[IC] Occult Regulation Office: A Mature Wizarding World Anthology

[Zahir]

interacting with group

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Tariq listened to Felix's comment "You're our transfiguration guy, come up with something!" Tariq rolled his eyes at this as he crossed his arms. He listened to everything that Felix had to say at the moment and he smiled at the males. Tariq always was enjoying this group of fellows as he had been placed with them. "Mhm...you want us to split up?" Tariq didn't understand the question right away since it went from "you heard the lady" to "back here in half an hour?" and he was totally lost and it was all over his face that he didn't understand what was happening at the moment.
Just getting into groups then splitting right up again...fun...fun he sighed as he let the thoughts run through his mind and he slightly smiled trying to get the puzzled expression off his face. Getting out of his thoughts again he realised Felix was already walking away and he titled his head at the male. "Uhm..." he quietly said to himself. He looked at the acting of annoyance across his friends face, and he nodded his head. Looking over to Athos now.

Tariq turned his body somewhat towards the other male as he then watched him walk away too as he then walked with him. "Daly doe. I'mma news writer for the England Journal!" He said in his best British accent and chuckled a bit.
"I think that could work." He nodded at Athos as he walked somewhat beside the male. Tariq always listened to peoples words especially when they were talking and would talk after them. He didn't want to interrupt others but, sometimes it happened. "I'll just be the calm guy with common sense." Tariq said with a sarcastic tone of voice and smirk across his face. "You two can play any persona you want." He chuckled a little at his first comment. He kept walking and seemed to wander from side to side of the road as he seemed to try and keep himself busy at the moment as they walked. "As well, I think we should say we took a bus and the bus would only go so far that would be more understanding then the car we don't have broken down." Tariq states as he looks over at Felix.

[BrutalBx]

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Faint mists played all around Bunny as the veil grew so thin that it had begun intruding on the world of the living. This was not the first time she had ever been here and because of that not afraid of the chill she felt pass through her body as she increased her conductivity then she seemed to become almost transparent as she walked towards a set of stairs leading to nowhere the crystal pendulum tugging on it’s chain like and eager dog. The spell was so powerful here that she was soon in a trance as she mounted the stairs and began climb them slowly in soft measured steps.

At the top of the flight a shimmering line of silver light began tracing the outlines of a door that had till then remained hidden and once it was completed she stepped through it and into a hidden place within the Mystery House not seen since the year of the Quake. (The Lost Hall) The hall stood as a strange connection between the present day and that long ago year 1906 when the area had become the greatest natural disaster on american soil and still showed signs of that day’s abuse.

This house is connected with the other world just not quite like……… said Bunny before she was abruptly cut off by a spirit that boiled around her seeking a chink in her necromantic wards.

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As Zara's protection spell enveloped the group, Emory scanned back through the clouds of memories he held darkly. "We need to find Bunny and Florian, once we do that, we can end this...I think" Holding up his wand, he followed the light with an incantation on his breath. They had to be careful, this house could throw anything at them before they got to the dynamic duo. Passing over a damp piece of floor, the Welsh wizard thought listening to the silence throughout the building. It was a large place of unimaginable terror yet there was no sound. Zara's thoughts not shared, he did not need to be a mind reader to understand. Vespa's parents were dead and so too probably was the Butler at this point. The place was a hot bed of evil, with the activity ramping up lately, why? He had no doubt that it was tied to the little girl.

Ascending the stairs, Emory followed his wand to a closed door, an extreme light peering beneath it's frame. "Be ready girls" He looked across his three companions. He held on to Zara's hand as Nickie comforted Vespa. Reaching for the handle he exhaled whay could potentially be his last breath before opening up the oak door. Gazing upon his two compatriots there was a relaxed sigh of relief as the protection spell ended.

"Velvet, Florian. Things just got interesting"

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Bunny looked at Emory as he and the others entered and exclaimed how interesting things had become his added presence and the rest of the team discouraging the spirit which was surrounding her to flee and seek better options.

That I believe is an understatement my dear Emory answered Velvet with an amused smile as she let the seeker spell fall away for the moment.

Then she stopped smiling as she noticed something dark following the others that made the spirit that had been assaulting her seem inconsequential and explain its presence here; it had been drawn by the hidden menace.

”Something Wicked This Way Comes” she said quoting Ray Bradbury as she prepared her mind for potential battle

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"I have a theory on what we're dealing with" Emory said as he forced closed the door behind him once all of the girls were in the room. "I think what it is, is a Sluagh. Sluagh are said to be the spirits of people so evil, that Hell rejected them. The Sluagh come in from the west like a flock of birds, which would explain all the west facing windows. They try to find a house where a person is dying. They will try to snatch the soul of the dying person. The strong smell clover, the restless spirits in this house...it all fits"

Emory had dealt with a Sluagh only once before, during one of his first cases as a Regulator five years ago. They were terrifying creatures, corrupted souls bent on claiming the spirits of others. In folklore they were often considered to be the attack dogs of the Wild Hunt. Emory and Arthur, along with some long since dead colleague's confronted several of these monsters at a house in Bray. There was only one sure fire way he knew how to get rid of a Sluagh and it wasn't pretty.

He glanced over to the cowering Vespa, a girl who only hours ago lead a regular life but who had now been forced to endure unimaginable things like monsters and magic. It was then that something clicked within the charms master's brain. "Of course, Sarah Winchester" He ran his hand through his hair and looked at the group. ”Sluagh come for dying people. Sarah claimed that she was haunted by those killed by Winchester rifles…if you were her, you’d be scared of dying, facing the wrath of the dead…makes sense to become something that devours the souls of the dead…Sarah became the Sluagh, taking souls and consuming them, building her strength so that she can escape”

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“Sluagh” the dark souls of the hunt? Thought Bunny as she looked into her memory to find the information she’d learned in Ghoul Studies at Hogwarts.

