IC

In honor of @Leslie Hall


Deacon Peter glanced nervously at the sky. Dark Clouds loomed closer and closer to the town. I hope it doesn't rain. He thought. No doubt they would have the ceremony anyway, and I'm too old to stand in the rain. He stopped to talk with a man he recognized. This man was in charge of the workers who labored to build the grand stage, and the ones who were to make sure everything was working properly. So far, everything was perfect, the stage, a massive raised semi-circle with a curtain that could be drawn, and doors set in the floor for the various acts was finished ahead of schedule. The props were just being finished and everyone set to preform, give a speach, as he himself would, or work behind the scenes was accounted for. Except for Elvira, but for security purposes, she was to come last during the show itself. But dispite this, or maybe because of it, Deacon Peter couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong. He dismissed the manager and continued his survey. He took great pains to avoid Mother Superior when their paths crossed. He never was too fond of the Sisterhood, their policy of requiring families to give up their daughters to their service created an endless stream of headaches for him; families rarely understood why they must give up their children. Of course, he found the practice disturbing, but he kept his opinions carefully hidden. He had worked his way up to Deacon, and he wasn't about to let all that hard work go to waste. Besides, he idly thought, as he shook hands with various dignitaries. It wasn't as if they were going to murder them.

An hour later, He stood in front of a vast crowd of people with every eye on him, droning on about the responsibilities of every citizen in Librarium, and how this was such a proud moment for their little Town of York to produce a Sister who was chosen to ascend.

Above him, the first few raindrops begain to fall.

The Smiling Parrot

---

---

Before the Guild members in the Smiling Parrot could leave, there came a sudden loud pounding at the door that startled everyone. The next second, the door was kicked open and soldiers burst through, with the one at the head wearing livery denoting him as a man of some rank. He surveyed the room, his lip curled in disgust. Drunkards and lowlifes one and all. He sneered. There was brief moment of crystalline tension, during which no one moved or spoke. Then the lead soldier grunted and proclaimed, "All citizens and visitors are required to be at the ceremony in the town square. No excuses. A few of my men will escort you there. To ensure your safety, of course." His tone brooked no argument.

With that, he spun on his heel and stode out, with about half of his force following him. The rest would stay behind to wake the drunks, search the rooms, then lead the customers and the proprietor to the town square.

"At least Ye coul' pay fo' me door while yer at it." Maude muttered. She looked up and adressed the molty lot before her. "Aight, you lots. Looks like me bar's closin' early taday. Don't worry 'bout payment, last round was on te house. Be sure and tank the good soldier boys for tat. Now, ev'ry one of ye are on your own. Keep yer drunk wits about ye and don't go causin' no trouble, or there'll be hell ta pay, you 'ear me?" She said sternly, her gaze resting on Lazulin most of all.

Smiling Parrot, Upper rooms

---

---

Theodore watched Kage wave her hands around with a mystified look on his face. "Lass, you know I don't understand your hand waving. Either come or stay, your choice." He said, irritated, then leaped out the window. Kage made a rude gesture after him, but she followed suit, her cloak fluttered oddly as she fell. She found Theodore peaking around the corner. "Shit, soldiers." He hissed. They backed away when they heard a shout. "Hey! You two!" Another group of soldiers stomped up to them. "All citizens are to attend the ceremony! You're coming with us!" Theodore glanced at Kage, and she lifted her shoulders into a shrug. They seemed to have no choice, unless they wanted to make a scene. They ended up being herded there with the rest of the Smilling Parrot group.

En Route to Town Center

---

---

At Whirlwind's words she stiffened against Ulysses. "Kind words, sir." She said in her usual monotone, with a small curtsy. She said no more as she let herself be guided out the door. The journey was quiet and tense, every step they took, Elvira visably grew more and more tense. Her little feet would occasionally drag, and she slowed and shortened her footsteps. She also gripped Ulysses tighter and tigher, her little hand putting out an impressive amount of force for her size. Her knuckles had tuned bone white, her jaw clenched, and her hand became sweaty and clammy. It was obvious something was wrong with her, but with Whirlwind leading the way, he didn't notice.

Elsewhere around Town

---

---

About that time, a harried and dirty messanger ran up to Marth and Marianna. He skidded to a stop then leaned over, with his a hands on his knees, gasping and wheezing for breath. He was young, and in good shape, but it was quite clear that he was exhausted. Awkwardly and unaware of the delicate situation, he tiredly saluted the two. "Orders...all citizens..and officers...are to attend the...ceremony. Soldiers are...to round up stragglers and escort them...there. Then take up...their posts around..town." His message delivered, he limped off, obviously off to spread the the word.

