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 Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:26 pm
By the time they were overpowered and netted like mindless beasts, Skylar gave up all hope of trying to fight back. Nothing he did now would help. Every struggle was a reminder of that.
They had lost.
Still, the reaper that had surrendered earlier had helped the others escape. Maybe there was some hope left. After all, he believed in Cricket's words. No. He had to believe in them.
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 2:40 pm
The world started to fall to pieces around Selene, piece by piece. She heard the nets whistling through the air. There were people to her left, people to her right - but one by one they fell, and somehow, perhaps because she was so small, so unnoticed, so unimportant, no net fell on her. She stood there between two nets, eyes wide and wet, trembling like a child. "Arcie." She whispered, falling to her knees beside the netted boil, her legs giving out far before her heart did. He was yelling at her to go, to leave, to get out while she still could. But she stayed, despite his instructions, and started to curl up into herself. "No, Arcie." Despite the tears in her eyes, she did not sound as frightened as she looked. She sounded quiet, but determined. Her arm reached out to wrap around the boil as his strength waned, and the net electrocuted through her. "No, Arcie." She repeated, her teeth gritting through the pain. "I won't - leave - you." She felt herself start to slip away, and she sighed, slumping against the boil. If he was going to go, she would, too. Strong arms lifted her away from the net, and her body lay limp for just a moment. The energy slowly began to return to her, and she cringed, pushing herself up. "Malcolm..?" She could tell she was in his arms as he took her away, but all she could see was Arcana's now limp body under the net that moved further, and further from her arms. "Stop. Stop, Malcolm, put.. me down." Selene's quiet voice began to grow anxious, and she squirmed in his arms. Louder and louder it became, as she begged him to let her go back. "Malcolm.. no. I won't leave him. Put me down, Malcolm. MALCOLM." It finally hit her, what was happening. She was being carried away. Away from Arcana.. possibly forever. "MALCOLM STOP!" She screamed, her throat sore from the sudden volume of the sound that she could have never made otherwise. Her arms reached out over Malcolm's shoulder, towards the net, as she was taken away. "I WON'T LEAVE HIM I WON'T!!!!" "ARCIE, PLEASE, NO!!"The nets disappeared from her view, and Selene dissolved into wordless sobs, collapsing into Malcolm's arms. It was the first, and the last time Selene would ever scream.
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 3:09 pm
This was the end, certainly. From one trap to another, promised power and promised freedom and allowed neither. They were trapped now, sentenced to an unknown fate -
- and the hooded reaper had pushed back his companions, and there was a chance, just a sliver of a chance, that if they ran now, if they abandoned the ones who were trapped, that the few yet free would live. Ren jumped at that chance, not looking back. A few of the others had escaped. A handful. Out of how many in their class?
The selfish thought drifted through his mind that there would be very little competition for jobs, now. He ducked his head, kept his eyes on his feet as he ran, his vision blurred with angry, guilty, helpless tears.
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 3:33 pm
They'd fought, and they'd won. The Reaper admitted defeat, and was going to let them walk away from the whole situation. Not too shabby of a conclusion - he would have favored a little more violence, maybe a broken bone and some more blood shed, for visual effect - and it would allow them to live, keep their property, and graduate. He looked back to the phoenix, about to whoop in glory.
THUNK.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT.
Pain, erratic and white hot, angrily coursed though the Musimon's entire body. He bleated, screamed, shouted obscenities, and writhed, body clenching and muscles cramping as volts upon volts lashed their way around his veins, digging into his bloodstream. Tears of pain dripped off his face, a fleeting moment of regret - tears were weakness, not meant for the public eye - at each one that fell before his mind was occupied by pain once more.
Briefly, he saw Liam fight the assailants back. He saw Pyre run, along with Red, Cricket, and others. Good...good. He clenched his teeth as another bolt racked its way into his brain, stunning him for a moment. His remaining classmates were gone before he regained the ability to speak; it was probably for the best.
"S-see you songbird. Look pretty, keep your back straight, and don't you dare cry." Pyre would never hear it, but he smirked as if she could anyway. Another cry as more electricity licked his already broken body, followed by heavy breathing. "Don't every cry for me.."
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 4:20 pm
Satisfaction. Of course course this secret place was theirs - an unknown cave didn't make it his, now did it? Teamwork was what brought them here, unity what made sure he was defeated. The final ribbon to tie up was to send him on his way -
- . . . who were those guys? The golem frowned as more hooded figures came and protested this "Liam's" decision, and a familiar hum filled the air. Her eyes widened with horror, and immediately Callie brought the sword up in defense to try and slice through the first net that came her way. It didn't matter: the electricity surged through her from the connecting blow and sent her into a paralytic daze on the ground, the smell of singed paper making her want to retch.
This wast how the story was supposed to go. This was the Jackdamn graduating class, not . . . not scarelings. They were the GOOD GUYS! He'd said they won! So why . . . why weren't they winning . . . ?
The guardian's promise fell through and the black hole that it left behind consumed her in seconds.
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 5:30 pm
Had they won? Macthor wasn't sure. He watched Liam with narrowed eyes, arms folded over his chest. What if it was a trap? What if he was just waiting for them to let their guard down? He wasn't going to relax until this reaper left for good--
Jackdamnit, reinforcements? A hiss left the boil's lips as he took a step back, instinctively trying to pull Akithor with him. So he was right! This reaper--Liam?--had been planning a sneak attack all along. Or...or maybe not? He watched the exchange with an air of confusion, unaware of what was to come until it actually happened.
