Riverside 19

[Lord Magtok]

Post-Invasion Riverbank

Spoiler

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[Post-Invasion River Bank]

Nobody can control when those deadtime things happen.

That's what you wanted to hear, right Ithuriel? You know it's not your own fault, you've always known it's not your fault but you just couldn't forgive yourself. You're meant to be an angel of forgiveness and you couldn't find it in you to forgive yourself for something you had no control over? Really?

But it doesn't matter now, right? He's forgiven you! So it's all fine!

...why isn't it fine?

Well maybe he's just being nice. Maybe he really is hurt and he's just hiding that to make you feel better? Maybe he actually still thinks you're a horrible person, maybe he thinks you're going to abandon him again immediately and then it'll be so much worse and does he even really need your help anyway? Look at him, he's trying to help in his own way, maybe he never needed your help to change his ways and was always going to-

No. No no no NO NO! Why aren't you fine, Ithuriel? Why can't you just let it go? Just let it go! STOP BEING SO-

...

It's probably a good thing Ambriel is hugging her right now so he can't see the expression her face makes as her overcharged conscience wages war internally with a weak but defiant common sense. He'll still feel her shaking though, perhaps be able to hear the slight sniffle as she tries to keep herself from sobbing.

Why are you an angel anyway? You know you're no good at this. You can't help anyone! The one person you though you'd helped went and helped himself without you! Really, what did you expect to happen? Did you think you were just going to fly in here and he'd be crying about how hard it is to be a nice guy instead of mean, selfish old Magtok and-

Is this even healthy for her? Well, she's sort of committed to it now, hasn't she? She reciprocates the hug, holding Ambriel tightly (but not too tightly! She's learning!) and even leaning over to give him a very quick kiss on the lips. "I think the line between duty and affection got blurred in my mind long ago. You're still that same awkward guy who couldn't quite decide if he was terrified or not." She chuckles lightly, straight back to acting like the big strong angel with absolutely no inner turmoil that she totally is. "So, hey, you got a team? You mean there's more of you quirky, rebellious 'toks out there? Do I get to meet them? Uh, hey, actually there's a thought. Is it awkward if I refer to you as a Magtok in any way, Wings? Does your team have new, edgy, aggressively anti-Magtok names or something?"

"I mean, I don't know if I'd call the names edgy. Just new names with no 'mag' or 'tok' in them, usually the first letter matching what our old name was. For example, I've been going by Ambriel, since I was Angeltok before and it's an angel name that starts with A. HazMag, the former hazardous materials/special ops guy, he rotates through first names starting with H each mission. We've got a vampire who calls himself Vlad...keep in mind that we went to war with the Magtoks, and we lost. There's some bitterness. Well, I say lose, some of us insist we won that war, it depends on your point of view..." Ambriel, you're getting a little sidetracked.

"The idea was, seniority is supposed to make you more important and powerful. Older clones are Magtoks who've been smart enough to last longer, right? Magtoks who are better at being Magtok, and should be getting first dibs and more votes and stuff." Sounds as sensible as any other way of determining status when you're all the same person, I guess. Wouldn't it make more sense to just have everyone be equal, though? I mean, seniority doesn't even mean that much when everyone gets the same set of memories.

"Well, they thought we weren't Magtok enough. That because I've got a permanent set of wings and I spent time cut off from the others in another dimension, talking about good and evil with a some sexy angel lady, I counted as a lesser Magtok, a lower-class Mag who wasn't sufficiently representative of Mag thoughts and values. Vlad was too vampiric, Haz was too rough and soldiery, Intrepid insisted on playing superhero...We rightfully saw through that ruling for the nonsense it was, and I wasn't about to rip my wings out just to fit in with everyone. After negotiations failed, we went to war, got our butts kicked, and fled in our space ship to Riverside. So long story short, yes, I know that technically I'm definitely, obviously a MagClone, but it'd feel weird to be called anything other than Ambriel or Wings or whatever. Did Magtok not mention any of this when he was trying to get in your pants?" Apparently not, Ambriel. Just another reason for you to hold the entire Hegemony in contempt. Also, I think you missed her question about whether or not she gets to meet the rest of your island of misfit toys.

