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

[silverlinedmist]

Zeke, completely oblivious to Birdman's negativity, beamed at Bastion. They continued their discussion for the remainder of the car ride, going back and forth with ideas and proposals for how Zeke should actually practice using his newfound powers. Little things here and there would be done in the car, as well as experimenting with the windows rolled down. Zeke could grasp the idea of his powers more and more as time went on, but it was very clear he needed to set time aside to practice properly before his fated battle with Oronin.

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Meanwhile, in a cheap, quiet cafe not too far away from Zeke's former apartment, a group of four sat in a booth far away from anyone else. It was none other than Zeke's two siblings, and a strange pair of twins who had offered their "assistance" with their brother. Elijah, his older brother who was clearly uneasy with the situation, sat on the edge of his seat as though ready to jump at any moment. He had simply wanted to get the police involved, but seeing as they already were involved with the entire block his apartment was in being quarantined, he wasn't sure there was anything anyone could do. He was worried, no doubt. But the presence of what appeared to be Dominion officers made him incredibly nervous. Elijah knew a few hosts here and there who kept a low profile, and they had told him many horror stories of the Dominion and their.. Practices. The fact that Zeke could have been wrapped up in such a potentially awful situation made him fear both for his brother's life, and the rest of his family. Thoughts ran through his head about his brother. Knowing him, he would never willingly interact with someone who was a host, no matter how well they may have gotten along. And they all knew that Zeke himself was no host, so he could only imagine what might have happened in the area. On top of all this uncertainty, the mere presence of these twins was unsettling, to say the least. There was something incredibly eerie about them and the way they spoke. Sure, they appeared normal enough, but something just felt off. Maybe it was just the situation overall that gave him that feeling.

On the other hand, his younger sister, Esther, was the opposite. Her brother was missing, so she was going to do whatever it took to find him. No authorities or Dominion officers would be getting in her way as long as Zeke was still missing. She leaned forward in her seat, looking between both twins carefully. An intimidation tactic, no doubt, but someone of her size and appearance could hardly be intimidating to most people. She had already tried to intimidate the officers at the scene, demanding they let her through because her brother lived in that building they so rudely blocked off, but the flustered officers refused to let her through. It was clear they were not used to dealing with someone so small and fierce, which would have been entertaining to watch if not for the circumstances. The Dominion officers, however, were not entertained, and quickly shooed her and Elijah away before they could make a bigger scene.

Her ruby eyes looked down at the table where her hands were folded, and finally spoke.
"So. You say you can help us with our missing brother. I don't know how you can do that, why you would be willing, or how much you want for it. But we need to find him. So if you don't mind explaining how, why, and what you want, we may be able to come to an agreement here."

 

[Azukai]

silverlinedmist

"We are broke...it is as simple as that." August muttered with a hint of sadness that stemmed from his rumbling stomach. In his hands was a small coin purse that felt pitifully light in regards to the lack of money that was held within. As he tipped it, a dollar bill and a few quarters tumbled out--a measly sum in comparison to the costs of a warm meal that were displayed on the menu in his hands. "I don't know..." Sylvia huffed with a yawn. "Figure it out. Imma take a nap...at least the hunger goes away when I'm sleeping."

A sigh escaped the brother's lips. He watched his sister slip into her slumber with a sense of annoyance and jealousy at the same time. Her ability to sleep whenever and wherever was matched by none other, though he supposed it was just another side effect of the spirits they harbored. "And how am I supposed to just figure it out..." he said with another sigh. "Its not like money just walks through the doo--"
RING-DING
The door to the cafe swung open to reveal a pair of teens who entered into the cafe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​

"Look here, you brat..." Sylvia snapped in response to Esther's attitude and attempt at intimidation. Her tirade was ready to continue; however, August quickly intervened by muffling her mouth with one of his hands. There was a desperate smile on his face, as he looked towards the clients and spoke in a much more cheerful, friendly tone. "What my sister meant to say is of course. My name is August and this is Sylvia." He pointed towards his twin, who had abandoned her vocal hostility and was now glaring with her arms crossed. In truth, August wanted to slap her upside the head; she was ruining the one chance they had at making some money. But rather than bring further attention to her childish antics, he simple chose to continue with his explanation while hoping for the best. "We are...divinators...from China. I guess you could say, finding answers is sort of what we do for people." He reached into the left pocket of his jeans where he retrieved a white crystal that hung from a thin chain. "For example, that man over there..." He pointed towards an ordinary individual who rose from his table and approached the front counter of the cafe. With the chain of the crystal wrapped loosely around his hand, August closed his eyes and extended the dangling instrument towards Esther and her brother. Seconds went by, anticlimactic at first; however, there was a gradual tingle of energy that soon began to fill the air. Out of the blue, the crystal began to stir; a light wobble that soon grew into a swinging motion which eventually settled in a peculiar position. Defying gravity itself, the crystal was pointing upward, towards the cafe's chalkboard menu that hovered above the cashier's head. In particular, the tip of the crystal was aligned with the offer for a tuna sandwich--a phrase that was soon uttered by the man who placed his order.

"Is that enough proof for you?" Sylvia muttered with less hostility, but in an equally sour tone. "I don't really know why we need all the formalities. We help you find your brother, you pay us a fair sum, and all of us be on our way. Is that satisfactory enough for your agreement...princess?"

 

[TerraBooma]

Sam had immediately dropped into a defensive stance as he entered ICE's limbo. It had...not been the outcome he was expecting, and as a result he was more on edge than ever. The hum of the stat board in front of him didn't dissuade him much either. Whatever Explorer meant, and the stats meant? He didn't like it. As the slender woman materialized out of data, and Sam held up the harpoon to defend himself. Instead of an attack however, she simply...deleted his harpoon from exsistance. This caught the veteran host by surprise. Normally he was king in the land of technology, but he hadn't had a chance to protect his own weapon? He'd have to be careful. Sam knew better than to try and materialize another one. He'd play along for now. But it was clear he was still on edge.

"No thanks. I'll stand." was all he replied with. A curt and...nonfriendly tone carried his voice. "And no, I'm not here for your game. I'm here to stop the broadcast, I assume your behind it? Or whoever created you." Sam wasn't going to overlook that this was some kind of defense AI that was running as a figurative system admin...he was more than familiar with figures in limbos that could pretend to be actual people. "So, first question. You ICE? I'm not going to bother assuming if that's what you really look like. The whole video game stick you got means 'character creation' could be part of it. So am I dealing with the real one? Or just some false avatar?" Sam gazed around the Electric world, still on guard. "Secondly, what the fuck do you people want with Camilla? Who are you, and what's your intent?" Anger fueled his voice now, and it was very clear he cared about Camilla. "Thirdly, how about you guys leave her alone."

***

Samantha hovered around in the inn for a few halfs of a second as Camilla exited, before swirling in the spot. Turning to smoke, the woman looked to Colt. "I will protect her." In a flash, the spirit seemingly vanished. Kicking up a small amount of wind. She wasn't as fast as Camilla by a long shot, but it was...hopefully enough.

 

[Azukai]

Boss

The entire foundation of the inn was shook by the shockwave of Camilla's departure--chairs were knocked over, tables were overturned, and the inhabitants were subject to the madness that chaos had brung. Only Kaivant, Colt, and Abel remained at somewhat ease; the former opting for immediate action compared to the others who remained unmoving. Kaivant reached into his robe for a long-range communicator that immediately connected with Byakko. "I'm already on it, boss." The moment Byakko had witnessed Camilla leave the village, his response had been to drop the stone bricks he was working with and begin a close pursuit. Unlike before, the girl was exhibiting far greater speed than normal, to the point that he let out a feral snarl as he assumed his tiger form. Streaks of lightning spread through the rain, leaving a striking trail that followed his movements forward. "I'll update you later." he said with a growl, before pocketing the communicator and exploding forward in a crackling burst of speed.

