Fantasy Z O D I A C | Umbra [Currently CLOSED]

[Boss]

Sam's question was tough to answer. The Dominion were hard to keep up with. It felt like in every encounter she's been in, they had a new trick up their sleeve. An augmented platoon, a handful of brainwashed hosts. None of what the Dominion threw at them had an easy solution to dealing with it. "As long as we have Dominic, we'll be okay." She told Sam. Dominic was indeed quite the escape artist, even at a younger age. In most situations where Colt had her back against the wall, Dominic put his ability to use to ensure a safe getaway, one way or another. Smoke was hard to chase, especially at night when the darken vapor was above street level and against the night sky.

Langevin had joined the conversation, though his intent was searching for Dominic. "I was just talking to him." She spoke up. "He's not in a very talkative mood though. Ever since last night. You could try to get through to him, though. I last saw him on the wall near one of the battlements."

 

[King Vioogra]

Res let a small smile cross his lips as he rubbed his hands together. "I think I'll get a..." he said unsure as his eyes scanned the menu, "Oh the number 7 looks good. And a water cup is fine." He said still smiling as he stepped back and waited for his order. He filled his water cup and drank from it a few times before the counter-lady called his receipt number. As he grabbed his food, he gave a polite "Thank you." and sat down to eat. It was the first meal he had outside of prison, so to him it was heaven in a burger. His mind wandered as to what the other items on the menu tasted like, but he chose to save it for another time. He had the rest of his life ahead of him so he didn't have to try everything in one night and risk gaining 20 pounds. He quickly finished his food before throwing his trash away and leaving the establishment. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, taking a long drag as he walked down the street. He took one long drag before exhaling through his nose and taking the cigarette from his mouth and tossing it to the side.

 

[Azukai]

On the outskirts of Brookfield sat Savannah Fields, which occupied a small portion of the southern most tip of the city. It was a small suburban community that housed a good portion of the upper class citizens, many who enjoyed leadership positions within the top conglomerates of the city. The Schmidt family was no different--a husband, wife, and son, all who had been blessed by the good fortune the husband, David, had brought through his employment at the Dominion. Engineers for anti-Zodiac technology, and lead directors at that, were rewarded with a salary that far exceeded the national average for such talents. His house reflected this fact, given its vast acreage that included a mansion sized abode and a ranch which housed a half-dozen horses.

Were today an ordinary morning, neighbors might have seen the son rushing to meet his school-bound chauffeur; perhaps the wife tending to her prized collection of roses; or even David laboring alongside of his noble Friesian steeds. But today was far from ordinary, and the house was bereft of activity--at least from an outside point of view. Inside, classical music bathed the dining hall with the gentle sounds of violin and brass, while the scent of sausage and eggs wafted from the neighboring kitchen and made his stomach grumble from the anticipation he held.

Victor was his name, and today he was a guest of the esteemed X family. He was a lean individual, with pasty white skin that glistened under the sunlight which peeked through the satin curtains at his rear. He was seated in a plush leather chair that rested alongside of a long dining room table that was hand carved from the finest oak logs. Atop the table, his long slender fingers were wrapped around a thin glass flute filled, halfway, with bubbling champagne, while his spare hand lazily cycled through a deck of gold-trimmed tarot cards. His attention was half-focused at best, to the point that he didn't even notice the maid who stood in the entry-way with the delivery of his breakfast.

"Y-Your food, s-sir." She stuttered.

Fear was in the woman's eyes as she watched the young adult who turned to greet her with a glowing smile. "Wonderful!" He exclaimed, as he rose to his feet and approached the maid who began to tremble in his presence. "Calm yourself, my dear." He said with a chuckle. "We wouldn't want you wasting this wonderful meal you prepared for us." Victor spoke in a soothing tone which did nothing but worsen her trembles to the point that the plate of food began to vibrate on the tray.

"I SAID CALM YOURSELF" He suddenly shouted, which caused an ear-splitting crash as ceramic and food splattered across the wooden floor. Immediately, the maid fell to her knees and burst into tears, all while Victor watched with a sympathetic expression on his face. "My dear, I give you my deepest apologies." He lamented as he sided up against her and pulled her into a gentle embrace that left him whispering into her ear. "I am unsure what came over myself. A pretty face like yours shouldn't be plastered in tears." He reached into his tuxedo coat pocket and handed her the white handkerchief that was folded within. "Wipe your face, take a breather...a few minutes or two...and bring me a better breakfast--without the onions in the omelette...hate them like that."

There was no hesitation as she jumped to her feet and ran into the kitchen, just as a series of sloshing noises began to creep from further down the dining hall. There were two dull thuds, a moment of silence, and then a rhythmic drip that left Victor shivering from ecstasy as he gazed towards the end of the room. "Wonderful, my child!" He exclaimed--his voice echoing towards a small boy, no more than eight years of age, who grinned with equal excitement, despite being drenched in the blood of his parents who hung, decapitated, like a prize kill on the wall. Around his body were a series of eight swords that hovered above the ground and emanated an energy not all that different from what a host might wield.

"And with that, you are free. Congratulations, Tharin." Victor announced with a cheerful clap. "Its a bit early too early for us to play, however..." He stated in a serious tone that immediately garnered the child's full, undivided attention. "I've got a job for you...There's this...Lost One, I've come across. I think its time for us to have a little....personal chat..."


"Hello," Tharin announced in an innocent tone, befitting of his youthful age and diminutive stature. Up until now, he had been observing Res from the shadows--waiting for the moment when there would be minimal witnesses, both public and Dominion alike. The particular alley they were in was somewhat secluded from the main roads of the city, and the early morning hour, only extenuated the isolation they were now given. "Victor told me to get you. He says he wants to talk. He said I could eat aaaaall the sweets if I did a good job and brought you home." With his announcement, Tharin stepped under the light of the nearest street lamp, which revealed the dried blood that was caked across his body and clothes.

