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 Posted: Sat May 24, 2008 7:44 pm
And so he read, for a full day, filing away the information should he need it later. He would be certain to speak with Bella sometime when he returned about her bloodline.
The next evening, the knock would be unanswered. Dead silence filled the room, until Bastian would enter.
Iden would be seated in the center of the room. His eyes were glazed over, and stared off into space. Nestled upon his shoulder, keeping watch, was his avatar, the sleek little ferret. The eyes would pass over Bastian and his companion, and slowly, Iden would stir.
He had put the lesson Yoachi had taught him much to heart. These days, that state of meditation was the only way he ever managed any sort of rest...were he to try to sleep, even if it were the sleep of the dead, he would find himself plagued by thoughts and dreams, a constant nightmare that would not end.
Iden slowly stood, and arced his back.
Brother Mephet. Good to meet you, I suppose. Lead the way, mate.
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 9:55 am
My apologies for disturbing your meditation Sir DeSeer.
*Bastian;s apology came as they walked, moving into a suprisingly dry and musty library of old tomes and vellum parchment, then into a back office, currently empty. On the table, recording implements lay all around and the shelves were lines with important documents including many incarnations of the Book of Nod.
Sitting at the table, Bastian gestured Brother MEphet and Iden vo sit also, then produced vitae enough too fill them all whilr Brother Mephet turned milk white eyes on Iden*
You have an avatar. That is unusual...
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Posted: Sun May 25, 2008 10:55 am
It's alright, I needed to wake up anyways. And for your earlier question, yes, it was good having a brief respite.
He huffed a soft sigh at the "Sir DeSeer" bit, and found himself grinning as he followed, wondering just how long it would take to convince Bastian to just use his first name, like most people did.
As they sat, Iden partook of the vitae as was offered, and nodded to Mephet as he queried about the avatar.
Yeah. Cute little bugger, too. Useful to have the extra set of eyes and ears...wait. Unusual? I wouldn't honestly know. One of my brothers showed me how to manifest the creature. I wasn't aware of it being so odd.
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 2:50 pm
**Somewhere in Nevada...**
*Las Vegas was the considered place to be, but for the five to six people living out of a battered old tourbus somewhere in the Great Basin, there was nowhere where more was happening than right there.
The old bus sat seemingly abandoned and discarded between various rocks, covered in dust. Clearly it had not moved in a long time, nor would it ever again form the state of its tyres and chasis. Yet, if one went within and lifted the emergancy hatch in the center of the floor, then descended the ladder into the darkness below... a whole new world revealed itself.
Below the bus, a vast cave opened out, made up of several rooms, but the main one made up of screens, humming, wires, cables and a MASSIVE fridge. Six people sat at screens right now, none of them on sleep shifts, all of them plugged up to their screens, headsets on, implants in and fingers flying over keyboards. All sat with drinks and snacks close to hand, as well as other dubious substances scattered around and loud music pumping round the caves, unheard from above.
Data screamed across the screens, fingers on keys causing minor or massive changes at the users whim, other screens n the backgrond refreshing, monitoring, ocassionally flinging up warnings or reports, calling one of the members away. And over it all, a massive flag of a black eagle hung in dominance, fluttering slightly.
But there was no wind down here, right?
The man known as Chris moved, but not fast enough. Something touched his shoulder, he tripped over a cable and went spinning to the floor. Guns cleared holsters at high speed, aimed at the source of the disturbance, headsets crackling as they tore free from machines, everything stilling save the loud music as red eyes rose slowly, followed by a fanged smirk as the intruder stepped into the light*
Well, nice to see SOME of you are taking your medicine as prescribed...
*The men holding guns visibly relaxed, holstering their weapns and returning to thier screens*
Cant you knock like everyone else, DeSeer?
Well there goes one kernal... recovering it on server 11...
Got it. Assigning system uplink...
What ya after this time woman? Got your payment for us?
You mean another case of coca-cola and pretzels?
Ha ha. you want work, you pay for it. In ALL ways.
You'll forgive me not bringing sugar then, and just a case of cash...
How much?
$75000. Plus new injectors.
Oh?
Look for yourself.
Take up my load on twelth server and have Kaos analyse it.
