[Nexus] AMEN 32: Srs Bzns

[VampireRot]

Rot laughs* at the flimsy defense. But the vampire, feeling awfully sadistic and vicious, moves the arm aside with his scimitar's blade rather than his hand. His lip curls back unnaturally, more like a wolf than a human, and he sinks his fangs into the pilot's neck. Sucking hungrily at the man's lifeblood, he doesn't let back. Unless stopped, the pilot will be sucked entirely dry. So maybe he was slightly lucky, as he gets to go to whatever afterlife he deserves instead of being held on the mortal plane by a monstrous desire to kill. Rot makes disgusting slurping noises, and his wounds visibly begin healing as he feeds. The holes in his wings and all over his body disappear entirely, while the burns on his face lessen in strength, leaving a previously blackened expanse of skin simply (more) off-colour and wrinkled.

"Ahhh... Who's next? I still hunger."

*cackles maniacally

[Murkus]

Jack mock-winces at Gordon's injury, pursing his lips. "Oooh, that does look bad. Let me see if I can rustle him up."

Jack's gone into nothing for five, maybe ten minutes, before a portal appears at the side of the room. Jack flies out of it, backwards, smashing against a nearby wall.

Out of the portal storms the ruffled-looking Dr. Rein, whitecoat slightly torn. Disease practically seethes from his clenched fists.

One of Jack's arms is covered in boils the size of a grown man's fist, the bloated pustules reaching up to the side of his neck. His chest-husk is rotted inward, blackened and necrotic.

The Doctor scowls at Jack, looking around. Jack, meanwhile, heaves himself up from the floor.

Adrian's vomit-colored gaze finds Gordon, looking him over. It softens in the slightest, perhaps a medical professional's compassion kicking in.

Then, realizing he won't be leaving anyway as Jack's portal closes, the Doctor sighs. "Goddamn you, Jack. You can't just--"

Jack interjects with a lopsided grin. "You'll be paid in full, Doctor. I've already said this." Seems Jack is trying to pacify the man. "I realize you were in the middle of this business with the Seeds, but my friend here needs you. Now. And I don't really know a lot of Doctors here."

The Doctor's suitcase suddenly falls from a portal, apparently borrowed by Jack.

At this point, the Doctor grins right back. He's just realized something. "I'm not helping him. Not unless you're using up one of our Pacts."

[Lord Iames Osari]

You mean Shrike, yes?

Shawna glares at Rogar and Sweetums, clearly not liking having lost the opportunity to fry them both to an extra-crispy crisp.

As opposed to an Original Recipe crisp, of course.

"So, boss," she addresses Anshu in an icy tone. "What's the regulations for surrendered prisoners, again?"

"We don't hurt them unless they try escape or sabotage," Anshu says. "And if they do, then we come down on them like the Godspear of All-Searing Noon."

Oooh, bad idea. You see, which yes, the lever would turn itself, that would wake up the base itself. Remember the base is a genius loci, and since the person who blew it up is here, well, its not happy about that. The floor tries to swallow Cerise whole.

Also, in the crater, the lava cannon rises from the lava.

Cerise tries to jump back, and Anshu catches her. If the ground opens up beneath him as well, he will simply stand on the air above it.

"Rescuing you from suddenly appearing pits seems to be becoming something of a habit," Anshu grins.

Rot laughs* at the flimsy defense. But the vampire, feeling awfully sadistic and vicious, moves the arm aside with his scimitar's blade rather than his hand. His lip curls back unnaturally, more like a wolf than a human, and he sinks his fangs into the pilot's neck. Sucking hungrily at the man's lifeblood, he doesn't let back. Unless stopped, the pilot will be sucked entirely dry. So maybe he was slightly lucky, as he gets to go to whatever afterlife he deserves instead of being held on the mortal plane by a monstrous desire to kill. Rot makes disgusting slurping noises, and his wounds visibly begin healing as he feeds. The holes in his wings and all over his body disappear entirely, while the burns on his face lessen in strength, leaving a previously blackened expanse of skin simply (more) off-colour and wrinkled.

"Ahhh... Who's next? I still hunger."

*cackles maniacally

As Rot turns away from the drained husk, five figures appear at the end of the short tunnel leading into the ship. "Get away from him!" an authoritative female voice rings out.

[VampireRot]

Vampire Rot looks around to identify the speaker and gives a sadistic slasher smile.

"Aww, you don't want to play anymore? Well too bad!"

Rot leaps forward and charges the five figures. He holds his sword ready to swipe at the first person who is in striking range. A beastly snarl escapes from his throat.