The net that wound itself around his stole his breath, sending jolts of pain through his body. He tried, for a moment, to struggle, but the electricity proved too much for even the thunderbird boil. A few seconds after being caught, his vision began to flicker, his consciousness fading in and out as the pain coursed through his body. Another second later, and he blacked out completely.
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iStoleYurVamps
iStoleYurVamps
Crew
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 5:57 pm
The Reaper had been ready to back down. To bow out and let them take center stage. No answers to where the other students had gone. No definitive. Rengath would have liked a true, clear answer, but he'd take what he could get. They'd had their asses handed to them once, he was good with not having that happen again.
As the reaper left- it was like it went from bad to worse. More, each one showing that they were nothing more than wretches. Liars and con artists. The Liam was a bit genuine in some ways, but the others? ******** them. As the nets came down, the demon cried out, narrowing missing a net catching on his horns.
Rengath had joined Scream because he was not a fighter. He was not for human rights. He was out for himself. He cared but he feared. Slightly shaking the demon watched as others were dragged away. He stopped thinking, and simply ran.
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:09 pm
Vanth had turned away when Selene had looked to her for support, ashamed of herself. She didn't know any more what to do. Where to go from here. Whether they would get any answers to what they asked when half of them could be gentle and the other were spitting in his face. Even if they had the support of this strange, dangerous reaper, there were -
Others.
The cave descended into chaos once again, and everything shifted back into a blur of colors and sound and wild movement as students scattered in the wake of the hooded reapers. She was surprised, on some level, that the one who had tried to kidnap them would fight for them. Surprised and relieved. That they had won his promise by sparing his life. But their lost classmates-
"No- they can't-" Vanth felt numb as the first student was entangled in light. Members of DETH, her closest friends, they had begun to vanish. Someone was tugging on her dress and forcefully guiding her into the darkness. Frightened eyes lit up with electric glow as they passed, falling, fallen, trapped. Everyone was howling with pain and grief, it echoed until it had no source. It was behind them, it was ahead of them, it was issuing from them. Vanth realized even she was wailing at the sight, the inevitable nets that snapped at their feet and dragged others clawing and screaming back into the cursed cave.
Her eyes could barely focus on her savior's glow, it was a smudge, a blur behind tears. Argyle...
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Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:02 pm
One by one, they were dragged away, those who did not escape, those who were too terrified to take action and simply stood still, waiting for the moment to end. It never did.
Alma had been separated from the rest of the group, and had done what she did best: hide. Her kind were burrowing folk, she was not a fighter, and at the first sign of battle, huddled herself next to a formation of glowing rocks, tail wrapped tightly around her to avoid being seen. She stiffened as she heard the crunch of footsteps, several, walking closer, holding her breath, every muscle and fiber of her Fear as silent as possible. The footsteps slowly walked away. Slowly, very slowly, she exhaled-
- As the curve of a glowing blade protruded from her chest. It didn't hurt as so much the shock, the dull look of her eyes as she tried to turn her head around, tried to grasp what was happening-
- The pain was brief, quick, an odd feeling, a spasm tearing into her very core. It as over in a second.
"Sir, we've cleared and moved all the new specimens, should we go after the ones that escaped now-"
Liam examined another hiding spot thoroughly before he de-summoned his weapon, taking a second to unfasten the tattered remains of his cloak. A little part of it was ripped off to fix his bleeding arm. "Leave them. This is a good chance to see if any of the survivors maintain long-term effects from the water." He noted the hesitation from the way the rest of his team paused. "If they get out of hand, remember that we do have someone watching stationed in Halloween."
He turned around, revealing the gold emblem emblazoned on his coat, two ornate scythes crossing each other, the same as ever other cloaked person in the cave. "There's just a bit of clean-up work to be finished."
"Sir?"
"Appealing to their better nature." The Hunter leaned into the water, scooping up a few pieces of gold coins, flipping them around in one hand. "Harold's mission was unfortunately at a great loss, but it also set in motion several key elements. First, the element of something different, a discovery of something new. It also brings in the opportunity for a small culling, as willing weapons participants synchronize better with their bonded owners." Clink. They turned the coin over again. "Once intrigue has been settled, of course the next step is the antagonist, someone who blurs the line between what they know and what they have yet to discover. Withholding information yields the same results, however telling just the right amount of it can be potentially dangerous, poisonous even."
Clink. "In the end, the results did not disappoint. However, all problems must be properly handled or they do grow out of hand. Just as they believed they knew everything, that they held the control, they are yet again confronted with another unpredictable move. An unknown, nameless force, a third party, vague and terrifying enough to become an element of their own." He nodded. "The rehearsal was fine, it was good enough. Let them understand that there is a greater power at work, one beyond their control."
The coins were tossed back into the water. "Phase three of this mission is over then." He raised his weapon one more time, this time though cutting into and above the ground, forming a small simple frame. A door. An exit.
Another cloaked figure appeared from the exit. "Sir," they took a second to catch their breath, hands on their knees, "Some unaffected specimens were seen at the gate, they're heading towards the library now and-"
"That's fine." Liam waved his hand almost dismissively. "We are done here. For any who are not dissuaded, you have my permission now to capture or kill on sight. Whatever the Halloween Daily does not take care of we will take action ourselves, it is best not to let them get too ahead of themselves. A threat is a threat."
With all orders completed, he nodded and disappeared into the portal. Several Hunters followed, until there were only two remaining. The first one pulled out something thick, heavy, a crate, while the second cradled a few items in their arms. They moved quickly, placing strange, cylindrical devices all around the cave before making their leave as well.
There was a soft muffled quake as the first of the explosives detonated -
- And then the entire cave collapsed.
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