Sure thing boss.
*one of the men sung back out of his chair and motioned Roan to a table, where she flipped open the flight case she carried. Inside, five injectors, very similar (in fact, obviously modelled from) to Corbins Sinjectors lay in stasis, with phails of red liquid around them. The man inspecting it all, leader of the Black Eagles operatives, a specialist group dealing in computers and data for the undead, nodded his approval, then chucked four of the injectors at his men still working, but not at the one, Chris, that Roan had downed, who was still rubbing his shoulder in a daze from her strength*
Why hasnt he been taking the injections?
Says he doesnt need your crap to keep going. Lives on meth.
Oh really.
Yeah. I tried man... I really did. Showed him your little elixir is better. He didnt like the smell or some crap...
He wont if he hasnt had any before, you knwo that... I wont tolerate this. You know why.
Hey, we keep confidentiality. You know this team is all ghoul and human save me...
Yes. And he will be too or you get rid of him.
You dont tell me how to run my show, I dont tell you how to run yours.
*She turned her eyes to the man and raised one eyebrow*
You make him take it yourself then woman. I aint getting involved and I aint getting rid of him.
*Roan nodded and stalked across the room. The ovhers noticably went back to work, while Roan leaned over Chris;s consol now he had just sat back down and looked at the data flowing over his screen.*
Im told your one of the best. But your living on drugs that'll kill you and not taking the elixir I get for you reliably every month...
Don't need your crap. Got my own.
Yeah, and your own meant you reacted slower than your friends, and took longer to get back to work.
What are you, slave driver? No one works systems like I do.
I imagine thats true. But you wont work em for long on meth
Keeps me alert.
Not alert enough.
*she dug her claws into his shoudler and as he turned her head to look at her, snarling, he met her gaze. Horrid Reality flooded over him, turning his world to pain. SHe showed him his own death from drugs, his autopsy, his brain, his unmarked funeral. She added in a lot of other pain as well, then let him go, leaving him dazed as she pressed the sinjector to his neck and squeezed, watching her blood drain into him. Lolling back in his chair, she wathced his eyes start to clear from the drugs, dripped the last drop of blood between his lips, then approached the other screens again, handing over a sealed bag*
Your little friend will be fine. Keep him on the elixir. I want you to analyse this for me. Nothing in depth and I MEAN that. I know who it came from, I know his name. I just want to know if his DNA profile shows up in any of our usual files, especially the Societies. Check for anything overy on a Menace Grimoire, and any reports of experimentation to do with metal alloys. If nothing shows itself, leave it. If anyone picks up on your scans though, let me know.
Sure thing boss.
Just to let you know, we had 50 hits on old newsreports on your clan yesterday....
Why didnt you call me?
Because we could trace most of em. Nothing out of the ordinary. I know that look in you. Your worried about something. Im just telling ya no one seems to be more interested than usual in the crap you lot get up to.
Keep it that way. Have you covered Crow's back for me yet?
Yep. Fake files all over the place. he was an orphan in Chicago you know. So sad...
Har har. I'll be back in a month. Call me. You'll also find a new channel on the network. Assigned tag is Menace Grimoire.
.... you work in crazy s**t lady. Have a good one.
You too... and REALLY get some taste in music.
*Chuckling, the boss tossed cans of coke to his men as he slid across the room in his chair and got back to work, offering the two finger salute*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Budapest*
Avatars are easier to manifest in some realms than others, especialy where densities of magic are higher. To manifest one in our ow realm is unusual, but a Severed One carries his own power, and you obviously have your own energies to use. I am merely curious and impressed.
Bastian tells me you are here to see our great city and to learn to move among its treasures unseen. These things I will teach to you becaus eI owe a debt to you Sire, and to your Prince. But first I offer you my knowledge. Is there anything you wish to discuss first, or would you liek to proceed to the lesson hall?
*It was Brother Mephet who spoke of course, and it was he who seemed to lead things now, Bastian taking a back seat to this wizened and blind odl vampire*
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Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 9:33 pm
Severed One? What's this now?
Iden was well in the dark on such affairs. He knew only what Yoachi had taught him, which, in truth, wasn't all that much. So the chance to learn a bit had him sounding more curious and eager than he normally ever would.
