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

[Azukai]

Boss

"Starting off with the loaded questions, eh? I like people like you." The teenager spoke in a tone that remained consistent with his trend of ongoing aloofness. Overall, his composure showed little fear in response to Dominic's sudden and overbearing attempts at intimidation. Nonetheless, were they to get into a fight, he was in a slight disadvantage against the man's affinity for smoke; even still, he had reasons enough to believe it would never come to that point. "Simply, my name is Yatagarasu and I am the leader of the organization known as Crowfall. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Dominic." Being one for theatrics, Yatagarasu rose to his feet and lowered his upper body into a quick, respectful bow. "As for what I know...where should I start? Perhaps its the fact that I know you are one of the heroes of that war? Or perhaps its that I know you took a handful your allies and fled to the woods, away from the world, creating this village of yours? Perhaps, its the fact that you and your special daughter are a token of my interest? Or...maybe its simply a guilty pleasure, knowing that I am one step ahead of you in every way possible."

Yatagarasu snapped his fingers and shattered the air above his extended hand. There, a smartphone manifested itself into existence and plopped onto his open palm with a dull thud. There was a small delay as ICE's logo appeared on the screen of the phone, just before the picture was quickly replaced with a news report, live in Brookfield.

This is Brookfield news coming to you live with new developments on tonight's incident. The freak lightning storm that struck the southern ward at approximately four pm was determined to be a fight between two high level hosts. The reason for the fight has yet to be determined; however, Dominion authorities claim they have found the deceased body of one of the hosts, an adult, asian male in his later twenties. The other culprit has yet to be found; however, the Dominion is taking active measures to pinpoint the host's location and bring them to justice. If you have any information on the host's whereabouts, please contact the Dominion immediately. Do not attempt to engage under any circumstances. The active host at large has been classified as a rank A threat, and although we have no confirmation, we have reason to believe their identity is a young female individual, black hair, with the power of extreme speed. Again, do not attempt to engage with this host under any circumstance. This is live from Brookfield news. We will return with more developments soon.

"Since your blind, I'll help you out. The murdered man is one of Kaivant's. And since I technically got him killed, does that mean I qualify for the bounty or do you plan on giving that sum as Camilla's next allowance?" Yatagarasu's explanation was giddy; nonetheless, his humorous air vanished in an instant, replaced by a serious tone that was unlike his earlier behavior. "Perhaps you are getting too old, Dom. The old you would have never let any of this happen." There was another snap of his fingers that formed a glass mirror directly at his rear. He fell backwards into his milky surface, all while mouthing his final words--a single phrase that lingered on the air with the heavy consequence that associated its context.

Oh and...she's still alive you know...The Couturier of Existence...

 

[Depresso Espresso]

Diana Young
(Tags Boss Solemn Jester )
Diana let out a sigh in annoyance before looking at the two, "I hope you understand trying to obtain money without a set limit is harder than you think, I was just told "Pay your dues" then you both buggered off. I was fully intending of staying out of whatever messed up situation this was, as far as I can tell being allowed to use hosts to hunt down people is apparently unheard of here from the reaction by everyone. Your "Dues" will be payed when the number comes in the mail, but sure, until I pay that number I'll work for you," She spoke in a blank tone with a sort of poison like tone directed at the two of them before she looked at Tom, turning her gaze back to the two people in front of her again, "And mind you, I got out of the killing business a long time ago, so your giving me weapons if you want me to hunt down anyone." She said once again in an annoyed tone, sure she had her metal arm which would be enough to kill a normal person but from what she could tell she would be hunting Hosts. Not some run of the much gangsta overdue on his protection money. Things would get messy. Fast.

Axel. I hope whatever messed up thing your doing in Limbo is finished quickly. I've got hosts breathing down my neck looking at me like I'm lunch. I could seriously use some of that firepower. She thought in her head as she kept her cold gaze on the people in front of her, she didn't even know if Axel could hear her, but she sure as hell hoped she did.​

 

[Boss]

Hot Pursuit
Camilla Ferrari | Lucy Black | Ezekiel Kokinos​

11:00AM
Brookfield | Downtown
Two blocks from Lucy's apartment​

Ironically enough, the way Brookfield's citizens breathe life into an otherwise chaotic and dangerous city in just under a day could be classified as supernatural in of itself. Lucy's grocery run was filled with numerous mishaps, from watching a small squadron of Dominion drones race over the street she lived on down to witnessing a petty argument between two drivers caught in a fender-bender. To the average tenant in Brookfield, these were indications that Brookfield was still the same, even despite the odd lightning storm just a day prior.

This also meant that Brookfield's underground remained rampant as ever. Lucy's usual route back from the store utilized a street less traveled. It was quicker and less claustrophobic than taking a larger, busier road. Unfortunately, this meant that her path was a lot more dangerous. Swift hands yanked Lucy into the darkness of an alley she walked by, leaving nothing but her bagged groceries to lay across the pavement.

Lucy's options for movement were reduced to zero as she was pinned against a brick wall far enough away from the pavement that the average commuter wouldn't see her or her attacker. A large, gloved hand covered her mouth to prevent her from screaming or alerting anyone. "Shout and I'll gut you." threatened the masked lowlife as he backed off from Lucy and pointed a handgun at her. "I want everything. Wallet, cards, jewelery - that fancy lookin' watch of yours, too. Come on, hurry it up!"

Emerging from deeper within the alley was a new individual. A female with many speckles of blood caked over her clothing. She dragged herself toward the mugging, yet was completely unresponsive to what was transpiring before her. "Hey kid, stay where you are!" the man shouted, turning his gun toward the new arrival. She was a couple dozen feet away now. "Did you hear me? I've got a gun!" the thief shouted as the girl continued to approach. "H-hey I'll shoot!"

Panic overcame the man and forced him to pull the trigger. The muzzle-flash lit up the sun-deprived nook in the block - the girl's body disappearing with it.

The loud gunshot brought about an eerie silence after it. The gunman stood, frozen for a moment, as the girl was now on the other side of him, walking towards Lucy's dropped baggage like a zombie. The thief fell over, his head having made a complete 180 degree turn in the other direction.

The girl fell into a sudden coughing fit that kicked out blood. Although she disappeared, she didn't dodge the bullet that was fired, as evident by the ever-growing blood stain in her gut. The girl lost strength in her legs as she fell down just short of the bags she was after, her raspy breathing a sign that she was still alive for the time being.

 

[TerraBooma]

Samantha: Rogue Spirit?
​

As the lightning storm raced across brookfield, a single trail of darkness seemed to amble after it. Too quick for the average person to pick up, but moving at a snail's pace compared to the two speedsters that it was following. Samantha's orders hadn't changed since Sam had given them to the spirit: Look after Camilla, and keep her safe from harm. The spirit was concerned by a lack of connection to Sam...she supposed the sharks or one of her other siblings might have panicked, but she enjoyed the sense it gave her. It felt...interesting. The spirit lingered around various different spots in her chase after Camilla. A car damaged, walls that had been blasted through. The marks of a speedster battle. She knew of course there was no way she was going to catch up to the two of them mid fight...but she was marked onto Camilla. Like a kite being dragged in the wind, she'd eventually find her way to the source.