"Please come." He added with a shy smile. "I don't want to be mean like my mommy and daddy. Cause I'm a good boy!" He giggled at his own words, all while he retrieving a small letter from his overalls pocket, that he threw Res' way before skipping down the alley in the direction he came--and with that he was gone.

The letter was fairly simple; a white envelope that had been sealed with red wax and stamped with a symbol that resembled the face of a fox. On the front, Res name was carefully written in a calligraphic font, that continued to the contents of the letter within.

To Res Enyo,

You are lost. You have no place in this world--after all, it has already forsaken you over trivial matters that continue to influence you so. No success, no acceptance from those around you, and nothing to make you special in light of the insanity that surrounds us--hosts, the Dominion, all of it.

Please, do not see my words as an insult to who you are. I merely speak the truth--but I speak it with more than empty words. I speak it with an answer I can give to you.

Are you content with your place in the current world?

If you are, then you discard this letter and live your life, unchanged by that which I have said. But! If you know what I say is true, and a latent curiosity has been spurred deep within your conscious. Then I extend you a cordial invitation to the address below.

172 Prairie Lane, Savannah Fields.

Sincerely,
Victor Ilyin

 

[King Vioogra]

Res picked up the letter and opened it. He pulled out his phone and thought about dialing 911 to inform the police about a child running around caked in blood. But his “latent curiosity” got he best of him and he started towards the address. With what money he had left, he bought a large pocket knife from a gas station on the way, just in case. He didn’t really want to use it, but he would if he had to. As Res began the trek to the address given to him, his prison instinct started to kick in. 'Expect anything. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.. You've got a knife, be ready to use it.' He said as he pulled his phone from his pocket and put his headphones in his ears. The song "I don't know why" by Imagine Dragons started playing in his ear as he began to pace his movements to the beat of the song, something he was strangely good at. He slowly and calmly knocked on the door as his breathe picked up a bit. ‘Come on, Res. You’ve been in situations like this before. Calm down.’ He thought to himself as he waited for a response at the door. He gently ran his fingers through his hair as he waited, the music still playing as he pulled one of the earbuds from his ear.

 

[Boss]

Although the method was far from careful and loving, the old host couldn't complain with the end result. By the time the dust cleared, the old man had eyeballed the field from his hut. He had to bite his tongue. In his age, overusing supernatural abilities felt like the grave was tugging him closer. The young girl's help was appreciated. "That's okay, right?" asked Camilla, who was clapping her hands free of dirt. "It'll grow." The man responded, turning his back to the field and retreating into his hut. "None of these other old farts would've done any better." He grumbled, landing on a chair half his age and kicking up his feet once more. "Run along now, I'll tell your father you did a good job." The old man flicked the dirt from his newspaper and peeled it open, his attention span shrinking to the contents of the pages. Camilla silently made way for her departure, when Mr. Pepper spoke up before she could reach the field gate. "Hey," Camilla turned her head back. "Sorry to hear about your brother. He was a smart kid." Camilla responded "Thanks." and smiled meekly, before passing the gate and closing it behind her.

The morning was beginning to give way to the afternoon. The heat picked up several degrees. A rouge thought had reminded her to check on Lilith, a clear unwelcome addition to the Ferrari stronghold. She hadn't seen the girl since last night, and concern found it's way back into her mind. In reality, she was really the only person who'd want the girl here. If there was any time for emotional support and a guide, it was now, when everyone else glared at her with visions of her twisted father.

A few minutes later and Camilla was nearing her chambers. Further down the hall were the adults, Colt, Sam, and Langevin, their conversation barely audible. Camilla knocked twice on the door, waited a few seconds, and opened the door to peer her head in. "Lilith? Are you up?"

 

[KnightAarant]

Mika was spaced out for a second, thinking about if she wanted anything else to go with the mocha. She curved her index finger over her lips and frowned fighting with herself over treating herself of spending within reason for anything else she may want later this week. She only had a couple hundred for spending money this week and didn't want to blow a significant chunk on breakfast for one day. Another, more adventurous part of her wanted to try to do something differently instead of skipping meals every day to make the most of her checking. She was ardently focused on the counter and her concentration was broken when a moving apron moved into her upper peripherals and a soft spoken voice caught her attention. She quickly looked up without moving her face, darting her eyes up at the young cashier worker beaning an inviting smile towards her. Mika sheepishly grinned back, trying to push back her demeanor awash from anxiety from not having actually decided what she wanted to do yet. "Oh! Good morning to you too." She lowered her hands and folded them together at her waist. Her shoulders jumped up with her returned greeting. "Um... I guess a medium mocha will do. I probably shouldn't get ahead of myself." She could feel herself becoming heavier from being inside for a little too long. It was as if the Earths gravity was getting stronger with how quickly the adjustment was made. "How much would that be?" She asked reaching into her coat pocket for her wallet.

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"The battlements? Alright, well even if he isn't feeling too talkative I feel like he's going to need to know. The attack sites have been getting closer and closer to our hideout. Meaning scouts have been getting close, and if word catches that scouts are going missing close to here a full search party will be sent our way." Langevin left the room and headed further back into the halls towards the backside of the hideout where the battlements are kept. He spotted him standing alone in intense silence. "Yo, Boss. You've got a moment? It's about the attacks. There's more to it than I thought. It'd be in your best interest to know for everyone elses sake as well."

 

[TerraBooma]

"Well, I messed up pretty bad back there...probably not the best person to talk to the guy right now. He needs someone who doesn't remind him of older days I think. Besides, Colt and I need to figure out the plan for tonight right? Sam nodded to the woman before motioning towards the armory. Gear up, see if there's any fun toys that have been cooked up since I've been out of commision. It'll be like my birthday all over again." Sam chuckled and nodded to Langevin a farewell before stepping off. Once they made some headway, he allowed his face to get slightly more serious again.

"Your right, Dom's tough. But they've been trying to figure out a way to pin him down since day one." He frowns. "Just not something I'd like to rely on if shit really does go down. But don't mind my pessimism, just some concern bout him...losing family is tough, I know from experience." He shook his head, and returned to a more jovial attutide, or at least tried to.


