Babylon gritted his teeth. Kairatos was bullheaded and he'd never discounted that fact, but now wasn't the time. General King, he thought, amazed that the other knight would dare compare him to the likes of Zinkenite and Tanzanite. General King?!
Like it or not, he decided, they'd come down here for a mission. If they didn't finish it, it would just be up to some other team of knights to do it. There'd be more blood. At least if they finished it today, then Degrasse- Degrasse wouldn't die in vain.
Babylon raised his hand, pointing towards the southwest corner and room number five. "That's the way out," he said, his stomach churning at the lie. He closed up the map and tossed it to Hvergelmir. "You hang onto this, okay?"
Ryuthulhu
Shazari
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:19 pm
Room 5!
Mimisbrunnr clung to Cove, letting the comfort of another person and the Cosmos Squire's magic wash over her. Her sobs and shakes slowly calmed, and once she felt like she had herself under control, she slid away with a murmured "thank you."
"We signed up for dangerous. We...we didn't sign up for death. That could have been any of us." She wrung her hands, staring down at them.
If there was one thing she knew, it was that she had to trust Babylon. If she gave up on that, she gave up on everything. He had been the luckiest thing that had happened to her as a Knight, and if he hadn't been there, she would have died before ever Awakening.
"I-I'll go with you, Babylon, but...I don't want to touch that button. Please. It-it could be a defensive panic button, or something..." She shrank, wrapping her arms around herself. "I don't...I don't know. Or maybe it'll work for us differently than it does for Mistral..."
**Hver gestures blankly in the direction of Room 5**
Hvergelmir sat just where Babylon had pushed her, in the entryway where they'd started. A long red streak of blood marked the track along the ground where she'd slid to a stop, her dress catching in the -- the remains of the little Cosmos page that had been in their party.
She stayed there, knees pulled up, hands tucked into the opposite sleeves of her raincoat, staring blankly through the doorway. The floor was littered with chum, like -- like they were trying to attract sharks.
Kairatos and Babylon were arguing overhead. Cove was playing something soft and gentle and tuneless through a conch shell. Someone was crying. Hvergelmir didn't want to do anything yet -- so while her comrades railed and fussed and entreatied Mistral Page for help, she just put her head down on her knees and waited.
If she closed her eyes, she was somewhere far away. The ocean was rustling against the shore, over and over and over itself. Wind was gently blowing. The night was cool, but the ocean spray was warm on her face. No one was arguing. It was quiet. If she closed her eyes, she wasn't here.
She stayed that way until Babylon sought her attention, then finally picked up her head in time to take the map. Hvergelmir remembered being the one holding the map when they'd first arrived, Babylon looking over her shoulder, before they'd given it to Degrasse to hold. Had that been where the stairs were? -- but Mistral had said there was a panic button in room 5, and if Babylon had handed her the map, he expected her to trust him. She trusted him.
"Okay," she said softly, looking back at the doorway to the room they'd just come from. "I can't . . . I don't want to go back in there right now. Let's go your way."
Silverah
Shazari
Ivynian
Ryuthulhu
AMItotic
LP
Songstress Kitsune
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:36 pm
Bifrost is voting for door 5
Bifrost was shoved... something and told to keep it away from the sciencey folk of the group. She wasn't given any other instructions and simply continued to carry it. She half wanted to dump it behind a corner, since she was being treated a pack mule and not an actual person. Or so it felt like. The squire huffed and kept to the back as they continued on. She may be nice and may be willing to do a lot of things, but be the pack mule was not one of them.
She huffed, looking for a place to drop the infernal contraption. It was about here where the poor page in front of the group became dog food. The Squire of Chronos missed most of this, though the screaming was hard to ignore. She moved through the crowd slowly, until she came to what remained of the page. Bifrost listened to the indignation, the rage, the sadness around her and decided something.
"May she find peace in the Cauldron."