That died quickly, though, as he put his mind back on business.
The lesson hall sounds fine, if you're up for it.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 4:01 pm
*Motioning Iden to follow, Brother Mephet foldedhis hands into his sleeves and led the way through a wall, which was not a wall, into the great hall beyond.*
The Severed Ones are those cut from their own realities and time lines. Lord Ego for example is a Severed one, his own time line destroyed and gone. Yoachi is the same, though his line still exists, he is merely forever denied return. His realm allows for the manifestation of avatars with greater ease as more magic exists there.
*Nodding to the middle of the hall, Mephet waved an arm*
First... show me what you can do Sir DeSeer. Against your self.
*White eyes opened, a darker shadow in Iden own shape facing off against him*
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 7:15 pm
Iden nodded as he followed, understanding easily what he was taught. A slew of new questions were arriving in his mind, but he kept his silence, with the exception of a brief sigh when he found himself facing...himself. Oh, how he longed for his trusted .45s.
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Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 3:17 pm
*The shadow versaion woudl of course do the expected - a standard run down of hand to hand combat based on Iden's own skills, the style similar if not identical to Iden;s own, and of course designed only to test Iden out.
Mephet wasnt looking for fighting prowess after all. HE was actually looking for Iden's ability to dodge, to mitigate blows and to deal with the situation. Knowing the kids penchant for firearms and explosives, this hand to hand situation suited Mephets objectives well, his blind eyes seeming to see all as he set Iden to work trying to land blows on the construct while avoiding taking damage himself*
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Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 3:56 pm
It was a highly unusual experience. Iden was used to fighting fist to fist..it was his favored method of melee combat. However, to duke it out with one wielding his own style was a unique experience.
Every punch he threw was caught and used against him, but in the same way, he would duck around blows and attempt to rip and snap bones and joints.
It was a brutal stalemate, where each of the two would suffer repeated hammerblows and near miss broken limbs.
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Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 4:05 pm
*Mpehet watched, and once satisfied of Iden's abilities. he waved the shadow away, then sat on the ground of the lesson hall. He was sat right in the middle of the floor, head turned Iden;s way as he spoke*
In combat, one can fight to win, or one can fight to survive. When your opponent is of better or equal skill, sometimes it is better to cut and run than to risk unecessary losses on the field. As a mercenary, you will also appreciate the value of stealth. What I can veach you... will allow you to simply not exist in the public eye when you choose, and to vanish in plain sight.
*As he spoke, it was as if he was fading away. Iden would find his eyesight simply sliding away from Mephet as the Nosferatu invoked Obfuscate, being so well practiced in it, he didnt need shadows to help shield him. Iden would find that he recalled Mephet being there, but not where he had gone, until the Brother reappeared behind him*
In time, the skill can even hide you from surveillance cameras and at its height, erase memories.
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Posted: Fri May 30, 2008 4:39 pm
Iden sat, winded from a heavy blow to the chest he had taken. As he recovered, he listened, and when he looked and saw that the aged Nosferatu was gone, he blinked in confusion.
Bleedin' ********>
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 12:50 am
This will not come easily to you, and it is only because of the... nature.. of your clan and its disgusting habit of consuming other Cainites I believe you will learn it at all. I will not teach you the full skill. I will merely set you on the road. Knowledge is a personal journey, when it applies to oneself. One can be told details and facts for years on end, but nothing anyone else says will affect how you deal with what you know, and how it will affect you.
In exchange, there is something I desire I would have you acquire for me. There is a book in Sabbat hands I require for my studies. The Sabbat in question are Lasombra and as with any creature living in circumstances they now find cmmon, they have developed immunities to my skill. I have lost several people trying to infiltrate their lair, but I do not believe they know what it is we are after. I am hoping your own... unique... skills will succeed where mine have not.
*Totally visible once more, the old Nosfeatu 'looked' at Iden, for his answer*
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 7:38 am
Iden sighed. He wasn't surprised at the statement, truth be told, but it was still a bit disheartening to hear he was in for a rough time. That sigh became, however, a very alert, very interested expression, despite that he couldn't at first see the one he was listening to. He'd been out of it for a while, the notion of honest work was intruiging.