"Right! so, been outta action for a few months now, you got any new tricks? New doo-dads and the like? Or powers. Those are always fun."

 

[silverlinedmist]

"Ah, good choice. That would come out to be about three dollars and fifty cents." He tapped her order into the machine he had just been using as an arm rest, looking back at her as she stuck her hand in her coat pocket. He wondered if he might be able to convince her to buy something else while he was at it. Zeke's eyes wandered around, looking to the people walking by outside, sitting inside and enjoying their food, watching how life was going on around him. He heard his coworkers working in the back, going at it with their usual level of energy. "You know...I-"

He cut himself off. His eyes caught sight of his own reflection, staring back at him with as much intensity as it did this morning, when he put the mask on. He felt goosebumps form on his skin as he remembered the words he heard from somewhere within his mind, and suddenly felt very uneasy. He felt a cold breeze as someone opened the door leading outside and shivered. Running his hands over his arms in an attempt to warm himself up again, he looked back to the woman and chuckled nervously. Today was just a normal day, there was nothing to worry about here. Just focus, he told himself. The more you think about it, the more paranoid you'll get.

"Sorry, guess it's a bit colder outside than I thought. Hah. You know, I can totally add in a muffin or something for just an extra dollar if you didn't want to spend too much today. The muffins are really good."

 

[Depresso Espresso]

-------Diana Young-------

Diana sat on her throne of trash as she watched two members of her gang kick the ever living shit out of one the kids we caught trying to steal some of their food, "Stop kicking him, he's had enough for the day, and he should know not to steal from us again, right?" She said looking over at him with a bored look and took a still burning cigarette from the ash-tray and took a long deep breathe of it, "Y-yes ma'am," The kid coughed out, he couldn't have been older than 14 at this point.

Diana scoffed before the people that were previously kicking him picked him up and were dragging him out of the dingy backroom that was their home. "Dumbass," She hissed out as she took another long drag of her cigarette. Moving to stand she jumped out of her chair, the smoke still in hand as she made her way to the exit of the place through a back exit, the good thing about this places location it was pretty close to most of the other gangs around here.

Diana sighed as she entered into an alley-way, her metal arm making clacking noises as she tapped it against the concrete walls around her, a small flip knife sat in her back pocket just in case she had to deal with people.

As she was walking she came out into what could be called the red light district, full of hooker buildings and a varying amount of casinos place all around the area, some close to each other some not, and in one of the alley ways, 3 guys beating the ever living shit out of what could be guessed was a rival gang member, dressed nicely in a suit. A car sat directly next to her as a man in a white tuxedo and a tough look about him smirked at her, "Metal Bitch, didn't expect to see you here, come to watch the show?" The man asked with a chuckle at the end of his sentence, "No, just passing through, enjoy your night though." She said nonchalantly before she walked past him, a frown taking place of his smirk from earlier.​

 

[Boss]

Standing atop one of the several battlements along the wall was Dominic, the tail of his coat peeling off into smaller pieces of itself and fading into the passing gust. To his side was the dire wolf Kenshi, who rested on the cobblestone tip of the battlement. Though blindfolded, his head turned slightly towards Langevin's direction before he could get a word out. It was information he wanted to share since last night. Unfolding his arms, he pulled his attention away from the Romanian hillside and disappeared into smoke. His form re-materializing on the wall several stories below, where Langevin stood. "I'm listening." Dominic stated, facing the hills beyond the wall.


Colt nodded in agreement with Sam. The two had a job to do. In reality, there wasn't much to prepare. Hosts fought with their abilities, rarely conventional weapons unless it was a last resort. Nonetheless, the two made it to the castle's armory, which was no bigger than the fortress' chambers. Along the wall were modern weapons, encased in a clean, spotless glass cabinet that stretched the entire length of the wall. Below it was a glass-topped counter. Inside were pistols, illuminated in a cool sky blue against a pure white floor. On the other side of the room were weapons from a different era completely. Swords, great-axes, pole-arms, flails, and the like. Many Hosts capable of fighting were versed in at least three weapon types of both eras. Some of their Zodiacs fought in older eras, making their use of medieval tech far more effective than modernized weaponry, thus an entire selection was made available.

"Tricks?" Colt echoed, slinging a quiver over to rest on her shoulder blade and grabbing her dark red recurve bow from it's rack. Upon touching the bow, white lines appeared in her quiver, which contorted into arrows, it's matching crimson fletching and nocks sticking out from the quiver. In one swift motion, Colt reached for an arrow, readied it on the bow, and released it in Sam's direction. The arrow whistled in the wind, aimed directly for his face.


The warm atmosphere of Soul Food was a welcome one. Early risers conversed latest topics and fads over coffee and breakfast. The clangs of dishes and plates in the back helped energize the crew and patrons. Hanging high above the assortment of alcoholic drinks was a bezel-less flat-screen. As per usual, the morning news was being shown, it's audio reverberating throughout the cafe. It was mostly background noise, but for one, a chillingly report followed.

The TV cut to a woman in a red jacket, her expression stern as it were. "..Local Brookfield police have been completely shocked as to what they say is 'The most bizarre massacre' they've had in years. Just last night, a local bar frequented by a biker gang 'Lost Souls' was found utterly frozen. The bar's patrons were completely coated in ice." The TV cut to an older male during a recorded interview just hours ago. "I could barely open the front door, the knob was frozen. The look on their faces when I walked in there.. Something terrible did this." The scene switched back to the reporter. "BPD are convinced the killings are Host related, and have requested Dominion intervention on the matter. More on this story later."

 

[Depresso Espresso]

-------Diana Young-------

Diana continue walking through the red light district before two people come rushing towards her, a large smile plastered on their faces, "Diana!" They both yell at once before she sighs, "What are you two doing here?" She said as they stopped in front of her, taking deep breathes in and out, "We were looking for you! As well as Johnny, you just sort of disappeared after we threw the kid back into the alley way" They both said with smiles on their faces before she sighed, "You two are so creepy sometimes, head back home, I'm just grabbing a bite to eat as well ok? Didn't have much in the way of dinner last night," Diana said with a groan of her stomach waking up, "Aww... fine..." One of the twins said before she dragged off her brother, "Creepy..." She said waving to them before she continued walking.