Camilla was fast, there was no question about it; however, Byakko was faster. In a matter of seconds he rushed past his target and came to a sudden halt directly in front of her trajectory. Mud and water splashed across his body and into his face, though he remained entirely ignorant of it happening--his eyes only focused on Camilla's own. He left enough distance between himself and the girl, to allow for his words to reach her ears and give her the chance to make a sound decision. "Here's how its gonna be, Kitten. I can't let you leave the village. Please..." There was genuine concern in his final word, yet it did not stop him from preparing for the worst. In their previous encounter, Byakko had remained playful in his technique...it was now different. For a split second there was a sudden calm...an absolute silence that filled the air with an ominous threat. And then it happened--static filled the air to the point that every movement began to produce a sparkling charge that exploded in a burst of electricity. All around, the earth began to shake from the sheer force of thunder that rumbled over head; seconds before the culmination of the atmosphere's ions turned the field into utter madness from the incessant bolts of lightning that began to wildly strike the ground. "...please don't make me do this."

~~~~~~~~~​

The force of the thunder stretched as far as the village and shook the very foundation of the already weakened wall. In the case of the inn, its ancient walls threatened to crumble under the force of its second blow; though Kaivant remained unfazed as he remained ignorant towards the others and proceeded to exit into the pouring rain. He didn't travel far; instead, he remained just outside of the door where he looked towards the distant sky and lightning storm that wrought chaos upon the land. His expression remained neutral, unreadable, for the duration of his gaze, at least until the very last second...right before he returned into the inn...a small smirk that faded as quickly as it came.

"Byakko can keep up with Camilla. He will attempt to bring her back to the village." Kaivant announced upon his re-entry. "Let us pray that he succeeds."

 

[Azukai]

TerraBooma

ICE remained silent for the duration of Sam's tirade. Although she had asked, she wasn't particularly interested in what he had to say. Rather, she was far more focused with petting the cat which now sat in her lap; all while exhibiting the occasional yawn that gave her an overall uncaring air. That being said, it wasn't as if she had ignored him--on the contrary, she had heard every word he had said, every grievance he had wished to bring to the table. Of course, in the end, there wasn't much she could do; after all, her current form was nothing more than an artificial intelligence that acted as a game master for her limbo. "Like you guessed, I'm just an avatar created in the image of my programmer." Another yawn escaped her lips, though unlike before, she was now watching Sam's every move. "I'm not entirely sure of your intent in coming here. You, yourself, already stopped the broadcast...nothing more to do there." ICE once again snapped her fingers--this time creating a breach in the data directly behind Sam. "I've reopened the data stream if you wish to return to your village. There isn't much more I can do for you...that is unless you wish to play the game." Again, she snapped her fingers which caused another user interface to appear before Sam. Unlike the previous ones which were related to RPG elements, this one was a larger window that depicted a set of rules which governed the limbo.

Welcome to World of ICE (WOI), the hottest new MMOrpg game on the market. By participating in this game, you may obtain the services of the greatest hacker alive--all at the small cost of succeeding in a grand quest that is bestowed upon you. Before making your decision; however, make sure you read through the following terms & conditions that dictate a fair experience for both yourself and ICE. 1. To participate in the game, you must first sacrifice something of equal value to the output you wish to receive from ICE. 2. Upon joining the game, you agree to accept the system as the sole dictator of your capabilities and talents. This means that no outside weapons or Zodiac powers can be utilized if you are a participant of the game. Furthermore, any natural mental or physical capabilities will be rendered null and void for the duration of your time in the game. Your character class and skill will instead dictate these attributes about yourself. As a beginner you begin with 5 points in strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, and constitution. 3. Under no circumstances may you attempt to assault or injure ICE and her identities. Failure to abide by this rule will lead to your immediate termination. As a subsequent courtesy, ICE and her identities are also forbidden from acting outside of the game's mechanics. 4. The above rule does not apply to players. You may use any means to undermine your competition as necessary. 5. You may not exit the game if you have an active Grand Quest. That being said, you may forfeit your grand quest at any time. In doing so, your accept that your initial sacrifice shall be paid as collateral. If you agree to the terms listed above, please sign your name in the space below. Shortly upon doing so, a GM will appear to begin the process of receiving your Grand Quest. Signature: ______________________________ Date: ______________________________

 

[Boss]

Art of War
| Camilla Ferrari |​

4:00PM
Countryside
Fields
​

Fueled only by impulse and a desire for resolution, Camilla bolted out of the village in under a second. Her burst of speed broke the sound barrier just after she had passed the wall, leaving her journey with nothing but the wind, rain, and her own thoughts. So deep was her own soul lost in her thoughts, she never realized that Byakko had kicked up dirt to chase her down, nor that she broke her personal record for top speed. When his figure rapidly phased in front of her, Camilla came to an electrifying stop, the wind she carried soon violently blowing past the two. Byakko pleaded her to stop in his own way. His once creepy, flirtatious exterior had given way to his own resolve. Camilla didn't care. The eyes that locked with Byakko's wasn't the same innocent gaze she normally gave people. There was an eerie dull tint to her eyes. Frustration and anger had long since boiled over her tolerance for logical thought and morality.

Dark clouds quickly shifted overhead to cover their stand off. Thunder rumbled through the empty hills as lightning danced around the two in a frightening and volatile way. In normal circumstances, Camilla would have negotiated with Byakko to avoid a violent outcome. However Camilla grew tired of taking things slow. A stray bolt of lightning struck Camilla directly like she was lightning rod, yet instead of it dissipating in a flash, the bolt continued to strike down on her form with intensity. At first, Camilla screamed in pain. It was by no means her intention to involve herself with the lightning that surrounded them. Rather, it was the amount of electrical energy that stemmed within her that attracted the bolt to her. The spectacle of lightning could be seen from the village as well as Brookfield, as their inevitible battle was staged in the countryside between the two locations. Camilla's verbal agony had ceased, and the girl could be vaguely seen standing upright within the lightning strike.

The bolt dissipated from Camilla, yet instead of it leaving behind a burnt figure, Camilla was completely fine, as if it had never happened, yet trickles of white electricity bounced up and down her body. Before Byakko could process it all, Camilla had closed the gap between the two without a sound. Like a flash of lightning, her body rapidly threw a series of punches at Byakko which he didn't immediately feel the effects of until Camilla's body had slowed down for a final haymaker. As she winded up her final attacks, the laws of physics itself had caught up, and Byakko received punch after punch all over his upper body, effectively stunning himself before Camilla's haymaker connected to his face in a forceful finish that would undoubtedly sent the man flying back.

As Byakko's body was horizontally flying over the ground, his eyes would suddenly lock onto Camilla's dead stare as she immediately followed up by grabbing the collar of his shirt and breaking into a full sprint once more. Only a few seconds had passed before Camilla used their momentum to chuck Byakko through the back wall of a mart, it's employee room, the main floor, over the aisles, and through the glass storefront only to come to a sudden halt against the side of a shipment truck.

And so they were in Brookfield now, most likely the commercial district. Camilla was quick to appear on the road ahead of Byakko, ready for his move the moment he stood up.

​

 

[silverlinedmist]

Red eyes locked onto the hostile twin who just dared call her a "brat". Esther's brows furrowed as her knuckles grew white from clenching her hands together so hard. She was about to say something snarky when her brother's hand immediately clamped over her mouth, preventing her from saying a word. Elijah put his arm around his darling little sister, laughing nervously as he struggled to keep her quiet.

"Aha! Wow, yep. Formalities, am I right? Screw them. We would love your help! Uh, say. You guys do things legally, right? Like. We'll pay you when the job is done, sure, but, we aren't really here to be associated with criminals. I know you use that mystic mumbo jumbo stuff, but you know. Paranoid rich people! Haha! That's sure a joke. We aren't rich." Elijah rambled on and on until Esther managed to bite his hand, a high pitched yelp escaping from him in response. A pout appeared on his face, staring at his sister and softly shaking his head in disappointment. Esther took a deep breath, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms. She was still glaring at Sylvia, but at least now she was quiet. It was almost entertaining how they mirrored each other. Her brother rubbed his hand sadly and looked back to August.

"So.. Yes, we would like your help. What do you need to know?..." It was clear how unsure he was, though while he would not admit it, he was also feeling a bit desperate to find Zeke. It had only been about a day, but disappearing like that was not like him at all. And it was clear no real authorities would be of any help with the matter. What other choice did they have?

 

[Azukai]

Camilla vs Byakko, Part 1​

