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 Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 5:53 pm
The walk was long, but not overly arduous, the desolate and mostly ruined abandoned town at one point turning into wild grass and flat sands. They were descending now, into a staircase, the pathway steadily lit with glowing blue crystals. It was confusing which direction they were moving however: at some points some trainees probably could have sworn they just crossed here, walking perpetual circles until-
- A single staircase ahead. Not just a staircase but the noise, a loud, shrill ringing that shook the very passageway, filled with pure white light. The Death lead continued to press inside. A wave of nausea passed through everyone inside the room, a sense of uneasiness and pure dissonance.
A single staff floated in the inside of the chamber where Excalibur should have also rested. It glowed bright, too bright, blotting out everything else as it continued to scream and resonate, shaking the cavern with each blast of Fear. The furthest they could walk was only a few steps in: everything else was bathed in pure light, white, crystalline fragments covering everything else, purely prismatic in appearance, sharp and jagged.
Caelius grabbed the first of the captured horsemen at the base of the net, pulling them forwards, as close to the errant weapon as possible. The ground began to shake a little more, just a little more violently, crystals attempting to spread further upwards, snapping at everyone, at coiling around his feet.
"I will explain this to you very carefully." He talked as if they weren't about to be consumed by the crystals, by the errant staff at any moment. It was difficult to hear him through the ringing, the shaking and tremours, but he spoke slowly. "You will tell me exactly what Medea promised you, or you will join your clans members down there."
Through the pillar of immense white light lay figures - horsemen - trapped in the crystals, arms still reaching outwards to clamber up the stairs. Syusaki Caelius is addressing Jay first! OOC -ALL HUNTERS are in this rp, though being near the staff makes you feel extremely queasy, and your weapon sick to their very core. You want to move, to get out, but you find it difficult to even breathe, let alone talk - ALL HORSEMEN: If you have been quoted you are trapped! You hear something calling, a single word. Revenge. It simply repeats itself over and over, even as the Fear threatens to overwhelm you, consume you whole. Perhaps you are scared, scared of losing yourself.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:12 pm
Jay was tired. Being relentlessly by a Jacking large dragon of Insanity could do that to a horsewoman. She could care less about the other hunters loitering about. She didn’t even bother to wave at the few other horsemen she recognized. Tired eyes turned into eyes of startled terror when the mist began to converge, to form something terrifying. Faces. Faces everywhere—
Ah. There was the Death leader.
Wait.
Wha—
She shrieked.
Being dragged in a net was not pleasant. Being dragged down stairs? Haha. Funny. Very funny. Jay screamed and squawked at the hunters, an arm reaching through the holes in the net to try and claw them. It didn’t work. She quieted down when they entered a chamber. Her gaze focused on the staff in the middle, enamored by the weapon before she was grabbed.
She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before gradually opening one of them to watch the crystals gathered around Caelius’ feet. Her hands reached up for her ears as the incessant ringing filled her senses, but somehow she could still hear Caelius’ voice, slow and steady.
“Oh really?” Jay sneered, her gaze straying toward the crystals. The horsewoman hesitated when she realized there were horsemen inside the structures. She pressed her lips together, kept her eyes away from the leader as she seriously considered her answer. Her nose crinkled when she opened her lips, “Revenge.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:25 pm
Gale did not particularly appreciate the long walk, considering that he was not exactly feeling his best, but he followed along behind the Death lead anyway, his expression still stonefaced. In spite of his feelings towards Halloween creatures in general, the same could not be said for his feelings about the horsemen.
Everything seemed to be crashing down around him.
Inside the chamber he felt sick, worse than he felt after the attack from the Insanity ridden dragon. Gale closed his eyes briefly, trying to fight back some of the nausea that had risen in his throat, and breathed out slowly, inhaling just as carefully so as to not heave the contents of his stomach out onto the ground.