She eventually made her way to a place called "Soul Food" somewhere she hadn't actually been before. She quickly made her way into the place and surveyed the area. A couple patrons sat around the area as she quickly put the cigarette out and threw the bud outside. Shoving the knife deeper into her pocket so not to be seen, her usual scandalous dress code would've attracted attentions but she was use to it. She made her way to the nearest empty table and sat down, picking up a breakfast menu and listening to the news play in the background.
Boss ​

 

[KnightAarant]

Langevin had followed Dominics form shift and dissipate before collecting again beside him as if he was accustomed to it. He cleared his throat, and earnestly began detailing his discoveries. "Right, I had mentioned these loose attacks before but they're becoming more..." Langevin paused to try and find a word adequate enough. "Organized. As if they're planned I almost want to say. I can't say I can find the right word for it, I have no idea what to really make of it. This person, Host, whomever is location scouts right from outside our field of vision and has been giving them the broad head." Langevin's face scrunched up in confusion. "I dare say this vigilante is ours is an ally, whatever trace it leaves it's not one of a Host. Not to mention, the more recent attack was outside the nature reserve behind Armstrong Park. That's close." Langevin peered out, looking over the hills curving his lip. "If Dominion is that close, and if Dominion finds out scouts are getting washed this close to use it'll provoke a search party and the last thing we need is some rogue getting us sniffed out over its dirty work." Langevin took a single step close towards Dominic. "Also." His voice lowered. "The peculiar thing about this trace is that it's similar to the vibe that Lilith girl gave off. Very closely to hers, in fact. But you seem to know more about that than I do so I was hoping to get educated on what it is about her that's so unnerving." Langevin inquired having looking into what would be Dominic's eyes.

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"Oh, just a dollar? Aaah... You're being a real salesman y'know. I guess I can shoot for a muffin to go with it. Thank you!" Mika's sheepish grin rose to a more comfortable one. She strangely related to the cashier clerk, she had a feeling he felt just as anxious as she did. She pulled out a brown leather wallet with fake green foliage cleanly glued to the exterior. She pulled out a five dollar bill and handed it to the young man. The more she looked at his face she felt a queer sensation, as if he was radiating negativity. She could feel it coming off him like hot air. "This young man is troubled and you can harmonize with his anguish, this is good." The echoing sound of an elderly woman beckoned through the back of her mind. Mika did her best to ignore it, not even entertaining a response with her thoughts.

​

 

[Azukai]

August and Sylvia were tired. Balancing fate was an enormous drain on both the mind and body--add a poor diet alongside of next to no rest, and you had the twin's current state of being. Today, they were sprawled across each side of their booth with several half-eaten plates distributed across the table. Soul Foods was a classic American diner, that offered a wide selection of breakfast choices, but despite this fact, each of their dishes were a sugary pastry of sorts. Cakes, strudels, pancakes--all a testament that the twins poor diet was of their own volition rather than poor fortune.

"Are ya'll ready for ya check, then?" A waitress announced in a thick southern draw, as she arrived at the twin's booth and gave them both a critical stare. August groaned as he rose to an upright position and greeted the waitress with a loud, irritating yawn. "Oh good morning there. I think another coffee a piece will do us well." He replied with another yawn. "Our friends aren't ready." The waitress was skeptical towards the teen boy's response, and rightfully so--after all the twins had occupied their booth since the restaurant opened three hours prior. Never once did she anyone arrive and greet them. Nonetheless, in this day and age, the customer was always right, not to mention what right did she have to remove patrons who had racked up a triple digit bill.

"If we get busy, ya both out." Was the best response she could muster, and with that, she departed, leaving the twins to their peace...that lasted all of a minute before it was time. August rose from the booth and gently rocked his sister who stirred with low groan. "Come on, sis, the faster we get this over with, the faster we can get back to sleep...I hope..."

"You can go to hell." She muttered with clear frustrations, as she pushed past her brother, rose to her feet, and stuffed her right middle finger against his face. It was beyond obvious that her current mood was grumpy and upset; however, the emotions quickly evaporated after she took several deep breaths. "Let's begin."


Today's persons of interest included several of the restaurant's current patrons--a series of misguided children from the perspective of the fates that sensed a foreboding outcome, lest things were to change. Instability, fears, misfortune, hate--all traits and emotions that described the three individuals, whom the twins had seen in their vision of the terror that was due to occur. "...I guess I can shoot for a muffin to go with it. Thank you!" They heard Mika say as they arrived at the counter and positioned themselves on opposite ends of the host whom they began to whisper towards in turn.

"You can do more for him, Mika." "Yet you fear the power which lies within you."
"You can change your future." "For yourself...for Zeke...for Diana."
"They come to dine." "But suspicions will give you away."

(August) -- (Sylvia)

The front door of the restaurant swung open to reveal a pair of Dominion officers who had come for a quick bite-just before they went home for the conclusion of their day, after a long-nights of work on the streets of Brookfield. They were off-duty and dressed in relatively casual attire, apart from the holstered gun and taser that remained affixed to their belt. They were both exhausted and had no inclination to dine at one of the restaurants booths. As such, they settled directly behind Mika and the twins, patiently waiting their turn in the line, all while they continued their conversation that included a story from the previous night.

"I can't believe all the destruction that happened over near the academic district."

"I know right, clean up took forever...but at least we got a bonus for meeting our quota of the night.

"Hell yeah, silly host thought he was capable of running away from our eyes and ears...kinda sad actually. If they quit putting up such a fight, peace might be more possible for us all..."