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamplight o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the
floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted nevermore

she whispered as mnemonic of her lessons to recall all she knew of the horrid creatures.

In muggle folklore the only way to avoid becoming the prey of the hunt was to offer the life of another but she was happily no muggle and had other options and planned on using them. She reached into her bag and drew out two items the first a feather from a raven of the tower of London that shown blue/black and glossy as she held it in her right palm as in the palm of that same hand she held a shiny black button that was the fetter of her uncle Tony and pulled from his jacket the night the storm tried to claim her as it had all her loved ones on the boat.
Nasty creatures was all she said as she loaded into her thoughts the three spells she might need if they tried to rush her.

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"It makes sense to keep Vespa alive too....she'd use her as a host. Someone of the same bloodline"

Emory turned his gaze away from the child and looked towards the rest of his group. They had to end the haunting of the Winchester House and they had to do it soon. They couldn't leave, not until the job was done. They could walk out the front door, hurry away like thiefs in the night and leave the Sluagh to torture more victims...they could do that or they could use the slim chance they had now and finally end it's miserable existence. He glanced over at what was once a hidden hallway witch Bunny and Florian had uncovered. Why was it hidden? More than likely at the end of that corridor was where the real evil and the real magic took place, the rest of the house was a show created by Sarah Winchester to trick the spirits within.

"Shall we?"

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[Sadie]

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The light under the door was foreboding. At this rate, they could literally find anything at all beyond the solid door. Where Bunny and Florian okay? Or were they too late? Zara knew if she tried to reach out to feel their mind, the protection spell would break and the spirit would once again try to invade her thoughts. She didn't want to chance it. She had extreme confidence in her partners; Bunny was the best at what she did. They all were, or they wouldn't have been recruited into the ORO.

As Emory's words broke through her muffled haze, she cleared her throat and nodded in his direction. She couldn't help squeezing onto his hand for more reassurance. Usually she was quick to locate the source of their problem with just simply reading a few minds- this house was definitely getting to her. It was a problem she had never faced before, nor had she ever heard about. It was completely new territory and without the comfort of her talent, Zara felt useless. All she could do now was provide comfort to the frightened little girl, and to make sure that everybody left the house in one piece. How she was going to do the last part, she wasn't sure of at all. But she had to try.

She knew their leader felt the same when she heard the staggered breath pouring from him before he turned the knob. Emory was preparing himself for his final battle. The thought tore at her, which caused her hand to tighten around his even more. Thankfully, the door opened to the sight of their friends. Giving a quick grin, she nodded in their direction before she realized her protection spell had broken. She took a shaky breath and looked around the room. Bunny's words cut through her and she squeezed her eyes shut to steady her mind. Zara was not going to be a willing participant in anything the spirit was planning.

Once she was sure that nothing, at least for the moment, would be able to invade her thoughts, her eyes slowly reopened as Emory explained his theory. It definitely made sense that a Sluagh was what they were facing; Zara had heard plenty about them, but never endured one before. She was absolutely sure that she wanted this one instance to be her last with this nasty creature.

Her thoughts were mirrored when Bunny spoke. It surprised her on some level, especially since she wasn't peering into anyone's mind. It felt weird for her to be on the same level with somebody else.

And in another instant, her thoughts were once again on Emory. On the unknowing path ahead of them at the end of the corridor. Her eyes glanced over at the little girl and it tore at her heart. No child should have to be going through the complete terror that she was facing. She took a breath before looking back at Emory. Squeezing his hand once more, she nodded slightly. "Let's slime this Sluagh."

[BrutalBx]

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Emory steadied his breath as he prepared to lead his team deep into the unknown of Winchester House. Time was non-existent within these walls. It had felt like they had been in there for days. He held onto Zara’s hand, whom in turn was clutching onto little Vespa. ”Lumos” With a flick of his wrist his wand was illuminated once again and he slowly began to walk into the lost hallway. It was dark and dirty, cobwebs and dust filling the air almost like fog during a damp fall night. This corridor had not seen the light of day in over a century and it was deathly apparent as its wallpaper sagged and the high wooden beams crumbled. He knew what he had to do but even still Emory felt like he was entering this place without a plan, that in itself was an alien concept to him. He never went anywhere without planning ahead, that was just his nature.

Pushing open the final door, the group entered a single room, adorned only by a single, circular table and the rotted skeleton that sat by it. The last resting place of Sarah Winchester. She must’ve had a servant use a dummy or maybe even another corpse to fool those when she died. The walls of the room were littered in occult markings, candles burned down to their cores, crushed clover floating atop a bowl of blood; magic having preserved it do this very day a hundred years on. Blood magic was the worst of the worst and it seemed that one Sarah Winchester was well versed during her days amongst the living.

”She’s going to know we’re here pretty soon, we need to get ready and we need to do it fast” Emory kneeled down to Vespa’s level and looked the little girl in the eye. The fear spread across her face could not be hidden by anything at this point.
”It’s nearly over sweetie, you just have to be brave for a little bit longer ok?” He got to his feet and cracked his neck. No soul would leave this house unscathed after tonight. ”Zara, keep her calm. Keep her head clear and when it’s time, do as I tell you. Bunny, Florian, we need a Devil’s Trap and we need one made sharpish. We haven’t got a lot of time. Nickie, me and you are going to have to contain this thing until they’re ready”

As the team began getting ready, the faint sound of rumbling began to echo throughout the silent halls. She was coming, they had to weaken her as best they could to prepare for what was to come. Raising his wand and aiming it at the table and corpse, Emory spoke clearly and precisely. ”Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester, I name thee. Come forth from the darkness and seek your justice. INCENDIO!” A jet of flame burst forth from the Welshman’s wand and tore through the room and ignited the body, forcing the hulking shroud that was once a woman to appear before them. The burning of a corpse often helped in spiritual cases but it was by no means a solution as tv would have you believe.