So she sped along in relatively slow speed until she smelled it- the unmistakable tang of blood...and a lot of it. As a summoning of Cetus, Samantha enjoyed some of the aspects Sam possessed. For this case, the iron tang of blood filled her nostrils, and the ethereal woman blinked in surprise. She hadn't been expecting that...she doubled her efforts. Ghosting through the night and passing through walls without any sense of difficulty. She found the body of the Chinese Dominion member...and hovered around it for a few seconds. So the girl was able to take him out? That surprised her. The other man had experience and from what she could tell, a speed advantage...did he underestimate her? She felt pity for a fraction of a second but frowned. No...she imagine she'd have done the same. The girl was only a child after all...or so she appeared.

Regardless, Samantha could only hang around for so long. She felt the pull move further away, and continued her travel towards her charge. She arrived on the scene through the alley wall. Darkness coalessing into her humanoid form. A middle aged woman with raven-black hair in a ponytail and green eyes. Wearing a biker jacket and jeans. She shimmered slightly as she stepped over to Camilla, examining her. For a moment, she thought she was dead, but the raspy breathing gave away the life still fighting inside her. A wound then...Samantha went to flip her over to check, but she was only capable of becoming corporeal for moments. Enough to make a strike or deflect a blow meant for someone, but carrying Camilla was out of the option. She looked over to the girl she had ignored when she stepped into the alley. A short one...the spirit hoped she was amiable.

"She's been shot. I can't help her...my specialty is preventing injury, not healing it. You need to staunch the bleeding and get her somewhere indoors. This place isn't safe. I am counting on you. Please assist." Samantha nodded to her.

 

[Randomfella]

Lucy Black
Brookfield | Downtown 11am​

Arms stretching freely, Lucy awoke with glee. It had only been a couple of days, but finally getting uninterrupted rest felt like a blessing. Slowly moving her body over, the short girl picked up her phone, gradually bringing it to her face. "How long did I sleep for!?" She thought to herself, it was clear her body needed it after all of the stress the day before brought. Fixing her watch, Lucy prepared to leave, another task she now had to do after her parents disappearance, grocery shopping. For most it was a simple chore, but for the young woman it was more of a nightmare, wading through crowds and staring eyes, the possibility of strangers approaching. Still, it only made her think back to them, to what she would do. After she had gotten all she needed, which was not a great deal to be honest, Lucy made her journey home. Lucy made sure to avoid the busy streets, normally carrying nothing on her to avoid any unwanted attention, though she had no intention of removing her supposed life-saving watch.

Eyes opening wide in shock, a gloved hand smothering her mouth as a sudden force pulled her into the alleyway, her shopping dropping to the ground with a sudden sound of cracking eggs and other goods. She couldn't scream, even if she had wanted to, frozen in terror for a short moment as the man backed up, pointing the barrel of his handgun toward her. "I-I..." She began to mutter in a fearful whisper, shivering eyes glancing to her watch, before looking back toward the mugger.

Lucy didn't even notice the approaching girl at first, stuck in a fit of shock and fear, only moving her gaze as the gunman turned to face her... It all happened so fast.
Lucy's ears rang as the flash of the muzzle erupted before her, it was almost as if the strange girl wasn't there, Lucy's breath coming to a stop momentarily. The man before her now gazed behind himself, his body firmly in place as his neck had twisted, his limp mass falling with an intense *thud*, the strange girl moving toward her bag as if all life had been sapped from her body.

The sudden coughing snapped Lucy back into the moment, the short haired teen coughing up what seemed to be evident all over her clothing, before collapsing by Lucy. She wanted to run, to go back to the safety of her home, forget any of this had happened... But she couldn't. Lucy approached cautiously, yet with haste, gradually moving a hand toward the girl. What had just happened? It was as if she had stopped existing for a moment, like she was a figment of Lucy's imagination from the start, and yet here she was, bleeding out from the wound in her core. Nervously, Lucy brought her other hand toward her watch, finger vibrating above it hesitantly, eyes staring to the stranger. She was almost familiar, like Lucy had heard of such a figure from somewhere, yet she had no idea from what, removing it from her mind. She had probably just panicked, and missed the girl's movements, her wound justifying the possibility a normal girl had suddenly come by... And twisted a man's neck effortlessly... Lucy didn't have time to dwell on it as she moved both hands to the attention of the stranger.

"A-are you okay?" Lucy whimpered pointlessly, it was clear the girl wasn't. "I... I'll call an ambulance." She muttered, before flipping her phone out with one hand, and slowly pressing the other toward the girl. Moving her free hand toward the girl's gut, pressing against a slosh of blood and fabric, pushing down as hard as she could, barely a noticeable pressure to most, as her other hand dialled the number. An expression of shock and concern was clearly flooded over Lucy's face as she pressed downward, the bottom of her own clothing now splattered with the stranger's blood, barely able to breath. Once again it seemed she had no idea what was going on, and no clue if she was doing the right thing, yet she pressed on.

Boss silverlinedmist

 

[silverlinedmist]

A new day after the tensions of the summit breathed new life into Zeke, who was still practicing with his newfound powers. He was thankful he didn't have to put them into practice the day before, but some part of him still wished he would have gotten the chance to show off a bit, especially in front of that one jerk who kept taunting him and the Boss. His arms turned to ice at the thought, his eyes glowing blue as the heat escaped his body, and the room warmed up considerably. A stream of steam slowly escaped his lips as he exhaled, focusing hard on the feeling of being cold- or lack thereof. The ice melted off his body, steam rising from his arms as he walked to the door, shouting to Bastion and whoever else was listening that he was going out for a while. They knew how to get in contact with him if they needed him, and he desperately needed a latte right now.

However, his walk was not so peaceful as his desire for coffee. It wasn't long after leaving the club that he felt very odd feelings, almost as if something was pulling him in a certain direction. He could only assume these feelings were from Oronin, as his voice seemed to echo in his mind without speaking any words to him directly. Zeke could hardly pick up what it was Oronin wanted him to see so badly, but he could tell it was strong, and important. Hesitantly, Zeke followed the path, feeling the pull getting stronger the closer he got. Within minutes, he arrived at the scene of a young girl falling over, bleeding badly while two others stood by, looking to help. The younger girl got down to press against the wound, pulling out her phone to call an ambulance. Her words struck some sort of chord in Zeke, or maybe Oronin, and immediately he stepped forward and gently grabbed the girls hand to pull the phone away from her face. A look of alarm was painted onto his face, mirroring the concern in the girl's face. He paused, gently taking the phone away from her and setting it down, making sure the call was disconnected. It took him a moment to realize why exactly he did that, but after looking at the face of the wounded girl on the ground, he immediately knew. The word zodiac echoed in his mind, and suddenly he knew he had to get her out of here. His orange eyes glanced between the older woman and the young girl, putting a finger to his lips. The woman seemed almost to be not of this world, but he couldn't place what it was about her that put him off. Then, his eyes locked onto the girl.

