The City of Durem - A GM Thread ♦ WALK-IN/OPEN

[Maximos]

Eternal Dirge

Downtown Durem |Cypher's Apartment - Noon

At the end of the world Cypher stepped outside of his ramshackle abode to find Durem unconcerned with its fate. People traversed the street today as they did any day. Gaia as a whole was at home with the concept of cosmic powers doing battle, and the threat unveiled this morning was no different than any other that Cypher had encountered on this plane. Only, it was. Like a bad dream finding purchase in reality, this clash held the future of everything and had come back with a ferocity only matched by the extent the tree had gone too in order to escape it previously. Everything was at risk, and that risk was held back by an ineffable faith and a few hopeful ideas that pronounced themselves in his mind. Aria, Gaia - they could be saved today.

But Aria was too distant to give its regards, and Gaia did not seem to care. The crisp winter air would bite at Cypher's exposed skin as he stepped outside. People meandered by, a group of teenagers stood outside the steps to his apartment building and discussed school life and their crushes as if tomorrow was guaranteed. The only change between the time Cypher entered the building and now, thirty minutes later, was that the sky had gone from its bright morning blue to a dull overcast gray. Clouds were rolling in over on the horizon, maybe it was going to rain today. And when it rained, it poured.

Merchant's District |The Magician Lucillien Dark's Enchanting Magical Emporium - Afternoon

The trip to Maximos' shop was almost entirely uneventful. A few meta-human's clashed. A thief raced out of a store across the street and then down the road and literally blinked out of existence using some sort of magic. As blocks trotted by, the number of umbrellas present on the street increased in direct proportion to the thickness of the clouds hanging overhead and the city as a whole was cast in an iron gray sort of drab hue. The color of concrete and cracked pavement matched the sky above and made the various bright colored signs of the Merchant's District look like dye fighting to be recognized in a world slowly slipping into monochrome. But that was a part of Durem's charm, it's not like it had never rained before. Things would not really seem awry until Cypher made the final turn onto the actual block on which Maximos' shop was located. But even then, this wasnt too strange of Gaia. A third of the street looked as if it had played host to some sort of localized tornado or hurricane. Two cars were immediately visible as being out of place. One was completely upside down, and the other was absolutely perfectly horizontal, only it appeared to have been parked halfway inside the second story of a store. The street was fractured with several circular impact points about the diameter of a basketball, and around these were shock waves of broken asphalt, now just debris. Flashing ambulance and police lights, belonging to ambulances and police cars, screamed multi-color flashes about a hundred feet away from the entrance to Maximos' shop itself. That very same entrance had been devastated. Trinkets and baubles were scattered all over the sidewalk along with a flood of broken glass. There was blood here and there, broken wood and metal. It appeared something had exploded out from inside the store and delivered the display case to the street outside and the wildly across it. Whatever escaped had violently torn up the road, a few neighboring vehicles and judging by the ambulances possibly a few bystanders.

Durem churned on.

True to her word, Lilara was outside of Maximos' shop and on the sidewalk. Just as Cypher's eyes eventually noticed her, he would notice a police officer with a note pad in hand walking away from her. Likely collecting a statement. She had yet to notice Cypher but instead she crouched, away from the glass, beside a boy with black overalls, indigo hair, and a purple and gray striped shirt. She had a sympathetic look on her face, Nocturne reached out and gently touched her face letting his bright pink eyes shine at hers. While the dream god often looked as if his eyes were deep and sleepless, right here and now his left eye was almost home the sort of steep bruising indicative of a black eye. He had a few scrapes on his elbows and knees, a cut on his forehead and cheek, and a busted lip which bled down his chin. Or it would have if he didnt continue periodically licking it. Needless to say he carried more injury than any sort of deity should.

At immediate overview, Cypher's target - the owner of the establishment in question - was not immediately visible or being questioned.

[Damnatus]

arrow Abandoned Fishing Warehouse, Outskirts of Durem

He was about to do something. Have Gem come in with his men and cut them down, or restrained to meet an even worse fate, or even to just throw them out on their Goddamned asses. Zhekell knew he was going to, or ********, even do it himself, but he had not expected the reaction from the sorceress that plagued him so. Whatever point, whatever command or demand that was going to leave his mouth, died on his lips as Raien viciously countered him ahead of time with a verbal retort that struck him utterly silent.