[Felandria]

The Lotus Gardens - Chapel

Felandria looks around, concerned.

Okay, that makes sense, I guess.

Before anything else, though, I probably do need healing, you’re right.

I’m just.....I’m just gonna lay down for a moment.

As she says this, she sits on the ground before laying flat and exhaling.

[Murkus]

[The Lotus Gardens - Border]

"Uh, yeah, stop the show a second there fellas," Adir says, trying to get the attention of the remaining demons and the AMENites. The stag was going to ask a couple more questions, maybe make fun of Zenon's name (for purely tactical reasons), but he could only think of the one thing that seemed relevant now. He lets the pause linger a second before he drawls, "What are you planning to do with Ilpholin, if you get her?"

He doesn't know the whole situation with Ilpholin and AMEN, and he doesn't know how her whole double-agent schtick worked out in the old days. His feeling is that this can't be good, and he's not about to leave someone to AMEN or the literal, actual demons from hell. Even if Ilpholin were a total stranger. Maybe he could at least wait until they were in front of Jezebel to try anything...

Presumably, if the group is moving to Jezebel, Adir can move with them regardless of AMEN's answer. Like Yuan, he'll try to be behind AMEN and Sargon's creatures if he can.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Post-Invasion Riverbank]

"If I'm being honest, his attempts to get in my pants were pretty quickly sidetracked when I started trying to encourage him to take this opportunity to be a better him. I forget all the details. I know I let myself get drunk to try and make myself appear less...angelic, I guess? Like I was still just a person in there who cared and wanted the best for him. It ended with him fleeing out the door, making vague threats and telling me to stay out of his head." That last bit about staying out of his head suggests she'd kind of hit the mark though, right? Just in a way that freaked him out instead of actually helping. "So I think at some point I probably have to drop in again to see how much worse I made things and probably punch him a few times if he's got too far out of line."

Yes Ithuriel, clearly you and you alone must act as Magtok's large, angry, angelic conscience.

"So, yes, all that MagWar stuff and fleeing to Riverside is sort of all news to me? He might have- he might have said something, maybe. But I was very drunk." It's really important that Ambriel grasps this concept, because that is not a normal thing for Ithuriel to be. "Anyway, I look forward to visiting your secret base and meeting all the other renegade Mags." Ithuriel starts strolling along the riverside, keeping an arm round Ambriel's waist, "So if it's all this sexy angel lady's fault that you ended up being disrespected by the other Mags, how should she go about making it up to you?" She asks, a curious smile on her face as she watches for Ambriel's reaction.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Lotus Gardens/The Glade]

"I've pulled one of the musicians to a safe area away from the city. The other has been teleported away from their previous location to somewhere else in the city." Electra explains. She's hesitant to mention that there's a cache of equipment out here, but there's probably a way she can skirt it. "The one I pulled out was injured, but we've managed to acquire some healing, so she should be all right. What's the current situation in the city? Should we be concerned with forces trying to push outwards?"

[Lord Magtok]

Post-Invasion Riverbank

The fake angel nods along, not entirely sure he understands what Ithuriel could've possibly done to make Magtok run away and make threats just by talking to him. They're supposed to be at least a little more mentally stable than that, right? I mean, it's been a few years, so maybe the loyalist hegemony scum are all going nuts, but there has to be something we're missing here. A shame Ithuriel was too drunk to remember it all in detail.

"Well I wouldn't say it was your fault, but if you're still feeling guilty, there's another secret base I haven't seen in a while. Almost five years now, as a matter of fact," Ambriel answers, cheek as scarlet as ever as he stares very intently at the river and very much not at Ithuriel.