"I don't know what happened here, but you have been brave to stay by her and hold down her wound. The ambulance would not be able to help her. I can, and I know people who will help." He looked back down to the wounded girl, checking her pulse and wondering if she could hear him speak in the first place. He gently pressed down on her wound, noting how quickly the blood was seeping through. He might be able to cauterize it, but he couldn't do it here. Without hesitation he picked her up, his mind starting to wander to the reactions of the people back at the club. Would he be in trouble? Zeke shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think about it, especially since his Zodiac pulled him here for a reason.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure she's alright. You, uh.. Go somewhere, away from here. Okay?" He had almost asked if she wanted to come with him. The look on her face made Zeke feel bad, bad enough to just bring her back to where he knew they would all be safe. But the question in his mind arose, would he be putting the others in danger by doing so? Taking this injured girl was risky enough already. He wasn't even sure if this other girl was a host or not. It would be a bad idea. Zeke offered her a smile, perhaps the most sympathetic and sincere smile he'd ever given someone, as he turned to take her back to the club.

"Don't worry."

 

[Azukai]

TerraBooma

World of ICE

It was somewhat pitiful watching the villagers attempt to defend themselves. The goblins were far from a potent threat, yet even still they seemed to struggle against the mobs whose levels ranged from one to three. Above each of the goblin's heads was a small user interface that depicted not only their level, but also a health bar which remained under thirty. All in all, it was a standard experience straight out of a mmorpg, but unlike playing it on a console or PC, it was far more realistic to witness the violence first hand. Humans screamed as the goblins rushed them with their pikes, as did the goblins who were slain in a similar fashion. It was a violent battlefield, though the humans were at a clear disadvantage given their lack of numbers compared to the horde of goblins.

There was a series of low snarls as a set of five goblins noticed Sam as a newcomer to the battlefield and immediately made a beeline his way. Two of the goblins were armed with a long-range pike crafted from bone, whereas the remaining three were armed with a shield of similar material. They were ugly creatures defined by green, heavily wrinkled skin, and most had a series of wart-like lesions that were oozing a purple, grotesque pus that brought a new definition to foul-scented. Much like the humans, the language that they spoke was indistinguishable, though it was obvious that they were hostile by the way they circled around him and announced intentions with a high-pitched battlecry.

It was clear they were not ignorant, instead somewhat intelligent by the way they utilized strategy in their approach. The pike wielding goblins remained at distance and prepared themselves for any openings Sam might leave; whereas, the shield bearing goblins quickly closed in--their shields pointed outward as protection for their brethren.

"Dia!!!" One of them screeched, before a pair of spears were thrust through the openings between the three shields.

Limbo

The roar of waves thrashed against the harbor and sent a torrent of water up and over shore. There was a thunderstorm in the area and as a result, the sea was far more violent than the norm. Bolts of lightning scattered through the sky and struck against the surface of the water in a brilliant display of nature's power. Yet despite these facts, the festivities of the night continued on. At the harbor's edge was a medium sized structure that was in overall haphazard shape. Numerous wooden panels were either missing or falling from the foundation of the building, while the splash of the towering waves brought torrents of chilly water pouring in. Flickering lights provided a gentle illumination that spilled through the openings of the buildings and cast shadows of the rowdy figures who were busy dancing and roaring from within.

Cetus' limbo was a unique experience, given the series of non-Zodiac spirits who remained in their personal purgatory as the servants and friends of the host, herself. They chose this life, enjoying the interactions of their past lives and the endless tap of gin and rum which filled the drums that were holstered behind the bar. During the day, they tirelessly hunted the mythical creatures of the endless sea; whereas, during night, it was a endless party until the sun rose, and the cycle of the lives repeated once more. Tonight was no different--alcohol filled the air and spurred the heated emotions that led to humor-filled bar fights and the roaring cheers of those who remained at peace. Everyone was happy...unaware...

The sea itself was filled with a plethora of bizarre creatures ranging from krakens to a pair of megalodons and more. Of course none of them were real--most being ethereal creations of the limbo itself, while some, like the megalodons, remained the personal spiritual servants of Cetus. If anything, the sharks were the unofficial guardians of the sea and aggressors against anyone foolish enough to invade. They were equipped with razor-sharp teeth capable of piercing through the hardest of defenses, and immortality that remained tied to their master's life. But did any of it any matter?

There was a rumble of thunder, a flash of lightning, and a reverberating thud as the body of a megalodon crashed into the harbor and shattered the wooden walkway amongst several boats. Overall, sound was dulled by the pouring rain, but the unmistakable whines of pain were audible even still. The shark's skin was seemingly whithered and its body was covered with a series of deep wounds and torrents of blood began to spill into the water. Under normal circumstances, the wounds would immediately begin to heal, yet today, that was not the case. The whines grew louder, as did the labored wheezes. Both, which signaled the oncoming death that seemed entirely impossible given the location and the current safety of Cetus herself. Cackling laughter soon filled the air, and in the far distance, standing on the water, was the the figure of a cloaked figure with an oversized scythe in one hand and an hourglass in the other.

 

[mikyuu]

Lynn Silverstein​

For once in her life Lynn was overcome with excitement for being called on during class. She could hardly believe her luck. Zodiacs were of interest towards Lynn due to the fact they were a main factor to her friend's death, while her long search was over, they still came to interest her. The whole idea of zodiacs made to logistical sense, there was no science that she's read so far that could provide the reasoning of their existence. It more on the spiritual side of life's understanding than the physical form, but regardless it still exists. Nervous jolts of excitement course throughout her body as she meekly made her way up to the front of the room after class was over. The other two students who were also granted the honor to be able to visit the facility were already waiting by the desk. The asian male seemed to be smiling brightly with pride at his chance of going on the tour. The other girl who was also called seemed to share the same nervous excitement that Lynn was experiencing.

Lynn rubbed the back of her hand gently trying to calm her nerves as the Doctor finished packing the last few items he brought. No words could explain her excitement but she didn't want to freak out and make a complete fool of herself (not that she hasn't done that already). Normally she would freak out like she'd just seen one of her favorite video game characters in real life, but she didn't have the confidence to show others the geek side of her. Nonetheless she hoped that the trip would be an experience she could greatly benefit from and hopefully use the knowledge in the future.

 

[Azukai]

There was a new trend happening across the nation, and it was no surprise that residents of Brookfield had begun to adopt it as well. One of the key societal changes that had occurred after the annoucement of Zodiacs was the deconstruction of religions that people had held true. The very existence of a Zodiac defied the ideals of most theologies; thus by deduction, proving them false. Of course, this did not mean that everyone had given up on their beliefs. To some, the Zodiacs were the temptations of evil, and by resisting the allure of the supernatural, their faith, in turn, grew stronger. To others, the zodiacs were akin to gods and as a result, new religions and worships began to sprout. In many cases, these new religions were blind faiths from the perspective of the worshippers. Zodiacs themselves were nothing more than a culmination of ideals and the desire to exert them upon the earth. As such, they were not only deaf to the prayers of their followers, but also void of any will to care. In some rare cases, however, entities were born with the capacity of godhood, and the recent trend was a prime example of such.

