Path to Nowhere (14) : There are many parks in Destiny City, and if you’re willing to venture to the outskirts of the city you can find an incredibly vast forest system. It’s unlikely that anyone has explored every inch of the forest, but it’s still odd when a strange path into the forest suddenly appears in an area that you thought you knew pretty well. Where there was once just a wall of trees, now there is a faded wooden board with an old fashioned, thatched roof with a thick layer of moss. Pinned to the board, behind broken glass, is yellowed paper. The portrait of a woman wearing vintage clothes watches you with an eerie smile. A map used to be here; you can see where the corners are pinned, but someone has torn it out. A few dried flowers are pinned to the board. Someone has pinned a message that says ‘DO NOT ENTER’ and ‘DANGER’. The path is eerie but doesn’t appear dangerous otherwise. Dark shadows fill the space between the trees, and sometimes you can make out mushroom covered logs in the distance. Many flowers grow but they all appear half wilted or dying. The path winds on for what feels like forever once you are on it. If you’re lucky you can turn around and find your way out, but once you start walking, the path seems like it forever winds. You can walk until you collapse, or until you fall asleep. If you make it into the heart of the forest, you will find a giant tree with branches so heavy that they droop towards the ground, and a strange, bright-eyed owl that watches you from the branches. It’s too dark to see beyond that; regardless of the time of day it was when you entered, it always appears to be nighttime here. A slow breeze disrupts a sea of half-dead dandelions, and suddenly white wisps swirl around you and your vision fades. Whether you exhausted yourself trying to get out, or if you made it to the heart of the forest, you cannot escape the wave of sleep that falls upon you. When you wake up, you’ll be in your bed but you won’t remember how you got there. You can find the path again, if luck wills it, but all trips end up the same.
The breathtaking scenery, a moonless night, a pathway that didn't seem to end by his own estimation; his breath coming quick, misted in the fog, an exhale of iced air as he nearly skidded on a winding sort of turn. Cryolite was hoping to avoid the jagged, thorny, dead looking bushes that had sprung up out of nowhere, felt himself slip-----
Panicking.
An aura ever in his periphery, trailing, getting closer to catching up and Cryolite knew in the back of his mind that his first mistake had been ignoring the aura that had flickered over his senses at some-less-than-hundred-feet o'clock and far off to his left.
His second mistake, however?
Had been reacting like he was under attack from an imminent threat, like a rip-cord pulled too soon! It was instinctive, to drop the body whose shirt had frozen solid in his grip, to whip around and bless the air with a frosted phrase. He hadn't learned to do it silently yet, didn't have Albites skill, or Faustites natural fire, or even whatever it was he'd seen Fulgurite do that one time! Or had it been two times? Three?
s**t---
It was hard to recall any details while his brain was alight and in survival mode. He was not, in any way, shape, or form a fighter. He was lean though, quick, slender enough that even as the freezing fog enshrouded his form he burst from it like a bat out of hell. He didn't want to waste his energy teleporting tonight, because then he'd only need to gather more. Surely didn't want to waste anyone's time by calling for help!
He'd hoped beyond hope that if he could just make it into the treeline of the park and down a long enough runners path--- But the pathway didn't end, the trees didn't give him any cover, the signature hauling a** after him didn't seem to let up! Maybe whoever it was, was lost too? Maybe they were both trapped here? In one of the cities shittiest glitches that Cryolite could've recalled so far! Not nearly as shitty as the dice-debacle, but? <******** it all, he wasn't yet out of breath enough that he couldn't run a little more.
Super Sailor Scout Attack: "Sublime Deposition!"
Cryolite says the word, and his body temperature magically drops to below freezing. He is not affected by this, but anyone who comes in contact with him will feel as though they are touching dry ice and will feel as if they are suffering mild frostbite for as long as they are touching him, and for up to twenty seconds after they break contact. While he is channeling his magic, it will appear as if he is sublimating into a chilly, foggy vapor. The illusion of the cascading fog will billow off of Cryolite and spread in a ten foot radius of wherever he moves. Anyone who passes through this vapor will feel as if ice crystals are beginning to grow on their skin; the air is so cold that players stuck in the fog may freeze up and have difficulties moving, panic from the sudden flash freeze, or have breathing difficulties that result in coughing and choking from the severe cold.
No physical or lasting damage is done in this magic, only the very uncomfortable mental sensation of such. However, players can choose to sustain any lasting damage in the form of chills or up to mild frostbite.
AOE Range: 10 Feet from him Duration: 30 Seconds Number of uses: 2 Number of targets: All enemies within the AOE
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2024 7:53 pm
Promethei understood the concept of do not enter signs.