”Captarent funiculus ignis” Using his wand like a whip, he conjured a rope of flame which he use to ensnare the Sluagh’s arm. It wouldn’t hold long, they needed the trap to be ready soon as fire began to engulf the room.

[RumikoOhara]

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@Lauder@Sailorsadie@BrutalBx@Xilaw

Velvet trembled not in fear but excitement when she pulled from her bag a six foot length of moonsilk twine that shimmered in the light of Emory’s Lumos spell. Spun from the hair of a Will-O-the Wisp by her former teacher using magic known only to her Hecate order of witches as a graduation present it was a capture device know as a Soul Phylactery which was used by creating a cat’s cradle between the user's fingers and hands. It was the perfect trap to employ but because it used both of her hands it left Bunny helpless against any attacks coming from her sides or back and one of the reasons she needed Florian and the others help using it and the fact that Emory had the thing briefly restrained in his snaring spell made her task a bit easier.

She had to charge the web and keep it in motion for it to snag the Sluagh in it’s ancient magic which was a forerunner of the Horcrux and a perfect soul jar to temporarily hold the evil entity so that it could later be sealed away.

She began chanting in ancient Greek a spell taught only to those women chosen to become members of the Sisterhood of Hecate an order of witches that had existed a 1,000 years before the fall of Troy. She moved closer to Emory and the struggling entity and while it was trapped it had allies in the Mansion who came to it’s aid; Poltergeist.

There were two of them and while by no means helpless they did lack the ability of critical thought and split their attacks throwing objects at the team in an attempt to cause Emory or Velvet loose concentration luckily Miss Night had taught her classes with the help of a very powerful and well known poltergeist (Peeves) who had been given freedom to do whatever was required to cause her students to fail their assigned tasks. Bunny was unaffected by the distractions as was Emory and then there were the others who could deal with the annoying servants of evil as their boss was snared finally in the web of the phylactery and absorbed into its fibers.

[Sadie]

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As they started their way down the corridor, her hands squeezed both Emory's and Vespa's in not only reassurance, but her own hidden fear. Whatever was awaiting them was a complete mystery- even so for the Legilimens. There was nothing alive or dead at the end of the hallway, so nothing for Zara to connect to. She sucked in a short breath and glanced over at Emory. Hopefully he had a plan. He always had a plan before, no matter the dire situation. However this one seemed a bit trickier than the others...

They soon finally found their destination and Zara had to bite back a shriek of surprise- and not the good kind. Her eyes stared at the rotting bones in front of her and she barely managed to cover a whimper that had escaped her throat. This lady definitely surpassed any kind of crazy that Zara herself could muster up. "Well, hats off to her in the crazy department...I tip my hat to you, miss."

Emory soon turned towards Vespa and began to talk to her. As he did so, Zara slipped into the little girl's mind and shuddered with the amount of terror rolling off of her. The sound of her own name brought her attention to Emory and she rose a brow. Keep the girl calm and clear-minded? Who was he kidding? He was definitely asking a lot out of here. Never mind the fact that he held back the next part of her job- and she was smart enough to keep out of his thoughts. She didn't want to even consider what his plan for the girl would be.

Taking in a deep, clear breath, she closed her eyes and felt her mind reach out into the little girl clutching her hand. As she floated around, she could feel the tension and panic melt away from Vespa. In it's absence, happy little girly thoughts replaced it. Thoughts of rainbows and unicorns and dresses and toys...Zara didn't personally have experience with the memories, but she had read enough minds to be well aware of what exactly little girls enjoyed. It was soon working as Vespa's entire body slacked in relaxation, her body no longer tensing up against the environment.

The noise of capturing the spirit filled her ears and it took everything Zara had to keep her focus on the girl. Any slip up in her thoughts could cause the girl to lose hold on her inner peace and would ruin any plan Emory had for her. As her eyes stayed shut, she pressed her fingers into the palm of Emory's hand. She could feel the heat from the fire growing more unbearable before shrieks filled the room. The Sluagh was here.

[BrutalBx]

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A pair of poltergeists had arrived to distract them; the Sluagh knew it was in trouble and had called for aid. Emory glanced over at his teammates, each doing their best to end the horror that was going on in this house. Nickie was doing her best to keep the intruders at bay, Velvet was working hard to get the cat’s cradle trap ready and Zara was doing everything within her vast legilimency powers to keep Vespa calm throughout; hers was probably the toughest job. How do you calm a muggle child in the midst of chaos like this? Shrouded demons, violent spirits and fire engulfing the room and by extension the house itself. Things were spiralling quickly.

The hardest part was remembering the spells. Emory’s mind was filled with holes and blanks that he could not peer into. Memory eluded him when he needed it most. He thought back to his first encounter with the Sluagh several years ago, the spell that the leader of the Regulators used. It was Celtic, something used by the druids of yore. What were those words?! Letting go of Zara’s hand by necessity, the charms master forced the free fire to wrap around the other arm of the Sluagh. Sweat dripped from his forehead from stress and heat as he tried with all his might to find the words.

