[Nexus] Riverside VI

[AmberVael]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

"No more than he would be if he was holding any other weapon." Genesis replies. "It can't do anything without my command." She sets it neatly back on its display. "Though I suppose I could have become angry at him. That would be dangerous- still, that does not seem suitable to my character." Genesis muses over that thought.

[UncleWolf]

[Facility - Eastside]

Fredrick answers quickly. A bit too quickly, in fact. "No. We hadn't had the chance to move against her yet."

Facility - Eastside

"Stop lying." Cutter says with a growl, slowly inching his blade forward towards Fredrick's neck.

Northside Tunnels

The one skeleton that had charged Zjen is now completely gone. The only thing left is dust and the sword it was carrying. The two skeletons charging Trent go down and start to crawl towards him before suddenly stopping.

The cloaked figure at the top of the stares cackles madly. " Hahaha! Fascinating! Fascinating! Let's make things truly interesting now! Let's see how you do against me! Elkenotes, fourth claw of Scaal! " The figure nearly leaps off it's throne the robe it was wearing falling to the foot of said throne.

The two pyros can now clearly see what was sitting there. A skeleton. A skeleton with a beating heart suspended in the middle of it's rib cage supported with dozens upon dozens of unnatural veins and arteries sprouting from it. Zjen and Trent can nearly see the blood flowing from the heart, to the tips of Elkenotes head, toes and fingers and then getting pumped back.

Horrific as this sight is it might not be enough to distract the two flame lovers of the cricking and cracking of bones around them... Coming from the remains of the undead they had already defeated.

Northside Tunnels

Zjen falls back a half step with a hiss at the Blasphemous creature in front of her. "Daemon! Vile Warp-filth! I shall cast you back to the Eye!" She shouts before shifting her grip on her flaming mace. Those around her will hear a calm and collected voice in their heads however, her voice.

"Lay a fire within your soul and another between your hands, and let both be your weapons.
For one is faith and the other is victory and neither may ever be put out."

As the words sound through their minds, Zjen hears the bones recollecting themselves and realizes they were running out of time. Reacting quickly, she spins the mace in her hands, causing the fuel to go towards the head once more, turning it to an orb of wrathful fire. At the apex of the swing, she leaps forward, bringing it to an uppercut towards the undead's chin.

[The Bushranger]

[Wellspring Tower - Courtyard]

"Trust in the Queen of Rings is ill-placed." Judges the serpent harshly. "Have you not realized that even her name is selfishness? Have you not guessed at her hunger?"

"Perhaps she is friend to you." Allows the serpent, before speaking in a virulent tone. "But a predator is never friends with prey. Think on that, will you?" The snake slithers away, rippling as it merges with a nearby pool of water, a common feature of the courtyard.

"I shall," Naethalee says with a small frown, nodding respectfully to the departing serpent before, taking a deep breath, proceeding onwards - not looking quite as certain as she did before.

[Gullara]

[Facility - Eastside]

Fredrick grimaces, straining against the wall to get away from that blade. "She's inside. We took her soon after we captured you."

---

1
Robin has likely heard the distant shouts and screaming that came with the to breakouts. Of course, the alarm just outside her cell is the best indication that something is happening.

Much like Cutter's old cell, this one is featureless and white. The blankness is only broken by her bed, the door, and the large, one way window.

[Artemis97]

[Facility - Eastside]

Hearing the alarms and the screams, Robin jumps up from the bed and bangs on the door of her cell. To anyone observing, her movements were... distorted somehow. Her movements slowed, like she was moving through water, but the next instant she appeared at the door, banging and screaming.

"Help!" Robin cried. "Please! Someone let me out!" Her voice had a tinny sound to it, as if it were being played through a cheap speaker, altered as it was by the effects of the stagnant air that filled her cell and the surrounding area.

[UncleWolf]

Facility - Eastside

Cutter hisses and shifts back to his Horror form, unable to maintain the slight concentration to keep his human form steady. He was too angered. "Open the door." Fredricks will probably get the feeling that instead of toying and threatening like before, Cutter is more than willing to kill him should he disagree or hesitate in the slightest.