"Not that I'm trying to rush anything! You want to see the others first, we could do that too! You already saw Needs a moment ago, who's sometimes with us, sometimes with the Magtoks. He's kind of a weird oracle and crazy sorcerer, and I only just figured out what his game was all along with having me walk her every single day for three days. There's also The Squiddly Thing Not To Be Properly Named Now Get Going, who's just a brain in a floating robot octopus body with a ridiculously long name he refuses to change since Magtok stuck him with it. Squiddly works for short. He's the literal and figurative brains behind the operation, though he tends to act juuuust a little nuts around outsiders." He has no sense of volume and makes every single sentence into a dramatic declaration of utmost significance, Ambriel. I'm not so sure it's an act. I think you just tell yourself it's an act so you can feel better about trusting a very loud and dramatic flying squid with power and authority.

[Morty]

[The Gardens - Cathedral]

"Probably not right now. There are negotiations going on and the fighting seems to have calmed down," Wenomir/Anika anawers.

[Artemis97]

[B][Westside High]

[Northside Hospital - Pre-invasion]

Nike shows the flats of her hands. "No, no, no, you shouldn't have to put in extra effort for this. I'll make sure you get a proper coat as soon as possible. I would feel like an terrible employer otherwise, like the one that made me wear shorts. So I must insist on it." She argues, then folding her hands and straightening her back as if to come across more serious. "As for email, that perfectly fine but I feel like I need some kind of proof from you Nigel..." The administrator starts twiddling her thumbs as she considers, her gaze slowly focusing on Vax. "Ah, this is a somewhat unorthodox suggestion, but you do specialize in the mind if I understood your resume correctly, miss Teplos?" She raises her eyebrows at the warlock. "Perhaps you could..." She makes a twirling movement with her hand. "Confirm his experience somehow? As long as it isn't dangerous of course."

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Tori's eyes go a little wide. "You're not suggesting she invade his mind, are you? Surely we could find like... a zone of truth or something?"

[billtodamax]

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Nigel looks a little concerned at this talk of mind reading. Yeah would that... zone thing help? He says, motioning to Tori with his thumb. That sounds safer! Is that something you can do? Truth... zone? He asks, pointing next at Vax. Nigel does not know much about magic.

I mean... I guess it's an option. How much do you charge? I'm kinda skint at the moment but I guess if it helps me get a job I can pay you back later. Is there really anything in there that you don't want getting out Nigel? Surely she'll just stick to the... the doctory bits. He's not looking super thrilled about the idea.

[Zefir]

[The Lotus Gardens - Border]

Zefir just smirkes and hold him a hand. He makes no intentions to move on. Instead he pushes a button and nearby his Drill tank emerges from the ground facing at the opposite direction of the gardens with his cannon to avoid appearing as a thread.

He turns to Omiko and Zenon. "Don't argue with him. He doesn't speak for her and we won't speak over him. We will talk to Jezabel direktly... or at least in some decent distance." A henchman will come out of the tank carring two metal dice with him. Both the size of a small box. He will hand over one to Zefir as he comes closer.

Zefir turns to the demons. "I would appreciate if you stay here with us." he says. "I will send someone in to establish a communication and wait here myself."

Zefir seems to ignore Adir's attemp to pause things here, but as he asks his question the leader of AMEN turns around. "I don't think I have to tell you anything in the matter" he says. "but just get in my position and think what would you do." Let people think about their own fears is much more effektiv then guessing arround what they might fear most.

He will then point the henchman into the gardens directions who will head over to where they think Jezabel is.

[Gnrlshrimp]

Post-Invasion Riverbank

The fake angel nods along, not entirely sure he understands what Ithuriel could've possibly done to make Magtok run away and make threats just by talking to him. They're supposed to be at least a little more mentally stable than that, right? I mean, it's been a few years, so maybe the loyalist hegemony scum are all going nuts, but there has to be something we're missing here. A shame Ithuriel was too drunk to remember it all in detail.