”Madra ar an fiach, ina gceangal mé dhuit ag an fhuil a lorg agat” With the words spoken, the creature that was once Sarah Winchester began to shrink into the fire, blood curling screams bellowing throughout the corridors of the mystery house. In life, she had been a good woman, a fair woman. In fear of death and the tool of death that her family created, she made herself a monster to survive. The real evil of the world was the humans that called it home, both magical and non magical. As the Sluagh dissolved into a sphere of blackness, Emory motioned his hands and forced the darkness into Bunny’s trap.

”Zara, let her go!” Emory called as he flung the wand forward and forced the sphere into Vespa’s mouth.

”Madra ar an fiach, ina gceangal mé dhuit ag an fhuil a lorg agat” He repeated as the black smoke filled the young girls lungs. At this point the house was awash with flames, the lost souls of the deceased bound by the flickering embers that surrounded them. A tear fell from his dark eye as he looked deep into Vespa’s young face. ”Avada Kedavra” A quick flash of green light flew from Emory’s wand and struck Vespa in the centre of her head. The tiny girl fell back to the floor, stiff like a wooden board. An exasperated sigh escaped his throat as he felt a great sadness wash over him.

”We have to go, now. Out the house, move!” Grabbing Zara by the hand and glancing back at the others, he lead them through the flames, through the winding corridors and finally out of the god forsaken Winchester House.

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Blue. Texas

Interacting with: @Heretic@Sarcelle Renard

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”Well, well. Natalia DeVito, my Puerto Rican princess, I heard y’all were coming down here….ok well Caretaker called me and said you could do with some help” He climbed into the booth with the duo and a smile crept upon his bearded face. Wyatt Holden was the Regulator’s man in the south of America. Across the world there many witches and wizards whom although not recognised officially as Regulator, tended to help the ORO whenever it was required. Wyatt had been a long time associate, a man with his ears to the street, his eyes peeled and with everything you needed to know about the southern US of A. He was a country boy through and through but spent more time monster hunting than anything else. ”New partner is cute, very tasty. Anyway, you looking into the Candy Lady thing, I got a name for you. Clara Crane”

[Sadie]

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The shrieking was getting the better part of her. Not only did the sounds make her skin crawl, but she feared they would soon envelop her mind- and make her fail. As she continued to calm the child, dark thoughts started to seep from Vespa to Zara. They only increased as Emory released her. The lost connection opened the flood gates and her mind went wild. Without his thoughts to keep her grounded, she was completely entrapped within Vespa's mind, and eventually the poltergeists seeked her out.

It was almost a relief when she was given permission to release the child. Yet, when her mind finally released with a loud gasp, she quickly sought out the closest head in the room- Emory's. She quickly saw what his plans were with the little girl and her body froze. Eyes widening in panic, she could only watch as the sphere was placed in the girl's mouth, and the wand raised to her head. She couldn't do this. She couldn't let him do what she was already witnessing in his mind. "NO!"

But it was too late. The word was barely out of her mouth when the child's body hit the floor below her. A sob escaped her lips as she stared at the girl, barely registering when Emory took hold of her hand. She felt numb as she was lead from the room and eventually the house. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks the entire way out, yet her face and eyes were blank.

They had just murdered a little girl and left her body to burn. How could they live with themselves after this case? It was the one that threatened to finally break Zara; what little sanity she had left was ripping at the seams. Her hand was limp in Emory's as she stood next to him, not able to feel anything at all. The Legilimens was speechless- and surprisingly without a thought.

[Heretic]

Interacting with:

Kieran & Wyatt

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"Mi amor!" Natalia immediately reached over and hugged Wyatt when he sat next to her in the booth. She had known the man for a long time now, dating back to when she joined the ORO and was sent out on her first mission to the states. The two have been good friends since, seeing each other as often as possible when Natalia just so happened to travel to in his general vicinity.

"You're helpful as usual..." she smiled, taking out a small piece of paper and a pen from her cluttered purse to write down the name he had given them. Clara Crane, gotta remember that one. She then put the paper away, focusing her attention on Wyatt.

"Oh, how rude of me. This is Kieran," she continued, motioning towards her partner, "and yes, he's quite the handsome one, wouldn't you agree?" she smiled, nudging Wyatt on the side in clear view of Kieran.

"Hello there, are you guys ready for drinks?" the waitress said after sneaking up on them.

"Oh, shoot... I haven't even looked at the menu. But hell, can I get a small vanilla shake?"

"Yes you may," she added, quickly writing down Natalia's order on her notepad. "And for you guys?"

[Sarcelle Renard]

Interacting with:

Wyatt Holden

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Kieran could barely give Twycross’s plan a nod before his partner loudly proclaimed that they would handle the diner. And just like that, he let out a small huff of surprise as he found himself being all too literally dragged along by his partner, his face one of consternation at DeVito’s cheery antics. Despite the years they had been partners, the physical contact was still a bit much for the werewolf, so he was quite appreciative once she let go of his hand.

From what he could see, the town of Blue was one of the dullest he had ever seen, as the two Regulators passed very little of note on their way to the diner. Perhaps it was because the place was so humdrum and disconnected from the rest of the world that it had caught the attention of a serial killer with a penchant for eyes and candy. The thought didn’t sit well with him, as that hardly seemed fair. ’Not that this world is all that familiar with the concept of fairness to begin with,’ he bitterly mused as they passed another quiet street.

"So, we'll go in, order some milkshakes, and ask the waitress to give us some information about the murders. I'll do all the talking, don't worry, you just sit there next to me pretending to be concerned about the news while at the same time looking at me ever so lovingly..."

While the plan made perfect sense to Kieran, DeVito’s teasing at the end earned her one of Kieran’s trademark looks of exasperation, which involved his head being cocked slightly to the side and his ever present frown deepening even more, as he was not all that keen on repeating the travesty that was his attempt at smiling from a few minutes ago. The look softened though as she explained herself, reminding him once more that there was a stark difference between caring about someone professionally and personally. One that he was likely awful at faking.