Then she stepped around everyone, back into the room and towards the one of the other doors. She said nothing else, did nothing else, didn't even console anyone. If they were going to get this distraught over the death of someone they hardly knew, then perhaps none of them were cut out for this. It wasn't anything against them, but death was going to happen. It wasn't just everyone cheerful and alive.
Mourning some faceless page wasn't going to win the war. It wasn't going to bring her back. She died.
Better she die then be corrupted, she thought.
Oh lovely. Now they were all going to argue like rabid dogs. By the Surrounding...
a-disgruntled-dragon
Offline
Ivynian
Cat
Offline
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:39 pm
Cove doesn't like to split the party... Room 5
He held concentration as long as he was able, exhausting the magic he had. It was easier to not think of his own grief, really, compared to the others. It seemed to help some, but there was still a lot of NOT peace going around- But how much is conflict related to grief. It makes peacefulness, but that doesn't wholly erase grief. If I were a knight, like Kairatos, Niflhel or Babylon, maybe it would work. It was something. NinjaGirl seems a bit better. Mars has more war in them than anyone.
Oh Hvergelmir... He gathered his raincoat from the floor, then crossed to just stand next to her (with it held out of sight). Solidarity and support by proximity in case the other Cosmos squire was shy of being touched right now.
"A panic button in a system built to seal against any intruder. If the traps don't attack mistral, she'd not have had to panic about much except a wave of enemies. ...but if you really think..she would have had allies down here and installed a button to deal with a panic situation where they were getting-"
"- torn apart- " He choked on the words, tears coming down his face. "We can try it. Mercury knights have a better idea what is here. We should finish what we start. No one is helped if we fail."
Silverah
Shazari
Ivynian
Ryuthulhu
AMItotic
LP
Songstress Kitsune
the_scowling_cat
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 7:33 pm
It was Bifrost's voice that really woke Hvergelmir from the quiet reverie that Cove's tune had put her into. May she find peace in the Cauldron.
It reminded her of Babylon's ancestor Menachem, glowing in blue light next to Sailor Cosmos when they'd managed to get him free of Babylon's body and see him on his way to the Cauldron. He'd been kind, noble, and happy -- truly he'd been on his way to peace, to well-earned rest, and someday, a new beginning. That had ended well -- she tried to focus on that feeling, harness it. Hvergelmir wondered if Babylon was missing his ancestor just now. (She supposed he must be. It was never easier to grieve alone.)
Cove's presence was a comfort, quiet and peaceful. His crying stung her heart, though -- wordlessly, still sitting on the floor while their group reached a consensus, she leaned into Cove's space, curling an arm around his shin and resting her cheek against his knee. They'd lost one of their own, hadn't they? There weren't many Cosmos knights in the world -- and now there was one less. "My name's Laney Sutton," she said absently to the room at large, her voice still hollow-toned. "In case anyone needs to tell my family."
(Finn knew, of course -- but. Anything could happen to anyone.)
Silverah
Shazari
Ivynian
let me know if liberties taken were not okay and i will edit <3
((ooc: Pardon me while I gloss over gore - I'm not feeling up to the finer details))
Niflhel had sucked in a breath while closing his eyes when he'd noticed what was about to happen. The spray was unpleasant as was the aftermath. He agreed with Babylon herding sheepople out of the room. The Knight however stood frozen when they'd removed themselves from the corridor trying to shake the mental images he'd managed.
He could feel bile rising but the punching and agitation from Kairatos' response drew his attention away from the thoughts. The Knight came from a planet that was held for death in some aspects of history. "We can't leave until we get what we've come for. No matter the danger. We'll end up back here again and more will perish." He answered moving to head towards the next doorway only to freeze when he heard a noise - a few words that made him turn abruptly.
Everything else said past that had been a blur or perhaps the knight just hadn't paid attention because he swept over to Hvergelmir. "Laney?" He questioned stooping down to look the girl in the eyes before capturing her in a hug which was quite unusual for the knight and anyone that knew him. "Oh god Laney I thought you were still in a Coma." He whispered not caring how close she was to Cove or the fact she was leaning on him. He paused and pulled back to look at her again, "It's Azzo. . . If you remember me." He added to confirm why he knew she was in coma.