Unique...Alright. I'm interested....so lets talk detail. You want this to be high profile, or low?
Short and businesslike, it was the mercenary in him talking.
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 2:29 am
This is Budapest. Our great city where East meets West. But ah! How sad! Of late there is only terrorism between both sides, such a shame, is it not? Muslim and Christian, such thin ice between them. If another building goes up, it is a crime of modern warfare, so sad so sad.
*Brother Mephet shook his mishappen head sorrowfully, then turned his blind eyes back on Iden*
Do not kill any innocents... THAT would be a true crime. However else you achieve your ends... it concerns us not. Your face is known to many, there are agencies that will cover your tracks to and from the location, but please try to be discreet where possible. This is not your native America, or your home Durem.
I will give you the plans of the building. It is a standard office, but it descends five levels underground, the 'library' is on the fourth level. There are many collections of books there of interest, but we have copies of most, save for one in particular. You will know it when you see it - it is bound in pale hide with red text. It's title is the Malleus Maleficarum, but of course that is NOT what is contained within. I do not know whether your aura perception is good, but the book has a terrible black aura. It must not stay in Sabbat hands.
If you accept... I will provide you with weapons. What say you?
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Corbin DeSeer Vice Captain
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Posted: Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:40 am
:: MEXICO CITY. ::
"FORCE THEM BACK! THEY MUST NOT ENTER THE INNER CITY!"
The cries came from a man dressed in a leather jacket littered with zippers, chains and studs, as bullets, grenades and rockets turned the landscape into rubble around him. Ghouls and Cainites of the various Sabbat ranks swarmed on the main road leading into the city, as a thick, crimson fog rolled in from the outskirts, the flash of guns bringing light to its belly constantly, and as a rocket hit the head of the mist fire, smoke and debris was scattered right before the barking pack leader, however as he lowered his forearm from his face, his gaze met the maw of a Xenomorph that launched itself through the fog and smoke.
As the Cainite was brought down to the road surface, Xenomorph ripping at his head with fang and claw, not a single mortal man, woman or child could see the creature that devoured his head, as it hid behind Obfuscation. Some however, of the Cainites still firing at the advancing forg, could see the creature, and the many more that followed, rushing over rooftops, over walls and weaving around cars for cover.
Following the Xenomorphs, an army of Ghouls marched forward, their guns blazing, their disciplines still working after their embrace was stolen away by the monster that appeared last from the mist. Midian.
As his glorious form stepped out from the mist that sill steadily crept forward, and spread out to cover a wider area, a trio of LaSombra suddenly rose up from the shadows at his feet, surrounding him with their arms, hand in hand. Before Midian had a chance to even scowl at the three shadowey figures, there was a dull click in each, and a brief, flickering orange glow in their chests, before they three errupted into a sizable explosion, ripping up the road and shattering windows all around them, one car was even caught in the blast, adding to its power. Three grenades held within the shadow forms of the Cainite would-be-Kamikazes.
As the shadow forms started to peel themselves up from the road and other surrounding surfaces, begining to reform after the blast, their laughter taunting, a completely obsidian right claw shot out from the smokey crater, like a shadow cast of Midian's right hand attached to the end of a lengthy tentacle it cracked in the air and without a moments more notice, one of the LaSombra, almost completely reformed was snatched up by the throat. Despite the LaSombra's intangible form, the contact was real, and believe yopu me, he felt it with his face starting to sink inward, mouth open wide and eyes rolling into the back of his head, before the shadow 'matter' that made up his form was drawn into the claw wrapped around his throat, leaving only the true physical form to be strangled... Before in a violent motion the head was ripped from the body, and then splattered like a watermelon against the pavement.
The remaining pair of LaSombra jumped back hissing, as Midian stepped out of the crater, unharmed, not so much as a scuff on his clothing even, as a second tentacle like shadow cast claw formed from the ends of his scarf, just as the first had.
"The arms of man cant touch me, not cast by the hands of mere DOGS."
