[Nexus] Inside 35

[Reinholdt]

Dentistry and Disco Bar

It probably takes a little longer than it should, but not by much. Kid's resiliant. But still normal. And out like a hibernating bear.

[BladeofOblivion]

Gate

The bullets punch right through Oblivion's chest, but it doesn't seem fazed. It doesn't immediately regenerate, either. It throws a barrier of dust over itself, which transmutes to mundane Adamantine with a red flash.

Then, the dusts seem to start tracking the three Remnant soldiers, following them around. It doesn't touch them due to the magic draining on them but it provides clear visual trailing.

Finally, more red flashes occur as the dust turns into metallic shells. Miniature Knights. 4-foot tall replicas of Oblivion. With swords.

They go straight after Edijar.

((In case you hadn't noticed, Oblivion's biggest new trick is getting things to not be piles of dust anymore, and changing them into real materials. This makes them more or less mundane, getting around magic immunity.

Also, the mini-things don't have any powers. They're basically weak golems with swords.))

[UncleWolf]

Gate

Edijar doesn't seem bothered by the "knights" and begins to slowly move away from the gate and city as the entrance seals shut. The Mini-knights will find that it was a bad idea to ignore the invisible Praetorians, as one opens fire, shooting a large dart at the back of each one. Each one will beep once, before imploding violently, trying to crush them from the severe force.

The other one lets loose with what sounds to be a shotgun, loaded with similar rounds as what Edijar had, aimed for Oblivon's knees. Edijar himself fires a couple more shots at Oblivion's chest. It's more than likely the rounds will be able to pierce the strong metal, but even if they don't, they're more than powerful enough to be able to knock Oblivion back a step or two each, towards the circle.

Up on the wall, there's a flash of light as another person is teleported in, a bookish looking woman wearing robes and glasses. Looking at the scene below, she begins to chant quickly, other soldiers moving in front of her to provide a living wall between her and the battle below.

[Earl of Purple]

Alleyway, Red Zone

An odd creature has made its home in this desolate alleyway. It was quite hard finding one free of homeless people, but the monster is odd and intimidating enough to persuade most to look elsewhere. It is about four feet long, plus its feline tail, and two feet tall. It is covered in green feathers, and has four legs, plus a pair of crude, winglike structures folded over its back. Its feet are squirrel like, and it has opposable thumbs on its forefeet. At the end of its tail is a wasplike telson. Its head is extremely odd, being vaguely rat-shaped with a jaw distorted by porcine dentition and small tusks. Its eyes are icy blue, and its ears are similar to those of a wolf, though still covered in feathers.

[Reinholdt]

Alleyway, Red Zone

It takes some time sliding through the shadows and using them to look around before Sasha finds her prey. One Morbit I believe.

She steps out of the shadows a few feet in front of it.

[Earl of Purple]

Alleyway, Red Zone

The Morbit, actually. To my knowledge, Morbit's pretty original and so far as I am aware there's no equivalents in most literature, the closest being sea slugs, Tyranids and Kroot.

When the shadow-lady steps out of shadows, Morbit stands up, spreads its wings and hisses, revealing the sharp, omnivorous teeth of a pig and making an almost-human sound. It is trying its best to be intimidating.

Also, I forgot to mention the gills in its neck. Morbit's rarely undeadtimed nowadays so I can't always remember its appearance. Though I often forgot the gills when I described it in Trog's, I think.

[Reinholdt]

Alleyway, Red Zone

The shadows twist and rise and attempt to form a cage around The One Morbit. They are quite solid, as generally is the case with shadow manipulation.

Storm related deadtime though.

[Earl of Purple]

Alleyway, Red Zone

Morbit tries to escape by battering the bars with its jaws, paws, wings, tusks and tail. Unfortunately, it has no supernatural strength so is probably unable to escape that way. If there's a way over the top, then it will climb them, either with its squirrel feet grasping them or with its supernatural ability to walk up walls and across ceilings.

[Chaotic Bob]

The Baron's Feather

"Per'aps soome otha' time then, we cen find out." He tells her with a bawdy wink before refilling his glass. "As fer findin' othars...if they git gone, an' stay gone, then I respec' tha."

"We shall see, Mr. Delacroix."
Jinx quietly chuckles and peers down at her food.
Slow and steady has carried her through over half of it, but she's starting to feel much smaller now, compared to the meal.
But, she must continue making an effort at it, and so she does. Away you go, rice.
"Fair enough, a noble enough outlook."