On the other side of the conversation, Karos observed what had been a routine automobile accident become compounded with a bloody freight train derailing and blowing into the wrecked scene. At least, that was what it had the potentiality of becoming. On one hand, though, something akin to fierce approval rose up within the warlock. Karos had no true inkling as to what had occurred between Raien and Zhekell, and it was likely he might never know, but he had a keen sense of gauging and understanding the connections people had with each other. This kind of reaction from Raien was not something she would have had Zhekell only slighted her in some way that was not deep, and personal. Seeing her face the man, despite the threats that loomed over her head, was damned impressive.

Still, as much as he wanted to nod in sage approval of this, there was the issue that she may have flicked the undead's kill switch to 'on.'

Zhekell's frame shuddered, as though under an unseen, unfathomable stress. The fact that there was no sounds of breathing, or any accompanying motions associated thereof, made the silent quaking all the more unnerving. When the grave knight looked back up at the pair, his eyes weren't just glowing figuratively this time, they quite literally were. An indistinct, gray haze wisped up from his eyes, which were narrowed into knife-like slits. Rai's words had struck home in more ways that one, and it looked as though he was going to rupture at any second. Threads of saliva pulled apart as he slowly opened his mouth and finally responded to the sorceress' tirade.

"Leave. Now."

Karos felt as though his bowels were going to erupt out of his sphincter, which had contracted into an infinitesimally small point during the previous escalation. With this ephemeral window of relief and salvation, the warlock nodded emphatically at Zhekell. "Gone. Done. Goodbye." By the time he was saying the second word, he had already hurried Rai out of the room brusquely and with startling alacrity. He zipped by the ranks of thugs and more dubious individuals, ignoring all of their glares, and only stopped when he was some few hundred meters away from the place.

Finally, he exhaled. It was a long, shuddering, cathartic noise as he leaned up against a nearby wall, his legs threatening to give out beneath him. "Next time," he finally began, his mouth dry, "please allow me to evacuate a mile away before you decide to enrage another powerful entity again."

Sins of an Angel

[Eternal Dirge]

Maximos

Merchant District

The trip was long, or atleast it felt that way to the already troubled elf. The city felt dead with its overcast sky and the lack of people as they scattered for different kinds of cover from the impending rain, their numbers diminished despite the existence of umbrellas and the way they sprouted like mushrooms across the city. Cars he avoided, sprinting across crosswalks or through busy streets in a cascade of honking horns and screeching tires, while he simply merged with groups on the side walks to blend in better. Meta-human powers erupted like thunder on seperate blocks and the thief soon found himself relieved of whatever treasures he had taken aswell as being introduced to unconciousness.

Even that brief moment of activity and acquisition wasn't enough to produce even the spark of an idea in his head beyond "go on and fight this". Cypher was walking to what was likely the gallows and he knew it and the sting of this was like bile in his throat, a sensation only exacerbated the closer he got to the washed out world of the Merchant district. Colors that would have otherwise attracted his attention instead flashed and flickered painfully at the edge of his vision as he kept his eyes firmly on where he knew the Paladins shop would be. Flickering blue and red lights illuminated the street around the corner of the one he was on, illuminating it like a sad attempt at a horror movie. His steps quickened until it was almost a run, stopping only when he reached the corner and could actually see the devastation.

He let out a low whistle, eyes wide as he eyed both the upside down cars and the divots in the earth, not dug out but true impact points where something powerful or heavy had pushed the ground down further. This may have been Gaia and he may have been somewhat jaded but this was still an impressive amount of destruction, more so when he finally noticed the lack of bodies everywhere. This belonged in a warzone. There should have been bodies and their constituent pieces everywhere but as near as could be seen the devastation was limited like a blast zone. His feet crunched over broken glass and kicked loose rubble and scraps of wood as he moved towards where the shop HAD been, trying not to attract the attention of either gods and feeling guilty as he did so, pausing every now and then to idly scoop up a loose trinket or shiny bauble.