It wasn’t that Camilla was suddenly much faster or stronger than he was. It was more or less the fact that she caught him entirely off guard. Her sudden burst of speed exceeded far beyond what she had demonstrated in the past--one blow, became two, became dozens of solid jabs that left him unable to counter by the time his reaction had caught up. Before he knew it, he was flying through the walls of a supermarket and crashing into a truck, which exploded its merchandise throughout the immediate parking lot. “Hell of a transformation you had there.” Byakko muttered with a loud groan. His body had several bruises as a result of Camilla’s attacks; however, none of them had incapacitated him to the point of a injury. He reached up and wipe away a dribble a blood from his mouth, before he began hopping in place as a means to loosen his limbs. “My turn, I guess.” Camilla had raw power and speed, but the one thing she lacked in comparison to Byakko was the finesse of his expertise.

There was another rumble of thunder, just as a bolt of lightning struck down towards the ground; however, unlike the norm, this bolt flew at an angle that was projected directly towards Camilla. It was attracted to the metal of his ion-positive kunai--one that he had slipped into her clothes during the beating from before. That being said, the jolt of electricity wasn’t the intention of his attack. He sent his fist flying into the stream of lightning as it flashed past his body--a motion that nearly doubled the speed and momentum of his hyper-charged punch, which he drove directly into Camilla’s midriff.

Camilla had anticipated an attack from Byakko, but the nature of said attack was the mystery. She planned to block, and actively moved to do so, but it was the enhancement of lightning that sent the man’s fist into Camilla’s core before she could even raise her arms. Like her haymaker, the force behind Byakko’s punch flung the girl back dozens of feet to land on the windshield of a parked car and trip the alarm.

By now, the tussle between speedsters was well known to bystanders. Those that had watched from a safe distance retreated even farther in fear the moment Camilla’s flying figure crashed into a car beside them. In turn, several spectators were phoning for Dominion intervention to put a stop to the chaos before it was too late.

“Just.. leave me be..” were the first words Camilla spoke since this began. Her tone was rasp and heavy, as if she argued to stay in bed on an early Monday morning.

“You know I can’t do that, Kitten.” Byakko muttered while following along the trajectory Camilla had flown. “The Dominion are certainly on their way, and you are in no shape to defend yourself from Crowfall.”

Camilla slid off of the car’s damaged hood, seemingly unaffected by the damage done to her body due to her vacant expression. The light pelting of rain soon turned to a heavy downpour, all while lightning actively made its presence known in the skies above the city. Outrunning Byakko wasn’t an option, however, Camilla didn’t want to. The longer they fought, the more she wanted to use him as a punching bag - an outlet for the overwhelming anger she harbored since the day began.

“So be it.”

Once again, Camilla took off in a burst of lightning toward Byakko, but rather than sending a punch his way, Camilla halted just short of the man, utilizing the length of her slide to send a wall of rainwater hurling upward as a smokescreen between her and Byakko. With swift motions, Camilla orbited behind him to kick his legs out from under him. The moment he tripped, Camilla dug her fist into his back with enough force to send him through the wall of rain and several feet down the road.

“Is this really all you got.” Byakko shouted after being tumbled down the road. There was no denying that each of Camilla’s blows hurt, but it wasn’t anything he wasn’t already accustomed too. “You know, watching you today…” He flung himself back onto his feet and used a nearby strike of lighting to send a burst of electrical waves in wide sphere around them. There was a high pitched whine, followed by several small explosions as a set of oncoming Dominion drones were preemptively destroyed. “...it makes me a little mad, jealous really...”

In an instant, the concentration of static in the air was drawn towards Byakko who began culminating the energy around his right fist. Within seconds, his arm was wrapped in a high-density charge that only continued to grow from incessant strikes of lightning. “...do you realize how many years it took me to reach the extents of my power? But here you are...half a day later…” With a feral snarl, he punched forward, sending a towering beast of energy hurling towards Camilla. The energy had taken the form of a roaring tiger and had grown to the near width of the road.

 

[TerraBooma]

Sam relaxed slightly as the Avatar explained herself to be just that. A programmed AI to oversee the limbo. He felt...slightly less worried that this was all a trap. His stance relaxed slightly, though he still stood instead of taking a seat. As the screen popped up, he sped along, reading it with eyes darting across the screen. Sam frowned. Complete some kind of grand quest and hire ICE? Given that the hacker had broken into the village's own network, he didn't need to be convinced of ICE's skill...but it still sounded like the price would be high. Sam glanced over the page and focused his eyes around one word...a GM? Did that mean he'd be able to speak to ICE themselves? it was a tempting lure to get him to play along for now. Sam's mind quickly spun with demands, before realizing that if ICE could hack into the village once...it would be very easy for them to do it again. He had a deal he needed to make before he could head home. Somewha reluctantly, he signed the document, before looking back up to the avatar.


"Alright. I'll play your game. How's this for a desire! never hack into the village again. I want it to be safe from any further attempt."

He paused for a second, thinking.

"I got a safehouse in New Mexico. Nobody else knows about it. More importantly, it's got old Dominion records. Good chunk of what I brought with me when I left. It's old, but it's as accurate as it gets."

 

[Boss]

En Passe
Tom B. Stone | Ezekiel Kokinos​

4:03PM
Brookfield | Outskirts
Burned Building | Third Floor
​

"Da." The Russian pushed his back against the shabby folding chair. He gave Tom the coordinates of the building he sat in. Stealth wasn't necessary, as they worked to defend the summit their way. A loud rumble coming from the courthouse yanked the Russian out of his chair to peer down at what was happening below. "Get here quickly." He urged Tom before flipping his phone shut and stowing it away. His eyes were locked on the building, and the three that stood in front of it.

Only a minute had passed and the courthouse was nearly complete. Large formations of concrete were swung to and fro, slapping against one another to form lost portions of the building whilst creating new areas. All of this was possible due to the reclusive host that sat cross-legged with the blueprint in front of him. Lazily he drew, yet the drawing itself looked crafted to perfection, like a machine would do. It was then that the entire area was lit with a distant lightning strike that lasted for roughly 10 seconds. The instant rumble of thunder pulled the attention of everyone. A whistle echoed from the male, but nothing more. A dark cloud swiftly moved in, bringing with it a steady stream of rain. "Oh, shit." complained the builder, who quickly drew a shelter over himself. Parts of the parking lot had suddenly jutted upward and over to act as a small shelter for the builder to continue working in without rain damage. Small ditches surrounded him to prevent rainwater from flooding his work.

| Roughly 20 minutes later |​

​

4:23PM
Brookfield | Outskirts
Courthouse | Parking lot
​

The building was complete. What started as a poor excuse for a court of law, turned into a miniature fortress, complete with a gated fence that surrounded it's new and improved parking lot. Guard towers stood high on all four corners of the building, which was now twice as big as it's original self. The three had sat in the building's porch area, where it was safe from the now heavy downpour. At this stage, the first convoy of vehicles had arrived. Non-descriptive vans had pulled into the parking lot one by one, each parking in front of the summit building where the drivers hopped out and opened their cargo doors. From the back of each van emerged at least a dozen of armored goons who hastily marched to line up in front of a singular man - the security chief. The man shouted orders inaudible in the rain, and the goons were quick to disperse and take up their assigned positions. The drivers then worked to move the vans away from the front of the building as security was now set in place.

"We should head inside." suggested the female, who now donned the wolf mask she wore earlier. The male had followed behind, leaving the builder to sit on the steps in solitude. "So-.. when do I get paid..?" he asked, though his question reached nobody now.

The first gang had arrived. Luxurious vehicles swarmed into the parking lot, save for one, which had stopped at the building's steps. While differently uniformed goons stepped out of the cars further back, an important figure was about to emerge from his. The driver respectively opened the back door, and a cane shot out of the car and tapped the ground. A devilish-looking man stepped out with his unnecessary cane. Both his left and his right were quickly guarded by a dangerous yet sickly looking female. "Don't scratch it on the way back." he ordered the driver, who lightly bowed as the man and his escort walked off into the summit building. He was known throughout the streets as Lorenzo. A rich man who 'took in' victims of the great war and 'gave them a purpose'. Today, his products make him the third richest man in Brookfield.

The second gang to arrive was Sasha. Walking up the wide stairs to the guarded front entrance was Nikoli Kross, without his trusted escort Andrew Orlov. However, Kross was aware of the potential attack, and walked confidently into the building whilst converging with his fellow soldiers in Russian.

The third gang were the Blizzards. Confidently, the Boss stepped out of the lead vehicle and walked with Zeke up the stairs as the rest of the gang followed from behind. The interior was lush. A red and gold theme was common throughout the entire building. Red carpet paved the way to their destination while various expensive items bordered their approach. Ever since they arrived, the Boss kept silent, occasionally winking at the inevitable gaze she and Zeke received. Lex on the other hand, returned those gazes with a glare of her own which shut down the voiceless interaction almost immediately. Birdman and Lizzie brought up the rear along with a few of their own goons.

...

Lights flooded the large modified courtroom known to host the summit. A large pedestal sat at the very back of a stage-like area, where two lower seats sat on either side of a single higher seat. Each leader had it's own, smaller pedestal that surrounded a central area, creating an arena of sorts. Lorenzo, Kross, and the Boss were the first three to be seated. For each leader, their chosen representative stood beside them. Lorenzo had already broken the mold by forcing his escort to sit upon his lap instead. Several pedestals remained unfilled, implying that a few more leaders were still due to arrive.