The topic of whether he cared about DeVito beyond her skills as a Regulator was a murky one, as he had never really given it much thought. ”You got it,” he replied simply rather than wasting time delving into the matter.

It wasn’t all that long before they got to the all too unremarkable diner. It was the kind that you could step into and declare indistinguishable from the thousands that littered the small town landscape across the country, complete with worn down stools missing most of their stuffing and a Route 66 sign plastered on the wall. Life as a member of ORO had caused Kieran to step into many identical establishments, and he imagined he would step into many more over the course of his career. Well, given that he survived that long of course.

The pair earned some cursory glances from the few customers already seated as they made their way to a booth in the back, while Kieran measured them up himself with his own critical eye. None of the locals looked all that suspicious, much less magically gifted, so he took his seat across from DeVito quietly. The werewolf was even sporting a grin, which had the smallest bit of warmth to it, in an attempt to look a bit happy.

The attempt was short lived though, as the entrance of one Wyatt Holden caught him a bit off guard. Kieran couldn’t help but raise his eyebrow, as he didn’t care for people he didn’t know getting the drop on him, not to mention he wasn’t sure he wanted to know what Wyatt meant by “tasty.” But the name he provided certainly caught his interest, although that sadly gave way to more exasperation as DeVito joined in on Wyatt’s teasing. But before he could try end the foolishness and get down to business, their waitress showed up looking for their orders.

"My friend and I will have the same,” he ordered as he gestured at Wyatt, tacking the small grin back onto his face. Truthfully, he was growing somewhat impatient and simply wanted to get on with the case, but he was more than capable of stomaching a handful of small grievances.

As the waitress turned around to put in their order, the small grin quickly deflated as he turned his attention back to Wyatt. ”And what exactly has Miss Crane gotten herself into to catch your attention?”

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@Heretic@BrutalBx

[BrutalBx]

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“Dearest,

Once again my heart is filled with dread and sorrow. It seems that I know not anything but these two emotions. If my soul truly does exist, why is it so tinged with sadness and pain? What has cursed me so? And why must I continue to breathe out into this terrible world?

Masters Corrigan had taken a team to California, a place so filled with light and beauty. They were there to hunt something inside of a famous muggle home. When they had returned, Mistress Zara and Mistress Velvet were both encased in a feeling I was all too familiar with; loss. The creature they chased was a Sluagh, a subordinate of the Wild Hunt. Sarah Winchester was too afraid to die, too afraid of the spirits of those her husbands guns killed and so she made a pact. She made a deal to become this foul creature to starve off death. The team managed to end her miserably long life but at the cost of a child’s. With what I know of these creatures, this was the only possible way to end it but it has left them shaken, changed. Mistress Arminstance; bless her. She has decided to leave us, feeling as though this world was too dark for the light to shine. She may have used a confundus on a muggle as I understand she now works for a law firm.

The Texas mission was also successful. Clara Crane had been alive in the nineteenth century, she was young and foolish so of course she fell in love. She have birth to a child but the child did not live to see its fifth birthday. Distraught, she did the only thing she thought she could, she tried to revive it with magic. Even after death, Clara continued to murder children in hopes of using their parts to reborn her spawn. And it worked, sadly too well. She had created an Infantata, a being of nothing but pure bloodlust. Master Twycross lead his team deep into the dark, they did not all make it out. Sadly Master Felix is missing, we do not know where he is though is lack of portrait in the memorium leads me to believe he is still alive somewhere. Masters Athos and Kieran both survived, as did Miss DeVito and Miss Fuji. They would not say what happened in those mines, only that the creature was gone.

Upon their return, Master Stone was approached by the Ministry to undertake a long term job in devising new protections for the muggle world, he accepted and decided to take Master Sebastian with him. I hope they are well and that they stay away. This place will never be safe.

I fear now that more will be sent to replace those that are gone. I fear now, that more lambs are being sent to slaughter. I fear this crushing wave of terror that washes over me. I fear the girl that haunts my waking day.

The pansy at my feet doth the same tale repeat. Whither is fled the visionary gleam? Where is it now, the glory and the dream?

Forever yours”

As a tear dropped upon the parchment, the Caretaker looked up from his letter and saw the face of Emory staring back at him. ”Who do you write those letters to my friend?” The Welshman asked.

With his glossy eyes brimming with tears, the creature looked to his master and breathed a tortured sigh. ”I know not” He whimpered. ”I know not for whom I write or to whom. My mind will not let me see”

[Shadow007]

~*~ Isadora ~*~

Once the mission was complete, Isa and the rest of her team returned home, however, she had not spoken to anybody since. She thought she was doing the right thing by handing the mission over to Felix, since he was so much more experienced than her... However, it only goes to show that in this sort of business... No matter how skilled and how much experience one may have... The darkness can still swallow them whole.

She wasn't sure why she had trapped herself in Emory's room, perhaps because she knew that he wouldn't ask too many questions and the fact that he wasn't really one to show his emotions openly. She felt that she couldn't face her teammates after everything that happened, she felt the horribly sickly feeling of guilt rise up in her heart and it was almost consuming her. She hadn't eaten as anything she may eat would soon be thrown up shortly after. If only she had acted fast enough so that mine shaft hadn't have collapsed, if only she had continued her place as the leader of the team... These what ifs where starting to drown her in sorrow. It was maddening.

