew on him began to glow bright red, and as he clenched his hands into fists, the rest began to follow as they also began to glow bright red in the dark room. "Not as good as master, but Bono will do." He spoke to himself. But he then recalled the guy in front of him demanding answers.


"No... no no no no! You can't know of him. Bono don't know of the masters plans only what he wants Bono to do." Bono's arms grew slightly as the glowing became brighter as did his eyes. He bent down and grabbed a large piece of broken stone that must have weighed about 500 pounds and threw it at the esper with ease, displaying the growing strength. He dashed after Push to bum rush him into the wall in hopes to grab him and hug him tight enough that his bones would break. "You hurt Bono. Bono hurt you!" he bellowed.


@Kingmalikai @DemetrioMachete @Elision of Ecritures
 
Push stared for a bit, wide eyed as he narrowly flew away from the large boulder which zoomed in front of him. Luckily he could fly quickly out of the way at high velocity or else he would've been crushed. The boulder in front of him and Bono now, having positioned himself behind Bono in the large room, lucky to have had such a wide room to escape or else he would've been crushed. He looked as the boulder shattered in multiple smaller fragments, noting that he would've been incapable of truly flinging that boulder back given its enormous size and probable weight. However, his eyes scanned the pieces, nodding as he lifted them up and then cracked them into even smaller pieces before selecting a few which weighed a perfect amount, but were still each individually heavy. "What does your master wish for you to do? I hope you know Bono, that your master can not do much more to you that I can, if not even less." Push spoke, his words flat as the rocks around him began to circle and gravitate at enormous speeds around him, orbiting his body and glowing with an eerie green light before each were thrown at Bono's chest individual, there being three in total. 


"I'm sorry Bono, but you've already lost." Push noted, as soon as he let each rock fly to distract Bono from acting and covering his wounds, Push clutched the air with his right hand as he focused on the wounds of his chest and thigh, hoping that they hadn't been sealed already as he tried to forcefully pull the opponent's blood out and worsen his condition. It was true that Push was incapable of moving organic matter with conscience, in short living organic matter with his telekinesis, but he was capable of moving bodily fluids if he could see them and they were already exiting the body, such as in wounds. 


@VY Canis Majoris @Kingmalikai @DemetrioMachete
 
Planeshifter's question was answered as he heard voices beyond the hole. With a sigh, he turned ethereal and made the plunge through the hole. He saw the combatants, his eye twitching. Was this "Bono" the one that killed the researchers? For that alone, Planeshifter thought it okay to deliver a kill to him. More yet, Push was already on a track to do that.


As the boulder was flung at Push, Planeshifter cringed at the thought.. that would have hurt a lot had it hit him, he thought. Originally, the ghost thought that he could potentially possess the boulder, and fling it back at this "Bono", but Push had already broken it... alright then, time for plan B. The ghostly form of Planeshifter floated behind Bono, and rematerialized. Then, from his waist, he pulled away a large knife. The same knife he had used to stab Kyon. Seeing Push's plan, he had to act quickly... otherwise he could have gotten pelted with rocks. That would have been unpleasant. The first thing that slipped into his mind was snarkery, his specialty. No... it would ruin his element of surprise. Save the snarking for later, he told himself.


The Hero faded back out, leaving only the knife, which clanged to the floor, and then began to float into the air. This was the pinnacle of a pincer attack; Push on Bono's front, and Planeshifter behind him. With a sudden increase in velocity, Planeshifter's knife flew for Bono, poised to stab him right in the spine!


@VY Canis Majoris @Elision of Ecritures
 
The shards beat at Bono's chest as Push tried pulling his blood out by force, but then there was a sudden pain at his back. Sure, the runes helped heal his body and mitigate the pain, but it wasn't instant and this floating person was making it worse. Why were they hurting Bono? Where was master? He had to be around. He said he would. He was not here to protect Bono? The magic coursing through Bono's body helped make his meaty body tough, but it didn't stop the knife, but it helped save him a little.


"I don't know what master wants. He told Bono to get the secrets. So Bono just does what he's told." He answered. He just wanted the pain to stop at this point. "Why are you here? You don't look like you work for my master."


~*~




As he told them this information, he thought back to when he met master. Bono used to be a soldier. A good solider too! But something happened and now it was hard for him to think. IF he put too much thought into something, his head would hurt immensely and blood would come from his nose and he would begin to feel lightheaded with everything fading to black. He was left on the streets on a cold and rainy autumn day. It was almost winter so the temperature was dropping faster and faster everyday. He tried to sign up for security, but they called him stupid and he only remembered killing the man in the fancy suit.


That rainy day a man appeared with long hair and a well fit body, much like Bono! He offered him a way to salvation if he just followed him. If Bono followed, he would have food, a home, a place that was warm and someone to talk to who also used to be a soldier. He even gave Bono a name; Bono because Bono didn't know his own name. The man was very nice, but when the heroes appeared on TV, he could sense anger in his master. It was like a dark aura coating his very being.


"Bono, I need you to go to this old building in the forest. There's a tome of secrets I need." That was his job. He found some information, but then he found something else down here. Something dark and then everything went black. He thought master was talking to him in his head, but then everything went silent when these heroes appeared. Were they after his master? If he brought them to his masters home, maybe master would give him a gift! Some new clothes, nice food, maybe TV time. He wouldn't have to clean the house again.