There was another question on her mind, that perhaps would weigh more heavily on someone else, but carries on curiosity from her.
Another bit of rice before she looks back up.
"How long have you possessed your lycanthropy?
A distinct avoidance of the term "afflicted by". It does not seem so curse-like with him.

[Artemis97]

[Falling Balloon]

Nadas can't take the tension anymore. Stupid tension!

He pulls a small piece of coal out of a bag he keeps by his side and starts saying the silly complex words he needs to do and sets the spell off after about 45 seconds.

He does his best to aim...

[Falling Balloon]

Molly lets out a curse she realizes this. She slows a little as she starts rummaging through her bag, seeing if any of her gadgets could help here.

((Short deadtime, gotta pick up my brother.))

[Falling]

Nadas' spell successfully hits its target and for a moment, the balloon's engine burns and the envelope billows, filling with hot air. Its descent is slowed, but the expanding balloon is also now more at the mercy of the wind and had already lost so much altitude. The basket twists as the balloon is caught in a gust. The bright red envelope catches on the edge of the clock tower, the fabric tearing. All bouyancy is lost and the basket falls faster. It's swung by the fabric of the torn balloon and sent crashing into the face of the clock. Shards of milk-white glass are sent tumbling to the street as the deep sound of the tower's bells chimed.

[Reinholdt]

Alleyway, Red Zone

Morbit tries to escape by battering the bars with its jaws, paws, wings, tusks and tail. Unfortunately, it has no supernatural strength so is probably unable to escape that way. If there's a way over the top, then it will climb them, either with its squirrel feet grasping them or with its supernatural ability to walk up walls and across ceilings.

What sort of animal cage doesn't have a top?

Sasha attempts to drag the cage and the creature and herself down into the shadows, melting into the ground to take Morbit to Underside's secret lab.

[Falling]

Nadas' spell successfully hits its target and for a moment, the balloon's engine burns and the envelope billows, filling with hot air. Its descent is slowed, but the expanding balloon is also now more at the mercy of the wind and had already lost so much altitude. The basket twists as the balloon is caught in a gust. The bright red envelope catches on the edge of the clock tower, the fabric tearing. All bouyancy is lost and the basket falls faster. It's swung by the fabric of the torn balloon and sent crashing into the face of the clock. Shards of milk-white glass are sent tumbling to the street as the deep sound of the tower's bells chimed.

Nadas almost cheers! He actually hit his target! He's shocked.

And then the whole balloon crashes, sending him into a wince.

He hurries to try and find a way in the tower to climb it and check for survivors. "Hello?! Is someone grieviously injured but maintaining their current status as alive and capable of shouting in response?!" He shouts when he's closer.

[Artemis97]

[Clocktower]

Nadas will find that the door at the base of the clocktower is open. The stairs leading upwards are old, dry wood. They wrap around the inside of the clocktower, circling the mechanisms. Dust was falling from the higher levels. And with every tick of the clock, the gears and cogs groaned under stress.

When he reaches the level of the clock's face, he will discover that the balloon's basket has become lodged between two massive turning gears. With each tick of the clock they strained to spin, threatening to completely crush the basket and its lone passenger. He doesn't seem to be able to respond, likely knocked unconscious by the crash.

[Jacklu]

[somewhere]

A swirl of light. A gentle glowing. A shaft of light descends from the sky, illuminating a circle on the ground. A pulse of warmth drops through the shaft. When it reaches the ground it passes into material being and becomes a congealing mass of golden light. It fades as heated metal cooling and becomes a young girl in white robes. The light fades and takes her material nature with it, withdrawing back into the sky.

She opens her eyes gradually and blinks in confusion. As she gets to her feet a cream colored ceramic mask tumbles from her robes with a clatter. She picks it up shakily and secures it over her face before looking around. A spark appears above her head and a thin thread of light comes into being, forming an almost imperceptible halo.

The girl looks around and backs up until she hits the wall of a nearby building. She steadies herself against it and tries to figure out where exactly she is.

[Reinholdt]

[Clocktower]

Nadas will find that the door at the base of the clocktower is open. The stairs leading upwards are old, dry wood. They wrap around the inside of the clocktower, circling the mechanisms. Dust was falling from the higher levels. And with every tick of the clock, the gears and cogs groaned under stress.

When he reaches the level of the clock's face, he will discover that the balloon's basket has become lodged between two massive turning gears. With each tick of the clock they strained to spin, threatening to completely crush the basket and its lone passenger. He doesn't seem to be able to respond, likely knocked unconscious by the crash.