[BlackPanther]

[pretend picture is here]

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Athos was covered in soot and dirt his hair everywhere and his eyes had a raw expression about them. He had been stopped from searching the mines more then he already had and it was clear by not only how he looked, but by the trembling that he was not handling it well. Felix was missing.

Athos moved through the house without so much as a word to the others his crows flying after him. The only sound was the slam of a door before a frusterated yell escaped him. The wail of a broken heart that was clear throughtout before silence once again enveloped the home. Athos leaped into his chest before emerging moments later.

He held the creature close with his back against the side of his bed. Away from the door away from everyone he clutched a large white ball of fur. The creatures several pink eyes seemed locked on its saviour. Im sure he will return Athos. tears escaped his eyes and he shook his head. "They wouldn't let me keep searching what if.....what if he needed help...." the long legs unfurled from the ball showing what exactly the creature was. he has the venom and the silk...he's a healer if anyone is to survive it would be him the soft spoken words from the mouth of the still young albino spider.

Athos nodded before hugging the spider once more. "You're right eclipse. For one still young you are wise." I had a good teacher. Athos managed a small smile before inhaling needing quiet for a moment while surrounded by those he had left. The two ever present crows perched at the top of his bed and let out soft comforting crows as he remained curled with the spider.

[Heretic]

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Natalia remained as quiet as the others as she made her way to the kitchen. The aftermath of the mission had affected them all to such point, and even though every new mission brought on with it new risks, the gamble of death was just about the only factor that remained constant. She pulled some chilled wine out of the refrigerator and poured herself a full glass, then grabbed a napkin and headed to her room. Everyone in the house had their way of dealing with their team members' deaths, and this was hers.

Once in her room, Natalia prepared herself a nice, warm bath. She sat on the edge of the bathtub solemnly looking at the slow-rising water. The same thought always bothered her: What if I'm next? Even though they were always being told not to dwell in the past, Natalia couldn't help but think about how things might have turned out had she or another teammate done something different. Regret had a nasty way of making the young woman feel helpless, and it always took her more or less the same amount of time to get over it.

Eventually, when the bathtub was just about full, she removed her clothes, stepped inside, and began drinking her wine.

[Sarcelle Renard]

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Of all the Regulators that had filed back into the Dormum following the Candy Lady case, Kieran was by far the most composed. It only took one look into Vallon’s eyes to see the grief weighing on him, while DeVito and Fuji showed how rattled they were by how uncharacteristically quiet they had become. But Kieran? He merely wore the same dispassionate look that he had left with, albeit with the addition of a limp to his stride courtesy of the cave in. In the chaos, the werewolf had lost his potions case and broke his left forearm. And while he had thankfully already received some basic first aid from DeVito to finish the mission, he needed to give it some proper attention back in the Workshop.

So while the others dispersed to deal with their grief, Kieran shooed away any concerns and hobbled to his second home. It hadn’t even been a day since he had last been in the room, but already the smell of potions give him an almost nostalgic comfort. A heavy sigh escaped him as he took in the sight, glad that he had survived another mission and would be able to continue his research. It only took him a minute to navigate the maze that was his potions cabinet and produce a vial of Skele Gro, which he brought with him to the stool at his work station.

All things considered, Kieran had gotten off lucky. Sure, it would be a pain to find another high quality replacement for his trusty attache case, but the potions themselves would not be terribly annoying to remake. And while his arm was by no means going to be all that pleasant to mend, the pain and taste of Skele Gro wasn’t that unbearable to him as he had ingested more than his fair share of the stuff. So with little hesitation, he took the stopper out of the vial and brought the vial to his lips.

”No you dolt! I don’t care if that’s elixir in that bottle, you make sure that bone is properly set or I’ll break it again myself!”

Twycross’s words tore through him just before he took his first sip. Kieran’s grip on the glass vial came dangerously close to shattering the damn thing as an awful pit opened up in the werewolf’s chest. It wasn’t like him to get worked up over the loss of a colleague like this. After all, Kieran had kept Twycross at an arm’s length, just like the rest of the Regulators, to keep him from getting distracted from his work should something happen to the healer. Yet here he was, on the verge of breaking down because the one smart ass that wouldn’t leave him alone was gone.

”What a joke,” he muttered bitterly as he double checked that the bone was indeed set properly. Once he was certain, he downed the Skele Gro like he was taking a shot of bottom shelf alcohol. ”A stupid, tasteless joke.”

[Sadie]

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Emory looked over to Zara and a laboured breath escaped his lungs that were now tinged with black smoke. He didn’t have to be a mind reader like her to understand that she was struggling, hell so was he. He had just murdered a child and it split his heart deeply. This job had broken him, it had changed him. Had he more time he would’ve tried to think of another way to end it but trapping the Sluagh in the body of someone from its bloodline was the only method he knew; it just so happened that the trap was a child. Emory was doing everything in his power to rationalize his actions, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. One life for many is a small price to pay but it is a price nonetheless.

”I had to do it, Zara. There was no other way. She was a hero”

The Welshmen turned his head at the faint sound of muggle sirens in the distance. Police, ambulance and fire service if he was not mistaken. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled free the small gold coin that the Caretaker had given them each before the start of their case. An enchanted galleon that would apparate them back to Lundy.

”We need to go”

She couldn't focus on any one thing around her. Everything was coming at her all at once, completely overwhelming her senses. Zara could still hear the shrieks, the dark thoughts, the fear- all warped together in a chaotic mess at the front of her mind. All she could do was stand in one spot, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. Couldn't they have done something else? Surely there was something they could have done to save the child. She had been an innocent in all this- Sarah Winchester was the true evil here. Why did a little girl have to pay for the crimes of another?