"Natasha, woman, always good to see you." teased Lorenzo, who smirked at the Boss. "How is business?" "Swell." "It must be! You hardly visit anymore. Is he your new toy this year?" He directed his attention to Zeke. "Tell me, boy. Did you find my branding yet?" "Don't listen to that man, Wraith. His skill with his mouth is the only reason he's well known in this city."

While the pedestals formed a half-circle, the other half was taken up by rows upon rows of seats, much like theater seating where the viewers were numerous goons from varying crime families. In one particular row, Lex was fuming with anger upon hearing Lorzeno. "That limp-dicked bastard.. I'll kill him." "Now now.." Lizzie uttered with a hint of fear. "I wish I was up there so I could wring his little neck." "Have faith in Wraith. The Boss chose him for a reason."

"Oh, so he's a host? I suppose that makes it trickier to dispose of him when he's not needed, hmm?" Lorzeno taunted further.

"If the two of you are finished, we can begin." interjected Kross with a thick Russian accent.

"Easy, comrade. The proctors aren't even here yet. We can have a little fun before things get underway."

On cue, a steady trail of smoke descended from the vents above, which then split into three separate trails. Two of which materialized into the masked male and female from earlier, while the third took time to fill up the center seat. "That is no longer the case." stated the female. The third trail had materialized into the masked Dominic, who had a perfect view of all. "Tonight, I am the angel." "And your devil~." "For the sake of peace, the Crimson Hand will watch over this meeting with the intentions of keeping Brookfield together in one piece. It is our only goal." "The well-being of you and your posse are of no concern." "Does everyone have their chosen representative?"

"Of course." said Lorzeno.

"Yes." returned the Boss.

"My representative could not make it." declared Kross. "I want a temporary replacement."

The angel peered back at Dominic, who silently nodded. The angel looked down at Kross and spoke. "You may have your replacement."

From the row of seats stood an unnamed man who hurried to Kross' side. The two exchanged words in Russian for a moment. "Now, if each of you would place your palm on the surface of the pedestal.."

On each pedestal formed a mold of a hand, and each leader promptly laid their hand within it's grooves. A sharp prick stabbed into their hand, draining blood into a tunnel within the pedestals. Each tunnel served as veins that funneled down into a central point in the arena. The mixture of blood from each leader began to build up into a pool. "This will forever be creepy." Lorenzo complained. To the normal human eye, the pool of blood in the center would be just that, but to hosts, a young, robed Zodiac would materialize and dip a finger into the pool, sampling it. The Zodiac was silent for a moment before peering up at Dominic from the darkness of the hood it donned. "They are who they say they are." it said to Dominic.

"..Let us begin."

 

[Azukai]

Kisaki TerraBooma (indirect)

The transition from the alleyway to their new location was a unique experience for Amelia. Traveling through Yatagarasu's mirrors was peculiar--one could even say soothing, given the warm embrace of a shimmering, milky substance that defined the atmosphere of the foreign realm. There was no denying that the air was heavy, saturated by whatever fluid that filled it to the brim. Yet even then, there were no limitations on ordinary human functions such as breathing or sight. All together, the journey lasted mere seconds before the pair were plunged into an environment of minimal light--a darkened cellar filled with musty, humid air.

"I assume all is in order?" Yatagarsu questioned as soon as his feet made contact with the concrete floor. His inquiry was directed towards a group of men who sat atop a series of wooden crates that were stored along the opposite facing wall. The obvious leader of the group jumped onto his feet and gave a quick nod before giving a response. "Of course, boss. The goods are in order, and your representative of the Yakuza was just validated--all as we planned." Yatagarasu clapped his hands together with a cheerful smile plastered on his face. "Wonderful" he muttered, his tone equally jovial.

Out of the blue, he extended his right arm and lightly shoved Amelia--an act that pushed her off balance and shoved her into a mirror that formed directly at her rear. "On second thought, I changed my mind. I need you far more useful than you currently are. Good luck!" And with that, the mirror closed in on itself and consumed the girl who began her second journey of the day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
​

There was a golden glow cast on the endless plains that stretched far into the horizon in every direction. The sun in the sky was nearing the end of its daily cycle, and the coming of dusk was further signaled by the chilly breeze that swept through the tall grass and caressed the skin of the girl who lay within. Unlike her previous journey through the mirrors, the latest had left her in an endless void, to the point that she had likely lost conscious until eventually waking in the new, foreign environment. There was nothing out of the ordinary about her surroundings. It felt like any other location she might have visited on Earth, though there was an inkling of a peculiar energy that filled the air with the faintest of tingles.

Directly in front of her face, a small window suddenly opened--a user interface that might have appeared in an RPG game, but one that contained information about herself. Her name was listed forefront, alongside of a job title that was defined by Explorer. In addition, there were several stats including strength, dexterity, intelligence, wisdom, and constitution that were all listed alongside of the number 5.

Welcome to the World of ICE, Amelia. You have been selected as the 43rd participant of the game's open beta. Under normal circumstances, you would be asked to fulfill the price that is required to be paid. In your case, the cost has been paid, as such your Grand Quest will now begin. First, however, please read over the following terms and conditions.

Welcome to World of ICE (WOI), the hottest new MMOrpg game on the market. By participating in this game, you may obtain the services of the greatest hacker alive--all at the small cost of succeeding in a grand quest that is bestowed upon you. Before making your decision; however, make sure you read through the following terms & conditions that dictate a fair experience for both yourself and ICE. 1. To participate in the game, you must first sacrifice something of equal value to the output you wish to receive from ICE. 2. Upon joining the game, you agree to accept the system as the sole dictator of your capabilities and talents. This means that no outside weapons or Zodiac powers can be utilized if you are a participant of the game. Furthermore, any natural mental or physical capabilities will be rendered null and void for the duration of your time in the game. Your character class and skill will instead dictate these attributes about yourself. As a beginner you begin with 5 points in strength, intelligence, wisdom, dexterity, and constitution. 3. Under no circumstances may you attempt to assault or injure ICE and her identities. Failure to abide by this rule will lead to your immediate termination. As a subsequent courtesy, ICE and her identities are also forbidden from acting outside of the game's mechanics. 4. The above rule does not apply to players. You may use any means to undermine your competition as necessary. 5. You may not exit the game if you have an active Grand Quest. That being said, you may forfeit your grand quest at any time. In doing so, your accept that your initial sacrifice shall be paid as collateral.

Please be aware, you will not be able to forfeit your Grand Quest. As such, you will be unable to escape this world until its fulfillment. And so without further ado, may your adventure begin.

Yet another interface appeared before Amelia--this one embossed with a golden border and a block of text contained within. Your Grand Quest: You must find and slay the 42nd adventurer.

 

[Depresso Espresso]

Diana Young
(Tags Boss Solemn Jester Sinny The Fool )
Diana let out a short sigh as she sat on the couch, the TV playing some kids cartoons as the younger kids attention was glued to it as the more older ones continued talking in the kitchen, opening her eyes she looked over at the clock as her eyes instantly shot open jumping to her feet, "TOM! CLOWN! WE NEED TO GO NOW!" She yelled out causing most of the people in the room to look over at her as she simply pulled her jacket off the couch, giving a look out the window as rain poured down on top of that. Rushing over to the room to see Tom hang up the phone as she let out a sigh tapping her wrist in a motion of time, "The times 4:23, we need to get moving. Now." She said in a rushed voice as she moved back into the old room moving over to her phone and grabbing it before moving out of the room and back into the hallway, "I hope you understand, if this goes sour or even if it goes good. I never knew about it and I won't know anything more about it. You can keep your secrets about this until the dust settles." She said giving a sly smirk, "This might just be fun, you never know." She said giving a short laugh before looking back at the room with all of her family, "I really do hope this doesn't end badly. For both of our sake's." She said letting out another sigh.

Moving off the wall she began walking towards the lobby, "I'll be waiting in the lobby, hurry up or I'm walking. And hell if I do you'll be hearing about it by the time I get back." She said giving a wave over her shoulder as she disappeared out a door and into the main living room, the place totally void of life for the while, "Hey. Axel you there? You haven't said anything in a long while. If your there or even listening we're heading off to the summit. So maybe don't show up while it's happening just in case their is other Zodiacs or even Hosts. That'll just be problematic for both of us." As she was talking she was also moving towards the small couch area sitting down in one of the chairs as she rubbed her face, "Christ how'd I end up like this..." She said letting out a soft chuckle of annoyance.​

 

[Azukai]

TerraBooma

The GM paused as it began to process Sam's offer. There wasn't any sentient thought behind it, more or less, a highly performant algorithm that determined the validity and worth of the potential gain. Overall, the entire process took mere seconds, and soon, the AI began to speak with the outcome of its results. "Your offer has been approved. Welcome to the World of ICE, Sam." Almost instantaneously, a user interface appeared before Sam--this one with a golden border and a block text contained within.

Grand Quest: Become the hero the Rikomk desire