~*~




Everything went back to the present as he looked around. Maybe he didn't need to kill them, he could just take them to his master. But Bono couldn't out smart these two. Killing them might be the only option. Their blood would help his masters goal. "I can't let you live. If I do, if you leave here, he'll kill me. I have to do his bidding." He answered the esper.


@Kingmalikai @Elision of Ecritures @DemetrioMachete
 
Push's eyes glimmered a bit in the darkness as the blood stopped, being forced back into his body as Push stood still amidst the darkness. "We probably do not work for the same man as you do, however Bono." Push said, his hand suddenly extending as the Esper cracked a smile. It was honestly one of the rarest sights on earth to see Hajime Nakamura smile or crack a grin, but there it was, pearly whites shining and all. "I see that you must be a soldier of some kind, yes? You work for him, and he must repay you in some kindness, your mast that is. But you don't have to do anything your master says you must do. We at the Heroe's Association can offer just as much if not even more luxury, if you cease and desist your activity and come along with us for some further questioning. You have my word you will not be harmed, and I will do anything within my power that is morally just that you ask of me in return on top." Push nodded in agreement as his hand still extended in the darkness. 
 
Leo watches as the helicopter slowly rises back up into the air again.  After a few seconds, he quickly turns around.  Just before he goes into the temple however, he takes off the piece of string he's tied around his hand, and ties it on one of the pillars outside the temple.  After doing so, he begins to run down into the temple and through the various corridors.  All the while following where the string was leading.





It was a few minutes of dashing that led Leo to where Push and Planeshifter were fighting... a man?  Leo wasn't sure who the man was, or why they were fighting him.  Just as this thought crossed his head, he noticed the bodies all along the floor.  A sickening feeling grew in Leo's stomach as he pieced the facts together.  Leo dashed out into visibility, charging up electricity all along his arms, "Sorry I was late everyone.  Wouldn't want to miss this for the world."  Too late did Leo notice how close he actually was to Bono.  Apparently when Leo had run out, he had run out a little too far.


@Elision of Ecritures @VY Canis Majoris @DemetrioMachete
 
 Planeshifter heard every word coming out of Bono's mouth. Was he... Out of his mind? After all the innocent people Bono had killed, he would never be welcome in the Heroes Association!


Wait..


What if Push was aware of that, Planeshifter thought? If that was the case, then maybe he was just trying to lower Bono's defenses to issue a killing blow? At this thought, the knife slid out of Bono, and floated backwards, where Planeshifter rematerialized, still on guard.


"You have nothing to gain, by rejecting this offer. So think about what you have to lose." he added on.
 
Bono wasn't sure what to do. Could they do what master had offered him? He couldn't resist that. He let his guard down at the offer. "Bono agrees. But you have to give Bono what master offered him." What would master do if he found out though? Were they going to question him? This was all so sudden and so scary. This was too much. His head began to hurt. Do it. It's OK, Bono. I will not hurt you. A voice called in his head. "Master? A... Are you sure?" Yes. Everything will be OK. Maybe the Association would do wonders for you. Accept their offer. I promise, only peace will come out of this acceptation.






The helicopter hovered above as the suited man watched below, waiting for the heroes to come back. How much longer would they be down there? "Sir!" The co-pilot called. "We're getting readings of a civilian nearby. He looks unarmed."


"Pull a shot of him on my computer!" He shouted over the sound of the helicopters engine and blades. On his screen showed a man with dark hair and a tight shirt on. He looked very physically fit. He casually walked towards the temple like he knew where he was going. His mouth moved, but they couldn't make out what it was. He appeared like a normal human. "What's that?" He asked himself as he looked at the man on the screen. There was a black marking on a card in his hand. It looked odd with a skull of some kind and teeth with archaic markings etched around it. It looked like some symbol.


@Kingmalikai @DemetrioMachete @Elision of Ecritures
 
Leo looked at the man strangely,  Master?  I'm really not liking this guy...  Leo flipped backwards, landing into a crouching position as he stared at the man apparently known as 'Bono'.  Slowly Leo rose to his feet, sparks of electricity travelling across his hair.  He smirked and crossed his arms as he stood up, "Well then, seems that this fight wa-"  Leo stopped as he suddenly felt a slight electric pulse in the field around him.  Pushing electric pulses into the corner of his brain associated with his sense of hearing he began to get a clearer picture.  Somebody was definitely heading into the temple.  Leo turned off the electric shocks going through his brain, and looked over to Push and Planeshifter, "Somebody's decided to crash the party, and I'm guessing they're not government.  I'm going to go check out who it is, I'll pull on this,"  Leo pulls slightly on the wire still connected to Push's finger, "If I need help.  If I REALLY need help, I'll probably just shock it."  Leo smiles slightly and laughs as he begins to move through the temple again.


As he moves this time Leo tries to keep his footfalls light and quick.  This isn't too difficult of a feat to accomplish thanks to years of practice, but he still knows that one slip-up could ruin anything he might have planned.  It takes a few minutes at the pace that Leo is going to get to the main room of the temple.  Leo jumps onto the side of one of the walls and just barely manages to climb his way up to one of the balconies of the room.  Leo watched silently as the man began fiddling with some kind of card.  Slowly Leo began to move over to where the man was standing.  After waiting for a few seconds more, Leo jumps down near to where the man is and silently says, "So... is there something special about that?"  Leo begins loading electric signals into his brain to increase his reaction time, and at the same time flicks his eyes over to where the wire connected to Push is currently hanging in the air before returning his gaze to the man.


@Colleen McJavabean @DemetrioMachete @Elision of Ecritures
 

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