 

[Depresso Espresso]

-------Diana Young-------

Diana stood up from her seat, throwing the menu back down onto the table and moved towards the line that was at the counter, standing behind the guards over hearing their conversation. Before she could pipe in, a vibrating noise was sounding from her pocket before she quickly pulled out a small phone, and extremely old one that she found in the trash but still worked, "Ah! Diana good you finally picked u-" The person on the phone was cut off by Diana hanging up and quickly throwing the phone in the trash, letting out a sigh along with it as she continued waiting, noticing the two kids in front along with the girl that they seemed to be talking two, both tasers on the guards as well as their guns, all within arms reach of her hands.

Pfft, so easy, how have these guys survived for this long? She thought to herself as she shoved her thumbs into her pockets.​

 

[silverlinedmist]

Zeke could barely hear the woman thanking him over the sound of the TV. He wasn't one to pay attention to these things, but the fact that the entire place was found frozen--
The two apparent twins showing up out of nowhere on either side of the woman in front of him caught him off guard, snapping him out of whatever trance he was in. He quickly gave her the muffin, not able to hear whatever the two were whispering to her. She must know them. Her face said otherwise though... Was she in danger? He was about to ask if everything was okay when two large, loud customers came in. Their attire and attitude made it pretty obvious who they were. Why they were here though... Realistically, probably like anyone else. Zeke however, as he was already on edge, tensed up quite a bit at their conversation. Was his capture inevitable? Could he even be counted as a real 'host' at this point? That thing had left him alone so far, but would it show up in front of anyone else? What if it got him into trouble? Maybe he should seek help before it gets that bad....

He nearly spilled her drink as he was making it, zoning out hard thinking about it. He paused, putting a lid on her drink and sliding it to the side before wiping up the bit he spilled. He could feel he was being watched. Or was that just him being paranoid? Reaching for the drink, he noticed his hand was shaking. Shit, he thought. Now is not the time for this crap.

"Here you are," he said with a smile not as big as before. He quickly put the drink down before leaning in towards her a bit, arms resting on the counter. "And uh, don't worry about payment, it's on the house today." Orange eyes darted between the twins on either side of her, then back at her. A quick wink was thrown her way as he leaned back, glancing up at the men behind her. "Someone will be with you guys in just a moment! Thanks for your patience," he said as he slid through the door to the kitchen. Zeke patted the shoulder of a coworker, muttering "you're up" to him as he kept walking.
"What's wrong Zeke? You don't look too good."
"Just need a breather. Sorry," he tried to explain as he went out the back door, into the alley way behind the building. No one followed, so he assumed things were still okay inside. Zeke leaned against the wall next to the dumpster, taking a deep breath. He had to be normal, or at least pretend to be. This was no joke. His life was on the line. But right now, he was so out of it he could barely think straight. What was he going to do?

 

[Azukai]

Normally, Willow had little trouble sleeping through the night, but tonight was different. Before the sun even peeked over the horizon, he found himself staring at the cracked stone ceiling above his head, all while his thoughts ran wild. Camilla had shown him great hospitality in bringing him to the mansion--a place where he was finally safe from the world outside. The same could not be said for Lilith, however. He worried about her. He had no reason to doubt the "care" Colt promised to give the girl, but at the same, after witnessing how Dominic had reacted...

Willow sprung to his feet in a slight panic. How could he have been so careless as to leave her, unconscious, in their hands, defenseless against any ill-will they might have harbored against her. In seconds, he found himself sprinting towards the first room along the hall. His hands fumbled as he attempted to open her door in a rush--though all his struggles were for naught, as he entered into her room and saw her tucked under her sheets, with a peaceful smile on her face as she snored the night away. Willow chuckled to himself, Perhaps they were civilized people after all, he thought while settling on the foot of her bed.


By the time Camilla opened the door, Lilith's room was bathed in a gentle blue glow, as Willow's flames danced around the room in a cheerful banter that left Lilith giggling at the top of her lungs. "More, more!" She exclaimed while pointing towards a flame that was shaped to resemble a fox that leaped around the room in mischievous strides. "Lilith? Are you up?" They heard Camilla say, right before Lilith ran across the room and wrapped her arms around Camilla. "I am! " She said while staring up towards Camilla's face. "Have you come to play as well?"

 

[Boss]

One of the ideal futures Dominic envisioned was a place on the Earth where hosts could live without fear of their neighboring man or woman. In this day and age, existing as a host was treated as a capital crime and resolved with lead or slavery, regardless of if that host posed a threat to those around them. The mere idea that the Dominion wouldn't even suffice with the total separation of host and non-host boiled Dominic's blood, and now the threat of the Dominion on their tucked away doorstep was an issue. Humanity didn't just want the supernatural removed from their everyday lives, they wanted the existence of it erased entirely.

Langevin sought information on Lilith. It wasn't surprising given how the issue surrounding the girl dated back before her birth into the world. Now it seemed that the recent attacks could be possibly linked to Lilith, or something similar to her. "When I was younger, I knew a boy named Shun Takumi. He was a wealthy kid who attended my school. His Zodiac 'Bastion' hollowed at some point and attacked Shun just after the death of the girl he yearned for." Dominic turned away from the outer side of the wall to face the village on the other side. "Fusing with a hollow corrupted his mind and body, turning him into the entity he dubbed 'Fushinsetsu'. Part hollow, part human. His power and knowledge was seemingly limitless. In the war, he died believing in his twisted ideologies. He left an offspring too, it seemed. Lilith is his daughter. A legitimate child born from a hollow."

Dominic paused for a moment. The gentle breeze skirted over the walls and flayed the grass on the hillside. "If he fused with a hollow under those circumstances, then there is no telling how many more hosts had been transformed." He glanced over his shoulder towards Langevin as if he could see him. "I want you and Arbaaz to form a scouting party and find any nearby Dominion dogs before they find us. Take anyone you think will aid in the lookout with you."


The back alley was one route of many that the city's dump trucks drove down to collect waste from nearby shops. Thick clouds of fumes covered both entrances to the alley. Stray cats scattered over low walls the moment Zeke emerged from Soul Food. The stagnant air and sounds of city life was calming. What wasn't calming was the sudden appearance of the mask that haunted Zeke earlier that morning. Tilted to it's side on a recycle bin, the mask gave off a ominous glare without actually staring. It felt like eyes were piercing through Zeke's. Was the mask always there?