The House of Nephthys was peculiar group of faith that originated out of seemingly no where. It was almost as if people had woken up for the day and chosen to join in this new found religion. They were easily identified, primarily by their choice in garb--a thick cloaked robe with a single ankh amulet that buttoned the two halves together at the upper sternum. By all mean, they were a peculiar sight on the streets of modern day society, and in some instances bullied by crasser individuals. Many of cases, however, they were warmly welcomed for their kind nature and modest deeds. All around the nation, members of Nephthys were activists of charity and sacrificed their body, money, and time to provide for the less fortunate in society. That being said, not everything about them was painted in a positive light. There were several layers of suspicions surrounding the organization--especially from the government and Dominion who regarded the House of Nephthys with layers of paranoia. Unsightly rumors and unknown facts left them shroud in an air of mystery. In particular was a rumor that associated them with Zodiac energy, primarily for acts of mysterious healing and an outlet for assisted suicide. Nonetheless, there were no documented incidents stemming from the house or its members, just as the latter demonstrated no connection to any hosts or Zodiacs. As such, they were free to populate society and continue to grow at the rapid rate they did.

~~~~~~~~~~

Boss silverlinedmist Randomfella

"Perhaps, my services could be of use in this situation?" The voice was soft spoken and somewhat distant, stemming from a cloaked figure who was approaching Zeke and Camilla from just up the street. Based on the color of her robe and the ankh that was present, it was obvious that the woman was a member of Nyphthys. She was a motherly figure, her overall aura defined by a general warmth and desire to help. The hood of her cloak was lowered from her head, revealing the strands of brown hair that were pulled into a lazy ponytail that hung around her neck. Her expression was gentle and her smile, though they quickly shifted to concern once she saw the injuries Camilla had sustained. "My word, she needs immediate help. I do not mean any offense by this statement, but we at Nephthys can provide that what she needs, better than you can, lost brother in spirit." The woman fell motionless several steps away and made no move to approach any closer; nor did she attempt any further pressure against Zeke. She simply stood, patiently awaiting the answer he would give.

 

[silverlinedmist]

Zeke stopped in his tracks at the voice in front of him, looking to the figure and immediately recognizing who she was. Prior to recent events, he would have just outright ignored her due to the suspicions and rumors that spread about her religion. He had heard plenty of them, and grew especially wary of the group and people like them when he discovered how suspicious the Dominion was of them. Though the acceptance of being a host and having his own power convinced him to at least stop and listen to her. However, her words were not convincing enough for all his doubts that crept into the back of his mind. Zeke held the girl tightly, shaking his head softly at the woman before him.

"I will help her. I thank you for the offer, but something tells me I shouldn't hand her off to a stranger right now," disregarding the fact that he, himself was also a stranger. Oronin had pulled him along towards her for a reason, and he planned on figuring out why that was. Looking at the woman raised more questions the longer he looked at her, specifically why she called him lost brother in spirit. It could have been meaningless religious mumbo jumbo, but he couldn't help but shake the feeling that it was a bit more than that. His only conclusion was that he had grown far too paranoid in the past few days.

However, now was not the time for such questions. She was right, this girl needed immediate help, and he planned on helping her. Zeke stepped to the side, walking by the woman, and not taking his eyes off of her until he was well past her. His brow furrowed as he quickly got back on the path to the club, mentally preparing himself for the backlash from bringing a bleeding stranger in from off the streets.

 

[TerraBooma]

Sam Sarith: Village Defender
​

Sam frowned as the 5 goblins advanced down on him. Those weren't odds he liked, and the fact that he was without his powers left him even less inclined to take this into a long and prolonged fight. Even if these goblins weren't expert warriors, their tactics would have him skewered if he let them just pressure him. Instead, he favored a more aggressive approach. He might not have the capabilities of his old normal self, but an offensive was more than within his means. He let out a battle cry of his own. No words, just a primal scream to intimidate his foes. These goblins would be expecting him to react like the other villagers. Cower, fight defensively, and not have much of a plan.

They were very very wrong.

Sam darted forward, scooping up a cup of dirt in his hand as he ran. The shield goblins were trying to surround him, so he wouldn't let them. Diving towards the one on the right side of the group, he threw out a clout of dirt and other roadside grits. He didn't need it to blind the goblin, just distract him long enough to break through. Sam's sword flashed outward, parrying any strikes that the blinded goblin made and coming down onto the goblin's head. With one down, Sam moved on to the pikemen. Their range was only as dangerous as Sam allowed it to be, and he knew fighting up close was his best chance. As a strike came out, he darted to the side. Unfortunately for Sam, this form just wasn't as agile as his usual self, and the charge resulted in the tip of the spear flying just down the side of his face, scratching his cheek but avoiding any serious wounds. With the range closed, Sam kicked at one of the spear wielders before bringing his blade down on the other twice. He bent down and grabbed another clout of dirt, tossing it back into the faces of advancing shield wielders. He then turned back to the spear user, and pushed forward, parrying a strike and bringing his blade into the goblin's body with a sharp jab.

After finishing off three of them in quick succession, Sam looked back to the hopefully rather blinded shield gobbos. Blood dripping from his sword, Sam gave a dark stare, placing both hands onto the hilt, he let out another cry and charged, attempting to finish each of the goblins in one fell swoop each.

Azukai
----------------

Samantha: Spirit Seperated
​

Finding herself relatively ignored. Samantha was content to continue following her charge. She didn't speak much, trying to gauge the others. Sniffing the air. From what she could tell they were mostly human. Their scents indicated as such. The man who'd come into the alley after her...he had a hint of something though. She couldn't quite place what. She found herself staring at him for a few seconds every now and again. Trying to place it. It didn't help that her experience in this world was somewhat limited. Samantha as a spirit only got to really enter the world when Sam brought her into it on a summon. And even then, she was rarely kept around for long...but Sam wasn't around to dismiss her in this context, so she was stuck for now. It seemed that the mortals were debating where to take her. Trying to decide who could help best. A good sentiment, but not something Samantha could really afford to be debated about. She walked ahead of Zeke, eye's back to the group, she stared silently for a few seconds before speaking.

"All of you. Who's residence is closest? We will go there. I fear she will not last long without treatment. In absence of answers, I concur with the odd smelling one." She motioned to Zeke. "This place you are taking. It is close yes?"

Azukai silverlinedmist Randomfella Boss

----------------

Cetus: Guardian of the Endless Soiree​