Slowly, his body began to disintegrate into pixel-sized blocks that all began to stream towards the capsule structure that floated nearby. The process as a whole was a peculiar sensation; there was no pain, simply a numbness of the senses as his conscious was thrust into an endless void. Minutes passed, soon hours; all in all, time was no longer a comprehendible construct. Sam's mind spiraled deeper into the madness of nothingness--until suddenly, his eyes opened to a burst of burning light, his ears were blast with a cacophony of noise, his nose was bombarded with an overload of scent, and his body was thrust into a violent chill. In truth, none of his senses were truly under attack; rather, his time in the void had dulled his sensitivity to allow for his current state of pain. That being said, his suffering did not last long. In time, his body returned to normal--the light becoming a golden glow of the afternoon sun, the chill being a comfortable, spring breeze, the scents of warmth and cooking in the air, and finally the sound of a foreign language being spoken within a crowd. All around his body, which now lay on a dusty, dirt road, seemingly ordinary humans began to swarm; curious expressions on their face as they whispered and pointed at their unexpected guest.

"Vru ora iui?" The one that spoke directly at Sam was an obvious leader--an elderly man who hobbled forth with his body desperately sustained by the cane in his hands. "Kreamd ur kua?" His tone was wary as he continued to speak; the crowd behind his back equally wary, though they watched with anticipation twinkling in their eyes. As a whole, no one seemed hostile or an immediate threat; however the same could not be said for those outside the wall. Sam's new location was a smaller sized village, defined by a collection of huts that were enclosed within a series of a wooden logs that formed a perimeter of protection. At four locations along the wall were a gate and watch posts aligned to the cardinal directions, and it was from the northern most post that a horn began to sound.

"Subremk! Subremk!" Panicked shouts began to erupt throughout the village, while the men rushed into particular huts where they retrieved rusted swords or pitifully crafted spears. Together, they all began to rush towards the northern gate, while the woman and children took shelter within their homes. The elder remained behind, his eyes locked onto Sam's as he reached under his cloak and procured a rusty, sword that he tossed at Sam's feet. "Verr iui rarv ig?"

As if on cue, a window appeared in front of Sam's face, this one depicting what seemed to be the details of a quest and the option to either accept or deny.

Quest: Defend the Village Details: Goblins are attacking the village from the northern gate. Keep the village safe. Items Given: Rusty copper sword Rewards: ???

 

[Boss]

Art of War
FINALE
| Camilla Ferrari V Byakko |​

4:10PM
Brookfield
Everywhere​

Having already been struck by one of Byakko’s lightning-enhanced attacks, Camilla kept herself low, ready to sprint in any direction needed to avoid whatever he had cooked up. As the large tiger hurled down the road at an incredible speed, she bolted to the safety of a nearby alleyway, a width too small for the tiger to follow in.

“We have eyes on two boogies.” reported the pilot of a cloaked VTOL, which flew in the company of two similarly camouflaged vehicles. The noise of the rapidly approaching jet engines were masked by the torrent of rain and thunder that suddenly befell Brookfield. “Copy, we’re two mikes out.” replied a voice over the radio. While the flock of VTOLs honed in on the battle between Byakko and Camilla, a small convoy of armored personnel carriers were enroute on street level. There was roughly a minute or two before the Dominion arrived.


With her back to the wall and being temporarily out of Byakko’s sight, Camilla had a few seconds to catch her breath. She brought her trembling hands upward and contemplated what had just happened to her a minute prior. Lightning had struck her, which in turn nearly doubled her top speed and acceleration for a short period of time. She noticed that as she ran, she discharged the energy given to her by the strike. Retaining the charge within her body was easier when she wore clothes specifically designed for her ability. What she wore now was simply her everyday clothes, which did nothing to aid her in combat. No smoke manipulation, no hidden knife compartments - nothing.


She heard the electrical whine of a downed Dominion drone that laid in the road. It reminded her that what Byakko said was true. The Dominion were on their way. Fending off Byakko and the Dominion was impossible, and so was shaking Byakko off of her tail. Camilla chose the third option; utilize their speed against the Dominion and relocate their fight.


She sat up from the wall and took off in a burst of speed in the other direction. The trail of lightning behind her was like a beacon for Byakko to follow.


At no point was Byakko worried about the Dominion interrupting their fight. The speed at which they could travel was far beyond the limits of modern technology. If anything, he was far more worried about the damage to the city were their somewhat pointless fight to continue. Street after street, alley after alley, Camilla and Byakko zipped like limitless streaks of energy--the latter opting for conversation rather than a continued offensive. “Why do you wish to abandon your people like a childish fool? What do you gain other than a beacon to your enemies...without the support of your allies?”


Their lightning fast chase came to a halt near the docks. Camilla had been purposely avoiding areas well-populated to minimize their exposure to the Dominion. Nonetheless, their quick relocation did well to temporarily throw the Dominion off course. They stopped on a road leading to the harbor, which meant that traffic was nearly non-existent. “..And what do you know?!” Camilla spun around to face her persistent pursuer with a glare. “I heard it from Kaivant himself. The one reason - the only reason you came to our village was for me. Because of me, a life was taken, maybe more. Because of me, Sam nearly died, and now this Crowfall knows where the village is, not to mention the Dominion, because of me.”


Camilla balled her hands into fists. “I don’t expect you to understand.. You’re employed by the Dominion for god’s sake..” The girl’s eyes glistened with tears that were quickly wiped away. “I won’t go back to that village, and you will leave me alone.”



“So be it.” There was a small pause, just before a flurry of kunai were thrown into the air and oriented in the air around Byakko. Each dagger was under the control of a lightning tendril that was connected to and moved at its manipulator’s will. A split second was all that it took for Byakko to cross the distance and begin his close-combat assault. Using the aspect of the tiger, he sent a cross slash of claws towards Camilla’s midriff, while the hovering blades shot towards Camilla’s body in an arcing trajectory that somewhat caged her in.


Byakko’s attack was by no means blockable when he infused his animalistic aspect into it. A swift backstep was the only option Camilla had and took, not accounting for the numerous daggers that followed afterwards as insurance. Still airbourne from her backwards dodge, the first dagger grazed by her shoulder, the intense heat from the lightning effectively cauterized the wound. Camilla continued to retreat back, contorting her body in a way that made her difficult to hit even if the daggers could follow her trajectory.


Because she never had the liberty of looking behind her, Camilla had cornered herself with a iron fence that separated the harbor from the rest of the area. Her stopping meant that the last dagger firmly planted itself in Camilla’s thigh. The pain shocked her as much as the electricity that sealed the bleeding much like her shoulder wound. It didn’t stop her, however, as she quickly worked to yank the blade free, blood instantly covering her upper leg. One hand tightly gripping the knife, she hovered the other over her wound, allowing the electricity generated from her own movements to arc between her fingers and cauterize the wound through wincing pain.


Now crouched, she awaited Byakko’s next attack like a cornered cat...but there was no mercy. Another flurry of blades hailed onto her crouched body--each one stabbing in and out at rapid succession. There wasn’t any risk of Camilla bleeding out since each wound was sealed as quickly as it came. As a whole, the internal damage was beginning to add up, slowing her movement and minimizing her capabilities. Out of the blue, the kunai suddenly fell downward, as Byakko dissipate the energy surrounding him. Before the metal could even touch the ground, however, his open grasp reached forward and tightened itself around Camilla’s neck. The momentum behind his reach slammed Camilla against the fence, while her feet remained dangling just above the ground.


“How much more will you continue to disrespect your allies...your body. Your villagers...they have lived their life alongside of you...protecting you. Is it not your duty to grow and return the favor they have shown you? Instead, you are opting to run, like a coward...”


For a split second, Byakko’s grip loosened as he gazed at Camilla with some sorrow in his eyes. “I don’t care what Kaivant says, you are a child...this shouldn’t be your life yet. Surrender, Camilla.”



The pressure exerted on her neck robbed Camilla of her ability to retort, but her eyes grew more dull by the second. The hostile expression she held struggled to maintain face, and Camilla ultimately felt darkness enveloping her. Alone was her psyche like a lamb in the woods. Byakko’s insults whistled between the trees. It was then that her inner self continued to reject his words and not take them to heart, but with every word he spoke, the less defended her core was.


He’s wrong..


She could hear the robotic voice announce her true self to the village like a video on playback. The eyes she felt. The isolation she fell into. One by one, voices of the past would haunt Camilla’s psyche in the dark forest of her mind. Words of loved ones were coupled with visions of a happier time, sullied by her own actions.


Deep down, she slowly began to understand Byakko’s words. The village must have seen her as a coward who couldn’t handle the fate given to her. She imagined she disappointed many people by not showing the same courage her father did years ago. What would he think in this situation? What would her brother think? Camilla backed herself into the corner of her mind, only for a darkened face to whisper in her ear.


Coward.


Click!


The echo of Camilla’s host restraint securing itself around Byakko’s shoulder shifted the situation around, and a swift kick to Byakko’s gut freed her of his now average grip. As her hand loosely felt the scars of strangulation around her neck, and her head lifted to reveal a broken mind, she charged at Byakko with a sudden murderous intent.