His attempt at stealth was less "don't be seen" and more "don't be noticed", walking as casually as he could while gauping at everything, slipping every jewel and bit into his pockets. Seeing Nocturne knocked around like that was alittle jarring in and of itself, but given the damage to the surrounding area it had to have been a wild attack. A shotgun, not a snipers round, so he felt he could safely rule out the Luminai or so he felt. Familiar thought patterns kicked in as the impasse he had felt with the gods problems became secondary to this new problem. What had he learned? Maximos, that was his name, hadn't liked Nocturne, had infact locked him out of his life, but would he have reacted like this? He needed more.

He was too close by now to remain in any kind of hiding, almost to the building itself and pausing still to scoop up random treasures that caught his eye.

" I leave you alone for five minutes."

This wasn't whispered or shouted, but said at a conversational tone against the backdrop of city noise and the sounds of wounded people before sedation or rescue crews doing what they do best. It wouldn't cut through the confusion but he was reasonably certain they would both hear him despite that. Cypher stuck his head around the splintered wood of the opening that had been blasted in the front of the store to see more of the devastation, sticking both hands in his pockets to keep from taking anything else, aware that his kleptomania had kicked in again by the weight of his pockets.

[MagnusXL]

arrow Noble's District - Moonblade Manor - Gaudy Foyer

themightyjello

"Justice," he answered boldly, an intentional tinge of overconfidence in his voice as he spoke the word. "Traveling hero, defender of the weak and the innocent, and definitely capable of pretending to be a guy everyone thinks is a paladin."

There was a smirk from the magus at that remark. "Quite." Giving his head the slightest of turns, he looked over the railing to the main hall below to try and get a quick glance at the method of Justice's disguise. Alas, one of his servants was currently carting the piece of refuse away. He would be sure that it wouldn't leave his manor without him getting a good look at it. Raising his left index and middle fingers to his temple, he silently contacted his servant familiar.

Freya, make that servant doesn't destroy the object our guest discarded. I want to examine it later.

You have to be more specific. You have a lot of servants.

Letting out an exasperated breath, the somewhat annoyed magus shook his head before turning towards the girl in full to get a better look at her. Not that he had the time to get a good view of her before she exited through another door.

She's short, has blonde hair worn in pig tails. I don't recall her name. Becky? Bethany? I'm sure it's something starting with a B.

You don't have any servants with names even similar to that.

The magnus bit his lower lip, albeit barely; he was beginning to lose patience with his golem.

Look, just shut up and find her. She just entered the east wing. Go around the back and catch up with her before she discards it. I don't want you being seen following her around by our guest.

Moonblade let off a sigh of relief at the lack of response, knowing full well that Freyda would follow his directives to the letter. While this had a tendency to cause him unnecessary aggravation, it had its advantages on occasion. Occasions where he wanted her to be quiet.

That said, he was neglecting his guest over those few moments. Clapping his hands together, he continued his conversation without missing a beat, grinning as though nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

"Ah, but where are my manners? Shall I give you the grand tour while we wait for lunch? You seem to know all about me, but I hardly know a thing about you Justice."

[themightyjello]

arrow Noble's District - Moonblade Manor - Gaudy Foyer

MagnusXL

Letting out an exasperated breath, the somewhat annoyed magus shook his head before turning towards the girl in full to get a better look at her. Not that he had the time to get a good view of her before she exited through another door.

Watching the master of the manor lean over sideways to get a good, hard look at the young maid as she scurried out of the room did little to diminish Ammiel's reputation as a maid-obsessed lech... but that was something they had already moved past so Justice merely laughed and dismissed the action.

MagnusXL

"Ah, but where are my manners? Shall I give you the grand tour while we wait for lunch? You seem to know all about me, but I hardly know a thing about you Justice."

"As you shouldn't," was the masked man's curt reply. "There wouldn't be much point in wearing a mask otherwise. However you are mistaken to think that I know all about you Sir Moonblade, I merely know as much as I do and no more. You were once a public figure in Durem but now you seem to be staying out of the spotlight more often than not... therefore I would not presume to know you beyond what is 'common knowledge' and what we have discussed just now."

The masked hero placed his hands on his hips and turned; ready to take a step either up or down the stairs depending on whether Moonblade wanted to lead one way or the other.

"The alias of Justice is to remove the preconceptions that come with an identity. Were that you knew I was a native of Gambino Isle, or a soldier of Lament, or a past participant of Heaven or Hell... all of these things would give you reason to make assumptions about me. Would you speak to a stranger in the same way that you speak to Sir Kazamaru?"