"Is this the purpose of your life?" The ghastly voice echoed in his mind.

"You live to disappoint and underachieve."

"NO MORE." The voice howled out in a nightmarish tone. Pressure encased Zeke's mind from all directions. It felt like his mental clarity was foggy and caged, shrinking by the second the moment the entity yelled.

By the time the pressure faded, the mask was gone.


The spectacle of blue flames dancing about the different furnishings in the room took Camilla's attention. She subconsciously wondered into the room, taken away by Willow's demonstration of his power. Suddenly she felt arms wrap around her form, pulling her away from the magical display. "Lilith!" She shouted, both in equal amounts of surprise and joy. She awkwardly returned the embrace. The girl wanted Camilla to play. Was that even an option at this point in the day? She exchanged glances with Willow, who was entertaining the girl with his spiritual flames. It was a noble act considering Dominic's strict rule of not letting Lilith out of her room.

"I don't know if I can. I just wanted to check on you and see how you were doing. How you both were doing. Have either of you eaten yet?"

 

[KnightAarant]

"You can do more for him, Mika." "Yet you fear the power which lies within you."
"You can change your future." "For yourself...for Zeke...for Diana."
"They come to dine." "But suspicions will give you away."

Mika jumped suddenly from being startled from the two twins suddenly whispering to her. The two children seemingly came from nowhere, they slyly creeped past her peripherals. She looked down at the two. She found them both certainly adorable, but she was unnerved why two children would suddenly come to her about the power she fears. As well as know her name. Her head was torn between this awkward encounter and waiting for her muffin. She looked up to see a mean looking woman line up behind two Dominion officers, being rather mouthy about their work from last night. Her lips tightened and she quickly looked away from the officers and back towards the counter. The young man had given her the mocha and muffin she ordered, but he looked as pale as a ghost. His voice loosely rattled and he looked like he was in a rush, Mika wanted to thank the young man for the coffee and muffin but he quickly vacated the front and into the back kitchens. She reached for the muffin and mocha, taking a single breath before standing upright. "What is it you know, young ones? You harrow my Mika with your prodding, her internal balance was beautifully aligned before you showed up." Her Zodiac emerged from Mika's left side. The Zodiacs hooded robes concealed her face from the two twins, and the most that could be seen were the two silver braids falling down from the sides of her jaw. She knelt down and "looked" the two in the face, expecting a reasonable answer for the trespass. Mika's heart jumped to the edge of her chest. The shock almost painful. She almost yelled at her Zodiac to leave but was silenced by the two officers not even a foot away. She instead kept quiet and forced a straight face, quickly walking towards the exit with her breakfast in hand. She was tunneled on the glass double doors, trying to keep her eyes off the officers the best she could. In her rush, and natural clumsiness her elbow lightly bumped Diana's arm. The contact woke Mika up and she noticed the one of the womans arms were from what she could tell prosthetic. "O-Oh my. I'm sorry, miss. I'm in a bit of a rush and I didn't mean to bump you!" Mika apologized sheepishly.

_____________________________________________________________________________
​

"Puttin' me to work already? Sure, sure. I just wish I knew where Arbaaz was. The shmuck is always floating around." Langevin pulled out his phone and took a quick look at the time. "Skimming towards noon." He thumbed across the screen, going through his contacts to send a new message. "Well, that definitely sheds some light on the subject. You don't think this Fushinsetsu survived? Or, has more loose ends than just Lilith?" He held the phone with two fingers quickly typing up a message, while keeping his eyes on the phone screen he continued, "My plan would be to lead any scouts off this trail if possible. I can make decoys that can spook em' off. I just need to find a second party to use as bait. The dead scouts are all at different locations outside Brookfield, this is the closest to the nature reserve they've gotten so I don't believe they suspect anything around here. Wrong place, wrong time I assume with them. But I'll get started now, just gotta' cancel some plans." Langevin stuffed the phone into his pocket.

 

[Depresso Espresso]

-------Diana Young-------

Diana was silently listening to the two Dominions in front of her, transfixed onto their conversation about what had happened int he district the night before. Right about ready to leave, she felt her metal arm being moved bot by herself. To which, she gave a quick look to her before moving to standing in front of her, "If your trying to start something I suggest you back off now," Diana kept a straight face the entire time she said this, too many people have "accidentally" bumped into her, and then ended up trying to start a fight, them leaving with 4 less friends than they had brought in with them. Diana easily moved her metal arm onto her shoulder while giving her a stone cold look into her eyes.
​

 

[TerraBooma]

It took Sam a half second to realize what was happening, fortunately for him, it was all he needed to react. His teeth grew sharp and as the arrow reached towards his face he flared his teeth and bit down, shattering the arrow mid flight. With a sharky grin, Sam rose a bemused brow. "Well, that's certainly still impressive." He let out a chuckle and walked towards a smaller cabinet, retrieving some older ammunition for his own side-shooter. "That was pretty fast though, I swear that thing flies quicker than it used to, took me a bit longer to get to it." He holds up the shaft, revealing the mark where it was snapped, a bit further along than he normally would let it get.

"Here's hoping that's just a bit of slow reaction time...4 months will do that right?" He shrugged and checked his weapons. Sam's pistol was, for the time old fashioned. It was dominion make, from back when he and Dominic were just teenagers getting into trouble way above there head. Back then, Sam didn't even have his bond with Cetus, the Zodiac who granted him his sharklike abilities. He had received it as a prototype weapon, capable of firing upon both supernatural and human alike. It was handy, and after some re...calibration, Sam had it tooled out the way he liked it, with any sort of tracking mechanism or device eliminated decades ago. It was reliable, and although there was probably newer tech available, but Sam liked the tried and true.

