Welcome to Gaia! ::

Nimm rolled over in her bed and blinked the sleep from her eyes, rubbing at them a bit before sitting up and looking over at the clock on her nightstand. It was relatively early still, but she honestly didn't feel like sleeping too much longer. She stretched, taking a deep breath and carefully swung her legs out of the bed. The day before had been filled with more excitement and surprises then she had the ability to handle. She was curious what the new day brought with it.

She slid from the bed and quietly walked across the room to her bathroom, starting the shower and climbing in. She replayed the events of the previous day through her head. The newcomer Dethblade, the fight with the Psychic and Thief. She dwelled a moment on the memory of shoving a sword into one of the chair people downstairs and looked down at her hands a long moment, remembering the weight the sword she had used and the effort it had taken to do such a thing. She hadn't minded the incident in the least. What bugged her was how tired she had been afterwards. "I wish i could be just a little stronger physically...would be nice for a change..." she muttered to herself before finishing up, turning the water off and stepping out before wrapping a towel around herself and going to her dresser.

She grabbed out a pair of black leggings and a long dark navy tank top that synched around her waist. It could of passed for a mini dress on her if not for the pants. She changed quickly before sitting down to braid her long hair, a task in itself given how long her hair was now a days.

Stretches and PT finished, Nimm stood and pulled an oversized black cardigan on, and slipped on a pair of black flats before grabbing the face mask off her bedside table. She held it up, looking it over a moment. It didn't seem to turn on until she secured it where it belonged, no doubt Setsumies way of prolonging its battery life. Did it run on a battery? Was she suppose to have charged it maybe? She didn't remember Dr.Lafleur giving her anything to do so with. With a shrug she placed the mask on over her nose and mouth, listening as the filtration system hummed to life. She took a breath, enjoying the ease of it with the mask.

"Alright, guess I'll wander a bit. Wonder how far i can get now that the locks are off..." she looked down at her wrist where the chip had been implanted and started for the door, jumping a bit as it slid open upon her approach. It wasn't at all what she was use to. She walked through the decontamination room, it too having been deactivated apparently, and out into the hall as the secondary door slid open. She looked up and down the hall a moment, not seeing anyone out and about. "Wonder where everyone is..."

She started walking finding an elevator and clicking the button to go down. Given the events of yesterday, she figured the hospital would be more on alert, but maybe they were simply cleaning up the mess. There were several bodies left down stairs, and a broken window upstairs, not to include the damage from the fighting. A ding sounded as the elevator opened and she stepped on and looked at the button panel.

"Hmmm, lets see...i was told I could go where ever i wanted...probably safest to stay in the hospital though....atleast till the antibodies thing is worked out." She ran her fingers down the row of keys and hit the "B" button at the very bottom. "Might as well start at the bottom and work my way up. Or at least see how far i can get before someone stops me." She chuckled to herself. Speaking outloud to herself was a habit at this point. Something to fill the silence when she was left to her own devices. A downside to being in quarantine.

It was a longer ride down to the bottom level than she'd expected. She hummed to herself, rocking on her heels and examining the buttons on the control pad. She tilted her head, realizing there was no key for the 13th floor. The numbers went from 12 to 14. She chaulked it up to superstition. There was a shudder as the elevator stopped and dinged, opening out into the basement. Nimm stepped off, looking around. She was a bit disappointed to find the walls to be white cinderblock and the lighting of the florescent variety. Pipes ran the length of the cieling, snaking in and out of holes above her head here and there. The occasional clatter and clank of them expanding and contracting echoed down the hall way once in awhile. She started walking, peaking around corners once in awhile.

"How boring...looks like this is all maintenance and laundry." She pointed out to herself, seeing the large bins of sheets and such lining one hallway. Still, she hadn't seen any people. "Maybe I should head up to the main floor. Bound to be more interesting things there." With a sigh she turned around, and realized very suddenly a glaring flaw in her adventuring plan. She hadn't kept track of where she'd turned, and the elevator was no longer in sight.

"Crap...hmmmm" she moved, back tracing what looked like the familiar path back. She ended up further lost however, and slightly irritated. "Thats just great. Now where am I..." she sighed and rounded a corner, find a door with a staircase symbol on it. And a lock on the door. "Oh...maybe that goes back up. Hmmm..." she reached for the handle, surprised when the lock disengaged as her wrist hot close to it. She tugged, and the door gave with a loud groan. Behind it was a dark entryway, and a staircase that only went down.

"MISS ROZENTHALL!"