Oh mai. Nadas certainly can't do anything for the decrepit clocktower, and he's far from the strongest or the fastest, but what needs to be done, needs to be done! He looks for a way to reach the passenger and pull him out to safety, before the entire gear system collapses, or his basket does.

If this means climbing on gears to get to him... so be it! Though Nadas' robe might get caught if he's not careful.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Clocktower]

Molly had seen the balloon's path change suddenly, taking it into the tower. A part of her wanted to stop and go over what she saw, but she shrugged those thoughts away. She could analyze it later.

As such, she'll reach the inside of the clock shortly after Nadas.

Seeing the predicament, she looks to the gears, analyzing them. Trying to find a weakness in them. She figured there had to be one, given the age of the tower.

If she finds one, she'll go for it, hoping to stop the movements of the clock.

[Artemis97]

[Clocktower]

If Nadas is careful not to get the hem of his robes caught in the edce of the gear he's standing on, he should be able to reach the balloon pilot. The man was dressed well, in a tailored three piece suit, though it was wrinkled and worn from travel. His white hair was cut short, barely coming down to cover his pointed ears, and his skin was black as coal.

Molly will notice that the arm, which supported and turned the massive vertical gear that was threatening to crush the basket, was warping under the stress as it tried to make the entire clock run.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Clocktower]

Molly sees it and quickly moves towards it. She'll examine it for a quick moment, making sure that her course of action won't crush them. If it won't, she'll reach into her bag, pull out a wrench, find the right spot, and give the arm a good whack.

[The Alexandrian]

[No Hope Hospital]

Spoiler

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Bellan stops in his tracks at the suddenness of it all. And the rampant death. He considers trying to stop the fighting, but they seem to go on forever.

The surgeon will likely see a horrified look spread across Bellan's face. Not good, considering he's the monster here. After a long moment of observing the carnage in solemn silence, he intones, "I believe our path is being chosen for us." He steps closer to the grave, looking a little shellshocked, and glances around for a way out of this madness. Then he roars, voice carrying all the way to the source of this destruction, and likely hurting the surgeon's ears.

"What do you want?! Why do you show us this madness?!"

[Bellan]

"That isn't the question! Have you learned nothing about humanity!"

The surgeon bellows, his ears somewhat damaged from Bellan's shouting.

"Quit trying to be something you're not!"

The surgeon points at Bellan in an accusatory fashion.

"You're not human! Humans are senseless creatures, most no better than animals."

"Haven't you seen that today? They are no better than you."

"Why did you decide you wanted to see life through their eyes, Bellan? You envy humans."

"Don't."

-----

Spoiler

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No Hope Hospital

Jacques immediately lets go of the wires, diving towards the door in an attempt to get through before it closes. If successful, he fires the rest of the clip in his Revolver at the base of the Tentacle grabbing Cal with surgical precision.

The Clip is carrying Thermonuclear Rounds. Barring the tentacle being completely indestructable, that should sever it quite messily. In fact, it's probably extreme overkill.

Nope Hospital

Cal growls angrily, pulling a machete from his coat and slicing at the bloody tentacle. He doesn't really bother trying not to slice himself up as well, just hacks at the thing with wild abandon.

Cal and Jacques

The door will joining the two chambers will likely shut and lock before Jacques reaches it.

Cal manages to cut the tentacle in several spots, though his machete does not slice all the way through the beast.

The lacerated tentacle withdraws into the gutter within a moment, releasing Cal from its vile grasp, after likely dragging him a good distance closer to the gutter.

Jacques might see the scene differently. If he watches the scuffle ensue through the window in the control room he has been locked inside of, he might see an illusion. In this illusion Cal, kicking and struggling against the tentacle, is dragged through the bloody grate.

-----

Spoiler

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Well, he's definitely not taking the door the last beast came through. That darkened hallway doesn't look safe either, but he's already had a miserable time crawling through ventilation shafts today, and has no intention of going back in and leaving himself more or less helpless to anything that might chase the pair inside. Looks like we're going with door #2.

"This way!"

He reaches a hand out to grab Percilia's arm, and pull the two of them away and out of the room as quickly as possible. He has no idea if he could replicate that weird trick with the shotgun, and no intention of risking his life to find out.

[Doctor Godlark]

Percilia is pulled into the hallway by Godlark. She quickly matches his pace and stays right by his side as they enter the dark hallway.

Inside the hallway is darkness. Pure darkness. Darkness of such intensity that one cannot see the hand in front of his or her face.

A voice calls out to Doctor Godlark. The same voice as before.

"Doctor."

"You have changed."

"You're not the same man that you were before."

"Answer these questions correctly and you may leave."