Shazari
Silverah
Ivynian
Ryuthulhu
AMItotic
Songstress Kitsune
the_scowling_cat
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 8:37 pm
Hvergelmir blinked and started visibly, the Saturn knight she had no recollection of having met before throwing his arms around her in a sharp hug. Her grip tightened around Cove's leg in momentary alarm, but she forced herself to relax and try to register what he was saying.
I thought you were still in a coma. It's Azzo . . . if you remember me.
He'd known her from that time, then. From Barren Pines. The lost hole in her memory she could never fill. Hvergelmir wondered how much more Azzo could recall than she could. Enough to have cared that she'd languished in a coma after everyone else had woken, at least.
"I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head. "I don't remember much from that time."
Cove slowly crouched in response to Hvergelmir saying a name, plainly her own, and the subsequent tightening on his leg. He didn't actually think that the knight hugging her was a threat in any way, but the squeeze registered as a call for help. He wasn't going to not be there for Hvergelmir, and offer her what strength he could.
Azzo is a nice name. Maybe they knew each other some time ago? Barren Pines? Wasn't that a school that made the News about an organ ring? Good grief, these two poor...how much can anyone take? Really, he wanted to give them both hugs. As it were, he took her hand gently and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He didn't let it go after, though, the way people tended to when just being all 'stiff upper lip.'
"Reagan Geere. Or DJ Stardrop if you make the dance circuit- mostly GlitchHop and Electro Dubstep...I don't know if you're into that sort of thing. When we get back, I can hook up with some live gig tickets though. Maybe take you to a concert, right? Who doesn't like live music. Hell, you'd look great in uniform at a Big Band revival. I only look normal at raves with this makeup." It was more than strictly necessary, ramble, happy thoughts. Reaffirmation that they didn't have to just be singular and alone as cosmos knights. They could hang out, check on each other. It would be alright. They could work through it, and it didn't have to be in a vacuum.
Room five turns out to be a great rectangular room. On the floor lie thick piles of white ash. In some places, the ashes--intercut with pieces of paper--are knee deep or higher. There are deep furrows in the floor, inscribing a great circle that never quite touches the wall. Near the door is a desk with a great many buttons and dials on it, but it is powered down.
On the far wall is a square panel bearing the sigil of Mistral: Mercury's staff in a rising sun.
Between the desk and the square panel, two great coils bracket the center of the room. The first few to pass them rouse a great electric crackle, but continues only slightly singed. Cove Squire of Cosmos is caught in the great field of the Wall of Light, and incinerated instantly.
With a whine, the Wall powers down, its powers depleted.
Cove Squire has died. Ivynian, please post your death solo here, and thank you for playing!
The choice is yours: Return to Room 1 and choose a different hall, or hit the panel with the Mistral sigil?
His brows knitted, as he knelt beside her, "It's okay, I don't remember much either. Just a few things here and there, people I've met but yet. . . it feels like I haven't entirely met them properly." He said softly.
Though there was tragedy in the here and now, it was nice to know others still existed from that time. "The after was rough for me as well; I remember seeing you were still in coma; and that it was apparently because of that place." There was venom in the word that but it slowly succeeded, "But, let us never mind that, its water under the bridge. Important thing is you're awake."
The knight offered a smile and then a hand to help Hver up. "Maybe we should keep moving?" He glanced at Cove too who was offering reassurances to the Cosmos Squire as well. "See if we can't find a means to this end? So ya'll can hang out?"