"Your reputation is far from spotless, Sir Moonblade. I would like to understand whether those spots are deserved."

[Paidi tou Selini]

arrow Red Light District, Eros Nightclub

The tiny girl had a most peculiar talent for seeming like she was looking down on you even while looking up at you. She watched the woman carefully, deciding that this one was trouble, if no small bit beautiful. A good 'ol classic femme fatale, just like so many fiction novels portrayed. Not quite what she'd imagined, what with the pink hair, dopey expressions, and mumbling, but the "real world" had shattered such expectations so many times she'd started to grow used to it. Perhaps she could hold out suspicion that the display was just a clever ruse to put people off their guard. It was working too.

She was halfway to rebuking the woman for touching her again when she noticed that she was being guided back to the bouncer. Curious, she held her tongue. And to great benefit, it seemed, though still a bit insulting. She would have to show the woman she was more than capable of funding herself. One did not live several centuries without learning a thing or two about managing wealth. The second comment, however... oh, she meant to get in trouble alright. The best kind.

She glared intently and haughtily at the bouncer the whole way past him, smart enough not to threaten or gloat when she was finally getting her way, but only just. She might well have a thing or three to say to him on her way out. Assuming she wasn't otherwise occupied. She stared eagerly ahead, feeling the pulses of music swell within her already, the heat of anticipation rising in her cheeks and... elsewhere...

"'Pipsqueak'? she blinked, her tone clearly derisive once more. "It shall be Lady Rachelle to you. I appreciate your assistance in entering this place, but do not think it gives you the right to get cheeky. I am nearly a third on way to my third century. No doubt many times your senior, assuming you're..." she pauses to sniff the woman, just to make sure... "Human, yes, as I thought. And surprisingly classy selection of skincare. Perhaps we might get along after all. Will you be introducing yourself, or do you still intend on mothering me?"

Glory Sieg

[MagnusXL]

arrow Noble's District - Moonblade Manor - Gaudy Foyer

themightyjello

"The alias of Justice is to remove the preconceptions that come with an identity. Were that you knew I was a native of Gambino Isle, or a soldier of Lament, or a past participant of Heaven or Hell... all of these things would give you reason to make assumptions about me. Would you speak to a stranger in the same way that you speak to Sir Kazamaru?"

There was a chuckle from the magus at this. "Ah, but do I not have a different set of assumptions to make about you, a man masquerading as a draconic paladin and hiding behind a non-persona in an attempt to gain entry to my home? I may not be able to come to a conclusion based on your identity or station for I obviously do not know them, but I can arrive to one based on the above actions or the noncompliance in identifying yourself."

In a different time Moonblade may have been more offended that his visitor had withheld their name while knowing his, but instead shrugged it off. He had clearly mellowed out on the matter over the years and was not too concerned about it at the moment.

"Merely a point to consider."

themightyjello

"Your reputation is far from spotless, Sir Moonblade. I would like to understand whether those spots are deserved."

Ammiel gave a dismissive wave at that comment, turning his head to the side as though to not acknowledge it. "Bah. If such is the cost of my seclusion, so be it. I have nothing to explain nor hide from anyone." His tone suggested that he didn't take the matter as serious as another of his standing otherwise might, though the subtle undertone of irritation wasn't wholly directed at Justice.

"At least grant me this." Moonblade's gaze and full attention focused on the masked man, the flamboyancy displayed earlier faded to a degree as the matter was approached seriously. "What is your actual intent here today? Surely you didn't borderline trespass on my estate purely to earn a slot on my team under the guise of my former vice captain."

[themightyjello]

arrow Noble's District - Moonblade Manor - Gaudy Foyer

MagnusXL

"What is your actual intent here today? Surely you didn't borderline trespass on my estate purely to earn a slot on my team under the guise of my former vice captain."

The masked man merely shook his head dismissively at this statement and shrugged his shoulders.

"And why is that so hard to believe?"