"Well I wouldn't say it was your fault, but if you're still feeling guilty, there's another secret base I haven't seen in a while. Almost five years now, as a matter of fact," Ambriel answers, cheek as scarlet as ever as he stares very intently at the river and very much not at Ithuriel.

"Not that I'm trying to rush anything! You want to see the others first, we could do that too! You already saw Needs a moment ago, who's sometimes with us, sometimes with the Magtoks. He's kind of a weird oracle and crazy sorcerer, and I only just figured out what his game was all along with having me walk her every single day for three days. There's also The Squiddly Thing Not To Be Properly Named Now Get Going, who's just a brain in a floating robot octopus body with a ridiculously long name he refuses to change since Magtok stuck him with it. Squiddly works for short. He's the literal and figurative brains behind the operation, though he tends to act juuuust a little nuts around outsiders." He has no sense of volume and makes every single sentence into a dramatic declaration of utmost significance, Ambriel. I'm not so sure it's an act. I think you just tell yourself it's an act so you can feel better about trusting a very loud and dramatic flying squid with power and authority.

[Post-Invasion Riverbank]

"The oracle among Magtoks led you to me?" Ithuriel asks with a grin, pulling Ambriel a little closer and letting her wing brush against his. "So, what, we were fated to meet each other again or something? Because if it's fate then it'd be very hard for me to argue with it, wouldn't it?"

Not that she hasn't paid attention to the other stuff he was saying, but "I think your pals Haz and Vlad and Squiddly can wait a little bit to meet me - wouldn't want them getting in the way of the wise words of Needs, would we?" She stops, turning to stare out at the river, her hand moving up to stroke Ambriel's wing. "You remember how it went the first time we met, right? You really don't need to be worrying about rushing me into anything. Instead I think you need to be ready to tell me to stop if I go too fast." Still no one around, right? Good. Ithuriel's hand drifts lower to grip Ambriel's rear possessively. "I'd be very happy to take you back to my "secret base", but just so you know, it's been longer for me. I've got about ten years' worth of making it up to you to get out of my system."

[Shadowcaller]

[Northside Hospital - Pre-invasion]

"It's not impossible." Vax says from her position standing next to the door, with her hands folded neatly behind her. "I would need materials and some time to prepare, but It could be done. However, we'd need to discuss the matter of a fee." She wasn't hired today for this, after all.

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Tori's eyes go a little wide. "You're not suggesting she invade his mind, are you? Surely we could find like... a zone of truth or something?"

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Nigel looks a little concerned at this talk of mind reading. Yeah would that... zone thing help? He says, motioning to Tori with his thumb. That sounds safer! Is that something you can do? Truth... zone? He asks, pointing next at Vax. Nigel does not know much about magic.

I mean... I guess it's an option. How much do you charge? I'm kinda skint at the moment but I guess if it helps me get a job I can pay you back later. Is there really anything in there that you don't want getting out Nigel? Surely she'll just stick to the... the doctory bits. He's not looking super thrilled about the idea.

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Nike looks between Vax, Tori and Nigel. "Yes... anything Nigel isn't comfortable with is out of the question of course. But I'll pay for it along with your other services. Just put it on your tab. It will all be transferred to your account." She doesn't seem too concerned about the fee Vax would ask for. "I just want to get it over with really as I'm sure Nigel wants as well. Perhaps you could cast one of those zones?"

[Lord Magtok]

Post-Invasion Riverbank

"Needs said a wish would be granted if I kept walking up and down this river with him. I just assumed he meant we'd meet a talking magical fish or something, I didn't think-" Oh! Hello, Ithuriel's hand! Wasn't expecting you to drop by so soon! Ambriel makes a sort of nervous squeak, but otherwise doesn't seem to terribly mind or protest the move. I'm not sure what's causing him to blush more, the squeak or the grab, but he couldn't possibly be any more red if he tried.