Lazulin Mulciber

"Aww, cheer up Sunspot. At least you look all nice and pretty for the ceremony. Would want the sister to see lookin' all disheveled." Asahi's lamentations were soon interrupted as Laz put an arm around his fellow chaser's neck, the classic shit-eating grin showing just how much the white haired Devil Slayer was enjoying himself at the moment. "Too bad that those dam guards had to rush us out like that, I was planning on maybe givin' you a pair of pig-tails. Ya know, to really sell the look." Ruffling the blonde boy's hair with a chuckle, Laz quickly backed away lest he catch a punch for poking at Asahi's predicament.

"Now then, when is this damn ceremony gonna start, eh? Places to be, festival games to enjoy, all that jazz. Irene, since it's taking forever, how's about a bit of illusion training, ye? Let's say. . . try to make some peeps think they're naked in the crowd. That's pretty good training, and hilarious to boot."

@Altered Tundra

@Demous

When the soldiers showed up, Laila was expecting a fight. But it turned out they were just going to force them all to march on along to their pithy ceremony. It seemed the Librarium's plan was to destroy piracy by boring them all to death. Of course, it didn't seem like they realised they were confronting a tavern full of dangerous pirates at all. Since everyone else seem fine to go along with this arrangement, Laila decided against being the one to start trouble. It wasn't like watching this ceremony would actually hurt them, and she could give these Libros a swift kick in the nuts another day.

At least they had Asahi's misery to lighten the mood. She had half expected him to try and weasel out of going through with the punishment, but it seemed he was a man of his word. She was just a tad concerned that he would indeed be useless in a fight, and goodness knew there were a LOT of soldiers around, but she couldn't change the weather, unless a sandstorm would help matters. Overhearing Lazulin's suggestion to Irene, Laila volunteered an idea of her own.

"Heck, why not go for gold? Aim for the ascender gal or the Deacon when they show their faces. That would shake things up." Of course, she did wonder how easy it would be to work magic discreetly, especially if they really aimed for a big target like the guests of honour. It was just a silly idea, either way.

@Raijinslayer

@Demous

Laz’s eyes seemed to almost glow with excitement as Laila’s suggestion got gears turning in his brain, a wide smile forming on his face as he turned his attention towards the stage where the Ascendant and the Deacon would appear. “Well then, Laila, you’ve just offered up an interesting challenge for me, one I can’t help but try to meet. Just give me a second to focus. If all goes well, they’ll never know what hit ‘em.”

With that said, Laz began to focus his magical energies, forming vague shapes in his mind of what illusion he wanted to create, waiting for a good moment to cast to cast his illusion for maximum hilarity.

---

As the light drops of rain began to fall harder, a low chill would begin to spread throughout the crowd. At first, it was something that could be ignored, but as the rain began to beat down hader and harder, the people in the crowd would begin to feel as if something was off in the air, though none could tell what. The Deacon cut off his long, boring speech in order to turn and tell some of the laborer’s to roll out the rain covers so that the citizens didn’t get drenched by the odd downpour. As men surged forth to turn the cranks and gears needed to extend the treated-leather protection from the sky’s tears, a low, feminine voice would cut through the growing din of the rain.

The voice was soft at first, singing a gentle melody that held no words or lyrics. As it continued, however, the chill in the air grew stronger and sharper, almost as if the voice was stealing warmth from the crowd’s very flesh. The Deacon looked around with much confusion, unsure of both what was happening and where the singing was coming from. The voice seemed to flow into the elaborate stage area from all around, having as defined a source as the winds that carried it to them.

And then, without warning, it stopped.

The relative silence afterwards was nearly deafening, the only other sound capable of being heard being the relentless downpour of the rain from above. The dark clouds up above roiled and writhed over each other, flashes of lightning beginning to dance within their ebon depths.

Ugh, this is a disaster. None of the performers can work in these conditions, and that strange singing likely ruined the mood. The Deacon thought with a sigh. This breath was soon followed by a rather violent sneeze, the cold, damp air wreaking havoc on his frail, aged form. I should probably just have everyone meet in the dowhall later so we can say our final good-bye to Elvira. *Sigh* I’ll miss the girl, but she’s for a better place now. Looking back to the crowd, the Deacon opened his mouth in preparation to dismiss the crowd. He never got the chance.