Maybe he’s right.


Like Byakko before, Camilla quickly closed the distance between the two with little to no time for him to process why his abilities were suddenly ripped from him. In that small window, the girl sent an uppercut to connect with Byakko’s jaw, but that wasn’t all. Following that, she planted a boot into his now exposed mid-section with enough force to send him rolling across the street.


Before Byakko could attempt to remove the restraint, Camilla was there, standing over him with soulless eyes. She grabbed him by the arm and bolted away from the harbor, speeding past the convoy which was nearly about to ambush the two.


“They’re on the move again! Track them!” sounded an officer.



Without supernatural energy, Byakko wouldn’t have been able to comprehend where he was going, only that it took two seconds for his body to be slammed against the wall in an alley. Camilla let loose a series of punches all over his body, even giving his face a few hooks somewhere in her lightning fast outburst of attacks.


I warned him, right?


Jab after jab, hook after hook, the sheer force of her punches kept Byakko pinned against the brick wall without falling over. This continued for several seconds, when Byakko suffered hundreds of punches, each one packed with pure rage behind it without any hint of technique or form. Camilla threw Byakko down onto Brookfield’s hard surface and continued the beatdown from there. Her attacks focused on his chest, where each punch would fracture and break his ribs. Soon, even her fists tore into his body like knives as blood began to splatter both of them as well as the surrounding area.


I’m protecting the village.


She felt alone in her mind. Her psyche was balled up, face tucked into her knees as the voices and visions of the past slowly ceased. She sobbed quietly, alone.


Camilla’s hands were covered in blood. Her punching had devolved into an animalistic rage where she scratched and tore away at his flesh, working all the way to his now exposed lungs and heart.


I may be a coward, but it’s the only way.


With one last hefty motion, Camilla ripped out Byakko’s heart and held it in her hand, blood coating the ground around them.


..Right?


Camilla sat there for a moment, staring into wide, lifeless eyes of the man she had murdered. He was dead, there was no question about it. His still beating heart was within her hands, the very source of his vitality, yet even still traces of his lightning remained. All around his body, small bursts of energy began to spark into the air, growing in size and succession until they manifested the shimmering form of a tiger-like spirit. There was a low growl humming in its throat as it paced around Camilla--its eyes fixated on the girl, with a sense of authority and judgement emanating from its gaze. And like that it was gone, and so was the lightning that surrounded Byakko’s body. Now, he was truly a corpse; a physical sin to be etched on Camilla’s mind.


The brief passover of a searchlight from a nearby Dominion VTOL brought her back to Earth, and in a flash, she left Byakko’s mangled corpse in that alleyway.

Collaborators
Boss & Azukai​

 

[TerraBooma]

A virtual world exploded around Sam. His senses seemed to all scream at him at once. He winced from the sensory overlord, and attempted to cover his ears and close his eyes. After a few moments however, the sensations passed, and he was back to normal. He shook his head as the crowd gathered around him, trying to get a feel for this temporary body. It felt...weird. Sam had been a host for over 2 decades at this point. The benefits he'd been granted were largely physical: Increased Stamina, Skin as tough as steel, and untold precision in a fight. As he looked up at the gathering crowd, he ran a finger alongside his teeth. It felt weird for them not to respond to his touch. That's not to say Sam wasn't dangerous, he'd been trained in CQC by more than one instructor. From the police to working with the dominion.

Focusing in on the people around him, Sam ran into a new problem. He didn't understand a word they were saying. Normally, the language barrier wasn't much of an issue. Thanks to his connection to Cetus, jacking into the closest electronic device would give him rudimentary knowledge for a couple days at the least. But back in this form, separated from his host... was odd. He jumped to his feet when the villagers started to panic, thinking they had found some hostility with him. But they seem concerned with defending themselves for the most part. As teh elder approached and drew a blade, Sam took up a defensive stance with his fists, only to blink in suprise as the sword hit the ground and a quest log popped up. Kneeling down, he grabbed the weapon, trying to get a feel for it's weight. He'd always been more at home with ranged weapons or his harpoons, but he'd make do with this. Looking back to the elder, he gave him a nod as he pressed the "Accept" button on the quest list.

Sam didn't know if these people were the Rikomk. For all he knew, the goblins belonged to that group, and he'd have to do a hell of a lot of legwork to makeup for the diplomatic hit defending this village would take. But...Sam wasn't going to let a bunch of villagers get hurt. He took to the gates, trying to form a plan in his head as he ran. He wanted to spend as little time here as possible- after all, there's not telling how the village had been reacting to ICE's original broadcast, but becoming the hero hopefully wouldn't take too long. Then he'd get back and deal with that whole situation...he needed to speak with Camilla before she got it in her head to do anything rash.

Coming out of the gates, Sam scanned the battlefield. He'd had plenty of experience defending villages, and he wasn't going to let this one be destroyed. Scanning for fights, he made a mental note to save as many villagers as possible.

 

[Solemn Jester]

Tom B. Stone


Tom had been so wrapped up in preparing for the summit. That he had actually missed the begining of it. Wide eyed, and panicked. Tom didn't want to wait any longer."Well damn! Guess we should kick it! No worries Diana. We known nothing! Oh, this is going to be crazy that's for sure. But don't get your hopes up. If it was so easy to take down the crime world I'd have done so ages ago! Now lets gooo!"With all the excitement of a kid on Christmas. Tom grabbed both Clown and Diana, pulling them along as he made his way to his car, which he quickly shoved them both in."C'mon c'mon! Lez go!!!"He demanded as he ran to the drivers seat.



He started up the car, but not before noticing all the lightning strikes. His hair even starting to rise from the electricity in the air."Woo! It looks like someone up there's as excited as I am. I'm going to take this as a omen of things to come! Hehehe, I do love a good storm."His eyes grew wider, his pulse raced, and lightning danced in his eyes as the excitement started to overwhelm him."Oh yes! Im so absolutely thrilled! Woooohooo!"

With this declaration of excitement he hit the gas. Speeding off in the direction of Andrew Orlov. It wasn't long before the car slide to a stop, and Tom leapt out, grabbing Clown out of his seat, and the gun the Russian had asked for from the trunk of his car. Of course the gun was dismantled, and inside a case. Because while having Clown walk up to him with a gun in a mask would be hilarious! He still would have preferred both alive."Ok! So give this to the Russian man ontop of that roof. Remember he knows me as Gregory Handson! Do not forget! Once you're done come meet us at the summit if at all possible. If not then just make sure everything goes smoothly. Oh and the Russian also thinks we're stopping the raid..which he's not wrong..but not exactly right either. Ok now go!"Tom said all this as he impatiently pushed Clown towards the building the Russian was supposed to be in. He then jumped back in the car. Sticking his arm out of the window to wave goodbye."Alright now, we'll be right across the street. So be sure to come meet us. Stay safe honey love you!!! Hehehe." Tom chuckled at his own act. Before driving over to where the summit was supposed to be, and parking. He stepped out of the car, then headed over to the passenger seat to open the door for Diana."My lady, we have arrived."He said with a devilish smile on his face, holding his arm out for Diana ready to join the party.



Boss Depresso Espresso Sinny The Fool

 

[Depresso Espresso]

Diana Young
(Tags Boss Solemn Jester )
Diana was caught off guard as she was being shoved into the passenger seat of the car, a confused expression painting her face at the sudden excitement from Tom which she hadn't seen in an extremely long time, relaxing into the seat of the car the lightning flashes made the hairs on her skin raise for an unknown reason, almost like she had walked into a cold spot she felt strange before it left just as quickly as it had come as she looked over at where the flash of light had come before the car sped off, leaving her to grab onto her door as she shot daggers at Tom, "Jesus warn me next time Tom!" She yelled as they continued driving, letting out a sigh keeping quiet as she watched the rain before they stopped, Clown being dragged out and being handed a gun as she let out another sigh before Tom came to her side of the car, the arm Tom offering as she took it, stepping out of the warm car and linking arms with him, closing the door behind her as the rain came down on them as they made their way towards the gates.

Two guards stood in their way with guns as they stepped forward, Diana letting out a sigh, "Diana Young, and this is my Representative. I trust I'm in the right place?" She said raising an eyebrow towards them as they nodded opening a side gate and stepping into the compound walking up towards the large doors as Diana removed her arm from Toms, the large interior catching her off guard as well as the warmth which was a great addition. Wiping some of water off herself as they made their way to the large auditorium, a lot of the people where talking to each other as some brought their attention to her, letting out a sigh as she kept a cold face, "Fashionably late. Also my driver had to make a detour." She said referring to Tom as she pointed at him.

Making her way up to the stand as she stood at one of the empty podiums, Tom standing by her side as she gave glances all around the room, her gaze falling onto the two people from earlier as she gritted her teeth, "Lovely..." She said under her breathe giving a sigh.​

 

[Boss]

En Passe
Ezekiel Kokinos | Diana Young | Tom B. Stone | The Clown​

4:30PM
Brookfield | Outskirts
Modified Courthouse | Stage
​

"Let us begin." commanded the shadowy figure who sat center at the highest seat at the summit.

"For those blissfully unaware or attending for the first time, the purpose of this summit is to alleviate tensions between factions and settle differences here in this building. Rather than riddle Brookfield with months of blood, bodies and bullets, disagreements will be handled through a representative of the involved factions. In the case of such situation, the Angel and I will decree a contest as we see fit."