"So right, plan for tonight. I don't expect much of a plan more than raise hell, but we need to do some damage control right? If we go in and just kill everyone on sight...well, I suspect PR is already down as is, making this a genocide wouldn't help our place much. Any idea how the hell to convince Dom?" Sam's face falls as his thoughts drift off towards the likely mission objective. "And, given that this is the dominion...I have a bad feeling about this whole thing. I...know Logan hits hard, but you sure this is the right call?"

 

[silverlinedmist]

The sudden voice made Zeke nearly jump right out of his own skin. Panicked, he looked around, eyes finally locking onto the mask next to him. How did it get here? He figured that was kind of a dumb question to ask himself at this point. The entity had been following him for what seemed like forever, doing this same sort of thing. Once again, it brought up his life's purpose, and once again he started to roll his eyes. However...
"You live to disappoint and underachieve."
Something in that statement alone struck a chord in him, forcing him to remember conversations he's had with various people in his lifetime. His parents, his teachers, some of his friends, even... His expression turned much more frustrated, but before he could say anything, the voice exploded. Zeke's hands quickly moved to cover his ears, proving to be ineffective against the voice booming inside his head. He yelled out in agony, hoping it would somehow ease the massive pain he felt deep inside his mind. His body folded, falling to his knees as tears formed in his eyes. This pain was unlike any he's ever felt before. Keeled over, he could only deal with the pain as best he could as he waited for it to pass. As the pain finally did start to fade, he could only whimper from the lingering sensation the Zodiac forced upon him. After a few minutes, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Startled, he jolted back, looking up to see his boss and a couple coworkers staring at him with the most concerned expressions he'd seen out of them.
"Zeke, what happened?"
"Do you need me to call 911?"
"You can't be okay after that, whatever that was.. Let's get you to a doctor--"

"NO!" he shouted, standing up suddenly. His breathing was ragged, and his body was shaking. Tears were still slowly dripping down his cheeks as he stared at them all, now more shocked than concerned. "I-... I'm sorry, I need to go home. I-I'll see a doctor when I can." He could barely even speak properly as he took off his apron, dropping it on the ground before running off. He didn't know where he was going, exactly, but he needed to be alone.

 

[TerraBooma]

"Excuse me there miss, would you help an old man out a moment?" An elderly voice came from behind Diana. An old man, though he still seemed quite able bodied stood behind her. Having tapped the woman on her good shoulder, he continued to speak. "I apologize for bothering you, but I can't quite read out the specials from here...my eyes never did age well." He gave a genuine old smile before his eyes turned to the menu, attempting to read out it's words. "It's just...the text is very small for my eyes. I'm aware it's a bit of an odd request, but if you'd help an old man out...well, how about I pay for your breakfast? It's the least I could do. Oh! But where are my manners. My name is Bertrand, but most folks call me Bert."

The old man had grey hair and a simple goatee. He looked to be somewhere in his mid sixties, but he still held a good physicality, so whatever he'd been doing for most of his life had kept him fit at the very least. He had a simple blue hat on his head, which had a simple brim that went around the front half of the hat. "I know it's a bit of an...odd request, but I left my glasses at home, and it's a bit of a walk back these days."

 

[Azukai]

KnightAarant Boss

Bang!

The gunshot echoed throughout an underground chamber that was composed of a rifle-bearing teen and armored targets that were positioned several yards from where she stood. The firearm she wielded was a peculiar rifle--short enough that it could still be held by her youthful stature, yet long enough that it could house a series of four, lens-like scopes. She held the weapon in good form; the butt of the rifle up against her right shoulder with her left hand gripping the hand-guard for a steady fire. Furthermore, her aim was pristine, as the fired bullet had a trajectory that was dead-center on the target's chest. Yet despite these factors, it never connected; rather, it gradually lost its momentum until it crumbled into a pile of sand.

"Again, you rely on the weapon, and not your soul to guide and empower the bullets." The words were spoken in a heavy Egyptian-arabic accent that seemingly emanated from the rifle itself. There was a hint of disappointment in their tone--something that left the teen feeling crushed by yet another failure on her part. "I just don--" She started to say, but was quickly cut off by the voice once more. "Shh! No excuses for failure. Show me effort." The voice spoke once more in a reprimanding tone. "Your aim is pristine, full marks. But this world no longer requires aim. It is your soul and the will to survive that will guide my bullets to their mark."

Tears began to well in the girl's eyes, yet she quickly brushed them aside and sniffed back the snot that filled her nostrils. Determination burned in her eyes as she readied the rifle and took aim on the target. However, before she could pull the trigger, the weapon's unique form began to disintegrate, leaving her with an ordinary service rifle. "I apologize. I have been summoned" The voice announced from a new form that consisted of an ethereal body which wore a tan garb that shrouded all but his face. And with that he was gone, only to re-appear on the wall where Dominic and Langevin had been conversing.

"I am everywhere, Langevin," Arbaaz muttered as he pointed towards a small ball of sand that was attached to a crevice in the wall. "I see, I hear." He gazed around the surroundings until he came across a pistol that was littered on the ground a small distance away. It was an ordinary pistol at first; however, as soon as it seemingly absorbed his ethereal existence, it began to twist and bend until it resembled a quad-scoped rifle, similar to the one from before. Arbaaz knew Langevin had no use or interest in a rifle, much less a weapon at all; however, Dominic had ordered them together, and this was the easiest way.


Boss KnightAarant TerraBooma Depresso Espresso silverlinedmist

August and Sylvia scoffed at the words that were spoken to them by the hooded Zodiac. They both felt the demanding gaze that was fixated on their face; thus, they allowed a black and white energy to trickle from their body, before it subsequently vanished as soon as it had formed. It was a demonstration of power, small enough to remain undetected by most, oblivious patrons, but enough for the Zodiac to recognize the magnitude of their blessing. "Your precious inner alignment is but a trickle of a concern in the scheme of fate's balance." Sylvia muttered with a sneer, watching as Mika stumbled away and bumped into the second actor who burst into an annoyed fit. And that was all it took. Sometimes, fate didn't require the usage of their power to induce positive change; rather, a small dose of deliberate manipulation--a push of the first domino to send the rest spiraling into their perfect place.