A part of him wanted to leave, but the rest of him scarcely was able to even think straight, let alone move.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:30 pm
The Death lead seemed entirely nonchalant as he pushed the bundle of Jay along with the net over the edge. There was a loud snap - she barely dangled at the overhang, supported only from the base of the net snagged in a few crystal formations on the stairs, staring down at the horsemen frozen forever in time. Another snap as the strings of the net began to break under her weight.
And then a last as the net broke free, as the crystals shot up hungrily and consumed her whole, stuck permanently in the expression of falling.
Caelius didn't say a single word as he pulled Soren next, letting the trapped horsemen have a good look at Jay. "I don't think I need to repeat myself. The room quavered again. Now. What did Medea promise?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:34 pm
As Wilson followed Caelius, he pulled down his mask to bask in the sea of colors that surrounded him again. As much as he was gradually begin to grow fond of the color green, when everything you saw was green green and more green, wearing the mask could get tiring. He looked at the tall grass and sand before the group descended a staircase, the passageway lined with crystals that glowed a dim blue. After a while, the hunter sorely wished there was some sort of map for him to follow as they traversed deeper into the structure. The turns were beginning to look the same to him and a part of him was almost convinced they were lost, but that was before they encountered a single staircase.
He tried to cover his ears to blot out the high-pitched ringing and closed his eyes to avoid the bright light. Maybe he should have left his gasmask on. Caelius appeared to walk normally when he continued to move forward, but as for Wilson? The young man took a moment to cover his stomach before pressing down the wave of nausea and following the Death lead.
Wilson couldn’t tell who he was standing next to, but he assumed it was Gale. Gramps murmured restlessly in his mind, but Wilson remained silent. He wanted to leave this room, but it simply took all he had to keep breathing. He could only barely register the sight of a horseman toppling over the edge.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:42 pm
Whoever had had to pull Soren along would probably be plagued by sore muscles the next day, as the guardian would have proven hard to drag by sheer mass alone. He could see as the other Horseman was taken, questioned, and pushed. Then it was his turn. The crystals seemed to already be reaching for him, the horsemen trapped with them seeking an exit, release. He could not offer that to them today. He looked at the hunter, thinking about how he would love to wrap his hands around his neck and squeeze, past the point where he was no longer breathing, until he could feel the bones give, the hunter go limp. To make him stop taking up space. His gaze was measured, and even though the hunter had trapped him so easily there was still contempt, hatred as he met his eyes. This was a time to actually speak, and he prepared himself for what was practically a speech coming from him. "Medea is giving me everything I desire," he rumbled with his low voice, never breaking eye contact. "Revenge."
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 6:50 pm
Should Jay have answered? But it was the only word she could have said. It was ringing in her head so loudly. RevengeRevengeRevenge. She wanted it so much. She craved it. The very thought of watching the hunters die and bleed by her hands consumed her. Jay couldn’t even tell if it was her desires or simply the other Fear. Maybe it was both. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Caelius. There was only the barest of recognition from the horsewoman when he moved to push her over the edge. Her mind was still drowning in her thoughts for revenge when the net stopped with a loud snap.
Jay blinked. She was alive. She was still alive? The warrior looked up. Then she looked down, forcing herself to stare at the other horsemen buried in crystal until the ends of time, for all she knew. Was this how she was going to go out?
There was the distinct sound of rope beginning to snap. The net was beginning to sink beneath her weight. Jay still didn’t know what to think, but eventually her sentences began to grow coherent despite the constant ringing for revenge. She didn’t want to die like this. She was a horseman. She was from War. This was not how War went out. They went out with a bang, in a blaze of glory as they fought and struggled on the battlefield. That was how it was supposed to be.
The net finally opened, dropping her into a free fall. She immediately unfurled her wings in an attempt to fly her way out, but something was pulling her in. Jay pumped her wings harder, but eventually they gave way. She was too weak to outfly this force. Her eyes were still wide, her expression still somewhat confused as she reached out toward nothing.
Sen—
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:29 pm
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:31 pm
Caelius leaned over, just enough to make eye contact with the specimen. "And that is why you are here. Because of revenge."