"Who were you before? What are you now?"

"What do you desire?"

Percilia's grip on Tom's hand tightens. She is "freaking out."

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[FFFF]

Spoiler

Show

Eventually the clothes might pile up to Zero's eyes and make it difficult for him to see.

Yeah, this stuff does look nice.

Valaira isn't having Zero carry the clothing, especially when she has such a nice, dominated salesman that she can force to do her bidding.

"You guys can deliver all of this stuff to the Maple Cabin at the Good League of Good. I want it fitted. Here are the measurements to fit them to."

Valaira jots down Zero's exact measurements on a piece of scrap paper which she then hands to the salesman, who rushes off to get the clothing fitted immediately.

Valaira begins to giggle in a manner that is more than a little adorable.

"I've got a splendid idea. I'll shop for your clothes, and you'll shop for mine! We'll meet up at GLoG later to present them to each other."

"You'll likely need a bit of cash. Here."

Valaira offers a fat, brown wallet to Zero. Boy is there a lot of cash inside!

How did Valaira get her dainty hands on so much money?

Recall that the bartender was tossing her free drinks earlier.

Mind control is fun!. How may we serve you today?"[/COLOR]

[Reinholdt]

[Clocktower]

If Nadas is careful not to get the hem of his robes caught in the edce of the gear he's standing on, he should be able to reach the balloon pilot. The man was dressed well, in a tailored three piece suit, though it was wrinkled and worn from travel. His white hair was cut short, barely coming down to cover his pointed ears, and his skin was black as coal.

Molly will notice that the arm, which supported and turned the massive vertical gear that was threatening to crush the basket, was warping under the stress as it tried to make the entire clock run.

Nadas does get caught! Oh noes!
He reaches down and rips the robe free. Wow. That looked... remarkably easy to rip.
That's because, it is in fact. See, he doesn't wear the robe for protection, and he's had a bazillion and one instances of it catching on something and frustrating him. Fed up with it all, he got robes that, while pretty to look at, were enchanted to rip apart fairly easily.

So manages to get what he suspects might be a drow from THE FUTURE, and is kind of scared might be him in the future, then realizes he doesn't expect to live that long and if he did, he should have a cure for white hair by then. But Nadas goes to grab him and with a burst of strength and effort, haul him out of the basket and to the stairs.

[DoomITP]

This wasn't good! Zero didn't know much about clothes and even less about what kind of clothes Valaira liked.

What sort of clothes would you like?

Zero asks, trying to sound like he had everything under control.

[Lord Magtok]

No Hope Hospital

Spoiler

Show

[No Hope Hospital]

A voice calls out to Doctor Godlark. The same voice as before.

"Doctor."

"You have changed."

"You're not the same man that you were before."

"Answer these questions correctly and you may leave."

"Who were you before? What are you now?"

"What do you desire?"

Thomas narrows his eyes at wherever it is the voice sounds like it's coming from, trying to pierce the darkness with his shiny red cyborg eye and find this mysterious being's hiding place.

"I'm Tom Godlark, general physician at the Last Hope Hospital, and-" He hesitates, not sure if he should go back to the whole 'Magtok' thing, given the way Percilia reacted to it before. Even so, it's what the spooky voice man wants to hear, and he can always lie. Try to tell her he was just making stuff up to get the beast to leave them alone or something.

"And I used to be Lord Magtok. All I desire is to get out of this godsforsaken hospital alive, me and as many innocent people as can be saved from this abominable mess. I want to quit this job, I want to go home, I want to get some new job a few weeks later somewhere else, and I never want to see or hear from you or this place again." That sounds about right. Hopefully it's the answer the weird voice man wants, because this shadowy fellow doesn't sound like the sort to give very many second chances.

[Earl of Purple]

Alleyway- Red Zone

Morbit must remember to bite Sasha when it gets the chance. Actually, scratch that. Morbit doesn't need to remember to bite interesting beings. Morbit vaguely hopes the shadow-shifting powers are inheritable as it is taken through them to Underside.

[Artemis97]

[Clocktower]

When Molly strikes the arm there is a resonating clang followed by a deafening crack as the metal shaters under the stress. The arm is split into two jagged pieces. The part still attatched to the moter turns freely now, while the large vertical gear, now without support, topples sideways, the teeth impacting the remains of the clockface and hanging over the edge, the broken shaft not pointing up towards the cieling. All around the gears and mechanisms of the clock have now stopped moving.

When Nadas lifts the balloon pilot, he jolts awake, gasping in pain.