Nimms eyes snapped open. Her chest was tight and she was damp from sweat. She blinked, focusing on the familiar figure of Dr.Lafleur looking uncharacteristically panicked, standing over her. "Doctor....what? Where?!" She sat up looking around quickly. She was in her room, in her bed. The clock stating it was 8am.

Annette took a breath, calming down and gently placing her gloved hands on Nimms shoulders. "Please calm down Ms. Rozenthall. I got an alert that your vitals had gone into distress. I thought you were having an attack. Instead, i find you screaming bloody murder in your sleep? You have never had night terrors before?" She moved, starting to take her pulse, check her heart and listen to her lungs.

Nimm sat, shaking, trying to calm down. "Something...under the hospital. Deep below the hospital...in the dark..." she blinked, looking up at Annette and taking a steady breath. "Wheres Dethblade?"

Annette turned as the portal opened. Even with it being used so often lately, it still made her uneasy when it just occupied space instantly. She watched Dethblade walk through, raising a brow at his request to see to new patients, and going wide eyed at the arm he handed her. "What in the the-How...nevermind. I'll see to both requests." She pulled a second pair of gloves on and took the severed appendage, looking it over a moment before heading for the door. "I will be back once i finish. Rest well." She finished and headed out, intent of taking care of the arm first.

Nimm sat up in bed, still in her pajamas. She ran a hand through her hair, taking a shaky breath and calming down as Dethblade found a seat and got comfortable. "I had a dream...but it didn't feel like a dream. I think...i think theres something, er, someone under the hospital." She explained, not sure if the information she was sharing was relevant. Still, the dream had felt real. So real she still felt chilled as if she'd been down in the tunnels. "In the dream, i took the elevator to the basement, i got lost, but found a door that opened with my chip and went even further down. It was pitch black though, and there was someone being kept down there. In the dark. It was odd though. They didn't have a body. It was almost like...I'm not sure, the shadows moved with them..." she explained, clutching the blanket in her hands tightly. She thought she'd have trouble remembering the dream, but it stood out in sharp detail in her mind. "I think Grace of Nocturnal is hiding something under the hospital."

Nimm thought for a moment. Was it the dark that scared her, or the fact there were secrets other then her in the hospital. "I guess its not so surprising. If they kept me a secret, then i suppose there are lots of things they haven't told people." She surmised, moving to finally get out of bed. "I can go...but I'm not sure what i can do once i get there." She admitted, going to her closet and grabbing clothes before going to the bathroom to change. She closed the door, leaving it open a crack to hear him if he responded.

"Whatever was down there wanted out, but...i don't understand why it couldn't get out on its own." She wondered allowed, changing quickly before moving to brush her hair out, pulling around her shoulder and braiding it as she walked out of the bathroom. "Out of curiosity...where did that severed arm cone from earlier?" She asked.

Dethblade rose to his feet slowly and open a small portal, pulling from it a small black orb. As the portal closed so would his eyes and he'd shatter the small orb in his hand. Instead of crumbling, the orb would begin to drip like sludge, and in a matter of moments it would spring to life, wrapping around Dethblade and forming his usual apparel. The only difference would be the black feathers that now adorned the trim of his coat. Placing his hand to his face he'd re-summon the black raven mask as well before finally opening his violet eyes.

"This...thing...whatever it is, it made itself known to you, Nimm. If there is something calling out from the depths, then it's you it wants. So you are precisely what we will give it." As she reemerged from the bathroom he'd glance in her direction. "But fret not, for the denizens of the dark are all mine, bound in servitude...whether they know it or not. No harm shall come to you."

Upon being questioned about the arm Dethblade would think for a moment as how best to relay the situation to her. "The man whom that arm formerly belonged to stood in my way. Now his power, and his life, are mine. He will live to serve under me to atone for his sins before I grant him even a shred of mercy...even more than hindering my path, I cannot allow him solace knowing he harmed Adelaide. Hindrances, battles, pain and suffering...these things are inevitable for one of my stature. It could be argued they are for my subordinates as well, but that does not mean that, in their case, it will be tolerated."

--------------------------------------------

Cross stirred a bit in his bed, still in a rather woozy state from the drugs keeping him calm and out of pain. He gave the woman a puzzled look, then tried to use his missing arm to shift himself. "...so it wasn't a dream. How troublesome..." He'd then direct his attention back to the woman and sigh. "Ghristoff Crossfeld. You may know me better as the infamous Sadist Cross." He'd smirk and attempt to sit up, finding it rather difficult given his lack of mana. He'd notice Adelaide across from him, a grin spreading across his lips before he'd collapse on to his back, unable to prop himself on one arm. "So she's here too! Excellent!" He'd snicker.