Emory's voice seeped through the mess and she slowly glanced up at him. A small scoff escaped her throat at his statement before she once more looked away from him. Her voice was raspy and hoarse as she replied, "A hero...I'm sure she didn't feel that way. Just a teeny tiny babe all alone in the world...Orphaned all at once...Like abracadabra...Poof, everyone's dead." She knew she was starting to lose whatever sanity she had held so dearly to. Zara felt like her little world she had created for herself was slowly crumbling around her, and she didn't know how she was going to rebuild it.

Glancing towards the new noise, she let out a breath and shrugged weakly. "Here comes the cavalry...one if by land, two if by sea.." Her eyes caught sight of the gold coin that was pulled free of Emory's pocket. Snaking her fingers into her own, she pulled out the small object and stared at it. "Open sesame.."

"Mysterium Domum" Emory spoke clearly and concisely, flipping the coin in his palm and in an instant he found himself back in the occult office that he had called home for five years. The Caretaker sat in a nearby chair, reading as the others began to appear as well. The creature would take his leave to collect supplies as Emory looked upon his team.

"I am sorry for how this one turned out. I did what I had to"

He looked to those that were broken and sighed. It had become apparent to him now that among the members of ORO, Emory Corrigan had become the necessary evil, the man who made the hard calls. Surely one day they would understand? He did not do these things because he wanted too, in fact his heart broke more deeply over it but he could not let them see that. They needed him to be strong and if a hate or fear of him kept the office running, then hated and feared he would be. Moving on from the map room, the charms master entered a kitchen. In a moment of frustration he picked up a chair and threw it against the wall, breaking it into several pieces. An anguished scream burst from his chest as tears streamed down his face and he dropped to his knees, punding the cold oak floor with his closed fist until it was bloody.

Zara had muttered along the words to bring them home, arriving just as soon as Emory had. Her brow raised slightly at the look around the room. What had happened to everyone else? Where was...Where was Felix? Athos was missing from the room too, so maybe they were huddled up in one of their rooms together. The thought brought a small grin to her face. At least something good would come from today.

At Emory's words, she blinked and looked at him. He sounded about as great as she felt. She watched as he walked away- and finally allowed herself a dip into his mind. As he couldn't hide any new memories from her now, she felt the onslaught of emotions pouring from him. It drew a large gasp from her chest and she hurried into the kitchen at the moment when things began to fly. Blinking as she watched him fall to his knees, she hurried over without hesitation and fell down next to him. Zara tightly wrapped her arms around him as he did for her back at the house.

"I'm a monster" The poor man wept. "I'm no better than the things we hunt"

Emory raised his head from the floor at the touch of Zara's hands. In that moment he felt comfort, a feeling he rarely had any more. How could she forgive him for this? She was linked with that poor girl, felt everything that she felt. He had come to realise that this Kiwi girl was someone he could trust and rely on but they were not cut from the same cloth. In fact Emory was probably more alone in this place than anyone. He entwined the fingers of his non-bloodied hand with one of hers and let out a great sigh. Correcting his posture, Emory looked into Zara's eyes and felt the pain that she felt. Their noses grazed slightly in that awfully charged moment.

"You should rest, it's been a hard day"

"No, no, no, no, no..." She clicked her tongue at him as she ran her hands over his back, trying to ease his burden. Her eyes caught sight of his bloodied hand and she took a breath. No matter what had happened back at the house, they were here now. They had had a job to do, and a countless number of people to save. And they had succeeded in that. Yes, they had taken a life of an innocent. But that one innocent life, for numerous others? Zara knew it had to be done. She certainly didn't blame Emory for that. And for him to think she did...

As he took hold of her hand, she sucked in a small breath as his thoughts flooded her. She stared down at the fingers wrapped together, trying to sort everything out. He was hurting, just as much, if not more than she. While she had been connected to the child, he had been the one to take her life. She tilted her chin up to meet his gaze as he moved, brushing her nose with his. Her stomach flipped slightly and her free hand raised up to cup his cheek. "You're not a monster. Vespa was tormented; now she's at peace. You saved her." She leaned in ever so slightly, brushing her lips across his in a soft kiss before whispering against them, "you're not a monster."

Pulling back, she searched his face before standing. "I'll go find Felix. Your hand needs healing. I'll send him to your room."

[BrutalBx]

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@Sailorsadie@Shadow007

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Emory tried to quiet the raging fire in his mind as Zara left him in the kitchen. Why had she kissed him? Why would anyone? Isadora, Daisy…what another fine mess you’ve made Corrigan. He pulled himself to his feet and scanned the room around him, he had made a bit of a mess. Freeing his wand from his belt, he gave it a quick flick. ”Reparo” The chair he had smashed raised itself from the floor and mended itself in a moment and the blood stains on the floor from his hand quickly vanished as well.

Emerging from the kitchen, the charms master made his way down the hall in a daze, noticing as Natalia headed into the kitchen he had just been in with Zara. The unnerving feeling he had was once that he often got after returning from a case. It had been common practice since the implantation of the office that the Regulators be split amongst cases so as to share the workload. However it has oft resulted in times where only a handful would come home. All one had to do was look at the memory wall that the Caretaker so diligently took care of to see just how many of their number had fallen. On hard nights like this one, Emory’s mind would wander to how many of his colleague’s would return home and how many were waiting for him on the other side…or at least he hoped they were, along with Daisy.

Entering into his chamber, the battle worn wizard found Isa already there waiting for him. He was too exhausted to think about the implications of Zara’s kiss and his own feelings. His mind was muddled with thoughts that ran a thousand miles an hour. No quicker had he just started thinking about something before another idea took its place. Locking the door behind him, Emory gave Isa the once over, just to see if she was ok and noted her trembling frame. Something had happened on her case, something dark. Making his way over, he planted a kiss on her forehead before collapsing onto the edge of the bed. He placed his wand to his temple and sucked in a deep breath.