Unfortunately Soren had no time to consider what that meant as the horsemen went toppling as well, the crystals swallowing him along with the net. Both horsemen remained frozen in the exact position they fell. In that moment, the glowing fragments shuddered, retreated slightly as if satisfied at the offering - any offering - before they continued to grow steadily yet again.
"All of you are to stay, guard the ******** entrance." The Death lead took a few steps back as well, nonplussed. Perhaps he was just looking for more sacrificial horsemen - or allies - to throw into the literal pit. A crackling, shattering noise as he cleared the top of the stairs with his scythe weapon. "Use your weapons, don't let these fragments past the stairs or the barrier they are contained in will collapse entirely. Consider it very much relative to your and everyone's immediate survival."
And then of course, he simply left, clearly off to do better things. The good news was the trainees and Hunters gathered had no way to see the coats that were already buried in the mass of white a few steps below, considering that everything was white. OOC: FENDING OFF THE CRYSTALS FENDING OFF CRYSTALS- The crystal fragments will try to get out of the contained area: the room, up through the stairs. If they get out of the room, they will multiple and grow erratically: only the very limits of Excalibur's power is preventing them from doing otherwise. - Roll 1 d100 and match your results to the results below. You continue to roll until you are out of HP, and then are pretty much consumed by the fragments, gj. 1- 20: As you shatter a few fragments, you find others growing at your feet. They don't just hurt, they tug at your Fear and for a second you feel everything turn black. You almost fall off the stairs. - 10 HP 21 - 40: You hear a crackling noise - the crystals are growing above you, breaking off and threatening to impale you. You cringe as they hit your Fear shield instead. - 5 HP 41 - 60: The fragments begin to shake as they snake up, wind upwards and grow, and for a second, the white around you seems different. At the very center, where the staff's vague outline could be seen, for a second you see something else. A figure perhaps, the noises of battle - anger - you almost lose yourself to this feeling - 5 HP 61 - 80: Ouch! You wince as a fragment cuts you, and then stare at your wound in surprise as your blood begins to crystalize as well into fragments, growing out of your wound. This doesn't look good at all. - 5 HP 81 - 100: You feel tired. Maybe it is just time to give in.... You hear something calling about revenge. So that's what the horsemen meant... - 5 HP
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Syusaki rolled 1 100-sided dice:
77
Total: 77 (1-100)
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:35 pm
Caelius was speaking to another horseman. Wilson strained to listen to the conversation, but he was more focused on taking in air. That was sort of important, sorry Caelius. He could hear another voice. Slowly, he turned toward Before and weakly half-nodded at the mist hunter.
Oops. There went another horseman.
The crystals shifted, receding slightly upon consuming both creatures, but then began to spread out again. Wilson stared helplessly. Was that supposed to happen? He still clutched his stomach when he heard Caelius bark orders at the rest of the hunters. He felt tempted to say no, to disobey, but orders were orders. This order especially seemed important to his survival for the time being. He turned to examine the fragments before he shakily pulled up his mask again. ******** Caelius.
The machinery of his cannons jostled quietly as he took a single step forward.
Ow! He looked down at his arm, which now possessed a bleeding cut. Great, but the pain was nothing compared to what Wilson was used to. He was about to move again when he realized his blood was began to crystallize as well. His muscles stiffened. His jaw clenched as he moved his injured arm. Wilson winced at the sensation of crystal clinging to his skin and probably forming inside his body as well. He bit down on his lower lip to seal any shouts about to erupt out of his mouth.
HP: 42-5=37
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Syusaki rolled 1 100-sided dice:
70
Total: 70 (1-100)
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 7:58 pm
Wilson lifted an arm and swung at some of the fragments. He could hear them tinkling—it was sort of a pleasant sound if he wasn’t sort of fighting for his life or something like that—as they shattered into tiny pieces. He winced again when he felt another small pain in his side this time. Wilson paused, closed his eyes. He took a deep breath before he looked down to stare at the wound, the blood already transforming into crystal shards.