"This summit was brought together with haste, as the code which all factions are required to follow was presumed broken last night. If you aren't aware, the violation of code is only redeemed by death." The Angel was interrupted by the loud creaking of doors which grabbed the attention of the floor as Diana and Tom made their way to their appointed pedestal.

"Fashionably late. Also my driver had to make a detour."

".. The faction which blew the whistle is known as the Blizzards. May the leader plead their case." Eyes were shifted onto the Boss and Zeke almost immediately. The Boss, who had been listening attentively suddenly perked up at the mention of her posse. "Right.."

"It's no mystery that the Blizzards mainly deal in narcotics. We've never been known for war, but we've had our fair share of skirmishes before the code was implemented. The purpose of taking on this pacifist stance was to minimize, if not completely eliminate any possibility of ill tiding between us and any other faction. According to a couple of my trusted men, it was approximately 8 o'clock when they stumbled across a gruesome scene located at the docks with one of our shipments. Our own men have been found dead, leaving not a single body from the unknown assailant's crew. One thing is certain however. The attackers never used guns. The wounds my men received could only come from experienced swordsmen."

The Boss's explanation riled up sounds of intrigue among the crowd in the rows of seating.

"What makes you think this is the work of a crime family and not a host working alone?" questioned the Devil.

"It's been considered that the attacker could have been alone and a host, but neither me or my men have done anything to harass the general public. If it were a vendetta against invertigo - our latest host-produced narcotic - they would have stolen or outright destroyed our shipment, but our merchandise remained completely intact. This rules out any logical attack from the outside. The attacker, or attackers, must have come from within our underground network. Someone who knows of the code and the trouble it'd bring if it were broken."

"You know, as much fun as it sounds, nobody has a legion of ninjas here in Brookfield, Natasha." Lorenzo spoke out.

"Need I remind you of the recent Dominion jailbreak just two nights ago? Hundreds of hosts were unleashed onto the streets. Many of them don't have a home to return to or any source of income. That practically makes them mercenaries for anyone to hire."

"Nobody is stupid enough to employ the services of a host on the run from the Dominion." A smirk directed at the Boss had surfaced on Lorenzo's face, causing the woman to click her teeth in annoyance.

"I thought I had stated that only the leader of the Blizzards may speak?" inquired the Angel. "Yeah, sure."

"I've explained my case." The Boss stated with a hint of hostility.

"Then we shall take this time to gather an alibi from all present factions during the time of the attack. Who wishes to speak first?"

 

[Azukai]

Boss silverlinedmist Solemn Jester Sinny The Fool Depresso Espresso

The summit floor was in a state of disarray. The accusations that had been brought to the table were far fetched to believe, and if anything, they felt targeted towards a particular gang in attendance. It was well known information that the Yakuza were the primary users of swords in the underworld; as such, it was to no one's surprise that much of the summit's spotlight was directed their way. Of the total number of gangs in attendance, the Yakuza had the smallest representation--a single, heavily tattoo man who sat in a cross-legged stance and had his eyes shut as if he were asleep. His real name was Daisuke; though he was more commonly known in the Underworld as, Musashi. He was a high ranking official in the Yakuza's organization--one that was known for his ruthless methodologies and unparalleled talent with the sword. "Perhaps I should begin. After all, I feel every one of your eyes suspecting me as is." Without a single change in his posture, he spoke with a heavy Japanese accent that was void of any fear or hesitation. "The Yakuza has no claim in the attack on the Blizzards. They have remained an important alley in our local drug network that only continues to grow. Cutting away mere fingers and toes from our allies would make little sense. Our relations have never been better." Musashi's alibi was short and to the point. As soon as he spoke his final word, he beckoned for the next gang to continue proceedings. That being said, they were never given the chance as the auditorium's door soon began to creak...

"I cannot believe so much effort goes into the investigation of a simple murder or two..."

The tone of the voice that suddenly spoke from behind the opening doors was young; far younger than anyone that should have been in attendance at the summit. In a single motion, the heavy, wooden doors swung open; not at the hands of the outer guards, but instead at the will of a peculiar individual who happily waltzed into the room. His upper face was shrouded behind a seemingly opaque mask, though his confident grin was present for everyone to see. There wasn't a single sense of uncertainty or doubt that emanated from the newcomer--only a mysterious aura of sheer authority that contradicted his appearance of a young teenager at best.

"Now, before we get all hostile and unpleasant, let it be known that I come in peace. Everybody is safe..." He rose both of his arms into the air as further signs that he meant no harm. "...from me at least." he added with a small giggle. "You there!" He suddenly shouted; his finger pointed towards a random gang member who had dawned his gun and pointed it the child's way. "Tsk, tsk, so rude greeting me with violence...especially when I'm here to offer you an escape from this senseless charade."

Suddenly, he clapped his hands together--an act that spurred even more guns to be pointed his way, even if nothing was bound to occur other than another small giggle. "So jumpy you all, can't even get your attention without hostility." His tone was sarcastic, almost condescending, yet he didn't linger on his silly antics; instead focusing on his real reason for standing in the room. "Basically, I'm here with a business proposition. I have a product that all of you want...or should I say, will be buying. Of course, I don't come here with just empty words..."

With a snap of his fingers, the space directly in front of his body shattered into a few shards of glass that fell to the ground and exploded into dust. In the original space was a small picture that also began to float, until it landed in his open palm that was extended to catch it. In an instant, he grabbed the picture by its upper corner and began slowly waving it for the crowd to see. On the picture was a tall, black-haired man who wore a loose set of robes, had a katana straddled against his waist, and was standing on the shore of the harbor, amongst three others.

"Happy?"

 

[Solemn Jester]

Tom B. Stone

Upon entering the summit Diana reffered to Tom as her representative. Something that he had no issue with. He expected this summit to be a bit crazy anyway. So he didn't mind if he had to face off against other reps in order to get a front row seat. But saying that he had no intention of dying. Not at all, not if he could help it.


It seemed the whole start of the summit was basically as he'd expect. Tossing accusations around. He found this amusing, especially seeing the interactions between the Gang leaders. But what interested him the most thus far where the leaders of this event. They were mysterious, and that only made Tom crave answers. He held back his excitement however, as this wasn't the place for a fit of insane laughter...or that's what he thought until a mysterious gentleman entered, greeted by several guns, and started giggling. Tom took his own gun out aiming it at the mysterious gentleman simply because he didn't want to be the odd man out.


However when the man displayed what Tom assumed to be host abilitys he couldn't help but showing off his pearly whites in a thrilled smile."Cool picture, I hope you don't mind my asking. But who exactly is it we'd be doing buisness with? I don't know about others, but I don't tend to trust strange masked men....well one...but that's a special case."Tom said tilting his head slightly as Clown came to mind. But then he returned to speaking to the mystery man."Eh, I find it pointless to point my gun at you when we have an entire room already doing that for me."With this he quickly put his gun back in it's holster,"As for your price...what exactly would you be wanting in return for this, what I assume is evidence?"Tom was very interested in this mysterious individual. He seemed to know alot about their situation, although didn't seem to be affiliated with any of the present groups. With a quick turn Tom faced the other gang bosses, a smile empty of any real feeling hanging on his face."I apologise for tossing my questions in first. I just couldn't hold back my curiosity. Please do forgive me, I'll be sure to leave any further questioning to you bosses, unless given permission Otherwise."He said giving a slight bow to the bosses. He didn't want to come off disrespectful, and wasn't exactly aware of how summits worked. He had never actually been a part of a gang afterall. If anything he hoped to try and impress some of the big wigs while he was here.


Boss Sinny The Fool Azukai Depresso Espresso silverlinedmist (didn't know who to tag so I tagged ereybody Tsu tagged

 

[silverlinedmist]

The whole area was tense from the moment they stepped foot in the mysterious building. People were talking left and right about anything and everything, and poor Zeke felt completely out of the loop. However, he wasn't there to pretend he knew what he was talking about. He stood close to the Boss, carefully eyeing all who interacted with her, as well as those who sat on the sidelines. A certain man's approach struck him as odd, especially when the man began speaking to Zeke himself. Eyes narrowed at the strangers apparent taunting, but he remained quiet regardless. He stood tall, taking a deep breath and looking away as the Boss suggested he pay the man no mind. Zeke knew his type well, and he knew they wouldn't get along. As things started up, the whole area felt a bit more tense. It was rather official-feeling, and Zeke was suddenly hit with the realization of how serious this was. He stood quietly behind the boss, eyes darting around to those who spoke, responded, and showed up late. The blood ritual was a bit odd, he thought, but when it had been announced that all were who they said they were, it became clear.