Justice cut a grin again in Ammiel's direction; though neither was it a heroic posturing one nor a cocky, taunting one, he was simply amused by how out of place his motivations might seem to others. "Maybe I thought that stealing a spot on the illustrious team Ryugin would guarantee me a place in the winner's circle at year's end? Maybe I was curious about what sort of strange wonders were locked up with you inside of this mage's mansion? Or perhaps I just wanted to see if I could get away with it... being able to infiltrate a magus' stronghold is no small feat after all."

As Justice listed off the possibilities he extended fingers on his hand, counting them up from zero with a pleasant tone. Perhaps his true intentions were among these possibilities, perhaps he was holding back on giving his real reasons, or perhaps all of them played a part in why he was here today... whatever the reason may have been he did not seem displeased with the way that things had turned out thusfar.

"There are a few things that I can say for certain, Sir Moonblade: I was in need of a team with a reliable track record so that I would be able to meet the opponents I am aiming for in the tournament. Your Angaran friend has very loudly announced his retirement from tournament participation, which means that your team is missing one of its core members and will be needing to find a replacement. Therefore our interests overlap, in an ideal situation."

"...and of course, I simply has to meet you and see what all this fuss is about. I seem to recall something about a "slippery Jimbo"...?"

[MagnusXL]

arrow Noble's District - Outside Moonblade Manor

((For clarification, this happens days after the scenario with 'Justice'.))

The spectacle unfolding in Moonblade's huge backyard was an unusual sight. A large column of shifting water hurled a small black-haired child into the over-sized and elaborately planned out pool. Pinching the bridge of his nose with his left hand, the magus groaned in an effort to ease his growing migraine. Raising his right hand towards the apparition, he focused a large amount of emerald energy into his right hand. Steams of mana tickled the air like errant bolts of green electricity.

Emerald Lightning

-Emerald Lightning:
[Offensive Activated Ability / Mystic]
-Cost: 40% to shoot lightning
-Limiter: Somatic Component - Variable (See below)

Bringing his hand inward towards himself, Moonblade channels a large amount of cackling magical energy into his free hand. This large concentration of mana is very easily detected by those with magical or electrical abilities and gives the feeling of a static electric charge to anyone within ten feet. After a 2 second charge time, Moonblade throws his hand forward and discharges the spell in a dazzling bolt of emerald green lightning. Travelling at 80 miles per hour, Emerald Lightning doesn't nearly reach the cataclysmic temperatures or unavoidable speed possible with natural lightning, it still deals damage comparable to that of an extremely high voltage electrical burn and would bring your average person to their knees if not completely incapacitate them for a short duration. While the bolt itself does not overcome electric resistance completely, it can pass through poor conductive materials like rubber to reach the intended target.

*Note: The rest of this ability has been cut out to save post space.

Suddenly the emerald energy jolted from Moonblade's grasp and crashed into the translucent vortex, causing it to erupt into a harmless mass of water in an instant with a thundering ~BOOM!

Not wasting any time, the man hastily walked (though didn't run) towards his near drowning daughter and pulled her out of the pool... only the unceremoniously drop her on her a** beside him. With a look of contempt on his face, he clearly wasn't all too pleased to see that he got his sleeve wet on her account.

"Are you dense or just flat out retarded? It's a water elemental. You can't drain its life force like that." Moonblade placed his hands on his hips sternly. "You're a mage and my heiress, not a braindead simpleton like your mother. Act like it."

Today's lesson was a crash course on elemental affinity and defensive charms.

Deus Ex Aizen

"'EY! MOONBLADE!"

Before his daughter (also dressed as though she could be the purple-clad daughter of an emperor) could so much as mouth a teary-eyed word in protest, a voice came from the front gate and rescued them both. Instead of having his servant answer, he would use this as an excuse to shirk his parenting responsibilities as per usual. Walking towards the house, he muttered to Ira nonchalantly.

"I guess you're due for a break. Have someone fetch you a snack or something and rest for a few minutes." Moonblade looked back over his shoulder towards his daughter. "We will resume your lesson when I return."

Raven would have plenty of time to see the somewhat irritated magus approach the front gate as he crossed his front gardens through the long paved path. She might also note that his sleeve was somewhat damp as he finally reached said gate, though he spoke through it instead of permitting her entry.

"What the hell is wrong with you people? You know, I have a buzzer." Moonblade motioned towards the button near the side of the gate, continuing his speech in a mockingly slow manner. "A Buuuuzzer. It tells me that you're heeeeere." He pointed both fingers down for emphasis. "You could ring that like a human being instead of shouting."

