[Nexus] Inside 43

[Rebonack]

[Park]

You would think that a bunch of flailing plants growing out of your spine would be one of those things that are really difficult to miss.

Anywho!

Fredrick backs off a few paces, his eyes quickly darting to the vines before settling on the woman again. She certainly seems to be in her right mind. "You were unconscious," the young man replies matter of factly. "You... umm... don't find yourself hungering for the life-force of the living or anything, do you?"

The Templar shakes his head. "I already told you they're still alive. It's doubtful that they would show any real similarity to the Wights. If anything the similarities in their condition are purely coincidental."

Good to know she isn't a Wight I guess?

[Shadowcaller]

[Park]

Well, this was just one big mess. Frankly she started to wish she hadn't gotten involved at all. "Let's get moving alright? I think we need to burn this place before it start to spread outside the park." Astrana suggests.

[Gullara]

[Park]

Arel looks toward Rein again when he speaks. "Wha- what happened to me?" Her breathing comes in short gasps and it's everything she can do to not panic. The vines lower themselves slowly and lie still. At this point they are fully grown and the one that was cut has regenerated.

[Reinholdt]

[Park]

"We're going to figure it out ok? Right now, we just need to leave. I'm here, ok? I'm right here." Neme Hat Rein says, standing slowly and trying to help Arel stand as well when he does. If that works, he'll start leading her out of the park, following Astrana.

[Halae]

[Park]

What are you talking about?" she says, her brow furrowing. and then she notices the vines sprouting from her back, "What the hell is this?!" the vines start flailing around in agitation.

[Rebonack]

[Park]

"Vines. You were attacked by some kind of plant creature," Fredrick replies. "We... aren't sure if they can be removed safely or not."

The Templar, meanwhile, motions for everyone to get moving. "I believe the Liturgy of Anathema will be sufficient to remove this blight from the city. However you should all be well clear of the area before the prayer is finished."

The guy sounds serious.

Like...

Doom if you stick around serious.

He turns to the others and makes a wide, sweeping gesture. "Now go!"

Fredrick turned a little pale as soon as the phrase 'Liturgy of Anathema' was used. And-

Woah!

Look at that!

He runs pretty fast for carrying all that stuff!

[Gullara]

[Park]

"Okay." Arel barely seems to be aware of anyone else besides Rein. She stands up with him and will follow where he leads. The vines lift off the ground, but otherwise do little.

[Halae]

[Park]

"Gods damn," the ginger mutters, "Vine lady, wake up with a plant growing out of my back, and now some damn templar wants to firebomb the park I'm in. Awesome." she runs after Frederick, her mass of still growing vines slowing her down as she moves. She'll... likely make it out of the park, though a bit too close for comfort.

[Shadowcaller]

[Park]

"Shut up." Astrana states as soon as the ginger decides to speak up, just the sound of her voice annoyed her. "If you manage to move your legs half as fast as your mouth, you might be able to get out of this."

[Reinholdt]

[Park -> Outside Park]

Rein's slowly overcoming his initial fear and holding onto Arel, to keep her close, terrifying a concept that is.

But they should get out of the park.

[Rebonack]

[Park ==> Not Park]

Eh?

The Liturgy takes a while to finish. Several minutes at least. Waaay too long to be useful in combat, that's for sure. But if your house has an infestation of silverfish that absolutely need to go and you don't mind your house (and neighborhood) getting nuked? Totally the spell for you!

"Don't speak about Templar Gregoire that way!" Fredrick objects and he high-tails it the hell out of the park. "He's a righteous man, just like all the Priests! He wouldn't be doing anything unless he's sure it's the will of the Emperor."

Yeah...

That sure is reassuring isn't it?

Gregoire, meanwhile, is chanting in something that sounds kinda like Latin.

[Halae]

[Not Park]

"Shut up, demon bitch! I don't even know who you are, but you've got no right to tell me crap like that when you're not the one dragging a goddamn tree's worth of plants!" the ginger apparently returns Astranna's feelings. Yay.

[The Bushranger]

[Jessica's House]

"Somebody was watching from across the road," Rhyan observes suddenly from the window. "Perhaps I should go and ask if they saw anyone in appearance like you here earlier?"



[Erin’s Emporium]
(Westlanna)

"Quite sure. I've never managed to get my hands on one of these things before, oddly enough," Aeryn observes, giving her friend a smile.

[Beans]

Red Zone -> Library
Dave puts on a similar helmet and revs the engine and off they should go to the library!

To the library! Tsan seems pretty happy.

[Shadowcaller]

[Not Park]

Astrana decides it's best not waste anymore time on this redhead and just keeps running. She had more important things to worry about then some vine-chick. She was probably going to be killed by some monster hunters later, nothing she needed to concern herself about.

[Gullara]

[Outside Park]

And out of the park they go. Once they've moved a bit out, Arel slows to a walk. She's panting for breath, but doesn't want to stop. She wants to keep moving toward home. She not even sure how to start thinking about this, so she just stares forward blankly.

[Reinholdt]

[Outside Park]

The now overly muscular Neme Hat Rein walks with Arel, holding her hand as they go. He'd have one arm over her shoulder, but vines are back there and it might be hard.

Once this is all sorted out, he'll have to remember to get Astrana her charms back.

For now though, walking silently is the closest thing he can think of to do. Where does one even begin?

[Rebonack]

[Outside the Park]

The prayer must have been completed.

Why's that?

Well. First there's the sudden tremor that ripples through the earth. Enough to rattle shelves a bit, but nothing at all dangerous. There's also that horrible sound of shattering stone and heaving earth rather akin to a landslide.