"Hey! What's going on here." One of the Dominion agents shouted towards Mika and Diana who were on the verge of a one-sided conflict. "There's enough happening in this world as is, a breakfast braw--" The officer began in a lecturing tone; however, his words were interrupted by an old gentleman who asked for assistance on reading his menu. "Whatever." The officer muttered as he watched the incident gradually dissolve. He turned to walk back to his partner, but stopped when he heard his partner, John, suddenly shout his way, "No one leaves this diner, Matt."

John was standing near the twins with a stern expression on his face. In the force, he had been praised for his observational talents, which were now on high alert given all that had occurred. At first, he had thought nothing of the patrons who were first in line, but after watching the taller of the three, stumble away in an unnatural gait, he quickly turned his attention towards the twins who remained. Something about them felt off...even more so when one of the waitresses came to the counter and began berating them out of the blue.

"Now you guys abandon your table! Are you finally paying for your meal? I might as well charge you rent for as long as you've been here, sheesh." He heard her say, his eyebrows twitching at the mention of rent. It alluded to the fact that the twins had been here for a long time--likely waiting for the girl whom they had a conversation with. "Is there a problem here?" He said while approaching the counter where the twins and waitress were locked in a small feud.

"Not at all," August mentioned with a cheerful smile as he reached into his pocket and pulled out several twenty dollar bills. "The waitress here was simple concerned that we were unable to pay for our breakfast." He added.

The officer was not convinced. Everything that was happening seemed benign enough, yet he still couldn't shake the feeling that there was more afoot. "What were you saying to that girl?" He said, directing the question towards August who remained cheerful and grinning. "She seemed alarmed when she bumped into the other patron."

"I don't understand what you mean officer." August said. "I simply was informing an old friend we were in town." Sylvia rolled her eyes. Even if it were a deliberate bad lie, the one he had choose was worse than most.

"No one leaves this diner, Matt. We have a situation." The officer announced without an ounce of hesitation as he grabbed his pistol and dropped into a ready stance. Quickly, he tapped his left ear which activated a communication device that he began speaking into. "This is Officer John at Soul Foods. We have a potential host incident, requesting back up for investigation."

The response was immediate. In the distance, sirens began to fire off, while within, ordinary patrons panicked as they began to cower in the crevices of their booths--all while the twins stood, innocent as could be, with smiles on their face as they watched the mayhem unfold.

"What's it gonna be, Mika." "Can you change our fate or not?"

(August) - (Sylvia)


Boss
As soon as Camilla mentioned food, Lilith's stomach rumbled which in turn caused the girl to giggle at her own hunger. Willow, too, nodded in response to the mention of food. He snapped his fingers which caused the soul flames around the room to return to his lantern which vanished soon after.

"I'm down with food. Could probably eat a horse after yesterday." He mentioned with a chuckle. However, his expression soon became serious as he approached Camilla and began whispering her way, "What's the actual plan moving forward...ya know, with Lilith and all. Hell, even us..."


King Vioogra

The response was immediate--the front door swung open at the hands of a man who wore a long, multi-colored robe that trailed behind his feet given its length. "Welcome, Res. Victor is expecting you." He announced in a smooth Asian accent that was complemented by his features of mid-length, black hair and black-brown eyes. He was a striking figure with a slender appeal that felt all too exotic given his peculiar attire and the air of mystery that surrounded him. "Please, this way." He announced as he seemingly glided down the hall which was lined with framed photographs and paintings of the horses outside. Their final destination was the dining room where he pointed towards an open seat and left with a bow directed towards the silver haired individual who sat on the opposite side.

"You came!" Victor announced with a confident smirk on his face. "Please, have a seat and make your self at home. Ring the bell, if you want to request some food or drink." He added while pointing towards a silver-cast bell that rested off to the side on the table. "More importantly..." Victor reached for his deck of cards which were on the table in a single pile. Without hesitation, he reached for the first card and flung it into the air which caused it to burst into flames. Nothing seemed to happen, until there was a small thud as Res' pocket knife manifested in the air and fell into his open hand which grasped its handle. "Minor Arcana...expendable and useful." He explained while examining the weapon with disappointment. "A pocket knife of all things." He tossed the weapon into the nearest trash bin, before continuing with the real reason he had summoned his guest.

"So, tell me, what is your answer?" He said--his eyes focused on the teen's body language which seemed to exhibit a mix of both curiosity and fear. "And, there's really no reason to be afraid...so long as you turn out to be interesting.."

 

[King Vioogra]

Res jumped back slightly as the door flung open. He stepped slowly in, looking around cautiously but not really listening to the man’s words. After ensuring there was no imminent threat, he walked towards the room Victor was in. When he arrived, he made another scan of the area to make sure he wasn’t walking into some sort of cult meeting or something. After again enduring his momentary safety, he focused his thoughts and actions on Victor. He looked over just in time to catch the spectacle of the card catching fire and his knife disappearing from his pocket. Intrigued, he sat down in a chair opposite him and asked in a serious tone, “Who and what are you? And what do you want with me?” He said, his eyes not moving from him.

 

[Depresso Espresso]

-------Diana Young-------

Diana felt the weight of the mans hand on her shoulder before everything jumped to life, the officer threatening kids and scaring the shit out of most people in the entire restaurant as she just stood and watched it unfold before her. A sigh escaped her lips as she stuck her hands in her pockets turning towards the two officers, "You've got to be fucking kidding me right?" She said in an annoyed tone as she looked the two up and down, sure they were officers but they weren't going to do much if she broke their wind-pipe and shot them with the gun installed her arm, she didn't think anyone could actually.

She had sighed and gave an annoyed look to the girl before moving off back to her own table as she put her legs up and took the fold out menu putting it over her face, annoyed she was going to have to stay here longer than she had to, "You bastards mind hurrying this up? Some people actually have shit to do over here." She said once again in an annoyed tone slightly muffled by the menu in front of her face.
Azukai ​