[ThePhantom]

[Office]

Gordon frowns, and bleeds. He takes out a piece of cloth, and puts it over the largest wound.

"Maybe I should have asked for a doctor who doesn't spead plague wherever he goes."

[Inside]

Nope, this time, it forms a hand out of the floor and tries to crush them both. As for the others who come with them, pits leading to the lava open beneath them.

[The Bushranger]

[Inside]

Shrike does a backflip...in the direction of the surrendered mooks.

If the floor wants to swallow her, it'll have to take them with her!

[Murkus]

Office

The Doctor, hearing Gordon, wills the plagues to cease, and the pseudo-magical aura surrounding him disappears.

Some of Jack's boils pop, starting to destroy his arm. Again.

Jack squints through the pain and chuckles. "So we're doing this that way, then, Doctor?" Seems Jack obviously didn't have time to come up with a counter-plan. So he goes along.

"Fine. You are released from our first Pact, once you heal this man to the absolute best of your ability. Though I hope you should reconsider joining AMEN. Work for Gordon here full-time."

The Doctor moves towards Gordon, still smiling slightly. "With you here? That's rather difficult to consider. In case you haven't guessed, you're not exactly popular with some of Them, Jack. Not with me, either."

Jack shakes out his disgusting, diseased limb as Adrian attempts to bandage Gordon. And maybe pump in some mending psuedo-magic whilst he's at it. If there's other types of injuries besides lascerations/punctures, the good Doctor will fix them up as best he can too. His kit is fairly extensive. Removal of embedded projectiles may also be possible, with some work.

The Doctor likes to talk whilst he works, so he speaks with Gordon. Without averting his eyes from the bandaging, of course. "How the hell did you get beat up this bad, my friend?"

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Skyreme]

Vampire Rot looks around to identify the speaker and gives a sadistic slasher smile.

"Aww, you don't want to play anymore? Well too bad!"

Rot leaps forward and charges the five figures. He holds his sword ready to swipe at the first person who is in striking range. A beastly snarl escapes from his throat.

The woman who challenged him, steps forward, a sword and shield of red light appearing in her hand and on her arm, her red eyes glittering with stars as she parries Rot's swipe. Behind her, the other four part and conjure their own weapons.

[Inside]

Nope, this time, it forms a hand out of the floor and tries to crush them both. As for the others who come with them, pits leading to the lava open beneath them.

Anshu keeps hold of Cerise and springs backward, away from the hand. The commandos seize hold of the prisoners, trying to use them as hostages against the building's wrath as the lava tentacles start grappling with the hand.

[VampireRot]

Rot's red eyes meet his opponent's stare with a glare of his own. He jabs quickly at her gut with his sword, trying to kill her before the other four join the fight. His left hand makes a fist around a non-existent dagger, and Rot realizes it wasn't the best idea to sacrifice a weapon to open up the helm. After a probably failed stab, he slides the sword down and then tries to strike up under her defenses with the curved scimitar.

[ThePhantom]

[Office]

Gordon winces as Doctor Rein works on him. As far as I know, Gordon was hit with energy blast and things that teleport what they hit away, so a few burns and a lot of holes.

"Fighting airships that fight lasers and other energy blasts will do that."

[Inside]

The lava tentacles hold that hand, but I'm not sure how grabbing henchmen will save you from dropping down a hole. It will make the henchmen fall with you. Other hands, from the walls, ceiling and floor come out, still trying to crush the life out of the woman who dealt it a huge blow.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Rot's red eyes meet his opponent's stare with a glare of his own. He jabs quickly at her gut with his sword, trying to kill her before the other four join the fight. His left hand makes a fist around a non-existent dagger, and Rot realizes it wasn't the best idea to sacrifice a weapon to open up the helm. After a probably failed stab, he slides the sword down and then tries to strike up under her defenses with the curved scimitar.

She dances back, trying to draw him after her as she uses her shield to keep him from getting a good angle on her in the enclosed space.

[Office]

Gordon winces as Doctor Rein works on him. As far as I know, Gordon was hit with energy blast and things that teleport what they hit away, so a few burns and a lot of holes.

((That's correct))

[Inside]

The lava tentacles hold that hand, but I'm not sure how grabbing henchmen will save you from dropping down a hole. It will make the henchmen fall with you. Other hands, from the walls, ceiling and floor come out, still trying to crush the life out of the woman who dealt it a huge blow.

((The idea was that the place would be reluctant to kill the henchmen along with them.))