From the Deacon’s shadow pounced a monster, seemingly born of unholy light and darkness. The Deacon barely had time to cry out in pain before the Shadow gripped him by the neck with it’s clawed hands and dragged him swiftly into his own shadow, which now began to grow and distort itself as it’s shape stretched across the ground. From within this growing pool of Darkness rose another beast, singing the same melodic song to them as had been ringing out all over. In everyone’s mind rang a silent whisper, that continued to repeat itself over and over.

Why did you do this to me? Why did you forsake me? Why won’t you answer me?

Suddenly, the spreading shadow would burst into a swarm of Shadow creatures surging forward towards the stunned crowd with a cacophony of ear-splitting screeching. The sight of this horde shook the crowd out of its stupor, panic spreading like wildfire they turned to flee en-masse. The guards, having been situated near the edges of the crowds, were unable to approach the threat as the throngs of people pushed past them in the opposing direction, most trying to not get knocled over by the initial rush in the chaos. Near the stage, the Shadows attacked anything that moved, surging like a wave through the people, anyone caught in this initial assault being dragged into the pool of darkness at the feet of the lead creature as she continued to sing her haunting melody.

---

Laz had been ready to launch his trick once the deacon had stopped speaking, but deep down inside of him, something within him took hold for a moment. Eyes that had been closed in concentration snapped open to reveal pools of dark azura surrounded by a void of blackness. My Devilslayer magic is acting up? But, that could only mean. . . Laz quickly looked back to where the Deacon was, pushing past the others in the crowd in a mad dash to warn him. Unfortunately, he noticed the danger much too late. The Deacon was taken and in his place rose a demon of some sort. Upon seeing it, a flood of information surged into Laz’s mind, nearly overwhelming him as he tried to sort through it all.

In the short amount of time it took for him to gain his bearings, the demon’s Shadows were already upon him, falling upon him in a squirming wave. He didn’t have any time to fight back, much less get out of the way, and at first was being dragged along with all the rest into the black pit beneath the Demon’s floating form. However, as the clump of demonic thralls that carried him approached the edge of the pool, a pillar of Hellfire suddenly engulf them, easily turning them all to dust on the wind. Laz picked himself off the ground, his appearance having changed with the activation of his Devilslayer magic. The Demon ceased in her singing to look down at the one who had come to challenge her, raising a clawed hand out in his direction. The pool beneath her bubbled and frothed violently as it spat out another torrent of Shadows, some of which joined the others in circling Laz while the rest made their way back towards the ground, seeking to drag off even more innocents for their dark mistress, seeming to prefer t using non-lethal methods of attack.

The shadow’s the surrounded Laz, however, were under no such restrictions they surged forward as one, seeking to tear him to shreds with both tooth and claw. However, each wave that spawned from the pool was to be rebuffed as Laz let loose a number of explosive attacks, taking out dozens of the thralls with each attack due to their relatively frail bodies. However, what they lacked in durability, they made up for in ferocity and numbers, as every time one was slain, three seemed to take it’s place, and Laz soon realized it’d be impossible to hold them back forever. There were simply just too many of them, and that damn demon was the source. However, with it taking everything he had just to fight off the hordes that surrounded him, he dared not chance an attack at her till he was sure he wouldn’t be torn to shreds by the thralls the moment he dropped his defenses.

@Altered Tundra
@Crimson Raven
@Gowi
@Demous
@Mercurial
@Indra

This was proving to be the worst day ever. Laila had been expecting to be bored stupid during this festival, aside from Laz's promised diversion, but she definitely hadn't desired the level of excitement that erupted. Between the weird singing and the worsening weather, the event was already building up to be decidedly creepy. The worst came when the demons started springing out from nowhere and murdering people. Laila had no love for the Libros, but even she felt sick to her stomach when the Deacon got butchered like that. In the chaos that erupted, Laila sight of the others for a time, but when she managed to look past the fleeing crowds, she noticed Laz was right in the midst of the demons.

Even though she imagined Laz was better equipped to fight demons than she was, she still resolved to get over there and help him out. She started rushing over, only to be confronted by a few demons herself. Unleashing a stream of sand, she entrapped the lot of them before waving her hand, crushing them all within their new sandy tomb. Laila was somewhat surprised these creatures went down so easily, but she was hardly about to complain. Closing the gap between her and Laz, she unleashed a Sand Slash attack to thin out the numbers near him. "Don't worry, Laz, I've got your back!" She called out to him before readying more sand attacks. She wasn't sure just how much work she was going to need to do to thin out these hordes, but she was damn determined to empty her whole arsenal on them.

@Raijinslayer