Snarling, one foe threw his right hand out at his side, pointing with his whole hand at a van parked on the street, before then throwing his arm over his head, and pointing at Midian. Simultaneously the shadows beneath the car rose up as tentacles, flinging the vehicle at the Antideluvian. Meanwhile, the second slammed his palms into the road at his feet, a deep indigo flicker coming to his otherwise obsidian body, as a pooling of shadows started to spread out from his hands, gleaming the same indigo in its ripples.
The claw cast born of Midian's right scarf end caught the van lazily, before batting it to the side through a shop front, and as the shop was torn assunder by the resulting explosion, the left claw cast shot forward, reaching for the chest of the LaSombra pooling his blood on the road, though it met with resistance, brief as it was. The desperate little whelp had summoned the abyssal limbs, and made an attempt to devour Midian's shadow arm in the entanglment, though would find this a futile effort.
As Midian's claw cast was swallowed by the tendrils of abyssal shadow, and a confident smirk appeared on the face of the Sabbat soldier, the claw suddenly shot up from the mess of tendrils at the bases. The blood pool he had summoned them from. 'The Leviathen method' He had heard it called once or twice. While some might see Midian's arm being swallowed by the tangled mess of abyssal tendrils, the fact was he reached into them, into the abyss, and used the gateway provided, to reach back OUT of the endless nothing. He had weaved his claw cast in, and out of the nothingness, much like the Leviathen was seen as arches on the waters surface.
The poor gitt didn't even have time to notice what had happened, as his face was clutched by the claws, and he was ripped into his own pooling.
Midian's claw then re-emmerged from its entry point without the catch, leaving him in the abyss, as his pooling and tendrils dissolved, sealing him in the endless dark for eternity.
Meanwhile, the rich fog of scarlet had spread beyond them, keeping up with the ranks of Ghouls and Xenomorphs that pushed forward in a chaotic line, forcing their way deeper into the city. The reason for the mist would become clear to the enemy, each time a Ghoul, or Xeno was dispatched, as their injuries, fatal or otherwise rejuvinated, and those that had 'died', were reborn. Even those of the Sabbat ranks that fell, were reborn... Though not of their own will or mind. They were reborn as Midian's damned slaves. Any that noticed this, and cheeky enough to try and reap the same rewards from the fog, foundthemselves in a world of agony unlike anything they had ever experienced, as they were shown the chaos that lived within Midian's mind and body, their own corroding until nothing remained.. Nothing but the hunger, and the undeniable need to serve. With each that feel however, the fog grew. It was blood. The blood of the fallen thus far, tainted by a mixture of Midian's own.
It was far from a feat worth mentioning how Midian ripped the remaining LaSombra kamikaze from his path, before he continued his march forward, claw casts of they're own accord whipping out at the enemy to starve their ranks, though a wall would soon be met. One in the form of five black suited 'men' armed as they favoured. They managed to cut down each and every Ghoul and Xeno that approached, over and over again as they were rejuvinated.
As Midian rounded the main road corner, the very air around him hissed and cracked. As Midian turned his head to regard the undead bloackade of five, he was once again bathed in flames, though not in the traditional sense of an explosion. The air itself simply ignited, dousing an area of tweenty meters in every direction around him in ravaging flames.
"You've made a grave mistake comeing here with your arms of war, monster. Now we will suffocate your ranks, and drain them away, till you have nothing, and then.. You will burn for an eternity for our amusement in the theater HELL."
"So this is the power of the Baali."
With a devilish hiss in his words, Midian's right claw cast shot up into the air to hang its open palm directly over the flames below, waves of a vibrant orange glow shifting through its raven form as the fires were sucked up from the surface like liquid, seeping into the large tentacle limb, leaving Midian revealed, his garments finally singed all over, though what caught the eye, was the other claw cast, holding firmly to a sinjector that plunged into the miniture Behemoth's chest, emptied.
"I'll take it."
These Templars would have their hands full, with a constant assault of Ghouls and Xeno's, and the DeSeer Syn Ego.
"Dark Thaumaturgy path, The Fires Of Inferno."
The claw cast suspended high above then suddenly jerked, palm opening wide before nothing short of an absolute flood or liquid obsidian flames spilled out, threatening to crash down on the five Templars. Shadowey flames with flashes of orange luminacy through them that moved like liquid. This wasn't fire, in a sense. This was described merely as an energy that existed solely in Hades.
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