The commandos are dropped, screaming, into the lava, along with their hostages, which include Rogar and Sweetums.

Anshu is hurling curses at the animate building as he dodges, leaping off of nothing but air: "Foul structure of evil, hear my voice! By my authority as Chosen of the Unconquered Sun and holder of the Creation-Ruling Mandate, I cast ye out into the darkness! Forevermore you shalt languish there, burning and chafing whene'er the sun's holy light touches you!" Anshu's anima flares.

((To clarify: this is not an attempt at literal banishment, as in to another location. It's a metaphorical banishment into a state of unholiness.))

Meanwhile, Cerise directs the lava tentacles to begin attacking the lava cannon.

[VampireRot]

Rot narrows his eyes at the woman. He turns his sword to the side and grins evilly. The vampire leaps forward, not even using his sword to attack, as he tries to tackle his adversary. He flails with his sword hand to batter her with the pommel and tries to grab her sword's hilt in his free hand to force it away from him. All the while leaning in to get the killing bite. And, for the evulz, to whisper in her ear.

"Die."

[The Bushranger]

Shrike, meanwhile, does another nimble backflip...and will keep backflipping to stay just ahead of the collapsing floor for as long as she can!

[ThePhantom]

[Office]

Gordon stares at the screen showing the fight at the lever, and starts saying coming under his breath,

[Inside]

As tentacles, it can damage the cannon, as lava it can't.

As henchmen fall, a mouth forms out of the wall.

"You are fools to come here. Your friends have left you, and you will die here. You cannot fight a volcano, only beg for nonexistent mercy."

Gordon's voice, channeled through his magic, comes forth from the mouth.

[Murkus]

Dr. Rein makes sure Gordon is bandaged to the best of his ability, using stitches to stop up the larger wounds. Gauze and cleaning/soothing ointment are placed on the burns. "Sounds like AMEN's got a war on it's hands. Now why would I want to join now?"

He finishes swiftly, pumping in some magic, and turns to Jack. "Alright. I'm finished."

Jack waves his finger, grinning, "Ah ah ah. Not yet. I said once he's healed to the best of your ability. He isn't healed yet. You will stay with him. Keep him that way. Until he is healed to the best of your ability, and I know with time you can restore him to complete health, you aren't leaving."

The Doctor steps forward quickly, starting to leak disease again, fuming with anger. "I've done all I can. He's the best he'll be for a while. I can't--"

"No. You haven't done all you can. He can be better. Now, if you really want to dispute something like this, we can take it to some of the Seed's brethren. Or will you simply see it through?"

Adrian snarls, eyes glowing with ancient power, and narrows his eyes.

"Not a second longer, Jack. Not one."

Jack laughs, right in his face. Adrian sits down and stews, fishing through his medical kit for some painkillers.

"Whatever you say, Doctor."

[Lord Iames Osari]

Rot narrows his eyes at the woman. He turns his sword to the side and grins evilly. The vampire leaps forward, not even using his sword to attack, as he tries to tackle his adversary. He flails with his sword hand to batter her with the pommel and tries to grab her sword's hilt in his free hand to force it away from him. All the while leaning in to get the killing bite. And, for the evulz, to whisper in her ear.

"Die."

As he lunges, she lunges back at him with her shield, intending to slam him back down the hall with it. If it works, she'll then dance back out of the short tunnel to let one of the other four have a go. "Ash, you're up. You're the only one with Holy."

[Inside]

As tentacles, it can damage the cannon, as lava it can't.

As henchmen fall, a mouth forms out of the wall.

"You are fools to come here. Your friends have left you, and you will die here. You cannot fight a volcano, only beg for nonexistent mercy."

Gordon's voice, channeled through his magic, comes forth from the mouth.

The tentacles will keep at it until they manage to break it or something else happens to them.

Anshu finally settles on a spot in midair... and begins to sing, searing holy sunbeams lancing out from him in every direction, out to a distance of nearly 200 feet. Cerise, and any other being not condemned as a creature of darkness, will merely feel the warmth and light of a normal sunbeam. Those that are unholy, that are creatures of darkness, will be burned and seared as long as Anshu continues singing in his resonant baritone:

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the One who has no peer:
He is driving out the demons and the harbingers of fear;
He hath loosed the fateful brilliance of His terrible swift spear:
The Sun is marching on.

"Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
The Sun is marching on."

[ThePhantom]

((To clarify: this is not an attempt at literal banishment, as in to another location. It's a metaphorical banishment into a state of unholiness.))

(They're exalted, how can Gordon tell when it is literal or not, they are that powerful.)