[Murkus]

[somewhere]

A swirl of light. A gentle glowing. A shaft of light descends from the sky, illuminating a circle on the ground. A pulse of warmth drops through the shaft. When it reaches the ground it passes into material being and becomes a congealing mass of golden light. It fades as heated metal cooling and becomes a young girl in white robes. The light fades and takes her material nature with it, withdrawing back into the sky.

She opens her eyes gradually and blinks in confusion. As she gets to her feet a cream colored ceramic mask tumbles from her robes with a clatter. She picks it up shakily and secures it over her face before looking around. A spark appears above her head and a thin thread of light comes into being, forming an almost imperceptible halo.

The girl looks around and backs up until she hits the wall of a nearby building. She steadies herself against it and tries to figure out where exactly she is.

A young man possessed of tan skin, light brown hair and dark, murky eyes crouches on top of a dumpster behind her. A small pair of antlers poke out on either side of his head. The stag gives a perplexed expression, holding his bow tight in one hand.

"You alright?"

No Hope Hospital

Bellan looks at the surgeon, horror and defeat and rage and suspicion in his gaze. "Why do you say these things?"

[Reinholdt]

[Clocktower]

When Molly strikes the arm there is a resonating clang followed by a deafening crack as the metal shaters under the stress. The arm is split into two jagged pieces. The part still attatched to the moter turns freely now, while the large vertical gear, now without support, topples sideways, the teeth impacting the remains of the clockface and hanging over the edge, the broken shaft not pointing up towards the cieling. All around the gears and mechanisms of the clock have now stopped moving.

When Nadas lifts the balloon pilot, he jolts awake, gasping in pain.

Oh hey. If they're not in immediate danger of being crushed, Nadas will stop moving the man. It could hurt him further. Instead, gently puts him down.

"Umm... greetings. In which locations are you experiencing pain? Have you lapsed into shock? Did you suffer a concussion?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Clocktower]

When Molly strikes the arm there is a resonating clang followed by a deafening crack as the metal shaters under the stress. The arm is split into two jagged pieces. The part still attatched to the moter turns freely now, while the large vertical gear, now without support, topples sideways, the teeth impacting the remains of the clockface and hanging over the edge, the broken shaft not pointing up towards the cieling. All around the gears and mechanisms of the clock have now stopped moving.

When Nadas lifts the balloon pilot, he jolts awake, gasping in pain.

Yes! Molly gives a little fist pump. Then she hears the pilot, and remembers why she was here in the first place.

Oh, are you okay? She'll go to where Nadas and the pilot are, stuffing the wrench bag into her bag.

[Jacklu]

A young man possessed of tan skin, light brown hair and dark, murky eyes crouches on top of a dumpster behind her. A small pair of antlers poke out on either side of his head. The stag gives a perplexed expression, holding his bow tight in one hand.

"You alright?"

The girl spins tipsily to face him.

Ishvial lasiva nomma.

She is barefoot and stumbles back from him, tripping slightly. Her mask falls off and she hurriedly picks it back up. Her eyes are a pale brown and her features soft but otherwise nondescript.

Sisign mot... Avandi save me. I've just woken up. Please don't hurt me.

Her transition from native tongue to whatever is commonly spoken in the Nexus is gradual and a bit odd. She continues to speak her own language but the words slowly morph into new ones. By the time she is speaking so that he can understand her, her lips no longer match the sounds of her voice. They move out of sinc, forming different different words than those that she is actually saying.

She fastens her mask again and it becomes impossible to even tell what is happening, even her accent matching that of the local dialect.

I am okay. I am dead, though, aren't I?

[Artemis97]

[Clocktower]

He blinks a few times and squints up at his rescuers, particularly at Nadas. He mutters something in an unfamiliar language, clearly confused. Slowly he puts it together, though. "Ah, vait... you speak the common tongue." He says slowly, his speech strangely accented. "I... I must have hit my head." He tries to sit up on his own but grunts and lays back down, grabbing his side. "And my ribs."

[Reinholdt]

[Clocktower]

Nadas nods at Molly.

"Try to stay stationary sir. You took a great amount of force, refenestrating yourself into the clock."
It's not a word, but Nadas uses it anyways.

"We'll find some way to get you medicinal attention."

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Clocktower]

Molly quickly rummages in her bag again, then pulls out a handheld device that is cylindrical and about a foot-and-a-half long.

Here, hold still a moment. She'll wave it over him as if scanning him.

Then she hits a couple buttons on it, and a holographic screen appears, which she examines.

Basically, it's a handheld X-ray. The screen will show the pictures taken, and she's looking for signs of broken bones.