Then fire. Fire and thick black smoke billowing into the sky. It doesn't last long. In fact the flames die out within a few minutes at most.

What's left of the park?

Well... A good portion of it still stands. The infected area, however, has been plowed under by a still steaming field of jagged basalt. Anyone close enough to see what transpired would have witnessed the earth itself splitting open with the intent of swallowing the vines whole before filling back in with molten rock.

Yessh...

Could anything have survived that? Well yeah. Probably. Would have needed to run pretty darn fast though.

Back with the others Fredrick is watching the flames in the distance with something between fear and awe. Not paying too much attention to the vine-covered females at the moment.

[Slii Arhem]

Park - Ground Zero

(Spoilered for bloodshed.)

Spoiler

Show

The remaining vines, as well as those previously attacked by the rescuing party that had begun to recuperate from their wounds, begin shrieking in horror as the flames leap up from the ground to consume them, falling from their trees and withering to ash in mere moments.

The zombies react in a similar fashion, low moans turning into high pitched wails as flickering fire licks their swollen yellow flesh. From the backs of each skull, bulges form, stretching their craniums to the limit before they burst in a shower of white shards and dull red blood that glimmers in the firelight. Infantile vine creatures, slick with gore, claw their way to freedom, making it only a few tentative feet before the fluids on them have evaporated, leaving them to die in wailing agony with their forebears.

And so ends the threat, along with dozens of innocent lives.

[Halae]

[Outside Park]

"So, can anybody tell me what the hell is going on?" the tomboy says angrily. Getting woken up to run like hell from magical devastation really, really sucks.

[Shadowcaller]

[Outside Park]

"You got turned into plant people by a plant creature." Astrana explains. "So either you have to accept your new existence as a hideous monsters, or you have to find a cure. The first option is easier, trust me." She says, gesturing towards herself.

[Rebonack]

[Park]

We'll probably never know how the Templar reacted to those pained, anguished screams. The sound of innocents suddenly finding themselves in a rather literal hell on earth. Because it would seem no one is left to talk about it save for the Templar himself.

[Not-Park]

"We saved your life," Fredrick adds tentatively. "Those plant things were eating your body I think. Templar Gregoire prayed over you to stop them from growing deeper."

He's not going to jump into the middle of the argument that's no doubt about to break out, though.

These ladies seem... well... not particularly lady-like.

[Gullara]

[Outside Park]

Arel looks at Astrana as she speaks, and winces at bit at 'hideous monsters'. That hurt... but she gets what the tiefling is saying. She looks down a bit and moves a vine in front of her. She takes the end of it in between her fingers. It's strange how much of a part of her it feels, even though she logically knows it's strange and foreign.

[Halae]

[Outside the Park]

"Ugh, fine, whatever. Can you guys get the damn plant off me or what?" She doesn't look happy at all, and really, really hates Astranna.

[Reinholdt]

[Outside Park]

Reinholdt frowns at Astrana's insensitivity! How wude!

"Would you like to go home now Arel?"

[LadyOfWar]

[Jessica's House]

Mayhala shakes her head, frown deepening, and apparently continuing to grow tenser, though it's now from anger, rather than wariness, and that's reflected in her face.

"Not that I know of, though I can't speak for what Ryhan may have seen... Why? Certainly, there isn't much here, but I'm sure someone died, and it was either recent or they were close to immortal, or there wouldn't be anywhere near as much residual life as there is..."

It seems Mayhala, despite her similar nature, is unfamiliar with the concept of vampires. Unless Winguardia explained what one was when she described herself, that is.

[Jessica's House]

"Somebody was watching from across the road," Rhyan observes suddenly from the window. "Perhaps I should go and ask if they saw anyone in appearance like you here earlier?"

"I do not doubt you, Mayhala." Winguardia replies. A note of anguish begins to creep into her voice, and it grows the more she speaks. "It is strange for there to be so little blood... unless it was a strangling or the work of a vampire..." That last comment may raise questions for Mayhala, as Winguardia did not ever explain in detail what her vampire background entailed. "This may be my fault."

Winguardia slowly folds up her wings over her back again. Just then she hears Rhyan's sudden announcement, and turns to face the half-drow and the window. "Perhaps they did see something... if you wish to ask, Rhyan, then I would appreciate any news you can find."

Winguardia closes her eyes and then takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. Finally she seems ready for whatever comes next.

[Erin’s Emporium]
(Westlanna)

"Quite sure. I've never managed to get my hands on one of these things before, oddly enough," Aeryn observes, giving her friend a smile.

"Alright then! Scan away. If it won't take long I will have a look about while you do. If you'll need a day or two, let me know and I'll come back." Wes smiles widely.

Should the thief character be here at the same time, Westlanna just might notice the other ... (young woman?) in the store.

[Shadowcaller]

[Outside the Park]

The tiefling sigh and rubs her forehead, "Didn't you listen? We can't just cut them off. They will just regrow. They're a part of you now unless you find a permanent cure. You should see it as a mixed blessing really, you might not get invited at many parties, but if were you I would try to see the potential in more appendages." She argues, her tail swinging back and fourth. "Not to mention all other benefits you might get from being a plant person. It might actually not be as bad as you think. I could try helping you if you don't like to stay as one though."

[Gullara]

[Outside Park]

Arel nods slowly. "Yeah." She says, sounding distant and not all there. She lets go of the vie and lets it droop lazily.

[Reinholdt]

[Outside Park]

Something about hearing her say that just hurts a bit.
Rein goes to wrap one arm around her shoulders and lead her back to the animal shelter.

[Halae]

[Outside the Park]

"What? No. Screw you; if I get this undone it's going to be without your help." She looks towards frederick with a look that says, 'back me up.'