”Obliviate” He spoke in a hushed and exhausted tone as he pulled the memories of the days events from his war torn mind.

Falling back against the mattress, he dropped his wand on the floor, he reached up with his hand, beckoning Isadora to him. ”What happened to you?”

[Shadow007]

Interacting with:

~*~ Isadora ~*~

Isadora barely noticed Emory walk in until he kissed her forehead, causing her to shiver slightly as she heard Emory flop down beside her. She frowned slightly as she could had sworn that she heard Emory whisper a spell, that she had seen a faint light out of the corner of her eye. When she saw Emory beckoning her, she crawled over slightly, chuckling bitterly. "What didn't happen?" She asked in a hollow tone as she spread out on Emory's chest. "I really messed up this time..." She muttered into his chest, still unable to look him in the eye.

"I decided to make Felix the leader of the mission, I thought he might have a better understanding of the case... He led us to a mineshaft and we went in..." She began softly. "That Candy Lady... She was tougher than she looked... Immune to most spells... However, just when we managed to take her down... The shaft collapsed in front of me... Felix was..." She swallowed heavily, panting slightly as she let out ragged breaths. "Damn it all to hell, Emory!" She cried out. "If only if I acted fast enough I would have gotten to save him!"

[Sadie]

@BlackPanther

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As she stumbled her way out of the kitchen in a hurry, she caught her breath when she hit the hallway. She placed a trembling hand against the wall and focused on regulating her breathing. In, out, in out.. Zara couldn't believe what she had just done. Why did she kiss him? She was planning on never letting him know how she felt. Knowing he was still hung up over Daisy, and doing the sideways tango with Isadora...Where would she even fit in? She didn't fit into his world, even if she desperately wished she would.

Once her breath was caught and the trembling subsided, she cleared her throat and made her way down to Felix's room. With everything going on since the moment they had gotten back to the house, she hadn't had time to pick anyone's mind. Her own thoughts were a jumbled hot mess and she wasn't confident that she'd be able to sort everything out clearly. Seeing his door closed, she raised a brow and twisted the doorknob open. The two weren't shy with each other, so Zara was basically welcome to come and go as she pleased. Once the room was open to her however, she stopped and blinked at the emptiness. Where was he? Athos. Athos would know.

She turned quickly on her heel and hurried down to the man's room. Her nerves were starting to get the best of her; she remembered how sad and upset everyone had seemed when they arrived. Was the case just as bad as theirs was? Coming upon Athos' room, she heard mumbling coming from the other side of the room. Her face immediately brightened. See, he's talking to Felix. Nothing to worry about after-

Her thoughts came to a resounding halt when she realized exactly what those words of his were. Zara quickly delved into the man's mind on the other side of the door. Seeing the devastation and chaos floating around in his head, she gave a loud gasp when her questions were answered. Pulling quickly from his head, she stumbled backwards and gave a little cry when her back hit the opposite wall. Felix was missing? How could he be missing?! As she headed towards the main area of the house, her mind reached out to everyone elses for confirmation.

She finally hit pay dirt with Isadora's mind. Hearing the thoughts she was saying out loud to Emory, a strangled sob broke free of Zara's chest. Leaning her back against the wall, just a few doors down from Emory's room, she slid to the floor. Her behind made contact as her body shuddered violently.

[Zahir]

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Tariq ended up staying in Texas for hours longer then the rest of his team. He regretted taking his eyes off Felix. He felt like it was mostly his fault that Felix disappeared. Standing in the dessert wasteland of when once he saw his dear friend he shook his head in disbelief he didn't want to believe that his friend just 'disappeared' there had to be something to it.
But there was nothing else to do…What else could I do? His eyes swelled up this feeling inside of his gut was one he felt before. A stinging, swirling, grinding up of his insides, something heavy on his chest and something caught in his throat as his eyes swelled up with tears. Though this expression on his face didn't last long it turned into an anger. Huffing out he grabbed his wand and imagined the place he knew best as he swung the wand a whipping whirl pool of the wind came quickly around in the circle.

Ending up right in front of the ORO house he looked up at the old house with the beautiful windows and mysterious look of it. Shaking his head he kind of didn't want to go into the house. Though he stepped forward and put his wand away. Breathing in deeply he grabbed onto the handle as he crept into the house and silently shutting the door the best he could. Which left a CREEEEAAAK noise echoing in the walls. As he shut the door, he turned around and looked into the two doorways to see if anybody was there which he couldn't see a single person.

Tariq ended up swiftly going up the stairs. Stomp. . . STomp... STOMP, STOMP, STOMP…with each foot he seemed to go slow, faster, then faster as he didn't care who heard his existence anymore. As he made it to his room, he opened the door with a flick of his hand and a whisper of words. Sometimes with simple spells he didn't need a wand other not. As he went through the door, it also slammed behind him then locked. Breathing heavily he started taking off the mission outfit he put on. He ended up grabbing other clothes and quickly getting into them as he almost tripped a few times trying to get the lower clothing on his body. Tariq ended up in a nice dress suit.

Sitting down on the bed, he put his hands on his skull and sighed. Rubbing his temple's he, groaned a little more in annoyance then anything else. "Why?" he whispered to himself. "...Another friend..." He sighed then fell back into the bed and stretched his arms out as he looked at the ceiling. He turned his head and looked to the door and watched it for a moment. . . . I should socialise, though...I don't feel civil enough to do it at the moment. . . These thoughts kept twirling in his head with the ones of his missing friend.