However, it wasn't long before someone else showed up late to the party, only this time this guest seemed uninvited. He walked in, confident in his strut, apparently alarming the rest of the people in the room. Zeke stepped forward, standing between what looked like a young kid and the Boss, ready to defend her at the drop of a hat. No sudden movements were made on his part, only focusing on the kid, and the odd man that started speaking out for everyone else. Was everyone so confident here? A bit of humility would do a lot of them good, he thought to himself. While the others were talking, Zeke turned his head towards the Boss, speaking in a low voice that he assumed only she could hear.

"If you need me to do anything, just say the word."
She probably knew more what he was capable of than he did, he figured.

 

[Boss]

En Passe
Ezekiel Kokinos | Diana Young | Tom B. Stone | The Clown​

4:33PM
Brookfield | Outskirts
Modified Courthouse | Stage
​

Hearing Musashi's logic and stance as an organization was a welcome relief for the Blizzards. Despite the peaceful history between the two factions, the Yakuza couldn't be written off of the list of potential suspects for them to consider. The Boss had to respect their leader's willingness to lay out their intentions so easily. The reliving feelings garnered by sincerity were quickly washed away by the unforeseen and rather abrupt entrance of an unknown youth. His confidence brimming with a certain air that felt as if he weren't actually concerned with the danger that surrounded him. That alone was a deterrent to violence.

The boy spoke of a product, and openly displayed a photograph of a man and his companions, drawing forth curious reactions from both the crowd and those on stage. The Boss tried, but failed to recognize anyone in the picture. "What is the meaning of this?" questioned Nikoli, after Tom had questioned the boy's goals himself. Dominic, who had remained quiet even as the boy made his entrance and flashed the picture, asked the two below him to describe the picture for him, to which they did.

"A robed man with a sword?" Dominic echoed the devil's words.

"If you ask me, all four of them look to be considerably powerful hosts."

Dominic dipped his head low, his mind digging through the history of powerful hosts he had encountered over time. Without the ability to see, he couldn't go off of facial features the way he really needed to. Despite this, he uttered a name the moment it surfaced in his mind. "..Kaivant.."

"Kaivant?" Angel regurgitated.

"A pawn of Fushensetsu, and a man I'd thought to have left Brookfield."

"You know this man? What does he want with us?" The Boss questioned, clearly agitated by the entire situation.

"Watch your tone." snapped the Angel. "And you as well, representative. Do not utter another word unless spoken to." she directed towards Tom.

"We don't know where you've come from, boy, but it's clear you're not a local. This is not a place for a merchant, especially for a child your age."

 

[Depresso Espresso]

Diana Young
(Tags Boss Azukai Solemn Jester )
Diana was intrigued by the whole situation keeping silent as the guns were raised even from Tom in which she sent a glare his way with a tsk before he began waving the photo like it was something incredible important, "I may be speaking out of tone in which I apologize for. I have no previous experience with these events. But might I suggest we hear out this kid. If we can even call it that." She spoke in a cold tone giving nothing away, but her eyes held intrigue and a child like sense of curiosity that gleamed in her eyes, a blank expression painting her face as she crossed her arms, "This deal of yours. What will it mean for each of the gangs? Do we have to hand over our power? Our money?" She said once again in a blank tone her expression giving nothing away as she quickly shot looks to everyone around the room just in case someone wanted to act like a hero and pull a grenade out.​

 

[Azukai]

Boss silverlinedmist Depresso Espresso Solemn Jester Sinny The Fool

The teenager yawned in response to the first set of questions that were directed his way. The man and woman who spoke them was of seemingly little consequence, and he couldn't bring himself to really care. Angel's warning of him being misplaced warranted a bit more respect. After all, there were a couple of people in the room that could pose a slight threat to himself, even if Angel was not one of them. If anything, the only person he was truly concerned about was the older gentleman who had recognized the man in the picture. Though, if his intel was correct--that gentleman would soon have far larger concerns for himself. "Oh, there is always a time and place for merchants in this day and age, sensible ones, relevant ones, and if I do say so myself...I am both." The teenager paused, his eyes looking around the auditorium at each of the members who were in attendance. "The quality of your organizations have fallen much over the years....do they even meet the minimum age requirement?" He announced with a giggle; his hand directed towards the man who had spoken out of turn and woman by his side. "Enough jests, however, let's stick with business."

For the second time, the teenager snapped his fingers which caused the sound of shattering glass to fill the room once more. Unlike before, the manifestations were far larger than a picture--a swivel chair which he promptly fell back into, and a desk that held a peculiar device. "First, let's talk about Kaivant shall we?" The teenager suddenly began clapping his hands while muttering rapid successions of Ding Ding Ding. "And on today's episode of guess that culprit, the old geezer is correct. The man who murdered your people is in fact Kaivant, leader of the Chinese Dominion's ancient voodoo warrior men and incredible powerful hosts who could dismantle your organization in a literal blink of an eye...you guys are really...kinda weak...BUT what if I could help close that gap for you?"

He reached for the small device and held it up for everyone to see. "Hollow-energy technology, safe for human use, powerful, and most importantly, all at the small cost of a tiny, teeny-weeny little deal. Oh, and old man..." The teen reached into one of his pant pockets where he retrieved a phone that he placed on the desk. Immediately, it began playing a recording at maximum volume that spread throughout the auditorium.

I've reopened the data stream if you wish to return to your village. There isn't much more I can do for you...that is unless you wish to play the game. Alright. I'll play your game. How's this for a desire! never hack into the village again. I want it to be safe from any further attempt. I got a safe-house in New Mexico. Nobody else knows about it. More importantly, it's got old Dominion records. Good chunk of what I brought with me when I left. It's old, but it's as accurate as it gets.

"Thought you might have been interested, I'm sure you will feel the static in the air." he added with a giggle.

 

[Boss]

En Passe
Ezekiel Kokinos | Diana Young | Tom B. Stone | The Clown​

4:35PM
Brookfield | Outskirts
Modified Courthouse | Stage
​

For the majority of those that attended the summit, the boy's recorded message held little to no context. Villages, games, everything but the mention of the Dominion remained foreign to gang leaders, representatives, and spectators alike. Dominic, however, recognized the second voice in the recording as none other than Sam Sarith, one of his trusted guardians of the village and old friend. Though it was in the strange context that he spoke which initially sparked panic hidden behind his intense glare. The teenager's reference to the static in the air proved meaningless to him at first.

"The Crimson hand will deal with this-.. Kaivant and his men. We pay them protection money so that our operation isn't interrupted by you supernaturals." The Russian leader spoke out towards the uninvited boy, unearthing fundamentals that were put in place to prevent these sorts of interference. "It is like the other man said: We do not openly trust just anyone. This could very well be a scheme to frame Kaivant, if he really does exist." "My comrade speaks only the truth here, but," Lorenzo turned his attention to the center seats. "In the event that this boy isn't lying and that our girlie's gang WAS attacked, doesn't that mean you failed to provide a service we all pay for? What's the fucking point if we get attacked by rampant hosts anyway?"

Both the Angel and the Devil were ready to fire back a response, only to be halted by Dominic's raised palm.

"Let it be known that the Blizzards will be fully reimbursed by the Crimson Hand. Any lost funds or men will be restocked in a timely manner."

"Do you expect us to sit and do nothing then? We deserve the right to avenge our fallen." The Boss claimed.

"That is exactly why I'm issuing a city-wide bounty of a quarter million per head of everyone in that photo except for the one called Kaivant. If you find him, do not engage. Notify one of the Crimson Hand instead. The same rules apply to the Dominion."

"Safeties off, da? Supernaturals included?"

Dominic looked in Kross' direction. "Whatever it takes."

Murmuring and whispers mingled back and forth in the spectator seats. Was Dominic serious about declaring a bounty with hosts allowed? What was this about a village? Who were the people in the recording? The members of the Blizzards were having their own opinion on what this all meant. Lizzie was the first to recognize the second voice, as she was an avid historian on anything related to the Zodiac Bastion and it's ties to the pre-war hosts. "I bet that was the voice of Samuel. I knew there was some sort of secret hideout for all these old hosts. These guys were the friends of Shun Takumi, the infamous Fushinsetsu as he called himself." Her curious eyes laid on the back of the teenager's head. "And if I didn't know any better.."

"-This summit is resolved." declared Dominic. His words were like a command that rose over half of the goons from their seats to start making their way out of the building. With a stressed sigh, the Boss rose from her seat and shot Zeke a worried look. "Surely this was the best outcome." she said, yet her tone insisted that there was much injustice to be quelled still. For many, the summit raised more questions than it answered. She beckoned Zeke to escort her out and regroup with the others.

Before Diana and Tom could leave the building, they would be blocked by both the Angel and Devil. "Metal bitch, glad you could grace us with your presence." said one. "You still haven't paid your dues." said the other. "So as punishment, you're going to be employed by the Crimson Hand for the duration of this bounty. That's you and your representative." "You'll take orders only from us, as we give them. Is that clear?"

While the two had walked off to corner Diana and Tom, Dominic smoke-shifted down to the floor to stand before the teenager. "I have many questions for you, and it's very important you answer them carefully." Dominic approached him menacingly, the glass cracking under his shoes as he looked down on him. "Who are you, and what do you know about us?" By us, Dominic referred to himself as well as the village and those in it.