"I-I-I'm just going to call them real quick, let them know I might be away for a little while, so nobody has to sort out Needs' gibberish to figure out where I've gone," Ambriel explains, pulling out a phone and dialing a number, which unexpectedly goes straight to voicemail.

"Hey, this is Haz, leave a message after the beep. Unless this is Amb calling, in which case, no need, we already know what's up, buddy. Good luck on your date!" *BEEP*

...Wow. Okay, so that's definitely not what Ambriel expected to hear, if the look on his face is anything to go by. If Haz bothered to change his voicemail message, obviously he knew about this in advance. Did everyone? Did every single Faction clone except himself know about this? When? How long ago was this chain of events put into motion? Needs, brother, pal, why do you have to do everything in the most convoluted and embarrassing ways possible?!

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Lotus Gardens/The Glade]

"Orders? I can head back into the city, or hold position here with the musician," Electra asks, not wanting to tie up any more of Wenomir's time. She's not fond of the idea of abandoning Topaz, but the musician seems confident that nothing will attack her out here, and Electra herself might still be able to do something, if Wenomir has ideas. She wonders idly how Cass is doing, but now's not the time to ask.

[The Lotus Gardens - Border]

"Indeed," Zenon intones flatly, waiting for Zefir to finish chastising Adir before going on. "I do hope you realize what you're giving up in exchange for this Ilpholin, sir. This place is a font of power, after all. I hope she's worth much more than that."

[Gullara]

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Tori's eyes go a little wide. "You're not suggesting she invade his mind, are you? Surely we could find like... a zone of truth or something?"

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Nigel looks a little concerned at this talk of mind reading. Yeah would that... zone thing help? He says, motioning to Tori with his thumb. That sounds safer! Is that something you can do? Truth... zone? He asks, pointing next at Vax. Nigel does not know much about magic.

I mean... I guess it's an option. How much do you charge? I'm kinda skint at the moment but I guess if it helps me get a job I can pay you back later. Is there really anything in there that you don't want getting out Nigel? Surely she'll just stick to the... the doctory bits. He's not looking super thrilled about the idea.

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Nike looks between Vax, Tori and Nigel. "Yes... anything Nigel isn't comfortable with is out of the question of course. But I'll pay for it along with your other services. Just put it on your tab. It will all be transferred to your account." She doesn't seem too concerned about the fee Vax would ask for. "I just want to get it over with really as I'm sure Nigel wants as well. Perhaps you could cast one of those zones?"

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Vax shakes her head. "I'm not familiar with the magic you speak of. In theory I could make contact with an entity that could ensure truth in some fashion, but it'd likely be intrusive in its own way. Such beings have their own demands, after all." Vax explains. She doesn't apply any more pressure than that. Whether she does it or not is of little consequence to her.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Post-Invasion Riverbank]

As the voicemail plays, Ithuriel tries to stifle a giggle. By the time Ambriel's done with the phone, Ithuriel has a hand on her mouth, her shoulders are shaking, there's a slightly strained expression on her face from the effort of suppressing the laughter. "A- Aha, oh, I'm sorry Wings, sounds like the only people who didn't know we were going to bump into each other here were the two of us!" She can't quite hold it in, a brief giggle escapes her lips as she gives him a (gentle) pat on the shoulder. Poor Ambriel.

"Haven't scared you off, have I, Wings?" Ithuriel smirks, pulling out her horn and sounding a note on it, causing a portal to open up in front of the two of them to what is at least a familiar sight to Ithuriel - the constant twilight, the rows of fir trees, the light snowfall in the air and the soft, undisturbed layer of white upon the ground. The little log cabin sits within its clearing as always, a faint whisp of smoke floating out of the chimney and a dull light flickering out through the window. "We could always do something a little more mundane like getting coffee somewhere, but I like the thought of having your companionship in my cabin."