He also understood that a lot of people didn't obey them. Feeling chaos beyond a do not enter sign did not take him by any sort of surprise. It was probably a very convenient place to drain people. If people were already expecting to feel some sort of danger beyond that sign, why would feeling woozy take them by surprise? And why shouldn't he go investigate it?
And why shouldn't he go investigate it? It wasn't like there would be some cop on the other side that would actually be able to trace him by any means. Heather, it didn't really matter in the first place.
And so, he pursued it.
Promethei wouldn't lie. This area was certainly unsettling. But he knew to keep his wits about him. It was also Destiny City, and since he moved here, he learned a lot of things here. Just didn't make any sense. That was part of living here! Especially during certain times of year, like the Star Festival. It was arguable. That didn't make any sense why the city kept holding it, because honestly it seemed to attract trouble.
But nevertheless.
He wasn't sure if the chaos was growing closer until he suddenly realized it was. There had been a sudden Yelp of panic, and there had been a sudden push of magic that had followed. All right, he found the source of chaos.
The source of the chaos that was running at him, evidently, and was all too willing to launch some icy bullshit at him. It looked like he was also surrounding himself in the same thing, turning himself into something of a fog. It might have hit him as more of a curiosity if he wasn't so annoyed at being hit with it in the first place. To be honest, Promethei did carry something of an advantage here. Being mercurian, he was definitely overdressed for the weather. He was not overdressed for this icy fog, and while he felt it in his face, he perhaps didn't feel it as deeply in his bones as was hoped by this panicking? Negaverse senshi.
Was he panicking? Was that what he was doing? An interesting observation, in any case.
Promethei steeled himself to deal with it either way, marching his way over to the fog to reach up to grab it by the collar. If he his fingers manage to find purchase, he yanked him down by it and attempt to face him by face. "You. The ******** are you doing here?"
The Negaverse senshi looked a bit younger than him. Perhaps older college aged. He wouldn't be surprised if he was just in this path. Hoping to find people to drain who are fellow college students. If that was the case, it would piss him the ******** off. If he was just here because he was following that pretty woman at the entry of the path, the one that was on the sign, it wouldn't surprise him, but it still wasn't a reason for him to really be here, blasting him with magic, was it?
Shiningamisgirl
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Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2024 10:15 pm
"Leaving, as was evidenced by my running away--" his tone clipped and glacial as he twisted in the hold the Knight had on him. Bearing his teeth at the mans face in a snarl while he was snagged up short, forever lamenting not being a hair faster than whoever this was.
No, not just any man, a knight? All symbol bearing and saturated in techno-murder blues. Giving off an aura of a bad time, just in case Cryolite felt like hanging around long enough to try him.
Which? All things be told, he really ******** didn't intend to stay longer than was safe. Judging by the look in this one's eyes? Safety had never been an option to begin with -- maybe at the start? Who ever did know! Oh, but now? Certainly they were beyond pleasantries and quick goodbyes.
"Or I was certainly trying to. Mind getting the ******** off? You're ruining my Sublime Shroud---" the hissed words reverberating with magic as Cryolite doubled down, blew through his energy, and tried his very best to get the near-behemoth of a man to back the ******** off his personage! He didn't like being caught any more than he liked being stranded, prickled with ice as thick as his lashes while trying to forcibly snake free of the Knights hold.
Knights -- Pages -- Squires --- tasteless titles and he didn't feel like devoting his time to learning, not for as long as it would take him to find out those exacting details in a less than pleasant manner.
Not when said squire looked so irked already---
Sailor Scout Attack: "Sublime Shroud!"
Cryolite says the word, and his body temperature magically drops to below freezing. He is not affected by this, but anyone who comes in contact with him will feel as though they are touching dry ice and will feel as if they are suffering mild frostbite for as long as they are touching him, and for up to twenty seconds after they break contact. While he is channeling his magic, it will appear as if he is sublimating into a chilly, foggy vapor. The illusion of the cascading fog that bleeds off of Cryolite serves as a visual warning sign to any who can see it: it screams 'Super cold - Do not touch'.
No physical or lasting damage is done in this magic, only the very uncomfortable mental sensation of such. However, players can choose to sustain any lasting damage in the form of chills or up to mild frostbite.
Range: Touch/Grapple Duration: 30 Seconds Number of uses: 3 Number of targets: Whomever touches Cryolite
Seiana_ZI
Posted: Sat Jul 13, 2024 10:43 pm
For his panicked as he looked, he sounded about as clipped as he might have expected. Those who were panicked had tended to sound either breathless or had a way of cutting themselves off on purpose. He suspected the senshi he was facing was choosing the second one.
And if he was trying to actually leave, good. Cutting himself off so he left faster was even better.