Dethblade diverted his attention way from Nimm to the couch...he was exhausted, to say the very least. Retreating to it, for the time being, he'd nearly fade to black the moment he connected with the cushion but managed to keep himself from slipping. It was indeed as comfortable as she said, no, more so, if only due to his waning energy level. A small portal would appear beneath the box and into his hand it would fall via the gateway. He'd inspect the item for a moment, then slip it on.

"Remember, Nimm: fear not the dark. If I am needed, I am only a call away...I am an extremely light...sleeper..." He barely got out his final word before yawning, and before long he'd pass right out.

-----

Cross smiled at the lady doctor. He'd search for his next sentence, though the moment Adelaide spoke he couldn't help but respond. "After that battle, you're really going to complain about a little light? You're imbued with the element of fire, yet shy away from the light...how depressingly human." He mocked.

"Hey, lay off the girl! After all, she managed to beat your a** pretty good and to the victor go the bragging rights!" Dr. Dokusei exclaimed while making his way into the aforementioned light whilst eating a popsicle. "Dr. Lafluer, I have something I think you ought to see concerning your two newest patients." He'd remove a small device akin to a phone from his pocket and use his thumb to maneuver it, pulling up the data from the fight. He'd then click something that made the data appear on the nearest computer screen, along with a video of the battle. "Enjoy the show!"

"Who in the hell are you?" Cross asked sternly.

"Me? Oh I'm no one special. But you, you're Sadist Cross, the mass-murdering marauder of the galaxy! Let me ask you something, Cross...are you still a threat without those nifty mage power of yours? Do you possess a lick of power that you haven't stolen?" Dr. Dokusei mocked.

"Perhaps you'd like to see personally, Mr. No One Special?" Cross spat.

Dethblade suddenly awoke after one of those fun little experiences in which one finds themselves falling. In the process of catching his breath and working on returning his heartbeat to normal, he'd go to lift his mask...only to find there was no mask. And his hands...where were the gloves? It seemed his entire attire had changed to that of a simple peasant, similar to that which he wore as a child and teenager growing up.

He stood from his bed and looked about the room. It had changed fundamentally as well, given he was now in his childhood home. He concluded he was lucidly dreaming, not uncommon for him...but something felt off, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. Just as he was about to solve the mystery, a voice rang out. "Hello Kain. How has life been treating my love?" The female voice asked. He knew that voice, so light and full of kindness, brimming with the English accent he was so familiar with. He looked to see his first wife, his first true love, Annebeth Valence, standing at the old iron stove. She wore a simple dress, tight along the waist with a brilliant forest green skirt that fell to the floor. Her auburn hair was braided, nearly falling to her waist as well, her green eyes sparkling like the emerald isles. "Kain? Are you alright?" She asked as he stood there awestruck. He hadn't dreamed of her in what seemed like an eternity.

"Yes, I'm fine...am I?" He asked himself. He knew he was talking to a figment of his imagination given form by his subconscious, yet he felt compelled to interact with her.

"You're dreaming, love. I'm sure you've figured that out by now. Worry not my love, I have long since parted. I am with the angels now." Anne explained, setting a bowl of stew down at the table. "I've been instructed to warn you, love. Please sit, we've much to discuss..." She asked, taking a seat her own self.

Dethblade moved to the table and sat, as instructed. He looked at the stew with a great deal of confusion; how in the world could it possibly smell so good? The meat, the vegetables, the broth, it smelled divine. He couldn't help but take the wooden spoon into hand and taste...how did he taste it?! How did it feel so nourishing to him? "...much to discuss...what kind of dream is this?" He inquired.

Anne chuckled. "Eat up my love. You will need your strength. All will make sense in due time, this I promise. Tell me Kain...how have you devolved into such a creature? It breaks our hearts to see you this way, Adrian and I."

Dethblade stopped eating and slammed his hand down. "Dethblade. Address me by my name or cease speaking to me." He sighed and shook his head. "I haven't devolved. Not in the least. I've awoken to the truth of all things; I've seen the tapestry of the universe and unraveled the threads."

Anne frowned and placed her hands atop his. "As you wish, Dethblade. For what it is worth, I'm sorry for what transpired. There isn't a soul in all the afterlife that isn't privy to Caim and his deeds. But we've more pressing matters to attend to."

Dethblade shot the woman a glare. "I suggest you watch your words more carefully, as not a matter in all Life's expanse is of more concern to me than Caim."

"The Lord of Nightmares has his eye upon you, Dethblade. The man truly responsible for the creation of Singe. The man that orchestrated every dark event in your life. Haven't you ever wondered why you're so drawn, so obsessed with the Darkness?" Anne inquired.