[Deus Ex Aizen]

arrow Noble's District - Outside Moonblade Manor

Raven grinned broadly at the Magus' appearance. "Hey~" She said, clearly appeased by his irritated demeanor. In the very short time they had met (When zealots were not hacking and stabbing and seizing the city), she had come to appreciate his sour attitude. The saucier Ammiel was, the more Raven seemed to be delighted by him, "I'm running errands and I thought I'd run a situation by you, see what you think. It's actually kind of serious." Dropping the kick stand and dismounting her bike, she flipped the lid up and held up a large paper bag triumphantly, "I brought a peace offering." She dangled it in the air before approaching the gates at a leisurely pace. It smelled suspiciously of baked breads and pastries.

"Besides. You're clearly wrong, I've never been here before and I don't know what a buzzer looks like. In my time we don't have those. We yell." She wrinkled her nose and grinned before she added in her idea voice of mockery for Moonblade, "Like savages~" She chuckled at the small game of snarkiness before she looked up at the gates in wonder, "What are these made of?"

MagnusXL

[Sins of an Angel]

arrow Abandoned Fishing Warehouse, Outskirts of Durem

She had nothing more to say after that, and didn’t protest at all when Zhekell dismissed them with a simple spoken command. It had only been two words, but the restrained fury simmering just beneath the surface, threatening to boil over gave those two words such power and force. Were they lesser beings, mundane or otherwise, the grave knight’s imposing presence alone would have driven them away much sooner, never mind the now faintly visible smolder present in his eyes. It became clear in those last few moments before fleeing, that Rai had struck a nerve, touched on a sensitive subject (for both of them) and even perhaps made a greater enemy of him than previously thought.

No use dwelling on that right now, not when they had more than overstayed their welcome and with the undead’s hired muscle looming silently in the backdrop, like hounds waiting for their master to loose them from their cages and set them on the offending guests

If it hadn’t already been well past time to move, it certainly was now.

Scowling ever still at Zhekell, Raien was sure she drove her point home. You don’t mess with us, we don’t mess with you. Hopefully. A last glance backwards into the lion’s den didn’t do much to solidify her confidence in such an idea, but she was an optimist, for all the world of good it did her most times. That tart Gem, seemed especially please to watch them leave, triggering an unwarranted tingle of paranoia to race down the back of her neck and setting her senses on high alert for a moment before they reached the exit.

Home free, they practically burst through the warehouse doors to the outside and didn’t stop until the building was a comfortable distance away from them. While Karos all but collapsed in sweet blissful relief against the wall of another building, doing what he could to contain himself, Rai heaved her own sigh of disappointment. ”That could have gone better…”

Quote:

"Next time," he finally began, his mouth dry, "please allow me to evacuate a mile away before you decide to enrage another powerful entity again."

Raien let herself rest against the aging brick of what appeared to be a condemned housing complex and stole a brief look at the warlock still getting his bearings after such a ‘traumatic altercation’ when a laugh erupted from her unexpectedly.

”Sorry. I’m really sorry. I completely ruined whatever you were trying to do because I let a personal vendetta get the better of me.”

Damnatus

He was about to do something. Have Gem come in with his men and cut them down, or restrained to meet an even worse fate, or even to just throw them out on their Goddamned asses. Zhekell knew he was going to, or ********, even do it himself, but he had not expected the reaction from the sorceress that plagued him so. Whatever point, whatever command or demand that was going to leave his mouth, died on his lips as Raien viciously countered him ahead of time with a verbal retort that struck him utterly silent.

On the other side of the conversation, Karos observed what had been a routine automobile accident become compounded with a bloody freight train derailing and blowing into the wrecked scene. At least, that was what it had the potentiality of becoming. On one hand, though, something akin to fierce approval rose up within the warlock. Karos had no true inkling as to what had occurred between Raien and Zhekell, and it was likely he might never know, but he had a keen sense of gauging and understanding the connections people had with each other. This kind of reaction from Raien was not something she would have had Zhekell only slighted her in some way that was not deep, and personal. Seeing her face the man, despite the threats that loomed over her head, was damned impressive.