[Gullara]

[Facility - Eastside]

Under different circumstances, Fredrick might have argued. In this case, saving his own life takes priority. He gets up, careful to avoid the blade, and punches in a code on the keypad. After a moment the door shudders, and begins to open. "There." Fredrick glances at Cutter, then the way out.

---

1
No one heeds Robin's call. Who would stop for the sake of someone in a cell when they have their own lives to worry about? Especially when the available people are those that would choose to work at such a place.

[Halae]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

"No more than he would be if he was holding any other weapon." Genesis replies. "It can't do anything without my command." She sets it neatly back on its display. "Though I suppose I could have become angry at him. That would be dangerous- still, that does not seem suitable to my character." Genesis muses over that thought.

[Wellspring Tower Library]

Harnel looks embarrassed, and he says, "Does Takara have the bridge open yet?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

"Let's hope you don't decide to change character during this little meeting then." The mage replies with a glance at Harnel. Figuring she had gained at least some understanding of Genesis nature, she had meet beings who liked to act like different characters after all.

"So you 'control' one section of the city, is that fair to say?" Better change the subject while they were going to the bridge.

[UncleWolf]

Facility - Eastside

Cutter watches Fredrick carefully and gives a solemn nod. "One lazt queztion. Which zell? Then hyu can go."

[AmberVael]

[Wellspring Tower - Lounge]

Assuming Nae looks through the tower, she will find Genesis in the lounge, floating on top of one of the water displays. She does not seem to be submerged in any way, resting on the water as if it were moving glass.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't return." Genesis observes, staring up at the ceiling. Her voice is fairly calm, only mildly interested.

[Gullara]

Facility - Eastside

Cutter watches Fredrick carefully and gives a solemn nod. "One lazt queztion. Which zell? Then hyu can go."

Fredrick swallows and gives rough directions to a cell block. Different from the one Cutter himself was held in, but not too far away. As soon as he's given the opportunity, the man will flee the facility.

---

1
After a few minutes, the door to Robin's cell is pulled open quickly. A second after a woman's voice cries out, a gunshot sounds, and something heavy thumps to the ground.

A young woman sticks her head into the room. She looks dirty and exhausted, her face smeared with blood and sweat. She looks... ill too. Feverish, and her face is dotted with red spots. Underneath it all she is just a young woman, no more than sixteen years old. Her hair is blond and cut short, her eyes are blue.

"Are you okay?" She asks, clearly on edge. he could break down at any second if she wasn't fighting for her life.

[Artemis97]

[Facility - Eastside]

Robin is surprised someone actually answered her cries. She tries to open the door wider, to let the girl inside, and to make sure she wasn't locked inside again. "I... I'm bit hurt. You look sick, though. What's going on out there? Was that gunfire?"

[UncleWolf]

Facility - Eastside

Cutter doesn't allow Fredrick to go. Instead, once he's given the directions, Cutter tries to impale him. As a doctor, he had already failed his duty. People were sick because of him. He'd taken lives unnecessarily, murdered even. Now all he could do was his best to kill monsters. Monsters such as a man who experimented on others, kidnapped, and had no moral restrictions at all.

He may be more human than Cutter, but he was the greater monster by far.

[Gullara]

[Facility - Eastside]

Fredrick blinks at Cutter and looks down at the blade through his heart. He doesn't live long enough to look up again.

---

1
Going over to the door will reveal the older woman in a lab coat. She's sprawled on the floor, a bullet through her heart. The girl has a small pistol in her hand.

"I had to get her to open the door, then she tried to take it from me." A sob escapes, despite her best efforts.

[Artemis97]

[Facility - Eastside]

"It's... it's okay." Hesitantly, Robin moves to put her arm around the girl's shoulders. She'd killed the woman... but she'd been one of the people who'd locked them in here. That was okay, right? The Juse could never be sure about those sorts of things, but she did know the girl needed help. "Rest a bit, then we'll find a way out of here together, alright?"

[UncleWolf]

Facility - Eastside

Cutter pulls his blade from the corpse and spits on it in disgust before going back into the facility, to begin making his way to his dear friend.

[Gullara]

[Facility - Eastside]

Cutter can proceed back into the facility with little difficulty. The tunnels haven't been populated since he left. When he reaches the closed door that the horror was behind, he'll find it still standing.