[Morty]

[Lotus Gardens/The Glade]

Wenomir wasn't aware he had the authority to give Electra orders, but he rolls with it.

"You should probably hold position," he says after a while. "The situation's precarious and we don't know what might happen."

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Lotus Gardens/The Glade]

Technically, Wenomir doesn't really have the authority to give Electra orders, but the person who does told her to help out however she can. And Wenomir stated that VIGIL would hire both her and Cass when he requested their help in the first place, which makes him a client. The verbal shorthand in this case of asking for orders is more due to the situation, since it seems the original objectives VIGIL had here have mostly gone to pot, if Wenomir's quick assessment of the situation to her is any indication. She nods to herself as she responds.

"Understood. Contact me on this frequency if you have need of me. I'll be standing by here until I get word otherwise. MERC out."

She considers for a moment, then decides to call Dipsnig and give him a situational update, as far as she knows it.

[Lord Magtok]

Post-Invasion Riverbank => Pocket Dimension

"Coffee," Ambriel repeats, in the most skeptical tone he can muster. It's quite impressive, actually. I have to wonder if he's been practicing it in his spare time for exactly this sort of occasion, because it absolutely could not sound more skeptical if he tried. "The magical pocket world from my dreams, accompanied by the same beautiful angel who made it so special the first time...or coffee." Ithuriel might or might not recall Magtok saying something about not being particularly fond of coffee back in Trog's. She also might notice her winged cyborg companion is already trying to step through the portal with her right this very moment.

[Gnrlshrimp]

[Post-Invasion Riverbank -> Ithuriel's demiplane]

"What, would you rather I'd just said "hot drink" or something? I know there's alternatives to coffee, geeze!" Slightly exasperated, mostly amused, Ithuriel does have to catch herself from making some snarky comment about all Magtoks being really pedantic when it comes to coffee.

He's not a Magtok, he's Ambriel, he's waaay nicer than that dumb cyborg and it's really not fair to compare the two even in jest.

...also he's already going through the portal. Huh. Eager much, Wings?

"Smartass comments aside, you sure know how to make a lady feel special. Now get that smart ass of yours in there!" She'll give him a little shove in the derriere to get him moving a little faster and quickly follow him in, the portal closing behind them.

[UncleWolf]

The Lotus Gardens

Jezebel listens to what Yuan tells her of the situation, eyes closed, before sighing once more and looking down at the bubbling chalice in her hands. "They're sending a single henchman forward and have a tank on standby. But..." She shakes her head. "Every moment wasted is a moment longer the power of this place drains. Another hour and the magic will be lost forever." She holds her chalice up a bit, letting her eyes roam the gleaming silver surface. "But I need just a bit longer to defend this place and make it all worthwhile. If they will not come to the Gardens, then the Gardens shall go to them." She decides before putting it to her lips and drinking deep. She goes fast, before anyone can realize what she might do and stop her.

With every swallow, the air in The Gardens grows more still. Not a leaf rustles and the energy that once fill the divine area fades away. The influence had been shrinking already, but now the polish to the marble everyone seemed to be gone and the once heavy scent of exotic flowers and trees was easily carried away by the wind. All the magic of the place, given power by the belief of the inhabitants...was now gone.

All except for an almost literal shining beacon.

When she's drank the last drop, the chalice turns to dust in Jezebel's hands and clings to her arms, causing them to shine and sparkle. She doesn't look like she changed all that much, but the blood is stricken from her body to be replaced by a flowing semi-sheer toga. It had always been a favorite dress of hers, even if it left half her chest exposed to the public. Despite all of the power however, she can feel that it does little to soothe or abate the damage the damnable blade had done to her. The wound still hurt quite gravely, but now she was able move past it for the time being. The ground around her warps, turning to marble as she tests a step and she lets out a breath to ease herself.