Still, as much as he wanted to nod in sage approval of this, there was the issue that she may have flicked the undead's kill switch to 'on.'

Zhekell's frame shuddered, as though under an unseen, unfathomable stress. The fact that there was no sounds of breathing, or any accompanying motions associated thereof, made the silent quaking all the more unnerving. When the grave knight looked back up at the pair, his eyes weren't just glowing figuratively this time, they quite literally were. An indistinct, gray haze wisped up from his eyes, which were narrowed into knife-like slits. Rai's words had struck home in more ways that one, and it looked as though he was going to rupture at any second. Threads of saliva pulled apart as he slowly opened his mouth and finally responded to the sorceress' tirade.

"Leave. Now."

Karos felt as though his bowels were going to erupt out of his sphincter, which had contracted into an infinitesimally small point during the previous escalation. With this ephemeral window of relief and salvation, the warlock nodded emphatically at Zhekell. "Gone. Done. Goodbye." By the time he was saying the second word, he had already hurried Rai out of the room brusquely and with startling alacrity. He zipped by the ranks of thugs and more dubious individuals, ignoring all of their glares, and only stopped when he was some few hundred meters away from the place.

Finally, he exhaled. It was a long, shuddering, cathartic noise as he leaned up against a nearby wall, his legs threatening to give out beneath him. "Next time," he finally began, his mouth dry, "please allow me to evacuate a mile away before you decide to enrage another powerful entity again."

[MagnusXL]

arrow Noble's District - Outside Moonblade Manor

Deus Ex Aizen

"I'm running errands and I thought I'd run a situation by you, see what you think. It's actually kind of serious." Dropping the kick stand and dismounting her bike, she flipped the lid up and held up a large paper bag triumphantly, "I brought a peace offering." She dangled it in the air before approaching the gates at a leisurely pace. It smelled suspiciously of baked breads and pastries.

Moonblade scoffed, though wasn't as turned off to the idea as he lead on. "I'm not so easily bought woman. I can't be won over with peasant-level baked goods." He was partially lying on this sentiment, though still didn't know much about Raven's social status or station. Chances were that he didn't really care much either; he wanted muffins.

Deus Ex Aizen

"Besides. You're clearly wrong, I've never been here before and I don't know what a buzzer looks like. In my time we don't have those. We yell. Like savages~"

The lack of amusement in Moonblade's face was immeasurable. He was to believe that she was proficient in riding a motorcycle, but she didn't understand what a doorbell or an intercom were despite her recent entrance into a high-profile tournament and living in the modern world for more than about 25 minutes. Get real. As a man originally born in the Victorian Era himself, he refused to believe that Raven could possibly be that daft.

He said nothing on the matter however, merely staring at her closed-lipped in disbelief. Uncomfortably. Intentionally making the conversation awkward.

Deus Ex Aizen

She chuckled at the small game of snarkiness before she looked up at the gates in wonder, "What are these made of?"

This prompted Moonblade to open the gates with the push of a button, causing them to swing inwardly to permit her entrance to his estate. "Metal. Perhaps you have heard of it back in your own time?" Ammiel would give her a moment to let that sink in before turning his head towards her as he slowly lead her down the long path towards his manor. "Any other asinine questions?" There was the faintest evidence of a smirk there, one he likely didn't know was even there. A slight extension of the jaw perhaps, but it was unmistakable to one who was consciously looking for it.

[Deus Ex Aizen]

arrow Noble's District - Moonblade Manor

Raven smiled her pleasant smile and stepped away from the gates and breached the threshold onto the grounds of the infamous homunculus, "No. But at least you opened the gates before I eroded them and ripped them off the hinges. I was going to come in whether you wanted me to or not. I just wanted to be nice first." She replied evenly, thrusting the bag into his arms. She was only minimally aware of how things worked with Ammiel, but if he expected her to carry the bag, he was mistaken.

"I can feel your indignation from here, Moonblade," Raven sighed and glanced around as she spoke absent-mindedly. When he remarked and poked fun at her, she just chuckled, "Buzzers sound like they are made for busy people." She smirked at a thought, "Which you are not that. Besides, why would you need a buzzer? Safety? Convenience? Convenience I can understand--if you were busy." She twisted and glanced back at him with a cheeky grin, "Which you are not, though it leaves me to wonder if you're concerned about meeting your enemies at the gate. Aah, but I'm not here to insult you, that's your hobby and I'll leave you to it. I came to thank you on top of everything else." Now she turned on her heel and walked backwards while keeping pace with the taller man. Next to him she was petite, though they were both thin, frail things.