From the entrance to the tavern, a figure suddenly burst out. A woman clad in the garb of a shark, a snarl on her face. Spirits and other figures trailed after her as she darted out, standing on top of the water and balancing ontop of a single foot. Her hand manifested a harpoon in one hand, and a series of electrified cable in the other. She gave a predatory stare to the figure who attacked her limbo. Cetus was clearly enraged. The storm around them began to swirl as the waters became more turbulent as Cetus summoned the entire Limbo in defense. The megaladons and sharks and other sea creatures began to circle, floating around in various angles. From the docks themselves. The spirits began to act. Grabbing a variety of weapons from seemingly nowhere. The Soiree doubled both as Cetus' limbo and a resting place for hundred of wayward souls happy to drink and party their afterlife away. And they all produced weapons based on different time periods. A man garbed in leathers produced a bow. A man in a WW1 Uniform producing a Lee Enfield, and others still producing everything from knives to harpoons to laptops. A younger spirit approached the shark and pulled out some bandages. Attempting to save the somehow mortally wounded spirit. The soiree accepted anyone who found it, but it tended to be occupied by warriors and soldiers. Two spirits seemed to follow her out onto the water. Wearing modern garb that was similar to Samanthas. Two men stood behind Cetus acting almost as Lieutenants. Even in the afterlife, her brothers had her back. One stared at the mysterious figure was a calculating, analytical deadpan look. The other had a wild glare and licked sharp teeth.

All while the limbo sprung to life, Cetus didn't break her gaze on the strange figure. She'd summoned everything in an anger, and was mroe prepared to use it. The absence of Samantha and Sam were odd, but she figured they simply were fighting the dominion and needed elsewhere. She made a note to apologize for a harpoon shortage later. Eventually, a feral growl escaped her lips, eventually forming into words.

"You got a hell of a lot of nerve attacking the soiree. State your business, and get the hell out." She crouched low, clearly prepared to fight if need be. "Or be prepared to get kicked out."

Azukai

 

[Boss]

Fragile Alliance
Tom B. Stone | Diana Young | The Clown​

11:00PM
Brookfield | Red Light District
In vehicle | Stationary​

The sound of Diana's car humming idly was the only noise present inside the vehicle other than a recorded message being broadcasted over her phone's speaker.

".. Your new boss' biggest concern is the safety of his daughter. He believes that the same men who attacked the Blizzards are somehow connected to his eldest child, so before you assume that you're on babysitting duty, just remember that there's a chance she may be held captive against her will. Don't take this job so lightly. There's a list of people for you and your men to question if they've seen the girl. Some of them may not want to talk to you, but just tell them you work for us. They might test you, but you'll manage. Call this number back if you have the girl."

The recorded message ended, leaving with it the list of names and addresses Angel mentioned.

Recipient

them

Kaiden Brooks 202 Jefferson Rd. He oversees a small drug trafficking operation, owes us money.

them

Orlando Mendez, local pimp and owner of a stripper joint called Love's End. Kind of a tool, this one.

them

Patrick West, a beat cop on our payroll. You can find him harassing the locals near the mall.

It was possible that any of the leads Angel gave could have seen Dominic's daughter between the lightning storm yesterday and the present. It was up to Diana, Tom, and Clown to come up with a decision on who they'd visit first.

 

[Azukai]

TerraBooma

Cetus' Limbo

There was no response from the mysterious figure. Emotions were meaningless as well; the cloak remained fixated over its face and shrouded any expressions that it might have shown. Every second that passed, the offensive line grew stronger--creatures of the sea swarmed to the area, while humans lined the beach with their weapons of choice. That being said, none of this seemed to faze the intruder; if anything, it led to a burst of cackling laughter, albeit drowned out by the roar of the storm and sea. At the height of the hysterics, the hood of the figure was flung back by a potent gust of wind, to reveal a feminine figure whose notable attribute was her deranged appearance. Messy strands of blonde hair fluttered in the wind, while crazed eyes fixated on the offensive with twisted expressions of joy. In a single motion, she swung her scythe around her body, using its skull-clad head as a source of momentum that carried the weapon in a smooth double arc. Bellows of flame erupted along the path of the scythe and evaporated the water surrounding her feet and in the air. Immediately, her presence was lost behind the cloud of mist that began to spread throughout the area; though, she quickly forfeited her shroud and burst forward in a superhuman sprint. There was undoubtable power behind the force of her movement, though her motions remained graceful in light of her spry, playful step. Only the tips of her toes ever touched the surface of the water, before her body was sprung forward in a wide-stretching arc.

At her original location, the only threats were the creatures within the sea; however, the fact that she was approaching meant the human spirits were now in range. Nonetheless, there were no signs of hesitation as she grew closer to the shore, until the ultimate realization was made painfully clear. On the pile of wreckage at the shore of the beach, the injured megalodon screeched heavy bellows of pain, as dozens upon dozens of shadow-like tendrils erupted from the center of its body and began grabbing any spirits that were within its vicinity. The moment a tendril made contact with their body, their very existence began to melt away--the remaining essence absorbed into the countless monstrosities that only continued to endlessly consume. All around the corpse and tendrils, the sand began to shift in an upward swirl that began to take shape. Gradually over time, a behemoth-sized hourglass was formed in the air, floating, as its snow white sand began to fall into the half of the mysterious glass.

Back on the sea, there was a large splash of water as the intruder flipped herself into the air and began an acrobatic twirl towards Cetus' location. Using the momentum of her spin, she brought the blade of her scythe hurtling towards Cetus.

 

[Randomfella]

Lucy Black
Brookfield | Downtown 11am​

Pausing as another stranger approached, Lucy could only watch as he began to stop her call and pick the girl up, too nervous to dispute him. Her eyes gazed to the two women beside her, it was as if the sudden scene had caused her to be surrounded. "I-I..." She started to murmer helplessly, but the man was already moving, ignoring the help of the 'holy' woman.

A member of Nephthys, Lily thought to herself. She knew of the good they had done, but also did not see the negative light they had often been painted in, needless to say she did not trust them, or the other strangers surrounding. As for the girl that had saved her, she owed her at least as much to ensure she was safe. Lucy had no idea who this guy was, suddenly turning up, he could be one of the mugger's friends, or even worse...

"O-okay..." She finally answered the man, moving back toward her now partially damaged shopping, still looking toward the three all the while. Her body shivered at the thought of it, but she wasn't about to leave the girl in any of their care, at least without knowing she ended up okay.

Boss TerraBooma Azukai silverlinedmist

 

[Depresso Espresso]

Diana Young
( Tags Boss Solemn Jester Sinny The Fool )
Diana listened closely to the audio recording as her expression was blank, a tsk escaping her mouth as she gave a quick look over the names, shoving the phone into her pocket, "Crimson Hand bullshit. Now we've gotta chase down a daughter of some host prick." She said in an annoyed tone leaning back into her seat a bit more. Her expression holding nothing but an annoyed one, "Head to 202 Jefferson Road, we're going to go see a drug dealer... Time to say hello to a friend after all..." She said smirking lightly at the thought of it before letting out a sigh along with it.

"Axel... Hurry back you bastard..." She spoke in a hushed whisper to herself as she listened to the humming of the car, staring out the window.​

 

[Azukai]

silverlinedmist Boss TerraBooma Randomfella