The snarl cracked him up, and in the right setting it might have actually been a little bit more than amusing. He found himself clicking his tongue, even offering something of a wink in turn. A snarl didn't bother him, it was something he heard often enough. Perhaps even in a different context... Although, maybe he sometimes earned it in these ones.
Okay, he didn't appreciate the sting to his hands. Admittedly, though, he could appreciate the sass. " You should probably hurry along. Places that suggest you shouldn't enter like this one? Very popular with the university students. Nothing personal, but it is important to me that the University students remain unharmed. And I can't trust people like you not to harm them."
He moved out of the way, even bowing gallantly to give the senshi space to move towards the mysterious exit.
"After you!"
Shiningamisgirlxl
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Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2024 6:28 am
Internally? Syrus was affronted. Externally? The look on Cryolites face bordered on scandalized; the pearly-white snarl of teeth falling away rapidly. Leaving his mouth agape, eyes wide, visage twisting into a startled sneer. Was this man flirting with him? Was this -- was he flirting mid fight!? Was this ******** Waru in a very elaborate and convincing disguise and he'd *somehow* missed it entirely!?
Was this what that himbidiot did to people?! It -- it suddenly explained so, so, soooh very much in Cryolites mind. None of which made him any more pleased or less standoffishly frigid.
"Ahck--are you? I'm sorry, but are you ******** with me!?" as the panic gave way to tone. Raw nerves and a bruised pride of his own that he sought to nurse by running his mouth. Because the nerve of this man, the gall, the absolute ego! Cryolite wasn't sure if the red that touched his face was anger, or embarrassment, or -- and this ******** was not winking at him! There was no godamned way!?
"I-I'm sorry, but am I such a non-threat that you're just -- letting me go!" he didn't know why he was arguing with the man who had an entire weight-class on him, if not inches in height. But there he was, frosted over, expelling a harsh breath. Arguing. "Oh, yes, please do - 'after me' - Of course! Oh gallant knight, savior of the people. Let me suck thine ******** toes while you shepherd me onwards and away from your innocent collegiate flock!" the mist swirled around them as he threw his arms into the air with dramatics, taking steps in the direction the Knight had all but ordered him to go, but not hastily.
No, he was going to take that path at his own pace. ********, he wasn't even going to look at the exit as he moved ever towards it, step by frigid step. Leaving sparks of frost in his wake as his heels clipped the ground.
"As if we can't all collectively ******** read well enough to understand the consequences of entering a place with signs like that---" The Knight had told him it was nothing personal, and yet? Here he was, taking it personally, pinning it to his chest like a badge he'd earned. Giving the game up, because, excuse this man, he was a university student thank you very much, and he absolutely could handle himself just fine!!
"Clearly? It's them you trust even less than me. But I'll just leave you to think on that one," and Cryolites brain did eventually kick back on, the realization that he was being given a clear and concise out in such a way as to have affected an override in his fight, or flight, or sass that a** systems. The fact that he was still here, and talking, and making every fool move he never would under any other circumstances!!
He maybe did feel a little like the Mercury knight had every reason to not trust his sensibilities -- his intelligence -- he flipped the man off as the flood of panic returned. Like an afterthought of defiance to the sky.
And then?
Cryolite was gone---bamphed out in a swirl of mist and rattled nerves.
Seiana_ZI
Posted: Sun Jul 14, 2024 7:35 am
The senshi was going through an entire facial journey, and watching it was honestly amusing enough on its own. He wasn't pulling out any of that frozen fog and ice again, at least, which was a relief. Promethei had been tolerating it fairly well in his overdressed-for-the-weather state, but that didn't make it something his hands and face were enjoying...
He didn't even wait for the flustered babbling to be over before he responded with an easy, "Perhaps," which didn't seem to necessarily stop the flustered. Was he blushing or was he furious, was he flustered or was he embarrassed? Was he all four? Was it fun to watch either way?
Promethei watched as the senshi walked around him in a swirl of dramatics so theatrical he could have sworn he whipped up more magic in his frustration. "Oh, please do." Nothing personal was, indeed, being taken incredibly personally. Promethei had been expecting it to be, which made this all even more entertaining. Honestly, if just a few small flirts and remarks were enough to offset the attempts of balance of this man this severely...
Well, perhaps he was right that he trusted his university students less than him, but he was taking all this so personally that he might have had the same maturity as the aforementioned university students in some lights...
Promethei was quite happy to follow this panicked and flustered man all the way to the exit, but he suddenly remembered he could pull himself out and did. He paused where he stood for a moment, blinked, and then barked a laugh.
And, honestly? Mission accomplished. No more chaos in the path, and he could find the exit on his own terms.
Like that senshi did. Eventually.
Promethei couldn't help a small chortle to himself as he walked away from the scene of the attempted crime.