We'll have to wait till tomorrow for SC, however.

---

1
The girl manages a weak nod. She manages to control herself, but a few tears cut through the blood on her face. "I don't know how to get out of here, and there are... things out there. Killing people."

[Artemis97]

[Facility - Eastside]

"Things? What kind of things?" Robin asks, her voice wavering with fear. Though she was a lot more resistant to damage than a normal human, the Muse could still be badly hurt. And if these were the wrong sort of things... she shuddered to think about it.

[UncleWolf]

Exbourne Manor

A small woman wearing a thick white winter clothing makes her way towards the manor entrance. She's obviously armed with a pistol by her side, and has dark hair hidden under her hood for the most part. What skin that's showing is pale and she walks with a determined step, a mission on her mind.

[Gullara]

[Exbourne Manor]

Assuming that she actually goes to knock on the front door, it will be answered by Maria. She is a vampire, looking to be around thirty, though looks tend to be deceiving. Her hair is blond and she is wearing a simple blouse and jeans. Not at all dressed for the chilly temperatures, but she wouldn't need to be.

"Can I help you?" She inquires, looking their latest guest over. Her eyes linger momentarily on the pistol.

[UncleWolf]

Exbourne Manor

Mouse takes out her pistol gently and offers it to the woman. "I'm here to see Ramiro. I'm not here to cause any trouble, but am looking for a place to sell my skill-set." She admits in a completely serious voice.

[Gullara]

[Exbourne Manor]

Maria takes the pistol and gives Mouse a nod. "He should be available right now. Let me take you to him." The vampire leads her through the mansion and to Ramiro's office.

When Mouse steps inside, Ramiro looks up from the computer sitting on his ornate desk. "How can I help you today, miss..?" He begins.

[UncleWolf]

Ramiro's Office

Mouse undoes her hood, showing a rather beautiful face, marred only by the cold look in her eyes. She takes a seat without being asked and crosses her legs. "In my line of work, I have no real name, but please call me Mouse. Full title is The White Mouse, but the last will do. I've come to offer you my skills."

[Gullara]

[Exbourne Manor]

"Well, Mouse, I presume you already know my name then." Ramiro settles back into his seat, watching Mouse intently. "What skills do you have to offer?"

[UncleWolf]

Exbourne Manor

Mouse gives a slight nod. "My main repertoire of skills involves sabotage, infiltration, hacking, robotics, engineering, demolition, stealth and security. In short, I'm an Industrial Saboteur and a spy. Right now I have no work, and from the looks of things, you could use a human around who knows what I do."

[Gullara]

[Exbourne Manor]

"An impressive repertoire." The vampire considers a moment, then nods. "Your skills could no doubt be useful to us. Tell me more about 'security'. What could you provide us in that regard?"

[Neon Knight]

[Riverside - Westside]

"Ashwood, Cybil Ashwood, but please just call me Cybil. I have nothing else to ask, but if your predictions are right we might speak again mister Swede." And with a last smile Cybil will turn to leave. "Farewell." She lifts her hand in a good by gesture and if nothing stops her she will go right between the two Indians and disappear out into the streets around them.

[Riverside - Westside]

Swede returns the gesture, and Cybil can pass by the two Indians without incident. He beckons his two men to follow, and then heads to...

[Exbourne Manor - Instance 2]

He proceeds to head straight for the door, to knock.

___

[Wellspring Tower - Eastern Bridge]

As Takara focuses, she feels her thoughts resonate with the place beyond, and it draws closer. She can sense it near, as if it were adjacent to the bridge, but still the fog does not recede, though it has begun to part like a curtain. It is so close, just behind one last layer of fog, but this one will not depart by mere understanding.

Ultimately, she still senses there is no connection. It is like holding two glasses of water, side by side. Even if they are similar, they are not the same, and you cannot drink the water of one glass with a different glass.

But...

In her hands, she hold the ring of Genesis, and through it, she can feel Wellspring Tower around her, and she can feel the power of its identity. In understanding the place beyond, where the Knight of Cups has worked, she can sense their similarities, and that the latter sprang from the former. But the latter is a thin, insubstantial essence, a piece rather than a whole.