Her expression turned more somber as she went on, "I'm alive in part thanks to you. Thank you for that, really. I lost my unborn child after that incident." By "incident", she of course meant the Tzeentch assault. She heaved a heavy sigh, recalling the gruesome events that happened afterwards, but it was not as revolting as the events that unfolded thereafter, "Someone decided to retrieve it." "Retrieve" was a lofty word to toss around. By all accounts, the child had died. No sex, no name. Just a violently murdered partially-grown fetus. "I think," Raven paused to choose her words carefully, "I think I am dealing with a homunculus."

MagnusXL

[MagnusXL]

arrow Noble's District - Moonblade Manor - Gaudy Foyer

themightyjello

"...and of course, I simply has to meet you and see what all this fuss is about. I seem to recall something about a "slippery Jimbo"...?"

"Aha," the magus remarked raising a finger. "I see that you keep company in the same relative strain of oddity as I do. Quite frankly, I shouldn't be surprised. How is that lumbering oaf doing these days?" Not that Moonblade particularly cared per se, but it did well to keep up the illusion that he gave a s**t about half of the people he made acquaintance with.

Truth be told, he merely wanted to hear Justice's answer for curiosity's sake. It would have changed nothing to hear that he was originally an assassin out for the magus' head; the masked man had proven himself to be far more interesting than Ammiel could have ever hoped. Interesting enough to ensure a slot on the team.

"Of course, there is one gravely important matter we need to handle before anything is official." His voice shifted so that it was almost solemn as he spoke. Leaning over the railing, he let out a heavy sigh. After a momentary pause, the silence was broken by the sudden outburst of a man shouting at the top of his flamboyant lungs.

"Prepare the ring!"

Justice was treated to an over-the-top full toothed grin. It was clear that he didn't have much of a choice; Moonblade wasn't one to take no for an answer.

There was a clamor of excitement from the servant class, most of whom seemed to be entering the scene from the woodworks (excluding those unfortunate enough to be tasked with cooking and serving lunch). While some tried to keep their conversation to a hushed tone, others were quite boisterous with their discussions. The reasoning behind the change in their demeanor would be quite clear: to Moonblade his servants were another audience to amaze and entertain with his abilities and antics.

[MagnusXL]

arrow Noble's District - Moonblade Manor - Front Path

Deus Ex Aizen

"No. But at least you opened the gates before I eroded them and ripped them off the hinges. I was going to come in whether you wanted me to or not. I just wanted to be nice first."

Moonblade took the bag of pastries was a look of mock indignity and shock at her non-audacity. "My golem should thank you for that generous notion." Placing his free hand on his hip, he attempted to return his best impression of her smile. "After all, you've saved it the trouble of taking out the trash."

Ammiel merely rolled his eyes and smirked at the tirade concerning his gate and buzzer. "I have a daughter you impetuous b***h." There was a pause. The comment that could come next was exceptionally cruel even by his standards; retorting with remarks concerning her lost child was beneath him. Which brought him to his first question.

"Why in the nine hells would someone make a homunculus out of your unborn fetus? Unless they really despise you or have a creepy disposition I shant venture to even think about, there are far more efficient sources of material for such a construct."

Not that he was the best source of knowledge on the subject. There were times where he really loathed that his existence as a homunculus became public knowledge. Being trapped in a body that wasn't wholly his own was an embarrassment to the spellcaster, though he was content in the knowledge that people thought it was of his own designs. Let them. He would sooner die than admit that his psyche was transferred against his will. Still, Ammiel could hardly complain about the actual results. His current body was powerful, efficient. The craftsman would deserve praise for their work were they not an insufferable jackass.

Naturally, he would tell Raven approximately none of this. He dispelled the previous sentiments with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Bah. I suppose it really doesn't matter. Before I can purport any ability to solve your..." There was a slight pause as he decided on the appropriate phrasing. "...family issues, I require a little more information regarding the homunculus itself and why it is a problem. Disturbing fetishes of certain sorcerers aside."