"Are you not a stranger yourself?" The woman of Nephthys announced with a sigh, directed at Zeke who continued to stubbornly walk away. "I've seen enough to understand that in the current case, you have no more claim over her life than any of us." She pointed towards Samantha who now stood in Zeke's way. "Perhaps, we should listen to the wisdom of the dead. My residence is not far from this location, after she is healed you may debate your claims over her life as you please..." For the first time since her arrival, the woman began to move at a brisk pace and brought her self directly in front of Zeke. There, she began to stare him directly in the eye as she spoke her concluding argument. "...or perhaps you desire her blood on your hands...forever...?"

 

[Solemn Jester]

Tom B. Stone

Tom had suddenly lost alot of his buzz. He found several of the gang leaders to be less than he expected. Unsatisfactory, labdogs to the big bosses. Whether they knew it or not. He could help but admire Dominic. He held the kind of power Tom wanted. But this entire summit showed him there was so much more power to be had. He averted his gaze from the other lost in his own thoughts as the summit went on. It was obvious he currently wasn't important enough to register on anyone's radar as more than a child trying to chime in on an adult conversation.


It seemed everything passed by rather fast while Tom was in his foggy state. As when he did begin paying attention the summit seemed to he over, and they were receiving orders to go track down some girl. Tom wanted to laugh, spit in the faces of these two wannabe biblical entities. They pissed him off, acting so high and mighty when they were just more of dominics lapdogs. At least as far as Tom saw it they were. But he didn't say anything. Just quietly nodded, this was an opportunity. He had intended on performing the raid, but with everything happening he sensed it would cause far more trouble than good. He needed to climb the ladder in this criminal organization. Whatever it took, he sat in his car writing a text to Andrew.

Andrew Orlov

me

Andrew. It seems the gang found out someone was onto them. The cancled the attack. Sorry, but keep the gun. Maybe you can use it next time we work together.

Of course this was a lie, Tom had cancelled the attack himself. But he didn't want the Russian to think he had lied. He actually had started to like his new comrade. He could see him being a useful connection in the future. With his text sent he turned to Diana, his eyes showing he hadn't been paying much attention."Yeah sure. This should be fun, and who knows. Maybe we'll end up gaining some favor with these big wigs. Unfortunately our original plans cancelled. But thats fine, always more opportunities to be had."With this Tom floored it, driving off to 202 Jefferson road as requested.



Depresso Espresso Boss Sinny The Fool

 

[silverlinedmist]

With now two women standing in front of him, Zeke began to grow irritated. He stared the cultist directly in the eyes right back at her, thinking for only a few seconds before speaking. His posture was tense, and didn't relax at his admission of defeat.
"Fine. Heal her. I hope you don't mind a few strangers wandering into your home while you do so." His eyes broke free of the woman's glare, wandering to the other mysterious woman next to him, then the girl not too far away behind them. He turned to her, nodding towards the cultist as he spoke. Zeke could tell from her hesitation to leave that she was concerned about this wounded girl, and though he didn't know the situation, he could at least understand her feelings.
"If you'd like to come to make sure she'll be okay, you can. I'm sure it'll be fine." It was unusual for him to reach out to people like this, but he was drawn to this scene for a reason, and something about her worried gaze plucked at his heartstrings. She was clearly shaken up, at the very least. "Now," he began, turning back towards the cultist with a tone of annoyance in his voice, "Can we go already? She's bleeding out and I don't want to stay around here too long."

 

[Sinny The Fool]

Clown

As the summit seemed to begin reaching it’s close, and despite nothing going quite as Tom planned, Clown couldn’t help but feel relieved that everything was coming to a close and he still wasn’t shot full of bullets, or worse. On top of this, he also gained something he never thought to find - potentially useful clues and information about the Dominion and documents they obtain, the organization itself being of great interest to Clown. On the other hand, he was also able to get a closer look at the important figures of the city, with a great deal of impressive figures that filled the summit floor it was hard for Clown not to feel like a fish out of water. However seeing as he had little choice, being quite literally dragged into this whole situation it looked like he was going to get out of it unscathed and he counted himself lucky. The only question on Clown’s mind now being

‘I wonder if my pay still counts...And the suit...I want to keep the suit'

Following not far behind Tom, fiddling with his hands and twitching his fingers along the way he just hoped their luck would continue to the exit of the building the summit was taking place in. Still being weary of the other roguelike figures in the room. Peeking over the shoulder of Tom “Sooo, I guess it’s on to the next one then? I’m still getting paid right? Oh, and the suit? I get to keep this too, no?”

Interacting with Solemn Jester Depresso Espresso​

 

[Azukai]

Boss TerraBooma Randomfella silverlinedmist

As the member of Nephthys promised, her residence was only a couple blocks away; though residence was a loose definition for the out of place chapel that defined one of the organizations religious congregations. On the exterior, it was no different than a small corner church, and even inside, it felt as if nothing was far out of the ordinary. The interior of the chapel was split into two columns of pews, that provided several rows of seating for its members. Towards the front was a peculiar altar that was embossed with heirglyphic runes, among depictions of an egpytian goddess and her subsequent symbol of an ankh. If anything the only real difference was the number of black-robed figures who abandoned their prayer at the pews and swarmed the entrance upon the arrival of an injured one.

Within seconds, Camila was carefully extracted from Zekes arms and rushed towards the front altar where she was placed upon. As if extensified by the sudden burst of activity, copious amounts of blood began to seep from Camillas wound, which in turn stained the surface of the altar with a bright shade of crimson. Nonethless, the members of the congregation demonstrated little care, even less so as they huddled around the altar, fell to their knees, and repeatedly prostrated themselves whilst chanting in a foreign tongue.

Seconds went by, then minutes, nothing seemed to change for Camilla's state. Blood continued to pour profusely from her wound, while her overall complexion turned pale and ghost-like. It was at this point, however, that the woman from before chose to speak, "Here it is, watch..." As if on cue, tendrils of black energy began to gather around the bodies of the chanters--twisting and swirling, until they eventually took shape into the image of a viper. For a moment the vipers contemplated the girl on the altar, seconds before they lunged and struck her body in various places. The results were immediate--the fatal wound in her gut began to heal, as did the miscellaneous cuts and bruises that were scattered across her body. The healing did not come without a price however. Gradually, the movement of the chanters began to slow and their skin began to wrinkle at an unrealistic pace. It was almost as if their very life force was being wrung from their body and used as fuel for the miracle at hand.

"...beautiful isn't it...watching the balance between life and death happen before your very eyes...it is a rare sight to witness this as an outsider." The woman spoke with pure reverence towards the scene at hand; her eyes were glossed over, almost as if she were about to cry from the emotions that welled within her body. "...but perhaps this is a good experience for you, watching your new friend become one with Nephthys, a sister in spirit and mind...does it not spur your desire to join us in hand?"


------------------

Boss specifically