The tentacles wrack at the cannon, its supports won't last long.

[Office]

Gordon refocuses, and narrows his eyes at Jack.

"Jack, behave yourself."

[Inside]

I'm not sure if a genuis loci is unholy or not, but the hands and holes withdraw for now.

[Lord Iames Osari]

((Sorry for forgetting stuff. It's there now))

[ThePhantom]

(Sorry, but I'm going on a trip tomorrow, so see you both the day after tomorrow. Deadtime.)

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Inside]

(They're exalted, how can Gordon tell when it is literal or not, they are that powerful.)

The tentacles wrack at the cannon, its supports won't last long.

I'm not sure if a genuis loci is unholy or not, but the hands and holes withdraw for now.

((It was a note for the benefit of you the player, to aid in adjudicating its effects. Also, the purpose of Anshu's curse was to make it unholy, at least for the purposes of his powers while this encounter lasts))

With the hands gone, Anshu allows himself to fall silent. With Anshu supporting her, Cerise begins shaping another spell as the lava tentacles finally slump back into the ground.

[billtodamax]

Knock knock-knock-knock knock. Knock knock!

Wait, how they hell did someone get past the fighting out front? It seems that someone wants to join AMEN anyway.

Unless the shield's still up. In which case there's someone knocking on the invisible shield they just walked into.

[VampireRot]

Rot is shield-slammed in the the face. He reels back and scowls, especially when she tells someone else to fight him.

"Now that's not very fair..."

The vampire says, remembering the holy lazor. He swings his sword and looks around the tunnel before "Ash" can engage him, searching for something that might give him an advantage.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Rot is shield-slammed in the the face. He reels back and scowls, especially when she tells someone else to fight him.

"Now that's not very fair..."

The vampire says, remembering the holy lazor. He swings his sword and looks around the tunnel before "Ash" can engage him, searching for something that might give him an advantage.

The tunnel is very short and pretty much featureless. At one end are the five figures; at the other, the warstrider with the drained husk of a pilot still inside.

Then a deathly pale man steps forward into the tunnel, brandishing a sword of shadow. "I am Penitent Wind Bearing Ash Like Snow," he says.

[VampireRot]

Rot gives Penitent Wind Bearing Ash Like Snow a strange look.

"W... What? That's just a silly name."

The vampire smirks. Certainly someone with such a silly name would be easy to dispatch. Right? Rot leaps forward and slashes horizontally with his scimitar.

[Lord Iames Osari]

"My name was taken from me by the Neverborn, in exchange for a new life helping them destroy the world," Ash explains, parrying Rot's scimitar with his shadow-blade, which is quite solid despite its appearance. "But I have turned against them, and now I walk the path of righteousness. Let me show you my power!" A golden ring flashes briefly on his forehead, before fading to black and sending rivulets of blood down his face. His blade, meanwhile, glows gold from within, and he ripostes with the holy weapon.

[VampireRot]

Rot's eyes widen and he leans and hops backward while swiping across with his blade to block the attack. But even though the attack was successfully parried, Rot winces and some smoke comes off his skin closest to the holy weapon.

"Now thats just not fair..."

The vampire curls his lip hard and pushes forward again, causing more smoke to gather in the air. He hammers down with his blade repeatedly and relentlessly, trying to use his undead tirelessness to his advantage by not stopping the assault.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Rot's eyes widen and he leans and hops backward while swiping across with his blade to block the attack. But even though the attack was successfully parried, Rot winces and some smoke comes off his skin closest to the holy weapon.

"Now thats just not fair..."

The vampire curls his lip hard and pushes forward again, causing more smoke to gather in the air. He hammers down with his blade repeatedly and relentlessly, trying to use his undead tirelessness to his advantage by not stopping the assault.

"Who said anything about playing fair?" Ash grins a fanged grin, shadows thickening around him as he easily keeps pace with Rot's assault. "You are the one who decided to attack us, kill our pilot..."

[Moff Chumley]

((...after they attacked Rot's home. ))

[Lord Iames Osari]

((They don't know it's his home, and plus they attacked because AMEN tried to kidnap their children because they blew up AMEN's base because AMEN attacked their home because AMEN got tossed out of a party because they were retarded enough to pull a knife on another guest at a formal party hosted by a foreign power.

You know the Dark Helmet quote "Evil will triumph because Good is dumb"? This is the opposite of that. Good will triumph because Evil is dumb.))

[Moff Chumley]

((What your forgetting is that evil is allowed to be hypocritical.

Also, don't hate on Evil when it's just AMEN you're talking about.))