"Twenty minutes. That's what I have. I'm bleeding off too much power to make it last longer. I'll be back before that passes. Just be ready to head out if we have to." She closes her eyes and before anyone can stop her, she'll simply step forward and fade away. She takes her Eviscerator and the head with her.

The Lotus Gardens - Border

Yuan hums for a few moments, subvocalizing everything into his comm to tell Jezebel what is going on. He doesn't bother to keep the diplomat from leaving, but after he's done humming he gives a sharp glance at the Gardens. He's frowning as much as his snake-like head will let him. Those who can sense it will feel the power of the Gardens drain, but not for long. Yuan coils his long tail around himself and bows down just as Jezebel herself fades into being in front of them all. The lavender skinned woman wears a semi-sheer toga-style dress that bares half her chest and the ugly wound that marrs it. Her left arm is covered up to the shoulder in a gauntlet with bladed ridges, but otherwise she's barefoot and entirely on display for them to see. Her left hand carries a decapitated head, a sigil scratched into the forehead, and her right hand carries her beloved Eviscerator.

"I have been informed that you believe you are here to renegotiate. Talk." She commands.

And Command, she does. There's power to her voice now, almost a compulsion that echos in the backs of minds. And unless Xenon's kept his magic senses dialed all the way down, he might very well be blinded once more by the Gardens' magic flowing from the woman. Where before it was overwhelming, now it will be like staring at the sun as all that magic from before is now concentrated in her. It is bleeding off quickly, flaring from her as it turns the ground around her feet to marble, but it will take a long time before it drains enough to be able to look at her.

Into The Breach

Eric grimaces at the wound on his shoulder. It was nasty and already burned, but he shakes his head at the mention of healing. "I'll live until we get out of here." He says, not entirely sure if he was lying or not. He tightens his grip on his borrowed sword as he looks over all of those in the chamber. "...if you are evacuating this place, then I have a question. How does it fly and how do I bring it down?" He asks, already cursing his own sense of morality for what it might be dragging him into.

[Earl of Purple]

Into the Breach

Tallya's going to help pack and likely get in the way. She wants to help, but doesn't know what they're taking and of the stuff they've already packed, she doesn't know why. Likely she'll be told to stand somewhere and hold a bag as other people fill it, which is at least calmer than running around smashing dog's head with a hammer.

She likes the rest, even if it's short lived. She's going to volunteer carrying stuff, too. And she'll Soothe away panic as well, if anybody here is close to panicking.

[Morty]

[The Glade]

There's a deep sigh from Dipsnig's side of the connection.

"Well, Riverside is intact and the demons are negotiating, so really it could have gone a lot worse for us. Stick around there and see how it ends."

[Nova_Eclipse]

[The Glade]

"Will do, boss. I'll keep you posted as I learn more. We've lost a lot of ground today. I doubt it'll be easy to get it back, especially given what the angel said about Malechenar." Electra comments. A grim assessment, though as accurate a one as she can make, given what she knows about the situation.

[Artemis97]

[Northside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Tori looks to Vax as well. "If you can't cast it, we might be able to find one at a courthouse or a temple?"

[billtodamax]

[Riverside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

No, it's... fine, it's fine whatever. Whatever brain thing you have to do, just... go ahead. Nigel says, waving his hands dismissively at Vax and turning away, inspecting the wall. He just wants to get this over with too. It's pretty clear he's not entirely comfortable with the idea but he's given Vax the go ahead, so...

[Shadowcaller]

The Lotus Gardens - Border

The fiend first nods as Zefir makes his decision.

However, when Jezebel appear in this manner the demon stands back along with its comrades as to show it was AMEN who Jezebel negotiated with, not them.

Still, they seemed to keep close to those golems and their shields as if they were expecting some kind of attack.

Into The Breach

Talya will be handed two bags filled with... well, looks like a lot of it are just clothes yet there is a staff in the bundle as well. Then one of the young boys, a terrified-looking lad with ebony dark skin, attempts to help her put on a rucksack. Looks like she would have to carry a lot.