The experience occurring within the chapel halls was not parallel to Camilla's own. Due to the blood loss, her conscious had long faded from the realm of reality; though she was not lost in void of her mind. Rather, she found herself laying amidst a bed of chilled sand while a blistering heat beat upon her skin. There was a faint whistle from the frequent breeze that swept through the enclosed area; one that was defined as the interior of an ancient chapel that had undergone several eras of withering and decomposition. All around Camilla was copious mounds of sand, though against a particular wall was an occupied throne. There, a woman of lengthy blond hair, sat with a bored expression directed Camilla's way. Her body was embraced by a flowing, crimson robe that was embossed with various hieroglyphs and symbols of an ankh.

"So you are my new kin?" Her voice sounded equally bored as her expression, though she spoke with a sense of authority that exerted herself as a menacing presence. "Then bow before me...as a sub servant of a great Nephthys, your savior in death and giver of new life."

 

[TerraBooma]

Cetus​

The battle line crackled as the mysterious woman moved. A variety of small arms fire followed her wherever she went. A hail of arrows, gunshots, and occasionally a rock thrown by a sling. The line split up, half firing at the mystery woman, and the other group trying to deal with the mysterious shadow entities. A battle was breaking out, but the troops on land could hold back the mysterious plague that seemed to be spreading through their ranks. The sea creatures swirled and leapt up, missing the woman by inches with each passing leap. Harrassing her via scent when sight alone wasn't an option.

Her siblings spread out to fan out and fight in various spots. The calm tactician Jericho fell back to the firing lines and began to command them. Ordering more precise attacks rather then all out but rather ineffective fire. His fingers clicked at lightning speed along the laptop, always keeping an eye on the situation. He was constantly appraising the fight. Directing more troops from either of the two battle lines as needed. Always preparing, trying to predict the woman's movements when he could analyze her. Find her power level, weak spots. That's not to say he wasn't a fighter: A harpoon by his side constantly jabbed out as needed. Expertly parrying any attack that came his way. Should the battle line be pushed back to him, they'd find staunch resistance, a tactician capable of cutting down whatever came his way. The water on the shore started to pull back, but only for a few seconds, as a large wave came up, a tsunami aimed at the mysterious hourglass that formed. Hoping to destroy it before it could manifest any true danger.

The woman would find the path of her assault suddenly halted when a wall of thousands of harpoons shot up and at her. An endless wave of harpoons, extending out from around Cetus to come up and down on the woman like the jaws of a shark. The ocean rose up as the harpoons crashed into it, spraying a blinding seafoam over the attacker. As it cleared, Cetus had charged, entering a full combat stance. She held harpoons in either hand, a furious look in her eyes and a growl errupting from her throat. From her body, 4 wires shot out, floating in the air and as finely controlled as any limb. The wires crackled with electricty as they hit the waves.

Her other sibling, Oliver, began to throw a hail of blindingly accurate harpoons. Compared to the small arms fire from the shore, these attacks were far more accurate and infinitely more lethal. He laughed as he threw them, a wild grin on his face, and he dove into the water between attacks. Once submerged, he moved at astounding speed, and launched a barrage of attacks from beneath the waves. Dark waters obscuring their approach and leaving her only moments to react. The timeline was shortened as Cetus started her attack. Harpoons parrying scythe strikes and wires jabbing from all sides. Should any deadlock occur, Cetus would force it to end by barring long shark like teeth, a 6th weapon to bring to bear should the opportunity arise. Suddenly, she broke from the melee, and a megaladon lurched out of the water, attempting to crush her beneath powerful jaws. If it could pull her beneath the waves, she'd have to deal with more than just the two floating spirits above. A swarm of predatory monsters lurked below, waiting for an oppertunity to strike. Regardless of how the attack proved to fare, Cetus and Oliver's attack was unending, and the small arms fire from the shore gave her nary a chance to rest.

Azukai
-----

Samantha​

Samantha had observed the strange priestly woman with concern as they entered the church. Being long dead herself, she felt...uneasy in the abode. But seeing as they currently had Camilla, she could only follow her in. She was put on high alert as Camilla was placed on the alter. And while she was relieved that their ritual seemed to be healing her...she snarled at the priestess' words.

"This girl is one with herself and no other. Explain yourself." She stepped close to the priestess, growling low, water starting to drip from her fingertips. She seemed on edge, ready to strike. She had every intent to interrupt the ritual and whisk Camilla away if she didn't get satisfactory answers, and it clearly showed.

"Woman. What is your intent. She is healed, and that is to be all." Her eyes narrowed, and the low growl started to become more audible. "You should do yourself a favor, and do not make yourself my prey. Release her at once!" As threatening as her words were, there was an undercurrent of fear in her voice. Samantha had little experience in this world since her death, and Camilla was a connection to Sam, if albeit a weird one. Without her, she'd be stranded in the realm of the living until she could find Sam to dismiss her. Not something she was looking forward to, it was supposed to be a party night in the Soiree. On top of that, all the residents of the Soiree had learned of Camilla growing up, and were quite fond of her through Sam's stories. They'd thought of her as family they'd just...yet to meet.

"The girls' mind must remain her own...I will not allow you to alter it! Explain your actions!"

silverlinedmist
Boss
Azukai
Randomfella

 

[Boss]

Fragile Alliance
Tom B. Stone | Diana Young | The Clown​

11:15PM
Brookfield | Downtown
The Cut | Outside the Deli​

Kaiden Brooks, failed prodigy and a natural for mingling with lowlife. Word on the street was that downtown's local drug dealer had expanded his business into hosting small gambling rings. The address Angel sent took Diana's group to an old deli, it's wide sign along the storefront suffering from decades of abuse as a quarter of it was illegible. From a glance, the business looked legitimate. People were actively coming and going through the store's glass doors. It's frontal walls were also made of glass, making it's interior completely vulnerable to an attack if one took place.

From within the car, they could see a single middle-aged chef assembling together an order that a customer had requested at the front counter. Occasionally an employee in kitchen-wear would surface from the back where the more intricate meals were made. The group could walk in and ask for Kaiden, or look for an entrance around the back of the building.

Hot Pursuit
Camilla Ferrari | Lucy Black | Ezekiel Kokinos​

11:15PM
???​

The chilling gale that raced through the forest of Camilla's mind was her only confirmation of where she was. Ever since her state of mind deteriorated and she bloodied her hands with the innards of Byakko, Camilla remained with her face tucked into her hugged knees, unconcerned with the haunting environment she was in. Suddenly, that gust of wind was gone, and with it came a nearly unbearable heat across the surface of her skin. Her defeated expression emerged from her knees to peer at the sand she sat in. For a moment she dug a hand into the sand, watching it escape through her fingers as if it confirm that it wasn't another fucked product of her mind.

Curious, she stood. For once she had felt an emotion other than confusion and anger, compelling her to survey her new surroundings. Her eyes fell on the blonde-haired woman who stared her down like a lower-being.

"...bow before me...as a sub servant of a great Nephthys, your savior in death and giver of new life."

Camilla's gaze lowered. She felt like she needed to feel fear or oppression in a situation like this, but she didn't. Inwardly she questioned her lack of concern, but outwardly she ignored the woman's demands, and instead countered with a statement.

"I won't bow to you."