HP: 37-5=32
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Sosiqui rolled 1 100-sided dice:
44
Total: 44 (1-100)
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:14 pm
Madison had lost contact with Wash and their little moles - she'd let him play out his little game himself, she supposed, rather than risk screwing up what he was doing. Instead, she had made her way to the source of a great deal of sound and fury, only to find Caelius - And a whole lot of trouble. Her eyes had narrowed sharply as she realized where they were headed. She remembered the visions of battle she'd had before the FEAR-flu struck them all down, hard. Merlin and Excalibur... ... of course. Her stomach bottomed out as she followed Caelius and their prizes into the great chamber. The staff - Merlin - was flaring wildly. She swallowed, hard, and stared as the Horseman spat their bullshit replies. Oh, yes, she could hate them without reservation. They were evil, pure and simple. She would perform her task. Kouki's blades shone as she drew two of them, staring at the encroaching fragments, Merlin's malice come to life. She would not permit them to pass. Kouki came to full attention within her mind, eight eyes narrowed against the crystals. They trembled as they drifted near her, and for an instant she could see the staff... the anger, the battle... like before... She shook herself free at Kouki's insistent hiss, feeling strangely weak, as if something had been drained from her. Still, she brought up her blades and smashed the nearest ones, driving them back. The other Hunter who had engaged the crystals... "Hey! Are you all right?" she called out, smacking away another crystal with the flat of a blade. HP: 45/50
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Syusaki rolled 1 100-sided dice:
28
Total: 28 (1-100)
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:17 pm
Somewhere in the corner of his eye he could see another trainee, the scythes on her coat fluttering. He could even see her mouth moving as she looked at Wilson—oh wait. Wilson shook his head as he tried to snap out of the slight daze. “Oh! Um.” While he tried to form a coherent response, he looked up when he heard a crackling noise. To his dismay, there was a cluster of crystals growing and hanging above him. A few shards broke off from the larger group. The pieces dropped silently, their sharp ends glinting slightly as they headed straight for him. They would have easily impaled Wilson, but instead he shuddered as the shards smashed into his Fear shield instead.
Well, at least he wasn’t dead.
“Alright as I can be,” he answered at last while smacking away a few more crystals. “Uh, I’ve seen you before, right?” Conversing while bleeding crystals. Right on, Wilson.
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Blade Kuroda rolled 1 100-sided dice:
40
Total: 40 (1-100)
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:21 pm
When Deryk arrived, it seemed to be at a bit of an awkward time. He heard Caelius's orders, as well as having seen one of the horsemen become crystalized. That was.. a little disturbing, but he was less bothered by what happened to them.
To an extent. He still had issues over the whole genocide thing... Right now, he wasn't sure if his nausea was due to something in the room, or because of what had happened in the jungle. He still wasn't feeling so great.
But in any case, there was something bigger at hand here. These fragments. They... definitely didn't look like they were going to be doing them a whole lot of good. Yes, he could fight these with no issue. There were no struggles of morality for breaking an object like this. Calling forth Tooley, he went to help out his fellow Death hunters.
As he moved in, he heard a crackling from above. It was just in time to see a shard come crashing down towards him. That could have definitely been a lot worse.
"Wh..what's with the staff..?"
It seemed.. different?
HP: 45
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Ice Queen rolled 1 100-sided dice:
61
Total: 61 (1-100)
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 8:32 pm
Quote: 61 - 80: Ouch! You wince as a fragment cuts you, and then stare at your wound in surprise as your blood begins to crystalize as well into fragments, growing out of your wound. This doesn't look good at all. - 5 HP Izy was bitching, things were flying in her face, and all in all Syd was mourning her job as a sniper. She didn't say anything, though, just did her job as any good little hunter would do--wondering if they were still hunters after their entire base was destroyed-- Nah, they'd probably be stuck underground for months on end again, that was all. She cursed, jerking away too late as a fragment scratched her forearm. The blood started to well--and then it started growing miniature fragments. "Oh crap... um... is it supposed to do that?" she asked the room at large, only to feel extremely unprofessional. HP: 45/50
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