[Wellspring Tower - Eastern Bridge]

Takara is patient with this recent failure, merely continuing to contemplate the ring. This place had its own identity, and the other place, although similar, had a different one. How to close the gap in between where this place ended and that one begin...?

But wait a moment. Did she not hold the ring of Genesis? Identity was no obstacle to a being such a she. Perhaps that was the answer? Takara focused her will. Was the identity of the eastern bridge malleable enough to be changed to the identity of the place she sought? If these places were two glasses side by side, could she redefine things to make them one glass?

[AmberVael]

[Wellspring Tower - Library]

"Oh, I can't see any way that anger would be suitably dramatic here. No matter my identity, it doesn't seem fitting. No worry of that." Genesis says dismissively. "I'm not sure it is fair to say I control Eastside, at least yet, but I do believe I am the largest influence here. And there are signs of growth..."

"Speaking of which, I believe Takara does have the bridge nearly open. Lets go." Genesis sweeps away, leading the other two to the bridge in question.

They should arrive as the scene below occurs.


[Wellspring Tower - Eastern Bridge]

Bit by grudging bit, the bridge's identity gives way to that of the place beyond, but the result is not quite how Takara may have pictured it. As a tentative connection is forged, she feels the identity and power of Wellspring Tower surge around her, flickering in answer to the ring she holds in her hand. When the light of her success and the identity of the other place shines through the fog, a wave surges across the bridge, the waters of Wellspring Tower flowing through to reach equilibrium.

The alien power of Genesis is unleashed onto the grounds that the Knight of Cups prepared, and they are forever changed by it. Attuned to them as she is, Takara will sense what occurs with a strange level of clarity, the voice and identity of Genesis, of Wellspring Tower, combining with the ideals of her Knight.

Do not the waters of the river pour into the ocean? Though each comes from a different path, they join and merge, each mingling and sharing in the same world. Though some are vast and mighty, some weak and small, their nature is the same, and in coming together, their strength is as one. All are of the same family, each deserves the same kindness and share as another.
Let this court be an ocean. None who need its power will be turned away.

Earth churns, stone groans, and water roars as for the second time, the world shaping power of Genesis is unleashed on Eastside. The works of kindness of the Knight of Cups are magnified a hundredfold, and the broken structure she poured her heart into blossoms like a budding flower. Unraveling and unfolding, the structure expands into a wide circle, four new wings stretching out in the cardinal directions, with the grounds between each wing crumbling away into fertile soil and massive farms, while the empty center of the circular building becomes a glass covered garden.

Riverside's river sweeps around the building in a broad circular, carving its mark into the earth and leaving five glass bridges between the new structure and the rest of the land before sweeping back into Wellspring Tower, leaving a perfect circle of flowing water that does not begin or end. One with the tower and the river, it shares in their blessings, fully entering into the territory of Genesis.


[Radiant Ocean]

"Come." The Queen of Rings says to her guests and Lady. "Let us see what my Knight has wrought." With serene dignity, she passes over the bridge and into this new place.

[Lady Serpentine]

Cent Street

Takara and the others will find their path towards the fallen sniper blocked, as out from the merrily burning wreckage of the ruined tents slink three tigers, each of the three great cats as tall as a man and made of fire, orange, red and black flames that blend together to paint a brilliant portrait of fur and claws, shadows shrinking back as the three tigers advance upon the questants.

The tiger in the lead, the tallest of the trio, snarls at it's prospective prey, displaying teeth of white-hot flame, tail swishing back and forth through the air, leaving an outline of orange light in it's wake. It's quite apparent it intends to charge any second.

[Cent Street]

"Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"

Takara recites this as she squares off against the largest tiger, looking the beast right in the eye. She waits for the tiger to make a move, her poise relaxed but ready.

The Hunters form a defensive huddle, poiting their weapons towards the tigers, ready to strike when needed. The Defender readies his invisible force field to keep one of the tigers at bay if it becomes necessary.

The shadows may shrink back from the firey tigers, but it's almost certain that they throw plenty more with all the rubble that's around. Those shadows, however, probably won't last long, as Adrin starts to shape them into armor for Karyana and Rael, drawing his Logrus-blade as he does, and, if possible, teleporting the vampre's own weapons to them.