"The engine room."" Is Zula's immediate answer to Eric's question. "In the center of the castle, just a floor below the gardens. Last time I heard, they were redirecting all the guards there, then only silence. I still think there are fights going on there though, I heard screams just before I went to get you and it must have been coming from there as it isn't too far away from our compound."

[Mad Magic World]

The hawk will after gaining some handle on flying in this space attempt to dive straight towards the largest windows and then at the last moment turn into a bear. By abusing physics mixing with magic, it will be like a bear charging at the window. Hopefully it will be able to fit, but it might just crush the wall around it otherwise...

[Riverside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

Nike nods. "Okay, just... just be careful. I will take personal responsibility if Nigel is hurt in some way." Magic always seemed so unsafe to her, but Vax was a professional so she had to trust her.

[Recaiden]

[The Lotus Gardens - Border]

"Well look at that. Right as we come to straighten out the Lotus Gardens, the magic...goes away." Omiko nods appreciatively to Zefir. Looks like he knew more than they'd given him credit for.

When Jezebel arrives, all her magic-sensitive extra eyes shut and dissolve back into her fur. Ouch. The former mayor really is something; she's only seen this much magic once, centuries ago.

Omiko had been going to leave this to their leader, but Jezebel commanded them to talk. She talks.
"It's just that your gardens, well, look around, why would we even want them? No people, no magic, tacky decor. But Ilpholin..."
Another mouth on the back of her hand chimes in "But may we say, what a striking outfit you have? I'm afraid your allies quite made a mess of ours, or we'd never have appeared to you in these rags."

[Mad Magic World]

Anika crashes into the opening with all the strength of a diving bear!
Crunch!
It's...tougher than it looked. But it is dented, cracked. Maybe another charge at the same spot would do it?

"What in the name of the city are you doing out there?" Cries the witch from the hole up above. "I told you, just fly back here and you can leave!"
Ugh. She'll have to hurry downstairs to deal with this bird-bear, won't she?
Or is that just what the bear wants!? Trying to lure her away from the hole it made earlier?

[Gullara]

[Riverside Hospital - Pre-Invasion]

"There ought to be no reason for concern. Provided you're not being deceptive, there's almost no risk of difficulty." Vax explains, though she's hardly got a reassuring tone and she's not trying. "I'll need some time for preparations. If you have more to discuss in the meantime, now would be a good opportunity. I'll alert you when I'm ready." If there are no other questions, Vax will depart to prepare.

((Feel free to continue the scene some if appropriate, or otherwise just jump to them rejoining with Vax otherwise.))

[5a Violista]

Westside
Franchised Riverside MagMart

Marin, who still sleeps in one of the backrooms quarters of the MagMart, shuts off her alarm. She yawns, arches her back, and then gets up and then throws on a turtleneck to cover the collar, followed by her official MagMart employee outfit.

She looks in a mirror and straightens her hair, and brushes out the fur on her ears and her tail. Because she looks so good, she gives a playful meow to her reflection and winks. She leaves her room, and enters the remainder of the MagMart's building.

As she passes one of the Magbots, she kisses it on the cheek. "What repairs do I need to do today, boss?" she asks the robot. He lists off various mundane and boring and shop-related tasks that need to be done around the building and the store.

Marin hums a tune as she skips by the recently-restocked aisles, heading towards the front entrance. She says 'hi' to the other robotic employees and then finally reaches the front door.

The catgirl flips over the sign so that it now says 'open', letting the Westside residents that the MagMart is now 'open' (rather than the "after-hours open" that it was at before; the only difference is that flipping the sign and lights on to 'open' is part of a marketing ploy to trick people into thinking the availability is more scarce than it actually is, it allows the more 'secretive' and edgy customers to arrive thinking they're doing something out of the norm, and to let mass-shoppers know there's more employees available to help them. So far, it seems to have been effective).