Camilla's tone still held the same sorrow and anger as the day prior. She scanned her surroundings once more. It looked like the interior some place of worship which had suffered an overflow of sand. In reality, Camilla was simply not in the mood for being put down as a lesser life-form by bowing. Some part of her told her that she was much, much more than that.

"I'm not your kin, either."

Outside of Limbo, Camilla's body was visibly responding to the events at hand by fidgeting like she was in a deep sleep, trying to escape a nightmare.

 

[Randomfella]

Lucy Black
Temple 11:15pm​

Lucy nodded toward the strange man, cautiously following from a distance all the while, to say she wasn't sure about the whole situation was an understatement. She could only watch as the ritual began, the followers were like something out of a movie with the way they chanted and prostrated, and then... "Here it is"

The woman's words echoed through Lucy's mind, it haunted her thoughts as the commotion took place, she couldn't believe it. Tendrils forming into a horrific vipers, which eventually struck at the girl who had saved her's body. It was as if it had come from one of her nightmares, come to life, Lucy would have pinched herself if she could move her arms. For the moment, however, she simply stood in disbelief.

Lucy wasn't looking at her, yet she could hear everything the priestess muttered, her eyes slowly moving to look at the others from a distance. Hands shivering, the small girl slowly reached over toward the watch strapped to her arm. Her mind was ablaze with thoughts, of what we should do, she watched back toward the other girl as she began to heal from the strikes of the vipers. It seemed they weren't attacking her after all, and from what she had been told about it, perhaps two presses was excessive. Nervously, Lucy began to rest a finger upon it, pressing down a single time.

Boss TerraBooma silverlinedmist Azukai

 

[Azukai]

Limbo of Nephthys | Boss

Bold laughter filled the air as Nephthys rose from her throne and stepped onto the sand which began to swirl around her feet. "You are an impudent child that dares mock the face of a god. Know your place, sub-servant." From the depths of the sand, a golden scepter in the shape of an ankh rose into the air and began to shine with unprecedented intensity. Furthermore, waves of blistering heat began to emanate from the object, almost as if it were the source of the sun's light itself. "Kneel before your goddess." In a sweeping motion, she grasped the scepter out of the air and pointed it directly at Camilla. The surrounding room had no forms of openings or windows, despite its deterioration, which in turn gave Camilla little maneuverability to escape the hundreds of bandage-like tendrils that burst from the sands and rushed her body in a grasping hold. Within seconds, the girl was cast into the likeness of a mummy--her body entirely wrapped, with the exception of her face that remained open for all to see. Rather forcefully, the tendrils partially retracted into the ground and slammed her body against the sand, in a position that left her somewhat prostrated towards Nephthys. "Better..." The woman began with a satisfied nod. "...My essence flows through your body, yet you deny your position as servant...kin to my court. Perhaps, I should remind you that your life...one that was to be lost of your own volition...is in my hands."

There was a pause, soon followed by a wave of energy that began to flow through the bandages and onto the surface of Camilla's skin. There was no pain from the experience, rather a sense of vitality and youth that began to reflect on her very body--her height began to shrink, all while her complexion and expression grew far more childish by the second. Nonetheless, the sudden reversal in Camilla's age did not last long. The semi-positive experience was soon replaced by a draining sensation that began to sap the very essence that had been given moments before. Nephythys did not stop there, however. Camilla's body began to age; her features rapidly extenuated by the sudden growth that soared her past her early teenage years and pushed her closer to a young adult. "How far will you push your youth, before you accept me as your rightful goddess?" Nephthys spoke in a chilling tone that accompanied her cold stare that remained fixated on the Camilla's face which was edging closer to her early twenties.

The bandages which enveloped Camilla's body remained tight and unmoving, giving her little room for any movement apart from her face. That being said, it did not prevent activity of the mind, as her conscious was suddenly invaded by a foreign voice. "Hear my words." The voice spoke in a raspy growl that was somewhat reminiscent of the man Camilla had killed. "Come to me..." There was a flash of energy that stretched throughout the confines of Camilla's mind and thrust her conscious into yet another foreign environment--this one defined by a purple, cloud-like mist that stretched in all directions. Distant rumbles of thunder filled the highly energized air, all while jolts of arcing lightning struck against Camilla's existence at hyper-active intervals. That being said, there was no pain from the assault, rather a comforting sensation that seemingly began to charge her body.

Being that only her conscious was present in the new location, Camilla was unable to move; however, such a limitation soon proved unnecessary as a flickering shadow began to approach in the distance; step by step, until it settled into a seated position directly in front of Camilla. Without a doubt, the creature was majestic--a snow-white tiger with flickering streaks of purple in place of ordinary stripes. There wasn't any sense of hostility from the tiger at hand; instead, a sense of respect and reverence towards the girl whom it inspected with several sniffs and low growls.

"I cannot hold you here long...Nephthys is strong...far stronger than I am. But in the time that I have, perhaps we can come to a mutual understanding. After all, I am without a host because of your sins."

 

[Boss]

Hot Pursuit
Camilla Ferrari | Lucy Black | Ezekiel Kokinos​

11:20PM
???
​

Nephthys' torture was something Camilla had anticipated the moment she set eyes on the entity. In an unfamiliar place faced with an unusually powerful adversary, punishment was something to be expected of, if not instant death. The truth of the matter, however, was that Camilla truly had no idea if she had died in that alley or not. With the state she was in, the girl was not entirely conscious of her actions. What drove her forward for many hours into the night was a primal instinct for survival. Her mind had long since abandoned her when Byakko's soul left his body. In saying this, Camilla wasn't afraid of dying. Part of her yearned for closure - an end to the madness that was the last 24 hours.

With that, Camilla didn't struggle. Her body shrank and her perspective of the world shifted along with it. Although startling, she saw this coming the moment she was bound. This time, her body grew, gaining years over her original age of 17. With the cocoon constricting her, not much was visible other than Camilla's now sharper glare. A second voice interjected her before she could throw an insult, and before Camilla knew it, she was back inside the cage of her mind, or so she thought.

Seeing the tiger and hearing its words made everything clear. Byakko's Zodiac had confronted her in a Limbo much like her own. The same could theoretically be said for Nephthys. It was like the final piece of the puzzle fitting in. Camilla had been approached by two different Zodiacs at the same time.

"..And now you chose me." Camilla threw out her guess as a result of putting two and two together. Obviously, the tiger was much less full of himself than the Egyptian that bound her. Camilla had heard countless stories of how her friends had suddenly appeared in an area they've never seen before, only to be approached by ghastly figures they knew only as Zodiacs. It made since with what Kaivant had said - Camilla hated it though. Zodiacs could never make a contract with another Zodiac, and Camilla was apparently half of that. Realizing her true nature may have opened up her soul like a brand new item on the shelf.

"I saw you before-.. right after I-.." Camilla's shame prevented her from finishing her words, but the tiger knew. "You must need life essence, right?" She asked the obvious. Her expression softened. "Take my soul, then. It's the least I could do to help atone for what I've done.."