As he finally approached room 5 with Laney and Cove the Knight frowned at all the Ash. "Well... this looks interesting. . . "
Shazari
Ivynian
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:18 pm
[Trigger Warning/Content Warning: Violent Character Death ]
Getting Hvergelmir up on her feet and walking again, as the group of them made their way was encouragement and necessity. After all, she had the map. He kept his grip firm but comfortable, swinging his arm a little (and hers by default) as a playful distraction. He pulled her along as well, if her steps stuttered too much or went tharn again. Having Niflhel along as well, an extra bolster, was just as wonderful. More than once, looking at the knight, Cove squeezed his eyes in silent appreciation.
The new room was not so welcome. The ashes, so deep and hot white, made him anxious so soon after the lightening generator. He said it softly, to the general room itself or to the ancestral mistral, in disbelief, "Is everything an ungrounded Faraday coil in this place? "
Babylon was through the opening of the things, Sentinels or Sphinxes in his mind too cluttered with fantasy imagery and The Neverending Story. This probably didn't work that way, with self worth or some comic book gimmick.
Another through. They were smoking on the other side. "Hey, should....should we really...you said if something was even remotely like a trap to stop?"
Didn't you, Babylon? Did Degrasse mean nothing to Mercury after all? Oh Sweetpea... A third through. It was honestly burning people a bit. Don't they feel it? Hear it? It smells electric, like a heat storm.
But they were getting through. So it was a mostly defunct defense system? Cove looked between Hvergelmir and Niflhel, gave his best reassuring smile and squinted his eyes again. He was trying hard not to let more tears break along his lashes. I'm so afraid. Why are we going against what we just said...why aren't we making sure its not active more than it is? It'll be fine. Three through already.
"If you're nervous we can run it. Come on. Between Niflhel and I. I'll take point." Another squeeze of her hand and pulling forward a little faster than she may have otherwise gone herself. He felt the heat and crackle approaching, swallowed, feeling his hair get puffy and on ends.
There was nothing but clean light. And a forearm, gold bracer emblazoned with the star of cosmos, hand still clasping her hand.
Silverah
Shazari
(from Richard Adams) tharn: A state of paralyzed fear or confusion.
It was true, Babylon realized too late. He'd told them that - and then flagrantly disregarded his own advice to pass through the device. It had looked too obvious. The arc reactor they'd first encountered was more likely to be malfunctioning lab equipment than an actual trap - same with this. So he'd walked through.
He was a ******** moron.
The smell of burning hair clung to him, yes, but it was nothing like the smell of seared flesh from behind. Turning, Babylon saw, to his horror, all that remained of Cove - the hand, clasped in Hvergelmir's. <********>.
At least the machine powered down. <********>.
He couldn't- They'd come this far. There was nothing to say to Hvergelmir. Nothing to say to any of them - he'd already lied and led them into danger, and all he'd done was gotten another one of them killed for the trouble. The panic button loomed ahead. They probably already hated him. It didn't matter what he did next, right?
Babylon sprinted to the far side of the room and slammed his hand against the panel. "Mistral!" he hollered. "Mistral! We're here! You've gotta help us!"
Silverah
Shazari
(from Richard Adams) tharn: A state of paralyzed fear or confusion.
Ivynian
Ryuthulhu
AMItotic
LP
Songstress Kitsune
the_scowling_cat
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:45 pm
PANIC BUTTON!!
The moment Babylon's hand slams down on Mistral's sigil, everything stops. On the walls, the tall coils make a solid whump! of a sound and collapse to the ground, nothing more than rust and dust. Before Babylon, a pillar rises out from the ashes, a palm-print embedded into the smooth silver-blue of its top.
"--to find it--" A recognizable voice. The Page who had spoken on Olympus.
There is an ear-splitting crack, the hiss and pop of a microphone going offline. But more importantly, perhaps, is the hologram of a woman in what is unmistakably the regalia of a Knight of Mistral--a half-cape, a ruff of white fur. Her hair, long and dark, hangs unbound over her shoulders. To Babylon, she would look familiar; after all, she quite resembled her brother.
Raziele tucks her hands behind her back and says, "The system is running on dregs. It requires blood to identify new assets."
Please quote me if you have questions for the hologram!