"Don't be vague. If there is someone threatening my path towards revenge, then I need his name. I don't care who he is, or what title he has, or what he thinks he can do. I just. Need. A name." Dethblade explained.

"I just said it...Singe. The man you've decided to ---" Annebeth stopped mid-sentence as Dethblade began to laugh. "I'm sorry, but what is possibly so entertaining?"

"You! You invade my dreams, my mind, and all because you're afraid of the Boogeyman. You, your kind, whoever put you up to this? You're all ridiculous and completely inept at judging a situation. I have my eye upon him, and he--"

"Ignorant a**, just as pompous and arrogant as ever. It's going to get them all killed, again!" Anne interrupted.

"Interrupt me again and I'll--"

"You'll what, Kain? Kill me? Again? Seems to be all you can do...your little moniker should be a warning to people to stay away from you. But they don't. They never will. People are drawn to your charisma and your power. Your promises...your lies. I came to you because I thought you may have a sliver of compassion for Nimm, but I was mistaken. You're too bloody damaged in that inflated head of yours. When things go to Hell for you yet again, just remember: I tried to warn you. Now she's going to suffer a fate worse than death. A fate tied to being your ally." Anne then stood and made for the door.

"Spare me the dire warnings and spooky proclamations. Why do you of all people care what happens in the world of the living? In a reality far beyond the confines of that which birthed us?" Dethblade asked with a quizzical brow raised.

"...because Singe is aiding Caim. And Caim killed my son...YOU killed my son." Annebeth looked over her shoulder with a glare as she spat her words.

"..." Dethblade was silent. Even if he hadn't been the one to end Virtue's life, it was another version of him, searching for him, trying to hurt him. With a defeated glance to the floor, Dethblade nodded to the chair. "Forgive my ignorance. I will entertain your words."

Annebeth shook her head and sighed as she took her seat back at the table. "Lucky for you, I knew you'd be difficult. I'll put it bluntly; I'm unsure how much time I've left. Singe, through some remote device he has on you, has been reporting your every move to Caim, and in doing so Caim has granted him a place in his circle and offered him the title, and powers, of the Lord of Nightmares. The rumor is that Singe is working to become the Lord of Darkness as well, but something apparently stands in their way."

Dethblade closed his eyes and processed her words. It wasn't all that hard to believe...no, on some level he'd even theorized it. "I suppose reality to reality, some things never change. Singe will forever be a pawn to the Darkness."

"Or you in your entirety." Annebeth quipped with a smirk on her full rosy.

Ignoring her comment, Dethblade looked out the window, watching what seemed to be a black rain. "What am I to do, then?"

Annebeth motioned to the food. "I'm going to train you. When you're awake, you'll do as you see fit, but when you slumber you will come to see me. I've used my power to protect your mind from Singe's influence, but you are far from ready to face him. Furthermore, you should know I can only enter your mind do to the bond we shared. But, if someone should slip into slumber while in contact with you, I will be able to commune with them."

"And just when will my mind be at rest?" Kain asked concerned.

"Your mind is not in danger, Dethblade. You've already gone mad anyway!" Annebeth joked.

Dethblade turned to look at her for a moment. "So this will be just like old times I suppose...Annebeth...how is he?"

Anne smiled. "Adrian sends his love. He's made his way upstairs. Now then, eat your food, my love. It's laced with magic that will make you more susceptible to the training. I should warn you that from here on, dreaming is just as potent as living. You'll hunger, hurt and breathe."

Dethblade nodded and started in on the stew again. "...this is a pleasant dream." He mentioned under his breath. Annebeth heard it and grinned.

----

Dr. Dokusei laughed. "I am my Lord Dethblade's guardian angel! Not that he knows it, but that doesn't make it any less true. Don't tell me you're still upset over that, given your new deal?"

"My arm cannot be used remotely. Without magic circuits ---" Cross began.

"Yes yes, you're special bloodline allows you some neat tricks. But I, I am a man of SCIENCE!" Dokusei exclaimed while throwing his arms into the air. He then took another bite of his apple and looked to Annette with a smile. "And science...trumps magic. Every. Single. Time. And from what I gather of our Lord's intention Cross, you're just going to be used as a dog on a leash. So let's not pretend you've gotten any air to inflate your chest with! Or else..." He'd then throw the apple at Cross, watching as he tried to catch it with his missing arm, instead getting beamed in the sternum. "You're going to get hurt."

Cross glared at Dr. Dokusei, all but launching out of his bed at him. "Watch your back, doctor...if it's adapt or die, then all I need do is adapt!"

Dr. Dokusei grinned, then looked over to Adelaide. "And what about you? Will you adapt, or perish?"